NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2023

by | Oct 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2023

The Ducks finally sign Jamie Drysdale, the Kings extend coach Todd McLellan’s contract, recaps of Thursday’s preseason action, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

HEADLINES

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Jamie Drysdale to a three-year, $6.9 million contract. The average annual value is $2.3 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with Trevor Zegras, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek gets Drysdale signed to a team-friendly bridge contract. The 21-year-old defenseman had little leverage coming off his entry-level contract. Should he and Zegras improve as projected, they’ll be well-situated to command much more lucrative terms on their next contracts.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings have extended the contract of head coach Todd McLellan to the end of the 2024-25 season. He’s entering his fifth season behind the Kings bench, guiding them to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023.

Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have made steady improvement under McLellan, finishing with 99 points in 2021-22 and 104 points in 2022-23. However, they’ve fallen in the first round of the playoffs in both seasons to the Edmonton Oilers. McLellan’s long-term future with the Kings will depend on their performance this season and next.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Kings, forward Arthur Kaliyev has been suspended for two preseason games and two regular-season games by the NHL department of player safety for kneeing Anaheim Ducks forward Chase De Leo. The latter suffered a sprained MCL and will be sidelined for eight weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The punishment hardly seems to fit the crime. I think any player who deliberately injures another should be suspended for as long as the player he injured is sidelined. However, there’s also that grey area of determining intent or whether it was accidental. Besides, such a harsh punishment for a superstar probably wouldn’t go over well with fans and pundits.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture is considered a long shot to be in the lineup for the club’s season-opener next week. The 34-year-old center is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks already faced a challenging season as management rebuilds, er, sorry, “retools” its roster. Losing Couture to injury to start this campaign was the last thing they needed.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud underwent surgery for an upper-body injury and is listed as week-to-week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big blow to the Golden Knight’s blueline. It’s also the third straight season that Whitecloud has been sidelined by a significant injury. He was limited to 59 games in each of the last two seasons.

SPORTSNET: The city of Calgary unveiled a preliminary deal for a $1.2 billion event center and entertainment district near the city’s downtown. It includes an $800 million arena for the Flames. Construction will reportedly begin in 2024 and the arena is expected to be opened in 2026 or 2027.

The province of Alberta will contribute $330 million to the project while the city of Calgary will contribute $537 million. The Flames will pay $40 million upfront and $17 million per year over the course of a 35-year lease with payments rising one percent per year.

PRESEASON GAMES RECAP

NHL.COM: Ryan O’Reilly scored his first preseason goal with the Nashville Predators and collected three assists in a 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Juuse Saros made 40 saves for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Predators, they will honor former general manager David Poile during a pregame ceremony on Nov. 22. Poile retired on July 1 after 40 seasons in the NHL including 25 seasons as the Predators GM.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. William Nylander scored twice, including the winner in overtime. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner each had two points for the Leafs. Shayne Gostisbehere collected two assists for the Wings.

Florida Panthers center Kevin Stenlund scored two goals in a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for the Lightning.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist as his club downed the New York Islanders 5-2. Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves for the Islanders.

The Washington Capitals doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Riley Sutter netted a shorthanded goal and collected an assist for the Capitals. Spencer Martin stopped 35 shots in his first game for the Jackets since being claimed off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks earlier this week.

Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras tallied the go-ahead goal in a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers. Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves. Kaapo Kakko replied for the Rangers, who finished the preseason with a record of 1-5-0.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington kicked out 24 shots to shut out the Dallas Stars 4-0. Robert Thomas tallied twice for the Blues. Jake Oettinger stopped 24 shots for the Stars.

The Ottawa Senators blanked the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 as Anton Forsberg turned in a 21-save shutout. Jakob Chychrun and Josh Bailey each had a goal and an assist for the Senators. Jets defenseman Ville Heinola left the game with a lower-body injury in the first period following a collision with Senators defenseman Erik Brannstrom.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Heinola suffered the injury to his left leg. “It’s not good,” said Jets coach Rick Bowness following the game. “It’s not a short-term injury.”

A shootout goal by Mats Zuccarello gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. A third-period goal by Pat Maroon tied the game for the Wild. Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard was unable to get off a shot during the shootout as he was poke-checked by Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 27 saves for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Wild as defenseman Jared Spurgeon left the game in the first period and didn’t return. He will be evaluated today.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-3. Pierre-Luc Dubois tallied his first preseason goal for the Kings while Mike Hoffman picked up his first preseason tally for the Sharks.

The Arizona Coyotes downed the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on a two-goal performance by center Logan Cooley. Ducks goalie John Gibson allowed four goals on 17 shots before leaving the game with an apparent hand injury.

Four unanswered goals by the Vegas Golden Knights gave them a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Alex Pietrangelo had two assists and Logan Thompson kicked out 31 shots for the Golden Knights. Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had two assists for the Avalanche.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE SCORE: The NHL is reportedly considering hosting the 2024 Draft at The Sphere, a music and entertainment arena just off the Strip in Las Vegas. For the past 30 years, NHL drafts have been primarily held inside the host city’s arena.

THE PROVINCE: Stan Smyl is transitioning out of the Vancouver Canucks front office into a role as a team ambassador. Smyl has been with the Canucks since breaking in as a player 45 years ago, serving in various roles following his playing career. He’s been serving as their vice president since 2021.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: A report indicated Devils chairman and governor David Blitzer is joining the NHL’s executive committee.

AZCENTRAL.COM: The Arizona Coyotes have found a new TV broadcaster, signing a multi-year deal with Scripps Sports to televise all locally broadcasted games. The announcement comes on the same day that the Coyotes and Bally Sports Arizona received approval to terminate their multi-year contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 3, 2023

by | Oct 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 3, 2023

The Ducks finally re-sign Trevor Zegras, notable injury and waiver updates, and recaps of Monday’s preseason action in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

HEADLINES

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The contract standoff between the Anaheim Ducks and center Trevor Zegras ended Monday with an agreement on a three-year contract worth an average annual value of $5.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The dollars were the sticking point in negotiations resulting in Zegras missing nearly two weeks of training camp and preseason play. It was reported the Ducks offered between $3 million and $4 million annually.

Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek ended up paying more but it’s still a team-friendly amount. This deal also sets an artificial cap ceiling for Verbeek to wield when he goes into contract talks with promising youngsters such as Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson.

As The Athletic’s Eric Stephens and Pierre LeBrun observed, this contract gives Zegras a runway to elevate his game and establish himself as a true franchise player for the Ducks. If he does, he’ll be poised to command a much more lucrative deal as he’ll have arbitration rights when this contract expires in 2026.

Verbeek’s next order of business is signing restricted free agent Jamie Drysdale. With Zegras under contract, perhaps a new deal for the 21-year-old defenseman will be announced before the end of this week.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn said Logan Couture (lower-body injury) is improving but he remains questionable for the club’s season opener next week. The 34-year-old center isn’t expected to resume skating until the end of this week at the earliest.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Filip Chytil remains sidelined with an upper-body injury. He remains day-to-day but head coach Peter Laviolette isn’t sure if Chytil will be ready for their season opener.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins is listed as week-to-week with a “significant lower-body injury”, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said defenseman Josh Manson (oblique) is expected to be ready for opening night. However, goaltender Pavel Francouz remains sidelined and won’t be in the lineup for the start of the season.

PRESEASON GAMES RECAP

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators goaltender Joonas Korpisalo turned in a 40-save performance to shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, NS.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt tallied a hat trick and collected an assist as his club held off the New York Islanders 6-5. Mathew Barzal had two goals and an assist for the Islanders.

The Philadelphia Flyers picked up a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Flyers winger Cam Atkinson picked up his first goal of the preseason.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug got an assist in his first game of this preseason in a 5-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jackets goalie Jet Greaves turned aside 36 shots for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug was returning from a foot injury suffered before the start of training camp.

The Montreal Canadiens overcame a 4-2 deficit to nip the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4. Josh Anderson sent the game into overtime where Nick Suzuki netted the game winner. John Tavares scored twice for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens forwards Joel Armia and Alex Newhook and defenseman Gustav Lindstrom all missed this game with upper-body injuries. They’re listed as day-to-day.

Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato scored the winning goal and picked up two assists in a 5-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. David Gustafsson tallied twice for the Jets.

Connor McDavid scored the go-ahead goal and Xavier Bourgault tallied twice as the Edmonton Oilers downed the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Former Oiler Kailer Yamamoto replied for the Kraken.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins claimed forward Jansen Harkins off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predators claimed forward Samuel Fagemo off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Victor Mete, Florida Panthers blueliner Lucas Carlsson and Arizona Coyotes forward Jan Jenik were the notables among 29 players placed on waivers on Monday.

THE SCORE: The Senators placed defensemen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Jacob Larsson along with forwards Egor Sokolov and Matthew Highmore on waivers. Bernard-Docker was chosen 26th overall by the Senators in the 2018 draft.

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings could start the season with three goaltenders to avoid the risk of losing Alex Lyon to waivers. Ville Husso and free-agent signing James Reimer are expected to be the Wings’ goalie tandem.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 27, 2023

by | Sep 27, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 27, 2023

Recaps of Tuesday’s preseason action plus the latest on Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, Sharks captain Logan Couture, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Blake Wheeler scored in his debut with the New York Rangers as they doubled up the New York Islanders 4-2.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin (lower-body injury)and Filip Chytil (upper body) missed this game and are listed as day-to-day.

The Anaheim Ducks dropped the San Jose Sharks 4-2 with Sam Carrick getting a goal and two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Sharks, team captain Logan Couture (lower-body, week-to-week) is skating again. However, they’re being cautious with his return date even if it means missing their season opener against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 12.

Alex DeBrincat picked up two assists in his debut with the Detroit Red Wings in a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Penguins, defenseman Mark Pysyk will be sidelined “longer-term” with an undisclosed injury. He’s in training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Devon Levi stopped all 19 shots he faced over two periods in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Devin Cooley made 18 saves in the third period for the Sabres.

Tony DeAngelo had a goal and an assist in his first game back with the Carolina Hurricanes to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2.

The St. Louis Blues scored three first-period goals over the Columbus Blue Jackets and held on for a 3-2 win.

Dallas Stars forwards Jason Robertson, Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and an assist to thump the Minnesota Wild 6-1.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk resumed skating yesterday after leaving Sunday’s preseason game after being struck by a shot on the right arm. Meanwhile, blueliner Joel Edmundson missed practice after suffering an upper-body injury during a scrimmage on Sunday.

THE PROVINCE: Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev joined his teammates yesterday in his first practice since suffering a knee injury in January. He hasn’t yet gained clearance for full participation but this is considered a promising sign.

TSN: The NHL and Adidas revealed the uniforms the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will wear for the 2023 Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Oct. 29.

NHL.COM: Goaltender Cory Schneider announced his retirement on Tuesday. In 410 NHL games (389 starts) with the Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders, Schneider had a record of 171 wins, 159 losses and 58 overtime losses with a 2.43 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and 26 shutouts. He and Roberto Luongo won the Jennings Trophy for the league’s lowest combined goals-against in 2010-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before injuries derailed his career, Schneider was among the league’s top goaltenders. As per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, from 2010-11 through 2015-16, Schneider’s 2.13 GAA and .926 SP ranked first among all goalies with at least 100 games played during that stretch.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 22, 2023

by | Sep 22, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 22, 2023

Are the Sabres interested in Patrick Kane? Should the Sharks trade Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl? What’s the latest on Jets center Mark Scheifele? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SABRES INTERESTED IN KANE

TSN: Darren Dreger reported the Buffalo Sabres have an interest in Patrick Kane. The 34-year-old winger underwent an offseason hip resurfacing procedure and will require another month to rehab.

Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

The Sabres won’t be the only club that could have an interest in Kane. Dreger believes he could help a lot of teams when he’s healthy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane joining his hometown Sabres and helping them reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011 would make a great story. However, his agent indicated that he would be fielding offers from clubs that he felt would give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. Unless Kane’s changed his mind or if there aren’t any Cup contenders with the cap space or roster room to add him, the Sabres don’t meet his criteria.

The Sabres are a promising club loaded with good young talent. This could be their long-awaited breakthrough season following years of often inconsistent rebuilding by multiple general managers and coaches. If they bust out like the Devils did last season, perhaps they’ll be on Kane’s radar.

However, the Sabres have plenty of offensive forwards on their roster with Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Casey Mittelstadt, JJ Peterka, and Victor Olofsson. Granted, they lack Kane’s championship pedigree and leadership. Still, fitting him in there could prove difficult, especially when Jack Quinn returns from injury or if Matt Savoie or Jiri Kulich crack the roster this season.

A greater need could be between the pipes. They have two promising goalies in Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen but neither of them is a reliable experienced starter. That could become a more urgent issue to address if those two should struggle this season. Kane can’t help them there.

With over $8 million in cap space, the Sabres have the room to add Kane and perhaps bolster their goaltending. Still, there could be other clubs better situated as Cup contenders who could prove more tempting to him.

COULD THE SHARKS EXPLORE TRADING COUTURE AND HERTL?

THE SCORE: Cited Bay Area News’ Curtis Pashelka reporting that San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier would be open to moving forwards Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl if they asked to be traded.

Grier indicated that Couture and Hertl are committed to the Sharks for the time being. However, if they approached him about being moved, the Sharks GM said he would listen and explore it if a trade made sense for his club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Good luck moving either guy if the day comes if they request a trade. Couture, 34, is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million and a three-team list of acceptable trade destinations. The 29-year-old Hertl is in the second season of an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8.13 million and a full no-movement clause until 2025-26 when the no-trade portion reverts to a three-team trade list.

Yes, Grier was able to move Erik Karlsson and his hefty contract but that was because the 33-year-old defenseman was coming off a career-best 101-point performance that won him the Norris Trophy for the third time. Couture and Hertl aren’t in his talent class and that will hurt their trade value.

LATEST ON SCHEIFELE

THE SCORE: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele is open to signing a contract extension. “I’ve told them I’m open to staying,” Scheifele told the media yesterday. The 30-year-old center noted how long he’s been with the club, pointing out he’s starting his 13th training camp with them.

Scheifele has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.125 million. He indicated that there haven’t really been any contract talks with management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has said that he’s going to evaluate the club’s performance this season as well as that of Scheifele and fellow pending UFA Connor Hellebuyck.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2023

by | Sep 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2023

Marc-Andre Fleury ponders his future, sale of the Senators receives league approval, plus the latest on Logan Couture, Robin Lehner, Max Pacioretty and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Marc-Andre Fleury is entering his 20th NHL season but hasn’t decided yet if it will be his last. The 38-year-old Minnesota Wild goaltender is in the final season of his contract and said he’ll play out this campaign before evaluating if he’ll continue his playing career.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Fleury has 544 career wins. He needs just eight more victories to pass Patrick Roy for second place on the all-time wins list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s hard to believe sometimes that Fleury’s been in the NHL this long. I told one of my social media followers that it seemed like I was watching him play in the QMJHL with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles yesterday. That was over 20 years ago.

OTTAWA SUN: The sale of the Ottawa Senators to billionaire Michael Andlauer finally received formal approval from the NHL Board of Governors yesterday. At $950 million dollars, it’s the highest price ever paid to purchase an NHL franchise.

Following the purchase, Andlauer released an open letter to Senators fans stating that his goal is to bring the Stanley Cup to Ottawa. He also sought to assure them about the club’s future under his ownership. “My partners and I may be the team owners on paper, but this team truly belongs to Ottawa-Gatineau,” he wrote. “I promise to take care of your team with the utmost respect, integrity and care both on and off the ice.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The late Eugene Melnyk deserves credit for rescuing the Senators nearly 20 years ago (with the help of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman) and keeping them in Ottawa at a time when the franchise was bankrupt and on the verge of relocation. Nevertheless, Melnyk’s mercurial style and front-office meddling generated uncertainty and concern among Senators fans over the quality of the on-ice product and the club’s future in Ottawa.

A new era has begun for the Senators. Andlauer was a minority owner of the Montreal Canadiens before purchasing the Sens. He knows the league, understands the business of hockey, and appears determined to bring stability to this franchise and a winning product on the ice. He still has to navigate toward the construction of a new downtown arena but the odds appear better under his stewardship than they were during the final years of Melnyk’s tenure.

Speaking of the Senators, center Josh Norris downplayed concern regarding a minor shoulder ailment that saw him start training camp with a yellow non-contact jersey. “I think they’re looking out for me and I totally get it,” said Norris, who missed all but eight games last season to shoulder surgery. He said he didn’t want to be in that jersey but acknowledged it was probably the best thing to take precautions and be ready for the start of the season.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The rebuilding Sharks got bad news as team captain Logan Couture will miss the start of training camp. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury that he suffered during offseason training.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no timeline for Couture’s return. It’s uncertain if he’ll be ready for the club’s season debut on Oct. 12.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner remains sidelined indefinitely and will start the season on long-term injured reserve. He missed all of last season recovering from hip surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reports also indicated that some wonder if Lehner will ever play again. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $5 million.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of uncertain injury recovery timelines, Capitals winger Max Pacioretty has “no concrete timetable yet” for when he’ll join his new club. The 34-year-old winger played only five games last season with the Carolina Hurricanes as he was twice sidelined by a torn right Achilles tendon. He signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Capitals this summer as a free agent.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams continues to work on getting young defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power under contract extensions before the start of this season. The two sides appear to be closing in on deals following a week of intense negotiations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dahlin and Power are the linchpins of the rebuilding Sabres’ blueline. It’s not surprising that Adams hopes to sign the two defensemen to long-term contracts with average annual values that could become team-friendly over the course of their playing prime.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Sabres, promising forward Matt Savoie is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during a prospects tournament game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks opened training camp missing three of their young core players. Center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale are still without new contracts as negotiations continue with management. Meanwhile, forward Mason MacTavish was dealing with a muscle spasm.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacTavish could rejoin his teammates as early as today. It’s uncertain as to when Zegras and Drysdale will be under contract. Reports from earlier this week claimed there’s a “wide gap” between them and management over what their new deals will look like.

THE DENVER POST: Valeri Nichushkin has rejoined his Colorado Avalanche teammates for the first time since taking a leave of absence from the club during their first-round series against the Seattle Kraken in April. The 28-year-old winger was welcomed back by his teammates “with open arms”.

Nichushkin’s departure was the result of an incident in Seattle in which a team doctor found an intoxicated woman in the winger’s hotel room and called an ambulance, according to a police report. He was not disciplined over the incident by the team or the league and faced no charges over the incident.

“I know you guys want to find something there, but it’s nothing really interesting,” Nichushkin told the media. “I think we should close it. It’s a new season right now. We have to focus on that.” He said that his extended absence from the Avs was due to a “family reason.”

CALGARY SUN: Oliver Kylington missed the start of Flames training camp without indicating when he’ll return to action. The 26-year-old defenseman missed all of last season to focus on his mental health. It was expected that he would rejoin his teammates this season after arriving in Calgary last week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kylington talked about his mental health during an interview this summer. He said he was looking forward to joining his Flames teammates this season. Here’s hoping he continues to get the help he needs to deal with this issue.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sticking with the Flames, Nikita Zadorov has openly opposed his home country’s invasion of Ukraine. The Russian defenseman is the sole NHLer among his countrymen to speak out against the invasion. He said he’s aware of the consequences he might face but claimed there are “a lot of people who have the same view as me in Russia.”

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders winger Oliver Wahlstrom skated with the Islanders for the first time since suffering a season-ending lower-body injury last December. Defenseman Alex Romanov also joined his teammates, dispelling concerns that he might miss the start of training camp rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks winger Ilya Mikheyev left training camp for personal reasons. He’s been sidelined since January with a knee injury and underwent surgery the following month.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Chris Wideman is sidelined indefinitely with a back injury.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 10, 2023

by | Aug 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 10, 2023

Erik Karlsson meets with the media following his trade to the Penguins plus the latest on Logan Couture, Tom Wilson, J.T. Miller and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Erik Karlsson met with the Pittsburgh media yesterday for the first time since being traded to the Penguins by the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.

Karlsson said he didn’t give the Sharks a list of preferred trade destinations but he wanted to go to a winner. He became interested when he learned the Penguins were looking into acquiring him. The 33-year-old defenseman said he’s excited to be playing alongside Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

Karlsson and Letang are both right-shot, right-side defensemen. However, he doesn’t believe he’ll have any difficulty co-existing with the long-time Penguins blueliner. He also denied a report from earlier this summer claiming there was tension between himself and former Sharks teammate Brent Burns. “We’re actually pretty good friends, personally,” he said.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Sharks, team captain Logan Couture remains committed to the retooling club despite the departure of Karlsson. The 34-year-old center has spent his entire 14-season NHL career with the Sharks. He praised the management and coaching staff, adding that he wants to help reverse the club’s fortunes. “I want to turn this thing around here in San Jose,” said Couture.

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million. The article also noted that he and his family have stability in the Bay Area so he currently has no interest in seeking a trade to a Stanley Cup contender.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: Armed with a seven-year contract extension, Capitals winger Tom Wilson is enjoying a healthy summer after rehabbing a torn ACL last year. He admitted he felt “behind the eight-ball” when he returned to action midway through last season after missing training camp last fall.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY INSIDER: Canucks center J.T. Miller remains determined to avoid social media and the sometimes toxic atmosphere that sometimes comes with it.

Appearing on the “Cam and Strick” podcast, Miller also admitted he couldn’t stand a portion of the local media base, noting two or three incidents that he claimed were misinterpreted by them as well as the spreading of unsubstantiated rumors.

“Not all of them, I just can’t stand some of them, and to be honest, I think they know that I feel that way. So it’s not really something to hide,” said Miller.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed goaltender Martin Jones to a one-year contract worth $875K. However, he will have to pass through waivers to be sent to their AHL affiliate and there’s a risk he could be claimed by another NHL club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones is likely to slot in as the Leafs’ No. 3 goaltender provided he doesn’t get plucked off the waiver wire at some point.

NJ HOCKEY NOW: The Devils signed defenseman Cal Foote to a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K at the NHL level.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The late Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz was remembered by family, friends, current and former Blackhawks and the club’s fans during two memorial services yesterday in Chicago. Wirtz died suddenly on July 25 at age 70.