NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2022

by | Jul 18, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2022

24 players apply for salary arbitration plus the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Patrik Laine, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Nazem Kadri and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHLPA.COM: 24 NHL players filed for salary arbitration by the 5 pm ET deadline on July 17:

Mason Appleton (Winnipeg Jets)

Ethan Bear (Carolina Hurricanes)

Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils)

Lawson Crouse (Arizona Coyotes)

Morgan Geekie (Seattle Kraken)

Mathieu Joseph (Ottawa Senators)

Kaapo Kahkonen (San Jose Sharks)

Kasperi Kapanen (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Keegan Kolesar (Vegas Golden Knights)

Oliver Kylington (Calgary Flames)

Maxime Lajoie (Carolina Hurricanes)

Steven Lorentz (San Jose Sharks)

Isac Lundestrom (Anaheim Ducks)

Zack MacEwen (Philadelphia Flyers)

Niko Mikkola (St. Louis Blues)*

Andrew Mangiapane (Calgary Flames)

Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames)

Jesse Puljujarvi (Edmonton Oilers)

Tyce Thompson (New Jersey Devils)

Yakov Trenin (Nashville Predators)

Vitek Vanecek (New Jersey Devils)

Jake Walman (Detroit Red Wings)

Kailer Yamamoto (Edmonton Oilers)

Pavel Zacha (Boston Bruins)

*Signed after filing

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt (NHL Images).

The deadline for club-elected arbitration filing is July 18 at 5 pm ET. Arbitration hearings begin on July 27 through August 11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that this is usually a tactic designed to set a deadline to complete contract negotiations. In most cases, the player and his team reach an agreement on a new contract before the date of his arbitration hearing. Mikkola agreed to a one-year, $1.9 million contract with the Blues shortly after filing. The notables on this list include Bratt, Mangiapane, Kapanen, Puljujarvi and Yamamoto. 

TSN: Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk and Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois were among the notable restricted free agents who didn’t file for salary arbitration. Another is Columbus Blue Jackets left winger Patrik Laine.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline believes Laine’s decision not to file for arbitration suggests contract discussions with the Blue Jackets remain amicable. The same could apply to Tkachuk and Dubois with their respective clubs. It also leaves the door open for those players to accept their one-year qualifying offers before the July 22 deadline for doing so.

THE ATHLETIC’s Peter Baugh recently tweeted that a league source told him multiple teams are trying to clear salary-cap space in an attempt to sign Nazem Kadri. The 31-year-old free-agent center wants to play for a contender and has ruled out those who are not.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That explains why Kadri remains available nearly a week into this season’s free-agent period. Perhaps he’ll sign a new contract at some point this week.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: A source tells Jimmy Murphy that the Bruins’ contract extension talks with David Pastrnak could take longer than expected. The feeling is both sides are in wait-and-see mode. The Bruins are still dealing with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci and could need to make a cost-cutting trade to make it all work. Meanwhile, the Pastrnak camp could be watching to see where things are headed with the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s also how much Pastrnak’s new contract will cost the Bruins. The 26-year-old winger is a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility and is earning $6.6 million on his current contract. It could cost them $10 million annually on an eight-year deal to keep him in the fold.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed restricted free agent winger Pierre Engvall to a one-year, $2.25 million contract.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed UFA forward Mattias Janmark to a one-year, $1.25 million contract.

The Florida Panthers inked UFA defenseman Michael Del Zotto to a one-year, two-way contract.

CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reports the Vancouver Canucks have granted permission to goaltender Michael DiPietro’s agent to speak with other teams regarding a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates DiPietro is signed for 2022-23 with a cap hit of $840K.










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 15, 2022

by | Jul 15, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – July 15, 2022

An update on Nazem Kadri and an option on how the Avs might replace him, the effect of Johnny Gaudreau’s signing with Columbus on the Flames and Blue Jackets, and the latest on the Canadiens’ efforts to trade Jeff Petry in today’s NHL rumor mill.

WHERE WILL KADRI LAND?

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Adrian Dater believes Nazem Kadri will return with the Colorado Avalanche. He believes both sides want to get a new contract done but there’s no indication of how close or far apart they are in reaching an agreement.

Dater thinks the Calgary Flames are a strong suitor for Kadri. They recently lost top-line forward Johnny Gaudreau to the Columbus Blue Jackets on the opening day of free agency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri rejected a trade to the Flames three years ago when the Toronto Maple Leafs were shopping him, eventually landing in Colorado. Maybe things have changed and enough money could woo the 31-year-old winger to the Stampede City.

Cap Friendly shows the Flames with $18.5 million in cap space while the Avalanche has just $3.9 million. That means the Avs must make a salary-shedding trade to free up sufficient cap space to sign him.

The Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla suggests trading defenseman Samuel Girard and his $5 million annual salary-cap hit to free up the necessary space to sign Kadri or a suitable replacement as their second-line center. There would certainly be a market for the 24-year-old puck-moving blueliner, especially if the return is a low-cost one involving draft picks and prospects. Whether the Avs will go that route, however, is another matter.

Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

THE EFFECT OF GAUDREAU’S CONTRACT UPON THE FLAMES AND BLUE JACKETS

TSN: Salim Valji believes the Calgary Flames must learn lessons from Johnny Gaudreau’s departure if they hope to avoid a similar fate with Matthew Tkachuk. He suggests general manager Brad Treliving meet with the 24-year-old winger to determine if his long-term future is with the Flames or elsewhere.

If there’s any hint Tkachuk is reluctant to stay in Calgary, Valji believes Treliving should trade him rather than risk losing another talented player for nothing to free agency. That’s what happened with Gaudreau as well as T.J. Brodie and Travis Hamonic before him.

Trading Tkachuk, a restricted free agent this summer who is a year away from UFA eligibility, would net the Flames assets that could be put toward a roster reset. However, that would also mean the club wouldn’t be competitive for a couple of seasons. It would also cast doubt on the futures of Elias Lindholm, Jacob Markstrom, Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin in Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames must trade Tkachuk as soon as possible if he won’t commit to a long-term extension. Better to get the best possible return to put toward a retool that could lead to a quick turnaround in their fortunes (with players who want to be there) than a slow, steady decline of talent that ends with a long, painful rebuild.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports the Blue Jackets’ signing Gaudreau has left them with insufficient salary-cap space to re-sign restricted free agent winger Patrik Laine. They are roughly $3.5 million under the cap, meaning they must trade someone to free up space for Laine.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Portzline suggested shopping Gustav Nyquist, who carries a $5.5 million cap hit and is eligible for UFA status next summer. The 32-year-old winger lacks no-trade protection and had 53 points last season. Perhaps the Jackets can find a playoff contender with cap space seeking a second-line forward to take him off their hands.

CANADIENS WAITING FOR THE RIGHT OFFER FOR PETRY

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports Canadiens GM Kent Hughes intends to bring back Jeff Petry for the coming season if he cannot find a suitable trade offer for the 34-year-old defenseman. He indicated he had trades available but none that made sense for his club.

Hughes said he’s not in a position to retain any part of Petry’s $6.25 million cap hit. He’s also not interested in taking back another salary problem or parting with draft picks or prospects. The Habs GM felt his club would be better off with Petry as he can fill an important role on an inexperienced blueline.

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu speculates the availability of John Klingberg in the free-agent market suggests there’s a depressed market for defensemen like Petry who play a similar style. He also believes Hughes wants a tangible return that will make the Canadiens a better team. Basu suggested the Nashville Predators as a trade partner given their cap space and need to balance their top-four defense.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry was also linked to the Dallas Stars but that deal isn’t happening if Hughes won’t retain his salary. The Predators could be an option but that doesn’t mean they’re in the market for a blueliner like Petry. Unless another club jumps into the mix, Petry will likely be with the Canadiens for their season-opener in October.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 15, 2022

by | Jul 15, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 15, 2022

The notable players still available in the unrestricted free agent market, the latest on Johnny Gaudreau and Carey Price, the Senators sign Josh Norris to an eight-year deal, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Center Nazem Kadri and defenseman John Klingberg top Matt Larkin’s list of the best players still available in the unrestricted free agent market. Other notables include winger Nino Niederreiter, center Paul Stastny, and winger Phil Kessel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri and Klingberg could come off the market as early as Friday or perhaps by the end of this weekend. It could take a little longer for the other to find new contracts.

In the case of aging players such as Stastny and Kessel, they could be waiting weeks for new contracts as younger talent gets snapped up in the opening days of free agency. As the dust settles, teams will take time to evaluate their remaining needs and salary-cap space.

SPORTSNET: Calgary fans and pundits remain in shock over winger Johnny Gaudreau rejecting a more lucrative offer from the Flames to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his introductory press conference with the Jackets, the 28-year-old Gaudreau said Columbus made the most sense for him and his wife.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sucks when a star player departs via free agency. Usually, it’s because of money. In Gaudreau’s case, he and his wife wanted to move back East to be closer to family.

It was assumed Gaudreau would sign with the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils or New York Islanders to be closer to his family home in New Jersey. However, the Flyers couldn’t afford him, the Isles couldn’t free up sufficient cap room, and the Devils made a contract pitch that apparently wasn’t as good as what the Jackets were offering.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (NHL Images).

The Flames faithful are understandably puzzled and perhaps upset over Gaudreau’s decision. Regardless of the reason, it’s clear that he wanted to move on. That’s what the Flames, their fans, and the Calgary media also need to do now. It’s the business of NHL hockey and sometimes it hurts.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The future of Canadiens goaltender Carey Price remains uncertain as the club still awaits clarity over his ongoing recovery from last summer’s knee surgery. The 34-year-old Price was limited to just five games last season.

Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said yesterday Price didn’t encounter swelling in his knee when working out but it would occur when he was doing goalie movements on the ice. He’s slated to meet with a Montreal doctor in August.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price hopes to return to action next season. If he can’t play, the Canadiens can place him and his $10.5 million salary-cap hit on long-term injury reserve.

With the Habs pressed against the $82.5 million cap, putting Price on LTIR would enable them to exceed the cap by the total amount of his average annual value. Until there’s more certainty over his status, Hughes’ has limited ability to make offseason additions unless he makes a cost-cutting move elsewhere.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators yesterday signed Josh Norris to an eight-year, $63.5 million contract. The average annual value is $7.95 million, making the 23-year-old center the third highest-paid player on the club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In just two NHL seasons, Norris rose to become the Senators’ first-line center. He had a respectable 35 points in 56 games as a rookie during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season followed by 55 points in 66 games during his injury-shortened sophomore campaign.

That new contract will put Norris under additional pressure to meet the expectations of his new contract. His ongoing development suggests he’ll have little difficulty rising to that challenge.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa suggests the Boston Bruins’ acquisition of Pavel Zacha gives winger David Pastrnak another reason to re-sign with the club. The two were linemates for the Czech Republic in the 2014 and 2015 World Junior Championships and got along well.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It couldn’t hurt, I suppose. Perhaps the long-term plan here is for Zacha to one day center Pastrnak once Patrice Bergeron finally retires. The former first-round draft pick struggled with the New Jersey Devils but perhaps he can regain his once-promising form with the Bruins.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals signed center Dylan Strome to a one-year, $3.5 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is an affordable short-term insurance move in case second-line center Nicklas Backstrom misses the first half of the 2022-23 season (or more) recovering from offseason hip surgery.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers’ run to the 2022 Western Conference Finals made it easier for general manager Ken Holland to attract talent to his club via free agency. He brought back winger Evander Kane and inked former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It helped that Kane had already spent a half-season with the Oilers and clearly enjoyed the experience. Oilers winger and former Leaf Zach Hyman also played a part in convincing Campbell to come to Edmonton.

TORONTO SUN: Speaking of the Leafs, they signed free-agent defensemen Victor Mete and Jordie Benn to one-year contracts worth $750K each.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predators signed goaltender Kevin Lankinen and defenseman Mark Jankowski to one-year contracts.










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 14, 2022

by | Jul 14, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2022

Analysis of some of the biggest signings and trades from the opening day of free agency, a look at two of the notable free agents still available and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Johnny Gaudreau explained why he signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He said the experience of playing at Nationwide Arena and speaking with current and former Columbus Blue Jackets players were motivating factors behind his decision.

Former Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 13. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I analyzed Gaudreau’s new contract and those of the other noteworthy signings for Bleacher Report yesterday. His decision to go to Columbus generated considerable surprise on social media. It also left Calgary fans bewildered and upset after he rejected a more lucrative offer from the Flames to join the Jackets. Whatever the reason behind his decision, he makes the Blue Jackets a better team and should accelerate their rebuilding process.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Gaudreau was reportedly interested in signing with the Flyers but their limited salary-cap space meant they weren’t able to make room for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ offseason moves haven’t sat well with their fans who’ve been quite critical on social media. It’ll be interesting to see what general manager Chuck Fletcher intends to do to improve his roster for next season.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA/VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights each made significant cost-cutting trades with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Sharks shipped defenseman Brent Burns to the Hurricanes while the Golden Knights sent them winger Max Pacioretty.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mike Grier, the Sharks’ new general manager, is wasting little time addressing his club’s need for an overhaul following several seasons of decline. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, got nothing in return for Pacioretty. They are paying the price for their pursuit of big-ticket talent over the past couple of years in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are going for it. Burns has three years left on his contract with the Sharks retaining 33 percent of his $8 million cap hit. Pacioretty is a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility. Both should provide a welcome boost of experience and offense to their lineup as they attempt to stage a run for the Stanley Cup in 2022-23.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche haven’t given up trying to bring back Nazem Kadri as their second-line center. The 31-year-old Kadri is the biggest name remaining among this year’s crop of unrestricted free agent talent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Avs with $3.9 million in cap space. They’ll have to shed some salary if they intend to bring back Kadri.

THE ATHLETIC: The Dallas Stars attempted to re-sign John Klingberg before the defenseman became an unrestricted free agent but weren’t able to reach an agreement. The door appears closed on a return after the club signed blueliner Colin Miller and added winger Mason Marchment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Klingberg is the top defenseman still available in the UFA market. Speculation linked him to the Seattle Kraken but other clubs could get into the bidding.

OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux was all smiles as he met with local media after signing a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Senators. Giroux makes his offseason home in Ottawa and said he was excited to be joining his hometown club. “They’ve got a lot of talented guys who like to work hard and compete,” said Giroux. “I just like the character of the team, and I’ll fit right in with them.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the Senators’ most significant UFA signing in years. Giroux was linked to the Sens for months but there was speculation the 34-year-old forward would prefer signing with a Cup contender. He should bring a welcome boost of experience and leadership to their roster.

TSN: The New Jersey Devils have reportedly signed former Tampa Bay Lightning winger Ondrej Palat to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils were in the market for a top-six winger. Palat is a solid two-way forward with considerable playoff experience. He’ll be a solid addition to the rebuilding Devils in their quest to become a playoff contender next season.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins made a noteworthy addition by acquiring Pavel Zacha from the Devils in exchange for Erik Haula. They’re also still in talks with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci on one-year, bonus-laden contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A former first-round pick, Zacha struggled to play up to expectations in New Jersey. Perhaps the move to Boston will help the 25-year-old forward improve his game. As for Bergeron, there have been conflicting reports saying he’s going to return while others claim he’s still pondering his future.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Lightning wasted little time locking up three players eligible for restricted free agent status next summer. Defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak and center Anthony Cirelli were all signed to lucrative long-term contract extensions.

SPORTSNET: The Anaheim Ducks signed former New York Rangers center Ryan Strome to a five-year, $25 million contract on Wednesday evening.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 29-year-old Strome will fill the Ducks’ second-line center position. This is a good move by the rebuilding club, bringing in some experienced depth to take some of the burden from rising star Trevor Zegas.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman spent just under $20 million via free agency yesterday to make his club more competitive next season. He added forwards David Perron, Andrew Copp and Dominik Kubalik and defensemen Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings have patiently rebuilt over the past three seasons. These veteran additions should help them take the next step toward playoff contention next season. Perron, Copp and Chiarot will bring veteran skill and leadership to the Wings roster.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Rangers traded defenseman Patrik Nemeth and two draft picks to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defense prospect Ty Emberson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a straightforward salary dump by the Rangers, freeing up cap space to put toward re-signing RFA winger Kaapo Kakko.

SPORTSNET: The Calgary Flames brought back defenseman Nikita Zadorov on a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million.