NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2025

by | Apr 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2025

Will there be more offer-sheet attempts this summer? Could the Devils be among the clubs targeting other clubs’ RFAs? What’s the latest on the Islanders? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THERE BE MORE OFFER-SHEET ATTEMPTS THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Chris Johnston report some NHL executives and general managers bracing for “a summer of offer sheets” during the 2025 offseason.

They cite the rising salary cap, the St. Louis Blues’ bold signings of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from the Edmonton Oilers last summer, and the lack of quality depth among this summer’s unrestricted free-agent class.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

According to PuckPedia, 88 of 95 potential restricted free agents are eligible to sign offer sheets. They include Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies, Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller and forward Will Cullye, New York Islanders blueliners Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov, and Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka and defenseman Bowen Byram.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of those players could be targeted for offer sheets this summer. However, Russo and Johnston also cited several general managers pointing out that the rising cap can make it easier for clubs to match if one of their players signs an offer sheet.

Johnston recently suggested that mid-tier or emerging talent is more vulnerable than established stars. That’s because contending teams want to avoid overpaying those players. Johnston cited Holloway and Broberg as notable examples.

COULD THE DEVILS GO THE OFFER-SHEET ROUTE THIS SUMMER?

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Citing The Athletic report on the potential for a rise in offer sheets this summer, James Nichols pondered the possibility for the Devils.

In The Athletic piece, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald seemed to suggest he could be interested in going that route if the opportunity arose.

Nichols believes the Devils need to bolster their forward depth. He suggested Ottawa Senators (and former Devil) winger Fabian Zetterlund, Seattle Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko, and Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi as possible options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils might not have the cap room to sign a rival player to an offer sheet. They have a projected $13.8 million available for 2025-26 with 18 active roster players under contract. Rising star Luke Hughes is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. Re-signing him could eat roughly half of that cap room.

THE LATEST ON THE ISLANDERS

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple believes the harsh public criticism New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy levied on struggling winger Anthony Duclair is a sign of worsening times for the club.

Duclair signed with the Islanders last summer. He played with Roy in the QMJHL so he knew what he was getting into. He started the season well but was sidelined for 29 games by a torn groin and hasn’t been the same since.

Staple believes Duclair will be staying because he has three years left on his contract. Roy has a multi-year extension and isn’t leaving unless he wants to. General manager Lou Lamoriello is likely sticking around for at least one more year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair has been granted a leave of absence to reflect following what Roy called a “good conversation” between the two on Thursday morning. Nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to see if this incident has any effect on the club’s offseason plans. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2025

by | Feb 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2025

Previewing Saturday’s 4 Nations Face-Off Games and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

4 NATIONS FACE-OFF NEWS

TSN/SPORTSNET/THE SCORE: Canada and the United States practiced Friday in preparation for their much-anticipated match-up on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Players from both clubs look forward to the next chapter in the ongoing rivalry between the two hockey nations.

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby called it a game that you love to be a part of, regardless of previous experience. “Excited for the challenge,” he said. Teammate Brad Marchand said there was no bigger rivalry. “They’re the games that everybody dreams about playing growing up.”

Matthew and Brady Tkachuk led Team USA to their 6-1 victory over Finland on Thursday. Brady considers Saturday’s tilt against Canada the biggest game he’s ever played in his career. “Bigger than just the guys on the ice,” he said.

The last time Matthew Tkachuk faced Canada was in a 4-2 victory for Team USA in the preliminary round of the 2016 World Junior Championship. “I think I’ve thought about this game for nine years, so we’ll be ready for it,” said Tkachuk.

Team USA center J.T. Miller expects his team to be fired up when they face Canada on their home turf. Teammate Noah Hanifin expects it will be the most intense environment he’s ever been a part of.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the marquee matchup of the tournament. The two clubs could also end up facing each other again in the championship game in Boston on Feb. 20.

Travis Sanheim will replace Shea Theodore on Canada’s defense. Theodore was sidelined by an upper-body injury in Canada’s 4-3 win over Sweden and is considered week-to-week.

Sam Bennett will replace Travis Konecny among Canada’s forward lines. He skated alongside Marchand during practice on Friday.

Canada’s top defenseman Cale Makar skipped Friday’s practice due to illness but is expected to play against the Americans on Saturday. Canada has been granted permission to bring in blueliner Thomas Harley if Makar remains sidelined.

Team Canada defenseman Drew Doughty spoke out against Canadian fans booing the American anthem before Thursday’s game between Team USA and Finland. “I know what’s going on and I understand Canadians’ frustration,” said Doughty. “But I think we should respect the anthems…I don’t think anyone should be booing.”

Canadian coach Jon Cooper hadn’t named his starting goalie for Saturday’s game. Jordan Binnington allowed three goals on 26 shots against Sweden on Wednesday. Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights and Samuel Montembault of the Montreal Canadiens are Canada’s other goalies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Is this a mind game Cooper is playing against the Americans or a genuine lack of confidence in Binnington on his part? We’ll know for sure by game time if not sooner.

NHL.COM: Kevin Lankinen of the Vancouver Canucks will get the start in goal for Finland in Saturday’s game against Sweden on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal (1 PM ET). Juuse Saros gave up six goals on 31 shots against the Americans on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a must-win game for Finland. A regulation loss will eliminate them from reaching the championship game on Feb. 20.

NHL.com writers selected Sweden’s Quarter-Century Team on Friday.

The First Team comprised goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson, and forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin and Nicklas Backstrom.

The Second Team featured forwards Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin and Henrik Zetterberg, defensemen Victor Hedman and Niklas Kronwall, and goalie Jacob Markstrom.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some might question why Forsberg and Sundin aren’t on the First Team. That’s because most of their best seasons occurred in the 1990s. Forsberg won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy in 2002-03 but injuries hampered him throughout the first decade of this century.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Kaapo Kakko has found the role with the Seattle Kraken that he always wanted with the Rangers. He’s seeing first-line duty alongside center Matty Beniers and winger Jaden Schwartz as well as playing on the top power-play unit. Following a period of adjustment where he scored one goal in his first three games, Kaako improved in his next 21 games with 16 points over that stretch.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski recently reported the Sabres have opened contract extension talks with Jason Zucker. The 33-year-old winger is currently on a one-year, $5 million deal.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed versatile forward Sam Steel to a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension. The average annual value is $2.1 million beginning in 2025-26.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins traded minor-league winger Corey Andonovski to the St. Louis Blues organization for minor-league forward Mathias Laferriere.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2025

by | Jan 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck reach new milestones. Get the details plus recaps from a busy Saturday in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored an empty-netter for his 873rd NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ovechkin added an assist to finish with two points while Logan Thompson got the win with a 32-save performance as the Capitals regained first place in the overall standings with 61 points. Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators, who’ve dropped five of their last seven games.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 22 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. He also joined Gordie Howe and Ron Francis as the only players in NHL history to record 20 20-goal seasons. Howe is the all-time leader with 22 seasons. Before this game, the Capitals placed goalie Charlie Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled netminder Hunter Shepard.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his league-leading sixth shutout of the season to blank the Colorado Avalanche 3-0. Nikolaj Ehlers scored two goals and Mark Scheifele collected his team-leading 25th goal. Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for the Avalanche as they dropped into the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck tied his franchise record for most shutouts in a season and tied Craig Anderson for the third-most shutouts by an American goaltender (43) in NHL history. He trailed Jonathan Quick (62) and Ryan Miller (44). The Jets lead the Western Conference with 61 points but sit second in the overall standings as the Capitals have a game in hand.

An overtime goal by David Pastrnak lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Pastrnak finished with 2 goals and an assist while Jeremy Swayman kicked out 40 shots for the Bruins as they snapped a six-game winless skid (0-5-1) and cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 47 points. Sam Reinhart tallied twice for the Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 53 points.

The Seattle Kraken scored six unanswered goals to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. Kaapo Kakko led the way with two goals while Joey Daccord turned aside 33 shots as the Kraken ended a four-game winless streak (0-3-1). Sam Lafferty and Jack Quinn scored for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko had 10 points in 30 games before the New York Rangers traded him last month to Seattle. He has seven points in 10 games with the Kraken.

Ottawa Senators rookie goaltender Leevi Merilainen made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 5-0 rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Claude Giroux collected three assists for the Senators as they ended a four-game winless stretch (0-3-1). Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic gave up five goals on 17 shots and was replaced by Tristan Jarry in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 43 points, the Senators are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, sitting one point back of the Penguins.

The Vancouver Canucks blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0. Kevin Lankinen stopped 20 shots for the shutout while Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood tallied for the Canucks (48 points) as they maintained their grip on the final Western wild-card berth and ended a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). It’s the Leafs second straight defeat following a five-game win streak but they remain first in the Atlantic Division with 56 points.

A shootout goal by Jason Robertson gave the Dallas Stars a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jamie Benn scored in regulation and Jake Oettinger stopped 30 shots to extend their win streak to seven games. Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored his ninth power-play goal of the season as he returned to action after missing four games with flu-like symptoms while Samuel Montembault kicked out 34 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens and Penguins each have 44 points, leaving both clubs two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Montreal’s win streak ended at three games but they have points in their last four contests.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves made 31 saves as his club extended their win streak to a season-high four games with a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets. Colton Parayko replied for the Blues, who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

The New Jersey Devils got an overtime goal by Stefan Noesen to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Ondrej Palat and Jack Hughes scored in regulation for the Devils while Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning.

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson made 22 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 6-0. Travis Konecny had four assists while Jamie Drysdale had a goal and an assist against his former club. Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier was heavily booed and jeered by Flyers fans in his first game in Philadelphia. His refusal to play for the Flyers led to his trade to the Ducks for Drysdale last January.

A third-period goal by Zach Hyman capped a three-goal rally by the Edmonton Oilers in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin each collected two points as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 55 points. Nick Foligno and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the second time in seven games. The 32-year-old has seven goals and 15 points in 40 games, putting him on pace for one of his lowest-scoring seasons.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal scored with 1:25 remaining in the third period to lift his team over the Utah Hockey Club by a score of 2-1. Brock Nelson scored the tying goal earlier in the third period after Nick Schmaltz opened the scoring for Utah in the second period. The Islanders have won three straight while Utah is 1-2-1 in their last four.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders starter Ilya Sorokin missed this game due to illness. Jakub Skarek was called up as an emergency backup for Marcus Hogberg.

The Calgary Flames held off the Los Angeles Kings 2-1, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf turned aside 31 shots while Matt Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau were the goal scorers as the Flames (47 points) remain one point behind the Canucks for the final Western wild-card berth. Jacob Moverare scored for the Kings, who remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames unveiled their Quarter Century Team before this game.

The First Team comprises forwards Jarome Iginla, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, defensemen Mark Giordano and Robyn Regehr, and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

Forwards Sean Monahan, Craig Conroy and Mikael Backlund, blueliners Rasmus Andersson and Dion Phaneuf, and goaltender Jacob Markstrom made up the Second Team.

New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots while Vincent Trocheck and Adam Edstrom scored in a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Mark Stone opened the scoring for Vegas, who’ve lost two straight but remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 59 points. The Rangers are 4-1-1 in their last six contests.

The Minnesota Wild got a 36-save performance by Marc-Andre Fleury to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who’ve won five of their last six games. William Eklund replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped three straight.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2024

by | Dec 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Rangers trade Kaapo Kakko to the Kraken, the Predators ship Alexandre Carrier to the Canadiens, Blake Wheeler calls it a career, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Dallas Stars 5-3. Joseph Woll kicked out 36 shots and William Nylander scored twice as the Leafs (20-10-2) have won four of their last five games to sit first in the Atlantic Division with 42 points. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger got the hook after the second period, giving up four goals on 12 shots.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars captain Jamie Benn set a franchise record playing in his 1,143rd NHL regular-season game, surpassing Hall-of-Famer Mike Modano. The Stars placed defenseman Matt Dumba (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled Alexander Petrovic.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk tallied two goals and teammate Aaron Ekblad had a goal and two assists in a 6-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Sergei Bobrovsky got the win with a 26-save performance. Marco Rossi netted the Wild’s only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers (20-11-2) are tied with the Leafs but the latter holds the division lead with a game in hand. Wild defenseman Brock Faber left the game in the final minute after being struck in the face by the puck. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

The Detroit Red Wings beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-4 on a game-winning goal by Patrick Kane, who finished the night with two points. Lucas Raymond and J.T. Compher also had a goal and an assist each for the Red Wings, who’ve won three of their last four. Flyers captain Sean Couturier picked up two assists as his club remains two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 32 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvidsson left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry scored with 26 seconds remaining in the third period to lift his club to a 3-2 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Frank Vatrano tallied twice for the Ducks, including the tying goal midway through the third period. Gabriel Vilardi and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets, who remain in first place in the Western Conference with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers picked up an assist in his return to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Mikhail Sergachev gave the Utah Hockey Club a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Utah HC overcame a 2-0 deficit on goals by Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther. Danton Heinen and Dakota Joshua scored for the Canucks as Thatcher Demko stopped 28 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah (35 points) has won five of their last six games, including their last three contest. They’re one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST/SEATTLE TIMES: The New York Rangers traded Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for defenseman Will Borgen, a third-round pick and a sixth-rounder in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko was the second-overall pick in the 2019 draft. He was projected to become a top-six scoring winger but struggled to meet expectations with the Rangers. That made the 23-year-old winger the frequent subject of trade speculation since last season.

The Kraken made this move to boost their offense. They hope a fresh start away from New York’s harsh spotlight will help Kakko become a reliable scorer.

Borgen, 28, was an original member of the Kraken. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Rangers fans aren’t pleased with the return. However, it reflects how much Kakko’s value declined since his career-best 40-point performance in 2022-23.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW/THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators traded defenseman Alexandre Carrier to the Montreal Canadiens for blueliner Justin Barron.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens had sought an experienced top-four defenseman with a right-hand shot since October. Carrier reached a career-high 30 points in 2021-22 and 20 points last season but his specialty is killing penalties. The 28-year-old is in the first season of a three-year contract with an affordable average annual value of $3.75 million.

Carrier was the subject of trade speculation last season before re-signing with the Predators. However, their struggles this season have forced general manager Barry Trotz to shake things up. This trade is his fourth since Nov. 25, which included shipping Philip Tomasino to Pittsburgh and swapping Scott Wedgewood for Justus Annunen with Colorado.

Barron struggled to crack the Canadiens lineup full-time. The 23-year-old is younger than Carrier and more of a puck-moving defenseman. Barron is also more affordable for the Predators with an AAV of $1.15 million.

TRIBLIVE.COM/STLTODAY.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins reacquired defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Joseph began his NHL career with the Penguins, spending four seasons with them before signing a one-year contract with the Blues as an unrestricted free agent. He became the odd man out with the Blues following their acquisition of Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Penguins needed some short-term blueline depth with Marcus Pettersson sidelined week-to-week and reserve blueliners Sebastian Aho and Jack St. Ivany hobbled by injuries.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek is sidelined for at least two weeks with an upper-body injury after being struck by an errant puck while sitting on the bench during Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. They’ve recalled netminder Yaroslav Askarov from their AHL affiliate.

THE ATHLETIC: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro’s lower-body injury isn’t as serious as feared. He’s expected to miss a few games with what GM Don Waddell called a charley horse.

WINNIPEG SUN: Former Jets captain Blake Wheeler is hanging up his skates. During an appearance this week on the Beyond High Performance podcast, the 38-year-old left winger said he could no longer face the grind of an 82-game NHL season.

“It’s just the emotional, get up 82 times – I don’t want to do that. There’s only so much gas in the tank for that,” said Wheeler. He’s been an unrestricted free agent since July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wheeler played 16 NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers, with 13 of those seasons with the Thrashers/Jets. He was captain of the Jets from 2016-17 to 2021-22.

Wheeler tallied 321 goals and 622 assists for 943 points in 1,172 regular-season games, including back-to-back 91-point performances in 2017-18 and 2018-19. He also had 45 points in 66 playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2024

by | Dec 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2024

A hat trick for Patrik Laine, a record-setting milestone for Connor Hellebuyck, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: Patrik Laine tallied three power-play goals for his 11th career hat trick as the Montreal Canadiens thumped the Buffalo Sabres 6-1. Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and an assist while Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson each collected two assists. Dylan Cozens has the Sabres only goal as their winless skid stretched to 11 games (0-8-3).

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pep talk the Sabres received from team owner Terry Pegula on Monday landed on deaf ears. Their defensive play was atrocious, especially on the penalty kill. Laine was left undefended on all three goals from his wheelhouse at the top of the faceoff circle. He has six goals and seven points in his seven games since returning from a sprained knee.

Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets became the fastest American-born goaltender to reach 20 wins in a season as he backstopped his club to a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Hellebuyck made 32 saves as Adam Lowry tallied the game-winner with 1:13 remaining in the third period. Kyle Connor scored twice and Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist for the Jets. Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks backup goalie Vitek Vanecek left the game in the second period when he was struck in the face by an errant puck while sitting on the bench. There was no postgame update on his status. Before this game, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky was fined $25,000.00 by the league for “inappropriate conduct” during Saturday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club.

The Jets also made history when they signed prospect Kevin He to an entry-level contract. Chosen by the Jets in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, He is the first Chinese-born player to sign an NHL contract.

Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros had a 25-save performance to shut out the New York Rangers 2-0. Jonathan Marchessault and Adam Wilsby were the goal scorers, with the latter getting the first of his NHL career. Igor Shesterkin made 30 saves for the Rangers, who’ve lost three straight games and five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch from Sunday’s loss to the St. Louis Blues. He didn’t hide his frustration over the situation. “I know you’ve got to do something as a coach when you’re losing games, but I think it’s just easy to pick a young guy and boot him out. That’s how I feel, to be honest,” he said, adding that he hasn’t been the worst player on the Rangers roster.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 32 shots in a 4-0 shutout of the New York Islanders. Sebastian Aho and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Isles netminder Ilya Sorokin made 19 saves as his club has lost three of their last four.

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3. Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist to extend his goal streak to seven games and Nick Paul had a goal and an assist as the Lightning have won three in a row. Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko collected two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. He has seven points in 17 games since being claimed off waivers by the Jackets on Nov. 10.

An overtime goal by Rickard Rakell lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Rakell and Michael Bunting each had two points while Alex Nedeljkovic turned aside 29 shots for the win. Adrian Kempe and Alex Turcotte replied for the Kings.

New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen scored in his 400th regular-season game as his club beat the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Jake Hughes picked up two assists as the Devils leapfrogged the Washington Capitals into first place in the Eastern Conference with 45 points. Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Curtis Lazar was activated off injured reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined by a lower-body injury since Oct. 27.

Speaking of the Capitals, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev, TJ Brodie and Ryan Donato netted three unanswered third-period goals as the Blackhawks picked up their second straight victory. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Andrew Mangiapane scored for the Capitals as they’ve lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals received approval from the Washington D.C. city council to conduct a major arena renovation to Capital One Arena earlier in the day.

David Pastrnak scored in overtime as the Boston Bruins nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3. The Bruins forced the extra frame with unanswered third-period goals by Morgan Geekie and Marc McLaughlin. Matt Coronato, Nazem Kadri and Ryan Lomberg scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Brayden Pachal to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.187 million.

The Ottawa Senators picked up their fourth straight win by blanking the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Linus Ullmark stopped 30 shots for the shutout while Shane Pinto, Noah Gregor, and Tim Stutzle were the goal scorers. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord made 24 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 34 points, the Senators hold a one-point lead over the Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will be out for four to six weeks as he’ll undergo a procedure to remove a pebble-sized bump from the back of his knee.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Leafs, they’ve sent forward Fraser Minten to their AHL affiliate and activated forward David Kampf off injured reserve.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Zach Hyman missed practice on Tuesday as he had a medical appointment regarding his broken nose. He suffered the injury during Monday’s loss to the Florida Panthers when a shot from teammate Evan Bouchard struck him. Hyman is expected to be in the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Boston Bruins.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. 

DAILY FACEOFF: Colorado Avalanche forward Chris Wagner and New Jersey Devils forward Justin Dowling were placed on waivers yesterday.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2024

by | Dec 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Sabres and Predators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE SABRES TRADE KAKKO?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes it’s time for the Rangers and Kaapo Kakko to part ways after the 23-year-old winger was a healthy scratch from Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. He suggested offering Kakko to the Buffalo Sabres for rugged winger Jordan Greenway.

New York Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko (NHL Images).

Brooks also confidently states that the Rangers don’t intend to sacrifice promising youngsters like Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann or EJ Emery for a patchwork fix that enables the club to win a playoff round or two. He also dismissed the notion of parting with a first-round pick for a playoff rental like Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports chatter about Kakko is reverberating around the league. He wondered if Rangers general manager Chris Drury expects to receive a return like a second-round pick or a package of a later pick and a pending unrestricted free agent. He doubted that another club would value Kakko enough to make a bigger offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Rangers are entertaining offers for Kakko they’re doing so from a position of weakness. He’s got 14 points in 29 games, which is an improvement over last season’s 19-point output in an injury-shortened season, but that’s not indicative that he’s going to become a reliable top-six forward.

Maybe Kakko finally blossom into a scoring forward one day but it seems unlikely to happen in New York. With his trade value low, Drury could be fortunate to get a serviceable NHL player in return.

THE LATEST ON THE SABRES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports big changes aren’t coming for the struggling Buffalo Sabres following a team meeting with owner Terry Pegula in Montreal. Pegula told the players he remains confident they can find the solution for their current woes from within.

Pegula also told the players he stands by general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff, adding they shouldn’t expect a big trade.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels wondered what the Sabres fallback position is if Pegula’s vote of confidence doesn’t inspire his players to improve.

Engels acknowledged the Sabres have premium pieces at every position, but wondered why so many of them (including Dylan Cozens, Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs and Jack Quinn) are floundering. He also pointed out several notable former Sabres (Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly, Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues and Brandon Montour) who went on to Stanley Cup glory with other clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo is a terrific hockey town. Their fans deserve better than what they’ve seen over the past 13 years.

The Sabres’ problems are longstanding and ingrained within the organization. It starts from the top with Pegula, leading to several management changes, a revolving door of coaches, and players who seem liberated whenever they move on to other clubs. If this version of the Sabres fails to improve, Pegula could make another change in the front office and behind the bench.

UPDATE ON THE PREDATORS

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Nashville Predators are eyeing the trade market to find some help before the upcoming NHL holiday roster freeze. A source told D’Amico that they’ve spoken to the Sabres and one of the players they like is Dylan Cozens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Terry Pegula’s remarks to the Sabres are anything to go by, Cozens isn’t going anywhere, at least for now.

The Predators probably aren’t the only club interested in Cozens, who has recently surfaced in trade rumors. He’s struggled this season but had a career-high 31 goals and 68 points in 2022-23, earning a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.1 million.

D’Amico reports the Predators are seeking depth at center and on the blueline. There’s been some speculation that other clubs might see whether the Preds and Steven Stamkos are having any second thoughts about the four-year contract they agreed to during the summer. However, there is no indication Stamkos is thinking twice about his new team.