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 Rumor Mill – September 16, 2023

by | Sep 16, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 16, 2023

The latest on the Bruins’ rumored interest in the Flames’ Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin and the Jets’ Mark Scheifele plus speculation about Rasmus Dahlin’s contract talks with the Sabres in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BRUINS MUST WAIT TO PURSUE LINDHOLM, HANIFIN OR SCHEIFELE

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes the Boston Bruins’ pursuits of Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm and Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will have to wait to wait. He cites the high cost of acquiring either center and the Bruins being pressed against the $83.5 million salary cap as factors working against them.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

Shinzawa points to what the New York Islanders gave up to the Vancouver Canucks (a first-round pick in 2023, prospect Aatu Raty and winger Anthony Beauvillier) to acquire Bo Horvat in January.

Assuming that sets the market, the Bruins lack a first-round pick in 2024 plus the prospects they have in Raty’s category are few and far between and needed by the Bruins. It would also mean parting with Jake DeBrusk, who the Bruins consider a top-line winger.

The Flames or Jets could retain some salary to help either player fit within the Bruins’ limited cap space. However, Shinzawa believes that would add premiums to the trade cost.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy noted the Bruins had been linked to the Flames in the off-season rumor mill. Sources confirmed to Murphy that Boston general manager Don Sweeney had conducted his due diligence on the trade cost of Lindholm as well as Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin.

Like Shinzawa, Murphy noted the Bruins being squeezed for cap space and their limited number of tradeable assets makes acquiring Lindholm or Hanifin unlikely. He also pointed out that both players told the Calgary media earlier this week that they remain open to signing contract extensions with the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff recently indicated that he has no plans to trade Scheifele right now. He said he’s been in contact with the 30-year-old center and intends to speak with him when training camp opens next week. It appears Scheifele will be starting the season with the Jets.

Lindholm, Hanifin and Scheifele could become available later in the season if they haven’t signed new contracts by the March 8 trade deadline and the Flames and Jets are out of playoff contention by then. However, the Bruins will only have less than $2 million in projected trade deadline cap space. They’ll still have difficulty outbidding other interested clubs that possess more cap room and trade capital.

Shinzawa suggests the Bruins would stand a better chance of landing Lindholm or Scheifele in next summer’s free-agent market if they don’t re-sign with their current clubs. Even with paying goaltender Jeremy Swayman a raise, he believes they’ll have sufficient cap room to chase one of those centers. The same goes for Hanifin if he hits the open market next July.

LATEST ON DAHLIN’S CONTRACT TALKS WITH THE SABRES

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Michael Augello recently noted the Sabres seemed on the verge of signing defenseman Rasmus Dahlin to a contract extension. However, those talks seemed to hit a snag following the Ottawa Senators signing blueliner Jake Sanderson to an eight-year, $64.4 million deal.

It was rumored the Sabres were hoping to lock down the 23-year-old Dahlin to an eight-year deal with an average annual value in excess of $10 million. According to Andrew Peters, co-host of WGR 550’s The Instigators, the Dahlin camp seeks a five-year contract.

Augello speculates Dahlin and his agent Craig Oster are using the same playoff as Auston Matthews, who recently inked a four-year extension that will enable him to become a UFA at age 30. A five-year deal would make Dahlin eligible for UFA status at age 28.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dahlin would be well within his playing prime by that point. As Auguello points out, that would put him in line for a significantly higher payday on a long-term contract with the Sabres or another club via free agency.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 8, 2023

by | Sep 8, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 8, 2023

Is an expensive new contract in the works for Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin? What’s the latest on Jets stars Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele? Will the Maple Leafs add more muscle to their blueline? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAHLIN COULD GET A LUCRATIVE LONG-TERM CONTRACT

B/R OPEN ICE: cited the Sabres podcast “After The Whistle” reporting Rasmus Dahlin’s rumored new contract is expected to be eight years with an average annual value of $10.5 million.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dahlin, 23, is in the final season of a three-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million. He has emerged as one of the NHL’s top defensemen over the last two seasons with 53 points in 2021-22 and a career-best 73 points last season in 78 games. That rumored deal would make him the Sabres’ highest-paid player starting in 2024-25.

THE LATEST ON HELLEBUYCK AND SCHEIFELE

SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe reports the Winnipeg Jets are keeping their options open regarding goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele. The duo are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer, making both players the subject of trade speculation since the end of last season.

Wiebe wondered if the Jets would re-sign one of them and trade the other. “Or will one or both players be under consideration to be a self-rental?”

Looking back on previous moves made by Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, Wiebe suggests that Hellebuyck and Scheifele could start the season with the Jets but there’s no guarantee they’ll finish it in Winnipeg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff has a well-earned reputation for being patient in the trade market when it comes to moving his better players. The most recent example was his trade of Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings after a year of trade speculation. For the most part, Cheveldayoff’s patience paid off in that deal as he got a solid return for Dubois.

However, there’s a risk in waiting for the right return going into the season if one or both players become injured or their performance declines. Cheveldayoff could take that gamble to get the deal he wants.

LEAFS NEED TO BOLSTER THEIR BLUELINE

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan believes Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving still has work to do to shape his defense corps into one that can contend for the Stanley Cup. He doesn’t see the Leafs’ current crop of blueliners throwing a physical scare into opposing clubs.

Koshan thinks Treliving will have plenty of time once the season starts to make adjustments to the blueline before the March trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2023

by | Jun 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2023

The 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame inductees are announced, salary cap only rising by $1 million for 2023-24, plus updates on Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Josh Bailey and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

2023 HOCKEY HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

NHL.COM: Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barrasso, Pierre Turgeon and Mike Vernon were the former NHL players among the inductees in the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023. Canadian women’s star Caroline Ouellette, former NHL coach Ken Hitchcock and former Colorado Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix were also among the seven inductees. The formal induction ceremony will be held in Toronto at the Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 13.

Tom Barrasso is among the seven inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to all the inductees for this well-deserved honor.

It was long-overdue recognition for Barrasso, Turgeon and Vernon after being passed over for years. None of them say it coming. When Vernon got the call from Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald, he joked that he thought McDonald was inviting him for a golf game. Barrasso, meanwhile, admitted he wasn’t sitting by the phone awaiting the call.

Once again, deserving former NHL stars such as Alexander Mogilny, Butch Goring, Patrik Elias, Rod Brind’Amour and Keith Tkachuk were passed over. Perhaps one of them will get their due next year.

TSN: As expected, the NHL salary cap for 2023-24 is going to rise by just $1 million to $83.5 million. The cap has been flattened since 2020-21 as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for extending the collective bargaining agreement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As per the MOU, the cap remained at $81.5 million in 2020-21 and 2021-22, rising to $82.5 million in 2022-23 and $83.5 million in 2023-24. There was some hope that the cap would increase by more than the projected $1 million if the players had fully repaid the escrow owed to the team owners resulting from the pandemic-shortened seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Following the 2023-24 season, the salary cap is projected to significantly increase by at least $4 million. It could rise even higher given the boost to hockey-related revenue over the past two years arising from new broadcasting deals and the addition of the Seattle Kraken.

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres hope to re-sign Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power to contract extensions and the feeling is mutual. Both defensemen have a year remaining on their respective contracts and can re-sign on July 1.

Dahlin is slated to become a restricted free agent next July with arbitration rights coming off his three-year bridge contract. At the same time, Power will be completing his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coming off their best season in years, this is a heady time for the Sabres and their fans. After years of often painful rebuilding, the club is on the cusp of becoming a playoff contender thanks to exciting young talent like Dahlin and Power.

The Sabres already have forwards Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens under reasonable long-term contracts. Getting Dahlin and Power locked up to lengthy new deals will ensure this team has a solid base of core talent to build on going forward.

GOPHNX.COM’s Craig Morgan tweeted that sources said there is no truth to reports suggesting the Arizona Coyotes have an interest in New York Islanders winger Josh Bailey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes have a history of taking troublesome contracts from cap-strapped teams packaged with draft picks which they’ve stockpiled to build up their prospect pipeline. However, the Bailey rumor sounds like some folks were spitballing for ways that the Islanders can free up cap space for next season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said Tanner Pearson is making progress in his recovery from a hand injury that sidelined him for most of last season. He indicated that the 30-year-old winger is preparing himself for training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pearson’s playing career was thought to be in jeopardy after an infection set in requiring another surgical procedure.

DAILY FACEOFF: Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito said he’s spoken with Spencer Knight and expects the promising 22-year-old goaltender to be back with the club next season. Knight played 21 games this season before entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in February and remained there for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers have hired Phil Housley and Dan Muse to their coaching staff. A Hall-of-Fame defenseman Housley is the former head coach of the Buffalo Sabres.

DAILY FACEOFF: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment chairman Larry Tannebaum is set to sell 25 percent of his stake in the company to OMERS, a pension plan for Ontario municipal employees.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed forward Mathieu Olivier to a two-year, $2.2 million contract extension.

NHL.COM: The Hershey Bears are the 2023 AHL champions following a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Game 7 of the Calder Cup Final.

Mike Vecchione tallied the winner for the Bears, who are the affiliate of the Washington Capitals. Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre also scored for the Bears.

Bears goaltender Hunter Shepard was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Bears on winning their 12th Calder Cup in franchise history. The Firebirds deserve a round of applause for reaching the Final in just their first season of operation. They’re the affiliate of the Seattle Kraken.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2023

by | Mar 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2023

The Devils’ Jack Hughes matches a franchise record in their win over the Hurricanes, the Penguins’ Kris Letang buries the Rangers in overtime, interim Flyers GM Daniel Briere says the “R” word and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes had a goal and two assists, Jesper Bratt tallied twice and Vitek Vanecek made 32 saves to shut out the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Hughes tied a franchise record with his 27th multi-point game this season as the Devils (44-16-6) moved into a tie with Carolina (43-14-8) with 94 points. The Hurricanes played without Andrei Svechnikov as he’s sidelined by a lower-body injury.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes still hold first place in the Metropolitan Division on the basis of a game in hand. Nevertheless, the Devils have overtaken the Canes, who’ve held sole possession of the top spot in the Metro since Dec. 20. It’s shaping up to be an exciting battle down the stretch between these two for the division title.

An overtime goal by Kris Letang lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each collected two assists while Tristan Jarry turned aside 27 shots for the 34-22-10 Penguins, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth and have won seven of their last nine games. Jaroslav Halak stopped 32 shots for the 37-19-10 Rangers as they sit third in the Metro with 84 points.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck kicked out 33 shots to hold off the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Nino Niedereitter scored as he has six points in seven games with the 38-26-3 Jets (79 points) as they moved past the Colorado Avalanche into third place in the Central Division. Anthony Cirelli had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (39-22-6) as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos played in this game, showing no ill effects from the leg injury that forced him out of Saturday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Jets, meanwhile, played without sidelined defenseman Josh Morrissey, who could return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Hurricanes. Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (upper-body) is not expected to rejoin the club for the remainder of this road trip.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-3. Jiri Patera stopped 30 shots to win his first-ever NHL game while Alex Pietrangelo, William Karlsson and Pavel Dorofeyev each had a goal and an assist as the Golden Knights improved to 41-20-6 to sit atop the Western Conference with 88 points. Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist for the 29-32-5 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves while Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm and Rasmus Andersson each had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. With 73 points, the Flames (30-24-13) are five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Tim Stutzle scored for the Senators (33-29-4) as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The Detroit Red Wings kept their fading playoff hopes alive with a 5-3 upset of the Boston Bruins. Dylan Larkin had a goal and two assists while Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond each had two points for the 30-27-9 Red Wings (69 points) as they sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (50-10-5) as they sit atop the overall standings with 105 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm missed this game with a foot injury suffered during Saturday’s game with the Wings.

Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller scored the tying and winning goals in a 5-4 overtime upset of the Minnesota Wild. Keller finished with three points while Barrett Hayton scored twice and collected two assists for the 24-32-11 Coyotes. The 38-21-8 Wild (84 points) matched a franchise-record points streak at 13 as they sit one point out of first place in the Central Division.

The Nashville Predators nipped the Anaheim Ducks 5-4 on an overtime tally by Tommy Novak, who finished the game with two goals. The Predators (33-24-7) are five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 73 points. Mason McTavish scored twice and Cam Fowler collected three assists for the 22-35-10 Ducks.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Interim Flyers general manager Daniel Briere believes a rebuild is necessary for his club but stressed that doesn’t mean there will be a fire sale of roster players. He added they will look at every possible option to improve the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Briere’s predecessor avoided the “R” word over the final two years of his tenure when it was becoming clear to fans and pundits that a rebuild was necessary. I’ll have more about Briere’s comments and plans for the Flyers in today’s Rumor Mill.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares $5,000.00 for slashing Edmonton Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais on Saturday.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: Rasmus Sandin is thriving since joining the Capitals in a trade with the Maple Leafs on Feb. 28. Buried on the Leafs’ third defense pairing, the 23-year-old blueliner is skating on the Capitals’ top pairing, collecting eight points in his first four games with his new club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs shipped out Sandin to bolster their defense corps by adding Erik Gustafsson along with acquiring a 2023 first-round pick that originally belonged to the Bruins. Gustafsson has no points in their first three games with the Leafs after collecting 38 in 61 games with Washington.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres announced defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Blueliner Mattias Samuelsson (upper body) and goaltender Eric Comrie (lower body) are week-to-week.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed winger Phillip Di Giuseppe to a two-year, two-way contract extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2023

by | Feb 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2023

The player assignments for Friday’s All-Star skills competition are revealed, Vladimir Tarasenko is uncertain of his future in St. Louis, Rasmus Dahlin replaces Tage Thompson in the All-Star Game and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: The league announced the player assignments for the All-Star skills competition at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida starting at 7 pm ET.

Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby will be teaming up in the Breakaway Challenge. Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will also take part in this event.

Ovechkin will also be among those participating in the hardest shot challenge.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers will participate in the accuracy shooting competition. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov are among those who’ll take part in the fastest skater competition.

Former Vezina Trophy winners Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers are among eight goaltenders participating in the “Tendy Tandem” competition.

St, Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the complete list of skill events and competitors.

SPORTSNET: Vladimir Tarasenko acknowledged this season could be his last with the St. Louis Blues. The 31-year-old winger is in his 11th season with the Blues and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Tarasenko acknowledged that this weekend’s All-Star Game could be his last in a Blues sweater as a trade is possible following this week. He deferred any questions about his future in St. Louis to Blues general manager Doug Armstrong.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Tarasenko’s a goner, if not following this weekend then at some point before the March 3 trade deadline.

He requested a trade in May 2021 because of his unhappiness over the quality of treatment he received for multiple shoulder injuries from the Blues’ medical staff. He reportedly never rescinded that request. He was also left exposed in the 2021 NHL expansion draft but was passed over by the Seattle Kraken.

Tarasenko remains a productive scoring winger when healthy. I can see a contender in need of experienced scoring depth pursuing him as a playoff rental.

WGR 550: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin takes the place of teammate Tage Thompson in this weekend’s All-Star Game. Thompson suffered an upper-body injury during Wednesday’s loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There is no indication about how long Thompson might be sidelined. The Sabres’ next practice is on Feb. 9.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev underwent successful knee surgery and will soon begin his rehab process. He will be sidelined for the remainder of this season.

THE ATHLETIC: A poll of participants at this year’s All-Star Game revealed most of them favored extending the 3-on-3 overtime format from five minutes to 10 to reduce the number of games decided by a shootout. Of the 16 participants, 12 would like to see the overtime period expanded.

Fourteen of those 16 participants don’t favor expanding the playoff format to an NBA-style “play-in” format involving the 7-10 seeds in each conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those All-Stars seem in line with most fans and pundits about extending the overtime format. They also share NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s opinion that there is no need to expand the postseason format. It would be interesting to see the poll results if those questions were posed to the full membership of the NHL Players Association.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the sale of the Senators could be about to enter its final stages. Interested groups are expected to make their formal bids before mid-February. If all goes as planned, the front-runner could be known as early as March.

It’s believed Hamilton businessman Michael Andlauer and Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel remain the front-runners. Vancouver-born actor Ryan Reynolds will also be in the thick of the bidding.

Speaking of the Senators, they relieved Troy Mann of his duties as head coach of their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Assistant coach David Bell takes over the head-coaching role on an interim basis for the remainder of the season.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: The Red Wings sent winger Filip Zadina to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint after activating him from injured reserve. Zadina hasn’t played since Nov. 5 after blocking a shot during a game against the New York Islanders.