NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2020

by | Dec 15, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2020

​Players are returning to their respective teams as negotiations continue between the NHL and NHLPA on a format for the 2020-21 season. Check out the latest in the morning coffee headlines.

TORONTO SUN: Joe Thornton reportedly departed Switzerland yesterday on his way to joining the Maple Leafs. The 41-year-old center played with HC Davos in preparation for a shortened 2020-21 NHL season.

Joe Thornton has left Switzerland to join the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thornton is among a number of players reportedly returning to their NHL club over the last week or two. His return to North America is seen as another indication the NHL is making progress in its plans toward starting this season in mid-January. 

THE DETROIT NEWS: Red Wings center Dylan Larkin is looking forward to returning to the ice with his teammates for the first time since the pandemic derailed the 2019-20 regular season. Larkin found it tough mentally dealing with the uncertainty over when this season would begin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are among the seven clubs that missed the playoffs last season. Those teams are expected to begin training camp on Dec. 31, four days before the other 24 clubs.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks’ proposal for a 14-day group quarantine of their players returning from Europe and the United States has apparently been rejected by local health officials. “Everything I’m hearing is that they didn’t accept the group cohort quarantine,” said general manager Jim Benning.

The Canucks presented a training-camp style plan where those players would practice as a group at Rogers Arena with a professional athlete exemption, traveling only to and from the arena and their homes.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the NHL and NHLPA announced Monday they are making progress toward a 56-game schedule for this season. He indicates the majority of players are returning to their teams, especially those in Canada whose players must quarantine for 14 days before joining their teammates.

The focus remains playing in all 31 arenas but Plan B is playing in hub cities. An agreement on a format will have to reached by the end of this week to meet the timeline to open training camps in two weeks’ time.

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran reports the NHL Players Association’s 31-member executive committee could vote as early as Wednesday on a wide-ranging plan for the ’20-’21 season. The NHL Board of Governors would vote on Thursday.

An industry source tells McGran the two sides are working “around the clock on transitional rules and return-to-play protocols, and working to firm up agreements for logistical issues.” Another source tells McGran he doesn’t see any issue that could derail negotiations. “It’s just a matter of how long it’s going to take. I don’t see any reason not to play a season.”

Issues still to be sorted out include the timing for the 2021 NHL Draft and the expansion draft, new dates for free agency if the 2021 playoffs stretch into July, and rules governing cross-border trades.

NEW YORK POST’s Larry Brooks reports players are being told to expect training camp to begin shortly after New Year’s Day. Teams have been told to expect the season to begin between Jan. 13 and 16.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: COVID-19 is a pretty good reason not to play but the team owners and the players want this season to take place. With the NFL season ongoing, the NBA opening their season on Dec. 22 and MLB spring training slated to begin on Feb. 27, the NHL doesn’t want to disappear from the sports calendar. The owners want to salvage whatever revenue they can while the players need to get paid.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes are expected to hire Cory Stillman as an assistant coach. A two-time Stanley Cup champion during his 16-year NHL playing career, Stillman has worked at the front-office level with the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers. He also spent two seasons as head coach of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves.










Labor Trouble Brewing Again In The NHL?

by | Dec 14, 2020

Labor Trouble Brewing Again In The NHL?

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2020

by | Dec 14, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2020

​Former Avalanche GM Pierre Lacroix passed away, the latest on NHL franchise values, an update on the Canucks and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

THE DENVER POST: Former Colorado Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix passed away Sunday in Las Vegas from complications related to COVID-19. He was 72.

Former Colorado Avalanche president and general manager Pierre Lacroix passed away Sunday at age 72 (NHL.com)

Lacroix was a player agent until hired by the Quebec Nordiques as president and general manager in 1994. He moved with the club to Colorado in 1995, building the Avalanche into a Stanley Cup champion in 1996 and 2001.

His prominent moves included acquiring future Hall-of-Famers Patrick Roy in 1995, Raymond Bourque in 2000 and Rob Blake in 2001. Milan Hejduk, Chris Drury, Alex Tanguay, John-Michael Liles, and Paul Stastny were among the notable Avs drafted by Lacroix.

Lacroix stepped down as Avalanche GM in 2006 and as president in 2013, though he maintained an advisory role. Joe Sakic, Michel Goulet, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Avalanche owner Stan Kroenke were among those expressing condolences on Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Lacroix’s family, friends, former players and the Avalanche organization.

Lacroix took over a promising club with two foundation stars in Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. He turned them into an NHL powerhouse with a series of shrewd trades and free-agent signings.

His biggest move, of course, was acquiring Roy from the Montreal Canadiens. That trade haunts the Canadiens and their fans to this day while elevating the Avs into a perennial Cup contender for nearly a decade.

Lacroix was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. Perhaps one day, he’ll be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builders’ category.

NATIONAL POST: Michael Traikos took note of last week’s Forbes article on the detrimental effects of COVID-19 upon the NHL’s hockey-related revenue (HRR) and some of its franchises. After speaking with the authors of the report, Traikos mused over the potential effects upon struggling franchises such as the Arizona Coyotes and Florida Panthers if things don’t soon return to normal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Traikos and the Forbes columnists aren’t suggesting we’ll see a stampede of owners attempting to sell their clubs. However, they’re correct in assuming the next several years could be challenging for some of them if HRR doesn’t soon return to pre-COVID levels.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning believes his young core of talent can one day carry his club to a Stanley Cup. He remains confident in re-signing Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson and Hughes are coming off their entry-level contracts. They would be in line for hefty raises in a normal season. Demko has arbitration rights next summer and will get a raise over his current $1.05 million AAV. With a flattened salary cap expected for 2021-22, Benning could try to get those three to accept affordable short-term deals with the promise of greater riches afterward.

Given the value of Pettersson and Hughes to the Canucks, their next contracts could be lucrative long-term deals. Demko, on the other hand, could receive a shorter deal because of his limited body of work.

OTTAWA SUN: Members of the Senators living abroad are starting to return to Ottawa in anticipation of training camp opening by the end of the month. The Senators are among last season’s seven non-playoff clubs that could open training camp on Dec. 30, with the 24 other teams expected to begin camp on Jan. 3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most players on all 31 clubs are probably starting to return to their respective NHL cities if they haven’t already done so.

TSN: Rick Westhead reported a U.S. Federal court judge has dismissed the five-year-old lawsuit filed against the NHL by the father of the late Steve Montador, which alleged the league promoted violence and profited by it while insufficiently protecting its players from the risk of long-term brain injuries. Paul Montador is exploring his options, which could include an appeal of the decision.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2020

by | Dec 13, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2020

​The players could end up owing the owners millions of dollars by the end of this CBA, plus the latest on Braden Holtby, Nick Robertson, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

SPORTSNET: During the latest “31 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman speculated the next round of collective bargaining between the NHL and NHL Players Association at the end of the current CBA could be affected by the players’ unwillingness to accept a higher rate of escrow and additional salary deferrals for the coming season.

Friedman noted the effects of COVID-19 upon hockey-related revenue means the players’ share for this season will exceed 50 percent. Under the terms of the CBA, the players have to repay any overage to the owners, but the 20 percent cap on escrow for 2020-21 means the players will still owe millions of dollars to the owners.

The players may feel vindicated by digging in their heels and forcing the league to adhere to the terms of the CBA. However, Friedman feels there’s a major bill coming due at the end of the current agreement that will be paid in large part by young players currently starting their NHL careers and those yet to come.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The players were within their rights under the CBA to reject the league’s requests for additional escrow and salary deferral. But as Friedman also noted, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was right when he indicated the players could end up paying back more at the end of this agreement if they didn’t pay that overage during the coming season.

This could set the stage for another contentious round of negotiations as the extension to the CBA expires in September 2026. Of course, that’s not a front-burner issue right now given the push for staging a season in the middle of a pandemic. Rest assured, however, it will take on greater significance during the final two years of the agreement.

Perhaps the two sides can work out a deal that avoids another potential work stoppage in six years’ time. That will require considerable foresight on both sides.

I don’t expect Bettman and the team owners to just let this issue lie. Sure, they need labor peace right now to get a shortened season underway in order to fulfill their broadcasting and advertising contracts and prepare to entertain bids for a more lucrative US television deal next summer. They also want to ensure a smooth path for the Seattle Kraken’s debut in 2021-22. However, the NHL could raise the overage issue with the players again at some point within the next couple of years.

THE SCORE: Josh Gold-Smith lists his winners and losers of the NHL’s proposed divisional realignment for the coming season. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs are among his clubs that benefit while the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks are among those that could suffer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some teams will be affected more than others by the quality of the opponents within their realigned divisions. Time zones and travel could also become a factor.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby said he won’t wear the new Indigenous-themed mask he planned to use this season following complaints that it appropriated aboriginal culture. “I just wanted to make sure I apologize to anyone I had offended,” said Holtby.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson won’t be joining Team USA at the upcoming World Junior Championship in Edmonton. The Leafs training camp is slated to open during the tournament.

AZCENTRAL.COM: Former hockey agency executive David Ludwig has been hired by the Arizona Coyotes as their new director of hockey operations and salary cap compliance.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2020

by | Dec 12, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2020

​The league is exploring selling ads on players’ helmets, the Red Wings trade Dmytro Timashov to the Islanders, a Wayne Gretzky rookie card made history and an update on Guy Lapointe’s health in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman recently reported the NHL is looking into selling ads on players’ helmets. The idea was brought up during Wednesday’s Board of Governors’ meeting.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Traditionalists will howl in protest but ads on jerseys and helmets was an inevitability. COVID-19 just hastened the process. The NHL is a business and always on the lookout for revenue opportunities. The hit to hockey-related revenue brought about by the pandemic necessitates exploring this option.

Detroit Red Wings trade Dmytro Timashov to the New York Islanders (NHL Images)

NHL fans have long accepted ads on rink boards and on the ice. As long as it doesn’t turn the players into gaudy skating billboards like some European leagues it shouldn’t be an issue.

MLIVE.COM/NEWSDAY: The Detroit Red Wings yesterday traded winger Dmytro Timashov to the New York Islanders for future considerations. Timashov, 24, is a restricted free agent who played five games with the Wings last season after they claimed him off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first trade of an NHL player since Oct. 12, when the Vegas Golden Knights shipped defenseman Nate Schmidt to the Vancouver Canucks. 

Keep an eye on the Wings in the coming weeks once the start date for this season is officially announced. MLive.com’s Ansar Khan suggests this move leaves the Wings with sufficient salary-cap space to take on an expensive expiring contract from a cap-strapped club if that team includes a high draft pick. GM Steve Yzerman has indicated he could acquire another player before the season begins.

It’s an interesting move by the Islanders, who are pressed for cap space with Mathew Barzal to re-sign. Newsday’s Andrew Gross points out Isles GM Lou Lamoriello knows Timashov from their days with the Leafs. Perhaps Lamoriello will sign the winger to a cost-effective contract that can be buried in the minors if necessary without denting the Isles’ limited cap space for the upcoming season.

THE SCORE: A 1979 mint O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card set a record by becoming the first hockey card to surpass $1 million in an auction. The card was sold on Thursday for $1.29 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the report indicates, The Great One is still setting records over 20 years after his retirement.

NHL.COM: Hall-of-Fame defenseman Guy Lapointe has been declared cancer-free following aggressive treatment for oral cancer earlier this year. Lapointe spent 13 of his 16 NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, winning six Stanley Cups.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to “Pointu” in his ongoing recovery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2020

by | Dec 11, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2020

​The latest on the NHL efforts to open the 2020-21 season on Jan. 13 in today’s morning coffee headlines.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports negotiations are continuing between the NHL and NHLPA on an agreement for the 2020-21 season to put to a vote by their respective sides by perhaps the end of next week. Ratification is needed as soon as possible for players on last season’s seven non-playoff clubs that require 14-day quarantines before joining their clubs in training camp on Dec. 31.

Darren Dreger indicates everyone involved in the process remains hopeful. However, there are club executives, general managers and players agents who are skeptical this can be accomplished for a Jan. 13 puck drop because of the work that still needs to be done.

Frank Seravalli noted there are as many as four or five teams that could be unable to host games in their home arenas because of local health restrictions. Playing in a hybrid bubble or hub cities with a two weeks in, one week out schedule remains an option if necessary before eventually rolling out to all 31 NHL cities.

LeBrun also reported there won’t be any restrictions on trades between Canadian and American clubs during the season. Players involved in those deals would be subject to whatever quarantine regulations there are in that state or province.

Regarding divisional realignment, LeBrun said the NHL is looking into making a few adjustments. The Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars are among the clubs that could be changing divisions. The original realignment saw the Wild in a division with Tampa Bay, Florida, Nashville, Carolina, Columbus, Detroit and Chicago. The Stars were to play with San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Vegas, Colorado, Arizona and St. Louis.

SPORTSNET: Divisional realignment is among the pressing issues to be resolved by the NHL and NHLPA before the 2020-21 season can begin. Playoff format, taxi squads, expanded rosters, exhibition games, training camps, bubble or hub cities and COVID protocols must also be addressed.

NHL insider John Shannon reported on Twitter the NHL is interested in securing COVID-19 vaccines when and if they become available for private sale. “The league is adamant they would not jump the line to do so,” said Shannon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That Jan. 13 start date could get pushed into late January or early February because of the complex issues that must be worked out. The course of the pandemic will also be the ultimate deciding factor.

The skepticism among some around the NHL is understandable. Nevertheless, the league and the PA have demonstrated they can reach agreements in a timely manner when it’s to their mutual benefit. It wouldn’t surprise me if they get this hammered out by this time next week.