NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 19, 2025

by | Jun 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 19, 2025

The league continues to examine the Oilers’ use of LTIR with Evander Kane, the Blackhawks re-sign Ryan Donato, the Devils trade Erik Haula to the Predators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli cited sources claiming the NHL plans to continue examining the Edmonton Oilers’ use of long-term injury reserve salary-cap relief (LTIR) with winger Evander Kane.

The league may require more information to confirm that Edmonton complied with the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) when Kane returned for the second game of the Oilers’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. The 33-year-old winger missed the entire 2024-25 regular season due to injuries.

Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).

Seravalli indicated that no NHL team has been punished for LTIR usage. The Oilers could face retroactive punishment if the league finds they violated the spirit of the CBA. He indicated that sources say the Oilers have complied with the league’s requests for information and medical opinions.

Kane is under contract through 2025-26 with an average annual value (AAV) of $5.125 million.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reports that Seravalli’s report sparked outrage in Edmonton, citing several local pundits and broadcasters questioning why this is happening now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It is puzzling why the league continues to monitor this nearly two months after Kane returned to action. They could simply be conducting due diligence and nothing further may come of it.

We saw a similar situation with Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber in 2021, when the league kept an eye on his status after being placed on LTIR for 2021-22. In Weber’s case, the severity of his injuries ended his playing career.

THE SCORE: Speaking of the Oilers, they’re expected to sign forward Trent Frederic to an eight-year contract extension with an AAV of between $3.5 million and $4 million. John Matisz indicated the deal also comes with a modified no-movement clause.

Seravalli stated the deal isn’t expected to be officially announced just yet as they’re engaged in contract talks with other players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frederic, 27, is a checking line power forward who can play center or wing. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) coming off a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.3 million.

Frederic would likely get a similar AAV elsewhere in the free-agent market on July 1. However, inking him for eight years seems excessive. Given his style of play, that deal might not age well.

The Oilers currently have $11.9 million of salary-cap space for 2025-26. Frederic’s new contract would reduce it to between $8.4 million and $8.9 million. That leaves no room to re-sign or replace their other free agents.

That includes Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old defenseman is slated to become a restricted free agent (RFA) with arbitration rights on July 1. It could cost over $9 million annually to re-sign him.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks re-signed forward Ryan Donato to a four-year, $16-million contract with an AAV of $4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Donato was among the few bright spots this season for the rebuilding Blackhawks. The versatile 29-year-old forward had a career-best performance with 31 goals and 31 assists for 62 points, putting him among their leading scorers. He’s coming off a two-year contract with an AAV of $2 million.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators acquired forward Erik Haula from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and minor-league defenseman Jeremy Hanzel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now indicates this move cleared $3.15 million from the Devils’ salary-cap payroll for 2025-26. They now have over $14.3 million in cap space with RFAs Luke Hughes and Cody Glass and UFA Jake Allen to re-sign. This could also give them some flexibility to make an addition via trade or free agency.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed forward Matt Rempe to a two-year contract with an AAV of $975,000.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks re-signed winger Nikita Nesterenko to a two-year, one-way contract with an AAV of $775,000.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL forward Nick Bonino has ended his playing career and is joining the Penguins as an assistant coach.

Bonino, 37, spent 15 seasons in the NHL from 2009-10 to 2023-24 with the Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins (helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017), Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks and New York Rangers. He had 159 goals and 199 points in 358 regular-season games and 19 goals and 48 points in 105 postseason contests.

SAN JOSE SHARKS: announced former TV and radio color analyst Chris Collins passed away. Collins covered the team from 1992 to 1997.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Collins’ family, friends, broadcast colleagues and the Sharks’ organization.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 23, 2025

by | May 23, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 23, 2025

Potential free-agent destinations for Mitch Marner, plus the latest on the Mammoth, Flyers, and Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PROPOSED DESTINATIONS FOR MARNER

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon listed what he believes are the top landing spots for Mitch Marner in free agency this summer. The 28-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs winger will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Dixon suggested the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Utah Mammoth, Vegas Golden Knights, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals as destinations for Marner.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some teams on this list (Ducks, Mammoth, Blackhawks) are rebuilding teams with plenty of cap space to sign Marner to a lucrative long-term contract. That won’t be enough to entice him if he wants to play for a contender.

Some (Kings, Islanders) are under new management and might make a big splash in the free-agent pool. The Kings have the cap space but new GM Ken Holland could prefer more affordable options. The Isles can’t afford Marner unless they shed a lot of salary, especially with restricted free agents like Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov, Maxim Tsyplakov and Simon Holmstrom to re-sign.

The Penguins are rebuilding, but general manager Kyle Dubas has a connection with Marner from his days as the Leafs GM. They have the cap room to pull it off, but Dubas seems unwilling to pursue a big-ticket free agent this summer.

Golden Knights management is renowned for making bold moves, but their limited cap room would hamper efforts to land Marner. Cap space is also an issue for the Avalanche, whose most pressing need is a second-line center if Brock Nelson departs as a UFA. The Capitals have all their core players under contract but lack enough cap dollars to win a bidding war for Marner.

The Hurricanes seem the more likely destination. They’re a perennial playoff team with over $29 million in cap space and 19 active roster players under contract for next season. In March, GM Eric Tulsky said he’d have around $20 million available even if he re-signed all his free agents. If Marner wants a hefty long-term contract and to play for a contender, the Hurricanes are his best option.

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary also looked at potential destinations for Marner.

If the winger is only interested in the money, Chicago and Pittsburgh would be the best destinations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: See my previous comments about Chicago and Pittsburgh.

O’Leary listed the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and the Mammoth among the suitors for teams looking to take the next step.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo and Detroit could be intriguing options for Marner if he wants to stay close to home. Signing with the Sabres would provide extra spice to their long-time rivalry with the Maple Leafs.

O’Leary thinks the Hurricanes, Avalanche and the Florida Panthers are contenders who could make it work.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes have the cap room to make it work. The Avalanche and Panthers don’t. The latter will likely try to keep pending UFAs Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and perhaps Brad Marchand in the fold. The Panthers have $19 million available with 16 active roster players under contract. Signing Marner would hinder their efforts to restock their roster depth if Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand depart.

THE MAMMOTH COULD LAND A NOTABLE FREE AGENT

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Quentin Carney wondered if the Utah Mammoth would pursue Mitch Marner if the Toronto Maple Leafs winger tests the open market on July 1.

The Mammoth would offer Marner a change of scenery and expectations away from the harsh spotlight in Toronto. They also have the cap space to add a major talent this summer.

Spencer Lazary suggested Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser as an UFA option for the Mammoth. He could thrive away from the Vancouver spotlight. Given the good word of mouth about the franchise, Lazary thinks they have good odds of landing Boeser.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong patiently stockpiled draft picks and prospects during his early years on the job. He made a significant move by acquiring defenseman Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning last summer. With over $22 million in cap room and 19 active roster players under contract, Armstrong has the room to land one of this summer’s top free agents.

LATEST ON THE DEVILS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols proposed three offseason trade targets for the Devils to improve their offense. They were Drake Batherson of the Ottawa Senators, Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres, and Pavel Dorofeyev of the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch recently mentioned Batherson as a trade candidate. However, The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie doesn’t see them moving the affordable winger unless it’s for a better forward.

Tuch might be available if he and the Sabres can’t agree to an extension. Dorofeyev is coming into his own as a scoring forward, so the Golden Knights won’t move him unless they get a more established scorer in return.

Nichols also recently noted that there will be changes in the trade protection for Devils forwards Erik Haula and Ondrej Palat. Haula’s shifts from a full no-trade clause to a six-team no-trade list, while Palat moves from a full no-movement clause to a 10-team no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Haula and Palat could be peddled to free up cap space for other moves. Haula would be the easiest to move, carrying a $3.125 million AAV through next season. Palat has two more seasons left on his contract with an AAV of $6 million.

UPDATE ON THE FLYERS

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James listed three possible trade candidates if the Philadelphia Flyers wish to free up some cap space this summer.

Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $5.1 million. Goaltender Ivan Fedotov has a year remaining with a cap hit of $3.275 million. Winger Owen Tippett has seven years left with an AAV of $6.25 million.

James believes trading Tippett would be the hardest decision of the three, citing his youth, potential and leadership after Scott Laughton was traded to Toronto. However, the Flyers have a surplus of wingers and need depth at center. Tippett could be an enticing trade chip to address that need.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NJ Hockey Now’s James Nichols thinks Tippett would be a worthwhile trade target for the Devils. He suggested they offer up center Dawson Mercer. However, it remains to be seen if Tippett would be available and if the Devils would be interested.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 18, 2025

by | Jan 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 18, 2025

A historic game for Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, the Hurricanes unveil their Quarter-Century Team, the league reportedly intends to cancel escrow payments for the remainder of the season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic became the first netminder in league history to score a goal and collect an assist in a single game in a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Nedeljkovic picked up the secondary assist on Cody Glass’ game-winning goal and sealed the victory with an unassisted empty-netter. He also made 40 saves.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (NHL Images).

Glass, Bryan Rust and Matt Grzelcyk each collected two points for the Penguins (46 points), who moved within three points of the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Owen Power and Zach Benson replied for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nedeljkovic also became the first goaltender to score a goal in the NHL, AHL and ECHL.

The Carolina Hurricanes got two goals from Seth Jarvis to hold off the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, handing the latter their fourth loss in their last five contests. Pyotr Kochetkov made 29 saves as the Hurricanes sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 57 points. Tomas Hertl and Shea Theodore scored for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas is tied with the Edmonton Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division with 61 points but maintains their hold on first place due to their 26 regulation wins compared to the Oilers’ 22.

The Hurricanes activated goaltender Frederik Andersen from injured reserve and sent Dustin Tokarski to their AHL affiliate in Chicago. Andersen had been out since Oct. 26 with a knee injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Hurricanes revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Friday.

Forwards Rod Brind’Amour, Eric Staal and Sebastian Aho, defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Glen Wesley, and goaltender Cam Ward comprised the First Team.

The Second Team comprised forwards Ron Francis, Jordan Staal and Justin Williams, defensemen Justin Faulk and Bret Hedican, and goaltender Arturs Irbe.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico cited a well-informed NHL source claiming the league will drop the escrow withholding rate from players’ salaries from six percent to zero effective Jan. 30 for the remainder of the regular season.

The source also told D’Amico that, because profits are expected to be higher than previously projected, the players will receive between two and six percent in extra earnings.

This sets the stage for a substantial increase in the salary cap for 2025-26. It was projected to reach between $92 million and $93 million but could now rise higher.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s good news for the players, especially those slated to become free agents on July 1. A higher-than-projected salary cap will also provide welcome help for teams with limited cap room for next season.

SPORTSNET: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently dismissed the theory that teams in low-tax states have an advantage over states and provinces with higher taxes. He pointed out that teams in California (with a tax rate comparable to Canadian teams) have won as many Stanley Cups as those in Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with all Stanley Cup champions, the recent success of the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning comes down to shrewd management and coaching.

The Panthers and Lightning have enjoyed low tax rates throughout their existence but that didn’t prevent them from spending years (in the Panthers’ case, decades) among the NHL’s worst teams. Improved management and coaching built them into champions.

Bettman also dispelled concern over the recent decline in the value of the Canadian dollar, pointing out that they do revenue-sharing in US dollars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s the biggest difference between now and the 1990s when a low Canadian dollar contributed to the relocation of clubs from Quebec City and Winnipeg and threatened the existence of several other Canadian franchises. Revenue-sharing was built into the CBA in 2005 to assist struggling teams.

The commissioner also said he doesn’t want to expand the playoff format as it diminishes the value of the postseason and regular season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed! The four-round postseason involving 16 teams is long enough. A play-in round is unnecessary.

Bettman hopes to sign a new collective bargaining agreement with the NHL Players Association this year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We all want to see that.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Evgeni Malkin’s three Stanley Cup rings were found inside his house following an investigation into the recent burglary of his home. The rings were initially reported missing. The investigation remains active.

SPORTSNET: The Minnesota Wild placed forward Marcus Johansson (upper body) on injured reserve and moved winger Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) on long-term injury reserve retroactive to Dec. 23.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov is skating with his teammates and is expected to return to action soon. He was put on LTIR to allow the Wild to recall two forwards following Johansson’s injury.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed John Klingberg to a one-year, $1-million prorated contract. The 32-year-old defenseman is attempting to resume his NHL career after recovering from a hip resurfacing procedure in December 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is an affordable gamble by the Oilers to add experienced depth to their roster.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: An instant on-ice chemistry between Matty Beniers and Kaapo Kakko has generated cautious optimism that the young Kraken forwards can elevate each other. Both were chosen second overall in their respective drafts (Beniers in 2021, Kakko in 2019) but struggled to meet expectations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Beniers won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 2022-23 but has encountered difficulty regaining that promising form. Kakko struggled for several seasons with the Rangers but has been on a tear (10 points in 13 games) since being traded to the Kraken last month.

NHL.COM: New York Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov received a three-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Philadelphia Flyers center Ryan Poehling on Thursday.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New Jersey Devils placed forward Erik Haula (ankle sprain) on injured reserve and called up defenseman Colton White.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2023

by | Dec 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2023

More scoring milestones were reached by Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, a big night for Jets winger Gabriel Vilardi, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals and set up another to rally his club to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jansen Harkins netted the winning goal in the 12th round of the shootout as the Penguins improved to 13-12-3 (29 points) to sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Sean Monahan tallied his ninth goal of the season for the 12-13-4 Canadiens, who sit a point back of the Penguins.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is now tied with Hall-of-Famer (and former teammate) Mark Recchi for 13th on the all-time points list with 1,533. He’s just six points behind Joe Thornton, who sits 12th with 1,539.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon extended his points streak to 13 games as his club downed the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. MacKinnon collected two assists, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists while Valeri Nichushkin tallied twice for the 18-9-2 Avalanche, who hold a two-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Central Division with 38 points. Zach Benson scored for the 12-15-3 Sabres, who’ve dropped seven of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon also reached the 800-point milestone, becoming the fifth-fastest active player to do so. Sabres forward Jeff Skinner left this game with an upper-body injury.

Colorado fans gave former Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson a standing ovation in his first game at Ball Arena since signing with the Sabres this summer. He spent nearly 13 seasons with the Avs and helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Speaking of the Jets, they rolled to a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Gabriel Vilardi had a career-high four points (one goal, three assists) against his former club while Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice and collected two assists and Mark Scheifele had two goals and an assist for the 17-9-2 Jets. Anze Kopitar and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings (16-6-4) as they blew a 2-0 lead and sit third in the Pacific Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was reported before this game that Jets winger Kyle Connor is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a lower-body (knee) injury.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Dawson Mercer tied the game in the third period for the Devils (15-11-1), who sit behind the Washington Capitals for the final Eastern wild-card spot with 31 points. Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots while Morgan Geekie had the only goal for the Bruins (18-5-4) as they sit atop the Eastern Conference standings with 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Erik Haula picked up an assist on Mercer’s goal as he was activated off injured reserve for this game. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed defenseman Jakub Zboril on waivers.

The New York Islanders nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 on a shorthanded goal by Simon Holmstrom with 1:33 remaining in the third period. Noah Dobson collected two assists for the Islanders (14-7-7) as they sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 35 points. John Gibson made 30 saves for the Ducks (10-18-0) as they’ve lost four in a row and nine of their last 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders activated defenseman Sebastian Aho off injured reserve for this game.

HEADLINES

TSN: The St. Louis Blues hired former all-star center Brad Richards as a consultant to work with the club’s power play under interim coach Drew Bannister. Meanwhile, winger Jakub Vrana cleared waivers and was sent to the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield.

SPORTSNET: The Minnesota Wild and assistant general manager Chris O’Hearn have agreed to “mutually part ways”. No reason was given for this move. The Athletic’s Michael Russo pointed out that O’Hearn was general manager Bill Guerin’s right-hand man as well as the club’s chief contract negotiator.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Wild, they placed defenseman Jonas Brodin (upper body) on long-term injury reserve.

THE ATHLETIC: Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis yesterday announced plans to move his club (and the NBA’s Washington Wizards) from downtown Washington to a new arena in Northern Virginia by 2028, pending legislative approval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As noted yesterday, the new arena would be 20 minutes away from their current location in the Capital One Arena, which has been home to the Capitals and Wizards since 1997-98.

TSN: The NHL recently announced the skills competition for the 2024 All-Star Game will be modified to showcase 12 players competing for points across eight different events, with the winner receiving a $1 million prize.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2023

by | Dec 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2023

The Oilers extended their win streak to seven games, Jonathan Quick emerged victorious in his first meeting with the Kings, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers extended their win streak to seven games with a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to nine games while Evan Bouchard extended his streak to 11 games with a goal as the Oilers reached the .500 mark with a record of 12-12-1 (25 points). Jesper Bratt replied for the 14-11-1 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid performance by the Oilers in this contest as they effectively contained the Devils’ offense while exploiting their opponent’s defensive breakdowns. The Devils played without forward Erik Haula as he was sidelined by an upper-body injury.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (NHL Images).

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick stopped 25 shots to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. It was Quick’s first game against the Kings since his trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. Vincent Trocheck collected three assists as the Rangers (19-6-1) took over first overall in the Eastern Conference with 39 points. Phillip Danault scored for the Kings (16-5-4)as they dropped their first road game in regulation time this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Boston Bruins also have 39 points but the Rangers hold first place based on wins. Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov left this game with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Jonathan Marchessault lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-4 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Golden Knights held 3-1 and 4-2 leads but the pesky Sharks battled back to force overtime and the shootout. Marchessault also scored twice in regulation as the Golden Knights (19-5-5) remain perched atop the overall standings with 43 points. Mike Hoffman tallied twice for the 8-17-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic missed this game for personal reasons while teammate William Eklund is dealing with a lower-body injury. The Sharks have won five of their last 10 games with their last four contests all decided by one goal.

The Florida Panthers defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart collected a career-high four assists while Aleksander Barkov had a three-point game to improve their record to 17-8-2 while the Jackets fell to 9-16-5. Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson received 29 minutes in penalties for retaliating against Panthers forward Nick Cousins hitting him from behind into the boards as well as a subsequent fight between the two instigated by Gudbranson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cousins initially received a five-minute major for his hit on Gudbranson but the officials reduced it to two minutes. That infuriated the Blue Jackets defenseman, prompting the altercation with Cousins later in the game.

This is a consequence of the NHL’s ongoing reluctance to crack down on hits from behind. Cousins skates away with a minor penalty for a dangerous hit while Gudbranson, who was fortunate to escape serious injury, faces a hearing and a likely suspension.

A four-goal third period lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. The Jets improved to 16-8-2 but lost winger Kyle Connor in the second period following a knee-on-knee hit by Ducks forward Ryan Strome. The Ducks dropped to 10-17-0 and have lost three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Connor could be sidelined for a while. He couldn’t put any weight on his injured right leg and had to be helped off the ice by his teammates. No word yet as to the severity of Connor’s injury. Strome was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct but it remains to be seen if he receives supplemental discipline.

Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd scored twice to double up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Darcy Kuemper turned aside 34 shots as the Capitals improved their record to 14-8-3. Connor Bedard picked up two assists for the 9-17-1 Blackhawks.

The Nashville Predators got two goals from Colton Sissons and 36 saves from Juuse Saros in a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Predators 15-13-0 have won 10 of their last 13 games and hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 30 points. Jake Evans scored for the 12-13-3 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman David Savard was activated from injured reserve for this contest. It was his first game since suffering a fractured hand on Oct. 23.

Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson turned in a 24-save shutout performance to blank the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi and Joel Eriksson Ek were the goal scorers for the 10-12-4 Wild. Joey Daccord stopped 23 shots for the 8-14-7 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Kraken announced that starting goalie Philipp Grubauer (lower body) had been placed on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: NHL Network analyst Tony Granato announced Sunday he’s stepping away from his duties as he receives treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Granato is also a former NHL player and coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Granato makes a swift and complete recovery.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings offered no update yesterday on the status of captain Dylan Larkin. He was knocked unconscious during Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators and had to be helped from the ice. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported all scans for Larkin were negative but there’s no timeframe for his return.

MLIVE.COM: Red Wings forward David Perron faces an in-person hearing today with the NHL department of player safety for cross-checking Senators defenseman Artem Zub. His actions were the result of a scrum following Larkin’s injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perron appeared to assume that Zub was responsible for Larkin’s injury, prompting his response. It was Senators forward Mathieu Joseph who struck the Red Wings captain in the back of the head, followed by another blow by Sens forward Parker Kelly. Perron could face at least a five-game suspension.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins yesterday signed Jesse Puljujarvi to a professional tryout offer. The 25-year-old winger underwent double hip surgery in the offseason and hopes to resume his NHL career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 24, 2023

by | Jun 24, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 24, 2023

Patrick Marleau returns to the Sharks in a coaching and front-office role, Kyle Dubas outlines his offseason plans for the Penguins, the Devils re-sign Erik Haula and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Patrick Marleau is returning to the Sharks as a player development coach and hockey operations advisor. The club’s all-time leader in games played, goals and points as well as their first jersey retiree, Marleau played 21 of his 23 NHL seasons with the Sharks, announcing his retirement as a player in May 2022.

Patrick Marleau rejoins the San Jose Sharks (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates that Marleau, who’s lived in Florida since his retirement, will be based in San Jose. He will help develop the on-ice skills of Sharks players and those of the Barracudas, their AHL affiliate.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Kyle Dubas, the Penguins’ new president of hockey operations, outlined his offseason plans for the club on Friday.

Dubas said he’s not going to get into signing expensive free-agent forwards this summer. However, he hopes to weaponize his $20 million in cap space by targeting cap-strapped teams looking to shed salary to be cap compliant for next season. He could be interested in players currently on short-term contracts with those clubs.

Don’t expect any contract buyouts for aging veterans such as Mikael Granlund. Dubas is also hoping for some of his younger players, such as Pierre-Olivier Joseph, to take on more prominent roles next season.

Dubas indicated that he’s reluctant to part with his 2023 first-round pick (14th overall) unless the return includes an impactful young player. He hopes to remake the Penguins’ bottom-six forwards. He must find a suitable replacement for goaltender Tristan Jarry if the latter departs via free agency on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas is not engaging in a roster rebuild. The plan is to retool around aging core players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Dubas signs one or two affordable free-agent forwards to address that need to bolster his checking lines. As for cap-strapped clubs that he might target in the trade market, the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles and Tampa Bay Lightning are possible candidates.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils signed Erik Haula on Friday to a three-year, $9.4 million contract extension. He’ll have full no-trade protection in the first two seasons followed by a six-team no-trade in the final season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Haula’s new contract is worth an average annual value of $3.15 million. The 32-year-old forward was a good fit this season with the Devils, tallying 41 points in 80 games.

SPORTSNET: NHL Players Association executive director Marty Walsh said the overwhelming majority of NHL players support the LGBTQ-plus community. Walsh’s comments followed the NHL’s announcement on Thursday curtailing the wearing of special tribute jerseys during warmups after a handful of players opted out of doing so during this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly was among the first players to express his ongoing support for the LGBTQ-plus community.

“With issues like that, and with movements like that, I’ll support them, no matter what, whether we wear jerseys or not,” said Rielly. “That support is not going away.”

THE PROVINCE: Gino Odjick likely suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in his latter years. The popular Vancouver Canucks enforcer passed away in January at age 52. In the weeks before Odjick’s death, doctors performed a series of tests that suggest it was highly likely he suffered from CTE.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only definitive way to determine if someone has CTE is a physical examination of their brain after death.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) has spoken with Virginia officials about moving the Capitals and the NBA’s Wizards to Arlington’s Crystal City neighborhood. The discussions were said to be “preliminary and exploratory”.

Both teams have been in the Capital One Arena, located in Washington’s Chinatown neighborhood, since 1997. It is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment.