NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 4, 2025
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 4, 2025
The latest on the Oilers and Panthers on the eve of Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, the Flyers re-sign Noah Cates, the Canucks re-up Derek Forbort, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines
TSN: Corey Perry has no plans to retire after this season. The 40-year-old Edmonton Oilers winger confirmed he intends to return for his 21st NHL season in 2025-26.

Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry (NHL Images).
Perry is appearing in his fifth Stanley Cup Final in the last six seasons, having played for the Oilers last season, the 2021-22 Tampa Bay Lightning, the 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens, and the 2019-20 Dallas Stars (2020).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry isn’t the superstar he was during his 14 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, winning a Stanley Cup in 2007, and the Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) and the Maurice Richard Trophy (top goal scorer) in 2011.
Nevertheless, Perry’s grit, experience, and clutch offense have made him an invaluable, affordable depth player for every postseason club he’s played for since 2019-20. If the Oilers don’t re-sign him, another playoff contender will.
SPORTSNET: Oilers winger Connor Brown will be a game-day decision for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 4.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brown’s been battling an illness in recent days, forcing him to skip practice on Tuesday.
NHL.COM: Seth Jones of the Florida Panthers is thrilled to be playing in his first Stanley Cup Finals. The 30-year-old defenseman said he feels revitalized after being acquired from the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks before the March trade deadline.
Jones played on the 2018-19 Columbus Blue Jackets that upset the Tampa Bay Lightning and the 2019-20 Jackets that eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup qualifying round during the 2020 Covid Bubble playoffs. However, he’d never advanced past the second round in his career until this spring.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones has been a steady defensive presence for the Panthers in this postseason. It’s been suggested that he’s an insurance policy in case Aaron Ekblad departs via free agency this summer.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau looks at the Conn Smythe Trophy candidates for both clubs entering the Stanley Cup Final.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My picks are Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Oilers captain Connor McDavid. Tell us your picks in the comments section below.
Game 1 is tonight in Edmonton at 8 pm ET.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed Noah Cates to a four-year, $16 million contract extension. The 26-year-old center will earn an average annual value of $4 million. He’s completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.63 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A two-way center, Cates had 16 goals and 37 points in 78 games this season. He is expected to fill the second-line center position for the rebuilding Flyers next season.
TSN: The Vancouver Canucks signed Derek Forbort to a one-year, $2 million contract.
MLIVE.COM: Jakub Vrana’s NHL career could be over. The 29-year-old forward has drawn interest from Sparta Prague of the Czech Extraliga as well as his former Swedish team, Linkoping.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vrana is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. A once-promising winger who won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2017-18, Vrana netted a career-best 25 goals and 52 points in 69 games in 2019-20.
However, he was soon traded to the Detroit Red Wings, and his performance declined. He suffered a shoulder injury in 2021-22, had a stint in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, and bounced from the Red Wings to the St. Louis Blues. He was signed by the Capitals last year and claimed off waivers by the Nashville Predators in March.
Vrana has 119 goals and 223 points in 406 NHL regular-season games from 2016-17 to 2024-25, and eight points in 38 playoff games.
THE WINNIPEG SUN: Rasmus Kupari signed a two-year contract with Lugano in Switzerland’s National League. The 25-year-old Jets forward is due to become an NHL restricted free agent on July 1. The Jets can retain his NHL rights with a qualifying offer before July 1.
TSN: Former Red Wings forward Slava Kozlov was named head coach of HC Sochi in the KHL.
THE SCORE: Scott Stinson believes the NHL should avoid further expansion. He argues that the league has grown too large, resulting in seasons that are already taking too long to complete. A much larger group of teams is competing for 16 playoff spots, meaning a club’s chances of winning the Stanley Cup are lower than they were 30 years ago.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stinson’s arguments won’t carry weight with a league focused on increasing revenue, whatever the cost. The opportunity to expand to 34 or 36 teams is irresistible when billionaires are willing to pony up the $2 billion expansion fees to own an NHL franchise.