NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 10, 2025

by | Jul 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 10, 2025

Golden Knights center Jack Eichel on new teammate Mitch Marner, Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere looks forward to 2025-26, the Canucks’ goaltending logjam, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel said he understands what it’s like to start over with a new NHL club. He’s willing to lend a hand to help new teammate Mitch Marner adjust.

“Having went through the situation of leaving an organization in the city and having a fresh start with Vegas, I think I can relate, to a point, to some of the things he’s going through,” said Eichel. He added that he’s looking forward to continuing getting to know Marner and the opportunity of playing with him.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

During the “Leafs Morning Take” podcast, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy said it was difficult to predict if Eichel and Marner would end up on the same line this season, but he is looking forward to seeing the two players together when training camp opens in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s possible that Eichel and Marner might not mesh well as linemates. Nevertheless, it won’t be surprising if they’re on the first line when the Golden Knights open their season in October.

RDS.CA: New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere acknowledged he and his teammates didn’t play well last season. His struggles at times made him the subject of trade speculation.

However, Lafreniere expressed optimism for this season, pointing out that the Rangers have a new head coach (Mike Sullivan) and a slightly different roster. He’s hoping to regain the form that saw him net a career-high 57 points in 2023-24.

Lafreniere also indicated that he ignores trade rumors, saying he loves playing in New York.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere’s struggles and general manager Chris Drury’s ongoing roster tinkering fueled the trade speculation. However, it seems that Drury still believes the 23-year-old winger fits into his team’s long-range plans. Lafreniere is in the first season of a seven-year contract that he signed last fall.

THE PROVINCE: Arturs Silovs was the 2025 AHL playoff MVP backstopping the Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate win the Calder Cup. However, he’s stuck as the Canucks’ No. 3 goalie behind Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen.

Silovs’s Calder Cup performance and his solid play for the Canucks in the 2024 NHL playoffs could make the 24-year-old goaltender a player of interest for teams seeking depth between the pipes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Silovs is no longer exempt from NHL waivers. It’s doubtful he’d pass unclaimed if the Canucks try to return him to Abbotsford before the start of the regular season. With several teams in the market for goalie depth, Silovs could surface in trade rumors during training camp in September.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Climate Pledge Arena co-developer Tim Leiweke stepped down as CEO of Oak View Group following a grand jury indictment for allegedly rigging a bidding process for an arena project at a public university in Austin, Texas.

Climate Pledge Arena is the home of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. The team released a statement indicating Leiweke’s indictment has nothing to do with the team or the arena and won’t affect their day-to-day operations.

Leiweke is the former CEO and president of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. None of the allegations have been proven in court. If found guilty, he would face up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

TSN: NHL player agent Todd Diamond believes the organizational makeup of a team plays a bigger role in where players sign rather than their location.

“I think it’s a red herring,” said Diamond, referring to the issue of teams based in no-tax states. “It’s all about winning and how organizations are treating their players.”

Diamond acknowledged that lifestyle, weather and climate play a role to a certain extent, but pointed out that he has had clients who preferred to re-sign in Pittsburgh and Carolina. “It’s all about the feel and the ability for organizations to compete that are the foremost drivers in deciding where players want to play.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A team in a no-tax state has an advantage in re-signing or adding stars for slightly less than market value compared to other states. However, it doesn’t assure that those teams will become Stanley Cup champions.

Some believe it was a key factor behind the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Tampa Bay Lightning winning five of the last six Stanley Cup championships.

Whenever someone raises this issue, they never have a suitable answer for why the Panthers and Lightning had long periods in their history when they failed to reach the playoffs. They can’t explain why the Golden Knights didn’t advance past the second round over the past two years, or why the Lightning haven’t won a playoff round since 2022.

Shrewd management and strong coaching were the real reasons behind the success of those teams.

NEW YORK POST: The employer of former NHL enforcer Nick Tarnasky is looking into a fight he had with another man on an Alberta golf course on July 4. The incident was filmed and subsequently appeared on social media.

Tarnasky coaches Red Deer Minor Hockey’s U17 team. Local authorities looked into the incident, but no charges were laid. Police were dispatched to the golf course following a report of a drunken man starting fights, but the probe was closed when officers arrived and the suspect was gone.

The video shows a man charging at someone who is thought to be Tarnasky, who tossed the assailant into a lake. The individual kept coming after Tarnasky, who threw several punches and then tossed the man to the ground. The man was then led away by his companion.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 7, 2025

by | Jul 7, 2025

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.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 6, 2025

by | Jul 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 6, 2025

Eleven players file for salary arbitration, three potential new duos formed by recent trades and free agency, the latest contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHLPA.COM: Eleven players elected salary arbitration by the July 5 deadline.

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi (NHL Images).

Three of them are with the Winnipeg Jets. They are forwards Morgan Barron and Gabriel Vilardi and defenseman Dylan Samberg. Two of them – goaltender Lukas Dostal and defenseman Drew Helleson – are with the Anaheim Ducks.

The others are winger Kaapo Kakko of the Seattle Kraken, forward Nicholas Robertson of the Toronto Maple Leafs, goaltender Arvid Soderblom of the Chicago Blackhawks, defenseman Jayden Struble of the Montreal Canadiens, defenseman Conor Timmins of the Buffalo Sabres, and winger Maxim Tsyplakov of the New York Islanders.

The deadline for club-elected salary arbitration notification is Sunday, July 6, at 5 pm ET. Arbitration hearings will be held from July 20 and August 4, 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The schedule will be released in the coming days. These players are now ineligible to receive offer sheets from rival teams.

These players probably won’t require arbitration to receive new contracts. It’s often a tactic used to set a deadline in negotiations to avoid talks dragging on throughout the summer.

Both sides usually agree to contract terms before the arbitration date. Don’t be surprised if all of them end up settling before their scheduled hearings.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Andre Leal looked at three new potential duos recently formed through trades and free agency that could dominate once they hit the ice together.

Right wing Mitch Marner is expected to skate alongside center Jack Eichel with the Vegas Golden Knights. The 28-year-old Marner was traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Golden Knights last week, signing an eight-year contract. He had a career-best 102 points last season, while Eichel reached his career best of 94 points.

The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman Noah Dobson on June 27 from the New York Islanders. Leal believes he’d be a perfect complement alongside 2025 Calder Memorial Trophy winner Lane Hutson on the Canadiens’ top defense pairing.

On June 23, the Anaheim Ducks traded forward Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers. Leal cited Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet suggesting the possibility of putting Zegras on the same line as scoring winger Matvei Michkov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner with Eichel seems the most certain pairing, but it comes down to whether their styles will mesh.

Tocchet said the Flyers would be idiots not to consider at least putting Zegras and Michkov together, but seemed to leave the door open to the possibility that they’ll be playing on separate lines.

Dobson and Hutson seem the least likely pairing, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. They could see power-play time together.

Daily Faceoff’s roster projection shows Dobson on the top pairing with Kaiden Guhle, with Hutson on the second pairing with Jayden Struble. Meanwhile, PuckPedia has Dobson with Mike Matheson on the top pairing, with Hutson and Guhle on the second. That’s just their best guess, as we won’t know those pairings for certain until the start of the season in October.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Dmitri Voronkov to a two-year, $8.35 million contract with an average annual value of $4.175 million.

Voronkov, 24, finished last season with a career-best 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points, sitting sixth among Blue Jackets’ scorers. He led the Jackets with eight power-play goals and was fourth in plus/minus with plus-17.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A reasonable bridge deal for Voronkov, who completed his entry-level contract last season. He had a solid sophomore season following his 18-goal, 34-point debut in 2023-24.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed forward Tye Kartye to a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.25 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed center Hendrix Lapierre to a one-year, one-way contract worth $850K.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche named Mark Letestu as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. Letestu spent 11 NHL seasons with five teams as a player, and spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.

NESN: Former NHL winger Lyndon Byers died on July 4 at age 61. He spent nine seasons with the Boston Bruins and one season with the San Jose Sharks from 1983-84 to 1992-93. An enforcer who became a fan favorite in Boston, Byers had 28 goals and 43 assists for 71 points and 1,081 PIMs in 279 games.

Following his playing career, Byers returned to Boston, where he became a member of a popular radio morning show from 1996 to 2019.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Byers’ family, friends, his former teammates, and coworkers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2025

by | Jul 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2025

Connor Bedard’s contract extension talks are underway, Brock Boeser explains why he returned to the Canucks, the Stars introduce Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BEDARD’S CONTRACT TALKS, BOESER’S RETURN TO CANUCKS, STARS HIRE GULUTZAN

TSN: Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson confirmed his club has opened contract extension talks with Connor Bedard.

Davidson declined to go into detail, but said the 19-year-old center remains committed to the Blackhawks and wants to be in Chicago long-term.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

The rebuilding Blackhawks’ struggles during Bedard’s first two NHL seasons saw him at times admit his frustration over the club’s performance. That sparked rumors that he wanted out of Chicago, which he denied several times last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is in the final season of his entry-level contract and is the foundation for the Blackhawks’ rebuild. They’ll open the vault to keep him and will undoubtedly try to lock him up for the maximum term.

Bedard isn’t the only notable Blackhawk eligible to sign a contract extension this summer. Forward Frank Nazar and goaltender Spencer Knight are also due to become restricted free agents (RFA) next summer. Like Bedard, Nazar is in the final season of his entry-level contract and will lack arbitration rights. Knight is in the final season of his second NHL contract and will be arbitration-eligible next July.

THE SCORE: Brock Boeser told NHL.com that he was prepared to sign with a new team when free agency began on July 1. However, a last-minute call from the Vancouver Canucks led to his return on a seven-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.25 million.

Boeser said the phone call from the Canucks came as a shock, but it convinced him to instruct his agent to get a deal done. “I think my heart was still in Vancouver,” said the nine-year Canucks veteran.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser’s love of Vancouver must run deep. He seemed certain to depart, especially after they attempted to move him at the March trade deadline.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars introduced Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach. It’s the second time he held the job, having served in that role 12 years ago.

Gulutzan addressed the concerns among some Stars fans about his return. He said GM Jim Nill was right to fire him back then, adding that he’s improved as a bench boss after eight seasons as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nill didn’t win the GM of the Year award three straight times by making rash decisions. He’s put a considerable amount of thought into this hiring.

THE LATEST NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed defenseman Brent Burns to a one-year contract with a $1 million base salary and $2 million in bonus clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Burns is 40 and well removed from his peak years with the San Jose Sharks. Nevertheless, he’s the NHL’s active Ironman (925 consecutive games played) and netted 29 points last season with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’ll provide experienced depth on the right side of the Avs’ blueline.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed forward Gustav Nyquist for a one-year, $3.25 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move suggests that forward Nikolaj Ehlers won’t be returning with the Jets. The 29-year-old wing remains the top player available in the UFA market. He could decide on his next destination by today.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues inked center Pius Suter to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.125 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues were seeking additional depth at center. The 29-year-old Suter is coming off a career-best 25-goal performance with the Canucks.

The Blues also placed defenseman Nick Leddy on waivers.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed RFA center Morgan Frost to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.375 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Jan. 30, the Flames acquired the 26-year-old Frost and forward Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers. He put up 37 points in 81 games last season, split between Philadelphia and Calgary. The Flames hope he’ll find a more consistent offensive form that has eluded him thus far in his six-season NHL career.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed defenseman Kaeden Korczak to a four-year contract extension with an AAV of $3.25 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Ottawa Senators signed forward Arthur Kaliyev to a one-year, two-way contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A once-promising forward with the Los Angeles Kings, the 23-year-old winger struggled with injuries and consistency. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers, putting up four points in 14 games with the Blueshirts.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders signed coveted Russian free-agent forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year, entry-level contract. He had 23 goals and 67 points in 65 KHL games last season.

TSN: The NHL, NHL Players’ Association, IOC and IIHF finalized an agreement allowing NHL players to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics next February.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 2, 2025

by | Jul 2, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 2, 2025

Check out the latest on Nikolaj Ehlers, Bowen Byram and Rasmus Andersson, plus the latest on the Maple Leafs in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

EHLERS STILL AVAILABLE IN UFA MARKET

Former Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers is the only player still unsigned among this summer’s top-10 unrestricted free agent class.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning were among the clubs interested in the 29-year-old winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ehlers camp can afford to take its time. Unlike recent UFA years, there are a lot of teams with cap space this summer. Those in the market for a top-six forward will be interested in signing him.

One of them is his former team. We can’t rule out the possibility of his return to Winnipeg, but it seems likely he’ll be heading elsewhere as early as today.

WILL BOWEN BYRAM BE TRADED OR SIGN AN OFFER SHEET?

TSN: Darren Dreger reported Tuesday that the Flames, Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, and St. Louis Blues were among the teams holding trade talks with the Buffalo Sabres about Bowen Byram. The 24-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent (RFA) with arbitration rights.

Dreger also suggested the possibility of Byram signing an offer sheet with a rival club. Chris Johnston believes the sweet spot of such an offer would come in at $7,020,113 on the offer-sheet compensation scale. Anything below that means the Sabres receive a first-round pick and a third-round pick as compensation if they decline to match.

If the Sabres were to match an offer sheet for Byram, Johnston pointed out that it would take him up to UFA status next summer while losing the ability to trade him.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington noted the reports suggesting Byram might receive an offer sheet. However, he thinks Byram would’ve signed one by now if he were interested.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The interested teams could be trying to go the trade route first before resorting to an offer sheet. Then again, maybe the offer-sheet speculation was merely some pundits killing time on air during the opening day of a talent-thin free-agent market. We’ll find out in due course.

Even with Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injury reserve, the Golden Knights have limited cap space to pursue Byram. They must find another way to shed salary to pull this off.

The Blues could be out of the market after acquiring promising Logan Mailloux from the Montreal Canadiens yesterday. The Kings are also probably out after signing Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci.

THE LATEST ON RASMUS ANDERSSON

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson considers it inevitable that the Flames will trade Rasmus Andersson. The 28-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his contract with no extension in sight.

Andersson has been linked to the Vegas Golden Knights following reports claiming they were the only team he was willing to sign a contract extension with if traded.

TSN: reports Flames general manager Craig Conroy said he hadn’t given the Andersson camp permission to speak with other clubs about an extension, and the blueliner has never told him that he was honed in on one team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy has repeatedly said he has no problem with Andersson being in the lineup when the Flames begin the 2025-26 regular season. Nevertheless, a team that lost out in signing a top-four defenseman via free agency could soon come calling about Andersson.

UPDATES ON THE MAPLE LEAFS

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel believes the Toronto Maple Leafs’ biggest offseason need is finding a way to bolster their offense following the departure of Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Siegel believes they need a winger who can make plays next to Auston Matthews or John Tavares, or a second-line center that pushes Tavares to the wing or drops down to the third line.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox believes Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving will survey the trade market, find a bona fide top-six forward, and make a hard pitch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Easier said than done. Treliving might have to wait until the regular season to address that issue.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 2, 2025

by | Jul 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 2, 2025

Mitch Marner reveals why he left the Leafs for the Golden Knights, reaction to the biggest moves during the opening day of free agency, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

MITCH MARNER SHEDS LIGHT ON HIS DECISION TO LEAVE THE MAPLE LEAFS

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner was formally introduced as the newest member of the Vegas Golden Knights during a press conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old winger was part of a sign-and-trade agreement between the two clubs on June 30, agreeing to an eight-year, $96-million contract. Speaking with the media for the first time since the deal, he revealed the reasons why he changed teams.

Former Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Marner said Vegas was his first choice. Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said the trade between the two teams was agreed to during the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft last Friday. He said they wanted the sign-and-trade to get the eighth year on his new contract, as it slightly lowered the average annual value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Under the existing CBA, a team can re-sign its own player to a maximum eight-year contract. Had the Golden Knights waited until free agency opened on July 1 to sign Marner, the deal would’ve been a maximum of seven years.

Under the next CBA, the maximum contract will be seven years for re-signing a player, and six years if they become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) starting in 2026-27.

The Golden Knights have been interested in Marner for some time. They attempted to acquire him at the March trade deadline in a three-way deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes. However, his wife was pregnant and he didn’t want to leave Toronto at that time. “And I was still very committed to playing in Toronto, and wanted to focus on being there and finishing a job there,” Marner said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner released a statement thanking the Leafs and their fans, acknowledging that he came up short trying to end their long Stanley Cup drought.

It’s a sad end to Marner’s nine seasons in Toronto. He was one of the greatest players in franchise history, sitting fourth all-time with 520 assists and fifth with 741 points. However, his postseason struggles drew the wrath of Leafs Nation, greasing the skids for his inevitable departure.

Marner will add more offense to the Golden Knights’ forward lines, and his elite two-way game will also help them defensively. However, his hefty new contract leaves them top-heavy with expensive forwards, leaving little cap space to address their lack of overall roster depth that has prevented them from repeating as Stanley Cup champions since winning the Cup two years ago.

REACTION TO SOME OF THE NOTABLE MOVES OF THE OPENING DAY OF FREE AGENCY

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I listed most of yesterday’s notable signings and trades here. However, I was unable to post my reactions as I was busy grading the biggest UFA signings for Bleacher Report. You can read those by following this link.

The New York Rangers traded defenseman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Scott Morrow, a conditional first-round pick in 2026, and a 2026 second-round pick. The Hurricanes signed Miller to an eight-year, $60-million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller struggled with consistency during his tenure with the Rangers. The Hurricanes are betting he’ll blossom under head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s system.

The Vancouver Canucks signed goaltender Thatcher Demko to a three-year contract extension with an AAV of $8.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko has a year left on his current deal with a cap hit of $5 million. The 29-year-old netminder was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2023-24, but a nagging lower-body injury limited him to 23 games last season.

The Canucks hope Demko’s injury woes are in the past. His new cap hit is among the league’s highest for goaltenders, but the short term suggests the injury issue remains a concern.

The Hurricanes also re-signed forward Logan Stankoven to an eight-year, $48 million contract. The AAV is $6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stankoven was acquired from the Dallas Stars as part of the return in the Mikko Rantanen trade in March. A versatile forward who can play center or wing, the 22-year-old had 38 points in 78 games last season between the Stars and Hurricanes, and five goals and eight points in 18 playoff games.

The Hurricanes are betting on Stankoven’s potential to become a second-line forward. They will be hoping this gamble pays off better than the one they made in Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who hasn’t played up to expectations as a second-line center.

The Los Angeles Kings signed forwards Corey Perry and Joel Armia, defensemen Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin, and goaltender Anton Forsberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This would be quite a haul for the Kings if most of those players were five years younger. It appears they’ve gotten older, not better.

The Boston Bruins acquired winger Viktor Arvidsson from the Edmonton Oilers for a 2027 fifth-round pick, and signed forward Tanner Jeannot to a five-year contract with an AAV of $3.4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins did the Oilers a favor by taking Arvidsson and his $4 million cap hit off their books. However, the 32-year-old winger hasn’t been the same since back surgery sidelined him for most of the 2023-24 campaign. They brought in Jeannot to bolster their toughness, but the deal is too long and too expensive for a fourth-line forward.

The Edmonton Oilers signed winger Andrew Mangiapane to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mangiapane had a career-best season (35 goals, 55 points) in 2021-22, but his production has dropped off since then. He’s part of the Oilers’ efforts to offset the gaps in their forward lines following the departures of Arvidsson, Perry, Evander Kane and Connor Brown.

The Montreal Canadiens traded defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for forward Zachary Bolduc.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This deal should benefit both clubs. The Canadiens drew from their depth in young defensemen to get a promising middle-six forward who tallied 19 goals as a rookie last season. The Blues added a mobile young blueliner with top-four potential to their defense corps.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed Dan Vladar to a two-year, $6.8 million contract with an AAV of $3.4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ goalie depth was dreadful last season. Vladar should be a reliable backup for young starter Samuel Ersson.

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks for a 2028 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salary dump by the Penguins, clearing his $2.3 million cap hit from their books. Nedeljkovic will back up promising Yaroslav Askarov in San Jose.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Winger Nikolaj Ehlers is the top player remaining in the UFA market. Other notables include defenseman Dmitry Orlov, center Pius Suter and winger Jack Roslovic.

RG.ORG: Utah Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev is pleased with the new CBA, singling out the elimination of escrow that annually withheld a portion of a player’s salary to balance potential revenue shortfalls. With league revenues more stable and predictable, escrow is being phased out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Escrow was an annoying issue for the players for years. They’re understandably happy that they won’t have to deal with those clawbacks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Reports suggest Flyers forward Tyson Foerster suffered a biceps injury that could sideline him for some time. Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said Foerster suffered an injury during the 2025 World Championships and came down with an infection that required surgery. There’s been no timeline for his return.

TSN: Long-time hockey analyst and insider Bob McKenzie has retired after 48 years as a journalist. His long career included stops with The Globe & Mail, The Hockey News, and the Toronto Star before joining TSN.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenzie was the gold standard for hockey insiders. He was well-liked and highly regarded around the league, and was also the go-to source for information on top NHL prospects. I had only brief interactions with McKenzie, but he was always kind and helpful. Here’s to a long, happy and healthy retirement, Bobfather.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former Red Wings star Alex Delvecchio passed away on Tuesday at age 93.

A skillful, disciplined and durable playmaker, Delvecchio spent his entire 24-year NHL career with the Red Wings from 1950-51 to 1973-74, winning three Stanley Cups and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy three times. He’s among their franchise leaders with 1,550 games played, 456 goals, 825 assists and 1,281 points. Delvecchio also had 104 points in 121 playoff games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Delvecchio’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Red Wings organization.