NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2023

by | May 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2023

The Panthers push the Hurricanes to the brink of elimination, the Penguins get permission to speak with former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, the latest Flames’ front-office hires and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are on the verge of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final following a 1-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves for his first career playoff shutout while Sam Reinhart tallied the only goal with Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett picking up assists. Frederik Andersen stopped 16 shots for the Hurricanes.

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov left the game in the first period after injuring his right leg following a hit along the boards from Hurricanes forward Jack Drury. Head coach Paul Maurice offered no update on Barkov’s status following the game but didn’t appear to be too concerned, joking that he was at a neighbor’s Bar Mitzvah.

The Panthers can close out the series in Game 4 on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour was frustrated by the officiating in this game. He criticized what he considered “three knick-knack penalties on sticks to the hand” and was upset by Reinhart clipping defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere in the face with a high stick late in the game that went uncalled by the officials.

Brind’Amour’s frustration over the officiating was understandable but I think he and his Hurricanes are more exasperated by their struggles to score against Bobrovsky. They dominated the play for most of this contest but the Panthers netminder thwarted them at every turn. He’s held the Hurricanes to just three goals in this series and is the main reason his club is on the verge of reaching the Final for the first time since 1996.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins asked and received permission to speak with former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. They’ve been searching for a new GM since firing Ron Hextall last month and had already interviewed several candidates before Dubas was relieved of his duties on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas said last Monday that he would step away from managing for a while if he didn’t return with the Leafs. It’ll be interesting to see what decision he’ll make. Nevertheless, this move by the Penguins validates weeks of speculation linking them to Dubas prior to the latter’s firing on Friday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli broke the news that Dave Nonis will join Calgary Flames incoming general manager Craig Conroy in a senior management role. Nonis is a former GM of the Vancouver Canucks and Maple Leafs.

Seravalli also reports former Flames captain Jarome Iginla will be brought into the fold in an advisory or consultant role to start.

OTTAWA SUN: Ryan Reynolds has closed the door on owning the Senators. The Vancouver-born actor turned down offers to be part of other groups bidding for the franchise.

Reynolds was part of the Remington Group that opted not to make a binding $1 billion pitch after their attempt to get exclusive negotiating rights with the National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa was turned down.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Mesa mayor John Giles said he encouraged the Coyotes to see what his city had to offer in terms of available private land to build a new arena. He sees avenues where the club could build on land that wouldn’t require a public vote for approval.

The Coyotes’ bid to construct an arena and entertainment complex in Tempe was rejected last week by a public referendum.

Speaking of the Coyotes, GOPHNX.COM’s Craig Morgan reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly denied a New York Post report claiming the club’s players had filed complaints with the NHL Players Association regarding sub-standard travel, lodging and logistical issues that were in violation of the collective bargaining agreement.

Daly said the only concerns raised by Coyotes players were related to construction delays in connection with the completion of Mullett Arena. Morgan also reported he’d heard from most of the agents who represent Coyotes players and they claimed they weren’t aware of any infractions that rose to the level of CBA violation.

THE PROVINCE: A report out of Russia claims Vancouver Canucks winger Vitali Kravtsov has signed a two-year Kontinental Hockey League contract with Chelyabinsk Traktor. The 23-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The Canucks can still qualify to retain his NHL rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A former first-round pick of the New York Rangers, Kravtsov struggled to establish himself as an NHL winger. He spent 2021-22 with Chelyabinsk before returning on a one-year contract with the Rangers, who traded him to the Canucks on Feb. 25.

SPORTSNET: On a lighter note, former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau gave a “pep talk” to WWE tag-team champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn following their match with Matt Riddle against Imperium on Monday Night Raw.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only thing missing was multiple F-Bombs from Boudreau.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2023

by | Feb 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2023

Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark scores in his 30th win of the season, the Sharks retire Patrick Marleau’s number, the Jets acquire Nino Niederreiter, the Blues claim Kasperi Kapanen off waivers, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark celebrated his 30th win of the season by scoring an empty-net goal in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Ullmark had 26 saves while Hampus Lindholm and Brad Marchand also scored for the 45-8-5 Bruins, who opened a nine-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the overall standings with 95 points. Brock Boeser scored for Vancouver as they dropped to 23-31-5 on the season. Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Canucks acquired winger Vitali Kravtsov from the New York Rangers in exchange for winger Will Lockwood and a seventh-round pick in 2026. The 23-year-old Kravtsov was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 draft but struggled to establish himself with the Rangers. He becomes an affordable reclamation project for the rebuilding Canucks. The Rangers, meanwhile, shed some cap space ($875K) for perhaps another move at the March 3 trade deadline.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, their five-game winning streak ended after dropping a 3-2 decision to the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson kicked out 51 shots while Trevor Zegras and Ryan Strome each collected two assists for the 19-34-7 Ducks. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jesper Fast replied for the Hurricanes (39-11-8) as they sit second in the overall standings with 86 points.

As for the Rangers, their winless skid stretched for four games (0-3-1) after falling 6-3 to the Washington Capitals. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice and collected two assists while T.J. Oshie also tallied twice for the 29-26-6 Capitals as they sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 64 points. Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad each had two points for 33-17-9 Rangers as they sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren left the game in the first period with an injured left shoulder following a hit into the boards by Oshie. Earlier in the day, they also placed forward Jake Leschyshyn on waivers in what’s expected to be a cost-cutting move for the upcoming trade deadline.

The Pittsburgh Penguins reclaimed that final Eastern wild-card spot with a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on an overtime goal by Bryan Rust to snap their four-game losing skid. Rust, Evgeni Malkin and Marcus Pettersson each had a goal and an assist as the Penguins (65 points) improved to 28-21-9. Jordan Binnington made 45 saves for the Blues as they fell to 26-28-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues claimed winger Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from the Penguins. The 26-year-old winger did not play in this game. The Blues did the Penguins a favor as this move cleared Kapanen’s $3.2 million cap hit through 2023-24 off their books, providing some cap flexibility to perhaps make a move before the trade deadline.

A four-point performance by Connor McDavid couldn’t prevent the Edmonton Oilers from falling 6-5 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. McDavid scored twice and set up two other goals as his Oilers overcame a 4-0 deficit to tie the game but Columbus rallied with two more goals and held on for the win. Jack Roslovic also had two goals and two assists as the Blue Jackets improved to 19-35-5. The Oilers (32-20-8) sit third in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

New Jersey Devils goalie Akira Schmid made 23 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 7-0 drubbing of the Philadelphia Flyers. Jonas Siegenthaler had a goal and two assists while Dawson Mercer scored to extend his goal streak to six games for the Devils (39-15-5) as they sit three points back of the Hurricanes with 83 points. The 23-28-10 Flyers played without winger Travis Konecny (upper body) as he was placed on injured reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk didn’t play in this game. Head coach John Tortorella claimed he was “a little banged-up.” The 33-year-old van Riemsdyk is expected to be moved by the March 3 trade deadline.

The Dallas Stars ended a five-game losing streak by nipping the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on shootout goals by Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, who also tallied the game-tying goal with 38 seconds remaining in regulation. Jake Oettinger stopped 41 shots for the 31-16-12 Stars as they hold a three-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Central Division with 74 points. Jack Eichel netted his 20th goal of the season for the Golden Knights (35-18-6) as they sit atop the Western Conference standings with 76 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy made 45 saves to blank the Detroit Red Wings 3-0. Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn were the goal scorers as the Lightning improved to 37-17-4 and sit two points behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Detroit (28-22-8) sits one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 64 points. Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

The Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 4-1. Mikko Rantanen scored for the fourth straight game while Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves as the Avalanche (33-19-5) moved past the Winnipeg Jets into second place in the Central Division with 71 points. Tyler Toffoli scored his 25th goal of the season as his Flames fell to 27-21-12 and four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also acquired minor-league goaltender Keith Kinkaid from the Bruins in exchange for forward Shane Bowers. Bringing in Kinkaid could be an insurance move as Pavel Francouz remains sidelined with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators swept their season series with the Montreal Canadiens with a 5-2 win. Derick Brassard had a goal and an assist while Mads Sogaard stopped 30 shots as the Senators improved to 28-26-4 to sit five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 60 points. Nick Suzuki tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 25-30-4 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens also announced defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. Center Kirby Dach is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury while forward Joel Armia is day-to-day with an upper respiratory infection.

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek turned aside 45 shots in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on a shootout goal by Philipp Kurashev. The Blackhawks improved to 21-32-5 while San Jose sank to 18-30-12. Before the game, the Sharks retired Patrick Marleau’s No. 12 in a pregame ceremony.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marleau is the Sharks’ all-time leader with 1,607 games played, 522 goals and 1,111 points. He’s also second in assists with 589. Marleau is the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

IN OTHER NEWS…

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets acquired winger Nino Niederreiter from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A nice pickup by the Jets to bolster their scoring depth. The 30-year-old Niederreiter is a big-bodied winger who is on pace (18 goals) to reach the 20-goal plateau for the sixth time in his career. He’s not a rental player as he carries a $4 million annual cap hit through 2023-24. The Jets might not be done making moves as Cap Friendly shows they’ve got over $5.4 million in projected trade deadline cap space.

SPORTSNET: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Alex Tuch on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be a big blow to the Sabres’ playoff hopes. Tuch is second in scoring with 28 goals and 62 points. This could prompt management to shop for a replacement if he’s sidelined for a long period.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs will send a second-round pick in 2025 to the Arizona Coyotes to complete last February’s trade that sent forward Nick Ritchie to the Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Ryan Dzingel.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 13, 2023

by | Feb 13, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 13, 2023

More speculation over where the Coyotes will trade Jakob Chychrun, four clubs reportedly have interest in Patrick Kane, the latest on the Oilers’ interest in Erik Karlsson plus updates on Jakub Vrana and Vitaly Kravtsov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHERE WILL JAKOB CHYCHRUN GO?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Arizona Coyotes finally appear poised to move Jakob Chychrun after making the 24-year-old defenseman a healthy scratch on Saturday for “trade-related reasons.”

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Garrioch believes the Los Angele Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have been among the club in hot pursuit of Chychrun. The Senators were in the mix but the Coyotes’ asking price of two first-round picks plus a high-end prospect was too expensive.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards rules out the possibility that the Panthers could be Chychrun’s destination. It’s said that the Florida native would love to return home and play for the Panthers but Richards believes they lack the means to make it a reality.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Saturday, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reported sources from the Oilers and Leafs claimed they’re not in on Chychrun. The Kings also denied it but Marek observed they were honoring former captain Dustin Brown that night, meaning they didn’t want to comment on something that would distract from Brown’s big night.

NHL Insider Nick Kypreos tweeted Sunday that it sounded like Chychrun was headed to the Kings with prospect defenseman Brandt Clarke going to the Coyotes. However, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler followed up by citing a source claiming Clarke isn’t being traded by the Kings.

I wouldn’t rule out the Bruins since general manager Don Sweeney has a history of swinging big moves at the trade deadline. However, Kings GM Rob Blake has the depth in young assets to outbid Sweeney. We could find out as early as today where he ends up.

FOUR CLUBS HAVE “CONFIRMED INTEREST” IN PATRICK KANE

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus reported Saturday that they’ve heard the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights have “confirmed interest” in Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane.

So far, the 34-year-old Kane has yet to inform Blackhawks management whether he’ll waive his no-movement clause before the March 3 trade deadline. The organization feels it’s 50/50 that Kane will waive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s interest in the New York Rangers and his disappointment over their recent acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko suggests he’s leaning toward accepting a trade to the right club. We’ll learn soon enough if he’s willing to go to one of those aforementioned teams. If he’s open to all four, it’ll come down to the best offer.

LATEST ON THE OILERS INTEREST IN ERIK KARLSSON

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Nugent-Bowman reports questions abound over financial obstacles and structural fits regarding the Edmonton Oilers’ reported interest in San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. He cited an Oilers source saying that acquiring the 32-year-old Karlsson was possible but “remarkably unlikely”.

Nugent-Bowman believes it would require the Sharks to retain a sizeable portion of Karlsson’s $11.5 million annual cap hit over the next four seasons. Even then, the Oilers would have to move a roster player such as Tyson Barrie ($4.5 million cap hit through next season).

With Oilers GM Ken Holland last week saying his cap-strapped club having to make “dollar-in, dollar-out” deals, it would take moving more than Barrie to make a Karlsson trade happen. That’s on top of paying what’s expected to be an expensive asking price by the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anything’s possible but this could be a difficult lift for the Oilers during the season. It could require shedding two or perhaps three roster players depending on how much of Karlsson’s cap hit the Sharks are willing to eat.

Adding Karlsson would provide a welcome boost of superstar talent to their blueline. However, it could also weaken them elsewhere on the roster.

A Karlsson trade could take place before the trade deadline. Nevertheless, I still believe it’s more likely to occur in the offseason when teams have more cap space to work with and a greater willingness to make significant trades involving superstar talent.

UPDATES ON VRANA AND KRAVTSOV

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman reports Jakub Vrana said he doesn’t know what the Detroit Red Wings has in store for his future. Vrana, 26, has struggled to get his career back on track after emerging from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in January. He was subsequently placed on waivers and is currently playing with the Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

Vrana told Bultman that everyone knows he wants to remain a Red Wing. However, the club’s lack of public insight into his situation has sparked speculation that he’s not part of their long-term plans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s talk Vrana could be peddled at the trade deadline or during the offseason. If a trade isn’t possible they could buy out the final year of his contract this summer.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports sources confirm that Vitaly Kravtsov’s camp has requested the Rangers move their client before the March 3 trade deadline if he’s not part of their immediate plans.

The 23-year-old winger could become a trade chip but only if the Blueshirts can get a satisfactory return. Brooks speculates GM Chris Drury could also look at shopping Kravtsov in the offseason.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 12, 2023

by | Feb 12, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 12, 2023

A Jakob Chychrun trade appears imminent, the Oilers are reportedly in talks with the Sharks about Erik Karlsson, plus updates on Timo Meier, Alex DeBrincat, Brock Boeser, Tyler Bertuzzi and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

CHYCHRUN TRADE APPEARS IMMINENT

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek noted the Arizona Coyotes announced last night that they were keeping Jakob Chychrun out of the lineup for “trade-related reasons”. He said the 24-year-old defenseman won’t be heading to the Edmonton Oilers or Toronto Maple Leafs.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

While the Los Angeles Kings tossed cold water on the notion that they were acquiring Chychrun, Marek noted that they were honoring former captain Dustin Brown last night in a pregame ceremony “so let’s see where this goes”. He added there was no guarantee Chychrun would be traded that night as the Coyotes don’t play again until Monday, Feb. 13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other insiders also weighed in with conflicting reports over potential destinations for Chychrun.

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported there is “lots of smoke” connecting the Coyotes defenseman to the Kings “but no confirmed fire yet.” Meanwhile, the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch tweeted the Leafs and Oilers are among the teams that stepped up efforts to acquire Chychrun.

The Score’s Josh Wegman pointed out that Chychrun has also been linked to the Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets. The Buffalo Sabres also previously expressed interest in him. Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited a league source expressing his belief that the Bruins are still in on Chychrun.

After months of speculation stretching back to last season, it appears Chychrun is finally going to be traded. We should learn where by no later than Monday evening before the Coyotes’ game with the Predators.

LATEST SHARKS SPECULATION

TSN: Chris Johnston tweeted that the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks have re-engaged in trade talks regarding Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. There are considerable financial hurdles to overcome but it’s the second time this season the two clubs have discussed this.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Karlsson would have to become about a $6.5 million to $7 million player for the Oilers. His current average annual cap hit is $11.5 million for the next four years.

The Oilers need the Sharks to retain $4.5 million to $5 million annually to make this work. Friedman said nobody knows if the Sharks are willing to do that. Karlsson would also have to agree to waive his no-movement clause to go to Edmonton. If this doesn’t pan out, Friedman speculates they could look at Coyotes blueliner Shayne Gostisbehere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are already carrying $2.72 million of dead cap space for this season and the next two from last summer’s trade of Brent Burns to the Carolina Hurricanes. Retaining $5 million of Karlsson’s contract is $7.72 million against their cap for the next two years for two players no longer on their roster, followed by two more years at $5 million per season.

If the Sharks are going to do that they had better get one hell of a return for Karlsson. I don’t see how the cap-strapped Oilers can pull it off. Sure, they can part with a first-round pick as well as a prospect or two such as Dylan Holloway or Xavier Bourgault plus a promising defenseman like Philip Broberg.

However, they’re also a cap-strapped club. Oilers general manager Ken Holland said last week that he was looking at “dollar-in, dollar-out” deals. Unless he’s looking at making a three-team deal that spreads the remainder of Karlsson’s cap hit around, he’ll have to move a player carrying an AAV of $6.5 million to $7 million. He’s not moving Leon Draisaitl ($8.5 million AAV) or Darnell Nurse ($9.25 million). Even if he wanted to, they both have no-trade protection.

So who goes? We may never know if the Sharks and Oilers can’t get the math to work. If they can, it could be a move that addresses one issue for the Oilers (a puck-moving defenseman) but creates another by weakening their forward depth.

Meanwhile, the return for the Sharks could make it difficult to justify carrying a big chunk of dead cap space for four years. Even with the salary cap projected to significantly rise after next season, that’s still a lot of money being paid out to former players.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported the Sharks haven’t given permission yet to Timo Meier’s agent to speak directly to other teams about a contract extension. He expects that will happen “closer to trade offers being firmed up”. LeBrun tweeted that the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes remain “very much interested in Meier” depending on a contract extension.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss cited ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reporting the Bruins, Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights are “monitoring the Timo Meier situation.” She also suggested there could be some “surprise teams” in the mix.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meier is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights and is also eligible next summer for unrestricted free agent eligibility. His current annual cap hit is $6 million but his actual salary is $10 million, which is what it will cost the Sharks (or another club) to qualify his rights unless he agrees to a new contract.

I think we’re more likely to see Meier traded before Karlsson. The expectation is he’ll be moved well before the March 3 trade deadline. Perhaps it could happen at some point this week but it wouldn’t surprise me if it happens the following week. Those clubs interested in Meier will want time to negotiate with his agent.

Those “surprise teams” could be those out of playoff contention with salary-cap space to take on what is expected to be a lucrative new contract for Meier. Perhaps the Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings will be among those suitors.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng recently examined the trade value of Kevin Labanc. The 27-year-old Sharks winger had 25 points in 45 games leading up to Feb. 8 but Peng doubts his trade value is very high.

Labanc has a year remaining on his contract but his $4.725 million cap hit is considered too rich to make up for his inconsistent play and one-dimensional game. Peng doubts the Sharks will retain part of his salary this season to move him but didn’t rule it out in the offseason once they’ve gained clarity on Erik Karlsson’s trade situation.

THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” TRADE TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports there “appears to be a path” for the Senators to trade defenseman Nikita Zaitsev. He’s assuming it’s a west coast team based on rumblings he’s heard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zaitsev is signed through next season with an average annual value of $4.5 million and a 10-team no-trade list. That “west coast team” could be the Vancouver Canucks as they’re in need of experienced blueline depth.

Friedman also said the Senators have been asked about Alex DeBrincat but they’re not trading the 25-year-old winger “at this deadline.” They want to wait for the club’s new ownership to take over before they attack contract talks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like San Jose’s Timo Meier, DeBrincat is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights who’s a year away from UFA eligibility. He carries an annual cap hit of $6.4 million but his actual salary is $9 million, which is what it’ll cost the Senators to qualify his rights.

Jeff Marek believes Senators forward Austin Watson could be available at the trade deadline. He also speculates the Edmonton Oilers could place winger Jesse Puljujarvi on waivers by Tuesday to make room for Kailer Yamamoto as he returns from injury. That’s assuming the Oilers haven’t traded Puljujarvi by then.

Friedman reports trade talks are heating up over Luke Schenn. He believes the Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins have looked into acquiring the 33-year-old Canucks defenseman.

As for Brock Boeser, he wonders if the Canucks have to wait until Timo Meier is dealt, or does a team say they’re out on Meier and look at Boeser as an alternative.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser’s salary remains an obstacle. He’s carrying an annual cap hit of $6.65 million through 2024-25 and the Canucks are reportedly reluctant to retain salary to facilitate a trade.

Marek reports Detroit Red Wings’ pending UFA Tyler Bertuzzi has been linked to the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights could be looking at Philadelphia Flyers UFA winger James van Riemsdyk.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bertuzzi, 27, had a 30-goal performance last season but injuries have limited him to just 7 points in 20 games this season. Meanwhile, the 33-year-old van Riemsdyk has 21 points in 34 games with the Flyers and netted 24 goals last season.

Friedman also believes New York Rangers winger Vitaly Kravtsov could be available.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2022

by | Dec 19, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2022

Check out the latest on Patrick Kane and Jakob Chychrun in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NOTE: The NHL’s annual holiday roster freeze goes into effect at 11:59 PM ET on Dec. 19 and runs through 12:01 AM ET on Dec. 28.

COULD THE RANGERS OR BRUINS LAND PATRICK KANE?

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Charlie Roumeliotis reports Patrick Kane hasn’t made a decision yet on what his future will look like beyond the March 3 trade deadline. Nevertheless, he examined what a trade between the Blackhawks and New York Rangers involving Patrick Kane might look like.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Roumeliotis believes the Rangers have the assets the Blackhawks are looking for. They’re loaded with young players, most of whom are underperforming and could use a change of scenery. The Blueshirts also carry two first-round picks in the 2023 draft. They also have $7.1 million in projected trade deadline cap space. The move would reunite Kane with former linemate Artemi Panarin.

As for what the return might look like, Roumeliotis believes a first-round pick would be part of the package. He doesn’t see the Rangers parting with K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider but thinks Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere would be part of the discussion. He also doesn’t think the Blackhawks would be interested in winger Vitali Kravtsov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers would likely still want the Blackhawks to retain a portion of Kane’s salary. However, their cap space means they wouldn’t have to get a third team involved in the deal to make the dollars fit.

One of those two picks is conditional with the Dallas Stars. If it’s a top-10 selection, it instead becomes the Stars’ unprotected first-round pick in 2024. Given the Stars’ high placement in the Western Conference this season, it’s safe to assume their 2023 pick will belong to the Rangers.

Chytil, Kakko or Lafreniere will have to be part of the return. Not all three, of course, and it’s unlikely two of them will be included in the deal. I can see Kravtsov being a toss-in as he doesn’t appear to have a future with the Rangers. There could be another draft pick plus a prospect or two heading Chicago’s way in this hypothetical deal.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy recently cited a rumor linking the Bruins to Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews. However, an NHL source claims the Bruins are more interested in Kane. The source told Murphy that any trade talks between the two clubs are merely exploratory at this point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins are pressed against the $82.5 million salary cap. They could get $3.1 million in cap relief if somebody claims Craig Smith off waivers by noon ET today but that seems unlikely given how much clubs also carry limited cap space right now.

Even if someone claims Smith, it might not give the Bruins sufficient wiggle room to acquire Kane or Toews at the trade deadline. They might have to get a third team involved to spread their cap hit around, which could be complicated to pull off.

They also lack depth in the type of promising young assets to tempt the Blackhawks. Unless clubs like the Rangers aren’t pursuing Kane or Toews, I don’t see the Bruins winning a bidding war for either guy before March 3.

UPDATE ON JAKOB CHYCHRUN

THE JEFF MAREK SHOW (stick tap to NHL Watcher): Guest host Mark Marchese suggested the Buffalo Sabres as a dark horse contender for Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun. He would complement Owen Power or Rasmus Dahlin plus the Sabres have the assets to entice the Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Three weeks ago, The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski cited sources confirming the Sabres had an interest in Chychrun. They’ve got plenty of cap space to take on his $4.6 million annual cap hit through 2024-25.

Thanks to their league-leading offense, the Sabres are steadily moving closer to playoff contention. His puck-moving skills would make Chychrun a good fit there. The Coyotes reportedly seek two first-round picks plus a top prospect or good young NHL player in return.

Elliotte Friedman noted the Columbus Blue Jackets have been in and out of the Chychrun sweepstakes for some time but he doesn’t see them trading first-rounders. The Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers have been around it. He doesn’t see the Toronto Maple Leafs getting involved.

Friedman felt the Florida Panthers are the team that makes the most sense for Chychrun. However, they’re in the least position to do it because they lack the type of assets the Coyotes want.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2022

by | Oct 13, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2022

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Sabres sign head coach Don Granato and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to contract extensions, Andy Greene retires and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid tallied a hat trick as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. McDavid netted the game-winning and insurance goals, Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists while Darnell Nurse had a goal and an assist. J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist for the Canucks.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers dressed just 17 skaters as wingers Kailer Yamamoto and Warren Foegele missed this game with undisclosed injuries. Salary-cap constraints limited them to 11 forwards and six defensemen.

The Colorado Avalanche celebrated their 2021-22 Stanley Cup banner raising with a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and collected an assist, Valeri Nichushkin tallied two goals and Mikko Rantanen had four assists. Jonathan Toews and Max Domi replied for the Blackhawks.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson’s goal with 19 seconds remaining in the third period lifted his club to a 4-3 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cole Caufield scored twice and Nick Suzuki picked up two assists. John Tavares and William Nylander each had two points for the Leafs.

David Krejci had a goal and two assists in his first NHL game since 2020-21 as the Bostons Bruins beat the Washington Capitals 5-2. David Pastrnak led the way with a goal and three assists while Linus Ullmark made 33 saves for the win. It was a costly victory as Jake DeBrusk left the game in the second period with what appeared to be an injured right arm.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krejci looked good in his return to the Bruins after spending last season playing in his native Czechia. However, it was Pastrnak who was the standout in this contest. He was dominant throughout this game and is already making the case for a big raise on his next contract.

The Carolina Hurricanes rolled to a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists while Frederik Andersen made 31 saves for the win. Patrik Laine scored for the Jackets but left the game in the second period with an injured right arm following a collision with Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet on the severity of Laine’s injury. Jackets starting goalie Elvis Merzlikins missed this game due to a non-COVID-related illness.

Anaheim Ducks forward Troy Terry opened and closed the scoring in his club’s 5-4 overtime victory over the Seattle Kraken. Terry and Ryan Strome finished with three points while Trevor Zegras had two points. Kraken rookie center Matty Beniers had a goal and an assist.

HEADLINES

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres announced the signing of head coach Don Granato to a two-year contract extension. They also announced defenseman Mattias Samuelsson agreed to a seven-year, $30 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granato’s extension was no surprise given the improvement of the Sabres thus far under his watch. The length of Samuelsson’s deal raised some eyebrows given his limited body of NHL action with just 54 games over the past two seasons.

Sabres management evidently believes Samuelsson’s going to be a key part of their blueline in the coming years. The 22-year-old’s average annual value starting next season will be over $4.285 million starting in 2023-24. If he develops as projected this contract could turn into a bargain for the Sabres.

TSN: Andy Greene retires as a member of the New Jersey Devils after signing a one-day contract with them. Greene spent 14 seasons with the Devils and was their captain from 2015 to 2020 before getting traded to the New York Islanders. The 39-year-old defenseman finishes with 264 points in 1,057 career games over 16 NHL seasons. He was part of the Devils’ run to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Greene in his future endeavors.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Tampa Bay Lighting defenseman Ian Cole met with NHL security yesterday but there was no formal announcement or resolution in the aftermath. The league and the NHL Players Association declined to comment. Cole was suspended with pay pending an investigation following a social media post accusing him of sexual assault and grooming.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Vitali Kravtsov will miss the club’s current two-game road trip with an upper-body injury. It’s hoped he’ll rejoin his teammates next week but there is no definitive timeline for his return.

TSN: The Colorado Avalanche reclaimed goaltender Jonas Johansson off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed winger Brad Lambert to a three-year entry-level contract. The 30th overall pick in this year’s draft, he will start the season with their AHL affiliate.

CAP FRIENDLY: The New York Islanders loaned forward Richard Panik to Swiss League team Lausanne HC for the season. His contract will still count against the Isles’ salary-cap payroll at the amount for players demoted to the minors.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Former San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson will attend a pregame ceremony in his honor before the club’s game on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Wilson stepped down from his post for medical reasons last year.

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins named Kerry Huffman as their director of professional scouting.

The Tampa Bay Lightning extended their AHL affiliation with the Syracuse Crunch through the 2026-27 season.