NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 19, 2024

by | Sep 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 19, 2024

The Lightning and Blackhawks name their new captains, the latest on Jeremy Swayman’s contract talks, several notable players are already sidelined by injuries, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning named Victor Hedman as their new captain. He replaces Steven Stamkos, who signed with the Nashville Predators on July 1.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here. Hedman was the logical choice to succeed Stamkos having spent his 15-season NHL career with the Lightning.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks announced Nick Foligno as the 35th captain in franchise history. He’s the first to wear the “C” since Jonathan Toews from 2008 to 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Foligno has plenty of experience as a team captain. He held that role with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2015-16 to 2020-21. This move could pave the way for franchise player Connor Bedard to succeed Foligno when the latter’s contract expires in 2026.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman will not be in training camp as he remains unsigned. He and Bruins management still haven’t agreed on a new contract.

Bruins GM Don Sweeney expressed disappointment that the 25-year-old restricted free agent is not under contract in time for training camp. He didn’t forecast when an agreement could be reached but stressed that every day Swayman is absent is detrimental to the goalie and the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed a wide gap exists between the two sides with Swayman rumored to be seeking an AAV between $8.5 million and $9.5 million while Bruins are said to be offering around $6.2 million annually.

Swayman has until Dec. 1 to sign or become ineligible to play the rest of this season. He doesn’t want to risk that as it’ll cost him a season of work and wages. I’ll have more about this situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets will memorialize Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau this season with helmet stickers featuring the brothers’ last name and their respective jersey numbers. They’ll wear jersey patches with Johnny’s No. 13 once the regular season begins.

The brothers were killed on Aug. 30 by an alleged drunk driver while they were bicycling in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.

SPORTSNET: As expected, Thatcher Demko will miss the start of the Vancouver Canucks’ training camp as he continues rehabbing a nagging knee injury. Checking-line forward Teddy Blueger will be out for a week with a lower-body injury and defenseman Tucker Poolman (migraines) will be placed on long-term injury reserve for the entire season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said Demko will speak to the media on Thursday about his condition. Meanwhile, Poolman also missed last season and hasn’t played since Oct. 2022.

TSN: The Washington Capitals placed winger T.J. Oshie on LTIR for the entire 2024-25 season. Oshie, 37, has been plagued by a chronic back injury that limited him to 52 games last season. The decision was made following his training camp medical.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oshie is in the final season of his eight-year contract with an average annual value of $5.75 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Vegas Golden Knights are reviewing their options after goaltender Robin Lehner failed to report for his mandatory training camp medical. Lehner, 33, is expected to miss his third straight season after undergoing hip surgery in Aug. 2022. He’s entering the final season of his five-year contract with an AAV of $5 million and $4.5 million in actual salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates contract termination is among those options, which would remove his $5 million cap hit from the Golden Knights’ books.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane reveals he’ll be undergoing surgery to repair two sports hernias and four muscle tears that took him out of the lineup for his club’s final five playoff games last spring.

TSN: Speaking of the Oilers, they’ve signed winger Mike Hoffman to a professional tryout offer (PTO).

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug underwent season-ending surgery on his left ankle on Tuesday to address a pre-arthritic condition. Teammate Oskar Sundqvist continues to recover from offseason surgery to repair a torn right ACL. He’s not expected to participate in training camp but should be ready for the start of the season.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Blues announced they’ve signed Scott Harrington, Matthew Peca, Nikita Alexandrov and Sam Bitten to PTOs.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Jason Robertson will miss most of training camp after undergoing offseason surgery to remove a cyst from his foot. He’s expected to be ready for their season-opener against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 10.

Speaking of the Stars, recently retired defenseman Jordie Benn has returned to the club as a player development assistant and AHL scout.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Sabres blueliner Rasmus Dahlin left practice on Wednesday. Head coach Lindy Ruff described the injury as “mid-range” when asked if it was upper or lower body. It’s not believed to be serious.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed winger Alex Chiasson to a PTO.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: The Predators signed winger Philip Tomasino to a one-year, $825K contract.

CALGARY SUN: Former Flames forward Matt Stajan has joined the team as a skills consultant.

SPORTSNET: released their preseason broadcast schedule beginning Sept. 21 and running through Oct. 2.

TSN: Bell sold its 37.5 percent interest in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to Rogers Communication, giving the latter the majority stake in Canada’s most valuable sports empire.

As part of the deal, Bell Media secured access to content rights for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the NBA’s Toronto Raptors on TSN for the next 20 years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2024

by | Sep 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2024

An update on Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko’s injury, Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin could be nursing an injury, the latest on free-agent defensemen Mark Giordano and Kevin Shattenkirk, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman providing an update on the injury plaguing Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko.

Friedman revealed Demko won’t fully recover from his injury. He said the situation remains shrouded in mystery but the injury isn’t fixable via surgery.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (NHL Images).

“It’s something he’s going to have to learn to play through and he can play through to a high level,” said Friedman. He believes Demko was never fully healthy entering the 2024 playoffs and the club rushed him to return before he was completely healed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks and Demko have not commented yet on Friedman’s report. It’ll be interesting to hear their response. Their silence has reached the point where speculation has become an unnecessary distraction as training camp approaches.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias cited Friedman reporting Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin was “battling something”. He noted that no one within the organization would comment on the 28-year-old goalie’s situation. Sorokin’s agent wouldn’t comment out of respect to Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello.

Macias wondered if Sorokin’s injury could be related to the dropoff in his performance last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any team run by Lamoriello is well-known for its silence regarding its players’ status. We’ll likely have to wait for the Islanders’ response when training camp opens in less than two weeks for the Islanders’ response.

SPORTSNET: Mark Giordano’s agent, Ritch Winter, said the 40-year-old defenseman isn’t ready to retire. Winter indicated he’s spoken with the Edmonton Oilers and two of his client’s former teams, the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Winter said his client’s priority is winning the Stanley Cup. He hopes to join a rebuilding club that could move him at the trade deadline or an established contender. He said Flames GM Craig Conroy wasn’t that interested in bringing Giordano back to Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Giordano’s performance was apparent over the past two seasons as age takes its toll. That will affect his efforts to continue his NHL career.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the agent for Kevin Shattenkirk is engaged in discussions with several teams hoping to find a fit for the 35-year-old free-agent defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman claimed he’d heard that Shattenkirk would love to be part of the Oilers if there’s a spot for him. The Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson reports the blueliner’s agent George Bazos is trying to get a contract for his client rather than a professional tryout offer (PTO).

Darren Dreger reports Cole Perfetti continues to skate and practice with his Winnipeg Jets teammates while contract negotiations between the two sides continue. He also intends to represent the Jets at next week’s NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s promising news given the circumstances. It suggests Perfetti could be under contract when training camp opens in less than two weeks.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks prospect Will Smith will live with former Sharks captain Patrick Marleau while the young center attempts to make the club this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Smith’s fellow Sharks prospect Macklin Celebrini will stay with Joe Thornton this season.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL player Alex Formenton has walked away from his playing career and is pursuing a career in construction. Formenton, 24, is among the five former members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team facing charges of sexual assault related to an incident in London, Ontario, in 2018.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports Montreal Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen could steal a roster spot during the club’s upcoming training camp. Kapanen, 21, is a 2021 draft pick who starred during the 2024 Finnish Liga playoffs and is playing well in preseason action with Swedish Hockey League club Timra IK.

Timra head coach and former NHL all-star Olli Jokinen praised Kapanen’s two-way skills and hockey sense. Jokinen said his club has been planning for the possibility of Kapanen’s absence once he signed his entry-level contract with the Canadiens in July.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 4, 2024

by | Sep 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 4, 2024

The Blue Jackets and Flames to hold candlelight vigils for the Gaudreau brothers, plus the latest on Leon Draisaitl, Brad Marchand, Torey Krug, Thatcher Demko, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: The Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames announced they will hold candlelight vigils on Wednesday evening to honor the lives of Johnny and Matthew Goudreau after the brothers were killed by a drunk driver last Thursday.

The Flames ceremony will be at 8 pm MT/10 pm ET at the west stairs of the Scotiabank Saddledome. The club will stream the candlelight vigil on the Flames website, app, and the team’s social media channels.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau (NHL Images).

The Blue Jackets vigil will be held outside Nationwide Arena starting at 7:30 pm ET/5:30 pm MT.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Cole Caufield will start wearing jersey number 13 in honor of Johnny Gaudreau, who wore the same number for most of his NHL career.

Caufield, 23, called Gaudreau his hero on an Instagram post following the winger’s death last Thursday. On Tuesday, Caufield issued another Instagram post explaining the number change, praising Gaudreau as an inspiration and trailblazer for smaller players with dreams of playing in the NHL.

The Canadiens winger was Gaudreau’s teammate on Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

TSN: Donations continue to pour in to support Matthew Gaudreau’s widow Madeline, who is pregnant with the couple’s first child, due in December. A GoFundMe set up by Madeline’s sister raised more than $560K as of 7 pm ET on Tuesday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Leon Draisaitl said it was difficult to imagine himself wearing a different jersey or walking away from the Oilers. On Tuesday, the 28-year-old superstar signed an eight-year, $112 million contract extension.

Draisaitl said he saw himself as an Oiler for life. He stated that he felt at home in Edmonton, believes the club is building something special and wants to be part of it.

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Nugent-Bowman believes Draisaitl’s new contract ensures the Oilers can keep their Stanley Cup window open. He expects this improves the club’s odds of signing team captain Connor McDavid, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026.

Nugent-Bowman pointed out the Oilers are the oldest team in the NHL with little draft capital and a depleted prospect pool. He considers it imperative that they win the Stanley Cup with their current group before they reach what he calls “Pittsburgh Penguins territory.”

He also noted the expected high cost of re-signing McDavid and emerging star Evan Bouchard would put the Oilers among the teams with top-heavy rosters forced to fill out its roster depth with young prospects or inexpensive veterans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was expensive to re-sign Draisaitl and it will be costly to keep McDavid and Bouchard in the fold. That’s the cost of being in “win-now” mode when many of your best players are in their late twenties and early thirties.

The Oilers are betting they can win the Cup or at least remain a serious contender during the first half of Draisaitl’s new contract (and McDavid’s, too) before age inevitably takes its toll on their veteran roster.

A rising salary cap in the coming years should help the Oilers offset some of the big salary-cap crunch coming their way. Like the Penguins, however, management will eventually find it challenging to maintain a Cup contender as age and injuries catch up with their expensive stars.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Bruins captain Brad Marchand revealed he underwent three surgeries during the offseason to address nagging injuries that plagued him throughout last season.

Marchand, 36, said he played through a torn elbow tendon through most of last season. He also underwent groin and abdominal surgeries to repair a sports hernia that he suffered late in the season.

The Bruins captain indicated the surgeries limited his offseason training. He’s hoping to be ready for the start of his club’s training camp on Sep. 18 or shortly thereafter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would explain the decline in Marchand’s production last season. Nevertheless, he finished with 29 goals and 67 points in 82 games.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Torey Krug will miss the upcoming 2024-25 season due to surgery on his left ankle.

Krug, 33, was diagnosed with pre-arthritic changes in the ankle earlier this summer. He was attempting to rehabilitate the ankle through non-surgical means.

The Blues could turn to Nick Leddy or Ryan Suter joining their top-four defense.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could also open up an opportunity for a younger blueliner to move up in the pecking order on their defense corps.

THE PROVINCE: CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported yesterday that Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko has resumed skating and working out on the ice.

Recent reports speculated Demko, 28, could miss training camp and the start of the Canucks’ season as he continued to rehab an offseason medical procedure tied to his playoff-ending knee injury this spring.

Canucks training camp opens on Sep. 19.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko could still miss some or all of training camp. Nevertheless, Dhaliwal’s report is the first positive news about the goalie’s condition in weeks.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Flames have invited free-agent defenseman Tyson Barrie to training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to invite former Florida Panthers forward Steven Lorentz to camp on a PTO.

RG.ORG: Vladimir Bure, father of former NHL players Pavel and Valeri Bure, passed away in Miami at age 73 on Tuesday. He was the former conditioning coach of the New Jersey Devils and won two Stanley Cups with them in 2000 and 2003.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to the Bure family and the Devils organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 28, 2024

by | Aug 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 28, 2024

The latest on Panthers center Sam Bennett, the Canucks’ goalie options if Thatcher Demko is unavailable for training camp, Wild GM Bill Guerin talks about his expectations for this season and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett offers no apologies for his physical style of play and that of his teammates.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (NHL Images).

“There’s definitely a lot of people that don’t like the way I play,” said Bennett during his appearance on TSN’s “First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo”. “I think it goes for a lot of guys on our team. It’s kind of part of what makes us successful, I think. We have so many guys willing to do what it takes to win.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Two straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final and a championship this season speaks to the success of the Panthers’ style of play. However, physicality isn’t the only reason. They have stars like Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart and Sergei Bobrovsky, underrated players like Carter Verhaeghe and Gustav Forsling, and skilled, gritty versatile two-way players like Bennett.

This season could be more challenging for Bennett and his teammates. The Panthers lost Brandon Montour, Vladimir Tarasenko, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Anthony Stolarz, Nick Cousins and Kevin Stenlund to free agency this summer. Meanwhile, injuries have hampered long-time defenseman Aaron Ekblad.

The Panthers face a daunting challenge reaching the Stanley Cup Final for a third straight year. The Tampa Bay Lightning did it in 2022, making them the first team to do so since the 1985 Edmonton Oilers.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston examined the options for the Vancouver Canucks to shore up their goaltending depth. Starter Thatcher Demko remains questionable for training camp as he rehabs an undisclosed injury.

Netminders Arturs Silovs, Jiri Patera, and Nikita Tolopilo will be in training camp, with Silovs and Patera having some NHL experience.

Options include a professional tryout offer to unrestricted free agent goalies, signing a UFA like Kevin Lankinen to a one-year contract, claiming a netminder off waivers, or making a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The cost of adding another goalie will be a factor. Vancouver is pressed against the $88 million salary cap but can garner some cap relief by placing sidelined defenseman Tucker Poolman and his $2.5 million contract on long-term injury reserve.

THE SCORE: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin acknowledged the difficulties his club has faced due to the ongoing salary-cap constraints from the contract buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Nevertheless, he’s expecting a bounce-back performance following their disappointing 2023-24 campaign.

Guerin believes injuries were to blame for his club missing the playoffs last season. “If we can stay healthy, we can get back to our 100-point seasons and get back into the playoffs and improve on what we’ve done.”

The Wild GM also believes his scorers must get off to a better start this season. He’s also hoping 2022 draft pick Liam Ohgren can be an impact player and expects promising goalie Jesper Wallstedt will see more playing time.

TSN: Chris Johnston reports the Toronto Maple Leafs have concerns about Jani Hakanpaa’s knee injury.

The Leafs reportedly agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the 32-year-old defenseman. However, Johnston reports he hasn’t signed a deal with them.

Johnston claims Hakanpaa’s knee is “basically bone on bone by this point”. The blueliner believes he can still play but medical opinions suggest otherwise.

The longer this goes, the less likely Hakanpaa will have a contract with the Leafs for the coming season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston noted the last time Leafs GM Brad Treliving spoke about Hakanpaa’s status was during the introduction of Auston Matthews as their new captain two weeks ago.

At the time, Treliving said the situation would be resolved one way or another soon. We’ll likely know by the start of the Leafs training camp on Sep. 22.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford hired Justin Pogge as their new goaltending coach.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 24, 2024

by | Aug 24, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 24, 2024

Are the Canucks shopping for a goaltender? Could the Oilers look into adding a defenseman? What’s the latest on Max Pacioretty? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE THE CANUCKS IN THE GOALIE MARKET?

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal cite multiple sources claiming that Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko won’t be ready for training camp and preseason next month as he continues to rehab a knee injury.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (NHL Images).

The Canucks hope that Demko, 28, will be ready for their season-opener on Oct. 9 against the Calgary Flames. However, that seems in question at this stage of the offseason.

Dhaliwal reported earlier this week that the Canucks were poking around in the goalie market. They’re exploring all their options for additional insurance in net.

The Canucks reached out to unrestricted free agent Kevin Lankinen. The 29-year-old netminder played solid hockey for the Nashville Predators last season as a backup. There’s some familiarity between Lankinen and Canucks goalie coach Marko Torenius.

THE SCORE: Kayla Douglas suggested Antti Raanta and Martin Jones as other free-agent options for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lankinen would be the best option for the Canucks. However, Dhaliwal and Drance noted that he had a one-year, $2 million contract last season and likely won’t be interested in a one-year deal for near the league minimum. They also suggest adding another goalie could affect their plans to accrue cap space this season to put toward the March trade deadline.

OILERS SEEK A DEFENSEMAN

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the Edmonton Oilers are in the market for a right-shot defenseman after trading Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks and losing Philip Broberg to an offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues.

Former Oilers Tyson Barrie and Justin Schultz are believed to be on the Oilers radar. Kevin Shattenkirk is another possible target.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples wondered if Tony DeAngelo could be an option. The 28-year-old is much younger than Barrie, Schultz and Shattenkirk, and played his junior hockey with Oilers blueliner Darnell Nurse. Travis Dermott is a left-hand shot but he’s 27 and knows Connor McDavid and Connor Brown from their days with the Erie Otters.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seeing what the Oilers do will be interesting. They could go with Barrie as he’s more familiar with the current roster though his defensive deficiencies could be a concern. Schultz and Shattenkirk are now past their prime. DeAngelo comes with personal baggage while Dermott struggled last season in Arizona.

LATEST ON PACIORETTY

DAILY FACEOFF’s Frank Seravalli reports former Washington Capitals winger Max Pacioretty has “firm in-hand offers from three teams.” The 35-year-old winger is expected to make a decision soon.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2024

by | Aug 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2024

The Predators trade Yaroslav Askarov to the Sharks, Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won’t be ready for preseason, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Predators traded Yaroslav Askarov on Friday to the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks received Askarov, minor-league forward Nolan Burke, and a 2025 third-round pick (originally from the Colorado Avalanche), while the Predators received prospect forward David Edstrom, goaltender Magnus Chrona, and a conditional 2025 first-rounder that originally belonged to the Vegas Golden Knights.

If that first-round pick falls within the top 10, the Sharks have the right to transfer Vegas’ pick or its own to the Predators.

PUCKPEDIA: The Sharks signed Askarov to a two-year, $4 million contract extension starting in 2025-26. The average annual value is $2 million.

Nashville Predators trade goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to the San Jose Sharks (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move comes less than a week after the 22-year-old Askarov requested a trade after telling Predators management he wouldn’t report to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee.

THE TENNESSEAN: Predators general manager Barry Trotz knew he’d have to move Askarov at some point after signing starting goalie Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension in July. However, the young netminder’s trade request forced Trotz to move the young netminder sooner than preferred.

Trotz had had discussions with the Askarov camp for several weeks about a trade but the club wanted time to develop his game before doing so. After Askarov’s request became public, Trotz felt he had to move him sooner rather than have an unhappy goalie become an unnecessary distraction.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Sharks general manager Mike Grier conferred with his goaltending staff (Evgeny Nabokov, Thomas Speer and Ryan Miller) for their assessment of Askarov’s ability as a goaltender and his character. He also said he wasn’t worried about the goalie’s emotional side, saying he believes it can be harnessed the right way.

The Sharks already have netminders Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek under contract for this season. Grier isn’t ruling out starting the season with three goalies on the roster. Vanecek underwent offseason surgery for a lower-body injury but is expected to be ready for training camp next month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Askarov has a more certain path to the NHL in San Jose than he would’ve had in Nashville. He addresses the Sharks’ need for a goalie with starter potential within their prospect system. The young netminder could become part of the Sharks’ future core that one day turns this rebuilding club into a Western Conference powerhouse again.

Askarov has two full seasons of AHL experience and believes he’s NHL-ready now. He could end up joining the Sharks’ AHL affiliate for this season but that two-year extension with its $2 million AAV ensures he’ll be a full-time NHLer by next season at the latest.

Trotz may have preferred taking more time to develop Askarov and improve his trade value but the Predators GM still got a decent return. The Predators have three first-rounders in next year’s draft, one or two of which could be used as trade chips to address more immediate roster needs. Edstrom is a former first-round pick of the Golden Knights and has potential as a two-way center. Chrona will replace Askarov on their AHL affiliate.

SPORTSNET: cited a report by The Athletic’s Rick Dhaliwal and Thomas Drance indicating Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko won’t be ready for training camp or preseason as he continues to rehab an injured knee.

Demko’s status for the Canucks’ season-opener against the Calgary Flames remains uncertain, but the club hopes he’ll be ready by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s sparked speculation the Canucks could head into the trade or free-agent markets for additional depth between the pipes. Playoff hero Arturs Silovs and Jiri Patera are their current netminders in Demko’s absence. I’ll have more about this situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE SCORE: Don Waddell is attempting to change the culture of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

He took over as their general manager and president of hockey operations in May. Since then, he replaced head coach Pascal Vincent with Dean Evason and traded unhappy winger Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens.

In an interview with NHL.com, Waddell indicated that some people within the organization had succumbed to a culture of losing.

“The one thing, I’m not saying it was everybody, but losing was acceptable (here) and losing is not acceptable,” said Waddell. “We have a ways to go building this, but our goal every year should be to win the Stanley Cup, not just to win some games. It’s a mindset.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell faces a daunting challenge. The Blue Jackets have only reached the playoffs six times in 23 seasons, the last being 2019-20. They’ve got plenty of promising young players and established stars like Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski to work with, but they need the right direction and work ethic to put it all together.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Vegas Golden Knights will visit Mexico in September to stage hockey clinics and fan activities. The club hopes to expand its fan base and the sport’s popularity.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former Red Wings masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov died of cancer in Florida at age 71. He suffered debilitating brain injuries from a limousine crash that also permanently injured Wings defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov less than a week following the Wings’ 1997 Stanley Cup championship. He was also paralyzed from the waist down.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Mnatsakanov’s family, friends, and the Red Wings organization.