NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2023

by | May 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2023

The Panthers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Golden Knights push the Oilers to the brink of elimination and the Hart Trophy finalists are announced. Get the details in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1996 with a 3-2 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Nick Cousins tallied the game-winner after the Leafs overcame a 2-0 deficit on goals by Morgan Rielly and William Nylander. Aaron Ekblad and Carter Verhaeghe also scored for the Panthers.

Florida Panthers forward Nick Cousins (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. The date has yet to be announced for Game 1 but it will likely be Wednesday at the earliest.

After upsetting the Boston Bruins in the first round, the Panthers suffered no letdown in this series. They outworked and out-hustled Toronto during the first three games while their best players were consistently at their best. While the Leafs improved in the final two games, the Panthers made the most of their opportunities. They also took home-ice advantage away from their opponent, winning three of their four games in Toronto.

Down 2-1 late in the second period, Rielly appeared to have tied the game for the Leafs but the NHL situation room claimed the referee deemed the play to be dead before the puck crossed the line. Nylander would tie the game in the third period but it might have been the game-winner had Rielly’s goal counted.

Despite winning their first playoff round in 19 years during this postseason, there’s a feeling of disappointment and heartbreak in Leafs Nation amid speculation that big changes are coming in this offseason. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

The Vegas Golden Knights are on the verge of advancing to the Western Conference Finals following a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their second-round series. They overcame 1-0 and 2-1 deficits and held off the Oilers’ third-period push after Connor McDavid cut their lead by one goal. Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault each had three points while Adin Hill stopped 32 shots. McDavid scored twice for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel is thriving in his first-ever NHL playoffs. He leads the Golden Knights with 13 points and is tied for the club leads in goals (six) with Chandler Stephenson.

All of the Oilers’ goals in this game came on the power play but they also gave up two on the penalty kill. Their difficulties in scoring at even strength are becoming an issue for them in this series. There’s also concern about their goaltending as Stuart Skinner got pulled again after giving up four goals on 22 shots.

Both clubs were without their best defensemen for this contest as Vegas’ Alex Pietrangelo and Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse were both serving one-game suspensions.

Speaking of Connor McDavid, he joins Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk as finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy as this season’s most valuable player on his team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 11, 2023

by | May 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 11, 2023

The Leafs avoid elimination by the Panthers, the Oilers tied their series with the Golden Knights, the Ted Lindsay Award finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs staved off elimination in their second-round series with the Florida Panthers with a 2-1 victory in Game 4. William Nylander and Mitch Marner scored while Joseph Woll made 24 saves for the Leafs. Sam Reinhart replied for Florida while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots. Game 5 goes Friday in Toronto with the Panthers up three games to one.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the best defensive effort by the Leafs in this postseason. They didn’t get rattled when the Panthers cut their lead to 2-1 in the third period and gave as good as they got with their physical play. Woll handled himself well in net in a must-win game while Nylander and Marner silenced their critics (for one game anyway) with their play.

The Edmonton Oilers evened their series with the Vegas Golden Knights at two games apiece with a 4-1 win. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, Connor McDavid collected two assists and Stuart Skinner kicked out 25 shots for the Oilers. Nicolas Roy replied for the Golden Knights. The series returns to Vegas for Game 5 on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a dominant win by Edmonton in a game that got increasingly nasty as it went along, especially in the third period. The clubs combined for 111 minutes in penalties.

Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo got a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a lumberjack-style slash on Leon Draisaitl, prompting Oilers captain Connor McDavid to call for Pietrangelo to be suspended for a deliberate attempt to injure.

Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse could face a one-game suspension after receiving an instigator penalty for starting a fight with Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague in the final minute of the game. Golden Knights forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson each received misconducts as did Oilers forwards Evander Kane and Kailer Yamamoto.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, and Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak are the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award for the NHL’s outstanding player as voted by the fans.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Various sources report the Philadelphia Flyers intend to hire Keith Jones as their new president of hockey operations. Jones played three of his nine NHL seasons with the Flyers and is the lead color analyst for their TV broadcasts. He has no front-office experience.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones has carved out a long, successful career as a hockey broadcaster and maintained ties with the club. However, his lack of front-office experience could become an issue as the Flyers attempt to rebuild.

This move also confirms that Daniel Briere will become their full-time general manager. Unlike Jones, Briere worked within the Flyers organization since 2017.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks signed goaltender Arvid Soderblom to a two-year contract extension. The average annual value is $962,500.

TSN: A study of NHL players shows that enforcers who spent a lot of time in fights during their playing careers die 10 years younger than their fellow players. Researchers at Columbia University in New York reached that conclusion after studying data from over 6,000 players from 1967 to 2022.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2023

by | May 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2023

The Golden Knights regain their series lead over the Oilers while the Blackhawks win the draft lottery. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS DEFEAT OILERS IN GAME 3

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights regained the lead in their second-round series over the Edmonton Oilers with a 5-1 victory on Monday evening. Jonathan Marchessault scored twice while Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist. Adin Hill made 24 saves for the win relief of Laurent Brossoit, who suffered what appeared to be an injured right leg in the first period. Warren Foegele replied for the Oilers while Stuart Skinner got the hook after giving up four goals on 23 shots.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet regarding the severity of Brossoit’s injury. An update is expected sometime today. Hill did a fine job covering off for his sidelined teammate while the Golden Knights limited their trips to the penalty box, silencing the Oilers’ vaunted power play. They also effectively neutralized their opponents at even strength.

This was the worst performance by the Oilers in this postseason. They scored the first goal but spent the rest of the game on their heels, struggling to generate quality scoring chances while making costly mistakes in their own zone. They’ll need a much better effort in Game 4 on Wednesday or face returning to Las Vegas on the brink of elimination.

BLACKHAWKS WIN 2023 DRAFT LOTTERY

The Chicago Blackhawks won the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery, earning the right to select top prospect Connor Bedard in the first round of the draft on June 28. The Blackhawks had the third-best odds (11.5) of winning the lottery.

The Anaheim Ducks had the best odds (18.5) but slipped to second overall while the Columbus Blue Jackets (13.5) will pick third.

The Ottawa Senators’ first-round pick was 12th overall. As per the conditions of the Jakob Chychrun trade on March 1, that pick belongs to the Arizona Coyotes (stick tap to Cap Friendly).

1. Chicago Blackhawks

2. Anaheim Ducks

3. Columbus Blue Jackets

4. San Jose Sharks

5. Montreal Canadiens

6. Arizona Coyotes

7. Philadelphia Flyers

8. Washington Capitals

9. Detroit Red Wings

10. St. Louis Blues

11. Vancouver Canucks

12. Arizona Coyotes (via Ottawa Senators)

13. Buffalo Sabres

14. Pittsburgh Penguins

15. Nashville Predators

16. Calgary Flames

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Choosing Connor Bedard will positively affect the Blackhawks on and off the ice. He’ll help to improve the on-ice product while giving their fans a watchable star as the club continues its rebuilding program.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard on his own won’t turn the Blackhawks back into Stanley Cup contenders again. Management still faces the daunting task of surrounding him with a strong supporting cast via the draft, trades and free agency over the next several years. Nevertheless, Bedard gives them a solid foundation on which to base their rebuild.

There was a negative reaction on social media over the Blackhawks winning this lottery. The conspiracy-minded believe it was rigged to help the Hawks, though these are the type of people who would claim the lottery is on the level if their team had won.

Many were angry that the Blackhawks hadn’t had their 2023 pick stripped away as part of their punishment after an investigation two years ago revealed the club covered up Kyle Beach’s allegations that he was sexually assaulted in 2010 by the team’s video coach. General manager Stan Bowman was forced to step down for his role in the cover-up as did former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville from his job as Florida Panthers head coach.

Given the Hawks odds, everyone knew they had a good chance of winning the lottery but no concern was raised before the event. While the outrage is understandable it probably wouldn’t have been on the same level had the Hawks got the second or third-overall pick or if they wound up much lower in the draft order.

NEW YORK POST: ESPN insider Kevin Weekes inadvertently revealed the Blue Jackets had fallen to No. 3 before deputy commissioner Bill Daly officially revealed it. The incident occurred just before the network went to a commercial break.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks on social media saw this as proof that the lottery was rigged. They overlooked the fact that the lottery had been held well beforehand and not in real time on the air as Daly announced each position in the draft order. The network knew the results before the show went on the air and wrote their script accordingly. It was likely a technical error that led to Weekes’ accidentally revealing the Jackets’ position.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen is listed as day-to-day after being struck in the face by a puck during Game 3 of his club’s second-round series with the Seattle Kraken. He is not in concussion protocol but is uncertain for Game 4 tonight in Seattle.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov is feeling better and will undergo tests (including an MRI) to determine his status for Game 4 against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. Samsonov suffered an upper-body injury during Game 3 after teammate Luke Schenn accidentally fell on him trying to break up a play near the Leafs net.

New Jersey Devils winger Tomas Tatar was fined $5,000.00 for high-sticking Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho during Game 3 of their second-round series on Sunday.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Hurricanes, goaltender Antti Raanta participated in practice yesterday after missing the last two games due to illness.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed prospect Mackie Samoskevich to a three-year entry-level contract.

ILLEGAL CURVE: Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter will play for Switzerland in the upcoming IIHF World Championship

SPORTSNET: The Vancouver Canucks were fined $50,000.00 for violating the NHL’s offseason training rules. They reportedly held on-ice sessions with a number of players in mid-April after the season ended, which is a violation of the CBA.

NHL.COM: Former NHL winger Vic Stasiuk passed away over the weekend at age 93. Stasiuak spent 14 seasons in the league from 1949-50 to 1962-63 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins. In 745 regular-season games, he scored 183 goals and 437 points along with 34 points in 68 playoff games. Between 1969-70 to 1972-73, he was head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, California Golden Seals and Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Stasiuk’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2023

by | May 7, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2023

The Oilers down the Golden Knights to tie their second-round series, Gerard Gallant is out as Rangers’ head coach and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers thumped the Vegas Golden Knights 5-1 in Game 2 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each scored twice, Zach Hyman collected three assists and Stuart Skinner kicked out 30 shots for the win. The series is tied at a game apiece as it shifts to Edmonton for Game 3 on Monday.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers dominated the Golden Knights from the opening drop, rolling to a 4-0 lead in the first period and never looking back.

Once again, their power play was lethal, scoring three goals with the man advantage. The Oilers’ power-play success rate is a phenomenal 56.0 percent in these playoffs thus far.

They were also dangerous on the penalty kill with one of McDavid’s goals scored while shorthanded.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers announced Saturday that they and head coach Gerard Gallant have mutually agreed to part ways. This comes less than a week after the Rangers were eliminated from the opening round of the playoffs by the New Jersey Devils.

Gallant was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award last season after coaching the Rangers to a 110-point performance. They also reached the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals. They finished this season with 107 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have now gone through three head coaches since 2018. Gallant’s status was the subject of media speculation for most of last week. He fact criticism over his strict adherence to his coaching system and supposed inability to adjust to in-game situations.

Speculation has already started regarding Gallant’s replacement. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano acknowledged his recent play “hasn’t been good enough.” The 39-year-old blueliner is playing in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in his career. He’s been on the ice for 11 even-strength goals against during this postseason.

TSN: Rookie defenseman Luke Hughes will be in the lineup for the New Jersey Devils in Game 3 Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Hughes replaces Ryan Graves, who suffered an upper-body injury in Game 2.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope wondered who will take over as Blackhawks captain when Jonathan Toews departs via free agency on July 1. Seth Jones or Connor Murphy would be suitable candidates but Pope also wondered if the club might not bother naming a captain for next season.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of team captains, Steve MacFarlane wondered if offering the Flames’ captaincy to Mikael Backlund might convince the 34-year-old center to sign a contract extension. He’s slated next summer to become an unrestricted free agent.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed defense prospect Lian Bichsel to a three-year entry-level contract. The 2022 first-round pick is currently recovering from a broken ankle.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have signed 2022 first-round pick Jonathan Lekkerimaki to a three-year entry-level deal.

OTTAWA SUN: Another celebrity has joined another group bidding for the Ottawa Senators. Canadian music star Abel Tesfaye (also known as The Weeknd) has agreed to partner with Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group to purchase the club.

Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds and superstar rapper Snoop Dogg are also part of two other groups bidding for ownership of the Senators. The deadline for final binding bids is reportedly May 15.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 4, 2023

by | May 4, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 4, 2023

The latest Avalanche speculation plus recent updates on Josh Bailey and Kailer Yamamoto in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE AVALANCHE

THE DENVER POST: Bennett Durando recently examined the pressing issues facing the Colorado Avalanche following their early exit from the 2023 playoffs.

Uncertainty exists over the statues of captain Gabriel Landeskog and winger Valeri Nichushkin.

Landeskog remains sidelined by a nagging knee injury that could sideline him into next season. He’s under contract for six more seasons with an average annual value of $7 million.

Meanwhile, the club has been silent over Nichushkin’s situation. He was sent back to Denver following an incident involving an intoxicated woman in his Seattle hotel room before Game 3 of their series against the Kraken. His whereabouts remain unclear despite the lack of a criminal investigation against him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog could end up on long-term injury reserve to start next season. That will provide the Avs with some salary-cap wiggle room if necessary though they must ensure they’re cap compliant should he return to the lineup before the end of the season.

Nichushkin reportedly isn’t under investigation for any criminal charges. He’s earning an AAV of $6.125 million through 2029-30. His situation has some observers wondering if a contract termination is possible though it’s premature at this stage to make that assumption until more details emerge.

The Avalanche face the second straight offseason trying to fill their second-line center position. Do they re-sign pending UFA J.T. Compher or attempt to find a replacement via the trade or free-agent markets?

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They might be better off re-signing Compher provided his asking price is reasonable. There’s not much depth in quality second-line centers in this summer’s UFA market. Finding one via trade could be difficult.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews (NHL Images).

Durando also wondered what the Avalanche will do with Devon Toews. The 29-year-old defenseman is eligible for UFA status next summer. Do they open contract extension talks this summer, clear another salary to make room for his new contract, or consider trading him this summer?

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews is an invaluable part of their defense corps. If they re-sign him, however, they could be forced to ship out another blueliner to clear cap room.

The Athletic’s Peter Baugh wondered if that would mean shopping Samuel Girard. The Avs have been hesitant to move him in the past but they might not have much choice this time around.

Defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Alex Newhook are coming off their entry-level contracts this summer and are due for raises. Durando wondered if they’ll end up on affordable short-term bridge deals or signed to long-term deals with bigger dollar amounts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That all comes down to how much cap space the Avs will have. Cap Friendly shows them with $13.9 million of projected cap space next season with 12 roster players under contract.

Re-signing Compher could cost a minimum of $5.5 million annually. It could cost at least a combined $6 million to ink Byram and Newhook to short-term bridge deals. That won’t leave much to fill out the remainder of the roster.

If there’s no apparent cap relief from Landeskog and/or Nichushkin, the Avs will have to make a cost-cutting move or two. Toews or Girard could be on the move this summer.

THE ISLANDERS’ JOSH BAILEY FACES AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports long-time Islanders winger Josh Bailey faces an uncertain future. The 15-year veteran is just the third player in franchise history to play over 1,000 games and is among their franchise leaders in assists and points.

Bailey, however, was a healthy scratch during the Isles’ first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes and played just four games in the club’s final month of the regular season. He acknowledged the uncertainty he faces during his end-of-season interview with the press.

With younger wingers in the lineup and the Isles carrying limited cap space this summer, Bailey could become a trade or buyout candidate. He has a year left on his contract worth $5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bailey’s production has declined since reaching his career high of 71 points in 2017-18. He had just 25 points in 64 games this season. Trading him won’t be easy unless the Isles include a sweetener in the deal or retain part of his cap hit. A buyout seems more likely at this stage in his career.

COULD THE OILERS SHOP YAMAMOTO THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: During the Edmonton Oilers’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, Allan Mitchell pondered Kailer Yamamoto’s future in Edmonton. The 24-year-old winger has been hampered by injuries plus his shooting percentage has struggled and he’s had difficulty winning puck battles.

Yamamoto has a year remaining on his contract worth $3.1 million. Mitchell believes he hasn’t delivered enough offense to justify his salary when the Oilers face a tight salary cap this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have 21 players under contract for next season but only $3.7 million in projected cap space with Evan Bouchard and Klim Kostin seeking raises as restricted free agents. Yamamoto had 10 goals and 25 points in 58 games this season. He could become a salary-cap casualty this summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2023

by | May 4, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2023

The Golden Knights defeat the Oilers despite Leon Draisaitl’s four-goal performance, the Hurricanes cruise to an easy win over the Devils, and the Calder Trophy finalists are announced. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored all four of his club’s goals but it wasn’t enough to prevent his team from falling 6-4 to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Ivan Barbashev scored twice while Mark Stone and Jack Eichel each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights. Game 2 goes Saturday evening in Las Vegas.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second time in this second round that a player scored four goals for the losing side in the opening game of their series. Dallas Stars winger Joe Pavelski set an NHL record as the oldest player to tally four times in a playoff game as his club dropped a 5-4 decision to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday.

Edmonton opened the scoring but spent the rest of the game playing catch-up with Vegas. Their vaunted power-play went two-for-three on the night but Vegas did a good job limiting their trips to the penalty box. The Golden Knights outperformed the Oilers at 5-on-5 play, using an aggressive forecheck to create scoring opportunities.

The Oilers also lost forward Mattias Janmark in the first period after he fell awkwardly and struck his head against the boards.

The Carolina Hurricanes cruised to a 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils in Game 1 of their second-round series. Seth Jarvis scored what proved to be the winning goal, Frederik Andersen stopped 17 shots while Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook each collected two assists. Nate Bastian replied for the Devils while first-round hero Akira Schmid was pulled early in the second period after giving up three goals on 11 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schmid wasn’t solely to blame for the Devils’ loss. By the end of the first period, Carolina led 2-0 and outshot the Devils 10-1. Schmid and his teammates were dominated by the Hurricanes’ suffocating defensive game and did little to contain their offense.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power, and Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner as the finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy as this season’s rookie of the year. The winner will be announced during the 2023 NHL Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on June 26.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant wasn’t pleased over recent speculation suggesting he could lose his job following his club’s first-round exit from the 2023 playoffs.

“I can’t believe I have to answer some of these questions about me getting fired,” he said during his end-of-season press conference. “If I can’t stand by my record and what I’ve done, I think there’s something wrong.”

Gallant said he hasn’t talked to Rangers general manager Chris Drury about his future. He’s the first coach in club history to have back-to-back 100-point seasons in his first two years with the franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers media seems to be seeking a scapegoat for the Rangers’ disappointing end to their season. It’s possible that Gallant’s bosses decide to go in a different direction but I think he’s earned the right to return behind their bench next season. He’s not going anywhere unless the players are unhappy with his coaching and express their concerns to Drury.

Patrick Kane’s short tenure with the Rangers is likely over. The pending unrestricted free-agent winger was acquired from Chicago before the trade deadline. He’s mulling surgery for an injury that’s nagged him for the last two years and clearly affected his performance this season. Kane indicated he’d love to return but acknowledged their limited cap space and younger players they need to re-sign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has thus far declined to provide details about his health but it’s been rumored for months that he’s been hampered by a hip injury. That will affect his value in this summer’s free-agent market, especially if he requires surgery that could sideline him for the start of next season.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos has a year remaining on his contract but he hopes to finish his career in Tampa Bay. “This is the only jersey I ever want to wear,” said Stamkos, who was drafted first overall by the Lightning in 2008. He’s hopeful they’ll begin contract extension talks this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is completing the seventh season of an eight-year, $68 million contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million. The Lightning captain was once again among his club’s leading scorers with 84 points in 81 games. He’s undoubtedly aware of the Bolts’ limited cap space in 2024-25 as they currently have a projected $26.9 million available with just nine players under contract for that season.

Because Florida doesn’t have a state tax, I can see Stamkos accepting a bit of a pay cut to finish his career in Tampa Bay. How much he’ll accept and whether the Lightning can afford him remains to be seen.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Bo Horvat admitted the trade from the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Islanders took a mental toll on him this season. However, he credited the Islanders’ efforts to relieve that pressure when it came to relocating his family from Vancouver to Long Island.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild seemed to lose confidence in young players Marco Rossi and Calen Addison this season. While that’s led to questions about their future, the Wild’s cap constraints could give them no choice but to give them another opportunity next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Addison recently surfaced as a trade candidate after becoming a healthy scratch once the Wild acquired John Klingberg at the trade deadline.

TSN: The Washington Capitals intend to interview Lightning assistant coach Jeff Halpern for their vacant head-coaching position. The Capitals recently parted ways with bench boss Peter Laviolette. Halpern spent seven of his 14-season NHL playing career with the Capitals.

OTTAWA SUN: NHL defenseman Mark Borowiecki announced his retirement after 12 NHL seasons spent with the Senators and Nashville Predators. A rugged blueliner, the 33-year-old Borowiecki missed all but four games this season to concussion symptoms. In 458 games, he tallied 15 goals and 56 points along with 848 PIMs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Borowiecki in his recovery and his future endeavors.