NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2026

by | Aug 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2026

The projected top-10 goaltenders for 2026-27, the big questions facing the Predators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy sits at No. 1 on the NHL Network’s ranking of the top-10 goaltenders for 2026-27.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (NHL Images).

Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy last season as the league’s top goalie for the second time, taking home the award back in 2018-19.

Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers were second and third on the list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the full listing, and feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.

NHL.COM: Determining who will be the first-line center is among the 3 big questions facing the Nashville Predators in 2026-27.

Ryan O’Reilly filled that role for the past two seasons, but he’s 35 and his best years are behind him. Promising Brady Martin could fill that role one day, but he’s not ready yet.

The Predators attempted to shore up their depth at center this summer by acquiring Mavrik Bourque, Ross Colton, and Jack Drury and signing Alex Kerfoot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators could try Bourque at that position, but it will be quite a leap for the 24-year-old forward. He spent the past two seasons with the Dallas Stars but split his time at center and on the wing.

Whether the Predators can avoid another slow start and if they’ll bolster their blueline depth are the other big questions they must address this season.

THE SCORE: A Macklin Celebrini rookie card sold for $1.28 million USD on Saturday, making it the highest public sale for a non-Wayne Gretzky hockey card ever.

The most expensive hockey card sale is a Gretzky O-Pee-Chee rookie graded 10 by PSA, which sold for $3.75 million USD in a private auction in 2021.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: The Red Wings nearly had a deal in place earlier this summer that would’ve brought Anthony Mantha back to Detroit. However, it fell through while awaiting ownership approval, and Mantha subsequently signed a two-year contract with the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mantha began his NHL career with the Red Wings. He debuted in 2015-16 and spent nearly six seasons with them before getting traded to the Washington Capitals in 2021.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL goaltender Alexandar Georgiev is looking for a new team as he attempts to continue his professional hockey career. The 30-year-old signed a two-year deal with KHL club Spartak Moskva. However, he terminated the final year of that contract, hoping to return with an NHL team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Georgiev spent eight seasons in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, and San Jose Sharks from 2017-18 to 2024-25. He had a career-best performance in 2022-23 with the Avalanche, winning 40 games with a 2.51 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage, and five shutouts.

However, Georgiev’s performance collapsed in the following seasons. He signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres last year, but began the 2025-26 campaign with their AHL affiliate. In November, he was placed on waivers to terminate his contract, leading to his departure for the KHL.

Georgiev could get a professional tryout offer from an NHL club in need of experienced goaltending depth before training camps open next month.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames hope that promising Sam Honzek has a breakout season. The 22-year-old winger missed most of last season recovering from upper-body surgery.

RG.ORG: Detroit Red Wings prospect J.P. Hurlbert’s dream will take him to the University of Michigan this season. The 18-year-old forward grew up in Texas but is a lifelong Red Wings fan. Detroit selected him with the 23rd pick in this year’s draft.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run this spring has led to a run on team merchandise this summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 16, 2026

by | Jul 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 16, 2026

The league announced the home openers for the 2026-27 regular season, the Flyers re-signed Trevor Zegras, the Devils landed Anthony Mantha, the Jets inked Cole Perfetti to a new deal, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The league announced the 2026-27 regular season, expanded to 84 games, will commence on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with a tripleheader broadcast on ESPN in the United States and a doubleheader on Sportsnet in Canada.

The schedule begins at 5 pm ET with the Florida Panthers visiting the Carolina Hurricanes, who will be raising their 2025-26 Stanley Cup championship banner.

At 7 pm ET, the Montreal Canadiens travel to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs.

The New York Rangers face off against the Boston Bruins at 8 pm ET; the Vancouver Canucks meet the Edmonton Oilers at 10 pm ET; and the Chicago Blackhawks will tangle with the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30 pm ET.

The league also introduced the dates for all 32 home-opening games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above to find out when your favorite NHL team’s home opener will be.

The complete 2026-27 regular-season schedule will be released on Thursday, July 16, at 1 pm ET.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers avoided salary arbitration with Trevor Zegras, signing him to a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $9.125 million.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Zegras, 25, enjoyed a career-best performance of 26 goals and 67 points last season, his first with the Flyers. He was coming off a three-year contract worth an AAV of $5.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a significant raise for Zegras, prompting some observers on social media to suggest the Flyers overpaid him.

That would’ve been the case had the Flyers not blown up the salary benchmark for talent by signing Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson to a five-year offer sheet with a record-breaking, league-leading AAV of $18 million. While the Ducks matched the offer, the impact of the Carlsson contract has significantly changed the market for talented young players around the league.

Another factor is the significant rise in the salary cap from $95.5 million last season to $104 million this season. Had the cap risen marginally as it did earlier in the decade, the Flyers probably wouldn’t have made such an expensive pitch for Carlsson.

With the cap set for $113.5 million in 2027-28 and projected to reach $123 million in 2028-29, we’re entering an era where substantial pay raises will become the norm. A player considered overpaid in 2026-27 will be regarded as a frugal signing by 2028-29.

NJ HOCKEY NOW: The New Jersey Devils signed winger Anthony Mantha to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.75 million.

Mantha, 31, is a big winger who had a career-best 33-goal, 64-point performance last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a cost-effective move by the Devils that should provide a boost to their offense over the next two seasons.

It was believed Mantha sought a long-term contract entering the free-agent market, but it’s apparent things have changed over the past two weeks, forcing him to accept a short-term contract.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets avoided salary arbitration with Cole Perfetti, inking the 25-year-old winger to a five-year contract worth an AAV of $6 million.

Perfetti had an injury-shortened season in 2025-26, netting 32 points in 68 games. However, he enjoyed a career-best 50-point performance in 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perfetti completed a two-year deal with an AAV of $3.25 million. Like Zegras, he’s getting a big raise that probably wouldn’t have been possible before the Carlsson offer sheet happened.

The Jets are betting that a healthy Perfetti will regain his form this season and exceed his career-best performance. If he does, this could become a worthwhile contract that will look better as the salary cap rises in the coming years.

CHGO BLACKHAWKS: Chris Chelios said he has spoken with Patrick Kane, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer. According to Chelios, the 37-year-old winger is deciding between signing with the Buffalo Sabres and returning to the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane spent 16 seasons with the Blackhawks before joining the Detroit Red Wings for the past three years. It’ll be interesting to see if he opts to return to Chicago to finish his career or stay in his hometown and play for the Sabres.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed prospect defenseman Alberts Smits to a three-year, entry-level contract. Smits, 18, was chosen fifth overall in the 2026 NHL Draft.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs named Jeremiah Crowe as their director of player personnel. Crowe is the former director of pro scouting for the Buffalo Sabres.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 12, 2026

by | Jul 12, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 12, 2026

The notable players remaining in the UFA market, and Matthew Tkachuk bids farewell to former teammates Sergei Bobrovsky and Evan Rodrigues. Check out the details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Wingers Anthony Mantha, Patrick Kane, and Patrik Laine top the list of notable players still available in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mantha has been linked to the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, and Montreal Canadiens in the rumor mill. It’s believed Kane could return to the Detroit Red Wings or sign with his hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres. Some observers have suggested the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs look into signing Laine, but there’s no indication whether those clubs are interested in him.

Other noteworthy players include defenseman Logan Stanley, wingers Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting, and Eeli Tolvanen, and goaltender Cam Talbot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There were some suggestions that Stanley would be a good option for the Canadiens or the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kurt Leavins and Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal recently debated whether Tarasenko would be a good fit with the Oilers.

Surprisingly, Tolvanen hasn’t been signed up yet. Given his age (27) and two-way play, he’d be an affordable middle-six addition for most clubs. As for Talbot, time may be catching up with the 39-year-old netminder.

Defensemen John Klingberg, Nick Blankenberg, and Carson Soucy, center Adam Henrique, goaltenders Connor Ingram and James Reimer, and wingers James van Riemsdyk and David Perron round out the list.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards reports Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk is going to miss former teammates Sergei Bobrovsky and Evan Rodrigues.

Bobrovsky departed the Panthers as an unrestricted free agent, signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1. Rodrigues was traded to the New Jersey Devils two weeks ago as part of the return for Jacob Markstrom, who replaced Bobrovsky as the Panthers’ starting goaltender.

Speaking with his brother (and new teammate) Brady Tkachuk on their Wingmen podcast, Matthew said he would miss Bobrovsky on and off the ice, calling him one of his favorite teammates. However, he is excited about reuniting with Markstrom. The two were teammates with the Calgary Flames until Tkachuk’s trade to the Panthers in 2022.

Tkachuk described Rodrigues as “a Swiss Army knife” because of his versatility. He hopes their paths cross again because he loved playing with him.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reports this season will be a critical one for Washington Capitals forward Ivan Miroshnichenko.

Chosen 20th overall in the 2022 draft, the 22-year-old winger has had 52 games with the Capitals over the past three seasons, but hasn’t yet nailed down a regular roster spot.

Silber observed that Miroshnichenko will face competition from incoming wingers Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, and Boone Jenner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miroshnichenko must elevate his game to have any chance of securing a regular spot on the Capitals’ roster this season. Otherwise, he’ll spend another season in the minors and could become a trade candidate before the March deadline.

ILLEGAL CURVE: Winnipeg Jets prospect Viggo Bjorck is leaving Swedish club Djurgardens to continue his playing career in North America.

Winnipeg chose the 18-year-old winger eighth overall in this year’s NHL Draft. It hasn’t been reported yet whether he’s signed an entry-level contract with the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bjorck has either signed his ELC and it hasn’t been reported yet, or he will do so with the Jets later this summer, perhaps as early as this week.

THE ATHLETIC: Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is hoping to bring an NBA expansion franchise to his city. He publicly declared his intent to do so last month and is rounding up a group to submit a bid.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Real estate executive Stephen Stroud, who played a role in bringing the Carolina Hurricanes to Raleigh, passed away Saturday at age 83.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Stroud’s family, friends, and the Hurricanes’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2026

by | Jul 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2026

A list of the notable players still available in the UFA market, Daniel Alfredsson joins the Maple Leafs coaching staff, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Several notable players remain unsigned a week into the unrestricted free-agent market.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Patrick Kane, Anthony Mantha, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Patrik Laine are among the noteworthy forwards. Defensemen include John Klingberg and Logan Stanley, while Cam Talbot is the most notable goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All of these players are now past their prime as stars, but some of them could be affordable depth additions.

Mantha is hoping to leverage a career-best performance (33 goals, 64 points) into a lucrative long-term contract, but his inconsistency and injury history could explain why he’s still unsigned.

Massimo De Luca-Taronno of The Winnipeg Sun recently reported the Jets could consider adding some secondary scoring depth, mentioning Mantha and Laine (a former Jet) as possible options.

MLive.com’s Ansar Khan reports the Detroit Red Wings would like to bring back Kane for another season. They reportedly still have an offer on the table, but it appears he’s looking at other options, including his hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres.

OTTAWA SUN: Former Senators captain and Hall of Famer Daniel Alfredsson has joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as an associate coach. Alfredsson was an assistant coach for the Senators from 2023-24 to 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Alfredsson’s signing surprised fans of both clubs, who remember his role as captain of the Senators in “The Battle of Ontario” between the two teams in postseason competition from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.

It’s believed that former Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin, the Leafs’ new Senior Executive Advisor of Hockey Operations, played a role in bringing Alfredsson to Toronto. While the two had their on-ice battles, they are good friends off the ice.

Speaking of the Senators, they officially announced Claude Giroux’s new one-year contract on Tuesday. The deal has a $2 million base salary, with an additional $3 million in performance bonuses.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators hired Vukie Mpofu as assistant general manager.

Mpofu spent the past three seasons as director of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Before that, he was the manager of hockey operations for the Los Angeles Kings (2021-2023) and the Vegas Golden Knights (2020).

THE PROVINCE/CALGARY SUN: Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver and Sportsnet 960 in Calgary were shut down on Tuesday by Rogers Sports and Media, along with four other stations across Canada.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AM talk radio has been dying in recent years as listeners turn to podcasts and other sources for sports news and information. Nevertheless, it’s a devastating blow to the respective staff of both stations. My thoughts are with those folks who lost their jobs yesterday.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 4, 2026

by | Jul 4, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – July 4, 2026

A look at the remaining notable UFA players, plus the latest on Alexander Nikishin and Shane Wright in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE NOTABLE REMAINING UFA PLAYERS

SPORTSNET: On Friday, Luke Fox looked at the top players still available in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.

Anthony Mantha topped the list. The 31-year-old winger had a career-best performance (31 goals, 33 assists, 64 points) last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he has a history of injuries and inconsistency.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

According to Fox, the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets are still in the market for wingers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent reports out of Montreal claim the Canadiens prefer to address their roster needs through the trade market. The Jets made a noteworthy foray into the UFA market this week, signing defenseman Mario Ferraro.

The Detroit Red Wings would welcome back Patrick Kane, but the 38-year-old winger appears headed to his fourth NHL team. Fox claimed Kane is reportedly working on a contract with his hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres.

Logan Stanley, 28, is still weighing his options. The big defenseman is reportedly seeking a four- or five-year contract worth $25 million.

Winger Eeli Tolvanen, 27, was believed to be weighing offers of four or five years.

The Ottawa Senators are leaving the door open for Claude Giroux. However, the 38-year-old winger reportedly received interest from the Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, and Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said there’s no confirmation yet that Giroux was about to return to the Flyers. That’s probably because they’ve been busy signing Leo Carlsson to an expensive offer sheet worth $18 million annually. If they succeed, they might not have enough cap space to bring Giroux back to Philadelphia.

Friedman also weighed in on Vladimir Tarasenko, wondering if the Edmonton Oilers might take a look at the 34-year-old winger.

Fox also heard that the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames, and Minnesota Wild were reportedly considering taking on winger Patrik Laine as a project.

UPDATES ON NIKISHIN AND WRIGHT

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the St. Louis Blues are taking a long look at Alexander Nikishin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Carolina Hurricanes indicated two weeks ago that they were open to moving Nikishin. The 24-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. He is ineligible to receive an offer sheet.

The New York Rangers were reportedly keen on acquiring him. However, that may have changed following their recent additions of Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi.

Friedman also indicated that Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright is a player to watch. According to his agent, Kurt Overhardt, the Kraken have agreed to move the 22-year-old Wright this summer to a team seeking a top young center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright surfaced in the rumor mill before the March trade deadline, but nothing came of it. The fourth-overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft, he’s struggled to establish himself as the “top young center” that his agent considers him to be.

The Kraken reportedly seeks a fair price and won’t be rushed into moving Wright. Still, he could be an affordable gamble for a club looking for promising depth at center.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 4, 2026

by | Jun 4, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 4, 2026

The latest on the Canucks, Penguins, and Avalanche in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma looked at the challenges that Ryan Johnson will face as the new general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.

Among them is how he will advance the Canucks’ rebuilding process. Kuzma wondered what winger Jake DeBrusk might fetch in this summer’s trade market.

Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).

Kuzma also mused over whether Johnson would be interested in Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher to bring some leadership to his rebuilding roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrusk, 29, has four years left on his contract with a reasonable average annual value of $5.5 million. He’s a streaky scorer, but he has tallied 20-plus goals five times and 40-plus points seven times in his nine NHL seasons, including in this tumultuous campaign for the Canucks. He could bring back a decent return of futures.

Gallagher has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $6.5 million. He has a six-team no-trade clause, but indicated he’s open to returning to his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks. Whether a deal can be worked out to send him there remains to be seen.

SKINNER, MANTHA TO TEST THE UFA MARKET

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports goaltender Stuart Skinner and winger Anthony Mantha are unlikely to return with the Pittsburgh Penguins next season.

Skinner and Mantha are UFA-eligible on July 1. The Penguins are expected to re-sign goalie Arturs Silovs and pair him with Sergei Murashov next season, which would spell the end of Skinner’s brief tenure in Pittsburgh. They wouldn’t mind signing Mantha to a short-term deal, but he’s seeking a long-term contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner and Mantha were meant to be short-term additions.

They took on Skinner to move out the struggling Tristan Jarry and his burdensome contract, using him to buy time until they were certain that Silovs and Mursahov would be a decent tandem. Mantha was an affordable one-year veteran signing as they continue to transition younger forwards into the lineup.

POSSIBLE GM CANDIDATES FOR THE AVALANCHE

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak listed eight potential candidates to replace Chris MacFarland as general manager of the Colorado Avalanche.

MacFarland departed the Avalanche earlier this week to become president and general manager of the Nashville Predators.

One option is Avalanche president of hockey operations Joe Sakic, who has taken over the GM role for the foreseeable future. He previously filled that position from 2014 to 2022, winning the Jim Gregory GM of the Year award in 2022.

Other internal possibilities are special assistant to the GM Andrew Cogliano, assistant GM Kevin McDonald, and director of analytics Arik Parnass.

External options could include Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson, Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM Tyler Dellow, Columbus Blue Jackets assistant GM Chris Clark, and former Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche don’t appear to be in a hurry to replace MacFarland, probably because Sakic’s there to hold the fort until they have sufficient time to find a full-time GM. They could have a new guy in place before the start of the regular season in October, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Sakic remains in the role until next offseason.