NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2025

by | Nov 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2025

Hat trick performances by the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard, the Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini, and the Lightning’s Jake Guentzel, a milestone game for the Jets’ Mark Scheifele, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard tallied his second career hat trick (and his second of the season) in a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Rookie forward Oliver Moore had a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks (10-5-4) are 5-0-1 in their last six games. Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist for the 5-13-2 Flames, who’ve lost five of their last six.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is on a roll, with 11 goals in as many games. His 13 goals tied him with six other players for second among NHL scorers, and is tied for second in points with San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini.

Before this game, the Flames claimed center John Beecher off waivers from the Boston Bruins.

Speaking of Macklin Celebrini, his overtime goal completed a hat trick to nip the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Will Smith collected two assists, and Yaroslav Askarov made 24 saves as the Sharks improved to 9-8-3 on the season. JJ Peterka scored both goals for the Mammoth (10-7-3), leaving them with a record of 2-5-3 in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was also Celebrini’s second hat trick of the season, making it the second time in NHL history that multiple hat tricks were scored by two players age 20 or younger. The last time was on Feb. 19, 1944, by Jack Hamilton and Bud Poile of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a hat trick from Jake Guentzel in a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists while Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 shots for the 10-7-2 Lightning. Nico Hischier replied for the Devils (13-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele collected three assists and became the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (898) in a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, and Neal Pionk each had a goal and an assist as the Jets improved to 12-7-0. Zach Werenski scored to become the first defenseman in Blue Jackets history to reach 400 career points. His club’s record slipped to 10-8-2 as its five-game points streak (3-0-2) ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko’s points streak ended at 12 games.

Detroit Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson had a goal and an assist for his first two NHL points to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Lucas Raymond also had a goal and an assist,and team captain Dylan Larkin scored for his 600th career NHL regular-season point as the Red Wings moved into first place in the Atlantic Division. Jordan Eberle and Ryker Evans tallied for the Kraken, who dropped to 9-5-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord returned to action after being sidelined by a lower-body injury since Nov. 5.

The New York Islanders got their fifth win in six games by holding off the Dallas Stars 3-2. Kyle Palmieri got the game-winning goal and picked up an assist for the 11-7-2 Islanders. Jason Robertson scored both goals for the Stars (12-5-3) as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for hitting Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov from behind late in the third period. Romanov had to be helped off the ice, but did not require off-site treatment. Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom missed this game due to illness.

William Nylander’s overtime goal lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the St. Louis Blues 3-2, snapping a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Jake McCabe and Steven Lorentz also scored, and Joseph Woll made 28 saves for the 9-9-2 Maple Leafs. Nathan Walker and Dalibor Dvorsky replied for the Blues, who have dropped three straight and fallen to 6-9-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the New York Rangers 3-2, ending the latter’s six-game road win streak. Tomas Hertl collected two assists, and Shea Theodore tallied the winning goal as the Golden Knights improved to 9-4-6. Vincent Trocheck and Jonny Brodzinski replied for the 10-9-2 Rangers.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Penn State University forward Gavin McKenna has struggled thus far in his first season in the NCAA.

Ranked as the early top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 17-year-old left wing has four goals and 15 points in 14 games, but his performance hasn’t been as dominant as expected. He’s struggled at even strength and with the physical style of the NCAA game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna wanted to test himself against NCAA competition, and he’s finding that it’s more challenging than he expected. How he responds and adjusts over the rest of this season could determine whether he remains the top prospect in next year’s draft.

DAILY FACEOFF/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ville Koivunen is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the club placed winger Philip Tomasino on waivers.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring is expected to be sidelined for an extended period with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins $2,000.00 for embellishment during a Nov. 9 game against the Utah Mammoth.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 15, 2025

by | Nov 15, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 15, 2025

Are the Maple Leafs attempting to acquire Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames? Read on for the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE THE MAPLE LEAFS PURSUING RASMUS ANDERSSON?

THE LEAFS NATION: Jay Rosehill recently told host Nick Alberga that a league source claimed the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to acquire defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames.

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (NHL Images).

Andersson, 29, is in the final season of his contract and eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July. He carries an average annual value of $4.55 million and a six-team no-trade list.

Rosehill believes the only way the Maple Leafs acquire Andersson is if they can sign him to a contract extension. He also questioned whether they had sufficient tradeable assets to make this deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, the two Leafs that other clubs covet the most are winger Matthew Knies and promising forward Easton Cowan. He believes those two must be kept to ensure the Leafs have substance for the future. He also questioned whether success would follow such a significant acquisition.

Unless the Leafs are willing to part with Knies or Cowan, I don’t see them outbidding other clubs for Andersson. They’d be foolish to make that trade. Koshan’s right, they must retain what few young assets they have.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 25, 2025

by | Aug 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 25, 2025

Check out the latest on Leafs winger Matthew Knies, Stars center Roope Hintz, Canadiens winger Patrik Laine, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TORONTO SUN: Matthew Knies is keen to find out who will be joining him and center Auston Matthews at right wing on the Maple Leafs’ top line. That role was filled by Mitch Marner, who has since departed for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

“It’ll be a bit different without Mitch, but the acquisitions we’ve made have been looking good,” Knies said, referring to forwards Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, and Dakota Joshua. “I don’t know what we’ll put together at the start of the season, but we have a lot of great players on our team.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whoever replaces Marner won’t replace his offence, but the hope is that the winger will be able to offset enough that the position doesn’t become a weakness. They’ll have to establish chemistry with Knies and Matthews starting in training camp next month.

The Leafs could move William Nylander into the first-line right wing position, but that could affect their second-line production.

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz said he’s fully healthy with training camp approaching next month. The 28-year-old Hintz suffered a broken foot during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but he didn’t require surgery.

“I’m feeling good. My foot is fine, and I’ve been able to train normally this summer,” Hintz said. “So everything is good.”

Hintz suffered the injury when Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse slashed him in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. He missed Game 3, but returned for the final two games of the series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated the problem was a bleeding issue that forced him to miss one game following the injury. Hintz said they found a solution that made him feel like normal, enabling him to return to action for the rest of the Conference Final.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Patrik Laine and his wife joined several Montreal athletes and their partners in the “From Us To You” fashion show last week. From Us To You is the foundation founded by the Laines to promote mental health initiatives.

“I didn’t see myself walking down the runway, but here we are,” Laine said. “I think it’s cool to combine fashion and sports and mental health.”

Laine also stated that his reputation as one of the NHL’s more fashionable players came about by accident. He said he wore something different before a game a few years ago, creating an expectation for him to dress up. “I don’t mind it. I hadn’t been super into fashion until a few years ago. It’s pretty fun. You show off your personality”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most NHL players tend to dress conservatively before games. That might change now that the pre-game dress code will be abolished under the new collective bargaining agreement, which takes effect in 2026-27.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders’ 2025-26 season will depend on the performances of forward Mathew Barzal and goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

Barzal is coming off an injury-hampered season, limiting him to 20 points in 30 games. Meanwhile, Sorokin’s workload increased over the past two seasons, especially in 2024-25 as backup Semyon Varlamov was sidelined by injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barzal’s absence and an overworked Sorokin contributed to the Islanders missing the playoffs last season. A healthy season for the former and a reduction of the latter’s workload could help the club rebound in 2025-26.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: This season will be Logan Mailloux’s opportunity to earn meaningful NHL minutes. The 22-year-old defenseman was traded to the Blues by the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for winger Zack Bolduc.

Mailloux had difficulty cracking the rebuilding Canadiens’ defense corps last season and was limited to just seven games. The 22-year-old could start the season on the Blues’ third defense pairing alongside Tyler Tucker, and could challenge for a spot on one of their power-play units.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mailloux could have a better opportunity in St. Louis to earn more NHL playing time than he had in Montreal. It’ll be interesting to see how the move to the Blues affects his trajectory.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2025

by | Jun 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2025

New deals for Matthew Knies, Claude Giroux and Morgan Geekie highlight Sunday’s notable signings, the Golden Knights and Predators swing a multi-player trade, the latest on Mitch Marner, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SUNDAY’S NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS

TORONTO SUN: Matthew Knies has reportedly agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old power forward will receive an average annual value of $7.75 million. He was coming off his entry-level contract and was slated to become a restricted free agent (RFA) on July 1.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That roughly around what Knies was projected to receive. He had a solid sophomore season, with a career-high of 29 goals and 58 points in 78 games. The 6’3”, 227-pound winger has yet to reach his playing prime and will only get better as he skates alongside superstar center Auston Matthews.

Knies had recently rejected any notion of signing an offer sheet with a rival club. Nevertheless, this signing will be a relief for Leafs fans.

The Leafs will likely turn their focus to the start of the unrestricted free agent market on Tuesday to bolster their roster. They have $13.57 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 19 active roster players under contract.

OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux signed a one-year, bonus-laden “plus-35” contract with the Senators. The versatile 37-year-old forward will earn a $2 million base salary, with an additional $2.75 million in bonuses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux really wanted to stay in his hometown. The base salary is a significant pay cut from the $6.75 million average annual value (AAV) he earned on his previous deal. However, he could make $4.75 million in actual salary if he achieves all of his bonuses, one of which includes the Senators winning the Stanley Cup. Follow the link above for the full breakdown.

According to PuckPedia, the Senators now have over $8.1 million in cap space with 18 active roster players signed for 2025-26.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed forward Morgan Geekie to a six-year contract with an AAV of $5.5 million. They also signed forward Marat Khusnutdinov to a two-year deal ($925,000 AAV) and defenseman Michael Callahan to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie was the notable signing for the Bruins. The 26-year-old forward had a career-best performance in 2024-25, tallying 33 goals and 24 assists for 57 points. Management will be betting that the best is yet to come from Geekie as he plays a bigger role as a first-line left wing.

The Bruins have over $16.6 million remaining with 17 active roster players signed for 2025-26.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Dante Fabbro agreed to a four-year contract with the Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old defenseman will earn an AAV of $4.125 million, leaving the Blue Jackets with over $28.5 million in cap space with 21 active roster players under contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Plucked off waivers from Nashville in November, Fabbro had a career-best performance with the Blue Jackets, netting 26 points in 62 games skating alongside Zach Werenski on their top defense pairing. It’s an affordable signing for the Jackets that could pan out well over the next four years.

LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS: The Anaheim Ducks signed goaltender Ville Husso to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.2 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks acquired goalie Petr Mrazek during Saturday’s trade that sent netminder John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings. They must also re-sign RFA starter Lukas Dostal, but that shouldn’t be an issue. The Ducks have $35.9 million in cap space with 18 active roster players signed for next season.

Once Dostal is re-signed, Mrazek or Husso could end up on the trade block, but they could hang onto Husso as a third goalie should injuries strike.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS, PREDATORS MAKE MULTI-PLAYER TRADE

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW/THE TENNESSEAN: The Vegas Golden Knights traded defenseman Nicolas Hague to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and forward Colton Sissons. Hague, 26, agreed to a four-year contract ($5.5 million AAV) with the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators added shutdown size to their defense core with the 6’6”, 240-pound Hague, who was slated to become an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1. Shipping out Lauzon and Sissons gave them the cap flexibility to sign Hague.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS COULD FACE TAMPERING ACCUSATION FROM THE LEAFS

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman stating the Maple Leafs could go after the Golden Knights if the latter signs Mitch Marner on July 1 as a UFA.

Marner, 28, spent the past nine seasons with the Maple Leafs. Friedman said the Golden Knights’ interest in the two-way winger goes back to last summer, when the Leafs expressed an interest in Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore.

Friedman said he’s not accusing the Golden Knights of tampering, which is a sensitive issue among general managers. However, he said a couple of GMs claim the league could try to make an example of someone.

Over the weekend, it was reported that the Leafs and Golden Knights were discussing a sign-and-trade scenario involving Marner. If the deal went through, the Leafs would receive forward Nicolas Roy and defenseman Nicolas Hague as part of the return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The accusation could be that the Golden Knights had been in contact with the Marner camp before July 1, which is forbidden under the CBA. Friedman believes the tampering accusation won’t materialize if the sign-and-trade deal is finalized.

It’ll be interesting to see what develops between now and when the free-agent market opens at noon ET on July 1. Hague was traded to Nashville on Sunday night, so he’s no longer part of any potential deal.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are reportedly closing in on bringing back Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach. He was their bench boss from 2011-12 to 2012-13 before being fired by Jim Nill in one of his first acts as general manager. Gulutzan recently served as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers.

SPORTSNET: Seattle Kraken forward Joe Veleno and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Sheary were placed on unconditional waivers on Sunday. Their contracts will be bought out today.

Veleno had a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $2.275 million. Sheary had a year left with a cap hit of $2 million.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 15, 2025

by | Jun 15, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 15, 2025

A look at several offer-sheet candidates and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently listed five restricted free agents who could receive offer sheets this summer.

Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs tops Seravalli’s list. He projected that the 23-year-old power forward could receive a five-year offer worth an average annual value of $11.7 million. That AAV would be at the high end of the second-highest compensation level ($9,360 million to $11,700,192), requiring four draft picks (two firsts, a second, and a third) as compensation for a successful signing.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli listed 15 teams that would meet the compensation pick requirement. Three of them (Edmonton, New Jersey and Vegas) can’t afford that contract. Montreal (with Carey Price on LTIR), Nashville, Philadelphia and Seattle have the cap room, but it would leave them little space to fill out the rest of the rosters.

Seravalli acknowledged that Knies stated last month that he prefers playing for Toronto, shooting down the notion of an offer sheet. His proposal of $11.7 million to Knies is based on a scenario where a club makes an offer too expensive for the Leafs to match. However, it’s doubtful a rival club is going to go that high.

The expectation among observers is that teams will target promising talent, like the St. Louis Blues did last summer when they signed Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the Edmonton Oilers.

Buffalo Sabres winger JJ Peterka, New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle, St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer, and Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque were also on Seravalli’s list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those four are the type of promising players most likely to become offer-sheet candidates.

Seravalli projected a two-year offer for Peterka with an AAV of $9,360,152, requiring compensation of a first, a second, and a third-round pick. The Sabres have the cap space to match, but the threat of that offer sheet is why Peterka is among Seravalli’s list of summer trade candidates.

This list was published before the Rangers shipped Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks, freeing up $6.5 million in cap space. Seravalli projected Cuylle getting a five-year offer sheet with an AAV of $7,020,113, requiring a first and second-round pick as compensation. However, the Rangers could easily afford to match that now.

Seravalli projected a two-year offer sheet with an AAV of $4,680,076 for Hofer, requiring a second-rounder in compensation. Bourque is projected to get a two-year deal at $2,340,037, requiring a third-rounder as compensation. Given the cap constraints of the Blues and Stars, those two have a good possibility of happening if Hofer and Bourque are willing to entertain offer sheets.

SPORTSNET: Cuylle, Hofer and Bourque also featured on Ryan Dixon’s list of offer-sheet candidates.

His list includes Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov, Buffalo Sabres winger Jack Quinn, and Utah Mammoth forward Jack McBain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hague will likely be traded before becoming eligible for an offer sheet, but they could re-sign him if Alex Pietrangelo ends up on long-term injury reserve. There’s recent speculation suggesting he could start next season on LTIR, with some saying his playing days could be over.

The Blue Jackets have over $40 million in cap space for 2025-26. It’s unlikely any club will target Voronkov since it’ll be easily matched. No one’s going to overpay to get him.

Dixon suggested Quinn and McBain could be targeted later in the offseason if the Sabres and Mammoth use up their cap space re-signing other players and adding to their rosters. That’s a possibility worth watching, but it’ll also depend on the players’ willingness to sign an offer sheet.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2025

by | May 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at this summer’s notable potential offer sheet candidates, and which ones might be targeted by the Canucks and Mammoth.

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary looked at this year’s top offer-sheet candidates.

O’Leary starts by reminding us that teams can only surrender their own draft picks as compensation, that any restricted free agent who files for arbitration by the July 5 deadline is ineligible to sign an offer sheet, and that teams have seven days to match an offer signed by their player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We must also remember that an RFA player must be willing to sign an offer from a rival club. Just because a player may be considered an offer-sheet candidate by fans and pundits doesn’t mean he’s interested in signing one.

Arbitration-eligible players sometimes file simply to avoid getting offers from rival clubs, preferring to focus on re-signing with their current team before their arbitration hearing dates.

O’Leary also put up the compensation tiers for the offseason (which you can see by following the link above).

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

In the “Pipe Dream” category are winger Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers. O’Leary noted that Knies last week scoffed at the notion of signing an offer sheet. Meanwhile, Bouchard is likely reluctant to leave a contender while less than half the league has adequate draft picks to offer the Oilers the second-highest compensation level (two first-rounders, a second and a third).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A team would have to offer up a salary between $9.36 million and $11.7 million to Bouchard to tempt him, which is the second-highest salary tier. I’ve speculated that it’ll cost the Oilers around $10 million annually to sign him. It’s worth noting that Bouchard is eligible for arbitration.

O’Leary has Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi and Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka among his “Long shots who might be worth a try”. Others include Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal or center Mason McTavish, and New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s assuming those players aren’t re-signed before July 1. Vilardi, Dostal and Dobson are arbitraiton-eligible.

One significant factor is that all those teams have plenty of salary-cap space to match an offer sheet. Unless the goal is forcing a team to spend more than they intended to re-sign the player, it’s a waste of time going that route.

As one NHL general manager pointed out (see below), it can backfire on the team making the offer, putting them in a vulnerable position for a future retaliatory offer sheet to one of their RFAs when they have limited cap space.

Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild and Will Cuylle of the New York Rangers fall under O’Leary’s “Cheap-value targets”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re the most likely on O’Leary’s list to receive offer sheets this summer. Both are coming off entry-level contracts and lack arbitration rights. They would also be more affordable, falling within the third-tier compensation level (a first and a second-round pick) if they receive offers between $4.68 million and $7.020 million.

The Wild have over $16 million in cap space. They can afford to match an offer for Rossi, but there have been questions about his role and his future in Minnesota. They must also ensure they have sufficient cap room beyond next season to re-sign superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov. Rossi could be traded before July 1.

Cap space is a bigger issue for the Rangers, with $8.42 million available with 19 active roster players under contract. They could move a high-priced veteran this summer to free up room to re-sign Cuylle and perhaps add a player via trade or free agency.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal looked at possible offer-sheet targets for the Vancouver Canucks. Among the players on their list was Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Byram is also arbitration-eligible. The Sabres are reportedly gauging his value in the trade market, which suggests he could be under contract with a new club before July 1.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Belle Fraser wondered if the Utah Mammoth might go the offer-sheet route this summer.

General manager Bill Armstrong seemed a bit hesitant when questioned about it last month. “People have to realize that when you put an offer sheet in, it has to work, it has to make sense”, said Armstrong. “It just can’t aggravate the other team because they’re going to come after you at some point in time and run up your salaries.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If you’re going to sign a player to an offer sheet, you must be sure that you will be successful, as the St. Louis Blues were last summer by signing away Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the cap-strapped Edmonton Oilers.

Otherwise, you get a situation as in 2019, when the Carolina Hurricanes matched an offer from the Montreal Canadiens for Sebastian Aho. Two years later, the Hurricanes successfully signed Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Canadiens.

I expect Armstrong will make a significant addition to his roster this summer, but it’ll be through a trade or by signing an unrestricted free agent.