NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2025

by | Dec 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2025

A notable hat trick by Predators winger Filip Forsberg, the Ducks’ Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba return to New York, the Sabres make a management change, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A hat-trick performance by Filip Forsberg carried the Nashville Predators to a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly each collected two assists for the 13-15-4 Predators, who have won seven of their last 10 games. Dalibor Dvorsky netted both goals for the Blues, who dropped to 12-15-7.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg picked up his 11th career hat trick, tying Markus Naslund for the second-most NHL hat tricks by a Swedish player. Kent Nilsson is the leader with 14.

Before this game, the Blues announced that winger Dylan Holloway would miss at least six weeks with an ankle injury.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored twice, and goalie Lukas Dostal stopped 26 shots to defeat the New York Rangers 4-1. Ryan Poehling had two assists for the Ducks (20-12-1), as they ended a two-game losing skid. Matthew Robertson replied for the Rangers (16-14-4), who have dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game back in New York for former Rangers Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, who received ovations from the fans at Madison Square Garden during tribute videos for both players. Both were traded to the Ducks in separate trades last season.

Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad was benched from this game for missing a team meeting.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart tallied two goals in a 5-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for the 17-13-2 Panthers, who’ve won five of their last six contests. Brayden Point had two assists for the Lightning (18-12-3), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning forward Brandon Hagel left this game in the third period after a questionable hit by Panthers defenseman Seth Jones. Earlier in the day, the Lightning announced that defenseman Emil Lilleberg will miss several weeks with an injury, while sidelined goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy could return to the lineup before Christmas.

The Dallas Stars beat the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 4-1. Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist, and Casey DeSmith made 27 saves for the 22-7-5 Stars. Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the Kings (14-9-9), who are 0-1-2 in their last three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a collision with Rantanen.

An overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Tim Stutzle had three assists, and Jake Sanderson scored the tying goal late in the third period for the Senators (15-13-4). Neal Pionk and Logan Stanley replied for the 15-15-2 Jets, who have three wins in their last 10 games.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Buffalo Sabres fired general manager Kevyn Adams, replacing him with Jarmo Kekalainen on a full-time basis.

Adams was in his sixth season as the Sabres’ general manager. He was criticized for mismanaging the team’s assets, his inability to secure a franchise goaltender, and his failure to address a lingering leadership void within the team.

In June, Adams hired Kekalainen as a senior advisor. He spent 10 seasons as general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A recent report in The Athletic indicated the Sabres were internally discussing replacing Adams. During his tenure, the Sabres’ postseason drought stretched to a league-record 14 seasons and counting. His two biggest blunders were trading Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights and Sam Reinhart to the Florida Panthers. Both players flourished with their new teams, becoming Stanley Cup champions.

Adams lacked management experience when he was hired for the job. He did his best, but he had no business being in that role. It was yet another example of the ineptitude of the club’s ownership, which has gone through five general managers, eight head coaches, 28 goaltenders with more than one game played, and seven team captains since 2011.

Kekalainen has considerable management experience. He guided the Blue Jackets through their most successful period in franchise history from 2016 to 2020, reaching the playoffs in four straight seasons. However, things fell apart soon afterward, leading to his firing last year. Whether he fares better than his four predecessors remains to be seen.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, and Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek are the league’s stars for the week ending Dec. 14, 2025.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks placed center Connor Bedard (upper body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 12.

DAILY FACEOFF/DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will miss the next two games with an upper-body injury. The Wings also placed forward Jonatan Berggren on waivers.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner and defenseman Brett Kulak joined the Pittsburgh Penguins’ active roster after resolving their immigration status over the weekend. On Friday, the Oilers traded Skinner and Kulak to the Penguins for goalie Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks placed forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev on injured reserve.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks agreed to a two-year contract extension with center Max Sasson. He will earn an average annual value of $1 million.

RG.ORG: Prospect winger Gavin McKenna is hoping for redemption at the 2026 World Junior Championship. He was part of Canada’s junior team that failed to medal last season.

McKenna believes his move from the CHL to the NCAA with Penn State University this season has improved his decision-making, defensive play, and physical growth. He thinks those attributes will help his performance in this year’s tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna said his focus is on winning gold, and he’s not looking at this tournament as an opportunity to elevate his status in the 2026 NHL Draft. Nevertheless, he has slipped from the top spot in some recent draft rankings. A strong performance at the WJC could help him regain that placement.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 27, 2025

by | Nov 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 27, 2025

Are the Oilers interested in the Blues’ Jordan Binnington or the Penguins’ Tristan Jarry? What’s the latest on the Canucks, Predators, Flames, Stars, and Mammoth? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

OILERS LINKED TO BINNINGTON AND JARRY

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples referred to a recent list of trade targets by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, where the latter claimed the “strongest speculation” tied the Oilers to St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington.

Kypreos observed that the 32-year-old Binnington has one season remaining on his contract, and he’s unlikely to be part of any roster retooling by the Blues. He speculated the deal would see the Oilers ship their current starter, Stuart Skinner, to St. Louis in the deal. Kypreos said that they’re also seeing if they can pry a defenseman away from the Blues.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (NHL Images).

Staples pointed out that Binnington carries an average annual value of $6 million, while Skinner is on an expiring contract with an AAV of $2.6 million. He thinks they will have to include a significant sweetener in the deal to convince the Blues to retain part of Binnington’s cap hit.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman noted that Kypreos’ rumor about Binnington to the Oilers “stirred up a hornet’s nest”. He pointed out the Oilers can’t trade for the veteran netminder without his permission, even if the Blues were willing to do it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington has a 14-team no-trade list, and the Oilers could be on it. Even if he were willing to go to Edmonton, the cap-strapped Oilers can’t afford him without either moving out a lot of salary in the deal or giving up what few decent assets they have among their promising young players to make it happen.

Staples pointed out that Binnington’s stats are worse than Skinner’s this season. What’s also worth noting is that the Oilers’ sloppy defensive play this season has contributed to Skinner’s struggles, so Binnington probably wouldn’t fare much better.

Meanwhile, Staples noted that ESPN’s Kevin Weekes is claiming the Oilers might be interested in acquiring netminder Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Weekes reminded everyone that Jarry played in Edmonton for the WHL’s Oil Kings during his junior days.

Friedman and Oilers insider Bob Stauffer believe the Jarry rumor makes more sense. The Penguins are carrying four goaltenders and are dealing from a position of strength. However, Stauffer noted the difficulty the capped-out Oilers would face trying to add to their roster.

Staples indicated that Jarry carries an AAV of $5.375 million through 2027-28.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry’s cap hit isn’t as hefty as Binnington’s but has more term left on his contract. He also has a history of inconsistent play, spending several weeks playing for the Penguins’ AHL affiliate last season. He got off to a good start to this season before suffering an injury, but he picked up the win in his first game back last night against the Buffalo Sabres.

The same cap issues apply, not to mention Jarry’s 12-team no-trade list could also complicate things.

Trading for Binnington or Jarry would be risky for the Oilers. It could work out better than expected, or it could only make things worse. Given the few options available, they risk overpaying for either guy.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: In addition to the Binnington rumor, Elliotte Friedman touched on the Vancouver Canucks becoming sellers in the trade market.

He indicated that Quinn Hughes isn’t available, stating that several sources have pushed back hard on the notion that the 26-year-old superstar defenseman has already decided he won’t re-sign with the Canucks. Still, at some point, the Canucks and Hughes will have to discuss his future.

Pending UFA winger Kiefer Sherwood will garner plenty of interest. There is probably little desire by the Canucks to trade blueliner Filip Hronek, and Friedman doesn’t think Tyler Myers will waive his no-movement clause during this season. They also prefer to retain winger Conor Garland.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The current theory regarding Hughes is that he could seek a trade as early as the March trade deadline if the Canucks haven’t improved by then.

The real issue is whether he’s willing to sign an extension. If he doesn’t, the Canucks will entertain trade offers. They could wait until the offseason, when teams will have more cap space and a willingness to make a big trade for a superstar such as Hughes.

Like the Canucks, the Nashville Predators are exploring the trade market. There are teams interested in Ryan O’Reilly, but he’s got a big say in any move. Friedman also dismissed the Filip Forsberg trade theories and doesn’t see the Predators being willing to retain salary in any deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but the Predators are treating him as though he does. They’re not trading Forsberg unless he wants out, and there’s no indication that he does. He has a full no-movement clause.

The Calgary Flames won’t make any short-term moves to save their season. “If it’s a high pick, they will take it.”

Goalie-hungry teams will be watching Laurent Brossoit’s return from knee and hip surgeries that have sidelined him since April 2024. There’s no room for him with the Chicago Blackhawks now.

Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill remains confident he can afford to re-sign Jason Robertson when they already have an expensive Mikko Rantanen on their roster.

The Utah Mammoth would like to add to its roster. They have plenty of draft picks and prospects to draw on for trade capital.

Friedman believes free-agent forward Robby Fabbri could land with a new NHL club soon. The Ottawa Senators were among the rumored teams, but it won’t be with them.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

by | Jan 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner and Victor Hedman reach notable offensive milestones. Read on for the details and much more from a busy Thursday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the only goal in a 1-0 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 25 saves for his second straight shutout victory as the Capitals picked up their third straight win to take over first place in the overall standings with 65 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots for the Senators (48 points) as their three-game win streak ended, leaving them one point behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 874 NHL regular-season goals, leaving him 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Merilainen became the 179th NHL goalie that Ovechkin has scored against, breaking Jaromir Jagr’s record of 178. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot missed this game as he’s day-to-day after taking a puck to the face during Tuesday’s 2-0 win over the New York Islanders.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit with four unanswered goals to nip the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied the game with his 20th goal of the season and Evan Bouchard tallied the game-winner as the Oilers moved into a tie with the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (61 points) in the Pacific Division. Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the sixth player in Oilers history to reach the 20-goal plateau nine times, joining Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier (10 times), Leon Draisaitl and Wayne Gretzky (nine times). The Oilers sit second in the Pacific because the Golden Knights hold a game in hand.

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Auston Matthews tallied twice and Mitch Marner had two assists for the Leafs, who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 58 points. Nico Hischier scored two goals and Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist for the Devils to extend their points streak to four games (1-0-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner became the fastest player to reach 700 points in Leafs history, reaching that milestone in 622 games, breaking Darryl Sittler’s record of 666. Leafs center John Tavares missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jake McCabe had two assists in his return from a four-game absence with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a shootout goal from Jake Guentzel to down the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Guentzel also scored in regulation while netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 34 shots for the Lightning. Troy Terry scored the tying goal in the third period and Lukas Dostal made 32 saves as the Ducks have one win in their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman collected an assist to become the first player in franchise history to reach the 600-assist milestone. Lighting blueliner Erik Cernak left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

Winnipeg Jets blueliner Dylan DeMelo scored with 27 seconds remaining in the third period to beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Mark Scheifele tied the game with his 27th goal of the season as the Jets are tied with the league-leading Capitals with 65 points. Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken, who’ve won twice in their last eight games (2-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeMelo was playing in his 600th NHL regular-season game. The Capitals hold first over the Jets with a game in hand.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected an assist to extend his home points streak to 18 games in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. James van Riemsdyk scored twice as the Blue Jackets (50 points) have won six straight and vaulted over the Boston Bruins in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Tyler Toffoli replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Considering everything the Blue Jackets have endured since last year (management and coaching changes, trading Patrik Laine, the sudden death of Johnny Gaudreau, and injuries to Boone Jenner, Erik Gudbranson and Sean Monahan), their surge into a playoff berth has been impressive. Even general manager Don Waddell is surprised by their performance in recent weeks.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 to extend their points streak to six games (5-0-1). Jakub Dobes made 32 stops to pick up their fourth straight win in as many starts while Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook and Joel Armia scored for the Canadiens (48 points) as they also sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jason Robertson scored for Dallas, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points. The Stars played without Roope Hintz, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars also unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

The First Team comprises forwards Mike Modano, Jamie Benn and Jere Lehtinen, defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Sergei Zubov, and goaltender Marty Turco. The Second Team comprised forwards Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Brenden Morrow, defensemen John Klingberg and Esa Lindell, and goaltender Ed Belfour.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot kicked out 41 shots (including 23 in the third period) in a 5-2 upset of the Florida Panthers. Dylan Larkin tallied twice and collected an assist while Lucas Raymond had two helpers as the Red Wings sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 46 points. Anton Lundell and Evan Rodrigues scored for the Panthers, who pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period after he gave up four goals on 15 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov received a notable honor from his home country of Finland. It was announced that the Finnish Association of Sports Journalists named Barkov its Sportsman of the Year for 2024, making him the first hockey player to receive that award.

The Los Angeles Kings thumped the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Alex Turcotte scored twice and set up another as the Kings took over third place in the Pacific Division with 55 points, ending a two-game losing skid. Filip Hronek scored for the Canucks, who have two wins in their last 10 games (2-5-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet wasn’t pleased with the performance of center J.T. Miller. “He’s struggling. He’s caught in between,” he said in his postgame interview. “You know, it seems like every time he’s on the ice, something bad happens.” Miller’s been the subject of trade rumors amid reports of a rift with center Elias Pettersson.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Reilly Smith, Chris Kreider and Artemin Panarin gave the New York Rangers a 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Panarin finished with two goals as the Rangers extended their points streak to six games (4-0-2) to sit four points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card spot. Matias Maccelli tallied twice for Utah, extending their losing skid to three games.

St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn scored twice and Dylan Holloway picked up two assists to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. The Blues swept the two-game series and are 7-3-0 in their last 10. Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who hold a one-point lead over the Blues and Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Philadelphia Flyers held off the New York Islanders 5-3. Sean Couturier had a goal and an assist while Travis Konecny had three assists for the Flyers, extending their points streak to four games (3-0-1) and sitting within three points of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Islanders captain Anders Lee scored his 20th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Ryan Poehling left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a hard hit from Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored his 300th NHL regular-season goal in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg also extended his goal streak to four games while teammate Steven Stamkos scored the winner in the shootout. Connor Bedard scored and Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists for the Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2023

by | Feb 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2023

The Golden Knights match a franchise record in a win over the Ducks, the Canadiens upset the Oilers, plus injury updates on Filip Forsberg, Logan Thompson and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights matched a franchise record for most goals in a single period in a 7-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Vegas scored five times in the third period with Jack Eichel, Phil Kessel and Shea Theodore among five Golden Knights to finish with a goal and an assist. With the win, Vegas improved to 32-18-4 to sit atop the Pacific Division with 68 points. The Ducks sank to 17-31-6 on the season. They also played without John Klingberg, who missed this game due to illness.

Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz tallied twice as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 to snap a three-game losing streak. With a record of 30-18-5, the Kraken remain three points behind the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Rasmus Ristolainen collected two assists for the 22-23-10 Flyers (54 points) as they remain seven points out of the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris (NHL Images)

The Montreal Canadiens upset the Edmonton Oilers 6-2, ending a 15-game points streak by Oilers captain Connor McDavid. Jordan Harris scored twice to become the first Canadiens rookie defenseman to have a multi-goal game since P.K. Subban in March 2011. Jake Allen stopped 32 shots for the 22-27-4 Canadiens. Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane replied for the Oilers (30-19-5) as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Canadiens as rugged rookie blueliner Arber Xhekaj left the game with an apparent shoulder injury following a fight with Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais. An update on his condition could be made on Monday.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson collected three points in a 4-1 upset of the Washington Capitals. The Sharks (17-26-11) lost goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen in the second period following incidental contact with Washington center Evgeny Kuznetsov. Aaron Dell finished the game for the Sharks. Kuznetsov scored for the Capitals (28-21-6) as they remain in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word as to the severity of Kahkonen’s injury. The Sharks were playing without goalie James Reimer (illness) but he could return to action on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

HEADLINES

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg is fortunate that it’s only day-to-day. He was left woozy after hitting his head on the ice following a check by Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and had to be helped from the ice.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: On Saturday, the Golden Knights announced that goaltender Logan Thompson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. They recalled Laurent Brossoit from their AHL affiliate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lengthy absence by Thompson could have implications for the Golden Knights’ playoff hopes. They’re in a tight race right now in the Pacific Division. Adin Hill got the win for them on Sunday and will be relied on to carry the bulk of the load in Thompson’s absence.

DAILY FACEOFF: Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg is out indefinitely with left and right knee MCL injuries. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson will be sidelined for at least two weeks with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be the final nail in the coffin for the Senators’ slim playoff hopes.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich is one step closer to making his season debut. Sidelined by a preseason shoulder injury, he’s been sent to the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield on a conditioning assignment.










Predators Sign Filip Forsberg To An Eight-Year Contract

by | Jul 9, 2022

Predators Sign Filip Forsberg To An Eight-Year Contract

The Nashville Predators signed Filip Forsberg to an eight-year contract. Cap Friendly indicates it’s a $68 million deal, breaking down as $8.5 million annually. The 28-year-old left wing was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 13.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I write this, the full details of Forsberg’s new contract have not been released. We don’t know yet if the dollars are front- or back-loaded or if it contains signing bonuses or no-trade/no-movement clauses.

What we do know is Forsberg’s staying with the only NHL team he’s ever played for. He’s their all-time leader in goals with 220 and ranks fourth in total points with 469. He’s tallied a career-best season with 42 goals and 42 assists for 84 points.

This signing isn’t a surprise given the recent reports on how close the two sides were getting in negotiations. Back in May, Forsberg indicated his willingness to stay in Nashville and his hope a deal could be reached.

Still, this is a big investment by the Predators. They’ve ensured Forsberg will be under contract until age 35, by which time his career could be on the decline. That contract could become burdensome over its final four years.

A few more seasons like 2021-22 on Forsberg’s part, however, will go a long way toward alleviating those concerns. The Predators obviously see him as a key part of their long-term plans as they attempt to build their way back toward Stanley Cup contention.

Forsberg’s deal leaves the Predators with $9.6 million in cap space with 18 players under contract for 2022-23. Fortunately, they have all their core player under contract, providing sufficient space to re-sign or replace the remainder of their free agents.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 7, 2022

by | Jul 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 7, 2022

The 2022-23 schedule is released plus the latest on Kirill Kaprizov, Filip Forsberg, Kris Letang, Patrice Bergeron, John Klingberg, Evander Kane and more on the eve of the first round of the 2022 draft in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The league released its 2022-23 schedule on Wednesday. The regular season begins in Prague on Oct. 7 and 8 as the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks face off in the 2022 Global Series. The first games in North America will be held on Oct. 11 featuring the New York Rangers facing the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Colorado Avalanche will raise their 2021-22 Stanley Cup banner in Denver on Oct. 12 prior to their home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks. That evening will also see the Toronto Maple Leafs travel to Montreal to face the Canadiens while the Vancouver Canucks will face the Oilers in Edmonton.

The 2023 Winter Classic will be held on Jan. 1, 2023, between the Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins at Fenway Park in Boston. Hockey Day in Canada featuring all seven Canadian teams in action will be on Jan. 21.

The Florida Panthers will host the 2023 NHL All-Star Game with the skills competition on Feb. 3 and the All-Star Game on Feb. 4. The regular season will end on Apr. 13.

THE ATHLETIC: Media reports out of Russia claim Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov is wanted in his native country for allegedly buying a fake military ID card in 2017 while he was playing in the KHL. The Wild and the NHL are gathering information to determine the credibility of the story.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

Reports also claimed Kaprizov had fled Russia but Wild general manager Bill Guerin said he’s still in the country and is safe with family and friends. Guerin said he and the club have been in touch with Kaprizov’s agent and aren’t pushing the panic button.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a result of Russia’s war with Ukraine. Under Russian law, eligible men between 18 and 27 must serve a year in the military, though exemptions are provided for athletes. Russo cited a source claiming Kaprizov’s exemption ended on June 30.

Last week, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov was detained under suspicion of dodging the draft and sent to a remote Arctic naval base. Fedotov broke his contract with KHL club CSKA Moscow to sign with the Flyers in May. It’s generated increasing concern over whether Russian players will be allowed to return to the NHL next season. 

TWINCITIES.COM: Speaking of the Wild, they signed defenseman Jake Middleton to a three-year contract extension with an annual average value of $2.45 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Middleton was due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights when the free-agent market opened on July 13. Acquired from the San Jose Sharks before the trade deadline, he proved to be a good fit with the Wild. He skated with Jared Spurgeon on their top pairing, providing an additional measure of grit to their blueline.

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators general manager David Poile said his club is closer to signing Filip Forsberg now than when they made their eight-year contract offer earlier in the offseason. The 27-year-old left winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It looks like Forsberg will stay in Nashville barring a last-minute collapse in negotiations before the free agent market opens next Wednesday. There’s no indication from the Forsberg camp of any disagreement with Poile’s assessment of their contract talks.

I assumed a sticking point was the lack of no-trade protection. Poile indicated Forsberg will get a full no-movement clause and a full no-trade if he signs with the Predators.

The Predators GM said the holdup was over money. It’s rumored that could be between $8 million and $9 million per season on an eight-year deal.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins GM Ron Hextall said he’d be surprised if his club didn’t get defenseman Kris Letang signed to a new contract before July 13. However, he seemed less optimistic about re-signing Evgeni Malkin but said the two sides will continue working on it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Letang is reportedly seeking a five-year deal worth between $8 million and $9 million annually. The Penguins are also said to have put the priority on re-signing the 35-year-old defenseman before turning to Malkin.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron hasn’t signed on the dotted line yet, but recent discussions indicate he’s considering a return with the Bruins next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An earlier report last month had Bergeron agreeing to come back. Back in May, he indicated that he would either return with the Bruins or retire. If he’s leaning toward playing, I think we’ll see him suiting up for a 19th season in Boston.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports John Klingberg will be hitting the free-agent market next week. Talks between the 29-year-old defenseman and the Dallas Stars have been cordial but they don’t appear to be any closer to working out a new contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports last fall claimed Klingberg sought an eight-year deal with the Stars worth between $7.75 million and $8.5 million per season. With Jake Oettinger and Jason Robertson due for big raises coming off their entry-level deals, the Stars won’t have enough cap room to pay them and Klingberg.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland said his club isn’t close to a deal with Evander Kane. He said they’ll continue to speak with his agent to see if something can be worked out. Kane, 30, is due to become a UFA next week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane also has a grievance hearing over his terminated contract with the San Jose Sharks coming up sometime after July 13 unless he and the Sharks can work out an agreement before then. That could affect the Oilers’ efforts to sign him.

TSN: Washington Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said Nicklas Backstrom is determined to play next season after undergoing hip surgery last month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Uncertainty over Backstrom’s status raised speculation the Capitals could be shopping around for a replacement. His determination to play is admirable but that will be decided by how well he recovers from hip-shaving surgery.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Capitals, they’ll get more clarity on the status of Carl Hagelin’s season-ending eye injury later this summer. Hagelin suffered the injury during practice in early March. He underwent two surgeries which permanently took away some of the vision in his left eye. It also affected his depth perception but that could return in time.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY NOW: Canucks management indicated there’s not much to report on contract extension talks with J.T. Miller. However, they’re more optimistic about re-signing captain Bo Horvat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both players have a year remaining on their contracts. Miller has been the subject of considerable trade speculation this season. There are rumors he could be traded either during the draft or before the start of the UFA market next week.

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said Jesper Bratt will not be traded and has received a qualifying offer from the team. The 23-year-old winger is coming off a career-best 73-point performance and is slated to become a restricted free agent next Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: So much for the recent speculation claiming the Devils could shop Bratt if they couldn’t work out a suitable new contract.

NORTHJERSEY.COM: Speaking of the Devils, they hired Kate Madigan as their new assistant GM, becoming the first woman in franchise history to hold that role.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed defenseman Adam Boqvist to a three-year contract extension worth an annual average value of $2.6 million.

NHL.COM: Former NHL defenseman Bryan Marchment died suddenly on Wednesday in Montreal. Marchment, 53, was attending the upcoming draft in his role as a scout with the San Jose Sharks.

A physical blueliner during his playing career, Marchment spent 17 seasons in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, Hartford Whalers, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames from 1988-89 to 2005-06. In 926 regular-season games, he had 182 points and amassed 2,307 PIMs. His son, Mason Marchment, plays for the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Marchment’s family, friends, former teammates and the Sharks organization.