Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 5, 2026

by | Apr 5, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 5, 2026

It’s an all-Maple Leafs edition of the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup. Check out the ongoing speculation involving winger Matthew Knies and defenseman Morgan Rielly, plus the latest on their GM search.

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos recently reported that Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies continues to come up in trade rumors even though the Maple Leafs fired general manager Brad Treliving last week.

One source told Kypreos that Treliving’s asking price for Knies was one of three options: two first-round picks and a high-end prospect; one first-rounder and two high-end prospects; or three high-end prospects.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthews Knies (NHL Images).

Kypreos claimed the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens were among the teams involved in those talks. He also said a big problem for those clubs was how late the asking price was set before the March trade deadline.

It remains to be seen what Treliving’s replacement will do regarding Knies. They could pick up those talks, or they could hang onto Knies and reassure the big winger that he’ll play an important role in the re-tooling of the roster.

During Friday’s episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Kypreos’ colleague Elliotte Friedman believes the Maple Leafs and Canadiens were discussing Knies, “even though everyone’s denying it.”

He doesn’t believe Canadiens prospect center Michael Hage was part of it, but he thinks a lot of people suspect he was because Keith Pelley, the president of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, mentioned the young prospect during his press conference last week.

BARN BURNER PODCAST: TSN’s Darren Dreger said the Maple Leafs were in trade discussions with the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens before the deadline. However, he doesn’t know whether Knies would likely have been traded.

Dreger mentioned that it’s believed Treliving spoke with the Canadiens about Hage and with the Sabres about prospect defenseman Radim Mrtka. Those were two names that Pelley mentioned in his presser last week.

TVA SPORTS: referenced Dreger saying the Canadiens and Sabres weren’t happy with Pelley for mentioning Hage and Mrtka. He pointed out that those two players have been mentioned in trade rumors for some time.

Dreger believes everything points to Hage being a big part of the Canadiens’ future. However, he also thinks rival general managers have pulled out all the stops to try to acquire him in a major trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conflicting reports all around about whether the Leafs were entertaining trade offers for Knies before the deadline and which players were being offered up for him. Mrtka was mentioned as part of a failed trade between the Sabres and St. Louis Blues that would’ve sent him to St. Louis for Colton Parayko, who used his no-trade clause to spike that deal.

Whatever the truth, Kypreos is right when he said it will be up to Treliving’s replacement to decide if they will revisit those discussions or keep Knies for the retooling process.

SPORTSNET: Kypreos also wondered what the future would hold for long-time Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly. He claimed that “many industry sources” believe the club will be looking at various options to move on from the 32-year-old blueliner.

Rielly has four years left on his contract and a full no-movement clause. A contract buyout is unlikely because of the remaining term. Kypreos expects they’ll try to convince the veteran rearguard to waive his clause for a “creative trade and send him to a place of his liking.”

According to Kypreos, teams see in Rielly a “good and serviceable player” who could be rejuvenated with the right team. However, the Maple Leafs might have to retain up to half of his $7.5 million average annual value, and perhaps add a sweetener like a draft pick.

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan reports Rielly is uneasy about his future in the wake of the changes in the Maple Leafs’ front office. There has to be an expectation on his part that he will be asked to consider waiving his no-movement clause.

Koshan doesn’t rule out a contract buyout, which would be at two-thirds the remaining value of Rielly’s contract over twice the remaining term. He pointed out that a buyout would save the Maple Leafs $4 million in each of the next four years, with the buyout cap hit in the final four years at $2 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly could still have value to other clubs, but it’s doubtful they’ll want to take on the full remaining value of his contract. For the Leafs, it could come down to which move makes the most sense for their long-term salary-cap payroll.

If they retain half of his AAV, that’s $3.75 million annually against their cap through 2029-30. However, a buyout will drag on for eight years, even with those savings mentioned by Koshan. That’s a long time to carry dead cap space.

SPORTSNET (VIA KUKLA’S KORNER)  Elliotte Friedman provided an update on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ search for a new general manager.

St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong has been linked to the Maple Leafs, but Friedman believes the timing doesn’t seem right.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Armstrong is set to hand over the management reins to Alexander Steen at the end of this season. However, he’s under contract with the Blues as their team president, meaning the Maple Leafs would have to seek permission from Blues ownership to speak with him.

Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta is expected to be among those on the Maple Leafs’ list.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2026

by | Apr 1, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2026

Who are the potential candidates to become the next GM of the Maple Leafs? Are management changes coming for the Devils and Canucks? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS’ GM SEARCH

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes that Keith Pelley, the head of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, tipped his hand when he said that he favors retooling the Maple Leafs roster over a rebuild. He expects it will be a cue card for the potential candidates for the job.

Darren Dreger reports former Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving was at least working on retooling the roster before he was fired. Treliving was hoping to use some of the draft picks that he acquired before last month’s trade deadline as trade collateral to acquire a good young defenseman. The Leafs also need a center to take some of the load off John Tavares.

Chris Johnston indicated that Pelley is seeking a data-minded person for the GM job. The Leafs will hire a search firm to help them find some potential candidates.

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong (NHL.com).

LeBrun mentioned that St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong has been linked to the Maple Leafs. Armstrong is stepping down from his current role at the end of this season, but he’s under contract as the Blues’ president of hockey operations. It would be up to Blues owner Tom Stillman whether he’ll permit clubs to speak with Armstrong.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues beat writer Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic doesn’t expect Stillman to grant permission for the Leafs to talk to Armstrong about their vacant management position. The Blues owner would prefer that Armstrong stick around to help the incoming GM, Alexander Steen.

Johnston mentioned that Pelley has reached out to sidelined Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews. It’s expected there will be more discussions between the two regarding the club’s direction. Matthews has two years remaining on his contract.

In his column for The Athletic, LeBrun mentioned former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis as a potential candidate. He also believes the Maple Leafs could be looking at multiple hires, with a veteran hand paired with an up-and-comer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “veteran hand” would likely end up in the hockey operations role, while the “up-and-comer” gets the general manager’s chair.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes there will be plenty of interest in the Leafs GM job. He wondered if former Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi would be a candidate for the Leafs job. Lombardi currently works with the Philadelphia Flyers. Other possibilities could be Pittsburgh Penguins assistant GM Jason Spezza and Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta.

COULD THE DEVILS AND CANUCKS SHAKE UP THEIR MANAGEMENT?

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos observed that Tom Fitzgerald holds the president of hockey operations and general manager titles. However, some are wondering if they might break up those roles.

Kypreos speculated they could hire a new hockey ops president, keep Fitzgerald around for one more season, and evaluate from there. It’s believed he’s preparing for the worst because he’s been on the hot seat this season.

FULL PRESS MEDIA: Jim Biringer wondered if the Maple Leafs firing of Brad Treliving might lead to a management change for the Devils.

It’s been rumored that Devils ownership might be contemplating some sort of change in the front office. However, Fitzgerald has maintained that he’s been in sync with ownership and the coaching staff.

If the Devils make a management change, Biringer believes it won’t come from within.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It seems a safer choice to hire a new president and give Fitzgerald one more season to redeem himself. However, the Devils ownership could have an eye on whoever applies for the Leafs’ job and perhaps interview those who didn’t get that role.

Kypreos also noted that changes are coming for the Vancouver Canucks, but it remains unclear to what extent they will take. He’s heard that GM Patrik Allvin doesn’t expect to survive the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allvin is the right-hand man of Jim Rutherford, the Canucks president of hockey operations. It would be an interesting move by Rutherford to hand Allvin his walking papers.

Canucks beat writer Thomas Drance of The Athletic isn’t sure just how far they are willing to go as they attempt to move on from this disastrous season. He thinks the organization should face some measure of accountability, but it remains to be seen what that could be.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 29, 2025

by | Aug 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 29, 2025

Remembering Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Mitch Marner talks about leaving the Maple Leafs for the Golden Knights, Kings captain Anze Kopitar talks about the possibility of retirement, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH/CALGARY HERALD: The hockey world is remembering NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, who were killed by an alleged drunk driver one year ago today.

Johnny Gaudreau 1993-2024 (NHL Images).

Johnny, 31, was preparing for his 12th NHL season at the time of his death. He spent nine seasons with the Calgary Flames from 2013-14 to 2021-22 before signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.

NHL.COM: The Gaudreaus are being remembered by Team USA during its Olympic orientation camp. Defenseman Zach Werenski, Johnny’s teammate with the Blue Jackets, admitted it had been an emotional year, saying he’s learned a lot about himself, about his teammates, friendship, and family.

THE ATHLETIC: The brothers’ parents, Guy and Jane Gaudreau, were briefly hospitalized after learning their sons had been killed. Guy had elevated heart and blood pressure levels, while Jane was in what family members described as a catatonic-like state.

Guy and Jane have since recovered, but continue to deal with the grief as they try to carry on with their lives. Guy is considering coming out of retirement to teach hockey to his sons’ children, while Jane has returned to work as a finance associate at Archbishop Damaino School.

Widows Meredith Gaudreau (Johnny’s wife) and Madeline Gaudreau (Matthew’s wife) formed a charitable foundation to honor their late husbands.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My thoughts are with the Gaudreau family today. A year later, I still cannot adequately put into words the sorrow I feel for their loss.

TSN: In an interview with Mark Masters, Mitch Marner opened up about his bittersweet departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs. After nine seasons with the Leafs, he joined the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30 in a sign-and-trade situation.

Marner said the hardest goodbye was with Leafs captain Auston Matthews. Both joined the team in 2016-17 and spent most of their playing time as linemates. Defenseman Morgan Rielly and winger William Nylander were also Marner’s teammates throughout his tenure in Toronto.

“We really came in together and grew together and really leaned on each other for a lot of things,” Marner said. He admitted it was difficult calling those players to let them know what was happening, but both sides understood it was part of the business.

While Marner and his wife loved living in Toronto full-time and being close to family and friends, they felt it was time for a new chapter. He admitted it was tough sometimes because of the media scrutiny that surrounds the Maple Leafs.

Marner revealed that he hired a mental health coach to help him deal with the grind and the negative comments over the final three years of his Leafs tenure. That included dealing with threats that prompted him to have full-time security at his home for two weeks after the Leafs’ season ended last spring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s one thing for fans to boo players during the game or be critical of their performance. Heaping abuse on them away from the rink and making threats against them crosses the line.

Whatever you think of Marner as a player or a person, he didn’t deserve what he faced during his final years in Toronto. No player does, and stories like that won’t make it easier for the Leafs to attract talent.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar made his first public comment this week regarding retirement. The 38-year-old center told KCAL News that the coming season could be the last of his playing career.

Kopitar is the longest-serving player in Kings’ history, playing a team-leading 1,434 regular-season games. He’s also their leader in career assists (838) and is set to surpass Marcel Dionne’s record of 1,307 regular-season points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kopitar has spent his entire NHL career with the Kings. Entering his 20th season, he’s still their top-line center and their best two-way forward. Nevertheless, he’s in the final season of his contract and in the twilight of his playing career.

SPORTSNET: Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong won’t let the on-ice fistfight that occurred with Team USA during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February affect the roster construction of its Olympic roster.

“I’ve thought quite a bit about that tournament as a whole, and I think the Olympics are going to be played very similar to that, minus (nine) seconds,” said Armstrong. “If you win the front of your net and the front of their net, you have a chance to win the game. We’re going to build a team that can win in those areas, but we’re not going to build a team that can participate in those nine seconds.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the article points out, the Olympics will be played under IIHF rules, in which anyone who drops the gloves will be assessed a match penalty. It’s doubtful we’ll see the Tkachuk brothers and J.T. Miller trying to initiate a brawl against the Canadians in that tournament.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios confirmed having positive preliminary contract extension talks with Shane Pinto’s representatives. However, a deal won’t be signed before the start of the upcoming season. He indicated they’ll let the season begin and not have Pinto become distracted with contract talks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pinto is in the second season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million. The 24-year-old center will be eligible to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next July.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Senators, the Allen Americans have become their ECHL affiliate.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2024

by | Mar 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2024

Big multi-point performances by the Lightning’s Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, the race for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth intensifies, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point had a career-high six points (three goals, three assists) while Nikita Kucherov had a five-point performance (one goal, four assists) in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. The Lightning (35-25-6) tallied four unanswered third-period goals for the win. They hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 76 points. Jack Roslovic had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (43-19-4), who sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov gained some ground (112 points) in the scoring race, sitting three points behind league leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.

Speaking of the Eastern wildcard race, the Washington Capitals (31-25-9) moved to within one point of the New York Islanders for that final berth by nipping the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Connor McMichael snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period for the Capitals, who have 71 points. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored for the 28-25-12 Kraken.

Meanwhile, the Islanders were blanked 4-0 by the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned in a 21-save shutout and Zach Benson scored twice for the Sabres (32-30-5) as they moved to within three points of the Islanders (29-22-14) for that final wildcard spot with 69 points. The Isles cling to that berth with 72 points and have dropped two straight games.

The Detroit Red Wings suffered their seventh straight loss as they fell 4-1 to the Arizona Coyotes Connor Ingram stopped 28 shots while Nick Bjugstad and Clayton Keller each had a goal and an assist for the 27-35-5 Coyotes. Lucas Raymond scored for the Red Wings (33-27-6), who sit just behind the Islanders with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles hold that berth with a game in hand. The Red Wings have been in disarray since team captain Dylan Larkin was sidelined during a 4-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on March 2.

Three unanswered third-period goals by John Ludvig, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins over the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Tristan Jarry made 29 saves for the 29-27-9 Penguins (67 points), as they kept their playoff hopes alive by moving to within five points of the Islanders. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Klim Kostin each had a goal and an assist for the 16-42-7 Sharks.

The New Jersey Devils also stayed alive in the race for that Eastern wildcard berth with a 6-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Jake Allen made 35 saves in his first game with the Devils (32-30-4) since being acquired at last Friday’s trade deadline. With 68 points, they’re four back of the Islanders. Wyatt Johnston and Craig Smith replied for the 40-19-9 Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 89 points.

Turning to the top of the standings, the Carolina Hurricanes downed the league-leading Florida Panthers 4-0. Frederik Andersen made 21 saves for the shutout, Evgeny Kuznetsov tallied his first goal and Jake Guentzel his first assist with the Hurricanes (40-20-6), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 86 points. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 31 shots for the Panthers (45-18-4) as they remain on top of the overall standings with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov was acquired by the Hurricanes before last Friday’s trade deadline. He was named the game’s first star and was moved by the support of the Carolina fans. “I just want to say thanks to the fans. I almost cry a little bit,” he said, acknowledging he’s gone through a difficult stretch on and off the ice in recent years.

Meanwhile, Panthers forwards Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues were held out of this game for precautionary reasons due to their lower-body injuries.

The Boston Bruins (39-14-15) moved to within one point of the Panthers with a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jake DeBrusk scored in overtime and Linus Ullmark made 18 saves for the win. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki tied his career high with his 26th goal of the season as his club dropped to 25-30-11.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 55th goal of the season to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2. Matthews, William Nylander, Tyler Bertuzzi, Pontus Holmberg and Timothy Liljegren each had a goal and an assist for the 38-19-8 Maple Leafs (84 points) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division. Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers (34-25-8) as they remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the first player in Leafs history to reach the 55-goal plateau twice. Meanwhile, his teammate Calle Jarnkrok is expected to miss some time after leaving this game in the second period with an upper-body injury in the second period.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 16 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Zach Bogosian and Kirill Kaprizov were the goal scorers for the 33-27-7 Wild (73 points) as they moved to within four points of the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wildcard spot. Lukas Dostal made 29 saves for the 23-40-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury also reached another career milestone as it was the 75th shutout of his career. He’s 11th on the all-time shutout list, one back of Ed Belfour and Tony Esposito. Meanwhile, his teammate Joel Eriksson Ek missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be sidelined for a few more.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they gave up four goals in the third period in a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. Blake Coleman scored two goals and Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 32-29-5 Flames. Anthony Mantha scored for the Golden Knights (35-24-7) as they hold that final Western wildcard spot with 77 points.

A shootout goal gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anton Forsberg kicked out 35 shots for the 27-33-4 Senators. Boone Jenner scored his 20th goal for the 22-33-11 Blue Jackets.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL and NHLPA reached a settlement regarding Corey Perry’s contract termination earlier this season. Exact details are unknown but this case cannot be used as a precedent in future contract termination discussions.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes’ hopes of building a new arena in Phoenix remain alive. The Arizona State Land Department Board of Appeals approved the $68.5 million appraisal for a portion of land where the Coyotes intend to build. The department can sell the land at auction but must advertise the date within 10 weeks.

TSN: Canada is expected to name St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong as the GM of its Men’s Hockey Team for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: In the “Strange But True” department, a shipment of 18,000 Jaromir Jagr bobblehead dolls was stolen ahead of a planned giveaway by the Penguins to fans who attended Thursday’s game against the Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 14, 2023

by | Dec 14, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 14, 2023

Are more changes in store for the Blues following their coaching change? What’s the latest Penguins speculation? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD MORE CHANGES BE IN STORE FOR THE BLUES

NHL NETWORK (via KUKLA’S KORNER): Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman looked at other possible moves for the St. Louis Blues following their coaching change.

He noted that general manager Doug Armstrong indicated in his press conference that there was no guarantee that interim head coach Drew Bannister would be in that role for the remainder of the season. Bannister was head coach of their AHL affiliate in Springfield before Berube’s firing.

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong (NHL.com).

Friedman thinks Armstrong has “specific people he wants to talk to” regarding his club’s head-coaching position. He wondered if one of them could be former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft.

Asked if other personnel changes could be in store, he noted that Armstrong isn’t afraid to make bold moves. He pointed out the Blues had a deal in place last summer with the Philadelphia Flyers that would’ve sent defenseman Torey Krug to the Flyers for blueliner Travis Sanheim but Krug invoked his no-trade clause to spike the deal. He also observed that Armstrong tried to trade struggling winger Jakub Vrana before putting him on waivers.

Friedman doesn’t think Armstrong is trying to trade players such as Robert Thomas or Colton Parayko. However, he wouldn’t be surprised if the Blues GM could make some roster changes if things don’t improve soon.

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford noted Armstrong said making roster changes was difficult to achieve during his press conference on Wednesday. The Blues GM said he’s spoken to teams and seen what’s out there. Nevertheless, he stressed that nobody in their current group should feel safe right now. “I mean player-wise, management-wise.”

If the Blues fail to improve, Armstrong said he’s not against buying players out who carry long-term contracts with no-trade clauses, though he feels that’s not his first course of action. He’s also not against demoting players to the Blues’ AHL farm team if he feels they’re not pulling their weight. He said that nothing can be off the table for management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are just one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Big changes to the roster probably won’t happen as long as they remain competitive for a playoff berth. If they collapse and tumble down the standings, perhaps more significant moves will be in store.

Those Blues carrying long-term contracts with no-trade clauses include forwards Brayden Schenn and Brandon Saad, defensemen such as Krug, Parayko, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy, and goaltender Jordan Binnington. Any attempt to move one or more of those players likely won’t happen until next summer at the earliest assuming any of them would waive their no-trade clauses.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun noted Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas’ remarks on Monday about deciding on the club’s future by the All-Star break in February. He believes Dubas wants to give his current roster time to overcome their current woes in the standings and prove to him what they have.

Dubas is on a seven-year contract. LeBrun believes that gives him time to implement a long-term vision while hoping to avoid a roster teardown for as long as possible. He also suggested that Sidney Crosby’s contract (which runs through 2024-25) could be the most important target date for Dubas’ plans.

Given the contracts of Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang, it won’t be easy to stage a roster teardown. However, LeBrun points out that Dubas’ acquisition of Karlsson last summer shows where there’s a will there’s a way.

LeBrun doubts those players would block a trade to a contender if Dubas goes into teardown mode. The question then becomes how much salary would the Penguins have to retain to move them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The acquisition of Karlsson (and that of Reilly Smith) was to provide a short-term boost to the Penguins roster to give their core of Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Jake Guentzel one more opportunity to stage a run for the Stanley Cup before their contracts expire or age catches up with them.

If Crosby wants to stay in Pittsburgh it’ll be interesting to see how long he’ll want to stick around, especially if the Penguins are heading into a rebuild or if it appears to be on the horizon.

Dubas is just trying to put it off for as long as possible until most of those players are finished with their contracts or in the final year of their deals. By that point, the rebuild can begin in earnest.

A roster rebuild is inevitable. It could come much sooner than Dubas or the Penguins’ veteran core expected it to occur.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2023

by | Jun 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2023

The latest on the Golden Knights and Panthers ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Blues won’t buy out contracts, more changes to the front offices of the Flyers and Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Jack Eichel is making the most of his first-ever NHL postseason as his Vegas Golden Knights prepare for the upcoming Stanley Cup Final.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

“It’s where you want to be as a player and (it’s) been taking a few years for me to get here,” said Eichel. “It’s been a great experience. It’s been a lot of fun sharing with the guys in the room, the emotions, winning and moving on.”

Eichel, 26, is tied for fourth in this postseason with 18 points.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill has been enjoying the ride to the Stanley Cup Final. Hill took over as their starter midway through their second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, backstopping them to victory in that series and in the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars.

In 11 postseasons appearance, Hill leads all goalies with two shutouts and a sparkling .937 save percentage.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has found his underdog team’s march to the Stanley Cup Final to be “an unbelievable experience.” He’s applied the lessons learned from the disappointments of the past to his performance in the 2023 playoffs. Bobrovsky’s won 11 of his 12 playoff games, including six in overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky’s performance has made him a front-runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Hill should also be considered a Smythe candidate.

NHL.COM: The Panthers long layoff has benefitted forward Eetu Luostarinen. Sidelined during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final, he has returned to his usual spot with linemates Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart.

STLTODAY.COM: Don’t expect the Blues to go the buyout route to free up some salary-cap space this summer. “I don’t see us buying out players, no,” said general manager Doug Armstrong. “I’m not sure this is the summer for substantial changes for us. We talked about that at the end of the year. We want to see internal growth from some of the guys.”

Armstrong also said he was flattered to learn that his name was mentioned by Toronto sports media as a potential candidate to become the GM of the Maple Leafs. He said he was glad he was in Europe when those rumors came out. “My intentions, I’m a St. Louis Blue,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those rumors appear to be based on pundits thinking out loud and spitballing potential candidates for the job. It turns out the Maple Leafs never reached out to the Blues to speak with Armstrong, who’s under contract through 2025-26.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The shakeups continue in the Penguins’ front office. Their latest departures include director of pro scouting Kerry Huffman, senior vice president of integrated performance Teena Murray and director of hockey operations Alec Schall. No replacements have been named yet.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers have parted ways with senior advisor to the general manager and player development Mike O’Connell and player development coaches John Riley and Kjell Samuelsson.

They named Alyn McCauley as assistant GM, Riley Armstrong as director of player development and Nick Schultz as assistant director of player development.

THE SCORE: Player agent Kurt Overhardt doesn’t anticipate any problems reaching an agreement with the Minnesota Wild on a new contract for client Filip Gustavsson. “I don’t think it’s a matter of getting something done. It’s just a matter of when it’s done. It’s only June 2. So there’s still a lot of time.”

Gustavsson is completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $787, 500. He’s a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights. The 24-year-old Swedish goaltender appeared in 39 games with the Wild, starting 37 of them. He ranked second in save percentage (.931) among goalies with at least eight games played this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gustavsson has taken over the starter’s job from the aging Marc-Andre Fleury, who has one season remaining on his contract.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Toronto billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos is considered the front-runner in the bidding to purchase the Senators. He had the highest bid ($1 billion USD) and is thought to be in the driver’s seat because he has what’s considered to be the “cleanest” bid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Apostolopoulos hasn’t had to get outside investors involved to come up with the money to purchase the team. Garrioch indicated that his partners are his two brothers and his bid isn’t heavily leveraged with debt.

TSN: The Montreal Canadiens have signed checking-line forward Michael Pezzetta to a two-year, $1.625 million contract. The average annual value is $812,500.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes are mourning the loss of Bob Brind’Amour, father of head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Bob passed away on Thursday in Campbell River, BC, surrounded by family and friends.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to the Brind’Amour family.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Bark-Andre Furry, the beloved Jack Russell terrier who became the furry friend of the Vegas Golden Knights, passed away on Friday at age 14. Bark was named after former Golden Knights star Marc-Andre Fleury in 2018 and frequently appeared at their home games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Condolences to the Golden Knights and to Bark’s owners.