NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2023

by | Feb 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2023

A hat-trick performance by Seth Jarvis as Hurricanes honor Cam Ward, the NHLPA name Marty Walsh as its new executive director, plus the latest on Thatcher Demko, Jesse Puljujarvi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Andrei Svechnikov collected three assists as the Hurricanes improved to 36-10-8 to sit second in the overall standings with 80 points. Montreal fell to 23-28-4 on the season. The Canadiens played without Kirby Dach as he was sidelined by a non-COVID-related illness.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes honored former goaltender Cam Ward by making him their first inductee into their Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. He spent 13 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy by backstopping them to the 2006 Stanley Cup. He holds the franchise’s single-season record for wins (39) and is their career leader in games played by a goalie (668), wins (318) and shutouts (27).

The Boston Bruins got a 28-save shutout performance by Jeremy Swayman to blank the Nashville Predators 5-0. Patrice Bergeron, Hampus Lindholm and Nick Foligno each had two points as the league-leading Bruins (41-8-5) opened a seven-point lead over the Hurricanes with 87 points. The Predators slipped to 25-21-6 (56 points) and sit five points behind the Minnesota Wild for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Vegas Golden Knights forward William Carrier scored with 18 seconds remaining in regulation to lift his club to a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Adin Hill made 25 saves for the win as the Golden Knights (33-18-4) won four straight and sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 38 shots for the Sharks as they dropped to 17-28-11.

Two goals and an assist by Yanni Gourde powered the Seattle Kraken over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 6-2. Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz each had two points for the 31-18-6 Kraken as they sit two points back of the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Travis Konency scored twice for the Flyers as they slipped to 22-24-10.

The St. Louis Blues doubled up the New Jersey Devils 4-2 thanks to a 34-save performance by Jordan Binnington. Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn each had a goal and an assist as the Blues improved to 26-25-3 (55 points) to sit six points out of the final Western wild-card spot. The Devils are 35-14-5 to sit five points behind the Hurricanes in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues placed winger Brandon Saad (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jake Neighbours from their AHL affiliate in Springfield.

Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Washington Capitals 6-3. Washington defenseman Erik Gustafsson collected three assists. The Panthers (28-24-6) and Capitals (28-23-6) each have 62 points but the Capitals hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Capitals announced winger Carl Hagelin underwent left hip resurfacing and is sidelined indefinitely.

Three-point performances by Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Dominik Kubalik tallied two goals for the Wings (26-20-8) as they moved two points behind the Capitals for the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Flames slipped to 25-19-11 and fell out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames’ inconsistency this season has raised questions and criticism of the club’s culture under head coach Darryl Sutter. He signed a two-year contract extension last October so he’s unlikely to be going anywhere for the time being.

Before the game, the Red Wings announced defenseman Olli Maatta signed a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3 million.

A 37-save performance by Joonas Korpisalo lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-1 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the 17-34-4 Jackets while the Jets (34-20-1) remain two points behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division with 69 points.

HEADLINES

NHLPA.COM: The NHL Players Association announced yesterday that its Executive Board unanimously appointed Martin (Marty) J. Walsh as its new Executive Director. Walsh is the former U.S. Secretary of Labor and the former mayor of Boston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my thoughts on this hiring here.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko may have suffered a setback in his efforts to return from a lower-body injury suffered in early December. It’s believed he may have tweaked something during practice on Thursday. He’s slated to return to action on Saturday in a backup role.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kailer Yamamoto is expected to return to action on Friday against the New York Rangers. He’d been sidelined by an upper-body injury since Jan. 11. To fit him into the lineup, the Oilers will have to make a move that could involve winger Jesse Puljujarvi, who did not practice on Thursday. He was expected to be placed on waivers but that didn’t happen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Could a much-anticipated trade involving Puljujarvi take place before tonight’s game against the Rangers? We’ll learn more soon enough.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (lower body) has been placed on injured reserve and Andy Andreoff has been recalled from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning founder Phil Esposito will join Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis as the inaugural inductees into the franchise’s Hall of Fame during its Alumni Weekend on March 16-18.

TSN: Former NHL defenseman and assistant coach Paul Jerrard died of cancer on Thursday at age 57. Jerrard played five games for the Minnesota North Stars in 1988-89 and spent the remainder of his 11 professional seasons in the minors. He became an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche in 2002-03 as well as with the Dallas Stars from 2011 to 2013 and the Calgary Flames from 2016 to 2018. Since 2018-19, he’d been an assistant coach with the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Jerrard’s family, friends, teammates and coaching colleagues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2023

by | Feb 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2023

The Bruins become the first club to reach 40 wins this season, the Devils become this season’s first club to reach 20 road wins, the Blue Jackets scratch Vladislav Gavrikov for trade-related reasons, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins are the first team this season to reach the 40-win plateau as they nipped the Dallas Stars 3-2 on David Pastrnak’s overtime goal. Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha each had a goal and an assist as the Bruins (40-8-5) sit atop the overall standings with 85 points. Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski each had two points for the Stars (30-14-11) as they sit on top of the Western Conference with 71 points.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Ryan Graves’ goal with two seconds remaining in the third period lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 3-2. Vitek Vanecek made 31 saves for the 35-13-5 Devils as they became the first team this season to win 20 road games as they sit third in the Eastern Conference with 75 points. Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Blue Jackets as they slipped to 16-34-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets played without Vladislav Gavrikov as the defenseman was a healthy scratch for trade-related reasons. The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau weighs in on this latest trend of teams holding players considered trade candidates out of the line, suggesting it shouldn’t be for any longer than a week.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 with Stefen Noesen snapping a 2-2 tie in the second period. Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen made 13 of his 34 saves in the third period as his club improved to 35-10-8 and sit second in the Eastern Conference with 78 points. Joe Snively had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (28-22-6) as they slipped down into the final Eastern wild-card berth with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals played without captain Alex Ovechkin as he’s taken a leave of absence to deal with a family matter and the death of a loved one. He will miss the club’s Stadium Series against the Hurricanes on Saturday.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith stopped 38 shots while Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell each had three points in a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Jake Guentzel also scored twice for the Penguins (27-17-9) as they vaulted over the Capitals into the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 63 points. Timo Meier replied for the 17-27-11 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks winger Kevin Labanc revealed his father, Milan, had been in a medically induced coma for over two months after falling from a ladder while hanging Christmas lights during the American Thanksgiving weekend. Labanc said his father is now out of the woods and recovering. That explains why the winger’s on-ice performance has suffered in recent weeks leading to his being a healthy scratch in eight of the Sharks’ last 10 games.

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on a shootout goal by Steven Stamkos. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 43 shots for the 35-16-2 Lightning as they moved past the Toronto Maple Leafs into second place in the Atlantic Division with 72 points. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist for the 28-19-5 Avalanche as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played without defenseman Erik Johnson as he’s sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. He joins Cale Makar (head injury) and Josh Manson (lower body) among injured Avs blueliners though Manson could return to action for Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois scored the game-tying goal and tallied in the shootout in a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. David Rittich made 27 saves for the Jets as they improved to 34-19-1 and sit two points behind the Western Conference-leading Stars with 69 points. Philipp Grubauer stopped 38 shots for the 30-18-6 Kraken as they’ve dropped four of their last five games and sit third in the Pacific Division with 66 points.

Ottawa Senators goalie Kevin Mandolese kicked out 46 shots in his NHL debut to backstop his club over the New York Islanders 3-2. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson scored in the shootout as the Senators improved to 26-24-3 (55 points) to sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves for the Islanders (27-23-7) as they sit one point behind the Capitals with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau missed this contest as he’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The St. Louis Blues kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Ivan Barbashev had a goal and two assists while Brayden Schenn tallied twice for the Blues (25-25-3). With 53 points, they’re eight points behind the Wild for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. The Panthers dropped to 27-24-6 and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 60 points.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen picked up his first shutout of the season with a 22-save performance to blank the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Jonathan Drouin collected three assists for the 23-27-4 Canadiens while the Blackhawks dropped to 16-31-5 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens played without Arber Xhekaj as the rookie defenseman is out indefinitely with an apparent shoulder injury. Blackhawks blueliner Jarred Tinordi left the game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

VANCOUVER HOCKEY INSIDER: Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko denied rumors claiming he wanted to be traded. He said he had no idea where the speculation was coming from. Sidelined by a lower-body injury since early December, Demko said he’s focused on returning to action when he dresses as the Canucks backup in their game on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Demko rumors probably started innocently enough with a pundit musing over whether the Canucks might consider moving the netminder despite the three years remaining on his contract. Like the game of “Telephone”, the story changed as it bounced around the media and blogosphere and eventually morphed into Demko requesting a trade.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, goaltender Spencer Martin cleared waivers yesterday and will be assigned to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, BC.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings placed winger Lucas Raymond on injured reserve and recalled winger Jakub Vrana from their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vrana’s future with the Wings was considered in doubt after he was demoted to the minors. Recent speculation even suggested we would never see him skating with the parent club again as talk of a trade or a contract buyout surfaced in the rumor mill. This is a golden opportunity for Vrana to silence his doubters and prove he still has a future in Detroit.

A TO Z SPORTS’ Alex Daugherty cited Nashville Predators general manager David Poile telling the “Robby & Rexrode” Show that he doesn’t believe his club will be a buyer by the March 3 trade deadline. He suggested he could become a seller if things don’t improve favorably for his struggling club.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 6, 2023

by | Feb 6, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 6, 2023

Check out the latest on Jonathan Toews and Kevin Hayes, possible Blues trade candidates and a look at the goalie market in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SUGGESTED DESTINATIONS FOR JONATHAN TOEWS

THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman recently listed the Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals and Dallas Stars as six teams who should be in the mix for Jonathan Toews.

Goldman acknowledged Toews has yet to decide if he’ll waive his no-movement clause before the March 3 trade deadline. She also noted the decline in the 34-year-old center’s performance but suggested that could be due to the depleted Blackhawks roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews and teammate Patrick Kane are expected to meet with Blackhawks management by the middle of this month to discuss their futures. Toews should draw interest around the league if he agrees to waive his no-movement clause, though the remainder of his $10.5 million cap hit will require some creativity for the aforementioned clubs to acquire him.

The Avalanche and Hurricanes both need a reliable second-line center while the Jets and Stars could be in the market for a top-six forward. The Oilers and Capitals, on the other hand, are believed seeking blue-line depth. That will take them out of the market for Toews.

Philadelphia Flyers center Kevin Hayes (NHL Images).

IS THERE INTEREST IN KEVIN HAYES?

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Sam Carchidi cited Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen recently reported that there is an NHL club showing interest in Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes and wants to move him back to center. The 30-year-old has been playing mostly on left wing this season and has 15 goals and 45 points in 50 games this season.

Carchidi points out that Hayes has three more years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $7.1 million. He also has a 12-team no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allen and Carchidi didn’t indicate which team is interested in Hayes. His partial no-trade clause could be a sticking point but his annual cap hit is the bigger obstacle.

The interested club could prefer the Flyers retain part of Hayes’ cap hit. I don’t think Philadelphia general manager Chuck Fletcher would want that retained salary on his books as dead cap space for three years.

POTENTIAL BLUES TRADE CANDIDATES

SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe looked at potential St. Louis Blues trade candidates if they become sellers leading up to the March 3 deadline. He noted that GM Doug Armstrong isn’t afraid to make difficult or occasionally unpopular decisions.

Wiebe believes decisions are coming soon for pending unrestricted free agents such as Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko, Ivan Barbashev, Noel Acciari, Tyler Pitlick, Josh Leivo, Niko Mikkola and Thomas Greiss. However, he also wondered if Armstrong would consider moving some of his core players with term remaining on their contracts. Whether there will trade discussions regarding defenseman Colton Parayko or winger Pavel Buchnevich remains to be seen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wiebe pointed out that not all of those Blues pending UFAs could hit the trade block. Some of them, including O’Reilly, could be re-signed. As for players like Parayko and Buchnevich, Armstrong could retain them with an eye on building up a new core around Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. Still, he could listen if a club comes calling with an interesting offer.

A THIN GOALIE MARKET

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently examined a rather thin trade market for goaltenders as deadline day approaches. Those who could draw some trade buzz include the Arizona Coyotes’ Karel Vejmelka, Columbus Blue Jackets Joonas Korpisalo, San Jose Sharks James Reimer, Ottawa Senators Cam Talbot and the Vancouver Canucks’ Thatcher Demko.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko popped up in the rumor mill after Bo Horvat got traded but I don’t believe the Canucks are willing to go that far. They’re talking about retooling rather than rebuilding and they’ll need an affordable starter ($5 million annually through 2025-26).

I realize there is some concern about Demko’s shaky play earlier this season before he was sidelined on Dec. 1 with a leg/hip injury. Still, trading him would be an extreme reaction on the Canucks’ part and an admission that they’re doing more than just retooling.

Vejmelka keeps coming up in the rumor mill because he carries an affordable $2.75 million cap hit through 2024-25 and put up decent numbers this season on the woeful Coyotes until January. Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong could listen to offers but I’m skeptical that he’ll trade Vejmelka.

Korpisalo, Reimer and Talbot seem more likely trade candidates given their UFA statuses this summer. Of those three, I think Reimer is the one who’ll be on the move. Talbot’s banged up and teams passed on Korpisalo at last year’s deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2023

by | Feb 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2023

Is there a trade market for Patrick Kane? Will the Golden Knights go shopping for help? What’s the latest on the Canucks and Flames? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS THERE A MARKET FOR PATRICK KANE?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports Patrick Kane might not be a trade deadline fit for the Rangers. He observed the Rangers’ struggles in their last four games in getting to the front of the net and winning puck battles, something he doesn’t think the 34-year-old Chicago Blackhawks winger can resolve.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Brooks observed that Kane is struggling this season with the rebuilding Blackhawks. He also noted that the potentially high cost of acquiring the veteran winger could deplete their tradeable assets and cap space. More enticing options could include the St. Louis Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko, the Detroit Red Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi, Arizona Coyotes center Nick Bjugstad or the Nashville Predators’ Tanner Jeannot.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple included Kane on his recent list of suggested trade targets for the Rangers. However, he claims the entire league knows that the Blackhawks star needs hip surgery and would be damaged goods as a trade candidate. He doesn’t see Kane as the centerpiece of anyone’s deadline plans now.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: La Velle E. Neal III believes the Minnesota Wild face the choice of bolstering their offense or improving their defense before the March 3 trade deadline. He believes the Wild should avoid a big-ticket forward such as Kane. Instead, he advocates that they add size to their blueline by pursuing a more affordable option like Vancouver Canucks blueliner Luke Schenn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Kane’s performance this season combined with his nagging lower-body injury could be dampening interest in the long-time Blackhawks star. The remainder of his $10.5 million cap hit is still difficult for many teams to absorb plus he seems reluctant to waive his no-movement clause. Given those factors, there might not be much of a trade market for Kane.

WILL THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS HIT THE TRADE MARKET?

LAS VEGAS SUN: Danny Webster speculated the Golden Knights could enter the trade market before March 3 with captain Mark Stone sidelined indefinitely following back surgery. They could place his $9.5 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve, giving them sufficient room to make a splash before deadline day.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps reports speculation linking the Golden Knights to Tyler Bertuzzi. The 27-year-old Detroit Red Wings forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He carries a $4.75 million cap hit for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Prior to the news about Stone, Krepps felt they wouldn’t pursue big-ticket trade bait such as Timo Meier, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Ryan O’Reilly or Vladimir Tarasenko if their captain returned to the lineup. That has probably changed with Stone likely done for the season. Team owner Bill Foley wants a Stanley Cup.

ARE MORE MOVES COMING FOR THE CANUCKS?

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun wondered if other moves are coming for the Vancouver Canucks after trading Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders on Monday.

Defenseman Luke Schenn is a pending UFA who will be in demand by the trade deadline given his physical play. LeBrun reported it’s his understanding that the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning are among the contenders reaching out to the Canucks about Schenn.

LeBrun also cited his TSN colleague Darren Dreger reporting there’s interest in winger Brock Boeser depending on how much salary the Canucks are willing to retain. Boeser carries a $6.65 million cap hit with two more seasons remaining on his contract.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY INSIDER: Rob Simpson dismissed recent media speculation suggesting the Canucks could trade Thatcher Demko. Despite the 27-year-old goaltender’s struggles earlier this season and some injury issues, he remains an affordable starter with upside.

Simpson also pointed out the difficulty the Canucks would face finding a suitable replacement for $5 million annually or less. He also noted they lack the depth to replace him from within.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn is the most likely of these three to be moved before the trade deadline. Boeser could be traded before March 3 if the Canucks retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit but previous reports suggest they’d want his entire salary off their books. That means an off-season trade seems more likely.

Unless Demko is demanding a trade or the Canucks have gone into full-fledged tank mode I don’t seem him moving. We’ve had no indication Demko wants out and everyone knows Canucks ownership doesn’t believe in rebuilding his roster.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie reports Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving said he’s in the market for a scoring forward. The club has looked within their system to bolster their production by giving opportunities to Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr but they didn’t make much of an offensive impact.

Treliving acknowledged the difficulty of finding a scorer in the trade market. They also have $7 million in trade deadline salary-cap space. He’s reluctant to go the playoff rental route in the past. Treliving mentioned wanting a scorer with “competitiveness and responsibility.”

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman could be among the teams looking at Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk. The 33-year-old is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 with 21 points in 31 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving might have to go the rental route to bolster his production. Doing so could cost him a first-round pick or a prospect like Pelletier or Duehr depending on who he’s looking at in the trade market. Someone like van Riemsdyk might not cost too much to acquire but it could mean parting with a decent prospect and a second-rounder.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2023

by | Feb 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2023

What’s the latest on Timo Meier? Could the Canucks peddle Thatcher Demko or Brock Boeser? Are the Islanders done making additions? Will the Bruins pursue a notable defenseman or center? Get the answers in today’s NHL Rumor mill.

THE LATEST MEIER SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils are very much in the sweepstakes for San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier. However, their salary structure remains a concern. They’d prefer to have no forwards earning more than Jack Hughes’ $8 million average annual value. That also goes for winger Jesper Bratt, who’s a restricted free agent this summer.

THE ATHLETIC: Corey Masisak speculates the return the Vancouver Canucks received for Bo Horvat (middle-six forward Anthony Beauvillier, a potential “middle of the lineup” player in prospect Aatu Raty and a top-12 protected 2023 first-round pick) may have hurt the Sharks’ chances of landing a huge haul for Meier.

However, Meier is younger than Horvat plus the Sharks can let other clubs talk to the Meier camp about a contract extension. That was something the Canucks refused to do with Horvat.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng reports a source outside the Sharks’ organization claimed they’d heard the club will seek three pieces for Meier. They’ll want a first-round pick and either one Grade-A prospect or two Grade-B prospects, or one good prospect and a young, established NHL player.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

Peng subsequently reported a source suggesting the Sharks could end up getting a return similar to what the Canucks got for Horvat. Peng admits that there aren’t many teams in this salary-cap era that can afford to acquire a potentially $9 million per season player such as Meier. Nevertheless, he also pointed out Meier is younger than Horvat plus the Canucks didn’t let teams talk contract with the latter before trading him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks could have a greater opportunity to land a better return if they allow suitors to work out a contract extension with the Meier camp.

Bear in mind that Meier’s RFA status means the Sharks can wait until the off-season to move him if they don’t get any suitable offers leading up to the March 3 trade deadline. However, they will have a time constraint of June 30. That’s the deadline to issue his qualifying offer, which would be one year at $10 million.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE CANUCKS?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman wonders about Thatcher Demko’s future with the Vancouver Canucks. The 27-year-old goaltender is signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $5 million. He’s been sidelined since early December with a lower-body injury.

Friedman believes teams will want to get a feel for what the Canucks want to do with Demko. He thinks the Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins make sense as suitors. The Sabres and Blue Jackets can afford to be patient but the Kings and Penguins would need to know if he could make an impact this spring in the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger reports Canucks sources are “a little surprised” at all the trade speculation about Demko. It appears the talk of his potential availability isn’t coming from the team.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski recently listed more affordable, short-term options for the Penguins such as the Dallas Stars’ Anton Khudobin, the Vegas Golden Knights’ Adin Hill, the Detroit Red Wings Alex Nedeljkovic and the Blue Jackets’ Joonas Korpisalo. Maybe they’d be interested if Demko became available but he’d likely cost more than the Penguins could comfortably afford before the March 3 trade deadline.

The Athletic’s Eric Stephens recently listed several goalie trade targets for the Kings. Among them was the Anaheim Ducks’ John Gibson but Stephens saw his contract ($6.4 million average annual value through 2026-27) as a significant obstacle. The same could be said for Demko’s deal. Meanwhile, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said the Kings aren’t interested in a rental goalie like the Ottawa Senators’ Cam Talbot or the Carolina Hurricanes’ Antti Raanta. “They’re looking for a long-term fit”.

Friedman writes that Brock Boeser remains linked to the Minnesota Wild in the rumor mill. However, he felt the math doesn’t make sense as things stand.

TSN’S Darren Dreger reports the Canucks are still getting a tremendous amount of interest in Boeser. However, those clubs want to know if the Canucks will retain part of the 25-year-old winger’s salary. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an AAV of $6.65 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s why I believe a Boeser trade won’t happen until the offseason when teams have additional cap space. As long as the Canucks won’t retain part of his salary, he’s difficult to move during this season with so many teams carrying limited salary-cap space.

The Wild won’t be a destination for Boeser unless it’s a dollar-in, dollar-out trade. They’ve got over $74 million invested in 14 players for next season with $14.7 million of that as dead cap space owing to their buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

Friedman believes there are teams that like the nastiness of Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers but he felt that might have to wait until the summer in this season’s tight cap world. He’s not convinced blueliner Luke Schenn returns to the Tampa Bay Lightning but conversations about him continue.

ARE THE ISLANDERS DONE DEALING?

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz looks at other potential moves that might make sense for the New York Islanders before the trade deadline. He suggested the St. Louis Blues’ Ivan Barbashev if they’re seeking a winger or the Arizona Coyotes’ Shayne Gostisbehere if they’re in the market for a puck-moving defenseman.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Stefen Rosner believes Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello isn’t done making moves. He thinks they need to add a scoring winger and wondered if Lamoriello might go all in for someone like the Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko or the Sharks’ Timo Meier. They could also use a depth defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have over $11 million in projected deadline cap space. I don’t see Lamoriello sitting on that. He could pursue someone like Tarasenko or Meier but could also pursue more affordable options such as those suggested by Kurz.

UPDATE ON THE BRUINS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Boston Bruins are believed in the market for a left-side defenseman. He wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve inquired about the Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun or the Blue Jackets’ Vladislav Gavrikov among others.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy wondered if the Bruins might shift their focus toward Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin after losing out in the Bo Horvat sweepstakes. A source told Murphy it doesn’t look good for Larkin to remain in Detroit which was why they’re exploring other options. However, Larkin’s agent Pat Brisson recently said he’s not concerned about negotiation, adding the two sides have been talking more in recent weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think the Bruins’ priority could be adding that left-side defenseman over adding another center. I don’t doubt that general manager Don Sweeney did his due diligence regarding Horvat but adding someone comparable such as Larkin is going to be just as expensive.

They could also go for more cost-effective short-term options on defense given the expensive asking prices for Chychrun (two first-rounders, top prospect) and Gavrikov (a first and a third-rounder). Granted, this is a “go-for-it” season for the Bruins but given how well the current roster is playing they can pursue more affordable depth targets. Besides, they don’t have a lot of trade capital to win bidding wars for big-ticket players.

LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” RUMOR TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Carolina Hurricanes weren’t going to acquire Bo Horvat unless they could sign him to a contract extension. With Horvat now with the New York Islanders, he wonders if the Hurricanes will pivot toward Isles center Jean-Gabriel Pageau depending on how things shake out with Horvat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 30-year-old Pageau is signed through 2025-26 with an annual cap hit of $5 million and a 16-team no-trade list. His age and contract might not be a fit with the Hurricanes.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2022

by | Dec 3, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2022

Recaps of Friday’s games featured a big night for Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, the latest on Joe Thornton plus updates on the injury statuses of Thatcher Demko, Jakub Voracek, Tyler Bertuzzi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk had a “Gordie Howe hat trick” to a 3-2 overtime victory over the New York Rangers. Tkachuk scored the tying and winning goals, collected an assist on Tim Stutzle’s goal, and fought Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Tkachuk’s game-tying tally was also his 100th career goal as the Senators improved their record to 9-13-1. Vitali Kravtsov and Mika Zibanejad replied for the 11-9-5 Rangers.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was a scary moment prior to Kravtsov’s goal when he fired a shot that struck Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic in the throat. Hamonic left the game but returned in the second period and played the remainder of the contest.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrick Laine scored twice to lead his club over the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 4-1. Laine had missed the previous seven games with an ankle injury. Johnny Gaudreau collected three assists and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the Blue Jackets (8-12-2). Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the 14-7-1 Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blue Jackets announced that winger Jakub Voracek is out indefinitely with a concussion. Defenseman Zach Werenski underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum and will be sidelined for six months while blueliner Jake Bean (shoulder surgery) is out for four-to-six months.

The Nashville Predators picked up their third straight win by downing the New York Islanders 4-1. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 48 shots for the win and Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists as the Predators improved to 12-9-2. Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders as they sit at 15-10-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators captain Roman Josi had a goal and an assist in this game. With 562 career points, he’s just four points away from David Legwand’s franchise record of 566 points.

HEADLINES

THE MERCURY NEWS: Joe Thornton has been seen attending San Jose Sharks practices and home games with members of the team’s front office in recent weeks. Thornton, 43, hasn’t announced his retirement as an NHL player but is said to be carefully considering his next move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My guess is Thornton will officially bring his playing career to a close once he decides what his off-ice career will be. One of the greatest playmakers in NHL history, he’s a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is expected to miss at least six weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fate of the Canucks’ playoff hopes could rest upon the performance of backup Spencer Martin and call-up Collin Delia.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Oft-injured Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi will spend six more weeks on injured reserve. He underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair damage to his left hand after being struck by a shot from teammate Ben Chiarot during Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

CBS SPORTS: The Carolina Hurricanes removed Teuvo Teravainen (upper body) from injured reserve on Friday. His availability for Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings remains to be determined.

TSN: The Tampa Bay Lightning placed defenseman Philippe Myers on waivers. He was acquired last summer from the Nashville Predators and signed to a two-year contract by the Lightning. Myers has appeared in 11 games this season.

The New Jersey Devils have recalled winger Andreas Johnsson.