NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2025

by | Sep 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2025

Marc-Andre Fleury to have a last hurrah with the Penguins, Kings winger Corey Perry injured, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Marc-Andre Fleury is returning to the Penguins on a professional tryout contract.

The 40-year-old goaltender will appear in a training camp practice on Sept. 26 and in a preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sept. 27 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Retired NHL goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

That will be the extent of Fleury’s comeback with his original NHL team. He announced his retirement earlier this year. Fleury confirmed that he will be playing one period against the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A future Hall-of-Famer, Fleury was drafted by the Penguins first overall in the 2003 NHL Draft, spending 13 of his 21 seasons in Pittsburgh, winning three Stanley Cups. This is a last hurrah as he completes his long career where it began.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings winger Corey Perry suffered a possible injury while skating with his teammates on Friday. It’s uncertain if he caught a rut or collided with another player. The 40-year-old Perry was taken off the ice in a wheelchair for further medical evaluation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry signed with the Kings as an unrestricted free agent earlier this summer. An update on his status could come as early as Saturday.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn reports that an injury to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was the reason why the Buffalo Sabres signed free-agent goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to a one-year contract.

Luukkonen reported to the Sabres earlier this week, nursing an injury that was described as a “tweak”. The club is unsure of the severity of the injury and is uncertain how long the 26-year-old netminder will be sidelined.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luukkonen has been the Sabres’ starting goalie for the past two seasons. Losing him for a significant period could be an early setback to their hopes of snapping their league-record 14-year playoff drought.

CBS SPORTS: Calvin de Haan signed a one-year contract with the Swedish Hockey League’s Rogle BK on Friday.

The 34-year-old defenseman spent the past 13 seasons in the NHL, collecting 149 regular-season points in 679 games with the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Rangers signed defenseman Andrej Sustr to a professional tryout offer.

Sustr, 34, spent the past three seasons in Europe. Before that, he spent eight seasons (2012-13 to 2021-22) with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Anaheim Ducks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 26, 2025

by | Jul 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 26, 2025

Corey Perry looks forward to returning to Southern California, the Islanders avoid arbitration with Maxim Tsyplakov, the Rangers sign Conor Sheary to a tryout offer, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Corey Perry is pumped about playing for a Southern California team again. The 40-year-old winger signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings earlier this month.

Former Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry (NHL Images).

Perry began his NHL career with the Anaheim Ducks in 2005-06, spending 14 seasons with them. He helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup in 2007 and won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Maurice Richard Trophy in 2010-11.

“It’s another new chapter, and I’m excited,” Perry said. “And it’s an area I know very well.” He acknowledged his time with the Ducks, saying it was a significant part of his career and life, and would always be.

“Going back to California, we know it’s not the exact same place, but it’s still exciting to go back to Southern California. We’re looking forward to it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry is still searching for that elusive second Stanley Cup title. At this stage of Perry’s career, this season with the Kings could be his last.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders avoided salary arbitration with Maxim Tsyplakov as the two sides agreed to a two-year contract worth an average annual value (AAV) of $2.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tsyplakov’s arbitration hearing was scheduled for July 29. He was the Isles’ last remaining restricted free agent.

Meanwhile, the New York Rangers signed Conor Sheary to a professional tryout offer (PTO). The 33-year-old winger spent most of last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s AHL affiliate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning terminated the final season of Sheary’s contract, making him an unrestricted free agent (UFA). He won two Stanley Cups with Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan during their tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Speaking of the Rangers, forward Brett Berard revealed he suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder last November. The injury lingered throughout the 2024-25 season. Berard, 22, said he didn’t require surgery and is now healthy as he prepares for training camp in September.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche made a minor trade with the San Jose Sharks, shipping winger Oskar Olausson to the Sharks for winger Danil Gushchin.

Olausson, 22, was a first-round pick (28th overall) by the Avalanche in 2021. He appeared in only four games with the Avalanche since 2022-23. Gushchin appeared in 18 NHL games with the Sharks over the same period.










Notable NHL Signings and Trades – July 1, 2025

by | Jul 1, 2025

Notable NHL Signings and Trades – July 1, 2025

 Anaheim Ducks sign unrestricted free-agent forward Mikael Granlund to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $7 million.

The New York Rangers signed winger Will Cuylle to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.9 million. Cuylle was a restricted free agent completing his entry-level contract.

Buffalo Sabres re-sign center Ryan McLeod to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million. McLeod was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

The San Jose Sharks signed John Klingberg to a one-year, $4 million contract. He was an unrestricted free agent.

 

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren signed a four-year contract with the Seattle Kraken with an average annual value of $4.5 million.

The Utah Mammoth signed defenseman Nate Schmidt inked a three-year contract ($3.5 million AAV) and forward Brandon Tanev to a three-year contract ($2.5 million AAV).

The Los Angeles Kings signed defenseman Cody Ceci to a four-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million, blueliner Brian Dumoulin to a three-year deal with a $4 million AAV, and winger Corey Perry to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Winger Jonathan Drouin agreed to a two-year contract ($4 million AAV) with the New York Islanders.

Forward Radek Faksa inked a three-year contract ($2 million AAV) with the Dallas Stars.

 

The Vancouver Canucks brought back Brock Boeser, signing him to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million.

The New York Rangers sign defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year deal with an AAV of $7 million.

The Los Angeles Kings sign forward Joel Armia to a two-year contract with a $2.5 million AAV.

The Boston Bruins signed forward Tanner Jeannot to a four-year deal with an AAV of $3.5 million.

The New Jersey Devils sign forward Connor Brown to a four-year contract with an AAV of $3 million.

The Philadelphia Flyers sign goaltender Dan Vladar to a two-year contract with a $3.35 million AAV.

The San Jose Sharks sign winger William Eklund to a three-year deal with an AAV of $5.6 million. Eklund, 22, was a restricted free agent.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed center Christian Dvorak to a one-year, $5.4 million contract.

The Montreal Canadiens trade defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for forward Zachary Bolduc.

Logan Stankoven signs an eight-year contract extension ($6 million AAV) with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 22-year-old forward was slated to become an RFA next July.

Jake Allen re-signed with the New Jersey Devils. The 34-year-old goaltender agreed to a five-year contract with an AAV of $1.8 million.

The Edmonton Oilers trade winger Viktor Arvidsson to the Boston Bruins for a fifth-round draft pick in 2027. This move frees up $4 million of salary-cap space for the Oilers.

Thatcher Demko signs a a three-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks worth an average annual value of $8.5 million. The 29-year-old goaltender was eligible for UFA status next July.

The Canucks also confirmed that Conor Garland signed a six-year contract extension with an AAV of $6 million. Like Demko, he was slated to become a UFA next July.

Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year contract extension with the Washington Capitals worth an AAV of $6 million. The 25-year-old defenseman was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2025

by | Jun 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2025

Connor McDavid talks about his future with the Oilers, the Stars re-sign Matt Duchene and trade Mason Marchment to the Kraken, the Senators re-sign Fabian Zetterlund, and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

MCDAVID DISCUSSES HIS FUTURE IN EDMONTON

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychowski reports Oilers captain Connor McDavid left just a little doubt over whether he’ll remain in Edmonton after next season. The 28-year-old superstar center has a year left on his contract and will be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.

McDavid talked about the hard work the organization has done to build toward being a Stanley Cup contender. He indicated that he would take some time to regroup, talk to his agent and family, adding there was no rush to sign a contract extension on July 1.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

However, McDavid made a remark that left just enough room for doubt.

“With that being said, ultimately, I still need to do what’s best for me and my family. That’s how you have to take care of, first. But of course there is unfinished business here.”

McDavid was asked what would influence his decision.

“Winning would be at the top of the list, it’s the most important thing. If I feel there is a good window to win here, then signing is no problem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton pundits, including Tychowski and Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, believe the odds favor the Oilers re-signing McDavid. They felt his comments were meant as a direct message to management that he’ll be closely watching their roster decisions over the next two weeks.

Nevertheless, a few observers around the league speculated about the possibility of McDavid becoming available in the trade market or via free agency next summer.

If McDavid becomes a trade candidate, several factors will determine potential destinations.

An interested team needs sufficient trade capital on its roster, which could include its most promising young player and a top-six veteran forward. They must be prepared to part with at least one first-round pick and at least one top prospect. Finally, and most importantly, they need sufficient cap space to sign McDavid to a long-term extension and still be able to ice a contending roster.

It would be cheaper to wait for free agency, but it could still cost up to 20 percent of a team’s cap payroll for 2026-27 to sign McDavid. If the cap reached $104 million as projected, the maximum contract is $20.8 million.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports McDavid and Leon Draisaitl voiced their full support of Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old defenseman faced criticism from Oilers followers regarding his defensive play, but McDavid and Draisaitl defended Bouchard’s play and consider him to be an important part of their roster.

Bouchard is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He said he loves playing for the Oilers and believes they’re close to becoming a champion. Matheson speculates Bouchard could get an average annual value in the $10 million range on his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s critics will be apoplectic if the Oilers re-sign him for that much. However, the puck-moving defenseman’s contract situation is likely one of the factors that McDavid will be watching. Re-signing Bouchard could help to ensure that the Oilers captain remains in Edmonton beyond next season.

McDavid revealed that teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins suffered a broken hand in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final but still played the rest of the series.

TSN: Corey Perry said he’d love to return with the Oilers next season. The 40-year-old winger played a key role in their march to the Stanley Cup Final this season. He’s coming off a one-year, $1.4 million contract.

STARS RE-SIGN DUCHENE, TRADE MARCHMENT TO THE KRAKEN

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed Matt Duchene to a four-year, $18-million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.5 million. He also has a full no-movement clause for the first two years of the deal.

The Stars traded forward Mason Marchment to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A cost-cutting trade was inevitable after signing Duchene. Shipping Marchment to Seattle freed up $4.5 million, giving the Stars just under $5 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 16 active roster players under contract.

Duchene, 34, had a solid regular-season performance in 2024-25 with 30 goals and 82 points, but he managed only six points in 18 playoff games. The cap hit is reasonable, but given his age, this deal seems about a year too long.

The Seattle Times’ Kate Shefte believes the Kraken got Marchment at a bargain. The 30-year-old winger is a big, physical, energetic forward with a decent scoring touch, coming off back-to-back 22-goal seasons.

Kraken GM Jason Botterill cited Marchment’s combination of size, skill, and netfront presence. He should be a welcome addition to the Kraken, but he’s also UFA-eligible next summer. Botterill could attempt to re-sign the big winger this summer or wait to see how this season pans out.

TSN: The Ottawa Senators signed forward Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year, $12.825-million contract extension with an AAV of $4.275 million. He was slated to become an RFA on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators acquired Zetterlund from the San Jose Sharks before the March trade deadline. He had a career-best 24 goals and 44 points with the Sharks in 2023-24, and finished with 19 goals and 40 points in 2024-25. The 25-year-old is slated to play at right wing on the Senators’ second line.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals have granted defenseman Ethan Bear permission to speak with other teams. He appeared in 24 games with the Capitals this season and will become a UFA on July 1.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers are reportedly adding Todd Reirden to their coaching staff. He was an associate coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023-24.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 18, 2025

by | Jun 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 18, 2025

The Florida Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions as Sam Reinhart ties an NHL playoff scoring record, Sam Bennett wins the Conn Smythe Trophy, Predators captain Roman Josi reveals a medical condition related to a concussion, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PANTHERS WIN STANLEY CUP, BENNETT NAMED PLAYOFF MVP

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 to win the best-of-seven Final in six games.

Sam Reinhart tied a Stanley Cup playoff record by scoring four goals in the Cup-clinching game, becoming the first player to do so since Babe Dye with the Toronto St. Pats in 1922.

2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers (NHL.com).

Matthew Tkachuk also scored, Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves, Carter Verhaeghe had three assists and Aleksander Barkov had two helpers for the Panthers. Vasily Podkolzin scored for the Oilers and Stuart Skinner stopped 20 of 23 shots.

Panthers forward Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, leading all scorers in this postseason with 15 goals.

DAILY FACEOFF: Following the game, Tkachuk shed light on the lower-body injury that sidelined him from the end of the 4 Nations Face Off tournament in February to the end of the regular season. He said he tore an adductor muscle “off the bone”, adding that he’s also dealing with a sports hernia.

Barkov sliced his hand in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final and ripped the sutures out twice before the wound was glued. Reinhart was dealing with a Grade 2 MCL tear that he suffered during the Eastern Conference Final.

This was the first Stanley Cup championship for Panthers defenseman Seth Jones. Acquired in early March, this was the first time in his 12 NHL seasons that he played for a team that advanced beyond the second round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Florida Panthers. This series had the air of inevitability since their lopsided victory in Game 3.

The Oilers tried their best, but the Panthers did an outstanding job of smothering their offense. They also picked apart Edmonton’s defense and received superb goaltending from Bobrovsky.

Bennett’s clutch scoring and agitating style earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy, but the case could’ve also been made for trade-deadline acquisition Brad Marchand. Bennett praised Marchand’s performance, leadership, and work ethic throughout the postseason.

After the game, Oilers captain Connor McDavid gave credit to the Panthers, praising their forecheck and shutting down his club’s momentum. “We kept f**king trying to do the same thing over and over again, just banging our heads against the wall.” He also cited the Panthers’ roster depth as a difference-maker in the series.

McDavid also praised his teammates for overcoming adversity and injuries to return to the Final. “I don’t think people thought we were gonna make it this far,” said McDavid. “We obviously believed. We just came up a bit short again.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have more about the Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

Corey Perry’s stretch of Stanley Cup futility continued. He appeared in five Stanley Cup Finals since 2020 with the Oilers (2024, 2025), Dallas Stars (2020), Montreal Canadiens (2021) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2022).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s quite a stretch of Cup Final disappointment, but he can draw consolation from the Stanley Cup he won with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

PREDATORS CAPTAIN JOSI REVEALS MEDICAL CONDITION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi told a Swiss publication that he’s dealing with Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). It’s a condition that typically causes someone’s heart rate to increase quickly when standing up from sitting or lying down.

The 35-year-old defenseman hasn’t played since suffering a concussion on Feb. 25. He indicated he was scared that he may have suffered brain damage. Josi underwent tests and an MRI that revealed nothing wrong with his brain, but he was subsequently diagnosed with POTS.

Doctors acknowledged that his condition could be related to his past concussion injuries. The condition could also explain the fainting spells he suffered as a child.

Josi is preparing to return to action next season, having undergone intensive therapy over the last eight weeks, which also includes taking beta blockers. He said he’s been feeling much better and believes he’ll be 100 percent fit to rejoin the Predators and to play for Switzerland in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Josi is crucial to the Predators’ hopes of bouncing back quickly from their disappointing 2024-25 performance.

IN OTHER NEWS…

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports Ken Holland expects trade activity will increase around the league leading up to the NHL Draft on June 27-28 in Los Angeles. He was hired as the general manager of the Los Angeles Kings on May 14.

Holland said the success of the Florida Panthers will affect other teams’ offseason decisions. He hasn’t ruled out making trades if they make sense for the Kings. Holland also indicated he’ll begin talking soon with Anze Kopitar’s agent regarding a contract extension. The 37-year-old Kings captain has a year remaining on his current deal.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed forward Joona Koppanen to a one-year, $775K contract.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken announced the hiring of assistant coaches Chris Taylor and Aaron Schneekloth and goaltending coach Colin Zulianello.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets have revealed their 25th anniversary patch.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2025

by | Jun 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2025

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers on the eve of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, long-time Maple Leafs broadcaster Joe Bowen to retire, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Corey Perry’s speech to his Oilers teammates following the first period of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final may have saved the club’s season.

Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry (NHL Images).

Down 3-0 to the Florida Panthers on Thursday and on the verge of falling behind 3-1 in the series, Perry gave a pep talk that rallied the Edmonton players. They tied the game 3-3 in the second period en route to a 5-4 overtime victory, knotting the series at two games apiece.

Perry’s teammates didn’t elaborate as to what he said. Nevertheless, they credited him with helping them regain their focus, providing the motivation necessary for their comeback.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Oilers win the Stanley Cup, “Perry’s Pep Talk” will go down in hockey lore as the turning point of this series.

TSN: Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch had yet to commit to any lineup changes on Friday, including their starting goaltender for Game 5. Starter Stuart Skinner got the hook in Game 4 after giving up three goals in the first period. Backup Calvin Pickard got the win with a 22-save performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner can be inconsistent, but he got the Oilers this far since returning to the net midway through their second-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights, showing the ability to bounce back. On the other hand, Pickard is a perfect 7-0 in this postseason, playing well in their Game 4 comeback.

THE SCORE: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice doesn’t seem troubled by how tightly-contested this Stanley Cup Final has been. If anything, he is enjoying it.

“This is as good as this thing gets,” he told reporters. “This is Christmas. This is the payoff. You want to be a good pro, but Tuesday on the road on the West Coast in November, not as much fun as you’d think. This is where you get the payback…this is truly the juice that you live for.”

Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final is Saturday in Edmonton at 8 pm ET.

IN OTHER NEWS

TORONTO SUN: Long-time Maple Leafs play-by-play man Joe Bowen announced that the 2025-26 season will be his last. Known for his catchphrase “Holy Mackinaw!”, the 74-year-old Bowen has been broadcasting for nearly 44 years, 28 of those calling Leafs games on the radio, earning the title of “The Voice of the Maple Leafs.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be the end of an era for the Leafs. Bowen will be among a long list of notable long-time hockey broadcasters who’ve retired since 2020, joining Mike Emrick, Pat Foley, Sam Rosen, and the late Rick Jeanneret and Mike Lange.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins re-signed winger Boko Imama to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks traded the rights of defenseman Victor Soderstrom to the Boston Bruins for prospect defenseman Ryan Mast and a 2025 seventh-round pick.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Earlier this week, the Kraken parted ways with assistant coach Bob Woods.