Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 26, 2024

by | May 26, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 26, 2024

Check out the latest on Jake Guentzel, Steven Stamkos, Elias Lindholm, and the other top unrestricted free agents in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported the latest speculation on some of this summer’s top NHL unrestricted free agents.

Jake Guentzel and the Carolina Hurricanes have a mutual interest in negotiating a new contract. LeBrun wonders if an eight-year contract at $8 million per season might keep him in Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guentzel could seek a higher annual cap hit but the eight-year term offers greater long-term security.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

Contract extension talks between the cap-strapped Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos continue even after reacquiring Ryan McDonagh (and his $6.75 million cap hit) from Nashville last week. LeBrun speculates this could go right up to when the free-agent market opens on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have just over $4.1 million of cap space for next season with 18 active roster players under contract. They’ll have to shed salary to re-sign Stamkos unless he’s taking the biggest pay cut in franchise history.

The Vancouver Canucks could make a strong push to re-sign Elias Lindholm. However, LeBrun believes he could be too expensive to retain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm is coming off a six-year deal earning an average annual value of $4.85 million. This is his best opportunity to land a big money deal. He’ll find it somewhere else on July 1 if he can’t get it from the Canucks.

The Vegas Golden Knights have made re-signing Jonathan Marchessault their priority. Both sides are expected to begin discussions soon and could get a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have $1.79 million of cap space with 18 roster players under contract for next season. They’ll get $5 million in cap relief if Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve.

Marchessault is completing a six-year contract with an AAV of $5 million. Assuming he accepts a similar salary, there won’t be enough to fill out the rest of the roster. That’s prompted speculation suggesting Shea Theodore ($5.2 million cap hit for next season) could become a cost-cutting trade chip.

LeBrun believes Winnipeg Jets winger Tyler Toffoli will be heading to the free-agent market. He wondered if the Nashville Predators might be interested as they could use more offense.

LeBrun was surprised that the Hurricanes haven’t yet gotten Brady Skjei under contract. He reported contract talks have been ongoing since last summer and feels Skjei is their priority on defense to get re-signed. The 30-year-old blueliner could get a six or seven-year deal with an AAV of $6 million but LeBrun thinks he’d accept a little less to stay in Carolina.

Brett Pesce is likely heading to market. The 29-year-old Hurricanes defenseman could get a six-year contract at between $6 million and $6.5 million annually.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have held contract discussions with forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi. No numbers have been discussed yet.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sean Walker is one of several right-shot defensemen who could draw plenty of interest in this summer’s free-agent market. LeBrun wondered if he might get a five-year deal at $5 million annually.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 25, 2024

by | May 25, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 25, 2024

Will the Senators offer up Jakob Chychrun to the Bruins for Linus Ullmark? Which forwards could the Bruins pursue this summer? What’s the latest on Martin Necas? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ULLMARK FOR CHYCHRUN?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators general manager Steve Staios made a failed bid to acquire Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins before the March trade deadline. It’s expected Staios will make another pitch for the 30-year-old goaltender before the NHL Draft (June 28-29) in Las Vegas.

The Senators, Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils were among several clubs attempting to acquire Ullmark before the deadline. It’s believed he declined to change his 15-team no-trade list, potentially scuttling a trade to the Devils. (Note: Cap Friendly indicates it’s a 16-team NTC until July 1, when it drops to a 15-team NTC).

It’s believed the Senators offered up Joonas Korpisalo as part of their original pitch for Ullmark but the Bruins declined it. Garrioch cited a league executive suggesting the Senators would have to offer up defenseman Jakob Chychrun and a first-round pick plus another selection to land Ullmark, provided he’s willing to go to Ottawa. The Bruins might be willing to take back Senators goalie Anton Forsberg and his $2.75 million cap hit as a short-term backup option for Swayman.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images).

Garrioch expects the Devils could revisit their interest in Ullmark

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy offered his take on the Chychrun proposal. Bruins GM Don Sweeney might be reluctant to trade Ullmark to a division rival but it wouldn’t matter if he got that offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sweeney would do everything he could to convince Ullmark to accept a trade to Ottawa if Staios offered up Chychrun, a first-rounder and another draft pick. The Senators need a reliable starting goaltender but this would be a big overpayment by Staios.

Ullmark is a Vezina Trophy winner but goaltenders in the salary cap era rarely fetch a big return.

Swapping him for Chychrun or a first-rounder is more realistic. Staios will also want assurances that Ullmark will agree to a contract extension before pulling the trigger on that deal.

WHICH FORWARDS WILL THE BRUINS TARGET THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa doesn’t see the Bruins pursuing Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel or Steven Stamkos in this summer’s free-agent market. GM Don Sweeney indicated he’s seeking secondary scoring.

Possible candidates include former Bruin Tyler Bertuzzi, Anthony Duclair, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Marchessault and Vladimir Tarasenko.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss wondered if the Bruins will pursue Elias Lindholm to upgrade their depth at center. He cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman anticipating they’ll be in on the 29-year-old Vancouver Canucks center if he hits the open market on July 1. Friedman also thinks they could pursue Chandler Stephenson of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Bruins were reportedly interested in Lindholm leading up to the March trade deadline. He’s a more talented and complete player than Stephenson.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited NYI Hockey Now’s Russell Macias discussing the pros and cons of the Islanders trading Brock Nelson or Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Murphy believes the Bruins should pursue Nelson if he becomes available. He has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have a projected cap space of $23.5 million for 2024-25 with 14 active roster players under contract. They could free up another $5 million if they trade Ullmark this summer. Sweeney is expected to use those dollars to bolster his roster through trades and free-agent signings in the coming weeks.

Given their previous interest in Lindholm, it wouldn’t be surprising if they signed him on July 1. Bertuzzi could be back for the right price based on his solid performance during his short tenure with the Bruins last season.

Nelson would be a good addition but turns 33 this fall and could be an expensive short-term pickup.

CANUCKS INTERESTED IN NECAS

THE JEFF MAREK SHOW: Elliotte Friedman said the Vancouver Canucks could be among the teams interested in acquiring Martin Necas if the Carolina Hurricanes put him on the trade block. The 25-year-old forward is a restricted free agent on July 1 with arbitration rights.

Friedman said the Canucks like Necas. He cited what Vancouver GM Patrik Allvin was talking about in his end-of-season press conference regarding his need to find a top-six winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Province’s Patrick Johnston pointed out the Canucks attempted to acquire Jake Guentzel and Tyler Toffoli before the March trade deadline.

It’s believed Necas wants a top-line role, which ticks a box for the Canucks. However, it’s said that he wants to be a center, not a winger. With Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller as their top two centers, they won’t move one of them to the wing to accommodate Necas. He’d have to be comfortable staying as a winger for this to work for the Canucks.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 21, 2024

by | May 21, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 21, 2024

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Bruins, Hurricanes and Flyers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE CANUCKS

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at what the offseason could hold for the Vancouver Canucks following their elimination from the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

They’ll have to focus on rebuilding their blueline as defensemen Tyler Myers and Nikita Zadorov are among two of their four pending unrestricted free agents. Filip Hronek will be seeking a raise as a restricted free agent.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

Forwards Elias Lindholm and Dakota Joshua are also slated to become UFAs. Whatever the Canucks do with their forwards will also be with an eye on new contracts for Brock Boeser and Nils Hoglander next year.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance believes the Canucks pending UFAs, including forwards Teddy Blueger and Sam Lafferty and defenseman Ian Cole, set themselves up as in-demand players entering this summer’s free-agent market. That means it’ll cost more for the Canucks to retain them.

The Canucks’ to-do list includes maintaining or replacing the size advantage that Zadorov, Myers and Joshua bring to their roster and Lindholm’s two-way skills. Contract negotiations with Hronek could be tricky given his arbitration status, inconsistent playoff performance and what they gave up to acquire him from Detroit last season. They must also add more offense.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After years in the wilderness, the Canucks emerged this season among the NHL’s top teams. It won’t be easy to maintain and build on that.

The Canucks have a projected cap space of $24.7 million for 2024-25 with 14 active roster players under contract. They can’t afford to sign all their pending UFAs while Hronek’s contract situation gets complicated because of his erratic postseason play. Lindholm will likely prove too expensive to retain. So could Zadorov. Joshua should be an affordable re-signing but could be tempted by free agency.

LATEST ON THE BRUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes trading Linus Ullmark should be an offseason priority for the Boston Bruins. The 30-year-old goaltender has a year left on his contract a cap hit of $5 million. Trading him would clear the way for a Jeremy Swayman-Brandon Bussi goalie tandem and clear cap room for re-signing Swayman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We covered this in yesterday’s NHL Rumor Mill.

Shinzawa also believes the Bruins must acquire an impact center, a scoring right winger and a left-shot defenseman.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss believes the Bruins desperately need to find another elite scoring forward to take some of the burden off David Pastrnak. If they trade Ullmark, they’ll have over $26 million in salary-cap space to address that issue.

Goss suggested Vancouver’s Elias Lindholm as the free agent that makes the most sense. The Bruins were linked to the 29-year-old center before the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins could revisit their interest in Lindholm this summer if he isn’t re-signed by the Canucks.

They could also look at other UFA options but they’re unlikely to chase an expensive big fish like Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos, Florida’s Sam Reinhart or Carolina’s Jake Guentzel. Signing one of them would leave the Bruins having to make do with cost-effective lesser talent to address other problem areas.

As for adding a defenseman, Shinzawa suggested Carolina’s Brady Skjei as a worthwhile free-agent option.

WHAT ARE THE HURRICANES’ OFFSEASON PRIORITIES?

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Chip Alexander reports Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell mentioned the issues he hopes to address during the offseason now that head coach Rod Brind’Amour has signed a new contract.

They include deciding which of their unrestricted free agents to re-sign, working out a deal with the KHL to bring over promising defenseman Alexander Nikishin, and finding a right-shot center. Their UFAs include forwards Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guentzel, Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen; defensemen Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Jalen Chatfield and Tony DeAngelo; and goaltender Antti Raanta.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce is speculated to be heading to market but they could re-sign Skjei. DeAngelo and Raanta won’t be back. It’s expected they’ll push hard to re-sign Guentzel. It’s uncertain whether Teravainen, Martinook, Noesen and Chatfield will be back. I’d love to hear what Hurricanes fans have to say about this topic.

Alexander didn’t mention Martin Necas in his report. It’s believed the 25-year-old restricted free-agent forward could be shopped this summer.

UPDATE ON THE FLYERS

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited a report from Russia’s Sport-Express indicating Matvei Michkov could terminate his contract with KHL team SKA St. Petersburg. That would clear the path for the 19-year-old winger to join the Philadelphia Flyers next season. The Flyers selected Michkov with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Bailey indicated the Flyers are aware of the report but unable to confirm it at the time. He subsequently reported that SKA St. Peterburg CEO and VP Roman Rotenberg said there has been dialogue with the Flyers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2024

by | Apr 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2024

The Oilers, Leafs and Lightning clinch playoff berths and the Masterton Trophy nominees are announced. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers got two goals from Connor McDavid and Evander Kane to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 and clinch a playoff berth. With a record of 46-24-5, the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 97 points. Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton replied for the Avalanche (48-23-6) as they sit sixth in the overall standings with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also lost winger Mikko Rantanen, who left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a heavy, clean hit by Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm. Following the game, Avs head coach Jared Bednar said Rantanen would be under evaluation for a while.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

McDavid and Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon gained some ground on Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league this season with 133 points. MacKinnon collected an assist and sits second with 131 points while McDavid sits third with 128. Speaking of scoring, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl became the fifth player in franchise history with five 100-point seasons.

The Oilers overcame a poor start to this season to secure a postseason spot. They were 10 points out of contention and third-last in the overall standings by the US Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 23.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho snapped a 2-2 tie in a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, leaving the latter winless in their last five games (0-4-1). Jake Guentzel tallied twice and collected an assist as the Hurricanes improved to 48-22-7 to rise into fourth in the overall standings with 103 points. Alex Ovechkin scored both goals for the Capitals (36-30-10), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 851 career goals, leaving him 43 behind all-time leader Wayne Gretzky (894). After scoring eight goals in his first 43 games this season, the Capitals captain has 21 goals in his last 30 games. He’s poised to reach the 30-goal mark for the 18th time, which will set an NHL record.

The Buffalo Sabres kept their playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. Jack Quinn potted two goals and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves for the 37-35-5 Sabres (79 points) as they sit four points behind the Flyers, who dropped to 36-30-11 and slipped into the final Eastern wildcard spot with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The idle Toronto Maple Leafs clinched a playoff berth with the Flyers and Capitals’ losses on Friday.

The Flyers overachieved for most of this season and have held a playoff berth since last fall. However, the wheels are coming off as they’ve won just twice in their last 10 games. The New York Islanders have knocked them out of third place in the Metropolitan Division. They’re now in danger of being overtaken by the Sabres, Capitals, Detroit Red Wings or Pittsburgh Penguins if any of those clubs can string a few wins together.

New York Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow tallied two goals in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Chris Kreider netted his 37th goal of the season and Jonathan Quick turned aside 31 shots for the league-leading Rangers (52-21-4) as they opened a three-point lead (108) over the second-overall Dallas Stars. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored his 30th goal as his club fell to 37-31-8 and are one point behind the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Wings, Flyers and Capitals losing their games, the idle Tampa Bay Lightning secured a playoff spot. Only two berths in the East remain available with six teams having a legitimate shot at clinching them.

Larkin is the first Red Wing to have three straight 30-goal seasons since Henrik Zetterberg from 2005-06 to 2008-09.

The Arizona Coyotes scored six unanswered third-period goals to upset the Vegas Golden Knights 7-4. Michael Carcone tallied the tying and winning goals for the 32-39-5 Coyotes. William Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (42-26-8) as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 92 points.

Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright scored twice and picked up an assist to lead his club to a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Oliver Bjorkstrand had two assists for the 32-31-13 Kraken. Leo Carlsson replied for the 25-48-4 Ducks.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Professional Hockey Writers Association announced the 32 finalists for the 2023-24 Bill Masteron Memorial Trophy, awarded each year “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the complete list. Among the notables are Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene, New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier, and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

My congratulations to all 32 players as they are worthy nominees.

I’m not a member of the PHWA but if I were, my choice would be Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington, who returned to action this season after a year and a half away from the game dealing with mental health issues.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will return to action on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. He’s been sidelined by a high-ankle sprain for 12 games. He will start on the second line with center John Tavares and winger Bobby McMann.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner usually skates alongside Auston Matthews on the first line. Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe wants to keep the line of Matthews, Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi intact for at least this game.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm resumed practicing with his teammates on Friday after being sidelined with a wrist injury since March 23. It’s not known when he’ll return to the lineup but it’s a promising sign that he might be back before the end of the regular season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2024

by | Mar 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, Martin Brodeur believes today’s goaltenders are babied, the players could have half of their escrow returned to them for this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins 3-1. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point each scored their 42nd goal of the season for the 40-25-7 Lightning (87 points). They hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth and sit two points behind the third-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. Danton Heinen replied for the 42-17-15 Bruins (99 points) as they slipped into third in the overall standings, one point behind the league-leading New York Rangers.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov regained sole possession of the points lead with 124, one up on Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. The Lightning improved to 8-1-1 in March.

A five-goal first period gave the Ottawa Senators a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Shane Pinto had a goal and three assists while Joonas Korpisalo made 34 saves for the Senators (31-36-4). JJ Peterka tallied his 25th goal of the season for the Sabres as they slipped to 34-34-5.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: In an interview with Pierre LeBrun, Martin Brodeur lamented how NHL clubs handle their goaltenders.

“I think we baby our goalies,” said Brodeur. “I see it. I’m part of it. It’s like, my goalie coach will say, ‘He’s played five games in the past eight days.’ I’m like, ‘So?’”

The Hall-of-Fame goalie is now the executive vice president of hockey operations for the New Jersey Devils. He played 70 or more games 12 times during his 22-year NHL career.

Brodeur acknowledged the game has changed and so has the position. He noted how volatile it has become in recent years where a netminder can be the top goalie one year and struggle the next. He blames the 1A and 1B system that result in split workloads.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We discussed this Wednesday night on the Face Off Hockey Show. The decline in quality goalies in recent years could be another reason as there are fewer standout starters compared to Brodeur’s era. The increase in the game’s speed and the skaters’ improved scoring skills are other potential factors.

DAILY FACEOFF: With this season’s NHL revenue projected to reach $6.2 billion, the players can expect to receive half of the escrow withheld from the contracts returned to them after final accounting and auditing.

The salary cap for next season is projected to rise to $87.5 million. With revenue projections higher than expected and the players’ $1.1 billion in debt from pandemic-related losses repaid to the owners, there is a window to negotiate a higher cap for next season provided both sides are willing to agree to this. If not, the cap will continue to rise by five percent with escrow remaining at six percent annually as agreed under the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that extended the CBA to Sept. 15, 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The cap could reach $92 million for 2025-26, the final year of the CBA. The players could receive another escrow refund next season if revenue growth remains robust.

THE PROVINCE: The Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko on long-term injury reserve. However, he remains on track to return from a lower-body injury sometime around April 6.

Meanwhile, Canucks center Elias Lindholm missed practice yesterday after being scratched from Monday’s 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Head coach Rick Tocchet said he wasn’t concerned, claiming it was “something a little nagging, that’s getting better every day.” Still, there’s no timeline for Lindholm’s return.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee during Monday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights. He will undergo surgery and be reevaluated in six months.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of season-ending injuries, Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield recently underwent successful surgery to treat a lower-body injury. He’s expected to make a full recovery.

CBS SPORTS: Anaheim Ducks winger Brock McGinn underwent disc surgery on his back and will be sidelined for four months. He’s expected to be recovered by late July but it remains to be seen if he’ll be ready for training camp in September.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Ethan Bear entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. He will be out indefinitely, returning to on-ice competition once cleared by the program administrators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Bear. Here’s hoping he receives the treatment he needs that enables him to continue his career and lead a more fulfilling life.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Earlier this week, the Avalanche signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a two-year, one-way contract extension with an average annual value of $833K.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: An arena deal that would’ve moved the Washington Capitals and the NBA’s Washington Wizards to Virginia has fallen through. The clubs’ ownership reached an agreement on a publicly-funded arena deal with the city that will keep them in Washington until 2050.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2024

by | Mar 27, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2024

What will Sidney Crosby’s next contract with the Penguins look like? Have the Bruins set the table for some big moves in the offseason? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill. 

WHAT WILL CROSBY’S NEXT CONTRACT LOOK LIKE?

THE ATHLETIC: Rob Rossi noted that “a lot of people” have opined that Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby should finish his career with a team like the Colorado Avalanche. However, he shoots down that notion by pointing out that Crosby had publicly and privately indicated he intends to finish his career with the Penguins. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins’ decline into also-ran status has fueled media speculation about Crosby’s future. Some suggested he should orchestrate a trade to join his good friend Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado or sign with the Avalanche next summer as a free agent. 

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

The earliest the Penguins can open contract extension talks with Crosby is July 1. If he’s not signed on that date, Rossi suggests it could be because he’s still on vacation. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The longer it takes for the Penguins and Crosby to reach an agreement the more questions over his future in Pittsburgh will appear in the media. If he’s not signed when training camp opens, the media buzz over his future will continue to increase. 

Crosby’s current annual average value is $8.7 million. Rossi speculates a three-year extension at $10 million annually would be fair. He believes Crosby will want to stick around and help shape the next great Penguins team. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Kyle Dubas has to sell his vision of the club’s future to Crosby. If he can do that, his captain could be up for the challenge of guiding the next group of young Penguins stars. 

ARE THE BRUINS PRIMED FOR A BIG OFFSEASON?

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL executive suggesting Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has “set the table” for some big moves in the offseason. 

“Look at all the cap space he has, and his two biggest trade targets are still set to become free agents.” 

The Bruins have a projected salary-cap space of $21.7 million for 2024-25. With potentially eight roster spots opening up, Murphy speculates they could re-sign Danton Heinen, James van Riemsdyk and perhaps Kevin Shattenkirk on team-friendly contracts. Winger Jake DeBrusk remains a wildcard as he has not heard back from management about a contract extension as of the March 8 trade deadline. 

Murphy noted the two trade targets his source referred two are Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin. Both players were linked to the Bruins in the rumor mill this season. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins could get more cap space if they trade goaltender Linus Ullmark, who has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $5 million. 

Sweeney has his club in a good position cap-wise heading into this summer. I don’t doubt that he’ll look at bolstering his roster with one or two free-agent signings and perhaps through the trade market. Whether he lands Lindholm and/or Hanifin remains to be seen.