NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2026

by | May 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2026

The Golden Knights push the Ducks to the brink of elimination, the Sabres tie their series with the Canadiens, the finalists for GM of the Year are announced, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to give his club a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 5 of their second-round series. Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist while Jack Eichel collected two assists for the Golden Knights, who hold a 3-2 lead in the series. Beckett Sennecke and Olen Zellweger scored while Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier each had two assists for the Ducks.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev (NHL Images).

The Golden Knights can win this series in Game 6, which will be held in Anaheim on Thursday, May 14.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining, closely contested game. Zellweger’s goal tied it to force overtime late in the third, but Dorofeyev was the star of this one with his clutch scoring for the Golden Knights.

Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb was ejected for interference when he laid out Ducks center Ryan Poehling with a big hit when the latter no longer had possession of the puck. Poehling was helped from the ice and didn’t return.

The Golden Knights played this game without team captain Mark Stone, who remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury suffered during Game 3 of this series.

Game 6 will be a big test for the Ducks as they try to counter the Golden Knights’ experience to force Game 7 back in Las Vegas.

The Buffalo Sabres knotted their series with the Montreal Canadiens at two games apiece with a 3-2 win. Zach Benson snapped a 2-2 tie with a third-period power-play goal, Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 shots in his return to the Sabres’ net. Alex Newhook extended his goal streak to three games while Cole Caufield tallied his second straight power-play goal for the Canadiens. Game 5 is in Buffalo on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s goal was a flukey one. With the Canadiens up 2-1 in the second period, he fired a dump-in from center ice that took a weird bounce off a stanchion that surprised Habs goalie Jakub Dobes, bouncing off his right pad into the net. It was a game-changer that set the stage for Benson’s winner in the third.

The Canadiens were flat through the first half of the opening period, but they had the better of the play for most of the game. They also had seven power-play opportunities but only scored on one of them, while the Sabres went 2-for-4 with the man advantage. Luukkonen was outstanding for the Sabres, who regained home-ice advantage as the series narrowed to a best-of-three.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild, Chris MacFarland of the Colorado Avalanche, and Pat Verbeek of the Anaheim Ducks are the finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The award is given annually based on a vote of NHL general managers and a panel of league executives, print, and broadcast media.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guerin and MacFarland got the nod for their trades this season, including the Wild’s acquisition of superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes in December and the Avalanche’s obtaining Nazem Kadri, Nicolas Roy, Brett Kulak, and Nick Blankenburg before the trade deadline.

Verbeek also made a splash by landing defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals, but he’d be my choice because of his work rebuilding the Ducks, who returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18.

HOCKEY 24/7: Frank Seravalli reported the Edmonton Oilers sought permission from the Vegas Golden Knights to speak with their former head coach Bruce Cassidy, who was fired in March. However, the Golden Knights have thus far withheld permission from their division rival.

Seravalli said the Golden Knights haven’t outright rejected the Oilers’ request, but they’re keeping the Oilers waiting as they continue their second-round series with the Ducks. Cassidy is also reportedly being targeted by the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cassidy remains under contract with the Golden Knights, which is why teams must seek permission to speak with him. Seravalli speculates this could prompt a call from league commissioner Gary Bettman to sort this out.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes this is a weird bit of gamesmanship by the Golden Knights in line with their front-office reputation for ruthlessness. It’s garnered a mix of puzzlement and criticism around the league, with those in the latter camp (myself included) considering it an unprofessional, classless act.

This also isn’t a good look for the Oilers, who are searching for a new bench boss while leaving their current coach, Kris Knoblauch, twisting in the wind.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed center Charlie Coyle to a six-year, $36 million contract worth an average annual value of $6 million. Coyle, 34, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s completing a six-year deal with an AAV of $5.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are trying to maintain a roster that narrowly missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Coyle played a key role with his versatility, leadership, and two-way play.

Nevertheless, this contract won’t age well. The salary increase is marginal, and the Blue Jackets can afford it in the short term, but six years is way too long for a player at this stage of his career. He’s also getting a full no-movement clause for the first four years.

This contract could complicate things for the Blue Jackets down the road if they need cap room to retain or acquire a better player.

SPORTSNET: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson was fined $5,000 by the NHL for butt-ending Minnesota Wild forward Michael McCarron during Game 4 of their playoff series on Monday.

Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin will remain sidelined by injuries for Game 5 against the Avalanche.

TSN: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will replace New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal on Team Canada in the upcoming 2026 IIHF World Championship. Barzal is coping with a minor, preexisting injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended from the first six games of the Bruins’ 2026-27 regular-season schedule for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The incident happened late in that game when Benson took McAvoy’s skates out from under him with a slew-foot move, sending him crashing into the end boards. An infuriated McAvoy got up, charged at Benson, and leveled a two-handed chop of his stick to Benson’s upper body.

McAvoy’s anger was understandable as he could’ve been injured, but that didn’t justify his subsequent action.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers winger Owen Tippett revealed that he missed his club’s second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes with an internal-bleeding issue. He said that he was dealing with a sports hernia injury during their first-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tippett said he’s confident he’ll make a full recovery and will be ready for training camp in September.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers rookie forward Porter Martone will be joining Team Canada for the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have hired Sportsology Group to conduct an audit of its hockey operations department, including the organizational structure, scouting, and player development departments.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 10, 2026

by | May 10, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 10, 2026

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup, we look at what’s next for the Flyers, plus the latest on the Oilers and Maple Leafs.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE FLYERS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked at what the offseason could hold for the Philadelphia Flyers, who exceeded expectations by making the playoffs and advancing to the second round before being swept by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Shilton believes the rebuilding Flyers are in a good spot now. Among general manager Daniel Briere’s priorities will be signing forward Trevor Zegras, a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, who is coming off a career-best 26 goals and 67 points in 81 games. The fit between the player and the team is so strong that Shilton expects they’ll get a deal done.

Defenseman Jamie Drysdale and backup goaltender Samuel Ersson are also RFA-eligible with arbitration rights this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras, 25, was earning $5.75 million annually on his three-year contract. He could get a long-term deal worth over $8 million annually.

The 24-year-old Drysdale matched his career high for points (32) and is in line for a significant raise after earning an average annual value of $2.3 million. As for Ersson, he might end up as trade bait if Briere decides to add a more experienced backup for starter Dan Vladar.

Shilton observed that the Flyers have salary cap space to spare, which will allow Briere to determine the club’s direction. He’ll also need to figure out how to improve their woeful power play via a coaching or personnel change.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers weren’t expected to make the playoffs this season. However, the additions of Zegras, Vladar, and Christian Dvorak last summer, and those of promising youngsters Porter Martone, Alex Bump, and Denver Barkey during the season played key roles in their improvement.

With $38.5 million in projected cap space for 2026-27 and 17 active roster players under contract, Briere has sufficient room to re-sign Zegras and Drysdale, and to sign or replace Ersson, and still have enough for a significant addition or two. They need experienced depth at center, especially on the first line, and on their blueline.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James recently noted the uncertainty over Auston Matthews’ future with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He wondered if the Flyers could afford the steep cost of acquiring the superstar center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Matthews becomes available, there’s no certainty he’ll want to go to the Flyers even if they’re ahead of schedule with their rebuild. He has a full no-movement clause, meaning his list of preferred trade destinations will be a small one.

If Matthews were willing to join the Flyers, the Leafs would probably want a promising center with first-line potential, or a young defenseman with first-pairing capability; two things that the Flyers themselves currently lack. They could also want Martone or Matvei Michkov (probably Martone) as part of the deal.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs…

THE LATEST MAPLE LEAFS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel recently examined the priorities facing new Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka.

Topping the list is selling Auston Matthews on his vision for the Maple Leafs’ future. If successful, the Leafs will continue to retool their roster. If not, and Matthews decides to move on, they’ll go into a rebuild that will likely be centered around potential first-overall draft pick Gavin McKenna.

Siegel noted that Matthews isn’t expected to decide until he sees what the Maple Leafs do during the offseason. It might not be until sometime in July when they learn whether he’s on board with their plans.

Landing a second-line center could also be on Chayka’s “to-do” list. There’s not much available in this summer’s UFA market, with Charlie Coyle of the Columbus Blue Jackets the best short-term option.

Chayka could turn to the trade market to address that issue. Siegel noted there are several theoretical possibilities with a degree of risk, including Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Mike Zibanejad of the New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both players carry full no-movement clauses and have not indicated that they want to move on. Vincent Trocheck of the Rangers is reportedly available, but he has a 12-team no-trade list and could prefer a destination closer to the Eastern seaboard.

Siegel also mused over making another attempt to bring back Ryan O’Reilly, but he wants to stay in Nashville, and the Predators are treating him as though he has a no-trade clause.

Julian Gaudio of The Hockey News included Coyle and his Blue Jackets teammate Boone Jenner as possibilities to address the Leafs’ need for depth at center. He also suggested trade options such as Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken, Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks, and Barrett Hayton of the Utah Mammoth. Of those three, Wright might be the most attainable because of his struggles this season under Kraken coach Lane Lambert.

Siegel also speculated that the Leafs could attempt to trade some defensemen, such as Morgan Rielly, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Brandon Carlo. That would require pursuing replacements, perhaps by using winger Matthew Knies as a trade chip.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chayka faces a daunting challenge trying to retool the Maple Leafs into a legitimate playoff contender in a way that would meet with Matthews’ approval. He’ll likely attempt to make a significant move or two, but it might not be enough.

UPDATE ON THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson wondered if Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse would waive his no-trade clause this summer.

If Nurse is willing to accept a trade, Matheson suggested shipping him to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Morgan Rielly. He pointed out that both players are signed through 2029-30, with Nurse carrying a $9.25 million AAV while Rielly’s is $7.5 million. Matheson also noted that Nurse is from Hamilton, and he and Leafs forward Max Domi grew up together.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swapping two struggling defensemen in their early thirties doesn’t seem like it would improve either club. The Oilers would come out ahead only because Rielly’s cap hit is less expensive.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell looked at some possible UFA targets for the Oilers this summer.

Topping the list is Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres. However, it’s unlikely that he’s going anywhere. If he becomes available, the Oilers would have to move out a big contract to free up the cap space to sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mitchell also included pending Oilers UFAs such as Connor Murphy, Kasperi Kapanen, and Jason Dickinson on his list. It’s more likely those three will be re-signed.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2026

by | May 8, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2026

Check out the latest on the Oilers, Senators, and Bruins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE BIG CHANGES COMING FOR THE OILERS?

SPORTSNET: NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes changes are coming for the Edmonton Oilers this summer. He doesn’t know if those changes will occur on the backs of listening to their superstars (Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl), but he felt that management “heard them loud and clear”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid and Draisaitl were publicly critical of the Oilers’ performance this season. McDavid felt the club was “average with high expectations”, and Draisaitl said they took significant steps backward this season.

Seravalli believes head coach Kris Knoblauch and his staff will be sent packing. He also felt there would be changes in the front office and wondered how the Oilers would go about rejigging their roster.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (NHL Images).

He mused about whether they can find a team willing to take defenseman Darnell Nurse off their hands and what type of sweetener would have to be included in the deal. They must also find a goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nurse must agree to waive his no-movement clause. If he does, it’ll likely be for a limited number of teams, most of whom will want the Oilers to retain part of his $9.25 million annual salary-cap hit, or take back a toxic contract, or package Nurse with a high draft pick or a top prospect.

Finding a goaltender will also be a daunting challenge. There are netminders available in free agency, but they’re either starters who are past their prime or backup goalies. The Oilers need a reliable starter, which could send them into the trade market, but the pickings there will also be slim.

WILL THE SENATORS PURSUE A FORWARD THROUGH TRADE OR FREE AGENCY?

OTTAWA SUN: In a recent mailbag segment, Callum Fraser was asked what it would take for the Senators to add a top-six winger to center Tim Stutzle’s line.

Fraser doesn’t see the Senators dangling top prospect Carter Yakemchuk. Prospect defenseman Lance Hensler’s stock is lower than Ottawa would like right now, and they don’t have a high first-rounder to leverage, plus that pick isn’t movable until it becomes a prospect. That means they’ll have to move a roster player or two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That roster player could be Dylan Cozens, who lacks no-trade protection. However, he carries an AAV of $7.1 million. Rival clubs would love to land Shane Pinto. He’s starting a new long-term deal in July with an AAV of $7.5 million, but the Senators might be reluctant to part with him.

Fabian Zetterlund could be another trade candidate. He has a more affordable $4.275 million AAV, but he’s struggled to regain his 24-goal career-best performance of 2023-24.

The Senators could also turn to the free-agent market to add more depth among their forward lines. Potential UFA options could include A.J. Greer, Mason Marchment, Ilya Mikheyev, Erik Haula, and Jack Roslovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchment would provide physicality, which would take part of the burden off team captain Brady Tkachuk. He’s put up decent offensive numbers over the past three seasons, but he also takes costly penalties. Roslovic is a three-time 20-plus goal scorer, but his production tends to be streaky.

COULD THE BRUINS MOVE A DEFENSEMAN?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports the Boston Bruins have all but two of their roster defensemen under contract for next season. Andrew Peeke is UFA-eligible on July 1, while Jordan Harris is a restricted free agent.

However, that doesn’t mean that all of those blueliners under contract will be back next season.

Shinzawa believes Mason Lohrei has an uncertain future in Boston. GM Don Sweeney praised the 25-year-old blueliner’s improvement alongside Hampus Lindholm. However, he finished the season as a healthy scratch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lohrei might be packaged in a trade deal to bring in a player who can address other roster needs.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2026

by | May 7, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2026

Who could the Oilers pursue in this summer’s trade market? What could the Sharks do with the second-overall pick in this year’s draft? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHO COULD THE OILERS TARGET IN THIS SUMMER’S TRADE MARKET?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson wondered how the Oilers would resolve their goaltending situation.

Struggling starter Tristan Jarry has two more seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5.385 million. Backup goalies Connor Ingram and Calvin Pickard are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Ingram could be an affordable re-signing for the Oilers.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (NHL Images).

Matheson believes it would be difficult for the Oilers to move Jarry unless they include a high draft pick in the deal or take a bad contract in return. If they do move on from Jarry, Matheson suggested Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild, or Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights as trade targets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It wouldn’t hurt to inquire into the availability of those goaltenders. However, it sounds like Binnington will be back with the Blues next season. Gustavsson has a full no-movement clause and could be unwilling to play for the Oilers. Hill has a 10-team no-trade list, but he also carries an AAV ($6.25 million) that would be too expensive for the Oilers to carry, especially if they’re looking at improving other areas of their roster.

Matheson’s colleague, David Staples, mentioned Oilers insider Bob Stauffer suggesting the Oilers could stick with Jarry but could also make a trade with an NHL team that has deep prospect goalie depth.

Stauffer mentioned an Eastern Conference team that has “four pretty good goaltenders in their system right now.” He declined to name the team, but Staples believes he was referring to the Detroit Red Wings, listing prospect netminders Sebastian Cossa, Trey Augustine, Michal Postava, and Carter Gylander.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Staple that Stauffer was likely referring to the Red Wings. They might not part with Cossa or Augustine, but Postava and Gylander could be available. I’d love to see the feedback from Red Wings fans on this. Feel free to weigh in on this in the comments section.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell suggested some potential trade targets for the Oilers this season. He suggested targeting Colorado Avalanche netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, who has been outplayed this season by Scott Wedgewood.

Mitchell also suggested some options to improve the Oilers offense. He proposed looking into the availability of St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou and Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackwood would be an interesting alternative if Binnington, Gustavsson, or Hill were unavailable to the Oilers. He’s in the first season of a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.25 million and a six-team no-trade list. Blackwood might be easier to obtain, but his cap hit could still be a concern.

Kyrou and Tippett have frequently appeared in trade rumors this season. Of the two, Kyrou would be more expensive ($8.125 million AAV) and probably unobtainable given his full no-trade clause.

Tippett is more affordable (but still expensive) at $6.2 million annually, and perhaps easier to obtain as his 10-team no-trade clause doesn’t begin until July 1. However, the Flyers seem reluctant to part with him.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka examined the options facing the San Jose Sharks after they landed the second-overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft.

If the Toronto Maple Leafs take winger Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick, the Sharks could select forward Ivar Stenberg, a high-end center such as Caleb Malhotra, or a defenseman like Chase Reid or Keaton Verhoeff.

With the Sharks hoping to challenge for a playoff berth next season, general manager Mike Grier could shop that pick for more immediate roster help. Grier is open to moving that pick, but Pashelka believes his asking price will be steep.

Pashelka suggested Grier could also retain the No. 1 pick, select a winger like Stenberg, and peddle winger William Eklund, who lacks no-trade protection in his contract.

Grier could hang onto the pick and get another high-end talent in the draft. It could be the last time for a while that they’ll be this high in the draft order again.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Sheng Peng reports it’s no secret that the Sharks must upgrade their defense corps this summer.

Veteran Dmitry Orlov and 19-year-old Sam Dickinson are the only Sharks blueliners under contract for next season. Restricted free agent Shakir Mukhamadullin could be back, as could a pending unrestricted free agent such as Mario Ferraro or Vincent Desharnais.

Peng suggested Grier could attempt to add a defenseman via this summer’s UFA market, since it wouldn’t cost any of his promising young players.

Options could include Darryn Raddysh of the Tampa Bay Lightning, John Carlson and Jacob Trouba of the Anaheim Ducks, and Rasmus Andersson of the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson will likely be re-signing with the Golden Knights. It’s believed they’re waiting until July 1, when they will be cap-compliant, to announce the signing.

Grier could also test the trade market. Potential targets could include Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils, Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks, Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers, Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dougie Hamilton of the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Devils can move Hamilton, they’ll likely re-sign Nemec. Hamilton reportedly rejected a trade to the Sharks last summer, so it’s unlikely he’ll have changed his mind. The Canucks will likely hang onto Hronek.

Nurse and Rielly are veteran blueliners in decline. They might improve with a change of scenery, but that could be an expensive gamble not worth taking.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 3, 2026

by | May 3, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 3, 2026

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: big changes could be coming to the Oilers, the Stars must decide if they’ll re-sign Jason Robertson, and the latest on the Predators.

COULD SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BE COMING FOR THE OILERS?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes Oilers owner Daryl Katz won’t be happy about his club’s early postseason exit. He believes Katz will be asking questions, evaluating, and perhaps assessing blame somewhere.

Matheson also thinks the Oilers are on the clock as team captain Connor McDavid’s two-year contract extension starts on July 1. He wondered whether general manager Stan Bowman would attempt to trade Darnell Nurse, who carries a $9.25 million annual salary-cap hit.

Bowman must also decide which of his six pending unrestricted free-agent forwards (Jason Dickinson, Kasperi Kapanen, Jack Roslovic, Adam Henrique, Curtis Lazar, and Max Jones) he’ll keep. He faces the same decision with defenseman Connor Murphy and goaltenders Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowman told the media on Saturday that next season’s roster won’t be the same as this season’s. Making those changes, however, won’t be easy given their salary-cap restrictions and limited trade capital.

Matheson also wondered if head coach Kris Knoblauch’s job is safe. He starts a three-year contract next season, which he earned after coaching the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knoblauch didn’t become a bad coach this season. He had to make do with the lineup provided to him by Bowman, which included shaky goaltending, a weakened blueline, and limited support depth for the top forwards. Firing him won’t improve the roster.

Kurt Leavins dismissed any trade rumors about McDavid as baseless clickbait. “But until Connor says he is leaving, I will assume that he’s all in.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid made it clear that he wants to win and wants to do so in Edmonton. He declined to say whether he would finish his upcoming two-year contract extension with the Oilers, which is bound to keep the rumors flowing.

Like Auston Matthews with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brady Tkachuk with the Ottawa Senators, McDavid will be returning with the Oilers for next season. However, the Oilers’ performance in 2026-27 could determine his plans for the following season and beyond.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (NHL Images).

Leavins believes the Oilers must find the right way to convince Darnell Nurse to waive his no-movement clause. “And this assessment needs to be equal parts management and player. Nurse needs to accept that the status quo is not on. And the fans need to be aware that you will not replace him for free.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Even if Nurse agrees to waive his no-movement clause, interested clubs will likely insist on the Oilers retaining part of his $9.25 million average annual value through 2029-30. Failing that, they might have to add a draft pick or prospect in the deal to convince the acquiring club to take on his full cap hit, or take back a bad contract in return.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell wondered what plans Bowman has in store to improve the Oilers during the offseason.

He wondered if Bowman might attempt to acquire goaltender Filip Gustavsson from the Minnesota Wild, or pursue a young netminder such as Sebastian Cossa or Trey Augustine of the Detroit Red Wings. They could also target clubs carrying two goalies worthy of starting roles.

Mitchell suggested Nurse could be used in a package deal for a goalie or to acquire a veteran goal scorer to replace Roslovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gustavsson is in the final year of his current contract, which has a full no-movement clause. His six-year extension also contains an NMC. He might be willing to waive it if it appears he’s lost the starter’s job to Jesper Wallstedt, but there’s no certainty that he’d want to come to Edmonton.

Mitchell finished his piece with some hard truth for Oilers fans. “What’s sad about these Oilers is that they’ve grown old without winning a damn thing. That’s a hard pill to swallow, but that’s the truth.”

WHAT WILL THE STARS DO WITH JASON ROBERTSON?

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos believes the biggest question facing the Stars this offseason is whether they’ll sign Jason Robertson to a contract extension.

The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He’s coming off a standout performance, tying Wyatt Johnston with a team-high 45 goals and sitting first among his teammates with 96 points. He was also their most consistent scorer during the Stars’ short series against the Minnesota Wild.

All signs point to the Stars re-signing Robertson. However, Assimakopoulos believes they might not get away with paying him less than the $12 million annually that they’re paying winger Mikko Rantanen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who believes the Stars have little choice but to re-sign Robertson to a lucrative long-term contract. Since his full rookie season in 2020-21, he’s been their leading scorer with 213 goals and 276 assists for 489 points in 453 regular-season games, along with a team-leading 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points in 62 playoff contests.

It’s going to be an expensive signing. He has a good case to make as much as Rantanen, and will easily get that amount with another NHL club if the Stars are dumb enough to trade him away or let him depart next summer as a UFA. And yes, it would be dumb to part with a scorer who produces at Robertson’s level. The Stars would have a difficult time replacing him.

The Stars only have around $11 million in cap space for next season. Re-signing Robertson, even for less than $12 million, means having to make a cost-cutting trade or two. It will also make it difficult to re-sign fellow RFA Mavrik Bourque, who also has arbitration rights.

THE LATEST PREDATORS SPECULATION

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty recently proposed three bold moves for whoever replaces Barry Trotz as GM of the Nashville Predators this summer.

One possibility is buying out the contract of unhappy winger Jonathan Marchessault. A trade would be ideal, but few teams will be interested in a 35-year-old winger with declining production carrying a $5.5 million AAV for the next three years. A buyout would save the Predators $1.2 million next season, $2.3 million in each of the following two seasons, followed by a manageable cap hit of $961K annually for the final three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buying out Marchessault seems more likely, assuming the Predators have their new GM in place before the buyout period in late June. They could still try to trade him, perhaps by retaining a portion of his cap hit.

Daugherty also suggested attempting to acquire Philadelphia Flyers sophomore winger Matvei Michkov and trying to sign Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson to an offer sheet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov struggled in his sophomore season, which was his first under head coach Rick Tocchet. That’s sparked speculation that the Flyers could trade him, but I don’t see them giving up on the promising Michkov because of one bad season.

Signing Robertson to an offer sheet would certainly be a bold move. However, he’d first have to want to sign one, and there’s no certainty that he’d be open to doing so. The Stars could also take him to arbitration, or he could file to do so, making him ineligible to receive an offer sheet.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2026

by | May 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2026

The Hurricanes defeat the Flyers in the opening game of their second-round series, the schedule for the second round is released, the latest on the Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Logan Stankoven scored twice to lead his club over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round playoff series. Frederik Andersen had a 19-save shutout, and Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played better in the third period, but it was all Hurricanes in the first period and most of the second. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet admitted his team wasn’t mentally prepared for this contest. He believes they were still riding the emotional high of making the playoffs and winning their first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins

Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven (NHL Images)

Carolina’s second line of Stankoven, Blake, and Taylor Hall remains a scoring force in this postseason.

Stankoven is tied with Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel for this postseason’s goal-scoring lead with six goals. He’s also set a franchise record with a five-game playoff goal-scoring streak. Four of his six goals were series-openers.

Carolina winger Nikolaj Ehlers returned to action after a lower-body injury sidelined him from Game 4 of the Hurricanes’ first-round series with the Ottawa Senators. Defenseman Alexander Nikishin remained out of their roster as he continues to recover from a concussion.

Flyers forward Owen Tippett missed this contest with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day.

NHL.COM: The schedule for the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs was released.

Game 1 of the series between the Hurricanes and Flyers began Saturday. Game 2 will be on Monday, May 4, in Carolina.

The opening game of the series between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche will be on Sunday, May 3, in Colorado. Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek is questionable for Game 1 of this series with a lower-body injury.

Game 1 of the series between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vegas Golden Knights begins on Monday, May 4, in Las Vegas.

The Buffalo Sabres will face the Montreal Canadiens or the Tampa Bay Lightning. Game 1 of that series begins on Wednesday, May 6, in Buffalo. The Canadiens and Lightning face off in Game 7 in Tampa Bay on Sunday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Leon Draisaitl was frank about his club’s performance and his concern about their future. Speaking with the media on Saturday, Draisaitl said he felt the Oilers “are not trending in the right direction,” adding that they’ve taken “big steps backward.” He warned that the Oilers must get a grip on this situation and return to the right direction.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid concurred with Draisaitl’s assessment of the club’s direction. Following their first-round elimination by the Anaheim Ducks, McDavid said he felt the Oilers were “an average team all year.” He said he still felt that way, adding that he and Draisaitl deserve their share of the blame, and that they can all be better and need to improve.

“There’s no doubt everybody knows what we’re trying to do here in Edmonton, and it’s no secret,” McDavid said, referring to their goal of winning the Stanley Cup. “We’re pressing pretty hard, so the patience is obviously worn pretty thin.”

McDavid also shot down trade speculation that surfaced during and after the series against the Ducks. “I want to win, and I want to win here in Edmonton. That’s my focus.”

However, McDavid declined to comment on whether he’ll play out his upcoming two-year contract with the Oilers. “I’m not going to get into all that,” he said. “The only thing that matters is competing for the big trophy. That’s all that matters. And if I feel that’s here, then yeah.”

McDavid also confirmed that he played with an injury during the Ducks series, suffering a fractured bone in his left foot in Game 2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers GM Stan Bowman acknowledged the club isn’t where they want to be while pointing to the positives from this season, such as the evolution of players Vasily Podkolzin, Matt Savoie, and Josh Samanski.

Nevertheless, the comments from McDavid and Draisaitl are a shot across Bowman’s bow. He’ll face a daunting task attempting to improve the Oilers. I’ll have more about that in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to hold a press conference on Monday to officially announce the hiring of former team captain Mats Sundin and former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka to join their front office.

It’s been previously reported that the Leafs were interested in hiring Sundin as vice president of hockey operations and Chayka as general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports of Sundin and Chayka being the frontrunners for those positions drew a nervous vibe from Leafs Nation. It will be interesting to see what those two have in store for the club during this offseason.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will have an in-person meeting with the league’s department of player safety for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round series.

THE SPORTING NEWS: Speaking of the Bruins, forward James Hagens is reportedly joining Team USA for the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Ridly Greig will have a virtual hearing with the department of player safety on Monday for his sucker punch to the head of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker during Game 4 of their first-round series.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers owner Vinnie Viola got his second Kentucky Derby win on Saturday. Viola is a co-owner of Golden Tempo, a 23-1 long shot that won the 152nd running of the Derby at Churchill Downs.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers promoted assistant director of player development Tanner Glass as their new director of player development.