NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2023

by | Dec 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2023

The Kings set a new road wins record, Patrick Kane debuts with the Red Wings, Alex Ovechkin reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings set a league season-opening road wins record (11-0-0) by blanking the Montreal Canadiens 4-0. Quinton Byfield scored two goals and set up another, Anze Kopitar collected three assists and Cam Talbot turned in a 24-save shutout for the Kings (16-4-3), who sit second overall in the Western Conference with 35 points. Sam Montembeault stopped 38 shots for the Canadiens, who slipped to 11-12-3.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Patrick Kane made his season debut with the Detroit Red Wings as they fell 6-5 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks. Kane was held scoreless while Michael Rasmussen scored twice for the 14-7-4 Red Wings. Mikael Granlund scored the game-winner and collected three points while Tomas Hertl and Nico Sturm each scored two goals for the 8-17-2 Sharks as they overcame deficits of 4-0 and 5-4 for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a wild game that saw the Red Wings leap to a 4-0 lead in the second period only to have the Sharks roar back to tie it before the end of the frame. Kane saw 16:33 of ice time and had three shots on goal, including ringing one off the goalpost in the third period. It’ll take him a few games to shake off the rust and get into full game shape.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin collected an assist to reach his 1,500th career NHL point but his club fell 5-4 to the Dallas Stars in a shootout. Roope Hintz tallied twice in regulation while Jason Robertson scored the winning goal as the Stars improved to 15-7-3. Dylan Strome scored two goals for the Capitals as they dropped to 12-8-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Matt Duchene also achieved a career milestone as he skated in his 1,000th career NHL game.

The Buffalo Sabres snapped a four-game losing skid by dropping the Boston Bruins 3-1. Devon Levi made 29 saves for his first win since Nov. 10 while JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson and Victor Olofsson scored for the 11-14-2 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury following a collision with Peterka. An update on his status could come later today. Before the game, former Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask served as an emergency backup in practice with Jeremy Swayman sidelined by illness until call-up Brandon Bussi joined the club for the Sabres game. They also placed defensemen Derek Forbort (undisclosed) on injured reserve and recalled rookie blueliner Mason Lohrei from their AHL affiliate in Providence.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander scored what proved to be the game-winner as his club held on for a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Leafs goalie Joseph Woll stopped 29 shots but left the game midway through the third period after injuring his left leg making a save. He was replaced by call-up Martin Jones who stopped nine of the 10 shots he faced for the 13-6-4 Maple Leafs. Josh Norris, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Claude Giroux replied for the Senators as they fell to 10-11-0 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After the game, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said he expected Woll to “miss time, for sure.” Earlier in the day, the Senators announced that defenseman Thomas Chabot will be sidelined for at least four weeks with an injured leg.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal scored twice and set up two others while Bo Horvat tallied two goals within 20 seconds to dump the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-3. Semyon Varlamov turned aside 32 shots for the 11-7-7 Islanders. Rookie Adam Fantilli scored twice and collected an assist for the 8-15-5 Blue Jackets.

The Nashville Predators picked up their third straight win in a 5-1 trouncing of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Roman Josi and Ryan McDonagh each had a goal and an assist while Juuse Saros kicked out 32 shots as the Predators (14-12-0) moved into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 28 points. Alex Barre-Boulet replied for the 12-11-5 Lightning as Nikita Kucherov’s 11-game points streak came to an end.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning forward Austin Watson set off a brouhaha at the end of the game by firing a slapshot at Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Watson received a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct. Earlier in the day, the Predators placed forward Liam Foudy on waivers.

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek stopped 37 shots to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 1-0. Philipp Kurashev netted the only goal with rookie teammate Connor Bedard collecting an assist for the 8-16-1 Blackhawks. Lukas Dostal made 24 saves for the Ducks as they fell to 10-16-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After a promising opening month to this season the Ducks have come unglued, winning just once in their last 10 games.

The Philadelphia Flyers downed the Arizona Coyotes 4-1 to snap the latter’s five-game win streak. Travis Konecny tallied twice while Carter Hart made 25 saves for the Flyers (14-10-2) as they’ve won three straight. Lawson Crouse netted his 11th goal of the season for the Coyotes (13-10-2) as they cling to the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

A three-goal third period lifted the Calgary Flames over the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Rasmus Andersson, Connor Zary and Blake Coleman were the goalscorers while Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 11-12-3 Flames. Stefan Noesen and Michael Bunting tallied for the Hurricanes as they slipped to 14-11-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes played without Andrei Svechnikov as he was sidelined by an upper-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor scored two goals in a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 32 shots while Josh Morrissey had a goal and an assist for the 15-8-2 Jets. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (16-8-2) as they cling to first place in the Central Division with 34 points, one up on the Dallas Stars and two ahead of the Jets.

Vancouver Canucks backup Casey DeSmith made 26 saves to blank the Minnesota Wild 2-0. Nils Hoglander and Teddy Blueger were the goalscorers for the 17-9-1 Canucks. It was the first loss for the Wild (9-11-4) under new head coach John Hynes, snapping a four-game win streak.

The New Jersey Devils nipped the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Akira Schmid stopped 37 shots while Simon Nemec’s first career NHL goal snapped a 1-1 tie as the Devils improved their record to 13-10-1. Tye Kartye replied for the 8-13-6 Kraken.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2023

by | Dec 7, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2023

The resurgent Oilers win again as Connor McDavid rises in the points race, the Golden Knights regain first place in the overall standings, Patrick Kane to make his debut with the Red Wings on Thursday, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The resurgent Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by thumping the Carolina Hurricanes 6-1. Zach Hyman tallied a hat trick while Connor McDavid and Mattias Janmark each collected three assists as the Oilers improved their record to 10-12-1. Jordan Staal scored for the 14-10-1 Hurricanes.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A big reason why the Oilers have improved is McDavid is healthy and scoring again. With 32 points, he’s tied with the Florida Panthers’ Sam Reinhart for 10th in the scoring race. He’s 12 points behind Nikita Kucherov, who leads the race with 44 points. At McDavid’s current pace, the Oilers captain could overtake the Tampa Bay Lightning winger by the time the calendar flips to January.

Meanwhile, Staal and Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour weren’t pleased with their club’s effort in this contest. Brind’Amour called their performance “a bad game from start to finish”, calling out the play of his best players. Staal, meanwhile, called it “embarrassing,” saying their lack of pushback was “just all-around crap.”

Speaking of Kucherov, he extended his points streak to 11 games with a goal and an assist to lead the Lightning over the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 3-1. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 24 shots as the Bolts improved to 12-10-5. Jake Guentzel scored for the Penguins (11-11-3) as they’ve lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins’ punchless power play is a big reason behind their struggles this season. Evgeni Malkin lamented his club’s inability to cash in with the man advantage, having gone 0-33 since Nov. 11. Hard to believe with a team sporting proven scorers such as Malkin, Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and offseason acquisition Erik Karlsson, but these guys can’t buy a power-play goal right now.

A four-goal second period lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Jack Eichel, William Karlsson and Keegan Kolesar each had a goal and an assist as the Golden Knights (17-5-5) retook first place in the overall standings with 39 points. Jordan Binnington stopped 43 shots while Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist for the 13-11-1 Blues.

The Florida Panthers held off the Dallas Stars by a score of 5-4. Evan Rodrigues scored twice and set up two others while Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists for the 15-8-2 Panthers. Mason Marchment and Thomas Harley each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (14-7-3), who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

HEADLINES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Patrick Kane will make his season debut with the Red Wings on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks at Little Caesars Arena. He’s expected to be on a line with J.T. Compher and Alex DeBrincat, his former linemate during their days with the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be Kane’s first game since May 1. He’s coming off a hip resurfacing procedure in June. It’ll be interesting to see how well he plays and how the Wings manage his playing time in this upcoming contest.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Red Wings, defenseman Jake Walman was fined $2,500.00 by the department of player safety for high-sticking Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner on Tuesday.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman John Klingberg will undergo season-ending hip surgery at the end of December. The 31-year-old signed a one-year, $4.15 million contract with the Leafs during the offseason but hasn’t played since Nov. 11 and was placed on long-term injury reserve on Nov. 23.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Klingberg on LTIR for the rest of the season, expect the Leafs to use the salary-cap savings to find a replacement on the blueline.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators have brought back former coach Jacques Martin as a senior advisor to lend a hand to their coaching staff.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets placed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (illness), defenseman Adam Boqvist (shoulder strain) and forward Cole Sillinger (upper body) on injured reserve.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres added some depth to their bottom-six forwards by acquiring Eric Robinson from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional 2025 seventh-round draft pick.

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes analyzed NHL attendance during the first quarter of this season to see which clubs have made the biggest gains and losses year-over-year after the pandemic skewed attendance figures in three consecutive seasons.

Overall, Mendes finds the numbers paints “a fairly upbeat picture” of NHL attendance. Fifteen of the league’s 32 clubs were at 99 percent or better in the first two months of this season. Ten teams had averaged between 91 percent and 98 percent. Six others averaged between 75.6 percent and 89.5 percent. Mendes omitted the Arizona Coyotes because they play in a 4,600-seat arena, though he pointed out that they sold all 11 home games thus far.

All but six teams (Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals) saw increases in attendance. The Lightning and Bruins were at full capacity while the latter four saw their attendance drop, with the Jets and Capitals encountering the biggest declines.

The biggest risers were the Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres. The Blackhawks improved thanks to the presence of highly-touted rookie Connor Bedard while last season’s performances by the other three accounted for their attendance bumps. The Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers also saw significant improvement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The struggles of the Flames and Sharks account for their attendance declines.

Mendes cites colleague Murat Ates indicating the Jets are a small-market club that doesn’t sell as many corporate season tickets and thus are affected by factors such as day-to-day economic issues for their fans, customer service and a feeling ownership got complacent when their arena was full.

The Capitals’ decline was a surprise despite their competitive team this season. Mendes noted they only had one game in which attendance dipped below 16,000.

SPORTSNET: The Montreal Canadiens are receiving a backlash for charging their fans $195.00 to meet their mascot Youppi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens aren’t forcing their fans to pay to meet their mascot. They can take it or leave it. Still, when one considers the high cost of attending their games, paying to meet Youppi seems to have crossed the line with a number of their followers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2023

by | Nov 30, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2023

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, Patrick Kane could soon make his debut with the Red Wings, plus the latest on Corey Perry and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Unanswered goals by K’Andre Miller and Jimmy Vesey lifted the New York Rangers over the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Artemi Panarin also scored for the Rangers (16-4-1) to extend his season-opening home points streak to nine games while Alexis Lafreniere collected two assists. Moritz Seider and Robby Fabbri replied for the Red Wings as they slipped to 11-7-3 on the season. With 33 points, the Rangers hold first place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox returned to the lineup for the first time since being sidelined by an injury on Nov. 2. Meanwhile, the Red Wings played without captain Dylan Larkin as he remained in Detroit due to an injury.

A 38-save performance by Charlie Lindgren gave the Washington Capitals a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Anthony Mantha and Connor McMichael scored for the Capitals as they improved to 11-6-2. Arthur Kaliyev replied for the Kings as they dropped to 13-4-3.

The Montreal Canadiens got third-period goals from Joel Armia and Gustav Lindstrom to double up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield also scored for the Canadiens while Sam Montembeault stopped 26 shots as the Habs improved to 10-10-2. Patrik Laine and Yegor Chinakhov tallied for the 7-13-4 Blue Jackets.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

HEADLINES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Patrick Kane’s debut with the Red Wings could come as early as next week. Earlier this week, the 35-year-old winger signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Wings.

General manager Steve Yzerman suggested Kane could return to action within the next four to seven days. The winger is discussing a plan of return with the Wings that could see his first game take place on Tuesday against the Sabres in Buffalo.

DAILY FACEOFF: Some details are emerging regarding the off-ice incident involving Corey Perry that resulted in the Chicago Blackhawks terminating his contract.

Frank Seravalli cited sources claiming it was an alcohol-fueled incident involving Perry that was alleged to have occurred during an event with corporate partners and team employees in attendance. However, it’s still not clear what allegedly took place, who witnessed it, and who reported it to the team.

What is known is Perry’s alleged misconduct didn’t involve a criminal investigation, the league was made aware of the Blackhawks’ investigation but it was a “team incident and team decision”, and Perry has not been suspended by the league.

Some observers are wondering whether this incident would’ve risen to the same level had it been any other club. The Blackhawks are still reeling over the results of a 2021 investigation into the cover-up by team executives of an alleged sexual assault of two players by former video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.

Some agents and players around the NHL have expressed concern that Perry’s contract termination could set a precedent for conduct that may be improper but not illegal. Meanwhile, Perry and the NHL Players’ Association have 60 days from the termination of his contract to file a grievance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fallout from this incident will continue to be felt by Perry, the Blackhawks, the NHL, and the NHLPA in the coming months.

Based on the reported information, I believe the Blackhawks handled the incident properly for the most part. I do find fault in their inability to address the salacious rumors that spread on social media due to conflicting messages from the team and Perry’s agent regarding his absence.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore underwent successful surgery for an upper-body injury earlier this week. He’s listed as week-to-week. His last game was on Nov. 22.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights will feel Theodore’s absence on the blueline. He’s been their best defenseman this season and played a key role in their strong start to this season.

OTTAWA SUN: Good news for the Senators as sidelined defenseman Thomas Chabot is expected to return to action on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s been out with a broken hand since Oct. 26.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Look no further than between the pipes for the Kraken’s biggest issue this season. Starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer has been struggling thus far and he’s not getting much help from backup Joey Daccord.

CBS SPORTS: Buffalo Sabres forward Jordan Greenway could return to action in Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. He missed their last three games due to personal reasons.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL goaltender Scott Darling is no fan of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He sought treatment through the program during his career but felt he never got the proper help that he needed.

“I’ve told players – what I went through – if you need help, do it on your own,” said Darling. “Don’t ever go near the PA. And I’ll say that honestly, I hope you guys f**king hear this: they’re monsters. Go somewhere else. They can hold you, like, try and break your contract, stuff like that.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No response thus far from the league or the PA regarding Darling’s accusations.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 26, 2023

by | Nov 26, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 26, 2023

The latest on Patrick Kane plus updates on the Islanders and Coyotes in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON PATRICK KANE

SPORTSNET (via Kukla’s Korner): Elliotte Friedman believes we should learn by early this week when Patrick Kane will finally decide where he’ll play this season. The 35-year-old unrestricted free-agent winger has made it “tougher than an escape room” to figure out where he’s going.

Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Most observers have speculated the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings as potential destinations. Friedman thinks Kane has narrowed his choices down to a couple of teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have reportedly pursued Kane since the summer and could offer him the best opportunity to win the Stanley Cup this season. However, the Red Wings have the advantage of salary-cap space if he’s seeking a multi-year deal.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Chris Gawlik noted some recent speculation linking Kane to the Golden Knights. However, he dismissed that notion by pointing out their lack of salary-cap space plus the difficulty they would face in finding a suitable place for him on their roster.

Barring a long-term injury to one of their top-six forwards, the Golden Knights don’t need Kane to win the Stanley Cup this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I get the notion of a defending champion wanting to load up for another run at the Cup. Nevertheless, Gawlik does a fine job of pointing out why the Golden Knights probably won’t do it.

COULD PELECH’S INJURY FORCE THE ISLANDERS INTO THE TRADE MARKET?

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple wonders what the New York Islanders will do to replace Adam Pelech, who was placed on long-term injury reserve when he injured his left arm during Friday’s game against the Ottawa Senators. Staple noted how the Isles struggled during Pelech’s two previous long absences due to injuries in 2020-21 and last season.

Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello plucked journeyman defenseman Mike Reilly off waivers Saturday from the Florida Panthers. He’s an affordable stopgap to buy time while Lamoriello looks elsewhere for help if needed.

The Islanders had $700K in cap space prior to Pelech’s injury. Putting him on LTIR enables them to dip into his $5.75 million cap hit. Staple pointed out that recent rumors had Lamoriello inquiring into Calgary Flames defensemen Noah Hanifin and Nikita Zadorov. Another option could be Carolina Hurricanes rearguard Tony DeAngelo.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staple pointed out that Pelech can come off LTIR as early as Dec. 16 but he could be out until sometime in January if surgery is required. That could be the determining factor whether Lamoriello heads into the trade market. Bear in mind that if they use the LTIR savings to add a defenseman they must be cap-compliant when Pelech is ready to return.

COYOTES SEEKING ADDITIONS TO THEIR ROSTER

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan recently reported that Arizona Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong is actively engaged in trade talks that would involve shipping existing draft picks and prospects out the door to bring in existing NHL talent.

Morgan pointed out how much of a positive impact offseason addition Sean Durzi has made to the Arizona Coyotes’ defense corps. The 25-year-old blueliner is someone who can grow with the club’s young core.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After three years of tearing the roster down, Armstrong has shifted his focus on building up around core players like Clayton Keller and promising future stars such as Logan Cooley. However, don’t expect him to just start shoveling out most of his draft picks and prospects for veterans.

The Coyotes have eight picks in rounds two through four and two picks in round seven of the 2024 draft, six picks through rounds two and three in 2025 and five picks in rounds two and three in 2026. Armstrong can draw on some of them as trade chips to pluck away quality talent from cap-strapped clubs or those who lack draft picks throughout those rounds.

Armstrong won’t be going after aging stars on expiring contracts. Instead, he’ll likely pursue players like Durzi who are in the mid-to-late twenties and could be part of the Coyotes’ long-term plans.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 24, 2023

by | Nov 24, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 24, 2023

The latest Oilers’ speculation, the Flyers are willing to wheel and deal, an update on Patrick Kane and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE OILERS

TSN: Chris Johnston said the Edmonton Oilers are exploring their options to save their season. That includes external discussions with other clubs but it will be difficult to find a club as desperate as they are or to avoid a bad trade by overpaying for help.

Johnston believes the Oilers are looking internally as well and that could include bringing back Jack Campbell from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. He had a shutout earlier this week.

Johnston’s colleague Ryan Rishaug expressed his belief that all assets other than Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and their 2024 first-round pick are in play as the Oilers try to find a fix for their problems.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell (NHL Images).

Rishaug acknowledged finding a true goalie fix or a major upgrade on defense is tough to achieve right now. He instead suggested adding a player like the Minnesota Wild’s Pat Maroon as he would bring championship experience, positive energy and physicality to the lineup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman also noted the Oilers’ concern about making a bad trade as well as the possibility of recalling Campbell if he’s rediscovered his game. He also cited an NHL general manager saying if the Oilers want to include their first-round pick in a trade they had better put top-of-the-draft protection on it.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Caleb Kerney noted there was some speculation linking the Oilers to Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek. It was based on Mrazek having played for Oilers general manager Ken Holland when they were with the Detroit Red Wings.

Kerney doesn’t think Mrazek would be a fit for the Oilers. He pointed out that the 31-year-old goaltender’s best years are behind him plus he’s frequently sidelined by injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are in a bad place right now. They’re not dealing from a position of strength so they’re going to get squeezed by rival clubs as they try to find a suitable goaltender.

It will be difficult to land any kind of upgrade for their roster without giving up that first-round pick as part of the deal. If they are willing to move it but make it top-10 protected, that could be a deal breaker for most clubs.

The harsh truth is recalling Campbell could be their only solution. They could sign free-agent Jaroslav Halak but at this stage of his career, he’s best suited for backup work. Even then, there’s no certainty that he’d be able to help them. The Lightning placed Matt Tomkins on waivers but he didn’t do enough in his few appearances this season to suggest that he’d be an improvement over Campbell and Stuart Skinner.

I don’t think the Blackhawks are looking at moving Mrazek. If they are, the Oilers could be on his 10-team no-trade list.

FLYERS READY TO WHEEL AND DEAL

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Philadelphia Flyers are interested in becoming a wheeler or a dealer as they look to build a strong foundation for the future. They’re willing to listen on every position (but not every player). He believes they could entertain offers on defensemen Sean Walker and Nick Seeler.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman pointed out that Walker has “really impressed in Philadelphia.” He thinks there will be plenty of interest if the Flyers don’t extend him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dreger’s report will further stoke speculation over the future of Flyers goalie Carter Hart. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer and has surfaced of late as a possible trade target for the struggling Oilers. Flyers GM Daniel Briere has previously said he’ll listen on anybody (including Hart) but that doesn’t mean he’s rushing to move him.

UPDATE ON PATRICK KANE

TSN: Darren Dreger speculates that Patrick Kane could reach a decision on where he’ll sign sometime next week. He felt it was a bit of a stretch suggesting that the 35-year-old free-agent winger could decide this week given that he and his family would be celebrating American Thanksgiving.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman ran down the list of potential destinations for Kane. Along with the usual ones (Toronto, Dallas, Florida, Buffalo, Detroit), he also thinks the Colorado Avalanche have made a pitch plus rumors continue to swirl about the Vegas Golden Knights. However, Friedman also suggested that Kane might prefer an Eastern Conference club as he wouldn’t have to travel as much as he would in the Western Conference.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka wondered if there was the possibility of a team with salary-cap space like the Sharks signing Kane to a “somewhat richer contract” (agreed to by Kane and a contending team), and then flipping him to that contender while retaining part of his annual cap hit in exchange for an asset.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said no. Such a series of transactions would constitute salary-cap circumvention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has the right to take his time to reach a decision over where he’ll play this season. Still, more than a few fans will be glad to see this ongoing media guessing game come to an end.

MORE “32 THOUGHTS” TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman observed the Columbus Blue Jackets are going through the same kind of difficulties this season as the Oilers. He noted that Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson expects his veteran players to be much, much better. Friedman thinks the Jackets could ask some of their veterans if they’d prefer playing somewhere else if things don’t turn around soon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those veterans include Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine. Both have been big disappointments thus far. They carry some form of no-trade protection on their contracts but could be willing to waive them for the right destinations. Then again, their hefty contracts would be difficult to move this season.

The Montreal Canadiens continue to discuss a contract extension with goaltender Sam Montembeault. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Friedman doesn’t see the Canadiens waiting until the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montembeault has been linked to the Oilers as a possible trade target. However, he’s putting up decent stats with the rebuilding Canadiens, who must sort out who will tend their net in the coming years. With Jake Allen aging and Cayden Primeau yet to establish himself as an NHL goalie, I think they’ll get Montembeault signed to a new deal.

Friedman said the injury-depleted Avalanche are looking for scoring depth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would explain why he thinks they’ve made a pitch to Patrick Kane.

If the Calgary Flames decide to trade some of their pending UFAs, interested clubs will want to know if they can negotiate with those players beforehand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could affect the type of returns the Flames would get for those players.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 22, 2023

by | Nov 22, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 22, 2023

The latest on Patrick Kane, the Oilers’ goaltending, and the Wild in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PANTHERS, RED WINGS, SABRES COULD BE FRONT-RUNNERS FOR KANE

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Patrick Kane is getting very close to deciding on which NHL team he’ll join this season. The 35-year-old free-agent winger is reportedly mulling over multiple options.

As many as eight clubs were initially involved as Kane and his agent Pat Brisson were involved in several face-to-face interviews, including a Zoom call with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brisson is expected to circle back to clubs to tell them they’re out, though that hasn’t happened yet.

Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

It was expected that Kane might reach a decision this week. With American Thanksgiving coming up, it might take place by next week.

NHL NETWORK (via NHL WATCHER): Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres are the leading candidates for Kane’s services. He claimed he keep hearing about Eastern clubs linked to Kane as there may be a concern about travel in the Western Conference.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli said he’s spoken to teams that are wondering if the Panthers might be the front-runner for Kane. They could be the best option for him to win a fourth Stanley Cup this season, especially with defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour returning from injury. Seravalli speculates they could be a multi-year destination for Kane if they can free up cap space down the line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been reported that Panthers general manager Bill Zito has aggressively pursued Kane since the summer. They currently have around 630K in cap space so someone will have to be traded or demoted to free up a roster spot and cap room for him.

LATEST ON THE OILERS GOALTENDING WOES

SPORTSNET (via NHL WATCHER): Appearing on the latest episode of The Jeff Marek Show, Elliotte Friedman said the Edmonton Oilers could make a really bad trade for a goaltender if they wanted to. However, they don’t want to do that as they’re trying to keep an eye on the big picture at some level.

Friedman believed someone like the Anaheim Ducks’ John Gibson could make a difference for the Oilers. However, he’s not going to fix everything that ails the club.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the representatives for free-agent goaltender Jaroslav Halak have spoken with the Oilers. The 38-year-old is back in Boston contemplating his next move after being released from his PTO contract by the Carolina Hurricanes. LeBrun believes the reason Halak was released was due to his unwillingness to have a conditioning stint in the AHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are backed into a corner with their goaltending and everyone knows it. They would have to overpay to bring in an experienced netminder who might not have much success between the pipes given the Oilers’ sloppy defensive game.

Signing a free agent like Halak would be a more affordable option. However, there’s no guarantee of improvement given his age and the fact he hasn’t played since April.

LATEST ON THE WILD

TSN: Chris Johnston reports Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason is not in any imminent danger of losing his job despite his club’s sputtering start to this season. He believes that’s mainly because the best fix is for the Wild’s best players to pull them through this difficult stretch.

Johnston cited the low production thus far from Wild stars like Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Marcus Foligno. He believes the heated meeting that general manager Bill Guerin had with the players last week was to send the message that it’s up to them to get themselves out of this situation.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith believe Guerin may have robbed himself of potentially valuable trade-deadline chips by re-signing Foligno, Ryan Hartman, and Mats Zuccarello to multi-year contract extensions.

If the Wild fail to improve, Guerin will have little or no flexibility near the trade deadline. They won’t have many players on expiring contracts to flog for draft picks and prospects.