NHL Rumor Mill – January 15, 2024

by | Jan 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 15, 2024

Check out the latest on Leon Draisaitl, Jeremy Swayman, and Jacob Markstrom in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Following the Toronto Maple Leafs’ of re-signing William Nylander, Mark Spector believed Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl will be the next big Canadian contract to watch.

Draisaitl, 28, will be entering the final season of his eight-year, $68 million contract on July 1, which is the earliest that the Oilers can open contract extension talks with him. His current deal became the most team-friendly among the Oilers given his rise as an NHL superstar.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Entering that final season, Draisaitl will have to choose between another eight seasons with the Oilers or perhaps moving on to a bigger market such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston or New York as an unrestricted free agent once his current deal is done.

Draisaitl could sign a short-term deal with the Oilers but Spector considered that to be unlikely.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t a rumor but it is worth noting Draisaitl’s contract situation.

Speculation about Maple Leafs forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares has already started but there’s been very little regarding Draisaitl, who is a much bigger star. Where he plays following this contract and how much he’ll earn on his next deal will become hot topics for media conjecture later this year.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy wondered if Jeremy Swayman was sending a shot across the bow of Bruins management regarding his comments about being selected for the 2024 All-Star Game by NHL fans.

Swayman first praised his teammates for putting him in this position. However, he also revealed that his arbitration process last summer was not a pleasant experience, talking about having to deal with what he went through and “hearing things that a player should never hear.”

Murphy noted that Swayman got a one-year, $3.47 million contract award via arbitration. He also pointed out that the process is an uncomfortable one for players and teams. The 25-year-old netminder and his agent have declined to talk with the media this season about his contract negotiations with the Bruins.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently speculated that Swayman could re-sign with the Bruins in January. Murphy wonders if the goalie’s comments suggest things haven’t gone as Friedman expected.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Arbitration is bruising to a player’s ego and can sometimes cause irreparable damage to his relationship with management, greasing the skids for his departure to another club via trade or free agency.

Swayman is slated to once again become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. It’ll be worthwhile to monitor his situation if he hasn’t re-signed by then.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom is an unlikely trade target for the Devils. He reached that decision after hearing Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s report on Saturday indicating it will take a lot for the Flames to consider parting with their starting netminder.

Friedman noted Markstrom carries a full no-movement clause and the Flames have no intention of asking him to waive it unless it’s to a destination he wants to go to. Nichols thinks there could be more desirable locations than New Jersey for Markstrom.

The Flames’ asking price is also a sticking point. Nichols speculates they could ask for promising defenseman Simon Nemec or forward Dawson Mercer as part of the return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils can free up $9 million in cap space by placing sidelined defenseman Dougie Hamilton on long-term injury reserve. They could afford Markstrom’s $6 million average annual value but not what would be a significant asking price from the Flames. If they go goalie shopping they could consider more affordable short-term options.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2024

by | Jan 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2024

The Oilers and Kraken maintain their win streaks while the Jets’ and Panthers’ streaks come to an end and the final 12 players are announced for the All-Star Game. Details and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers set a franchise record with their 10th consecutive win by nipping the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on an overtime power-play goal by Evan Bouchard. Leon Draisaitl tied the game in the third period for the Oilers (23-15-1) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points. Sam Montembeault stopped 39 shots and Cole Caufield scored for the 17-18-7 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens called up Joshua Roy from their AHL affiliate in Laval to replace sidelined winger Josh Anderson.

Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann scored twice and added an assist as his club won their franchise-record ninth straight contest by downing the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4, extending their points streak to 13 games. Joey Daccord made 30 saves for his eighth straight win while Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and two assists for the 19-14-9 Kraken, who sit just behind the Oilers with 47 points. Ivan Provorov tallied twice for the 13-21-9 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets made rookie defenseman David Jiricek a healthy scratch from this contest.

The Winnipeg Jets’ eight-game win streak came to an end as they fell 2-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson made 35 saves for the shutout while Cam Atkinson scored twice to snap his goalless streak that stretched back to Nov. 11. With a record of 23-14-6, the Flyers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 52 points. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 34 shots for the 28-10-4 Jets, as they slipped into second place in the overall standings with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played without Jamie Drysdale (illness) and Sean Couturier (“minor injury”) while Jets center Mark Scheifele sat out with a lower-body injury.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko made 26 saves to blank the Buffalo Sabres 1-0. Sam Lafferty netted the only goal for the 29-11-3 Canucks for their fifth straight win as they vaulted over the Jets into first overall with 61 points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 shots for the 18-21-4 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson left the game in the second period after taking an elbow in the face from Canucks blueliner Filip Hronek.

A 36-save performance by Nico Daws carried the New Jersey Devils over the Florida Panthers 4-1, snapping the latter’s nine-game win streak. Jesper Bratt scored what proved to be the game-winner for the 22-15-3 Devils (47 points) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to six games for the Panthers (27-13-2) as they sit second in the Eastern Conference with 56 points.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy gave the Boston Bruins a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. McAvoy and Brad Marchand each had two goals for the 25-8-9 Bruins, who sit first overall in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. Jordan Binnington stopped 31 shots for the 21-18-2 Blues, who are three points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 44 points.

Third-period goals by Nic Dowd and T.J. Oshie lifted the Washington Capitals over the New York Rangers 3-2, leaving the latter winless in their last four games (0-3-1). Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves for the 20-14-6 Capitals (46 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Adam Fox tallied both goals for the Rangers (26-13-2) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 54 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their points streak to eight games by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on an overtime tally by Brett Pesce, who finished the game with two goals. Antti Raanta made 38 saves for the 24-13-5 Hurricanes (53) as they sit one point back of the Rangers in the Metro Division. Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (20-15-6) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored two goals to lead his club to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, extending the latter’s winless skid to eight games (0-4-4). Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist while Alex Lyon stopped 33 shots for the 21-16-5 Red Wings (47 points), who are one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Quinton Byfield scored two goals for the 20-11-8 Kings, who remain third in the Pacific Division with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings head coach Todd McLellan is facing the heat from the club’s fans as they chanted for him to be fired. They could get their wish if the Kings don’t soon reverse their current slide.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos tallied twice to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. Nikita Kucherov collected three assists to remain the league’s scoring leader with 72 points as his club improved to 22-17-5 and sit in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 49 points. Lukas Dostol turned aside 36 shots for the 14-27-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Five unanswered goals rallied the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist for the 28-12-3 Avalanche (59 points) as they sit one point behind the first-place Jets in the Central Division. Martin Jones stopped 28 shots for the 21-11-8 Leafs as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury.

The Dallas Stars netted three unanswered third-period goals in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Goalie Jake Oettinger picked up the win for Dallas after Scott Wedgewood left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. With a record of 25-12-2, the Stars are third in the Central Division with 55 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 27 shots for the 12-29-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with a shoulder injury.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram made 38 saves for his fifth shutout of the season in a 6-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nick Bjugstad had a hat trick as the Coyotes (21-18-2) moved to within three points of a Western wild-card spot with 44 points. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson and winger Kirill Kaprizov returned to action for the 17-20-5 Wild after missing several games with injuries.

The Nashville Predators defeated the New York Islanders 3-1 on late goals by Alexandre Carrier and Juuso Parssinen. Juuse Saros stopped 24 shots for the 24-18-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 49 points. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders (19-13-10) as they cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with 48 points.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves while Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Chandler Stephenson had the only goal for the Golden Knights (24-14-5) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 53 points. The Flames improved to 20-18-5 (45 points) to move within two points of the final Western wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Ottawa Senators ended a five-game losing skid with a 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Vladimir Tarasenko tallied the game-winner with five seconds remaining in the third period while Artem Zub picked up three assists for the 15-23-0 Senators. MacKenzie Blackwood kicked out 36 shots while Mario Ferraro had three assists for the 10-30-3 Sharks, who’ve lost 13 of their last 14 games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly and Vancouver Canucks Elias Pettersson, JT Miller, Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko have been named to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game as voted by the fans. The others included Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 11, 2024

by | Jan 11, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 11, 2024

Check out the latest on the Leafs’ Mitch Marner as well as the Flames’ Jacob Markstrom and Elias Lindholm plus some blueline trade options for the Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HOW MUCH COULD MARNER EARN ON HIS NEXT CONTRACT?

SPORTSNET: In the wake of the Toronto Maple Leafs signing William Nylander, Josh Beneteau looked at how much the Leafs might have to pay to re-sign Mitch Marner. The 26-year-old winger becomes eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1, 2025.

Marner’s current average annual value is $10.9 million. Based on his performance, he’s expected to get a raise. If he gets the same cap percentage as Boston’s David Pastrnak (13.47), his new AAV will be $12.392 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner will probably get that much with the Leafs or another club if he hits the open market. The question is whether the Leafs are willing to pay him that much. It’s bound to generate plenty of speculation over his future once July 1 rolls around as that’s the earliest the Leafs can open contract extension talks.

TIME TO TRADE MARKSTROM?

CALGARY SUN: Kent Wilson suggests the time may be right for the Flames to trade Jacob Markstrom. After struggling last season, the 2022 Vezina Trophy finalist is enjoying a bounce-back performance in 2023-24.

With playoff contenders such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes undermined by bottom-of-the-league goaltending, Wilson felt this could be a good opportunity for the Flames to peddle Markstrom. Doing so would enable them to bring up his heir apparent Dustin Wolf on a full-time basis.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the limited cap room for most of those clubs, moving Markstrom’s $6 million AAV through 2025-26 won’t happen before the trade deadline unless the Flames agree to retain half of it. His full no-movement clause could also complicate things.

Trading Markstrom would be difficult but not impossible during the offseason. The salary cap is expected to jump by $4.2 million, creating room for teams seeking an experienced starter.

WHAT COULD IT COST TO ACQUIRE ELIAS LINDHOLM?

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Julian McKenzie was asked what a realistic trade return would be for Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm.

McKenzie speculated the Flames could get a first-round pick and a lesser prospect or a higher-quality prospect and a lower pick. He also thinks that the asking price could change if Lindholm is willing to sign a contract extension with his new club.

As for potential trade partners, McKenzie suggested the Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have been often linked to Lindholm but cap space could be an issue. The same applies to the Bruins. I think the Predators and Red Wings would be the most keen to have Lindholm sign an extension rather than be a playoff rental.

DEVILS BLUELINE TRADE OPTIONS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols recently examined some possible options for the Devils to patch up or upgrade their injury-depleted defense corps.

Calgary Flames blueliners Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, Anaheim Ducks rearguard Ilya Lyubushkin and Philadelphia Flyers d-man Nick Seeler were his suggested trade options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hanifin’s the best of the bunch but he’ll also cost the most to acquire. Tanev won’t be as expensive but the asking price could be a second-rounder and a prospect. Lyubushkin and Seeler would be much more affordable options in terms of cap hit and return.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2024

by | Jan 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2024

Marc-Andre Fleury ties Patrick Roy for career wins, Sam Reinhart and Zach Hyman have hat-trick performances, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard is sidelined with a fractured jaw, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves for his 551st career NHL win in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fleury is tied with Hall-of-Famer Patrick Roy for second on the all-time wins list. Marco Rossi scored the game-winner while Matt Boldy and Brock Faber each collected three points for the 17-17-4 Wild (38 points), who sit three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Cole Sillinger tallied all three goals for the 13-19-9 Blue Jackets.

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

Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart collected a hat trick as his club picked up its seventh straight win by dropping the Colorado Avalanche 8-4, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk each had four points and Carter Verhaeghe had three for the red-hot Panthers (25-12-2, 52 points) as they moved within two points of first place in the Eastern Conference. Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin each had two points for the 25-12-3 Avalanche (53 points) as they remain one point out of first place in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played without defenseman Bowen Byram. He’s expected to miss “a handful of games” due to a lower-body injury suffered on Thursday against the Dallas Stars.

Speaking of hat tricks and seven-game win streaks, Zach Hyman’s three goals continued the Edmonton Oilers’ winning ways in a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Evan Bouchard collected three assists while Stuart Skinner made 29 saves for the 20-15-1 Oilers (41 points), who moved into a playoff spot for the first time this season as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Anton Forsberg turned aside 43 shots for the 14-21-0 Senators as their losing skid extended to three games.

A third-period goal by Travis Konecny lifted the Philadelphia Flyers past the Calgary Flames 3-2. Morgan Frost had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (20-13-6) as they snapped a four-game losing skid and sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 46 points. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 39 shots for the 17-17-5 Flames as they are two points out of a Western wild-card spot.

The Boston Bruins rolled to a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Trent Frederic tallied two goals while David Pastrnak, Hampus Lindholm and Matthew Poitras each collected two points as the Bruins 24-8-6 sit atop the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Brayden Point netted two goals for the 19-17-5 Lightning as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have the same number of points as the New York Rangers and the idle Winnipeg Jets. However, the Jets hold first place in the overall standings with 23 regulation wins while the Rangers are second overall with 21 regulation wins. The Bruins have fewer victories.

Speaking of the Rangers, they suffered a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on a shootout goal by Cole Caufield. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist as the Rangers overcame a 3-0 deficit but Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault kicked out 45 shots for the win. The Rangers (26-10-2) hold first place in the Eastern Conference while the Canadiens improved to 17-17-5.

The Vancouver Canucks held off the New Jersey Devils by a score of 6-4. J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson each had two goals and an assist while Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks (25-11-3) as they hold first place in the Pacific Division with 53 points and sit one point out of first place in the overall standings. Colin Miller tallied twice for the 21-15-2 Devils as they cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler left this game with a broken foot from a blocked shot. The Devils also played without Timo Meier as he was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 30 while Jack Hughes missed this game with an upper-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy returned to action nearly two months after being sidelined by a fractured leg. However, blueliner Nikita Zadorov is out with an undisclosed injury while Phillip Di Giuseppe was placed on long-term injury reserve.

A 40-save performance by goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen gave the Buffalo Sabres a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zemgus Girgensons scored the game-winner for the 17-19-4 Sabres. Rickard Rakell replied for the Penguins (19-15-4) as they sit two points out of a wild-card berth in the East with 42 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander scored two goals and an assist in a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks, handing the latter their 11th straight loss. The 20-10-7 Leafs sit third in the Atlantic Division with 47 points while the Sharks (9-28-3) remain at the bottom of the overall standings.

The St. Louis Blues nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 thanks to a 29-save effort by goaltender Jordan Binnington. Brayden Schenn netted the winning goal in the shootout as the Blues (20-17-1) sit just outside the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 41 points. Teuvo Teravainen scored for the 22-13-5 Hurricanes as they extended their points streak to six games and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 49 points.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored twice in the third period as his club held off the Dallas Stars 4-3. Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist each had two points for the 22-17-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card spot with 45 points. Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley each had two points for the Stars (22-11-5) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 49 points.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals each from Jack Eichel and Nicolas Roy in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Logan Thompson stopped 28 shots for the Golden Knights (23-12-5) as they hold second place in the Pacific Division with 51 points. Mathew Barzal and Matt Martin replied for the 18-11-10 Islanders as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Chicago Blackhawks placed rookie star Connor Bedard on injured reserve after he suffered a fractured jaw during Friday’s game against the Devils. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks already have several players sidelined by injuries with Bedard now their ninth player on injured reserve. He could return sometime in mid-February at the earliest but he’s almost certain to miss the 2024 All-Star Game on Feb. 3.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks acquired forward Rem Pitlick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes recalled forward Dylan Guenther on an emergency basis with winger Jason Zucker serving a three-game suspension.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings backup goaltender Pheonix Copley is out for the season following successful ACL surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are using Aaron Dell as Copley’s replacement but they could go into the trade market for a goaltender before the March 8 deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2024

by | Jan 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2024

The Jets take over first place in the overall standings, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard suffers an injury and Andrei Svechnikov ties a Hurricanes record. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets took over first place in the overall standings with 54 points as they downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Laurent Brossoit stopped 37 shots while third-period goals by Nate Schmidt and Cole Perfetti powered the 25-9-4 Jets to their fifth straight win, extending their points streak to 11 games. Mason McTavish scored for the Ducks (13-24-1), who’ve won just three of their last 10 games.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

Third-period goals by Simon Nemec, Michael McLeod and Tyler Toffoli lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Nemec and Alexander Holtz each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (21-14-2) as they vaulted into the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 44 points. Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard left the game in the first period following a clean hit by Devils defenseman Brendan Smith. The ‘Hawks dropped to 11-26-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard jumped up immediately following the hit and skated off holding his mouth. Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno also left this game with an injury. There was no postgame update as both players will be re-evaluated in Chicago on Saturday.

Bedard was recently named as his club’s representative for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. His fans will be hoping that his condition isn’t serious.

The Blackhawks have been decimated by injuries this season. Taylor Hall, Seth Jones, Anthony Beauvillier, Tyler Johnson and Andreas Athanasiou are among the notables currently sidelined, with Hall out of the season.

The Carolina Hurricanes tallied five unanswered third-period goals to thump the Washington Capitals 6-2. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and two assists to tie the Hurricanes’ record with his sixth straight multi-point game. Brent Burns had two goals and an assist and Sebastian Aho collected three assists for the surging Hurricanes (22-13-4) as they’ve won five straight and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 48 points. Nic Dowd and Dylan Strome scored for the 18-13-6 Capitals (42 points) as they blew a 2-0 lead and dropped two points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen is listed as week-to-week with an apparent leg injury following an accidental collision with Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood during Thursday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.

Head coach Pete DeBoer said Heiskanen would undergo further testing on Friday but the injury “doesn’t look terrible.” The blueliner isn’t out for the season and won’t require surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Heiskanen is the Stars’ top defenseman. Losing him for a significant period would be a big setback for their blueline.

CBS SPORTS: Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello has come off the injured reserve list. He’d been sidelined since Dec. 16 with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zuccarello’s return might help the Wild snap out of their four-game losing skid that has sent them tumbling five points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes are close to announcing the location they will focus on for their new arena.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Coyotes, they placed forward Zach Sanford on waivers.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers called up forward Mackie Samoskevich and placed forward Nick Cousins (concussion) on injured reserve.

IIHF: Team USA defeated Sweden 6-2 to capture gold at the 2024 World Junior Championship. It’s the sixth WJC gold in the country’s history with their first coming in 2006 and the previous one in 2021.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki was named the most valuable player of the 2024 WJC. The 19-year-old winger had seven goals and 10 points in seven games to lead Sweden to a silver medal. Lekkerimaki was chosen by the Canucks in the first round (15th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 4, 2024

by | Jan 4, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 4, 2024

What’s the latest on William Nylander’s contract situation? Will the Devils pursue a goaltender? Could the Capitals become trade-deadline buyers? Which Ducks could hit the trade market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON NYLANDER’S CONTRACT SITUATION

NHL NETWORK: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander’s representatives are working right now on a contract extension. He wouldn’t be surprised if this gets done soon and considers signing him their No. 1 priority.

Nylander declined to talk about the rumors regarding a contract extension following the Leafs’ 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

Nick Kypreos claimed they’re talking about an eight-year deal in the range of an $11.25 million average annual value. Friedman isn’t sure about that but doesn’t think his colleague is off by much (if at all) with his estimation.

Nylander is on pace for a career-high 117 points. Friedman believes he’s earned that potentially hefty raise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers (like the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons) are concerned that the Leafs winger could be a “one-year wonder.” They fear he’ll come crashing back to earth once he’s signed a lucrative long-term deal.

I think what we’re seeing from Nylander is the real thing now that he’s in his playing prime. He has steadily improved over the past four seasons, including an 80-point campaign in 2021-22 and 87 points last season. He’s also been arguably their most consistent playoff performer.

ARE THE DEVILS IN THE HUNT FOR A GOALIE?

Elliotte Friedman talked about the difficulties facing the New Jersey Devils in upgrading their goaltending. He believes they’ve been looking for help but teams with goaltenders to trade hold the position of leverage.

Friedman listed Anaheim’s John Gibson, Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom, Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins, Montreal’s Jake Allen and San Jose’s Kaapo Kahkonen as potential trade candidates.

Acquiring Gibson would mean getting the Ducks to retain part of the goalie’s $6.4 million average annual value through 2026-27 and that would be difficult to do. Markstrom would have to agree to waive his no-movement clause.

Merzlikins is available but he’s struggled at times and carries a $5.4 million AAV through 2026-27. Allen carries a more affordable $3.85 million through 2024-25 but no one as yet is willing to meet the Canadiens’ asking price.

Kakhonen is playing well this season and is slated for unrestricted free-agent status this summer. However, he’s never been in a position where he’s had to lead a team into the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson and Markstrom are the only starters on this list with playoff experience. The former’s hefty contract and the latter’s NMC likely ensure they won’t be moved by the trade deadline.

Merzlikins only has two games of postseason experience under his belt. Allen has seen playoff action but he’s no longer a starter. Kahkonen has yet to play a postseason game.

Friedman also believes the Devils are looking for blueline depth. He could see them pursuing someone like Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With defenseman Dougie Hamilton sidelined until possibly the end of the regular season, the Devils could put his $9 million AAV on long-term injury reserve if they wish to add a goalie, blueliner or both.

If the Devils pursue Hanifin, they have depth in tradeable assets (especially young players) that would interest the Flames. The two clubs also have a recent trade history with last June’s Tyler Toffoli deal.

WILL THE CAPITALS BECOME TRADE-DEADLINE BUYERS?

Friedman believes the Washington Capitals could become buyers at the trade deadline given their better-than-expected performance this season. However, it still thinks it’s early yet as they’ll likely wait and see how the season develops leading up to deadline day. If they do dabble in the trade market, they could pursue a top-six forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals have to be mindful of their cap space. They placed Nicklas Backstrom on LTIR for the season but they currently have a projected $3.18 million in trade-deadline cap room.

WHICH DUCKS WILL HIT THE TRADE BLOCK?

Asked which players the Ducks will move at the trade deadline, Friedman considers Adam Henrique as the most likely option. A UFA at the end of this season, he’s a very good center with big-game experience who will draw interest in the trade market.

Friedman hasn’t heard much trade talk about Jakob Silfverberg. He believes the Toronto Maple Leafs would be interested in bringing back pending UFA defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.