NHL Rumor Mill – May 1, 2023

by | May 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 1, 2023

What next for the Avalanche and Bruins following their early postseason exits? What’s the latest on the Jets and Wild? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE AVALANCHE AND BRUINS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at what might be ahead for the Colorado Avalanche following their stunning first-round elimination by the Seattle Kraken.

He wondered if center J.T. Compher could be the member of the Avs to depart via free agency due to their limited salary-cap space. Young players like Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook will need raises coming off their entry-level contracts.

Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog (NHL Images).

Clark also noted the uncertainty over the status of team captain Gabriel Landeskog, who missed this entire season with a nagging knee injury. His return would bolster their top six but it’s possible his recovery drags on into next season.

THE DENVER POST: Mark Kiszla also raised Landeskog’s status in assessing where the Avalanche goes from here. He noted Valeri Nichushkin’s banishment from the lineup during the series with the Kraken following an incident involving an intoxicated woman in his hotel room in Seattle before Game 3.

Kiszla wondered if a major roster renovation rather than retooling might be in order if Landeskog doesn’t fully recover and if Nichushkin cannot be trusted as a key member of this squad going forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Avalanche with $13.2 million in projected cap space for 2023-24 with 13 roster players under contract. That won’t leave much to re-sign Compher, Byram and Newhook and leave enough for the rest of the roster.

They could get $7 million in wiggle room if Landeskog remains sidelined heading into 2023-24, though they’ll have to become cap compliant if he returns to action at some point in the season. As for Nichushkin, we don’t know what the outcome of this will be. He’s not facing any criminal charges but the Avs not bringing him back into the lineup raised questions about his future.

A rebuild would involve shedding salary by moving out one or two key players. I don’t think that’s something management has in mind. However, it’s going to be difficult to add upgrades given their cap limitations.

Kristen Shilton, meanwhile, examined the issues facing the Boston Bruins following their first-round elimination by the Florida Panthers.

Topping the list is whether captain Patrice Bergeron and fellow center David Krejci are willing to return for one more season. Both players were injured heading into that series with the Kraken.

The Bruins must also decide whether they’ll re-sign trade-deadline acquisitions Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway, who are slated to become UFAs on July 1. Meanwhile, backup goalie Jeremy Swayman is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Limited cap space will also complicate the Bruins’ offseason plans. Cap Friendly shows them with $10.5 million in projected cap space with 14 roster players under contract. However, that doesn’t appear to take into account the $4.5 million in carryover bonus overages for Bergeron and Krejci.

They’ll still have enough for Bergeron and/or Krejci if they wish to return on affordable one-year contracts. However, they’ll have to shed salary to re-sign Swayman and to fill out the rest of the lineup. I don’t see them being able to clear sufficient space to retain Bertuzzi, Orlov and Hathaway. One of them, perhaps, but that’s it.

LATEST ON THE JETS AND WILD

WINNIPEG SUN: Paul Friesen reports Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was evasive regarding his offseason plans other than confirming Rick Bowness and the coaching staff will return next season.

Some of it was understandable. For example, it’s too early to tell where someone like goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stands regarding a contract extension. However, Cheveldayoff didn’t say if he’s going to rebuild the roster but didn’t rule it out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friesen was caustic in his analysis of Cheveldayoff’s press conference yesterday. He thinks the Jets are in decline but the general manager doesn’t seem to believe it.

The always-cautious Cheveldayoff may be unwilling to tip his hand publicly but that doesn’t mean he won’t make a move or two to shake things up. Actions, as always, speak louder than words. We’ll learn his true intentions over the course of this offseason.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber wondered if the Jets and Washington Capitals might be perfect trade partners. Both clubs could be making changes following their disappointing performances this season.

The Capitals have two trade candidates in forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha plus some budding prospects that could become trade chips.

Silber observed Capitals GM Brian MacLellan hopes to revamp his top six and add secondary scoring. She noted that the futures of Jets forwards Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nikolaj Ehlers are in question.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff could get better returns for his trade candidates than Kuznetsov and Mantha. The former has undeniable skill but his inconsistent play and previous off-ice issues are concerning while the latter is oft-injured and has consistency issues of his own.

TWINCITIES.COM: Dane Mizutani wondered what it will cost the Minnesota Wild to re-sign goaltender Filip Gustavsson. He was their starter in this year’s postseason and is poised to be their No. 1 netminder even with Marc-Andre Fleury returning next season. He’s a restricted free agent slated for a big raise next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap room will be an issue for the Wild next season with $3.4 million in projected space and 22 players under contract. Gustavsson is coming off a two-year deal with a cap hit of less than $788K per season. He has arbitration rights this summer.

Mizutani also wondered if this is Matt Dumba’s final season with the Wild. While the pending UFA defenseman would love to stay in Minnesota, there aren’t sufficient cap dollars to keep him.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith also wondered about the Wild’s offseason plans. They agree that re-signing Gustavsson should be their priority as well as shoring up their depth at center.

They also wondered if puck-moving defenseman Calen Addison could become a trade candidate after he was scratched from the lineup multiple times during the second half of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Addison, 23, is coming off his entry-level contract and had 29 points in 62 games this season. His defensive game needs improvement but a rival club could be intrigued by his offensive abilities. Perhaps he become a trade chip if the Wild are squeezed for cap space. Maybe he could be used as trade bait to land a center.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 30, 2021

by | Aug 30, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 30, 2021

The latest on Jack Eichel, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Evander Kane, participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported a meeting was held on Aug. 18 between the NHL, NHL Players Association, Buffalo Sabres, Jack Eichel and some medical professionals to attempt a resolution to the impasse between the club and the 24-year-old center.

Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

Eichel prefers a disc replacement procedure to address the herniated disc in his neck while the club prefers neck fusion surgery. The meeting ended without a solution to the situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only solution at this point is for the Sabres to trade Eichel to a club that will approve his disc replacement surgery.

TVA SPORTS: Eichel also journeyed to Montreal yesterday, creating speculation on social media that he’d been traded to the Canadiens. The real reason is to attend the BioSteelSports camp. His participation will be off-ice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens had kicked tires on Eichel earlier in the offseason to gauge the Sabres’ asking price. Conjecture linking the Sabres star to the Habs increased last week after he changed agents and intensified over the weekend after the Carolina Hurricanes signed Montreal center Jesperi Kotkaniemi to a one-year, $6.1 million offer sheet.

If the Canadiens don’t match the Kotkaniemi offer sheet they’ll get the Hurricanes’ first-round pick and their third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Some observers suggest they could package those picks with their own first-rounder plus a prospect for Eichel.

However, they’ll probably have to include a salaried player or two to comfortably fit Eichel’s $10 million annual average value within the constraints of their cap payroll. The Sabres could absorb part of Eichel’s cap hit but I doubt they’ll agree to do so. They’ll want him completely off their books.

That’s also taking into account putting Shea Weber and Paul Byron ($11.257 million in combined AAV) on long-term injury reserve. Weber could be out for the season but Byron is expected to return from offseason hip surgery in January.

TSN: Speaking of Kotkaniemi, Darren Dreger reports some close to the young center predicted in early July he’d played his final game with the Canadiens after being scratched from a Stanley Cup Final game.

TVA SPORTS’ Renaud Lavoie said sources told him the Kotkaniemi offer sheet was the brainchild of Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and wasn’t GM Don Waddell’s idea.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would explain the reports claiming the Hurricanes attempted to acquire Kotkaniemi via trade and then gave the Habs a heads-up that they were going the offer-sheet route. The Canadiens have seven days from the date the offer sheet was signed (Aug. 28) to match.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan reports sources suggest an agreement is close between the NHL, NHLPA, IIHF and International Olympic Committee allowing NHL participation in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. A decision could be announced next week.

NEW YORK POST: The latest chapter in Evander Kane’s turbulent summer sees him being granted a temporary restraining order against his estranged wife Anna. The San Jose Sharks winger accused her of hitting him on four different occasions and swinging around their infant daughter during a heated argument. The couple is currently going through a divorce. Kane is also under investigation by the NHL after Anna accused him of throwing games for money and abandoning their child to party in Europe.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Speaking of the Sharks, fans must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend their home games this season.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former NHLer Brandon Prust is temporarily leaving social media after apologizing for a tweet telling a woman she should be forced into the sex trade as part of his argument against mandatory COVID-19 vaccines.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington reports the NHL is contemplating a Heritage Classic game between the Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs in Hamilton, Ontario this season. The game would take place at Tim Horton’s Field, which hosts the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators signed goaltender Filip Gustavsson to a two-year contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2020

by | Nov 12, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2020

An update on the plans for next season plus the latest on Tuukka Rask, Cam Talbot, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL NETWORK: Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes we’ll learn more on the NHL’s plans to open the 2020-21 season on Jan. 1 over the next two weeks. The league and the NHLPA will use that period to see how quickly the season can begin and what it will look like.

Friedman believes a rumored proposal to the NHL board of governors for their meeting today is unlikely as it might be too soon. However, he thinks the governors will be updated over what’s being discussed.

He also feels the league is serious about starting on New Year’s Day. He points to MLB and NFL not playing in a quarantine bubble, resulting in cancellations and things beyond their control. The best option might be to start as early as possible and adjust on the fly like MLB did and the NFL is doing. That would leave a week or two open at the end of the season to make up games if necessary.

If they start on Jan. 1, the number of games played would be 56 and 72. Friedman’s sources didn’t mention 48 games, though he didn’t rule it out. What the schedule will look like, how many games the players are willing to play per week, whether they’ll be played in hub cities or not remain to be determined.

Friedman also said there’s a growing sense from teams that they want to play in their own buildings, though there’s concern from a few teams that they won’t be able to because of government regulations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I’ve said before, the NHL and NHLPA don’t have a lot of time to work out the details for a Jan. 1 start to the season. Commissioner Gary Bettman recently said the two sides are in constant daily contact but their return-to-play committee has yet to hold its first meeting.

A Jan. 1 start means training camps must open for most clubs in early December, with last season’s seven non-playoff teams (Anaheim, Buffalo, Detroit, Los Angeles, New Jersey, Ottawa and San Jose) opening camps in late November. All players must return to their home cities before then. Sorting out an exhibition schedule that incorporates the Christmas holidays must be worked out. A regular-season schedule must be planned out and coordinated with their broadcasting partners.

I’m not saying these details can’t be worked out in short order, but the league and the players must get cracking to reach a workable agreement to drop the puck on New Year’s Day.

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said his club is “full steam ahead” with goaltender Tuukka Rask for 2020-21. “I think everything that happened in the bubble has been addressed, dealt with,” said Cassidy, referring to Rask’s leaving the team for family reasons during the 2020 playoffs. “We’re moving on, getting ready to win next year. That includes our goaltender.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s silly to even imagine the Bruins not returning with Rask next season. They have no viable replacement options within their system or via the trade and free-agent markets. Rask’s departure had the full support of the club and his teammates. I don’t believe it was an issue or will be one going forward.

NBC SPORTS: Minnesota Wild goaltender Cam Talbot is part of a fundraising drive that raised $17 million to save Alabama-Huntsville’s hockey program. Talbot is a UAH alumnus. He pointed out it’s still important for the UAH Chargers to get into a college conference. They’re the only NCAA Division 1 hockey program in the Southeastern United States.

SWISS HOCKEY NEWS: A recent report claims NHL free-agent center Carl Soderberg is seeking a well-paid deal in Switzerland. That could be difficult given the uncertainty brought about by COVID-19. Soderberg is also receiving interest from Sweden.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators prospect Tim Stuetzle is making good progress in his recovery from a broken bone in his hand. Stuetzle was selected third overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.

SI.COM/THE HOCKEY NEWS: One year after Don Cherry was fired by Sportsnet, Ken Campbell believes the hockey world is better off.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cherry’s supporters believe otherwise. For what it’s worth, I think his replacements, Kevin Bieksa and Brian Burke, did a good job. Bieksa is a breath of fresh air breaking down plays and is a natural TV personality. Burke provides the inside hockey observations and old-school attitude without veering far off-topic like Cherry used to do.

SHL: Former NHL goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has announced his retirement. “The Monster” played eight seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers from 2009-10 to 2016-17, with a career record of 72 wins, 67 losses and 23 overtime losses, 2.88 goals-against average, a .901 save percentage and seven shutouts in 179 games. He spent the last four seasons with Linkopings HC of the Swedish Hockey League.

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