NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 4, 2024

by | Oct 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 4, 2024

Recaps of Thursday’s preseason action, injury updates, the Golden Knights get cap relief from Robin Lehner’s contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THURSDAY’S NHL PRESEASON RECAP

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield tallied a hat trick to lead his club to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins at Centre Videotron in Quebec City. Kevin Fiala collected two assists for the Kings.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (NHL Images).

The Toronto Maple Leafs blanked the Detroit Red Wings 2-0. Nick Robertson scored both goals and Anthony Stolarz made 30 saves for the shutout. Cam Talbot turned aside 23 shots for the Red Wings.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry stopped 33 shots, including 14 in the third period, in a 3-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov played one shift in the first period before leaving the game with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets also placed forward Gavin Brindley (broken finger) on injured reserve earlier in the day.

The Philadelphia Flyers nipped the New Jersey Devils 5-4. Anthony Richard and Emil Andrae each had a goal and two assists. Kevin Labanc picked up a hat trick for the Devils, who were playing a split-squad game as the rest of the team was in Czechia for the upcoming NHL Global Series with the Buffalo Sabres.

An overtime goal by Jordan Kyrou lifted the St. Louis Blues to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Philip Broberg and Kaspari Kapanen each scored and collected an assist. Logan Stankoven tallied twice for the Stars.

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Justus Annunen stopped 21 shots while Logan O’Connor had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Jack Eichel replied for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche released Pierre-Edouard Bellemare from his professional tryout agreement earlier in the day

HEADLINES

THE GAZETTE: Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine decided not to undergo surgery on his sprained knee after getting “some good opinions” from “a couple of doctors.” He’ll be sidelined for two-to-three months undergoing rehab.

Laine was injured on Saturday during a knee-on-knee collision with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Cedric Pare. He refused to criticize Pare, saying he put himself in that situation while calling it “an unfortunate play.” Laine also thanked Pare for reaching out to him after the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Pare received some death threats and abusive comments on his social media accounts following that hit on Laine, forcing the Maple Leafs’ security group to intervene and disable his accounts.

SPORTSNET: New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin missed practice on Thursday and is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin practiced with his teammates for the first time since undergoing offseason back surgery. It remains to be seen if he’ll be in the lineup for their season opener on Oct. 10.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Vegas Golden Knights will get salary-cap relief from Robin Lehner’s contract this season following an agreement between the team, the league, and the NHL Players’ Association.

The 33-year-old goaltender hasn’t played after undergoing hip and shoulder surgeries following the 2021-22 season. He has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5 million and an actual salary of $4.5 million.

Lehner was in violation of his contract by missing his mandatory medical before training camp. He claimed the team knew in advance that he wouldn’t be there due to personal reasons.

The Golden Knights felt they had a strong case to terminate his contract but they didn’t want to go that route, seeking only the salary-cap relief. The PA, meanwhile, wanted to ensure Lehner would still receive his salary for this season, resulting in the settlement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some fans complained on social media that the NHL showed favoritism to the Golden Knights. That’s not the case.

The Golden Knights could’ve pursued contract termination against Lehner, meaning he would’ve lost his salary for this season while removing his cap hit from their books, but they would’ve had a fight on their hands with the NHLPA. Instead, they chose an easier option in which Lehner still gets paid by the club but it doesn’t count against their cap.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed defenseman Tyson Barrie to a one-year contract worth $1.25 million. Barrie, 33, earned his new deal after attending Flames training camp on a professional tryout offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barrie will be an affordable veteran depth option for the Flames this season. They could also shop him at the March 7 trade deadline if they’re out of playoff contention by then.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning forward Conor Geekie received a one-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for leaving the bench on a legal line change to start a fight with Florida Panthers winger Josh Davies during Wednesday’s preseason game.

YARDBARKER: Former NHL player Gabriel Bourque announced his retirement. From 2011-12 to 2019-20, he played 413 regular-season games with the Nashville Predators, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets. The 34-year-old winger finished with 40 goals and 63 assists for 103 points. He also had eight points in 36 playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 1, 2024

by | Oct 1, 2024

Recapping Monday’s preseason action, the Canadiens awaiting word on Laine and Reinbacher, the Bruins indicate who their starting goalie will be in their season-opener, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We are experiencing technical difficulties today affecting the site’s layout and comments section. We hope to have these issues rectified today and appreciate your patience as we deal with this matter. 

GAME RECAPS (PRESEASON EDITION)

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1 in split-squad action for the Wings. Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and will be re-evaluated on Tuesday. Joel Blomqvist stopped 20 of 21 shots for the Penguins.

An overtime goal by Konsta Helenius gave the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 victory over the Red Wings in split-squad action.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jeremy Brodeur made 29 saves in a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers. Brodeur is the son of Hall-of-Fame netminder Martin Brodeur.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Rangers announced that forward Jimmy Vesey is expected to be sidelined for several weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during practice on Sunday.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists as his club nipped the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in a shootout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers released winger Mike Hoffman from his professional tryout offer (PTO) earlier in the day. He had a goal and four points in four preseason contests. Meanwhile, the Canucks released forward Sammy Blais from his PTO contract.

The New York Islanders beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 as Kyle Palmieri scored the tiebreaker with 51 seconds remaining in the third period.

Pierre-Luc Dubois scored his first preseason goal with the Washington Capitals in a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dubois and Tom Wilson each had a goal and an assist and Logan Thompson turned aside 24 shots for the Capitals.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a 26-save performance by goalie Jonas Johansson to beat the Florida Panthers 3-1.

An overtime goal by Nazem Kadri lifted the Calgary Flames to a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. Tyson Barrie had two assists and Dan Vladar kicked out 30 shots for the Flames.

Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper turned in a 23-save shutout to blank the Anaheim Ducks 4-0. Tanner Jeannot and Akil Thomas each had a goal and an assist.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Montreal Canadiens were still awaiting word on Monday of the severity of the lower-body injuries Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher suffered during Saturday’s preseason game against Toronto.

Laine was injured following a knee-on-knee collision with Maple Leafs forward Cedric Pare. Reinbacher left the same game in the opening seconds following a check from Leafs forward Marshall Rifai.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine watched practice on crutches from the Canadiens’ bench yesterday. The Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan reports hearing Laine could be sidelined for four-to-six months. There was no confirmation from the team. An update could be made on Tuesday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said Joonas Korpisalo will be the club’s starter for their season-opener on Oct. 8. The news comes amid the ongoing contract standoff between Bruins management and goalie Jeremy Swayman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman’s stalled negotiations got spicy yesterday when Bruins president Cam Neely seemed to reveal how much the club offered the 25-year-old netminder. I’ll have more details in today’s Rumor update.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The NHL will honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau with helmet stickers displaying their uniform numbers worn by all NHL players starting with games on Friday and Saturday in Czechia during the league’s Global Series.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning captain Victor Hedman and his wife, Sanna, have pledged to donate $150, 000 to charities helping those affected by Hurricane Helene in the Tampa community.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators released forward Nikolay Kulemin from his PTO contract.

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2024

by | Sep 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2024

Recapping Friday’s preseason action, Drew Doughty sidelined for months, plus the latest on Darnell Nurse, Robin Lehner, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL PRESEASON RECAP

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forward and Munich native JJ Peterka scored in his homecoming game in a 5-0 victory over EHC Red Bull Munchen 5-0 in the 2024 NHL Global Series in Germany. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi combined for a 12-save shutout.

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek netted two goals and collected three assists as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 8-5. Kirill Kaprizov also scored twice for the Wild. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck gave up eight goals on 29 shots through two periods.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets announced before this game that defenseman Logan Stanley underwent knee surgery to repair a meniscus issue. He’s expected to be sidelined for four weeks.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Matt Duchene scored two goals and picked up an assist and Tyler Seguin tallied a goal and chipped in two assists.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli collected a hat trick and Mathieu Olivier scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scored one of the Capitals goals.

The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the Florida Panthers 8-2. Seth Jarvis tallied twice and Sean Walker picked up three points for the Hurricanes.

Detroit Red Wings goaltenders Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot combined for a 22-save shutout in a 2-0 blanking of the Chicago Blackhawks. Christian Fischer and Vladimir Tarasenko were the goal scorers.

The New York Islanders defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-1. Semyon Varlamov stopped 16 of 17 shots through two periods for the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils scratched Jack Hughes from the lineup to give him an extra day of rest before their departure to Czechia to face the Buffalo Sabres in the 2024 Global Series. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said Hughes suffered a minor charley horse in his previous game.

Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord turned aside 19 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Brandon Montour scored his first preseason goal for the Kraken.

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Utah Hockey Club 5-2. Jack Eichel led the Golden Knights with a goal and two assists.

The Tampa Bay Lightning postponed Friday’s game against the Nashville Predators at Amelie Arena after Hurricane Helene’s effect on the bay area.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty requires surgery to repair his broken left ankle and will miss most of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doughty’s absence leaves a gaping hole on the Kings’ blueline that will be difficult to fill. They could promote Brendt Clarke or Jordan Spence to replace him but those young rearguards lack the experience and leadership he brings to the defense corps. I’ll have more about this in today’s Rumors.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers hope for a bounce-back performance from Darnell Nurse after he struggled through 2023-24 and the 2024 playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong rebound effort by Nurse would go a long way toward improving the Oilers’ hopes for a Stanley Cup run next spring.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander practiced on Friday and showed no ill effects from their recent upper-body injuries. Meanwhile, John Tavares is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forwards William Eklund (upper body) and Mikael Granlund (lower body) and defenseman Matt Benning (lower body) missed practice on Friday. They’re listed as day-to-day.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Goaltender Alexei Kolosov finally took to the ice at Flyers training camp on Friday. It remains to be seen if he’ll get into any of their four remaining preseason games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kolosov is expected to see action this season with the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley or he could be loaned back to KHL club Dinamo Minsk. I’ll have more about this in today’s Rumors update.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: Golden Knights netminder Robin Lehner had his assets frozen by a federal bankruptcy judge on Friday. Lawyers from one of his creditors allege Lehner engaged in frivolous spending and made improper fund transfers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehner has been sidelined since 2022 following hip and shoulder surgeries. He’s not expected to play this season and will be placed on long-term injury reserve. This season is the last of his five-year contract.

WINNIPEG SUN: Bryan Little will sign a one-day contract to officially retire with the Jets on Oct. 20.

Drafted 12th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, Little spent his entire NHL career with the franchise, moving with them to Winnipeg when the team relocated in 2011. The 36-year-old center’s career was cut short by a perforated eardrum early in the 2019-20 season.

Little scored 217 goals and had 304 assists for 521 points in 843 career regular-season games from 2007-08 to 2019-20. He also had 12 points in 27 playoff contests.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 26, 2024

by | Sep 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 26, 2024

Recapping Wednesday’s preseason action, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL PRESEASON GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An injury to Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty overshadowed his club’s 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Doughty injured his left leg during the first period and had to be helped off the ice. Head coach Jim Hiller said the blueliner will be further evaluated when the Kings return to Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (NHL Images).

Jake DeBrusk scored two goals in his preseason debut with the Vancouver Canucks as his club rallied to nip the Calgary Flames 4-3.

The Tampa Bay Lightning overcame a 7-5 deficit for an 8-7 win over the Florida Panthers. Conor Geekie tallied twice (including the game-winner) and picked up an assist and Darren Raddysh scored two goals and added two assists for the Lightning. Jesper Boqvist had a goal and two assists for the Panthers.

Three goals in the final 5:32 of the second period carried the Washington Capitals over the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Dylan Strome and Brandon Duhaime each netted two goals for the Capitals.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson had a goal and an assist and Elvis Merzlikins and Zach Sawchenko combined for a 31-save shutout to blank the St. Louis Blues 3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was also the Blue Jackets’ first preseason home game. The club remembered Johnny Gaudreau with an emotional pregame tribute video and 13 seconds of silence in honor of his Blue Jackets’ uniform number. A suspected drunk driver killed Johnny and his brother Matthew on Aug. 29.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk scored a goal and collected three assists in a 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

The Dallas Stars downed the Minnesota Wild 5-2. Jamie Benn and Miro Heiskanen each scored for the Stars.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond scored the go-ahead goal in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Connor Bedard collected an assist for the Blackhawks in his preseason debut.

HEADLINES

TSN: New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is expected to miss “several weeks” with an upper-body injury, putting his status for their Oct. 9 season opener in question.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Claude Giroux awoke Wednesday morning to find his vehicle stolen from his home overnight. He and his wife tracked it via GPS but were told they could only report the theft to Ottawa police at 10 am. The Girouxs don’t expect the vehicle to be recovered.

SPORTSNET: Utah Hockey Club forward Nick Bjugstad is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss the start of the regular season.

TSN: A desire for his son to play in North America led to Nikolay Kulemin’s professional tryout offer with the Ottawa Senators. The 38-year-old winger last played in the NHL in 2017-18 with the New York Islanders and spent the past six seasons in the KHL.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2024

by | Sep 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2024

Recapping Tuesday’s preseason action, injury updates on several notable stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: A five-goal third period rallied the New York Rangers to a 6-4 victory over the New York Islanders. Chris Kreider and Zac Jones each scored twice and collected an assist. Mathew Barzal tallied two goals, and Anthony Duclair collected two assists in his debut with the Islanders.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (lower-body injury) and defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) left this contest. Head coach Peter Laviolette said they were still being evaluated after the game.

The Boston Bruins doubled up the Washington Capitals 4-2. Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo stopped all seven shots he faced for the Bruins in this game.

Montreal Canadiens forward Michael Pezzetta netted two goals as his club blanked the New Jersey Devils 3-0. Samuel Montembeault and Connor Hughes combined for the 24-save shutout.

The Buffalo Sabres downed the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Sabres winger Tyler Tullio picked up two assists.

A shorthanded goal by Zack Ostapchuk in the third period lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jake Sanderson also scored for the Senators.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on a goal by Aleksi Heimosalmi with 45 seconds remaining in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first time Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour coached his son Skyler in an NHL game. The younger Brind’Amour is attending Hurricanes training camp on a professional tryout offer. He logged over 14 minutes of ice time and went seven-for-10 in the faceoff circle.

The Anaheim Ducks beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3. Carson Meyer and Mark Pysyk each scored a goal and collected an assist for the Ducks.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs stopped 18 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Brock Boeser and Jonathan Lekkerimaki each picked up two assists.

HEADLINES

THE SCORE: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews left practice on Tuesday with a minor upper-body injury. The injury isn’t considered serious.

SPORTSNET: Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane isn’t expected to return to action until February at the earliest as he recovers from surgery for two sports hernias and four abdominal muscle tears. It’s possible he won’t return until the start of the playoffs in late April.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some conspiracy-minded folks believe this is a ploy by the Oilers to garner cap relief by having Kane and his $5.125 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve, using the savings to add players at the trade deadline.

Kane’s recovery timeline was listed as five to six months. That puts his return as sometime in mid-to-late March, shortly following the trade deadline. If they have him on LTIR and exceed the cap to add players at the deadline, they must be cap-compliant if he’s medically cleared to play, meaning they must shed salary, which could be difficult to do after the deadline.

It’s better for the Oilers cap-wise not to place Kane on LTIR as they can accrue cap space throughout the season to put toward any roster additions by the March 7 trade deadline. That could be difficult as they have less than $1 million in cap space to start this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers forward Tomas Nosek is expected to miss weeks with an upper-body injury suffered during Sunday’s preseason game against the Nashville Predators. It was thought he suffered a concussion but that’s not the case.

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks center Thomas Bordeleau is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

THE SCORE: Free-agent forward Phil Kessel is willing to sign a professional tryout offer if the fit is right. Kessel, 36, didn’t play last season after going unsigned. He’s the NHL’s reigning Ironman with 1,064 consecutive games. He’s also eight points away from 1,000 for his career.

TSN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman dismissed recent rumors claiming the league is preparing to expand to 34 clubs.

“Everything that’s been written in the last week is categorically wrong,” said Bettman. “We’re not going through an expansion process.”. The commissioner said he’ll update the league board of governors on Oct. 1 about places that have expressed an interest, but there’s nothing else going on regarding expansion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent media speculation claimed the league is considering returning to Atlanta and expanding to Houston. It can’t be ruled out but isn’t imminent because of the high expansion fees that could reach $2 billion and the lack of a suitable venue in Atlanta.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 24, 2024

by | Sep 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 24, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s preseason games, the Jets re-sign Cole Perfetti, Wild forward Matt Boldy is sidelined week-to-week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAP OF TUESDAY’S PRESEASON ACTION

NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club picked up their first-ever preseason home victory by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on an overtime goal by Clayton Keller.

Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel scored a buzzer-beating goal in a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

The Montreal Canadiens blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 5-0. Patrik Laine was held scoreless but generated five shots in his preseason debut with the Canadiens.

Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato scored twice in a 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers in split-squad action. Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored a goal and picked up an assist in this contest. The other Flames squad beat the Oilers 6-1 with Connor Zary tallying twice and collecting an assist and Yegor Sherangovich scoring two goals.

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-1. Zach Benson and Peyton Krebs each had a goal and an assist.

Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti (NHL Images).

HEADLINES

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed forward Cole Perfetti to a two-year, $6.5 million contract. Perfetti, 23, missed the first six days of training camp before he and the Jets agreed to this new deal. The average annual value is $3.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates the Jets’ initial offer was well below $3.25 million. The Perfetti camp sought a deal comparable to that of Ottawa’s Shane Pinto ($3.75 million AAV) and New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer ($4 million AAV).

Perfetti has little leverage coming off an entry-level contract. He’ll have arbitration rights at the end of this deal and could improve that leverage by improving his performance over the next two years.

TSN: Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Boldy, 23, could miss the Wild’s season opener on Oct. 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boldy’s become one of the Wild’s best scorers over the last two seasons. They’ll be hoping he makes a swift recovery in time for the start of the upcoming campaign.

THE PROVINCE: InGoal Magazine’s Kevin Woodley reports Thatcher Demko’s knee issue is with the popliteus muscle, located at the back of the knee. The Vancouver Canucks’ goaltender has been rehabbing the injury, which sidelined him since the opening game of the 2024 playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Woodley doesn’t know the severity of Demko’s injury but supports his claim it’s a rare injury. He said he’s spoken with two people who’ve been in the league for over 30 years and they’ve never seen this condition before.

Demko spoke with the media last week regarding his injury. He didn’t provide a timeline for his return to action but remains confident in the progression of his rehab process.

THE DENVER POST: This is a critical season for Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. He’s in the final season of his three-year contract and is coming off a streaky season as the Avs starter, though he enjoyed a bounce-back performance after allowing seven goals on 23 shots in the opening game of the 2024 playoffs.

The Avalanche parted ways with former starters Philipp Grubauer in 2021 and Darcy Kuemper in 2022. Georgiev is entering a season that will determine if he stays in Colorado beyond one contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche must also deal with limited cap space. They have over $73 million invested in 15 active roster players for 2025-26 with Mikko Rantanen, Jonathan Drouin, and Oliver Kylington also eligible for UFA status.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of contracts, the Avalanche signed winger Logan O’Connor to a six-year contract extension with an AAV of $2.5 million. He’s in the final season of a three-year deal with an AAV of $1.05 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lengthy but affordable deal for O’Connor. The 28-year-old has become a reliable two-way forward and penalty killer for the Avalanche.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Alexander Holtz hopes for a fresh start following his trade to the Golden Knights from the New Jersey Devils. Chosen seventh overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, the 22-year-old Holtz struggled to move up in the Devils’ crowded depth chart on the wings.

RG.ORG: Defenseman Tony DeAngelo said he considered every option to sign an NHL contract, including a professional tryout offer, before signing a one-year contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL goaltender Antti Raanta has signed a one-year contract with Swiss club Geneve-Servette HC.

TSN: Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella invited Guy Gaudreau, father of the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, to assist with drills on Monday. Gaudreau is a former hockey coach at Holydell Ice Arena and Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A kind gesture by Tortorella, who said he didn’t know the Gaudreaus but extended an open invitation to Guy to return and help the Flyers at any point.