Do the Golden Knights have enough cap room to re-sign Jonathan Marchessault? Could the Bruins pursue Patrick Kane this summer? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
CAN THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS AFFORD JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT?
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Danny Webster reports the Golden Knights have approximately $7.59 million in salary-cap space for 2024-25 after signing Noah Hanifin to a contract extension yesterday. That’s assuming goaltender Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve.
That doesn’t leave much room for the Golden Knights to bring back some of their free agents, the most notable being winger Jonathan Marchessault. The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner has 41 goals in his contract year.
Their other unrestricted free agents include center Chandler Stephenson, wingers William Carrier, Anthony Mantha and Michael Amadio and defenseman Alec Martinez. Hanifin’s signing suggests Martinez might not be back while their acquisition last month of Tomas Hertl could mean Stephenson is on his way out.
Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hanifin and Hertl are on expensive long-term contracts and will play key roles as core players for the Golden Knights. Their additions almost certainly mean Martinez and Stephenson won’t be back.
VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen also wondered what the future holds for Marchessault. The 33-year-old winger can’t expect a long-term deal at this stage but he’s a durable player who’s netted 99 goals (and counting) over the past three seasons.
Marchessault is coming off a contract with an annual cap hit of $5 million. Allen speculates a contender seeking a scorer could pay a bigger number on a short-term deal.
The Golden Knights must shed a salary or two if they intend to re-sign Marchessault.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights aren’t a team that allows sentimentality to enter the equation when maintaining their roster. Popular players such as Marc-Andre Fleury and Reilly Smith have been shipped out to make room for other talent. They could let Marchessault walk on July 1 rather than re-sign him.
If they intend to keep him, they’ll have no choice but to make a cost-cutting trade or two. That could mean peddling 31-year-old forward William Karlsson, who has three more years remaining with an AAV of $5.9 million and a 10-team no-trade clause.
Murphy claims there were rumors last summer that Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was interested in signing Kane. “If he doesn’t come to terms on a new contract with winger Jake DeBrusk, could Sweeney look to the more experienced three-time Stanley Cup champion?”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Sweeney is more interested in someone younger such as Vancouver Canucks two-way center Elias Lindholm.
Sweeny was also said to be interested in Noah Hanifin but that’s not possible after his re-signing with the Golden Knights. He could shift his focus toward Brady Skjei or Brett Pesce. Both Carolina Hurricanes blueliners are slated to become UFAs on July 1.
Will Patrick Kane return with the Red Wings next season? Should the Devils add toughness to their roster in the offseason? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WILL PATRICK KANE RETURN WITH THE RED WINGS?
MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan reports the decision by the Detroit Red Wings general manager to sign Patrick Kane to a one-year, $2.5 million contract last November has been validated.
Kane recently reached the 20-goal plateau for the 16th time in 17 NHL seasons. It’s an impressive achievement for a 35-year-old winger coming off a hip resurfacing procedure last June. He said he was “really happy” with his decision to sign with the Red Wings, adding he has nothing but positive things to say about the organization, the coaches and the team.
Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).
With 44 points in 46 games, Kane is second to Wings captain Dylan Larkin in points per game (.96 to .97). He also indicated he’s no longer feeling pain on the ice as he did before his procedure.
Khan believes the Red Wings would like to re-sign Kane before his eligibility for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He’s focused on the playoff chase and will sort out his future in the offseason.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff noted that Kane offered no inclination that he’d like to return with the Wings.
“I think just with the situation I was in and coming in and being here for maybe three-quarters of the season or whatever it was, it’s just this year and then we’ll see what happens,” said Kane.
Duff believes Kane’s performance this season will draw a lot of suitors if he tests the free-agent market on July 1. Yzerman could find it challenging to keep the future Hall-of-Famer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lot will depend on what kind of offers Kane could receive. They’ll be short-term proposals but he could lean toward a club willing to sign him for three years.
The cap hit will also be a factor. He won’t get anything close to the $10.5 million annual average value of his previous contract and won’t accept another $2.75 million AAV. Something around $6 million annually could tempt him.
Kane could prefer signing with Stanley Cup contenders if he hits the open market.
WILL THE DEVILS ADD TOUGHNESS IN THE OFFSEASON
SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek noted the New Jersey Devils intend to search for a starting goaltender and a new head coach this summer. However, he wondered if they’d re-sign enforcer Kurtis MacDermid or find a suitable replacement.
Marek observed that most of the Devils’ rivals in the Metropolitan Division carry a slugger. MacDermid was brought in to deal with Matt Rempe after the Rangers forward ran over Nathan Bastian.
Check out the latest on the Senators and Red Wings in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
WHAT COULD THE OFFSEASON HOLD FOR THE SENATORS?
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch recently compared the Senators and the Buffalo Sabres, who are poised to miss the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season. He noted the Sabres have gone through three general managers and eight head coaches.
The Senators are also reaching a crossroads as they’ll miss the postseason for the seventh straight season. They must avoid the Sabres blueprint if they hope to build around their young core.
Changes must be made. The Senators can’t just bring back the same roster next season and hope everyone improves.
The core of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto, Josh Norris, Thomas Chabot, Ridly Greig and Jake Sanderson will be expected to improve. However, Senators GM Steve Staios must put the right group around them and improve the goaltending. Staios would also like to acquire additional leadership to support team captain Tkachuk.
THE SCORE: Josh Wegman has some suggestions for how the Senators can get over the hump.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).
First is hiring an experienced head coach such as Claude Julien, Craig Berube, Dean Evason, Gerard Gallant or John Stevens. Wegman also suggests making a major trade, entertaining offers for Chabot, Norris, Batherson, Jakob Chychrun and Claude Giroux, among others. Staios should prioritize acquiring a right-shot shutdown defenseman to balance the Senators’ blueline.
Wegman also thinks Staios should target strong defensive players via free agency. Options could include the Dallas Stars’ Chris Tanev, the Los Angeles Kings’ Matt Roy, the Edmonton Oilers’ Vincent Desharnais, the Carolina Hurricanes’ Jalen Chatfield, the Vancouver Canucks’ Nikita Zadorov or Ian Cole, or bringing back Dylan DeMelo from the Winnipeg Jets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staios has a lot of work to do here. Hiring a new head coach could be the easiest of his offseason tasks. He’ll have plenty of experienced NHL bench bosses to choose from if he goes that route.
It won’t be easy improving the goaltending. They’re stuck with Joonas Korpisalo, who has four years at $4 million annually left on his contract. They could try to replace backup Anton Forsberg, though his $2.75 million cap hit for next season could be difficult to move.
The Senators have a projected cap space of $11.8 million with 16 roster players under contract for 2024-25. A new contract for Pinto could eat up between $4 million and $5 million. Staios must find a way to free up some cap room to bring in that much-needed defensive help.
One or two notable players will have to be moved. Chychrun could be shipped out to make room for that right-shot shutdown rearguard. Norris’ injury history means his trade value is low right now. Giroux has a full no-movement clause but maybe he’d waive it for one last shot with a contender.
WHAT DO THE RED WINGS NEED NEXT SEASON?
THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman recently looked at the Red Wings as they struggle to remain in the playoff chase and how it could affect their future.
Bultman noted the Red Wings have plenty of players who can score but they’ve struggled when they need goals that don’t come on the rush or with lots of space in the offensive zone. Their forward corps also must improve defensively.
The Wings need above-average goaltending, something they haven’t consistently received this season. They must also upgrade their defense corps.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings are sitting two points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.
They held the first wildcard a month ago and seemed poised to secure their first playoff berth since 2016. However, they stumbled through March with just three wins in 14 games. They’re still in the chase because the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils are also struggling as the regular season winds down.
Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman made no significant additions at the March trade deadline. If his club fails to clinch a playoff berth, he can’t just sit on his hands in the offseason and hope this same group will get better next season. He must address the issues raised by Bultman to avoid another disappointing outcome.
The Wings have a projected cap space of $27.9 million for 2024-25 with 14 active roster players under contract. Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond are completing their entry-level contracts and will seek substantial raises. Veterans Patrick Kane, David Perron, Shayne Gostisbehere, James Reimer and Daniel Sprong are among their pending unrestricted free agents.
Seider and Raymond will be re-signed but it’ll be interesting to see if they get long-term deals or bridge contracts. Most of those UFA could be cut loose as Yzerman seeks to improve his roster for next season.
For the second straight year, the Vegas Golden Knights placed captain Mark Stone on long-term injury reserve, freeing up his $9.5 million cap hit to bolster their roster at the trade deadline.
Stone was sidelined last season by back surgery, returning for the start of playoffs and leading his team to the Stanley Cup. This time, he’s out with a lacerated spleen. There is no timeline for his return but it seems unlikely he’ll be back for the start of the playoffs.
Conspiracy theorists among NHL followers accused the Golden Knights of cheating, overlooking the fact that every team can and has availed themselves of LTIR to garner salary-cap flexibility at any time during the regular season and offseason. It’s within the rules of the collective bargaining agreement.
Some teams acquire the contracts of players all but retired to career-ending injuries to free up cap room to boost their rosters or re-sign a star. Budget-conscious clubs have done so to ensure they reach the salary-cap floor.
Most of the complaints, however, are aimed at playoff contenders putting a sidelined player on LTIR and using the savings to add depth to their rosters before the playoffs, with the injured player returning at the start of the postseason.
As The Athletic’s Michael Russo observed, it’s a complaint that goes back to the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, when winger Nikita Kucherov missed the entire regular season recovering from offseason hip surgery. It also dates back to 2014-15 when Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane missed the rest of the regular season with a broken collarbone.
Like the Golden Knights with Stone, the Lightning and Blackhawks placed Kucherov and Kane on LTIR, using the cap savings to add depth to their rosters. Both stars returned for the start of the playoffs and helped their teams win the Stanley Cup.
That’s sparked calls in some circles for changes to LTIR rules to prevent teams from legally circumventing the salary cap. It was discussed at this week’s meeting of NHL general managers and will likely be on the agenda when they meet again in September.
NHL general managers can discuss proposed changes to the LTIR rules. However, they won’t be able to do anything about it until the next round of collective bargaining between the league and the NHL Players Association in 2025-26.
Russo suggested perhaps a rule extending the salary cap into the playoffs. Another was a player on LTIR not being healthy to play in the final game of the regular season being ineligible to play at the start of the postseason.
There’s a greater likelihood of Russo’s first suggestion being implemented than his second one. The NHLPA will fight that one tooth and nail because it’ll be seen as unfairly punishing a player for an injury.
If you’re talking about one game, it’s almost pointless if the player in question can return for the rest of the playoffs. But if you’re talking about the entirety of the opening round, I don’t see any team or its fans taking that well.
Most folks who complain about LTIR don’t like it unless it benefits their team. Then, they’re only too happy to point out how other teams do the same thing.
It’s worth remembering that the NHL had the opportunity to negotiate changes to LTIR during CBA negotiations in 2012 and 2020. It wasn’t a pressing issue for them back then.
Whether any major changes are implemented in the next round of CBA negotiations remains to be seen. It’s probably not a hill that the NHL will want to die on.
Red Wings forward Patrick Kane makes a triumphant return to Chicago, the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov reaches 100 points, Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins over the Flyers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: Patrick Kane set up the tying goal and scored the winner in overtime as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. It was Kane’s first game against his former club in Chicago since he was traded to the New York Rangers last February. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist for the surging Red Wings (32-20-6) as they’ve won five straight games and hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 70 points. MacKenzie Entwistle and Nick Foligno scored for the 15-39-5 Blackhawks.
Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane spent 16 seasons with the Blackhawks and is among the greatest players in franchise history, helping them win three Stanley Cups. He received a lengthy standing ovation as the Blackhawks honored him with a video tribute during a TV timeout and another after scoring the winning goal.
Kane’s return coincided with the Blackhawks honoring another great as they retired Hall-of-Famer Chris Chelios’ No. 7 in a pregame ceremony. Chelios spent nine seasons in Chicago from 1990-91 to 1998-99, winning two of his three Norris Trophies there.
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov became the first player this season to reach 100 points in a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Kucherov had a goal and three assists as he sits atop the scoring race with 102 points. With a record of 32-23-5, the Lightning hold the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 69 points. Tyler Toffoli netted his 25th goal of the season for the Devils (29-25-4) as they’ve lost three of their last four games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 38 goals, Kucherov is poised to eclipse his career-best of 41 and is 26 points away from his career high of 128 points set in 2018-19.
Devils head coach Lindy Ruff took full responsibility for his club’s struggles this season but it’s not solely his fault. The Devils have been walloped by injuries while their goaltending is among the league’s worst.
The Pittsburgh Penguins held off the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 7-6. Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists while Bryan Rust had two goals and an assist before leaving the game in the third period with an upper-body injury as the Penguins improved to 26-21-8. Scott Laughton and Tyson Foerster each had two goals and an assist for the Flyers (30-22-7) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 67 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale left the game in the second period favoring his left arm following a hard hit from Penguins forward Jansen Harkins. There was no update regarding his status following the game.
An overtime goal by Kyle Connor lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes, handing the latter their 12th straight loss. Connor finished with two goals, Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists while Josh Morrissey collected three assists for the 36-15-5 Jets (77 points) as they’ve won three straight and sit one point behind the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars. Nick Schmaltz tallied twice for the 23-29-5 Coyotes.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes winger Clayton Keller left the game early in the second period with an undisclosed injury. He leads the club with 52 points in 57 games.
The Nashville Predators strengthened their hold on the final Western Conference wild-card berth by doubling up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist while goaltender Kevin Lankinen stopped 29 shots for the 32-25-2 Predators (66 points) as they’ve won five straight and sit four points up on the St. Louis Blues. Brett Leason had a goal and an assist for the 20-35-3 Ducks.
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made 38 saves as his club upset the New York Rangers 4-2, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Dmitri Voronkov, Kirill Marchenko and Jack Roslovic each had a goal and an assist for the 19-28-10 Blue Jackets. Artemi Panarin netted his 33rd goal of the season for the Rangers (39-17-3) as they remain in second place in the overall standings.
The Buffalo Sabres have won three straight games for the first time this season with a 3-2 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Casey Mittelstadt tallied the winning goal in the shootout while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 30 saves for the 27-27-4 Sabres. Martin Necas had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (34-18-6) as they remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game the NHL department of player safety fined Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi $5,000.00 for elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Joel Hanley on Saturday.
The Panthers gain ground on the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins, another milestone for Alex Ovechkin, and much more from a busy Saturday in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers moved to within three points of the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins by blanking the Colorado Avalanche 4-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 35-save shutout performance, Sam Reinhart scored his 39th goal of the season, and team captain Aleksander Barkov had a goal and two assists for the 33-15-4 Panthers, who sit second in the conference with 70 points. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 39 shots for the Avalanche (32-17-4) as they’re winless in their last four games (0-3-1) and remain in second place in the Central Division with 68 points.
Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart sits second among NHL goal scorers this season and leads the league with 22 power-play goals. He also recently broke the club record for most power-play goals in a season (19) originally held by Scott Mellanby and Pavel Bure. Meanwhile, the Avalanche held a players-only meeting following this game to address their struggles and lack of preparedness since the All-Star break.
Speaking of the Bruins, they were shut out 3-0 by the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scored for the fourth straight game with his 57th career empty-net goal, surpassing the record of 56 previously held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie each had two points while Charlie Lindgren made 18 saves for the 23-20-7 Capitals. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 25 shots for the 32-11-9 Bruins, who missed an opportunity to move ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the overall standings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has struggled to score in 2023-24 but is on a bit of a tear since the All-Star break. He now has 12 goals on the season and 834 for his career putting him 70 behind Gretzky’s record of 894.
The Canucks, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 decision to the Detroit Red Wings. Jake Walman tallied the winner in overtime on a penalty shot as the Wings (27-18-6) overcame a 3-1 deficit on third-period goals by Daniel Sprong and Michael Rasmussen. They hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 60 points. Elias Pettersson and former Red Wing Filip Hronek each had a goal and two assists for the 34-12-6 Canucks as they hold first overall with 74 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Patrick Kane collected an assist in his return to the Wings lineup after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov received a two-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Wings forward Lucas Raymond, who left the game for assessment but would return to action.
Calgary Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar scored his first career NHL hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Jacob Markstrom kicked out 35 shots while Jonathan Huberdeau and Blake Coleman each had a goal and an assist for the Flames (25-22-5) as they sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 55 points. Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the 22-18-12 Islanders (56 points) as they sit four points back of the Red Wings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Weegar became the seventh defenseman in Flames history to score a hat trick. He also takes over the lead among NHL defensemen in goals this season with 15. Islanders blueliner Alexander Romanov missed this game with a lower-body injury.
The Tampa Bay Lightning doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Brandon Hagel had a goal and two assists while Nikita Zadorov collected two assists for the 28-20-5 Lightning as they vaulted over the Toronto Maple Leafs into third place in the Atlantic Division with 61 points. Boone Jenner netted both goals for the 16-25-10 Blue Jackets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 89 points, Kucherov has opened a four-point lead in the NHL scoring race over Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov left this game with an upper-body injury.
Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they fell 5-3 to the Ottawa Senators, who picked up their third straight win. Shane Pinto led the way with a goal and two assists while Joonas Korpisalo stopped 31 shots for the 21-25-2 Senators. Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 42nd goal of the season for the Leafs (26-16-8) as they dropped into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 60 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly could face supplemental discipline as he took exception with Ridley Grieg’s slapshot into an empty net in the dying seconds and cross-checked the young Senators forward in the head. Meanwhile, Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano and Senators blueliner Jake Sanderson missed this game with injuries. There’s no timetable yet for when either player will return to action.
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s 35 saves backstopped his club to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mark Scheifele and Nino Niederreiter scored for the 31-14-5 Jets (67 points) as they snapped a five-game winless skid and sit one behind the second-place Avalanche in the Central Division. Bryan Rust replied for the Penguins (23-19-7).
The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 in their first game under interim head coach Jim Hiller. David Rittich turned in a 26-save shutout while Quinton Byfield scored two goals and picked up an assist for the 24-15-10 Kings, who hold the first Western wild-card berth with 58 points. Stuart Skinner stopped 22 shots for the Oilers (30-17-1) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 61 points.
An overtime goal by Sebastian Aho gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Pyotr Kochetkov made 34 saves for the shutout as the Hurricanes improved to 30-16-5 and hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 65 points. Vitek Vanecek stopped 31 shots for the 25-21-4 Devils.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes welcomed back winger Andrei Svechnikov from his six-game absence with an upper-body injury. However, backup goaltender Antti Raanta missed this game with a lower-body injury and is expected to remain sidelined for the next two weeks.
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin scored twice as his club nipped the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment each collected two assists for the 32-14-6 Stars, who’ve won 10 of their last 14 and moved into first place in the Central Division with 70 points. Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist while Sam Montembeault turned aside 35 shots for the 21-22-8 Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard left this game early in the second period with a lower-body injury. He will be re-evaluated over the next couple of days to determine the severity of the injury.
The St. Louis Blues got two goals by Jake Neighbours in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, picking up their sixth victory in their last seven games. Joel Hofer made 33 saves for the 27-21-2 Blues as they hold the final Western wild-card berth with 56 points. Kyle Okposo replied for the 22-25-4 Sabres.
Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier snapped a 2-2 tie to defeat the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Cal Petersen made 17 saves in his first start since Nov. 11 for the Flyers (28-19-6) as they picked up t their third straight win and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points. Tomas Tatar and Jared McCann replied for the 21-20-10 Kraken (52 points) as they sit four points out of the final Western wild-card spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz missed this game for personal reasons but is expected to rejoin his teammates later this week.
An overtime goal by Ryan McDonagh lifted the Nashville Predators to a 5-4 win over the Arizona Coyotes. McDonagh, Roman Josi, Ryan O’Reilly, Filip Forsberg and Tommy Novak each had a goal and an assist for the 27-23-2 Predators (56 points) as they remain behind the Blues for the final Western wild-card berth with the latter holding two games in hand. Jason Zucker collected three assists for the Coyotes (23-23-4) as they’re winless in their last five games (0-4-1).
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Some teams acquire the contracts of players all but retired to career-ending injuries to free up cap room to boost their rosters or re-sign a star. Budget-conscious clubs have done so to ensure they reach the salary-cap floor.