NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2024

by | Nov 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2024

A four-point performance for the Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov in Finland, a hat trick for the Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers, the three stars and rookie of the month for October are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Dallas Stars 6-4 in the first of two NHL Global Series games between the two clubs in Tampere, Finland.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

Sam Reinhart scored twice and collected an assist and Aaron Ekblad picked up three assists for the Panthers. Esa Lindell had a goal and an assist for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov put on a show in his hometown before a sellout crowd of 12,786 fans at Nokia Arena. The second game of the series between the two clubs is Saturday starting at noon EDT.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers tallied a hat trick to lead his club to a 6-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey had a goal and an assist while teammate Kyle Connor collected an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to 11 games. Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins stopped 38 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league-leading Jets are the first team to reach 10 wins this season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had two goals and an assist to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Wild forward Mats Zuccarello picked up two assists. Victor Hedman had two helpers for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov is the first player to crack this season’s 20-point plateau (21). He also set a franchise record with his seventh straight multi-point game.

The Calgary Flames got a 22-save shutout from Dan Vladar to blank the New Jersey Devils 3-0, snapping a four-game losing skid. Blake Coleman scored two goals and Jonathan Huberdeau netted his fifth of the season. Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom made 29 saves in his first game against his former club since being traded to New Jersey in June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Nathan Bastian left the game in the first period with a jaw injury following a fight with Flames forward Ryan Lomberg.

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin kicked out 40 shots in a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Artemi Panarin scored his seventh of the season and Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Adam Gaudette scored for the Senators, who outshot the Rangers 41-18.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin was the difference-maker in this game as he continues to make the case to become the NHL’s first $12 million per season goaltender.

The New York Islanders ended a three-game losing streak by nipping the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Isles forwards Bo Horvat and Maxim Tsyplakov each had a goal and an assist and Ilya Sorokin turned aside 32 shots for the win. Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders entered this game without forward Mathew Barzal, who returned home after suffering an upper-body injury. Blueliners Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly left this game with upper-body injuries.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, Jets winger Kyle Connor and Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov were the league’s Three Stars for October 2024. Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov was named Rookie of the Month for October.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin skated with the club’s skill coach Toby Petersen and another staff member after the team finished its practice on Friday. Nichushkin can join his teammates in practice once he receives clearance from the league. He’s serving a six-month suspension as part of Phase 3 of the NHL-NHLPA player assistance program and could receive that clearance by mid-November.

THE PROVINCE: Thatcher Demko was on the ice before the Vancouver Canucks’ practice on Friday but continues to make slow progress recovering from a knee injury. Meanwhile, winger Dakota Joseph is close to returning to the lineup after recovering from offseason surgery for testicular cancer.

TSN: Former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenton has filed a $20.5 million lawsuit against Newports Sports Management Inc. and his former agent, Wade Arnott, alleging negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty. Formenton is among five former NHL players charged with sexual assault related to an alleged incident in London, Ontario, in 2018.

DAILY FACEOFF: NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh announced the formation of the union’s first-ever CTE Advisory Committee.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2024

by | Oct 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2024

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky reaches a significant milestone, the Jets remain unbeaten, the Golden Knights re-sign Shea Theodore, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Sergei Bobrovsky became the fastest goaltender to reach 400 career wins (707 games), stopping 24 shots in a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers, handing the latter their first regulation loss of the season. Anton Lundell, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers while Alexis Lafreniere replied for the Rangers.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky is the 14th goaltender to reach the 400-win milestone. He’ll soon move past Chris Osgood (401), Grant Fuhr (403) and Glenn Hall (407) and should overtake Tony Esposito (423) later this season to move into 10th overall as he burnishes his case for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Earlier in the day, the Rangers demoted popular enforcer Matt Rempe to their AHL affiliate in Hartford as he struggled to secure a full-time roster spot. They also placed defenseman Chad Ruhwedel on waivers.

The Winnipeg Jets extended their season-opening win streak to seven games as Nikolaj Ehlers scored in overtime to give his club a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Jets held a 3-1 lead early in the third period but the Kraken battled back to force overtime. Nino Niederreiter scored two goals for the Jets as did Kraken center Matty Beniers, whose second goal tied the game late in the third.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are the only team that hasn’t suffered a loss this season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had his fourth straight multi-point game (2 goals, one assist) as his club doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves for his first win of the season as the Wild extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The sale of the Lightning to a pair of Wall Street investors was made official on Thursday. Former majority owner Jeff Vinik will retain a minority stake in the franchise and will continue to run the team until 2027.

The Detroit Red Wings got third-period goals from Patrick Kane and Michael Rasmussen in a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Cam Talbot kicked out 37 shots for the win. Nico Hischier tallied twice for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s game-winner was the 77th of his career, tying him with Bill Guerin for fourth all-time among American-born skaters and tying him with Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand for fifth among active skaters.

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon (one assist) and Cale Makar (one goal) extended their points streaks to eight games as their club defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and two assists and Ross Colton tallied his seventh of the season. Lawson Crouse had the only goal for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colton left the game in the second period after being slashed on the hand. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Dallas Stars defeated the Boston Bruins 5-2, handing the latter their fourth loss in their last five games (1-3-1). Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who sit third overall in the Western Conference (6-2-0). David Pastrnak and Justin Brazeau replied for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penalties were costly for the Bruins. The Stars blew the game open with three straight power-play goals in the second period.

St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 40 saves in a 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dylan Holloway scored two goals and Jordan Kyrou picked up two assists for the Blues. Oliver Ekman-Larsson had the Leafs’ only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This lopsided loss came after Toronto dropped a 6-2 decision to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their previous contest. This was Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube’s first game against his former club. Leafs winger Max Pacioretty missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a goal and an assist from Martin Necas as they held off the Calgary Flames 4-2, ending the latter’s six-game season-opening points streak. Dan Vladar stopped 39 shots for the Flames.

Los Angeles Kings winger Warren Foegele tallied twice in the first period as his club nipped the San Jose Sharks 3-2, handing the latter their eighth straight loss (0-6-2) as they remain the only winless team in the league. Mikael Granlund scored two goals for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings activated goaltender Darcy Kuemper from injured reserve before this game. He’s expected to return to action against Utah on Saturday.

HEADLINES

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights signed defenseman Shea Theodore to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.425 million. Theodore, 29, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Theodore’s future in Vegas seemed in doubt after they acquired and signed defenseman Noah Hanifin last season. The departure of winger Jonathan Marchessault stoked speculation that Theodore would be next out the door due to salary-cap constraints.

Theodore is an important part of the Golden Knights’ roster core, providing them with a reliable source of offense from the blueline. He is also one of only three original members still with the Golden Knights, along with William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid believes Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby should captain Canada’s team at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

“It’s just how it should be,” said McDavid. “He’s Sidney Crosby and he’s been there so many times and he’s the guy. It’s not like I thought about it a lot, it’s just such a no-brainer.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby’s international record speaks for itself. He’s a member of the elite Triple Gold Club, winning gold in the World Juniors (2005), the World Championships (2015), and the Olympics (2010, 2014). He also captained Canada as they won the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. Crosby was named to the IIHF All-Decade Team for 2010-2020.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins sent goaltender Tristan Jarry back to Pittsburgh to work with one of the club’s goalie coaches on an individual level. Jarry has struggled this season, prompting the Penguins to go with Alex Nedeljkovic and Joel Blomqvist as their current tandem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry’s struggles have made him the subject of trade speculation. However, his performance and contract ($5.375 million AAV through 2027-28) make it unlikely he’ll change teams.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair is expected to miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a relief for the Isles and Duclair. It was feared he would be laid up for months recovering from that injury.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports NHL Players’ Association Executive Director Marty Walsh hopes to discuss expansion fees with the league during the next round of collective bargaining.

Expansion fees have been split among existing NHL owners. Walsh wants to discuss the possibility of the players receiving a cut of future expansion monies.

Walsh has yet to discuss this topic with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. He’s also under no illusions that the 32 club owners could willingly share any of the profits stemming from future expansion. Nevertheless, he’s hoping to have that conversation with the league.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That proposal could receive a hard no from the NHL owners. However, Bettman could also use that subject as leverage to gain something else for the owners.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2024

by | Sep 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2024

The preseason begins, Jonathan Marchessault’s junior team retires his number, Robin Lehner explains his absence from Golden Knights’ training camp, the Canucks sign Kevin Lankinen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PRESEASON SCORES

NHL.COM: Preseason play began with three games on Sept. 21.

Buffalo Sabres center JJ Peterka (NHL Images).

The Buffalo Sabres thumped the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-3. JJ Peterka led the Sabres with a hat trick while Jesse Puljujarvi tallied all three goals for the Penguins.

Minnesota Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt kicked out 35 shots in a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 23 shots for the Jets.

The Dallas Stars nipped the St. Louis Blues 2-1. Casey DeSmith stopped all 14 shots he faced through two periods while Kyle Capobianco and Colin Blackwell scored for the Stars. Kasperi Kapanen replied for the Blues as Jordan Binnington saved all 10 shots he faced in the first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Preseason play runs through Oct. 5. Ten games are on tap for Sunday including the Ottawa Senators meeting the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Rangers facing off against the Boston Bruins, and split-squad games between the Nashville Predators and the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

RDS.CA: The QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts retired Jonathan Marchessault’s No. 18 jersey at the Videotron Centre. The Nashville Predators winger played for the Remparts from 2007-08 to 2010-11.

It was an emotional ceremony for Marchessault. During his remarks, he revealed that his mother had recently passed away.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Marchessault for his loss.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner released a statement explaining why he didn’t report for his training camp medical. He’s been sidelined since April 2022 after undergoing shoulder in May 2022 and hip surgery in August and has been on long-term injury reserve ever since.

“All I can say at this time is everyone knows why I couldn’t be there. I was waiting calmly for things to be sorted out.”

All players, including those on LTIR, are supposed to undergo a physical before the start of each season. The Golden Knights are in contact with the league and the NHL Players’ Association about the matter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehner has a year remaining on his contract with an annual cap hit of $5 million. However, it could be terminated if the league and PA agree that he violated the terms of the CBA.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed goaltender Kevin Lankinen to a one-year, $875K contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks had been in talks with Lankinen for several weeks as starter Thatcher Demko continues to rehab a nagging lower-body injury. He’s taking a significant pay cut to join the Canucks after earning $2 million with the Nashville Predators last season.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris and goaltender Linus Ullmark didn’t participate in the club’s intra-squad game on Saturday. Head coach Travis Green said they’re keeping Norris out of scrimmages over the last two days for precautionary reasons while Ullmark was having a maintenance day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Norris’ three shoulder surgeries have Senators fans understandably on edge whenever he’s absent from practice.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev is expected to miss an extended period after suffering an injury during a scrimmage on Friday.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney will be absent from training camp for personal reasons.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers promoted Warren Rychel to pro scouting director and added former Oilers winger Zack Kassian to their pro scouting staff.

THE ATHLETIC: A recent poll of NHL players revealed 62.5 percent don’t want the league to address the advantage teams have in “no-tax” states.

Two players said there are various reasons why their peers might choose to play with a specific team. One player noted there was a time when players wanted to go to cities like Chicago and Pittsburgh with higher taxes. Another observed that teams in higher tax states like Chicago, Pittsburgh and Detroit were destination cities when they were winning Stanley Cups.

Meanwhile, 71.8 percent of the players believe the league should address LTIR and tweak the rule, perhaps by implementing a playoff salary cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly seemed unenthused about the league implementing a cap on teams in no-tax states when the subject was raised to him earlier this month. However, he also admitted that most general managers prefer some sort of adjustment to the LTIR rule.

Based on these results, The Athletic’s Michael Russo predicted the LTIR rule will be adjusted in the next round of collective bargaining.










NHL Headlines & Rumors – September 9, 2024

by | Sep 9, 2024

NHL Headlines & Rumors – September 9, 2024

What the future could hold for signing bonuses in player contracts, an update on NHL CBA talks, and more in NHL Headlines & Rumors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a shortened edition published early because I’m taking a personal day. Normal updates will resume on Tuesday, Sep 10.

TORONTO STAR: Dave Feschuk examines why players are signing contracts with hefty signing bonuses.

One reason is they make the contract “essentially buyout proof”. Another is based on “the time value of money,” meaning getting the money upfront is worth more than money later. Most importantly, they offer protection for the player in case of a lockout, ensuring they’ll get the bulk of that season’s earnings in one lump sum.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images).

Players who live in the United States but play for Canadian teams traditionally enjoy substantial tax savings on signing bonuses, paying a rate of 15 percent. However, a dispute between Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares and the Canada Revenue Agency could change that.

If Tavares loses his case, he’ll owe $6.8 million in back taxes plus interest. Plenty of players and agents along with the Canadian NHL franchises, are monitoring this situation closely.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the ruling goes against Tavares it could make it difficult for Canadian teams to attract unrestricted free agents.

ESPN: Greg Wyshynski reports NHL Players’ Association executive director Marty Walsh said there haven’t been any major discussions yet with the NHL regarding the collective bargaining agreement. The CBA will expire in two years (Sep. 15, 2026) unless the two sides agree to extend or update the deal.

“We’ll be talking to players about the agreement coming down the road and how we lay the foundation for that agreement,” said Walsh.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The two sides have plenty of time to work out a new agreement. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly recently sounded upbeat about the relationship between the league and the PA.

This could also be Commissioner Gary Bettman’s last round of collective bargaining. Now 72, Bettman presided over three lockouts, including the one that killed the entire 2004-05 season, leading to the current salary cap system.

However, there’s been labor peace since the last lockout ended on Jan. 6. 2013. With league coffers swelling, Bettman will likely want the next round of collective bargaining to go as smoothly as possible. Whether that’s possible remains to be seen.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Michael DeRosa cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating that Radko Gudas could become the next captain of the Anaheim Ducks. The 34-year-old defenseman is a 13-season NHL veteran.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks haven’t had a team captain since Ryan Getzlaf retired in 2022. Their alternate captains last season were Cam Fowler, Mason McTavish and Troy Terry.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan believes Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj could be an inspiration to the club’s rookies. Entering his third NHL season, the 23-year-old Xhekaj was never selected in the OHL or NHL drafts but made the Canadiens after being invited to their rookie camp in 2021.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski noted several clubs, like the Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres, might need to shore up their depth between the pipes this season.

Kingerski wondered if this might provide the Penguins with a trade opportunity, suggesting Tristan Jarry or Alex Nedeljkovic as possible options. He also mused over whether a rival GM might pry away prospect Joel Blomqvist from the Penguins for the right price.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry’s surfaced in the rumor mill over the past couple of seasons but Kingerski admits his trade value is low. His contract and inconsistent play are significant obstacles.

If Blomqvist has a good camp and preseason, Nedeljkovic could become a trade option. He’s starting a two-year contract with a cap-friendly annual cap hit of $2.5 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2024

by | Aug 27, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2024

The players prepare to protect their contracts from future labor strife, the Blue Jackets take protective measures with 2024 first-rounder Cayden Lindstrom, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Travis Yost believes there are “early signs” that the NHL and NHL Players Association could be preparing for a labor fight when the current collective bargaining agreement expires in September 2026.

Yost cites the slowdown in year-over-year revenue growth from several factors (“Canadian macroeconomics, increased competition in the North American sports landscape, challenges with broadcast rights holders in the United States, and even a de facto forced relocations) following the pandemic created fiscal headwinds that slowed the growth of the salary cap year-over-year.

He believes there will be “a fight of some kind of the apportionment and sharing of hockey-related revenues between the parties.” One way the players are preparing themselves is through contracts containing signing bonuses.

Such contracts can be “lockout proof” because signing bonuses are paid during the offseason. Those bonuses ensure the players receive most of their salary upfront before the regular season begins, preceding any potential labor strife if there isn’t a CBA extension by September 2026.

Yost anticipates more contracts with signing bonuses that carry through the 2026-27 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The signing bonus tactic as lockout protection started several years ago as players and their agents prepared themselves for the possibility of a disruption to the 2022-23 season when the CBA was projected to expire on Sept. 15, 2022. However, the CBA was extended (with some modifiers) in 2020 because of the pandemic to Sept. 15, 2026.

I agree with Yost’s belief that we’ll see more contracts over the next two years with signing bonuses running through 2026-27. Whether there’s another lockout, however, remains to be seen.

The rise in the salary cap from 2020-21 to 2023-24 was slowed by mutual agreement between the league and the PA. That was because league revenue dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic, creating an imbalance in the division of hockey-related revenue resulting in the players paying higher escrow to offset the owners’ losses.

Once the owners were finally “made whole” last season, the salary cap jumped from $83.5 million in 2023-24 to $88 million this season. I’ve heard projections suggesting it could reach $92 million for 2025-26 and $100 million by 2027-28.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the relationship between the league and the PA has “never been better than it is.” Friedman noted CBA talks between the two sides haven’t started yet but believes that’s something “not to be concerned about, plenty of time, and there’s zero credible reason for any stoppage.”

A lot can happen over the next two years to derail negotiations and spark another lockout or a player’s strike. Even if the relationship between the league and the PA is currently rosy, it’s still understandable why the players will want some form of lockout insurance for 2026-27 in the form of signing bonuses.

However, it’ll be the star players who’ll benefit the most from signing bonuses. Few in the rank and file will likely get to have that luxury because they’ll lack the leverage to negotiate for them.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports the Columbus Blue Jackets are being patient with 2024 first-rounder Cayden Lindstrom. The 18-year-old center suffered a back injury (disc herniation) last season and is still working back to full health.

The Blue Jackets expected Lindstrom’s recovery would take time when they drafted him. As a result, they’ve ruled him out of participating in next month’s NHL Prospects Challenge in Buffalo.

“Before we drafted him, we had all the MRIs, all the tests, and everything else from his agents and his doctors,” said Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell. “This is something he’s going to get better from, but we want to be really careful with it. I’ve said all along, we’re going to slow-play this one.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets can afford to be patient with Lindstrom. He’s projected to become a power-forward center, which is why he was considered a top-10 prospect entering this year’s draft and why the Jackets selected him with the fourth-overall pick. There’s no reason to rush his recovery or his development.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Former Oilers forward Sam Gagner has received some professional tryout offers and hopes to turn one into an NHL contract for the coming season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary is dealing with a minor injury that could prevent him from participating in Slovakia’s upcoming Olympic qualifier.

FLAMES NATION: Former Calgary Flames forward Sven Baertschi has joined the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks as an assistant coach. Baertschi spent 10 seasons in the NHL with the Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights from 2011-12 to 2021-22.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2024

by | Apr 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Coyotes could move to Salt Lake City, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The St. Louis Blues kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Jordan Kyrou scored twice as the Blues scored on their first four shots and Robert Thomas picked up a goal and an assist. With a record of 42-32-5 (89 points), the Blues sit three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wildcard berth. Blackhawks rookie Landon Slaggert scored his first NHL goal.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Golden Knights (42-28-8), they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Edmonton Oilers. Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who improved to 48-24-5 and moved into ninth in the overall standings with 101 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers played without captain Connor McDavid as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to return to action at some point during their remaining five games before the end of the regular season.

An overtime goal by Logan Cooley lifted the Arizona Coyotes to a 4-3 upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Dylan Guenther had a goal and three assists for the Coyotes. Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the 48-22-9 as they sit fifth overall with 105 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes deserve credit for playing as well as they did against one of the league’s top teams considering the uncertainty about their futures in Arizona. Speaking of which…

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli was the first to report that Coyotes ownership and the NHL were working on an agreement to sell and relocate the franchise to Salt Lake City.

The league and the Coyotes have reportedly made what Seravalli’s sources called “significant and meaningful progress” on an agreement with Smith Entertainment Group that would have the team playing in Salt Lake City next season.

It’s believed the Coyotes players have been informed a “verbal agreement” is in place. However, nothing is officially in place as the deal is complicated with much work still to be done. Meanwhile, the league is working on two schedules for 2024-25, one with the Coyotes in Arizona and the other with the team in Salt Lake City.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported one Coyotes player said there are rumors of “meeting about the future” before he and his teammates go their separate ways for the offseason.

Friedman indicated the league is working as a broker with Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo and prospective Utah owner Ryan Smith. He claims multiple sources said a real scenario has the league paying Meruelo $1 billion for the Coyotes, then selling the club to Smith for $1.2 billion.

Meruelo would also be offered a five-year exclusive window to bring an expansion team to Arizona.

The Coyotes owner hopes to win a land auction on June 27 for a parcel of land on which he wants to build an arena and sports entertainment complex. The league initially hoped to let the auction play out but there is concern over what would happen if Meruelo lost the auction and the possibility of playing another three seasons at Mullett Arena. According to Friedman, there wasn’t much enthusiasm for the latter.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Kevin Zimmerman lists several factors that could see the Coyotes relocated to Salt Lake City.

He noted that there are “many entities” that don’t want the Coyotes building an arena in the Phoenix area. Among them is Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega, who wrote a letter indicating the biggest problem was the Coyotes’ lack of consultation with Scottsdale regarding infrastructure issues like traffic and water mains.

Zimmerman also believes the NHL and NHL Players’ Association appear to be losing confidence in the Coyotes’ efforts to construct a new arena.

As for why Ryan Smith prefers to bring an existing franchise to Salt Lake City over an expansion club, it’s because it would bring NHL hockey more quickly to Utah. The Coyotes are an “intriguing hockey product” with promising young players such as Clayton Keller and Matias Maccelli and a general manager who is preaching patience with his rebuilding project.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported the NHL sent a status report memo to its Board of Governors on Wednesday in response to the media coverage of this story. The memo stressed that there is still nothing done as there are “moving parts” to this situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having followed the Coyotes ownership saga for nearly two decades, I realize that nothing is set in stone and this situation could take another dramatic twist. Nevertheless, this is the first time that it feels that relocation is imminent. While it’s a complicated scenario that could fall apart in the coming weeks, this seems like a genuine effort by the team’s owner, the league and a prospective buyer in Salt Lake City to make this move happen.

The Coyotes cannot continue as they have in Arizona. It’s not feasible to play in the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena for another three years given the uncertainty over whether a new arena will be built. NHLPA leadership has spoken out in recent months about the Coyotes’ handling of its arena situation because it’s a drag on hockey-related revenue.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has fought for two decades to keep the struggling Coyotes in Arizona because it’s one of the biggest markets in North America. While his patience is long, it’s not endless, and I daresay he’s hearing grumbling from a growing chorus of existing NHL team owners.

I feel sorry for Coyotes fans. They knew this day was coming but it still sucks. Contrary to popular belief, a lot of people supported the Coyotes for decades through the good and mostly bad times. Decades of bumbling by multiple owners and general managers brought this franchise to this point. Coyotes fans deserve better.

THE SCORE: Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is still working on bringing an NHL franchise to his city. “I’m working on it, “ he said. The Rockets play in the 19,000-seat Toyota Center, which would hold 17,800 fans when converted for hockey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Houston becomes a viable alternative if efforts to relocate the Coyotes to Salt Lake City fall through. Otherwise, expect an expansion franchise in Houston (and one in Atlanta) before 2030. It’s going to happen. The league will expand to 34 franchises and perhaps 35 if the NHL attempts to return to Arizona.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports a Philadelphia Flyers management source said John Tortorella will not be losing his job as head coach despite the club’s recent downturn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This comes in response to speculation that Tortorella would be fired or be moved into a management role.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli will miss the remainder of the season. He’s been sidelined by a lacerated calf since Jan. 28. However, Fantilli could skate for Team Canada at next month’s World Championships if he’s fully recovered by then.

NHLPA: The results of the latest players’ poll have been released. Follow the link provided for the results on the players’ views on topics such as the top positional players, the most complete player the toughest arena to play in, the best dressed, and more.