NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2025

by | Feb 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2025

Canada defeated the United States in overtime to win the 4 Nations Face-Off. Check out the details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored at 8:18 of overtime as Canada defeated the United States 3-2 to win the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Team Canada center Connor McDavid celebrates his winning goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off (NHL.com).

Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett scored in regulation while Mitch Marner assisted on Bennett’s game-tying goal and McDavid’s OT winner. Jordan Binnington made 31 saves, including six in overtime, twice thwarting Team USA captain Auston Matthews on point-blank scoring chances.

Matthews finished with two assists, Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson scored, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for the United States.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid’s goal occurred because Matthews left him uncovered in the slot. Marner quickly fired a pass to the Edmonton Oilers superstar, who beat Hellebuyck high to the glove side.

On Bennett’s goal, Marner drew two defenders toward him as he entered the American zone, leaving the Florida Panthers forward open to snipe a top-shelf shot over Hellebuyck’s right shoulder.

All three Canadian goals were the result of shooting high on Hellebuyck. MacKinnon beat him on the stick side with a deflected shot through traffic to open the scoring.

MacKinnon was named tournament MVP, leading all scorers with four goals. Team USA defenseman Zach Werenski led the tournament with six points, followed by McDavid and Canadian captain Sidney Crosby with five points each.

Crosby joined Wayne Gretzky as the second player to captain two championship teams in NHL international tournament play. He also captained Canada to gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2015 IIHF World Championship.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some pundits believe this game was the passing of the leadership torch from Crosby to McDavid. The Oilers captain dismissed that notion, predicting Crosby would be leading Canada’s Olympic team next February.

THE ATHLETIC: Binnington silenced his doubters with his performance in this game, particularly in overtime. “He saved his best for last,” said Canadian head coach Jon Cooper. “That’s what winners do, and there wasn’t a chance I was not going to back the winner.”

Binnington was the only goalie play to every game for his country in this tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington had plenty of doubters (myself included) going into this tournament. He rose to the occasion and came through when Team Canada needed him most.

TSN: Canadian defenseman Josh Morrissey missed this game due to illness. He was replaced by Thomas Harley, who saw nearly 22 minutes of ice time and had the primary assist on MacKinnon’s game-opening goal.

SPORTSNET: Team USA defenseman Charlie McAvoy was released from hospital on Thursday following a procedure to treat an infection stemming from an upper-body injury suffered earlier in the tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An emotional McAvoy read out the starting lineup for his teammates in their dressing room before the game and was in attendance cheering them on.

THE SCORE: Winger Kyle Connor was a healthy scratch from this game, replaced by Chris Kreider. Connor leads all Americans in NHL scoring this season with 30 goals in 56 games but was held to one assist and one shot in three games in this tournament.

Canadian winger Mark Stone said he and his teammates felt the energy of their countrymen in this game. “Yeah, we wanted this one,” he said. “Forty million Canadians sitting at home, you feel that energy rooting us on. The pride we have to play for our country every time we get (the chance to wear) the flag on our chest, it’s a special feeling.”

Head coach Jon Cooper shared Stone’s sentiment. “I just hope Canada’s proud, because every player in that room is proud to be a Canadian,” he said. “Did we need a win? Not only our team, but Canada needed a win. And the players (carried) that on their shoulders and they took it seriously.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Canadian winger Brad Marchand shared his thoughts on American forwards Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, who took several verbal shots at Team Canada through the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“Sometimes when you shoot your mouth off in the media, it bites you,” said Marchand after the game. “You can do that during the season, but when it’s best-on-best, it’s different. They got a little ahead of themselves, but they’re great players. There’s not many guys who can do what they can do, and they’re very effective.”

“But when you start giving teams ammo, it can work against you as well,” he said. “They’re going to have long, great careers, and I think we saw how effective they can be at every level.”

ESPN.COM: Several United States players believe this tournament sent a message that Team USA has arrived and they’re just as good as Canada.

“I think I’d say it’s a pretty even playing field in my opinion,” said Auston Matthews. “It could have gone either way.” Zach Werenski shared that view. “We’ve proved tonight and to everyone that we’re right there with Canada,” he said. “It’s anyone’s game.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The United States has made tremendous strides over the past 25 years. In my opinion, their development program is the best in the world, tying them with Canada for the most World Junior Championships (five) since 2013, including their back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025.

Canada can justifiably savor this 4 Nations victory but they cannot take it for granted. A determined American team will be ready them at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

IN OTHER NEWS…

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon provided an update on Shea Theodore. The Golden Knights defenseman suffered an upper-body injury during Canada’s opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Theodore is listed as week-to-week. McCrimmon indicated the blueliner could meet with the team’s medical staff this weekend to determine how long he’ll be sidelined.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames placed little-used defenseman Tyson Barrie on waivers. He’s appeared in only 13 games this season.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders placed defenseman Dennis Cholowski on waivers to free up a roster spot for the returning Ryan Pulock.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2025

by | Feb 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2025

Check out the latest news ahead of today’s 4 Nations Face-Off games in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: It’s a must-win scenario for three of the four teams in the 4 Nations Face-Off as Canada faces Finland (1 PM ET) and Sweden tangles with the United States (8 pm ET) at TD Garden in Boston.

If the game between Canada and Finland ends in regulation, the winner faces the United States in the championship game on Thursday. If Canada and Finland go to overtime, Sweden could advance to the championship game if they defeat the United States in regulation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks on social media raised the possibility of the United States throwing their game against the Swedes if Canada defeats the Finns in overtime, eliminating Canada and giving them an easier opponent in the championship game. It would be a devious tactic but I don’t believe the Americans would do that. They prefer going undefeated in the round-robin and beating Canada on home ice on Thursday to drive home the point that (to paraphrase Matthew Tkachuk) this is their time right now.

SPORTSNET: Team Canada defenseman Cale Makar hopes to participate in Monday’s must-win game against Finland. Illness sidelined him from Saturday’s game against Team USA, though he was close to playing in that game.

“I’m going to do everything I can to play tomorrow,” said Makar. “I just got to make sure I feel right, body and everything-wise, and go from there.”

Meanwhile, Thomas Harley has been cleared to play for Monday’s game against Finland regardless of Makar’s status. The Dallas Stars defenseman played well filling in for Makar during Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Americans.

Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper was staying mum on his starting goaltender for Monday’s must-win game against Finland. That’s raised speculation he could replace Jordan Binnington with Adin Hill, who served as Binnington’s backup in Canada’s previous two games in this tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decision to pass over Logan Thompson in favor of Binnington, Hill, and Sam Montembeault was questioned by fans and pundits before the tournament began. The Washington Capitals goalie sits second among NHL starters in save percentage (.921) and is fourth in goals-against average (2.23) and wins (24).

Thompson was reportedly snubbed because Team Canada assistant coaches Bruce Cassidy and Peter DeBoer didn’t have a great experience with him during their tenures with the Vegas Golden Knights. Whatever the reason, that decision will generate plenty of second-guessing if Canada comes up short in this tournament.

TSN: Team Canada remains confident despite their 3-1 loss to the Americans, which put them into a must-win situation against Finland.

“This is our Game 7,” said head coach Jon Cooper, adding his team has learned a lot during the previous two games.

“We don’t have a lot of time to think about it,” said team captain Sidney Crosby. “It’s a big one coming up here.”

Meanwhile, goaltender Kevin Lankinen will get his second straight start for Finland. He backstopped them to a 4-3 overtime victory over Sweden on Saturday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sources say Team USA winger Matthew Tkachuk will likely sit out tonight’s game against Sweden. He suffered a lower-body injury against Canada that sidelined him for most of the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk shouldn’t risk aggravating that injury against the Swedes in a meaningless game. It’s best to let him recuperate and prepare for the big match later this week.

THE ATHLETIC: ESPN reports that Saturday’s game between Canada and the United States drew 4.4 million viewers, peaking at 5.2 million at the 10:45 quarter-hour. It’s the most-watched non-Stanley Cup Final game since a Blue Jackets-Bruins playoff game in 2019 drew 4.5 million viewers. NHL postseason games last season averaged 1.54 million viewers.

It was also the most-watched NHL game in the United States since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and Oilers last June, which drew 7.67 million viewers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL should scrap the old All-Star Game format in favor of annual two-week midseason international tournaments involving their best players in non-Olympic years. They could call it “The World Cup of Hockey” or something like that (insert wink emoji here).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2025

by | Feb 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2025

Previewing Saturday’s 4 Nations Face-Off Games and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

4 NATIONS FACE-OFF NEWS

TSN/SPORTSNET/THE SCORE: Canada and the United States practiced Friday in preparation for their much-anticipated match-up on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Players from both clubs look forward to the next chapter in the ongoing rivalry between the two hockey nations.

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby called it a game that you love to be a part of, regardless of previous experience. “Excited for the challenge,” he said. Teammate Brad Marchand said there was no bigger rivalry. “They’re the games that everybody dreams about playing growing up.”

Matthew and Brady Tkachuk led Team USA to their 6-1 victory over Finland on Thursday. Brady considers Saturday’s tilt against Canada the biggest game he’s ever played in his career. “Bigger than just the guys on the ice,” he said.

The last time Matthew Tkachuk faced Canada was in a 4-2 victory for Team USA in the preliminary round of the 2016 World Junior Championship. “I think I’ve thought about this game for nine years, so we’ll be ready for it,” said Tkachuk.

Team USA center J.T. Miller expects his team to be fired up when they face Canada on their home turf. Teammate Noah Hanifin expects it will be the most intense environment he’s ever been a part of.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the marquee matchup of the tournament. The two clubs could also end up facing each other again in the championship game in Boston on Feb. 20.

Travis Sanheim will replace Shea Theodore on Canada’s defense. Theodore was sidelined by an upper-body injury in Canada’s 4-3 win over Sweden and is considered week-to-week.

Sam Bennett will replace Travis Konecny among Canada’s forward lines. He skated alongside Marchand during practice on Friday.

Canada’s top defenseman Cale Makar skipped Friday’s practice due to illness but is expected to play against the Americans on Saturday. Canada has been granted permission to bring in blueliner Thomas Harley if Makar remains sidelined.

Team Canada defenseman Drew Doughty spoke out against Canadian fans booing the American anthem before Thursday’s game between Team USA and Finland. “I know what’s going on and I understand Canadians’ frustration,” said Doughty. “But I think we should respect the anthems…I don’t think anyone should be booing.”

Canadian coach Jon Cooper hadn’t named his starting goalie for Saturday’s game. Jordan Binnington allowed three goals on 26 shots against Sweden on Wednesday. Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights and Samuel Montembault of the Montreal Canadiens are Canada’s other goalies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Is this a mind game Cooper is playing against the Americans or a genuine lack of confidence in Binnington on his part? We’ll know for sure by game time if not sooner.

NHL.COM: Kevin Lankinen of the Vancouver Canucks will get the start in goal for Finland in Saturday’s game against Sweden on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal (1 PM ET). Juuse Saros gave up six goals on 31 shots against the Americans on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a must-win game for Finland. A regulation loss will eliminate them from reaching the championship game on Feb. 20.

NHL.com writers selected Sweden’s Quarter-Century Team on Friday.

The First Team comprised goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson, and forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin and Nicklas Backstrom.

The Second Team featured forwards Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin and Henrik Zetterberg, defensemen Victor Hedman and Niklas Kronwall, and goalie Jacob Markstrom.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some might question why Forsberg and Sundin aren’t on the First Team. That’s because most of their best seasons occurred in the 1990s. Forsberg won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy in 2002-03 but injuries hampered him throughout the first decade of this century.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Kaapo Kakko has found the role with the Seattle Kraken that he always wanted with the Rangers. He’s seeing first-line duty alongside center Matty Beniers and winger Jaden Schwartz as well as playing on the top power-play unit. Following a period of adjustment where he scored one goal in his first three games, Kaako improved in his next 21 games with 16 points over that stretch.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski recently reported the Sabres have opened contract extension talks with Jason Zucker. The 33-year-old winger is currently on a one-year, $5 million deal.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed versatile forward Sam Steel to a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension. The average annual value is $2.1 million beginning in 2025-26.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins traded minor-league winger Corey Andonovski to the St. Louis Blues organization for minor-league forward Mathias Laferriere.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2025

by | Feb 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2025

Team USA thumps Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off, a potential replacement for sidelined Canadian defenseman Shea Theodore is revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Brady and Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and Zach Werenski collected three assists to lead the United States to a 6-1 victory over Finland. Matthew also collected an assist to finish the night with three points.

Team USA forwards Matthew and Brady Tkachuk (NHL.com).

Finland opened the scoring with a first-period goal by Henri Jokiharju but Brady tied the game midway through the frame. Matt Boldy’s second-period goal proved to be the game-winner.

The Americans blew it open in the third period with Matthew Tkachuk scoring 15 seconds into the period and Jake Guentzel picking up his first of the tournament 11 seconds later. Guentzel and Boldy finished with a goal and an assist as the Americans outshot the Finns 32-21.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first time the Tkachuks played together in a meaningful game. They became the first brothers to score multiple goals in an NHL international tournament game.

The Tkachuk’s performance overshadowed Werenski’s, as he led the Americans in ice time (21:45). This game also marked Guentzel’s debut in international play.

Finland will face Sweden on Saturday at 1 PM ET while Team USA faces Canada at 8 PM ET. Both games will be held at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The Americans lead the tournament with three points based on their regulation win. Canada is second with two points following their overtime win over Sweden on Wednesday. Sweden has one point for their overtime loss.

RG.ORG: Brady Tkachuk is looking forward to Saturday’s game against Canada. “Well, I think it’s gonna be the biggest game I’ve ever played in my career,” he said. “So I’m really looking forward to that.

SPORTSNET: Large sections of the crowd at the Bell Centre booed the American national anthem ahead of Thursday’s game between the United States and Finland. “I didn’t like it, and that’s all I got,” said Matthew Tkachuk in his post-game press conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fans in several Canadian cities booed the American anthem in several recent NHL games since US President Donald Trump recently announced tariffs on Canadian goods while talking about annexing the country and turning it into the 51st American state.

Booing the American anthem understandably provides the opportunity for Canadian hockey fans to express their anger and frustration at Trump publicly. The American players aren’t to blame for their president’s actions but they’re bearing the brunt of the vitriol.

The booing made some American players uncomfortable but it hasn’t adversely affected their performance. Some may be using it as inspiration to elevate their play.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore is week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered Wednesday in Canada’s 4-3 overtime win over Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Thomas Harley is reportedly heading to Boston to serve as a standby defenseman for Canada. He will not be allowed to participate in team meetings or formal skates unless another Canadian defenseman becomes sidelined before the tournament’s conclusion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The tournament shifts to Boston after Saturday’s games in Montreal for its final two days next Monday (Feb. 17) and Thursday (Feb. 20).

RG.ORG: Team Canada forwards Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon expressed their views on the 3-on-3, 10-minute overtime format during their game against Sweden. NHL overtime periods are typically five minutes for regular-season games but the 4 Nations overtime format is seen as a test run by the league for tweaking its regular-season format.

McDavid was an enthusiastic supporter of the format. “I think it’s a great kind of trial run,” he said. “Something I think the players liked, the fans like it. It felt a little more like it was in our hands.”

MacKinnon said he’d prefer a seven-minute format, citing how exhausted he was in the OT against Sweden. “I can’t believe I look off Connor (McDavid) on that two-on-one, honestly, but I could barely see, I was so tired coming off that rush,” said MacKinnon. “I was happy when Marner scored, because I didn’t have much left to give. So five-to-seven would be good.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2024

by | Sep 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2024

The Stars re-sign Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley, Canucks forward Dakota Joshua reveals testicular cancer diagnosis, plus other notable signings and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed defenseman Esa Lindell to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.25 million. They also signed a two-year contract with blueliner Thomas Harley with a $4 million AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindell and Harley are among the Stars’ top three blueliners along with Miro Heiskanen.

Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (NHL Images).

Lindell, 30, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He’s taking a pay cut on his next deal as his current AAV is $5.8 million. His new deal comes with a full no-trade clause in the first three years and a 20-team no-trade list in the final two years. He also gets signing bonuses during the first three years.

Harley, 23, is coming off his entry-level contract. He’s accepting a bridge deal but his next contract will likely be longer and more lucrative. He enjoyed a breakout performance in 2023-24, tallying 47 points in 79 games.

THE PROVINCE: Canucks forward Dakota Joshua revealed he was diagnosed with testicular cancer during the summer. The tumor was successfully removed and the 28-year-old is expected to make a full recovery. Joshua hopes to resume playing soon but there is no timeline for his return to the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Joshua makes a complete recovery. Testicular cancer is no joke. Thankfully, nearly 100 percent of cases are curable.

Joshua can draw inspiration from Phil Kessel. He was also diagnosed with testicular cancer early in his NHL career. He made a full recovery, going on to become the NHL’s reigning Ironman and a three-time Stanley Cup champion.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Spencer Lazary reports the Los Angeles Kings signed winger Arthur Kaliyev to a one-year contract worth $874, 125.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaliyev, 23, reportedly requested a trade after the Kings were eliminated from the opening round of the 2024 NHL Playoffs. However, he was completing his entry-level contract and had little leverage to force a trade.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres signed restricted free-agent forward Peyton Krebs to a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.45 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krebs was another player coming off his entry-level contract. He was part of the trade that sent Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights in November 2021. The young forward has struggled to establish himself with the Sabres, relegated to fourth-line duty last season.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers general manager Daniel Briere hopes goaltender Alexei Kolosov changes his mind and returns to the club from Belarus. Until then, Briere said the club is moving on.

Kolosov, 22, is under an entry-level contract with the Flyers. They’re unwilling to loan him back to KHL club Dinamo Minsk, who have also moved on and carry three goalies on their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report claims Kolosov wanted assurances of a guaranteed roster spot with the Flyers. That won’t happen with Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov as their tandem for this season. Given his contract status, Kolosov has no choice but to return to the Flyers if he wants to keep playing this season.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs signed goaltender Jon Gillies to a professional tryout offer (PTO). Gillies, 30, last played in 2022-23, splitting time between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers agreed with Broward County on a lease extension for Amerant Bank Arena that could keep the club in Sunrise through 2043.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated this deal should end rumors of the Panthers looking into constructing a new arena closer to Ft. Lauderdale. It also noted that potential new development around their current venue would likely keep them there.

SPORTSNET: Alexander Edler will sign a one-day contract to officially retire from the NHL as a member of the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 11. The 38-year-old defenseman spent 15 of his 17 NHL seasons with the Canucks, becoming a key part of their blueline and helping them reach the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

Edler played in 1,030 career regular-season games with the Canucks and Los Angeles Kings from 2006-07 to 2022-23, finishing with 104 goals and 335 assists for 439 points. He also had 40 points in 93 playoff contests.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL forward Tyler Ennis announced his retirement on Tuesday. Ennis, 34, played 13 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers from 2009-10 to 2021-22. He spent the last two seasons playing in Europe.

Ennis played 700 career regular-season games in the NHL, scoring 144 goals and 202 assists for 346 points. He also collected 12 points in 24 postseason games.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former NHL blueliner Chris Wideman also retired on Tuesday. The 34-year-old spent six seasons in the NHL from 2015-16 to 2022-23, finishing with 20 goals and 78 points in 291 regular-season games along with 4 points in 15 playoff contests.

SPORTSNET: The Edmonton Oilers and assistant GM Brad Holland mutually agreed to part company. He’d been in that role since 2022-23. Holland is the son of former Oilers GM Ken Holland.

TSN: The Washington Capitals will wear their black “screaming eagle” jersey for six games in 2024-25.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 16, 2024

by | Sep 16, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – September 16, 2024

The top remaining unsigned restricted free agents plus the latest speculation on Mikko Rantanen, Nikolaj Ehlers and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and winger Lucas Raymond, New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer, Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti and Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley top Steven Ellis’ list of the notable remaining unsigned restricted free agents.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve singled out those RFAs as they’ve featured prominently in the rumor mill throughout the offseason. They’ll face heightened scrutiny as training camps open around the NHL.

Most could be signed to new contracts this week. A few could miss the start of camp if negotiations remain stalled.

THE DENVER POST: Mikko Rantanen’s contract extension is among Corey Masisak’s 10 questions facing the Colorado Avalanche as training camp begins this week.

Rantanen, 27, is entering the final season of his six-year contract with its $9.25 million average annual value. He’s in line for a considerable raise on his next deal.

Masisak wonders if extension discussions between the Rantanen camp and Avalanche management will continue as the season begins, will there be an artificial deadline, or will they get it out of the way early in training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen is an important part of the Avalanche roster and a big reason why they’ve been a Cup contender (and a champion) over the past five years. He’ll be among the biggest names in next summer’s unrestricted free-agent market if he and the Avs don’t agree to a new deal by July 1. His contract situation will be closely watched during this season.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance asked Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff about a contract extension for Nikolaj Ehlers. The 28-year-old winger is eligible for UFA status next July after he completes his six-year deal with an AAV of $6 million.

Ehlers was the subject of trade speculation during the offseason, especially near the 2024 NHL Draft in late June. Cheveldayoff said he’s taking a “wait-and-see” approach, suggesting it could be addressed at the end of the season or sooner.

630 CHED’s Bob Stauffer writes that he fully expects the Edmonton Oilers to be in the market for a second-pairing right defenseman, preferably with a little term remaining on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have just over $945K in cap space for the coming season. However, they could get some cap relief by placing Evander Kane and his $5.125 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve following his upcoming sports hernia surgery. However, they must be cap-compliant once he returns to action later this season.

Stauffer didn’t elaborate on which blueliner he believes the Oilers could pursue. Feel free to post your suggestions in the comments section. Keep in mind the Oilers’ cap constraints and their need for a right-shot rearguard.