NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2023

by | Aug 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2023

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin talks about teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov, Flyers forward Joel Farabee is looking forward to a better season, the Oilers sign Brandon Sutter to a PTO contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: recently cited an interview given by Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin to a Russian news outlet addressing the trade rumors swirling around teammate and friend Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

“How would I react to a trade? This is the business of hockey,” said Ovechkin. “Today you’re here, tomorrow there, the day after tomorrow on another team. I hope it doesn’t happen.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin acknowledged that the decision isn’t up to him. However, he could get his wish. Kuznetsov’s inconsistent play in recent years and his $7.8 million annual salary cap hit through 2024-25 have hurt his value in this summer’s trade market.

NHL.COM: Joel Farabee hopes a full offseason will lead to a better performance this season. The Philadelphia Flyers forward spent part of last summer recovering from artificial disk replacement surgery in his neck.

Farabee, 23, enjoyed a career-best 39-point effort in 2022-23. He believes he’ll be able to contribute more in 2023-24 following a full offseason of training.

CAP FRIENDLY: indicates the Edmonton Oilers have signed free-agent forward Brandon Sutter to a professional tryout offer. The 34-year-old center’s last NHL season was 2020-21 with the Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sutter is hoping to stage an NHL comeback after being sidelined for two seasons by long-COVID.

DAILY FACEOFF: recently published an updated list of the top remaining unrestricted free agents. Patrick Kane, Max Comtois and Tomas Tatar hold the top-three spots, followed by Jonathan Toews, Noah Gregor, Jaroslav Halak, Paul Stastny and Phil Kessel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane isn’t expected to sign with a team until December when he’s fully recovered from an offseason hip surfacing procedure. Tatar has been linked to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Toews is believed to be mulling retirement. Kessel said he intended to continue his long NHL career after winning his third Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights.

THE ATHLETIC: Former NHL defenseman Jamie Rivers has been named as the St. Louis Blues’ new TV color analyst on Bally Sports Midwest. He previously worked with Fox Sports Midwest and ESPN.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rivers acknowledged he’s got big shoes to fill. He replaces the popular Darren Pang, who has moved on to become the top color commentator for the Chicago Blackhawks and the No. 2 color commentator on TNT.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins have unveiled their centennial plans for the coming season. Among the highlights will be the Heritage Homecoming Week on Oct. 10-13 as the club welcomes over 50 alumni as honored guests.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 10, 2023

by | Aug 10, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 10, 2023

More speculation about the Canadiens possibly trading the recently re-acquired Jeff Petry plus the latest on the Capitals in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE CANADIENS?

RDS.CA: The Montreal Canadiens still haven’t publicly commented on bringing back Petry and adding goaltender Casey DeSmith as part of their involvement in the three-team trade that sent Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry (NHL Images).

Neither general manager Kent Hughes nor Petry and DeSmith have been made available to answer questions from the media.

The silence coming from the Canadiens raises questions about where Petry and DeSmith fit into the club’s roster for the coming season. It’s also generated speculation one or both could soon be shipped off to another club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It is unusual for Hughes not to meet with the press following a trade, particularly in this case when his involvement in the biggest deal of the year meant bringing Petry back to Montreal. He could be keeping a lid on things for now as he attempts to make other moves. The longer the Canadiens go without commenting on that deal, the more rumors will churn about Petry and DeSmith.

It was noted that the Penguins retained 25 percent of Petry’s $6.25 million average annual value through 2024-25. He could be more attractive to other clubs with a cap hit of over $4.6 million.

If Hughes wants to trade Petry again, he could garner more interest by retaining a portion of that amount as well. Potential trade partners could include the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited TSN’s Chris Johnston saying the Dallas Stars expressed an interest in Petry in the past. Johnston believes a lot of teams could be interested in the 35-year-old blueliner if the Canadiens retained half of his remaining cap hit.

Johnston believes the conditions could be right for the Canadiens to trade Petry within the next few months.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry’s 15-team no-trade clause will be a factor as it was during the trade negotiations that resulted in the Penguins acquiring Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks. Reports claimed Petry wouldn’t waive his clause to go to San Jose because he didn’t want to be far from his family.

CAPITALS STILL SEEKING A MOVE BEFORE TRAINING CAMP.

THE ATHLETIC: Tarik El-Bashir noted that the Washington Capitals could attempt to make a trade to improve their roster. During last week’s press conference announcing Tom Wilson’s contract extension, general manager Brian MacLellan confirmed he’s interested in making a move ahead of training camp, which opens on Sept. 20.

MacLellan acknowledged that he’s looking to improve his top-six forwards. He said that he had a few discussions during the draft in June and would see whether they carry forward.

El-Bashir pointed out reports earlier this summer indicating the Capitals and Nashville Predators had discussed a trade of Evgeny Kuznetsov, who had requested a trade last season. MacLellan wasn’t asked directly about Kuznetsov during the press conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can’t rule anything out regarding Kuznetsov but it seems unlikely that he’ll get traded. A gifted but inconsistent playmaker, he’s coming off a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. He also carries a $7.8 million AAV through 2024-25 and a 10-team no-trade clause.

MacLellan might end up having to move a promising prospect and a draft pick if he’s seeking top-six forward help. He could offer up a first-round pick, one of his two third-round picks in 2024 or perhaps one or two of his three second-rounders in the 2025 draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 9, 2023

by | Aug 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 9, 2023

The preseason schedule is released, details of how the Erik Karlsson trade went down, plus the latest on Brendan Gallagher, Jeremy Swayman, Tim Thomas and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The 2023-24 preseason schedule was released yesterday. It will be “a 15-day, 111-game slate played across 44 NHL and neutral-site venues in North America and Australia from Sept. 23 to Oct. 7.”

The schedule kicks off with the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings playing two games in Australia in the 2023 NHL Global Series in Melbourne at the Rod Laver Arena from Sept. 23-24. It’s the first time NHL games will be played in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the Kraft Hockeyville series, the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs face off at the Joe Thornton Community Centre in St. Thomas, Ont, on Sept. 27 while the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators meet on Oct. 1 at Centre 200 in Sydney, NS.

The 2023-24 regular season begins on Oct. 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Training camps are expected to begin between Sept. 21 and 25.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Details emerged about how the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster three-team deal involving the Montreal Canadiens. Among the highlights:

Sharks general manager Mike Grier dismissed reports from last month claiming he and Penguins GM Kyle Dubas were close to a deal on the opening day of free agency (July 1) or during the NHL Draft on June 28-29. Dubas, meanwhile, said his side pushed hardest during the last week to make it work.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

As expected, moving Karlsson’s hefty contract proved to be challenging, especially given the Sharks’ unwillingness to retain a significant portion of his $11.5 million average annual salary. Grier also indicated that the Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes were the only clubs seriously in the hunt.

There was also a deadline for the Penguins to acquire Karlsson that was tied to the settlement last week of winger Drew O’Connor’s salary arbitration. It opened a 48-hour contract buyout window over the weekend that would’ve been Dubas’ last chance to clear some significant salary-cap space barring a trade before the beginning of the regular season. The Penguins intended to buy out Mikael Granlund but instead managed to include him in the trade package to San Jose for Karlsson.

The Sharks were on Jeff Petry’s 15-team no-trade list. He was traded to the Canadiens with the Penguins retaining 25 percent of his $6.25 million AAV. Dubas revealed there was some difficulty attempting to move the 35-year-old defenseman until Canadiens GM Kent Hughes stepped in toward the end.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There were a lot of pieces to this deal that needed time to be worked out. Fans and pundits are grading this trade to determine the winners and losers. Time, however, will be the ultimate judge of how this deal works out for all concerned.

What’s undeniable is this became the biggest trade in Pittsburgh Penguins’ history. It involved 12 assets, breaking the record of nine that was set in the 2015 Phil Kessel trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the Canadiens, Brendan Gallagher said he’s healthy after recovering from a twice-broken ankle that limited him to 37 games last season. The 31-year-old winger is looking forward to playing a leadership role with the rebuilding Habs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gallagher’s physical, aggressive style of play could lead to him being sidelined at times this season. He missed considerable time over the past three years.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jeremy Swayman said he holds no ill will against the Bruins after being awarded a one-year, $3.47 million contract via arbitration. While the 24-year-old goaltender acknowledged it was business, he also said he didn’t want to repeat the process.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Going through the arbitration process often leads to a player’s departure once they become eligible for unrestricted free-agent status. However, the Bruins’ limited salary-cap space this season put the club in a difficult situation where they couldn’t afford to pay Swayman a more lucrative contract.

With the cap expected to rise by at least $4 million for 2024-25 and Swayman once again a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, perhaps the two sides will reach an agreement on a longer-term contract.

Speaking of the Bruins, former goalie Tim Thomas is looking forward to being part of the club’s centennial celebrations this season. Thomas, 49, said he’s looking forward to seeing some old teammates and expects it will be a fun season given the events planned by the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thomas has had a change of heart after saying he wouldn’t take part in the ceremonies during a 2019 interview. He’ll likely get a warm welcome from the Bruins faithful given his invaluable role in the club’s 2011 Stanley Cup championship run.

DAILY FACEOFF: cited Edmonton Oilers commentator Bob Stauffer reporting Brandon Sutter is expected to join the club’s training camp next month on a professional tryout offer. He hasn’t played since the 2020-21 season due to the effects of long-COVID but said in March that he’s been making some progress.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo has put in a letter of intent to purchase 41 acres in Mesa, AZ, for the club’s new arena. If successful, it would become the first privately funded sports and entertainment district in the state. Meruelo is also reportedly looking at other possible sites in the East Valley.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move follows a May vote by Tempe voters rejecting the Coyotes’ proposal to construct a venue in their area.

RDS.CA: Former NHL star Jaromir Jagr confirmed he’s returning for another season with Czechia’s Kladno Knights. Jagr, 51, owns the club and is in his seventh season with Kladno since leaving the NHL. He had five goals and nine assists in 26 games last season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 4, 2023

by | Aug 4, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 4, 2023

The Oilers put Connor McDavid’s former agent in charge of hockey operations, Kyle Dubas will remain the Penguins’ general manager, Mike Babcock admits to making mistakes with the Leafs, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Edmonton Oilers announced Jeff Jackson has been named as their new CEO of Hockey operations. Jackson is a former NHL player and the former agent of Oilers captain Connor McDavid.

Jackson will report directly to Oilers owner Darryl Katz and will serve as the club’s alternate governor. He will be assisted in his role by Paul Coffey, who’s been with the Oilers for over a year as a special advisor to Katz. Ken Holland remains as general manager and will report directly to Jackson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This hiring is also being seen as the Oilers m a step closer to solidifying McDavid’s future with the club. His contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Jackson acknowledged his close relationship with McDavid but stressed that it will be different now. He feels the goal is to ensure they keep the Oilers’ core group together. That will include Leon Draisaitl, whose contract expires in 2025.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins have made Kyle Dubas their general manager on a full-time basis. Dubas was hired as president of hockey operations in June and was serving as interim general manager. Trevor Daley and Amanda Kessel were named special assistants to Dubas in a series of promotions announced yesterday.

Pittsburgh Penguins hockey ops president and GM Kyle Dubas (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas said he believed it was in the interest of continuity that he remain in both roles for now. He didn’t rule out finding a new general manager in future off-seasons.

SPORTSNET: Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock admitted to making mistakes during his tenure as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an interview with the FAN Morning Show.

“Do I like how I was talked about after I left? No,” said Babcock. “Do I think I did anything wrong? Absolutely.” He added that he wasn’t trying to hide from anything he’s done and will own up to any mistakes and learn from them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Babcock didn’t get into specifics about his mistakes. He faced allegations of bullying players during his tenure with the Leafs and during his time behind the Detroit Red Wings bench.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev wasn’t happy about how recent comments he made during a recent interview with a Russian news outlet were mistranslated and posted to Instagram by @nhlbreakers.

In the now-deleted post, Sergachev is quoted as saying, “Wow, Toronto wins one series in 19 years then immediately loses, they deserve no credit, no other team would celebrate such a thing.”

In a post on his Instagram account, Sergachev insisted he said no such thing. He said he was asked if Toronto’s physical play during their first-round series accounted for a couple of Lightning defensemen getting injured. He said he replied, “No, it just happens sometimes people get hurt by accident, and I don’t want to give them credit.”

When asked why not, Sergachev said he didn’t think they deserve credit. When the reporter noted it was the first time in 19 years the Leafs got past the first round, the blueliner said that he replied, “Here true, good on them! But didn’t go thru the second round, I don’t see a reason to celebrate.”

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Leafs, Milan Lucic said they and the Chicago Blackhawks were interested in signing him when he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The 35-year-old winger signed with the Boston Bruins, returning to the club where he began his NHL career and enjoyed his biggest successes.

THE PROVINCE: Former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear said he’s recovering well from his recent shoulder surgery. An unrestricted free agent, he’s received inquiries from other clubs but would love to return to the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear will be sidelined until December. He’ll likely get a new contract with a club around then as injuries start to take their toll on defense corps around the league.

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes did a feature on Taylor Dixon, the creator of the Puckdoku puzzle game that’s taken hockey fans by storm this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I recently became a fan of Puckdoku and usually start my day solving the latest puzzle before going to work. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to test your knowledge of NHL players past and present. Go to puckdoku.com to check it out!










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 2, 2023

by | Aug 2, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 2, 2023

The latest contract signings and arbitration updates, Vladimir Tarasenko happy to join the Senators, the Kraken removes BookTok content over comments made toward Alex Wennberg and his wife, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was awarded a one-year contract worth $3.47 million following his arbitration hearing on Sunday. Swayman had sought $4.8 million while the Bruins countered with $2 million.

The Bruins avoided arbitration with forward Trent Frederic as the two sides agreed to a two-year, $4.6 million contract with an average annual value of $2.3 million. Frederic was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing on Tuesday.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The new contracts for Swayman and Frederic leave the Bruins with less than $430K of salary cap space for 2023-24 with 22 players under contract. That will likely continue to stoke speculation of the Bruins perhaps making a cost-cutting trade to bolster their depth at center for the coming season.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers avoided an arbitration hearing on Tuesday with Ryan McLeod by signing the center to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers now have $3.5 million in cap space with restricted free-agent defenseman Evan Bouchard to sign. It could leave them with sufficient wiggle room to get him under contract on a short-term deal for around $3 million per season.

Bouchard, 23, is coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights. He could receive an offer sheet from another club but that seems a remote possibility at this stage given how many clubs lack sufficient cap space to go that route this summer.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Rangers avoided arbitration with minor-league defenseman Brandon Scanlin as the two sides agreed to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As per Cap Friendly, only two players remain on the arbitration schedule. Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry’s hearing is slated for today (Aug. 2) while Pittsburgh Penguins forward Drew O’Connor’s is on Aug. 4.

OTTAWA SUN: Vladimir Tarasenko said he is looking forward to playing with the Senators this season. He signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the club last Thursday.

Speaking from his Florida home, the 31-year-old winger said he had several signing options in free agency. He was convinced the Senators were the right choice after speaking with general manager Pierre Dorion, head coach D.J. Smith and several Senators players.

“It’s an exciting young group of players,” said Tarasenko. “I spoke to guys before we signed and it sounds like guys want to win. We just decided that it was the best deal for one year for us.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated Tarasenko’s new agents called the club saying it would be a done deal if they included a full no-movement clause in his contract, which they did. That clause ensures Tarasenko cannot be demoted to the minors without his approval. He’ll also have total control over potential destinations if the Senators decide to move him before the March trade deadline.

ESPN.COM: The Seattle Kraken removed TikTok videos marketed to the hockey BookTok community. The move comes following statements by forward Alex Wennberg and his wife Felicia speaking out against what they called “vile comments” that sexualized and harassed him and his family for months.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche announced that Steve Konowalchuk has been named the Associate Head Coach of the Colorado Eagles, their AHL affiliate.

Former Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg announced his retirement at age 37. He played 597 games over nine NHL seasons (2012-13 to 2020-21) with the Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks, netting 110 goals and 297 points along with 14 points in 45 career NHL playoff games.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 1, 2023

by | Aug 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 1, 2023

The top remaining unrestricted free agents, Sharks speculation that has nothing to do with Erik Karlsson, and the latest on the Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TOP REMAINING UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

DAILY FACEOFF: Patrick Kane and Matt Dumba sit first and second on Frank Seravalli’s list of the top remaining NHL unrestricted free agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane won’t be entertaining contract offers until he’s recovered from his recent hip surgery. That’s expected to be sometime in early December. Dumba, meanwhile, is the top defenseman in the market and has been linked to the Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.

Forwards Max Comtois, Tomas Tatar and Jonathan Toews sit in positions three through five on the listing.

Former Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Comtois recently said that he’s received calls from interested clubs but no contract offers yet. He indicated that the Montreal Canadiens have not contacted him. There’s been no rumors of late linking Tatar to any NHL club but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t received any calls.

Toews, meanwhile, has been silent except for releasing a statement in response to the recent death of Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz. The agency that represents him did not have his name on their list of clients who are free agents this summer, fuelling speculation that he’s mulling retirement.

Forward Pius Suter, winger Noah Gregor, goaltender Jaroslav Halak, center Paul Stastny and winger Phil Kessel rounded out the top 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suter said he doesn’t intend on returning to his native Switzerland and hopes to sign an NHL contract. Kessel, 35, has indicated he wants to continue his NHL career. So does the 38-year-old Halak. No word on Stastny or Gregor.

UPDATE ON THE SHARKS

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For those of you who are weary of all the speculation about Erik Karlsson, here’s the latest on the San Jose Sharks that has nothing to do with the 33-year-old defenseman. Enjoy!

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng observed that Sharks general manager Mike Grier has been pursuing devalued assets this summer that still appear to possess real upside. He’s acquired goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and wingers Anthony Duclair and Filip Zadina and made a failed attempt at signing Vladimir Tarasenko.

Peng listed defenseman Matt Dumba, winger Tomas Tatar and winger Max Comtois as three free agents that he believes Grier should target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have over $5 million in projected cap space for 2023-24. They will have more if they somehow manage to trade a certain expensive Norris Trophy-winning defenseman this summer. That will give Grier more room to perhaps add a free agent or two such as those listed by Peng.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller wondered if the Sharks might consider trading Alexander Barabanov. The 29-year-old winger has been a good player, netting 93 points in 147 games. However, he could become the odd man out among their top-six forwards with the additions of Duclair and Zadina and with promising William Eklund expected to crack the lineup this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller suggested that Barabanov, who is slated to become a UFA next July, could be an enticing target for playoff contenders at the March trade deadline. He carries an affordable $2.5 million cap hit but his 10-team no-trade clause could affect the number of possible trade partners for the Sharks.

LATEST ON THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins reported on Sunday that he’d heard the Oilers were closing in on new contracts with defenseman Evan Bouchard and center Ryan McLeod. The latter has an arbitration hearing on Aug. 4.

Leavins believes the goalposts have been slightly moved in terms of what it might cost to sign them. That leads him to conclude that the Oilers might have to go the professional tryout offer (PTO) route to add a center or two rather than signing UFAs. He also doesn’t rule out an in-season trade, suggesting Washington’s Nic Dowd and Montreal’s Jake Evans as possible trade options.

Robert Tychowski, meanwhile, believes the Oilers have dodged a “potential grenade” of an offer sheet for Bouchard. If it was going to happen, he thinks it would’ve by now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed regarding the Bouchard offer sheet. There aren’t many teams with the cap space to pull it off. It also remains a rarely-used tactic that most general managers tend to avoid.