Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 8, 2025

by | Jun 8, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 8, 2025

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: the latest Bruins’ speculation, updates on Jason Robertson and Nikolaj Ehlers, and some potential free agent targets for the Rangers.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BRUINS AFTER HIRING A NEW HEAD COACH?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney got the coach he wanted when he hired Marco Sturm last week as his new bench boss. Now, Sweeney must find suitable players to plug holes in his roster and fit within Sturm’s system.

Shinzawa doesn’t see Sweeney pursuing an expensive free agent like Mitch Marner. Instead, he expects the Bruins GM to fill those holes with second and third-line reinforcements.

NESN: Jay Pritchard believes Marco Rossi could make sense as a Bruins trade target. The 23-year-old Minnesota Wild center is a restricted free agent without arbitration rights this summer. His future with the Wild is murky amid a contract stalemate.

Pritchard believes Rossi isn’t yet a top-line center, but he’s coming off a 60-point season and would bring youth, skill and upside to the Bruins’ roster.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pritchard noted that Rossi is seeking a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7 million. The Bruins have over $26 million in cap space and could afford that salary, but it would take up a significant chunk of their cap payroll when they have 14 active roster players under contract. Rossi’s asking price could be too expensive for Sweeney if he’s seeking the type of replacements mentioned by Shinzawa.

THE STARS AREN’T SHOPPING JASON ROBERTSON

TSN: cited a report by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, citing league executives claiming the Dallas Stars haven’t shown any interest in trading Jason Robertson. He added that there haven’t been any trade talks involving the 25-year-old winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars headed into the offseason with less than $5 million in cap space, needing to re-sign or replace pending UFAs like Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund. Some pundits suggested Robertson as a cost-cutting trade candidate.

The Stars may have other salary-reducing options in mind. They could peddle or buy out a defenseman like Matt Dumba ($3.75 million cap hit for 2025-26) or Ilya Lyubushkin ($3.25 million AAV through 2026-27).

THE LATEST ON NIKOLAJ EHLERS

THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman and Murat Ates expect Nikolaj Ehlers will get a nice raise in the offseason with the Winnipeg Jets or another club via free agency. They cite Evolving Hockey projecting a seven-year deal worth $8.9 million annually on the open market, while their colleague Dom Luszczyszyn projected an AAV of $8.1 million.

The Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Los Angeles Kings are among 11 clubs they believe could target Ehlers if he goes to market on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of those clubs, the Hurricanes are in the best salary-cap position to sign Ehlers. They have over $28 million in cap space, and GM Eric Tulsky said in March he’d have around $20 million in cap space if he re-signed all his free agents.

The Jets can also afford to pay Ehlers a big raise, sitting with over $26 million in cap room. Whether they want to or intend to sign a replacement remains to be seen. The Leafs ($25.7 million) and Kings ($21.7 million) also have sufficient room.

UPDATE ON THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker recently looked at six pending UFAs who could be on the Rangers’ offseason radar.

Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund topped her list, followed by New Jersey Devils defenseman Brian Dumoulin, Chicago Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato, Colorado Avalanche winger Jonathan Drouin, Edmonton Oilers center Trent Frederic, and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gavrikov would be the best of the bunch. The 29-year-old left-shot defenseman was the Kings’ best blueliner last season. He’s completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $5.875 million.

Unsurprisingly, the Kings hope to retain him, and he wants to stay in Los Angeles. The Rangers would have to free up cap space for the $7 million AAV he’d seek on the open market.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 29, 2025

by | May 29, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 29, 2025

Mitch Marner to the Golden Knights? Jonathan Marchessault to the Canadiens or Golden Knights? Rangers shopping K’Andre Miller? Find the answers to these questions, plus the latest on Marco Rossi and Brock Nelson, in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TORONTO STAR: Gord Stellick believes the Vegas Golden Knights will aggressively pursue Mitch Marner if the Maple Leafs’ winger becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Stellick believes the Golden Knights weren’t pleased with their second-round elimination by the Edmonton Oilers. They could shed some of their aging players and add some younger talent. They have a history of acquiring big-name talent via trades and free agency.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have a projected salary-cap space of $9.6 million with 18 active roster players under contract next season. It could cost an average annual value between $13 million and $14 million to sign Marner. They’ll have to make a couple of significant cost-cutting trades to free up enough cap room for Marner and to fill out the rest of the roster.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Hannah Kirkell cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli saying Jonathan Marchessault is open to a trade. The 34-year-old former Golden Knights winger signed a five-year contract ($5 million AAV) last summer with the Nashville Predators, but his production slipped as the Predators finished 28th overall this season.

Kirkell didn’t rule out a reunion, but she noted that Marchessault’s contract was a point of contention before he left Vegas. The Predators could retain part of his cap hit, but the rebuilding club wants to get younger and the Golden Knights lack suitable trade assets to help them.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited Seravalli claiming the Quebec-born Marchessault might welcome a trade to the Canadiens. The Habs were among the finalists to sign Marchessault last season, but they offered a three-year deal while the Predators offered five.

Dumont doubts the Canadiens will be willing to acquire the remaining four years of the aging Marchessault’s contract. They’re seeking elite talent with size, which Marchessault cannot help them with this year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchessault’s age, the remaining years on his contract, and his 15-team no-trade list are stumbling blocks in the path to a trade. The Predators could retain up to half of his salary and perhaps include a draft pick to sweeten the deal if they just want to get most of his cap hit off their books.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the New York Rangers are testing the trade market on K’Andre Miller. The 25-year-old defenseman becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

Friedman said it’s no guarantee that Miller will be traded, but the Rangers want to see what his value will be. Mastey observed that this comes after a season in which the blueliner’s performance declined, sparking doubts about his ultimate potential.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s no surprise that the Rangers are looking into Miller’s trade value. They were among the busiest teams in this season’s trade market as general manager Chris Drury attempts to retool the roster on the fly. This news confirms that Drury will continue to tinker during the offseason.

Miller could become an offer-sheet target. However, the drop in his play this season makes that an unlikely possibility. Rangers forward Will Cuylle is the more likely target, partly because of the Blueshirts’ limited cap space.

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited an NHL executive speculating that Marco Rossi might not be back with the Minnesota Wild next season. The 23-year-old center is due to become an RFA without arbitration rights on July 1.

Rossi has been the topic of trade speculation throughout this season. Murphy cited sources claiming the Philadelphia Flyers, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Seattle Kraken have expressed interest in the young center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murphy suggests Rossi could be shopped heading into the 2025 NHL Draft weekend (June 27-28). One of his sources believes the Wild won’t want this situation to carry over into the free-agency period (beginning July 1) when they can’t dictate terms as much.

Meanwhile, Marco D’Amico cited a source claiming the New York Islanders had a deal in place that would’ve sent Brock Nelson to the Winnipeg Jets before the March trade deadline. However, the 33-year-old center declined to waive his no-trade clause.

It’s believed one of the Jets’ top prospects (Brad Lambert, Colby Barlow, or Brayden Yager) would’ve been part of the deal, along with draft picks.

The Islanders instead shipped Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2025

by | May 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2025

The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year, Oilers winger Zach Hyman’s postseason is over, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: For the third straight year, the Florida Panthers are going to the Stanley Cup Final, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Final.

Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (NHL Images).

Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe snapped a 3-3 tie at 12:21 of the third period and Sam Bennett scored the insurance goal into an empty net to clinch the victory. Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist, while Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart each collected two assists.

Sebastian Aho tallied twice and Seth Jarvis had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes, who the Panthers have eliminated from two of the last three Eastern Conference Finals.

Reinhart returned to action after being sidelined since Game 2. His teammates Niko Mikkola and AJ Greer also rejoined the lineup after suffering undisclosed injuries in Game 3. Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury, but he is expected to be fine for the upcoming Stanley Cup Final. 

Hurricanes defensemen Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker missed this game. Chatfield’s been sidelined since Game 4 of their second-round series with Washington, while Walker’s been out since Game 2 of this series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Florida quickly rallied in the second to go up 3-2. Jarvis tied it for the Hurricanes in the third before Rodrigues and Bennett put it away for the Panthers.

The Hurricanes are a talented team, but they can’t match the Panthers’ roster depth and grit. They’re also lacking a game-breaking talent like Barkov and a reliable starting goalie like Sergei Bobrovsky, who doesn’t get rattled when opponents get physical around his net.

The Panthers’ victory prompted some observers to take to social media, calling for the league to address the so-called advantage that teams in tax-free states supposedly enjoy. The Panthers had two advantages this season, but they had nothing to do with being in a tax-free state.

One is the shrewd management of GM Bill Zito. Since being hired by the Panthers in 2020, he turned a perennial laughingstock into a three-time Stanley Cup Finalist, with the potential to win the Cup for the second straight year.

The other was Tkachuk going on long-term injury reserve over the final two months of the regular season, enabling the Panthers to use the cap flexibility to acquire impact players like winger Brad Marchand and defenseman Seth Jones.

The Panthers cannot be faulted for doing as other clubs have done in the past, but LTIR is an issue being discussed in the current CBA negotiations.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Zach Hyman will undergo potentially playoff-ending surgery to repair an undisclosed upper-body injury (believed to be his right shoulder). He’s expected to be sidelined for the rest of the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman is fifth among the Oilers’ scorers this postseason with 11 goals in 15 games. His absence is a big blow to their scoring punch and will test their forward depth for the remainder of their playoff run.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars need more of an edge to their game if they hope to stave off elimination against Edmonton when the two clubs face off for Game 5 on Thursday in Dallas (8 pm ET). They’ve struggled to match the Oilers’ aggressive physical style.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets captain Adam Lowry will miss five to six months after undergoing hip surgery on Tuesday. The timeline suggests the earliest he’ll return is late-October, meaning he’ll miss training camp and the opening weeks of the 2025-26 regular season.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning assistant general manager Stacy Roest has parted ways with the club. He was the head of player development and general manager of their AHL affiliate in Syracuse since 2013.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second significant front-office departure for the Lightning. Earlier this week, former assistant general manager Mathieu Darche was named GM of the New York Islanders.

TSN: The Seattle Kraken signed forward John Hayden to a two-year, one-way contract extension.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 26, 2025

by | May 26, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 26, 2025

Check out the latest on the Jets, Canucks, and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE JETS’ NOTABLE FREE AGENTS

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates recently looked at which Winnipeg Jets players could stay or go during the offseason.

He reported that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff met with Nikolaj Ehlers’ agent for two hours last Monday. The 29-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

Ates considered that meeting a positive sign, as Cheveldayoff said that Ehlers was the type of player who could be a Jet for life. However, he also believes the Jets are preparing for a future without the veteran winger.

The Jets have an internal budget for Ehlers, knowing they must also re-sign restricted free agents Dylan Samberg and Gabriel Vilardi. They must also ensure they have sufficient long-term cap space to sign winger Kyle Connor to an extension this summer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau noted that Ehlers is coming off a solid performance this season, matching a career high for assists (39) and coming within a point of his career high of 64 points (2016-17) in 69 games. He’s completing a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million.

Proteau doesn’t believe the Jets can afford to get into a bidding war to retain Ehlers, citing his injury history and sub-par postseason stats. He think they’d be better off pursuing Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser, who is a six-time scorer of 23-plus goals and put up solid playoff numbers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers’ teammates sang his praises during the club’s end-of-season media availability last week. Cheveldayoff managed to keep Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele in the fold, but they were far more important to the Jets’ success than Ehlers. He also got those two under contract well before their UFA eligibility.

Ensuring sufficient cap room to re-sign Connor is the priority. Cheveldayoff will let Ehlers walk if the winger’s asking price threatens to exceed that internal budget.

UPDATE ON THE CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma recently observed that the Vancouver Canucks will find it tougher to lure UFA talent compared to last year, when they were coming off one of the best season’s in franchise history.

Kuzma noted the Canucks’ primary offseason needs are a second-line center and a top-six winger. However, their struggles this season, including the recent departure of head coach Rick Tocchet and internal drama between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller that led to the latter’s trade to New York, could make them a less-desirable free-agent destination.

It could also make it difficult for the Canucks to find help in the trade market in an era of no-trade lists and no-movement clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ difficulties this season will affect management’s efforts to bolster their roster this summer. Nevertheless, they could have a better chance of doing so in the trade market, where there are players who lack no-trade protection. It depends on what they’re willing to offer up as trade bait.

WILL THE ISLANDERS RE-SIGN KYLE PALMIERI?

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias believes a big decision facing new Islanders GM Mathieu Darche is whether to sign Kyle Palmieri to an extension.

The 34-year-old winger is UFA-eligible on July 1. Former GM Lou Lamoriello had opened contract extension talks with Palmieri’s representatives, but those discussions were put on hold after Lamoriello was relieved of his duties last month.

Macias believes Darche should retain Palmieri unless his asking price is absurd. He thinks the veteran winger could take a pay cut to stay with the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see what changes Darche has in store for the Islanders this offseason, and whether they involve Palmieri. If he keeps the winger, it’ll likely be on a two-year deal for between $3.5 million and $4 million annually.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 21, 2025

by | May 21, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 21, 2025

Check out the latest on Mitch Marner and Nikolaj Ehlers, plus a look at the Golden Knights’ possible offseason plans in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST MARNER SPECULATION

TSN: Pierre LeBrun noted the contrast between Toronto Maple Leafs forwards John Tavares and Mitch Marner when discussing their futures during Tuesday’s media availability.

Tavares was optimistic about returning with the Leafs next season. However, Marner spoke in the past tense about loving being a Leaf, and his intention to take time with his family to discuss his future.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Chris Johnston believes Marner intends to test the free-agent market on July 1. He noted that the 28-year-old winger didn’t want to discuss a contract during this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner’s situation has reached the point of no return. He’s a goner to the highest bidder on July 1.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons also believes it’s time for the Leafs and Marner to part ways. He believes the winger’s rights can be traded for next to nothing before July 1 or he leaves in free agency.

Simmons noted the Leafs will have around $22 million in cap space to work with if they don’t re-sign Marner and Tavares. He suggested using that money to get into the bidding for forward Sam Bennett if he doesn’t re-sign with the Florida Panthers before July 1. Simmons also noted that Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad could also be available.

Other free-agent options could include Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks, Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings and the Panthers’ Brad Marchand.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli doesn’t rule out the possibility of the Leafs finding a trade destination for Marner where he wants to pre-negotiate before July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs won’t get a big return for Marner if they trade his rights before July 1. The Carolina Hurricanes got a 2025 third-round pick for Jake Guentzel when they traded his rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning last June.

WILL NIKOLAJ EHLERS STAY WITH THE JETS OR TEST THE MARKET?

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates looked at what the Winnipeg Jets must address during the offseason.

Sorting out their contract signings is a priority, with Nikolaj Ehlers being the biggest question mark. The 28-year-old winger is UFA-eligible on July 1 and might be inclined to test the market after 10 years in Winnipeg. He wasn’t available at the Jets’ media availability on Tuesday as he departed for the World Championships to play for his native Denmark.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers’ teammates praised him during the media availability, expressing their hope that he’ll re-sign with the Jets. If he hits the open market, he won’t lack for suitors. The Province’s Ben Kuzma believes the Vancouver Canucks will be among the bidders.

UPDATE ON THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Hannah Kirkell doesn’t expect Golden Knights management to blow up the roster after their elimination from the second round of the 2025 playoffs.

She acknowledged the Golden Knights’ inability to score against the Edmonton Oilers led to their elimination. Their shallow prospect pool means they don’t have many tradeable assets, meaning they’ll have to turn to free agency to bolster their offense.

The Golden Knights will have over $9.6 million in cap space next season. That’s not enough to add someone like Mitch Marner via free agency. Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers could be just out of their price range, and there will be plenty of suitors for Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.

General manager Kelly McCrimmon will have to get creative. Jack Eichel is the only untouchable on the Golden Knights’ roster. Five of their nine forwards and three of their five defensemen signed through next season have some form of no-trade protection.

Kirkell suggested winger Ivan Barbashev as a trade candidate because he only has an eight-team no-trade list. Their depth at center could allow them to dangle Nicolas Roy as trade bait for a scoring winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McCrimmon and the Golden Knights’ front office have a reputation for making surprising moves to improve their roster. It won’t be shocking if they swing a major deal this summer to improve their offense.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2025

by | May 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2025

The Panthers defeat the Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, the highlights of the Leafs and Jets end-of-season interviews, an update on the CBA talks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PANTHERS TAKE GAME 1 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves to backstop his club to a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist while Aaron Ekblad tallied the winning goal in the first period. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho cut the lead to 2-1, but the Panthers put the game out of reach on goals by A.J. Greer, Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Game 2 is in Raleigh on Thursday, May 22, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers only had a one-day break from eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday before facing the Hurricanes. Nevertheless, they opened the scoring, never relinquished the lead thanks partly to Bobrovsky’s solid goaltending, and made the most of their opportunities while adjusting to their new opponent.

The Hurricanes tried to get under Bobrovsky’s skin with frequent contact, but he shook it off and remained focused. Carolina captain Jordan Staal summed up the game by saying the Panthers capitalized on their scoring chances and the Hurricanes didn’t.

Florida’s Brad Marchand was tossed from the game in the third period for tussling with Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere after the latter appeared to shoot the puck intentionally at Marchand. The Panthers winger got a four-minute roughing minor and a 10-minute misconduct, while Gostisbehere received a minor for roughing.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Final between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers is on Wednesday, May 21, in Dallas at 8 pm ET.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Auston Matthews declined to disclose the specifics of an injury that plagued him throughout this season during the Toronto Maple Leafs’ end-of-season media availability. Matthews said he suffered the injury during training camp and wouldn’t require surgery, saying he believes he’ll be fully healthy next season.

Mitch Marner’s return to the Leafs remains in doubt. The 28-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He said he’ll talk with his wife in the coming weeks about his next steps. Marner tried to put an optimistic spin on what playing in Toronto meant to him, but his voice seemed to be a mix of resignation and disappointment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have the latest Marner speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

John Tavares is also UFA-eligible on July 1. However, the 34-year-old center remains “very optimistic” that he’ll be back next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs head coach Craig Berube said he’d love to have Tavares and Marner return next season. He’ll likely get his wish with Tavares but not with Marner.

Max Pacioretty had a solid postseason with the Leafs, but seems to be considering retirement. Injuries have limited the 36-year-old winger to 37 regular-season and 11 postseason games with the Leafs.

Matthew Knies is slated to become a restricted free agent without arbitration rights on July 1. The 22-year-old winger could receive an offer sheet from a rival club, but he shot down that notion. “I want to be here, I want to play here, that’s all that really matters to me.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There has been recent speculation over which RFA players could get offer sheets this summer. That’s because of the rising salary cap and last summer’s successful signings of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg by the St. Louis Blues.

However, the player has to be receptive to signing an offer sheet. Knies doesn’t sound like he’s open to the idea.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz said he suffered a concussion in Game 1 of the second-round series against the Panthers. He missed Games 2 through 6, returning as a backup for Game 7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stolarz said he suffered the injury after being struck in the head by the forearm of Panthers center Sam Bennett. He didn’t believe there was any ill intent on Bennett’s part.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck believes the adjustments he made to his game may have resulted in a drop in his performance during the postseason.

Hellebuyck made the comments during his club’s end-of-season media availability. He struggled at times, getting pulled three times during their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. Hellebucyk admitted he overthought the game at times.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey suffered a strained knee ligament in Game 6 of their second-round series with the Dallas Stars. He admitted he would’ve been out for the rest of the playoffs had the Jets forced a Game 7. Morrissey indicated that he wouldn’t require surgery.

Jets blueliner Luke Schenn said he suffered a couple of cracked ribs during the second game of their first-round series with the Blues.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league and the NHL Players Association have made good progress in their current collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

According to Daly, the talks began last month and are well underway. He remains optimistic of a successful conclusion well before the September 2026 expiration of the current agreement.

Daly confirmed that future rules regarding the usage of long-term injury reserve have been a central part of the discussions, adding that there has been good progress in those talks. He also insisted the league isn’t looking to expand and hasn’t been soliciting bids, though there have been some conversations with various potential owners.

The deputy commissioner also indicated that there have been no discussions regarding a change to the playoff format.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what changes emerge in the next CBA, but it’s good news for fans (and those of us who cover the league) that a new agreement could be in place soon. We’ve enjoyed over 12 years of labor peace. Nobody wants another lockout.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed general manager Don Sweeney to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t surprising given the Bruins’ overall record under Sweeney. Nevertheless, the reaction seems mixed among the club’s followers, some of whom believe it’s time for a change in the front office.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat suffered a lower-body injury playing for Canada in the World Championships. He’s left the team early and returned to Long Island to meet with the Isles’ team doctors.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Nick Jensen underwent surgery on Monday for a lower-body ailment. There is no timeline for his recovery.