NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2024

by | Jul 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2024

The latest on the Blues Jackets’ search for a new coach and Patrik Laine’s trade status, Dmitry Orlov supports his friend Evgeny Kuznetsov, a look at the Islanders’ defense corps, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell still has two major offseason moves remaining: hiring a new head coach and honoring Patrik Laine’s trade request.

Sources informed Portzline that former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft came to Columbus last Tuesday and former Minnesota Wild bench boss Dean Evason followed on Wednesday or Thursday. Waddell set a deadline of Aug. 1 for hiring a new coach.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

Meanwhile, Laine’s trade request remains on hold as the Blue Jackets await his release from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. That will enable rival clubs to speak with the 26-year-old winger before making trade offers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Woodcroft or Evason will be named the Jackets’ new coach. Laine, meanwhile, continues his offseason training while in the assistance program. There is no deadline for his release. Receiving the necessary help and treatment for his mental health takes priority.

Meanwhile, restricted free-agent forward Kirill Marchenko told a Russian media outlet that discussions between his agent and Waddell are “progressing slowly.” They’ve talked about a short and long-term contract.

Marchenko, 24, filed for salary arbitration on July 1 and his hearing is scheduled for July 31. He’s hoping to receive a more specific offer from the Blue Jackets this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko is coming off back-to-back 20-plus goal seasons and netted a career-best 42 points last season. He was among the few bright spots in an otherwise forgettable 2023-24 campaign.

Portzline also recently reported Josef Boumedienne had an expiring contract and will not return behind their bench for 2024-25.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov supports his friend and former teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov. The 32-year-old center and the Hurricanes agreed to terminate his contract last week.

Kuznetsov is rumored to be signing a contract with a KHL club. Orlov believes he’s still good enough to play in the NHL but accepts his friend’s decision.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders’ focus on bolstering their offense during the offseason means they’re returning with almost the same defense corps as last season. Sebastian Aho and Robert Bortuzzo were the only departures, leaving their top five of Noah Dobson, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Alexander Romanov and Scott Mayfield intact.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries hampered the Isles blueline last season while Pelech and Pulock have declined. However, the article pointed out their defense improved after Patrick Roy took over as head coach in January. They’re banking on better health and a full season under Roy heading into 2024-25.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights announced last week that the Tahoe Knight Monsters will be their new ECHL affiliate, replacing the Savannah Ghost Pirates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 20, 2024

by | Jul 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 20, 2024

The “no state tax” issue, Kyle Okposo forced to cancel Stanley Cup appearance, the Red Wings re-sign Joe Veleno, the latest salary arbitration news, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatshek reports little appetite around the NHL to make changes to the salary cap addressing the issue of teams with no state tax having an advantage in signing players over those with state and provincial tax.

Duhatschek indicates it would be “an incredibly complex system” involving tax laws in the 18 different states, five Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia, where the NHL operates.

A change of that magnitude must be made through collective bargaining between the league and the NHL Players Association. The next round of CBA talks will begin in 2026.

Duhatschek noted this became an issue when the Florida Panthers became a very good team. He also cited an NHL executive accusing clubs complaining about the tax advantage of Florida teams as “a bunch of crybabies” trying to defend their mediocre team-building records.

The 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers (NHL.com).

This executive believes the Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Vegas Golden Knights built their teams better and that’s why they became Stanley Cup Champions, not because of a “no tax state” advantage.

The Lightning drafted better, finding value in players like Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Ondrej Palat and Alex Killorn that other teams passed over in the draft.

Meanwhile, the Panthers struck gold in the trade market, acquiring Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Sam Bennett, Brandon Montour and Matthew Tkachuk.

As for the Golden Knights, they did a great job in the 2017 expansion draft, acquiring draft capital and young talent that made them immediately competitive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve been skeptical of this recent complaint about a“no state tax” advantage. The Lightning, Panthers and Golden Knights simply did a better job building their championship rosters.

The Lightning and Panthers have been around for 30 years. They were non-contenders for most of that period, especially the Panthers. It was when they finally brought in stable ownership and management that they became champions.

However, the salary cap remains the great leveler. The Lightning endured it over the past three years while the Panthers and Golden Knights began to feel its pinch this summer.

Salary cap constraints forced the Lightning to shed salaries to maintain their core players. It cut into their roster depth, eventually knocking them from their perch as Stanley Cup contenders.

The cost of maintaining a Cup contender was felt by the Panthers this summer by the departure of Montour. Verhaeghe, Bennett and Aaron Ekblad could be next to leave given their UFA eligibility next summer.

Wheeling and dealing in the trade market built the Golden Knights into a Cup champion in 2022-23. However, they felt the bite of the salary cap this summer with the departures of Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and William Carrier. They could soon run out of tradeable assets and cap room to make the major deals for expensive talent that built them into a champion.

The Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, and Seattle Kraken garnered no championship advantage playing in no-tax states.

The Predators peaked in 2018, winning the Presidents’ Trophy a year after reaching the Stanley Cup Final. They landed three of this summer’s biggest UFAs, signing Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei and Marchessault. Those moves could make them better but doesn’t guarantee a championship.

Meanwhile, the Stars have been in Dallas for over 30 years and have had their share of highs and lows, including a Cup in 1999. No one’s grumbled about their supposed advantage playing in a “no-tax state”. 

Meanwhile, the Kraken didn’t enjoy the same success out of the gate as the Golden Knights, mainly because rival clubs did a better job protecting assets in the expansion draft.

SPORTSNET: Travel issues affected Kyle Okposo’s day with the Stanley Cup. He had to cancel an event in Minnetonka, Minnesota due to the grounding of US flights on Friday because of the global IT outage affecting airlines. The 37-year-old forward was crushed by the news, though efforts are being made for him to have his day with the Cup.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings avoided salary arbitration with forward Joe Veleno as the two sides agreed to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.275 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Veleno is among six of the 14 players who filed for arbitration to settle with their clubs before their hearings. The others were Jake Christiansen and Jet Greaves of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Jack Drury of the Carolina Hurricanes, Ty Emberson of the San Jose Sharks, and JJ Moser of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The NHLPA has decided against releasing the scheduled dates of the hearings for those who filed for arbitration. The arbitration period runs from July 20 to Aug. 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of these cases are settled before their scheduled hearings, a trend that seems to be continuing this year. The notable players still unsigned include the Hurricanes’ Martin Necas, the New York Rangers’ Ryan Lindgren, and the Buffalo Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

TORONTO STAR: The Maple Leafs recently announced they hired Mark Leach as their new director of amateur scouting.

Leach spent the past 11 seasons with the Dallas Stars. He was instrumental in their selections of Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson, Jake Oettinger, Thomas Harley, Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could see a notable improvement at the draft table in the coming years given Leach’s impressive ability to find quality talent for the Stars.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 18, 2024

by | Jul 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 18, 2024

A look at some notable trade and free-agent rumors facing several Western Conference clubs in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently examined lingering offseason questions facing the NHL’s Western Conference teams. Among them were some notable trade and free-agent speculation.

Dixon wondered if the Anaheim Ducks would trade Trevor Zegras. Trade speculation started last fall during their contentious contract negotiations. The 23-year-old was limited to 31 games by injuries last season. He’s an imperfect player but his offensive skills continue to draw interest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has consistently denied the trade rumors, claiming he hasn’t shopped Zegras nor received any trade offers. He’s under no pressure to move the young winger, who has two seasons remaining on his contract. Zegras will remain with the Ducks this season.

The Calgary Flames are now rebuilding their roster. Dixon wondered if they might take on a bloated contract or two from a cap-strapped club in return for a draft pick or a prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With over $20 million in cap space and 22 active roster players under contract, the Flames are well-positioned to make that type of deal. Whether they want to is another matter. The earliest we could see such a move is in September or early October as teams with limited cap space or over the $88 million cap look to shed salary before the start of the season.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen is a year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. Dixon wonders if the two sides will hammer out a contract extension this summer.

Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been quiet on the Rantanen front. The Avalanche faces some short and long-term salary cap uncertainty given Gabriel Landeskog’s attempt at a comeback from knee injuries and Valeri Nichushkin’s returning to the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. Both are on long-term contracts. The Avs could be waiting for cap clarification before opening extension talks with Rantanen.

Dixon wondered if the Dallas Stars might scour the trade market for a defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keep an eye on this situation. The depth among the Stars’ right-shot defensemen drops sharply behind Miro Heiskanen with free-agent additions Ilya Lyubushkin and Matt Dumba signed to fill those gaps.

Arthur Kaliyev’s future with the Los Angeles Kings could be coming to an end. He’s been on the outs with the club and is a restricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaliyev is coming off an entry-level contract and has been the subject of frequent trade speculation. Don’t be surprised if he ends up traded before the start of the season.

Goaltender Filip Gustavsson could be a trade candidate after the Minnesota Wild re-signed Marc-Andre Fleury and promising Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gustavsson surfaced in the rumor mill during the spring but trade speculation about him dried up weeks ago. The Wild could retain him for another season and send Wallstedt back to the minors. 

Dixon pondered the possibility of the Nashville Predators trading goalie Yaroslav Askarov after they signed Juuse Saros to a contract extension and signed free-agent backup Scott Wedgewood.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators GM Barry Trotz will set a high asking price for Askarov, who has potential as an NHL starter. Trotz can afford to be patient as he waits for a club seeking goaltending depth to come calling, which could lead to Askarov starting this season with their AHL affiliate.

The Utah Hockey Club made some significant additions to their blueline by acquiring Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino and Ian Cole. Flush with cap space, draft picks and prospects, they might not be done making additions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah GM Bill Armstrong prioritized improving his defense corps this summer. Having addressed that issue, he could shift his focus to other roster areas. Still, he could also keep his powder dry and see what unfolds during this season.

Dixon also wondered if the Vancouver Canucks will work out an extension with winger Brock Boeser.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser made it clear he wants to play for the Canucks despite being the subject of trade rumors leading up to last season. He’s the only core player due for a new contract by next summer.

The Canucks have over $12 million in projected cap space based on a cap of $88 million, but it’s projected it could rise to $92 million for 2025-26. That will give them plenty of room to re-sign Boeser. However, his injury history could have management adopt a wait-and-see approach to this season.

The Vegas Golden Knights have limited cap space for 2024-25. Nevertheless, Dixon wonders if they might have a crafty move up their sleeve to bolster their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas’ depth chart took a beating this summer with the departures of Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson, Logan Thompson, Alec Martinez, William Carrier, Michael Amadio and Anthony Mantha. They brought in Victor Olofsson, Alexander Holtz, Ilya Samsonov and Akira Schmid.

The Golden Knights are over the cap by $3.6 million but they’ll get cap relief with Robin Lehner and his $5 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve. They lack room to make a significant addition unless they ship out a salaried player in return.

Recent trade history indicates sleeping on the Golden Knights isn’t wise. However, they will struggle to pull off a major deal this summer.

Dixon concludes by wondering when the Winnipeg Jets intend to trade winger Nikolaj Ehlers and prospect forward Rutger McGroarty. They still have some roster holes to fill and either player could fetch a suitable return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers has a year left on his contract while the Jets still hold McGroarty’s rights. They won’t be in any rush to move either player this summer but one or both could be moved as we get closer to the start of the season.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 16, 2024

by | Jul 16, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 16, 2024

Which teams remain due for a big move this summer? Will Evgeny Kuznetsov bolt for the KHL? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE THERE MORE MOVES TO COME FOR THE JETS, AVALANCHE, GOLDEN KNIGHTS AND PANTHERS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jim Parson believes the Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers still have some work to do in his offseason.

Jets prospect Rutger McGroarty isn’t interested in signing with the club and wants a trade. Meanwhile, there is talk winger Nikolaj Ehlers could be on his way out.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McGroarty and Ehlers have recently surfaced in the rumor mill. However, Winnipeg doesn’t have to move either player this summer. McGroarty’s NHL rights still belong to the Jets while Ehlers has one year remaining on his contract. They could trade one or both this summer or at some point in the lead-up to the March trade deadline.

The Avalanche have 19 of their 23 active roster spots filled for 2024-25 but don’t have much cap room. Uncertainty hangs over sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog and suspended winger Valeri Nichushkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog hopes to return to action after missing the last two seasons recovering from knee surgeries. He carries an annual salary-cap hit of $7 million. They were able to garner cap relief the last two years by placing Landeskog on long-term injury reserve.

Nichshukin, meanwhile, has a $6.125 million cap hit. He’s in stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and is suspended until mid-November. The Avs can place him on long-term injury reserve to start the season but they must be cap-compliant when his suspension ends.

The Avalanche faces a cost-cutting move if Landeskog returns to action and Nichushkin comes back in November. They don’t have to do it now but are over the $88 million cap ceiling by $1.33 million with four active roster spots to fill. They can remain over the cap by 10 percent until their season opener in October.

The Golden Knights appear to be reeling from the departures of Logan Thompson, Jonathan Marchessault, Alec Martinez, Chandler Stephenson and Anthony Mantha. They’ve been quiet thus far but Parsons reminds us that this is a cutthroat and ruthless organization that will do anything to improve their situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Avalanche, a lack of cap space is hampering the Golden Knights’ efforts to bolster their roster. It’s what led to the departures of those players. They’re above the cap by over $3.6 million but have relief for the coming season with goalie Robin Lehner and his $5 million cap hit on LTIR. They have room to add three more contracts to reach the maximum of 50 but they already have a full active roster of 23.

The Golden Knights could make a splash in the trade pool. However, they could be content to start the season with their current roster and see how things unfold.

Parson also noted the Panthers aren’t the same team that won’t the Stanley Cup last month, losing Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Vladimir Tarasenko, Anthony Stolarz and Ryan Lomberg to free agency. There’s ongoing speculation they could trade long-time defenseman Aaron Ekblad.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers’ Bill Zito is among the more aggressive NHL general managers. However, he only has a little over $766K in cap space for 2024-25 with 22 of his 23 active roster spots filled.

Zito could trade Ekblad and his $7.5 million cap hit but doing so would blow a big hole in their blueline that will be difficult to fill. He could be stuck with affordable depth moves for now.

COULD KUZNETSOV RETURN TO THE KHL?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cited a report out of Russia claiming Evgeny Kuznetsov planned to leave the Carolina Hurricanes and sign a four-year contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg.

Kuznetsov has one year remaining with Carolina. The report claimed he’d head to SKA St. Petersburg after he works with the Hurricanes to terminate his NHL contract.

Shumi Babayev, a player agent and Kuznetsov’s friend downplayed the report. He said there was interest in the 32-year-old center from several KHL clubs. However, he added it is too early to definitively say he’s heading back to Russia.

Silber noted that terminating Kuznetsov’s contract would remove his NHL cap hit from the books of the Hurricanes and his former club, the Washington Capitals. The Hurricanes carry half of his $7.8 million cap hit and the Capitals the other half.

A buyout is also possible once the Hurricanes’ contract arbitration hearings are settled. That would count as two-thirds of the remaining value over twice the remaining term for both teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes and Capitals would likely prefer a contract termination over a buyout. Kuznetsov’s performance has steadily declined over the last two seasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 15, 2024

by | Jul 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 15, 2024

The chance of bounce-back seasons for Penguins defensemen Erik Karlsson and Ryan Graves, the Blue Jackets coaching search continues, an update on Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Erik Karlsson and Ryan Graves struggled in their first seasons with the Penguins. However, Jason Mackey believes the two defensemen could bounce back citing recent club history.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Mackey pointed out that former defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Paul Martin had difficulty adjusting when they joined the Penguins. With time, however, they rebounded and became productive players.

Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan believes defense is the hardest position in hockey, particularly when reading plays as they unfold. “It takes experiential learning from that process to come to fruition. You have to make mistakes and learn through them…There’s no magic bullet to learn through that process.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Disappointing performances from Karlsson and Graves last season contributed to the Penguins’ missing the playoffs. If they bounce back, this season’s outcome might not be as grim.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets management will meet with two candidates for their head coaching position this week. It’s believed they are former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason and former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft.

General manager Don Waddell said they’re only bringing in two candidates to interview, though he added that there’s a third one on hold right now. That candidate could be former Los Angeles Kings coach Todd McLellan. He’s believed to have been the Blue Jackets’ first choice but contract talks have stalled.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets could have their new coach in place by the end of July.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: One part of Robin Lehner’s two-year Chapter 7 bankruptcy case has been closed. Lehner and his wife agreed to a stipulation to pay back nearly $3 million to a funding company.

This does not signify the end of the overall case. The Lehners filed for bankruptcy on Dec. 30, 2022, owing creditors $27.3 million.

The Vegas Golden Knights goaltender hasn’t played since April 2022. He underwent season-ending shoulder surgery and has been sidelined since before the 2022-23 season due to hip surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehner’s been on long-term injury reserve for the past two seasons. This season will be the last of his five-year contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $5 million. It’s expected he’ll remain on LTIR.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Anaheim Ducks named Tony Hrkac their new director of pro scouting.

PHNX SPORTS: Craig Morgan reports the Utah Hockey Club is considering re-signing or trading Victor Soderstrom. The 23-year-old defenseman has 11 points in 53 NHL games over the past three seasons.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 13, 2024

by | Jul 13, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 13, 2024

Check out the latest on the Canadiens’ possible trade targets and the Golden Knights’ goaltending in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek was asked by a reader which would be best suited to play a second-line role with the Montreal Canadiens, referring to Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras, Carolina’s Martin Necas, Columbus’ Kent Johnson or the New York Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko.

Duhatschek believes Johnson has the highest draft pedigree. He’s also the youngest of the four and scored 40 points in 2022-23 as a 20-year-old during a dismal season for the Blue Jackets. Johnson could have the best upside and could be a better fit for the rebuilding Canadiens.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).

Johnson and Zegras still have a runaway for improvement. Kakko probably won’t ever be a top-six winger while Necas has had just one notable season.

As for which player would be the more realistic acquisition, Duhatschek thinks it would be Kakko, but only if their scouts see something in him that several Rangers coaches have not. He doesn’t see the new Blue Jackets management giving up on Johnson and cites the high asking prices for Necas and Zegras.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could explain why Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes hasn’t acquired a scoring forward this summer. Then again, he could be zeroing in on other options. Maybe Hughes doesn’t like the current market and will wait and see what shakes out during training camp and preseason.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: A reader asked Danny Webster who will be the Golden Knights starting goaltender in 2025-26. They currently have Adin Hill and the recently acquired Ilya Samsonov on expiring contracts.

The oft-injured Hill must prove he can stay healthy for an entire season. Meanwhile, Samsonov must prove he can bounce back from his poor showing in Toronto last season.

If Hill doesn’t play well enough this season to merit an extension, the Golden Knights will have to seek a replacement next summer. They could hope the New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin or Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark will hit the open market next July.

Webster also doesn’t rule out a trade this season. Ullmark could be available if the Senators struggle. Another option could be Anaheim’s John Gibson. Ultimately, he feels their best hope is for Hill and Samsonov to perform well this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers will make Shesterkin the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history. He’s not going anywhere.

I agreed with Webster that Ullmark could be available via trade or free agency if the Senators flounder again. However, the Golden Knights would face competition for his services.

Gibson surfacing in the rumor mill has become an annual summer tradition. Maybe he and the Ducks will be ready to part ways in 2025.