NHL Rumor Mill – April 20, 2024

by | Apr 20, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 20, 2024

Check out the latest on the Flyers, Kings, Blues and Kraken in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE FLYERS?

DAILY FACEOFF: Scott Maxwell reports Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said his club is open for business if there’s a trade that makes sense.

During his end-of-season press conference on Friday, Briere indicated the Flyers’ competitiveness this season won’t change his plans for a long-term rebuild. However, he’s open to making moves that improve his roster right away.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall reported Briere backed his head coach John Tortorella, claiming the two sides have “a great relationship”.

Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That should snuff out speculation over Tortorella’s future with the Flyers that arose as the club stumbled down the stretch.

Briere provided no immediate update on goaltender Carter Hart, who’s on a leave of absence due to the Hockey Canada sexual assault case. The trial reportedly won’t begin until after the start of the 2024-25 season. For now, the Flyers intend to start next season with Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov as their goaltending tandem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both young goalies did their best but the additional workload after Hart’s departure in January wore them down, especially Ersson. They might be better prepared for next season but don’t rule out the possibility that they add an affordable veteran on a short-term contract.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Before Briere’s press conference, Sam Carchidi speculated over the Flyers GM’s plans for the offseason.

Carchidi wondered if Briere would trade for a true No. 1 defenseman or attempt to bring back former Flyer Sean Walker as a free agent. He believes their lack of a first-line center is a glaring need. He wondered if Briere might roll the dice on Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers only have $3.8 million in projected cap space, though they could get $4 million in cap relief if Ryan Johansen ends up on long-term injury reserve next season. They’ll get another $6.25 million with Ryan Ellis on permanent LTIR.

There’s enough cap room to pursue someone like Lindholm. Based on Briere’s comments, however, he seems more interested in the trade market than signing expensive free agents. Don’t expect Lindholm to suit up for the Flyers next season.

RECENT KINGS SPECULATION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Spencer Lazary believes the Los Angeles Kings must make improving their goaltending a top priority this summer, especially if they make an early exit from the playoffs.

There were reports that the Kings attempted to acquire goalie Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins before the March 8 trade deadline but he vetoed the trade. Lazary noted there are few options available in this summer’s free-agent market. Current Kings starter Cam Talbot is among them.

Possible trade targets include Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom, St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington, Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry and Anaheim’s John Gibson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’d include Nashville’s Jusse Saros depending on his contract extension talks with Predators management. If the Kings stage a deep playoff run I expect they’ll still be in the market for a new starting goalie to replace the 36-year-old Talbot.

Lazary also believes forward Arthur Kaliyev may be in his final season with the Kings. The 22-year-old winger has been slowly phased out of the lineup and isn’t seeing much ice time when he does play.

Barring a strong playoff performance, Kaliyev could become a trade candidate. He’s completing his entry-level contract and might make a good reclamation project as a trade candidate.

LATEST ON THE BLUES AND KRAKEN

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford looked at the St. Louis Blues’ offseason priorities. Finding a second-line center, adding secondary scoring and making a move on the blueline are among the issues facing general manager Doug Armstrong.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues have around $13 million in cap space. That’s going to hamper Armstrong’s efforts to address those issues.

Trading one of his high-salaried defensemen would help but the four (Colton Parayko, Torey Krug, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy) have no-trade protection. Armstrong tried to trade Krug to Philadelphia last June but the blueliner spiked the deal.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Geoff Baker doesn’t see the Kraken replacing general manager Ron Francis but doesn’t rule out head coach Dave Hakstol losing his job.

Baker raised concerns over the regression of several Kraken players this season, including Jared McCann, Eeli Tolvanen, Andre Burakovsky, Oliver Bjorkstrand and 2023 Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2024

by | Apr 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2024

The Stars clinch the Central Division title, the first playoff matchup is decided, the Eastern Conference’s final wildcard remains up for grabs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars clinched the Central Division title by downing the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Miro Heiskanen had a goal and two assists for the Stars (51-21-9), who sit one point behind the league-leading New York Rangers with 111 points. Kailer Yamamoto replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Kraken general manager Ron Francis said defenseman Vince Dunn isn’t expected to return before the end of the season. He’s still recovering from upper-body injuries.

The first matchup of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs has been set as the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets will face each other in the opening round after the Jets thumped the Avs 7-0. Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for the shutout, Sean Monahan and Adam Lowry scored two goals and Josh Morrissey collected three points for the 50-24-6 Jets, who sit second in the Central with 106 points. The Avs (49-25-6) sit two points behind the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard left this game in the first period and was placed in concussion protocol.

Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson scored the winner in a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sonny Milano scored twice as the Capitals improved to 38-31-11 to hold the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen was stretchered from this game in the first period after a hard hit from Lightning forward Michael Eyssimont sent him crashing into the boards. The Capitals released a statement indicating Jensen was conscious, alert and has full use of his extremities. He will be monitored by the Capitals medical staff.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Dylan Larkin lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4. Alex DeBrincat tallied twice for the Red Wings (39-32-9) as they sit behind the Capitals with 87 points due to regulation wins. Auston Matthews tallied his 69th goal of the season and Mitch Marner had three points as the Maple Leafs (46-24-10) sit 10th overall with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs forward Bobby McMann left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Leafs announced goaltender Matt Murray was assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on a conditioning stint.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson turned in a 20-save shutout to blank the New Jersey Devils 1-0. Travis Konecny scored his 400 career point for the 38-32-11 Flyers, who also have 87 points. They sit behind the Capitals and Red Wings, who have a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, former Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds signed a one-day contract with the club and formally retired as a Flyer. The club honored Simmonds during a pregame ceremony.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ playoff hopes suffered a blow with a 6-4 loss to the Boston Bruins. David Pastrnak and Charlie Coyle each collected two assists as the Bruins improved to 47-18-15 and sit fourth overall with 109 points. Evgeni Malkin, Michael Bunting and Drew O’Connor each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (37-31-12) as they sit one point behind the Capitals, Red Wings and Flyers.

A shootout goal by Vincent Trocheck gave the New York Rangers a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. Artemi Panarin scored his 48th goal of the season to tie the game for the Rangers, who set a franchise single-season record with their 54th win as they sit atop the overall standings with 112 points. Brock Nelson tallied twice for the Islanders (37-27-16) as they hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart scored in overtime to beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Reinhart has 55 goals this season as the Panthers (51-24-6) sit fifth overall with 108 points. Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 39 shots.

The Vancouver Canucks rode a 32-save performance by Casey DeSmith to a 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Sam Lafferty, Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua were the goalscorers for the 49-22-9 Canucks, who sit sixth overall with 107 points. Evander Kane scored for the Oilers (48-25-6) as they sit ninth overall with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid missed his third straight game nursing a lower-body injury. He’s expected to be good to go when the playoffs begin next weekend and could return for a game before the end of the regular season.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi scored twice and collected two assists to lead his club over the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-4. Tommy Novak scored two goals and picked up an assist for the 47-29-5 Predators, who improved to 99 points and hold a five-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights for the first Western wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators and Golden Knights clinched playoff berths last week. It’s now a question of where they finish in those wildcard spots.

The Los Angeles Kings downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. David Rittich turned aside 28 shots and Matt Roy scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Kings (43-26-11) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 97 points.

A shootout goal by Drake Batherson gave the Ottawa Senators a 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk scored twice to reach a career-best 37 goals while Canadiens winger Cole Caufield tallied two goals to reach 27 on the season. It’s the ninth straight win for the Senators over the Canadiens.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice and set up another in a 6-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Wild rookie Liam Ohgren picked up his first NHL points with a goal and an assist. The loss ensures the Sharks finished 32nd overall, giving them the best odds of winning the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2024

by | Apr 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2024

Two scoring milestones for Sidney Crosby as his Penguins regain the Eastern wildcard spot, the Kings clinch a postseason berth, the Golden Knights re-sign Noah Hanifin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected his 1,000th career NHL assist as his club nipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 on an overtime goal by Erik Karlsson. Crosby and Bryan Rust each had a goal and an assist for the 37-30-12 Penguins, who regained the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 86 points. Lucas Raymond tallied a hat trick and Alex DeBrincat picked up three assists for the Red Wings (38-32-9) as they sit one point back of the Penguins.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby also took supplanted Phil Esposito for 10th overall with 1,591 points. He’s 50 points behind ninth-place Joe Sakic and 132 behind eighth-place Mario Lemieux. Meanwhile, the Penguins announced defenseman Ryan Graves (concussion) has been moved to injured reserve. He could return to action if the Penguins reach the first round of the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth by defeating the Calgary Flames 4-1. Viktor Arvidsson tallied twice for the Kings, who improved to 42-26-11 and sit third in the Pacific Division with 95 points. Jonathan Huberdeau replied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The final wildcard berth is the only playoff spot available in the West. The Golden Knights (92 points) hold that spot with a three-point lead over the St. Louis Blues.

Returning to the Eastern wildcard race, the Washington Capitals dropped a 4-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres. Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson scored for the Capitals (37-31-11) as they sit one point behind the Penguins. Alex Tuch netted his 22nd goal of the season for the Sabres.

An overtime goal by Kyle Palmieri lifted the New York Islanders over the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. The Islanders (37-27-15) sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points, three points up on the Penguins. Cole Caufield tallied his 25th goal of the season for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. It’s unclear how long he might be sidelined.

The Philadelphia Flyers kept their playoff hopes alive by upsetting the New York Rangers 4-1, snapping an eight-game winless skid. Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist and Samuel Ersson stopped 24 shots for the 37-32-11 Flyers, who sit one point behind the Penguins for that final wildcard berth. Artemi Panarin scored his 47th of the season for the 53-23-4 Rangers, who have lost two straight but remain first in the overall standings with 110 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Third place in the Metro and the final Eastern wildcard are the only playoff spots still up for grabs in the Eastern Conference. Four points separate the Islanders from the Flyers with the Penguins, Capitals and Red Wings between them.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit turned in a 24-save shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Dallas Stars. Nikolaj Ehlers, David Gustafsson and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets (49-24-6), who’ve won five straight games and moved into seventh overall with 104 points. Jake Oettinger turned aside 21 shots for the 50-21-9 Stars as they remain one point behind the league-leading Rangers.

The New Jersey Devils upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5. Jesper Bratt snapped a 5-5 time with 1:14 remaining in the third period for the Devils. Bratt and Timo Meier finished each finished with two goals and an assist. Auston Matthews scored two goals to move with two of the 70-goal plateau for the Leafs (46-24-9), who sit tenth in the overall standings with 101 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews also reached a notable milestone, becoming the first player to score 50 even-strength goals in a season since Teemu Selanne in 1992-93. As for the Devils, their elimination from playoff contention earlier this week means their 2024 second-round pick belongs to the San Jose Sharks. It was the remaining condition of their acquisition of Meier last year.

Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Sam Reinhart scored his 54th goal of the season for the 50-24-6 Panthers, who sit fifth overall with 106 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau and defenseman Zach Werenski intend to suit up for Team USA at the 2024 World Championships in Czechia from May 10-26.

The Ottawa Senators upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on a shootout goal by Brady Tkachuk, who also had a goal and an assist in regulation play. Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his lead in the scoring race to 141 points as the Lightning (44-27-8) hold the first Eastern wildcard with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov holds a four-point lead over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. MacKinnon’s next game is Saturday against the Jets while Kucherov and his Lightning face off against the Capitals.

San Jose Sharks goalie Devin Cooley kicked out 49 shots to down the Seattle Kraken 3-1.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: The Vegas Golden Knights signed Noah Hanifin to an eight-year, $58.8 million contract extension. They acquired the 27-year-old defenseman from the Calgary Flames two days before the March 8 trade deadline. The average annual value is $7.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hanifin is completing a six-year contract with an AAV of $4.95 million. His new deal is similar in term and dollars to what he was reportedly close to signing with the Flames last fall before their negotiations derailed. However, he’ll keep more of that because of the lower taxes in Nevada.

It’s a good move by the Golden Knights. Alex Pietrangelo and Brayden McNabb are in their mid-thirties and Alec Martinez isn’t expected to be re-signed. Hanifin has fit in well since joining them and will take on a greater role on their blueline in the coming years.

The signing also raises questions about Jonathan Marchessault’s future in Vegas. The 33-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. I’ll have more in today’s Rumors update.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny said the news of a possible relocation of his team to Salt Lake City is having a “huge impact” on his players because they love playing in Phoenix.

Tourigny also voiced concern for the club’s 31 staff members without contracts for next season. He noted the effect it could have on their families and personal lives.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the NHL continues to work behind the scenes trying to find a solution for what deputy commissioner Bill Daly called a “difficult and challenging situation.”

In terms of a timeline of a possible sale of the Coyotes and a move to Salt Lake City, LeBrun noted the sale and relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg in 2011 took place in late May. However, he cited a source suggesting it wouldn’t take that long but could require some time to get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some reports suggest it could happen as early as April 18, the end of the regular season schedule. LeBrun doubted that it would take place that quickly. He also cautioned that this isn’t a fait accompli as the deal still might not take place. As he observed, this remains a delicate situation.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg announced his retirement from the NHL at the end of this season. Silfverberg, 33, began his 12-year NHL career with the Ottawa Senators but spent the past 11 seasons with the Ducks. He’s returning to his native Sweden where it’s believed he’ll finish his playing career where it began, with Brynas IF in his hometown of Gavle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Silfverberg currently sits fifth among Ducks players in games played (769) and goals (158), eighth in assists with 196 and seventh in points with 354. He also has 16 goals and 41 points in 57 career playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2024

by | Apr 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Coyotes could move to Salt Lake City, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The St. Louis Blues kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Jordan Kyrou scored twice as the Blues scored on their first four shots and Robert Thomas picked up a goal and an assist. With a record of 42-32-5 (89 points), the Blues sit three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wildcard berth. Blackhawks rookie Landon Slaggert scored his first NHL goal.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Golden Knights (42-28-8), they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Edmonton Oilers. Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who improved to 48-24-5 and moved into ninth in the overall standings with 101 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers played without captain Connor McDavid as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to return to action at some point during their remaining five games before the end of the regular season.

An overtime goal by Logan Cooley lifted the Arizona Coyotes to a 4-3 upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Dylan Guenther had a goal and three assists for the Coyotes. Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the 48-22-9 as they sit fifth overall with 105 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes deserve credit for playing as well as they did against one of the league’s top teams considering the uncertainty about their futures in Arizona. Speaking of which…

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli was the first to report that Coyotes ownership and the NHL were working on an agreement to sell and relocate the franchise to Salt Lake City.

The league and the Coyotes have reportedly made what Seravalli’s sources called “significant and meaningful progress” on an agreement with Smith Entertainment Group that would have the team playing in Salt Lake City next season.

It’s believed the Coyotes players have been informed a “verbal agreement” is in place. However, nothing is officially in place as the deal is complicated with much work still to be done. Meanwhile, the league is working on two schedules for 2024-25, one with the Coyotes in Arizona and the other with the team in Salt Lake City.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported one Coyotes player said there are rumors of “meeting about the future” before he and his teammates go their separate ways for the offseason.

Friedman indicated the league is working as a broker with Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo and prospective Utah owner Ryan Smith. He claims multiple sources said a real scenario has the league paying Meruelo $1 billion for the Coyotes, then selling the club to Smith for $1.2 billion.

Meruelo would also be offered a five-year exclusive window to bring an expansion team to Arizona.

The Coyotes owner hopes to win a land auction on June 27 for a parcel of land on which he wants to build an arena and sports entertainment complex. The league initially hoped to let the auction play out but there is concern over what would happen if Meruelo lost the auction and the possibility of playing another three seasons at Mullett Arena. According to Friedman, there wasn’t much enthusiasm for the latter.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Kevin Zimmerman lists several factors that could see the Coyotes relocated to Salt Lake City.

He noted that there are “many entities” that don’t want the Coyotes building an arena in the Phoenix area. Among them is Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega, who wrote a letter indicating the biggest problem was the Coyotes’ lack of consultation with Scottsdale regarding infrastructure issues like traffic and water mains.

Zimmerman also believes the NHL and NHL Players’ Association appear to be losing confidence in the Coyotes’ efforts to construct a new arena.

As for why Ryan Smith prefers to bring an existing franchise to Salt Lake City over an expansion club, it’s because it would bring NHL hockey more quickly to Utah. The Coyotes are an “intriguing hockey product” with promising young players such as Clayton Keller and Matias Maccelli and a general manager who is preaching patience with his rebuilding project.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported the NHL sent a status report memo to its Board of Governors on Wednesday in response to the media coverage of this story. The memo stressed that there is still nothing done as there are “moving parts” to this situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having followed the Coyotes ownership saga for nearly two decades, I realize that nothing is set in stone and this situation could take another dramatic twist. Nevertheless, this is the first time that it feels that relocation is imminent. While it’s a complicated scenario that could fall apart in the coming weeks, this seems like a genuine effort by the team’s owner, the league and a prospective buyer in Salt Lake City to make this move happen.

The Coyotes cannot continue as they have in Arizona. It’s not feasible to play in the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena for another three years given the uncertainty over whether a new arena will be built. NHLPA leadership has spoken out in recent months about the Coyotes’ handling of its arena situation because it’s a drag on hockey-related revenue.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has fought for two decades to keep the struggling Coyotes in Arizona because it’s one of the biggest markets in North America. While his patience is long, it’s not endless, and I daresay he’s hearing grumbling from a growing chorus of existing NHL team owners.

I feel sorry for Coyotes fans. They knew this day was coming but it still sucks. Contrary to popular belief, a lot of people supported the Coyotes for decades through the good and mostly bad times. Decades of bumbling by multiple owners and general managers brought this franchise to this point. Coyotes fans deserve better.

THE SCORE: Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is still working on bringing an NHL franchise to his city. “I’m working on it, “ he said. The Rockets play in the 19,000-seat Toyota Center, which would hold 17,800 fans when converted for hockey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Houston becomes a viable alternative if efforts to relocate the Coyotes to Salt Lake City fall through. Otherwise, expect an expansion franchise in Houston (and one in Atlanta) before 2030. It’s going to happen. The league will expand to 34 franchises and perhaps 35 if the NHL attempts to return to Arizona.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports a Philadelphia Flyers management source said John Tortorella will not be losing his job as head coach despite the club’s recent downturn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This comes in response to speculation that Tortorella would be fired or be moved into a management role.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli will miss the remainder of the season. He’s been sidelined by a lacerated calf since Jan. 28. However, Fantilli could skate for Team Canada at next month’s World Championships if he’s fully recovered by then.

NHLPA: The results of the latest players’ poll have been released. Follow the link provided for the results on the players’ views on topics such as the top positional players, the most complete player the toughest arena to play in, the best dressed, and more.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 10, 2024

by | Apr 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 10, 2024

Check out the latest on the Canadiens and Flyers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels noted the Montreal Canadiens’ ongoing need for scoring depth following their 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

A healthy Kirby Dach and improving young players like Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook should help the Canadiens’ offense next season. Nevertheless, Engels believes general manager Kent Hughes must use his plethora of defensemen and draft picks as trade bait to bolster their scoring punch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes acknowledged the need for more scoring following last month’s trade deadline. He hinted that he could be a buyer again at the draft. He acquired Dach during the first round of the 2022 draft and Newhook the day before the opening round of last year’s draft.

Dach and Newhook are promising players yet to reach their potential. The Canadiens need one or two established scorers, preferably in their mid-to-late twenties who can fit into the club’s long-term plans.

TVA SPORTS: Jean-Charles Lajoie and Tony Marinaro believe the Canadiens should part ways with struggling winger Josh Anderson.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson (NHL Images).

Lajoie believes the Canadiens cannot bring back Anderson next season. He suggests retaining 50 percent of his $5.5 million annual average value or buying out the remaining three years of his deal.

Failing that, Marinaro recommends Anderson start next season with their AHL affiliate in Laval. He pointed out they did the same thing this season with Joel Armia, whose performance improved after spending eight games with their farm team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what Hughes has in store for Anderson, whose production fell from 21 goals in 2022-23 to just nine this season. The 29-year-old winger carries an eight-team no-trade list this season and a five-team no-trade for the remainder of the contract.

The Canadiens will have over $19 million in cap space (factoring in Carey Price’s $10.5 million on permanent LTIR) for 2024-25. Still, Hughes might not want to carry six years of dead cap space on his books, especially if he’s got plans to bring in a scorer or two this summer.

Buying out Anderson would only count as over $222K next season, climbing to $2.22 million in 2025-26 and $3.72 million in 2026-27 before dropping to $1.72 million in each of the final three seasons. Even with a rising cap, that’s a long time to carry that buyout on the books.

Retaining half his salary would be a better option but it’s still $2.75 million in dead cap space per season for three years. The best move could be to keep Anderson for another season, see if his production improves, and decide his future afterward.

ARE CHANGES IN STORE FOR THE FLYERS IF THEY MISS THE PLAYOFFS?

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz wondered if there could be offseason repercussions for the Philadelphia Flyers if they miss the playoffs. Having held a postseason berth for most of the season, the struggling Flyers are in danger of failing to clinch a spot.

The Flyers could go into next season with Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov as their goalie tandem, depending on the latter’s contract talks. However, it’s not settled that they’re good enough to carry the club into the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carter Hart’s absence from the Flyers contributed to their slide down the standings in recent weeks. Ersson’s done his best to fill the void but wasn’t meant to carry such a heavy workload at this early stage of his NHL career. After being forced to spend the past two seasons in the KHL, Fedotov has only three games of NHL experience and came in a couple of weeks ago under unusual circumstances.

With Hart’s future in the NHL cloudy, the Flyers could bring in a veteran backup for Ersson if Fedotov isn’t re-signed before July 1.

Kurz also cited hockey analyst Doug MacLean speculating that Flyers head coach John Tortorella could move into a management role next season.

MacLean claimed Tortorella requested a transition to management during his final season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Then-GM Jarmo Kekalainen declined and Tortorella left at the end of the season.

If Tortorella took a management role, Kurz wondered if assistant coach Brad Shaw or Rocky Thompson would take over as head coach. He also noted that former St. Louis Blues bench boss Craig Berube is tight with Flyers president Keith Jones.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2024

by | Apr 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2024

Nikita Kucherov sets a Lightning scoring record and regains the league scoring lead, the Stars set a franchise-record win streak, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected three assists to set a single-season franchise record with 130 points in a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 28 shots for the 42-26-7 Lightning, who hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 91 points. Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 63rd goal of the season for the Leafs (43-23-9) as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 95 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have been hot recently, winning eight of their last 10 games. Kucherov holds a three-point lead over Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s points leader.

TSN recently asked if Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe should let Matthews push for 70 goals or rest him for the playoffs. Given the Leafs’ postseason record, let Matthews go for 70. It could be the high point of their season. I’m kidding, of course…or am I?

The Dallas Stars collected their franchise-record eighth-straight win by blanking the Edmonton Oilers 5-0. Jake Oettinger kicked out 35 shots for his second straight shutout and Wyatt Johnston scored his 30th goal of the season as the Stars improved to 48-19-9 (105 points) to sit one point behind the league-leading New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston joined Brian Bellows as the second player in franchise history to have a 30-goal season before age 21. Teammate Jason Robertson reached the 50-assist plateau for the second straight season, becoming the sixth player in Stars history to achieve that feat.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid remains third in the race for the Art Ross Trophy with 126 points.

Speaking of the Rangers, they blew a 2-0 lead but rallied for a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Chris Kreider broke a 3-3 tie while Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and an assist for the 51-21-4 Rangers. Nico Hischier tallied his 25 goal of the season while Jesper Bratt had two assists to exceed 50 this season for the 36-36-4 Devils (76 points), who remain six points out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game began with a line brawl resulting in eight ejections, six fights and 164 PIMs before the dust settled.

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the Arizona Coyotes 2-1. Conor Garland snapped a 1-1 tie late in the third period and Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist as the Canucks (47-21-8) rose to fourth overall with 102 points. Dylan Guenther replied for the 31-39-5 Coyotes.

Los Angeles Kings wingers Trevor Moore tallied a hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Pierre-Luc Dubois collected three assists as the Kings improved to 39-25-11. They hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot and sit one point behind the Nashville Predators. The Kraken (31-31-13) were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers head coach John Tortorella addressed his critics and those who doubt his club’s playoff chances during a press conference on Wednesday.

“It follows me around, and so be it. If a player is going to quit on me, or players are going to quit on me because I’m trying to make them better people and better athletes, you’ve got the wrong damn coach here, and you’ve got the wrong damn people here,” said Tortorella.

“My job is, I’m going to push athletes…I was in control the other night. What I said I meant. And, quite honestly, when I watch the tape now, I’m more concerned than just the second period.”

Tortorella expressed his pride in the underdog Flyers getting where they are this season.

“And I guess now that narrative out there is, because I’ve heard from other people, is that they’re young, they’re not supposed to be here…bull***! We’re here! We’re here; face it!”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t doubt Tortorella’s proud of his club for exceeding expectations this season when no one considered the Flyers to be a playoff contender when this season began They’ve been in third place in the Metropolitan Division for over three months.

The Flyers have been struggling in recent weeks and are in danger of slipping out of a playoff berth as they try to hold off division rivals like the Washington Capitals, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. Tortorella could be trying to take some of the media heat off his players by putting it onto himself.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets winger Nino Niederreiter has been sidelined for at least a week after suffering a skate cut during Monday’s win over the Winnipeg Jets. Head coach Rick Bowness said the injury would’ve been much worse if Niederreiter wasn’t wearing cut-resistant socks.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and is unavailable for Friday’s game against the New York Rangers.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner and his wife announced their son Dawson was stillborn on March 31. They appreciate everyone respects their privacy through this difficult time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to the Jenners.