NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2024

by | Oct 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar extend their points streaks, anticipating Steven Stamkos’ return to Tampa Bay on Monday for the first time with the Predators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar extended their season-opening points streaks to nine games as the Colorado Avalanche held off the Ottawa Senators 5-4. MacKinnon had a goal and an assist while Makar collected an assist. Casey Mittelstadt also had three assists for the Avalanche, who’ve won five straight games. Senators forward Claude Giroux tallied twice for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A skate blade issue forced Ottawa goalie Anton Forsberg to leave the game twice for repairs. The Senators also announced that center Shane Pinto is week to week with an undisclosed injury. Pinto last played in Tuesday’s 4-0 win over the Utah Hockey Club.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl treated himself on his 29th birthday, scoring twice (including the winning goal) and picking up an assist in a 3-2 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings. Andrew Copp and Patrick Kane each had two points for the Red Wings.

For the first time this season, the Montreal Canadiens won their second straight game as they hung on for a 4-3 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers. Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist and Cole Caufield sniped his eighth goal of the season. Travis Sanheim scored twice and picked up an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Philadelphia made it interesting with two late goals but couldn’t get the equalizer. Flyers goalie Alexei Kolosov made history, becoming the first Belarusian-born netminder to start an NHL game. Forward Garnet Hathaway was fined $5,000 by the league’s department of player safety for elbowing Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek on Saturday.

A four-goal second period lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Anaheim Ducks 6-2. Stefan Noesen tallied two goals and Devils captain Nico Hischier scored his league-leading ninth goal. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Curtis Lazar left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury following a hip check from Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas. After the game, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said Lazar will likely miss some time.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Steven Stamkos returns to Tampa Bay on Monday for the first time since signing with the Nashville Predators. The 34-year-old forward spent 16 seasons with the Lightning, leading them to two Stanley Cup championships and a Presidents’ Trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The former Lightning captain will receive a warm welcome from Tampa Bay fans. He’s their single-season goal leader (60) and all-time leader with 1,082 games played, 555 goals and 1,137 points.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel will return to the lineup after missing eight games with a knee sprain. Defenseman Owen Power is dealing with an illness and remains questionable for Monday’s game against the Florida Panthers.

CBS SPORTS: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust left Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word on Rust’s status since the incident. An update is expected before the Penguins face the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

Speaking of the Canucks, they sent defenseman Erik Brannstrom and forward Arshdeep Bains to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2024

by | Oct 27, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2024

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines, the Jets remain perfect, two Flyers forwards have five-point performances, and much more as we recap Saturday’s 14-game action.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets extended their season-opening win streak to eight games by defeating the Calgary Flames 5-3. Cole Perfetti scored the tiebreaker late in the third period and Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the 8-0-0 Jets. Andrei Kuzmenko collected two assists for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Special teams made the difference for the Jets in this contest, tallying two power-play goals and a shorthanded goal. Perfetti’s goal came with Flames center Nazem Kadri in the penalty box. Kadri wasn’t pleased with the call and earned a game misconduct soon afterward.

Earlier in the day, it was announced that former Flames executive Bill Hay had passed away at age 88. He was the former president and CEO of the Flames and the former chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hay was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builders’ category in 2015.

Before that, Hay spent eight seasons as an NHL center with the Chicago Blackhawks from 1959-60 to 1966-67, amassing 113 goals and 386 points in 506 regular-season games and 36 points in 67 playoff contests. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy and the Stanley Cup in 1960.

My condolences to Hay’s family, friends and former teammates.

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (NHL Images).

A five-point performance from Sean Couturier (including a hat trick) powered the Philadelphia Flyers to a 7-5 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Travis Konecny had a goal and four assists and rookie Matvei Michkov had a goal and an assist as the Flyers snapped a six-game winless skid. Marcus Foligno tallied twice for the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win capped a busy day for the Flyers. They placed sidelined defenseman Cam York (upper body) on injured reserve, returned prospect forward Jett Luchanko to the OHL’s Guelph Storm, and called up goaltender Alexei Kolosov, who could start his first NHL game on Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Florida Panthers erased a 3-0 deficit with six straight goals in a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders. Matthew Tkachuk led the way with two goals and an assist and Mackie Samoskevich netted his first NHL goal. Maxim Tsyplakov collected two assists for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles were busy before this game. They placed winger Anthony Duclair (lower body) on long-term injury reserve, loaned Liam Foudy to their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, signed forward Matt Martin to a one-year, $775K contract, and recalled forwards Pierre Engvall and Hudson Fasching from Bridgeport.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored twice and collected an assist to lead the Buffalo Sabres over the Detroit Red Wings 5-3. Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin picked up three helpers as the Sabres extended their win streak to three games. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider each had two points for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One of Thompson’s goals was clocked at 104.69 mph, making it the fastest shot ever recorded by NHL Edge since 2021-22.

The Los Angeles Kings got two goals from defenseman Joel Edmundson (including the game-winner) in a 3-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Blueliner Brandt Clarke had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who’ve won four of their last five contests. Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley replied for Utah, which has lost three in a row.

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson had a goal and an assist in his season debut as his club thumped the San Jose Sharks 7-3. Brett Howden tallied twice and Pavel Dorofeyev had a goal and two assists for Vegas as they picked up their third straight victory. Vitek Vanecek made 35 saves for the hapless Sharks, who became the first NHL team to lose nine consecutive games to start back-to-back seasons.

An overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marchand and David Pastrnak each finished with a goal and an assist as the Bruins ended a three-game winless skid. Mitch Marner picked up three assists and Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist for the Leafs, who are winless in their last three (0-2-1).

The Montreal Canadiens downed the St. Louis Blues 5-2. Kirby Dach had a goal and an assist, Cole Caufield sniped his seventh of the season and Sam Montembeault stopped 29 shots for the Habs as they ended a four-game winless streak (0-3-1). Colton Parayko and Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens winger Josh Anderson left the game with a lower-body injury but is traveling with the team to Philadelphia for Sunday’s game against the Flyers.

Former Blues defenseman Marco Scandella told St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Matthew DeFranks that he has retired, though he hasn’t officially announced it. Scandella spent 14 seasons in the NHL from 2010-11 to 2023-24 with the Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Canadiens and Blues. He finishes with 170 points in 784 regular season games and nine points in 56 playoff contests.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves to shut out the Washington Capitals 3-0. Mitchell Chaffee, Brayden Point and Conor Geekie were the goals scorers. It was Geekie’s first NHL goal. Charlie Lindgren turned aside 18 shots for the Capitals as their win streak ended at five games.

The New York Rangers got 32 saves from Jonathan Quick in a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Lindgren and Will Cuylle scored for the Rangers while Olen Zellweger replied for the Ducks, who got 30 stops from Lukas Dostal. Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected an assist to extend his points streak to eight games as his club has won five of their last six.

Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault scored in overtime to lift his club over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Alexandre Carrier netted the tying goal early in the third for the Predators, who have won three straight. Kirill Marchenko, Zach Aston-Reese and Zach Werenski scored for the Blue Jackets.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2, handing the latter their fourth straight defeat. Matt Duchene scored twice for the Stars while Pat Maroon picked up two assists for the Blackhawks.

A four-goal second period carried the Vancouver Canucks over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Canucks forward Elias Pettersson got his first of the season and teammate Arshdeep Bains netted the first of his NHL career. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists for the struggling Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins loaned goaltender Tristan Jarry to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a two-week conditioning stint. Jarry has struggled this season and has been relegated to third-string goalie status. His demotion to the farm team is to give him some meaningful playing time and the chance to regain his confidence.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored and collected an assist in a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Jared McCann sniped his fifth of the season for the Kraken. Carolina has won three in a row while the Kraken are winless in three (0-2-1).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 20, 2024

by | Oct 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 20, 2024

Recaps of Saturday’s 13 games, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson scored two goals and collected an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, handing the latter their first loss of the season. Jake Guentzel scored his first goal of the season with the Lightning while Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist.

Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning’s special teams were their undoing in this contest, giving up two powerplay goals and a shorthanded goal. Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (lower-body strain) is close to returning to action but the club opted to err on the side of caution and kept him out of this game.

The Detroit Red Wings tallied three unanswered third-period goals to defeat the Nashville Predators 5-2. Andrew Copp scored twice and Alex Lyon made 37 saves for the Red Wings, including a highlight-reel stop with the knob of his stick on Steven Stamkos, who scored his first with the Predators in this contest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators are still searching for their first win of the season (0-5-0). Stamkos believes their effort has been sporadic in those games.

Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene scored two goals in a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists, Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist, and goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 30 shots for the win. Leon Draisaitl replied for the Oilers as their win streak ended at two games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars announced before this game that they placed defenseman Matt Dumba (lower body) on injured reserve.

An overtime goal by Gustav Forsling lifted the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists and Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Ilya Samsonov kicked out 45 shots and Tanner Pearson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights.

The New York Rangers got a 34-save performance by Igor Shesterkin to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Chris Kreider scored twice and Mika Zibanejad and Reilly Smith each had two assists as the Rangers picked up their third straight victory. Auston Matthews scored for the Maple Leafs.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson scored two goals (including the winner in overtime) and an assist as his club nipped the New Jersey Devils 6-5. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his first of the season and Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists. Devils captain Nico Hischier tallied twice and picked up an assist and Timo Meier had three helpers.

New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson scored in the ninth round of the shootout to give his team a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Dobson also had two assists in regulation play. Cole Caufield scored twice, including the game-tying tally, and Juraj Slafkovsky had two assists for the Canadiens, who overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair left this game in the third period after injuring his right leg. There was no postgame update on his status.

The Vancouver Canucks got a 26-save shutout from Kevin Lankinen to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers picked up an assist in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game. Nils Hoglander, Brock Boeser and Kiefer Sherwood were the goalscorers. The Flyers have lost four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier played in his 800th career game as a fourth-line left winger as head coach John Tortorella shook up his forward lines.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Filip Gustavsson got the win with a 23-save performance. Yegor Chinakhov scored for the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Ryan Hartman missed this contest with an upper-body injury. Before this game, Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason said the upper-body injury suffered by Kent Johnson on Thursday against Buffalo was not a short-term thing. There is no timeline for Johnson’s return.

The St. Louis Blues defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. Joel Hofer stopped 37 shots for the win while Mathieu Joseph and Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist each for the Blues. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist and Sebastian Aho had two helpers for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko missed this game and is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka scored his fourth goal in three games as his club doubled up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves for the Sabres. Craig Smith scored both goals for Chicago.

Utah Hockey Club’s Michael Kesselring scored in overtime to give his team a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Utah goaltender Connor Ingram became the first goaltender in NHL history with a season-opening five-game points streak for a team in its inaugural campaign.

An overtime goal by Jordan Eberle lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Calgary Flames 2-1, handing the latter their first loss of the season (4-0-1). Chandler Stephenson also scored for the Kraken as they picked up their third straight victory. Blake Coleman tallied for the Flames.

IN OTHER NEWS…

The Los Angeles Kings announced they’ve placed goaltender Darcy Kuemper (lower body) on injured reserve, removed defenseman Joel Edmundson from non-roster designation, and recalled goalie Pheonix Copley from their AHL affiliate.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin has returned to Colorado and is skating on his own. He’s suspended until Nov. 13 as part of Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Meanwhile, newly acquired Avalanche goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen practiced with his teammates for the first time on Saturday. Kahkonen was claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 11 but had to update his work permit and visa before joining his new team.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins recalled goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from their AHL affiliate. He will accompany the club during its upcoming four-game road trip through Western Canada.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins will carry three goalies as Nedeljkovic joins Tristan Jarry and Joel Blomqvist.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 15, 2024

by | Oct 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 15, 2024

What’s the latest on Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren? Could he be a trade target for the struggling Oilers? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON LILJEGREN

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby reports Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren could make his season debut on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.

The 25-year-old blueliner was a healthy scratch in the Leafs’ first three games of this season. He’s in the first season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren (NHL Images).

Liljegren’s become the subject of trade speculation. However, he said he’s not paying attention to it and isn’t on social media.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel believes keeping Liljegren in the press box won’t improve his value in the trade market. He anticipates the rearguard could become part of a salary dump at some point and questions why the Leafs bothered to sign him at all this summer.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday that he’d heard Liljegren had permission to speak with other teams but the Leafs denied this, claiming it’s not true. He thinks they’re trying to be patient with Liljegren and he’s saying he wants to play.

Liljegren’s salary is an issue for the cap-strapped Leafs. They currently have three players (Calle Jarnkrok, Connor Dewar and Jani Hakanpaa) on long-term injury reserve but they will eventually return to the lineup.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau listed the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers as potential trade destinations.

All four teams need depth on the right side of their blueline. The Ducks, Sharks and Blues have the salary cap space to take on Liljegren’s cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Liljegren could become a salary-cap casualty later this season. That would leave the Leafs with little leverage if they attempt to move him. Interested parties could insist they retain salary in the deal or include a sweetener like a draft pick or prospect.

THE ATHLETIC: The Edmonton Oilers’ 0-3-0 start to this season has Allan Mitchell wondering if a significant trade might be in their future.

There are signs the Oilers are trying to add to their blueline. Recent reports have linked them to unrestricted free-agent defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Mark Giordano.

Mitchell wondered if the Oilers might target Liljegren. He noted the Leafs blueliner would cost the most to acquire, including likely draft picks to the Leafs. Shattenkirk or Giordano would only require a contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those options are great for the Oilers. Shattenkirk and Giordano are well past their “best-before” dates and there’s no certainty Liljegren will improve the Oilers’ porous defense.

Mitchell believes Oilers management will remain patient and allow more time for new blueline additions like Ty Emberson and Travis Dermott to settle in. However, he acknowledged the pressure for change could mount if the losses pile up.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2024

by | Oct 11, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2024

The latest on Igor Shesterkin, Mikko Rantanen, Sam Bennett and Alexis Lafreniere, an update on the Islanders, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: Darren Dreger provided updates on the contract negotiations between Igor Shesterkin and the New York Rangers.

Dreger said Shesterkin is just focusing on playing his game now that the season has begun. The recent report claiming he rejected an eight-year, $88 million offer hasn’t fazed him at all. Some believe his range is $11.5 million and $11.7 million, which would make him the highest-paid Ranger.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico cited a source who believes Shesterkin wants to set the market for goaltenders so high that no one will top him for a while. He knows that the Rangers need him and have to sign him.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

D’Amico’s source said the Rangers don’t have an issue making him the NHL’s highest-paid goaltender. “Where the number starts with an 11 or 12, he will be the standard.

Both sides are still negotiating. Shesterkin wants to stay in New York and the Rangers want to keep him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’re not even a week into this season and Shesterkin’s contract situation is dominating the rumor mill. This risks becoming an unnecessary distraction for the Rangers this season.

Turning to Mikko Rantanen, Pierre LeBrun doesn’t think anything’s imminent regarding his contract talks with the Colorado Avalanche. He believes Rantanen’s agent will factor in the rise of the salary cap and the percentage of the cap.

LeBrun thinks Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million average annual value is a bit of an internal cap for the Avalanche. This could get done but not everyone knows for sure if it will.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: $12.5 million annually for eight years could do it but the Avs could be trying to keep it in the $11 million range.

The Florida Panthers signing Carter Verhaeghe to a long-term extension earlier this week prompted Dreger to wonder whether they’ll re-sign versatile two-way forward Sam Bennett.

Dreger believes the Panthers want to keep Bennett. However, he could become a big-ticket player in next summer’s free-agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett is that guy you hate to play against but love to have on your team. He’s making over $4.4 million annually on his current contract and could seek an average annual value of around $7 million.

THE SCORE: cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reporting the Rangers have been working on a new contract with Alexis Lafreniere since the summer. Different options are on the table, including an eight-year deal with an AAV of $8 million.

Lafreniere, 23, is in the final season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.33 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere’s breakout performance last season signals better things to come for the 2020 first-overall pick. Getting him locked into a new long-term deal as soon as possible could pay significant dividends against the salary cap down the road.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey believes New York Islanders winger Pierre Engvall could be a great trade target for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Engvall, 28, cleared waivers earlier this week and was sent to the Isles’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. He’s in the second season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $3 million.

Bailey believes Flyers head coach John Tortorella might be able to unlock something more from Engvall, whose inconsistent play with the Isles led to his demotion. He pointed to the winger’s size, speed and solid puck possession numbers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of you might suggest that if the Flyers wanted him they could’ve claimed him off waivers without giving up anything in return. However, trading for him now means he doesn’t have to pass through waivers again if the Flyers decide to demote him to their AHL affiliate.

Nevertheless, I doubt the Flyers will be interested. Engvall may be an analytics darling but his overall game needs improvement. He failed to produce more offense as a middle-six forward. The length of his contract is also a concern.

TSN: Chris Johnston reports Mark Giordano, John Klingberg, Kevin Shattenkirk and Justin Schultz remain available. The four defensemen are unrestricted free agents still hoping to land NHL jobs. Johnston indicated Schultz turned down some NHL offers and could play in Europe if he doesn’t find the right fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could still land jobs if injuries strike early in the season or if cap-strapped clubs find themselves seeking affordable blueline depth.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 3, 2024

by | Oct 3, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 3, 2024

Looking at possible trade destinations for Jeremy Swayman and the latest on Kirill Kaprizov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Mike Gould looks at some potential trade destinations for Jeremy Swayman if the Boston Bruins decide to move him.

Gould suggested the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers as clubs that need a reliable starting goaltender.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon proposed the Vegas Golden Knights, Utah Hockey Club, and the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trade rumors about Swayman started on Monday after Bruins president Cam Neely hinted his club had offered the goaltender a contract worth $64 million, breaking down as an average annual value of $8 million for the league maximum eight seasons.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

That prompted an immediate response from Swayman’s agent claiming no such offer had been made. Gould’s colleague Frank Seravalli recently reported the actual offer from the Bruins was $62.4 million, or $7.8 million annually for eight seasons.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had reported that Swayman was seeking a contract comparable to teammate Charlie McAvoy (eight years, $9.5 million per season). It’s believed he’s reduced that asking price to “low 9’s, high 8’s” but the Bruins are sticking with 8×8.

It’s also been reported the Bruins remain determined to sign Swayman. There’s no indication that he’s going to ask for a trade.

Nevertheless, the Bruins will seek a big return for Swayman if they put him on the trade block. The acquiring team must also be able to afford to pay what he’s seeking on his next contract.

Looking at Gould’s and Dixon’s lists, Utah is in the best position in terms of cap space ($9.92 million) and tradeable assets thanks to their depth in draft picks and promising young talent.

The Blackhawks ($5.9 million) and Flyers ($3.17 million) also have the draft picks and prospects to make a competitive pitch. However, they would have to send some salary to Boston to make room for Swayman’s new contract.

The Red Wings also have depth in tradeable assets to tempt the Bruins but they have just over $198K in cap space after re-signing Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond to lucrative new contracts. They’d have to shed a significant amount of salary to do this deal.

Colorado has over $2 million in cap space but they also face uncertainty about the futures of forwards Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin. They won’t make major moves until they get clarity on those two.

The Golden Knights always seem to be sniffing around for a big deal to keep them among the Stanley Cup contenders. However, they lacked cap space and depleted their prospect pool in previous deals.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Dylan Loucks reports Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold isn’t concerned about his club’s ability to re-sign Kirill Kaprizov.

The 28-year-old winger’s name surfaced in recent speculation suggesting the Blackhawks would pursue him if he goes to free agency in 2026. The earliest the Wild can sign him to a contract extension is next July.

Leipold pointed out his club will get a significant increase in cap space next summer. That’s when the contract buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter dropped from a combined $14.7 million to $1.66 million over the remainder of the buyouts.

The Wild owner insists his club will re-sign Kaprizov. “I will tell you nobody will offer more money than us, or longer,” said Leipold. “So all we have to do is prove to him that we want to win.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov is the Wild’s foundation player and leading scorer. They want to build around him but are handcuffed by their expensive buyouts of Parise and Suter. They’ll likely be major players in next summer’s trade and free-agent markets once the cap hit of those buyouts drops.