NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2025

by | Nov 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2025

Nathan MacKinnon and Morgan Geekie are this season’s first 20-goal scorers, Macklin Celebrini reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored his 20th goal of the season and collected two assists as the Colorado Avalanche thumped the Montreal Canadiens 7-2. Brock Nelson scored twice and had two assists, and Gabriel Landeskog had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche (18-1-6), who hold first place in the overall standings with 42 points. Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson replied for the 13-8-3 Canadiens, whose three-game win streak ended.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon becomes the first NHL player to score 20 goals this season, reaching that milestone for the 11th time in his career. He’s tied for the goal-scoring lead and sits atop the points race with 44.

Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, player agent Philippe Lecavalier said his client, Mike Matheson, wouldn’t have signed the contract he did on Friday with any other NHL club. The 32-year-old Canadiens defenseman inked a five-year extension with an average annual value of $6 million.

Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie tallied two goals, and Casey Mittelstadt scored the winner in a shootout for a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Elias Lindholm collected two assists for the 15-12-0 Bruins. Lucas Raymond and Michael Rasmussen scored for the Red Wings, who are winless in four games (0-3-1) and dropped to 13-11-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie is tied with MacKinnon with 20 goals on the season. Bruins center Pavel Zacha returned to action after missing the Bruins’ previous game with an upper-body injury, while teammate Henri Jokiharju was placed on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane is struggling to score. He had three goals and 14 points in 17 games, with the last goal being scored on Nov. 15.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals from Tomas Hertl to hold off the San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-3. Carl Lindbom turned aside 18 shots for his first NHL win as the Golden Knights (11-6-8) snapped a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). Will Smith tallied twice for the 12-11-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks center Macklin Celebrini collected an assist for his 100th career NHL point, becoming the second-fastest player in Sharks history to reach that milestone and the eighth youngest player in league history (19 years, 169 days) to do so.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel scored two goals to extend his goal streak to five games in a 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers. Nikita Kucherov picked up three assists for the Lightning (16-7-2), who won their seventh straight game and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 34 points. The Rangers (13-12-1) got a goal from J.T. Miller as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox left this game with an injured left arm. Head coach Mike Sullivan said he was being evaluated. His status remains unclear.

The Edmonton Oilers got a 26-save shutout from Stuart Skinner to blank the Seattle Kraken 4-0. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist in his return to action after a nine-game absence with an undisclosed injury as the Oilers improved to 11-10-5. Joey Daccord allowed four goals on 25 shots for the Kraken, who are winless in three games (0-2-1) as they slipped to 11-7-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers played without forwards Jack Roslovic and Kasperi Kapanen, who are expected to miss at least two weeks with injuries. On Friday, the Kraken announced that winger Jaden Schwartz will be sidelined for six weeks with a lower-body injury.

St. Louis Blues goalie Joel Hofer made 18 saves, and Dylan Holloway scored the only goal to shut out the Utah Mammoth 1-0. Mammoth netminder Karel Vejmelka stopped 18 shots as his club has lost three straight games and dropped to 12-11-3. The Blues improved to 9-10-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth center Logan Cooley had to be helped off the ice in the third period after a knee-on-knee hit from Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko, who received a major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct. There was no update on Cooley’s status.

The Philadelphia Flyers got two goals and an assist from Owen Tippett in a 5-3 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Matvei Michkov netted two goals, and Dan Vladar stopped 29 shots for the 14-7-3 Flyers, who picked up their third straight win. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for the Devils (16-8-1), whose three-game win streak was snapped, but they remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 33 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist in a 7-2 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Bobby McMann, and Nicolas Roy also each had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who improved to 11-11-3. Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (12-7-5).

Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter tallied twice as his club defeated the Nashville Predators 5-2, snapping a four-game losing skid. Dylan Samberg had three assists as the Jets improved to 13-11-0. Luke Evangelista had a goal and an assist for the 8-13-4 Predators.

A shootout goal by Noah Ostlund lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 upset of the Minnesota Wild, ending the latter’s seven-game win streak. Beck Malenstyn and Josh Doan scored in regulation for the 10-11-4 Sabres. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy tallied for the 14-7-4 Wild.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the Vancouver Canucks 2-1. Anze Kopitar also scored for the 12-6-7 Kings. Evander Kane replied for the Canucks, who dropped to 10-13-3.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri’s season is over after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee on Friday. He will undergo surgery and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight months.

CBS SPORTS: Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (upper body) was placed on injured reserve.

TSN: There is no backup plan if the main ice hockey arena for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is not ready on time. Construction is behind schedule, and its completion is going down to the wire.

The women’s tournament begins on Feb. 5, while the men’s tournament starts on Feb. 11. The latter will feature NHL players for the first time since the 2014 Games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 29, 2025

by | Nov 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 29, 2025

The Wild ended the Avalanche’s long win streak, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reached another scoring milestone, the Canadiens re-signed Mike Matheson, the Flames re-signed general manager Craig Conroy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild extended their win streak to seven games with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Colorado Avalanche, ending the latter’s win streak at 10 games. Jesper Wallstedt kicked out 39 shots, Kirill Kaprizov tallied twice (including his 200th career goal), and Matt Boldy scored the winning goal for the 14-7-4 Wild. Nathan MacKinnon scored his league-leading 19th goal for the Avalanche (17-1-6), who picked up a point and sit atop the overall standings with 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Wild placed forward Marcus Foligno on injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Sidney Crosby scored two goals and Kris Letang tallied in overtime to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. With the win, the Penguins improved to 12-6-5. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-5 Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby scored his 640th career regular-season NHL goal, moving past Dave Andreychuk into 15th on the overall goal list. He also moved past Jarome Iginla into 20th place for the most multi-goal games with 109.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and three assists in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals, and Adam Fox picked up three assists for the Rangers (13-11-2), who picked up their third straight win. Casey Mittelstadt and Morgan Geekie replied for the 14-12-0 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha missed this game due to injuries and are listed as day-to-day. Forward Matej Blumel was placed on long-term injury reserve.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 30-save performance from Sam Montembeault to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1. Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Zach Bolduc each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (13-7-3), who picked up their third straight win. Mark Stone scored for the slumping Golden Knights (10-6-8), who are winless in their last four contests (0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canadiens signed defenseman Mike Matheson to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $6 million. The 31-year-old Montreal native has been a reliable veteran presence on the Canadiens’ blueline. His cap hit is a bit pricey, but he likely would have received over $7 million annually on a longer term in next summer’s free-agent market. It’s a good move by the Habs, ensuring their top-four defensemen are all under long-term contracts.

Calgary Flames goalie Devin Cooley stopped 37 shots as his club overcame an early 2-0 deficit for a 5-3 upset of the Florida Panthers. Nazem Kadri had a goal and two assists for the 9-14-3 Flames, who’ve won four of their last five contests. Evan Rodrigues and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers, who’ve dropped three of their last four and dropped to 12-11-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flames announced the signing of general manager Craig Conroy and fellow front-office executives Don Maloney, Dave Nonis, and Brad Pascall to two-year contract extensions. It’s a vote of confidence from Flames’ ownership despite the club’s low placement in the standings thus far.

New Jersey Devils netminder Jake Allen turned in a 42-save shutout to blank the Buffalo Sabres 5-0. Arseny Gritsyuk had two goals for the Devils (16-7-1) as they picked up their third straight victory. Alex Lyon allowed five goals on 18 shots for the Sabres, who slipped to 9-11-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Devils hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 33 points.

The Tampa Bay Lightning downed the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 6-3. Yanni Gourde tallied twice, and Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his points streak to eight games for the 15-7-2 Lightning, who picked up their sixth straight win. J.T. Compher and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the 13-11-1 Red Wings, who’ve lost four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning sit atop the Atlantic Division with 32 points, three ahead of the second-place Canadiens.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston snapped a 3-3 tie to give his club a 4-3 win over the Utah Mammoth. Mikko Rantanen and Miro Heiskanen each had two assists as the 16-5-4 Stars collected their third straight win. Logan Cooley, Kevin Rooney, and Jack McBain scored for the Mammoth (12-10-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth winger Clayton Keller played in the game despite the sudden death of his father the previous day. As a tribute, he was named the game’s first star. My sincere condolences to Keller and his family.

The Philadelphia Flyers blew a 3-0 lead to the New York Islanders but picked up a 4-3 win on a shootout goal by Travis Konecny. Tyson Foerster, Sean Couturier, and Trevor Zegras scored in regulation for the 13-7-3 Flyers, who’ve won four of their last five games. Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (13-9-3), who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders winger Kyle Palmieri left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. While on his way to the bench, he stole the puck from Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae and passed to Anders Lee, who set up Emil Heineman for the Isles’ first goal.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson scored the tying goal and had two assists as his club nipped the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 on a shootout goal by Mason McTavish. The win gave the Ducks (15-8-1) a two-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division with 31 points. Defensemen Brandt Clarke and Brian Dumoulin each had two assists for the Kings (11-6-7), who have one win in their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Ducks announced that goaltender Lukas Dostal would be sidelined for two to three weeks with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Kings winger Warren Foegele missed this contest with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored to extend his goal streak to five games as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2. Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (14-9-3) as they’ve won six of their last seven contests. Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies scored for the struggling Maple Leafs (10-11-3), who are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander missed this game due to an illness, and forward Max Domi was a healthy scratch.

A hat trick by Seth Jarvis powered the Carolina Hurricanes to a 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Andrei Svechnikov and Shayne Gostisbehere each had two assists for the 15-7-2 Hurricanes. Mark Scheifele replied for the slumping Jets (12-11-0) as they lost their fourth straight game.

The St. Louis Blues squeaked past the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on a goal by Matthew Kessel. Jordan Binnington stopped 25 shots for the 8-10-7 Blues. Brady Tkachuk collected an assist in his return to action with the 12-8-4 Senators.

San Jose Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov stopped 32 shots, and Macklin Celebrini picked up two assists to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Adam Gaudette netted the winning goal for the 12-10-3 Sharks. Forwards Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (10-13-2), who have lost four of their last five games.

The Nashville Predators held off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, and Luke Evangelista each had a goal and an assist for the 8-12-4 Predators. Ryan Donato, Ryan Greene, and Teuvo Teravainen replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost four straight and dropped to 10-9-5.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2025

by | Sep 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2025

Marc-Andre Fleury’s farewell to Penguins fans, Mason McTavish finally re-signs with the Ducks, the Blues ink Cam Fowler to a contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Marc-Andre Fleury made eight saves during his third-period appearance with the Penguins in a 4-1 preseason victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The 40-year-old goaltender officially retired at the end of last season, but returned to the Penguins on a training camp tryout contract for a final farewell to the team with which he spent most of his NHL career. A soldout crowd of 18,333 fans gave him a standing ovation when he took to the ice, chanted his name on every save, and called for “One More Year!”.

Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

“A little surreal, a little crazy, but still also comfortable, “ Fleury said of the experience. He explained that it always felt “a little bit weird” whenever he played at PPG Arena with other teams, but this time, “it felt normal.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury’s preseason farewell stint with the Penguins prompted TSN’s Pierre LeBrun to suggest that he might be coaxed back into action by some NHL clubs looking to bolster their goaltending depth.

However, it appears Fleury has hung up his pads for good. He was appreciative of the chants from Penguins fans for one more year, but explained he was tired and his hip was sore. While his competitive desire may not have diminished, Fleury knows that he cannot physically do it anymore.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The contract standoff between the Anaheim Ducks and Mason McTavish ended Saturday with an agreement on a six-year, $42-million deal. The average annual value is $7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates McTavish will have a 15-team no-trade list for the final two seasons of his new contract. It was rumored that the Ducks offered $5.5 million annually while the McTavish camp sought $7.5 million.

The Ducks hope to emerge from their long rebuilding phase into a playoff contender this season. They need McTavish in the fold to center their second line. And no, this isn’t a sign-and-trade situation. While some NHL teams expressed interest in McTavish, the Ducks need him more than they do.

McTavish will return to the Ducks for the remainder of training camp and perhaps get into one of their three remaining preseason games. It’s unlikely he’ll be in the lineup for Monday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, but he could return for Wednesday’s game against the Sharks or Saturday’s tilt against the Los Angeles Kings.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: The Blues signed defenseman Cam Fowler to a three-year contract extension. Fowler, 33, will earn an average annual value of $6.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates Fowler will have a full no-trade clause for the first two years of the deal and a 15-team no-trade list starting on Jan. 1, 2029.

This is a slight pay cut from Fowler’s $6.5 million AAV on his current contract, but he was willing to accept it to remain with the Blues. Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks last December, he quickly fit in well with his new club, tallying 36 points with the Blues as they exceeded expectations to clinch a playoff berth.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Changes to the NHL-NHLPA collective bargaining agreement could prevent Alex Pietrangelo from returning to the Golden Knights’ lineup in time for the 2026 playoffs.

The 35-year-old defenseman is expected to miss the regular season as he rehabs a nagging hip injury and will be placed on long-term injury reserve when the season begins next month. However, he recently said that he hoped to return to the lineup later in the season.

However, teams must now be salary-cap compliant during the postseason. That means the Golden Knights would have to sit one or two players to free up sufficient cap space to enable Pietrangelo to return to the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights could do it by sitting an overpaid, unproductive player. Looking at their current roster, however, there doesn’t appear to be anyone who fits that profile. They could also do it if another player carrying a comparable or more expensive contract ends up on LTIR, but that would mean losing a key player like Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, or Mark Stone.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko suffered a broken hand and will be sidelined for roughly six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko was rejuvenated after being acquired from the New York Rangers last December, tallying 30 points in 49 games with the Kraken. He is expected to play on their first line when he returns from injury in late October or early November.

CBS SPORTS: Anaheim Ducks center Jansen Harkins will miss the next eight weeks with an upper-body injury.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres are extending their lease at KeyBank Center for five more years. That will buy them time to negotiate a long-term deal that includes public funding for much-needed arena renovations.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last week that the Pennsylvania Usage Fee, also known as the Facility Tax, is unconstitutional.

The fee, also known as a jock tax, led to visiting athletes and entertainers performing at any of the city of Pittsburgh’s publicly funded sports stadiums being taxed at the rate of three percent of their income.

The NHLPA and New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri were among the appellees.

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM FOUNDATION: Brett McKay reports financial audits reveal the Edmonton Oilers’ 50/50 raffle has been paying part of the charitable proceeds to a private company called “Win50”, which is owned by the Oilers ownership group.

The report claims “Win50” received $81 million in “licensing and rights fees” between 2021 and 2024, with less than 20 percent of the total fundraising actually going to charities.

McKay reports the Oilers Foundation replied that “Win50” pays all the expenses of running the raffle, explaining it was the cost of doing business.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2025

by | May 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2025

The Oilers and Panthers prepare for their upcoming Stanley Cup Final rematch, the Senators will begin contract talks with Claude Giroux, the Sabres add Jarmo Kekalainen to their front office, the Islanders make two signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said his club spent seven months preparing for this return to the Stanley Cup Final. While they’re proud of what they’ve accomplished thus far, Knoblauch indicated they’re focused on the ultimate goal of winning hockey’s greatest prize.

“We said last year right after Game 7 that we’d be back,” said winger Corey Perry. “And we’re back.”

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl knows what his club has to deal with facing the defending champion Florida Panthers again. “We know what they’re about, we played them seven times,” he said. “They’re a good team. We’re a really good team, as well. It’s nice to get a shot at getting some revenge, but we’re a long way from that.”

Knoblauch pointed out that his team must play its best hockey to achieve a different result from last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zach Hyman was the first player following Game 7 to guarantee they would return to the Final this season. His prophecy came true, but an injury suffered in the Western Conference Final has sidelined him from the Cup Final.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk praised the Oilers during his appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show, calling them “a hell of a team”. He believes the rematch between his two clubs will make for “an incredible series”, calling the two clubs the best in the NHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We have to wait several days for that series to begin. Game 1 is Wednesday, June 4, in Edmonton. Game 7 (if necessary) will be in Edmonton on Friday, June 20.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators will sit for face-to-face contract discussions next week with Claude Giroux.

The versatile 37-year-old forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Both sides have already found common ground because he wants to stay in Ottawa and the Senators are interested in keeping him.

Garrioch cited insiders suggesting Giroux’s next contract should have a base salary of $3 million with achievable performance bonuses that could take him up to between $4.5 million and $5 million. The biggest decision could be whether he gets a one or two-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be surprised if they don’t get a deal done. Giroux is eager to complete his career in Ottawa, and the Senators appreciate his skills, experience and leadership.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres hired former Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen as a senior advisor to GM Kevyn Adams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen has the most experience of anyone in the Sabres front office. He should be a valuable addition as they attempt to improve their roster and bring an end to their 14-year playoff drought next season.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Mathieu Darche made his first two contract signings as Islanders general manager, inking winger Kyle Palmieri to a two-year extension and defenseman Adam Boqvist to a one-year deal.

Palmieri will earn an average annual value of $4.75 million. He also has a full no-trade clause for 2025-26 and a 16-team no-trade clause for 2026-27. Boqvist will earn $850K next season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis revealed he reaggravated the right labrum/rotator cuff injury he suffered last season. He’s leaning toward another summer of rehabbing the injury rather than undergoing surgery, explaining that the procedure wouldn’t do much for his game. It would also sideline him for an extensive period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarvis played through the injury this season, scoring a team-leading 32 goals.

Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield confirmed he suffered a hip injury midway through the second-round series with the Washington Capitals. He won’t require surgery and will be ready for the start of the season. Blueliner Sean Walker reaggravated a shoulder injury in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final.

SPORTSNET: The Seattle Kraken signed defenseman Josh Mahura to a two-year, one-way contract extension with an AAV of $907,500.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers signed blueliner Helge Grans to a two-year, $1.575 million contract.

TSN: Francois Gagnon will receive the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for excellence in hockey journalism. Daryl Reaugh will receive the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. They will accept their awards at the Hockey Hall of Fame NHL Media Awards Luncheon in Toronto on Nov. 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Gagnon and Reaugh for their well-deserved awards.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 26, 2025

by | May 26, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 26, 2025

Check out the latest on the Jets, Canucks, and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE JETS’ NOTABLE FREE AGENTS

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates recently looked at which Winnipeg Jets players could stay or go during the offseason.

He reported that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff met with Nikolaj Ehlers’ agent for two hours last Monday. The 29-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

Ates considered that meeting a positive sign, as Cheveldayoff said that Ehlers was the type of player who could be a Jet for life. However, he also believes the Jets are preparing for a future without the veteran winger.

The Jets have an internal budget for Ehlers, knowing they must also re-sign restricted free agents Dylan Samberg and Gabriel Vilardi. They must also ensure they have sufficient long-term cap space to sign winger Kyle Connor to an extension this summer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau noted that Ehlers is coming off a solid performance this season, matching a career high for assists (39) and coming within a point of his career high of 64 points (2016-17) in 69 games. He’s completing a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million.

Proteau doesn’t believe the Jets can afford to get into a bidding war to retain Ehlers, citing his injury history and sub-par postseason stats. He think they’d be better off pursuing Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser, who is a six-time scorer of 23-plus goals and put up solid playoff numbers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers’ teammates sang his praises during the club’s end-of-season media availability last week. Cheveldayoff managed to keep Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele in the fold, but they were far more important to the Jets’ success than Ehlers. He also got those two under contract well before their UFA eligibility.

Ensuring sufficient cap room to re-sign Connor is the priority. Cheveldayoff will let Ehlers walk if the winger’s asking price threatens to exceed that internal budget.

UPDATE ON THE CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma recently observed that the Vancouver Canucks will find it tougher to lure UFA talent compared to last year, when they were coming off one of the best season’s in franchise history.

Kuzma noted the Canucks’ primary offseason needs are a second-line center and a top-six winger. However, their struggles this season, including the recent departure of head coach Rick Tocchet and internal drama between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller that led to the latter’s trade to New York, could make them a less-desirable free-agent destination.

It could also make it difficult for the Canucks to find help in the trade market in an era of no-trade lists and no-movement clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ difficulties this season will affect management’s efforts to bolster their roster this summer. Nevertheless, they could have a better chance of doing so in the trade market, where there are players who lack no-trade protection. It depends on what they’re willing to offer up as trade bait.

WILL THE ISLANDERS RE-SIGN KYLE PALMIERI?

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias believes a big decision facing new Islanders GM Mathieu Darche is whether to sign Kyle Palmieri to an extension.

The 34-year-old winger is UFA-eligible on July 1. Former GM Lou Lamoriello had opened contract extension talks with Palmieri’s representatives, but those discussions were put on hold after Lamoriello was relieved of his duties last month.

Macias believes Darche should retain Palmieri unless his asking price is absurd. He thinks the veteran winger could take a pay cut to stay with the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see what changes Darche has in store for the Islanders this offseason, and whether they involve Palmieri. If he keeps the winger, it’ll likely be on a two-year deal for between $3.5 million and $4 million annually.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 14, 2025

by | Mar 14, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 14, 2025

The latest on Brock Boeser, Kyle Palmieri and Ryan Donato plus a look at the Wild’s potential free-agent targets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HURRICANES HAD INTEREST IN BOESER

CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal recently reported the Carolina Hurricanes were believed to have made a pitch for Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser in the hours before last Friday’s trade deadline.

Boeser, 28, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. There’s been no sign of progress in contract extension talks with the Canucks.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Dhaliwal said the Hurricanes attempted to flip one of the two first-round picks they received from the Dallas Stars in the Mikko Rantanen trade to the Canucks as part of their offer for Boeser. He also indicated the Canucks made another contract offer to Boeser but it was unclear how much it differed from their original pitch of five years at $8 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser could be heading to free agency on July 1, where the Hurricanes might be willing to sign him after losing out on Mikko Rantanen.

There’s plenty of time for Boeser and the Canucks to reach an agreement and things can change quickly. However, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin saying Boeser didn’t draw attractive offers in the trade market before last Friday’s deadline might not have sat well with the winger’s camp.

WHO WILL THE WILD TARGET THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith and Michael Russo looked at which free agents might be on the Minnesota Wild’s radar this summer. The buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter drop from a combined $14.7 million to $1.7 million next season, freeing up valuable cap space for general manager Bill Guerin to bolster the roster.

The upcoming UFA class doesn’t contain many game changers. Minnesota native Brock Nelson could extend with the Colorado Avalanche, Mitch Marner will be too expensive, while the rest (John Tavares, Jamie Benn, Claude Giroux) are in their mid-to-late thirties.

Minnesota native Brock Boeser could be available, but Smith and Russo question if it’s worth overpaying for a winger whose value at the recent trade deadline was underwhelming.

Whatever Guerin has in mind must account for Kirill Kaprizov’s future with the Wild. Kaprizov can sign a contract extension on July 1 but Wild management must sell him on their seriousness of building a contender around him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild will be worth monitoring in the offseason. Guerin would make a foray or two into this summer’s UFA market, but he’ll also look at the trade market for suitable additions.

THE LATEST ON PALMIERI AND DONATO

TSN: Pierre LeBrun provided an update on contract extension talks between the New York Islanders and Kyle Palmieri, and the Chicago Blackhawks and Ryan Donato. On July 1, both players are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status.

The Palmieri negotiations are continuing and could be close to an agreement, though there’s no timeline for announcing the deal. Meanwhile, Donato and the Blackhawks have taken a breather on their extension discussions, but talks could resume soon.