Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 26, 2024

by | May 26, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 26, 2024

Check out the latest on Jake Guentzel, Steven Stamkos, Elias Lindholm, and the other top unrestricted free agents in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported the latest speculation on some of this summer’s top NHL unrestricted free agents.

Jake Guentzel and the Carolina Hurricanes have a mutual interest in negotiating a new contract. LeBrun wonders if an eight-year contract at $8 million per season might keep him in Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guentzel could seek a higher annual cap hit but the eight-year term offers greater long-term security.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

Contract extension talks between the cap-strapped Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos continue even after reacquiring Ryan McDonagh (and his $6.75 million cap hit) from Nashville last week. LeBrun speculates this could go right up to when the free-agent market opens on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have just over $4.1 million of cap space for next season with 18 active roster players under contract. They’ll have to shed salary to re-sign Stamkos unless he’s taking the biggest pay cut in franchise history.

The Vancouver Canucks could make a strong push to re-sign Elias Lindholm. However, LeBrun believes he could be too expensive to retain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm is coming off a six-year deal earning an average annual value of $4.85 million. This is his best opportunity to land a big money deal. He’ll find it somewhere else on July 1 if he can’t get it from the Canucks.

The Vegas Golden Knights have made re-signing Jonathan Marchessault their priority. Both sides are expected to begin discussions soon and could get a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have $1.79 million of cap space with 18 roster players under contract for next season. They’ll get $5 million in cap relief if Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve.

Marchessault is completing a six-year contract with an AAV of $5 million. Assuming he accepts a similar salary, there won’t be enough to fill out the rest of the roster. That’s prompted speculation suggesting Shea Theodore ($5.2 million cap hit for next season) could become a cost-cutting trade chip.

LeBrun believes Winnipeg Jets winger Tyler Toffoli will be heading to the free-agent market. He wondered if the Nashville Predators might be interested as they could use more offense.

LeBrun was surprised that the Hurricanes haven’t yet gotten Brady Skjei under contract. He reported contract talks have been ongoing since last summer and feels Skjei is their priority on defense to get re-signed. The 30-year-old blueliner could get a six or seven-year deal with an AAV of $6 million but LeBrun thinks he’d accept a little less to stay in Carolina.

Brett Pesce is likely heading to market. The 29-year-old Hurricanes defenseman could get a six-year contract at between $6 million and $6.5 million annually.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have held contract discussions with forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi. No numbers have been discussed yet.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sean Walker is one of several right-shot defensemen who could draw plenty of interest in this summer’s free-agent market. LeBrun wondered if he might get a five-year deal at $5 million annually.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 18, 2024

by | May 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 18, 2024

What could the offseason hold for the Avalanche and Bruins? What’s the latest on the Hurricanes? Who could become candidates for the Blue Jackets’ GM position? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE AVALANCHE AND BRUINS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at what the offseason might hold for the Colorado Avalanche following their elimination from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Supplementing their roster core is once again a priority. They must re-sign restricted free-agent center Casey Mittelstadt. The Avs must also re-sign or replace pending unrestricted free agents like Jonathan Drouin, Jack Johnson, Sean Walker and Andrew Cogliano. They must also replace retiring winger Zach Parise.

Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Core winger Mikko Rantanen has one year remaining on his contract. His continued presence is important if the Avalanche intend to remain among the Western Conference’s top contenders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have $15.9 million in projected cap space next season with 12 active roster players under contract. They get an additional $7 million in wiggle room if sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog remains on long-term injury reserve. He hasn’t given up attempting to resume his career after being sidelined by knee surgeries for the past two years.

Rantanen carries a cap hit of $9.25 million on his current contract. Given his consecutive 100-plus point seasons, he’ll likely seek over $12 million annually.

The Avalanche will also have to decide what to do with Valeri Nichushkin once he exits Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in November.

Kristen Shilton looked at what could be in store for the Boston Bruins this summer.

They face some significant personnel decisions. Several notable players, including Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen, are slated to become UFAs on July 1. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman is an RFA coming off a one-year contract and the Bruins must ensure they have sufficient cap space to pay him his worth as a starter.

Shilton expects the Bruins will be active in the free-agent market if they hope to keep their playoff window open, especially on the defensive side.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss observed the Bruins have around $21 million in projected cap space for next season to put toward offseason roster upgrades.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were frequently linked to Elias Lindholm this season before and after his trade to the Vancouver Canucks. They could revisit that rumored interest or consider other options to add a center for one of their scoring lines.

Rumors also tied the Bruins to Noah Hanifin before his trade and contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. Free-agent options could include Carolina’s Brett Pesce or Brady Skjei or Florida’s Brandon Montour, regardless of his recent interaction with Bruins captain Brad Marchand. Money talks and time heals all wounds.

LATEST HURRICANES SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: During Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he didn’t expect Brett Pesce to return with the Carolina Hurricanes. He indicated the Hurricanes’ offer to the Pesce camp last summer was a five-year deal worth $5 million annually.

Friedman believes Martin Necas could be traded this summer. The 25-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. He thinks the Hurricanes will prioritize re-signing Jake Guentzel.

Winger Seth Jarvis has surpassed Necas on the Hurricanes’ depth chart, making him more of a priority contract-wise. Jarvis is coming off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce was the subject of trade speculation last summer, which was an early indication of how poorly those contract negotiations were going. The Hurricanes retained him for this season. His absence due to injury contributed to their elimination from the second round by the New York Rangers. He missed 12 games in the regular season but the decline in his stats likely won’t hurt his free-agent value.

Necas could draw plenty of interest from teams seeking additional scoring depth. He’s been mentioned as a possible trade option for the rebuilding Montreal Canadiens. Necas is completing a two-year, $6 million contract and will likely attempt to more than double his money on his next deal.

HOLLAND, BERGEVIN AMONG RUMORED CANDIDATES FOR BLUE JACKETS’ JOB

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland’s report of rumors linking Oilers general manager Ken Holland to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Holland is in the final season of his contract with the Oilers. The Blue Jackets are in the market for a new general manager after firing Jarmo Kekalainen in February.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont reports speculation the Blue Jackets could consider former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin to fill their vacant GM position. Bergevin is currently working in the Los Angeles Kings’ front office.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 17, 2024

by | May 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 17, 2024

Offseason changes could be coming for the Hurricanes plus the latest Golden Knights speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE HURRICANES?

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock believes changes are coming for the Carolina Hurricanes following another disappointing postseason. He pointed out that they have several pending unrestricted free agents and head coach Rod Brind’Amour remains unsigned for next season.

“It’s the end of this group, the one that was on the ice Thursday night,” wrote DeCock. “Change is coming. The Hurricanes will almost certainly still be contenders, but not these contenders. That’s over.”

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus predicts a stormy future for the Hurricanes. He anticipates “a roster reckoning” could be coming with or without Brind’Amour behind the bench.

Unrestricted free agents include forwards Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen and defensemen Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Tony DeAngelo and Jalen Chatfield. Goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov remain under contract for next season.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour (NHL Images).

Lazerus believes Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell will have sufficient salary-cap space, trade bait and roster flexibility to pursue a No. 1 goaltender, re-sign Guentzel, and/or pursue another top forward if he chooses.

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton believes the Hurricanes’ priority should be re-signing Guentzel. He had 25 points in 17 games for them following his trade from Pittsburgh and was a point-per-game performer in the playoffs. She also believes they should invest in a starting goaltender.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby believes teams that need a new coach will want to know Brind’Amour’s plans. He thinks the Toronto Maple Leafs are among them.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Glenn Dreyfuss thinks the Seattle Kraken would be among Brind’Amour’s suitors if he doesn’t re-sign with the Hurricanes.

BLEACHER REPORT: The Leafs and Kraken are on Lyle Fitzsimmons’ list of landing spots for Brind’Amour. He also sees him staying in Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brind’Amour’s future was a hot topic of speculation earlier this month following a report claiming the Hurricanes had pulled their recent contract offer. All sides downplayed the matter, insisting negotiations were ongoing and a deal was close.

Following another disappointing postseason, Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon could feel the need for a change behind the bench. GM Don Waddell could share that view. We’ll find out soon enough.

One of those pending UFAs may have played his last for the Hurricanes. Shortly after last night’s game, Pesce’s father shared a now-deleted post on “X” thanking Hurricanes’ fans for their support over the years.

LATEST GOLDEN KNIGHTS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger recently looked at who stays and who goes among the Vegas Golden Knights this summer.

Jonathan Marchessault is slated to become a UFA on July 1. He and GM Kelly McCrimmon were publicly optimistic that an agreement on a new contract could be reached. However, there is limited cap space for him and the remainder of the roster.

A cap-clearing trade will be necessary if Marchessault is re-signed.

Granger speculated Zach Whitecloud could be a trade candidate if McCrimmon needs to make a minor subtraction. The 27-year-old defenseman has four years left on his contract with an average annual value of $2.75 million.

Shea Theodore could be shopped if McCrimmon needs to make a bigger change. He’s signed through next season with an AAV of $5.2 million and will be eligible for UFA status next summer. Recently acquired Noah Hanifin plays a similar style to Theodore and carries a $7.35 million cap hit on his new contract.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen believes freeing up cap space will be a priority for McCrimmon if he intends to re-sign Marchessault and other UFAs. Theodore or goaltender Adin Hill ($4.9 million AAV) could become trade options. He could also try to move a couple of lower-salaried players like Brayden McNabb ($2.85 million) or Nicolas Hague ($2.29 million million

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I was initially dismissive of the Golden Knights using Theodore as a cost-cutting candidate. Giving it more thought, however, it seems the best course of action given his UFA status next summer and the addition of Hanifin.

Theodore would draw considerable interest if McCrimmon put him on the trade block. The puck-moving blueliner has a five-team no-trade list but he should still attract a lot of suitors. He could fetch an affordable return that would help to replenish the Golden Knights’ prospect pipeline or add a promising youngster to their lineup.

McCrimmon could have other plans to clear cap space for Marchessault that don’t involve moving Theodore. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2024

by | May 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2024

The Avalanche force Game 6 with the Stars, updates on the other second-round series, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Dallas Stars 5-3 in Game 5 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Cale Makar scored twice (including the game-winning goal) and Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Joe Pavelski scored his first of this postseason and added an assist for the Stars, who hold a 3-2 lead in the series. Game 6 is in Denver on Friday, May 17 at 10 pm EDT.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong bounce-back effort by the Avalanche following their disastrous performance in Game 4. Makar and MacKinnon rose to the occasion, providing the leadership and clutch play expected of them. The Avs got a boost on the blueline with defenseman Devon Toews returning to action after an illness sidelined him in Game 4.

The Stars have the best road record (4-1) in this postseason but they’ve struggled at home, winning three of seven contests in Dallas. They also missed center Roope Hintz, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered in Game 4.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson seems to have few answers to address his lack of production in this postseason. Head coach Rick Tocchet admits his wingers haven’t helped but felt Pettersson can drive the play more. Pettersson insists it’s not for lack of effort but acknowledges only he can control what he does on the ice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson can play harder but he’s not being helped with low-scoring forwards like Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty as his wingers.

SPORTSNET: Tocchet had some good news about Thatcher Demko. The Canucks starting goalie has been sidelined by a lower-body injury since suiting up in Game 1 of their first-round series with the Nashville Predators. Tocchet said Demko has “improved immensely the last 72 hours”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have relied on third-stringer Arturs Silovs, who backstopped the Canucks over the Predators in the first round and has been solid in their current series with the Edmonton Oilers. No word if Demko will return to action in this series but there’s speculation he might get the nod for Game 6.

Speaking of goaltenders, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch is keeping mum as to whether Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard gets the start for Game 5 tonight. Pickard replaced the struggling Skinner in Game 3 and got the start (and the win) in Game 4.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce has returned to practice with his teammates. He’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury since Game 2 of their first-round series with the New York Islanders. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour didn’t rule out Pesce’s return if the blueliner felt he was good to go. The Hurricanes are down 3-2 in their series with the New York Rangers with the two clubs facing off tonight in Game 6.

NEW YORK POST: After losing their last two games to the Hurricanes, the Rangers could shake up their defense corps for Game 6. During practice on Wednesday, K’Andre Miller was reunited with Jacob Trouba while Braden Schneider was back with Erik Gustafsson.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Utah goaltender Connor Ingram is this season’s winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. He nearly retired due to obsessive-compulsive disorder and lingering depression before seeking help through the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in 2021. Ingram had a career-best performance this season, sporting a 23-21-6 record with a 2.91 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and six shutouts.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Three Penguins recently underwent surgery. Kris Letang had an operation on May 10 to repair a fractured left finger and will require eight weeks of recovery. Blueliner John Ludvig is sidelined for four to six months following surgery in April on a damaged extensor tendon in his left wrist. Winger Matt Nieto will be out for six-to-seven months following surgery on the MCL in his left knee.

THE TENNESSEAN: Former Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame on July 20. He spent the entirety of his 15-season NHL career with the Predators, winning 30-plus games eight times. Rinne was a four-time finalist for the Vezina Trophy, winning it in 2018.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly considering Jeff Blashill as their next head coach. He coached the Detroit Red Wings from 2015 to 2022 and spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings signed backup goaltender David Rittich to a one-year, $1 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are expected to go shopping for a starting goaltender in this summer’s trade market. They reportedly attempted to acquire Boston Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark before the March trade deadline but it’s believed he used his no-trade clause to spike the deal.

CBS NEWS: A Native American woman who worked for the Chicago Blackhawks is suing the club and its charity for breach of oral contract, fraud and sexual harassment. Nina Sanders said she was brought in to build relationships between the team and the Native American community but was later pushed out.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2024

by | May 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2024

The Panthers tie their series with the Bruins, the Canucks rally to take Game 1 against the Oilers, the Ted Lindsay Award finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers thumped the Boston Bruins 6-1 in Game 2 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Aleksander Barkov had two goals and two assists, Sam Reinhart collected four helpers and Brandon Montour picked up three points as the Panthers even the series at a game apiece. Charlie Coyle replied for the Bruins and Jeremy Swayman was pulled in the third period after giving up four goals on 23 shots. The series moves to Boston for the next two games with Game 3 on Friday, May 10, at 7 pm EDT.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a dominating performance by the Panthers. They outshot the Bruins 33-15, forcing them into making costly defensive mistakes.

The intensity between the Bruins and Panthers boiled over in the third period with the two clubs combining for 136 minutes in penalties. There was also a scrap between Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.

Some observers wonder if the Bruins will start Linus Ullmark in Game 3 after pulling Swayman from this contest. I think they’ll return with Swayman given his solid overall performance in this postseason. He shouldn’t be punished for his teammate’s sloppy defense.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland scored the winning goal to cap a four-goal rally in a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round series. Zach Hyman scored twice as the Oilers surged to a 4-1 lead in the second period. However, Elias Lindholm, J.T. Miller and Nikita Zadorov scored to set the stage for Garland’s game-winner. Game 2 is on Friday starting at 10 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers had 14 shots on goal when they took a 4-1 lead. They only had four more over the rest of the game as Vancouver outshot them 24-18. The Canucks maintained their poise despite being dominated early in this game. Lindholm’s goal late in the second period cut the Oilers’ lead to 4-2, providing the spark for the Canucks third-period surge.

It was a big game for Canucks forward Dakota Joshua as he had a goal and two assists. This is the fifth straight win for the Canucks over the Oilers as they also swept the regular-season series 4-0.

Oilers forward Adam Henrique missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. He was replaced in the lineup by Connor Brown.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews are the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award as this season’s outstanding player as voted by NHLPA members.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. Kucherov won the Lindsay in 2018-19 while Matthews took home the award in 2021-22. This is MacKinnon’s first time as a finalist for this award.

TSN: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (lower-body injury) has yet to resume skating and is listed as indefinitely out of the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce’s absence is one reason the Hurricanes are down 2-0 in their second-round series against the Rangers. They miss his presence on their blueline.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot underwent successful surgery for a nagging wrist injury. The recovery period is two months and he’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.

The Senators decided to retain their first-round pick (seventh overall) in this year’s draft. The club will instead forfeit their first-rounder in 2025 or 2026. That’s punishment for former GM Pierre Dorion gave the Vegas Golden Knights the wrong information about Evgenii Dadonov’s 10-team no-trade list after trading the winger to Vegas in July 2021.

TSN: Utah’s NHL team will debut its name, logo and team colors in 2025-26. They will have jerseys with the name “Utah” on them for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re currently being called the Utah franchise. Why not make that their team name going forward? Just kidding, of course. The new ownership intends to take its time coming up with the right name, logo and colors. That’s understandable given how quickly the franchise relocation from Arizona took place.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2024

by | May 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2024

The Bruins eliminated the Maple Leafs from the first round again, the second round schedule for the Eastern Conference is released, the Lady Byng Trophy finalists are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins advanced to the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of their first-round series. David Pastrnak scored in overtime to send his team into a second-round showdown with the Florida Panthers, who eliminated the Bruins from the first round of the 2023 playoffs. Hampus Lindholm tied the game for the Bruins after the Leafs’ William Nylander opened the scoring midway through the third period.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

Auston Matthews collected an assist as he returned to the Leafs lineup after missing two games with an undisclosed illness. Ilya Samsonov made 29 saves for the Leafs as he replaced Joseph Woll, who was injured in Game 6. Jeremy Swayman stopped 30 shots for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman was the hero of this series for the Bruins. He played in six of the seven games, sporting a 1.49 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage, giving up two goals or less in five of those contests. Pastrnak was challenged to step up his game by Bruins coach Jim Montgomery following Game 6 and responded with what has to be the biggest goal of his NHL career.

The Leafs deserve kudos for overcoming a 3-1 series deficit but the final result remains the same. Since 2017, they’ve been eliminated from the first round in seven of eight postseason series. Five of those series went seven games, three against the Bruins, whom they haven’t beaten in a playoff series since 1959.

Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov faced justified criticism over his shaky play earlier in this series but cannot be faulted for their Game 7 loss. He was steady throughout, giving the Leafs a chance to win. Samsonov is an unrestricted free agent this summer and won’t be re-signed but his final game as a Leaf gave him a bit of redemption.

The calls for change from Leafs Nations cannot be ignored. It started last year with the replacement of Kyle Dubas as general manager. There will be more significant moves to come. I’ll have more on this topic in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: The Bruins made NHL history with 16 Game 7 victories. They also appeared in a league-record 31 Game 7s’.

NHL.COM: The Eastern Conference second-round playoff schedule was announced following the Bruins-Leafs game. The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers face off starting at 4 pm EDT on Sunday, May 5. The Bruins meet the Florida Panthers starting Monday, May 6, at 8 pm ET.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin are this year’s finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s most gentlemanly player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. This is the first time Pettersson has been a finalist. It’s the third in five years for Matthews and the third time in four years for Slavin.

SPORTSNET: Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce will miss the first two games of his team’s second-round series against the Rangers. He’s been sidelined by a lower-body injury since Game 2 of the Hurricanes’ first-round series against the New York Islanders.