NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2023

by | Nov 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2023

The lack of games on Tuesday explained, Blue Jackets star Patrik Laine embarrassed by being a healthy scratch, Milan Lucic enters the Players’ Assistance Program, plus the latest injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: The upcoming American Thanksgiving was the reason why there were no NHL games scheduled on Tuesday.

Only three arenas were available (Calgary, Vancouver and Arizona) and with more American teams requesting home games for Thanksgiving week, that took Calgary and Vancouver out of the equation. Arizona, meanwhile, didn’t wish to play back-to-back games as they face the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.

Also, the four teams that recently participated in the NHL Global Series in Sweden (Minnesota, Detroit, Ottawa and Toronto) were unavailable.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

The schedule resumes on Wednesday with 14 games on the card.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine wasn’t pleased about being a healthy scratch for the first time in his NHL career on Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers. “It’s probably, over my career, the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to me,” said Laine, adding he’s focused on playing.

Head coach Pascal Vincent said embarrassing Laine wasn’t his intention when he scratched him from the lineup and acknowledged his unhappiness over the decision. “There is never a reason behind our decisions to embarrass any of our people. Ever.”

Laine will be back in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine is trying to return to form after missing nine games due to a concussion. Injuries have hampered his performance since joining the Blue Jackets in January 2021.

Laine isn’t the only reason why the Blue Jackets have dropped nine straight games and find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. There’s plenty of blame to go around.

Nevertheless, Laine’s overall play hasn’t been up to expectations as one of the team’s biggest and highest-paid stars. He may be feeling embarrassed about being scratched but how it affects his game is what matters right now assuming that he’s fully recovered from his latest injury. They need him at his best to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.

TSN: Speaking of the Blue Jackets, defenseman Damon Severson will miss six weeks with an oblique injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Boston Bruins winger Milan Lucic will be entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Meanwhile, he entered a plea of not guilty to one count of assault and battery on a family member in Boston Municipal Court on Tuesday and was released on his recognizance. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 19.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Rickard Rakell has been placed on long-term injury reserve with an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has been sidelined on a week-by-week basis with an undisclosed ailment and placed on injured reserve while winger Bryan Rust is being evaluated for an unspecified injury. Defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (lower body) remains on injured reserve.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer is being evaluated for an “undisclosed physical setback.” Chris Driedger could be an emergency backup for Wednesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nashville Predators center Cody Glass was placed on injured reserve and is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris will be sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard will miss six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander was fined $2,864.00 by the department of player safety for slew-footing San Jose Sharks forward Kevin Labanc.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils named Sergei Brylin as the second inductee into their Ring of Honor. A pregame ceremony will be held on Saturday, Jan. 20. Brylin joins Dr. John J. McMullen, the Devils’ first own who brought the team to New Jersey.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2023

by | Mar 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2023

Aleksander Barkov makes franchise history as the Panthers overtake the Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, the three stars of the week are announced plus injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov collected an assist to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (614 points) in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists for the Panthers, who improved to 36-27-7 and vaulted over the Pittsburgh Penguins into the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points. Dylan Larkin scored his 26th goal of the season for the 30-30-9 Red Wings.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

The Penguins, meanwhile, slipped to 34-26-10 (78 points) by dropping a 2-1 decision to the Ottawa Senators. Rookie goaltender Dylan Ferguson kicked out 48 shots for his first NHL win in just his second career game since 2017-18. Thomas Chabot and Drake Batherson scored for the 34-31-5 Senators, who sit six points behind the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a tale of two teams going in different directions. The Panthers have been red-hot over the last 10 games (7-2-1) while the Penguins have dropped four straight and are 4-5-1 in their last 10. The Pens’ injury-depleted defense took another hit when Marcus Petterson was placed on long-term injury reserve.

The Senators, meanwhile, kept their playoff hopes alive but their odds of gaining ground on the Panthers are shrinking with the end of the regular season (April 13) just over three weeks away.

Speaking of teams struggling to reach a wild-card spot, the Calgary Flames were thumped 8-2 by the Los Angeles Kings. Adrian Kempe and Carl Gundstrom each tallied twice for the 41-20-10 Kings as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 92 points. Tyler Toffoli and Noah Hanifin replied for the 31-25-15 Flames (77 points) as they remain four points behind the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ sputtering performance in recent weeks is the only reason the Flames remain in striking distance of that final Western wild-card spot. If the Jets can string a few wins together over the next week or two, the flickering Flames’ postseason hopes will be doused.

Turning to the Flames’ Alberta rival, the Edmonton Oilers picked up their fourth straight win by nipping the San Jose Sharks 5-4 on an overtime goal by Darnell Nurse. Mattias Ekholm scored twice, including the game-tying goal late in the third period as the Oilers (40-23-8) sit four points back of the Kings in the Pacific Division with 88 points. Erik Karlsson tallied twice for the 19-37-15 Sharks.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev stopped 27 shots to shut out the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Denis Malgin scored twice and collected an assist as the Avalanche picked up their sixth straight win (41-22-6) to sit second in the Central Division with 88 points, one behind the Dallas Stars. The Blackhawks dropped to 24-40-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Georgiev is now tied for the league lead in shutouts with five. The Avalanche played without Cale Makar as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman are the three stars for the week ending March 19.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman John Carlson could be one step closer to returning to action after joining his teammates yesterday wearing a regular practice jersey, indicating he’s cleared for contact.

Carlson, 33, suffered a fractured skull and severed his temporal artery after being struck by a slapshot during a game against the Winnipeg Jets three months ago.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken could open their four-game road trip in Dallas tonight without starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer as he battles a non-COVID-related illness. The Kraken hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 83 points.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is expected to be in the lineup for Tuesday’s games against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s been sidelined since Feb. 25 by a shoulder injury.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner T.J. Brodie is listed as day-to-day after blocking a shot during Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, 46, will be running next month’s Boston Marathon for charity. It will be the first time Chara has run in a marathon.

USCHO.COM: Carson Briere has been charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct after a video emerged showing him pushing a double amputee’s empty wheelchair down a flight of stairs in a bar on March 11. Briere is the son of Philadelphia Flyers assistant general manager Daniel Briere.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2022

by | Nov 19, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2022

The Canucks defeated the Kings plus updates on Auston Matthews, Philipp Grubauer, Scott Wedgewood and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks got two-goal performances from Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Thatcher Demko made 37 saves for the Canucks as their record improves to 6-9-3. Blake Lizotte replied for the Kings as they drop to 11-8-1. Prior to this game, the Canucks activated Curtis Lazar off injured reserve.

Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks need their young stars like Pettersson, Boeser and Demko to step up if they hope to get back on a winning track and rise in the standings. This performance was a good start but they’ll need more of this on a consistent basis.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews is okay after limping off the ice during practice yesterday when he took a shot off his foot.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have activated goaltender Philipp Grubauer off injured reserve. He’d been sidelined since Oct. 21 with a lower-body injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars goalie Scott Wedgewood is listed as day-to-day and could resume practice today. He was stretchered from the ice during Thursday’s game against the Florida Panthers with a back injury. However, he did not need to go to a hospital and was walking around following the game.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres have called up netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to replace Eric Comrie, who is expected to be sidelined for weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luukkonen was tabbed as the Sabres’ future starter but he’s had difficulties seizing the role. His recall comes at a time when the club is once again fading from a hot start to the season.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy has a lower-body injury that could keep him out of their next two games against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.

OTTAWA SUN: Some good news for the Senators blueline as defenseman Artem Zub could return to action on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. He’s been sidelined since Oct. 27 with an upper-body injury and has gone 2-6-1 without him in the lineup.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of Senators’ defensemen, Nikita Zaitsev cleared waivers on Nov. 10 and was sent to their AHL affiliate in Belleville on Friday.

OTTAWA SUN: Staying on the topic of Ottawa blueliners, former Senator Wade Redden will be the first player inducted into their Ring of Honour on Dec. 11. Redden, who now works for the club in a development role, played 838 games in 11 seasons with the Sens from 1996-97 to 2007-08. He is fifth all-time among their scorers with 410 points and their all-time leader in plus-minus at plus-159.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2022

by | Nov 12, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2022

A milestone night for the Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin and the Capitals’ John Carlson, an update on the Oiler’s Evander Kane and the Blue Jackets’ blueline suffers a major blow. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored his 450th career NHL goal in a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brock McGinn and Jake Guentzel tallied in the third period for the Penguins, who improved to 6-6-2. Zach Aston-Reese and William Nylander replied for the 7-5-3 Maple Leafs.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Former Maple Leafs star and Hall-of-Famer Borje Salming received an emotional standing ovation from Toronto fans during a pregame ceremony honoring this year’s Hockey Hall of Fame inductees. Salming, who is battling ALS (Lou Gerhig’s disease), was assisted by his former teammate and fellow Hall-of-Famer Darryl Sittler as he waved to the crowd to acknowledge the cheers.

Salming was one of the greatest defensemen in NHL history and a trailblazer for European players. I don’t know about the rest of you, but seeing a tearful Sittler helping Salming wave to the fans left me choked up too.

The Washington Capitals got two goals from Sonny Milano to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1. John Carlson picked up an assist to become the first defenseman in Capitals history to reach 600 career points and sits fifth on their all-time points list. The Capitals improved to 7-7-2 while the Lightning sit at 7-6-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette missed this game after being diagnosed with COVID-19. He is expected to miss Sunday’s rematch with the Lightning.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury kicked out 28 shots to shut out the Seattle Kraken 1-0. Mats Zuccarello scored for the Wild (7-6-1) while the Kraken sit at 8-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Kraken placed sidelined goaltender Philipp Grubauer (lower body) on long-term injured reserve.

The San Jose Sharks held off the Dallas Stars 5-4 to improve their record to 4-9-3. The Sharks got two-point performances from Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture and Alexander Barabanov. Jamie Benn scored two goals for the 8-5-1 Stars.

HEADLINES

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane was in good spirits as he spoke with the media on Friday for the first time since suffering a gruesome injury to his left wrist on Tuesday.

Kane’s wrist was sliced down to the bone when Tampa Bay Lightning forward Pat Maroon accidentally skated over it. He was rushed to a hospital and underwent surgery. “I was really lucky that they were able to reattach everything,” said Kane, who will be sidelined for up to four months. “I’m thankful that I’m going to be able to make a full recovery.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Kane in his recovery.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski is out for the season after suffering a separated shoulder and a torn labrum during Thursday’s 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Another Jackets defenseman, Nick Blankenburg, suffered a fractured ankle and a high ankle sprain and will miss six-to-eight weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is terrible news for a Blue Jackets squad struggling to overcome a poor start to this season. Losing their best defenseman in Werenski could spell the end of their playoff hopes.

TSN: The Carolina Hurricanes placed goaltender Frederik Andersen on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury retroactive to Nov. 6.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Darren Helm underwent abductor surgery last week and was placed on long-term injured reserve.

NHL.COM: The NHL and NHL Players Association released a joint statement indicating the World Cup of Hockey will not be played in February 2024. “Unfortunately, in the current environment, it is not feasible to hold the World Cup of Hockey at that time.” They hope to stage the tournament in February 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: “Current environment”, in this case, is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2022

by | Oct 26, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2022

Recaps of Tuesday’s games including the Golden Knight’s Phil Kessel setting the league’s Ironman record and the Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury reaching a goaltending milestone, plus the latest on the Canadiens’ Carey Price and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Phil Kessel set the NHL’s Ironman record by playing his 990th consecutive game and scored his 400th career goal as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist while Adin Hill made 29 saves for the win as the Golden Knights improved their record to 6-2-0 while the Sharks drop to 2-7-0.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Kessel on setting a league record for consecutive games and reaching the 400-goal milestone.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves to backstop the Minnesota Wild over the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. It was Fleury’s 944th career game, moving him past Curtis Joseph into sixth place on the all-time games-played list for NHL goaltenders. Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice for the Wild as their record improves to 2-3-1 while the Canadiens fall to 3-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Habs winger Cole Caufield tallied his fifth goal in seven games.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt scored twice and collected an assist as his club defeated the Detroit Red Wings 6-2, handing the latter their first regulation loss of the season. Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Ryan Graves each had two points for the Devils (4-3-0) while Dylan Larkin and Dominik Kubalik replied for the Red Wings (3-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Ondrej Palat missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 44 shots against his former club in a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Mikko Rantanen and Evan Rodrigues scored in the shootout as the Avs record moves up to 4-2-1. Adam Fox scored for the Rangers (3-2-2) in the third period to send the game into overtime and the shootout.

The Boston Bruins got goals from David Pastrnak, Taylor Hall and Patrice Bergeron to down the Dallas Stars 3-1. Linus Ullmark made 30 saves as the Bruins improve to 6-1-0 while the Stars fall to 4-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day. Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo returned to action after missing four games with a concussion.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri scored twice and added an assist while Jacob Markstrom stopped 32 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames (5-1-0) while Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (4-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins winger Jake Guentzel missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury while Jason Zucker is with a suspected right-hip injury suffered during their loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 24.

Jonathan Quick made 23 saves while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 to improve their record to 4-4-0. The Lightning (3-4-0) got goals from Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning appear to be feeling the effects of a long 2021-22 season and a shortened offseason after their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Patrick Kane tallied his first goal of the season and added an assist as the Chicago Blackhawks upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. Alex Stalock stopped 29 shots for the 4-2-0 Blackhawks. Matthew Tkachuk was one of the goal scorers for the Panthers (4-2-1).

The Seattle Kraken improved their record to 3-3-2 by downing the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. Daniel Sprong had a goal and two assists while Martin Jones made 15 saves for the win. The Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin saw his record-setting, season-opening goal streak for defenseman end at five games while his club’s record drops to 4-2-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer missed this game as he was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Three-point performances by Shayne Gostibehere (two goals, one assist) and Clayton Keller (three assists) powered the Arizona Coyotes (2-4-0) over the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3, dropping the latter’s record to 3-5-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine was held scoreless as he returned from injured reserve. Earlier in the day, the Jackets announced forward Justin Danforth will be sidelined for six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price revealed his battle with alcoholism pushed him to seek help through the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program last fall.

The 35-year-old said it was the combination of coming so close to his goal of winning the Stanley Cup in 2021, followed by knee surgery and the realization that he’s in the latter stages of his career. “I was not a happy person, I wasn’t being a good father. I was drinking a lot,” he said.

Price also admitted the pressure to perform game in and game out was not easy to handle and became a weight on his mind.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price isn’t ready to retire and continues to explore treatment for his injured knee. What’s most important is his life and health beyond the rink. He recognized he had a problem and sought treatment voluntarily. Best wishes to Price in his ongoing sobriety.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed Jake Muzzin on long-term injury reserve due to a neck injury. It provides the Leafs with an additional $5.625 million of cap relief.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We don’t know how long Muzzin will be sidelined. If he’s out for the season they could use it to bolster their roster. If he’s not, they’ll have to ensure they’re cap compliant when he returns to action.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a fractured finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough break (no pun intended) for van Riemsdyk, who was off to a good start with five points in his first six games of this season.

THE ATHLETIC: The St. Louis Blues placed forward Pavel Buchnevich on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 2, 2021

by | Aug 2, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 2, 2021

Marc-Andre Fleury will report to the Blackhawks, the Kraken’s contract with Philipp Grubauer rejected by the league, Evander Kane denies betting on NHL games, and 17 players file for salary arbitration. Get the details in today’s morning coffee headlines.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Marc-Andre Fleury confirmed Sunday he will report to the Blackhawks this season. “Hey, Chicago, it’s Marc,” he said via the club’s social media account. “Just wanted to let you know: I’m in. Let’s get to work.”

Marc-Andre Fleury will report to the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL Images).

The Blackhawks acquired Fleury from the Vegas Golden Knights last Tuesday. However, he took several days to discuss his situation with his family and consider his future. The 36-year-old goaltender has a year remaining on his contract with a $7 million salary cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury won the Vezina Trophy for the first time last season with the Golden Knights. He won’t have a solid defense in front of him in Chicago as he did in Las Vegas. Nevertheless, the Blackhawks could have a shot at a playoff spot in the Central Division this season if Fleury maintains his Vezina form.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have rectified an accounting error that resulted in the league rejecting the club’s first attempt to finalize its contract with goaltender Philipp Grubauer. The front-loaded contract violated the CBA’s 25 percent cap above the amount in the initial contract year.

Grubauer’s annual average value is $5.9 million for six seasons. He will earn $5 million in actual salary this season. It was originally slated to rise to $6 million in 2022-23 and $7.5 million in 2023-24, an increase of 30 percent. The deal has been restructured by shifting $250K from the third year to the second year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: When this was first reported some fans on social media wondered if the contract would be voided. Doesn’t work that way. The team gets the opportunity to fix the accounting error. In this case, it was an easily addressed minor detail.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane denied allegations made by his estranged wife claiming he bet on NHL games. “I have NEVER gambled/bet on hockey, NEVER gambled/bet on Sharks games, NEVER gambled/bet on any of my games and NEVER thrown a hockey game,” he said in a statement released yesterday.

The NHL announced it would investigate Kane based on the allegation made on an unverified Instagram account attributed to Angela Kane. She responded to Kane’s statement via that account yesterday, accusing him of abandoning her and their daughter to party and gamble in Europe. She also claimed he had a gambling addiction and claimed he was trying to use the media to control the narrative.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s personal life has been under growing media scrutiny since applying for bankruptcy in January. He was also the topic of trade speculation following a recent report claiming several of his teammates expressed frustration about him to management during their season-ending exit interviews. The Sharks released a statement on Saturday saying they supported the league’s intent to investigate the gambling allegations.

NHLPA: Seventeen NHL players applied for salary arbitration yesterday:

Zach Aston-Reese (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Ross Colton (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Andrew Copp (Winnipeg Jets)
Jason Dickinson (Vancouver Canucks)
Vince Dunn (Seattle Kraken)
Adam Erne (Detroit Red Wings)
Dante Fabbro (Nashville Predators)
Dennis Gilbert (Colorado Avalanche)
Adin Hill (San Jose Sharks)
Michael McNiven (Montreal Canadiens)
Victor Mete (Ottawa Senators)
Adam Pelech (New York Islanders)
Neal Pionk (Winnipeg Jets)
Zach Sanford (St. Louis Blues)
Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators)
Jakub Vrana (Detroit Red Wings)
Nikita Zadorov (Calgary Flames)

The deadline for club-elected arbitration is 5 pm ET on Monday, Aug. 2. The arbitration period is from Aug. 11 to Aug. 26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Several notable names on this list include Dunn, Pelech, Pionk, Saros and Vrana. If history is anything to go by we can expect most, perhaps all of these players to reach agreements with their teams on new contracts before their scheduled arbitration hearings.