NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 27, 2025

by | Sep 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 27, 2025

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is sidelined for the season, Marc-Andre Fleury returns to the Penguins for a special weekend, an update on Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov underwent surgery to repair injuries to ligaments in his right knee suffered during practice on Thursday. He is expected to be sidelined for seven to nine months.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said Barkov’s absence leaves a big hole in their roster. “He is such an important piece in that locker room,” Maurice said. “What we’ll get to know now is some of the other leaders in the room.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers were already dealing with winger Matthew Tkachuk recovering from offseason surgeries, but they knew that he would return by January. Barkov’s absence is a much bigger blow to their hopes for a Stanley Cup “three-peat.”

Barkov is one of the key reasons why the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final three straight times, winning the Cup twice in a row since 2024. They will miss his leadership and elite two-way play.

Depending on Barkov’s recovery, it’s unlikely that he will return later in the regular season. The earliest he could be back is for the first round of the 2025 playoffs, and even that’s not a certainty.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Marc-Andre Fleury joined the Penguins’ practice on Friday as part of a special weekend for the 40-year-old goaltender.

Fleury began his NHL career with the Penguins, spending 13 of his 21 seasons in Pittsburgh. He retired at the end of last season, but signed a tryout contract to practice with the Penguins on Friday and play one period of Saturday’s preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It was a special reunion for Fleury with his former teammates Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust. It felt like old times as he good-naturedly chirped his teammates and played some pranks on them, including putting decals of his jersey number (29) on their vehicles.

Fleury also clarified that he wants it to be known that he’s retiring as a member of the Minnesota Wild, with whom he spent his last four NHL seasons. He’s grateful to finish in Pittsburgh, where everything started for the future Hall of Famer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The usually buttoned-down Crosby couldn’t hide his joy over having his old teammate back for a final practice. Wearing his throwback yellow pads, Fleury made several saves that drew cheers from the fans in attendance, including a windmill save on a Crosby one-timer.

Speaking of the Penguins, goalie Joel Blomqvist will be sidelined for four weeks with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to be ready for their season opener on Oct. 9. Vasilevskiy has been absent since Sept. 19 with an undisclosed injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Artemi Panarin returned to practice with his teammates on Friday. He’d spent the past week nursing a lower-body injury.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres winger Alex Tuch will be in the lineup when they face the Detroit Red Wings in preseason play on Saturday. He missed their first three preseason contests with an undisclosed injury.

Sabres starting goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower body) could return to play their final two preseason games.

TORONTO STAR: The Maple Leafs signed James Reimer to a professional tryout offer. The 37-year-old goaltender began his NHL career with the Leafs in 2010-11, becoming a fan favorite during his six seasons with the franchise.

The Leafs have brought back Reimer as insurance with Joseph Woll on a leave of absence for personal reasons and Dennis Hildeby an unproven rookie.

TSN: Speaking of the Maple Leafs, defenseman Marshall Rifai requires wrist surgery after suffering an injury during Thursday’s preseason win over the Montreal Canadiens.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander is listed as week-to-week with a sprained ankle.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens defenseman David Reinbacher suffered a broken bone in his hand and will be sidelined for four weeks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Goaltender Ivan Fedotov, forward Liam Foudy, and defenseman Kevin Connauton are the notable players placed on waivers on Friday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2025

by | Sep 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2025

Marc-Andre Fleury to have a last hurrah with the Penguins, Kings winger Corey Perry injured, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Marc-Andre Fleury is returning to the Penguins on a professional tryout contract.

The 40-year-old goaltender will appear in a training camp practice on Sept. 26 and in a preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sept. 27 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Retired NHL goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

That will be the extent of Fleury’s comeback with his original NHL team. He announced his retirement earlier this year. Fleury confirmed that he will be playing one period against the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A future Hall-of-Famer, Fleury was drafted by the Penguins first overall in the 2003 NHL Draft, spending 13 of his 21 seasons in Pittsburgh, winning three Stanley Cups. This is a last hurrah as he completes his long career where it began.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings winger Corey Perry suffered a possible injury while skating with his teammates on Friday. It’s uncertain if he caught a rut or collided with another player. The 40-year-old Perry was taken off the ice in a wheelchair for further medical evaluation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry signed with the Kings as an unrestricted free agent earlier this summer. An update on his status could come as early as Saturday.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn reports that an injury to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was the reason why the Buffalo Sabres signed free-agent goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to a one-year contract.

Luukkonen reported to the Sabres earlier this week, nursing an injury that was described as a “tweak”. The club is unsure of the severity of the injury and is uncertain how long the 26-year-old netminder will be sidelined.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luukkonen has been the Sabres’ starting goalie for the past two seasons. Losing him for a significant period could be an early setback to their hopes of snapping their league-record 14-year playoff drought.

CBS SPORTS: Calvin de Haan signed a one-year contract with the Swedish Hockey League’s Rogle BK on Friday.

The 34-year-old defenseman spent the past 13 seasons in the NHL, collecting 149 regular-season points in 679 games with the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Rangers signed defenseman Andrej Sustr to a professional tryout offer.

Sustr, 34, spent the past three seasons in Europe. Before that, he spent eight seasons (2012-13 to 2021-22) with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Anaheim Ducks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 25, 2024

by | Jul 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 25, 2024

Reaction to the Oilers hiring Stan Bowman as their new GM, the Sabres sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a long-term contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers announced they hired Stan Bowman as their new general manager and vice president of hockey operations. He becomes the 11th general manager in Oilers history.

Bowman spent over 20 years with the Chicago Blackhawks, 12 of those as general manager. He resigned from the Blackhawks in 2021 after an independent investigation found he and others mishandled sexual assault allegations by player Kyle Beach in 2010 against the club’s then-video coach Bradley Aldrich. Bowman was suspended by the NHL until lifted earlier this month by league Commissioner Gary Bettman.

During his introductory press conference, Bowman admitted his response to the Beach situation was inadequate and mishandled, saying it was something he regrets. He worked with Sheldon Kennedy and his organization, Respect Group, as part of the process of learning about the prevention of bullying, harassment, abuse and discrimination. Kennedy recently endorsed Bowman’s effort to return to the NHL.

Edmonton Oilers hire Stan Bowman as new GM. (NHL.com).

Bowman also said that he reached out to Beach with Kennedy’s encouragement. The two have kept in touch since last year, including Bowman spending a day and a half working with Beach at Trinity Western University in British Columbia, where Beach works as an assistant coach. Bowman said he called Beach the day before his hiring by the Oilers, calling it an encouraging conversation.

Nevertheless, Bowman’s hiring by the Oilers was not well received on social media.

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus reviewed Bowman’s work as Blackhawks general manager. He knows how to win by building around a superstar core and bold enough to go for it with a team in contention. In that regard, he makes sense for an Oilers team in “win-now” mode.

Lazerus also noted Bowman’s mistakes, such as his reputation as a poor contract negotiator and his inability to stick to a rebuilding plan. The Blackhawks had poor player development under his watch, and his trades of Patrick Sharp, Phillip Danault, Teuvo Teravainen, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Artemi Panarin didn’t pan out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowman inherited a strong Blackhawks roster and managed it well for several years, winning three Stanley Cups from 2009-10 to 2014-15. However, the wheels quickly fell off during the latter years of his tenure.

He should do well with the current Oilers roster but it remains to be seen if he learned from his mistakes with the Blackhawks. Otherwise, the Oilers could face a swift, ugly decline in a few years.

Kennedy’s endorsement was crucial to Bowman’s return to the management ranks and I trust his judgment. Bowman’s efforts to learn and grow helped him establish a positive relationship with Beach.

Nevertheless, I’m having difficulty accepting this news. The Beach situation was bad enough but Lazerus also pointed out it was the failure of people like Bowman that led directly to the sexual abuse of a minor by Aldrich.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres avoided salary arbitration with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the two sides agreed to a five-year deal with an average annual value of $4.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luukkonen earned that new deal with a solid performance in an otherwise disappointing season for the Sabres. He’s established himself as their starter going forward.

Some wondered what this means for promising netminder Devon Levi, especially after the Sabres signed James Reimer to a one-year contract. Levi will likely spend this season developing his game with the Sabres AHL affiliate in Rochester.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers formerly introduced winger Matvei Michkov to the media on Wednesday. Michkov, 19, was their first-round pick (seventh overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft.

“We don’t see him as a saviour,” said Flyers GM Daniel Briere. “That’s certainly not what we’re putting on his shoulder. He’s 19-years-old. He’s coming in to learn, to expand his game.”

Flyers fans have high hopes that Michkov could blossom into a scoring superstar. He said he’s overwhelmed by the fans’ reaction and how welcoming they’ve made him feel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov has the potential to become an NHL scoring star. Nevertheless, the Flyers must carefully manage his usage in his rookie season and those heightened expectations by their fans.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: An arbitrator awarded Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney a two-year contract. The first year is a two-way deal with a cap hit of $825K at the NHL level. He’ll earn $850K in the second year.

SJ HOCKEY NOW: The San Jose Sharks re-signed defenseman Henry Thrun to a two-year contract with an AAV of $1 million.

SPORTSNET: Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia said he’d be interested in returning the NHL to Arizona one day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t doubt Ishbia’s sincerity but it’ll take more than words to make that a reality, like a suitable NHL venue and the dollars to make a suitable expansion bid. Build a new arena and put up $1 billion and then I’ll believe you’re serious. Otherwise, this is just empty talk no one wants to hear anymore.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2024

by | Mar 25, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2024

A look at some of this summer’s notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the latest rumors and reports regarding this summer’s top-12 restricted free agents.

The Vancouver Canucks recently offered an eight-year, $52-million contract extension ($6.5 million average annual value) to Filip Hronek. However, the 26-year-old defenseman’s camp rejected that proposal. Fox believes the Canucks want to keep Hronek’s salary below Quinn Hughes’ $7.85 million AAV but the blueline could try to push it into the $7 million range.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hronek is completing a three-year deal with an AAV of $4.4 million. He’s enjoying a career-high performance in his contract year with 45 points in 71 games. Hronek has arbitration rights and is a year away from UFA eligibility. It could cost the Canucks between $7 million and $7.5 million annually to keep him in the fold.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider is completing his entry-level contract. Fox doubted that Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would attempt to lowball the 23-year-old blueliner. He speculated Seider could get an eight-year deal worth $8.6 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seider is the Wings’ best defenseman and a key piece of their rebuilding roster, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2021-22. He’s yet to reach his playing prime. A long-term deal at $8.6 million AAV could become a bargain over time.

The Buffalo Sabres trading Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche earlier this month was based on the belief they would be unable to re-sign him to a long-term extension. Following the trade, the 25-year-old center pointed out how much the Avalanche wanted him by giving up defenseman Bowen Byram in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mittelstadt seems to be settling in well as the Avalanche’s second-line center. A strong performance over the rest of the regular season and in the 2024 playoffs will ensure he’ll get a lucrative long-term extension.

While Fox thinks Seider will get a long-term deal from the Wings, he believes Lucas Raymond could end up with a short-term contract. Like Seider, he’s completing his entry-level deal. Fox pointed out that Yzerman signed Alex DeBrincat last summer to a four-year contract averaging $7.875 million per season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how Yzerman handles Raymond’s contract situation. The 21-year-old winger leads the Wings in scoring with career highs in goals (24), assists (36) and points (60), but he has had bouts of inconsistency in his short NHL career.

Fox wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes will attempt to sign Seth Jarvis to a bridge deal coming out of his entry-level contract or bet big that the 22-year-old winger will break out and sign him to a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After struggling at times during his sophomore campaign, Jarvis has played well this season for the Hurricanes, sitting third in scoring with a career-high 57 points. I’d say bet big and lock him up long-term. A bridge deal could make him more expensive to sign down the road.

Despite Thomas Harley’s 40-point performance this season, Fox speculates that Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill could sign the 22-year-old defenseman to a bridge deal coming out of his entry-level contract. He noted that Nill did the same with winger Jason Robertson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Harley will get a bridge deal. This is his first full season after splitting the past two seasons between the Stars and their AHL affiliate.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman refused to comment on an early March report claiming contract extension talks had begun. However, he didn’t deny the report.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman signed an affordable one-year deal last summer due to the Bruins’ limited cap space for this season. He’s going to get a big raise over his $3.475 million and will likely take over as their full-time starter next season. There’s already speculation that his goalie partner Linus Ullmark could be traded during the offseason.

Fox noted the emergence of Quinton Byfield this season leaves Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake facing a big decision. He could sign the 20-year-old forward to a bridge deal or attempt to ink him to a long-term contract. Fox suggested the latter might come in between $6.5 and $7 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On the one hand, it’s tough to justify a lucrative long-term deal based on one good year. On the other, it’ll cost a lot more than $7 million to sign Byfield coming off a bridge deal if he continues to improve as projected. He’s steadily improved with each season.

Hurricanes winger Martin Necas is completing a two-year bridge deal worth $3 million annually and has arbitration rights. The 25-year-old forward is in a position to justify a significant raise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas has surfaced in trade rumors over the past two seasons. He might end up getting that raise from another club.

Turning to the remaining players on Fox’s list, Matty Beniers’ struggles in his sophomore season could see the 2023 Calder Trophy winner getting a short-term bridge deal from the Seattle Kraken.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Sean Durzi will seek a lucrative offer coming off his bridge contract. He’s on pace for a career-best performance.

The Buffalo Sabres could try to sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a mid-term deal. He’s performed well this season but it’s a small sample size to justify a long-term contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2023

by | Oct 7, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2023

Check out the latest on Predators’ goaltender Juuse Saros, goalies to watch as waiver candidates, and which Blues defensemen could be the odd man out this season in the NHL Rumor Mill.

TROTZ SAYS SAROS IS PART OF THE PREDATORS LONG-TERM PLANS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently reported Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz wants Juuse Saros to be part of the club’s long-term plans. The 28-year-old goaltender is in the second-last season of his four-year contract, paying him an average annual value of $5 million.

Trotz told LeBrun that he’s already reached out to Saros’ agent to determine their thoughts on discussing a contract extension. Whether the Predators are rebuilding or retooling, he wants his starting goaltender on the roster.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros has occasionally surfaced in the rumor mill this season as some pundits have suggested he could become trade bait given his contract status and the current state of the Predators. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2025 and his current deal plus his status among the league’s best netminders would make him an attractive trade target around the league.

The presence of promising Yaroslav Askarov also prompted questions about Saros’ future in Nashville.

Trotz is obviously keen to keep Saros but we’ve yet to hear what the goalie wants to do. It’s probably fair to say that he’ll be willing to listen to whatever the Predators GM is willing to pitch for contract offers.

The earliest the two sides can technically begin contract talks is July 1 of next year. However, they can get the ball rolling with casual discussions regarding the framework for a new deal.

If the two sides fail to reach an agreement on an extension Saros could become a trade candidate sometime during the 2024-25 campaign. For now, however, it appears that he won’t be shopped this season.

GOALIES TO WATCH ON THE WAIVER WIRE

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuck discussed goaltenders they’re watching on the waiver wire as teams finalize their rosters for the upcoming start of the regular season.

Among the notables are Detroit’s Alex Lyon, Toronto’s Martin Jones, Montreal’s Cayden Primeau, Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Los Angeles’ David Rittich, St. Louis’ Malcolm Subban, Florida’s Anthony Stolarz and Pittsburgh’s Magnus Hellberg.

Luukkonen was the name that most interested Yaremchuk, who wondered about his chances of clearing if he gets put on waivers. Seravalli pointed out that the Sabres have sufficient cap space to carry three goalies to start the season without putting Luukkonen on waivers.

Lyon and Jones are also fascinating names for Seravalli. He doubts the Leafs will head into this season with three goalies. He also indicated the Canadiens had yet to make a decision about Primeau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli also wondered about Stolarz’s situation with the Panthers but that’s been rectified with Spencer Knight being loaned to their AHL affiliate soon after this report aired on Friday.

The intrigue over what those clubs will do with their extra goalies is mostly due to pundits pondering what the Tampa Bay Lightning will do to address the loss of starter Andrei Vasilevskiy. He’s out for a couple of months following lower-back surgery, leaving them with Jonas Johansson and his 35 games of NHL experience and 29-year-old rookie Matt Tomkins.

Most believe the cap-strapped Lightning could pluck one of these aforementioned goalies off the waiver wire to bolster their depth between the pipes until Vasilevskiy’s return. We’ll learn their intentions between now and Tuesday.

LATEST ON THE BLUES

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford recently examined the St. Louis Blues’ depth on defense to determine who’s in beyond their top four of Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, Justin Faulk and Colton Parayko.

Rutherford noted they have five defensemen battling for four positions if they opt to carry eight for this season or three spots if they carry seven. He thinks it could come down to Marco Scandella or Calle Rosen. Both are in the final season of their respective contracts.

Scandella carries a cap hit of $3.275 million plus a seven-team no-trade list making him difficult to move. Rosen wouldn’t fetch much of a return as a depth player but there’s a risk that he might not clear if placed on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If push comes to shove it’ll likely be Rosen as he’d be the easiest to move.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 26, 2023

by | Mar 26, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 26, 2023

What does the future hold for Capitals coach Peter Laviolette and center Evgeny Kuznetsov? Will the Sabres seek a goaltending upgrade in the offseason? What is the latest on the Blackhawks? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

DO LAVIOLETTE AND KUZNETSOV STILL HAVE A FUTURE IN WASHINGTON?

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Tarik El-Bashir was asked if the Washington Capitals would bring back head coach Peter Laviolette next season. Laviolette, 58, is in the final season of a three-year contract.

El-Bashir doesn’t think Capitals management has reached a decision on Laviolette’s future. He wouldn’t be shocked if the club hired a replacement nor would he be surprised if they re-sign Laviolette. He noted that the Capitals play well under Laviolette when healthy but they’ve been a banged-up club this season. He also thinks it’s risky to trust the final three seasons of Alex Ovechkin’s career to a new head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In December, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said the club wasn’t going to undergo a rebuild. It’ll be interesting to see what Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has in store for his club this summer.

I suspect MacLellan’s looking at a quick turnaround following this season’s disappointing outcome. That could mean bringing back Laviolette on perhaps a two-year contract.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (NHL Images).

Another reader asked El-Bashir if the Capitals would revisit trading Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was the subject of rumors a couple of years ago.

El-Bashir said the Capitals’ decision-makers are disappointed in Kuznetsov’s performance this season. They needed him to step up and he didn’t plus he struggled defensively all season.

Kuznetsov has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $7.8 million. El-Bashir wondered if management trusts the 31-year-old center to return to form and play with consistency and urgency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those issues affecting Kuznetsov’s performance this season would also adversely affect his value in the trade market, especially with that hefty cap hit. He also carries a 10-team no-trade clause.

Trading Kuznetsov isn’t impossible but it would be difficult. The Capitals might have to retain some salary to make him enticing in the trade market, especially if the salary cap only rises by $1 million for next season.

WILL THE SABRES UPGRADE THEIR GOALTENDING?

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn listed goaltending as one of the factors that contributed to the Buffalo Sabres’ recent slide in the standings. While the team defense deserves plenty of blame, they also weren’t getting the type of goaltending necessary to stay competitive in some games.

The Sabres knew entering this season that they had to limit the workload of 41-year-old Craig Anderson. As the playoffs came into view, Anderson became their best option to win so they increased his playing time, resulting in his struggling in some recent key games.

Eric Comrie was injured in November and has struggled since his return. Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen has shown a lack of consistency in his first full NHL season. They have promising Devon Levi but they need to start him only when he’s ready to play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fairburn believes the Sabres need to find a more proven short-term starter until Levi is ready to take over. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea to put the full weight of the starter’s job on the youngster’s shoulders next season.

I agree with that assessment. Maybe Levi can rise to the challenge but they must ensure they’ve got a reliable veteran to share the duties and mentor him in the NHL game. As Fairburn noted, starting next season with Comrie and Luukkonen is just asking for a repeat of the same problems.

They could find some decent short-term options via free agency. Jonathan Quick, Semyon Varlamov, Joonas Korpisalo and Frederik Andersen could be available on short-term contracts.

RECENT BLACKHAWKS SPECULATION

CHICAGO DAILY HERALD: John Dietz wondered where Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock will be playing next season. He’s been their best netminder this season going 9-11-1 with a 2.80 goals-against average and .915 save percentage with two shutouts.

Dietz considers it a no-brainer for the Blackhawks to make an offer. However, they’ve already got a glut of goalies for the next two seasons with Petr Mrazek, Arvid Soderblom, Jaxson Stauber and Drew Commesso. He also wondered if teams seeking a goalie might be scared off by Stalock’s injury history.

Ian Mitchell’s future with the Blackhawks could also be something worth watching. He’s gifted offensively but struggles in his own zone. However, he’s just 24 with 77 NHL games under his belt. The Hawks must be careful not to give up on him too soon as they did with Gustav Forsling only to watch him flourish elsewhere.