NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2022

by | Oct 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2022

Recaps of Thursday’s preseason action, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman weighs in on Hockey Canada scandal as more sponsors withdraw support for the organization, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

PRESEASON GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Claude Giroux’s third-period goal stood as the game-winner as the Ottawa Senators held off the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in the Kraft Hockeyville game in Gander, NL. Tim Stutzle led the way with a goal and two assists for the Senators.

Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle (NHL Images).

The New York Islanders downed the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist while Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves.

A third-period power-play goal by Brandon Montour lifted the Florida Panthers over the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 38 saves in a losing cause while defenseman Mikhail Sergachev left the game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets thumped the St. Louis Blues 7-0. Andrew Peeke collected four assists while Daniil Tarasov turned in a 24-save shutout.

Mats Zuccarello, Marco Rossi and Sam Steel each had a goal and an assist to give the Minnesota Wild a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Reilly Smith scored twice and collected an assist in a 6-4 win against the Los Angeles Kings. Jack Eichel and Mark Stone each collected two assists. Kings defenseman Sean Durzi had a goal and two assists.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL GAZETTE: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman weighed in on Hockey Canada’s ongoing scandal over its handling of sexual assault allegations involving players of Canada’s 2003 and 2018 World Junior teams and its refusal to implement a change in its leadership.

“I think the response from Hockey Canada certainly needs work”, said Bettman, who was in Gander for the game between the Senators and Canadiens. “I’m not sure I fully understand why they’re responding the way they are.”

Bettman said he was very disappointed at the current state of affairs with Hockey Canada. The league is conducting its own investigation into the situation. The commissioner wouldn’t speculate on what might happen to those junior players who could have been involved in the alleged sexual assaults who are now playing in the NHL. He indicated that will be determined once he’s received and read the final report.

THE GLOBE & MAIL: Hockey Canada continues to lose support from corporate sponsors. Esso, Canadian Tire, Sobeys and Chevrolet Canada joined Tim Hortons, Scotiabank and Telus in withdrawing support for men’s hockey for 2022-23, with Canadian Tire permanently taking away its support.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Hockey Nova Scotia joined Hockey Quebec and the Ontario Hockey Federation in formally suspending fees it pays to Hockey Canada. “Until our values at Hockey Nova Scotia are reflected by Hockey Canada’s senior leadership, we simply cannot support hockey’s national governing body,” the organization said in a statement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hockey Manitoba has called for the resignation of Hockey Canada’s senior leadership but Hockey Canada still stubbornly refuses to heed those calls. It’s growing more costly for the organization and could lead to its total downfall and potential replacement with a new national governing body.

NHL.COM’s Dave McCarthy reports Anaheim Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said that Trevor Zegras is expected to join his teammates in a full practice on Friday. The 21-year-old center has been sidelined since suffering an injury during a preseason game on Monday.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov and winger T.J. Oshie are listed as day-to-day with injuries.

THE ATHLETIC: Montreal Canadiens winger Paul Byron could end up on long-term injury reserve due to an ongoing hip injury. The 33-year-old is in the final season of his contract with an average annual value of $3.4 million.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers released winger Jake Virtanen from his professional tryout offer.

They also announced former Oilers defenseman Steve Staios has been hired as a special advisor with a focus on prospect development. Staios was president and general manager of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, who won the OHL championship in 2022.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames released forwards Sonny Milano and Cody Eakin from their professional tryout offers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2022

by | Oct 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2022

Recaps of Wednesday’s preseason games, Hockey Canada faces growing criticism as sponsors distance themselves from the organization, the Stars sign Jason Robertson to a four-year contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I underwent surgery on Oct. 5 to repair damaged tendons in my left hand. It was similar to the procedure I had in February. As a result, it could take a little longer to post my daily updates over the next few days. Please bear with me. As always, I appreciate your support.

RECAPS OF PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: A third-period goal by Mike Reilly broke a 4-4 tie as the Boston Bruins nipped the New York Rangers 5-4. Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha each had a goal and two assists. Mika Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko both scored twice for the Rangers.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

The Washington Capitals doubled up the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 on third-period goals by Connor Brown and Alex Ovechkin. It was a costly win for the Capitals as winger T.J. Oshie left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We could hear an update on Oshie’s status later today after he’s been reevaluated by the Capitals’ medical staff.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender David Rittich made 37 saves to backstop his club to a 5-0 shutout of the Calgary Flames. Kyle Connor scored twice and Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists.

Third-period goals by Logan O’Connor and Mikko Rantanen lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Dallas Stars 2-1. Alexandar Georgiev got the win with a 32-save performance.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson scored two third-period goals (including the game-winner) in a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Canucks captain Bo Horvat collected three assists. Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist.

SPONSORS AND TWO PROVINCES WITHDRAW SUPPORT FROM HOCKEY CANADA.

CBC.CA: Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said it “boggles the mind” that Hockey Canada continues to defend its leadership amid ongoing accusations of its mishandling of sexual assault allegations against a number of junior hockey players.

“Parents across the country are losing faith or have lost faith in Hockey Canada,” said Trudeau. “Certainly, politicians here in Ottawa have lost in Hockey Canada.”

Canada’s sports minister Pascale St-Onge believed mass resignations by Hockey Canada’s leadership are necessary to restore trust in the organization. If they continue to dig in its heels, she called upon Hockey Canada’s voting members to clean house.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Hockey Quebec and the Ontario Hockey Federation are pulling their support from Hockey Canada and moving to withhold registration fees from the national federation. Meanwhile, Tim Hortons, Telus and Scotiabank announced Wednesday that they will be suspending their sponsorship of men’s hockey for the 2022-23 season.

TSN: Rick Westhead reports a group of Hockey Canada’s sponsors is discussing the possibility of permanently suspending their business relationships with the national sports organization, using the “reputational damage” clauses in their contracts.

THE ATHLETIC: Ken Volden, a senior executive at TSN, acknowledged that the network’s business operations have been affected by its coverage of the Hockey Canada scandal. However, the network will continue to pursue the story.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ongoing damage to Hockey Canada worsens the longer it continues to keep its head in the sand. Suppose the outcry by politicians and the public won’t force the organization to implement change in its leadership. In that case, the withdrawal of funding by the provinces and major corporate sponsors should do it.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed winger Jason Robertson to a four-year, $31 million contract. The average annual value is $7.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson gets a hefty raise over his entry-level AAV of $894K. He earned it by becoming one of the Stars’ top players. He was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2020-21 with 45 points in 51 games and tallied 41 goals and 79 points as a sophomore last season.

This deal also sets up the 23-year-old for a more lucrative payday on a longer-term contract. He’ll earn $9.3 million in actual salary in the final year of this deal, meaning it’ll cost the Stars that much to qualify his rights.

Speaking of the Stars, goaltender Anton Khudobin has a clean bill of health after recovering from off-season hip surgery. He could be showcased for a trade or placed on waivers and demoted to their AHL affiliate Texas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scott Wedgewood has nailed down the backup role behind young starter Jake Oettinger.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki and teammates Joel Armia and Emil Heineman are listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries. The Canadiens also announced the signing of 2021 first-round pick Logan Mailloux to an entry-level contract. He will spend the coming season with his junior team in London, Ontario.

The Columbus Blue Jackets released center Victor Rask from his professional tryout offer.

THE SCORE: Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis isn’t ruling out Shane Wright playing the full season in the NHL. The 18-year-old center was considered the top prospect heading into the 2022 draft but was selected fourth overall by the Kraken.

DAILY FACEOFF: The NHL department of player safety fined Arizona Coyotes forward Michael Carone $2,027.23 for roughing Vegas Golden Knights forward Gage Quinney in a preseason game on Tuesday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 4, 2022

by | Oct 4, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 4, 2022

Recaps of Monday’s noteworthy preseason games, Flames coach praises Jonathan Huberdeau, Senators goalie Cam Talbot sidelined, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PRESEASON GAMES RECAP

NHL.COM: Roman Josi scored two goals to lead the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 victory over SC Bern in the NHL Global Series Challenge in Switzerland on Monday.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers rookie Dylan Holloway collected a hat trick to lead his club over the Vancouver Canucks 7-2. Warren Foegele tallied twice and Zach Hyman had a three-point game.

The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the Columbus Blue Jackets 8-1. Martin Necas led the way with two goals and two assists while Derick Brassard and Brent Burns each collected three points. Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce left the game with a lower-body injury.

William Nylander and Alex Kerfoot each scored two goals as the Toronto Maple Leafs romped to a 5-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Vitek Vanecek kicked out 24 shots to shut out the Boston Bruins 1-0. Tomas Tatar tallied the only goal.

The Pittsburgh Penguins nipped the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Casey DeSmith picked up the win with a 36-save performance.

Colorado Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen scored twice in a 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Avs goalie Pavel Francouz made 38 stops.

Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves as the Calgary Flames downed the Seattle Kraken 4-1.

HEADLINES

CALGARY SUN: Flames head coach Darryl Sutter had high praise for Jonathan Huberdeau. He called the 29-year-old left winger “probably the best passer that this team has had in maybe ever.” Sutter compared his playmaking to that of Hall-of-Famer Denis Savard. Huberdeau was acquired from the Florida Panthers in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That also seemed like a bit of a shot against Johnny Gaudreau, who departed the Flames in July for the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agent. Gaudreau sits fifth on the Flames’ all-time assist list with 399.

Speaking of the Flames, they claimed forward Radim Zohorna off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators goaltending depth suffered a blow as Cam Talbot will be sidelined five-to-seven weeks with a suspected broken rib. The 35-year-old netminder suffered the injury during a recent practice. Senators general manager Pierre Dorion claimed goalie Magnus Hellberg off waivers from the Seattle Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talbot was supposed to share the goaltending duties with Anton Forsberg for this season. Hellberg has just five games of NHL experience since 2013-14.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets released winger James Neal from his professional tryout contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 35-year-old Neal has 269 goals and 559 points in 869 career NHL games. However, he saw limited playing time over the past two seasons and missed 15 games in 2021-22 with an upper-body injury. This could be the end of his NHL career if no other club takes an interest in him.

GOPHNX.COM: Nick Schmaltz is among three Arizona Coyotes players listed as day-to-day with lower-body injuries. Speaking of the Coyotes, ARIZONA SPORTS reports they’ve hired Kurtis Foster and Jeff Shantz as player development coaches.

CBS SPORTS: Vegas Golden Knights forward William Carrier remains sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered during Sunday’s preseason game against the Avalanche.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Seattle Kraken signed winger Daniel Sprong to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level.

ESPN.COM: The NHL is debuting digitally enhance dasherboards (DEDs) this season. It is a digital replacement of camera-visible arena dasherboard ads within local, national and international NHL game broadcasts. It will allow broadcasts to erase ads on all boards visible to TV cameras and replace them with their own advertisements.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move is part of the NHL’s push to expand its revenue streams. In an interview with Sports Business Journal, league commissioner Gary Bettman said the potential revenue growth from DEDs will be in the tens of millions and could reach hundreds of millions over time.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are donating all proceeds from ticket sales to their Thursday preseason game against the Tampa Bay Lightning to the ongoing Hurricane Ian relief efforts.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues announced they’re establishing a Hall of Fame to honor and pay tribute to the legends of the franchise. Eight former players – Al MacInnis, Bob Gassoff, Bob Plager, Barclay Plager, Brian Sutter, Brett Hull, Bernie Federko and Chris Pronger – will be automatically inducted.

THE GLOBE & MAIL: Several years after Hockey Canada drew on player registration fees to set up a fund to cover sexual assault claims and other lawsuits, it channeled a significant portion of those fees into a second multi-million dollar fund for similar purposes. Hockey Canada did not disclose this fund during testimony before a Parliamentary committee this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: How much longer will this Hockey Canada shit show roll on before its’ leadership is finally brought to account? How much more toxic does the culture have to get? How many more people have to be hurt? How much more money must be poured into secret accounts to cover the legal costs of lawsuits? How much more damage must be done to an organization supposedly dedicated to growing the game of hockey in Canada? How much more trust must be eroded? What more does it take?










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2022

by | Aug 20, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2022

The breakdown of Nazem Kadri’s new contract, Kyle Turris has retired, recent coaching moves and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

PUCK PEDIA: The breakdown of Nazem Kadri’s seven-year, $49 million contract ($7 million annual average value) is as follows:

First four seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): $4.5 million base salary, $2.5 million signing bonus, full no-movement clause,

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

Season 5 (2026-27): $6 million base salary, $1 million signing bonus, 13-team no-trade list,

Final two seasons (2027-28 and 2028-29): $7 million base salary, 13-team no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For those wondering why the base salary is so high in the final seasons, it will make it easier to buy out those years. As per Cap Friendly, at two-thirds the remaining value over twice the remaining term, it would break down as $2.33 million against the Flames’ cap for four years.

TSN: Kyle Turris is retiring as an NHL player and is joining the Coquitlam Express of the British Columbia Hockey League as a special advisor to the general manager and player development coach. The 34-year-old New Westminster, BC, native spent 14 seasons in the NHL from 2007-08 to 2021-22 with the Arizona Coyotes, Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers. In 776 NHL games, Turris scored 168 goals and 257 assists for 425 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A versatile forward who could play center or wing, Turris’ best seasons were with the Senators from 2013-14 to 2016-17, scoring 24-plus goals and 55-or-more points three times. He also had a 51-point campaign split between the Senators and Predators in 2017-18. Injuries, however, contributed to the decline of his play over his final four NHL seasons. Best wishes to Turris in his future endeavors.

NHL.COM: The New Jersey Devils named Sergei Brylin as an assistant coach. He’s spent the past nine seasons as an assistant and associate coach with their AHL affiliates. Before that, he played 13 seasons with the Devils, winning three Stanley Cups before retiring from the NHL in 2008.

The Pittsburgh Penguins promoted Todd Reirden to associate coach and signed him to a two-year contract extension. He oversees the club’s defensive group and power-play unit.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tucker Poolman has been training and skating this offseason working his way back to game shape while hoping to avoid a recurrence of the concussion symptoms that limited him to just 40 games last season.

TORONTO STAR: TSN played a big role in making the World Junior Championship a hot commodity. Thanks to its reporting (primarily by Rick Westhead) into Hockey Canada’s handling of alleged sexual assaults involving players from Canada’s 2003 and 2018 junior teams, the network has also contributed to the poor ratings for this summer’s WJC currently held in Edmonton.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Several other factors have also contributed to the low ratings and poor attendance at this year’s World Juniors. It’s being held in the summer instead of its usual Christmas holiday period after being postponed last December by a COVID-19 outbreak. Ticket prices are reportedly very expensive, and there’s been little promotion of the tournament. However, there’s no question the Hockey Canada scandal has taken a toll on viewership and attendance.

The 2023 World Juniors will be held during its usual Christmas holiday period in Moncton, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. It’ll be interesting to see if the factors affecting the current tournament in Edmonton will carry over, especially if Hockey Canada leadership continues to drag its feet addressing the fallout from the ongoing investigations into those scandals.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 7, 2022

by | Aug 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 7, 2022

Jason Zucker hopes to rebound in 2022-23, the chair of Hockey Canada’s board of directors steps down, Lawson Crouse and the Coyotes make their arbitration filings, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Jessi Pierce recently reported that Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jason Zucker is feeling better and is optimistic about the coming season. He’s hoping to rebound from an injury-shortened 2021-22 campaign that saw him play in just 41 games.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jason Zucker (NHL Images).

Zucker, 30, is currently playing in Da Beauty League, a 4-on-4 summer hockey league for professional and college players from Minnesota. He’s also feeling positive about the Penguins’ chance in 2022-23 in part because they kept most of their roster core intact during the offseason. That included re-signing Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Zucker could help the Penguins’ chances in the coming season. A four-time 20-plus goal scorer earlier in his career with the Minnesota Wild, he’s been plagued by injuries over the past three seasons.

SPORTSNET: Michael Brind’Amour will be stepping down as the chair of Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors. This move comes as the organization has been battered in recent weeks by accusations of sexual assault involving players from the 2003 and 2018 World Junior teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brind’Amour’s resignation may not be the last for the scandal-plagued organization. For those who are wondering, he is not related to Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Arizona Coyotes and Lawson Crouse made their arbitration filings yesterday. Crouse seeks $4 million for 2022-23 while the Coyotes are looking for $2.5 million. The hearing is slated for Monday, Aug. 8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crouse, 25, earned an annual cap hit of $1.55 million on his previous contract. He’s coming off a career-best 20-goal, 34-point performance.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers signed forward Tyler Benson to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes avoided salary arbitration with defenseman Maxime Lajoie as the two sides agreed to a one-year, two-way deal worth $750K.

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings will honor their 1997 and 1998 Stanley Cup championships teams during separate ceremonies early in the coming season. The 1997 team will be recognized in a pregame ceremony on Nov. 3 against the Washington Capitals while the 1998 club will be honored prior to Nov. 5 game against the New York Islanders.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 23, 2022

by | Jul 23, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 23, 2022

The Flames trade Matthew Tkachuk to the Panthers in a blockbuster deal, the Blue Jackets re-sign Patrik Laine and trade Oliver Bjorkstrand to the Kraken and Pierre-Luc Dubois signs a one-year deal with the Jets. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

CALGARY SUN/FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: In a blockbuster overnight trade, the Calgary Flames traded winger Matthew Tkachuk and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for winger Jonathan Huberdeau, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, forward Cole Schwindt and a conditional first-round pick in 2025.

Calgary Flames trade winger Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers (NHL Images).

The Panthers also signed Tkachuk to an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $9.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I must confess to being surprised by this move. I didn’t expect the Panthers to give up Huberdeau nor did I believe the Flames would acquire two players slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer.

Nevertheless, I admire the willingness of Panthers general manager Bill Zito and Flames GM Brad Treliving for making what’s become a rarity in today’s salary cap world: a major, honest-to-goodness hockey trade.

Zito is getting an impact player in Tkachuk. The 24-year-old winger is a big, elite, agitating forward entering the prime of his career and is five years younger than Huberdeau. He’s coming off a career-best 42-goal, 104-point performance last season.

The Panthers GM also ensured that he got Tkachuk under contract throughout his playing prime. This deal signals the Panthers’ intention to remain among the league’s best teams for a long time.

Tkachuk’s new contract leaves the Panthers sitting $4 million over the $82.5 million salary cap. Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards indicates they’ll free up $3 million by placing winger Anthony Duclair on long-term injury reserve as he continues to recover from an offseason Achilles tendon injury.

Richards also noted that the Panthers are still sitting over the cap by $1 million. They’ll have to shed another salary to become cap compliant when the 2022-23 season opens in October.

Tkachuk recently informed Treliving that he wasn’t going to sign a long-term deal with Calgary. Having lost Johnny Gaudreau to the Columbus Blue Jackets via free agency last week, he couldn’t repeat that mistake with Tkachuk.

The Flames GM got a terrific return from the Panthers. Huberdeau, 29, is coming off a career-best 115-point campaign, tying Gaudreau for second overall among last season’s leading scorers. He’s a gifted playmaker who’s tallied 61-or-more points in each of the last five seasons.

Weegar, 28, has blossomed over the past two years into a mobile top-four defenseman. He had 36 points in 54 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season and 44 points in 80 contests last season.

The 21-year-old Schwindt made his NHL debut last season in three games with the Panthers. A physical, two-way forward who can play center or wing, he had 40 points in 72 games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers last season. Treliving also gets himself a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2025. Not a bad haul for Tkachuk.

Treliving isn’t out of the woods yet. He must get Huberdeau and Weegar re-signed or risk suffering the same fate next summer as he did this year with Gaudreau. Still, he’s got enough time and cap space to get something done.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets agreed to a four-year contract with Patrik Laine. The deal is worth an average annual cap hit of $8.7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine is a skilled scoring forward with an impressive shot. However, his production suffered following a career-best 44-goal performance with the Winnipeg Jets in 2017-18.

Laine was limited to second-line duty during his final seasons with the Jets. He struggled to adjust following his trade in 2021 to the Blue Jackets and had to deal with injuries and the death of his father last season.

Nevertheless, Laine was a point-per-game player last season, tallying 56 points in as many games. He could regain his 40-goal form if he meshes well with the recently-acquired Johnny Gaudreau on the Jackets’ top line.

This is an expensive gamble by the Blues Jacket but it could pay off handsomely. Laine and Gaudreau could form a dangerous one-two scoring punch that accelerates the club’s rebuild, putting them squarely among next season’s playoff contenders.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH/THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Blues Jackets traded winger Oliver Bjorkstrand to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick (via the Flames) and a 2023 fourth-rounder (via the Jets).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a cost-cutting measure by the Blue Jackets. They were above the $82.5 million salary cap by over $6 million after signing Laine.

This move sheds Bjorkstrand’s $5.4 million, leaving the Jackets roughly $900K over the cap. Another move will be necessary before the start of the season to become cap compliant but that could be accomplished by demoting a player to the minors.

This was a savvy move by Kraken GM Ron Francis. He bolstered his club’s scoring punch and all it cost him was a couple of extra mid-level draft picks.

Bjorkstrand should be a fine acquisition for the Kraken. A skillful scoring forward, the 27-year-old winger tallied a career-best 28 goals and 57 points in 80 games with the Blue Jackets last season. He will bring some much-needed depth among their top-six forwards and is under contract through 2025-26.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed Pierre-Luc Dubois to a one-year, $6 million contract after he accepted their qualifying offer on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here given the 24-year-old center’s intention to test the UFA market in 2024. Dubois will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. He remains a prime trade candidate this summer and has been linked to the Montreal Canadiens.

TSN: The Anaheim Ducks signed three players to contract extensions, including defenseman Urho Vaakanainen. Cap Friendly indicates it’s a two-year deal worth $850K per season.

SPORTSNET: Halifax police are opening an investigation into an alleged group sexual assault said to have taken place in 2003 involving members of Canada’s world junior hockey team.

News of the investigation emerged after Hockey Canada revealed in a statement that it learned of the allegations after being contacted by TSN reporter Rick Westhead. The organization contacted Halifax police and informed Sports Canada.

NHL.COM: The league released a statement saying it is looking into the allegations and will respond accordingly.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Many of the players on that 2003 team went on to NHL careers.

This is the second report of group sexual assault involving members of Canada’s world junior team. The first involved the 2018 squad. The investigation into that has been re-opened after it was revealed Hockey Canada used funding from player registration fees as a slush fund for “uninsured liabilities” such as sexual assault.

The 2018 incident wasn’t a one-off by a bunch of bad apples. This latest report suggests there’s a systemic problem within Hockey Canada that’s gone unchecked for years. Change should and must be made immediately at every level right now to address this cancer within its system.