NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2022

by | Aug 27, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2022

Leon Draisaitl talks about how his ankle injury affected his postseason play, Joe Thornton won’t be returning with the Panthers, Mike Babcock intends to retire from coaching and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE SCORE: Kayla Douglas cited Leon Draisaitl telling Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman how his high ankle sprain during the playoffs forced him to change his style of play. The Edmonton Oilers center suffered the injury in Game 6 of his club’s first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Draisaitl usually relies on speed to beat his opponents. He explained that the injury forced him to slow down his game and evolve as a player. “I tried to find a way to be productive in a different way,” said Draisaitl. “I thought I did a pretty good job of that.”

For the remainder of the Oilers’ playoff run, Draisaitl scored twice and collected 22 assists in 10 games while playing a more stationary style.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was apparent Draisaitl was hampered by his injury yet his output was impressive. It’s bad news for opponents that he used the experience to evolve his style of play. This lesson could also help him remain productive when age inevitably slows his skating.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: On Wednesday, Joe Thornton’s wife posted to her private Instagram account that the family will be moving on from South Florida. He signed a one-year contract last summer with the Panthers but appeared in just 34 regular-season games and one playoff contest. It’s uncertain what the future holds for the 43-year-old free-agent forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After 24 seasons, Thornton’s NHL career has likely come to an end. His performance has been declining since his season-ending knee injury in 2017-18.

650 CKOM: Mike Babcock said he intends to retire from coaching after stepping down earlier this week as head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. While he seemed to leave the door open for a possible return to the NHL coach ranks, the 59-year-old indicated retirement was best for himself and his family.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Babcock had a long and successful career in the NHL. He sits 10th all-time in wins (700) between 2002-03 and 2019-20 with the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, winning the Stanley Cup with the Wings in 2008. Babcock faced allegations of bullying players following his dismissal by the Leafs but he has denied those claims.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed Filip Zadina to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $1.825 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chosen sixth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, Zadina has struggled to play up to expectations as a top-six winger. The Wings appear intent on staying patient with the 22-year-old right winger. His affordable new contract could also make him easier to trade if the two sides feel he might benefit from a change of scenery.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed Philippe Myers to a one-year, $1.4 million contract extension. The 25-year-old defenseman was acquired from the Nashville Predators as part of the return in the Ryan McDonagh trade earlier this summer. Myers is entering the final season of his current contract with a $2.55 million cap hit.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon said the club will go with the goalie tandem of Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit to start the upcoming season. There was speculation over how they would address the absence of Robin Lehner, who is undergoing double hip surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McCrimmon has no choice. There are no viable replacement options via free agency or the trade market for his cap-strapped club.

TSN: cited the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reporting Senators general manager Pierre Dorion saying he’s still talking with the agents for Erik Brannstrom and Alex Formenton. He anticipates the two restricted free agents to be signed before training camp opens next month.

In other Senators’ news, they recently reached an affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Allen Americans. Speaking of NHL teams and ECHL affiliates…

CALGARY SUN: The Flames named the Rapid City Rush as their ECHL affiliate.

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks did the same with the Wichita Thunder as did the Arizona Coyotes with the Atlanta Gladiators.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2022

by | Aug 21, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2022

Canada defeats Finland in overtime to win gold at the 2022 World Junior Championship, Nathan MacKinnon enjoys his day with the Stanley Cup in Halifax, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Columbus Blue Jackets center Kent Johnson lifted Canada over Finland 3-2 in the Gold Medal Game at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton. It’s Canada’s 19th tournament championship and its first since 2020.

Anaheim Ducks center Nathan McTavish (NHL Images).

Canada took a 2-0 lead in the game on goals by Joshua Roy (Montreal Canadiens) and William Dufour (New York Islanders) with Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks) collecting assists on both. McTavish also saved the game for Canada in overtime by blocking a shot at the goal line, setting the stage for Johnson’s game-winner.

Finland rallied to force the extra frame on goals by Aleksi Heimosalmi (Carolina Hurricanes) and Joakim Kemell (Nashville Predators). They take home the silver medal for its 17th top-three finish in tournament history.

In the consolation game earlier in the day, Sweden won the bronze medal with a 3-1 victory over Czechia. Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves while teammates Fabian Lysell (Boston Bruins), Isak Rosen (Buffalo Sabres) and Linus Sjodin (Sabres) scored for Sweden.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish was named the tournament’s most valuable player and the top forward. Wallstedt was named the top goaltender and Finland’s Kasper Puutio was the top defenseman. McTavish also topped The Hockey News‘ ranking of the tournament’s top-20 players.

TSN: Nathan MacKinnon celebrated his day with the Stanley Cup with a parade through downtown Halifax. The 26-year-old Colorado Avalanche superstar is a native of Cole Harbour, part of the Halifax municipality. It’s also the home of Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. MacKinnon spent two seasons with the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads before joining the Avalanche in 2013-14.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As MacKinnon observed in an interview, returning to Halifax with the Stanley Cup brings his playing career full circle. In his final season with the Mooseheads, he helped them win the QMJHL’s Presidents’ Cup and the Memorial Cup.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers rank at the bottom of The Athletic’s fan confidence level survey. The Flyers had the fourth-most entries (1,000) by fans upset over the team’s direction and management’s inability to deliver on its promise earlier this year of an “aggressive retool”. The Flyers received a D-minus ranking in roster building, cap management, drafting and development, trades, free agency and vision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ only significant addition this summer was hiring John Tortorella as head coach.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes extended its affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals through the 2022-23 season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 30, 2022

by | Jul 30, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 30, 2022

John Klingberg signs with the Ducks, an update on Jesper Bratt’s contract negotiations, and the Sharks will honor Doug Wilson this season. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: John Klingberg is off the free-agent market. The 29-year-old defenseman signed a one-year, $7 million contract on Friday with the Anaheim Ducks.

Anaheim Ducks sign former Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers expressed puzzlement on social media regarding this move. Why did Klingberg accept just a one-year deal? Why sign with the rebuilding Ducks? For that matter, why did the Ducks make a short-term investment in a veteran player?

Klingberg may have overestimated his value on this summer’s free-agent market. While he reached the 40-point mark last season for the sixth time in his eight-year NHL career, the puck-moving blueliner struggled with consistency during his final season with the Dallas Stars. Interested clubs may have been reluctant to sign to a long-term deal at this point in his career.

This deal gives Klingberg an opportunity to prove that he still has value as a top-pairing blueliner. A strong season in Anaheim will improve his chances for a more lucrative deal, either with the Ducks or another club in next summer’s free-agent market.

The Ducks, meanwhile, had to spend money to reach this season’s $61 million salary-cap minimum. Signing Klingberg achieve that goal, putting them at $63.6 million invested in 22 players.

It also addressed their need to bolster their blueline while adding a veteran presence to their rebuilding roster. If Klingberg plays well this season, the Ducks can peddle him at next year’s trade deadline for a solid return if they’re out of playoff contention by then.

NJ.COM’s Ryan Novozinsky took to Twitter on Friday regarding Jesper Bratt’s contract negotiations with the New Jersey Devils. He cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying there hasn’t been much discussion between the two sides so it’s hard to figure out what’s going on.

Novozinsky acknowledged it’s been “pretty silent” from Bratt’s camp for weeks regarding updates on contract talks. He believes it’s been another tough negotiation like his last deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bratt’s arbitration hearing is set for Aug. 3.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks intend to raise a banner for former player, captain and general manager Doug Wilson in the coming season. He’ll be honored in a pregame ceremony by the club before their game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Wilson spent 14 of his 16 NHL seasons with the Blackhawks before joining the Sharks. He become their general manager in 2003 and held that position until stepping down for health reasons in April 2022. Wilson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 2020.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson built the Sharks into a Western Conference powerhouse during most of his tenure as their general manager. They finished atop the Pacific Divison five times under his watch, won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2009 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers signed Owen Tippett to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million. The 23-year-old right wing was part of the return the Flyers received from the Florida Panthers in the Claude Giroux trade last March.

The Flyers also named Rocky Thompson as an assistant coach.

YARDBARKER: The Seattle Kraken recently announced the Kansas City Mavericks as their ECHL affiliate.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 28, 2022

by | Jul 28, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 28, 2022

An update on J.T. Miller’s contract talks with the Canucks, Claude Giroux expects a rough welcome from Philadelphia Flyers fans, the latest on John Klingberg and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY NOW: Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford told The Bob McCown podcast that his club would like to re-sign J.T. Miller. However, the two sides “remain a long way apart”.

Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller (NHL Images).

Rutherford considered Miller the Canucks’ best player last season and anticipates he’ll be a very good player for a long time. If unable to reach an agreement with the 29-year-old center on a new contract, he said they’ll have to put him “in a place where he’s going to get his contract and where we’re going to get the right assets back that can help the Canucks in the future.”

Asked if there was a timeline and if he saw Miller starting the season in Vancouver, Rutherford said he would start the season with the Canucks if he remains unsigned and no one’s made a suitable trade offer by then. He acknowledged the situation would reach a pressure point for management a month before the trade deadline, saying they don’t want to be in a position where they wouldn’t get anything in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller is signed for this season at a salary cap hit of $5.25 million. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Miller’s agent recently said there was a pathway toward a new contract with the Canucks. Rutherford’s comments suggest that the pathway could be too long, too expensive or both.

There’s still plenty of time for the two sides to negotiate an extension. However, we can expect trade rumors to continue swirling around Miller in the coming season if he doesn’t have a new deal by then.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Claude Giroux believes he’ll be booed by Flyers fans when he plays his first game at Wells Fargo Arena this coming season. Giroux was traded by the Flyers to the Florida Panthers at last season’s trade deadline and signed a three-year contract with the Ottawa Senators earlier this month. He thinks they could give him a standing ovation and then boo him.

DAILY FACEOFF: John Klingberg has changed agents two weeks into free agency. The former Dallas Stars defenseman parted ways with longtime agent Peter Wallen and is now represented by Newport Sports Management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Klingberg was considered the top defenseman in this summer’s UFA class. It appears he and his former agent overestimated his value on the open market. There were reports last season that he sought an eight-year deal from the Stars worth between $62 million and $68 million. He’s certainly not getting that now.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL forward Bobby Ryan took to Twitter yesterday to thank hockey fans for their support after he was arrested for public intoxication earlier this week at Nashville airport. Ryan, 35, has battled alcohol abuse and received treatment in 2019-20 through the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ryan’s relapse was unfortunate but he appears determined to return to the path of sobriety. Here’s hoping he can find the help he needs to do so. It was heartwarming to see the overwhelming support he received on social media from fans and former teammates.

THE ATHLETIC: Former Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme said he was disappointed he didn’t get the opportunity to speak with the club’s new management to discuss their plans for the franchise. Ducharme was replaced last February by Martin St. Louis after the club tumbled to last place in the overall standings. Under St. Louis, the Canadiens showed improvement though they still finished near the bottom of the standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducharme was put in a difficult situation by being hired midway through a COVID-shortened season on a struggling team that barely reached the playoffs. He coached them to a surprise run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, saw the wheels come off the following season as injuries to key players and a COVID outbreak ravaged the roster and appeared to have been kept in the dark by the club’s new management.

Nevertheless, the results speak for themselves. The Canadiens played like a team that had lost all confidence under Ducharme last season. There’s no denying their overall improvement under St. Louis.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed free-agent forward Danton Heinen to a one-year, $1 million contract.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes avoided salary arbitration with Ethan Bear, signing him to a one-year, $2.2 million contract.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken re-signed forward Ryan Donato to a one-year, $1.2 million deal.

SPORTSNET: The St. Louis Blues signed forward Klim Kostin to a one-year, one-way contract worth $750K.

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Olli Juolevi to a one-year, two-way contract.

The Edmonton Oilers announced the Fort Wayne Comets will be their new ECHL affiliate.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL player Daniel Carcillo released a statement yesterday criticizing Hockey Canada’s top officials for denying systemic and ongoing problems in junior hockey.

Carcillo is spearheading a lawsuit against Hockey Canada, alleging he suffered abuse during his major junior career. Hockey Canada is under scrutiny from Canadian politicians in the wake of two sexual assault scandals involving members of the 2003 and 2018 World Junior teams.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 24, 2022

by | Jun 24, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 24, 2022

Patrice Bergeron reportedly returning with the Bruins, the Golden Knights close in on a new contract for Reilly Smith, the Senators win a bid to construct a new arena in downtown Ottawa, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Patrice Bergeron is returning for another season with the Bruins. Longtime Bruins beat reporter Joe McDonald of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette tweeted last night that the 36-year-old Bruins captain is set to sign a one-year, incentive-laden contract worth a potential total of $6.8 million.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron (NHL Images).

Earlier this month, Bergeron won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward for a record-setting fifth time. He’s spent his entire 18-season NHL career with the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bergeron’s re-signing is good news for the Bruins, ensuring they’ll have their best center back for one more season. It also buys management time to find his potential replacement as well as add a second-line center.

We won’t know until Bergeron’s new contract is officially announced what the potential cap hit will be. The estimated $6.8 million would be roughly what he earned as the annual average value of his expiring contract. Whatever the amount, it could force management to make a cost-cutting trade or two. Cap Friendly shows them with just $2.83 million in cap space with 22 players under contract for 2022-23.

Teams are allowed to exceed the cap by 10 percent during the offseason but must be cap compliant when the regular season begins on Oct. 11. The Bruins can remain over the cap ceiling by placing sidelined stars such as Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy on long-term injury reserve but they must be under the cap when those players are ready to return to action.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the Vegas Golden Knights are closing in on a three-year contract extension for Reilly Smith. Seravalli said it’s a verbal agreement for now and won’t be officially announced until the Golden Knights address their salary-cap issues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet on the annual cap hit of Smith’s new contract. The Golden Knights are currently above the $82.5 million cap by over $2.6 million with 16 players signed for 2022-23.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators’ hope of building a new arena in downtown Ottawa is closer to becoming a reality. The club and its partners have a memorandum of understanding with the National Capital Commission to construct an arena complex on LeBreton Flats. Construction on the project could begin in late 2024.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the culmination of several years of stalled negotiations and lawsuits for the Senators. A downtown arena will make it easier for fans to attend their games, providing a big boost to their hockey-related revenue.

There’s still more work to be done before this becomes a reality. Nevertheless, it’s a big, positive step in the right direction.

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning hope to extend the 2022 Stanley Cup Final with a win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 on Friday in Denver. The back-to-back defending champions hope to overcome a 3-1 series deficit and win the Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The odds are against the Lightning. Teams that are down 3-1 in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final are 1-35. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs are the only team to accomplish that feat and they were down 3-0 in their series with the Detroit Red Wings.

THE DENVER POST: A solid bounce-back performance by goaltender Darcy Kuemper in Game 4 was a crucial factor in the Avalanche winning that contest.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are working toward a contract extension with general manager Jim Nill.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed goaltender Felix Sandstrom to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $775K.

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets have extended their affiliate agreement with the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2022

by | Jan 23, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2022

​The scoring race tightens as Chris Kreider, Alex Ovechkin and Leon Draisaitl enjoy multi-point performances. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider is tied for the NHL’s goal-scoring lead after tallying a hat trick in a 7-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Kreider has reached a career-high 29 goals, tying him with Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin atop this season’s leader board. Jacob Trouba also scored twice and Mika Zibanejad collected three assists as the Rangers remain atop the Metropolitan Division with 58 points. Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko missed this contest as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Speaking of Ovechkin, he scored two third-period goals to rally his club over the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on an overtime goal by Nicklas Backstrom. With 55 points, the Capitals maintain a five-point lead over the Boston Bruins for the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl scored twice to sit one goal behind Ovechkin and Kreider as his club snapped a seven-game losing skid by dousing the Calgary Flames 5-3. The Oilers (40 points) sit two points behind the Flames, who remain two points back of the San Jose Sharks (44 points) for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Thanks to his four-point performance, Draisaitl has tied Ovechkin for the points lead with 58. Oilers defenseman Tyson Barrie missed this game due to injuries suffered on Thursday against the Florida Panthers.

Speaking of the Sharks, they were on the receiving end of a 7-1 drubbing by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ross Colton scored two goals while Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn each had a goal and an assist while Brian Elliott made 27 saves. The Lightning and the Florida Panthers each have 61 points but the Panthers remain in first place in the overall standings with two games in hand. Lightning defenseman Cal Foote was fined $2,125.00 by the NHL department of player safety for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks forward Buddy Robinson on Friday.

Gabriel Landeskog’s overtime goal lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. The Avs extend their points streak to 12 games and their home winning streak to 15, sitting on top of the Western Conference with 59 points. Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau made 43 saves to keep this one close. Earlier in the day, the Canadiens placed Jonathan Drouin (upper body) on injured reserve and listed goalie Sam Montembault as day-to-day with a minor wrist injury.

Nashville Predators forward Matt Duchene scored two goals and collected an assist to lead his club over the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Teammate Filip Forsberg tallied his 20th goal of the season and chipped in an assist as the Predators remain four points back of the Avs with 55 points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up their first multi-goal win since Jan. 5 by dropping the New York Islanders 3-1, snapping the latter’s three-game win streak. Morgan Rielly had a goal and an assist and Petr Mrazek made 27 saves for the Leafs, who remains in third place in the Atlantic Division with 53 points.

New Jersey Devils forward Andreas Johnsson and defenseman Ryan Graves each had a goal and two assists in a 7-4 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Nathan Bastian also scored twice for the Devils as they overcame a 2-0 deficit. With 56 points, the Hurricanes sit two points behind the Rangers in second place in the Metropolitan Division.

An overtime goal by Marcus Foligno gave the Minnesota Wild a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Henrik Borgstrom scored twice for the Blackhawks. With 51 points, the Wild have a firm grip on the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks played without forward Jujhar Khaira and defenseman Riley Stillman as both were placed on injured reserve.

The Boston Bruins got a tie-breaking goal from David Pastrnak in a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Brad Marchand shook off an upper-body injury from his previous game to pick up an assist. Like the Oilers, the Jets are four points behind the Sharks in the chase for the Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Buffalo Sabres downed the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 as the latter’s winless skid reached 11 games (0-8-3). Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Peyton Krebs each scored twice for the Sabres while Claude Giroux tallied two goals for the Flyers. Earlier in the day, the Sabres announced rookie Jack Quinn will be sidelined four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jordan Subban was the target of a racist gesture during an ECHL game on Saturday. Jacksonville Iceman Jordan Panetta made monkey gestures at Subban, a defenseman for the South Carolina Stingrays, during an altercation leading to a fight. Subban is the younger brother of New Jersey Devils blueliner P.K. Subban, who shared a video of the incident on Twitter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There should be no place for racism in any level of hockey or society. However, this was the second episode this month of a black minor-league player being the target of racial taunting. On Friday, the American Hockey League suspended San Jose Barracudas forward Krystof Hrabik for 30 games after he made similar monkey gestures at Tucson Roadrunners Boko Imama on Jan. 12.