NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2022

by | Jul 22, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2022

The list of arbitration dates is released, the Penguins re-sign Kasperi Kapanen, the Predators sign Nino Niederreiter and the Sharks name David Quinn as head coach. Get the details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHLPA.COM: The list of salary arbitration hearing dates has been released:

July 27
Isac Lundestrom (Anaheim Ducks)

July 29
Jesse Puljujarvi (Edmonton Oilers)

July 30
Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames)

August 1
Mathieu Joseph (Ottawa Senators)
Steven Lorentz (San Jose Sharks)

August 2
Yakov Trenin (Nashville Predators)

August 3
Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils)

August 5
Andrew Mangiapane (Calgary Flames)

August 6
Miles Wood (New Jersey Devils)

August 7
Kailer Yamamoto (Edmonton Oilers)

August 8
Ethan Bear (Carolina Hurricanes)
Lawson Crouse (Arizona Coyotes)
Zack MacEwen (Philadelphia Flyers)

August 9
Maxime Lajoie (Carolina Hurricanes)

August 10
Keegan Kolesar (Vegas Golden Knights)
Oliver Kylington (Calgary Flames)

August 11
Mason Appleton (Winnipeg Jets)
Morgan Geekie (Seattle Kraken)
Tyce Thompson (New Jersey Devils)
Matthew Tkachuk (Calgary Flames)
Jake Walman (Detroit Red Wings)
Pavel Zacha (Boston Bruins)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk’s hearing being held on the final day of the arbitration schedule provides the Flames with some time to work out a trade for the restricted free agent. He recently informed them that he wasn’t interested in signing a long-term contract, sparking reports claiming a trade was imminent.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Kasperi Kapanen (NHL Images).

Clubs with an interest in Tkachuk will want assurances he’ll sign a long-term deal with them. Depending on when he’s traded, the Aug. 11 arbitration date could give his new team some wiggle room to hash out the details of a new contract with him.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins avoided salary arbitration with Kasperi Kapanen by signing the restricted free agent winger to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.2 million. Kapanen, 26, was slated for an arbitration hearing on July 30.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kapanen’s getting the same AAV as he was on his previous contract. This signing puzzled some Penguins followers given the winger’s disappointing performance last season and the frequency he surfaced in the rumor mill.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed winger Nino Niederreiter to a two-year, $8 million contract. The average annual value is $4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators needed secondary scoring depth. Niederreiter, 29, has tallied 20-plus goals six times in his 11-season NHL career. He took a pay cut to go to Nashville down from $5.25 million per season on his previous deal.

This move should put to rest recent speculation suggesting Predators general manager David Poile would pursue a big-ticket scorer such as Matthew Tkachuk via trade or center Nazem Kadri through free agency. With $4 million in cap space and 21 players under contract for 2022-23, it appears that Poile has made his significant roster additions for this summer.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks have hired David Quinn as their new head coach. Quinn was head coach of the New York Rangers from 2018-19 to 2020-21.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY NOW: J.T. Miller’s agent reveals there haven’t been any contract talks with the Canucks since the 2022 NHL Draft two weeks ago.

Brian Bartlett said previous discussions were amicable but the two sides aren’t particularly close to a deal, nor does he believe a trade is imminent. He said his client likes playing in Vancouver and is open to signing a contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks management could be taking a breather after a busy two weeks involving the draft and free agency. With Miller under contract for the coming season, both sides have plenty of time to continue contract talks.

PHILADELPHIA HOCKEY NOW: Carter Hart’s attorney said his client was not involved in the sex scandal involving players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team. A woman has accused eight players from that team of sexually assaulting her during a Hockey Canada gala and golf tournament in 2018.

TSN: The Winnipeg Jets named Brad Lauer and Marty Johnston as assistant coaches.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 21, 2022

by | Jul 21, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 21, 2022

Matthew Tkachuk expected to be traded after telling the Flames he won’t sign a long-term extension. Check out the latest plus updates on J.T. Miller, Alex Ovechkin, Carey Price and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: The Calgary Flames are expected to trade Matthew Tkachuk “imminently” after he informed management that he doesn’t intend to sign a long-term extension. On Monday, the Flames filed for club-elected salary arbitration to make the 24-year-old winger ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival club.

Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

The move buys the Flames some time to work out either a sign-and-trade deal or trading Tkachuk’s rights to another club. Arbitration hearings begin July 27 and run through Aug. 11 but a date for his hearing has not yet been set.

Tkachuk will become the second major star to leave the Flames this summer. Johnny Gaudreau last week stunned the hockey world by signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As a restricted free agent, Tkachuk lacks no-trade protection. However, The Athletic reported he has provided the Flames with a list of preferred trade destinations with whom he would agree to a long-term extension.

A source told The Athletic those teams included the St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers. However, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reports the “alleged list” is not accurate.

The Calgary Sun’s Wes Gilbertson believes would-be suitors will seek permission from the Flames to speak with Tkachuk’s agent about a new contract before any trade is finalized. I’ll have more on possible trade destinations for Tkachuk in the Rumor Mill.

TSN: The agent for J.T. Miller believes there’s a realistic path toward a contract extension for his client with the Vancouver Canucks. The 29-year-old center earns an average annual value of $5.2 million on his current deal. He’s slated to become a UFA next summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller’s free-agent status in 2023 and the Canucks rebuilding process made him the frequent subject of ongoing trade speculation. I daresay that path is a pay raise worth between $8 million and $9 million per season due to his career-best 99-point performance last season. Whether that’s a path the Canucks wish to go down remains to be seen.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals have no concerns about Alex Ovechkin and Dmitry Orlov being allowed to return from Russia to rejoin the club in the coming season. Russian law dictates men between the ages of 18-27 must serve one year in the military. Ovechkin is 37 and Orlov 31.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those concerns arose due to Philadelphia Flyers prospect Ivan Fedotov being detained and deployed to a Russian naval base while Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov faces allegations of draft dodging. However, other Russian players of military age, such as the New York Islanders’ Alexander Romanov and the Vancouver Canucks’ Ilya Mikheyev, are back in North America to begin training for the upcoming season.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former Canadiens goaltending coach Stephane Waite expects Carey Price will be ready to return to the net for 2022-23. The 34-year-old netminder continues to receive treatment to address complications arising from last summer’s knee surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll believe it when I see Price suited up for the Canadiens’ season-opener on Oct. 12.

SPORTSNET: Hockey Canada said in a statement that its National Equity Fund will “no longer be used to settle sexual assault claims,” effectively immediately. An investigation by The Globe & Mail revealed those funds came from revenue from hockey registration fees.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Well, that’s a relief…yes, I’m being sarcastic. The fact that the people running Hockey Canada thought it was a good idea to settle sexual assault claims by using funds drawn from money that parents paid to put their kids in hockey says all we need to know about their character and competence.

Speaking of Hockey Canada, their executives along with the president of the Canadian Hockey League will be back in Ottawa next week to answer questions from members of parliament over the organization’s handling of a sexual assault allegation involving eight members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team and the out-of-court settlement earlier this year. Public outrage over the investigation and settlement prompted the investigation to be reopened.

TSN: Anaheim Ducks forward Maxime Comtois is the latest member of Canada’s 2018 world junior team to issue a statement denying involvement in that alleged sexual assault of a young woman in 2018.

THE TENNESSEAN: The agent for Nashville Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro said his client was not involved in that incident and knew nothing about it. He added that Fabbro fully complied with the initial investigation and will continue doing so in any forthcoming investigations.

CBC EDMONTON: Oilers owner Daryl Katz has been accused in a civil suit of paying $75,000 to a teenage ballet dancer for her “sexual favors.” The unproven allegations are in response to a sexual abuse lawsuit filed against a dance teacher and his wife.

Katz’s lawyer said his client never engaged in a sexual relationship with the young woman and intends to vigorously defend his reputation against the “baseless and scurrilous” claims in the lawsuit. He said the money Katz arranged to be sent to her was funding for a film project, calling the allegation “a distraction and a shakedown.”

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins defenseman John Gruden has been named as their new assistant coach. He spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 17, 2022

by | Jul 17, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 17, 2022

Did the Flyers attempt to move James van Riemsdyk in a cost-cutting trade? Will the Rangers have sufficient cap space to get into the playoff rental market at the 2023 trade deadline? Could Lars Eller become the odd man out in Washington? Find out in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

WGR 550: cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli discussing the Philadelphia Flyers’ attempt to shed salary last week by shopping James van Riemsdyk. The 33-year-old winger has a year remaining on his contract with an annual cap hit of $7 million.

Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk (NHL Images).

Seravalli believes the Flyers were attempting to make some room to take a run at signing Johnny Gaudreau, who subsequently ended up with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He felt there were five or six teams (including the Buffalo Sabres, Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings) asking for a significant piece to be included with van Riemsdyk, such as a first-round pick. In the end, the Flyers decided against it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was talk leading up to the recent NHL draft that the Flyers were trying to move van Riemsdyk. With almost all the top talent now gone from the free agent market, it seems unlikely they’ll be trying to clear the veteran winger to make room for a significant addition this summer.

Keep an eye on van Riemsdyk during the upcoming season. The Flyers could attempt to move him at the trade deadline if they’re out of the playoff chase by then.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the next challenge for Rangers general manager Chris Drury is ensuring he accrues sufficient cap space over the course of 2022-23 to get into the playoff rental market at the 2023 trade deadline.

Anticipating the Rangers’ cap space at just over $2 million when the season opens, Brooks projected they would have around $9 million in accrued cap room at the trade deadline in February. If managed properly, he thinks Drury would have enough for a big-ticket rental such as Chicago Blackhawks’ winger Patrick Kane or Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s still a long way between now and the 2023 trade deadline. Something could come up to bite more deeply into the Rangers’ accrued cap space. It will be a challenge for Drury, and every general manager on a potential playoff contender in 2023, to ensure they’ve got enough room to make additions to their rosters by the deadline in the hope of staging a deep playoff run.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Sammi Silber reported the Capitals’ addition of Dylan Strome could create a potential logjam at center, particularly if Nicklas Backstrom returns from hip surgery at some point in the coming season.

With the club also looking at giving promising Connor McMichael a larger role, Silber speculated it could make Lars Eller the odd man out. They could try to shift him to left wing but that could also cause congestion there with Alex Ovechkin, Anthony Mantha and Marcus Johansson filling three of those spots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eller, 33, is due to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He carries an affordable $3.5 million cap hit and lacks no-trade protection.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 16, 2022

by | Jul 16, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – July 16, 2022

Speculation over whether Auston Matthews will “pull a Gaudreau”, suggested destinations for free agent Nazem Kadri, and the latest on the Islanders in today’s NHL rumor mill.

COULD MATTHEWS “PULL A GAUDREAU” AND LEAVE THE LEAFS?

TORONTO SUN: Michael Traikos recently wondered if Auston Matthews might follow Johnny Gaudreau’s example and sign as a free agent with a club close to his hometown. The 24-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs center was raised in Arizona and makes his off-season home in Scottsdale.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Matthews is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. If the Arizona Coyotes can’t afford him if he tests the market, nearby teams like the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks or Vegas Golden Knights could pursue him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s a good chance Matthews will stick with the deep-pocketed Leafs, especially if they can finally get over the playoff hump over the next couple of seasons. However, Gaudreau’s situation serves as a reminder that even superstars on good teams can take the opportunity presented by free agency to move closer to their offseason homes. That was a key factor in John Tavares’ decision four years ago to leave the New York Islanders for the Maple Leafs.

Could Matthews bolt for one of those clubs mentioned by Traikos in two years’ time? Yes, he could. Will he? That’s something only Matthews knows and he’s not telling. However, if he doesn’t sign a contract extension with the Leafs next summer, questions about his future in Toronto will dominate the rumor mill throughout 2023-24.

WHERE WILL KADRI GO?

THE ATHLETIC: The Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders and Calgary Flames are among Peter Baugh’s suggested destinations for Nazem Kadri. The 31-year-old center is currently the biggest name available in this summer’s free-agent market as speculation abounds over where he’ll eventually sign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Avalanche has just $3.9 million in cap space for this season. They’ll have to shed salary if they hope to bring Kadri back.

The Islanders have the cap space but they need a scoring winger, not a center. They could shift Mathew Barzal or Brock Nelson to the wing but I think their preference is for a natural winger. They must also ensure they have sufficient cap room to re-sign restricted free agents Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov.

Kadri rejected a trade to the Flames three years ago. Perhaps he’d be willing to join them if they pony up a big offer. They’ve got over $18 million in cap space and while a big chunk of that will go to Matthew Tkachuk, they should have enough for Kadri. However, that could complicate efforts to re-sign RFAs Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Oliver Kylington.

Baugh also listed the Nashville Predators and Seattle Kraken as destinations for Kadri.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless the Predators can trade a high-priced center such as Ryan Johansen or Matt Duchene, or they shift the latter to the wing, Kadri isn’t a fit in Nashville. Besides, they already have three high-salaried forwards in Johansen, Duchene and Filip Forsberg. I doubt GM David Poile wants to add a fourth.

The Kraken have room on the roster and in their cap payroll. However, Kadri might prefer joining a playoff contender instead of an NHL club in just its second season of existence.

LATEST ON THE ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears wondered what the New York Islanders will do after losing out in the Johnny Gaudreau free-agent sweepstakes. He noted that Nazem Kadri was still available but believes he’ll be out of their price range.

General manager Lou Lamoriello could go the trade route to address his club’s need for a scoring forward. St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko could be available but he’s a UFA next summer and has full no-trade protection this season.

Lamoriello could inquire about Patrik Laine if the Columbus Blue Jackets have difficulty re-signing the RFA winger after adding Gaudreau. He could also revisit his interest in Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello is getting slammed by Islanders fans and the local media for missing out on Gaudreau as they question whether he’ll be able to address his roster’s biggest need this summer. The Isles GM never tips his hand and never speaks to the media about his intentions, which is stoking the impression that he’s doing very little.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Lamoriello is quietly going about his business searching for a scorer. Nevertheless, he could find it increasingly challenging this summer to bolster his offense. Suitable options via free agency are few and far between and the trade market could be cooling off after a couple of weeks of heated activity.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 14, 2022

by | Jul 14, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – July 14, 2022

Will the Flames search for a replacement for Johnny Gaudreau? Are the Sharks done dealing? What’s the latest on Patrik Laine, Jeff Petry and Jakob Chychrun? What’s next for the Jets, Islanders, Penguins and Leafs? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

WILL THE FLAMES FIND A REPLACEMENT FOR GAUDREAU?

CALGARY SUN: In the aftermath of Johnny Gaudreau departing the Flames to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Wes Gilbertson speculated they could be in the bidding for center Nazem Kadri.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve Macfarlane also included Kadri on his list of possible “Plan B” options for the Flames. Others include Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane, Dylan Strome and Nino Niederreiter.

Could the Calgary Flames pursue Nazem Kadri via free agency? (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As per Cap Friendly, the Flames have $19.7 million in cap space. It will probably cost them $10 million annually to re-sign Matthew Tkachuk. However, with Sean Monahan (hip surgery, $6.25 million cap hit) likely to go on long-term injury reserve in 2022-23, they should still have room to find a replacement for Gaudreau.

I don’t see Kane waiving his no-movement clause to go to Calgary. Kadri would be their best bet via free agency but he rejected a trade that would’ve sent him from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Flames three years ago. Strome or Niederreiter would be affordable options but won’t replace the offense Gaudreau brought to the club.

POTENTIAL SHARKS TRADE CANDIDATES

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng wondered which Sharks players will be trade candidates after the club shipped defenseman Brent Burns to the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. “Need a ride to the airport, Erik Karlsson, Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, or Timo Meier?”

Peng considers Karlsson almost untradeable given his expensive contract. He suggested Couture could draw a taker now if the Sharks retained part of his $8 million average annual value.

Hertl recently re-signed a long-term contract with the Sharks but Peng wonders if he’s having second thoughts following the Burns trade. Meier is slated to become a restricted free agent next summer so his future is wide open.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mike Grier is wasting no time charting a different course for the Sharks since taking over as general manager. I don’t see him peddling Karlsson, Couture or Hertl unless they ask to be moved.

Meier, however, could get shopped this summer if he appears reluctant to sign a long-term extension. He’ll draw plenty of attention if Grier starts gauging his value in the trade market.

LATEST ON LAINE, PETRY AND CHYCHRUN

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger reports Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen continues working on re-signing left winger Patrik Laine. Having signed winger Johnny Gaudreau on Wednesday, Kekalainen will have to shed salary to make room for Laine’s presumed $8 million-$9 million annual cap hit on his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gaudreau and Laine on the same line could give the Blue Jackets a potent scoring punch. With just $3.1 million in cap space, they must dump a contract or two in the trade market to keep Laine in the fold. If not, he could become a trade candidate.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports the Canadiens haven’t found a trade partner to take Jeff Petry and his $6.25 million AAV off their hands. GM Kent Hughes said he won’t move the 34-year-old defenseman unless he finds a deal that advances the Canadiens’ interest. The Habs are pressed against the $82.5 million cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited reports indicating the Canadiens had discussed Petry with the Dallas Stars. However, a deal has yet to materialize and remains unlikely as long as the Habs are reluctant to retain a portion of Petry’s annual cap hit. Murphy speculated the Seattle Kraken could jump into the bidding as they still have sufficient cap space ($15 million) to acquire him.

GOPHNX.COM: Prior to the start of the free-agent market, Craig Morgan reported he didn’t put much stock into recent buzz linking Jakob Chychrun to the Ottawa Senators. He anticipates the 24-year-old defenseman will start the season with the Arizona Coyotes and could be shopped leading up to the 2023 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators are done making additions this summer as they still have an eye on adding to the top end of their defense chart. However, Chychrun might not be in their sights given the Coyotes’ high asking price.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE JETS, ISLANDERS, PENGUINS AND LEAFS?

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates reports Pierre-Luc Dubois’ agent Pat Brisson told TVA Sports on Wednesday that Montreal is a place his client would like to play but added the interest in the Canadiens was theoretical.

The Winnipeg Jets center is a restricted free agent who has indicated his desire to test the 2024 UFA market. Ates said he was told the Canadiens had reached out to the Jets about Dubois but their trade proposals were inadequate.

Ates also reports Jets captain Blake Wheeler remains a trade candidate and there’s interest in defenseman Brenden Dillon. However, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff maintains he likes his current roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff could move Dubois, Wheeler or Dillon if a rival club makes an irresistible offer. However, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards for now. It appears the Jets GM wants to gauge how his club performs in 2022-23 under new head coach Rick Bowness.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz wondered what the New York Islanders’ “Plan B” is to address their need for a scoring winger after missing out on the Johnny Gaudreau sweepstakes. Trade options could include St. Louis’ Vladimir Tarasenko or Vancouver’s J.T. Miller while Nazem Kadri remains available (for now) in the free-agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles reportedly discussed Miller with the Canucks at the draft last week. Maybe GM Lou Lamoriello will revisit that option.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski wondered if Penguins GM Ron Hextall could use the trade market to free up his blueline logjam. He’s got nine defensemen under contract for 2022-23 and needs to free up some cap space as well as pursue a forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins blueliners John Marino, Marcus Pettersson and Brian Dumoulin have surfaced in the rumor mill in recent weeks. As Kingerski pointed out, however, their contracts might not be easy to move.

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan reports Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas will turn to the trade market to add depth to their defense corps and forward lines. Alex Kerfoot and Justin Holl could be trade candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas remains handcuffed by his limited salary-cap space. I don’t expect he’ll get much of a return for Kerfoot or Holl but maybe a deal will appear following the frenzy of signings from the opening day of free agency.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2022

by | Jul 11, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2022

John Gibson isn’t interested in a trade to Toronto, the Avalanche re-sign Alexandar Georgiev, the Blackhawks won’t qualify Dylan Strome’s rights, and much more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: cites Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reporting agent Kurt Overhardt claims client John Gibson has no interest in playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His comments come amid speculation the 28-year-old goaltender could be a Leafs trade target. “He’s absolutely committed to the Anaheim Ducks,” said Overhardt.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Last month, Gibson denied speculation he wanted out of Anaheim as Ducks management focuses on rebuilding the roster. Some will take Overhardt’s comments as meaning his client isn’t interested in playing for Toronto but could accept a trade to an American-based team. Nevertheless, it’s apparent the Leafs will have to look elsewhere for a goaltender. I’ll have more about that in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE DENVER POST: Less than a week after acquiring Alexandar Georgiev from the New York Rangers, the Colorado Avalanche signed the 26-year-old goaltender to a three-year, $10.2 million contract. He was slated to become a restricted free agent on July 13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The annual average value is an affordable $3.4 million. Georgiev now has an opportunity to finally establish himself as a starting goaltender and to do so with a Stanley Cup champion.

THE ATHLETIC: The Chicago Blackhawks won’t be qualifying the rights of RFA Dylan Strome before today’s 5 pm ET deadline. The 25-year-old center will become an unrestricted free agent on July 13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s not sitting well with Blackhawks fans who felt Strome earned at least a qualifying offer. Some wonder why they’re just letting him go rather than trying to shop him for some sort of return. He’s been a fixture in the trade rumor mill for the past two seasons. Strome has had his ups-and-downs with the Blackhawks but he could be an affordable second-line center option on a more stable roster.

YARDBARKER: Strome isn’t the only Blackhawk not getting a qualifying offer. Winger Dominik Kubalik will also be heading to market on Wednesday. The 26-year-old led all rookies in 2019-20 with 30 goals in 68 games but his production dropped to 17 goals in 56 games in 2020-21 and 15 goals in 78 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kubalik will likely get less on the open market than the $4 million it would’ve cost the Blackhawks to qualify his rights. Still, he could be an affordable option for teams on a budget that are seeking scoring depth.

THE SCORE: Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright denies he glared from the draft stage at the Montreal Canadiens table for not selecting him with the first overall pick. “I was just looking at the cameras in front of me,” said Wright. “To be honest, I don’t really remember too much of going up on stage. It was just kind of a whirlwind for me.”

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin strongly denied there were any trade talks regarding a possible trade of J.T. Miller to the New York Islanders leading up to the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft. When asked, Isles GM Lou Lamoriello simply shrugged and said, “Talk to Vancouver”.

Nevertheless, Stefen Rosner reports a league source claims Allvin asked for an additional piece in the Islanders’ rumored package offer for Miller. Lamoriello was said to be unwilling to do that and nixed the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The speculation suggests the Isles were in the market for a scorer at the draft. Whether Lamoriello continues his rumored attempt to land Miller or looks elsewhere via trade or free agency remains to be seen.

Speaking of the Islanders, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz tweeted it’s his understanding winger Josh Bailey isn’t being shopped, nor is he believed to be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bailey was rumored to be a cost-cutting trade candidate in Lamoriello’s search for a scorer. Cap Friendly shows the 32-year-old winger is signed through 2023-24 with an annual cap hit of $5 million and lacking no-trade protection.

DAILY FACEOFF: Qualifying offers for restricted free agents are due at 5 pm ET Monday (July 11). RFAs are eligible to begin receiving offer sheets on July 12. By midnight on Tuesday, pending UFAs won’t be eligible to receive eight-year contract offers from their current clubs. The free-agent market opens Wednesday at noon ET.

BROAD STREET HOCKEY: Philadelphia Flyers winger Bobby Brink is dealing with a hip injury suffered during offseason training and will miss the club’s ongoing development camp.

TSN: The Buffalo Sabres re-signed defenseman Jacob Bryson to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $1.85 million.

Former NHL center Rod Zaine passed away from undisclosed causes on July 7. He was 76. Zaine made his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1970-71 and played for the Buffalo Sabres in 1971-72. He spent the final three seasons of his professional career in the World Hockey Association.

SPECTOR’ S NOTE: My condolences to Zaine’s family, friends and former teammates.