NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2025

by | Jul 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2025

The Hurricanes land former Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers, the Sharks add defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Nick Leddy, the notable remaining UFAs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NOTABLE UFA SIGNING NEWS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes landed the last remaining star in the NHL unrestricted free-agent market (UFA), signing winger Nikolaj Ehlers to a six-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed former Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my reaction to this among my live grades of this summer’s top UFA signings at Bleacher Report.

Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky was happy to add Ehlers among his top-six forwards. The cap hit is a little high, but the term isn’t bad, and it doesn’t bust their budget. With over $10.6 million in cap space, the Hurricanes will have plenty of room for other additions before the March 2026 trade deadline.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed UFA defensemen Dmitry Orlov and claimed blueliner Nick Leddy off waivers from the St. Louis Blues. Orlov got a two-year deal with an AAV of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Orlov replaced long-time defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, whom the Sharks bought out last month. He’ll be a short-term upgrade over Vlasic, whose performance declined in recent years.

Leddy became the odd man out on the Blues’ defense corps. The writing was on the wall following their acquisition of young blueliner Logan Mailloux earlier this week. Leddy is in the final season of his contract with an AAV of $4 million.

Both defensemen will provide significant experience to the rebuilding Sharks’ blueline. Their combined AAV of $10.5 million also helped the club reach the salary-cap minimum of $70.6 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed winger Anthony Beauvillier to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.75 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Center Jack Roslovic, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk and winger Max Pacioretty and Jeff Skinner are among the notables remaining in this year’s UFA market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ve quickly reached the bargain bin level of this summer’s UFA market. Some decent depth talent remains, but it’ll take several weeks (or most of the offseason) before they end up signing cost-effective short-term deals.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy regrets the disparaging remarks he made about the performance of struggling winger Anthony Duclair in April. He intends to apologize to the 29-year-old winger directly. Duclair took a leave of absence from the Islanders over the incident.

RG.ORG: Speaking of the Islanders, former KHL star Maxim Shabanov revealed the reasons why he chose to sign with them over other clubs earlier this week. He prioritized his role, potential linemates, and power-play systems.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens forward Kirby Dach has resumed skating. The 24-year-old center played 57 games last season before undergoing surgery on his right knee in February for the second straight year. He is reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery and is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

KSL SPORTS: The Utah Mammoth has opened contract extension talks with young star Logan Cooley. He’s in the final season of his entry-level contract. Meanwhile, contract talks continue with restricted free agent (RFA) Jack McBain.

SPORTSNET: Rogers Communications Inc. has become the majority owner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2025

by | Jul 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2025

Connor Bedard’s contract extension talks are underway, Brock Boeser explains why he returned to the Canucks, the Stars introduce Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BEDARD’S CONTRACT TALKS, BOESER’S RETURN TO CANUCKS, STARS HIRE GULUTZAN

TSN: Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson confirmed his club has opened contract extension talks with Connor Bedard.

Davidson declined to go into detail, but said the 19-year-old center remains committed to the Blackhawks and wants to be in Chicago long-term.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

The rebuilding Blackhawks’ struggles during Bedard’s first two NHL seasons saw him at times admit his frustration over the club’s performance. That sparked rumors that he wanted out of Chicago, which he denied several times last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is in the final season of his entry-level contract and is the foundation for the Blackhawks’ rebuild. They’ll open the vault to keep him and will undoubtedly try to lock him up for the maximum term.

Bedard isn’t the only notable Blackhawk eligible to sign a contract extension this summer. Forward Frank Nazar and goaltender Spencer Knight are also due to become restricted free agents (RFA) next summer. Like Bedard, Nazar is in the final season of his entry-level contract and will lack arbitration rights. Knight is in the final season of his second NHL contract and will be arbitration-eligible next July.

THE SCORE: Brock Boeser told NHL.com that he was prepared to sign with a new team when free agency began on July 1. However, a last-minute call from the Vancouver Canucks led to his return on a seven-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.25 million.

Boeser said the phone call from the Canucks came as a shock, but it convinced him to instruct his agent to get a deal done. “I think my heart was still in Vancouver,” said the nine-year Canucks veteran.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser’s love of Vancouver must run deep. He seemed certain to depart, especially after they attempted to move him at the March trade deadline.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars introduced Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach. It’s the second time he held the job, having served in that role 12 years ago.

Gulutzan addressed the concerns among some Stars fans about his return. He said GM Jim Nill was right to fire him back then, adding that he’s improved as a bench boss after eight seasons as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nill didn’t win the GM of the Year award three straight times by making rash decisions. He’s put a considerable amount of thought into this hiring.

THE LATEST NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed defenseman Brent Burns to a one-year contract with a $1 million base salary and $2 million in bonus clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Burns is 40 and well removed from his peak years with the San Jose Sharks. Nevertheless, he’s the NHL’s active Ironman (925 consecutive games played) and netted 29 points last season with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’ll provide experienced depth on the right side of the Avs’ blueline.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed forward Gustav Nyquist for a one-year, $3.25 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move suggests that forward Nikolaj Ehlers won’t be returning with the Jets. The 29-year-old wing remains the top player available in the UFA market. He could decide on his next destination by today.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues inked center Pius Suter to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.125 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues were seeking additional depth at center. The 29-year-old Suter is coming off a career-best 25-goal performance with the Canucks.

The Blues also placed defenseman Nick Leddy on waivers.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed RFA center Morgan Frost to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.375 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Jan. 30, the Flames acquired the 26-year-old Frost and forward Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers. He put up 37 points in 81 games last season, split between Philadelphia and Calgary. The Flames hope he’ll find a more consistent offensive form that has eluded him thus far in his six-season NHL career.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed defenseman Kaeden Korczak to a four-year contract extension with an AAV of $3.25 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Ottawa Senators signed forward Arthur Kaliyev to a one-year, two-way contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A once-promising forward with the Los Angeles Kings, the 23-year-old winger struggled with injuries and consistency. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers, putting up four points in 14 games with the Blueshirts.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders signed coveted Russian free-agent forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year, entry-level contract. He had 23 goals and 67 points in 65 KHL games last season.

TSN: The NHL, NHL Players’ Association, IOC and IIHF finalized an agreement allowing NHL players to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics next February.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2024

by | Dec 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, Senators owner Michael Andlauer weighs in on the Brady Tkachuk trade rumors, reaction to the Avalanche trading Alexandar Georgiev to the Sharks for Mackenzie Blackwood, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 on a shootout goal by Dylan Larkin. Andrew Copp scored two goals, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider had a goal and an assist each, and Sebastian Cossa picked up the win in his first NHL game after Ville Husso got the hook after giving up three goals on seven shots. Buffalo winger Jason Zucker tallied twice and picked up an assist.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings snapped a five-game winless skid (0-3-2) while the Sabres are 0-4-3 in their last seven contests. Both clubs began this season hoping to be postseason contenders but find themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 26 points in 28 games. The Wings risk extending their playoff drought to nine seasons while the Sabres’ postseason drought could reach 14 years.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period as his club held on to upset the New York Rangers 2-1. Hall finished with two points as he assisted on Tyler Bertuzzi’s game-opening goal. Will Cuylle netted a shorthanded goal for the Rangers. The Blackhawks ended a five-game losing skid while the Rangers have won only twice in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first NHL win for Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen. Meanwhile, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette faces growing criticism for his team’s recent struggles.

The Montreal Canadiens downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on shootout goals by Patrik Laine and Cole Caufield. Laine and Kirby Dach scored in regulation and Samuel Montembeault stopped 27 shots for the Canadiens. Troy Terry netted both goals for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine’s off to a hot start with the Canadiens, collecting four points in as many games. Meanwhile, Jacob Trouba debuted with the Ducks following his trade by the Rangers on Friday, playing with a greater sense of urgency than in his final games in New York.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point, and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 8, 2024.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer is fed up with rejecting trade rumors about team captain Brady Tkachuk.

The latest was a recent report by Larry Brooks of the New York Post claiming the Rangers made Tkachuk their primary trade target. Andlauer said that report could be considered “soft tampering” if Brooks’ reporting came from a source within an NHL team.

Andlauer said this was the third separate occasion in his year as Senators owner “where there’s been fires to put out”, referring to the Tkachuk trade rumors. “I can tell you 100 percent there’s never actually been an ounce of discussion about Brady Tkachuk being anything other than an Ottawa Senator.”

The Rangers issued a statement to LeBrun in response to Andlauer’s comments rejecting any notion of tampering. “This is an irresponsible accusation and we defer to the commissioner’s office.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have more about this in today’s NHL Rumors update.

THE ATHLETIC: The NHL is holding its Board of Governors’ meetings on Monday and Tuesday.

Upcoming negotiations with the NHL Players’ Association on a new collective bargaining agreement is expected to be among the topics of discussion. The current CBA expires in September 2026 but both sides appear keen to reach an agreement well before then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps Andlauer’s concerns about soft tampering will be on the agenda.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak weighed in on the Colorado Avalanche making a multi-player trade on Monday that saw goaltender Alexandar Georgiev shipped to the San Jose Sharks for netminder Mackenzie Blackwood. Masisak considered it a “bold, risky move” by Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland to improve his club’s shaky goaltending.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Sheng Peng reports Sharks GM Mike Grier believes the offer from the Avalanche was too good to pass up. He believes the return, including promising forward Nikolai Kovalenko, will help his club continue rebuilding. Grier said the addition of Georgiev will also buy a little more time for promising goalie Yaroslav Askarov to develop his game with their AHL affiliate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for my take on the trade.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils will induct Jacques Lemaire into its Ring of Honor in January. He is the winningest coach in franchise history, with 276 career regular-season victories, and 35 playoff wins. Lemaire coached the Devils to their first Stanley Cup championship in 1995.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Nick Leddy has returned to St. Louis for further testing regarding his lower-body injury. He’s been sidelined for the past 24 games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Senators.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild assigned defenseman David Jiricek to their AHL affiliate in Iowa. He was acquired on Nov. 30 in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

THE SCORE: Beckett Sennecke has been added to Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming 2025 World Junior Championship. Chosen third overall by the Ducks in this year’s draft, he was passed over during the initial selection.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2024

by | Oct 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2024

Recapping Tuesday’s 16-game “Frozen Frenzy” sees the Jets remain undefeated, the Panthers sign Paul Maurice to an extension, the Blues re-sign Jake Neighbours, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets are this season’s only undefeated team, holding off the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Kyle Connor scored the winning goal and Cole Perfetti had three assists as the Jets extended their season-opening win streak to 6-0-0. Blues winger Brandon Saad scored both of his club’s goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues announced before the game that forward Jake Neighbours signed a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $3.75 million. It’s an affordable bridge deal for the Blues but it could lead to a more lucrative contract for the 22-year-old Neighbours, who tallied 27 goals and 38 points last season.

The Blues also announced before this game that they placed defenseman Nick Leddy (lower body) on injured reserve. It’s believed he suffered the injury blocking a shot last Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild.

Minnesota Wild forwards Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and an assist to beat the Florida Panthers 5-1 to extend their points streak to six games (4-0-2). Jake Middleton picked up three assists for the Wild. Sam Bennett replied for the Panthers, who pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky after he gave up five goals on 11 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers announced yesterday that head coach Paul Maurice had signed a contract extension. Details were not released. He’s in the final season of a three-year deal worth just under $4 million annually. Maurice guided the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2023 and 2024, winning the Cup last season.

Speaking of the Panthers, forward Sam Reinhart was the NHL’s first star for the week ending Oct. 20. New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson were the second and third stars.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel had a natural hat trick and collected an assist in an 8-5 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Victor Hedman scored two goals, Anthony Cirelli collected four assists and J.J. Moser had a goal and two assists for the Lightning. Timo Meier tallied twice and Jack Hughes had a goal and two assists for the Devils.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl scored two goals and collected two assists to lead his club over the Los Angeles Kings 6-1. Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and Alex Pietrangelo had three helpers for Vegas. Warren Foegele scored the Kings’ only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore missed this game due to an illness.

The Buffalo Sabres upset the Dallas Stars 4-2. Owen Power collected three assists, including setting up Tage Thompson’s game-winning goal. Thompson and Alex Tuch each finished with a goal and an assist for the Sabres. Thomas Harley and Tyler Seguin scored for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres coach Lindy Ruff gave forward Zach Benson the night off to rest. He’s been playing through a lower-body injury suffered earlier this month in Prague.

A four-goal first period powered the New York Rangers to a 7-2 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Filip Chytil scored two goals and picked up an assist and Kaapo Kakko had a goal and two assists for the Rangers. Nick Suzuki scored both Canadiens goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain Jacob Trouba injured Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron with a high hit in the third period. Barron left the game and didn’t return. There was no penalty on the play. The Canadiens also played without winger Juraj Slafkovsky, who is out for at least a week with an upper-body injury.

Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren made his season debut after suffering an injured jaw during the preseason.

The Columbus Blue Jackets stunned the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2. Mathieu Olivier tallied two goals, Justin Danforth had a goal and two assists, and goalie Daniil Tarasov stopped 26 shots for the Blue Jackets. Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs winger Max Pacioretty left this game after the second period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. Earlier in the day, the NHL department of player safety fined Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson $5,000.00 for interference on Lightning winger Jake Guentzel on Monday.

Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson underwent shoulder surgery and is sidelined indefinitely.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3. Danton Heinen scored twice for the Canucks. Ryan Donato, Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall’s goal was his 700th career NHL point.

Washington Capitals forwards Nic Dowd and Andrew Mangiapane each scored shorthanded goals in the first period to lead their team to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Capitals have won four straight games. Travis Sanheim scored for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler made his season debut after being activated off injured reserve. He’d been sidelined by a knee injury during a preseason game against the Boston Bruins.

The Detroit Red Wings got a 29-save shutout from Alex Lyon to blank the New York Islanders 1-0. Patrick Kane scored the only goal as the Wings were limited to 11 shots by the Islanders.

Colorado Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta scored twice, Nathan MacKinnon netted the game-winner, and Cale Makar collected two assists as they held on for a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Makar and MacKinnon extended their point streaks to seven games. Jared McCann and Ryker Evans scored for the Kraken.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros turned aside 33 shots to shut out the Boston Bruins 4-0, snapping their season-opening losing skid at five games. Ryan O’Reilly, Luke Evangelista and Roman Josi each had two points. Jeremy Swayman made 38 saves for the Bruins.

An overtime goal by Sebastian Aho lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists as the Hurricanes overcame a 2-0 deficit. Connor McDavid scored both goals for the Oilers, who got a 30-save performance from Stuart Skinner.

The Ottawa Senators blanked the Utah Hockey Club 4-0. Anton Forsberg kicked out 31 shots for the shutout while Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, Ridly Greig and Brady Tkachuk scored in the first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark missed his fourth straight game with a muscle strain, forcing the club to call up Leevi Merilainen. Forward David Perron is away from the team for personal reasons.

Calgary Flames forward Justin Kirkland scored the deciding goal in a shootout to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman collected two points, Dustin Wolf stopped 35 shots and Nazem Kadri scored the tying goal in the dying seconds of the third period as the Flames extended their points streak to six games (5-0-1). Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Noel Aciari scored for the Penguins.

The Anaheim Ducks got their first power-play goals of the season from Troy Terry and Leo Carlsson in a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Mikael Granlund scored for the Sharks, the only winless team with a record of 0-5-2.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2024

by | Oct 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2024

A milestone game for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Auston Matthews tallies his first of the season, the Avalanche are off to their worst start in years, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby netted his 1,600th career point and teammate Evgeni Malkin reached the 500-goal plateau in a 6-5 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Crosby scored the winning goal and collected two assists, including setting up Malkin’s milestone goal. Malkin also picked up three assists to lead all NHL scorers with 11 points. JJ Peterka scored twice in his first game with the Sabres since suffering a concussion against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 5.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is the 10th player to reach 1,600 points and the fifth-fastest to do so (1,277 games), sitting behind Wayne Gretzky (667 games), Mario Lemieux (812 games), Marcel Dionne (1,164 games) and Jaromir Jagr (1,274 games).

Malkin is the third player in Penguins history to reach 500 goals, joining Lemieux and Crosby. He’s the eighth European player to do so, following Alex Ovechkin, Jagr, Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Mats Sundin, Marian Hossa and Peter Bondra.

Before this game, the Penguins demoted forward Rutger McGroarty to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his first goal of the season and his first as team captain to lead his team over the Los Angeles Kings 6-2. Matthews also picked up two assists, Bobby McMann tallied twice and Mitch Marner had three helpers. Alex Turcotte and Kevin Fiala replied for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have won three straight after dropping their season opener while the Kings have lost three straight since winning their first game of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kings designated defenseman Joel Edmundson non-roster player status as he left the team to return home for family reasons.

The Colorado Avalanche dropped their fourth-straight game in a 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins. Hampus Lindholm had a goal and an assist and David Pastrnak also scored for the Bruins. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was 1998-99 when the Avalanche last started a season 0-4-0. That club rallied to finish second overall in the Western Conference with 98 points. Given their sloppy defense and porous goaltending, it remains to be seen if this version can rally back.

An overtime goal by Leo Carlsson lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the Utah Hockey Club 5-4. Pavel Mintyukov scored two goals and Mason McTavish picked up two assists for the Ducks. Jack McBain and Michael Kesselring each had a goal and an assist for Utah.

HEADLINES

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Jake Guentzel is settling in quickly with the Lightning after signing with them during the summer. He’s playing on the top line with center Brayden Point and right wing Nikita Kucherov and has three assists in his first two games.

Point and Lightning coach Jon Cooper praised Guentzel’s skill and hockey IQ. Cooper also noted how calm the 30-year-old winger is in his game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guentzel is used to playing with elite talent after spending several years skating alongside Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. He also showed how well he could adjust to a new team following his trade last March from the Penguins to the Carolina Hurricanes.

TSN: Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark missed his last game with a strain but is expected to play in Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

Defenseman Thomas Chabot is ok after leaving practice on Wednesday following a collision with teammate Jacob Bernard-Docker and won’t miss any playing time. Meanwhile, blueliner Artem Zub will miss at least a week with a concussion.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson (upper body) was placed on injured reserve. Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (upper body) is expected to be sidelined short term.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Nick Leddy could miss Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders with a lower-body injury.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks will recall defenseman Erik Brannstrom and have sent center Aatu Raty to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forward William Eklund is questionable for Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury.

MSN.COM: On Wednesday, Carolina Hurricanes forward Brendan Lemieux and Blue Jackets forward Dylan Gambrell were placed on waivers.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2024

by | Apr 1, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2024

A look at what could be in store for the Blues during the offseason plus speculation of a possible coaching change for the Red Wings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE BLUES DURING THE OFFSEASON?

THE ATHLETIC: With the St. Louis Blues poised to miss the playoffs again, Jeremy Rutherford believes St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong will shake up his roster during the offseason.

The Blues will still be retooling their roster. Rutherford doesn’t see Armstrong making significant, expensive upgrades. Any big moves could involve money going out rather than coming in. He also doesn’t see the Blues GM spending to the salary cap next season.

Rutherford doesn’t expect pending unrestricted free agents Sammy Blais and Kasperi Kapanen will be back. Marco Scandella could also be allowed to walk depending on what plans Armstrong has for his top-four defense and for Scott Perunovich.

He also doesn’t believe the Blues will buy out a high-salaried defenseman’s contract. Armstrong hasn’t gone the buyout route since becoming the general manager in 2010. He could instead attempt to package one of them with a draft pick or prospect in a trade.

St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich (NHL Images)

Rutherford doesn’t see the Blues shying away from signing winger Pavel Buchnevich to a long-term extension. He thinks it could come down to where they see Buchnevich’s arc, how much he wants and if they think they’re going to compete in the next few years.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently examined the Blues’ options if they attempt to move a high-salaried defenseman like Colton Parayko, Torey Krug, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy. All are signed for at least two more seasons after 2023-24 and have no-trade clauses.

Parayko would have the most value but he’s also the defenseman the Blues probably don’t want to move. They tried to trade Krug last summer and a lot of teams view the undersized defenseman differently in the playoffs. There are also some diminishing returns on Faulk.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the goal is to shed salary the Blues have to move one of those four defensemen. They had a deal in place last June to send Krug to the Philadelphia Flyers but he used his no-trade clause to reject the trade as is his right.

Armstrong could approach one of those blueliners and ask them for a list of preferred destinations if he hasn’t already done so. Parayko is probably the only one he could move without having to include sweeteners in the deal. The rest could cost some combination of draft picks, prospects and a good young NHL player to make it happen.

Buchnevich surfaced in the rumor mill leading up to last month’s trade deadline. Some teams reportedly contacted Armstrong asking if he was available. The Blues GM wasn’t shopping the 28-year-old winger but was willing to set a high asking price to see if anyone would meet it.

Armstrong could follow the same plan this summer if teams come calling about Buchnevich. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Blues signed him to a contract extension.

COULD THE RED WINGS HIRE BERUBE AS THEIR NEW HEAD COACH?

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff reported a source told him that Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is mulling the possibility of a coaching change in the offseason.

The source claimed Yzerman could replace Derek Lalonde as head coach if the Wings fail to reach the playoffs this season. Lalonde is currently in the second year of a three-year contract.

Former St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube is said to be at the top of Yzerman’s wish list.

Another source told Duff that Yzerman read the riot act to his coaching staff and players on Friday regarding their recent lackluster performance. They’re 0-2-2 on their current five-game road trip that ends on Monday in Tampa Bay.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings were in freefall throughout March, winning just three of 14 games. They tumbled out of a wildcard berth and sit two points out of a playoff spot with eight games to play.

Duff noted that the Wings’ slow start to games, their puck management and defensive structure have been issues this season. Part of that is how the team is constructed, which is Yzerman’s department. However, the coaching staff also deserves its share of the blame.

It wouldn’t be shocking if Yzerman shook up his coaching staff by hiring a more experienced bench boss with Stanley Cup experience.