NHL Morning Coffee Headlines & Rumors – September 8, 2024

by | Sep 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines & Rumors – September 8, 2024

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes on his goals for the upcoming season, the Wild attempted to acquire Patrik Laine, an update on Ryan Johansen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes is proud of winning the Norris Trophy in 2023-24 but is putting that behind him to focus on his club’s goals and his personal ones for the upcoming season.

Hughes, 24, finished last season with a career-high 17 goals and 75 assists for 92 points. He believes he can reach 20 goals and doesn’t rule out 100 points this season, explaining that he felt he missed a lot of scoring opportunities last season.

The Canucks captain also believes his club will be better in 2024-25, pointing to the addition of forwards Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Kiefer Sherwood and Daniel Sprong and defenseman Derek Forbort.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hughes doesn’t see his club enduring the inconsistency of the previous years before last season’s improvement, noting that they’re no longer an up-and-coming club as they were back then. He indicated core players like himself, Elias Pettersson, Thatcher Demko, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser are older and more experienced.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes and his teammates will face significant pressure to build on their 109-point performance last season, the third-best record in franchise history. How they handle the heightened expectations could determine the outcome of this season.

SI.COM: Nick Horwat cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claiming the Minnesota Wild attempted to acquire Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets before the 26-year-old winger was traded to the Montreal Canadiens last month.

Friedman believes the Wild were “very interested” in Laine. However, Horwat pointed out the cap-strapped Wild would’ve had to ship out some salary to absorb the winger’s $8.7 million cap hit through 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored last month the Wild could look into acquiring Laine. There was also talk that they were on his 10-team “no-trade” list.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports the Philadelphia Flyers hope to receive further clarification regarding their efforts to void Ryan Johansen’s contract.

According to Kurz, whether Johansen was healthy enough to report to the Flyers’ AHL affiliate following his acquisition from the Colorado Avalanche is at the heart of the disagreement. The Flyers originally thought they’d receive clarification before the start of the season but a team source suggests it’s “going to be a few weeks”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansen has a year remaining on his contract. The average annual value is $8 million, of which $4 million was retained by the Nashville Predators when they traded him last summer to the Avalanche. The Flyers took on that portion of his AAV when they acquired him earlier this year.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne wonders if veteran winger Mike Hoffman has played his final NHL game. A 70-point producer in 2018-19 with the Florida Panthers, the 34-year-old winger has been unable to land a contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoffman’s production has tumbled since then, partly due to two COVID-shortened seasons but also because of three injury-shortened campaigns with rebuilding clubs in Montreal and San Jose.

The knock on Hoffman is he’s a one-dimensional offensive player whose defensive play leaves something to be desired. Age could also be catching up with him.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers winger Corey Perry helped WWE wrestler Kevin Owens in his triple-threat match against Austin Theory during WWE Smackdown in Edmonton on Friday night.

Perry got involved when Owens and Theory battled outside the ring, grabbing Theory and holding back his arms, allowing Owens to deliver a chop across Theory’s chest. Owens high-fived Perry afterward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nice little bit of cross-promotion there.

SPORTSNET: Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder paid tribute to the Gaudreau brothers during a concert in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Vedder noted he and bassist Jeff Ament lost people close to them in tragic accidents. He cited his friend, Hall of Famer Chris Chelios, saying what good men the brothers were. Hearing the Gaudreaus came from Philadelphia and grew up watching games in that city, the band dedicated the song “Given To Fly” to the brothers, their families, loved ones and teammates.

RUMORS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cites Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying he expects a bridge deal between the Devils and Dawson Mercer. The 22-year-old winger completed his entry-level contract last season.

Friedman doesn’t see how a long-term deal is possible given the Devils’ limited cap space. They have just over $4.9 million for 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll probably be a two or three-year contract with an AAV between $3.5 million and $4 million.

Nichols also tweeted on Friday that former New York Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck remains focused on signing an NHL contract. He indicated a handful of teams have inquired about professional tryout offers.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins believes a reunion between the Oilers and Justin Schultz is possible, saying the two sides have talked. He also noted the rumors linking the club to Kevin Shattenkirk but feels it’s more likely they sign a more affordable defense option like Travis Dermott.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schultz, 34, began his NHL career with the Oilers, playing 3 1/2 seasons before getting traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 27, 2016.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 2, 2024

by | Sep 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 2, 2024

Clayton Keller looks forward to Utah’s upcoming season, Patrik Laine arrives in Montreal, Dylan Holloway talks about the Oilers’ reaction to his offer sheet from the Blues, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ALLCITY NETWORK: Craig Morgan reports Clayton Keller believes Utah Hockey Club’s offseason additions will push his team in the right direction.

After relocating from Arizona to Utah in the spring, the club bolstered its blueline by acquiring Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino and Ian Cole.

Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller (NHL Images)

“All the guys that we traded for and signed are great players and guys that have won Stanley Cups or been in those high-pressure situations,” said Keller. He believes his team is ready to take the next step and wants to win. “I think we’re a fun team to watch.”

The 26-year-old winger looks forward to showing what he can do in postseason competition. “I’ve had some decent seasons, but I haven’t really proven anything really. When you really make the noise is in the playoffs; when you’re in those high-pressure situations.

Keller’s father, Bryan, dismissed rumors claiming his son was upset over moving from Arizona to Utah and wanted a trade. “That’s 100 percent BS”, he said, adding his son “can’t wait” for this season after seeing the excitement and support for the team in their new home state.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keller was his club’s best player over the past three seasons and should continue in the role for the foreseeable future. Utah’s crop of emerging young talent combined with their recent veteran additions should make them a better club this season. Nevertheless, Keller will be looked on to lead the way.

TVA SPORTS: Patrik Laine arrived in Montreal last week to begin skating with his new teammates before training camp starts in mid-September. The Canadiens acquired the 26-year-old winger from the Columbus Blue Jackets last month. He will wear jersey No. 92.

RG.ORG: Speaking of the Canadiens, an opportunity to get a second-round pick from the New Jersey Devils could be dashed because of the conditions in the Jake Allen trade between the two clubs in March.

The conditions state that the 2025 third-round pick the Devils owe the Canadiens would become a second-rounder if Allen plays in at least 40 games this season and the Devils (or another team he’s traded to) qualify for the playoffs.

However, Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald indicated his club intends to lean heavily on offseason acquisition Jacob Markstrom as their starting goaltender. It’s unlikely that Allen will reach the 40-game plateau backing up Markstrom.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited former Oilers winger Dylan Holloway claiming his former club was aware of the St. Louis Blues’ intention to sign him and teammate Philip Broberg to offer sheets well before the pair received them.

Appearing on the “Hockey Sense” podcast, Holloway said his camp was trying to get a deal done with the Oilers and wasn’t asking for “anything crazy at all.” He claims they explained to management that an offer sheet was an option but was still hoping to stay in Edmonton. He said it was “weird” how the Oilers handled it, leaving him no choice but to accept the offer.

Holloway said it was bittersweet leaving Edmonton and doesn’t expect to get a warm reception from Oilers fans when he comes to town with the Blues. However, he said his former teammates understood his decision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers management hoped no rival club would exploit their salary-cap constraints by signing Holloway and Broberg. They gambled and lost.

THE PROVINCE: Latvia national team goalie coach Arturs Irbe said Arturs Silovs should be fully recovered from his knee inflammation soon enough and ready to start the 2024-25 season with the Vancouver Canucks. Irbe said the inflammation was caused by Silovs overtraining in preparation for joining Latvia for their Olympic qualifier.

OLYMPICS.COM: Speaking of Latvia’s men’s team, they qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics along with Denmark and Slovakia.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen has officially retired as a player to pursue a new career as a player agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Koskinen, 36, was drafted by the New York Islanders in 2009 and played four games with them in 2010-11. He spent six seasons in the KHL from 2013-14 to 2017-18 until joining the Oilers in 2018-19, where he spent four seasons before finishing his career in Switzerland.

Koskinen’s NHL record was 85-60-13 in 168 games with a career goals-against average of 3.01, a save percentage of .906 and six shutouts.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2024

by | Aug 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2024

More details on why the Flyers terminated Ryan Johansen’s contract, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki on how the addition of Patrik Laine should help his club, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman shed more light on why the Philadelphia Flyers terminated Ryan Johansen’s contract last week citing a material breach.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Johansen (NHL Images).

“I don’t like to question injuries, especially since anyone who’s played 905 games (like Johansen) is guaranteed to have legitimate ones. I’m told the key will be everyone navigating how he went from not missing games and practices in Colorado to how he was unable to play for either Philadelphia or AHL Lehigh Valley. The timing is a little weird, which probably has something to do with video of Johansen dancing at his wedding. Again, I wouldn’t try to handicap this, except for saying the NHL and NHLPA hate risking precedent from an arbitrator, so a settlement is always the preference without an air-tight case.”

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey noted Johansen played in 63 games with the Colorado Avalanche last season before getting traded to the Flyers on March 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers reportedly attempted to send Johansen to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley following the trade. He informed them of his injury which prevented that move and kept him sidelined for the rest of the season.

Johansen’s agent vowed to fight his client’s contract termination. He claims the 32-year-old forward has a “severe hockey injury” scheduled for surgery, adding his client worked “in good faith” with the Flyers, its medical staff, and authorized third-party physicians.

THE ATHLETIC: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki believes adding Patrik Laine will improve his team’s roster this season. The Canadiens acquired the 26-year-old winger last week from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“I think we can beat anybody,” said Suzuki last Thursday. “I thought last year we competed against really good teams all the time.” The 25-year-old Canadiens captain believes adding Laine and a healthy Kirby Dach makes their forward unit “look pretty scary.”

Suzuki contacted Laine following the trade, telling the winger he’d be a “great addition.” He added that Laine is excited about joining the Canadiens and ready to go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A motivated Laine and the return of Dach should bolster the Canadiens offense which relied heavily on the top line of Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky for the bulk of its production last season. If both players stay healthy they’ll provide the Habs with much-needed scoring depth.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Canadiens, a local restaurant chain created a burger honoring Arber Xhekaj called “The Sheriff”, taken from the defenseman’s nickname. Xhekaj appeared in the promotion holding the burger, but the restaurant had to edit the picture to make the blueliner’s huge hands appear smaller so as not to dwarf the product.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: A torn hamstring will sidelined Jaromir Jagr for six weeks, forcing him to miss the start of Rytiri Kladno’s season in the Czech Extraliga. The 52-year-old former NHL star and future Hall-of-Famer owns the club and had hoped to play in every game for them this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jagr’s spent the past seven seasons playing for Kladno since ending his 24-year NHL career midway through the 2017-18 season.

TSN: The American Hockey League last week announced it has mandated cut-resistant gear for all its players and on-ice officials.

The decision was made after former AHL and NHL player Adam Johnson died when his throat was cut by a skate during a game in England’s Elite Ice Hockey League.

The Canadian Hockey League instituted a similar policy last November. USA Hockey implemented a policy that dictates all players 18 years and younger to wear neck protection in all games and practices.

The NHL does not yet have a similar policy but numerous players started wearing neck guards following the incident.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2024

by | Aug 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 20, 2024

The fallout from the Canadiens acquiring Patrik Laine from the Blue Jackets, the Oilers decline to match the Blues’ offer sheets for Broberg and Holloway, Predators goalie Yaroslav Askarov requests a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan believes the Canadiens acquisition of Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets is a low-risk move that could be a big reward. The Jackets sent the 26-year-old winger and a 2026 second-round pick to the Canadiens on Monday in return for defenseman Jordan Harris.

The Canadiens needed more scoring to become a playoff team. Laine is a former 44-goal scorer with two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $8.7 million. However, he’s struggled with consistency and injuries in recent years.

Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said he spoke with Laine before making the trade. He believes the winger is mentally in a good place and is energized and excited about playing in Montreal. He also spoke with people who knew Laine from his days with the Winnipeg Jets.

Laine’s cap hit makes him the Canadiens’ highest-paid player. However, the fact that he only has two years left on his deal factored into their decision to acquire him.

Montreal Canadiens acquired winger Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Aug. 19. (NHL Images).

Hughes believes Laine’s potential success in Montreal lies not with how many goals he scores but by his ability to contribute and help the team. He also hopes that he’ll help their younger players.

The Canadiens felt they could afford to part with the 24-year-old Harris. They have considerable depth in young left-shot defensemen. Harris was a healthy scratch from eight games last season.

SPORTSNET: Laine said he’s been cleared to skate after having an operation to address a shoulder injury suffered last season. He claims his shot is as powerful as ever. He declined to explain why he wanted to leave the Blue Jackets but said he’s excited about a fresh start in Montreal, adding he’s “always enjoyed the spotlight.”

Laine indicated he wasn’t enjoying himself off the ice, which affected his on-ice performance. Since seeking help for his mental health earlier this year through the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, he’s now happier than ever away from the rink and working hard to prepare for the coming season.

TVA SPORTS: Laine said he wasn’t just content to be a 30-goal scorer again. “I want to be a 40 or 50-goal scorer again. I’ve done it before. It wasn’t by accident,” he said.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Canadiens took on the full value of Laine’s cap hit, putting them above the $88 million salary cap by $1.85 million.

They can get cap relief by placing permanently sidelined goalie Carey Price and his $10.5 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve. However, they’re not doing it immediately because they’re allowed to be above the cap by 10 percent in the offseason. By placing Price on LTIR after the start of the season, they’ll leverage the full benefit of the cap relief.

D’Amico noted the Canadiens could make a trade to shed salary. Another player could suffer an injury that delays the inevitable, or they could play musical chairs with their roster to start the season. He cited sources suggesting the third option is currently their best choice.

Under that scenario, they could place sidelined forward Raphael Harvey-Pinard ($1.1 million) on LTIR and demote youngsters like Jayden Struble and Joshua Roy to their AHL affiliate in Laval. That would make them cap-compliant to start the season with a 20-man roster. They could then place Price on LTIR and recall the necessary reinforcements to fill out their roster to 23 men.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger reports Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell released a statement on the Laine trade.

“We want players that want to be Blue Jackets and Patrik made it clear that he thought a change of scenery was best for him,” said Waddell. “We were able to acquire a good young player in Jordan Harris while maintaining financial flexibility in this deal, which was very important to us. We wish Patrik all the best.”

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports it was only last weekend when the Canadiens’ talks with the Blue Jackets about Laine took hold, but they quickly turned serious. The Habs were the only team that didn’t ask the Blue Jackets to retain part of Laine’s cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my take on the trade here.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers declined to match the offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues for defenseman Philip Broberg and winger Dylan Holloway. 

The Oilers received a second-round pick from the Blues as compensation for Broberg and a third-rounder for Holloway. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was assumed the Oilers acquiring Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks and shipping out defenseman Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks for blueliner Ty Emberson was setting the stage to clear cap room to match one or both offers. TSN’s Ryan Ryshaug reports they would’ve boxed themselves in quite badly with the salary cap had they matched both offers. They want to keep some salary cap flexibility for new contracts for Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Clay Brewer cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reporting Predators top prospect goaltender Yaroslav Askarov informed the club he will not report to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. The 22-year-old also requested a trade.

The move comes nearly two months after the Predators signed Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension. That makes the starter’s job unlikely for Askarov in the near future. That’s a role he and his agent believe he should have sooner rather than later.

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reports that Predators GM Barry Trotz is aware of Weekes’ report but expects Askarov to report to training camp next month. The goaltender’s agent declined to comment.

If Askarov is demanding a trade, Trotz should consider acting on it. With Saros locked in on his long-term deal, getting the most out of Askarov as a trade asset would be ideal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed Trotz was getting trade inquiries about Askarov during the draft weekend in June. Those calls could start up again soon if they haven’t already. If Askarov isn’t traded before training camp opens next month he could refuse to report and stage a holdout until moved.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins made nine new front-office moves yesterday. Among them was assistant general manager Jason Spezza’s promotion to GM of their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Special assistant Amanda Kessel was named manager of minor hockey operations and assistant GM of their AHL affiliate. She’ll also oversee their ECHL affiliate in Wheeling.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Cody Ceci said he’s excited to join the rebuilding Sharks. On Sunday, he was traded by the Edmonton Oilers in a cost-cutting move. He believes he can play a leadership role for promising youngsters like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. 

PUCKPEDIA: Ty Emberson was part of the return to the Oilers in the Ceci trade. If he plays 50 games this season, he’ll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. If he plays less than that, he becomes a Group 6 UFA.










Blue Jackets Trade Patrik Laine To The Canadiens

by | Aug 19, 2024

Blue Jackets Trade Patrik Laine To The Canadiens

The Columbus Blue Jackets traded winger Patrik Laine and a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris.

There was no salary retention by the Blue Jackets. The Canadiens take on Laine’s full $8.7 million average annual cap hit through 2025-26.

Columbus Blue Jackets trade winger Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: So much for the recent assumptions (including mine) suggesting a Laine trade might not occur until around Christmas at the earliest. To be fair, those were based on Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell suggesting it could take that long during a round of interviews late last week.

This is a calculated gamble by Canadiens GM Kent Hughes. Laine was a 44-goal scorer in his sophomore season (2017-18) with the Winnipeg Jets but he’s struggled with injuries and consistency during his tenure with the Blue Jackets. He entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in January for mental health reasons and remained there until late last month.

The 26-year-old winger could be a welcome boost to the Canadiens’ offense if he can stay healthy and regain his scoring touch. His cap hit takes a big chunk from their payroll and could be an expensive mistake cap-wise. Still, the Habs only carry his contract for two seasons.

Laine was unhappy with the Blues Jackets and wanted out of Columbus. He gets a chance at a fresh start in Montreal but will face considerable pressure playing in one of hockey’s biggest and most passionate markets. How well he adjusts will have ramifications for the Canadiens’ scoring punch in the short term and Laine’s career overall.

Harris, 24, was a third-round pick of the Canadiens in 2018. The young puck-moving defenseman spent the past two seasons with the Habs. The expected additions of Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux to their defense corps this season made Harris the odd man out. He should get a better opportunity to earn more playing time with the Blue Jackets.

Waddell wanted to make a hockey trade when he started peddling Laine last month. He gets a young NHL player and sheds the entirety of Laine’s contract, leaving the Jackets with over $18 million in cap space for this season with 22 of his 23 active roster players under contract. That gives Waddell plenty of room to make other moves this season if necessary.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2024

by | Aug 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2024

What’s the latest on Patrik Laine? What’s going on with Mikko Rantanen’s contract extension? Who are the top centers and goalies remaining in the UFA market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON LAINE

TSN: Bryan Hayes and Dave Feschuk talked with Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell regarding his efforts to honor Patrik Laine’s trade request.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

Waddell noted that the 26-year-old winger was vocal about a trade way before he took over as GM, indicating there were “a lot of things going on in the locker room”. He admitted it would be harder to bring Laine back knowing the situation but that might be the option if a deal cannot be found.

“We’re into the summer, he’s got a high cap hit for two years, you know,” said Waddell. “I’m talking to teams every day, I got two or three teams engaged right now, and we’ll see where it goes.”

Waddell said he told Laine’s agent that, at the end of the day, if a deal can’t be made, the winger will have to come back to the Jackets’ training camp. He added that they’ll welcome him back and try to make the best of the situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine’s $8.7 million average annual value through 2025-26 plus his on-ice struggles, injury history, and a recent stint in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program addressing his mental health are significant obstacles.

His contract is the biggest to overcome. A trade is unlikely to happen unless the Blue Jackets retain some salary.

UPDATE ON RANTANEN’S CONTRACT EXTENSION

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Evan Rawal recently cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting there’s growing optimism that the Colorado Avalanche and forward Mikko Rantanen can agree to a contract extension.

Rantanen, 27, is in the final season of his contract with a cap hit of $9.25 million. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Friedman said he’d spoken with some teams that believe the Avalanche and Rantanen can get something done. Many of them have taken Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl off their UFA boards for next summer because they know that deal will get done. They don’t have any reason to believe that Rantanen’s deal with the Avs will be difficult to get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s in line for a big raise, perhaps exceeding teammate Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million AAV.

Assuming the 2025-26 salary cap is $92 million, the Avalanche will have $21.3 million in cap space with 14 active roster players under contract. They’ll have room to sign Rantanen but it won’t leave much to fill out the rest of the roster.

TOP REMAINING UFA CENTERS AND GOALTENDERS

DAILY FACEOFF: Hunter Crowther recently listed the top five centers and the top three goaltenders remaining in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.

Nick Cousins tops the list of available centers, followed by Chris Tierney, Rem Pitlick, and Sam Gagner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colin White was also on Crowther’s list published on Aug 11. Two days later, however, he signed an AHL contract with the San Jose Barracuda.

Kevin Lankinen, Antti Raanta, and Martin Jones are the top remaining netminders.