NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2024

by | Mar 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2024

Another milestone for Alex Ovechkin as the Capitals move into a playoff spot, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice in a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames, becoming the third player in NHL history to score 20 goals in 19 consecutive seasons. Charlie Lindgren stopped 34 shots for the 33-25-9 Capitals, who vaulted into the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 75 points. Rookie goalie Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 33-30-5 Flames.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gordie Howe (22 seasons) and Brendan Shanahan (19) are the other two to reach that milestone.

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Seattle Kraken 6-2. Jeff Skinner netted his seventh career NHL hat trick and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 32 shots for the Sabres (33-31-5), who’ve won four of their last five and sit four points behind the Capitals. Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord got the hook after giving up three goals on four shots as his club slipped to 28-27-12.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Alex Tuch collected his 300th career NHL point in this game. Meanwhile, Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, and Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending March 17, 2024.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will miss the club’s two-game road trip as he continues to nurse a high-ankle sprain.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes winger Clayton Keller reached a franchise milestone during his team’s 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Keller, 25, collected two points to become the second player to reach 400 career points (401) in the club’s 28 years in Arizona.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes’ ongoing arena issues and ongoing playoff drought overshadow Keller’s impressive play over the past three seasons. He’s among the league’s best players but few fans outside of Arizona seem to know that.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek remains sidelined with a lower-body injury to the end of this week.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov received a two-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head to Tampa Bay Lightning winger Conor Sheary.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is projected to be sidelined for several weeks with a lower-body injury. Lindgren suffered the injury during Sunday’s game against the New York Islanders.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Wayne Simmonds officially announced his retirement and signed a one-day contract to retire as a Flyers player on April 13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmonds spent 15 seasons in the NHL from 2008-09 to 2022-23with the Los Angeles Kings, Flyers, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs. He finished with 263 goals, 263 assists and 526 points with 1,313 PIMs in 1,037 games.

During his eight years with the Flyers, Simmonds had six seasons of 24-plus goals and 46 or more points, including two 30-plus goal performances and two 60-point campaigns.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best of luck to Simmonds in his future endeavors.

THE ATHLETIC: Former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov passed away at age 42. He spent three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2002-03 to 2005-06, finishing with 12 goals and 26 assists for 38 points in 144 games. Koltsov spent most of his playing career in Russia, including 10 seasons in the KHL following his NHL tenure. He was the coach of KHL club Salavat Yulaev at the time of his passing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Koltsov’s family, friends, former teammates and Salavat Yulaev for their loss.

STLTODAY.COM: Laila Anderson, the young girl who was the inspiration for the St. Louis Blues’ Stanley Cup run in 2019, has overcome her life-threatening brain disease. Now 15, she plays hockey for the Chesterfield Lady Falcons, who won the Blue Note Cup Tournament in the Bantam (B3) Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Laila and her teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2024

by | Feb 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2024

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane makes a triumphant return to Chicago, the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov reaches 100 points, Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins over the Flyers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Patrick Kane set up the tying goal and scored the winner in overtime as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. It was Kane’s first game against his former club in Chicago since he was traded to the New York Rangers last February. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist for the surging Red Wings (32-20-6) as they’ve won five straight games and hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 70 points. MacKenzie Entwistle and Nick Foligno scored for the 15-39-5 Blackhawks.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane spent 16 seasons with the Blackhawks and is among the greatest players in franchise history, helping them win three Stanley Cups. He received a lengthy standing ovation as the Blackhawks honored him with a video tribute during a TV timeout and another after scoring the winning goal.

Kane’s return coincided with the Blackhawks honoring another great as they retired Hall-of-Famer Chris Chelios’ No. 7 in a pregame ceremony. Chelios spent nine seasons in Chicago from 1990-91 to 1998-99, winning two of his three Norris Trophies there.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov became the first player this season to reach 100 points in a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Kucherov had a goal and three assists as he sits atop the scoring race with 102 points. With a record of 32-23-5, the Lightning hold the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 69 points. Tyler Toffoli netted his 25th goal of the season for the Devils (29-25-4) as they’ve lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 38 goals, Kucherov is poised to eclipse his career-best of 41 and is 26 points away from his career high of 128 points set in 2018-19.

Devils head coach Lindy Ruff took full responsibility for his club’s struggles this season but it’s not solely his fault. The Devils have been walloped by injuries while their goaltending is among the league’s worst.

The Pittsburgh Penguins held off the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 7-6. Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists while Bryan Rust had two goals and an assist before leaving the game in the third period with an upper-body injury as the Penguins improved to 26-21-8. Scott Laughton and Tyson Foerster each had two goals and an assist for the Flyers (30-22-7) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale left the game in the second period favoring his left arm following a hard hit from Penguins forward Jansen Harkins. There was no update regarding his status following the game.

An overtime goal by Kyle Connor lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes, handing the latter their 12th straight loss. Connor finished with two goals, Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists while Josh Morrissey collected three assists for the 36-15-5 Jets (77 points) as they’ve won three straight and sit one point behind the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars. Nick Schmaltz tallied twice for the 23-29-5 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes winger Clayton Keller left the game early in the second period with an undisclosed injury. He leads the club with 52 points in 57 games.

The Nashville Predators strengthened their hold on the final Western Conference wild-card berth by doubling up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist while goaltender Kevin Lankinen stopped 29 shots for the 32-25-2 Predators (66 points) as they’ve won five straight and sit four points up on the St. Louis Blues. Brett Leason had a goal and an assist for the 20-35-3 Ducks.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made 38 saves as his club upset the New York Rangers 4-2, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Dmitri Voronkov, Kirill Marchenko and Jack Roslovic each had a goal and an assist for the 19-28-10 Blue Jackets. Artemi Panarin netted his 33rd goal of the season for the Rangers (39-17-3) as they remain in second place in the overall standings.

The Buffalo Sabres have won three straight games for the first time this season with a 3-2 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Casey Mittelstadt tallied the winning goal in the shootout while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 30 saves for the 27-27-4 Sabres. Martin Necas had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (34-18-6) as they remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game the NHL department of player safety fined Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi $5,000.00 for elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Joel Hanley on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2023

by | Oct 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2023

The Red Wings Alex DeBrincat leads the NHL scoring race, the Bruins remain undefeated and Oilers captain Connor McDavid has been sidelined by an injury. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings got a hat trick performance from Alex DeBrincat to douse the Calgary Flames 6-2. DeBrincat also collected an assist to take over the NHL lead with eight goals and 12 points. Lucas Raymond and Justin Holl each had three assists while James Reimer made 29 saves for the Red Wings, who moved into second place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 5-1-0. Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich replied for the 2-3-1 Flames.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getting traded to the Wings certainly agrees with DeBrincat as he’s off to the best start of his NHL career. He’s provided a welcome boost to their offense which struggled at times to score last season.

Speaking of the Flames, defenseman Rasmus Andersson is appealing his four-game suspension for elbowing Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine in the head on Friday.

The Boston Bruins remain undefeated (5-0-0) as they downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Rookie center Matthew Poitras tallied his first two NHL goals, Brad Marchand netted his fourth goal of the season and Linus Ullmark got the win with a 30-save performance. Mason McTavish scored for the Ducks as they dropped to 1-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins winger Milan Lucic was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

HEADLINES

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid will be sidelined for one to two weeks with an upper-body injury. He suffered the injury during Saturday’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Things just went from bad to worse for the struggling Oilers with McDavid on the sidelines with a suspected oblique strain. It’s not a lengthy absence but he will miss five games, one of them being the Heritage Classic against the Calgary Flames in Edmonton on Oct. 29. This will be a significant test of character for a club that’s trying to right the ship after lurching to a 1-3-1 start to this season.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Andre Burakovsky will be out for six to eight weeks with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second significant absence from the roster for Burakovsky in this calendar year. He suffered a season-ending groin injury in February.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils got some good news over the weekend as captain Nico Hischier is expected to resume practicing with his teammates on Monday. Hischier was injured during Friday’s game with the New York Islanders.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Arizona Coyotes have an emerging superstar in Clayton Keller. Having tied the single-season franchise points record (86) last season, the 25-year-old winger is off to a hot start with three goals and six points in his first five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keller’s been heading into superstar territory since 2021-22 when he had 63 points in 67 games before suffering a season-ending leg injury. He’s become the foundation for the Coyotes’ rebuild and a key reason why I anticipate that they could become a wild-card contender this season.

THE SCORE: Ted Nolan recently released his memoir chronicling his journey as an indigenous player and coach through the ranks into the NHL. He’s also hopeful for the future, pointing out that his sons Brandon and Jordan didn’t experience the overt racism that he encountered during his career.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 24, 2023

by | Jun 24, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 24, 2023

Could the Coyotes trade Clayton Keller to the Blues? Could Penguins GM Kyle Dubas acquire Leafs goalie Matt Murray? What’s the latest on David Krejci, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Alex Killorn? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

KELLER TO THE BLUES?

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos recently reported that there is some trade buzz suggesting the Arizona Coyotes could move Clayton Keller. This comes after they bought out Zack Kassian and Patrik Nemeth earlier this week.

Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller (NHL Images).

Kypreos claims Keller has been linked to the St. Louis Blues. However, the cap-strapped Blues would have to first ship out a player with an expensive contract like forward Jordan Kyrou.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see the Coyotes trading Keller unless he wants out. So far, there’s no indication of that. He’s an invaluable part of their rebuild program.

Meanwhile, center Nick Schmaltz has been the subject of rumors since the weeks leading up to the March trade deadline. I can see the Coyotes shopping him this summer.

I don’t think St. Louis is a destination for Keller or Schmaltz because of their limited cap space. They made a significant investment in Kyrou, who exceeded 70 points for the second straight season.

Still, we can’t dismiss the possibility of Blues general manager Doug Armstrong wheeling and dealing this summer. He’s indicated he’s retooling his roster rather than rebuilding with the aim of bouncing back after missing the playoffs this season.

MURRAY TO THE PENGUINS?

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos recently reported there was a strong sense prior to Kyle Dubas’ departure as Toronto Maple Leafs general manager that he was planning on having Matt Murray return for his final year. With Dubas now the Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations, Kypreos wondered if he’ll attempt to acquire Murray.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If he does he’s a fool. Murray is too banged up to be an effective NHL goaltender anymore. That was painfully obvious this season with the Leafs.

KREJCI LEANING TOWARD RETIREMENT?

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy recently cited two sources suggesting that Bruins center David Krejci could soon be returning to retirement. The 37-year-old center hinted he might hang up his skates following the Bruins’ first-round playoff elimination by the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krejci also seemed to dismiss the possibility that he’d continue his playing career in Czechia as he did during the 2021-22 season. If he does return next season, he intends to do so with the Bruins.

IS A KUZNETSOV TRADE AVOIDABLE?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cited NHLPA player agent Alexey Dementyev suggesting the possibility of reconciliation between Washington Capitals management and center Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Demenyev believes the Capitals’ recent coaching change could be beneficial for Kuznetsov to regain his form following a disappointing performance in 2022-23. He’s been the subject of frequent trade speculation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals and Kuznetsov might have no choice but to reconcile. While it’s been recently reported that the 30-year-old center is available in the trade market, his contract could prove difficult to move this summer with a number of teams carrying limited cap room. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $7.8 million and a 10-team no-trade clause.

DOES COLTON GO IF KILLORN STAYS IN TAMPA BAY?

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos recently reported Alex Killorn prefers to stay in Tampa Bay and Lightning GM Julien BriseBois is hoping to re-sign the pending UFA winger. If that happens, Kypreos believes BriseBois will trade restricted free-agent winger Ross Colton.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Re-signing Killorn to a team-friendly deal wouldn’t leave enough for the cap-strapped Lightning to re-sign Colton unless they trade away somebody else in a cost-cutting deal.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 24, 2023

by | May 24, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 24, 2023

Will the Leafs keep their “core four” together after all? What roster priority faces new Flames GM Craig Conroy? What’s the latest Capitals speculation? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE LEAFS KEEP THEIR “CORE FOUR” TOGETHER?

TSN: Chris Johnston reports Toronto Maple Leafs team president Brendan Shanahan told the club’s top players – Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander – that they are not likely to be moved. The club’s vision right now is for those “core four” to return next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation abounded following the Leafs second-round elimination that one of those four would be moved. The consensus was Matthews, who is a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility, was too valuable to trade and the club would do all it could to re-sign him. Tavares’ no-movement clause meant he wasn’t going anywhere given his stated intent to finish his contract with the Leafs.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

That left Marner and Nylander as the most likely trade candidates with pundits debating which one would get dealt. The belief was either guy would fetch a power forward or a No. 1 defenseman.

If Shanahan intends to keep those four, it means another offseason where the Leafs are hampered by limited salary-cap space to augment the depth around those core players. They have $9.1 million invested in 15 players for 2023-24, though they’ll garner $5.625 million in salary-cap relief if required with Jake Muzzin expected to remain on long-term injury reserve next season.

The only other player who would fetch a quality return is Morgan Rielly and he’s far too valuable to their blueline corps. So, if the Leafs keep their “core four” forwards, don’t expect any blockbuster trade or major free-agent signing this summer that pushes the Leafs over the hump next season.

It’ll just be more of the same. They’ll be a terrific regular-season team that struggles in the playoffs.

WHAT ROSTER PRIORITY FACES FLAMES GM CONROY?

CALGARY SUN: Daniel Austin believes addressing Elias Lindholm’s future is among the priorities facing Craig Conroy, who was formally introduced yesterday as the Flames new general manager.

Lindholm is among several Flames (Noah Hanifin, Tyler Toffoli, Mikael Backlund, Nikita Zadorov and Chris Tanev) eligible next summer for unrestricted free-agent status. The 28-year-old center was non-committal about a contract extension during his end-of-season interview but that was before the club fired head coach Darryl Sutter.

Conroy indicated calling Lindholm is among his priorities to determine if he’s changed his mind. He’d love to keep him beyond next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy indicated that it doesn’t make sense for the Flames to enter next season with seven pending UFAs on the roster. He also said that he’d like to add more youth to his roster core “a little bit” but not change “the core pieces”.

Conroy could decide to peddle some of those UFAs if they’re unwilling to sign contract extensions. The Flames could be worth monitoring during the offseason. They don’t want a repeat of last summer when they lost Johnny Gaudreau to free agency for nothing.

LATEST CAPITALS SPECULATION

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports Anthony Mantha has popped up in a few different trade conversations. The 28-year-old winger is signed through next season with a $5.7 million cap hit and is eligible next summer for UFA status.

Seravalli speculates another club might take a flyer on Mantha. However, his struggles this season mean the Capitals won’t get much in return for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals might have to retain some of Mantha’s cap hit for next season if they’re keen to move him. I agree with Seravalli that they won’t get much of a return for him.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber suggested the Arizona Coyotes could offer up some interesting trade options for the Capitals. She noted Clayton Keller’s agents meeting with the Coyotes to discuss the club’s future. While Keller didn’t request a trade, she wondered if he’ll be on the move sooner rather than later.

Silber acknowledged bringing in Keller would be a stretch for the Capitals. The Coyotes will set a high asking price. There’s also the cost of taking on his $7.15 million AAV through 2027-28.

Nick Schmaltz could be another option. He carries a $5.85 million cap hit through 2025-26 but there are injury concerns.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt that the Capitals can afford to get in on Keller or Schmaltz if the Coyotes put them on the trade block. They’ve only got $7.3 million in cap space with 17 players under contract for 2023-24. They also lack sufficient depth in draft picks and prospects to win a bidding war.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2023

by | May 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2023

The Golden Knights beat the Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, reaction to the Leafs firing GM Kyle Dubas, Clayton Keller’s agents meet with Coyotes management and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS DRAW FIRST BLOOD IN WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Dallas Stars 4-3 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on an overtime goal by Brett Howden. William Karlsson scored two goals, Zack Whitecloud collected two assists and Adin Hill made 33 saves for the Golden Knights. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists, Jason Robertson a goal and an assist and Jake Oettinger stopped 33 shots for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining game with plenty of scoring chances, some big saves and a good overall pace. Four of the six goals in regulation were scored in the third period when the Golden Knights would take the lead but the Stars rallied back twice to tie it.

Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa missed this game, perhaps due to a nagging lower-body injury. Colin Miller took his place.

Game 2 goes Sunday in Las Vegas at 3 pm ET.

LEAFS FIRE DUBAS, MARLIES COACHING STAFF SACK, SPEZZA RESIGNS.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Friday that they had “parted ways” with general manager Kyle Dubas.

DAILY FACEOFF: In a subsequent press conference, Leafs president Brendan Shanahan spoke candidly of the reasons behind the decision. He revealed that a framework for a contract extension was presented to Dubas prior to the latter’s emotional press conference on Monday where he voiced his uncertainty about returning to the job.

Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas (NHL Images).

Shanahan explained the Leafs front office was caught off guard by Dubas’ remarks and started to rethink management’s plans. A meeting with Dubas on Wednesday, Shanahan said, left the latter with more questions than answers.

The Leafs president indicated that Dubas presented a new financial package for a contract extension on Thursday. By that point, however, Shanahan had felt differently about the club’s future with Dubas. On Friday, he drove to Dubas’ office and told him that he was fired.

Shanahan indicated that he’ll be open-minded when it comes to Dubas’ replacement. However, he will put an emphasis on experience.

TORONTO SUN: Prior to Shanahan’s press conference on Friday, Jason Spezza tendered his resignation as special assistant to the general manager. Spezza had been in the role for one season following his retirement as a player.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Marlies (the Leafs AHL affiliate) announced the contracts of coaches Greg Moore, A.J. MacLean and John Snowden would not be renewed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After several seasons, the soap opera “As The Leafs Turn” has returned. This was a major front-office bloodletting that will have significant short- and long-term ramifications for the Maple Leafs.

This news made a number of Leafs followers nervous that the club could be returning to the front-office dysfunction of the recent past. Some have drawn comparisons to the dark days of team owner Harold Ballard. Those folks are overreacting or weren’t old enough to remember how horrible the Ballard years were. Nevertheless, the concerns over the front office are understandable.

Dubas’ firing gives the Leafs little time to find a suitable replacement before the NHL draft (June 28-29) and the opening of contract extension talks (July 1) with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, who are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer.

The new general manager must also find a way to address the club’s roster needs with limited salary-cap space. That includes deciding whether to shake up the roster by trading one of their core players. They must also decide if head coach Sheldon Keefe and his coaching staff will remain or be replaced.

Buckle up, Leafs fans, you’re in for what could be a very interesting summer.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: Clayton Keller’s agents met with the Arizona Coyotes met with the club’s front office to discuss the team’s future. There was no trade request made by the 24-year-old winger’s representatives to seek clarity about the Coyotes’ direction after its Tempe arena proposal was rejected by a public referendum.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tying the franchise single-season record of 86 points, Keller is the Coyotes’ best player. He’s signed through 2026-27 and is a vital part of their current rebuilding program. The fact that he’s wondering about the club’s future should be a concern for the front office. If he’s not happy with their direction he could follow the example of former teammate Jakob Chychrun and request a trade.

NEW YORK POST: Connecticut governor Ned Lamont said he’s reached out to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for a meeting to discuss moving the Coyotes to Hartford, the former home of the Whalers before their relocation in 1997 to Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would be nice to see the NHL return full-time to Hartford. However, if the Coyotes relocate they’ll likely end up in a big Western market such as Houston or Salt Lake City.

SPORTSNET: Coyotes top prospect Logan Cooley intends to return to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt that Cooley’s decision is tied to the Coyotes’ failed arena bid. Earlier this year, he indicated that he wasn’t in a hurry to make the leap to the NHL. U.S. College players tend to spend at least two seasons with their university clubs. Management isn’t in any hurry to rush Cooley into their lineup, preferring to let him develop and mature as a player in the college ranks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports four potential candidates for the Flames’ vacant general manager job visited Calgary this week for interviews. Among them were Dave Nonis, Stan Bowman and Marc Bergevin. Seravalli believes the favorite could be Flames assistant GM Craig Conroy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy seems to me to be the best choice. He knows the Flames well during his years in their front office.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will reportedly meet with veteran coach Joel Quenneville after the playoffs to discuss his future with the league.

Quenneville resigned as head coach of the Florida Panthers in 2021, following the investigation into the sexual assault of former Chicago Blackhawks player Kyle Beach by former Blackhawks video coach Bradley Alrich.

At the time of Quenneville’s resignation, Bettman said he would have to meet with the commissioner if he wished to re-enter the league at some point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could mean that there’s a team interested in hiring Quenneville.