NHL Rumor Mill – June 11, 2026

by | Jun 11, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 11, 2026

Check out the latest on Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk, and Blues center Robert Thomas in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON DYLAN LARKIN

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun provided an update on the trade request of Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman and Pat Brisson (Dylan Larkin’s agent) continue to try to work through this in a respectful manner.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).

Yzerman has asked the Larkin camp to expand their original three-team trade list, and Brisson was receptive “to some degree”. The Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Florida Panthers were the three teams on Larkin’s list.

Regardless of that trade list, LeBrun claimed other teams are also interested in Larkin. One of them is the Dallas Stars, prompting LeBrun to consider it “food for thought” if the Stars fail to sign winger Jason Robertson to a contract extension.

LeBrun also believes a third team might need to get involved to make the assets work for the Red Wings.

SPORTSNET: During the June 10 episode of the “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he’d heard there could be other clubs that Larkin might be willing to join. He believes the Stars and the Tampa Bay Lightning could be two options.

Friedman also thinks that teams have already submitted trade offers to the Red Wings, including the Wild and the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Larkin really wants out of Detroit, he’ll have to expand his list of preferred destinations. Adding two or three more clubs could help Yzerman find an acceptable return for him.

However, the teams on his trade list could lack sufficient trade assets to make the deal work. That’s why LeBrun suggests it could take bringing in a third team to thread the needle here.

If the Stars can’t get Robertson under contract, they could offer him up to the Red Wings for Larkin. The 27-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who’s a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. He also lacks no-trade protection.

In that scenario, the Red Wings would need assurances that Robertson would be open to a long-term contract with them. While that move would address their need for a first-line left winger, it would leave them without a first and second-line center.

ZACH WERENSKI DOESN’T WANT OUT OF COLUMBUS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported there was speculation over what effect Dylan Larkin’s trade request would have on Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Werenski and Larkin are close friends and were teammates on Team USA’s gold-medal Olympic men’s hockey team.

LeBrun indicated that the 28-year-old defenseman isn’t following Larkin’s lead and asking the Blue Jackets for a trade. However, LeBrun isn’t ruling out the possibility, based on the fact that, at some point, Werenski and Jackets management will have to discuss the blueliner’s future in Columbus.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Red Wings, the Blue Jackets came close to making the playoffs over the past two years, only to stumble during the final weeks of the regular season.

Unlike Larkin, who has five years left on his contract, Werenski has two years on his. He could see how next season pans out before making any decision about his future.

Werenski is part of the 2028 UFA class that includes Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators. However, if their teams fail to improve in 2026-27, they could all be on the move in next summer’s trade market.

COULD THE SENATORS PURSUE JAKE DEBRUSK?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports “two league sources” believe the Senators are among a group of teams interested in Jake DeBrusk of the Vancouver Canucks.

The 29-year-old winger has spent the past two seasons with the Canucks. He has five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million. He also has a full no-movement clause.

Garrioch believed DeBrusk could be a good fit among the Senators’ top-six forwards. He’s reportedly not thrilled about being on a team undergoing a roster teardown.

The Senators also reportedly have an interest in forward Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks and winger Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues. However, it’s believed that Kyrou won’t waive his no-trade clause for Ottawa. The Philadelphia Flyers are also believed to be interested in McTavish.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch believes the rebuilding Canucks won’t be seeking much for DeBrusk because they want to move his contract. They will likely seek a return of futures (draft picks, prospects, young NHL players) in any trades this summer involving their roster players.

The sticking point is DeBrusk’s NMC and whether he’d waive it to join the Senators.

BLUES SOUGHT AN EXPENSIVE RETURN FROM THE FLYERS FOR ROBERT THOMAS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio cited The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, who claimed the Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues discussed a trade earlier this season regarding Blues center Robert Thomas.

According to Kurz, the Blues’ asking price was winger Porter Martone, prospect center Jack Nesbitt, and the Flyers’ first-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And now you know why Robert Thomas remains with the Blues and will continue to remain a Blue for the foreseeable future. That asking price was far too much for the Flyers, who know they’ve got a potential superstar in Martone.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2026

by | May 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2026

The Golden Knights push the Ducks to the brink of elimination, the Sabres tie their series with the Canadiens, the finalists for GM of the Year are announced, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to give his club a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 5 of their second-round series. Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist while Jack Eichel collected two assists for the Golden Knights, who hold a 3-2 lead in the series. Beckett Sennecke and Olen Zellweger scored while Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier each had two assists for the Ducks.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev (NHL Images).

The Golden Knights can win this series in Game 6, which will be held in Anaheim on Thursday, May 14.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining, closely contested game. Zellweger’s goal tied it to force overtime late in the third, but Dorofeyev was the star of this one with his clutch scoring for the Golden Knights.

Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb was ejected for interference when he laid out Ducks center Ryan Poehling with a big hit when the latter no longer had possession of the puck. Poehling was helped from the ice and didn’t return.

The Golden Knights played this game without team captain Mark Stone, who remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury suffered during Game 3 of this series.

Game 6 will be a big test for the Ducks as they try to counter the Golden Knights’ experience to force Game 7 back in Las Vegas.

The Buffalo Sabres knotted their series with the Montreal Canadiens at two games apiece with a 3-2 win. Zach Benson snapped a 2-2 tie with a third-period power-play goal, Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 shots in his return to the Sabres’ net. Alex Newhook extended his goal streak to three games while Cole Caufield tallied his second straight power-play goal for the Canadiens. Game 5 is in Buffalo on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s goal was a flukey one. With the Canadiens up 2-1 in the second period, he fired a dump-in from center ice that took a weird bounce off a stanchion that surprised Habs goalie Jakub Dobes, bouncing off his right pad into the net. It was a game-changer that set the stage for Benson’s winner in the third.

The Canadiens were flat through the first half of the opening period, but they had the better of the play for most of the game. They also had seven power-play opportunities but only scored on one of them, while the Sabres went 2-for-4 with the man advantage. Luukkonen was outstanding for the Sabres, who regained home-ice advantage as the series narrowed to a best-of-three.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild, Chris MacFarland of the Colorado Avalanche, and Pat Verbeek of the Anaheim Ducks are the finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The award is given annually based on a vote of NHL general managers and a panel of league executives, print, and broadcast media.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guerin and MacFarland got the nod for their trades this season, including the Wild’s acquisition of superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes in December and the Avalanche’s obtaining Nazem Kadri, Nicolas Roy, Brett Kulak, and Nick Blankenburg before the trade deadline.

Verbeek also made a splash by landing defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals, but he’d be my choice because of his work rebuilding the Ducks, who returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18.

HOCKEY 24/7: Frank Seravalli reported the Edmonton Oilers sought permission from the Vegas Golden Knights to speak with their former head coach Bruce Cassidy, who was fired in March. However, the Golden Knights have thus far withheld permission from their division rival.

Seravalli said the Golden Knights haven’t outright rejected the Oilers’ request, but they’re keeping the Oilers waiting as they continue their second-round series with the Ducks. Cassidy is also reportedly being targeted by the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cassidy remains under contract with the Golden Knights, which is why teams must seek permission to speak with him. Seravalli speculates this could prompt a call from league commissioner Gary Bettman to sort this out.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes this is a weird bit of gamesmanship by the Golden Knights in line with their front-office reputation for ruthlessness. It’s garnered a mix of puzzlement and criticism around the league, with those in the latter camp (myself included) considering it an unprofessional, classless act.

This also isn’t a good look for the Oilers, who are searching for a new bench boss while leaving their current coach, Kris Knoblauch, twisting in the wind.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed center Charlie Coyle to a six-year, $36 million contract worth an average annual value of $6 million. Coyle, 34, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s completing a six-year deal with an AAV of $5.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are trying to maintain a roster that narrowly missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Coyle played a key role with his versatility, leadership, and two-way play.

Nevertheless, this contract won’t age well. The salary increase is marginal, and the Blue Jackets can afford it in the short term, but six years is way too long for a player at this stage of his career. He’s also getting a full no-movement clause for the first four years.

This contract could complicate things for the Blue Jackets down the road if they need cap room to retain or acquire a better player.

SPORTSNET: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson was fined $5,000 by the NHL for butt-ending Minnesota Wild forward Michael McCarron during Game 4 of their playoff series on Monday.

Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin will remain sidelined by injuries for Game 5 against the Avalanche.

TSN: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will replace New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal on Team Canada in the upcoming 2026 IIHF World Championship. Barzal is coping with a minor, preexisting injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended from the first six games of the Bruins’ 2026-27 regular-season schedule for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The incident happened late in that game when Benson took McAvoy’s skates out from under him with a slew-foot move, sending him crashing into the end boards. An infuriated McAvoy got up, charged at Benson, and leveled a two-handed chop of his stick to Benson’s upper body.

McAvoy’s anger was understandable as he could’ve been injured, but that didn’t justify his subsequent action.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers winger Owen Tippett revealed that he missed his club’s second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes with an internal-bleeding issue. He said that he was dealing with a sports hernia injury during their first-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tippett said he’s confident he’ll make a full recovery and will be ready for training camp in September.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers rookie forward Porter Martone will be joining Team Canada for the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have hired Sportsology Group to conduct an audit of its hockey operations department, including the organizational structure, scouting, and player development departments.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 30, 2026

by | Mar 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 30, 2026

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Golden Knights replace Bruce Cassidy as head coach with John Tortorella, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning moved into first place in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Nashville Predators 3-2. Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists, and Corey Perry snapped a 2-2 tie for the 46-21-6 Lightning (98 points). Filip Forsberg scored his 34th goal of the season while rookie Joakim Kemell tallied his first NHL goal as the Predators (34-31-9) have lost three straight as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes each have the same record and points, but the former hold first place in the conference with 37 regulation wins. The Buffalo Sabres also have 98 points, but sit third with a record of 45-21-8.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Montreal Canadiens. Nick Suzuki tallied twice and collected an assist, Cole Caufield sniped his 46th goal of the season, and Jakub Dobes stopped 34 shots for the 42-21-10 Canadiens, who have won five straight games, sweeping their season series with Carolina to sit third in the Atlantic Division with 94 points. Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield is two goals behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s leading goal scorer.

Caufield’s quest for 50 goals overshadowed Suzuki becoming the first Canadien to exceed 90 points in a season since Pierre Turgeon and Vincent Damphousse in 1995-96. Suzuki has 91 points, and is on pace to become the first Hab to tally 100 points since Mats Naslund in 1985-86.

The Boston Bruins overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on a shootout goal by Viktor Arvidsson, who also collected three assists in regulation. Pavel Zacha had two goals and an assist as the Bruins (42-24-8) picked up their third straight victory to hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 92 points. Mason Marchment had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who sit in the final Eastern wild-card berth with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei missed this game with an upper-body injury. Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier left this contest in the second period with an upper-body injury, likely a result of his first-period fight with Bruins forward Mark Kastelic.

The Blue Jackets had been on a tear since Rick Bowness took over as head coach in mid-January, surging up the Eastern Conference standings. However, they’ve cooled off lately, sporting a record of 1-3-1 in their last five contests.

An overtime goal by Trevor Zegras lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 upset of the Dallas Stars. Travis Konecny scored in regulation, and Samuel Ersson stopped 17 shots for the 37-24-12 Flyers (86 points), who are now two points behind the Blue Jackets for that final Eastern wild card. Arttu Hyry scored his first NHL goal for the Stars (44-18-12), who sit second in the overall standings with 100 points, but have dropped five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers also made news on Sunday by signing top prospect Porter Martone to a three-year entry-level contract. Chosen sixth overall in last year’s draft, the 19-year-old winger is expected to join the Flyers for the remainder of this season.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored twice and collected two assists in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Nico Hischier had two assists for the Devils (38-33-2). Frank Nazar tallied two goals, and Anton Frondell had two assists for the 27-34-13 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov suffered a fracture to his left hand last Tuesday and is out for the remainder of the season.

The New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1. Igor Shesterkin turned aside 26 shots while Adam Fox had a goal and an assist for the 30-35-9 Rangers. Mackie Samoskevich replied for the 35-35-3 Panthers.

HEADLINES

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights fired head coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday, replacing him for the remainder of this season with John Tortorella.

Cassidy had been behind the Golden Knights bench since 2022-23, guiding them to the Stanley Cup that season. They reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and hold a playoff berth in the Pacific Division.

However, the Golden Knights have struggled since the Olympic break with a record of 5-10-2, being outscored by an average of 3.2 to 2.4 goals per game. For the first time in franchise history, they will finish with more defeats than victories.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are ruthless and are unafraid to make bold moves to shake things up and remain in Stanley Cup contention. However, replacing Cassidy is unlikely to spark a significant improvement.

Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal believes Cassidy is being made the fall guy, calling it a desperate move by the struggling club. Jesse Granger of The Athletic pointed out that the Golden Knights have chipped away at their defensive depth in recent years, their core is aging, and their goaltending has been subpar.

As Graney and Granger observed, the team’s difficulties this season are primarily due to management’s construction of this team. By acquiring big-ticket players in trades and free agency, they gutted the defensive and goaltending depth that played a key role in their 2023 Stanley Cup run.

TSN’s Chris Johnston doesn’t believe Cassidy will be unemployed for long. Given his success with the Golden Knights and the Boston Bruins, he’ll have plenty of suitors this summer, with the Toronto Maple Leafs likely at the front of the line.

As for Tortorella, he’s joining his sixth team as he begins his 24th season as an NHL head coach. He’s a two-time winner of the Jack Adams Award and coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004. “Torts” also has a reputation as a no-nonsense bench boss. However, the Golden Knights must improve considerably from their current level for Tortorella to earn an extension beyond this season.

CBC NEWS: Former Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets forward Bill Riley died of cancer on March 29 at age 75.

Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Riley was the third Black player in NHL history. He played with the Capitals from 1974-75 to 1978-79 and the Jets in 1979-80. In 139 games, he had 31 goals and 30 assists for 61 points.

Riley also spent four seasons in the AHL, captaining the New Brunswick Hawks to the Calder Cup in 1981-82. Following his playing career, he coached the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats and the Amherst Ramblers of the Maritime Hockey League.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Riley’s family, friends, former teammates, and the young players that he coached.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2026

by | Mar 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2026

Milestone performance for Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer and Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov, the Kings fire head coach Jim Hiller, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Matthew Schaefer scored two goals, and Anders Lee netted the game-winner with 32 seconds left in the third period to lift the New York Islanders over the Florida Panthers 5-4. Sam Bennett scored twice while Matthew Tkachuk had three assists for the 30-27-3 Panthers (68 points), who sit eight points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, while the Islanders (35-21-5) hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Schaefer, who is the front-runner for the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.

The 18-year-old defenseman collected an assist for his first three-point NHL game. He also became the youngest defenseman in league history to reach the 20-goal plateau, and the fourth rookie blueliner in league history to reach that mark. Schaefer is only three goals behind Brian Leetch for the most by a rookie defenseman. He also leads this year’s rookie class in goal scoring.

Fun fact: Schaefer is only the second defenseman in Islanders history to score 20 goals in a season. The other is Hall of Famer Denis Potvin.

Meanwhile, Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov returned to action for the first time since being sidelined by an injury during the second game of the season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov tied the franchise record for goals (219) in a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Pavel Buchnevich tallied the winning goal while Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist for the 22-29-9 Blues. The Wild (35-16-10) holds third place in the Central Division with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild made a minor trade yesterday, acquiring defenseman Roman Schmidt from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Boris Katchouk.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 5-0. Arturs Silovs turned in a 22-save shutout, while Ben Kindel, Bryan Rust, and Justin Brazeau each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (31-15-13), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points. The 28-18-14 Golden Knights cling to first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left this game in the first period with an injury to his left arm. There was no postgame update regarding his status.

A shootout goal by Mason McTavish gave the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Cutter Gauthier scored twice, and Lukas Dostal stopped 32 shots for the Ducks (33-23-3), who sit one point behind the Golden Knights. Joel Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich replied for the 24-28-7 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Calgary, the city is on the short list of host cities for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. NHL brass, including commissioner Gary Bettman, will be in town on Monday to meet with Flames ownership and tour the construction site of the club’s new arena. Scotia Place is expected to be ready for the 2027-28 season.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom made 22 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Teuvo Teravainen scored twice for the 23-28-9 Blackhawks as they snapped a three-game losing skid. The Mammoth (31-25-4) holds the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 66 points.

San Jose Sharks rookie Michael Misa scored his first NHL overtime goal to beat the Winnipeg Jets 2-1. Will Smith also scored for the Sharks (29-25-4, 62 points), who sit three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Morgan Barron scored for the 23-26-10 Jets.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Kings fired Jim Hiller as head coach and named associate coach DJ Smith their interim coach for the rest of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hiller was in his second full season as the Kings’ bench boss after taking over the role midway through the 2023-24 season. He led them to a franchise-best record of 48 wins and 105 points last season, but couldn’t replicate that success. They’re struggling to remain in the Western Conference playoff race and are among the league’s lowest-scoring teams.

Smith was head coach of the Ottawa Senators from 2019 to 2023. It will be interesting to see if he can reverse the Kings’ fortunes down the stretch.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed winger Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Alec Regula on waivers. If they clear, they will be sent to the club’s AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, clearing over $1.8 million in salary-cap space to use for the upcoming trade deadline.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Guillaume Brisebois and St. Louis Blues forward Robby Fabbri were also placed on waivers Sunday.

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers prospect winger Porter Martone sees his move from the OHL to the NCAA this season as a stepping stone on his path toward the NHL. He saw it as an opportunity to sharpen his skills and his physical game.

If his NCAA season ends on March 29, he would be eligible to sign his entry-level contract with the Flyers, which could lead to his NHL debut in April.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2025

by | Jul 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2025

Vladislav Gavrikov’s expected role with the Rangers, the latest on Maxim Tsyplakov’s contract negotiations with the Islanders, Canada fills out its coaching staff for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NEW YORK POST: Vladislav Gavrikov is expected to be the shutdown presence the Rangers were lacking on their blueline last season. The 29-year-old defenseman signed a seven-year, $49-million contract with the Blueshirts on July 1.

New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (NHL Images).

It’s expected that Gavrikov will be Adam Fox’s partner on the Rangers’ top defense pairing when they open their season in October. According to NHL.com, he finished second in stick checks among all defensemen last season and second in defensive-zone stick checks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gavrikov enjoyed a career-best performance last season with the Los Angeles Kings, stepping up when top blueliner Drew Doughty was sidelined for over half the season. His experience and all-around defensive play should provide a welcome boost to the Rangers’ defense corps.

Turning to the Islanders, a new contract for forward Maxim Tsyplakov is the lone unfinished piece of business for new general manager Mathieu Darche. The 26-year-old right winger filed for salary arbitration on July 5.

The arbitration period began on July 20 and runs to Aug. 4, but no date has been publicly announced for Tsyplakov’s hearing. A resolution could come at any time before his hearing.

Both sides could be awaiting the arbitration date before negotiating an agreement. Tsyplakov also became a father on Saturday, which is understandably a bigger priority for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hearing dates are usually publicly announced before the start of the arbitration period. That hasn’t happened yet. The players and the teams may have already been informed privately.

TSN: Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights, Rick Tocchet of the Philadelphia Flyers, and former Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer will be the assistant coaches for Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Tampa Bay Lightning bench boss Jon Cooper is the head coach for Canada. He’s bringing in the same assistant coaches that he had for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

SPORTSNET: Philadelphia Flyers prospect winger Porter Martone has committed to Michigan State University for 2025-26. The 18-year-old was chosen sixth overall at the 2025 NHL Draft. He was captain of the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads last season.

BELARUS HOCKEY: CSKA Moscow has shown an interest in winger Kevin Labanc. The 29-year-old is a nine-year veteran of the NHL. He spent last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Labanc was a once-promising scorer with the San Jose Sharks. After reaching a career-high 56 points in 2018-19, his production declined as he struggled with consistency. A shoulder injury last season limited him to 12 points in 32 games.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL goalies are welcoming the upcoming changes to the rules for emergency backup goalies (EBUGs) in the new collective bargaining agreement.

Under the new CBA, EBUGs will now travel and practice regularly with the team. It will help lessen the workload for NHL goalies during road games.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger explained that teammates who participate in optional skates need a goalie to practice with. He would sometimes strap on the pads for the good of the group rather than rest for the upcoming game.

Oettinger said the change was a long time coming. He believes it will help goaltenders stay healthy and have longer careers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oettinger explained that the change to the EBUG system was something the players asked for. It received no opposition from the owners, who understood the reasons behind it.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2025

by | Apr 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2025

The Canadiens clinch the final Eastern Conference wild card, the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck wins his second straight Jennings Trophy, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid has his eighth 100-point season, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens doubled up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 to clinch the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 91 points. Kaiden Guhle scored twice, Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, and Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Hall-of-Famer Larry Murphy for the single-season assist record for NHL rookies (60). Taylor Hall and Tyson Jost replied for the Hurricanes, who face the New Jersey Devils in the opening round of the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens defeated a Hurricanes squad that rested seven regulars, including Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Jaccob Slavin and Jordan Staal. Nevertheless, this was a well-deserved victory for a rebuilding club that rose from second-last in the overall standings on Dec. 1 to securing its first postseason berth since 2021.

Montreal will face the Washington Capitals in the first round, with their series expected to begin on Monday. The last time these two clubs met in the playoffs was in 2010, when the Canadiens upset the heavily-favored Capitals in seven games. Time will tell if history repeats itself.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and Mark Scheifele scored in overtime to nip the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in the final game of the regular season for both clubs. Neal Pionk also scored for the league-leading Jets while Troy Terry replied for the Ducks.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck won the William M. Jennings Trophy for the second straight year as the Jets gave up the fewest goals this season (191). He becomes the fifth goalie to win this award in consecutive seasons since it was first presented in 1981-82, joining Martin Brodeur, Roman Turek, Patrick Roy and Brian Hayward.

Hellebuyck also picked up his 47th win of the season, tying Bernie Parent and Roberto Luongo for the second-most among NHL goalies. Braden Holtby and Martin Brodeur are tied with 48 wins.

The Jets also took care of some business before the game, announcing forward Alex Iafallo signed a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.666 million. It’s a slight pay cut from his current AAV of $4 million, but the 31-year-old accepted it to stay in Winnipeg, telling the media that he didn’t want to go anywhere else.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his eighth 100-point season in a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ty Emberson tallied twice and Stuart Skinner had an 18-save shutout for the Oilers, who concluded their season in third place in the Pacific Division with 101 points. The Sharks finished their season winless in their last 11 games (0-8-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Hall-of-Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Marcel Dionne as the only players to reach 100 points eight times. Meanwhile, Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was told by Sharks management that he won’t be signed to a contract extension, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Nashville Predators finished their season on a winning note, defeating the Dallas Stars 5-1. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the Predators while Mason Marchment replied for the Stars, who’ll face the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Tyler Seguin picked up an assist in his first game since Dec. 1. He underwent hip surgery on Dec. 5. Seguin’s teammate Jason Robertson left the game with a lower-body injury in the second period. There was no postgame update on Robertson’s condition, but he was seen after the game with a brace on his right knee.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev broke a 1-1 tie in a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Victor Olofsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, who’ll face the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs. Pius Suter scored for the Canucks.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings. Erik Haula and Dawson Mercer replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton returned to action after missing 18 games with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs opening round begins Saturday with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the St. Louis Blues (6 pm ET start) while the Dallas Stars face off against the Colorado Avalanche starting at 8:30 pm ET.

The full playoff schedule will be released on Thursday.

THE ATHLETIC: Katie Strang reports New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports (which owns the Rangers) paid financial settlements to a former Rangers employee last year after she alleged Panarin sexually assaulted her.

Strang cited sources claiming the alleged assault occurred in December 2023 during a Rangers road trip. Neither Panarin nor his agent replied to a request for comment. An MSG spokesperson and the woman (whose identity has been protected) stated the matter has been resolved.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a small hole in his heart. He returned to the club’s practice facility on Wednesday but did not take part in practice. His teammates were relieved to see him.

Letang, 38, has a long history of injuries and medical problems, including two strokes. A small hole in his heart was discovered in 2014 following his first stroke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Letang had no comment for reporters and isn’t expected to play in their season-closing game against the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

CBS SPORTS: Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann will undergo surgery on Monday for an undisclosed issue he’s dealt with throughout the season. He played in all 82 of his club’s games this season. He faces a six-week post-surgery recovery period.

TSN: Florida Panthers forward Jesse Puljujarvi has a hearing with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee on Tuesday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed center Nic Dowd to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $3 million. Dowd, 34, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The checking-line forward tallied a career-high 27 points this season.

RG.ORG: Prospect winger Porter Martone is hoping to have a positive impact with whatever NHL club selects him in this year’s draft. The 6’3” power forward with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads said he wants to win Stanley Cups and create a winning culture, hoping to eventually take on a leadership role with that team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL Central Scouting has Martone at No. 6 among this year’s top North American prospects. TSN’s Bob McKenzie and Craig Button, The Hockey News’ Nick Ferrari and Ryan Kennedy, and McKeen’s Hockey have him among their top-five prospects.

NHLPA: recently released its annual poll of its membership. A surprising result was that Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers were polled higher than Vezina Trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck in the top goalie category.