NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2025

by | Jan 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s action, outdoor games coming in Florida, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois scored twice to lift the Washington Capitals to a 2-1 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks. Logan Thompson made 30 saves as the Capitals (58 points) extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2), opening a two-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Eastern Conference. Conor Garland replied for the Canucks, who’ve dropped eight of their last 10 contests (2-3-5) and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 46 points.

Washington Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks got some good news on Wednesday as Filip Hronek is headed to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford on a two-week conditioning stint. He’s been sidelined by injuries since late November.

The Chicago Blackhawks got a two-point performance by Connor Bedard in a 3-1 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Bedard extended his points streak to a career-high eight games while Petr Mrazek kicked out 35 shots for the win. Juuso Parssinen scored for the Avalanche, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 51 points.

Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist tallied twice and Sam Reinhart netted his 23rd goal to defeat the Utah Hockey Club 4-1. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for the Panthers as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 52 points. Utah HC has one win in their last eight games (1-5-2).

The Calgary Flames-Los Angeles Kings game was postponed because of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league announced two outdoor games will be held in Florida next season. The Panthers will host the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami on Jan. 2, 2026, against the New York Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium in the 2026 Stadium Series on Feb. 1, 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kudos to the league for coming up with a different host for the Winter Classic, though the Bruins would be a better opponent for the Panthers considering the recent rivalry between the two clubs.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan is expected to miss some time with a wrist injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Monahan is among the Jackets’ leading scorers with 41 points in as many games. He was on pace to match his career-high 82-point performance with the Calgary Flames in 2018-19.

CBS SPORTS: The Detroit Red Wings placed defenseman Jeff Petry (undisclosed) on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 2.

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks forward Fabian Zetterlund is day-to-day with a lower-body ailment. He’s fourth among Sharks scorers with 27 points in 43 games.

TSN: The Seattle Kraken placed winger Daniel Sprong on waivers. He was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 8 in exchange for future considerations.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild recalled defenseman David Jiricek.

RG.ORG: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov hopes to sign a long-term contract extension. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and has been logging top-pairing minutes with the Kings.

Gavrikov said there have been no extension talks with the Kings as both sides agree it’s too early for such discussions. He’s not worried about the March 7 trade deadline as he carries a full no-trade clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings won’t be moving Gavrikov given their position in the middle of the Western Conference playoff chase and his value to their defense corps. How things pan out over the rest of the season could determine his future with the Kings.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: looks at what an NHL player pays in taxes depending on their team.

THE ATHLETIC: The Winnipeg Jets have seen a 12 percent increase in attendance this season following several seasons of decline following the pandemic. On Jan. 1, 2024, they were averaging 12,500 fans per game. A year later, it’s up to 14,000 in a building that seats 15,225.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ improved play this season is a contributing factor but they’ve also improved how they sell their product in the community, moving away from veiled reminders about the fate of the original Jets. The club admits they must rebuild a more robust season-ticket base, but they’re heading in the right direction.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2024

by | Dec 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, Senators owner Michael Andlauer weighs in on the Brady Tkachuk trade rumors, reaction to the Avalanche trading Alexandar Georgiev to the Sharks for Mackenzie Blackwood, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 on a shootout goal by Dylan Larkin. Andrew Copp scored two goals, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider had a goal and an assist each, and Sebastian Cossa picked up the win in his first NHL game after Ville Husso got the hook after giving up three goals on seven shots. Buffalo winger Jason Zucker tallied twice and picked up an assist.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings snapped a five-game winless skid (0-3-2) while the Sabres are 0-4-3 in their last seven contests. Both clubs began this season hoping to be postseason contenders but find themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 26 points in 28 games. The Wings risk extending their playoff drought to nine seasons while the Sabres’ postseason drought could reach 14 years.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period as his club held on to upset the New York Rangers 2-1. Hall finished with two points as he assisted on Tyler Bertuzzi’s game-opening goal. Will Cuylle netted a shorthanded goal for the Rangers. The Blackhawks ended a five-game losing skid while the Rangers have won only twice in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first NHL win for Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen. Meanwhile, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette faces growing criticism for his team’s recent struggles.

The Montreal Canadiens downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on shootout goals by Patrik Laine and Cole Caufield. Laine and Kirby Dach scored in regulation and Samuel Montembeault stopped 27 shots for the Canadiens. Troy Terry netted both goals for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine’s off to a hot start with the Canadiens, collecting four points in as many games. Meanwhile, Jacob Trouba debuted with the Ducks following his trade by the Rangers on Friday, playing with a greater sense of urgency than in his final games in New York.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point, and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 8, 2024.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer is fed up with rejecting trade rumors about team captain Brady Tkachuk.

The latest was a recent report by Larry Brooks of the New York Post claiming the Rangers made Tkachuk their primary trade target. Andlauer said that report could be considered “soft tampering” if Brooks’ reporting came from a source within an NHL team.

Andlauer said this was the third separate occasion in his year as Senators owner “where there’s been fires to put out”, referring to the Tkachuk trade rumors. “I can tell you 100 percent there’s never actually been an ounce of discussion about Brady Tkachuk being anything other than an Ottawa Senator.”

The Rangers issued a statement to LeBrun in response to Andlauer’s comments rejecting any notion of tampering. “This is an irresponsible accusation and we defer to the commissioner’s office.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have more about this in today’s NHL Rumors update.

THE ATHLETIC: The NHL is holding its Board of Governors’ meetings on Monday and Tuesday.

Upcoming negotiations with the NHL Players’ Association on a new collective bargaining agreement is expected to be among the topics of discussion. The current CBA expires in September 2026 but both sides appear keen to reach an agreement well before then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps Andlauer’s concerns about soft tampering will be on the agenda.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak weighed in on the Colorado Avalanche making a multi-player trade on Monday that saw goaltender Alexandar Georgiev shipped to the San Jose Sharks for netminder Mackenzie Blackwood. Masisak considered it a “bold, risky move” by Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland to improve his club’s shaky goaltending.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Sheng Peng reports Sharks GM Mike Grier believes the offer from the Avalanche was too good to pass up. He believes the return, including promising forward Nikolai Kovalenko, will help his club continue rebuilding. Grier said the addition of Georgiev will also buy a little more time for promising goalie Yaroslav Askarov to develop his game with their AHL affiliate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for my take on the trade.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils will induct Jacques Lemaire into its Ring of Honor in January. He is the winningest coach in franchise history, with 276 career regular-season victories, and 35 playoff wins. Lemaire coached the Devils to their first Stanley Cup championship in 1995.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Nick Leddy has returned to St. Louis for further testing regarding his lower-body injury. He’s been sidelined for the past 24 games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Senators.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild assigned defenseman David Jiricek to their AHL affiliate in Iowa. He was acquired on Nov. 30 in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

THE SCORE: Beckett Sennecke has been added to Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming 2025 World Junior Championship. Chosen third overall by the Ducks in this year’s draft, he was passed over during the initial selection.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2024

by | Dec 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2024

The Capitals and Wild each get 10 wins in November, Lightning captain Victor Hedman reaches a franchise milestone, the Blue Jackets trade David Jiricek to the Wild, the Avalanche and Predators swap backup goalies, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals within 10 seconds by Taylor Raddysh and Pierre-Luc Dubois enabled the Washington Capitals to hold off the New Jersey Devils 6-5. John Carlsson collected three assists as the Capitals (17-6-1, 35 points) vaulted over the Devils (19-9-2, 34 points) into first place in the Eastern Conference. Devils center Jack Hughes also had three assists.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jared Spurgeon lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Spurgeon and Kirill Kaprizov each had a goal and an assist as the Wild (16-4-4, 36 points) moved into a tie with the Winnipeg Jets (18-6-0, 36 points) atop the overall standings. Fedor Svechkov and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators, who dropped their fourth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals and Wild were the only teams to win 10 games in November. The Jets still hold first overall based on wins. Kaprizov scored his 61st career power-play goal, surpassing Mikko Koivu for the second-most PPGs in franchise history. Zach Parise holds the record with 69.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got two assists from Auston Matthews and a goal and an assist from Matthew Knies to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Lightning captain Victor Hedman collected two assists to pass Martin St. Louis for the most assists (590) in franchise history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews missed nine games with an undisclosed injury while Knies missed two games with an upper-body injury. Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day.

New York Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko scored with 24 seconds remaining in regulation to nip the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist and Adam Fox collected two assists as the Rangers snapped a five-game losing skid. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Missed calls on both teams sparked criticism of the officiating in this game. Meanwhile, the Canadiens placed forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard on waivers.

The Florida Panthers crushed the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 to sweep their home-and-home series. Spencer Knight turned in a 20-save shutout, Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist, Matthew Tkachuk collected two assists and Sam Bennett scored for the third straight game.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and forward Michael Bunting each had a goal and two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Alex Nedeljkovic made 30 saves as the Penguins picked up their third straight win. Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

An overtime goal by rookie winger Matvei Michkov lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Michkov also had an assist while Aleksei Kolosov made 25 saves for the Flyers, who’ve won three straight to hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours each scored for the Blues.

The Los Angeles Kings picked up their third straight win by dropping the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Anze Kopitar, Trevor Moore and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Senators center Tim Stutzle scored to extend his points streak to six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings center Trevor Lewis left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, ending a three-game winless skid (0-2-1). Simon Holmstrom tallied twice and Anders Lee netted his 10th goal of the season.

The Edmonton Oilers beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots and Kasperi Kapanen scored his first goal with the Oilers, who picked up their third straight win. Nikolai Kovalenko replied for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche acquired goalie Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators in exchange for netminder Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick in 2025. Wedgewood backed up Avs starter Alexandar Georgiev in this game.

The Avs hope the experienced Wedgewood will bring more stability to their goaltending, but he struggled with the Predators after signing a two-year contract with them during the summer.

Four first-period goals powered the Utah Hockey Club to a 6-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Jaxon Stauber made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout and Nick Schmaltz scored two goals for Utah, ending the Golden Knights’ five-game points streak.

The San Jose Sharks doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2 to sweep their home-and-home series. Mackenzie Blackwood kicked out 36 shots and Will Smith scored for the third straight game as the Sharks held off a late rally by the Kraken, who got goals from Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn returned to action after missing 19 games with a mid-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: The Columbus Blue Jackets traded defenseman David Jiricek and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for blueliner Daemon Hunt, a 2025 first-round pick (top-five protected), a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 third-round pick and fourth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets were concerned about Jiricek’s skating, which is the key reason they were willing to part with the 21-year-old defenseman, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. However, the Wild consider Jiricek worth the investment, hoping the big defenseman with the booming shot reaches his potential as a top-four NHL blueliner.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The NHL department of player safety fined Penguins center Evgeni Malkin $5,000.00 for slashing and Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov $5,000.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct during an incident between the two players in Friday’s game between their two clubs.

SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Golden Knights. However, he hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Stars.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 27, 2024

by | Nov 27, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 27, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Blue Jackets, Flyers and Hurricanes in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATE ON THE RECENT RANGERS TRADE SPECULATION

TSN: Chris Johnston reports New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury has informed his peers around the league that he’s willing to move veteran players like Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider under the right circumstances.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Johnston noted both players have 15-team no-trade clauses. He thinks there could be a situation where the Rangers would have to work with one of those players to get a deal done. He also speculates that letting it be known those players are available could be a strategy to get them to waive their clauses.

NEW YORK POST: Jared Schwartz reports Trouba claims he’s unconcerned about the report of the Rangers potentially shopping him. “It doesn’t really matter,” he said. “I’m happy to be here. I’m focused on playing hockey.” The 30-year-old defenseman said it was something he learned over the summer that he can’t control, alluding to similar rumors linking him to the Detroit Red Wings during the offseason.

Trouba said he hadn’t spoken with Drury about the report. “I think it’s part of the business,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s real or not, I don’t know. My job is to play hockey and that’s what I’m focused on.”

Larry Brooks believes trading Kreider would send the wrong kind of message to the Rangers. He also doubts that the 33-year-old winger would fetch a return that would provide immediate help in their quest to win the Stanley Cup this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey cited USA Today’s Vince Z. Mercogliano claiming there is “definite unrest” within the Rangers organization, “with concerns from the top down about this core plateauing and increasing unease from players/employees.” Mercogoliano also cited sources reminding us of the rarity and difficulty of making big trades at this time of year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether Drury intends to trade Trouba or Kreider or is merely trying to motivate his players to improve remains to be seen. His rumored actions have definitely caught the attention of pundits and fans.

Both players’ contracts are significant obstacles in the path toward a trade. There aren’t many teams that can afford to take them on right now and even fewer that can send the type of return to the Rangers that helps them now and in the future.

ARE THE BLUE JACKETS CLOSE TO TRADING DAVID JIRICEK?

TSN: Chris Johnston believes the Columbus Blue Jackets are committed to trading David Jiricek. He reports they’ve adjusted their asking price for the 20-year-old defenseman to complete a deal and are willing to listen on draft-pick packages or even a depth defenseman rather than a comparable prospect.

Johnston claims the Jackets have recently had a number of trade discussions with other clubs and are trying to sort out the best offers. He said there is “sizable interest” in Jiricek.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Aaron Portzline believes a Jiricek trade could happen if Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell gets the right offer. He reports the Jackets told clubs last week they wanted a prospect-for-prospect return. Portzline also reported Waddell could consider a package offer that would start with a first-round pick but also include a depth defenseman.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli claimed the Blue Jackets had “five or six concrete offers” for Jiricek. Seravalli named the Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins as frontrunners but also included the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The possibility of a Jiricek trade is growing and appears likely to happen soon, perhaps by the end of this week. It’s not surprising most clubs linked to Jiricek are those in rebuild mode seeking promising talent. The Flyers and Sharks have plenty of depth in young players to make competitive offers.

THE LATEST ON THE FLYERS

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere has been taking a lot of calls. There’s plenty of interest in veteran Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who has a couple of years left on his contract. Scott Laughton is also drawing attention in the trade market but the Flyers aren’t in a hurry to move him.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco wondered when the Flyers will bring in some help at the center position. He cited OnPattison.com’s Anthony San Filippo reports they spoke with the Minnesota Wild about a forward swap but those discussions went nowhere and have been shelved for now.

Frank Seravalli mentioned earlier this week that Ottawa Senators center Josh Norris is believed to be available. However, Di Marco doesn’t think he’s a player the Flyers are interested in given his contract ($7.95 million annually through 2029-30) and injury history. He believes they’d be more intrigued by Senators centers Ridly Greig and Shane Pinto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports out of Ottawa suggest the Senators could look at shaking things up if they don’t improve soon. However, Greig and Pinto are promising players they don’t want to move.

Di Marco also reported Joel Farabee is a player the Flyers could be open to moving. He hasn’t excelled under head coach John Tortorella and has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5 million. He wondered if the New Jersey Devils could be a trade destination for Farabee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Farabee surfaced regularly in last season’s rumor mill. Time will tell if he gets shopped before this season’s trade deadline. He has enticing skills but his cap hit could be difficult to move during the season.

Di Marco also believes the Flyers have kicked tires on Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek. He claims they’re open to moving any roster player not named Matvei Michkov in a deal for Jiricek.

HURRICANES SEEKING A GOALTENDER

ESPN: Kevin Weekes reports sources tell him Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is making positive progress in his recovery from a concussion. Nevertheless, they’re actively exploring goalie options in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes were rumored to be concerned about their goalie depth after veteran starter Frederik Andersen underwent knee surgery last week that sidelines him for eight to 12 weeks. Pickings seem slim in the goalie market right now. It could take weeks until they find a suitable option.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 26, 2024

by | Nov 26, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 26, 2024

Are roster shake-ups coming for the Rangers and Senators? What’s the latest Oilers speculation? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE RANGERS TRADE TROUBA OR KREIDER?

SPORTSNET’s Elliotte Friedman took to “X” yesterday reporting the New York Rangers have made it clear they’re interested in “making moves and shaking up their roster.” This decision came following their 6-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

Friedman indicated that team captain Jacob Trouba and veteran winger Chris Kreider are among the names being floated as available, “although other options will be considered.”

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan replied to Friedman’s report, indicating she followed up with calls to people associated with the Rangers. Despite their .658 win percentage, the names being mentioned lead everyone to believe that none of the Rangers should feel complacent right now.

Friedman discussed the situation during an appearance on The FAN Hockey Show on Monday afternoon. He observed that Kreider lacks full no-move protection and suggested he would draw interest in the trade market.

However, Friedman said he and others are trying to determine whether the Rangers are serious about moving Kreider or just trying to shake up the room by threatening to trade the long-time Blueshirt.

Kreider, 33, is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.5 million and a 15-team no-trade list.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reports Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury sent a memo to all 31 of his NHL counterparts announcing his club was open for business, “specifically citing multiple players as available, not merely their longest-tenured player, Chris Kreider, and captain, Jacob Trouba.”

Larry Brooks believes it’s time to blow up this version of the Rangers, dismissing the idea of another coaching change. “This core does not get to fire another coach. They have not earned that right,” he wrote.

Brooks noted that Trouba can be traded, suggesting he be suspended and removed from the Rangers’ salary cap if he refuses to go. The 30-year-old captain is signed through next season with an AAV of $8 million. He has a 15-team no-trade list for this season. During the offseason, Trouba spiked a deal that would’ve sent him to the Detroit Red Wings.

Moving Kreider would be a shockwave through the organization. However, he might yield a bounty in return.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reports Rangers management is pleased with the performance of young players like Alexis Lafreniere, Will Cuylle, Braden Schneider and Zac Jones. He also noted that Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil are playing well this season, though Chytil missed his fifth straight game on Monday with an upper-body injury.

The veteran core (except for goalies Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick and leading scorer Artemi Panarin) aren’t performing to expectations. However, there’s little Drury can do about them because most have long-term deals, no-trade clauses, or no-movement clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving Kreider or Trouba right now could be difficult. Their cap hits are difficult for interested parties to absorb, especially with a lot of teams carrying limited cap room at this point in the season. Their 15-team no-trade lists are an additional complication.

That’s not to say it’s impossible. Perhaps a deal could be worked out involving one or both, or whoever else Rangers management might consider peddling. It just won’t be easy to find suitable trade partners with the cap room and the wealth of tradeable assets.

COULD THE SENATORS SHAKE THINGS UP?

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited a source suggesting the Ottawa Senators could consider a shake-up trade. The club remains mired in mediocrity despite management and coaching changes since last year.

Murphy believes the Senators are running out of options without making a franchise-altering move. Goaltending was assumed to be the issue they believed was rectified by acquiring Linus Ullmark.

Former Senators defenseman turned podcast host Marc Methot hinted at this last week, suggesting a core player could be moved if things don’t improve soon. Murphy claimed there were rumors captain Brady Tkachuk could be a trade candidate but his source said he hadn’t heard specific names, just that anything is in play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reported last week that the Senators had to do something or risk another lost season, citing sources claiming GM Steve Staios was shopping around to find upgrades for his roster.

Garrioch dismissed the notion of Tkachuk or long-time defenseman Thomas Chabot hitting the trade block. It’s unlikely that scoring leader Tim Stutzle or top defenseman Jake Sanderson will be moved. Garrioch cited a source suggesting Josh Norris as a trade candidate.

One move the Senators could make is for a defenseman. Garrioch reported they’re aggressively looking to add to their blueline after Artem Zub broke his foot blocking a shot during Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. Zub is expected to be sidelined for a while.

LATEST OILERS SPECULATION

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins noted Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported last week that Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson could waive his no-trade clause for the Oilers. However, Leavins is skeptical that Gibson would be an improvement over Oilers starter Stuart Skinner and not at his $6.4 million cap hit. Even if the Ducks agreed to retain half, Gibson would still be difficult to fit within the Oilers’ limited cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed.

Leavins also noted recent speculation linking the Oilers to Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek. He noted Jiricek projects as a better, more physical defender than the departed Philip Broberg, possessing a better shot and with plenty of room for development. However, he also pointed out that Jiricek wasn’t as good a skater as Broberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers don’t see Jiricek as a fit with the Oilers because they lack the depth in tradeable assets to tempt the Blue Jackets.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2024

by | Nov 25, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2024

The latest on the Penguins plus updates on David Jiricek and Kevin Shattenkirk in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe believes the fate of Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan rests with general manager Kyle Dubas. He wondered how poorly the club has to play before Dubas fires Sullivan but felt the GM and the team ownership would view that move as a last resort.

Yohe and Harman Dayal recently pondered whether Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson would be a good fit with the Vancouver Canucks, who need to improve their second defense pairing.

Pettersson would be an improvement but that doesn’t mean he’d be a perfect fit or the best bang for the buck. It might be useful to see what’s available the closer the season gets to the March 7 trade deadline.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes it’s time for the Penguins to make a coaching change or a major roster move. He believes something has to be done as the fans are starting to tune out and not show up for the games.

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (NHL Images).

Kingerski also cited last week’s report by TSN’s Darren Dreger indicating the Penguins have been heavily scouting the Montreal Canadiens. Dreger felt the two clubs could be a fit trade-wise, with perhaps the Canadiens taking on an expiring contract if a sweetener is attached and the Penguins getting a younger player who might not fit into the Canadiens’ long-term plans.

The Penguins have several players on expiring contracts, including Pettersson and forwards Drew O’Connor, Cody Glass, Anthony Beauvillier, Matt Nieto and Jesse Puljujarvi. They could target a young Canadiens defenseman like Justin Barron or Jayden Struble or perhaps struggling forward Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The more the Penguins flounder the more anticipation will grow about a coaching change or a big trade.

Yohe and Kingerski acknowledge that firing Sullivan probably won’t do much to improve the Penguins given their lack of depth. Dubas has already shown a willingness to make trades this season, shipping forward Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals nearly two weeks ago.

UPDATE ON DAVID JIRICEK

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell is in no hurry to trade David Jiricek. The 20-year-old defenseman was demoted to their AHL affiliate in Cleveland, sparking speculation he could be traded.

A team source told Portzline that no official trade offers were on the table as of the middle of last week. However, that could quickly change. The Jackets would seek a player of comparable value to Jiricek, players who are former first-round draft picks and still on entry-level contracts.

Portzline reports that Jiricek has not requested a trade and hasn’t expressed an unwillingness to play for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell can be patient with this situation, keeping Jiricek in the minors until he improves or a rival club makes a tempting trade offer. This could stretch to the trade deadline before there’s a resolution.

KEVIN SHATTENKIRK COULD FACE RETIREMENT

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports free agent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk could face retirement after rejecting an offer from a Western Conference team. Brooks believes the offer came from a Western Canadian team like the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shattenkirk could prefer to sign with an Eastern Conference club close to his home in the Hamptons on Long Island. If that’s not possible, it could spell the end of his playing career.