NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 26, 2024

by | Jul 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 26, 2024

The Flyers sign Travis Konecny to a long-term deal plus the latest on Leon Draisaitl, Brady Tkachuk, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed winger Travis Konecny to an eight-year, $70-million contract extension. It comes with an average annual value of $8.75 million and a full no-movement clause for the first six years that becomes a limited no-trade clause for the final two years.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (NHL Images)

Sam Carchidi looked at the pros and cons of Konecny’s new contract.

The 28-year-old winger is a hard-working, agitating, offensively consistent leader who’s remained committed to the Flyers during their struggles over the past four seasons.

However, Konecny’s style of play has made him prone to injuries and could slow him down over the term of his contract. He’ll be 36 when this deal expires and this rebuilding club might’ve been better served trading him for picks and prospects.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reaction to this signing among Flyers fans is mostly positive but some brought up the cons mentioned by Carchidi. In the short term, Konecny will remain a gritty lead-by-example scorer whose presence should benefit the promising youngsters entering the Flyers lineup. However, there’s a risk of his performance dropping significantly over the final half of this contract.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said signing Leon Draisaitl to a contract extension is his priority. Hired by the Oilers earlier this week, Bowman indicated he wants Draisaitl to be an Oiler for life.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl becomes eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July 1. He’ll be an Oiler for life if he believes they’ll be a Stanley Cup contender for a long time and is willing to make him one of the NHL’s highest-paid players. He’s been underpaid for the past four seasons and could seek over $14 million annually on his next contract.

THE SCORE: Brady Tkachuk has a “burning desire” to win the Stanley Cup after seeing his older brother Matthew’s championship run with the Florida Panthers.

The 24-year-old Ottawa Senators captain has yet to appear in the playoffs. He said he’s pleased for the most part with GM Steve Staios’ offseason roster changes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another missed postseason by the Senators will start raising serious questions about Tkachuk’s willingness to stay with Ottawa. The 24-year-old left winger is signed through 2027-28 and has worked hard over the past six seasons to make the Senators a playoff club. However, his patience could be tested if they fall short this season.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders avoided salary arbitration with Oliver Wahlstrom, signing the 24-year-old forward to a one-year, $1-million contract.

This signing puts the Islanders over the $88 million cap by $950K but they can become cap-compliant by demoting Maxim Tsyplakov. He’s their only waiver-exempt player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated Wahlstrom would welcome a trade but nothing materialized. I’ll have more in today’s NHL Rumor update.

THE PROVINCE: Longtime Sportsnet host Jeff Marek has left the network. His last appearance was during their coverage of the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft on June 28. He hasn’t updated his X (formerly Twitter) account since then. A Sportsnet spokesman confirmed Marek no longer works for the network but declined to provide details.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s rumored Marek’s departure was for “unconfirmed draft reasons.” His mysterious absence raised concern and questions on social media. Marek is among the most approachable and helpful personalities in the NHL media. Here’s hoping he’s ok and we hear from him again soon.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: United Center owners plan a massive $7-billion mixed-use campus around the arena. The plans call for a music hall, housing, park, and pedestrian-friendly areas as part of a 10-year development program starting in 2025. United Center is the home arena of the Chicago Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 25, 2024

by | Jul 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 25, 2024

Reaction to the Oilers hiring Stan Bowman as their new GM, the Sabres sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a long-term contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers announced they hired Stan Bowman as their new general manager and vice president of hockey operations. He becomes the 11th general manager in Oilers history.

Bowman spent over 20 years with the Chicago Blackhawks, 12 of those as general manager. He resigned from the Blackhawks in 2021 after an independent investigation found he and others mishandled sexual assault allegations by player Kyle Beach in 2010 against the club’s then-video coach Bradley Aldrich. Bowman was suspended by the NHL until lifted earlier this month by league Commissioner Gary Bettman.

During his introductory press conference, Bowman admitted his response to the Beach situation was inadequate and mishandled, saying it was something he regrets. He worked with Sheldon Kennedy and his organization, Respect Group, as part of the process of learning about the prevention of bullying, harassment, abuse and discrimination. Kennedy recently endorsed Bowman’s effort to return to the NHL.

Edmonton Oilers hire Stan Bowman as new GM. (NHL.com).

Bowman also said that he reached out to Beach with Kennedy’s encouragement. The two have kept in touch since last year, including Bowman spending a day and a half working with Beach at Trinity Western University in British Columbia, where Beach works as an assistant coach. Bowman said he called Beach the day before his hiring by the Oilers, calling it an encouraging conversation.

Nevertheless, Bowman’s hiring by the Oilers was not well received on social media.

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus reviewed Bowman’s work as Blackhawks general manager. He knows how to win by building around a superstar core and bold enough to go for it with a team in contention. In that regard, he makes sense for an Oilers team in “win-now” mode.

Lazerus also noted Bowman’s mistakes, such as his reputation as a poor contract negotiator and his inability to stick to a rebuilding plan. The Blackhawks had poor player development under his watch, and his trades of Patrick Sharp, Phillip Danault, Teuvo Teravainen, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Artemi Panarin didn’t pan out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowman inherited a strong Blackhawks roster and managed it well for several years, winning three Stanley Cups from 2009-10 to 2014-15. However, the wheels quickly fell off during the latter years of his tenure.

He should do well with the current Oilers roster but it remains to be seen if he learned from his mistakes with the Blackhawks. Otherwise, the Oilers could face a swift, ugly decline in a few years.

Kennedy’s endorsement was crucial to Bowman’s return to the management ranks and I trust his judgment. Bowman’s efforts to learn and grow helped him establish a positive relationship with Beach.

Nevertheless, I’m having difficulty accepting this news. The Beach situation was bad enough but Lazerus also pointed out it was the failure of people like Bowman that led directly to the sexual abuse of a minor by Aldrich.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres avoided salary arbitration with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the two sides agreed to a five-year deal with an average annual value of $4.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luukkonen earned that new deal with a solid performance in an otherwise disappointing season for the Sabres. He’s established himself as their starter going forward.

Some wondered what this means for promising netminder Devon Levi, especially after the Sabres signed James Reimer to a one-year contract. Levi will likely spend this season developing his game with the Sabres AHL affiliate in Rochester.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers formerly introduced winger Matvei Michkov to the media on Wednesday. Michkov, 19, was their first-round pick (seventh overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft.

“We don’t see him as a saviour,” said Flyers GM Daniel Briere. “That’s certainly not what we’re putting on his shoulder. He’s 19-years-old. He’s coming in to learn, to expand his game.”

Flyers fans have high hopes that Michkov could blossom into a scoring superstar. He said he’s overwhelmed by the fans’ reaction and how welcoming they’ve made him feel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov has the potential to become an NHL scoring star. Nevertheless, the Flyers must carefully manage his usage in his rookie season and those heightened expectations by their fans.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: An arbitrator awarded Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney a two-year contract. The first year is a two-way deal with a cap hit of $825K at the NHL level. He’ll earn $850K in the second year.

SJ HOCKEY NOW: The San Jose Sharks re-signed defenseman Henry Thrun to a two-year contract with an AAV of $1 million.

SPORTSNET: Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia said he’d be interested in returning the NHL to Arizona one day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t doubt Ishbia’s sincerity but it’ll take more than words to make that a reality, like a suitable NHL venue and the dollars to make a suitable expansion bid. Build a new arena and put up $1 billion and then I’ll believe you’re serious. Otherwise, this is just empty talk no one wants to hear anymore.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 17, 2024

by | Jul 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 17, 2024

Stars winger Joe Pavelski retires, Blues defenseman Torey Krug faces a potentially season-ending injury, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Joe Pavelski officially announced his retirement after 18 NHL seasons with the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.

Dallas Stars winger Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

The 40-year-old winger netted 476 goals and 592 assists for 1,068 points in 1,332 regular-season games, sitting sixth all-time among American-born players. He also tallied 74 goals and 69 assists for 143 points in 201 playoff contests.

Pavelski appeared in seven Conference Finals and two Stanley Cup Finals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of Pavelski’s stats were accumulated during his 13 seasons with the Sharks. He’s second among their all-time leaders with 355 goals, third in points with 761, and fourth in games played with 963. Pavelski played a significant role in the Sharks’ rise as a Western Conference powerhouse from 2007-08 to 2010-11 and their run to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

The Sharks reportedly looked into bringing Pavelski back next season but he’d made up his mind that it was time to retire. He was a model of consistency throughout his career, exceeding the 60-point plateau 11 times, including a 67-point performance last season.

Pavelski will be remembered among the best American-born players in NHL history. One day soon, he will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Torey Krug was diagnosed with pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle and will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks. The injury is a cumulative result of a bone fracture earlier in Krug’s playing career.

If Krug requires surgery, he will be sidelined for the 2024-25 season. That would enable left-shot defenseman Scott Perunovich to receive more playing time.

Krug carries an average annual value of $6.5 million. He would be eligible to be placed on long-term injury reserve if he’s sidelined for the season. However, the Blues currently have more than $7 million in salary-cap space, meaning they would only place him on LTIR to free up more cap room.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford indicated Krug was being mentioned in trade rumors after the Blues signed Ryan Suter last week to a one-year contract. That created a logjam of nine defensemen on one-way contracts. Rutherford points out there won’t be a trade market for Krug even if he agrees to waive his no-trade clause.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars will induct Brenden Morrow and Jim Lites into their Hall of Fame in October.

Morrow spent 13 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Stars, seven as team captain. Lites was president and CEO of the Sharks from 2011 until 2020 when he was named team chairman.

The Stars also signed 2024 first-round pick Emil Hemming to a three-year entry-level contract. Hemming was selected 29th overall by the Stars.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders signed forward Simon Holmstrom to a one-year, $850K contract.

THE GAZETTE: The Montreal Canadiens hired former Columbus Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent as the new bench boss of their AHL affiliate in Laval.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed goaltender Arturs Silovs to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $850K. Silovs, 23, stepped in during the first round of the Canucks series against the Nashville Predators after Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith were sidelined, backstopping them to a six-game series victory.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers goaltending prospect Alexei Kolosov didn’t appear in the club’s recent prospect development camp and is reportedly attempting to get out of his NHL contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 12, 2024

by | Jul 12, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 12, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at some of the notable trade and free agent rumors facing some Eastern Conference teams.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently examined the lingering offseason questions for each team in the Eastern Conference.

He wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes would sign Martin Necas to a new contract or trade the 25-year-old forward. Given Jake Guentzel’s departure, the Hurricanes could circle back and attempt to mend fences with Necas.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports emerged this spring claiming Necas was unhappy with his role as a third-line winger, preferring a move to center and taking on more responsibilities. His filing for salary arbitration last Friday adds some intrigue to his situation.

Necas was linked to the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Utah Hockey Club and Vancouver Canucks at one point or another. So far, there’s no indication he’s on the verge of getting traded.

Dixon also wondered who would become the next head coach of the Blue Jackets. It appeared former Kings bench boss Todd McLellan was the favorite. However, he still has a year on his contract with the Kings and the two clubs couldn’t work out an agreement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft and former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason appear to be the frontrunners.

The Montreal Canadiens still must address their need to add another scoring forward. However, they could still find a way to do so during this offseason. Dixon pointed out that they carry a glut of promising young defensemen who represent possible trade chips.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has been involved in notable summer trades over the last two years. He acquired Sean Monahan from Calgary in Aug. 2022 and was part of the three-team deal that sent Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins last August.

The Canadiens also have plenty of draft picks to draw on for trade bait. They have two first-round picks, two second-rounders, three third-round selections, and two fourth-rounders in next year’s draft and two fourth-rounders in 2026.

Dixon noted the New York Rangers’ attempt to trade defenseman Jacob Trouba and his efforts to block that move. The 30-year-old Rangers captain doesn’t want to uproot his family but GM Chris Drury could prefer moving his $8 million cap hit, which runs through 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed Drury initially tried to move Trouba before the start of free agency on July 1 to clear room to sign a UFA or two. Dixon suggested Drury could now prefer peddling him to free up space to re-sign RFA defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider this summer, and to re-sign Igor Shesterkin before his UFA eligibility next July.

Trouba now has a 15-team no-trade list. The problem is many of the teams not on that list could lack the cap space, trade assets or both to acquire him.

Philadelphia Flyers center Morgan Frost was a frequent subject of trade chatter last season. Dixon wondered if another club might circle back with the dust having settled in the free-agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frost hasn’t been mentioned much in the rumor mill. That doesn’t mean he won’t be traded this summer. He’s had back-to-back 40-plus point seasons and carries a reasonable $2.1 million cap hit for this season.

Sidney Crosby’s contract extension remains the offseason story for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A report earlier this week claimed the two sides are getting closer to an agreement. As Dixon noted, however, the chatter won’t stop until Crosby finally puts pen to paper.

Speculation over Mitch Marner’s future with the Toronto Maple Leafs has died away. Dixon pointed out the 27-year-old winger has full control over his future with his no-movement clause and expects he’ll still be with the Leafs when training camp opens in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That seems to be the case. It will then become a question of whether they’ll sign Marner to a contract extension or risk losing him next summer to free agency.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2024

by | Jul 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2024

The Blues sign Ryan Suter, Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale resumes skating, former Predators captain Greg Johnson posthumously diagnosed with CTE, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues signed defenseman Ryan Suter to a one-year contract. Suter, 39, will earn a base salary of $775K but with bonuses could earn up to $3 million. He spent the past three seasons with the Dallas Stars.

St. Louis Blues sign Ryan Suter (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suter’s best seasons when he was among the league’s elite defensemen are behind him. He’ll be skating as a third-pairing blueliner in St. Louis.

DAILY FACEOFF: Suter’s signing leaves Tyson Barrie, Tony DeAngelo and Oliver Kylington as the top defensemen remaining in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market. James van Riemsdyk, Daniel Sprong and Tyler Johnson are the top available forwards.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale has resumed skating and claims to be back to 100 percent healthy following sports hernia surgery in April. The 22-year-old indicated he’d been hampered by the core muscle injury since the start of last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drysdale was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in January. He’ll be expected to play a key role on the Flyers’ blueline in 2024-25. When healthy, he’s projected to be a skillful, big-minute defenseman. Injuries have hampered Drysdale’s performance over the past two seasons.

TSN: Former Nashville Predators captain Greg Johnson was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE. The news was released by Johnson’s family and the Concussion Legacy Foundation in a joint statement on Wednesday, five years following his death by suicide

Johnson played 785 games with the Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.

According to public records, 17 of the 18 brains of deceased NHL players were found to have CTE. They include Ralph Backstrom, Henri Richard, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, Steve Montador and Bob Murdoch. The NHL continues to deny the link between repeated head trauma and long-term neurological disorders, claiming that the evidence is not conclusive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t expect this news to change the league’s stance. Nevertheless, Johnson won’t be the last NHL player to receive this posthumous diagnosis. At some point, the NHL will face a reckoning on this issue. Meanwhile, they appear content to live in denial.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carl Hagelin is still adjusting to life away from the ice two years after a career-ending eye injury during a practice with the Washington Capitals, requiring 30 stitches to repair the left eyeball after being accidentally struck by a teammate’s stick.

Hagelin now requires sunglasses more often than not to cope with the challenges brought on by the injury. He remains grateful that the eyeball was saved. The former NHL winger works with the Minnesota Wild in player development and scouting.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche officially named former players Andrew Cogliano and Pavel Francouz to new positions within the organization. Cogliano was named Special Assistant to the General Manager while Francouz is a Goaltending Scout.

SPORTSNET: Alex Meruelo has reportedly signed all the necessary agreements and paperwork that officially terminates his rights to the Arizona Coyotes franchise.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman last month announced Meruelo would no longer pursue a reactivation of the Coyotes after its hockey operations relocated to Utah. That decision was made after a bid to construct a new arena fell apart.

SPORTSNET: The popular salary-cap site CapFriendly shut down to the public on Wednesday. The Washington Capitals reached an agreement last month to purchase the site, which operated independently until the sale was officially confirmed on July 10.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston profiled PuckPedia and its creator Hart Levine. The site has been around since 2018 and has seen its traffic increase following the news of Cap Friendly’s sale.

The site does much of the same things as CapFriendly did. They relaunched its roster management tool last week. It also contains some things Cap Friendly lacked, like listing player agents and providing a pick-value calculator.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: CapFriendly was an invaluable tool for tracking team and player salary information. They were also helpful with any salary-cap questions I raised with them. I wish them the best of luck with their future endeavors.

I’ve linked to PuckPedia on my Rumors page for over two years, providing team and player links. They have done an excellent job compiling salary-cap information and fine-tuning their site. I highly recommend it as a reliable source.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2024

by | Jul 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2024

Sidney Crosby and the Penguins could be close to a contract extension, plus the latest on the Leafs, Red Wings, Lightning and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Rob Rossi cites sources claiming Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are closing in on a contract extension. Both sides are confident a deal will be agreed upon and formalized soon.

Crosby, who turns 37 in August, remains intent on finishing his career with the Penguins, despite missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

The full details of Crosby’s new contract are unknown. Previous reports suggested it could be a three-year deal with an average annual value of $10 million. It will require a “35-plus” designation, which prevents a team from front-loading a contract that is at least two years in length or delaying a signing bonus to or after the second season.

Crosby’s current average annual value is $8.7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Confirmation of Crosby’s new contract could come this week, maybe as early as today. Some observers raised eyebrows last week when July 1 came and went with no sign of a deal. Sometimes, reaching an agreement on a new contract takes a little longer than expected.

The “35-plus” designation also means the Penguins won’t garner any cap relief if they were to buy out that new contract.

TORONTO STAR: Bruce Arthur and Dave Feschuk examine what’s gone wrong for the Maple Leafs under team president Brendan Shanahan. “The Shanaplan” invested heavily in the “Core Four” of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander.

The Leafs’ regular season record is exemplary, boasting a .636 win percentage since 2016-17 which is the NHL’s third-highest. No team has scored more goals (2,117) and they have the third-best power play percentage (24.1) over that time.

It’s a different in the playoffs. They ranked last in goals (150) among 16 playoff teams that have played over 40 postseason games during that period. They’re 15th among those clubs in power-play percentage (16.9).

No one doubts the individual skills of the “Core Four”, it’s the combination that has been less than the sum of its parts. Their defenders point to the Leafs’ lack of a true starting goaltender or a proven No. 1 defenseman or depth scoring. The counterpoint is those four could’ve taken a little less money, leaving more to address those issues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of all those signings, the Tavares deal is the one that hurt the most. Again, I’m not making Tavares the scapegoat. The Leafs pursued him and offered him $11 million annually for seven years. He didn’t force them to sign him to that contract and I don’t blame him for taking the opportunity to play for his hometown club.

The Leafs were coming off a season (2017-18) with the third-best regular-season offense (3.29 goals per game) in the league when they signed Tavares. There was no reason to pursue a scoring center when their pressing needs at the time were right-side blueline depth and reliable playoff goaltending.

That $11 million could’ve and should’ve been put toward addressing those needs. I said it before and after they signed Tavares. That contract handcuffed their efforts to bolster their depth elsewhere in the lineup.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons wonders what happened to Steve Yzerman’s golden touch that built the Tampa Bay Lightning into a Stanley Cup champion. Since becoming general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, that club has missed the playoffs five straight years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve been wondering about that as well. Granted, Yzerman took over a mess in Detroit. He faced a similar scenario when he became the Lightning’s GM but he had Hall-of-Famer Martin St. Louis and future Hall-of-Famers Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman to build around.

Nevertheless, Yzerman drafted or acquired most of the players who formed the core of the Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021. So far, he hasn’t had the same level of success with the Red Wings.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina believes Lightning GM Julien BriseBois’ recent difficult decisions make the Lightning his team and could define his legacy. They include letting franchise player Steven Stamkos depart as a free agent and trading defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.

BriseBois inherited the roster core that went on to win Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 from former GM Steve Yzerman, even though he was Yzerman’s right-hand man. Salary-cap constraints forced him to make tough choices that will shape the direction of this team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: BriseBois and the Lightning benefited from the lack of a state tax in retaining many of those core players. Nevertheless, a flattened salary cap over the previous four seasons forced him to trade or cut loose some complementary players important to the Bolts’ success.

Encina points out that BriseBois is banking on Jake Guentzel replacing Stamkos, J.J. Moser filling Sergachev’s skates on the blueline and promising center Conor Geekie meeting expectations. If those gambles pan out, he’ll look like a genius. If not, they could eventually lead to his dismissal.

THE SCORE: Speaking of Mikhail Sergachev, he said he was in shock when he learned the Lightning had traded him to the Utah Hockey Club. However, he’s looking forward to a leadership role with an up-and-coming franchise.

“Talking to my agent, talking to some players, and talking to (Utah forward Clayton) Keller, everybody said great things about Utah and the new franchise,” said Sergachev. “It’s pretty amazing, honestly. “The whole setup, the city. I’m very excited. It’s a big opportunity for me to prove myself, be a leader. I’m looking forward to it.”

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi is focusing more on the mental side of the game as part of his offseason training. He still works out five days a week, but his primary focus is mental exercise and meditation.

“The more you take care of your mental side, the better you are as a person and as a hockey player,” said Josi.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed defenseman Egor Zamula to a two-year with an AAV of $1.7 million.