NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2025

by | Jul 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2025

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

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

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

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

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE LATEST NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Blues also placed defenseman Nick Leddy on waivers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2025

by | Jun 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2025

New deals for Matthew Knies, Claude Giroux and Morgan Geekie highlight Sunday’s notable signings, the Golden Knights and Predators swing a multi-player trade, the latest on Mitch Marner, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SUNDAY’S NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS

TORONTO SUN: Matthew Knies has reportedly agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old power forward will receive an average annual value of $7.75 million. He was coming off his entry-level contract and was slated to become a restricted free agent (RFA) on July 1.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That roughly around what Knies was projected to receive. He had a solid sophomore season, with a career-high of 29 goals and 58 points in 78 games. The 6’3”, 227-pound winger has yet to reach his playing prime and will only get better as he skates alongside superstar center Auston Matthews.

Knies had recently rejected any notion of signing an offer sheet with a rival club. Nevertheless, this signing will be a relief for Leafs fans.

The Leafs will likely turn their focus to the start of the unrestricted free agent market on Tuesday to bolster their roster. They have $13.57 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 19 active roster players under contract.

OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux signed a one-year, bonus-laden “plus-35” contract with the Senators. The versatile 37-year-old forward will earn a $2 million base salary, with an additional $2.75 million in bonuses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux really wanted to stay in his hometown. The base salary is a significant pay cut from the $6.75 million average annual value (AAV) he earned on his previous deal. However, he could make $4.75 million in actual salary if he achieves all of his bonuses, one of which includes the Senators winning the Stanley Cup. Follow the link above for the full breakdown.

According to PuckPedia, the Senators now have over $8.1 million in cap space with 18 active roster players signed for 2025-26.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed forward Morgan Geekie to a six-year contract with an AAV of $5.5 million. They also signed forward Marat Khusnutdinov to a two-year deal ($925,000 AAV) and defenseman Michael Callahan to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie was the notable signing for the Bruins. The 26-year-old forward had a career-best performance in 2024-25, tallying 33 goals and 24 assists for 57 points. Management will be betting that the best is yet to come from Geekie as he plays a bigger role as a first-line left wing.

The Bruins have over $16.6 million remaining with 17 active roster players signed for 2025-26.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Dante Fabbro agreed to a four-year contract with the Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old defenseman will earn an AAV of $4.125 million, leaving the Blue Jackets with over $28.5 million in cap space with 21 active roster players under contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Plucked off waivers from Nashville in November, Fabbro had a career-best performance with the Blue Jackets, netting 26 points in 62 games skating alongside Zach Werenski on their top defense pairing. It’s an affordable signing for the Jackets that could pan out well over the next four years.

LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS: The Anaheim Ducks signed goaltender Ville Husso to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.2 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks acquired goalie Petr Mrazek during Saturday’s trade that sent netminder John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings. They must also re-sign RFA starter Lukas Dostal, but that shouldn’t be an issue. The Ducks have $35.9 million in cap space with 18 active roster players signed for next season.

Once Dostal is re-signed, Mrazek or Husso could end up on the trade block, but they could hang onto Husso as a third goalie should injuries strike.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS, PREDATORS MAKE MULTI-PLAYER TRADE

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW/THE TENNESSEAN: The Vegas Golden Knights traded defenseman Nicolas Hague to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and forward Colton Sissons. Hague, 26, agreed to a four-year contract ($5.5 million AAV) with the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators added shutdown size to their defense core with the 6’6”, 240-pound Hague, who was slated to become an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1. Shipping out Lauzon and Sissons gave them the cap flexibility to sign Hague.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS COULD FACE TAMPERING ACCUSATION FROM THE LEAFS

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman stating the Maple Leafs could go after the Golden Knights if the latter signs Mitch Marner on July 1 as a UFA.

Marner, 28, spent the past nine seasons with the Maple Leafs. Friedman said the Golden Knights’ interest in the two-way winger goes back to last summer, when the Leafs expressed an interest in Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore.

Friedman said he’s not accusing the Golden Knights of tampering, which is a sensitive issue among general managers. However, he said a couple of GMs claim the league could try to make an example of someone.

Over the weekend, it was reported that the Leafs and Golden Knights were discussing a sign-and-trade scenario involving Marner. If the deal went through, the Leafs would receive forward Nicolas Roy and defenseman Nicolas Hague as part of the return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The accusation could be that the Golden Knights had been in contact with the Marner camp before July 1, which is forbidden under the CBA. Friedman believes the tampering accusation won’t materialize if the sign-and-trade deal is finalized.

It’ll be interesting to see what develops between now and when the free-agent market opens at noon ET on July 1. Hague was traded to Nashville on Sunday night, so he’s no longer part of any potential deal.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are reportedly closing in on bringing back Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach. He was their bench boss from 2011-12 to 2012-13 before being fired by Jim Nill in one of his first acts as general manager. Gulutzan recently served as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers.

SPORTSNET: Seattle Kraken forward Joe Veleno and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Sheary were placed on unconditional waivers on Sunday. Their contracts will be bought out today.

Veleno had a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $2.275 million. Sheary had a year left with a cap hit of $2 million.