NHL Rumor Mill – January 27, 2022

by | Jan 27, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 27, 2022

Could the Canucks make a significant move like trading J.T. Miller? Will the Flyers commence a rebuild by trading Claude Giroux? What’s the latest on Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Evander Kane? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE CANUCKS AFTER MANAGEMENT MOVES?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Scott Burnside discussed what could be next for the Vancouver Canucks after hiring Patrik Allvin as their new general manager and Emilie Castonguay as assistant GM. They believe the top priority is figuring out what to do with J.T. Miller. The 28-year-old center leads the Canucks with 40 points and is signed through 2022-23 with an annual cap hit of $5.25 million.

Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller (NHL Images).

Seravalli reports the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers (Miller’s former team) have expressed interest. While Miller has enjoyed his time in Vancouver, he could be open to returning to an American team.

Burnside felt an extension with Miller might be possible if he wants to be part of the Canucks’ process over the next four or five years. If not, that extra year on his current contract could fetch a first-round pick, a high-end prospect and a mix of later-round picks.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports the Rangers’ preference is to re-sign second-line center Ryan Strome but Miller could be a potential replacement. The Canucks asking price is said to be astronomical but Brooks believes it could drop as the trade deadline approaches if the Canucks fall completely out of the playoff race by then.

Brooks envisions Miller playing right wing with Mika Zibanejad or Strome during this season and taking over as second-line center next season if Strome departs as a free agent. He also wondered if the Canucks will take a serious offseason run at acquiring Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere, who was a client of Canucks assistant GM Castonguay when she was a player agent.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss believes the Bruins should pursue Miller despite the steep asking price as he would fill their need for a reliable second-line center. He doesn’t feel they should dangle top prospect Fabian Lysell but shouldn’t be afraid to dangle any of their other prospects while they’re in “win-now” mode.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Miller speculation has resurfaced because the Canucks finally have their new management team in place. The assumption is they could trade him because Rutherford will make the decisions on trades involving their core players based on his reputation as a wheeler dealer.

Miller could be shopped if the Canucks fall out of contention by the trade deadline. However, Rutherford indicated he’ll provide input but Allvin will handle the day-to-day operations and will be the key decision-maker. While they could get a solid return for Miller before the trade deadline, the Canucks can also wait until the offseason to peddle him if he doesn’t fit into their long-range plans.

If the Canucks do put Miller on the trade block by the deadline, I believe the Rangers would be better positioned to acquire him than the Bruins, Flames or Wild. They have plenty of salary-cap space and a lot of promising young talent to draw upon for trade bait.

FLYERS LEAVE GIROUX’S FUTURE IN HIS HANDS

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Giana Han reports Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher will be having discussions with Claude Giroux to determine their 34-year-old captain’s future with the club. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and holds a full no-movement clause. Fletcher intends to leave the decision up to Giroux whether he’ll waive it to accept a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux will reportedly be discussing his future with his agent next month, perhaps as early as next weekend’s All-Star Game.

Fletcher also indicated he’s looking to aggressively retool his roster rather than engage in a rebuild. The Flyers GM is not sure what moves he’ll make by the trade deadline but indicated “everything’s on the table.” He believes his club needs two or three players to complement the strong core he believes they have when they’re healthy. Despite the injury woes, he felt the club hasn’t played up to expectations and needs more top-end talent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some might scoff at Fletcher’s unwillingness to stage a rebuild but he can also look at other teams that have successfully retooled and enjoyed a quick turnaround in their fortunes. The Nashville Predators are the most notable recent example. They weren’t considered a playoff contender entering this season but are among the top teams in the Western Conference. Whether Fletcher can achieve similar results remains to be seen.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS AND OILERS

THE SCORE: cites The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reporting Evgeni Malkin is willing to accept a pay cut to remain with the Pittsburgh Penguins. His agents have reportedly spoken with Penguins management about a new contract. Malkin’s current cap hit is $9.5 million but he would be pleased with a multi-year deal earning less than teammate Sidney Crosby ($8.7 million AAV).

Kris Letang, meanwhile, believes he’s playing well enough to earn a raise over his $7.25 million annual average value. Yohe reports the Penguins are willing to sign him to a short-term deal with the possibility of a raise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word on how short-term those deals could be, how much of a pay cut Malkin will accept and how much of a raise Letang is seeking. Crosby is signed through 2024-25. Those two could prefer three-year deals so they can finish their careers as Penguins with their captain.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cites TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reporting there’s a strong sense the Oilers will sign free-agent winger Evander Kane. He’s been skating for over a week in Vancouver and could be ready for games as early as this weekend depending on the outcome of the league’s investigation into whether he violated AHL COVID protocols. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes cites sources saying it’s down to two teams for Kane but the Oilers appear the likeliest destination.










Pressure To Win Could Account For Canada’s Stanley Cup Drought

by | Jan 26, 2022

Pressure To Win Could Account For Canada’s Stanley Cup Drought

Of Canada’s seven NHL franchises, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the only ones holding a playoff berth at the halfway point of the 2021-22 season.

Meanwhile, seven of the NHL’s 10 “Sun Belt” franchises – Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights and the defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning – would make the playoffs if the season ended today. The Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks would be outside the postseason picture. 

It’s been 29 years since a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup.

A Canadian team last won the Stanley Cup in 1993. Since then, a Canadian club only reached the Final six times. Over the same period, a Sun Belt team has won the Cup eight times and reached the Final eight times.

It seems those Southern U.S. clubs have had better luck than their cousins in the Great White North. Actually, luck has nothing to do with it. The cold hard facts are those teams have been better managed and coached compared to their Canadian brethren over the same period.

That doesn’t mean those Sun Belt teams haven’t had their share of troubles. They’ve spent their share of time wallowing among the also-rans, in some cases for many years.

Some, like the Predators and Panthers, were dogged by whispers of relocation while the Atlanta Thrashers wound up moving to Winnipeg. Meanwhile, the Arizona Coyotes remain in place despite years of multiple owners and questionable management thanks to the sheer force of will of league commissioner Gary Bettman.

Most of those teams, however, still managed to find a way to get it right. They eventually put together a solid front office staff, draft and develop talented players, make shrewd trades and free-agent signings to augment their lineups, and hire the right coaching staff to turn their rosters into contenders.

Meanwhile, Canada’s teams stumble along, sometimes seeming on the verge of becoming serious Cup contenders, only to make costly mistakes that knock them out of the running.

It’s not as though the Canadian teams haven’t hired experienced general managers or coaches. Most have had various degrees of success with previous clubs. So why is it that they seem to struggle in Canada?

Once upon a time, Canadian fans could pin the blame on the low value of the Canadian dollar and the free-spending ways of the rich American hockey markets. That’s no longer the case with the Canuck buck at a higher value, a salary cap leveling the field and a revenue-sharing plan that ensures Canadian clubs will have the same competitive advantage as their American cousins.

The expansion of the league from 24 franchises in 1993 to 32 franchises is a contributing factor. More teams mean more competition for draft picks and established players through trades and free agency. Nevertheless, the Sun Belt franchises face the same challenges and most have managed to do all right for themselves.

Of course, many of those teams are in states with low or no state taxes, paid in American dollars which go much further than Canadian dollars. The warmer weather can also be enticing.

Being able to lead relatively normal lives in those markets is also a big draw for the players. They live and work in much larger cities compared to those in Canada where they’re not the only major sport in town. The NHL is well down the popularity pole in those markets compared to basketball, football, baseball and NASCAR.

The players can go about their lives without being constantly harangued by fans if they’re mired in a slump or their club is in danger of missing the playoffs. They’re not facing packs of reporters tracking their every word and passing harsh judgment on their efforts.

That’s not the same thing for their Canadian peers. Even in the smallest markets such as Winnipeg and Ottawa, the players face a fishbowl existence.

Management and coaches and team owners feel it too. They understand what hockey means to Canadians. They know about the rich histories of the Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. They know how much fans of the Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators long to win their first championships.

In hockey parlance, those clubs have little time and space to build and maintain a champion. The mantra among the Canadian hockey punditry is the fans won’t have the patience to go through a long rebuild. They want a winner and they want it now.

Since 1993, every Canadian team has endured long droughts outside the playoff picture.

Ask Leaf fans how much fun it was making the playoffs just once between 2005-06 and 2015-16. Or Oilers fans if they were enjoying themselves while their club reached the postseason once between 2006-07 and 2018-19. Or Flames fans about the lost years between 1996-97 and 2002-03 and 2009-10 and 2013-14. Or Senators fans about the last four years. Or Canucks fans about reaching the playoffs once in the last six years. Heck, ask Canadiens fans how much of a kick in the junk it is to see their team dead last overall after reaching the Cup Final seven months ago.

Those teams, however, weren’t undergoing a rebuilding phase during those lean years. In most cases, they were trying to reach the playoffs.

They changed management or coaches, traded away or acquired players, and set their sights on the postseason. And after they failed, they’d go out and try again and promise the fans and media that they were heading in the right direction, that they had a competitive team, that they were just the victims of injury or bad luck the previous year.

Rarely has a Canadian team told its fans it was engaging in a rebuild. The Leafs were a notable exception. In 2015 and 2016, they shed stars such as Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf for draft picks and prospects, warning its fans that several years of pain were ahead.

Rather than get upset, Leafs fans bought into team president Brendan Shanahan’s plan, or “Shanaplan” as it was later dubbed. They knew their club was long overdue for a true rebuild, that years of patchwork attempts to build a Cup contender wasn’t working. They handled it well throughout 2015-16, accepting the concept of short-term pain for long-term gain as their club rebuilt with young players.

That rebuild, however, didn’t last long. Powered by young guns Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, the Leafs made the playoffs in 2017. The following season, they were among the league’s best, reaching a franchise record 49 wins and 105 points in the regular season. They were eliminated from the opening round by the Boston Bruins, but they seemed destined to become a Cup contender if they stuck to their rebuild.

Instead, the “Shanaplan” was quickly scrapped. They blew up their budget by signing free agent John Tavares to a monster contract and handing out big bucks re-signing Matthews and Marner. They became a club top-heavy in offense but lack sufficient defensive depth to match up well against the league’s best clubs. To date, they still haven’t won a first-round series since 2004.

It came down to impatience on the part of the Leafs’ front office, fueled by the heightened expectations of Toronto fans and media. Rather than stick with the plan, they tried to take shortcuts and are still dealing with the consequences.

The Canadiens appear poised for a rebuild under the new management following this disastrous season. Will they learn from the Leafs’ mistakes or repeat them? It will be difficult to avoid the pitfalls given the pressure cooker they face on a daily basis.

None of the Canadian teams have the luxury of rebuilding out of the harsh spotlight like the Sun Belt franchises. Their demanding markets simply won’t allow it.

Until that trend changes, Sun Belt franchises will remain Stanley Cup contenders while Canadian clubs will be mere pretenders.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 26, 2022

by | Jan 26, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 26, 2022

Which clubs are in or out on Jakob Chychrun? What’s the latest on Claude Giroux and Marc-Andre Fleury? How’s the Oilers goalie hunt going? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.

LATEST CHYCHRUN SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman reports several teams are “going hard” at attempting to acquire Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun. He believes the Florida Panthers are among them but doubts they’ll part with Anton Lundell. Other suitors could include the Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche, while the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings are out for now.

TSN: Darren Dreger believes the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the clubs who’ve “kicked tires” on Chychrun but it could take creativity on general manager Kyle Dubas’ part to fit him within their tight payroll. He also cites sources saying the Kings, Panthers, Bruins, Ducks, and St. Louis Blues are among the clubs with a strong interest in the Coyotes blueliner.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to Friedman’s colleague Jeff Marek, only one team has pitched an offer that would meet the Coyotes’ rumored asking price of a good young NHL player, a top prospect and a first-round pick. If it was sufficient the Coyotes would’ve moved Chychrun by now. I suspect GM Bill Armstrong will use that offer as leverage to land a better return from another team. With Chychrun carrying three more years on his contract, Armstrong has the luxury of time here.

The Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger is skeptical of rumors linking the Blue Jackets to Chychrun. He believes trading either of the first-round picks they’ll have in this year’s draft would take away a valuable asset that could be used to address their more pressing need for impact centers. Hedger also noted there’s no certainty Chychrun would stay with the Jackets once his current contract expires and raised concern about the rearguard’s history of knee injuries.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman expects Claude Giroux to meet with his agent Pat Brisson to discuss his future during the All-Star weekend. Friedman believes there are Colorado Avalanche players who’d love to have him as a teammate but it could take getting a third team involved to make it work.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux carries a full no-movement but could waive it to join a Stanley Cup contender like the Avalanche. However, he also carries an $8.275 million cap hit for this season with over $3.8 million remaining to be paid out. The Avs, meanwhile, are pressed for cap space which will make landing him a complicated endeavor.

The Washington Capitals are believed to be looking into acquiring Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals have just over $2 million in projected trade deadline cap space. Fleury’s cap hit for this season is $7 million with $3.255 million currently remaining to be paid out. They’ll have to free up some room to make this work, assuming they’re not on Fleury’s 10-team no-trade list.

The Edmonton Oilers were willing to part with a late-round draft pick for Martin Jones but the Philadelphia Flyers wanted more for the 32-year-old goaltender. They’ve also looked at the New York Rangers’ Alexandar Georgiev, the Dallas Stars’ Braden Holtby and Anton Khudobin, St. Louis Blues’ Ville Husso, Columbus Blue Jackets Joonas Korpisalo, Washington Capitals Vitek Vanecek and New York Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see the Rangers moving Georgiev after he did a fine job filling in for the sidelined Igor Shesterkin earlier this season. Ditto the Blues with Husso after he spelled off Jordan Binnington when he missed seven games to COVID-19 earlier this month

The Stars prefer moving Khudobin while the Oilers could be on Varlamov’s 16-team no-trade list. Vanecek won’t be available unless the Capitals acquire an upgrade while Jones and Korpisalo probably aren’t much of an upgrade over the Oilers’ tandem of Mikko Koskinen and Stuart Skinner.

In short, the Oilers appear screwed in their efforts to land a goaltending upgrade.

Friedman wondered if the Toronto Maple Leafs might attempt to acquire Ben Chiarot based on their previous interest in the defenseman before he signed with the Montreal Canadiens. The Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers and St. Louis Blues are among the clubs looking at him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Chris Johnston reported the Leafs would prefer landing players with a little more term on their contracts. That shouldn’t rule them out of pursuing a UFA like Chiarot but it sounds like Dubas could be reluctant this season to part with assets for rentals after getting burned in last year’s Nick Foligno deal.

The Coyotes intend to retain Lawson Crouse…Friedman wonders if Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina could use a change of scenery.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion scouted the Minnesota Wild during their recent game against the Canadiens and spoke briefly with Wild GM Bill Guerin. LeBrun doubts there’s anything imminent but pointed out the Wild were among the teams discussed during the Senators’ pro scouting meetings as one of the NHL clubs pressed for salary-cap space.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2022

by | Jan 26, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2022

Keith Yandle sets Ironman record but Flyers woes continue, the Panthers regain first place in the overall standings, injury updates for Erik Karlsson and Jason Zucker, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle set the NHL Ironman record by appearing in his 965th consecutive game but his club endured a franchise-record 13th straight loss by falling 4-3 to the New York Islanders. Zach Parise snapped a 3-3 tie in the third period for the Islanders.

Philadelphia Flyers defeneman Keith Yandle (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Yandle on his record-setting achievement. It’s among the few bright spots in a miserable season for the Flyers. Their ongoing tumble in the standings won’t result in another coaching change. They’re sticking with interim bench boss Mike Yeo and hired John Torchetti as an assistant coach. The club is expected to evaluate its coaching staff at season’s end. Tochetti could be Yeo’s successor as he replaced him as Wild head coach in 2016.

The Florida Panthers opened a two-point lead (63 points) over the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning atop the overall standings with a 5-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Mason Marchment scored twice and chipped in an assist for the Panthers. The Jets (41 points) are five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

A four-point performance by Joe Pavelski (two goals, two assists) powered the Dallas Stars over the New Jersey Devils 5-1. Roope Hintz scored for the fourth straight game while Braden Holtby picked up the win with a 38-save performance. They played without defenseman John Klingberg, who’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. With 46 points, the Stars vault into the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Pittsburgh Penguins tallied four straight third-period goals in a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust each had a goal and two assists while Kris Letang tallied twice. Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz scored twice and collected an assist. With 59 points, the Penguins sit one point behind the first-place New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins played without winger Jason Zucker as he underwent core-muscle surgery and will be sidelined indefinitely. He’s earning an annual average value of $5.5 million. The Penguins could use that as cap relief if he ends up on long-term injury reserve for the rest of the season, potentially allowing them space to become buyers at the March 21 trade deadline.

Sebastian Aho scored twice, including the winner in overtime, as the Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. Nolan Patrick had a goal and an assist for Vegas as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to force the extra frame. The Hurricanes sit one point back of the Penguins while the Golden Knights remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 53 points.

The Nashville Predators regained second place in the Central Division (57 points) by doubling up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist, Matt Duchene tallied his 20th goal of the season and Juuse Saros kicked out 33 shots for the Predators.

An overtime goal by Connor McDavid lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers (42 points) move to within four points of the final Western wild-card spot. Spencer Martin made 47 saves in a losing cause for the Canucks, who sit one point behind the Oilers.

The Ottawa Senators got a hat trick from Tyler Ennis and a 32-save shutout from Matt Murray to blank the Buffalo Sabres 5-0. It was a costly win for the Senators as leading scorer Drake Batherson (34 points) left the game with an ankle injury after a questionable hit by Sabres goaltender Aaron Dell sent him crashing awkwardly into the boards. Dylan Gambrell also left the game in the first with an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson has surgery to repair a small muscle tear in his left forearm. He’s expected to be sidelined until at least mid-March.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are battling for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Losing Karlsson will be a big blow to their blueline. He has 26 points in 33 games this season.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks are reportedly close to naming Pittsburgh Penguins assistant general manager Patrik Allvin as their new GM. Allvin’s spent 16 seasons with the Penguins and worked for Canucks president Jim Rutherford during the latter’s tenure as Penguins GM.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators owner Eugene Melnyk isn’t pleased with the Ontario government’s COVID limitations on arena capacity. “They’re misinformed and they’re miscalculated. They should be challenged and they will be challenged.” The club was allowed to have 500 fans in attendance starting Monday, but they will play 11 games at home before restrictions are lifted to 50 percent capacity by Feb. 21.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 23, 2022

by | Jan 23, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 23, 2022

​Check out the latest on Jakob Chychrun, Jake DeBrusk and Evander Kane plus an update on the Oilers’ search for a goaltender in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON CHYCHRUN AND DEBRUSK

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reports the Arizona Coyotes have received an offer of a young player, a prospect and a first-round pick for defenseman Jakob Chychrun. The package is said to be two former first-rounders plus a first-round pick. The Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets are said to be among the suitors.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Marek believes the Panthers are the team to watch in this bidding for Chychrun. He also said the Rangers offered up a package that included winger Vitali Kravtsov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong could use that offer as leverage in hope of getting a better deal from one of the other clubs with an interest in Chychrun. With the 23-year-old blueliner under contract for three more seasons, Armstrong isn’t under pressure to move him before the March 21 trade deadline. He can wait until the offseason if he doesn’t get an offer to his liking.

I can see the Panthers being very interested in Chychrun. His youth and contract would make him a perfect fit on their blueline and in their long-term plans. Marek last week speculated the asking price could be goalie Spencer Knight, center Anton Lundell and a first-round pick. Some observers misconstrued his comments to mean that’s what the Coyotes have asked for but there’s no indication that’s the case. Nevertheless, the Panthers could be forced to give up quite a bit to pry Chychrun away from the Coyotes.

The Rangers are well-stocked with promising young players and can afford to part with a first-round pick. It makes sense for GM Chris Drury to include the unhappy Kravtsov given the winger’s preference for a trade led to his playing in Russia this season.

It would be interesting to know who is the other player in the Rangers’ offer. Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Braden Schneider and K’Andre Miller are former first-rounders but I don’t think Drury is willing to part with any of them. Perhaps he would offer up Filip Chytil or Nils Lundkvist, though I can’t see the Coyotes agreeing to that.

Jeff Marek reports the Rangers have also inquired about Jake DeBrusk. The Boston Bruins winger requested a trade in late November.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins GM Don Sweeney reportedly seeks a forward or defenseman of comparable value. I don’t think he’d be interested in Kravtsov and I doubt Drury offers up any of those young forwards I mentioned earlier except for maybe Chytil. It’ll be interesting to see if a deal can be made there.

UPDATE ON EVANDER KANE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports there still isn’t clarity if the NHL will add any penalty to Evander Kane over his alleged breaking of AHL COVID protocols during his tenure with the San Jose Sharks farm team. The Washington Capitals are believed to have considered whether to sign Kane, though there’s no indication any offer has been made to the embattled winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has also been linked to the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers. There was a rumor the Oilers already had him under contract and are awaiting the result of the league’s investigation before announcing it. That decision could come sometime next week.

OILERS’ GOALTENDER SEARCH CONTINUES

Friedman also said the Edmonton Oilers checked into the cost of acquiring a goaltender. Money will have to go out to make the dollars fit for the cap-strapped Oilers. He believes if the Oilers could’ve done something where they gave up a late-round pick they would’ve done it. However, they’re not keen to part with their first, second, or third-rounder in this year’s draft.

Rory Boylen recently published a list of possible goalie targets for the Oilers. They include the Chicago Blackhawks Marc-Andre Fleury, the Dallas Stars’ Braden Holtby or Anton Khudobin, the Seattle Kraken’s Chris Driedger, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Joonas Korpisalo, and the New York Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers traded their third-rounder to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Duncan Keith trade. Cap Friendly indicates that pick would become a second-rounder if the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final and Keith is a top-four among the Oilers in ice time during the first three rounds of the playoffs. Those scenarios seem unlikely given the Oilers’ current position in the standings and their roster weaknesses.

As for Boylen’s list, Fleury and Varlamov’s respective cap hits and no-trade clauses make them unlikely to land in Edmonton by the trade deadline. The Stars prefer moving Khudobin over Holtby but the extra year and $3.33 million on the 35-year-old’s contract isn’t something the Oilers seem willing to take on.

Driedger and Korpisalo are younger with affordable cap hits but I don’t think they’re going to move the needle very much for the Oilers. Desperate times, however, call for desperate measures. The question is whether the Oilers can work out a suitable trade that fits within their tight cap payroll.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2022

by | Jan 23, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2022

​The scoring race tightens as Chris Kreider, Alex Ovechkin and Leon Draisaitl enjoy multi-point performances. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider is tied for the NHL’s goal-scoring lead after tallying a hat trick in a 7-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Kreider has reached a career-high 29 goals, tying him with Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin atop this season’s leader board. Jacob Trouba also scored twice and Mika Zibanejad collected three assists as the Rangers remain atop the Metropolitan Division with 58 points. Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko missed this contest as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Speaking of Ovechkin, he scored two third-period goals to rally his club over the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on an overtime goal by Nicklas Backstrom. With 55 points, the Capitals maintain a five-point lead over the Boston Bruins for the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl scored twice to sit one goal behind Ovechkin and Kreider as his club snapped a seven-game losing skid by dousing the Calgary Flames 5-3. The Oilers (40 points) sit two points behind the Flames, who remain two points back of the San Jose Sharks (44 points) for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Thanks to his four-point performance, Draisaitl has tied Ovechkin for the points lead with 58. Oilers defenseman Tyson Barrie missed this game due to injuries suffered on Thursday against the Florida Panthers.

Speaking of the Sharks, they were on the receiving end of a 7-1 drubbing by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ross Colton scored two goals while Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn each had a goal and an assist while Brian Elliott made 27 saves. The Lightning and the Florida Panthers each have 61 points but the Panthers remain in first place in the overall standings with two games in hand. Lightning defenseman Cal Foote was fined $2,125.00 by the NHL department of player safety for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks forward Buddy Robinson on Friday.

Gabriel Landeskog’s overtime goal lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. The Avs extend their points streak to 12 games and their home winning streak to 15, sitting on top of the Western Conference with 59 points. Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau made 43 saves to keep this one close. Earlier in the day, the Canadiens placed Jonathan Drouin (upper body) on injured reserve and listed goalie Sam Montembault as day-to-day with a minor wrist injury.

Nashville Predators forward Matt Duchene scored two goals and collected an assist to lead his club over the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Teammate Filip Forsberg tallied his 20th goal of the season and chipped in an assist as the Predators remain four points back of the Avs with 55 points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up their first multi-goal win since Jan. 5 by dropping the New York Islanders 3-1, snapping the latter’s three-game win streak. Morgan Rielly had a goal and an assist and Petr Mrazek made 27 saves for the Leafs, who remains in third place in the Atlantic Division with 53 points.

New Jersey Devils forward Andreas Johnsson and defenseman Ryan Graves each had a goal and two assists in a 7-4 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Nathan Bastian also scored twice for the Devils as they overcame a 2-0 deficit. With 56 points, the Hurricanes sit two points behind the Rangers in second place in the Metropolitan Division.

An overtime goal by Marcus Foligno gave the Minnesota Wild a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Henrik Borgstrom scored twice for the Blackhawks. With 51 points, the Wild have a firm grip on the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks played without forward Jujhar Khaira and defenseman Riley Stillman as both were placed on injured reserve.

The Boston Bruins got a tie-breaking goal from David Pastrnak in a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Brad Marchand shook off an upper-body injury from his previous game to pick up an assist. Like the Oilers, the Jets are four points behind the Sharks in the chase for the Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Buffalo Sabres downed the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 as the latter’s winless skid reached 11 games (0-8-3). Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Peyton Krebs each scored twice for the Sabres while Claude Giroux tallied two goals for the Flyers. Earlier in the day, the Sabres announced rookie Jack Quinn will be sidelined four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jordan Subban was the target of a racist gesture during an ECHL game on Saturday. Jacksonville Iceman Jordan Panetta made monkey gestures at Subban, a defenseman for the South Carolina Stingrays, during an altercation leading to a fight. Subban is the younger brother of New Jersey Devils blueliner P.K. Subban, who shared a video of the incident on Twitter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There should be no place for racism in any level of hockey or society. However, this was the second episode this month of a black minor-league player being the target of racial taunting. On Friday, the American Hockey League suspended San Jose Barracudas forward Krystof Hrabik for 30 games after he made similar monkey gestures at Tucson Roadrunners Boko Imama on Jan. 12.