NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2025

by | Feb 1, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2025

What’s next for the Canucks after trading J.T. Miller and acquiring Marcus Pettersson? What does a higher salary cap mean for the Leafs’ efforts to re-sign Mitch Marner? What’s the latest on the Bruins and Sharks? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE CANUCKS?

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston believes the projected hike in the salary cap to $95.5 million means Brock Boeser should hold firm on asking for a significant raise.

The 27-year-old Vancouver Canucks winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Contract extension talks between Boeser and management have been reportedly lukewarm.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

If the Canucks part ways with Boeser via trade or free agency, Johnston believes his replacement will be promising winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols recently observed rumors suggesting Boeser could become available at the March 7 trade deadline barring a significant turnaround in the Canucks’ fortunes.

If Boeser finishes the season in Vancouver, he could become available in this summer’s free-agent market. Nichols believes the Devils should look into acquiring Boeser because they need a shooter on their first power-play unit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks trading J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers on Friday shifts the focus on Boeser’s future with the club. He carries a $6.65 million cap hit coming off a three-year contract. His production is down this season but he’s not the only Canuck facing that predicament.

Boeser tallied a career-high 40 goals last season and will use that to seek a significant raise on a long-term contract. The skyrocketing increases in the cap starting next season mean the Canucks can afford to re-sign him. Whether they will remains to be seen.

HOW WILL A HIGHER CAP AFFECT THE LEAFS’ EFFORTS TO RE-SIGN MARNER?

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle examined the pros and cons of how a rising cap over the next three seasons will affect the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially their efforts to re-sign pending UFAs like Mitch Marner and John Tavares.

On the plus side, it’ll open up more cap space to re-sign those players and to address other roster weaknesses. The downside is the possibility of pending UFAs and their agents negotiating their cap percentage based on substantial cap increases beyond next season.

Mirtle believes the Leafs should be able to re-sign Tavares and restricted free agent Matthew Knies without much difficulty. However, Marner is harder to forecast because of his status among the league’s top forwards. He could get more than $13 million annually on the open market but it remains to be seen how much more.

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran speculates Marner could seek a higher average annual value than Auston Matthews’ current team-leading $13.25 million. He also thinks Tavares’ AAV will drop from its current $11 million but not by much, perhaps to $8 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs will have over $29.6 million in projected cap space for next season with 17 active roster players under contract. They can afford Marner, Tavares and Knies but the trio will take up a significant chunk of that cap room.

Assuming Marner agrees to stay below Matthews’ number and accepts $13 million, Tavares gets $8 million and Knies $5 million, that’ll eat up over $26 million.

WHAT’S BRUIN IN BOSTON?

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss reports Bruins captain Brad Marchand could draw plenty of interest if his struggling club becomes sellers by the March 7 trade deadline. The 36-year-old winger is UFA-eligible this summer.

Marchand said he’s focussing on the day-to-day and isn’t concerned about what management has in store. “They’re going to do what they feel is necessary for the team. And all we can do is worry about our play and what we can control,” he said. The Bruins captain also said he’s not paying attention to media rumors and has no control over that.

If the Bruins intend on retooling for a bounce-back performance next season, Goss believes it would make sense if Marchand stayed put.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is a heart-and-soul Bruin who wants to stay in Boston. Bruins management would prefer retaining him. However, it will depend on what type of contract he wants and what kind of trade offers the Bruins get for him.

Goss also believes bringing back Trent Frederic would make sense at the right price. His production is down from last season’s 40-point pace but the 26-year-old forward is in his prime and his physical style suits the Bruins. Goss felt a fair contract would be one comparable to Dakota Joshua’s four-year deal with the Canucks worth $3.25 million annually.

If a new contract isn’t possible, Goss believes the Bruins should trade Frederic for a draft pick or a prospect. He considers him too valuable to lose for nothing.

SEVERAL SHARKS COULD SOON BECOME TRADE CANDIDATES

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka recently reported several San Jose Sharks players are in limbo with the March 7 trade deadline on the horizon.

The Sharks’ list of pending UFAs includes forward Mikael Granlund, Luke Kunin and Nico Sturm, defensemen Cody Ceci and Jan Rutta, and goaltenders Vitek Vanecek and Alexandar Georgiev.

Sharks GM Mike Grier intends to examine his options as the deadline approaches. It’ll depend on what type of return those players could fetch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granlund has 45 points in 52 games this season and should exceed last season’s 60-point performance. That production should make him enticing for contenders seeking scoring depth.

Ceci is a right-shot defenseman and they are currently a hot commodity in the trade market. He also has playoff experience, including his run with the Edmonton Oilers to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Kunin is a versatile two-way forward who could tempt teams seeking a third-line center.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2025

by | Jan 24, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2025

Check out the latest on J.T. Miller, Brad Marchand, Jonathan Toews, Logan Thompson and Kevin Lankinen in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST J.T. MILLER SPECULATION

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer reports a source claims there’s a belief the Vancouver Canucks could trade J.T. Miller before next month’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes are considered the front-runners for the 31-year-old Canucks center. Some reports linked the Devils to Miller but Biringer claims those discussions haven’t taken place.

If the Devils did pursue and acquire Miller, he could become their third-line center behind Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. He can play on the wing but prefers playing at center.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

The Hurricanes appear to have the inside track. They had previous trade discussions last season with the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those discussions were about Elias Pettersson before he signed his contract extension with the Canucks.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston believes it’s the Rangers or bust for Miller. He cites a source claiming the Hurricanes’ interest is minimal.

Johnston thinks the focus should remain on the Rangers as that deal seems the closest to reality. The holdup appears to be how it’s structured.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most reports indicate the original offer included Filip Chytil and a first-round pick. Depending on the source, the other parts of the package were defenseman Ryan Lindgren and a couple of minor-leaguers.

The Rangers, Hurricanes, Devils, and Dallas Stars have been mentioned as destinations. Some observers suggested the Boston Bruins, Utah Hockey Club, and Columbus Blue Jackets as trade options but there’s no indication they’re seriously pursuing a deal.

The Rangers’ lowball offer suggests they’re the only club in the bidding for Miller. That could explain why they proposed a middle-six center with a concussion history (Chytil), a shutdown defenseman who is UFA-eligible in July (Lindgren), and some minor-leaguers who aren’t among the Rangers’ blue-chip prospects.

This could become comparable to the Chicago Blackhawks trading Patrick Kane to the Rangers two years ago. Most observers thought Kane would fetch the Blackhawks at least a first-round pick, a top prospect, and a good young prospect. They never got anything close to that because the Rangers were Kane’s only trade destination.

COULD THE BRUINS MOVE BRAD MARCHAND BY THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa cited a hockey operations executive suggesting Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand could become a trade candidate by the March 7 trade deadline. “If they think it’ll help the team, all bets are off,” he said.

Marchand is UFA-eligible on July 1 and won’t publicly discuss his contract situation. Shinzawa believes trading the 36-year-old winger would be waving the white flag on this season. On the other hand, he could bring in a return that would help the Bruins’ long-term future.

The Bruins captain has a 10-team no-trade list. However, Shinzawa speculates he might jump at the opportunity to join good friend and fellow Nova Scotian Nathan MacKinnon with the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shinzawa is merely musing out loud about Marchand joining MacKinnon in Colorado. Besides, everyone knows that’s the dream of Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby despite his signing a two-year contract extension last summer. That was merely a ruse to throw us off the scent…

I’m joking about the Crosby thing, and I doubt the Avalanche have the cap space or the tradeable assets to land Marchand.

Nevertheless, we can’t dismiss the possibility of Marchand going to a playoff contender if the offer entices Bruins management to approach him about accepting the trade.

UPDATE ON JONATHAN TOEWS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Winnipeg Jets are among several teams to contact Jonathan Toews’ representatives after the former Chicago Blackhawks captain expressed an interest in returning to the NHL.

Toews career was derailed in 2023 by the effects of COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome. LeBrun said the plan is for the 36-year-old center will try to come back for next season.

LATEST ON LOGAN THOMPSON AND KEVIN LANKINEN

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson is putting himself in line for a substantial raise on his next contract. He’s in the final year of a three-year deal earning just under $800K per season and is eligible for UFA status on July 1

Complicating matters is fellow Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren and defenseman Jakob Chychrun are also slated to become UFAs this summer.

LeBrun noted the Colorado Avalanche recently signed Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year deal worth an AAV of $5.25 million. Joey Daccord signed a five-year deal worth $5 million annually with the Seattle Kraken.

Meanwhile, there’s mutual interest between the Vancouver Canucks and goalie Kevin Lankinen in signing a contract extension. However, there haven’t been any serious talks yet. Given Lankinen’s solid play this season, LeBrun doubts he can be retained for less than $4 million annually.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2025

by | Jan 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, the Jets’ Quarter-Century Team is revealed, Bruins stars Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak push back against a rumor of tension between them, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson also scored for the Canadiens, who outshot the Capitals 30-17 to pick up their ninth win in their last 11 games. Jakob Chychrun and Lars Eller replied for the Capitals, who picked up a point and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 59 points.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (43 points) moved within one point of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth and two points of the Boston Bruins for the first wild-card spot. Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury midway through this game following a collision with Suzuki, who was pushed into Lindgren by Capitals winger Brandon Duhaime.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected three assists to lead his club over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat and Marco Kasper each had a goal and an assist as the Wings picked up their sixth straight victory. Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen tallied twice and Connor Bedard picked up an assist to extend his points streak to nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are one point behind the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference wild-card chase, with the Ottawa Senators (41 points) and New York Rangers (40) close behind.

The Los Angeles Kings collected their fifth straight victory with a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Adrian Kempe extended his goal streak to four games by snapping a 1-1 tie in overtime. Alex Turcotte also scored for the Kings while Mark Scheifele replied for the Jets, who’ve won once in their last five games (1-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights with 59 points but the latter holds first place in the overall standings with a game in hand and one more win. Jets defensemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan Samberg were in the lineup for this game. Morrissey had left Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators while Samberg was sidelined for over a month with a broken foot.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Dustin Tokarski made 14 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 2-0. Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes. The Canucks are winless in their last four (0-2-2) and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot (46 points) one point ahead of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center Elias Pettersson returned to the lineup after missing six games with an undisclosed ailment.

Utah Hockey Club center Barrett Hayton scored with 1:32 remaining in the third period in a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Nick Schmaltz also scored and Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Sharks.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey highlight the Winnipeg Jets’ Quarter Century Team.

The trio comprised part of the First Team with Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien and Ilya Kovalchuk. Forwards Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and Bryan Little, defensemen Jacob Trouba and Toby Enstrom and goaltender Ondrej Pavelec made up the Second Team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE Kovalchuk was the franchise’s biggest star when they were the Atlanta Thrashers, scoring 328 goals and 287 assists for 615 points in 594 games from 2001-02 to 2009-10. That included two 52-goal seasons and two 90-plus point campaigns.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins captain Brad Marchand and teammate David Pastrnak blasted WEEI radio host Rich Keefe for claiming Pastrnak was refusing to play on Marchand’s line.

“I know reporters have a job to do, and that job is to report on the team, and usually you try to be fact-based,” said Marchand. “But when there’s just blatant lies told in the media, that’s where there’s a problem.”

Marchand explained he and Pastrnak haven’t played together much this season because the team is trying their scoring depth through the lineup. He rejected Keefe’s claim that Pastrnak was a problem in the dressing room, calling him one of the most-loved guys in the room.

Pastrnak said he initially thought Keefe was making fun of him. “I know how I feel about Marchy. We love each other. I have a huge amount of respect for him.” He called the report “100 percent false”, saying he and Marchand had a good laugh over it.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane underwent knee surgery requiring four to eight weeks of recovery. This surgery puts his rehab from last fall’s abdominal surgery on hold.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Kane is sidelined for the rest of the regular season, this could also affect the Oilers’ plans for the March 7 trade deadline. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

THE ATHLETIC’s Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan has a sprained right wrist but no fractures. He’s been placed on injured reserve and will be reevaluated once the swelling subsides. Monahan suffered the injury against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 7.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Ivan Barbashev is expected to return to the Golden Knights lineup against the New York Rangers on Saturday. He missed the last 10 games with an upper-body injury.

CALGARY SUN: Flames center Conor Zary won’t require surgery following a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson. However, he will be sidelined indefinitely but is expected to return later this season.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators signed sophomore center Ridly Greig to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.25 million. Greig, 22, is in the final season of his entry-level contract.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs Patrick Marleau and Jake Muzzin joined Leafs star John Tavares in separate appeals of the Canada Revenue Agency’s ruling on their signing bonuses. The trio are contesting the CRA’s 2023 reassessments that claimed their signing bonuses should’ve been taxed at the highest bracket of 50 percent, rather than the 15 percent they’ve paid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Province’s Patrick Johnston cited a former NHL executive who believes the players will lose their appeals. He thinks it’s obvious what the bonuses are: merely an effort to say a certain portion of their wage should be taxed in a particular way compared to the rest.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 23, 2024

by | Nov 23, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 23, 2024

The latest on Marco Rossi, Taylor Hall, and John Gibson plus updates on the Bruins and speculation involving the Canadiens and Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE WILD TRADE MARCO ROSSI?

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Chris Johnston recently published his updated NHL 2024-25 trade board.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link provided to see the full list if you have a subscription. Many of the names like Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson, Anaheim Ducks winger Trevor Zegras, and Philadelphia Flyers blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen have frequently surfaced in the rumor mill in recent weeks and have been duly noted on this site.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi was on that list. Johnston indicated the Wild aren’t facing pressure to trade the 23-year-old forward, he’s slated to become a restricted free agent next summer. He believes management must decide if they’ll commit long-term “to a diminutive winger with elite offensive instincts and playmaking abilities.” Johnston believes Rossi is a candidate “to be included in a player-for-player swap.”

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited Johnston’s colleague Michael Russo telling the “Worst Seats In The House” podcast that he still believes the Wild will trade Rossi. “I don’t know when. I don’t know if it’s imminent, by the deadline, or next summer,” said Russo. “I just think that they do not feel he’s the player to commit to long-term”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi had 21 goals and 40 points in 82 games as a rookie last season. He has five goals and 15 points in 19 games thus far in his sophomore campaign, putting him on pace to reach 60 points. The Austrian forward has yet to hit his playing prime and should continue to improve.

Rossi will be coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights. The only leverage he’ll have is the threat of an offer sheet from a rival club. Missing training camp or the start of next season won’t do his performance any good through 2025-26.

The Wild will have $19.5 million in cap space for 2025-26 if the cap rises as projected to $92.4 million with 15 active roster players under contract. They’ll have plenty of room to re-sign Rossi to a bridge deal or to match an offer from a rival team. However, they must maintain sufficient long-term cap room to re-sign superstar Kirill Kaprizov, who is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July 2026 and could cost $14 million annually to re-sign.

Rossi would be a valuable trade chip if he doesn’t fit into the Wild’s long-term plans. It’s a move that likely occurs next summer but a trade for another good young player is possible before the March 7 deadline.

COULD TAYLOR HALL BECOME A TRADE CANDIDATE?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Rob Couch pointed out Taylor Hall was a healthy scratch from a recent Chicago Blackhawks game. He thinks the struggling 33-year-old winger could become a trade candidate. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Adam Proteau suggested four possible trade destinations for Hall. One is his former club, the Boston Bruins. Others include the New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken, and St. Louis Blues. All four are low-scoring clubs in need of an offensive boost.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Proteau noted that Hall carries a $6 million cap hit, suggesting the Blackhawks must retain salary for some of these teams to acquire him. Those clubs listed by Proteau might not be buyers if their fortunes haven’t reversed by then.

Given his UFA status next summer, Hall will be a trade chip this season for the rebuilding Blackhawks. He’s struggled to regain his form following the knee surgery that ended his 2023-24 campaign. It could hurt Hall’s trade value if he doesn’t improve by the deadline.

WOULD JOHN GIBSON ACCEPT A TRADE TO THE OILERS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Caleb Kerney cited The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun recently suggesting the Edmonton Oilers as a dark horse candidate to acquire Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson before the trade deadline.

LeBrun pointed out that Gibson has a modified no-trade clause. However, it’s his understanding that the veteran netminder could consider the Oilers, who came up one win short of winning the Stanley Cup last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The erratic play of goalies Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard could have the Oilers seeking help between the pipes before the trade deadline. However, the cap-strapped club would have to shed some salary and get the Ducks to agree to part of Gibson’s $6.4 million cap hit to make it work.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE BRUINS?

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports some NHL executives and scouts were surprised the Bruins made an internal hire replacing fired head coach Jim Montgomery with Joe Sacco. They noted that former NHL coaches Joel Quenneville and Darryl Sutter have better resumes than Sacco.

Murphy also cited one source speculating general manager Don Sweeney could be next on the chopping block if the Bruins fail to improve under Sacco.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa speculated which Bruins players could follow their former coach out the door if the club doesn’t turn things around. Possibilities include Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, and pending UFA Brad Marchand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is the Bruins captain and has been a heart-and-soul player for them throughout his 16 NHL seasons. Nevertheless, they could part ways if the ownership decides to go in a different direction. I still believe they want to keep Marchand but the club’s performance thus far and the decline in his play could make his future in Boston murkier.

IS A TRADE COMING SOON BETWEEN THE CANADIENS AND PENGUINS?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Pittsburgh Penguins have been heavily scouting the Montreal Canadiens recently. He noted the Penguins have “some interesting pieces” at forward. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have certain needs and there have to be long-term benefits.

“If you don’t see the long-term benefits of a player and Pittsburgh has an interest in that player, maybe you take back an expiring contract,” said Dreger. “The Pittsburgh Penguins have some expiring contracts that aren’t going to hurt you for the rest of the year. Maybe you get a sweetener where it makes some sense.”

Dreger said there’s nothing imminent but noted the Canadiens face a roster crunch when Patrik Laine and Rafael Harvey-Pinard return from injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins forwards on expiring contracts include Anthony Beauvillier, Drew O’Connor, Jesse Puljujarvi and Matt Nieto. The Habs could take one of them if they got a nice draft pick or prospect in return but they could have other options in mind with other clubs.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 27, 2024

by | Oct 27, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 27, 2024

Are the Bruins close to a contract extension with Brad Marchand? What’s the latest on the Canadiens? Are the Leafs any closer to moving Timothy Liljegren? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON MARCHAND’S CONTRACT TALKS WITH THE BRUINS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman claims the Boston Bruins are closing in on a contract extension with captain Brad Marchand. The 36-year-old forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. He carries an annual cap hit of $6.125 million on his current contract.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Friedman said the word is the two sides were getting close to a three-year deal.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Asked about Friedman’s report, Marchand said it was false and wouldn’t make any further comment about his contract situation.

“Elliotte likes talking about me this week,” said the Bruins captain. “I’m not going to talk about contract stuff in the media. That report from Elliotte is false. If I was going to sign a three-year extension, it would be signed. Clearly, Elliotte is just wrong here.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An emphatic denial from Marchand. Nevertheless, the two sides have held contract talks. Boston Hockey Now’s Andrew Fantucchio referred to comments by Bruins general manager Don Sweeney on Sept. 30 indicating they’ve had “plenty of discussions”.

Marchand has spent his entire 16-season NHL career with the Bruins. He’s been very loyal to the franchise but he’s also been underpaid on his current contract. Because of his age, he’s unlikely to get a significant raise on his next deal. Still, he might not be interested in a big pay cut to stay in Boston.

The two sides might not be close to a deal right now but it wouldn’t be surprising if Marchand ends up staying in Boston on a short-term contract.

CANADIENS SHOPPING FOR A FORWARD

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman pointed out the Montreal Canadiens were in the market for a defenseman. He indicates they’re also considering adding a forward who plays with an edge. However, they’re telling teams they won’t do anything that interferes with their long-term plans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re not moving their young core players or top prospects. There is speculation suggesting defenseman Arber Xhekaj could be available but there’s no indication he’s being shopped or if the Habs are entertaining offers.

AN UPDATE ON LILJEGREN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said he’s been asked on social media what’s going on with Timothy Liljegren. The 25-year-old defenseman was the subject of media trade chatter earlier this month.

Friedman believes it’s something the Leafs continue to work on.

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal and James Mirtle recently listed several teams they believed to be potential destinations for Liljegren. They include the Utah Hockey Club, San Jose Sharks, and Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah and LA need some experienced depth for their injury-depleted bluelines while the rebuilding Sharks need all the help they can get. So far, however, they don’t seem interested in Liljegren.

Liljegren’s been a healthy scratch from eight of the Leafs’ nine games this season. That won’t improve his value in the trade market.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 2, 2024

by | Oct 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 2, 2024

Recapping Tuesday’s preseason action, the Canadiens get some good news on Patrik Laine’s condition. notable news from the latest Board of Governors meeting, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S NHL PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks lost to the Utah Hockey Club 3-1 and lost promising center Macklin Celebrini to a lower-body injury. Celebrini, 18, crashed hard into the end boards during the second period. He played one more shift before leaving the game. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky had no update on the youngster’s condition following the game.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images)

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin left in the first period with a lower-body injury during his club’s 5-4 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Kevin Labanc had two goals and an assist for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said Panarin was still be evaluated following the game. It’s the second time in this preseason that a lower-body injury has sidelined the high-scoring winger.

Ottawa Senators forwards Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk suffered injuries during their 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. During the second period, Stutzle was on the receiving end of a late blindside hit by Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj. Tkachuk was hurt during the subsequent tussle with Xhekaj, who received a match penalty for the second straight preseason game. Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left in the third period for precautionary reasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stutzle, Tkachuk, and Chabot will all be re-evaluated on Wednesday. The injury news overshadowed the return of defenseman Artem Zub and oft-injured forward Josh Norris to the Senators’ lineup for this game.

Xhekaj was fined for his actions against Toronto Maple Leafs forward Cedric Pare following his knee-on-knee hit on Canadiens winger Patrik Laine. He could be suspended for his dangerous hit on Stutzle.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they got some good news on Laine as what appeared to be a season-ending knee injury was a sprain that will sidelined him for two-to-three months. Considering the circumstances, Laine was lucky to avoid a more serious injury.

Canadiens prospect defenseman David Reinbacher also suffered a knee injury during that Leafs game. He didn’t get off as lucky, facing a five-to-six-month recovery following knee surgery.

The Boston Bruins got a tie-breaking goal from Tyler Johnson in the third period to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Bruins captain Brad Marchand played over four minutes in his preseason debut before leaving the game with an illness.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and three assists as his club rolled to a 7-2 drubbing of the Chicago Blackhawks. Jared Spurgeon tallied twice and Mats Zuccarello collected three assists for the Wild. Connor Bedard scored the Blackhawks’ second goal.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson tallied the go-ahead goal late in the third period to lift his club to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Goaltender Ville Husso kicked out 43 shots for the Red Wings.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got two assists from Adam Fantilli to down the St. Louis Blues 3-1. Blues goalie Joel Hofer stopped 32 shots.

Zach Aston-Reese scored twice for the Vegas Golden Knights as they thumped the Colorado Avalanche 6-1.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun provided highlights from the latest NHL Board of Governors meeting.

League commissioner Gary Bettman said he’d be happy if negotiations for an extension to the collective bargaining agreement were completed by the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. However, he said there’s been no discussion with the NHLPA regarding a timetable for those talks.

LeBrun indicated that Bettman recently said CBA talks could start as early as November, though he noted both sides still had homework to do. The commissioner also believes the relationship with the PA is “in a good place.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The current CBA expires in September 2026. There’s plenty of time to negotiate an extension and little apparent rancor between the two sides. Fingers crossed it stays that way once they start getting down to serious discussions.

Bettman also made an early projection on next season’s salary cap, suggesting it could come in at $92.5 million. This season’s cap is $88 million.

The commissioner also said the topic of expansion never came up during this meeting, saying it is not a front-burner issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun believes expansion is eventually coming down the road “to Atlanta and maybe Houston.” He also didn’t rule out a return to Arizona. “But not quite yet.”

SPORTSNET: The NHL and NHLPA have agreed that the Columbus Blue Jackets will not need to reach this season’s $65 million salary cap minimum by the roster deadline of Oct. 7. This exemption comes with the expectation that the Blue Jackets will rise about the cap floor “in a reasonable time.”

The death of winger Johnny Gaudreau removed his $9.75 million annual average value through 2028-29 from their payroll. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports the Jackets are expected to be under the cap minimum by $1.4 million when the season begins.

RG.ORG: Jimmy Murphy reports Anaheim Ducks head coach Greg Cronin expects more of a competitive effort from Trevor Zegras this season. The 23-year-old forward struggled through an injury-shortened 2023-24 campaign. Cronin acknowledged Zegras’ offensive skills but wants to see a better effort from him battling for pucks along the boards and in front of the net.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras’ willingness to “get his nose dirty” was questioned before last season. His performance this season could determine whether he still fits within the Ducks’ long-range plans.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Ducks, winger Troy Terry missed practice yesterday with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

THE SCORE: Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella didn’t mince words when asked about the state of his goaltending. “It scares the crap out of me,” said the outspoken Flyers bench boss.

Tortorella praised Samuel Ersson but pointed out that this is his first full season as their starter. Backup Ivan Fedotov is also beginning his first full NHL season. There’s also uncertainty as to where Aleksei Kolosov fits into the equation.