NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2024

by | Sep 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2024

Recapping Friday’s preseason action, Drew Doughty sidelined for months, plus the latest on Darnell Nurse, Robin Lehner, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL PRESEASON RECAP

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forward and Munich native JJ Peterka scored in his homecoming game in a 5-0 victory over EHC Red Bull Munchen 5-0 in the 2024 NHL Global Series in Germany. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi combined for a 12-save shutout.

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek netted two goals and collected three assists as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 8-5. Kirill Kaprizov also scored twice for the Wild. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck gave up eight goals on 29 shots through two periods.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets announced before this game that defenseman Logan Stanley underwent knee surgery to repair a meniscus issue. He’s expected to be sidelined for four weeks.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Matt Duchene scored two goals and picked up an assist and Tyler Seguin tallied a goal and chipped in two assists.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli collected a hat trick and Mathieu Olivier scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scored one of the Capitals goals.

The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the Florida Panthers 8-2. Seth Jarvis tallied twice and Sean Walker picked up three points for the Hurricanes.

Detroit Red Wings goaltenders Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot combined for a 22-save shutout in a 2-0 blanking of the Chicago Blackhawks. Christian Fischer and Vladimir Tarasenko were the goal scorers.

The New York Islanders defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-1. Semyon Varlamov stopped 16 of 17 shots through two periods for the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils scratched Jack Hughes from the lineup to give him an extra day of rest before their departure to Czechia to face the Buffalo Sabres in the 2024 Global Series. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said Hughes suffered a minor charley horse in his previous game.

Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord turned aside 19 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Brandon Montour scored his first preseason goal for the Kraken.

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Utah Hockey Club 5-2. Jack Eichel led the Golden Knights with a goal and two assists.

The Tampa Bay Lightning postponed Friday’s game against the Nashville Predators at Amelie Arena after Hurricane Helene’s effect on the bay area.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty requires surgery to repair his broken left ankle and will miss most of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doughty’s absence leaves a gaping hole on the Kings’ blueline that will be difficult to fill. They could promote Brendt Clarke or Jordan Spence to replace him but those young rearguards lack the experience and leadership he brings to the defense corps. I’ll have more about this in today’s Rumors.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers hope for a bounce-back performance from Darnell Nurse after he struggled through 2023-24 and the 2024 playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong rebound effort by Nurse would go a long way toward improving the Oilers’ hopes for a Stanley Cup run next spring.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander practiced on Friday and showed no ill effects from their recent upper-body injuries. Meanwhile, John Tavares is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forwards William Eklund (upper body) and Mikael Granlund (lower body) and defenseman Matt Benning (lower body) missed practice on Friday. They’re listed as day-to-day.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Goaltender Alexei Kolosov finally took to the ice at Flyers training camp on Friday. It remains to be seen if he’ll get into any of their four remaining preseason games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kolosov is expected to see action this season with the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley or he could be loaned back to KHL club Dinamo Minsk. I’ll have more about this in today’s Rumors update.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: Golden Knights netminder Robin Lehner had his assets frozen by a federal bankruptcy judge on Friday. Lawyers from one of his creditors allege Lehner engaged in frivolous spending and made improper fund transfers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehner has been sidelined since 2022 following hip and shoulder surgeries. He’s not expected to play this season and will be placed on long-term injury reserve. This season is the last of his five-year contract.

WINNIPEG SUN: Bryan Little will sign a one-day contract to officially retire with the Jets on Oct. 20.

Drafted 12th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, Little spent his entire NHL career with the franchise, moving with them to Winnipeg when the team relocated in 2011. The 36-year-old center’s career was cut short by a perforated eardrum early in the 2019-20 season.

Little scored 217 goals and had 304 assists for 521 points in 843 career regular-season games from 2007-08 to 2019-20. He also had 12 points in 27 playoff contests.










List Of Notable NHL UFA Signings and Trades – July 1, 2024

by | Jul 1, 2024

List Of Notable NHL UFA Signings and Trades – July 1, 2024

NOTE: This list will be updated throughout the day as free-agent signings become official.

Edmonton Oilers sign Jeff Skinner to a one-year, $3 million contract. 

San Jose Sharks sign Alex Wennberg to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $5 million. 

Toronto Maple Leafs sign Oliver Ekman-Larsson to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million. 

Edmonton Oilers signed Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4 million. 

New Jersey Devils signed Brenden Dillon to a three-year deal with an AAV of $4 million. 

Dallas Stars sign Matt Dumba to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.75 million. 

Carolina Hurricanes sign Sean Walker to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $3.6 million. 

Nashville Predators re-sign Alexandre Carrier to a three-year deal with an average annual value of $3.75 million.

Los Angeles Kings sign Warren Foegele to a three-year deal with an AAV of $3.5 million. 

San Jose Sharks sign Tyler Toffoli to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million. 

The New York Rangers acquire Reilly Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder. The Penguins also retain 25 percent of Smith’s $5 million cap hit for 2024-25. 

New Jersey Devils sign Brett Pesce to a six-year deal with an average annual value of $5.5 million.

New York Islanders sign Anthony Duclair to a four-year contract with an AAV of $3.5 million. 

Chicago Blackhawks sign Teuvo Teravainen to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $5.4 million.

Calgary Flames sign Anthony Mantha to a one-year contract worth $3.5 million. 

Seattle Kraken signed Chandler Stephenson to a seven-year contract worth an average annual value of $6.25 million.

Ottawa Senators sign David Perron to a two-year deal with an AAV of $4 million.  

Buffalo Sabres sign Jason Zucker to a one-year contract worth $5 million. 

Nashville Predators sign Steven Stamkos to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $8 million. 

Seattle Kraken ink Brandon Montour to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.14 million

Boston Bruins sign  Elias Lindholm to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.75 million. 

Boston Bruins sign Nikita Zadorov to a six-year deal with an average annual value of $5 million. 

Nashville Predators sign Jonathan Marchessault to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million. 

Nashville Predators sign Brady Skjei to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7 million. 

Vancouver Canucks sign Jake DeBrusk to a seven-year deal with an AAV of $5.5 million

Columbus Blue Jackets ink Sean Monahan to a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.5 million

Washington Capitals acquire defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick. 

Florida Panthers re-sign Sam Reinhart to an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $8.63 million.

Tampa Bay Lightning sign Jake Guentzel to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million

Detroit Red Wings re-sign Patrick Kane to a one-year contract with a base salary of $4 million and $2.5 million in bonuses.

Chicago Blackhawks sign Tyler Bertuzzi to a four-year deal with an AAV of $5.5 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign Chris Tanev to a six-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million

Toronto Maple Leafs sign Max Domi to a four-year deal with an AAV of $3.75 million.

Dallas Stars re-sign Matt Duchene to a one-year, $3 million contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 11, 2024

by | Jun 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 11, 2024

The Panthers take a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final, the Stars’ Jim Nill is GM of the Year, the Hurricanes are poised to name their new general manager, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final with a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2. Evan Rodrigues scored twice as the Panthers tallied three unanswered third-period goals and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 18 shots for the win.

Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm opened the scoring in the first period with his club’s first goal of the series. Connor McDavid collected an assist for his first Stanley Cup Final point. However, the Panthers tied it in the second on a goal by Niko Mikkola, setting the stage for Rodrigues’ third-period output. Aaron Ekblad tallied into an empty net late in the third to put it out of reach.

Florida Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues (NHL Images).

The series shifts to Edmonton for the next two games with Game 3 on Thursday, June 13, at 8 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton outplayed Florida in Game 1 and deserved to win but were shut out by Bobrovsky. They deserved to lose Game 2 as the Panthers’ stingy defense and physical play limited the Oilers to seven shots on goal through the first two periods and no high-danger scoring chances throughout the game. Florida’s penalty-killing snuffed out Edmonton’s vaunted power play in both contests.

The Oilers’ top scorers have yet to find the back of the net in this series. Their frustration was evident in the third period when Leon Draisaitl left his feet to nail Aleksander Barkov with a high hit that forced the Panthers captain from the game and into concussion protocol. Draisaitl received a minor penalty on the play. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice had no update on Barkov’s condition following the game.

Edmonton winger Warren Foegele received a major penalty and a game misconduct midway through the first period for kneeing Eetu Luostarinen. The Panthers forward was helped from the ice but later returned to the game. Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse suffered an undisclosed injury and was limited to three shifts over the final two periods. The Oilers also scratched defenseman Cody Ceci, replacing him with Vincent Desharnais.

Some Edmonton observers took issue with some questionable officiating in this game. Nevertheless, the Panthers were the better team in Game 2. Their victory was well-deserved, leaving the Oilers looking for answers as they wing their way home to Edmonton.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. It’s the second straight year that Nill has won this award. Under his management, the Stars finished first in the Western Conference with 113 points, one point behind the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nill and New York Islanders’ Lou Lamoriello are the only two-time winners of this award. Lamoriello also won it in consecutive years (2020 and 2021).

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes will name Eric Tulsky as their new general manager. Tulsky was made interim GM after Don Waddell stepped down on May 24. He’d served as assistant GM since 2020.

TSN: Matt Duchene remains keen to return to Dallas next season. The 33-year-old forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after completing a one-year, $3-million contract. As the free-agent market approaches, Duchene said money was not a motivating factor for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duchene will continue to receive $1.55 million annually through 2028-29 from the Nashville Predators after buying out his contract last summer. Nevertheless, he genuinely enjoyed his time in Dallas. The Stars have just over $16 million in cap space for next season but Duchene could accept another cost-effective contract to return next season.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have added Jason Krog as a skills and skating coach. He’ll work with the big club and their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

CBC.CA: Team Canada star and Olympic gold medalist Sarah Fillier was chosen first overall by New York in the 2024 PWHL Draft. Edmonton’s Danielle Serdachny was taken second overall by Ottawa.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for the complete list of picks in the 2024 PWHL Draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 6, 2024

by | Jun 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 6, 2024

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers as they prepare for the Stanley Cup Final, plus updates on Jacob Trouba, Matt Duchene, Chris Tanev, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL NOTEBOOK

THE ATHLETIC: The top-four picks in the 2014 NHL Draft are playing in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was the first-overall pick with teammates Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett chosen second and fourth by other teams and later traded to the Panthers. Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl was chosen third overall.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reports 75 percent of NHL analysts are predicting the Oilers will lose to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m among the 75 percent. My heart is with the Oilers because I want to see a Canadian team finally win the Cup after 31 years and for Connor McDavid to cement his legacy as his generation’s greatest player.

However, the Panthers have more experience at this stage of the postseason, they’re built for the long physical playoff grind, they’re healthier than they were in last year’s Cup Final, and possess more consistent goaltending. With 11 players eligible to become unrestricted free agents, this could also be the last opportunity for the current Panthers roster to win the Cup.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Panthers are ramping up the intensity of their practices as the Cup Final approaches with an emphasis on their special teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They face a big challenge in shutting down Edmonton’s lethal power play. At the same time, they must find a way to score against the Oilers’ playoff-leading penalty kill.

Meanwhile, a Miami Herald sportswriter is trying to stir the pot (and somewhat succeeding) with Oilers fans by calling Connor McDavid “overrated” for not leading his club to the Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton pundits could say the same thing about Florida Panthers captain (and two-time Selke Trophy winner) Aleksander Barkov. Sure, he led them to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, but he hasn’t won anything so he’s overrated. See, it’s easy to make silly clickbait statements.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Jacob Trouba took exception to a “Spittin’ Chiclets” producer’s critique of the Rangers captain’s game by mentioning his wife, Kelly, a neuroscience major.

The producer noted that Trouba and his wife founded the Trouba Creative Expressions Arts Program which offers art services to adults with epilepsy and seizures. “Maybe Jacob should go home and get a lesson from his wife about the dangers of concussions that can lead to epilepsy and seizures before he goes around concussing guys on a daily basis,” he said.

Trouba announced that for the next 30 days, proceeds from his 24-inch print sales will go to the Athletes for Hope Foundation in response. “We must do better than this,” he replied on Twitter to the podcaster’s comments. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Criticizing Trouba’s on-ice performance and his history of undisciplined play is fair game. However, dragging his family into it was uncalled for and crossed the line.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars forward Matt Duchene and defenseman Chris Tanev are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Both players indicated they’d love to re-sign with the club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will depend on how much they’re seeking and whether the Stars have the cap space to retain them.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving he remains interested in signing pending UFA forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi.

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs also hired former New York Islanders bench boss Lane Lambert as an associate coach and parted ways with Dean Chynoweth, who was an assistant coach for the past three seasons.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks promoted skills guru Yogi Svejkovsky was promoted to assistant coach. Meanwhile, Hall of Famers Daniel and Henrik Sedin will take on larger roles in day-to-day coaching with the Canucks and their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche have opened contract talks with winger Jonathan Drouin and defenseman Jack Jackson. Both are slated to become UFAs on July 1.

THE SCORE: Philadelphia Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones has heard the rumors suggesting highly-touted prospect Matvei Michkov could join the club this summer. However, he couldn’t provide any further details.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov has three seasons remaining on his contract with KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg. A recent report out of Russia claimed his deal was being terminated but it has yet to be corroborated by a North American media source.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky is considered the front-runner to become the club’s head coach.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 4, 2024

by | Jun 4, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – June 4, 2024

Check out the latest on Mitch Marner, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NO TRADE OR CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR MITCH MARNER?

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports nothing new regarding the future of Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner. He and his agent haven’t put together a list of trade destinations. The 27-year-old winger is focused on finishing his contract with the Leafs and seeing how things go. LeBrun also doesn’t think there’s an appetite to discuss a contract extension this summer.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman speculates Marner’s situation could play out in Toronto next season. While acknowledging there’s a lot of time between now and then and things could change, Friedman described it as a “delicate conversation between player and team because everyone is determined to look like a winner here.”

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

If the Leafs are to trade Marner, Friedman believes it must make a major impact, either with assets or in cap room that would allow the club to make another significant transaction.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner’s contract is the complicating factor here. He carries a hefty $10.9 million cap hit that will be difficult to move even with the cap rising to a projected $87.7 million for 2024-25. He also has a full no-movement clause which he seems unwilling to waive.

We can’t rule out the Leafs getting an offer they can’t refuse from a team that Marner would consider an acceptable trade destination. However, it’s starting to sound like a slim possibility.

LATEST PANTHERS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre Lebrun reports the Florida Panthers will have little time to get their pending UFAs such as Sam Reinhart signed between the end of the Stanley Cup Final and the start of free agency on July 1. Both sides profess a strong mutual desire to get an extension done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Score’s Josh Wegman cited Evolving-Hockey projecting Reinhart to sign an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $11.13 million to stay in Florida. That would make him the Panthers’ highest-paid player. Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky currently hold that honor with AAVs of $10 million.

The Panthers and Reinhart could agree to an eight-year deal worth the same AAV as Barkov and Bobrovsky or a smidgen less. Whatever the cost, it’ll take a big chunk out of the Panthers’ projected cap space of $20.8 million for 2024-25.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox also weighed in on the Panthers’ upcoming tricky free-agent situation involving several of their core players.

Fox noted that Panthers general manager Bill Zito prioritized re-signing defenseman Gustav Forsling over Brandon Montour. “Perhaps because Montour began the season injured. More likely because his current cap hit of $3.5 million should double soon, and we may be watching his final shifts in Florida.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zito must shed some salary to re-sign Reinhart and Montour. The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons recently claimed the Panthers intend to retain both players and could trade Aaron Ekblad and his $7.5 million cap hit and use the savings on Montour. I don’t put much stock into that scenario given Ekblad’s value to the Panthers.

UPDATE ON JAKE GUENTZEL

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes are continuing contract discussions with Jake Guentzel. They’d like to re-sign the pending UFA winger but LeBrun indicates Guentzel could test the market on July 1 while keeping the Hurricanes as an option.

LeBrun’s colleague Josh Yohe was asked if the Pittsburgh Penguins will try to reacquire Guentzel.

Yohe isn’t ruling it out but noted that Guentzel was “pretty angry” about the Penguins trading him and angrier that they didn’t make a legitimate attempt at a contract extension. He anticipates the 29-year-old winger could get $9 million annually on a six-year deal and doesn’t see the Penguins making that pitch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins GM Kyle Dubas could’ve re-signed Guentzel but didn’t seem interested. It’s unlikely he’ll try to bring him back.

WILL THE STARS RE-SIGN MATT DUCHENE AND CHRIS TANEV?

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: That’s the question Lia Assimakopoulos included among her Stars’ offseason storylines following their elimination from the Western Conference Final.

Duchene was signed last summer to a one-year, $3 million contract after being bought out by the Nashville Predators. Tanev was acquired before the March trade deadline. Both are eligible to become UFAs on July 1.

The pair fit in well with the Stars roster, playing crucial roles in their march to the Western Conference Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars have a projected cap space of $15.9 million next season with 13 active roster players under contract. There might not be enough room for Duchene and Tanev unless they can free up additional cap space.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 3, 2024

by | Jun 3, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – June 3, 2024

What could the offseason hold for the Stars? What’s the latest Rangers speculation? Could the Panthers move a key defenseman to free up cap room this summer? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE STARS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at what the offseason might hold for the Dallas Stars following their elimination from the Western Conference Final.

Matt Duchene and Joe Pavelski are unrestricted free agents on July 1. They were part of the Stars forward depth that enabled the club to challenge other top contenders. Clark believes they should be back if there’s cap space to make it work.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars have a projected $15.9 million of cap space for 2024-25 with 13 active roster players under contract. While their core players are all under contract, squeezing Duchene and Pavelski within that limited space won’t be easy unless they accept pay cuts or management makes a cost-cutting trade.

Pavelski’s struggles during this postseason prompted retirement speculation. If he hangs up his skates, it could make it easier to retain Duchene.

THE LATEST ON THE RANGERS

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh wondered if New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury might consider any moves that shake up the core and free up some salary-cap space.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

Baugh noted that Rangers captain Jacob Trouba’s performance this season did not play up to his $8 million cap hit. The 30-year-old defenseman’s no-movement clause becomes a 15-team no-trade list on July 1 for the final two years of his contract. There’s speculation that Trouba could draw some interest in the trade market, especially if the Rangers retain part of his cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Baugh believes that’s something Drury should consider but it’s probably not an option the Rangers GM will take seriously. They’re all-in for the Stanley Cup and Trouba is a key part. A more likely cost-cutting trade candidate is forward Barclay Goodrow. He’s under contract through 2026-27 with a $3.64 million annual average value and a 15-team no-trade clause.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the Rangers have big decisions to make regarding restricted free agents Ryan Lindgren, Braden Schneider, and Kaapo Kakko.

Lindgren is a linchpin player in line for a significant raise over his current $3 million AAV. Drury might have to shed some salary to free up room to keep him.

Schneider is coming off his entry-level contract with little leverage. He could get a three-year bridge deal for around $3 million annually.

Meanwhile, questions remain about Kakko’s future with the Rangers after struggling through this season and the playoffs. The 23-year-old still has the potential to become a top-six winger but whether he’ll do so on Broadway is another matter. Sears expects the Rangers will likely reshape their roster this summer while trying to save money. Shopping Kakko’s rights is an obvious move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Peter Baugh believes there will be interest in Kakko if the Rangers decide to trade him this summer. He suggests it might be the best move for the player and the team, speculating he could fetch a second or third-round pick.

Mollie Walker believes Igor Shesterkin could aim for a historic contract after his dominant postseason performance. The 28-year-old goaltender will become a UFA next summer but the Rangers can sign him to an extension on July 1. Walker speculates his camp could aim for a long-term deal for as high as $12 million annually, which would be a salary-cap record for an NHL goalie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin is also a former Vezina Trophy winner (2022). The Rangers have no choice but to lock him up to a long-term deal that could reach $12 million per season.

COULD THE PANTHERS TRADE AARON EKBLAD THIS SUMMER?

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons noted that the Florida Panthers want to re-sign winger Sam Reinhart and defenseman Brandon Montour.

“The thinking is, the Panthers will look to trade Aaron Ekblad at the end of the season and use his money to keep Montour,” writes Simmons. He also believes Reinhart will sign a “tax-friendly deal brought to you by the state of Florida,” meaning he could accept less than market value because Florida doesn’t have a state tax.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers carry a projected $20.8 million of cap space next season with 13 active roster players under contract. New deals for Reinhart and Montour will take up most of it so a cost-cutting trade is necessary.

Moving Ekblad and his $7.75 million AAV for next season would be bold given his role as one of their top two defensemen and team leaders. He’s also a year away from UFA eligibility. However, that seems like a “last resort” option for Panthers GM Bill Zito.

Ekblad has a 12-team no-trade list which would complicate things. His cap hit won’t be easy for teams to absorb even with the salary cap rising by $4 million next season.

More likely cost-cutting candidates include Evan Rodrigues ($3 million annually through 2026-27), Niko Mikkola ($2.5 million through 2025-26), or even Sam Bennett ($4.425 million). All of them lack no-trade protection. Like Ekblad, Bennett is a year away from UFA eligibility.