NHL Rumor Mill – August 29, 2025

by | Aug 29, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 29, 2025

More reaction to Connor McDavid’s comments about his contract status in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston noted how the hockey world sat up and took notice this week when Connor McDavid spoke with so little urgency about signing a new contract with the Edmonton Oilers.

McDavid indicated he’s committed to winning the Stanley Cup this season with the Oilers. However, he said that all options were on the table regarding his contract situation. He intends to take his time evaluating everything, indicating that he is fine either way, whether he signs before this season or not.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Johnston believes the Oilers would re-sign McDavid in an instant for whatever he wants. Nevertheless, the fact that he’s willing to let those discussions drift into the regular season is significant. He thinks the longer it goes, the more interesting the situation becomes.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau took note of McDavid saying he wants the group (referring to himself and his Oilers teammates) to be as dialed in as possible on winning the Cup this season, adding they don’t want distractions.

Proteau believes signing an extension with the Oilers before the start of the upcoming season will remove that distraction. He pointed out how Mitch Marner’s contract status was the subject of speculation throughout last season, and how Igor Shesterkin’s was also the subject of media chatter before he re-signed in December.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Anthony Fantucchio believes Bruins fans shouldn’t get their hopes up about the possibility of signing McDavid if he goes to market next summer. They lack the salary cap space to do so, plus they’re no longer Stanley Cup contenders.

Fantucchio pointed out that only a handful of clubs will be able to provide him with the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. They include Toronto, Florida, Dallas, Colorado, Tampa Bay, and Vegas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston and Proteau are correct. The longer it takes McDavid to re-sign with the Oilers, the more speculation over his future. Even if he and the club refuse to discuss the situation with the media, it will remain a topic of growing conjecture among fans and pundits.

Fantucchio is right about the Bruins having no shot at landing McDavid if he becomes a UFA next summer. Of his list of potential destinations, the most likely are the ones that can afford to pay him top dollar while giving him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Of the teams listed by Fantucchio, Dallas has over $27.9 million in projected cap space (depending on what they do with RFAs Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley). Tampa Bay will have $27.75 million with Ryan McDonagh their most notable UFA and JJ Moser an RFA.

Colorado will have $26.85 million, with Martin Necas UFA-eligible in 2026 and Cale Makar due a significant raise in 2027-28. Toronto will have $24.845 million, but they’re not a realistic Stanley Cup contender given their questionable depth in goal, on defense, and on their checking lines.

Florida will have $23.1 million to re-sign or replace goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov. As for Vegas, they’ll have $20.375 million plus an extra $8.8 million in cap relief if Alex Pietrangelo remains on LTIR, but Jack Eichel is UFA-eligible next July, and they’re paying Mitch Marner $12 million annually for eight years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 10, 2025

by | May 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 10, 2025

The Jets tied their series with the Stars, the Panthers got their first win in their series with the Maple Leafs, seven more skaters are added to the Quarter-Century Team, the latest on a new franchise in Atlanta, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebucyk made 21 saves to shut out the Dallas Stars 4-0, tying their best-of-seven second-round series at a game apiece.

Nikolaj Ehlers had two goals and an assist, Dylan DeMelo collected two assists, and Josh Morrissey picked up an assist as he returned to action after missing Game 1 with an injury. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 21 shots.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

The series shifts to Dallas for the next two games. Game 3 is 4:30 pm ET on Sunday, May 11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a solid bounce-back performance by the Jets after dropping the first game on the strength of Dallas winger Mikko Rantanen’s hat trick. They dominated the Stars, doing an outstanding job neutralizing Rantanen and his teammates in this contest. Hellebuyck struggled with consistency in the first round, but his Game 2 performance should silence his critics for a little while. However, he must build on it if the Jets are to win this series. 

An overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 of their second-round series.

Marchand is the leader among active NHL players with 14 game-winning goals in the playoffs.

Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who narrowed Toronto’s lead in the series to 2-1. John Tavares tallied twice and Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Leafs.

Game 4 will be Sunday, May 10, at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs looked poised to take a commanding 3-0 series lead when they got early goals from Knies and Tavares. Aleksander Barkov made it 2-1 but Tavares restored the two-goal lead early in the second. However, Reinhart and Verhaeghe quickly scored to tie it and Jonah Gadjovich gave the Panthers the lead.

It then became a game of bounces involving Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly. His game-tying goal in the third deflected off Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky’s blocker, striking his defenseman Seth Jones, and bounced into the Panthers’ net. Marchand’s goal deflected into the Leafs’ net as Rielly was jostling with Panthers center Anton Lundell.

The hockey gods giveth, and the hockey gods taketh away.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Seven skaters who debuted in the NHL between 2000 and 2010 were named to the league’s Quarter-Century Team.

The new players are former Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, former Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk, former Chicago Blackhawks and current Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, Pittsburgh Penguins centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Washington Capitals left wing Alexander Ovechkin, and former Tampa Bay Lightning and current Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprises here. They were/are the most impactful players of their era. Datsyuk is already in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Bergeron will soon join him, and the others are all future first-ballot Hall-of-Famers once their playing careers are over.

The league will reveal the six skaters who debuted since 2010 on Saturday.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league’s two failed attempts to house a franchise in Atlanta would prevent the possibility of a third attempt to bring an expansion team to that market.

Bettman’s comments come days after prospective Atlanta owner Paul Krause said his group was getting closer to making a formal expansion pitch. The commissioner said there is interest in a potential expansion to Atlanta, but no formal timetable.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I predict the league will expand to Atlanta and Houston by the end of this decade, expanding to 34 teams.

Like it or not, billionaires are willing to pony up the increasingly rising expansion fee (likely to be $2 billion) to own an NHL expansion franchise in the United States.

Sorry, Quebec City, you have a devoted fan base and a proper NHL-ready arena, but your market is too small compared to those in the United States, and that’s where the money is. Your best bet is to become an emergency relocation destination for a failing American team like Winnipeg was for the Atlanta Thrashers in 2011.

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy was fined $7,812.50 for cross-checking Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic during Game 2 of the teams’ second-round series on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league explained they fined Roy instead of suspending him because he was reckless with his stick rather than intentionally trying to injure Frederic when he cross-checked the Oilers forward in the face. Frederic remained in the game, which explains why Roy escaped harsher discipline.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller underwent surgery for an undisclosed injury suffered toward the end of the regular season. He is expected to be ready for training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether that’s with the Rangers or another team remains to be seen. Miller is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off a difficult season. He could receive an offer sheet from a rival club if negotiations stall with the Rangers. Miller could also be a trade candidate if management decides he no longer fits into their long-term plans.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils have parted ways with assistant coaches Ryan McGill and Chris Taylor.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former WWE star Brock Lesnar’s son was recently drafted by the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. Duke Lesnar, 14, is a 5’11”, 168-pound forward chosen 115th overall by the Tigers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t NHL news, but I’m a pro wrestling fan, so this was interesting to share here.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 26, 2023

by | Sep 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 26, 2023

A roundup of Monday’s preseason action, the Blue Jackets hire Mark Recchi as an assistant coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken picked up wins in their split-squad matchups. One Flames squad got a 3-2 shootout victory while the other Kraken squad picked up a 5-3 victory.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames also lost forward Jakob Pelletier in their 5-3 defeat when he left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury after being boarded by the Kraken’s Marian Studenic, who received a five-minute major and a game misconduct. Pelletier was helped from the ice and will be evaluated today.

SEATTLE TIMES: Coachella Valley Firebirds assistant coach Jessica Campbell was behind the Kraken bench as part of the coaching staff in their 3-2 loss to the Flames.

She is the first female to coach full-time in the AHL. In this game, she became the second woman to be part of the coaching staff for an NHL contest.

Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) coach Kori Cheverie was the first as she made a guest coaching stint behind the bench for the Pittsburgh Penguins in Montreal on Sunday.

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (NHL Images).

In split-squad action, the New Jersey Devils doubled up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 with Jack Hughes leading the way with a goal and two assists while Jesper Bratt collected three assists in a 6-0 drubbing of the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sean Couturier played his first game in over 21 months following two back surgeries. While he didn’t collect any points, the 30-year-old center won 10 of 18 faceoffs and logged over 18 minutes of ice time.

Flyers winger Cam Atkinson was expected to play in this contest but was scratched due to soreness from a lower-body injury.

The Florida Panthers also won both of their split-squad games. Oliver Ekman-Larsson picked up three assists in a 5-0 victory over the Nashville Predators while Sam Bennett had a goal and two assists in their 5-2 win over the other Predators squad.

Jakob Chychrun scored twice, including the winner in overtime, as the Ottawa Senators nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit kicked out 26 shots to shut out the Edmonton Oilers 5-0.

Ryan Johansen scored in his debut with the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud left the game with an upper-body injury in the first period. He will be reevaluated today.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets hired Mark Recchi as an assistant coach as he’ll work with their forwards and coordinate their power play. The Hall-of-Famer spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Western Hockey League (WHL) has suspended Wenatchee Wild head coach Kevin Constantine pending an investigation into alleged violations of league rules. Constantine was a head coach with the San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils from 1993 to 2002.