NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2023

by | Oct 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2023

The Capitals defeat the Devils, the league’s teams vote overwhelmingly to decentralize the draft, plus the latest on Brett Pesce and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Third-period goals by Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and Alex Ovechkin rallied the Washington Capitals to a 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils. The Capitals jumped to a 3-0 lead after the first period but the Devils regrouped in the second with four straight goals.

Washington Capitals forward Dylan Strome (NHL Images).

Strome scored two goals while Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha each had two points for the 2-3-1 Capitals. New Jersey center Jack Hughes collected three assists while Tyler Toffoli tallied twice and collected a helper as the Devils slipped to 3-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes now leads all scorers with 13 assists and 17 points while Toffoli is among the top-10 goal scorers with six.

DAILY FACEOFF: The NHL’s 32 teams voted overwhelmingly to decentralize the league’s draft format. They prefer moving from the current format where the executives of all the teams gather in one central location to conduct their draft business to one where they remain in their home cities to perform those duties. The change could come as soon as the 2024 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The new format will be similar to those employed by the NFL, NBA and MLB. There will still be a host city where the top prospects are chosen with a handful of executives there but we won’t see the arena-style format currently employed in previous drafts.

I understand the rationale behind the change. As the report noted, some general managers didn’t like the crowded draft floor under the current format where their plans could be overheard by their rivals. The cost of traveling to and from the host city has risen over the years plus the draft is scheduled within days of free agency.

My only concern is how long it’ll take the teams to make their selections as they’ll be doing it remotely. When that format was used during the two COVID drafts it took hours for the proceedings to be completed, especially the later rounds. That might not be a big deal for fans but it’s a drag for those of us who cover the NHL for a living. The league must ensure they keep the teams to a tight schedule rather than have this drag out.

CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The good news for the Hurricanes is sidelined winger Andrei Svechnikov’s season debut is “around the corner.” The bad news is defenseman Brett Pesce is sidelined for two to four weeks following surgery for a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant loss for the Hurricanes blueline. Pesce usually skates on the second pairing with Brady Skjei. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon (upper body) has been placed on long-term injury reserve (LTIR). They also recalled forward Jujhar Khaira as forward Frederick Gaudreau will miss Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers with an upper-body injury.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: The Penguins placed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. They also announced that defenseman John Ludvig suffered a concussion during Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Stars.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed defenseman Jack Edward to a three-year entry-level contract and placed blueliner Ian Mitchell on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2023

by | Jul 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2023

The arbitration hearing dates are set while the Flyers avoid arbitration with Noah Cates and Cam York, the Bruins avoid arbitration with Ian Mitchell, the Sharks sign Filip Zadina, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

LATEST NHL ARBITRATION NEWS

NHLPA.COM: The hearing dates for the 2023 NHL arbitration period (July 20 – Aug. 4) have been set:

July 20
Philipp Kurashev (Chicago Blackhawks)
Brandon Duhaime (Minnesota Wild)
Alexei Toropchenko (St. Louis Blues)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov (NHL Images).

July 21
Ilya Samsonov (Toronto Maple Leafs)

July 24
Brett Howden (Vegas Golden Knights)
Vince Dunn (Seattle Kraken)
Tanner Jeannot (Tampa Bay Lightning)

July 27
Ross Colton (Colorado Avalanche)

July 28
Gabriel Vilardi (Winnipeg Jets)

July 30
Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins)
Jack McBain (Arizona Coyotes)

August 1
Trent Frederic (Boston Bruins)

 

August 2
Morgan Barron (Winnipeg Jets)
Troy Terry (Anaheim Ducks)

August 4
Ryan McLeod (Edmonton Oilers)
Brandon Scanlin (New York Rangers)
Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota Wild)
Drew O’Connor (Pittsburgh Penguins)

 

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers avoided arbitration with forward Noah Cates and defenseman Cam York. The 24-year-old Cates inked a two-year, $5.25 million contract while York, 22, agreed to a two-year, $3.2 million deal.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins avoided arbitration with defenseman Ian Mitchell as the two sides reached an agreement on a one-year, one-way contract worth $775K.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed winger Filip Zadina to a one-year, $1.1 million contract. Zadina, 23, became an unrestricted free agent last week after he and the Detroit Red Wings mutually agreed to terminate his contract.

NEWSDAY: Andrew Gross reports the New York Islanders offered forwards Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Oliver Wahlstrom as part of a package deal to the Ottawa Senators for winger Alex DeBrincat. The Senators, however, didn’t want to take on the remaining three years and $5 million average annual value of the 30-year-old Pageau’s contract. They traded DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Long-time professional and junior hockey coach John Paddock announced his retirement. He spent the past nine seasons with the WHL’s Regina Pats, hired as their head coach in 2014 and becoming their general manager in 2015.

Paddock coached the Winnipeg Jets from 1991-92 to 1994-95 and the Ottawa Senators in 2007-08. He was an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2013-14. Paddock also spent 15 seasons as an AHL head coach, winning the Calder Cup with the Maine Mariners in 1983-84, the Hershey Bears in 1987-88, and the Hartford Wolf Pack in 1999-2000.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Paddock for a relaxing retirement.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Rochester Americans have hired former NHL players Nathan Paetsch and Vaclav Prospal as their new assistant coaches. The Americans are the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

OTTAWA SUN: Anthony LeBlanc has resigned as the Senators president of business operations. He’s said that he’s leaving on good terms. It’s believed his decision was based on incoming owner Michael Andlauer’s plans to make some changes in the front office.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have reached a one-year affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 26, 2023

by | Mar 26, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 26, 2023

What does the future hold for Capitals coach Peter Laviolette and center Evgeny Kuznetsov? Will the Sabres seek a goaltending upgrade in the offseason? What is the latest on the Blackhawks? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

DO LAVIOLETTE AND KUZNETSOV STILL HAVE A FUTURE IN WASHINGTON?

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Tarik El-Bashir was asked if the Washington Capitals would bring back head coach Peter Laviolette next season. Laviolette, 58, is in the final season of a three-year contract.

El-Bashir doesn’t think Capitals management has reached a decision on Laviolette’s future. He wouldn’t be shocked if the club hired a replacement nor would he be surprised if they re-sign Laviolette. He noted that the Capitals play well under Laviolette when healthy but they’ve been a banged-up club this season. He also thinks it’s risky to trust the final three seasons of Alex Ovechkin’s career to a new head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In December, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said the club wasn’t going to undergo a rebuild. It’ll be interesting to see what Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has in store for his club this summer.

I suspect MacLellan’s looking at a quick turnaround following this season’s disappointing outcome. That could mean bringing back Laviolette on perhaps a two-year contract.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (NHL Images).

Another reader asked El-Bashir if the Capitals would revisit trading Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was the subject of rumors a couple of years ago.

El-Bashir said the Capitals’ decision-makers are disappointed in Kuznetsov’s performance this season. They needed him to step up and he didn’t plus he struggled defensively all season.

Kuznetsov has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $7.8 million. El-Bashir wondered if management trusts the 31-year-old center to return to form and play with consistency and urgency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those issues affecting Kuznetsov’s performance this season would also adversely affect his value in the trade market, especially with that hefty cap hit. He also carries a 10-team no-trade clause.

Trading Kuznetsov isn’t impossible but it would be difficult. The Capitals might have to retain some salary to make him enticing in the trade market, especially if the salary cap only rises by $1 million for next season.

WILL THE SABRES UPGRADE THEIR GOALTENDING?

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn listed goaltending as one of the factors that contributed to the Buffalo Sabres’ recent slide in the standings. While the team defense deserves plenty of blame, they also weren’t getting the type of goaltending necessary to stay competitive in some games.

The Sabres knew entering this season that they had to limit the workload of 41-year-old Craig Anderson. As the playoffs came into view, Anderson became their best option to win so they increased his playing time, resulting in his struggling in some recent key games.

Eric Comrie was injured in November and has struggled since his return. Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen has shown a lack of consistency in his first full NHL season. They have promising Devon Levi but they need to start him only when he’s ready to play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fairburn believes the Sabres need to find a more proven short-term starter until Levi is ready to take over. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea to put the full weight of the starter’s job on the youngster’s shoulders next season.

I agree with that assessment. Maybe Levi can rise to the challenge but they must ensure they’ve got a reliable veteran to share the duties and mentor him in the NHL game. As Fairburn noted, starting next season with Comrie and Luukkonen is just asking for a repeat of the same problems.

They could find some decent short-term options via free agency. Jonathan Quick, Semyon Varlamov, Joonas Korpisalo and Frederik Andersen could be available on short-term contracts.

RECENT BLACKHAWKS SPECULATION

CHICAGO DAILY HERALD: John Dietz wondered where Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock will be playing next season. He’s been their best netminder this season going 9-11-1 with a 2.80 goals-against average and .915 save percentage with two shutouts.

Dietz considers it a no-brainer for the Blackhawks to make an offer. However, they’ve already got a glut of goalies for the next two seasons with Petr Mrazek, Arvid Soderblom, Jaxson Stauber and Drew Commesso. He also wondered if teams seeking a goalie might be scared off by Stalock’s injury history.

Ian Mitchell’s future with the Blackhawks could also be something worth watching. He’s gifted offensively but struggles in his own zone. However, he’s just 24 with 77 NHL games under his belt. The Hawks must be careful not to give up on him too soon as they did with Gustav Forsling only to watch him flourish elsewhere.