NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2023

by | Sep 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2023

Quinn Hughes named the Canucks’ new captain, the Avalanche hope Gabriel Landeskog can return for the 2024 playoffs, Zach Parise not returning to the Islanders to start the season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks yesterday named Quinn Hughes as their new captain. He replaces Bo Horvat, who was traded in January to the New York Islanders. The 23-year-old defenseman is entering his sixth season with the Canucks and is the 15th captain in franchise history.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes got the nod over such notable teammates as J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The respect that he has from his teammates appears to have factored into this move by the club. Horvat spoke to Hughes on Sunday before the announcement was made and took to Instagram to praise the new captain.

THE ATHLETIC: Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland is hoping that team captain Gabriel Landeskog can return to the lineup for the 2024 playoffs. The 30-year-old left winger will miss the 2023-24 regular season recovering from the knee injury that sidelined him for the entirety of last season.

“There’s still so much to be gleaned from this,” said MacFarland. “It’s hard to put a timeline on it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog underwent three surgeries on his knee in the previous two years. If he misses this season and the playoffs his playing career could be over.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello yesterday said that Zach Parise will not be returning to the club for the start of the season. The 39-year-old free-agent winger remains with his family in Minnesota. Lamoriello left the door open for a possible return later in the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parise isn’t signing with another club nor is he retiring. He appears to be taking some more time to see if he wants to play one more NHL season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Islanders, Alexander Romanov could miss the start of training camp following offseason shoulder surgery. Lamoriello said the 23-year-old defenseman is progressing well and should return to the lineup soon.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens named Mike Matheson as an alternate captain. He replaces Joel Edmundson, who was traded to the Washington Capitals in July. The 29-year-old defenseman is thrilled by the news. “I grew up in Montreal, idolizing this team,” he said, calling it a “pinch-myself moment.”

DAILY FACEOFF: In other Canadiens news, Christian Dvorak has not been medically clear to start the coming season. The 27-year-old forward underwent season-ending knee surgery in March.

CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The Hurricanes signed forwards Kieffer Bellows and Jayden Halbgewachs to professional tryout offers.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov has been loaned by SKA St. Petersburg to fellow KHL team HK Sochi. The 18-year-old winger played for Sochi last season, collecting 20 points in 27 games. He’d been unable to get playing time with SKA St. Peterburg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov was chosen seventh overall in this year’s draft by the Flyers. His early-season struggles with SKA St. Petersburg created a stir on social media with his critics already calling him a draft bust. However, it’s far too early to write him off.

Michkov’s under a KHL contract through 2025-26. He’s got plenty of time to sort out his game before he’s ready to join the Flyers. We’ll have a better grasp of his abilities by then.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2023

by | Aug 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2023

A look at players who could reach significant milestones this season, the favorites to win the Selke Trophy following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement, the highest-scoring UFAs still available, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ian Kennedy looked at several NHL players who could reach significant career milestones in 2023-24. Among the notables:

Free agent Phil Kessel (992 points) and Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (975 points) are within reach of 1,000 career regular-season points.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand could achieve 500 career regular-season assists, 1,000 career regular-season PIMs and 1,000 career regular-season games.

Marc-Andre Fleury of the Minnesota Wild needs just 15 more games to become the fourth goaltender in NHL history to play 1,000 career regular-season contests.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin can reach the 500-goal plateau. He currently has 471.

THE SCORE: Kayla Douglas recently sized up the favorites to win the Selke Trophy this season in the wake of Patrice Bergeron’s retirement. Among them are Vegas Golden Knights winger Mark Stone, Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner, Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov and New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier.

DAILY FACEOFF: The pickings are slim for scorers in what’s left of this summer’s unrestricted free-agent class. Nevertheless, a few familiar names remain, including Patrick Kane, Tomas Tatar, Phil Kessel, Zach Parise and Eric Staal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is the biggest name on this list. If he wasn’t rehabbing from a hip resurfacing procedure in early June he would’ve been signed within hours of the free-agent market opening on July 1. The 34-year-old winger is expected to be ready to return to action in December and intends to sign with a team that gives him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Tatar is coming off a respectable 20-goal, 48-point performance with the New Jersey Devils last season. He has been linked to the Penguins in the rumor mill. Parise tallied 21 goals last season at age 38. The New York Islanders are waiting to find out if Parise, who turned 39 on July 28, intends to return or retire.

Kessel said he has no plans for retirement but there’s no word if he’s any closer to landing with a new team. The same goes for the 38-year-old Staal.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Hall of Fame defenseman Slava Fetisov is auctioning some of his memorabilia with the proceeds going directly to a special fund to assist in the care of former Detroit Red Wings teammate Vladimir Konstantinov’s ongoing non-medical care.

Konstantinov’s career was ended by a debilitating brain injury suffered in 1997. The state of Michigan is still covering his health insurance but he and his family need help with his other therapy costs.

Czech hockey greats of the past and present gathered in Litvinov on Saturday for a charity hockey game honoring the memory of Petr Klima, who passed away in May at age 58. Boston’s David Pastrnak and Carolina’s Martin Necas were among the current NHL players who took part along with former stars such as Patrik Elias, Ziggy Palffy, and Robert Reichel.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Former Sharks defenseman Ryan Merkley has signed with KHL club Kunlun Red Star.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 26, 2023

by | Jul 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 26, 2023

Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement, Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz has passed away, Wild GM Bill Guerin named the club’s president of hockey operations, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement yesterday through a statement on the club’s website.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement(NHL Images).

Bergeron, 38, thanked the many people who supported him during his 19-season NHL career spent entirely with the Bruins. They included the club’s ownership, management, coaches and teammates, as well as his family, his agents and the fans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In my opinion, Bergeron was the greatest two-way forward in NHL history and among the great players in Bruins history. He was also one of the classiest and most-respected players to lace up skates in the NHL and should be a first-ballot inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Bergeron was a finalist for the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward in 12 straight seasons (2011-12 to 2022-23), winning it a record six times. He’s third among the Bruins’ franchise leaders in total games played (1,294), goals (427) and points (1040) and fourth in assists with 613. He helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Final three times (2011, 2013 and 2019), winning the Cup in 2011 and captaining them to 65 wins and 135 points (both NHL records) in 2022-23.

In addition to his NHL success, Bergeron was also a winner on the international stage. He won gold playing for Canada at the 2004 World Championships, 2005 World Junior Championship, and the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. He was also part of Canada’s Spengler Cup win in 2012 and the World Cup of Hockey in 2016.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Shukri Wrights wondered who will replace Bergeron as the Bruins’ captain. He mentioned long-time winger Brad Marchand and top defenseman Charlie McAvoy as possible candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Replacing Bergeron as team captain will be a difficult task. Finding someone to fill his role as their first-line center is a much bigger challenge. I’ll have more on that in today’s Rumor Mill.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Rocky Wirtz, the chairman of the Blackhawks since 2007, passed away on Tuesday at age 70. Taking over following his father William’s death, he was responsible for the club’s ascension from an also-ran into a Stanley Cup contender, winning three championships in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus observed, Wirtz leaves behind a mixed legacy. While he resurrected the Blackhawks following years of stagnation during his father’s tenure as team owner, he was also the club’s chairman when Kyle Beach was allegedly sexually assaulted in 2010 by the team’s video coach at the time.

An investigation cleared Wirtz but several key front-office personnel were fired, including general manager Stan Bowman and team president John McDonough. He angrily shouted down his son and two reporters for mentioning Beach during a disastrous town hall event in February 2022. Wirtz subsequently issued an apology but was rarely seen at Blackhawks events after that.

STAR-TRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild named general manager Bill Guerin as their new president of hockey operations.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The New York Islanders are still awaiting a decision from Zach Parise if he’ll retire or return for another season. Parise, 38, completed his 18th NHL season, playing in all 82 games and scoring 21 goals while seeing time on their power-play and penalty-killing units.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed Eetu Luostarinen to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3 million. The 24-year-old forward is earning $1.5 million on his current contract which expires at the end of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luostarinen made significant progress in his three seasons with the Panthers. He saw top-six minutes last season, netting a career-best 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2022

by | Mar 22, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2022

Recaps of Monday’s games, the stars of the week are revealed, Evgenii Dadonov trade held up by the league, plus some notable contract signings, injury news and waiver moves overshadowed by yesterday’s trade deadline in NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored twice and collected three assists in a 6-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Matt Duchene tallied two goals and added an assist as the Predators sit in third place in the Central Division with 78 points. Ducks winger Troy Terry netted his 30th goal of the season.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined since March 8, Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg is listed as week-to-week with a blood clot in his right leg. It is being managed and he could return to action before the end of the season.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche (95 points) opened a five-point lead over the Florida Panthers in the overall standings by beating the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on an overtime goal by Mikko Rantanen, who finished the night with two goals. Kailer Yamamoto had a goal and an assist for the Oilers (75 points) as they sit one point behind the second-place Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division.

Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to lead the Boston Bruins over the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen made 43 saves. With 83 points, the Bruins hold a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Bruins signed winger Jake DeBrusk to a two-year contract extension with an annual average value of $4 million. The 25-year-old DeBrusk requested a trade in November so this move caught many observers by surprise. I’ll have more about this in today’s Rumor Mill.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Cam Talbot turned in a 28-save shutout to blank the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0. Nicolas Deslauriers scored the winning goal in his first game with the Wild since being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks over the weekend. With 78 points, the Wild are tied with the Nashville Predators but hold second place in the Central Division with two games in hand. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks earlier in the day, Marc-Andre Fleury suited up for the Wild as Talbot’s backup.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: 33 trades involving 54 players were made leading up to yesterday’s 3 pm ET trade deadline.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The NHL’s Central Registry is holding up a trade that would send winger Evgenii Dadonov from the Golden Knights to the Anaheim Ducks. The issue involves Dadonov’s 10-team no-trade, with reports indicating the Ducks were on that list. It’s uncertain if the winger agreed to accept a trade to Anaheim.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports Dadonov filed his 10-team no-trade list last summer while a member of the Ottawa Senators. The Golden Knights appear to be claiming they didn’t receive his no-trade list from the Senators when they acquired him in July.

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi, Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor, and Arizona Coyotes winger Lawson Crouse were named the NHL’s three stars for the week ending March 20, 2022.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders signed forward Cal Clutterbuck to a two-year contract extension worth an annual average value of $1.75 million and winger Zach Parise to a one-year extension worth $1.5 million.

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators inked goaltender Anton Forsberg to a three-year extension worth an annual cap hit of $2.75 million.

TSN: Speaking of goalies getting new three-year contracts, Karel Vejmelka agreed to one with the Arizona Coyotes worth $2.725 million annually.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers defenseman Ryan Ellis will miss the remainder of the season with what’s believed to be a hip/groin injury. He appeared in just four games with the Flyers.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals winger Carl Hagelin will undergo a second surgery for an eye injury suffered on March 1. There is no timetable for his return.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin was placed on long-term injury reserve with a knee injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forwards Kaapo Kakko (wrist injury) and Kevin Rooney (upper-body injury) remain sidelined for the remainder of March.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Arizona Coyotes claimed goalie Harri Sateri off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Seattle Kraken claimed defenseman Derrick Pouliot from the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Vancouver Canucks claimed forward Brad Richardson from the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas wasn’t pleased with the Coyotes plucking Sateri away after the Leafs signed him on Sunday to a one-year contract. However, the Coyotes were well within their rights to do so.

A player who skated in a European league during the season who signs with an NHL club must first clear waivers before he can join that team. Dubas knew this but I suspect he was hoping Sateri would pass unnoticed through waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2022

by | Feb 25, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2022

​Zdeno Chara sets record for defensemen, Zach Parise reaches a scoring milestone, the Predators retire Pekka Rinne’s number, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The New York Islanders’ Zdeno Chara surpassed Chris Chelios for most games (1,652) by an NHL defenseman but his club dropped a 4-3 shootout decision to the San Jose Sharks. Isles winger Zach Parise also reached a personal milestone by tallying his 400th career NHL regular-season goal. Logan Couture netted the winning goal for the Sharks (52 points), who sit seven points behind the Edmonton Oilers for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Chara and Parise on their respective achievements in what could be their final NHL seasons. Both are now well past their playing prime and could face retirement following this season.

A shootout goal by Mikael Granlund gave the Nashville Predators a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars after they honored former goaltender Pekka Rinne by retiring his jersey No. 35 in a pre-game ceremony. Rinne’s successor, Juuse Saros, made 27 saves for the win as the Predators opened a six-point lead over the Oilers in the first Western wild-card berth with 64 points. The Stars (59 points) sit just behind the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winner of the Vezina Trophy in 2018 and a two-time All-Star, Rinne retired at the end of last season as the Predators’ all-time leader in games played (683), wins (369), save percentage (.921), goals-against average (2.43) and shutouts (60).

J.T. Miller scored twice and added two assists while Thatcher Demko made 29 saves as the Vancouver Canucks thumped the Calgary Flames 7-1, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat each tallied two goals as the Canucks (56 points) moved within three points of the Oilers. The Flames remain atop the Pacific Division with 66 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored twice to take over the NHL goal-scoring lead (36) in a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild to snap a three-game losing skid. Petr Mrazek kicked out 29 shots while Mitch Marner collected two assists. With 70 points, the Leafs sit two points behind the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division. The Wild remain in third place in the Central with 65 points, one behind the St. Louis Blues. Leafs winger Ilya Mikheyev left the game early with a non-COVID-related illness.

The Boston Bruins got a two-goal performance by Jake DeBrusk, including the winning goal in overtime, to down the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Charlie McAvoy collected two assists while Linus Ullmark stopped 25 shots. Bruins winger Brad Marchand was held scoreless in his return from a six-game suspension. The Bruins hold the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with 64 points, one behind the Washington Capitals. The Kraken has dropped six straight games.

Speaking of the Capitals, they suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin turned aside 36 shots for the Rangers while teammates Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and an assist. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his 32nd goal of the season. The Rangers sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points, three behind the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.

Patrik Laine scored a goal to extend his points streak to 11 games as his Columbus Blue Jackets upset the Florida Panthers 6-3. Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jakub Voracek and Jack Roslovic each collected two points for the Jackets while J-F Berube made 39 saves for the win. The Jackets have won four straight games and sit nine points behind the Bruins. The Panthers remain atop the Eastern Conference with 75 points.

Speaking of upsets, the New Jersey Devils rolled to a 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes each collected three points while Nico Daws turned in a 37-save performance for the Devils. The Penguins sit one point behind the Rangers in the Metro Division.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEWSOBSERVER.COM: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo will be sidelined for at least a month with an upper-body injury. It appears he injured his midsection during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeAngelo was enjoying a solid bounce-back performance with the Hurricanes. Skating for much of the season alongside Jaccob Slavin, he’s third among Hurricanes scorers with 40 points.

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Kaplan reports Evander Kane described his professional prospects beyond this season as “uncertain” and his pending contract grievance with the San Jose Sharks as “unclear” in a recent court filing in his ongoing bankruptcy case.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL Players Association reportedly filed a grievance on Kane’s behalf three weeks ago over the Sharks terminating his contract. A date for a hearing has yet to be determined.

FOX 13 SEATTLE: The Kraken placed winger Jared McCann (upper body) on injured reserve. He’s their leading scorer with 21 goals and 33 points in 48 games.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting was fined $2,000.00 by the department of player safety for diving/embellishment during a recent game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

TSN: The Dallas Stars claimed forward Martin Studenic off waivers from the New Jersey Devils.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2021

by | Oct 11, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2021

The Rangers sign Mika Zibanejad to a lucrative contract extension, Zdeno Chara and Zach Parise officially sign with the Islanders, a large number of players hit the waiver wire, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers yesterday announced Mika Zibanejad signed an eight-year contract extension worth $68 million. The annual average value is $8.5 million. This deal will keep Zibanejad with the Rangers until he’s 36. By keeping his AAV under $9 million, it provided the Blueshirts with some cap flexibility to re-sign key players such as Adam Fox in the near future.

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Post’s Larry Brooks indicated Zibanejad’s new deal is a little longer than Rangers’ management preferred. However, it was necessary to reach that $8.5 million cap hit as he likely would’ve received up to $10 million annually on the open market. As per Cap Friendly, they now have over $62 million invested in 16 players for 2022-23 with Fox, Ryan Strome, Kaapo Kakko and Alexandar Georgiev among the notables slated for new contracts next summer.

Zibanejad thrived since being traded to the Rangers in 2016, including a career-best 41 goals and 75 points in 57 games in 2019-20. He had a slow start last season following a bout of COVID-19 but finished strong with 50 points in 56 contests.

This signing should also take the Rangers out of the Jack Eichel sweepstakes. I’ll have more on that in today’s Rumor Mill. Brooks believes the only way it happens is if the Sabres retain 40-50 percent of Eichel’s $10 million AAV which isn’t going to happen.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders officially announced the signings of Zdeno Chara and Zach Parise. They’re both on one-year, one-way contracts with an annual average value of $1.5 million. They’ll receive a base salary of $750K plus $750K in bonuses.

Frank Seravalli reported Erik Gustafsson has returned to the Chicago Blackhawks. The 29-year-old defenseman signed a one-year deal believed to be worth $800K.

Forty-three players hit the waiver wire yesterday. Vancouver Canucks defenseman Travis Hamonic and Edmonton Oilers forward Kyle Turris are the two notable names on that list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hamonic was absent from the Canucks training camp and preseason for reasons related to the NHL’s vaccination protocols. Unvaccinated players face restrictions that could prevent them from participating in road games, which could also result in them being suspended without pay.

There was talk of the Canucks attempting to trade Hamonic. He’s on a two-year, $6 million contract with an eight-team no-trade clause.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, they traded defenseman Olli Juolevi to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Noah Juulsen and forward Juho Lammiko.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a trade of young players who failed to pan out with their previous teams. Injuries also hampered the development of Juolevi and Juulsen. The latter is now on his third team in two seasons.

THE SCORE: Vegas Golden Knights president of hockey operations George McPhee accused player agent Allan Walsh of attempting to sabotage efforts to trade Marc-Andre Fleury by telling other clubs his client was considering retirement.

McPhee praised Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon’s handling of the situation. While acknowledging Fleury learned of his trade to the Chicago Blackhawks on social media, McPhee said they spoke with the goalie’s camp leading up to the deal. They stopped communicating with them when Walsh started telling other clubs Fleury planned to retire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to hear Walsh’s side of the story. The agent generated some controversy during the 2020 playoffs by posting an image on Twitter of Fleury with a photoshopped sword running through his back and head coach Pete DeBoer’s name on the blade. The suggestion was DeBoer stabbed his client in the back by giving Robin Lehner more playing time in the postseason. That image was removed at Fleury’s request.

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood returned to practice yesterday after clearing all COVID-19 protocols. He’d received an inconclusive COVID test on Thursday. He said he “still has some things to do” before deciding one way or the other on getting vaccinated, “but I’m probably going to be getting the shot in the next couple of weeks.” He’s the only unvaccinated member of the Devils.

TSN: Speaking of the Devils, they signed forward Jimmy Vesey to a one-year, $800K contract.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette indicated captain Alex Ovechkin is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He doesn’t consider it serious, suggesting the 36-year-old winger could be in the lineup for their season opener on Wednesday against the New York Rangers.

THE DENVER POST: The Avalanche signed defenseman Jack Johnson to a one-year, $750K contract.

SPORTSNET: Ottawa Senators forward Austin Watson is expected to be sidelined roughly four weeks with an injured ankle.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Friedman was fined $1,812.50 for spearing Columbus Blue Jackets forward Sean Kuraly during Saturday’s preseason game.

Former NHL forward Frans Nielsen signed with DEL club Eisbaren Berlin. The 37-year-old center tallied 473 points in 925 career NHL games with the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings.