NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 1, 2024

The reason behind Jeff Marek’s departure from Sportsnet is revealed, an update on Leon Draisaitl’s contract talks, Evgeny Kuznetsov signs with a KHL team, the Canadiens re-sign Kaiden Guhle, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Katie Strang and Dan Robson report Jeff Marek’s departure from Sportsnet was because he came under scrutiny by the NHL for allegedly revealing to a friend which players were being selected in the first round of the 2024 Draft moments before the picks were announced.

Marek was privy to the first-round selections before they were announced. This is common practice for broadcast rights holders, enabling them to prepare graphics and video clips for the chosen players.

The friend was former NHL scout Mark Seidel, who works with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, runs a scouting service and occasionally provides content for ESPN. It’s believed Marek provided Seidel a heads-up on the picks so the latter could be better prepared to provide an analysis of the selections on social media.

The league shared its concerns with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which probed further.

Neither Marek, Sportsnet, the league, the Gaming Control Board nor Seidel commented.

A source claimed no gambling impropriety was discovered nor was there any intent by Marek to gain financially from what happened. However, sharing the information with someone outside the company put Sportsnet in a difficult situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve summarized the story’s main point. Please read the report for the full details if you have a subscription to The Athletic.

The NHL’s affiliation with legalized gambling means its broadcast rights holders face scrutiny to ensure none of its personnel benefits from inside information. A hint of impropriety by an on-air personality will raise questions and prompt an investigation.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Based on this report, Marek simply made a poor decision by sharing info with a friend. He may not have profited by it but it still cost him his job, serving as a preventative warning to his peers.

TSN: Ryan Rishaug reports it sounds like Edmonton Oilers management and Leon Draisaitl’s representatives have been in touch regarding a contract extension. Actual negotiations haven’t started yet but are expected to begin soon. “So any notion that it’s close to done is premature as of today (July 31)”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl can become an unrestricted free agent next July. There’s plenty of time for the two sides to agree on an extension.

TSN: Evgeny Kuznetsov signed a four-year contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov and the Carolina Hurricanes agreed to terminate his contract last month, clearing the path to his new KHL deal. There was speculation suggesting some NHL clubs were interested in the 32-year-old center. However, it appears he wouldn’t get a deal comparable to what SKA St. Petersburg was offering.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed defenseman Kaiden Guhle to a six-year, $33.3 million contract extension. Guhle, 22, will earn an average annual value of $5.55 million starting in 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guhle has quickly established himself as a top-four defenseman with the Canadiens over the past two seasons. His injury history is a concern but overall this signing has received positive marks from Montreal fans and pundits. This could turn into an affordable long-term deal for the Canadiens if Guhle develops as projected into a reliable top-pairing blueliner.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, Vegas Golden Knights bench boss Bruce Cassidy, and Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer are part of Team Canada’s coaching staff for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. They will join Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who was named Team Canada’s head coach in June.

DAILY FACEOFF: Kyle Clifford signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies. The 33-year-old forward spent last season with the Marlies while on a one-way NHL contract with the Maple Leafs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 28, 2024

Kings GM Rob Blake is on the hot seat, questions linger over Jeff Marek’s departure from Sportsnet, Oilers captain Connor McDavid ties the knot, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake is under huge pressure to produce real postseason success for his club. The Kings qualified for the playoffs during the last three seasons but were eliminated from the opening rounds by the Edmonton Oilers.

Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake (NHL Images).

Entering his eighth season as Kings GM, Blake must assemble a roster that can do damage in the playoffs or risk losing his job. He’s brought in good players like Phillip Danault, Kevin Fiala and Quinton Byfield. However, the mistakes are piling up, including his ill-fated acquisition last summer of Pierre-Luc Dubois, who was traded in June to Washington.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blake’s recent moves have observers ranking the Kings among this offseason’s losers. The coming season will determine if those assessments are correct, which could spell the end of Blake’s tenure as general manager.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne noted the recent confirmation from broadcaster Jeff Marek of his departure from Sportsnet after 13 seasons. However, questions remain as to why he and the network parted ways.

Marek worked the opening day of the 2024 NHL Draft, interviewing the first-rounders after they were selected, then returned home on a red-eye flight, leaving Elliotte Friedman to host their popular “32 Thoughts” solo, which was pre-planned.

Friedman indicated during that episode that he and Marek would do their final episode of the season following the start of the July 1 free-agent market. That episode never occurred and Marek was silent until this past Friday, when he confirmed his departure from Sportsnet.

No one is saying what led to Marek’s departure. An early report claimed the split was due to “unconfirmed draft reasons”, creating speculation that something happened during the draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unusual for a popular broadcaster like Marek to suddenly disappear from the airwaves with no explanation for weeks. Naturally, the speculation was going to grow the longer he was absent. He indicated on Friday that there was more to come about his plans. Maybe then he’ll share details about his departure from Sportsnet.

CTV EDMONTON: Oilers captain Connor McDavid married long-time girlfriend Lauren Kyle on Saturday in Ontario.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the happy couple. May they enjoy a long and joyful life together.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Kent Johnson to a three-year, $5.4 million contract with an average annual value of $1.8 million. Johnson, 21, was selected fifth overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2021 NHL Draft. He has 22 goals and 37 assists in 130 career NHL games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnson had a promising rookie season in 2022-23 with 16 goals and 40 points in 79 games. However, he struggled last season under head coach Pascal Vincent and split the season between the Blue Jackets and their AHL affiliate in Cleveland before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in March.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers goaltending prospect Alexei Kolosov told the club he didn’t want to return to North America after they saddled the Belarussian in a hotel in Allentown, Pennsylvania for a month during his sting with their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley.

Kolosov saw action in only two AHL games. He was otherwise left to himself in the hotel and felt isolated partly because of his limited English. The young netminder was not paired with or surrounded by anyone he could communicate with on a meaningful level.

Flyers GM Daniel Briere acknowledged the issue during an interview last month. He indicated the Flyers had no Russian-speaking players with their AHL affiliate and regretted that the youngster had no friends or loved ones with him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers will probably chide Kolosov over this but put yourself in his shoes. He comes to the United States for the first time, speaks little English and knows no one. The club provides little support and he’s pretty much left to fend for himself when he’s not at the rink. The culture shock can be intimidating for a young person. No wonder he’s having second thoughts about pursuing an NHL career.

The report points out it was an “incredibly short-sighted move” by the Flyers, especially considering how quickly Ivan Fedotov joined the club last April, where he had a couple of Russian teammates to lean on.

Kolosov skipped attending the Flyers’ recent development camp, creating an uncertain situation regarding his status for this season.