NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2023

by | Sep 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2023

The Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard and the Blue Jackets’Adam Fantilli shine in their rookie tournament performances, Panthers goalie Spencer Knight talks about enrolling in the player assistance program last season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard and Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli made impressive debuts with their clubs during the NHL rookie tournaments.

Chicago Blackhawks prospect Connor Bedard (NHL.com).

The first-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bedard scored a hat trick in a 5-0 win over the Minnesota Wild at the Tom Kurvers Prospects Showcase on Saturday. Fantilli, chosen third overall in the draft, also netted a hat trick and collected two assists as the Blue Jackets rookies overcame a 4-1 deficit to down the Detroit Red Wings 10-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A splendid effort by Bedard and Fantilli suiting up for the first time with their respective NHL clubs. However, they’ll soon face stiffer competition in preseason play later this month.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight talked to Ken Campbell about why he enrolled in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in February. An ongoing case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) made it impossible for him to continue playing.

Knight revealed that his condition began during his freshman year at Boston College in 2019 with excessive hand washing. However, it worsened after giving up three goals in a December game against the Winnipeg Jets. He was plagued by thoughts of contracting diseases, reaching the point where he had trouble sleeping and couldn’t function.

The 22-year-old goaltender has been working directly with an OCD expert and talking to others who are dealing with the condition on a daily basis. As Knight rejoins his teammates for training camp, he’s focused on regaining his form and getting his NHL career back on track.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rumors were rampant that Knight was dealing with a drug or alcohol problem when he went into the player assistance program. This goes to show that we shouldn’t make assumptions about the reasons behind a player seeking help from the league and the PA.

It’s good to see that this program helps those with mental health issues get the treatment and support that they need. Best wishes to Knight as he goes forward with his life and his playing career.

THE ATHLETIC: Tony DeAngelo shouldered the blame for his disappointing one-season tenure with the Philadelphia Flyers. The 27-year-old defenseman acknowledged the club started last season behind the eight-ball losing Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson sidelined by injuries. However, he said that his inconsistent performance was his own fault.

“So that was on me, that wasn’t on them,” said DeAngelo. “But it was something I’ll never trade in.” He felt that playing for the Flyers was a childhood dream come true. “It’s something I can’t say I regret.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers acquired DeAngelo from the Carolina Hurricanes last summer. After efforts to trade him back to Carolina fell through, they bought out the final season of his contract. The Hurricanes subsequently signed him to a one-year, $1.675 million contract.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Promising defenseman Brandt Clarke will not be traveling with the Los Angeles Kings to Australia as the club begins training camp and plays a series of preseason games with the Arizona Coyotes.

Clarke, 20, suffered an injury that isn’t considered serious. However, he requires seven-to-10 days without on-ice contact. It was determined it would be best if he remained in Los Angeles and received treatment.

THE ATHLETIC’s Michael Russo cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that the Minnesota Wild could be working on something for free-agent center Jujhar Khaira. Russo speculates it could be a professional tryout offer or a contract.

ROTO BALLER: Josh Leivo has signed with KHL club Salavat Yulaev Ufa. The 30-year-old winger played 51 games last season with the St. Louis Blues. He’s totaled 265 games over 10 NHL seasons since 2013-14 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and the Blues, scoring a total of 42 goals and 93 points.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins confirmed and revealed their Centennial jerseys for this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 11, 2023

by | Sep 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 11, 2023

The latest on the Flames plus speculation about the Kings goaltending in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES

CALGARY SUN: Daniel Austin and Wes Gilbertson looked at the notable storylines facing the Flames this season.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

They’re divided on Elias Lindholm’s future. Gilbertson believes the 28-year-old center will sign “a max term, big-bucks contract”. Austin, however, isn’t so sure, suggesting the Flames peddle Lindholm by the trade deadline if he’s not re-signed by then.

Gilbertson also wonders what the future holds for Mikael Backlund. Like Lindholm, the 34-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Austin thinks defenseman Chris Tanev would be the type of defenseman that playoff contenders would be interested in at the trade deadline.

Both pundits believe the Flames need to address their three-goalie logjam. They agree that promising Dustin Wolf has nothing left to prove at the AHL level and must get in some NHL games. Daniel Vladar could be on the move once another club has an injury between the pipes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be an interesting season for the Flames. Lindholm has said he’s open to staying in Calgary and management wants to keep him. However, he could opt to wait and see how this season shakes out before committing to an extension. That could affect what happens with Backlund.

Like Lindholm, Backlund and Tanev, Noah Hanifin is also due to become a UFA next summer. The 26-year-old defenseman reportedly informed management that he’s not interested in a contract extension.

So far, there’s no indication the Flames are close to moving Hanifin. They could start the season with the blueliner as a self-rental for this season or shop him at the trade deadline if they’re out of contention by then.

The Flames could start the season with Wolf and Vladar jockeying for playing time behind starting goalie Jacob Markstrom. At some point this season, however, I think Vladar will be traded to make room for Wolf.

COULD THE KINGS STILL UPGRADE IN GOAL?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek wondered if oft-injured goaltender Cam Talbot would regain his form after signing a one-year, $1 million contract this summer with the Los Angeles Kings. He’ll be reunited with coach Todd McLellan, with whom he’d had his best NHL season (42 wins) in 2016-17 with the Edmonton Oilers.

If the 36-year-old Talbot struggles, Duhatschek speculated that they’ll do what they did at the 2023 trade deadline and acquire a rental goalie. He wondered what Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck’s status would be by then.

Duhatschek also pondered if the Anaheim Ducks would be willing to move on from John Gibson. He believes the days of divisional rivals being off-limits in the trade market are long gone.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve seen some predictions suggesting the Kings could become Stanley Cup contenders this season. However, their goaltending remains their Achilles’ heel if the aging, banged-up Talbot has another injury-hampered performance.

I’m still not sure how keen the Ducks would be to move Gibson to the Kings, who could also be on his 10-team no-trade list. We can’t dismiss that possibility but I think their focus would be on Hellebuyck if the Jets goalie becomes available near the March 8 trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2023

by | Sep 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2023

Check out the latest on the Bruins’ Brad Marchand, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand is considered among the candidates to replace retired center Patrice Bergeron as the Bruins’ captain. However, the 35-year-old winger believes the club has plenty of leadership regardless of who wears the captaincy.

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

“You know we have always done it collectively as a group, so regardless of who wears it, it’s a collective thing,” said Marchand. “Even guys without letters step up”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is the longest-serving active member of the Bruins, having been with the club since 2009-10. Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Brandon Carlo and Hampus Lindholm have also been mentioned as candidates to succeed Bergeron as Bruins captain.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito provided an update on sidelined defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Both players are recovering from offseason shoulder surgeries.

Zito anticipates Ekblad and Montour will be back before the 2024 All-Star break in early February but he didn’t provide more specific timelines. “I think you are safe to say November to January is the range as long as they continue to progress in September and October.”

Of the two, Zito alluded to Montour returning to action before Ekblad.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will find it challenging to remain a playoff contender this season without their top two defensemen during the opening weeks of the schedule.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers and his family were forced to evacuate their lakefront home in British Columbus last month when embers from the West Kelowna wildfires jump Okanagan Lake.

Myers said the fire jumped close to his house on the east side of Okanagan Lake. He and his family spent a week in Vancouver before they were allowed to return home. “House is all good,” said Myers. “We got back and, you know, a lot of debris and ash everywhere as I’m sure there was around the whole city. But it was scary for sure.”

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, defenseman Tucker Poolman is not expected to attend training camp in Victoria later this month. The 30-year-old blueliner has been suffering from migraines since 2021-22 and played just three games last season. He could be sidelined for the entirety of the upcoming campaign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Poolman is in the third season of a four-year contract with an average annual value of $2.5 million. He will likely be placed on long-term injury reserve if unable to play this season.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed winger Danton Heinen to a professional tryout offer (PTO).

DAILY FACEOFF: Forward Stefan Matteau is attending Columbus Blue Jackets training camp on a PTO.

Goaltender Jean-Francois Berube has signed a PTO with the Los Angeles Kings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2023

by | Sep 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2023

Check out the latest on Kevin Hayes, Anton Khudobin, Tuukka Rask and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues head coach Craig Berube believes Kevin Hayes will bring experienced help at the center-ice position to his team. The 31-year-old forward was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in July.

Berube noted that Hayes played well during his tenure with the New York Rangers, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. “He’s a good player with the puck, he makes plays,” said Berube. “Big, he’s got good size. When he was with the Rangers, he was killing penalties, he was a faceoff guy. He was really good at the dot. There’s a lot of upside there that he can really help us.”

St. Louis Blues center Kevin Hayes (NHL Images).

Hayes averaged 20 goals and 30 assists per 82 games during his four seasons with the Flyers. Despite a 54-point performance last season (including a team-leading 36 assists), he was a healthy scratch at times under coach John Tortorella and spent some time as a left wing. His production dropped to seven points in his final 28 games with the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are hoping that Hayes will improve in St. Louis and bolster their depth at center after trading away Ryan O’Reilly last season. He carries a $7.1 million cap hit through 2025-26 but the Flyers retained half of that. The Blues only gave up a 2024 sixth-round pick to get him. This could turn into a steal for the Blues if Hayes regains the form that earned him that lucrative contract.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anton Khudobin signed a contract with Sokol Krasnoyarsk in Russia’s second-tier VHL. The 37-year-old goaltender spent most of last season with the AHL’s Texas Stars. Traded to the Chicago Blackhawks before the March 3 trade deadline, he made his last NHL appearance on March 23, giving up six goals on 28 shots.

Before that, Khudobin had a well-earned reputation as a reliable backup goaltender with the Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, and Dallas Stars. His most memorable performance occurred during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs as he backstopped the Stars to the Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Khudobin struggled following the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season. A nagging hip injury led to season-ending surgery in March 2022 requiring a six-month recovery period.

In 260 NHL games played, he had a regular-season record of 114 wins, 92 losses and 33 overtime losses with a 2.52 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and 11 shutouts. He also had a record of 14-10-0 in 24 playoff starts with a 2.63 GAA, a .919 SP and one shutout.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask recently denied a long-standing rumor that he missed the last game of the 2015-16 season due to a hangover from drinking at a Boston pub the night before.

Rask was actually sidelined by a stomach virus and was replaced in that game by Jonas Gustavsson. The Bruins fell to the Ottawa Senators 6-1 and missed the playoffs.

In a recent interview with the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, Rask said that the rumor was started by a former bartender at the pub. The former Vezina Trophy winner said he was there five days beforehand but not the night before that crucial game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rask was among the NHL’s elite goaltenders during most of his tenure in Boston. He holds the Bruins’ record for career wins with 308, backstopping them to two Stanley Cup Finals and winning a Cup as Tim Thomas’ backup in 2011. Nevertheless, he never really got his just due from some Bruins fans during his 15-season NHL career.

LA HOCKEY INSIDER: The Los Angeles Kings enter this season with the second-lowest payroll invested in goaltending. They have three goalies with NHL experience in Cam Talbot, Pheonix Copley and David Rittich. It’s expected that Talbot and Copley will be their main tandem to start the seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltending is the Kings’ potential Achilles’ heel this season. Don’t be surprised if general manager Rob Blake goes shopping for an upgrade at some point if Talbot, Copley and Rittich struggle between the pipes.

DAILY FACEOFF: Highly-touted Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch from SKA St. Petersburg’s first two games in the new KHL season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some on social media are pointing to this as justification for why Michkov dropped to seventh overall in this year’s draft. That’s as may be but it’s still very early in the 18-year-old winger’s career. He won’t be making his NHL debut for three more seasons so there’s plenty of time for him to develop and improve as a professional in the KHL.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 29, 2023

by | Aug 29, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 29, 2023

A look at questions facing several Pacific Division teams in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently looked at the biggest question facing each team in the Pacific Division.

Among them was whether the Calgary Flames would make any major trades before training camp opens later next month. The expectation is defenseman Noah Hanifin will be dealt at some point. There’s less certainty about center Elias Lindholm but it wouldn’t be a shock if the Flames moved him before summer ends.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hanifin, Lindholm and center Mikael Backlund are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer.

Hanifin has reportedly informed Flames management that he intends to test next summer’s UFA market. There are reports the Flames and Lindholm’s camp are discussing an extension but no word as to whether progress has been made. A new contract for Lindholm could lead to one for Backlund.

Dixon wondered if the Los Angeles Kings might pursue another goaltender. He suspects that move might come during the season if the current tandem of Pheonix Copley and Cam Talbot aren’t up to snuff. Dixon isn’t sure if they could land Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, in part because it would take some salary-cap gymnastics by the Kings to pull it off.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with this assessment. Kings general manager Rob Blake could be forced into the trade market if Copley and Talbot can’t get the job done.

The Kings have plenty of promising young players to draw on for trade bait and a recent trade history with the Jets. However, Blake could ask the Jets to retain half of Hellebuyck’s $6.166 million salary-cap hit to facilitate a trade or try to swing a three-team deal to spread it around.

Turning to the San Jose Sharks, Dixon wondered if offseason acquisitions such as Mike Hoffman, Anthony Duclair, Mikael Granlund and Jan Rutta end up getting flipped to other clubs.

Duclair, 28, could be part of the Sharks’ future but the others are over 30 and probably won’t figure into their long-range plans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of that group, Duclair has the best trade value and would fetch the biggest return. That will depend on whether he wants to re-sign with the rebuilding Sharks or test next summer’s free-agent market. If it’s the latter, he’ll be used as a bargaining chip near the March trade deadline by the Sharks.

Dixon also took note of Elias Pettersson putting contract extension talks on hold with the Vancouver Canucks to focus on preparing for the coming season. He wondered if Pettersson might change his mind once he’s back in North America.

Dixon also wondered if frequent trade-rumor subject Brock Boeser gets moved before training camp begins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s remarks prompted at least one pundit to suggest the club he covers at least look into whether a trade can be done for the 24-year-old center. Considering his value to the retooling Canucks, I doubt it.

Pettersson is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. If a new contract isn’t agreed to by then, the Canucks are under no pressure to move him as they’ll still retain his rights.

As for Boeser, he made it clear at the end of last season that he wants to stay with the Canucks. There’s no indication they intend to move him. That could change over the course of the season but for now, I expect him to be part of their roster when the schedule begins in October.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 8, 2023

by | Aug 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 8, 2023

A promising prognosis for the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel, the Kings’ Quinton Byfield hopes for a healthy start, the Ducks sign Alex Stalock, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Jake Guentzel’s recovery from ankle surgery could be shorter than expected.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)

Speaking with the press yesterday to discuss his acquisition of Erik Karlsson, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said Guentzel was expected to be sidelined until late October or early November. With the Penguins having a late schedule during that stretch, Dubas said the 28-year-old winger could end up missing just the first five games of the regular season.

Guentzel is to be reevaluated 12 weeks following his surgery last week. According to Dubas, he could be “ready to roll” if all goes well with his recovery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas cautioned that his five-game prognosis is “kind of a projected number, because it’s medical”, adding that they want to do what’s right for Guentzel. Nevertheless, it’s a more promising evaluation than the original assumption that he could start the season on long-term injury reserve.

NHL.COM: Quinton Byfield hopes for a healthy beginning to his third NHL season after injury and illness sidelined him from the start of his first two campaigns. The 20-year-old center believes those absences adversely affected his performance over those seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings had high hopes for Byfield after choosing him second overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. The 6’5”, 220-pound center was limited to 32 points in 93 games in his first two full NHL seasons but put up a respectable four points in six playoff games against the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round of the 2023 playoffs.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks added more depth between the pipes by signing goaltender Alex Stalock to a one-year, $800K contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stalock will slot in as the Ducks’ third goalie behind starter John Gibson and promising Lukas Dostal.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars hired Misha Donskov as an assistant coach. He was an assistant coach with the Vegas Golden Knights from 2019 to 2023.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers hired Christian Hmura as a skills and performance coach.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL defenseman Bryan Berard was arrested on July 30 in Newport, Rhode Island, for his alleged involvement in a bar fight. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A first-overall pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 1995 draft, Berard played 619 NHL games from 1996-97 to 2007-08.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL player Sean Avery is having a complicated summer. On the plus side, he has a small role in the hit film “Oppenheimer.” However, his personal life recently made news after his estranged wife, model Hilary Rhoda, successfully extended the temporary restraining order she took out against him.