NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2023

by | Apr 14, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2023

What could the future look like for Jonathan Toews? What’s the latest on the Kings’ Anze Kopitar and Joonas Korpisalo? Could the Oilers shop Evan Bouchard this summer? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR JONATHAN TOEWS?

TSN: Jonathan Toews has played his final game for the Chicago Blackhawks but Chris Johnston isn’t sure that it means it’s the end of his NHL playing career. The 34-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews (NHL Images).

Toews’ health will be the deciding factor. He missed a recent season with some long COVID symptoms but Johnston believes that the now-former Blackhawks captain is determined to continue his career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I’ve previously noted, Toews turns 35 on April 29, making him eligible to sign a one-year, bonus-laden contract with a low base salary if he’s determined to continue his playing career. I think there will be teams interested in him this summer if he’s willing to accept such a deal.

THE LATEST KINGS SPECULATION

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos reports of lots of speculation over what the future holds for Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar when his contract expires at the end of next season. He’ll be 37 by that point and Kypreos claims he “quietly remains uncommitted to the Kings past next year.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see this as an issue for the Kings. Their 35-year-old captain is once again their leading scorer with 74 points (though he would’ve finished second had Kevin Fiala not missed some time due to injury) and remains their best two-way forward. Both sides are likely willing to wait and see how things go next season before opening contract extension talks.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes it’s “certainly possible” that the Kings re-sign trade deadline acquisition Joonas Korpisalo. The 28-year-old goaltender had a .921 save percentage in 11 starts with the Kings (7-3-1). There’s been a couple of short conversations with Korpisalo’s agent but both sides agreed to wait until after the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltending was an issue for the Kings this season given Jonathan Quick’s decline and Cal Petersen’s struggles. Pheonix Copley played well and earned a one-year contract extension but their acquisition of Korpisalo at the deadline signaled their concern about their depth between the pipes.

A strong playoff performance by Korpisalo will entice the Kings to re-sign him. Dollars and terms, however, will be the sticking points. The club could prefer an affordable short-term deal but the pending UFA netminder could prefer something more lucrative.

COULD THE OILERS SHOP BOUCHARD?

OILERS NATION: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli said he doesn’t see a path for a long-term contract for Evan Bouchard. He believes the Edmonton Oilers would prefer a bridge deal for the 23-year-old defenseman in the range of two years worth between $3.5 million and $4.5 million annually.

If Bouchard is unwilling to sign a bridge deal, Seravalli doesn’t see it out of the realm of possibility that the Oilers trade the blueliner this summer. It’s not something they want to do but they are dealing with a tight salary cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard reached the 40-point plateau for the second straight season. Coming off his entry-level contract, he’s in line for a significant raise. However, he also lacks arbitration rights. If he genuinely wants to remain with the Oilers, he’ll have to accept the bridge deal with the promise of a much bigger payday on his next contract, when he’ll have the leverage of arbitration.

The Oilers could trade Bouchard if he digs in his heels this summer but I doubt it’ll get that far. They’ll likely move out a defenseman like Cody Ceci or Brett Kulak in a cost-cutting deal this summer to free up additional cap space for next season. They won’t want to further weaken their blueline by shopping Bouchard.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2023

by | Apr 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2023

The Golden Knights and Hurricanes clinch division titles as six first-round playoff series matchups are confirmed, Mikko Rantanen and Brayden Point reach goal-scoring milestones, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights finished first overall in the Western Conference and clinched the Pacific Division crown after beating the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Vegas will face off against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs starting on Tuesday, April 18. The Kraken, meanwhile, will face the Colorado Avalanche or Dallas Stars depending on the outcome of Friday’s game between the Avalanche and Nashville Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken will be playing without winger Andre Burakovsky for at the first two rounds of the playoffs if they make it that far. He underwent surgery on Tuesday for a lower-body injury that has sidelined him since Feb. 7.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

As for the Avalanche, Mikko Rantanen scored to set the club’s single-season record of 55 goals as they doubled up Winnipeg 4-2. They also announced that captain Gabriel Landeskog will miss the entirety of the 2023 playoffs with a knee injury. Meanwhile, Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s not in concussion protocol and will be reevaluated on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen set the Avalanche single-season record. Michel Goulet still holds the overall franchise record (57) dating back to the club’s days as the Quebec Nordiques. Landeskog, meanwhile, has been sidelined all season by that knee injury, which could also keep him out of the start of next season.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division title with a 6-4 victory over the Florida Panthers. Brent Burns scored twice for the Hurricanes, who will meet the New York Islanders in their opening-round series starting Monday, April 17. The Panthers will square off against the Boston Bruins starting Monday.

Speaking of the Bruins, they finished their Presidents’ Trophy-winning season with a record-setting 65 wins and 135 points after defeating the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. Boston captain Patrice Bergeron left the game for precautionary reasons with an upper-body injury but is expected to be good to go when the playoffs open on Monday. Bruins goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman won the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals against (177) this season.

For the first time since 2012, there will be a Battle of the Hudson River as the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers will face each other in the first round starting on Tuesday. The Devils clinched second overall in the Metropolitan Division by nipping the Washington Capitals 5-4 while the Rangers fell 3-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Luke Hughes got the win for the Devils with his first career NHL goal while Leafs forward William Nylander reached the 40-goal plateau for the first time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs meet the Tampa Bay Lightning in a rematch of last season’s opening-round series commencing Tuesday. For the fourth straight game, the Leafs went the amateur tryout route for a backup goaltender as Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov remain sidelined. Former UNB goalie Samuel Richard backed up Joseph Woll for this contest. Samsonov is expected to be the Leafs starter on Tuesday.

Speaking of the Lightning, Brayden Point scored twice to reach the 50-goal plateau for the first time (51) while Brian Elliott made 32 saves to shut out the Detroit Red Wings 5-0.

For the second straight year, the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings face each other in an opening-round series. The Oilers clinched second place in the Pacific Division with a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks while the Kings got a hat trick from Adrian Kempe to finish third in the division after downing the Anaheim Ducks 5-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist to finish the season with 64 goals and 153 points, winning his first Richard Trophy as the season’s leading goal scorer and his fifth Art Ross Trophy as the leading scorer in points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman have collected more points in a single season than McDavid. Speaking of the Ducks, they finished last in the overall standings, giving them the best odds of winning the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery on May 8.

The Dallas Stars shut out the St. Louis Blues 1-0. Jake Oettinger kicked out 25 shots while Wyatt Johnston scored the only goal for the Stars, who will face the Minnesota Wild or the Kraken in the opening round next week. The Wild, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Nashville Predators. Frederick Gaudreau tallied twice for the Wild, who announced before the game that they re-signed him to a five-year, $10.5 million contract extension.

An overtime goal by Ivan Provorov lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Travis Konecny scored twice and added two assists while Jonathan Toews scored in his last game with the Blackhawks as they announced yesterday that he will not be re-signing with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the end of an era for the Blackhawks. Following the game, Toews thanked the franchise, its fans and the city of Chicago, receiving a long, heartfelt ovation from the hometown crowd. Meanwhile, Flyers defenseman Justin Braun said this game was likely his last as a player after 13 seasons.

Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller collected an assist to tie Keith Tkachuk’s franchise single-season record of 86 points in a 5-4 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Conor Garland had a hat trick for the Canucks, including the winning goal.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson announced his retirement after winning his final start by beating the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on an overtime goal by Casey Mittelstadt. The 41-year-old Anderson’s career lasted 20 seasons, including nine with the Senators as their franchise leader with 435 games played and 202 wins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ season ended with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Johnny Gaudreau netted the winning goal while Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists to finish the season with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry revealed he’d been hampered by an injury throughout the season. That’s raising questions among the Pittsburgh media over why management didn’t attempt to acquire a healthy goaltender before the trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2023

by | Apr 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2023

The Bruins set the single-season points record, the Jets and Panthers clinch playoff berths while the Predators and Sabres are eliminated from contention, and two 2023 preseason games will be held in Australia. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins set the record for most single-season points with 133 by defeating the Washington Capitals 5-2. Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists for the Bruins as they picked up their seventh straight win and improved to 64-12-5. Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves for the Capitals but left the game in the third period with an apparent lower-back injury.

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boston goaltender Linus Ullmark also left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury for precautionary reasons. Following the game, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Ullmark was “just fine.”

Earlier in the day, the Bruins also confirmed center David Krejci was out for the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury. However, he’s optimistic he’ll be ready to go when the playoffs begin next week.

The Winnipeg Jets are heading to the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs with a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild to clinch the final Western Conference playoff berth with 95 points. Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves and Mark Scheifele scored his 41st goal of the season for the Jets. Kirill Kaprizov netted his 40th of the season for the Wild as they remain third in the Central Division with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ win eliminated the Nashville Predators from postseason contention.

Speaking of the Jets, the Winnipeg Sun’s Paul Friesen reports Jets co-owner Mark Chipman made a pitch to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce for more help from local businesses. He indicated that the club has lost 3,000 season-ticket holders since the pandemic began three years ago. Only 15 percent of the club’s season-ticket base is from businesses, far less than the other Canadian clubs.

Friesen noted that the Jets average 93.6 percent of capacity, ranking 22nd among the 32 NHL franchises. While various factors such as inflation and the economy have contributed to the decline, Friesen believes the team’s lackluster performance over the past two seasons is the main issue.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes scored to set the single-season franchise scoring record of 97 points in a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, eliminating the latter from playoff contention. Tomas Tatar scored twice and collected an assist for the Devils (110 points) as they sit one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. Jeff Skinner scored his 34th goal of the season for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Defenseman Luke Hughes, Jack’s younger brother, made his NHL debut with the Devils, seeing over 11 minutes of ice time.

The Pittsburgh Penguins playoff hopes suffered a blow when they were upset 5-2 by the Chicago Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek kicked out 38 shots and Buddy Robinson had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks. Jeff Petry had two assists for the 40-31-10 Penguins (90 points) as they remain one point behind the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Sabres and Penguins losing their games, the Florida Panthers clinched the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 92 points. It’s the fourth consecutive season that the Panthers have qualified for the postseason.

The Penguins and the Islanders each have one game remaining. To ensure they extend their consecutive playoff appearance streak to 17 seasons, the Pens need to win their final game and hope that the Islanders lose in regulation.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched home-ice advantage for the opening round of the players by downing the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes as they maintain their hold on first place in the Metro Divison with 111 points. Robert Hagg replied for the Red Wings, who played without captain Dylan Larkin due to a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Evan Bouchard lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Mattias Ekholm also scored for the Oilers (107 points) as they sit two points behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Ben Meyers replied for the Avalanche as they moved one point ahead of the Dallas Stars into first place in the Central Division with 105 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Oilers activated forward Ryan McLeod off long-term injured reserve.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Reilly Smith and Michael Amadio each had three points for Vegas as they hold first in the Pacific with 109 points. Yanni Gourde tallied the lone goal for the Kraken, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 100 points.

In a preview of their upcoming first-round playoff matchup, the Toronto Maple Leafs held off the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 4-3. Goalie Joseph Woll stopped 46 shots and William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Leafs, who hold second place in the Atlantic Divison with 109 points. Mikhail Sergachev had a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who’ve lost four straight games and sit third in the Atlantic with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning honored captain Steven Stamkos for playing in his 1,000th career NHL game. The Leafs rested Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Mark Giordano from this contest.

The Leafs were finally able to call up Woll as Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov are sidelined by injuries. They were forced to rely on an emergency backup due to salary-cap constraints for the third straight game, this time signing Windsor Spitfires goalie Matt Onuska to a one-game amateur tryout contract.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson collected two assists to exceed 100 points (101) in a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. J.T. Miller broke a 2-2 tie in the third period for the Canucks. Trevor Zegras had two assists for the Ducks.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Owen Tippett scored twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk collected his 300th career goal in this contest. Michael Hutchinson made 35 saves for the Blue Jackets, who played without captain Boone Jenner as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The league announced the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings will play two preseason games in Melbourne, Australia at the Rod Laver Arena on Sep. 23 and 24 as part of the NHL 2023 Global Series. It will be the first time the NHL has staged games in the Southern Hemisphere.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Long-time Blackhawks head athletic trainer Mike Gapski will be retiring at the end of this season. He started his position in 1987 and had been the longest-tenured trainer in the league.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Speaking of the Blackhawks, they signed Jarred Tinordi to a one-year contract extension worth $1.25 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2023

by | Apr 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2023

In a first-ever 16-game day, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid reaches a 150-point season, the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby hits 1,500 points, the Bruins tie the single-season wins record, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored twice and collected an assist to surpass 150 points on the season in a 6-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and two assists as the Oilers win their seventh straight game to sit second in the Pacific Division with 105 points. Tomas Hertl replied for the Sharks.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 152 points, McDavid is the first player to reach the 150-point plateau since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96. He’s also the sixth different player in NHL history to reach that milestone. With 64 goals, McDavid is one shy of matching Washington’s Alex Ovechkin for the most in a season by an active player.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby also had a two-goal, one-assist performance as he reached the 1,500-career point plateau to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. With a record of 40-30-10, the Penguins remain one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Pius Suter scored for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is the 15th player in league history and the sixth fastest to achieve that milestone.

The Boston Bruins tied the NHL single-season wins record (62) with a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Former Devil Pavel Zacha tallied twice against his former club for the league-leading Bruins (129 points) while Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils (108 points) as they remain one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Taylor Hall returned to the Bruins lineup after missing 20 games with a lower-body injury. They also placed Nick Foligno and Derek Forbert on long-term injury reserve to clear sufficient salary-cap room to activate Hall. The Devils, meanwhile, signed defenseman Luke Hughes (younger brother of star Jack Hughes) to a three-year entry-level contract.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Buffalo Sabres as Tage Thompson broke a 3-3 tie in the third period with his 46th goal of the season. Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and two assists and Casey Mittelstadt tallied twice for the Sabres (39-32-7) to keep their playoff hopes alive with 85 points. Sebastian Aho netted his 35th goal of the season for the Hurricanes.

On the topic of wild-card playoff races, New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin kicked out 27 shots in a 4-0 shutout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Bo Horvat collected two assists and Brock Nelson netted his 34th goal of the season for the 41-30-0 Islanders as they hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 91 points. Flyers goalie Carter Hart was pulled after giving up three goals on 18 shots.

Third-period goals by Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart lifted the Florida Panthers to a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. It was Tkachuk’s 40th goal of the season plus he collected two assists for the Panthers (42-31-7) as they sit above the Islanders with 91 points on the basis of wins. Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who played without captain Alex Ovechkin as he’s dealing with an upper-body injury.

The Winnipeg Jets got a big win by blanking the Nashville Predators 2-0. Connor Hellebuyck had a 28-save shutout while Mark Scheifele reached the 40-goal plateau for the first time in his career as the Jets improved to 44-32-3 to hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 91 points. Juuse Saros made 36 saves for the Predators (40-31-8) as they sit three points behind the Jets.

A shootout goal by Andrei Kuzmenko gave the Vancouver Canucks a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames, putting the latter’s playoff hopes in jeopardy. The Flames (37-27-16) overcame a 2-0 deficit on third-period goals by Elias Lindholm and Nazem Kadri but sit one point back of the Jets, who hold a game in hand. Elias Pettersson scored his 38th goal of the season for the Canucks.

Seattle Kraken forward Daniel Sprong had a goal and two assists and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak collected three assists to thump the Chicago Blackhawks 7-3. The Kraken (98 points) picked up their fourth straight win to widen their lead over the Jets for the first Western wild-card spot by seven points. Seth Jones scored twice for the Blackhawks

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goalie Martin Jones left the game after two periods with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, Blackhawks forward Taylor Raddysh is done for the season with a groin injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner collected three points to reach a career-best 98 in a 7-1 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Auston Matthews had a goal and three assists, John Tavares tallied twice and Ryan O’Reilly had three assists for the Leafs as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 105 points. Johnathan Kovacevic replied for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok missed this game with an injury and is listed as day-to-day. With the playoffs approaching and having already clinched home-ice advantage for the first round, the Leafs rested defensemen Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin had a 20-save shutout to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Mika Zibanejad collected two assists for the Rangers (106 points) as they sit two points back of the second-place Devils in the Metro Division.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 on a shootout goal by Roope Hintz but Vegas still clinched home-ice advantage for the upcoming playoffs. Brett Howden scored for the Golden Knights as they remain atop the Western Conference with 107 points. Joel Kiviranta replied for the Stars as they sit second in the Central Division with 102 points. Vegas center Jack Eichel missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche forward Denis Malgin scored twice in a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 38 shots for the Avalanche (102 points) as they remain in first place in the Central with a game in hand and four more wins (48 to 44) over the Sars. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had three points for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram missed this game with an illness. Meanwhile, sidelined Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog reportedly won’t be returning to the lineup for the remainder of their regular-season games. He’s been sidelined by a knee injury for the entire season but has recently resumed skating. Landeskog might return at some point in the playoffs depending on how far the Avalanche advance.

The Minnesota Wild tamed the St. Louis Blues 5-3. Sam Steel and Ryan Hartman each had a goal and an assist while trade-deadline acquisition Gustav Nyquist collected two assists in his debut with the Wild, who sit third in the Central with 100 points. Justin Faulk collected two assists for the Blues.

The Ottawa Senators upset the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 7-4. Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson each had two assists and Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist for the Senators. Steven Stamkos collected three assists while Brayden Point tallied his 49th goal of the season for the Lightning, who’ve dropped three straight but still sit third in the Atlantic Division with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Senators announced that Jakob Chychrun, Travis Hamonic and Austin Watson are sidelined for the remainder of the season. The Lightning played without sidelined forward Tanner Jeannot and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.

An overtime goal by Barrett Hayton gave the Arizona Coyotes a 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler set an NHL record for the most ice time in a regular-season game with 38:55.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 8, 2023

by | Apr 8, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 8, 2023

Is Erik Karlsson playing his final games with the San Jose Sharks? What’s the latest on the Capitals? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS THIS ERIK KARLSSON’S FINAL SEASON WITH THE SHARKS?

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka wonders if Erik Karlsson’s home game on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers will be his last with the San Jose Sharks. Eliminated from postseason contention, the Sharks wrap up their season with a three-game road trip ending in Edmonton on Thursday.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Karlsson, 33, has said multiple times that he wants to play for a contender. However, the Sharks have missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season and are years away from Stanley Cup contention.

Once this season is over, Karlsson said he’ll meet with management to evaluate where they go from here. Sharks general manager Mike Grier said last fall that he was willing to listen to offers for the two-time Norris Trophy winner. There was speculation prior to the March 3 trade deadline of discussions between the Sharks and the Oilers but Grier said nothing came to fruition.

Karlsson carries an $11.5 million salary cap hit through 2026-27 and also has a full no-movement clause. Nevertheless, the list of possible suitors could grow this summer, especially if the salary cap rises by more than the projected $1 million for next season. Even so, Pashelka believes the Sharks would still have to retain part of Karlsson’s salary to facilitate a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson’s age, cap hit and the remaining years on his contract are significant obstacles in the path toward a trade. Nevertheless, he’s enjoying a career-best performance that could see him become the first defensemen in 31 years to reach 100 points in a season. He’s also the favorite to win the Norris Trophy for the third time in his career.

Karlsson will remain a hot topic for trade conjecture once the playoffs end in June. The most likely window for a move is the last half of June when teams have more salary-cap space and willingness to invest in big-name talent. The more the Sharks are willing to retain in salary, the more interest they’ll get.

LATEST ON THE CAPITALS

THE ATHLETIC: Tarik El-Bashir recently looked at which members of the Washington Capitals will be staying and those that will be going during the upcoming offseason.

He feels the Capitals might be willing to listen on Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha. Kuznetsov was recently the subject of a rumor out of Russia claiming he requested a trade. He shot it down but his situation could bear watching this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I’ve noted before, this isn’t the first time Kuznetsov has popped up in the rumor mill but he rebounded from a disappointing 2020-21 season to put up solid numbers last season. With two years remaining on his contract at an annual average value of $7.8 million, he’s probably not going anywhere unless the Capitals retain some salary in the deal.

Mantha’s disappointing performance could see his future linked to that of head coach Peter Laviolette. El-Bashir doesn’t see a contract buyout happening.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mantha’s stock has likely plummeted in the trade market. Signed through next season at a cap hit of $5.7 million, he’ll be tough to move unless there’s salary retention involved on the Capitals’ part.

As for Laviolette, it felt like he would get a contract extension. However, the situation feels much more tenuous now after two no-show losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think a coaching change is coming. On the one hand, the Capitals were walloped by injuries to key players this season. Laviolette can’t be faulted for that. On the other hand, if he was going to get a contract extension, it probably would’ve happened by now.

Conor Sheary is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. It’s hard to know whether he has a future in Washington. At this stage, it seems like he’ll be playing elsewhere next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: El-Bashir’s colleague Eric Duhatschek believes the Capitals will look to retool this summer rather than rebuild. He expects the four extra draft picks they received in their trade deadline deals (two third-rounders in 2024 and two second-rounders in 2025) will be used as trade chips this summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2023

by | Apr 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2023

The Flames pull even with the Jets for the final Western Conference wild-card berth, the Oilers become the first team since 1995-96 with three 100-point players and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames moved into a tie with the Winnipeg Jets for the final Western Conference wild-card berth with a 3-1 victory. Jacob Markstrom made 34 saves while Andrew Mangiapane and Nikita Zadorov each had a goal and an assist for the 37-27-15 Flames while Kyle Connor scored for the 43-32-3 Jets. Both teams have 89 points but the Jets still hold the wild-card spot with a game in hand and six more wins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s still possible for the Jets to clinch this playoff spot but nothing’s certain given how both clubs are stumbling down the stretch. We also can’t forget that the Nashville Predators are just three points behind both clubs with a game in hand on the Jets and two games on the Flames. It should be an interesting finish for these three teams.

Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins collected an assist to become the third Oiler this season to reach the 100-point plateau in a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Klim Kostin had a goal and an assist and Jack Campbell turned aside 27 shots for the 47-23-9 Oilers (103 points) as they moved one point behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Tory Terry replied for the 23-45-10 Ducks, who also lost forward Brock McGinn in the first period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Hopkins joined teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the 100-point club, marking the first time since the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins that a team has had at least three 100-point players on their roster. Speaking of McDavid, he collected an assist to move within two points of 150 on the season. He’s poised to become the first player since Mario Lemieux in ’95-’96 to reach the 150 mark.

The New York Rangers downed the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-3. Mika Zibanejad collected three assists while Chris Kreider and Tyler Motte each scored twice for the Rangers (46-21-11) as they moved within three points of the second-place New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division with 103 points. Alex Killorn and Brandon Hagel each had a goal and an assist for the 45-27-11 Lightning (96 points) as they sit third in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adam Fox joined Brian Leech as just the second defenseman in Rangers history to post back-to-back 70-point seasons. It was a costly win for the Blueshirts as Jacob Trouba left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Rangers winger Patrick Kane missed this contest with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs center Ryan O’Reilly will return to action on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. He’d been sidelined by a fractured finger since March 4.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich is expected to play tonight against the Rangers. He’s been out since March 28 with an upper-body injury.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner’s financial woes continue as he’s been accused of fraud by a major lender in his ongoing bankruptcy case. The 31-year-old netminder filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in December claiming $5.1 million in assets and $27.3 million in liabilities.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes’ ongoing arena saga took another turn on Wednesday as the club filed a $2.3 billion lawsuit against the city of Phoenix for damages caused by the city’s legal filing on March 27 that acted against the club’s plans to build an arena and entertainment district in Tempe.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This filing by the city of Phoenix could scuttle the Coyotes’ arena plans. That could put them on the path toward relocation if the two sides can’t find a suitable compromise.

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings promising forward Marco Kasper’s call-up has ended with the youngster suffering a season-ending lower-body injury. The 18-year-old skated in his first NHL game in a 5-2 win on April 2 over the Maple Leafs. He doesn’t require surgery but the injury will cut into his offseason training a bit.

TWINCITIES.COM: Being sidelined by an injury for 18 games earlier this season turned Minnesota Wild winger Brandon Duhaime into a Lego master builder. He filled the days during rehab and recovery building a 6,000-piece Hogwarts Castle replica. His latest project is an 8,000-piece Millennium Falcon, which is currently on hold since his return to the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Good for Duhaime for finding a constructive way to fill his time during his lengthy rehab. When I was recovering from a broken left leg and ankle in 1998, I resumed my childhood hobby of building model ships and planes. Sadly, all but my USS Missouri battleship were destroyed three years later during our move to Prince Edward Island.

THE ATHLETIC: The AHL’s Chicago Wolves’ affiliation with the Carolina Hurricanes expires following this season. They intend to become the first independent franchise in the league since 1994-95.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This would mean the Wolves will no longer be a development team for an NHL club.