NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2025

by | Nov 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2025

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee, we recap a busy Saturday schedule, plus the three stars and the Rookie of the Month for October are revealed.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets got two goals from Kyle Connor to down the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had two points for the 9-3-0 Jets as they picked up their third straight win. Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte replied for the 8-3-2 Penguins as their points streak ended at eight games (6-0-2).

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele took over the scoring lead, becoming the first player to reach 20 points this season. Penguins winger Justin Brazeau missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

A shootout goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Marchand also scored in regulation, as did teammates Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett for the Panthers, who improved to 6-5-1. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist, and Sam Steel had three assists for the 6-3-3 Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand returned to the Panthers’ lineup after taking a leave of absence to be with his friend and trainer, J.P. MacCallum, following the death of his daughter. Marchand immediately pointed skyward after he opened the scoring. Reinhart’s goal was the 300th regular-season goal of his NHL career.

San Jose Sharks forward Philipp Kurashev tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 3-2 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Macklin Celebrini scored to extend his points streak to seven games while Yaroslav Askarov kicked out 37 shots for the 4-6-2 Sharks, who’ve won three of their last four contests. Nathan MacKinnon netted his 10th goal of the season for the 7-1-5 Avalanche, who picked up a point to sit atop the overall standings with 19 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren left this game with an upper-body injury after being struck by a puck while sitting on the bench. Avalanche call-up Taylor Makar made his debut, marking the first time he and older brother Cale Makar played together in the NHL. Taylor was returned to Colorado’s AHL affiliate after this game.

The Montreal Canadiens got an overtime goal from Alex Newhook for a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki extended his points streak to 11 games with two assists, and Cole Caufield scored his 10th goal of the season for the Canadiens (9-3-0), who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 18 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who dropped to 6-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Batherson ended up being the goat in this game, as his errant pass in overtime was picked off by Newhook, who made no mistake on the breakaway.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom turned in a 43-save performance to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Dawson Mercer has two goals for the 9-3-0 Devils as they move into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Andrei Kuzmenko had the only goal for the Kings as they dropped to 5-4-4 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Connor Brown was ruled out for this game with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Kings placed winger Warren Foegele (upper body) on injured reserve.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson had a goal and an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs got their first road victory of the season with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Rookie Easton Cowan tallied his first career NHL goal, and John Tavares had two assists as the Maple Leafs improved to 6-5-1. Christian Dvorak and Tyson Foerster replied for the 6-4-1 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev was stretchered off the ice with a suspected head injury in the third period after being inadvertently hit from behind by Flyers winger Matvei Michkov. After the game, Leafs coach Craig Berube said they will know more about Tanev’s condition after he undergoes more tests, but added that the defenseman was moving. Berube thinks Tanev will be okay.

An overtime goal by Evan Bouchard lifted the Edmonton Oilers (6-4-3) over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2. Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to eight games with a goal and an assist, and Connor McDavid assisted on all three Oilers goals. Andre Burakovsky had a goal and an assist for the 5-4-3 Blackhawks.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 shots to backstop his club over the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist as the Bruins improved to 7-7-0. Alexander Nikishin scored for the Hurricanes, who have lost three of their last four games and dropped to 7-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis returned to action in this game after leaving Thursday’s 6-2 win over the New York Islanders with a lower-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist as his club nipped the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Jet Greaves made 37 saves for the Blue Jackets as they improved to 7-4-0. Justin Faulk and Nick Bjugstad scored for the Blues, who dropped to 3-7-2.

A shootout goal by Bowen Byram gave the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch each netted their fifth goals of the season, and rookie Isak Rosen scored his first NHL goal for the 5-4-3 Sabres. Aliaksei Protas potted his fifth of the season for the Capitals (6-5-1), who are winless in their last four (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle scored in overtime to give his team a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Cuylle finished with two points, and teammate Adam Fox collected two assists for the 6-5-2 Rangers as they picked up their third straight win. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist as the 5-2-4 Kraken extended their points streak to four games (2-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko was held scoreless against his former team in his season debut after suffering a broken hand in a preseason game.

Minnesota Wild winger Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists as his club snapped a five-game winless skid to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Filip Gustavsson stopped 26 shots for the 4-6-3 Wild. Drew O’Connor tallied twice as the Canucks slipped to 6-7-0.

The Nashville Predators ended a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Michael Bunting had a goal and two assists in the first period for the 5-6-2 Predators. Jonathan Huberdeau and Joel Farabee scored for the Flames, who sit last in the overall standings with a record of 2-9-2.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes are the three stars for October 2025. New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer was named Rookie of the Month.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2025

by | Oct 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, injury updates, the highlights from the latest Board of Governors’ meeting, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres snapped their season-opening three-game losing streak with a convincing 8-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators, handing the latter their third straight defeat. Jason Zucker, Ryan McLeod, and Jack Quinn each tallied twice, and Zach Benson collected four assists in his season debut with the Sabres. Jordan Spence had three assists, and Jake Sanderson scored and set up another for the Senators.

Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson (NHL Images

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators played without left wing Brady Tkachuk, who is seeking a second opinion regarding his hand/wrist injury suffered on Monday against the Nashville Predators. If the Senators captain requires surgery, he could be sidelined for two months.

Meanwhile, Sabres forward Justin Danforth left this game with a lower-body injury.

Chicago Blackhawks forwards Connor Bedard and Lukas Reichel each had three points to lead their club over the St. Louis Blues 8-3. Bedard had three assists, and Reichel scored two goals and picked up an assist as the Blackhawks got their second straight win after going 0-2-1. Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist for the Blues as their win streak ended at two games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced that team captain Nick Foligno is taking a leave of absence as his daughter undergoes a follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Florida Panthers 4-1. Patrick Kane scored what proved to be the winning goal, and teammate Mason Appleton netted two goals as the Wings picked up their third straight win. Brad Marchand replied for the Panthers, who have dropped two straight after opening the season with three consecutive victories.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Panthers announced defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will be sidelined for five months following wrist surgery. As a result, the Panthers claimed blueliner Donovan Sebrango off waivers from the Senators. Kulikov joins Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, left wing Matthew Tkachuk, and winger Tomas Nosek on injured reserve.

The Red Wings played without winger Lucas Raymond, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Utah Mammoth forwards Barrett Hayton, JJ Peterka, and Kevin Stenlund scored to lead their club to a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Rasmus Andersson scored for the Flames, who have lost four straight following their season-opening win. Devin Cooley stopped 29 shots for Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth also revealed their mascot, “Tusky”.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LATEST NHL BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING.

SPORTSNET: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is concerned about the progress of the two hockey rinks under construction for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in February.

Bettman made the remarks to reporters following the NHL Board of Governors meeting on Wednesday. If the main arena isn’t ready on time, Bettman stated that the International Olympic Committee must deal with it, adding the league has made the IOC aware of its concerns. Bettman also said the NHL Players Association shares those concerns.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said plans for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey are on schedule.

Bettman said expansion was not discussed during the meeting, despite stated interest from two groups in Atlanta and another in Phoenix. Daly stated that expansion is not an initiative that the league is pursuing before 2030.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reason Daly mentioned 2030 is that is when the current CBA will expire. It’s also rumored that the league would seek an expansion fee of $2 billion for each new franchise.

Bettman indicated that no changes are expected for the projected salary-cap numbers for the next two years. The cap is projected to rise from $95.5 million to $104 million for 2026-27 and $113.5 million for 2027-28.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent media speculation suggests that the cap could be higher than expected due to greater-than-anticipated revenue. If that’s the case, we’ll likely have to wait until later in the season for confirmation.

INJURY UPDATES AND MORE

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (upper-body injury) was placed on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) on Wednesday. He’s expected to miss at least the Rangers’ next seven games.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Matt Duchene is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom is expected to miss the next two weeks with a lower-body injury. They have recalled netminder Nico Daws from their AHL affiliate.

DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Miles Wood is out for at least a week after suffering an eye injury during Monday’s game against the Devils.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks defensemen John Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren are day-to-day with injuries.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Vancouver Canucks placed defenseman Derek Forbort on injured reserve.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers defenseman Cam York is expected to make his season debut on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. They have activated him from injured reserve.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Kings have reacquired goaltender Pheonix Copley from the Tampa Bay Lightning for future considerations. Copley was claimed off waivers by the Lightning earlier this month.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 7, 2025

by | Jul 7, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 7, 2025

Check out the latest on Dougie Hamilton, Darnell Nurse, Evan Rodrigues, Mario Ferraro, and Joonas Korpisalo in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: During his season-ending “32 Thoughts: The Podcast” episodes, Elliotte Friedman wondered where defenseman Dougie Hamilton fits into the New Jersey Devils’ plans.

Hamilton, 32, is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value (AAV) of $9 million. Friedman noted that his full no-movement clause now contains a 10-team trade list. The Devils also paid Hamilton his bonus on July 1.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (NHL Images).

Friedman thinks there’s a low percentage chance of Hamilton getting traded this summer. However, he said the blueliner’s name was “out there” in the market, adding he’d heard the Devils spoke to a couple of teams about him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New Jersey Hockey Now’s James Nichols pointed out that, at one point, promising Devils blueliners Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey were mentioned as trade candidates. He noted that moving Hamilton’s contract would free up the cap space needed to bolster their top-six forward lines and also add a third-line center.

Regarding the Edmonton Oilers, Friedman believes management checked with all their players who had a no-trade clause if they would waive them. Among them was Darnell Nurse, whom Friedman believes doesn’t want to leave Edmonton.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: David Staples of the Edmonton Journal believes this is the first credible news about the Oilers having any interest in trading Nurse. The 30-year-old defenseman is signed through 2029-30 with a $9.25 million AAV and a full no-movement clause until 2027.

Staples thinks there could be a trade market for Nurse’s “brutally aggressive style of play.” However, he also suggests that this might push Nurse to address why his performance has suffered in the playoffs and what he can do to fix it.

The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are sitting over the salary cap by $2.95 million. Teams can be above the cap by 10 percent during the offseason but must be cap compliant for their season-opening game.

Friedman said there’s an assumption the Panthers could trade forward Evan Rodrigues, who carries a $3 million AAV through 2026-27. However, he indicated that he was told not to assume anything, as there are several options they could use to free up cap room. For example, they need to figure out if Matthew Tkachuk requires surgery and what his recovery timeline would be.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers general manager Bill Zito surprised everyone by re-signing core players Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand. Much has been made about their advantage of playing in a no-tax state as a factor in retaining those players.

However, the cost of keeping the core intact remained steep even with their tax advantage. Unless Tkachuk is out of the season on long-term injury reserve, they could indeed face the possibility of giving up a popular, useful depth player like Rodrigues in a cost-cutting trade.

Meanwhile, Friedman reported the Toronto Maple Leafs are among several teams interested in Jack Roslovic. The 28-year-old unrestricted free-agent forward enjoyed a productive season with the Carolina Hurricanes, finishing with 22 goals and 39 points in 81 games.

Friedman suggests Roslovic could be waiting for the Maple Leafs to free up some cap space by moving out a player or two. He indicated the Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres could also be interested.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Roslovic’s inconsistency probably explains why he remains unsigned nearly a week into free agency.

Turning to the San Jose Sharks, Friedman confirmed a report by Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period claiming they were looking to shop a defenseman. They recently added veterans Dmitry Orlov, Nick Leddy and John Klingberg, creating a logjam on the blueline.

Friedman suggested Mario Ferraro, Timothy Liljegren, Henry Thrun or Jack Thompson as trade candidates. Ferraro and Liljegren are UFA-eligible next summer, Thrun will be a restricted free agent (RFA) with arbitration rights next July, while Thompson is currently an RFA.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng reported last week that Sharks GM Mike Grier was hoping to add a top-nine forward this summer. One of those blueliners could be used as trade bait to address that issue. Ferraro would have the most value if he were unwilling to sign a contract extension with the Sharks.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports Markus Lehto, the agent for Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, said his client has not requested a trade.

The 31-year-old Korpisalo has been the subject of trade speculation since his end-of-season comments in which he expressed his unhappiness with his limited playing time. The Bruins’ recent signing of Michael DiPietro to a two-year, one-way contract fueled the conjecture.

Lehto stated there was no truth to a rumor that Korpisalo wanted to be traded, claiming his client loves it in Boston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Korpisalo is signed through 2027-28 with an AAV of $4 million, though $1 million of that is carried by his former club, the Ottawa Senators. He also has a 10-team no-list.

DiPietro was a depth signing by the Bruins. His $812,500 AAV won’t count against their cap when he’s in the minors.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 31, 2024

by | Oct 31, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 31, 2024

Milestone games for Anze Kopitar and Kyle Connor, the latest valuations of the league’s 32 teams, an update on Connor McDavid’s injury status, the Leafs trade Timothy Liljegren,  and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar had a goal and two assists (including his 800th career assist) to lead his club to a 6-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke picked up three assists and Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist in his return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch from the Kings’ previous game. Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice for the Golden Knights, who remain winless on the road (0-3-1).

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor also had a goal and two assists (including his 500th career assist) as his club defeated the Detroit Red Wings 6-2. Neal Pionk tallied twice for the league-leading Jets (9-1-0, 18 points). Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond each collected two assists for the Red Wings.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 20 shots to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 6-0. Devils captain Nico Hischier scored his league-leading 10th goal and picked up two assists as his team moved atop the Eastern Conference standings (7-4-2, 16 points). Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs was in net for all six Devils goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not to take anything away from the Devils’ dominant performance but the Canucks made it easy for them. They were a listless bunch in this game.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a goal and two assists from Nikita Kucherov to beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Jake Guentzel scored twice and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 33 shots for the Lightning. Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar each collected two points to extend their season-opening points streaks to 11 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-battered Avalanche played without forwards Ross Colton (broken foot, out six to eight weeks) and Miles Wood (upper-body injury, out seven to 10 days). They did get some good news as sidelined forward Artturi Lehkonen is expected to return to action next Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken. He’s been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

Another player with a goal and two assists was Mikhail Sergachev, leading the Utah Hockey Club to a 5-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Connor Ingram made 30 saves for the win while Nick Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther each collected two assists. Anthony Mantha scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Calgary captain Mikael Backlund played in his 1,000th career regular-season game.

Since winning five of their first six games, the fizzling Flames have dropped four straight.

Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Elvis Merzlikins turned in a 26-save shutout to blank the New York Islanders 2-0, handing the latter their fourth loss in their last five games. Damon Severson and Justin Danforth were the goal scorers as the Blue Jackets end their October schedule with a record of 5-3-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a testament to the Blue Jackets’ character that they’ve played as well as they have considering everything they’ve endured since late August.

Meanwhile, the Islanders have been shut out in four of their first 10 games. As of Oct. 30, their goals per game average (2.10) is last in the league.

HEADLINES

SPORTICO: released their annual evaluation of all 32 NHL franchises. All of them saw significant increases in their value since last year, with the average being 37 percent.

The top five were the Toronto Maple Leafs ($3.66 billion), New York Rangers ($3.25 billion), Montreal Canadiens ($2.93 billion), Boston Bruins ($2.67 billion) and Los Angeles Kings ($2.5 billion).

The Utah Hockey Club ($1.2 billion), Ottawa Senators ($1.14 billion), Buffalo Sabres ($1.13 billion), Winnipeg Jets ($1.1 billion) and Columbus Blue Jackets ($1.06 billion) made up the bottom five. Utah HC saw the biggest increase (78 percent) because of its relocation from Arizona.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s James Mirtle explained the reasons behind these significant increases. The current CBA with its hard salary cap, robust revenue sharing with smaller markets, and the expansion into Las Vegas and Seattle are among the notable factors.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid will be sidelined with an injured ankle for two to three weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid could miss up to 12 games during that period. Nevertheless, the Oilers are probably breathing a sigh of relief that he’ll only miss at most three weeks.

TORONTO SUN/NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: The Toronto Maple Leafs traded defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks for blueliner Matt Benning, a conditional third-round pick in 2025 and a sixth-rounder in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Liljegren is signed through next season with an average annual value of $3 million. Benning’s contract also runs through 2025-26 and has an AAV of $1.25 million. The move frees up $1.75 million in much-needed salary-cap space for the Leafs. It also clears room for Jani Hakanpaa’s impending debut with the Leafs.

Liljegren struggled to establish himself as a top-four puck-moving defenseman with the Leafs. He’ll get a better opportunity to do so with the rebuilding Sharks, away from Toronto’s harsh spotlight.

DAILY FACEOFF: Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

RG.ORG: An in-depth analysis of the relationship between faster players and elite offensive production in the NHL. Unlike the past where size and shot mechanics were determining factors, faster players in today’s NHL are more likely to become elite stars, though it is no guarantee of stardom. The Colorado Avalanche appear to have tapped into that, sitting third over the past three seasons in total points (335) and winning the Stanley Cup in 2021-22.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 30, 2024

by | Oct 30, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 30, 2024

Could Connor Bedard’s frustration over the Blackhawks’ slow start force the club to seek help in the trade market? Are there some potential blueline trade options for the Oilers and Senators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast” episode, Elliotte Friedman observed Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard’s frustration over his club’s slow start to this season.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

Friedman dismissed any suggestion that Bedard is unhappy in Chicago and wants to be traded. However, he thinks the rebuilding Blackhawks might want to consider short-term roster improvements to keep Bedard happy without derailing their long-term plan.

According to Friedman, the Blackhawks attempted to acquire Jake Guentzel in the offseason before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who signed him to a long-term contract. That shows they’ve tried to land a high-caliber star to play with Bedard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chicago has added veterans to their young roster over the last two years, bringing in Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, TJ Brodie, Alec Martinez and Laurent Brossoit.

The Blackhawks have plenty of trade bait in prospects and draft picks to make a competitive bid for a star. They’ll also have plenty of salary cap space to pursue one in next summer’s free-agent market.

Finding a star in their playing prime, however, is a difficult task. Most don’t want to join a rebuilding team that could be years away from contender status.

It’s believed the Blackhawks would like to add a second-line center, with some observers wondering if Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras could be available. It will take time to address that issue and might not occur during this season.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell recently looked at five righthanded defensemen who should be trade targets for the Edmonton Oilers. One of them is Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mitchell acknowledged the notion of the Flames trading Andersson to Edmonton is slim at best but felt he’d be the ideal option for the Oilers. I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for that trade to go down.

Meanwhile, Julien McKenzie examined some potential defensive trade targets for the Ottawa Senators. They included Timothy Liljegren of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Cam Fowler of the Anaheim Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Liljegren’s reportedly been available for nearly a month but his $3 million cap hit and lack of playing time hurts his trade value. Fowler has a four-team trade list but he’s reportedly willing to expand it to double-digits. Whether the Senators would be among his preferred destinations is another matter.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 28, 2024

by | Oct 28, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 28, 2024

The Maple Leafs and Blackhawks need second-line centers plus the latest on the Wild in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE MAPLE LEAFS TRADE FOR A CENTER?

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel observed the Toronto Maple Leafs lack depth at the center position. Head coach Craig Berube is reluctant to use the 34-year-old John Tavares as the second-line center but his fallback option (Max Domi) isn’t working.

Berube tried William Nylander at center during the preseason. Siegel doesn’t see 20-year-old Fraser Minten as part of the solution when he returns from a high-ankle sprain.

Siegel believes a trade is the only way to address that issue this season. However, a lot of teams need centers, there may be few available, and the Leafs have little trade ammunition.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could hold things together until the March 7 trade deadline approaches. There should be more trade options by that point. However, it could cost the Leafs a promising prospect or their 2026 first-rounder since they traded away their 2025 pick.

LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Brooke LoFurno recently cited The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying the Blackhawks would love to add a second-line center.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

LoFurno indicated that Pagnotta mentioned Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks as a trade target, as he’s been mentioned in rumors since last season. Young centers are a luxury but the Blackhawks have plenty of draft capital to draw on for trade bait.

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson mentioned many times he’d be willing to use draft capital in a trade to address a specific need. LoFurno believes a trade seems likely at some point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LoFurno noted the Blackhawks have 13 picks in the first three rounds of the next three drafts, including two first-rounders in 2025. She thinks Davidson might be willing to part with one of them for the right price.

Zegras was a promising foundation player for the Ducks but his stock has dropped since his injury-shortened 2023-24 campaign. He’s been relegated to the wing this season and has only two points in eight games. The 23-year-old Zegras carries an average annual value of $5.75 million through 2025-26.

Changing teams could help Zegras regain his once-promising offensive form. However, he could be unsuitable for the Blackhawks’ second-line center role.

The same goes for the Leafs.

DO THE WILD NEED A REPLACEMENT FOR SPURGEON?

THE ATHLETIC: A reader recently asked Michael Russo if the Minnesota Wild would place sidelined defenseman Jared Spurgeon on long-term injury reserve. The 34-year-old Wild captain hasn’t played since Oct. 12 because he’s still feeling the effects of last year’s season-ending back and hip surgeries.

Spurgeon doesn’t appear to have suffered a medical setback. The discomfort he felt is believed to be part of the recovery process. They’re allowing him time to let things calm down before he resumes skating.

Russo doesn’t believe the Wild are interested in Toronto’s Timothy Liljegren if they must find a replacement for Spurgeon. Who they pursue will depend on whether GM Bill Guerin believes they’re a right-shot defenseman away from being a legitimate contender.