NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2024

by | Dec 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2024

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby breaks a franchise record, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane reaches a career milestone, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin moves closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected his 1,034th regular-season assist, passing Mario Lemieux for the most in franchise history in a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. Michael Bunting and Philip Tomasino each had two points for the Penguins as they’re 4-2-0 in their last six games. Anders Lee and Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders, who’ve dropped four of their last six contests.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What a difference a month has made for the Penguins. They were near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings just after American Thanksgiving and seemed to be fading fast. Today, they’re one point out of the final wild-card berth. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist to reach his 1,300th career regular-season point as his club doubled up the Washington Capitals 4-2. Lucas Raymond also had a goal and an assist while Alex DeBrincat tallied twice as the Wings got their first win under new head coach Todd McLellan. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored to reach his 870th regular-season goal, putting him 25 away from passing Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in league history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Lars Eller returned to action after an illness sidelined him for four games.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov made 31 saves in a 3-0 shutout of the Calgary Flames. Brett Howden, Victor Olofsson and Tanner Pearson scored for Vegas, who’ve won six straight and sit atop the overall standings with 53 points. Dan Vladar stopped 34 shots for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames’ points streak ended at five games (3-0-2).

The Anaheim Ducks scored four unanswered goals to upset the Edmonton Oilers 5-3. Cutter Gauthier, Robby Fabbri and Mason McTavish each had a goal and an assist as the Ducks collected their second win in their last five games. Leon Draisaitl scored twice and Connor McDavid had two assists for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Brock McGinn missed this contest with a lower-body injury. He’s been placed on injured reserve.

Third-period goals by Josh Norris and Claude Giroux gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Leevi Merilainen stopped 30 shots as the Senators snapped a two-game losing skid to hold onto the final Eastern wild-card berth with 40 points. Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau scored his club’s only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild got some good news as Joel Eriksson Ek returned to action after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury. However, superstar Kirill Kaprizov missed his second straight game with what’s been called a minor lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans scored to extend his goal streak to five games in a 5-2 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Joel Armia had a goal and an assist, Alexandre Carrier collected two helpers, and Brendan Gallagher netted his 10th of the season for the Canadiens. Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel scored for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have won four of their last six (35 points), sitting five points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card spot. Speaking of the Habs, goalie Cayden Primeau cleared waivers and was sent to their AHL affiliate in Laval. Meanwhile, Lightning winger Jake Guentzel missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Los Angeles Kings nipped the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on two third-period goals by captain Anze Kopitar. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist and Kevin Fiala tallied his 14th of the season as the Kings picked up their seventh straight home victory. Flyers forwards Scott Laughton and Matvei Michkov each had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov was benched in the third period of his previous game but responded well with a better showing in this contest.

Five unanswered goals powered the Dallas Stars over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1. Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene each had a goal and two assists as the Stars (43 points) hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Connor Bedard scored his 10th of the season for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi received a game misconduct for elbowing Stars center Colin Blackwell. Reports indicate the league will fine the Stars for violating a CBA rule prohibiting on-ice activities and travel on specified dates during the Christmas holiday break. The team held an “optional practice” on Dec. 26.

The Buffalo Sabres collected their third straight win with a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 35 shots while Tage Thompson and Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist each. The Blues got goals from Brayden Schenn and Nathan Walker.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 13, 2024

by | Nov 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 13, 2024

Connor McDavid is on the verge of 1,000 points, the Jets win again, candidates for the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025, the Penguins trade Lars Eller to the Capitals, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: A four-point performance lifted Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid to within one point of 1,000 for his career in a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders. McDavid had a goal and three assists for 999 career regular-season points, including the primary assist on the overtime goal by Leon Draisaitl, who tallied twice in this game. Evan Bouchard had three points for the Oilers. Anders Lee scored two goals for the Islanders, who got a 38-save performance from goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid can become the fourth-fastest and fourth-youngest player to reach the 1,000-point plateau when the Oilers faced the Nashville Predators on Thursday. Draisaitl has 12 goals, tying Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield and Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart for the league lead.

The Winnipeg Jets beat the New York Rangers 6-3, becoming the fastest team in NHL history to reach 15 wins while extending their winning streak to seven games. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each scored two goals, Neal Pionk had three assists and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 33 shots for the league-leading Jets (15-1-0, 30 points). Will Cuylle had a goal and an assist for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets announced earlier in the day that defenseman Logan Stanley was placed on injured reserve with a middle-body injury. They also claimed goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche.

New Jersey Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom kicked out 34 shots in a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton each had two assists for the Devils. Sam Reinhart tallied for the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers center Sam Bennett missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored with 1:47 remaining in the third period to lift his club over the St. Louis Blues 3-2. The Bruins overcame a 2-0 deficit on goals by Morgan Geekie and Charlie McAvoy, setting the stage for Pastrnak’s winner. Brayden Schenn and Oskar Sundqvist scored for the Blues, who’ve lost three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Bruins as defenseman Hampus Lindholm left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark made 27 saves in a 3-0 shutout of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Josh Norris, Tim Stutzle and Michael Amadio were the goalscorers and Artem Zub picked up two assists for the Senators. Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz turned aside 38 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators dominated the Leafs in this game. They would’ve won by a wider margin if not for Stolarz’s performance in the Leafs net.

Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist to defeat the Calgary Flames 3-1. J.T. Miller picked up two assists and Kevin Lankinen made 28 stops for the Canucks. Justin Kirkland replied for the Flames, who got a 29-save effort from goalie Dan Vladar.

A four-goal second period carried the Seattle Kraken to a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle each had two assists and Joey Daccord made 38 saves for the Kraken. Sean Kuraly and Zach Aston-Reese each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who’ve dropped three in a row.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, Duncan Keith, Carey Price and Ryan Getzlaf highlight the first-year eligible candidates for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025. The Hall’s bylaws allow the selection of four male inductees per year.

Other potential NHL player first-year eligible candidates include Tuukka Rask, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Dustin Brown.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chara, Thornton and Keith should be locks for next season. Price and Getzlaf could get in for 2026.

Jarome Iginla and Ed Olczyk will join the Hall of Fame selection committee commencing with 2025 nomination and election proceedings.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins traded center Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder originally from Chicago.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eller previously spent nearly seven seasons with the Capitals (2016-17 to 2022-23), helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2018. He’ll help them shore up their third-line center position for this season. Eller is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said he’d been working on trading Eller since the spring. He added that this move brought in additional assets while freeing up space on their roster for a younger player.

Does this trade signal a fire sale in Pittsburgh? I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Anaheim Ducks placed Robby Fabbri (lower body) and Cam Fowler (upper body) on injured reserve and listed center Mason McTavish as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. They also placed veteran goaltender James Reimer on waivers.

NHL.COM: Former Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland has joined the league’s hockey operations department as a consultant.

SPORTSNET: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league could look at playing more games overseas in the coming years as it continues to grow its brand globally.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 5, 2024

by | Oct 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 5, 2024

The Devils down the Sabres in the opening game of the 2024-25 season, a recap of preseason action, Utah Hockey Club names a captain, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DEVILS WIN FIRST GAME OF THE 2024-25 NHL SEASON

NHL.COM: The New Jersey Devils defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 in the opening game of the 2024-25 season before 16, 913 fans at O2 Arena in the 2024 NHL Global Series in Prague, Czechia.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (NHL Images).

It was a game of firsts for several Devils’ offseason additions. Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves for the win in his first game with the Devils, Johnathan Kovacevic and Paul Cotter picked up their first points (one goal, one assist each) with the club, and Sheldon Keefe got his first win as their head coach.

Owen Power scored for the Sabres. Game 2 of their Global Series is Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres also made some offseason changes and have a new head coach (Lindy Ruff) but produced the same old result. The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski pointed out that they once again gave up an early multi-goal deficit, failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities, and couldn’t overcome their mistakes.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal had a goal and four assists to defeat the New York Rangers 5-2. Bo Horvat tallied twice and Anthony Duclair scored and collected two assists. Adam Fox had a goal and an assist and K’Andre Miller picked up two assists for the Rangers.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on an overtime goal by Noah Gregor. Ridly Greig and Carter Yakemchuk each had two assists and Anton Forsberg made 30 saves for the Senators. Marco Kasper scored two goals for the Red Wings.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Lars Eller scored two goals and set up two others as his club thumped the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-3. Noel Acciari tallied twice and Rutger McGroarty and Jesse Puljujarvi each had a goal and two assists for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets placed winger Dmitry Voronkov (upper body) on injured reserve earlier in the day. Captain Boone Jenner missed this game after suffering an upper-body injury during practice.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Martin Necas picked up two assists for the Hurricanes. Anthony Cirelli replied for the Lightning

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and two assists while teammates Brock Faber, Marco Rossi and Jonas Brodin each scored a goal and picked up an assist. Seth Jones scored for the Blackhawks.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves to backstop his club to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Kyle Connor snapped a 2-2 tie late in the third period for the Jets. Jonathan Huberdeau and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Yegor Sharangovich left the game in the third period after an awkward fall. He was still being evaluated following the game.

The Vancouver Canucks downed the Edmonton Oilers 4-1. Arshdeep Bains and Jake DeBrusk each had a goal and an assist and Elias Pettersson picked up two assists for the Canucks. Evan Bouchard scored for the Oilers.

A shootout goal by Cutter Gauthier lifted the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Gauthier also scored in regulation. Vitek Vanecek made 40 saves for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks sent goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to their AHL affiliate earlier in the day. Askarov made headlines in August with his refusal to join the Nashville Predators’ farm team, resulting in his trade to the Sharks.

Askarov was expected to challenge Vanecek and Mackenzie Blackwood for one of the two goaltending jobs on the Sharks. However, an injury combined with solid camps by Vanecek and Blackwood sends Askarov to the AHL to start the season.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Utah Hockey Club named Clayton Keller as their team captain. The 26-year-old was their leading scorer last season with 33 goals and 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keller is the club’s first captain since Oliver Ekman-Larsson was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 2021.

TSN: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair his fractured ankle. He remains month-to-month.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that Nick Robertson, Jake McCabe, and Calle Jarnkrok are listed as day-to-day with injuries.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Golden Knights signed winger Tanner Pearson to a one-year, $775K contract after joining the club last month on a professional tryout offer.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Campbell’s performance deteriorated noticeably over the past two seasons. Here’s hoping he gets the help he needs to get his life and career back on track.

DAILY FACEOFF: Ethan Bear is among the players placed on waivers Friday. The Washington Capitals defenseman is in the second season of his two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.062 million.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL forward Artem Anisimov, 36, officially announced his retirement on Friday. From 2008-09 to 2020-21, he tallied 180 goals and 196 assists for 376 points in 771 regular-season games with the New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators. He also had 17 points in 43 playoff contests.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 5, 2024

by | Sep 5, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – September 5, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor, what a Sidney Crosby trade might look like, whether Penguins center Lars Eller could be a trade candidate, the latest Jeremy Swayman speculation, and an update on the Canucks’ goaltending.

TSN: Travis Yost admits it’s unlikely the Pittsburgh Penguins trade Sidney Crosby. The 37-year-old Penguins captain has a year remaining on his contract and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Nevertheless, Yost thinks the hockey community underestimates the possibility of Crosby being moved by the March trade deadline.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Yost raised a scenario where Crosby accepts a trade to a contender at the deadline if the Penguins are out of contention by then, ensuring the type of return that accelerates their rebuild. He could return to the Penguins when free agency begins on July 1.

The Penguins also have the cap flexibility to retain part of Crosby’s $8.7 million cap hit in the deal.

Yost suggested the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, and Colorado Avalanche possess the flexibility and pedigree to compete for the Stanley Cup with Crosby in their lineup. He doesn’t rule out the Vegas Golden Knights given their mastery of salary-cap gymnastics and their “win-now” mentality.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt Crosby will be playing with another NHL team by this season’s trade deadline. Still, Yost raises an interesting scenario of what could become one of the biggest trades in NHL history. It would certainly provide additional excitement leading up to deadline day.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel wonders if the additional forward depth brought in by Penguins management this summer could lead to Lars Eller getting traded before the start of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eller put up solid numbers last season as the Penguins’ third-line center. He’ll return in that role unless another player successfully challenges him for that job.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont recently reported the possibility of the Bruins and Jeremy Swayman agreeing to a short-term contract to end their current negotiation stalemate.

Dupont wrote the Bruins were looking at offering Swayman a bridge deal of 3-4 years at between $22 million and $24 million. Once the deal ends, he would become eligible for UFA status at age 29.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A three-year, $22 million deal would be worth an average annual value of $7.33 million while a four-year, $24 million contract would be worth $6 million annually.

The Bruins will have to raise those numbers to get Swayman to sign. His camp reportedly seeks around $8.5 million annually on a long-term deal.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford is waiting until training camp opens to get a clearer picture of the health of goaltenders Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs.

Demko recently resumed skating after surgery earlier in the offseason believed to be related to the knee injury that knocked him out of the 2024 playoffs. Meanwhile, Silovs was held out of competing for Latvia in their Olympic qualifier due to knee ligament inflammation.

Johnston indicated the Canucks have put out feelers to free agents Kevin Lankinen and Antti Raanta regarding professional tryout offers. However, Lankinen would prefer a full-on contract offer.

Rutherford admitted he’s hoping the Canucks can avoid starting the season with players on long-term injury reserve. The longer they remain under the salary cap when the season begins, the more cap space they accrue to put toward adding players by the March trade deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 12, 2024

by | Aug 12, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 12, 2024

The latest Penguins speculation plus a look at Andrei Kuzmenko’s future with the Flames in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

TRIBLIVE.COM: Mark Madden acknowledged the expectation that Sidney Crosby will sign a contract extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nevertheless, he played the “what if” game in case Crosby hasn’t signed when training camp opens or the regular season begins. He also raised the “nuclear option” of the Penguins trading Crosby if he wasn’t signed by the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any of those options could happen but seem unlikely. Barring an unexpected change by one side or the other, Crosby will sign his extension with the Penguins before training camp opens next month.

POSTGAZETTE.COM: During a recent live chat, Matt Vensel was asked if there’s any chance the Penguins would trade goaltender Tristan Jarry before the start of training camp.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (NHL Images).

Vensel believes the odds of that happening are pretty slim. He indicated the Penguins were open to moving Jarry during the 2024 NHL Draft but he doesn’t have much trade value at the moment.

The Penguins will keep Jarry around and try to get him back on track. If that happens, it’ll improve his trade value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry’s contract will remain a difficult hurdle. He carries an average annual value of $5.375 million throughout 2027-28 with a 12-team no-trade list.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski included Lars Eller among his three perplexing Penguins storylines for this season. The 35-year-old center seems expendable with Noel Acciari and offseason acquisition Blake Lizotte capable of centering the Penguins’ fourth line.

Eller is in the final season of his contract with an AAV of $2.45 million. Trading him, or even Kevin Hayes, would free up space for younger players while adding more draft picks to the Penguins’ stockpile.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kingerski was surprised by the lack of trade chatter about Eller. It’s probably due to his age and the fact most teams don’t need to add a veteran checking-line center right now. Those who did earlier in the offseason did so for less than Eller’s AAV.

Hayes was recently acquired and isn’t going anywhere. Eller’s value could improve throughout the season, especially near the trade deadline.

DOES ANDREI KUZMENKO FIT WITHIN THE FLAMES’ LONG-TERM PLANS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jim Parsons pondered winger Andrei Kuzmenko’s future with the rebuilding Calgary Flames.

Kuzmenko, 28, made an impressive NHL debut in 2022-23 with the Vancouver Canucks, tallying 39 goals and 74 points. He struggled through 43 games with the Canucks last season with eight goals and 21 points. Traded to the Flames in January, he regained his scoring touch with 14 goals and 25 points in 29 games.

Parson noted that Kuzmenko remains a one-dimensional player. While the Flames will remain patient with him, he must round out his game to have a long-term future in Calgary.

Kuzmenko is in the final season of his two-year contract with an AAV of $5.5 million. If he sustains his scoring ability he could get a long-term extension. He could also become an appealing option for other clubs if he hits the open market next summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzmenko will be interesting to follow this season. A strong performance could ensure his long-term future in Calgary if he wants to stay or make him an invaluable trade chip.










Notable NHL Trades – March 1, 2023

by | Mar 1, 2023

Notable NHL Trades – March 1, 2023

The NHL Trade Deadline is March 3 at 3 pm ET but several NHL clubs aren’t waiting until Friday to make significant moves. Here’s a roundup of today’s notable deals.

The Ottawa Senators trade a conditional first-round pick in 2023, a conditional second-round pick in 2024 and a 2026 second-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A fixture in the NHL rumor mill stretching back to last season, Chychrun is finally on the move. The Senators were frequently linked to the 24-year-old blueliner but recent reports out of Ottawa claimed they were put off by the Coyotes’ rumored high asking price of two first-round picks and a high-end prospect.

Arizona Coyotes trade defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the Ottawa Senators (NHL Images).

Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong appears to have been a little more flexible with his asking price. As per Cap Friendly, the 2023 first-rounder is top-five protected. If the condition is met, it becomes a 2024 unprotected first-round pick.

The second-rounder in 2024 is the one the Senators received from the Washington Capitals last July in the Connor Brown trade. It becomes a first-round selection (top-10 protected) if the Senators reach the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. If the pick is in the top 10, the Coyotes will receive the Senators’ 2025 first-round pick (unprotected).

A skilled puck-moving blueliner who can play big minutes, Chychrun is signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $4.6 million. He will provide a significant boost to the Senators’ defense corps. Chychrun usually plays left defense but Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson skate in those roles among their top four. He will likely start on the right side on their top pairing.

The Coyotes weren’t done trading defensemen, shipping Shayne Gostisbehere to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gostisbehere will provide an additional measure of experienced offensive depth on the blueline for the Hurricanes. He tallied 51 points in 82 games last season with the offensively anemic Coyotes and has 31 points in 52 games this season.

Another defenseman changing teams is Filip Hronek as he’s shipped by the Detroit Red Wings along with a 2023 fourth-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and a second-round pick in 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has become a seller after his club’s current three-game losing skid stalled their efforts to move into a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. The conditional first is the pick the Canucks received from the New York Islanders in the Bo Horvat trade. If that pick ends up in the top-12 it becomes an unprotected 2024 first-rounder.

The Canucks paid a lot for Hronek but they’ve been in dire need of a top-four right-side defenseman for some time. The 25-year-old Czech rearguard is enjoying his best season to date, having already matched last season’s career-high points total. Hronek’s offensive abilities will help to take some pressure off Quinn Hughes on Vancouver’s blueline.

The Washington Capitals made their fourth trade in less than a week by dealing center Lars Eller to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025. The Capitals also retained $1.085 million of Eller’s $3.5 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eller, 33, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. With the Capitals retooling their roster for next season, he no longer had a future in Washington.

The Avalanche were in the market for a second-line center this season. However, they appear comfortable with J.T. Compher in that role. Eller will instead slot into the third or fourth-line center position for the Avs. His two-way skills and Stanley Cup experience should make him a worthwhile addition as the Avalanche prepare to defend their Cup title.