NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2026

by | Aug 21, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2026

The big questions facing the Senators, Juraj Slafkovsky on the Canadiens’ ultimate goal, Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins sidelined by an injury, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: How quickly the Ottawa Senators and their fans can put the Brady Tkachuk era behind them, and whether they can find consistency in goal, are among the big questions facing the club this season.

Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers in June, sparking heated emotions among Senators fans after he stated on numerous occasions that he didn’t want to leave Ottawa.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images)

Meanwhile, the Senators will be looking for stability from starting goalie Linus Ullmark after last season’s roller-coaster performance. The club hired his friend and mentor, Maciej Szwoch, as director of goaltending scouting and development.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be a test of the Senators’ mettle how they adjust to Tkachuk’s departure. Senators fans point out that their club played better when Tkachuk was sidelined for several weeks with an injured thumb last fall. They also noted that Ullmark’s performance improved after he took a midseason mental health break.

The Senators should be able to cope without their former captain, and they might even perform better without the constant questions about his future with the team. However, the real issue is whether Ullmark can carry over his solid second-half performance into this season. If he regains the form that won him the Vezina Trophy in 2022-23 and remains healthy, the Senators shouldn’t have much difficulty clinching a playoff spot.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky said he and his teammates are focused more on winning multiple Stanley Cup championships than they are on pursuing expensive contracts.

Slafkovsky is among several young Canadiens core players signed to affordable long-term contracts, giving the club considerable salary cap flexibility in the coming seasons to build around that young talent.

“It’s not really about the money (in Montreal),” Slafkovsky told reporters after being named Slovakia’s Hockey Player of the Year for the third straight year. “We all have the same goal on that team. Nobody really cares about the money at this point. I mean, all those contracts that the guys have, or even I personally have, it’s already made our lives easier. Nobody really needs more than that. We’d rather focus on collecting those (Stanley Cup) rings, because that’s a much bigger number, and I don’t think any amount of money can top that.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have attempted to build a winning culture among their young players. Based on what young stars such as Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov have recently signed, they’re buying into what management and the coaching staff have been preaching. If it works, the Canadiens could have the cap space to build and maintain a Stanley Cup contender for the next decade.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is sidelined indefinitely after undergoing shoulder surgery on Aug. 17.

General manager Don Waddell said Merzlikins had been experiencing some discomfort in his shoulder during his offseason workouts. Following an MRI, it was decided that surgery was the best option. Waddell indicated that the 32-year-old goaltender will be reevaluated in a few weeks, after which they hope to have a clearer picture of when he could return to action.

Merzlikins is entering the final season of his five-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Merzlikins lost the starting goaltender role to Jett Greaves last season. Pheonix Copley is expected to be Greaves’ backup. He signed a one-year, $850,000 contract earlier this summer.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins will induct former goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, former defenseman Larry Murphy, former general manager Jim Rutherford, and former owner Jack McGregor into its Hall of Fame. The foursome will be inducted in a pregame ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 14.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be a prelude for Fleury’s eventual induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He will be eligible for that honor in 2028.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL forward Joe Pavelski has joined the University of Wisconsin’s men’s hockey program as director of player development.

Pavelski spent 18 seasons in the NHL. He played college hockey for Wisconsin from 2005 to 2007 and spent the past two years coaching his son Nate for the AAA Madison Capitals.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reports the NHL is partnering with soccer giant FC Bayern to grow the league’s popularity in Germany. The partnership comes as the league is making a concerted push in the German sports market, including staging additional regular-season games there as part of its annual Global Series.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league intends to bring more games to Germany in 2028-29, and could eventually stage an outdoor game at FC Bayern’s 75,000-seat Allianz Arena in Munich.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL stages several outdoor games each season throughout North America, but an outdoor game in a large European market would be a unique event that helps to grow the product.

THE SCORE: The New York Islanders announced the winner of their popular fan-designed third jersey contest on Thursday, revealing a navy sweater with a large lighthouse logo in the center.

The winning design was selected from eight finalists chosen from over 80,000 submissions. The Isles will wear the unique jersey for several games in 2027-28.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2026

by | Aug 20, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2026

Notable questions facing the Rangers, regular-season games to be played in Germany in 2027-28, the latest on Sergei Bobrovsky, Jaccob Slavin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers entered 2026-27 facing the prospect of how to replace Vincent Trocheck and who centers offseason addition Pavel Dorofeyev among their notable questions to be addressed.

The Rangers traded Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth on July 1, leaving them without a reliable second-line center and key contributor to their power play. Alexis Lafreniere could replace Trocheck on their first PP unit. J.T. Miller could take over as a primary center at even strength.

The New York Rangers acquired Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights on June 26. (NHL Images).

Dorofeyev was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights on June 26, signing a seven-year, $77 million contract. The 25-year-old winger could be on the Rangers’ top PP unit with Miller and Mika Zibanejad.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This season could be a critical one for the Rangers as their retooling process enters its third year. Failure to qualify for the playoffs could lead to more changes, perhaps starting in their front office.

NHL.COM: The NHL and NHLPA announced that Munich and Cologne will host NHL regular-season games during the 2027-28 campaign as part of the league’s annual Global Series. It’s the first time regular-season games will be played in Germany.

The Boston Bruins will play two games in JJ Peterka’s home city of Munich, while the Edmonton Oilers will play two games in Leon Draisaitl’s native city of Cologne.

The league is also partnering with FC Bayern for a first-of-its-kind multiyear partnership to accelerate the growth of hockey in Germany and the development of FC Bayern in North America.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL continues to make strides in its efforts to promote its brand into European markets. It could be setting the stage for a potential expansion into Europe, though that appears to be years away. For now, it will continue to grow the game there, ensuring a steady stream of the best European talent makes its way to the NHL.

TORONTO SUN: Former NHL goaltender Glenn Healy downplayed concerns among Maple Leafs followers about whether Sergei Bobrovsky’s best years are behind him. He believes the 37-year-old netminder can still be an effective starter for the Leafs, whose experience could be an inspiration for the retooling club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky’s struggles last season with the injury-ravaged Florida Panthers raised concerns that he’s past his prime. A bounce-back performance on his part will be crucial to the Maple Leafs’ hopes of regaining playoff contention this season following their own disappointing performance.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin will use his day with the Stanley Cup this weekend to help raise funds, in part, to support the Grayson Murray Foundation.

Murray, a Raleigh native, was a two-time winner on the PGA Tour who died by suicide two years ago. The nonprofit foundation, which has support from the PGA, raises greater awareness and support for mental health and addiction challenges while advancing and funding innovative research and services.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Scott Morrow to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level. Morrow, 23, played 29 games with the Rangers last season.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Bill Hoppe recently reported Radim Mrtka was praised by his WHL coach over how the Sabres prospect defenseman handled rumors linking him to the St. Louis Blues before the March trade deadline.

Mrtka was reportedly part of the return to the Blues if defenseman Colton Parayko waived his no-movement clause. The deal died when Parayko refused to do so.

According to Seattle Thunderbirds coach Matt O’Dette, Mrtka handled the speculation well, calling him unflappable. “He just kind of goes about his business and kind of shrugged off that distraction a little bit,” O’Dette said.

Mrtka finished what was likely his final season with the Thunderbirds before joining the Sabres’ AHL affiliate in Rochester.

AZ HOCKEY INSIDER: Craig Morgan reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told him that the league continues to have an interest in having a franchise return to Phoenix.

The Coyotes played in the Phoenix area from 1996-97 to 2023-24, relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah, in April 2024.

Daly indicated that there is interest among “a number of people in Arizona to bring an NHL franchise back to the Phoenix area.” He indicated that the league has been open and honest that, given the right circumstances, they continue to believe it would be a good market for a successful NHL franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the league considering another expansion attempt into Atlanta, it shouldn’t be surprising that they would maintain an interest in Phoenix. Part of the “right circumstances” would be stable, deep-pocketed ownership and the construction of a new NHL-worthy arena in Phoenix. Without either one, there won’t be a return to Phoenix anytime soon.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks radio broadcasts will reportedly be moving to Rogers-owned Kiss Radio. The news comes six weeks after the demise of Sportsnet 650.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2026

by | Feb 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2026

The quarterfinal matchups are set for Olympic Men’s hockey, Jeff Skinner becomes a free agent, Patrik Laine is injured again, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS SET FOLLOWING QUALIFICATION ROUND ACTION

NHL.COM: Switzerland blanked Italy 3-0 in qualification round action on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinal round against Finland.

Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists while goaltender Leonardo Genoni made 20 saves for the shutout. Damian Clara stopped 48 shots for Italy.

Sweden will meet the United States in the quarterfinal after defeating Latvia 5-1.

Team Sweden winger Lucas Raymond (The Hockey News).

Lucas Raymond had three assists, while William Nylander, Mika Zibanejad, and Gabriel Landeskog each had a goal and an assist for the Swedes. Eduards Tralmaks replied for Latvia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following Tuesday’s action, Raymond sat second to Canada’s Connor McDavid in tournament scoring with eight points. The Swedes raised eyebrows by scratching defenseman Rasmus Andersson and Jesper Bratt from this game. Some observers believe they’re saving them for the quarterfinal.

Germany beat France 5-1 to face Slovakia in the quarterfinal.

Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 30 shots for the Germans. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored for France in what proved to be his final game as the former NHL forward announced his retirement following this contest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I write this, Germany is down 4-1 to Slovakia after two periods in their quarterfinal game.

Bellemare’s teammate Pierre Crinon faces prosecution back home in France for punching a goaltender in the face during a game last November. Earlier this week, he was suspended from the remainder of the tournament by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee for fighting Canada’s Tom Wilson during Sunday’s games between the two nations.

Czechia will face Canada for the second time in this tournament after holding off Denmark by a score of 3-2.

Martin Necas and Roman Cervenka each had a goal and an assist while Lukas Dostal turned aside 24 shots for Czechia. Frederik Andersen made 28 saves for Denmark.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Czechia forward Radek Faksa suffered an upper-body injury in this game and will not be in the lineup for today’s game against Canada.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NOTES

TSN: Team Canada forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett skipped practice on Tuesday. Head coach Jon Cooper said they were taking time for maintenance, adding that there wasn’t any cause for concern. Both players are expected to be in the lineup for their quarterfinal game against Czechia.

DAILY FACEOFF: Team USA winger Kyle Connor is expected to be a healthy scratch from today’s game against Sweden. His ice time steadily diminished in his first two games, and he was scratched from their game against Germany.

IN NHL NEWS…

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Jeff Skinner is no longer with the Sharks. He cleared unconditional waivers on Tuesday, resulting in his contract being terminated by mutual agreement. The 33-year-old winger is now an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if he signs with another NHL club this season. He’ll have to do so before the March 6 trade deadline to be eligible to skate in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson resumed practice with his teammates on Tuesday. He’d missed their last seven games before the Olympic break with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edvinsson, 23, has been an invaluable part of the Red Wings’ blueline. As the article observed, they’re 3-5-2 in the 10 games he’s missed during this season.

TSN: Patrik Laine missed practice on Tuesday as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old Montreal Canadiens winger has been sidelined since Oct. 16 after undergoing core muscle surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine has surfaced recently in the rumor mill as a trade candidate. However, his ongoing injury issues could ensure that he finishes the season in Montreal.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2026

by | Feb 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2026

The qualification round of the Olympic Men’s hockey tournament goes on Tuesday, the Hurricanes sign goalie Brandon Bussi to a new contract, the Sharks terminate Jeff Skinner’s contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NEWS

NHL.COM: The qualification round for Olympic Men’s ice hockey goes today. France takes on Germany, Italy faces Switzerland, Denmark meets Czechia, and Latvia faces off against Sweden.

The winners of this round advance to the quarterfinal on Wednesday. France or Germany will go on to face Slovakia, Italy or Switzerland will meet Finland, Denmark or Czechia will play Canada, and Latvia or Sweden will go up against the United States.

Czechia winger David Pastrnak (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most media predictions have Germany, Switzerland, Czechia, and Sweden advancing to the quarterfinal.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Czechia winger and Bruins star David Pastrnak said he felt that his performance must be better as his club entered the qualification round. Pastrnak had a goal and two assists in the preliminary round as Czechia went 1-0-1-1. Avalanche winger Martin Necas led Czechia with two goals and three assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Czechia needs more production from Pastrnak if they hope to win a medal in this tournament.

DAILY FACEOFF: The boards at Santagiulia Arena will be a lighter color when the men’s qualification round begins Tuesday. This color change comes following feedback from teams and national Olympic committees.

The previous darker color of the boards may have contributed to United States goaltender Jeremy Swayman giving up a goal from center ice during his club’s game against Denmark in the preliminary round.

SPORTSNET: The French Ice Hockey Federation suspended defenseman Pierre Crinon of France from further competition in this tournament, citing his “provocative behavior” during France’s 10-2 loss to Canada on Sunday.

Crinon fought Canadian winger Tom Wilson during that game, resulting in both players receiving match penalties. They did not receive supplemental discipline for their actions from the International Ice Hockey Federation.

A statement released by Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, president of the French Ice Hockey Federation, claimed that Crinon’s actions were “a clear violation of the Olympic spirit and also undermines the values of our sport.”

NHL HEADLINES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year, $5.7 million contract extension.

Bussi, 27, was claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers at the start of this season. He’s become one of the biggest stories of the regular season, sporting a record of 23-3-1 with a .908 save percentage and two shutouts.

To celebrate Bussi’s new contract, the Hurricanes have made a $10,000 donation to the Autism Society of North Carolina. Bussi’s younger brother, Dylan, has autism.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bussi became the fastest goaltender to win 20 games in an NHL season, doing so in 24 games.

The average annual value of his new one-way contract is $1.9 million. That’s an affordable move by the Hurricanes while still giving Bussi a nice raise over the $775,000 cap hit on his current two-way deal. This is also an insurance move, given that oft-injured starter Frederik Andersen is UFA-eligible this summer and questions over Pyotr Kochetkov’s development.

TSN: The San Jose Sharks placed winger Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers on Monday with the intention of terminating his contract by mutual agreement. Skinner, 33, will become an unrestricted free agent once he clears waivers on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Sharks last summer. He has 13 points in 34 games this season, and has been a healthy scratch since Jan. 15. It will be interesting to see if he lands with another NHL club.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2026

by | Feb 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2026

Slovakia clinches first place in Group B, the United States survives a scare against Denmark, Latvia upsets Germany, and more Olympic Men’s hockey coverage in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY ACTION.

NHL.COM: Slovakia dropped a hard-fought 5-3 decision against Sweden, but a last-minute goal by Dalibor Dvorsky enabled them to clinch first place in Group B based on goal differential. Juraj Slafkovsky and Martin Gernat each had a goal and an assist, and goaltender Samuel Hlavaj kicked out 46 of 51 shots for Slovakia (2-0-0-1), who advance to the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Slovakia winger Juraj Slafkovsky (AP.com).

Lucas Raymond had a goal and two assists, Elias Pettersson tallied twice, Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 29 shots for Sweden (2-0-0-1), who finished third in the Group and will play in the qualification round on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia has exceeded expectations in this tournament. Despite the loss to Sweden, they were overjoyed when Dvorsky scored what proved to be the clinching goal in Group B. “It’s probably the best loss I ever had,” joked Slafkovsky, who finished Saturday tied with Canada’s Connor McDavid for the tournament scoring lead with six points.

The United States overcame a 2-1 deficit to defeat Denmark 6-3. Jack Eichel led the way with a goal and an assist. At the same time, Matt Boldy, Brady Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, and Jake Guentzel also scored for Team USA (2-0-0-2), who can clinch first place in Group C and a bye to the quarterfinals with anything other than a regulation loss to Germany on Sunday. Nick Olesen, Nicholas Jensen, and Phillip Bruggieser scored for Denmark, who are winless through two games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team USA seemed disjointed in the first period, during which Swayman gave up a 95-foot shot that gave the Danes a 2-1 lead. They may have been guilty of taking the Danes lightly, but they took over the game thanks to Eichel and Tkachuk in the second period.

The Danes made it interesting through two periods, narrowing the Americans’ lead to 4-3 by the end of the second period before Guentzel and Hughes put the game out of reach. Danish goalie Mads Sogaard stopped 32 of 37 shots before leaving the game in the third period with an injury.

Latvia (1-0-0-1) got two goals from Dans Locmelis, Zemgus Girgensons collected two assists, and Arturs Silovs made 26 saves as they held on to upset Germany 4-3, giving their country its first Olympic win in men’s hockey since 2014. Lukas Reichel, Lukas Kalble, and Tim Stutzle replied for Germany, who are also 1-0-0-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Germany faces the United States on Sunday and could clinch first place in Group C with a regulation win. Latvia will meet Denmark on Sunday.

Finland (2-0-0-1) clinched second place in Group B by crushing Italy 11-0. Sebastian Aho, Mikael Granlund, Kaapo Kakko, and Joel Kiviranta each scored twice while Juuse Saros had a 15-save shutout. Italy lost all three of its games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Finland played without forwards Anton Lundell and Oliver Kapanen. They were kept out of this game because Lundell was sick and Kapanen is his roommate.

Italian forward Cristiano Digiacinto didn’t play in this game. He was serving a one-game suspension for hitting Slovakia’s Martin Fehervary in the head on Friday.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: Switzerland’s Kevin Fiala is done for the season after undergoing surgery on Saturday for a leg injury suffered during Friday’s loss to Canada.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It is also a significant loss for the Los Angeles Kings. Fiala is one of their leading scorers, and his absence could affect their efforts to clinch a playoff berth in the Western Conference.

The Kings made a significant addition to bolster their offense by acquiring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break. Fiala’s injury could send them back into the trade market once the Olympic roster freeze is lifted at midnight on Feb. 22.

TSN: Team Canada defenseman Josh Morrissey will sit out Sunday’s game against France, but he hasn’t been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.

Canadian coach Jon Cooper said winger Brad Marchand will be back in the lineup on Sunday. The 37-year-old winger was a healthy scratch during Friday’s game against Switzerland.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2023

by | May 28, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2023

The Stars beat the Golden Knights again to stay alive in the Western Conference Final plus the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, the Leafs GM search and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars avoided elimination again by doubling up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. Ty Dellandrea scored the game-winner and the insurance goal in just over a minute and a half midway through the third period while Jake Oettinger got the win with a 27-save performance.

Dallas Stars forward Ty Dellandrea (NHL Images)

The Stars had to overcome 1-0 and 2-1 deficits as the Golden Knights got goals from Ivan Barbashev and Chandler Stephenson. Vegas winger Jonathan Marchessault extended his points streak to four games with two assists in this contest.

Game 6 is Monday night in Dallas with the Golden Knights holding a 3-2 series lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights still hold the advantage in this series but the momentum has shifted in the Stars’ favor. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy attempted to downplay the pressure now placed on his team after failing to eliminate the Stars in the last two games. Nevertheless, he has to ensure that doubts aren’t starting to creep in among his players after blowing two opportunities to end this series and advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Meanwhile, the Stars’ confidence has returned. They now believe they can win, which is a much better place to be mentally and emotionally after playing desperation hockey following their disastrous Game 3 performance.

The Stars will also benefit from team captain Jamie Benn returning to the lineup for Game 6 following his two-game suspension, provided he doesn’t let his emotions get the better of him again. They still face elimination but they have to like their chances now as they return to home ice.

With the Stars forcing Game 6 on Monday, the 2023 Stanley Cup Final will officially begin on Saturday, June 3 in either Dallas or Las Vegas.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk joined Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Anderson on the NBA on TNT pregame show on Saturday night ahead of Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Final between the host Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk bantered for several minutes with the hosts over his performance in the Eastern Conference Final and the postseason thus far. He and his teammates are awaiting the winner of the Western Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Toronto Maple Leafs have held preliminary discussions with Doug Wilson regarding their vacant general manager position.

Wilson was GM of the San Jose Sharks from 2003 until stepping down in 2022 for medical reasons. With his health improving, he is reportedly interested in returning to the NHL in some capacity.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson is just one of several former NHL general managers being interviewed by the Maple Leafs. Others reportedly include Brad Treliving, Marc Bergevin, Peter Chiarelli and Jason Botterill.

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs ongoing search for a new general manager has left their unrestricted free agents such as Luke Schenn in limbo. They’re forced to wait until the dust settles before they can find out if the Leafs intend to bring them back on new contracts.

OTTAWA SUN: The four potential buyers of the Senators met last week with Anna and Olivia Melnyk, daughters of the club’s late owner Eugene Melnyk. They’re among several groups that must sign off on the sale of the franchise. Anna and Olivia wish to maintain a 10 percent stake in the Senators.

A preferred bidder could be selected by the end of this week.

THE SCORE: Germany pulled off a major upset in the IIHF World Championship by defeating Team USA 4-3 in overtime of their semifinal game. They advance to face Canada in the gold-medal game on Sunday.