NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumor Mill – September 28, 2020

by | Sep 28, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumor Mill – September 28, 2020

The latest on the Lightning and Stars in the NHL morning coffee headlines plus updates on Alex Pietrangelo and Braden Holtby and the latest Penguins and Senators speculation in the NHL rumor mill.

MORNING COFFEE HEADLINES

TSN: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said team captain Steven Stamkos will not return for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Final. Stamkos returned to the Lightning lineup in Game 3 for the first time since February, scoring a goal but playing only five shifts in the first period.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise there. Stamkos was in obvious discomfort following his final shift in Game 3. It’s believed he’s still dealing with an issue tied to the core muscle surgery he underwent in March.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars coach Rick Bowness yesterday said forwards Roope Hintz, Blake Comeau and Radek Faksa, defenseman Stephen Johns and goaltender Ben Bishop remain unfit to play.

MLIVE.COM’s Ansar Khan reported Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman confirmed unrestricted free agent defensemen Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley won’t be re-signed.

THE SCORE: Forward Chris Stewart announced his retirement after 11 NHL seasons. He played 668 career games with the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, and Philadelphia Flyers, finishing with 160 goals and 322 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Stewart in his future endeavors.

RUMOR MILL

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: David Schoen cites multiple reports claiming the Golden Knights will aggressively pursue Alex Pietrangelo if the St. Louis Blues defenseman becomes an unrestricted free agent on Oct. 9. The Blues are reportedly offering an eight-year deal worth $8-million annually but Pietrangelo is said to be seeking an annual average value of over $9 million.

The Golden Knights have limited salary-cap space but Schoen believes they would “perform the necessary salary-cap gymnastics” to fit in Pietrangelo’s new contract. He said team owner Bill Foley’s financial clout and dogged pursuit of the Stanley Cup makes the Golden Knights among the few clubs willing to spend to the $81.5 million salary cap.

Schoen said the Golden Knights aren’t expected to be active in free agency outside of Pietrangelo. However, he suggested several other blueline targets, such as Toronto’s Tyson Barrie, Winnipeg’s Dylan DeMelo, Washington’s Brenden Dillon, Calgary’s Travis Hamonic and Carolina’s Sami Vatanen. If they seek depth elsewhere in the roster, New York Rangers winger Jesper Fast and Calgary’s Cam Talbot are among his proposed options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Golden Knights have $76.5 million tied up in 18 players, with goaltender Robin Lehner their most notable free agent. Those “gymnastics” to free up cap space for Pietrangelo could include trading away players under contract for next season, contract buyouts, or acquiring a player on permanent long-term injury reserve. The Golden Knights are also allowed to spend over the cap by 10 percent in the offseason but must become cap compliant when the regular season begins.

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Tarik El-Bashir lists the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks among possible destinations for free-agent goalie Braden Holtby. He also included returning with the Washington Capitals if Holtby can’t find better offers in the free-agent market but acknowledged the math doesn’t appear to work there. El-Bashir reports the Capitals asked Holtby’s camp if there was interest in a one-year contract but there wasn’t.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames, Hurricanes, Oilers and Sharks all need a reliable starting goalie. The question is, how much are they willing to pay to get one via free agency. Holtby is coming off a five-year contract worth an annual average value of $6.1 million and likely unwilling to accept a similar or lesser cap hit on his next deal. The Flames, Oilers and Sharks have the most cap space but could be reluctant to invest too much in a goalie during the current economic situation.

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Josh Yohe believes the Pittsburgh Penguins recent blueline addition of Mike Matheson could mean veteran Jack Johnson won’t be in the lineup and might not be back at all. With three left-side defensemen, Johnson will either have to play on the right side, become a healthy scratch or get traded. Yohe feels the Penguins will try to move Johnson to a team trying to reach the salary-cap floor, or perhaps package him in a deal involving goalie Matt Murray.

Regarding recent rumors tying the Penguins to Vancouver Canucks rearguard Chris Tanev, Yohe points out they lack the cap space to sign him now. He also said the front office is looking forward to seeing Kris Letang’s performance under his second stint playing for defense coach Todd Reirden.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading Johnson won’t be easy because of the steady deterioration of his play, but we cannot outright dismiss the possibility, slim as it may seem. He lacks no-trade protection and carries a reasonable cap hit ($3.25 million) through 2022-23. Those two years beyond next season, however, are a sticking point.

Perhaps a budget club would acquire him and buy him out if he’s part of Yohe’s suggested package deal. Cap Friendly indicates the cap hit would be $1.16 million for the next two seasons, rising to over $1.9 million in 2022-23, then falling to over $916K for the final three years.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch expects more changes for the Senators after they bought out winger Bobby Ryan’s contract last week. Approaching next week’s NHL draft with three first-round picks, GM Pierre Dorion is reportedly listening to all offers as he looks to bolster his roster.

Anders Nilsson’s concussion could push the Senators into the market for a goaltender. Garrioch claims Carolina’s Petr Mrazek or James Reimer, Toronto’s Frederik Andersen, Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray and Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper are available. He said they’re not seeking a long-term solution because they’ve got six goalies in their system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes won’t move one of their goalies unless they pursue an upgrade. The same goes for the Leafs with Andersen. Murray is on the block and the Penguins could try to pry away one of the Sens’ first-round picks for him. A first-rounder could also be part of the asking price for Kuemper.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 27, 2020

by | Sep 27, 2020

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 27, 2020

Updates on Alex Pietrangelo, Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien plus the latest on the Hurricanes and Sharks in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

PIETRANGELO

STLTODAY.COM: In a recent live chat with Blues fans, Tom Timmermann said he’s leaning toward Alex Pietrangelo re-signing with the club. He feels the defenseman’s recent comments suggest he wants to stay in St. Louis and is trying to get the Blues to increase their offer. Timmermann believes eight years at $8 million annually is the starting point, but Pietrangelo wants more. He’s unsure if $9 million annually is possible under the current economic conditions in the free-agent market.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (NHL Images).

If Pietrangelo re-signs, Timmermann suggests Tyler Bozak and Alex Steen as the likely players to become cost-cutting casualties, but moving them won’t be easy. He feels teams would be more interested in winger Jaden Schwartz. Moving Schwartz in the offseason would fetch a better return than moving him at next season’s trade deadline.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Matt Larkin lists the Blues atop his list of five potential destinations for Pietrangelo. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers are also on his list.

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Pierre LeBrun believes the Blues would be open to a sign-and-trade scenario if it appears they cannot repair negotiations. The incentive for interested teams is it would allow them to get Pietrangelo under contract for eight years instead of seven at potentially a lower annual average value, while the Blues could get a tangible asset in return instead of losing him for nothing to the free-agent market.

LeBrun doubts teams will part with a first-round pick to get Pietrangelo. Interested parties would also have to be able to negotiate a contract with the blueliner’s agent. He also lists the Leafs, Golden Knights, Flames and Panthers on his list of possible suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sign-and-trade deals rarely occur because they’re difficult to pull off. Sticking points include the losing team’s asking price and how much of a raise the player seeks on his new contract. We can’t rule out the possibility of a sign-and-trade but I think it’s a long shot.

As for those interested clubs, the Leafs and Golden Knights have limited cap space so they’ll have to shed salary to make this work. The Golden Knights must also decide whether to re-sign goaltender Robin Lehner and what to do with Marc-Andre Fleury if they get Lehner under contract.

The Flames have the cap space but LeBrun points out they must also address their goaltending and perhaps add a winger. The Panthers are said to be cutting payroll but they must bolster their blueline depth. Whether Pietrangelo would be interested in signing with them is another matter.

LAINE AND BYFUGLIEN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman acknowledged the recent trade speculation swirling about Patrik Laine. He doesn’t think the 22-year-old Winnipeg Jets winger has requested a trade. Friedman feels the Jets are just looking at this situation to see if using Laine would address their need for a No. 2 center or a right-hand shot defenseman.

Friedman also said it’s unlikely former Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien will play next season. Teams have contacted his agent, including the Minnesota Wild because of his ties to the state. Friedman feels the Wild would have the best chance but his agent said it’s doubtful Byfuglien will play again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Could Laine get traded? Sure. Will he? That’s not a certainty. As talented as the young winger is and as much upside as he still has, it could be difficult for the Jets to find a return of equal value. It doesn’t hurt for general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to explore his options, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to trade Laine

As I mentioned yesterday, Laine’s contract status could be a factor. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer who’ll seek a considerable raise over his current annual cap hit of $6.75 million. Whether the Jets can afford that could determine his future in Winnipeg.

Byfuglien may have reached the point where his body can’t handle the wear-and-tear of a long NHL season. He’s 35, coming off ankle surgery and was hampered by nagging injuries during his last two seasons. Perhaps he’s decided he’s had enough.

HURRICANES

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Sara Civian recently listed goaltending trade and free-agent options for the Carolina Hurricanes. Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper, Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury and Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray were among her suggested trade targets, while her free-agent choices included Vancouver’s Jacob Markstrom, Vegas’ Robin Lehner, and Washington’s Braden Holtby.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock reports the Hurricanes are leaving the door open for winger Justin Williams if he’s willing to return, but they’re also progressing ahead as if their former captain will retire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes have plenty of options if they seek to upgrade their goaltending. The question is, will they? Affordability works in favor of their current tandem of Petr Mrazek and James Reimer, who earn a combined $6.525 million next season.

 










NHL Rumor Mill – September 23, 2020

by | Sep 23, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – September 23, 2020

Some potential destinations for Alex Pietrangelo plus the latest on the Penguins and Capitals in today’s NHL rumor mill.

COULD LEAFS, GOLDEN KNIGHTS OR FLAMES TARGET PIETRANGELO?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun wonders if the St. Louis Blues will consider trading Alex Pietrangelo’s rights if they don’t re-sign the pending free-agent defenseman before Oct. 9. The acquiring team could sign him to an eight-year deal, lowering the annual average value, Pietrangelo would get more money under that scenario, while the Blues could get a good asset in return. LeBrun suggests the Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Calgary Flames as possible destinations if Pietrangelo hits the open market.

TORONTO STAR: Mark Zwolinski acknowledged the Leafs need for a top-shelf blueliner like Pietrangelo, but finding the cap space to sign him will be challenging for general manager Kyle Dubas. They have over $6 million in cap space and would have to shed salary to make it work.

Zwolinski suggests Alexander Kerfoot and Andreas Johnsson as trade candidates, and also felt William Nylander would have to be considered. The risks of acquiring another high-priced player would be high under a flattened salary cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t doubt the Leafs will inquire if Pietrangelo becomes available. As per Cap Friendly, they’ve already handcuffed themselves with over $40.4 million tied up in just four players: Nylander ($6.9 million), Mitch Marner ($10.8 million), John Tavares ($11 million) and Auston Matthews ($11.8 million). Adding Pietrangelo could push that figure to almost $50 million, leaving little room to bolster their depth as needed throughout the rest of the roster. Unless they’re moving out Nylander, they should consider more affordable blueline options.

I don’t see the Golden Knights in the market for Pietrangelo. They have $76.5 million tied up in 18 players. If they re-sign Robin Lehner, they’ll have to shed salary by moving out goalie Marc-Andre Fleury or someone else, leaving little room for a big-ticket defenseman.

With $64.5 million committed to 14 players, the Flames have the cap space to sign Pietrangelo, but that move could push them to $73 million invested in 15 players. That won’t leave much to find a possible replacement for Cam Talbot if he’s not re-signed, let alone fill out the rest of the roster.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Rob Rossi and Josh Yohe report multiple league sources claim Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford has received several inquiries about winger Bryan Rust. Rutherford isn’t shopping Rust and prefers keeping the top-six winger, but wouldn’t rule out trading him if the return was significant, such as at least an NHL-ready player and a top-six prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Rust remains a Penguin.

They also cite multiple sources claiming Rutherford is attempting to clear enough salary-cap space to sign Chris Tanev if the Vancouver Canucks defenseman hit the open market on Oct. 9. The Penguins GM isn’t concerned about Tanev’s age (30) and is willing to offer a five-year contract concurrent to the final five years of brother (and Penguins forward) Brandon Tanev. Chris is said to be seeking a raise over the $4.45-million AAV of his current contract. A Penguins source claims they’d prefer keeping the AAV to $5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s not a good idea. Tanev’s performance has declined over the last couple of years as the wear-and-tear of his style of play are taking a toll on his body. A short-term deal (two years) might be worth the gamble, but five years at $5 million per is too risky. Meanwhile, TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal reports the Canucks have yet to make Tanev a contract offer.

Rossi and Yohe also report the Penguins and Evgeni Malkin’s camp have expressed interest in a three-year contract extension allowing Malkin to retire as a Penguin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: But…but…Malkin’s supposed to be unhappy as second fiddle to Crosby. No, wait, he’s getting traded to the Kings. Or was it he’s retiring and returning to Russia at the end of his current contract? Dammit, it’s difficult keeping these Malkin rumors straight!

The Pens aren’t against acquiring a third-line center but are content to keep recently re-signed Jared McCann in that role. It doesn’t appear they’ve approached Patric Hornqvist about waiving his no-trade clause.

BACKUP GOALIE OPTIONS FOR THE CAPITALS

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Tarik El-Bashir lists the New York Islanders Thomas Greiss, Dallas’ Anton Khudobin and Calgary’s Cam Talbot as free-agent backup goalie options for the Washington Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Braden Holtby’s expected departure via free agency, the Capitals will need an experienced backup for promising Ilya Samsonov. Greiss, Khudobin and Talbot would be fine choices, though Khudobin’s playoff heroics could put him outside the Caps’ price range. Cap Friendly indicates they’ve got $72.6 million invested in 17 players.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 16, 2020

by | Sep 16, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – September 16, 2020

Does the Jonas Brodin signing mean Matt Dumba’s on the trade block? Will Marc-Andre Fleury submit his no-trade list? What the latest on the Canadiens? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

COULD DUMBA BE TRADED?

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Michael Russo reports the Minnesota Wild re-signing defenseman Jonas Brodin yesterday to a seven-year, $42-million contract extension could set the stage for other moves.

According to sources, Wild general manager Bill Guerin has not only received a lot of calls about Matt Dumba, he’s actively shopping the blueliner. Russo speculates Guerin could move Dumba for a scoring forward, preferably a center. He indicates the rearguard is the only one lacking no-trade protection before 2021-22 season.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston believes the Vancouver Canucks will be among the suitors for Dumba. However, he believes it’ll take giving up a forward like Brock Boeser to get him. Johnston feels Boeser’s name could surface in trade rumors if the Canucks re-sign pending free agent winger Tyler Toffoli.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates Brodin, Ryan Suter, and Jared Spurgeon have full no-movement clauses. As a result, those three must be protected in next summer’s expansion draft, leaving Dumba exposed if Guerin decides to protect three defensemen.

Dumba lacks no-trade protection for 2020-21. On his own, however, he might not be enough to land a scoring center. A sweetener of a draft pick or promising prospect might have to be included. His annual salary-cap hit ($6 million AAV through 2022-23) could also be a snag.

Guerin doesn’t have to move Dumba right away. He can be patient and see how next season unfolds if he doesn’t find any suitable offers during this offseason. If he opts to wait, I think he’ll try to move Dumba before next season’s trade deadline (whenever that might be) to avoid any complications of finding a suitable trade partner before the expansion draft.

DID FLEURY SUBMIT HIS NO-TRADE LIST?

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Jesse Granger reported Sept. 15 was the deadline Marc-Andre Fleury and his agent to submit their revised no-trade list to Vegas Golden Knights management. That’s in accordance with the NHL CBA and the memorandum of understanding.

It’s uncertain if the Fleury camp did this. Granger speculates they may have as a precautionary measure following reports the Golden Knights intend to re-sign Robin Lehner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granger also points out moving an aging goaltender with two years left on his contract with an annual average value of $7 million would be difficult under normal circumstances. Nevertheless, he did play well in his three postseason appearances and there could be a club with sufficient cap space willing to take a chance on him.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

TVA SPORTS: Charlie Lajoie believes Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin could be preparing for a blockbuster trade following his recent acquisition of defenseman Joel Edmundson. He speculated a blueliner like Ben Chiarot could be part of a package deal to land a scoring winger.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels believes the Canadiens’ recent acquisition of defenseman Joel Edmundson opens up some trade possibility for Bergevin. He also believes Bergevin can afford to move a blueliner to address that issue. He feels Brett Kulak could have more value on the trade market than Victor Mete.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Habs have a surplus of left-side defensemen. Kulak or Mete could be part of a package for a scoring forward but they obviously won’t be the centerpiece. Maybe center Max Domi would also be part of such a deal.

Bergevin can also draw upon his depth in draft picks. He has 11 picks in this year’s draft, including three in the second round and three in the fourth. He also has two third-rounders and three picks in each of the fourth and fifth rounds of next year’s draft.

We know he won’t be moving promising youngsters like Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Alexander Romanov. He included them among his untouchables.










NHL Playoffs: Golden Knights Let Down By Top Players

by | Sep 16, 2020

NHL Playoffs: Golden Knights Let Down By Top Players










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 15, 2020

by | Sep 15, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 15, 2020

The Dallas Stars are the Western Conference champions, plus updates on the Lightning, Islanders and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: For the first time in 20 years, the Dallas Stars are Western Conference champions and headed to the Stanley Cup Final. Denis Gurianov tallied an overtime power-play goal as the Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.

The Golden Knights held a 2-0 lead until Jamie Benn scored at 9:54 of the third period. Joel Kiviranta scored the tying goal on the power play at 16:13, setting the stage for Gurianov’s series winner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series looked like it was heading to Game 6 when Reilly Smith made it 2-0 early in the third for the Golden Knights. Benn’s goal, however, shifted the game’s momentum. He finished this series with three goals and five points. This was the second straight series where Gurianov scored the series winner. He leads the Stars with nine goals in this postseason.

Penalties proved costly for the Golden Knights as the Stars tallied the tying and winning goals with the man advantage. The second one was a heartbreaker as rookie defenseman Zach Whitecloud was called for delay of game after he inadvertently clearing the puck over the boards.

The Golden Knights head into the offseason with some issues to address. You can read about them in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was on the ice with half of his teammates for yesterday’s optional practice. He’s still not ready to play or participate in full practices but the club still hasn’t ruled out a possible return in the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps Stamkos might return if the Lightning advance to the Stanley Cup Final against Dallas. The Bolts hold a 3-1 series lead over the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Final with Game 5 tonight.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders head coach Barry Trotz could shake up his top line for Game 5 by making Brock Nelson the first-line center and moving Mathew Barzal into the second-line spot. He could also elevate winger Derick Brassard or center Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a top-six role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll find out tonight what changes, if any, Trotz has in store for his roster. He must do something to counter the Lightning’s top line of Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat.

THE SCORE: The NHL has recorded no positive COVID-19 tests for the eighth straight week.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames have made interim coach Geoff Ward their full-time head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise there given the support Flames general manager Brad Treliving gave Ward throughout this season.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports NHL teams have until 5 pm ET on Oct. 7 to submit qualifying offers to their respective restricted free agents. The RFAs can begin signing them at noon ET on Oct. 9. Those offers expire at 5 pm ET on Oct. 18.

US HOCKEY HALL OF FAME: Former NHL star and current University of Wisconsin head coach Tony Granato has been inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. He joins Dean Blais, Jenny Potter and Jerry York among the class of 2020.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to all of this year’s inductees.