NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2023

by | Jun 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2023

The latest on Adin Hill, Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta, some possible candidates for the 2023 Hall of Fame class, plus updates on Conor Bedard and Matvei Michkov in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Vegas Golden Knights playoff hero Adin Hill would like to remain with the club he backstopped to the Stanley Cup. The 27-year-old goaltender is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (NHL Images).

“We’re obviously going to give it the big college try to get him signed in Vegas,” said agent Gerry Johansson. Hill is completing a two-year, $4.35 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Golden Knights with around $3 million in projected cap space for 2023-24. They’ll get an extra $5 million in wiggle room if goalie Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve for next season.

LeBrun also reports the Carolina Hurricanes are in negotiations with pending free-agent goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and general manager Don Waddell indicated they wanted to keep their roster intact for another shot at winning the Stanley Cup next season. They also have promising Pyotr Kochetkov but LeBrun noted he has one more season of waiver exemption.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby believes the only shoo-in for the Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2023 is Henrik Lundqvist. That could open up an opportunity for long-overlooked candidates such as Alexander Mogilny and Curtis Joseph.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other notables former NHLers who might get a shot this year include Henrik Zetterberg, Pierre Turgeon, Keith Tkachuk, Rod Brind’Amour, Sergei Gonchar, Butch Goring and Tom Barrasso.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Connor Bedard has been named the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Player of the Year for 2023. The 18-year-old center of the WHL’s Regina Pats is expected to be chosen first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the upcoming NHL Draft.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Intrigue continues to swirl about KHL winger Matvei Michkov. A source close to the teams selecting in the top 10 of this year’s NHL Draft said that the Washington Capitals have “seriously aimed” to choose the young Russian with the eighth overall pick if he’s still available by that point.

Michkov is under contract for the next three seasons with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg. He was told not to speak with NHL teams who have asked to meet him. That sparked speculation that he’s trying to manipulate the draft to maneuver his way down to the rankings to play for a certain team. It’s assumed that the club could be the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t know about manipulating the draft but I will commend Michkov for drawing some media attention toward himself in the lead-up to the draft.

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan cites multiple sources claiming the Arizona Coyotes are mulling several sites for a new arena in the Phoenix area. The potential locations are in Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale and on Salt River-Maricopa Indian Community land.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL player Mike Peca will be joining the New York Rangers’ coaching staff. He’s spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Former Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green will reportedly be hired by the New Jersey Devils as an associate coach. He’ll replace Andrew Brunette, who was recently hired as head coach by the Nashville Predators.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a one-year, two-way contract for 2023-24. The salary at the NHL level is $775K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bussi’s new contract could stoke recent rumors suggesting the cap-strapped Bruins could trade Linus Ullmark or Jeremy Swayman to free up cap room for other signings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 4, 2021

by | Aug 4, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 4, 2021

Check out the latest on Evander Kane, Jonathan Toews, John Klingberg, John Tortorella and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports several of Evander Kane’s teammates don’t want the San Jose Sharks winger to return to the club next season. That strained relationship was also the reason behind the club’s attempt to trade him earlier this summer.

San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).

One source said the frustration stemmed from Kane’s disrespect for teams rules, including being late for practices and games. He faced no consequences for those actions, which didn’t sit well with younger teammates.

TSN: Kane has taken a voluntary leave of absence from the Hockey Diversity Alliance as the league investigates recent allegations that he bet on NHL games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s troubles appear to be mounting. Earlier this year, he filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy citing over $26 million in debts with $10.2 million in assets. $1.5 million of those losses were related to gambling.

The Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka speculated Kane’s gambling issues and the friction with his teammates could force Sharks management to buy out the remainder of his contract in the second buyout window. The club is eligible to use that opportunity because goaltender Adin Hill filed for salary arbitration.

Pashelka indicates a buyout of Kane would leave a total of $13 million in deal cap space on the Sharks payroll over the next four years. That’s in conjunction with the $7.25 million over the next three years from their recent buyout of Martin Jones.

Trading Kane would be the preferred option. As Kurz points out, however, the winger’s aforementioned issues combined with his $7 million annual average value for the next four seasons and a three-team trade list could make that move impossible.

TSN: Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said the club remains without a firm timeline for Jonathan Toews’ return. However, the club remains hopeful their 33-year-old captain will be ready for the start of this season. Toews missed all of last season with chronic immune response syndrome.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars GM Jim Nill said his club has started contract extension talks with John Klingberg. The 29-year-old defenseman is due to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He’s earning an annual average value of $4.25 million on his current contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Klingberg will get a significant raise on his next deal. I don’t see the Stars paying him more than the $8.45 million AAV they’re paying to Miro Heiskanen, who’s a better all-around defenseman. If he seeks more, this season could be his last in Dallas.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues reached an agreement with forward Jordan Kyrou on a two-year, $5.6 million contract.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes signed center Travis Boyd to a one-year, $750K contract.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL coach John Tortorella is joining ESPN as a studio analyst.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tortorella worked briefly with TSN in a similar role in 2008. Like him or not, he speaks his mind and that will make for entertaining television.

WGR 550: The Rochester Americans hired former Buffalo Sabres captain Michael Peca as an assistant coach. He spent last season as a development coach with the Washington Capitals.

TORONTO SUN: John Lilley has left his role as Maple Leafs director of amateur scouting to join the New York Rangers as director of player personnel and amateur scouting.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2021

by | Feb 11, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2021

​Recaps of Wednesday’s action, the latest on Patrik Laine, injury updates, waiver news and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs got third-period goals by Justin Holl and Ilya Mikheyev to hold off the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Leafs center Auston Matthews’ goal streak ended at eight games but he collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11. Teammate Jake Muzzin collected three assists.

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Brad Marchand’s overtime goal lifted the Boston Bruins the New York Rangers 3-2. Marchand extended his points streak to nine. Rangers winger Artemi Panarin suffered a lower-body injury in the second period and spent most of the third period on the bench.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs sit atop the overall standings with 23 points while the Bruins vaulted past the Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning into second place with 20 points.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine said he and the coaching staff have moved on after he was benched during their previous game for disrespecting a member of the staff. He and assistant coach Brad Larsen spoke amicably during practice yesterday. While it’s not confirmed Larsen was the coach in question, Portzline feels their discussion spoke volumes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Laine benching, Mikko Koivu’s retirement and Pierre-Luc Dubois’ recent departure have critics of head coach John Tortorella wondering if he’s on thin ice with the Jackets. I don’t believe that’s the case.

Laine admitted he deserved his benching. The now-retired Koivu was an aging center whose limited effectiveness led to his reduced playing time. Dubois requested a trade for reasons not directly tied to Tortorella. I think management and the players still believe in their coach.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks winger Loui Eriksson and Ottawa Senators center Artem Anisimov was placed on waivers yesterday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt either guy gets claimed. Their play has declined and they’re carrying expensive salary-cap hits. Eriksson is signed through 2021-22 at $6 million annually while Anisimov’s is carrying $4.55 million for this season.

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks-Vegas Golden Knight game for Thursday will proceed as scheduled after Golden Knights forward Tomas Nosek was pulled from Tuesday’s contest due to a positive COVID-19 test. Nosek was immediately isolated from his teammates and close contact tracing initiated. The Golden Knights didn’t practice yesterday.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers games on Sunday against the New York Rangers has been postponed. The Flyers will be out of commission until Monday when they will resume practicing. Three players – Claude Giroux, Justin Braun and Travis Sanheim – were added to the NHL protocol list earlier this week.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jared McCann is sidelined on a week-to-week basis with an undisclosed injury.

TSN: The Washington Capitals hired Michael Peca as a player development coach.

NEWSDAY: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced arenas and stadiums in the state can admit up to 10 percent capacity provided they follow appropriate social distancing and masking protocols.