NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 7, 2025

Bowen Byram and Jack McBain are being taken to arbitration by their respective teams, Ilya Kovalchuk thinks Connor McDavid’s contract decision could shake up the league, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres have elected for arbitration with defenseman Bowen Byram,  and the Utah Mammoth with center Jack McBain. Both players are restricted free agents.

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman pointed out that Byram and McBain are no longer able to sign offer sheets. Since their teams took them to arbitration, the two players can pick the term of the arbitration award. They could opt for two-year contracts, making them eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July 2027.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The arbitration period is from July 20 to August 4. Both players will learn their arbitration dates when the schedule is released shortly.

Like the 11 players who recently filed for arbitration, Bryam and McBain can continue their contract negotiations with their respective teams up to their scheduled hearing dates.

Both players could agree to new contracts before their hearings. They could also be traded.

Byram’s been a fixture in the rumor mill for weeks. The latest scuttlebutt claims the St. Louis Blues were “trying hard” to acquire him.

RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov recently interviewed former NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk, who weighed in on the looming contract decision for Connor McDavid.

The Edmonton Oilers captain is a year away from UFA eligibility. That’s prompted speculation over whether he’ll re-sign and stay in Edmonton or test the market when his current contract expires.

Kovalchuk believes McDavid’s decision won’t just affect the Oilers, but the entire league.

“Honestly, I think this is bigger than just McDavid or the Oilers,” said Kovalchuk. “He’s the face of the NHL. If he leaves, it’ll be like when Wayne Gretzky was traded from Edmonton to LA in 1988.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Gretzky trade paved the way for the NHL’s expansion into the Sun Belt. It’s uncertain what the overall consequences of McDavid signing elsewhere would be, but the ripples from that decision could be felt around the league for years.

The Oilers would feel the effects immediately. Like Gretzky’s departure, the loss of McDavid could lead to an exodus of other core players, turning them into an also-ran as management scrambles to rebuild.

Unlike the Oilers of the late 1980s, however, the current version has stable ownership and operates under a league-wide salary cap system. They wouldn’t be dealing with threats of relocation while struggling to maintain a competitive roster, putting them in a better position this time to retain some core talent and perhaps attract others. Those factors give them the opportunity for a quick turnaround if management can act shrewdly in rebuilding the roster.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Michael Augello looked at the five worst contract signings in the 2025 NHL offseason thus far. Among them are the Columbus Blue Jackets re-signing Ivan Provorov to a seven-year contract and the Boston Bruins inking forward Tanner Jeannot to a five-year deal.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed goaltender Jakub Dobes to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $965,000.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders inked winger Marc Gatcomb to a one-year, one-way deal worth $900,000.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Rangers re-signed forward Brendan Brisson to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights re-signed restricted free-agent forwards Raphael Lavoie, Jonas Rondbjerg, and Cole Schwindt to one-year deals.