NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2024

by | Apr 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2024

Recapping Sunday’s games, the latest on the Coyotes’ potential relocation to Salt Lake City, and updates on Kings captain Anze Kopitar, Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Tomas Hertl completed a four-goal comeback as the Vegas Golden Knights rallied to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. William Karlsson scored twice (including his 30th of the season) for the playoff-bound Golden Knights (44-28-8). With 96 points, they’re one point behind the third-place Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division. Cale Makar had a goal and an assist for the 49-25-7 Avalanche, who sit eighth overall with 105 points.

Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche are stumbling toward the end of the season with a record of 3-5-2.

The Carolina Hurricanes doubled up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Seth Jarvis tallied twice in the third period for the 55-22-7 Hurricanes (111 points) as they sit one point behind the league-leading New York Rangers in second place in the overall standings. Blackhawks rookie Frank Nazar scored his first NHL goal on his first shot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nazar signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks on Friday following the completion of his sophomore year with the NCAA’s Michigan Wolverines. He’s one of their top prospects and could become invaluable to the Blackhawks’ rebuilding program.

A three-goal third period lifted the St. Louis Blues to a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Jordan Kyrou broke a 1-1 tie with his 31st goal of the season and Nathan Walker had a goal and an assist. Jared McCann netted his 29th goal for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Jake Neighbours missed this game and is expected to be sidelined for his club’s final game of the season on Wednesday. He’s missed the last four games with an upper-body injury. The 22-year-old sophomore winger is tied for second with Pavel Buchenich among Blues scorers with 27 goals.

Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri scored twice in the third period to lift his club over the Arizona Coyotes 6-5. Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist for the Flames. Dylan Guenther tallied two goals for the Coyotes.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Coyotes, Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that the NHL hopes to officially announce the sale of the club to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith on Thursday or Friday.

Current Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo will have five years to prove he can build a new arena, and then he’ll be granted an expansion franchise. Friedman said Meruelo is determined to do that. He will bid for a parcel of land in a June 27 auction he intends to use for an arena and entertainment complex.

The Coyotes are expected to be sold to Smith for $1.2 billion with the league facilitating the sale.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Meruelo will receive $1 billion from the league for the sale of the Coyotes to Smith. The remaining $200 million will be retained by the league as a relocation fee and distributed equally among the 31 other NHL owners.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman convinced Meruelo to sell because of the indefinite timeline for a new arena. Meruelo agreed after the league gave him that five-year window to be granted an expansion franchise provided a new arena is built within that timeframe.

Meruelo will also retain ownership of the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. He will negotiate to be an affiliate of the new team in Salt Lake City and will explore moving the Roadrunners to Tempe so it can play its games at Mullett Arena.

AZCENTRAL.COM: The Phoenix mayor’s office sent a letter to the Coyotes seeking a meeting with Meruelo regarding his proposed plan for a new arena and entertainment complex in northeast Phoenix.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Meruelo will remain part of the NHL Board of Governors in an observer role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the last season for the Coyotes in Arizona barring any unforeseen issues. Whether there will be a Coyotes 2.0 depends on Meruelo winning the land auction in June and getting an arena built by 2029.

If the NHL does return to Arizona, and if the league also expands to Houston and Atlanta as rumored before the end of this decade, it will create an imbalance with the Western Conference having one more franchise than the Eastern Conference.

Could that finally bring about the return of the NHL to Quebec City? Does it mean a second franchise in Toronto? An expansion team in Cleveland? Let me know what you think in the comments section.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar is dealing with a nagging injury that forced him to miss Saturday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks. It remains to be seen if he’ll remain sidelined for the club’s final two regular-season games.

New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson missed Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders and Sunday’s practice with an upper-body injury suffered on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. It’s uncertain if he’ll rejoin his teammates for their final two regular-season games.

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk was fined over $2,700.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed winger Cutter Gauthier to a three-year entry-level contract. He’s expected to play in his club’s final regular-season game on Thursday. Gauthier completed his second season with the NCAA’s Boston College and led all American Division 1 collegians this season with 38 goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Philadelphia Flyers selected Gauthier with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The Ducks acquired him in January after he refused to sign with the Flyers.

SPORTSNET: The Montreal Canadiens are expected to sign prospect Luke Tuch to an entry-level contract. The younger brother of Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch, Luke completed his fourth year with Boston University.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 13, 2024

by | Apr 13, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 13, 2024

What’s the latest on the Flames? Could a potential move to Utah turn the Coyotes into offseason buyers? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie replied to several questions from his readers regarding the Flames’ offseason plans.

McKenzie will be surprised if Jacob Markstrom returns next season, partly because of how things played out with trade speculation and partly due to where the Flames are compared to contending teams.

The New Jersey Devils won’t be the only team interested in Markstrom. McKenzie suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs could be a suitor if Ilya Samsonov doesn’t pan out. The Los Angeles Kings and Detroit Red Wings could seek upgrades between the pipes.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll also be surprised if Markstrom isn’t traded this summer. The Devils were reportedly close to acquiring him in February before the deal fell through and it’s expected they’ll try again this summer.

McKenzie noted that Markstrom has the final say because of his no-movement clause. His $6 million average annual value could also be a potential sticking point.

The Flames won’t be primary suitors for a first-line center unless one becomes available and their offer rises above the rest. This summer’s free-agent class contains former Flames’ Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan but McKenzie doesn’t expect either player will return to Calgary.

Instead, the Flames could package some of the draft capital to acquire a young player who can help their roster. He suggested looking at players who might benefit from a change of scenery like Winnipeg’s Cole Perfetti or Philadelphia’s Morgan Frost.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenzie noted that Flames general manager Craig Conroy wants to add a veteran or two but also wants his team to be competitive next season. Given how well his acquisition of Yegor Sharangovich worked out, I suspect he’ll focus on players in their mid-twenties who can help his club next season and beyond.

COULD THE COYOTES BECOME BUYERS THIS SUMMER?

SPORTSNET: During Friday’s episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman speculated that the Arizona Coyotes could become aggressive buyers this summer if they move to Utah.

The NHL is negotiating with Coyotes owner Anthony Meruelo and Ryan Smith, owner of the NBA’s Utah Jazz, to relocate the franchise to Salt Lake City.

If the team does move, Smith could be motivated to make Salt Lake City a strong hockey destination. “Ryan Smith is not going to bring a team to Utah that’s going to be underfunded and playing with one hand tied behind its back,” said Friedman.

The Coyotes have considerable cap space for next season and beyond to invest in free agency and the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes currently have a projected cap space of $41.2 million for 2024-25 with 13 active roster players under contract. They’ll have plenty of room to acquire established talent this summer if they wish to go that route. The Coyotes also have a well-stocked prospect pipeline and a deep pool of draft picks to use as trade bait.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2024

by | Apr 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2024

The Golden Knights clinch the final Western Conference playoff berth, Filip Forsberg sets the Predators’ single-season goals record, the Coyotes players are told the team is moving to Utah, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights (43-28-8) clinched the final playoff spot in the Western Conference by defeating the Minnesota Wild 7-2. Tomas Hertl scored his first goal with the Golden Knights, Jack Eichel tallied his 30th goal of the season and Chandler Stephenson collected four assists. With 94 points, the Golden Knights hold the final Western wildcard berth. Wild forward Ryan Hartman netted his 20th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jonathan Marchessault scored his 42nd of the season, putting him within one goal of William Karlsson’s franchise single-season record of 43. Meanwhile, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone joined his teammates in practice earlier in the day wearing a non-contact jersey. He’s been sidelined since Feb. 20 with a lacerated spleen. There remains no official word as to when he’ll return to action.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg tallied a hat trick in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg now holds the single-season goal record (46) for the Predators (46-29-5), who sit three points ahead of the Golden Knights in the first Western wildcard. Philipp Kurashev replied for the Blackhawks.

An overtime goal by Matias Maccelli lifted the Arizona Coyotes over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Logan Cooley scored his 20th of the season while Josh Doan scored his fourth goal and has eight in his first nine games for the Coyotes. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid missed this game with a lower-body injury and is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers (48-24-6) sit ninth overall with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong reportedly told his players and staff that the franchise is moving to Utah for next season. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated there will be attempts to help those affected visit Salt Lake City.

According to GOPHNX’s Craig Morgan, the move could be officially announced following the Coyotes’ final game of the season on Apr. 17. However, Friedman’s sources believe that might not be possible because there is still lots of work to be done.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported his sources claim major issues still have to be resolved and the situation remains fluid.

The Carolina Hurricanes picked up their fourth straight win with a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues, eliminating the latter from postseason contention. Jake Guentzel scored twice for the 51-22-7 Hurricanes as they moved into second place in the overall standings with 109 points, one point behind the league-leading New York Rangers.

Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko scored a hat trick to beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-3. It was the final home game for Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg, who announced his NHL retirement at the end of this season. The Ducks honored Silfverberg following the game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Boston University forward Macklin Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award on Friday as the NCAA’s top male hockey player. Celebrini, 17, is the youngest player to win the award. He is expected to be the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft in June.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Top Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson signed his three-year entry-level NHL contract on Friday. In his two seasons with the NCAA’s Boston University Terriers, the 20-year-old defenseman averaged 1.26 points per game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson could make his Canadiens debut in one of the club’s final two games on Monday or Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

ESPN.COM: New York Rangers center Filip Chytil has returned to practice with his teammates and could be an option for the playoffs. He’s been sidelined since January dealing with a head injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chytil is believed to be dealing with post-concussion symptoms.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Ville Husso’s attempt to return to action from a lower-body injury with the Red Wings’ AHL farm team in Grand Rapids suffered a setback. He left warmups before Friday’s game and didn’t return after conversing with the training staff.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

by | Apr 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

Alex Ovechkin sets a scoring record, Auston Matthews reaches another goal milestone, hat trick performances by Nathan MacKinnon, Steven Stamkos and Juraj Slafkovsky, and the Predators clinch a playoff berth. The details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin set an NHL scoring record in a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to reach the 30-goal plateau 18 times. The Capitals improved to 37-30-11 and regained the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Patrick Kane scored his 20th of the season for the Red Wings, who slipped to 38-32-8 to sit one point back of the Capitals.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin had a slow start to this season with just nine goals in 44 games before the All-Star Break. He’s had 21 goals in his last 31 games. Red Wings forward Andrew Copp suffered a broken cheekbone after being struck by a high stick by Capitals winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel. No penalty was called on the play.

Auston Matthews is the only active NHL player to score 66 goals in a season as his Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice and collected an assist for the Leafs (46-23-9) as they sit ninth in the overall standings with 101 points. Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (37-37-5) as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is also the first player in the salary-cap era to exceed 65 goals. With four games remaining in the regular season, he has time to become the first player in 31 years to reach 70 goals. Meanwhile, Devils star Jack Hughes missed this game and will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. It’s been that kind of season for the Devils as they struggled through a disappointing follow-up to last season’s promising performance.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied a hat trick to reach the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had three points for the 49-24-6 Avalanche as they sit sixth overall with 104 points. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the 37-32-9 Wild, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 137 points, MacKinnon sits two back of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. With 51 goals, he’s the fourth player to reach 50 this season.

Speaking of hat tricks, Steven Stamkos scored three goals to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Kucherov picked up three assists to lead the scoring race with 139 points for the Lightning (44-27-7), who hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 95 points. Kirill Marchenko scored both goals for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 39 goals, Stamkos is poised to reach the 40-goal plateau for the seventh time. The Lightning extended their points streak to six games and are 11-2-1 in their last 14 contests.

Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky potted his first career NHL hat trick in a 9-3 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak each scored two goals for the Canadiens. Owen Tippett and Erik Johnson collected two points each for the Flyers, who slipped to 36-32-11 (83 points) and sit two points out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canadiens announced defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. He had similar surgery last season on his right shoulder. Meanwhile, the Flyers are winless in their last eight games (0-6-2), leaving head coach John Tortorella somberly observing his club has reached “rock bottom.” They overachieved for most of this season but are running out of gas as the schedule winds down.

The Nashville Predators dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets but picked up a point to clinch a playoff berth. Kyle Connor scored the game-winner and Connor Hellebucyk kicked out 45 shots for the Jets (48-24-6), as they sit in eighth place in the overall standings with 102 points. Predators captain Roman Josi collected assists on goals by Spencer Stastney and Ryan O’Reilly as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force the extra frame. With a record of 45-29-5, the Predators hold the first Western Conference wildcard with 95 points.

A three-goal first period powered the New York Islanders to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson picked up two points each and Semyon Varlamov made 32 saves for the 36-27-15 Islanders, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points. Chris Kreider had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (53-22-4) as they hold first place in the overall standings with 110 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette was furious following the game over a pair of what he deemed “vicious hits” on forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. The hit on Zibanejad appeared to be accidental but the one on Trocheck was deliberately hit from behind by Dobson. Both players escaped injury but Zibanejad was shaken up after the collision with Adam Pelech.

The Dallas Stars moved to within one point of the league-leading Rangers by nipping the Buffalo Sabres 3-2, eliminating the latter from postseason contention. Jake Oettinger made 19 saves for his eighth straight win while Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Joe Pavelski scored for the 50-20-9 Stars. Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch replied for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres set the NHL record for the longest playoff drought. Buffalo is a great hockey town but their fans continue to be disappointed by years of mismanagement and bad coaching.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied a lacrosse-style goal and collected an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guentzel and Seth Jarvis also scored for the 50-22-7 Hurricanes (107 points), who moved ahead of the Bruins into third place in the overall standings. Charlie McAvoy replied for the 46-18-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the third straight season the Hurricanes have reached the 50-win mark.

The Florida Panthers blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0. Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves for the shutout. Anton Lundell and Nick Cousins were the goal scorers as the Panthers improved to 49-24-6 and sit seventh overall with 104 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators will finish the schedule on a high note in terms of attendance. Despite another disappointing season, they enjoyed the fourth-highest change in attendance (5.9 percent). They’ve played to 95 percent capacity, averaging 17,536.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots in a 3-1 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Frank Vatrano, Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras were the goal scorers. Akil Thomas netted the only goal for the 41-26-11 Kings (93 points) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division.

The Seattle Kraken blanked the Arizona Coyotes 5-0. Philipp Grubauer made 39 saves while Matty Beniers and Oliver Bjorkstrand each picked up two assists. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced defenseman Travis Dermott will miss the remainder of the season with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Andrei Kuzmenko gave the Calgary Flames a 3-2 decision over the San Jose Sharks. Kuzmenko and Nazem Kadri each had two points for the Flames. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 37 shots for the Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The club recalled forward Dylan Holloway as McDavid will decide if he’ll play on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. His injury is not the same one that forced him to miss two games earlier this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history to reach that plateau. Nevertheless, the priority for the Oilers is to ensure their captain is healthy for the upcoming playoffs. They have six games left in the regular season.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Justin Faulk could miss the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 9, 2024

by | Apr 9, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 9, 2024

Which clubs could target Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom this summer? Could the Blues attempt to move Jordan Binnington in the offseason? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHICH CLUBS COULD TARGET MARKSTROM?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson considers it a foregone conclusion that the Calgary Flames will trade Jacob Markstrom. The 34-year-old goaltender has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.4 million and a full no-movement clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Matheson observed, Markstrom holds all the cards here. It’s his decision if he’ll accept a trade and to which clubs he’d find acceptable destinations. It’s believed a deal with the New Jersey Devils fell through two months ago.

Matheson observed that the Ottawa Senators need a goalie. He claimed the Flames really like center Shane Pinto.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You know who else really likes Pinto? The Senators. They intend on signing the restricted free agent this summer. Pinto told The Athletic’s Ian Mendes he wants to stay in Ottawa and hopes to get a new deal done soon.

The Senators probably aren’t on Markstrom’s list of preferred trade destinations. He’s probably not interested in joining a rebuilding club at this stage in his career.

The Los Angeles Kings could search for a new netminder in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are a more realistic destination for Markstrom. They’re a playoff contender looking to take the next step toward Stanley Cup contention. The Kings reportedly attempted to acquire Linus Ullmark but the Boston Bruins goalie is said to have refused to waive his no-trade clause.

The Devils have veteran Jake Allen and that’s about it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After the trade deadline, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald stated that he’s going “big-game hunting” for a goaltender in the offseason. Markstrom is probably at the top of his list.

COULD THE BLUES SHOP BINNINGTON IN THE OFFSEASON?

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman wondered if St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong will make any major changes to his club in the offseason.

Friedman and Jeff Marek pointed out that goaltender Jordan Binnington is having a really good year for the Blues. He has a full no-trade clause that reverts to an 18-team no-trade list for next season. Friedman is curious if Armstrong might attempt to move the 30-year-old goaltender, who has value in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Everything I’ve read and heard regarding the Blues suggested Armstrong might try to move one of his high-salaried defensemen. Still, we can’t dismiss the possibility he gauges Binnington’s value in the trade market.

Binnington’s improvement this season was partly because he reined in his fiery temper. Still, that aspect of his personality could make some clubs leery about acquiring him. His no-trade next season limits the Blues to just 14 trade partners, though Armstrong could ask him to widen his list of destinations. His $6 million cap hit through 2026-27 could also be a sticking point.

Promising goalie Joel Hofer has the makings of a future starter for the Blues. If Armstrong moves Binnington this summer, he must bring in a reliable veteran to back up Hofer.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 8, 2024

by | Apr 8, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 8, 2024

More speculation about Sidney Crosby’s future plus the latest on the Flames and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST SIDNEY CROSBY SPECULATION

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks noted there is some trepidation that Sidney Crosby might leave the Pittsburgh Penguins. He indicated that next season will be Crosby’s 20th with the Penguins. He cited Martin Brodeur and Mike Modano as two stars who changed teams after 20 years.

If Crosby wants out, Brooks speculates he’ll let Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas know at the end of this season. That would allow Dubas time during the summer to trade Crosby to a contender like Colorado, Tampa Bay or perhaps Vegas.

However, the majority opinion expects the 36-year-old Penguins captain will sign a contract extension early this summer ahead of an attempted accelerated roster reconstruction.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That is the overall consensus among the pundits but it hasn’t stopped some folks from playing “What If”?

Everything I’ve read and heard coming out of Pittsburgh has Crosby signing an extension before the start of next season to finish his career as a Penguin. Crosby could decide to chase a fourth Stanley Cup ring somewhere else but I think he’s staying put.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE FLAMES?

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman looked at what could be in store for the Calgary Flames after missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

Wegman doesn’t advocate for Flames GM Craig Conroy to tear down his roster. Nevertheless, he must avoid handing out long-term contracts to aging players and focus on bringing more youth into the lineup.

Trade candidates could include goaltender Jacob Markstrom and 2025 pending UFAs Andrew Mangiapane and Andrei Kuzmenko. Wegman noted the New Jersey Devils’ interest in Markstrom and how it became a prominent distraction this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy signaled his intentions when he traded pending UFAs Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev. It will likely be more of a retool than a rebuild.

Markstrom’s no-movement clause gives him full control over his situation. Depending on which story you believe, Flames ownership spiked a potential trade to the Devils because the Flames were still in wildcard contention. It’s anticipated Markstrom could agree to go to a contender this summer. Whether it’s the Devils or somewhere else remains to be seen.

Mangiapane and Kuzmenko could hit the trade block this summer.

Wegman recommends extending Yegor Sharangovich. He’s eligible next summer for UFA status but the 25-year-old forward could still be part of the solution when the Flames turn the corner in a few years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharangovich was among the bright spots for the Flames this season, reaching 30 goals for the first time in his career. Maybe Conroy will extend him this summer on a five-year deal worth around $5.5 million.

The Flames could also weaponize their cap space by targeting teams looking to clear space and are willing to include draft picks and prospects in the deal. They could sign playoff-type UFAs to one-year contracts and flip them at next year’s deadline for draft picks.

WHAT WILL THE BLUE JACKETS DO THIS SUMMER?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk recently discussed what could be in store this summer for the Columbus Blue Jackets under a new general manager.

Seravalli thinks the Jackets should look at moving on from some of their veteran players to make room for their younger talent. He pointed out that they haven’t won anything with their current group. Apart from Zach Werenski and perhaps Boone Jenner, none of their veterans should be safe.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Easier said than done for some of those veterans.

Forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine carry expensive contracts and haven’t played as well as expected.

Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made headlines in January regarding an on-again, off-again trade request. However, he’s had his struggles and carries a $5.4 million AAV through 2026-27.

Defenseman Damon Severson carries a $6.25 million AAV through 2030-31 and has a full no-trade clause.