NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 23, 2017

by | Jul 23, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 23, 2017

The Nashville Predators re-sign Viktor Arvidsson to a seven-year contract.

Predators re-sign Viktor Arvidsson plus updates on Brian Dumoulin, Ryan Spooner and more in your NHL morning coffee headlines. 

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators agreed to a new seven-year, $29.75 million contract with winger Viktor Arvidsson. The two sides took part in an arbitration hearing on Saturday but came to terms on a new deal before the arbiter reached a decision. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Arvidsson’s new contract carries an annual average value of $4.25 million, which is a significant pay raise over the $630K AAV of his previous deal. The 24-year-old enjoyed a breakout performance last season, tallying 31 goals and 61 points, tying the team lead in goals (with Filip Forsberg) and points (with Ryan Johansen). Should Arvidsson maintain that level of production, this contract will be considered another economical signing by Predators GM David Poile. 

NBC SPORTS: The Predators next order of business is re-signing forward Austin Watson, who’s scheduled for arbitration on Monday. Watson seeks a one-year deal worth $1.4 million and the Preds offered $700K. 

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin also has an arbitration hearing on Monday. The 25-year-old blueliner seeks a one-year contract worth $4.35 million. The Penguins countered with $1.95 million. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holy lowball, Batman, the Pens offer is almost insulting. Granted, it’s a significant raise over the $800K AAV Dumoulin earned on his previous contract, but he’s clearly worth more than $1.95 million. My guess is they’ll settle on a four-year deal worth $3.5 million per season, though it wouldn’t surprise me if this turns into a Colton Parayko situation where they agree to a long-term contract with an annual cap hit much higher than their proposed numbers. 

THE BOSTON GLOBE: The agent for Bruins forward Ryan Spooner indicates his client’s arbitration hearing could take place on Wednesday. 

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes avoided arbitration with forward Jordan Martinook, signing him to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $1.8 million. 

 

 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2017

by | Feb 16, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2017

Florida Panthers winger Jaromir Jagr becomes the second player in NHL history to tally 1,900 career points.

Game recaps, another milestone for Jagr, Nyquist suspended & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers right wing Jaromir Jagr became only the second player in NHL history to reach 1,900 career points, picking up an assist in his club’s 6-5 win over the San Jose Sharks.

Jonathan Huberdeau scored the winner in overtime while Nick Bjugstad and Aleksander Barkov each scored twice for the Panthers. Joe Pavelski scored twice and set up two others for the Sharks. Cramps forced Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo from the game late in the third, but he’s not expected to be ready for their next game.

Alexander Wennberg, Seth Jones and Zach Werenski each collected two assists as the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Nazem Kadri scored both of the Leafs goals.

Matthew Tkachuk tallied a goal and set up another while Brian Elliott made 33 saves to give the Calgary Flames a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Flames forward Alex Chiasson was ejected from the game for spearing Flyers forward Nick Cousin. Earlier in the day, the Flames also signed free-agent defenseman Matt Bartkowski to a professional tryout offer. 

Carter Hutton made 25 saves for his second straight shutout as the St. Louis Blues extended their win streak to five games by blanking the Detroit Red Wings 2-0. Before the game, the Wings honored their late owner Mike Ilitch, who passed away Friday at age 87. Earlier in the day, the Wings learned forward Gustav Nyquist received a six-game suspension for high-sticking Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon in the face last Sunday. 

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks center Antoine Vermette faces an automatic 10-game suspension as a result of his slashing a linesman during the Ducks’ 1-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. 

TSN: The new contract of recently-hired Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien is a five-year deal at $5 million annually. 

WASHINGTON POST: The Capitals yesterday acquired defenseman Tom Gilbert from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2017. He cleared waivers earlier this month and will report to the Capitals’ AHL affiliate in Hershey. 

THE TENNESSEAN: For the first time in franchise history, the Nashville Predators are poised to sell out every home game.

NBC SPORTS: Former NHL forward Mike Comrie is under investigation by the Los Angeles Police after a woman claimed he repeatedly raped her at his residence. 

THE PLAYERS TRIBUNE: Former NHL goaltender Corey Hirsch writes about his battle with obsessive compulsive disorder, which nearly drove him to suicide during his playing career. 












NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2017

by | Feb 2, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2017

Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom reacts after scoring against the Boston Bruins.

Stars of the month, injury updates, some minor trades & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHL.com: Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and two assists to lead the Washington Capitals to a 5-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Brad Marchand scored twice for the Bruins. The Caps were without winger Justin Williams, sidelined in a previous game by a lower-body injury. 

Sean Monahan scored twice and Brian Elliott made 28 saves as the Calgary Flames thumped the Minnesota Wild 5-1, snapping the latter’s 14-game road point streak.

Jeff Carter scored twice and Peter Budaj made 22 saves for his sixth shutout of the season as the Los Angeles Kings blanked the Colorado Avalanche 5-0

Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov, Bruins winger Brad Marchand and San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns were the NHL’s top players for January 2017.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner was the NHL rookie of the month for January 2017. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner is also the third Leafs rookie to be honored this season, joining. William Nylander (October) and Auston Matthews (December).

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Conor Sheary is out four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury. Sheary is third on the Penguins in goals this season with 17.

NBC SPORTS: The Arizona Coyotes made a couple of minor deals, shipping goaltender Justin Peters and minor league defenseman Justin Hache to the Dallas Stars for minor-leaguers Brendan Ranford and Branden Troock. They also dealt minor league center Henrik Samuelsson to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for left wing Mitch Moroz. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t expect the addition of Peters to affect the Stars’ current tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi. 

SPORTSNET: Chris Johnston reports Los Angeles Kings defenseman Tom Gilbert and Montreal Canadiens blueliner Mark Barberio were placed on waivers yesterday. 

NJ.COM: Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur and former NHL goalie Ty Conklin will share the St. Louis Blues’ goaltending coach duties for the remainder of the season. 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2016

by | Nov 3, 2016



NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2016

Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price makes one of his 42 saves against the Vancouver Canucks.

Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price makes one of his 42 saves against the Vancouver Canucks.

Game recaps, Senators acquire Condon from Penguins, injury updates & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines.  

NHL.COM: Carey Price put in a 42-save shutout performance as the Montreal Canadiens blanked the Vancouver Canucks 2-0. The victory was the Habs eighth straight, lifting their record to 9-0-1 on the season. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price is showing no ill effects from the knee injury that sidelined him for most of last season. He’s now second among goalies in wins (six) and save percentage (.964) and third in goals-against average (1.17). 

Defenseman Kris Letang and goaltender Matt Murray returned from injury to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-1 thumping of the Anaheim Ducks. Letang scored a goal and set up another, while Murray made 32 saves. The Ducks were playing without first-line forwards Ryan Getzlaf  (day-to-day, upper-body injury) and Nick Ritchie (concussion protocol). Earlier in the day, the Ducks placed winger Mason Raymond on unconditional waivers in preparation for a mutual termination of his contract. 

Mark Streit scored the game-tying goal late in the third and Jakub Voracek potted the winner in overtime to lift the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. 

TSN: The Ottawa Senators yesterday acquired goaltender Mike Condon from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2017. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Andrew Hammond injured and Matt O’Connor still not fully ready for prime time, the Senators needed a quality backup for starter Craig Anderson, whose wife was recently diagnosed with cancer. Condon is an affordable short-term option for Ottawa. 

THE TENNESSEAN’s Adam Vingan reports Nashville Predators center Mike Fisher is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. 

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Tom Gilbert faces a disciplinary hearing today for boarding/charging Anaheim Ducks forward Nick Ritchie in a recent game. 

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues placed defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (lower-body injury) on injured reserve. 

NBC SPORTS:  The league is investigating the poor ice conditions at Barclays Center, home of the New York Islanders.

THE WASHINGTON POST: Capitals and Wizards owner Ted Leonsis hints at a possible moves of those teams out of their downtown Washington arena.  He stresses he’s not actively seeking to move those franchises to Virginia or Maryland and hasn’t had any active discussions about leaving Verizon Center. Leonsis danced around the suggestion of moving to the current site of RFK Stadium.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sounds to me like Leonsis is eyeing a new stadium to house his teams sometime within the next 10 years.