NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 20, 2022

by | Sep 20, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 20, 2022

Sean Couturier is sidelined again, Keith Yandle announces his retirement, updates on Dylan Larkin, Claude Giroux and Mark Stone, the Rangers trade Nils Lundkvist to the Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: A week after declaring himself good to go following back surgery, Sean Couturier suffered what the Philadelphia Flyers call an “upper-body injury.” The 29-year-old center will be reevaluated during training camp and is considered week-to-week.

CROSSING BROAD: Anthony SanFilippo cited “multiple team sources” claiming Couturier suffered a herniated disc in his back during strength and conditioning drills last week. It’s believed he could miss at least 12 weeks but that’s considered an optimistic assessment.

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (NHL Images).

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman tweeted the Flyers and Couturier are seeking a second opinion to determine the exact nature of the injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will be a serious blow to the Flyers’ hopes of rebounding from an awful 2021-22 campaign. Couturier is their top center, their best two-way forward and one of their leaders. His back injury and subsequent absence from the lineup last season contributed to their poor performance.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Forwards Antoine Roussel and Artem Anisimov will be attending Flyers training camp on professional tryout offers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Roussel recently confirmed his PTO with the Flyers. Anisimov is a 34-year-old center with 13 NHL seasons under his belt with the New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators. Anisimov played in the KHL last season. He also spent four seasons playing for Flyers head coach John Tortorella during their days with the Rangers.

SPORTSNET: Keith Yandle announced his retirement on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. The 36-year-old defenseman spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Arizona Coyotes, New York Rangers, Florida Panthers and Philadelphia Flyers, amassing 619 points in 1,109 regular-season games. Yandle also holds the league’s “Ironman” record of 989 consecutive games played.

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

SPORTSNET: Dylan Larkin recently told Elliotte Friedman on the “32 Thoughts” podcast that he’s discussing a contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings. The 26-year-old center is in the final season of his current deal with an average annual value of $6.1 million.

“I don’t really see myself playing for another team,” said the Red Wings captain. “It’s moving along. I can’t really tell you when or how (the deal gets resolved), but that’s where I want to be.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Wings consider Larkin a crucial member of their roster core. A Michigan native, he could seek a maximum eight-year contract with an AAV of $8 million.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators named Claude Giroux as one of their alternate captains. The 34-year-old is the former captain of the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A logical decision by the Senators. Giroux’s experience as Flyers captain ensured he’d be part of their leadership group before he even stepped on the ice with them this season.

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger reports Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy said team captain Mark Stone is feeling good and is expected to be on the ice for their opening day of training camp. The medical team could put limits on his efforts but for now, he said he’s feeling great.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stone, 30, underwent a successful lumbar discectomy in May and was expected to make a full recovery. The Golden Knights captain was limited to just 37 games last season.

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers traded defenseman Nils Lundkvist to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2025.

If the Stars’ own first-round pick in 2023 is among the top 10, the Rangers will instead receive Dallas’ 2024 first-rounder. That pick will be unprotected.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not a bad return for the Rangers for an unhappy blueliner chosen 28th overall in the 2018 draft with just 25 NHL games on his resume.

It’s not immediate help to the Blueshirts roster but that extra first-rounder could prove useful trade bait at the trade deadline if they pursue a quality rental player at the March trade deadline. Otherwise, it’ll provide them with an extra first-rounder next year or in 2024.

Lundkvist, 22, should provide additional right-side depth to the Stars blueline. He won’t replace the departed John Klingberg’s offense but could grow into the role of a top-four puck-moving rearguard.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed former Anaheim Ducks winger Sonny Milano to a professional tryout offer.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers signed winger Jake Virtanen to a PTO.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That move has drawn criticism among some pundits, bloggers and Oilers fans. There are those who raised the point of Virtanen facing a civil suit after being found not guilty of sexual assault in a B.C. Court in July. Others point to his poor on-ice performance in recent years.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reporting that oft-injured Golden Knights forward Nolan Patrick might not play this season with some wondering about his future as a player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The second overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Flyers, Patrick has played just 25 NHL games because of nagging upper-body injuries, including migraines related to a possible concussion.

DAILY FACEOFF: Forward Kurtis Gabriel has retired after nine seasons in the NHL and AHL. He saw 51 games of NHL action with the Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks with five points and 153 PIMs.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2022

by | Sep 18, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2022

Jonathan Huberdeau talks about the pressure of playing in Montreal, Canadiens’ new captain Nick Suzuki hopes to improve his proficiency in French plus the latest on Shea Theodore and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Huberdeau recently addressed the offseason rumors linking him to the Canadiens prior to his re-signing with the Calgary Flames. A native of Saint-Jerome, Quebec, the 29-year-old winger acknowledged that “a lot of people” were saying he should play one year with the Flames and then sign next summer with the Canadiens as a free agent.

Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau (NHL Images).

“As much as I love Montreal, I dunno. I think it’s a tough city for a French-Canadian,” said Huberdeau. “Calgary traded for me. If Montreal wanted to trade for me, they would’ve traded for me. That’s how I see it. And I want to play for a team that wants me. Calgary wanted me, so that’s why I wanted to sign a big extension.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Huberdeau’s stating his own opinion but it appears to confirm the suspected reluctance of Quebec-born players to play in Montreal. The pressure of being a Canadien is intense for any NHL star regardless of nationality or background but the burden would be much heavier for a Francophone. They would be expected to become the next great French-Canadien star and follow in the footsteps of the legends who’ve donned the Habs sweater in the past.

It’s one thing to be drafted and developed by the Canadiens where you can be gradually prepared for what you’re about to face. It’s another to jump into that unique hockey hotbed as a free agent when you’ve never experienced anything like it before in your professional career.

Visiting players only get a small taste of it and then move on. Experiencing that fishbowl existence on a full-time basis can be daunting for players used to a less-stressful hockey market.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: New Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is hoping to become more proficient in French. A native of London, Ontario, the 23-year-old center takes no issue with local and provincial politicians calling on him to improve his French language skills.

“A lot of the Quebec politicians want (players) to speak French and that’s fair,” said Suzuki. “French is more spoken in Quebec than English.” He admitted living and working in bilingual Montreal can be challenging as he doesn’t get to use it in that city as much as he could. The Habs captain felt Canadiens players should have some level of French.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will become a non-issue for Suzuki if he becomes more fluent in French. However, it’s another factor that seems to make it difficult for the Canadiens to attract top free-agent talent to Montreal.

THE ATHLETIC: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore recently announced another $50,000.00 donation to the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Las Vegas as part of his “Kay’s Power Play” fund launched in 2020.

The fund is named in memory of Theodore’s grandmother, Kay Darlington, who passed away in June 2020 due to breast cancer. “Kay’s Power Play” has already raised $250,000.00 to help women access breast cancer screening.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yet another example of an NHL player giving their time and money for charitable causes. Well done, Shea Theodore.

DAILY FACEOFF: Mike McKenna on how a surprising number of NHL veterans are trying to earn contracts with professional tryout offers as teams invest more money in young stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The flattened salary cap since 2020-21 is also a contributing factor. It’ll be interesting to see how the number of PTOs are affected once cap increases rise by 2024 as projected.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Speaking of the Golden Knights, team owner Bill Foley is reportedly heading a potential takeover effort of Premier League soccer club AFC Bournemouth. It could cost approximately $172 million USD to purchase the club.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski addresses everything hockey fans need to know about NHL jersey advertisements.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 11, 2022

by | Sep 11, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 11, 2022

A recent look at the notable remaining restricted free agents in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently examined the status of the remaining notable restricted free agents.

Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson (NHL Images)

Topping his list is the Dallas Stars’ Jason Robertson. The 23-year-old winger has blossomed into a first-line scorer who was the Calder Trophy runner-up in 2021. Fox wonders if the Stars will attempt to sign Robertson to a long-term deal that could look like a bargain down the road or ink him to a bridge deal that hands the winger more leverage for his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes it’ll be a bridge deal, pointing out the Stars couldn’t do a long-term deal for Jake Oettinger, who recently signed a three-year, $12 million contract.

Cap Friendly shows the Stars carrying $6.3 million in cap space with 22 players under contract. My guess is Robertson agrees to a two-year deal worth $5 million annually to put himself in line for a major pay raise in 2024. That’s when the salary cap is expected to significantly increase.

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Sean Durzi and Ottawa Senators winger Alex Formenton are second and third on Fox’s list. He reported Kings general manager Rob Blake continues to negotiate with the Durzi camp. Meanwhile, Senators GM Pierre Dorion said his discussions with Formenton’s agent were positive and he expects the 22-year-old will be under contract prior to training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Saturday, the Kings re-signed blueliner Mikey Anderson to a one-year, $1 million contract. With $1.3 million remaining in cap space, I wouldn’t be surprised if Durzi gets a similar deal. Both rearguards completed their entry-level contracts last season.

NHL training camps will start by Sep. 21 so look for the Senators to have Formenton’s new contract sorted by then.

Fox cited Arizona Coyotes insider Craig Morgan recently reporting center Barrett Hayton should have a new deal before training camp. He doesn’t see the two sides being far apart. Fox pointed out the Coyotes have plenty of salary-cap room. He recommended a bridge deal but observed the club has a tendency of signing their promising young players to long-term contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikey Anderson was also on Fox’s list but he was re-signed on Saturday by the Kings.

Rasmus Sandin’s contract talks with the Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly remain at a standstill. Meanwhile, Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon recently said re-signing defenseman Nicolas Hague before training camp was his top priority.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I covered Sandin’s situation in yesterday’s Rumor Mill. As for Hague, McCrimmon reportedly has had little dialogue with Hague’s representatives since early July.

Both defensemen are coming off ELCs and have no leverage other than refusing to report to training camp. We’ll find out within the next 10 days if they’ll end up signing bridge deals before camps open on Sep. 21.

Edmonton Oilers center Ryan McLeod and Calgary Flames forward Adam Ruzicka complete Fox’s list. He reported there’s little concern in Edmonton over getting McLeod signed before training camp. Meanwhile, Fox believes Flames GM Brad Treliving must decide if Ruzicka is ready to be a full-time NHLer or if he will sign him to a two-way contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 10, 2022

by | Sep 10, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 10, 2022

Ryan Miller to be inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame, an update on contract talks between the Golden Knights and Nicolas Hague, Danny DeKeyser and Calvin de Haan among several players accepting PTOs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Ryan Miller will be part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2022. He joins Olympic gold medalist twins Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando, Steve Cash and Jim Johansson among the inductees on Nov. 30.

Former NHL goaltender Ryan Miller (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller played 18 seasons in the NHL from 2002-03 to 2020-21 with the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. He is among the best American goaltenders in league history.

Winner of the Vezina Trophy in 2010, Miller holds the record for most wins (391) by a US-born netminder and sits 14th on the all-time NHL wins list. Miller also backstopped Team USA to a silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics and was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

FOX 5 VEGAS’ Vince Sapienza took to Twitter reporting a lack of progress in contract talks between the Vegas Golden Knights and Nicolas Hague. There’s been “very little dialogue” since early July.

Sapienza also reports Hague is in Las Vegas preparing for training camp but his representatives are growing concerned over the lack of communication. He won’t report when camp opens on Sep. 21 if there’s no deal in place by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hague, 23, is coming off his entry-level contract. The only leverage he has is avoiding training camp but that won’t do either side any good. Hague will miss out on valuable preparation with his teammates including preseason play while the Golden Knights will be without a big promising two-way defenseman who can log big minutes for them.

TSN: Five notable free agents signed professional tryout offers on Friday.

The Vancouver Canucks signed Danny DeKeyser. The 32-year-old defenseman spent 10 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.

Carolina Hurricanes sign Calvin de Haan. The 31-year-old blueliner spent the past three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Toronto Maple Leafs signed Zach Aston-Reese. The 28-year-old winger was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks at the 2022 trade deadline after spending almost five seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

San Jose Sharks signed Scott Harrington. The 29-year-old defenseman spent the past six seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

CBS SPORTS: Nathan Beaulieu signed a PTO with the Anaheim Ducks. The 29-year-old blueliner split last season between the Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins.

TORONTO SUN/THE PROVINCE: The recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II prompted remembrances of her attendance at a 1951 exhibition game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs and her ceremonial puck drop at a 2002 game between the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2022

by | Sep 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2022

The favorites to win the Hart Trophy for 2022-23, the league revamps a rule to permit disallowed penalties, and the Senators are enjoying a surge in season-ticket sales. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin has the PointsBet odds for the top favorites and sleeper candidates for the 2022-23 Hart Memorial Trophy.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews sit atop the 10 favorites for the Hart. Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau leads the sleeper candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link provided above for Larkin’s full list. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar could challenge McDavid, Draisaitl and Matthews if he builds upon last season’s stellar performance.

SCOUTING THE REFS: The NHL has revamped its review rule to permit disallowed penalties. Referees will now be able to nullify a major penalty after video review or downgrade it to a minor infraction. The change doesn’t apply to match penalty reviews.

SPORTSNET: The Ottawa Senators are seeing a significant surge in season-ticket sales following a busy offseason that saw them add Claude Giroux, Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot to their roster. It’s also fueled by growing excitement over the development of their young core led by Brady Tkachuk.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators could also see improvement at the gate throughout the coming season if the club becomes a playoff contender.

Speaking of the Senators, The Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno reports rookie defenseman Jake Sanderson has fully recovered from a lingering hand injury. He expects to be 100 percent when training camp opens later this month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fifth-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Sanderson is expected to become a blueline regular this season for the Senators.

TSN: Former NHL forward Brett Connolly signed a one-year contract with Lugano HC of Switzerland’s National League on Monday. The 30-year-old winger played in just nine games last season with the Chicago Blackhawks, who bought out the final season of his contract earlier this summer.

Connolly played 11 seasons in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers and the Blackhawks from 2011-12 to 2021-22. He won a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018 and tallied a career-best 22-goal, 46-point performance in 2018-19.

SIN BIN VEGAS: Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy recently provided an update on Laurent Brossoit. He said the 29-year-old goaltender is healing well from his (hip) surgery and is motivated to play this season.

However, Cassidy was vague over when Brossoit will return to the lineup. “Whether he joins us at the end of the year or two or three weeks in, we’ll see him.”

WINNIPEG SUN: Former Jets defenseman and captain Scott Campbell, 65, passed away on Saturday following a battle with cancer. Drafted first overall in the 1977 WHA draft by the Houston Aeros and ninth overall by the St. Louis Blues in the NHL Draft, Campbell opted for the WHA. His contract was purchased by the Jets after the Aeros folded and he won the Avco Cup with the Jets in 1978-79.

Campbell was part of the Jets after their move to the NHL in 1979. He was named team captain in the 1980-81 season and was traded to the Blues in 1981. His career was ended prematurely the following year by chronic asthma. He had 55 points in 149 WHA games and 25 points in 80 NHL contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Campbell’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2022

by | Sep 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2022

The Golden Knights’ new coach hopes to help Jack Eichel improve while Nick Suzuki talks about the Canadiens’ captaincy and the pressure of playing in Montreal. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy hopes to elevate the play of center Jack Eichel, who has yet to appear in postseason competition after seven NHL seasons. Cassidy has spoken with the 25-year-old center about his goals and said he’s motivated to win the Stanley Cup.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

Eichel spent most of his NHL career with the struggling Buffalo Sabres before he was traded last season to the Golden Knights. He missed over half of last season recovering from neck surgery and played with a fractured right wrist down the stretch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel and Cassidy face tremendous pressure this season as the Golden Knights attempt to bounce back from missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. A strong performance by Eichel will be crucial toward achieving that goal and should make Cassidy’s job easier.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Appearing on the “Raw Knuckles Podcast,” Nick Suzuki spoke about the Canadiens’ captaincy and the pressure of playing in hockey-mad Montreal.

Suzuki, 23, is considered by some observers a favorite to become the Canadiens’ next captain. Asked about that role, he said he would “definitely be ready for it” if it came his way, pointing to examples set by former captain Shea Weber and teammates such as Brendan Gallagher.

Speaking about the pressure from fans and media in Montreal, Suzuki acknowledged their high expectations. However, he doesn’t let it interfere with how he prepares for the game. “As a player, you have to self-motivate, know where your game’s at, know how you’re playing and don’t let anything outside affect you,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see who the Canadiens choose as their next captain. It could be a rising young star such as Suzuki or perhaps a veteran such as Gallagher who’s been with the team for years.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators signed restricted free agent defenseman Erik Brannstrom to a one-year, $900K contract.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Former Oilers defenseman Ladislav Smid has been invited to help as a guest coach with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. Smid, 36, spent nearly eight of his 10 NHL seasons with the Oilers.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly considering rebranding their home and away jerseys for 2023-24.