NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2023

by | May 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2023

The Panthers push the Hurricanes to the brink of elimination, the Penguins get permission to speak with former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, the latest Flames’ front-office hires and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are on the verge of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final following a 1-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves for his first career playoff shutout while Sam Reinhart tallied the only goal with Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett picking up assists. Frederik Andersen stopped 16 shots for the Hurricanes.

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov left the game in the first period after injuring his right leg following a hit along the boards from Hurricanes forward Jack Drury. Head coach Paul Maurice offered no update on Barkov’s status following the game but didn’t appear to be too concerned, joking that he was at a neighbor’s Bar Mitzvah.

The Panthers can close out the series in Game 4 on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour was frustrated by the officiating in this game. He criticized what he considered “three knick-knack penalties on sticks to the hand” and was upset by Reinhart clipping defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere in the face with a high stick late in the game that went uncalled by the officials.

Brind’Amour’s frustration over the officiating was understandable but I think he and his Hurricanes are more exasperated by their struggles to score against Bobrovsky. They dominated the play for most of this contest but the Panthers netminder thwarted them at every turn. He’s held the Hurricanes to just three goals in this series and is the main reason his club is on the verge of reaching the Final for the first time since 1996.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins asked and received permission to speak with former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. They’ve been searching for a new GM since firing Ron Hextall last month and had already interviewed several candidates before Dubas was relieved of his duties on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas said last Monday that he would step away from managing for a while if he didn’t return with the Leafs. It’ll be interesting to see what decision he’ll make. Nevertheless, this move by the Penguins validates weeks of speculation linking them to Dubas prior to the latter’s firing on Friday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli broke the news that Dave Nonis will join Calgary Flames incoming general manager Craig Conroy in a senior management role. Nonis is a former GM of the Vancouver Canucks and Maple Leafs.

Seravalli also reports former Flames captain Jarome Iginla will be brought into the fold in an advisory or consultant role to start.

OTTAWA SUN: Ryan Reynolds has closed the door on owning the Senators. The Vancouver-born actor turned down offers to be part of other groups bidding for the franchise.

Reynolds was part of the Remington Group that opted not to make a binding $1 billion pitch after their attempt to get exclusive negotiating rights with the National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa was turned down.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Mesa mayor John Giles said he encouraged the Coyotes to see what his city had to offer in terms of available private land to build a new arena. He sees avenues where the club could build on land that wouldn’t require a public vote for approval.

The Coyotes’ bid to construct an arena and entertainment complex in Tempe was rejected last week by a public referendum.

Speaking of the Coyotes, GOPHNX.COM’s Craig Morgan reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly denied a New York Post report claiming the club’s players had filed complaints with the NHL Players Association regarding sub-standard travel, lodging and logistical issues that were in violation of the collective bargaining agreement.

Daly said the only concerns raised by Coyotes players were related to construction delays in connection with the completion of Mullett Arena. Morgan also reported he’d heard from most of the agents who represent Coyotes players and they claimed they weren’t aware of any infractions that rose to the level of CBA violation.

THE PROVINCE: A report out of Russia claims Vancouver Canucks winger Vitali Kravtsov has signed a two-year Kontinental Hockey League contract with Chelyabinsk Traktor. The 23-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The Canucks can still qualify to retain his NHL rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A former first-round pick of the New York Rangers, Kravtsov struggled to establish himself as an NHL winger. He spent 2021-22 with Chelyabinsk before returning on a one-year contract with the Rangers, who traded him to the Canucks on Feb. 25.

SPORTSNET: On a lighter note, former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau gave a “pep talk” to WWE tag-team champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn following their match with Matt Riddle against Imperium on Monday Night Raw.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only thing missing was multiple F-Bombs from Boudreau.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2023

by | May 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2023

The Panthers down the Hurricanes in overtime for the second straight game, NHL and NHLPA to discuss the salary cap, the Penguins to seek permission to speak with Kyle Dubas, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final with a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Winger Matthew Tkachuk scored in overtime for the second straight game, Aleksander Barkov scored a highlight-reel game-tying goal and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 37 shots for the win. Jalen Chatfield opened the scoring for the Hurricanes while Antti Raanta made 24 saves.

The series shifts to Florida for the next two games with Game 3 on Monday at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour decided to start Raanta to give starter Frederik Andersen some rest following Game 1. Raanta was steady in Game 2 but I expect Brind’Amour will return with Andersen for Game 3.

This game wasn’t the four overtime marathon like Game 1 but it was still an absorbing, fast-paced matchup between these two clubs. The Hurricanes could’ve just as easily won the first two games of this series if they were able to get more than one goal at even strength.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

There can now be no doubt that Tkachuk has established his reputation as a clutch playoff performer. One pundit nicknamed him “Playoff Chucky” and he’s earned it. He has to be considered in the running for the Conn Smythe Trophy if the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

However, my early Smythe Trophy leader is Bobrovsky. The 34-year-old goaltender had just two series victories on his resume entering the 2023 playoffs. He wasn’t even the Panthers’ starter in the first three games of their opening-round series against the heavily-favored Boston Bruins following yet another inconsistent regular season. His rock-steady performance since then has carried the Panthers to this point.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports the NHL and NHL Players Association will meet this week to open discussions on several issues, including raising the salary cap for 2023-24 beyond the projected $1 million to $83.5 million.

The PA is on record as rejecting the notion of raising the escrow rate of six percent per season for the next three seasons as a trade-off for raising the cap ceiling. However, they are said to be willing to accept a shorter training-camp period to increase the regular-season schedule to 84 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks sees that as a bargaining chip if NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is willing to move off his usual “take-it-or-leave-it” stance. Those extra games would bring in additional hockey-related revenue to 2023-24.

If the PA is indeed willing to agree to expanding the schedule it could garner support from the league Board of Governors, especially with 15 clubs carrying less than $10 million in cap space for next season with another seven carrying less than $15 million.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to seek permission from the Toronto Maple Leafs to speak with former general manager Kyle Dubas, who was fired on Friday by Leafs president Brendan Shanahan. The Penguins are in search of a new GM after firing Ron Hextall last month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unknown if Dubas would be interested after stating last Monday that he’d step away from management for a while if he didn’t return with the Leafs. Nevertheless, the Penguins are conducting their due diligence by trying to contact him to find out.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of former general managers, the Calgary Flames are now allowing other clubs to speak with former GM Brad Treliving after reportedly refusing to do so before his contract expires on June 30. Treliving stepped down from his job with the Flames last month.

TSN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander has changed his mind about joining Sweden in the IIHF World Championship currently ongoing in Finland and Latvia. He was reportedly reticent about arriving late to this tournament and taking a roster spot away from someone in the current lineup, especially as it may have belonged to his brother Alex.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think that’s a classy move by Nylander. His brother and the other players have been with that team for a while now.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa is questionable for Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. He was medically unfit for Game 1 and was replaced by Colin Miller.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said his club’s search for a new head coach will stretch into this week. He now doesn’t expect to reach a decision on his new bench boss until after he returns on May 29 from scouting the World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN/CTV NEWS OTTAWA: Canadian Olympic great Donovan Bailey and stand-up comedian Russell Peters are the latest notables to join Los Angeles-based producer Neko Sparks’ bid to purchase the Senators. Rapper Snoop Dogg is also part of Sparks’ group.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers have parted ways with head trainer Jim Ramsay. He’d been in the role since 1994-95.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 20, 2023

by | May 20, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 20, 2023

Who could become the next general manager of the Leafs? Where could former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas end up? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHO COULD REPLACE DUBAS AS LEAFS GENERAL MANAGER?

SPORTSNET: Sonny Sachdeva looked at potential replacements for former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. He noted that team president Brendan Shanahan indicated that he’ll be open-minded in his search but will put the onus on experience.

Shanahan intends to rely heavily on assistant GM Brandon Pridham as the club conducts its search. He confirmed that Pridham will be in the running for the job.

Former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving (NHL.com)

Sachdeva wondered if Brad Treliving might be among the candidates. He stepped down last month from the Calgary Flames after nearly a decade as their general manager.

TORONTO SUN: Pridham and Treliving are also among Terry Koshan’s list of potential candidates. Former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, Carolina Hurricanes assistant general manager Eric Tulsky, former Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche, and former Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman were among other notables on his list.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin’s list included Detroit Red Wings assistant GM Kris Draper, Edmonton Oilers assistant GM Steve Staios and Ray Whitney, who spent over half a decade as a director for the department of player safety and narrowly lost out to Mike Grier for the role of San Jose Sharks general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would make sense to promote Pridham given his experience with the Leafs organization. If Shanahan opts for someone else, perhaps Tulsky, Darche, Draper, Staios or Whitney would be better choices to bring a fresh perspective to the job.

Whoever gets the job faces some big questions that must be addressed soon.

Do they replace head coach Sheldon Keefe and his staff?

Do they shake up the “Core Four” (Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander) by trading one of them? Will they re-sign Matthews and Nylander to contract extensions or trade one of them or maybe put both on the block? Will it be Mitch Marner who becomes a trade chip?

Can they make oft-injured goalie Matt Murray’s contract disappear? How will they replace their unrestricted free agents if Ryan O’Reilly and Michael Bunting hit the open market?

Who do you want to see as your club’s new general manager, Leafs fans? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

WHAT NEXT FOR DUBAS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat suggests not closing the door on the speculation linking Dubas to the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the postseason. While the now-former Leafs GM said earlier this week that he’d step away for a while if he didn’t return with Toronto, his firing by Shanahan could leave the door ajar for the Penguins if he’s interested.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz wonders if Dubas might be a match for the New York Islanders given the uncertainty over Lou Lamoriello’s future as their general manager. Dubas and Lamoriello have a good relationship stretching back to their time working together in Toronto.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane wonders if Dubas’ availability might affect the Flames’ search for a new general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas said that this season was difficult on his family and he wouldn’t put them through a move if he didn’t return with the Leafs. With a bit of time to reflect, however, maybe he’ll change his mind provided his family is fine with it.

We’ll find out soon enough what the immediate future holds for Dubas. Any club that is interested in hiring him will want to do so as soon as possible with the 2023 NHL Draft (June 28-29) and the start of free agency (July 1) on the horizon.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2023

by | May 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2023

The Golden Knights beat the Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, reaction to the Leafs firing GM Kyle Dubas, Clayton Keller’s agents meet with Coyotes management and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS DRAW FIRST BLOOD IN WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Dallas Stars 4-3 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on an overtime goal by Brett Howden. William Karlsson scored two goals, Zack Whitecloud collected two assists and Adin Hill made 33 saves for the Golden Knights. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists, Jason Robertson a goal and an assist and Jake Oettinger stopped 33 shots for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining game with plenty of scoring chances, some big saves and a good overall pace. Four of the six goals in regulation were scored in the third period when the Golden Knights would take the lead but the Stars rallied back twice to tie it.

Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa missed this game, perhaps due to a nagging lower-body injury. Colin Miller took his place.

Game 2 goes Sunday in Las Vegas at 3 pm ET.

LEAFS FIRE DUBAS, MARLIES COACHING STAFF SACK, SPEZZA RESIGNS.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Friday that they had “parted ways” with general manager Kyle Dubas.

DAILY FACEOFF: In a subsequent press conference, Leafs president Brendan Shanahan spoke candidly of the reasons behind the decision. He revealed that a framework for a contract extension was presented to Dubas prior to the latter’s emotional press conference on Monday where he voiced his uncertainty about returning to the job.

Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas (NHL Images).

Shanahan explained the Leafs front office was caught off guard by Dubas’ remarks and started to rethink management’s plans. A meeting with Dubas on Wednesday, Shanahan said, left the latter with more questions than answers.

The Leafs president indicated that Dubas presented a new financial package for a contract extension on Thursday. By that point, however, Shanahan had felt differently about the club’s future with Dubas. On Friday, he drove to Dubas’ office and told him that he was fired.

Shanahan indicated that he’ll be open-minded when it comes to Dubas’ replacement. However, he will put an emphasis on experience.

TORONTO SUN: Prior to Shanahan’s press conference on Friday, Jason Spezza tendered his resignation as special assistant to the general manager. Spezza had been in the role for one season following his retirement as a player.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Marlies (the Leafs AHL affiliate) announced the contracts of coaches Greg Moore, A.J. MacLean and John Snowden would not be renewed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After several seasons, the soap opera “As The Leafs Turn” has returned. This was a major front-office bloodletting that will have significant short- and long-term ramifications for the Maple Leafs.

This news made a number of Leafs followers nervous that the club could be returning to the front-office dysfunction of the recent past. Some have drawn comparisons to the dark days of team owner Harold Ballard. Those folks are overreacting or weren’t old enough to remember how horrible the Ballard years were. Nevertheless, the concerns over the front office are understandable.

Dubas’ firing gives the Leafs little time to find a suitable replacement before the NHL draft (June 28-29) and the opening of contract extension talks (July 1) with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, who are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer.

The new general manager must also find a way to address the club’s roster needs with limited salary-cap space. That includes deciding whether to shake up the roster by trading one of their core players. They must also decide if head coach Sheldon Keefe and his coaching staff will remain or be replaced.

Buckle up, Leafs fans, you’re in for what could be a very interesting summer.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: Clayton Keller’s agents met with the Arizona Coyotes met with the club’s front office to discuss the team’s future. There was no trade request made by the 24-year-old winger’s representatives to seek clarity about the Coyotes’ direction after its Tempe arena proposal was rejected by a public referendum.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tying the franchise single-season record of 86 points, Keller is the Coyotes’ best player. He’s signed through 2026-27 and is a vital part of their current rebuilding program. The fact that he’s wondering about the club’s future should be a concern for the front office. If he’s not happy with their direction he could follow the example of former teammate Jakob Chychrun and request a trade.

NEW YORK POST: Connecticut governor Ned Lamont said he’s reached out to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for a meeting to discuss moving the Coyotes to Hartford, the former home of the Whalers before their relocation in 1997 to Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would be nice to see the NHL return full-time to Hartford. However, if the Coyotes relocate they’ll likely end up in a big Western market such as Houston or Salt Lake City.

SPORTSNET: Coyotes top prospect Logan Cooley intends to return to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt that Cooley’s decision is tied to the Coyotes’ failed arena bid. Earlier this year, he indicated that he wasn’t in a hurry to make the leap to the NHL. U.S. College players tend to spend at least two seasons with their university clubs. Management isn’t in any hurry to rush Cooley into their lineup, preferring to let him develop and mature as a player in the college ranks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports four potential candidates for the Flames’ vacant general manager job visited Calgary this week for interviews. Among them were Dave Nonis, Stan Bowman and Marc Bergevin. Seravalli believes the favorite could be Flames assistant GM Craig Conroy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy seems to me to be the best choice. He knows the Flames well during his years in their front office.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will reportedly meet with veteran coach Joel Quenneville after the playoffs to discuss his future with the league.

Quenneville resigned as head coach of the Florida Panthers in 2021, following the investigation into the sexual assault of former Chicago Blackhawks player Kyle Beach by former Blackhawks video coach Bradley Alrich.

At the time of Quenneville’s resignation, Bettman said he would have to meet with the commissioner if he wished to re-enter the league at some point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could mean that there’s a team interested in hiring Quenneville.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2023

by | May 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2023

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Finals, the notable highlights from the Leafs exit interviews with the media, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STARS DEFEAT KRAKEN, ADVANCE TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars move on to the Western Conference Finals after nipping the Seattle Kraken 2-1 in Game 7 of their second-round series. Roope Hintz opened the scoring, Wyatt Johnston tallied the game-winner and Jake Oettinger stopped 22 shots for the Stars. Oliver Bjorkstand scored in the dying seconds of the third period and Philipp Grubauer made 26 saves for the Kraken.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars will face off again the Vegas Golden Knights when the Western Conference Finals begin on Friday, May 19. Another bounce-back performance in goal by Oettinger was crucial to the Stars’ victory in Game 7. Johnston, meanwhile, became the youngest player in NHL history to score a series-clinching goal in Game 7.

The Kraken’s first-ever NHL playoff appearance was a memorable one, upsetting the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games and pushing the Stars to the limit in this series. However, they looked like they were running out of gas in Game 7. If not for Grubauer’s goaltending the Stars’ margin of victory might’ve been higher. Still, this was a great experience for this second-year franchise, providing them with a solid foundation of experience to build on.

As noted above, the Western Conference Finals between the Stars and Golden Knights begins in Las Vegas on Friday, May 19 at 8:30 pm ET. Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers will face off in the Eastern Conference Finals with Game 1 in Raleigh on Thursday, May 18 at 8 pm ET.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LEAFS EXIT INTERVIEWS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Kyle Dubas will either return to the Toronto Maple Leafs as general manager or step away. During his club’s exit interviews with the media on Monday, Dubas indicated that he won’t entertain a front-office position with another club and intends to consult his family before reaching his decision.

Dubas is coming to the end of his five-year contract. He indicated that he will be meeting with team president Brendan Shanahan and the owners of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. However, the final say will be with his family, who endured what Dubas called a taxing year. He spent considerable time away from them as he attended nearly every one of the club’s home and road games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent rumors had linked Dubas to the Pittsburgh Penguins as they’re in the market for a new general manager. Given his remarks, they’ll have to look elsewhere. The Pens have reportedly interviewed 10-12 candidates including former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Peter Chiarelli, the former GM of the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers.

THE SCORE: Dubas indicated that he would take nothing off the table in terms of his coaching staff and roster if he returns as Leafs general manager. “I would consider anything with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup,” he said.

THE ATHLETIC: Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted his fate with the club is out of his control. He has a year remaining on his contract and hopes to return behind the bench. Dubas indicated that there will a full evaluation of everything on the team this season, including Keefe’s performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have been a strong regular-season team with Keefe, including a franchise-record 115-point performance in 2021-22 and 111 points this season. However, they’ve only won one playoff series since he took over as head coach in 2019-20.

THE SCORE: Auston Matthews doesn’t intend on leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility but indicated his intention is to stay put. Matthews said signing an extension with the Leafs before next season is important to him and believes it “will work itself out in due time.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews’ willingness to ink an extension is good news for the Leafs and their fans. How long that deal will be and for how much will become hot topics of speculation in Toronto. There’s already media chatter suggesting that he might seek a four-year deal worth an average annual value of $16 million. A maximum eight-year deal could see him pull in an AAV of $13.5 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Forget about the scenario of John Tavares waiving his no-movement clause. Asked if he would do so as part of any trade, the Leafs captain expressed his love for the club and his teammates. “I made a commitment here for seven years to be a Leaf and I want to be here,” said Tavares, adding that he takes his role of team captain very seriously.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The theory about Tavares waiving his NMC came about because of the Leafs limited cap space due in part to his hefty $11 million cap hit through 2024-25. There was an assumption among some observers that he might do so if management approached him. Based on his reply, that’s not going to happen.

TSN: Michael Bunting said he’s had no contract extension talks with Leafs management this season. The 27-year-old winger is set to become a UFA on July 1. Trade-deadline acquisition Ryan O’Reilly is also due to become a UFA this summer and sounded more inclined to test the market than re-sign with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t be surprised if Bunting and O’Reilly are playing elsewhere next season. The Leafs likely can’t afford to retain them even if they wanted to bring them back.

SPORTSNET: Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov revealed he suffered a neck injury in Game 3 against the Florida Panthers that sidelined him for the remainder of that series. A restricted free agent this summer, Samsonov indicated he hopes to re-sign with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Samsonov is coming off a one-year, $1.8 million contract and has arbitration rights this summer. I expect he’ll be re-signed to a multi-year deal and share the goaltending duties next season with Joseph Woll, who’s signed through 2024-25 at a very affordable $766K.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Calgary Flames have reportedly sought permission from the Leafs to speak with assistant general manager Brandon Pridham. They’re on the hunt for a replacement for Brad Treliving, who stepped down as GM last month.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: The bidding for the Senators is down to four binding offers ranging from $850 million to $1 billion. Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group, Michael Andlauer of ATS Healthcare Group, Toronto real estate magnate Steve Apostolopoulos and Los Angeles producer Neko Sparks entered their bids by Monday’s due date.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s expected one of them will receive preferred bidder status within the next couple of weeks.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen (hand injury) is moving one step closer to returning to the lineup. He shed his non-contact jersey for practice on Monday and is expected to return to action at some point in the Eastern Conference Finals.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko hopes to gain more playing time, including on the power play, under the club’s new coaching staff.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 13, 2023

by | May 13, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 13, 2023

An offseason of change could be coming for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton expects this will be an interesting offseason for the Toronto Maple Leafs following their elimination from the second round by the Florida Panthers.

Team president Brendan Shanahan must decide whether he’ll re-sign general manager Kyle Dubas after another disappointing end to a season. If he doesn’t, the search will be on for Dubas’ replacement.

That could lead to more change for the Leafs. Ryan O’Reilly, Michael Bunting, Alex Kerfoot and David Kampf are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Starting goaltender Ilya Samsonov is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe (left) and general manager Kyle Dubas (NHL.com).

The biggest question is whether there will be changes to the Leafs’ core of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander. They’re undeniably excellent regular-season players but Shilton wonders how long the club can pretend that’s good enough. Those four failed to score in the first three games against the Panthers as the Leafs fell behind 3-0 in the series.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes the priority for the majority ownership of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment is the status of Shanahan as team president. If they choose to keep Shanahan, he must come up with a plan that improves the Leafs’ playoff fortunes going forward. They cannot remain a strong regular-season team that keeps coming up short in the postseason.

That plan will involve Dubas, whose contract expires shortly. It will also involve the status of Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe. If Dubas is back he might want to retain Keefe but Simmons doesn’t believe he can do that now given their poor playoff record. He also criticized their best players for their so-so-postseason performances.

NHL.COM: Mike Zeisberger noted that Matthews is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. The Leafs can start contract extension talks with him this summer but will he be interested and will Dubas still be the general manager by then?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Mike Stephens believes a change is necessary behind the Leafs bench regardless of whether Dubas stays or goes. He criticized Keefe’s coaching, suggesting he “emulates the innate tendencies of his team – when the going gets tough, revert to your comfortable and often misguided habits.”

If Dubas departs it could affect players close to him like Matthews and Tavares. He infamously said that Nylander wouldn’t be traded as long as he was the Leafs general manager.

Trading Tavares might be the biggest shoe to drop given his age but he’s got an $11 million annual salary cap hit plus a full no-movement clause. If he agreed to waive it, the Leafs might have to retain part of his salary to move him, which is a no-go for them.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle also noted the decisions facing the Leafs regarding Shanahan, Dubas, Keefe, the Leafs’ core players and the status of the pending free agents. He pointed out that Matthews and Marner both have no-movement clauses kicking in on July 1 while Nylander will have a 10-team no-trade go into effect at the same time.

Mirtle also suggested the club must find a way to make oft-injured goaltender Matt Murray’s contract disappear. He’s owed $4.68 million on the salary cap for next season and a buyout would likely be too prohibitive to achieve under the flat-cap environment.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes the Penguins should hire Dubas as their next GM if the Leafs let him go.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks recently suggested the Rangers hire Keefe as their new head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It didn’t take long for the goodwill the Leafs had from Toronto pundits and fans after advancing to the second round to evaporate over the course of their series with the Florida Panthers.

Following the elation of finally winning their first postseason series in 19 years, the harsh reality soon set in that this version of the Leafs couldn’t simply rest on that laurel.

Maybe the vibe from Leafs Nation this morning would be different if this series went the distance and was closely contested before the Leafs fell. Perhaps it would have a different feel if the core players had all stepped up and played consistently well in this postseason.

It’s undeniable that these Leafs are outstanding in the regular season. Of the seven 100-point seasons in club history, this version tops the list with 115 points in 2021-22 followed by their 111-point performance this season. Nevertheless, they still wilted in the heat of postseason play. Winning one playoff series since 2017 is just not good enough.

Ownership could engage in marginal changes or they’ll clean house in the front office and behind the bench. I doubt we’ll see them move most of the core players this summer.

Nevertheless, whoever sits in the GM’s chair this summer must determine whether Matthews and Nylander want to remain part of this club’s long-term future. If they wish to stay, start the process on July 1 of hammering out contract extensions. If they intend to test next summer’s UFA market then they should be moved for the best possible returns before their respective trade restrictions kick in on July 1.

I realize that’s easier said than done and it’s unlikely the Leafs will get equal value in return for either guy. However, losing them for nothing to free agency would be worse. Having them play out next season without extensions would also be an unnecessary distraction for their teammates and a slow-motion agony for their fans.

That’s my take this morning, Leafs fans. What say you? Let us know in the comments section below.