NHL Rumor Mill – March 10, 2025

by | Mar 10, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 10, 2025

The latest on Mitch Marner plus updates on the Rangers and Sabres in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LEAFS GM HOPES MARNER REMAINS WITH THE LEAFS

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan reports Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving addressed reports claiming the club spoke to Mitch Marner about a possible trade to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen, who was later dealt to the Dallas Stars.

The reports stated the Leafs offered prospects Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten, plus two first-round picks to the Hurricanes for Rantanen. The Hurricanes countered by pitching a swap of Rantanen for Marner. Treliving is believed to have told the winger that their priority was to re-sign him, but there was an opportunity to be traded to Carolina if he preferred. Marner is said to have stated he wanted to stay in Toronto.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Treliving said he wouldn’t get into questions about contract talks with the Marner camp. However, he claimed they wanted to keep the winger in Toronto for a long time, dismissing the possibility of the trade request becoming a distraction. He also praised Marner for how well he handled this situation.

Marner said he was focused on this season, adding he wants to play for the Leafs. Nevertheless, Koshan believes plenty of teams will line up to sign the 27-year-old winger if he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner will seek a substantial raise over his current $10.3 million annual cap hit. He might accept slightly less than Leafs captain Auston Matthews’ team-leading $13.25 million AAV to stay in Toronto, but he could get more than that on the open market.

The reports indicated that Leafs management stressed to Marner that they wanted to re-sign him when they informed him of the trade offer from the Hurricanes. They didn’t ask him to waive his no-movement clause but left it up to him to decide what he wanted to do.

Taken at face value, it doesn’t seem like this situation will adversely affect their contract negotiations. Nevertheless, with the trade deadline having passed, we’ve reached the point where speculation over the future of pending UFA stars like Marner will begin to dominate the rumor mill.

WHAT WILL THE RANGERS DO WITH ZIBANEJAD, PANARIN & KREIDER?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks briefly looked ahead at what could be in store in the offseason for forwards Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Both players surfaced in trade rumors this season.

Zibanejad has a full no-movement clause throughout his contract, which expires in 2029-30. Brooks believes any discussions with the 31-year-old forward will be held this summer and won’t be allowed to carry over into training camp in September. The same goes for any possibility of a trade for Kreider.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple also believes any discussions regarding the futures of Zibanejad and Kreider will be relegated to the offseason. He speculated that Kreider could become a buyout candidate if no one wants to take on his $6.5 million AAV for the next two seasons.

Staple suggested looking into whether Artemi Panarin will waive his NMC. The 33-year-old winger has a year remaining on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panarin carries an AAV of $11.6 million for next season, but he’s due to earn $8 million in actual salary, of which $7 million will be paid out on July 1 as a signing bonus. That could make him enticing for cost-conscious clubs, assuming he’s willing to accept a trade to one of them.

Zibanejad has an AAV of $8.5 million but has five more years left on this deal. Factor in his age (he turns 32 in April) and declining production, and he won’t be an easy sell in the trade market. The 33-year-old Kreider and his recent injury history could also affect his trade value. Buying out his contract will count as $3 million against the Rangers’ salary cap for 2025-26, $4 million for 2026-27, and $1.5 million annually for the following two seasons. 

LATEST ON THE SABRES

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington reports the trade of Dylan Cozens to the Ottawa Senators for Josh Norris on Friday wouldn’t have happened if Sabres owner Terry Pegula was planning to fire general manager Kevyn Adams. However, Harrington believes Adams is getting one last chance from Pegula.

Meanwhile, Adams denied there was any truth to a rumored move of pending restricted free agent JJ Peterka to the New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are about to extend their league-record playoff drought to 14 seasons. Adams will have a projected $22.4 million in offseason cap space to make additions to his roster.

Adams complained last December of the difficulty he faced last summer trying to attract quality players via free agency or the trade market. If his offseason moves fail to improve the Sabres, he won’t be in his current job by this time next season.










NHL Rumor Mill (Trade Deadline Edition) – March 7, 2025

by | Mar 7, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill (Trade Deadline Edition) – March 7, 2025

The trade deadline is 3 pm ET today. Check out the latest on Mikko Rantanen, Brad Marchand, JJ Peterka, Brock Boeser, Kyle Palmieri and more in the NHL Rumor Mill.

MIKKO RANTANEN

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reported overnight that the Dalla Stars were actively negotiating a contract extension with Mikko Rantanen’s camp with the Carolina Hurricanes’ permission, “and a trade is conditioned on an extension.”

Carolina Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Seravalli reported sources claiming the Stars and Hurricanes had agreed to a trade in principle on the condition that an agreement on a contract extension was reached before Friday’s 3 PM ET trade deadline.

However, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports there is no deal between the two clubs, suggesting the Hurricanes might have to go back to the drawing board. “Doesn’t mean a deal/extension with Dallas can’t materialize, but it’s not there as of now.”

BRAD MARCHAND

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports that a league executive claims the Boston Bruins are serious about trading Brad Marchand. They have set a high asking price of a first-round pick, a roster player, and an A-level prospect.

The two sides have been talking contract extension throughout this season. However, the differences may be too great to overcome.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

SPORTSNET: Ian MacIntyre reports the Vancouver Canucks are taking offers on winger Brock Boeser, center Pius Suter, and defenseman Derek Forbort.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports there are rumors that the Carolina Hurricanes could trade Mikko Rantanen. He indicates the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars are believed to be among the suitors, but they could also have an interest in Boeser if they miss out on Rantanen.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports of a rumor that connected Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson, Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen, and Devils forward Dawson Mercer and defenseman Simon Nemec in a potential three-team deal.

Murphy cited a Devils source say the club was in talks with the Carolina Hurricanes and Vancouver Canucks but didn’t specify which players, picks or prospects might’ve been involved.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports the Devils have expressed interest in Rantanen, Ryan O’Reilly and Brock Boeser. They also had an interest in Brock Nelson before he was traded to the Avalanche.

JJ PETERKA

THE BUFFALO NEWS’ Lance Lysowski reports the New York Rangers are among the teams trying to acquire JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. However, a deal like this is unlikely at the deadline. The Sabres seek NHL players, not draft picks and prospects.

KYLE PALMIERI

NEW YORK POST: With Brock Nelson traded by the Islanders to the Avalanche, Ethan Sears reports the focus shifts to Isles winger Kyle Palmieri. The lack of a contract extension for the pending free agent suggests he could be moved by the deadline.

CHRIS KREIDER

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports the Rangers aren’t shopping Chris Kreider, who has a 15-team no-trade list. They are listening to offers, but there are concerns over his physical condition after missing 13 games with three separate issues.

PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports that multiple teams are interested in Pittsburgh Penguins winger Rickard Rakell, especially Western clubs. A Penguins source said the asking price is “immense.”

It’s not impossible that Erik Karlsson could be moved by the trade deadline. However, it’s unlikely to happen until the summer.

RYAN DONATO

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus report the Chicago Blackhawks are getting plenty of calls about Ryan Donato, but they’re mostly checking in to see what their asking price will be for the 28-year-old forward. The Blackhawks are open to keeping him past the deadline and attempting to sign him to a contract extension.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 1, 2025

by | Mar 1, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 1, 2025

Check out the latest on Brock Boeser, JJ Peterka, Scott Laughton, Ryan O’Reilly, Rickard Rakell, Brandon Tanev and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BOESER REJECTS CANUCKS’ CONTRACT OFFER

CANUCKS ARMY: David Quadrelli cites Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reporting the Vancouver Canucks offered Brock Boeser a five-year, $40-million contract ($8 million annually). However, the 28-year-old winger is seeking a long-term deal.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Seravalli wrote that the Canucks intend to make one more offer to Boeser before the March 7 trade deadline. If he rejects it, they’ll explore trade options ahead of the deadline. They could also keep him as an “own rental” to help them secure playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are the only team that can offer Boeser the maximum eight-year contract. He will get at most seven years on the open market but that’s still longer than what the Canucks are reportedly offering him. Boeser could get a bigger average annual value if he tests the market on July 1.

TEAMS CALLING SABRES ABOUT PETERKA

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli added JJ Peterka to his latest trade board. He claims sources are saying the Buffalo Sabres are rejecting calls for the 23-year-old winger, but the volume of calls has increased, and the amount of chatter around the league is growing.

Seravalli added Peterka to his board for several reasons. First, the Sabres haven’t done anything yet to shake up their roster. Second, Peterka has value in the trade market. Third, he’s a restricted free agent this summer who could become an offer-sheet target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not surprising the Sabres are rejecting offers for Peterka. He has 44 points in 55 games this season, putting him on pace to exceed his career-best 50 points in 82 games in 2023-24.

If they were to trade him (and that’s a big “if” right now), general manager Kevyn Adams will want a return that helps his club right away, like last season’s swap of Casey Mittelstadt to Colorado for Bowen Byram. He won’t want draft picks and prospects because his club has plenty of those.

Peterka is completing his entry-level contract and is in line for a significant raise. With over $33 million in projected cap space for 2025-26, they can afford to re-sign him, even with Byram and Jack Quinn also RFA-eligible this summer. That cap space also blunts the threat of an offer sheet.

FLYERS STILL RELUCTANT TO MOVE LAUGHTON

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz cited TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting Friday that the Philadelphia Flyers’ asking price for Scott Laughton is a first-round pick, or the prospect equivalent of one.

However, multiple team sources claim the Flyers remain wary of moving the popular 30-year-old forward. They’re concerned about what his departure might do to the culture and morale among the players.

If the Flyers decide to move Laughton, Kurz believes it’ll be to a team of his choosing despite his lack of no-trade protection. He speculated that the Maple Leafs would make the most sense since Laughton is from the Toronto area.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs would have to offer up their 2026 first-rounder because they traded away this year’s pick. Failing that, they’ll have to offer a prospect like Fraser Minten or Easton Cowan, but they might not be to the Flyers’ liking. Minten was a second-round pick. Cowan was a first-rounder, but he went 28th overall.

UPDATE ON O’REILLY

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Nashville Predators are still getting calls about Ryan O’Reilly, but they’re not getting offers that would convince them to move the 34-year-old center. They’re not shopping O’Reilly but remain willing to entertain offers. The asking price must include a good young NHL player who can step into the Predators’ lineup right away.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly is signed through 2026-27 and lacks no-trade protection. However, the Predators are treating him like he has full no-movement protection, giving him complete control over this situation.

LeBrun believes the Predators are more likely to move UFA-eligible forward Gustav Nyquist. He wondered if the Los Angeles Kings might be interested.

LATEST ON RAKELL

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel downplays the recent speculation swirling around Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson. He believes forward Rickard Rakell remains their most valuable trade chip if GM Kyle Dubas is willing to part with him.

Karlsson’s hefty annual cap hit and full no-movement clause are significant obstacles. Meanwhile, the more affordable Rakell would fetch the best return. He leads the team with 25 goals and is second in points with 49.

The Penguins are open to offers but aren’t rushing to trade Rakell. He’s got three more years left on his contract, plus they could be reluctant to move another of Sidney Crosby’s linemates.

Nevertheless, his trade value probably won’t get any higher than it is right now. If a team makes an offer that tops what the Penguins got in the Marcus Pettersson trade, Dubas will listen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some general managers could be unwilling to meet that asking price because Rakell’s stats are directly tied to being Crosby’s linemate. He may get moved at the deadline but Dubas could wait until the offseason for better offers.

KRAKEN’S TANEV GARNERING INTEREST

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Seattle Kraken left winger Brandon Tanev is drawing some interest from playoff contenders and bubble teams.

The 33-year-old Tanev is UFA-eligible this summer. He carries a $3.5 million cap hit and a 10-team no-trade list. LeBrun claims Tanev prefers joining an upper-echelon contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tanev’s energetic, gritty style of play is well-suited for postseason action.

WHO COULD THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS TARGET AT THE DEADLINE?

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Danny Webster cited Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon recently saying he doesn’t anticipate his team will be a big spender at the trade deadline.

Webster noted the Golden Knights have limited trade capital in draft picks, prospects and available players. They made a recent significant addition by signing Brandon Saad to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

Nevertheless, the Golden Knights could target an affordable forward like Seattle’s Brandon Tanev, Montreal’s Jake Evans or Chicago’s Ryan Donato.

Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders, Mikko Rantanen of the Carolina Hurricanes and Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins are long-shot options. Webster doesn’t see them pursuing Anaheim’s John Gibson to shore up their goaltending.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 11, 2024

by | Nov 11, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 11, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, a look at the latest speculation involving several notable pending restricted free agents.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently looked at the latest speculation regarding this season’s top-12 restricted free agents. Here’s a look at several of the notables.

Fox believes the Edmonton Oilers could end up paying defenseman Evan Bouchard an average annual value of “somewhere in the $10.5 million range” on his next contract.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s production this season (seven points in 15 games) is below last season’s pace (82 points in 81 games). He’s on pace to barely reach 40 points, something he did in 2022-23 (42) and 2023-24 (40).

Bouchard’s earning an AAV of $3.9 million on his current deal. He’ll still get a substantial raise if he finishes with 40 points but not the $10.5 million that he’d be in line for if he reached 80 points.

New York Islanders blueliner Noah Dobson could get something nearing $8 million annually on an eight-year contract if general manager Lou Lamoriello wants to go long-term.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dobson carries an AAV of $4 million on his current contract. He’s the Isles’ best puck-moving rearguard, netting 51 points in 2021-22, 49 points in 2022-23, and a career-high 70 last season. He’s been a bargain for them thus far but could seek between $7 million and $8 million on his next deal.

Fox suggests Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston could get something comparable to the seven-year, $7.14 million AAV signed by Matty Beniers with the Seattle Kraken. He also speculated a mid-term bridge deal as a possibility given teammates Jason Robertson, Thomas Harley and Logan Stankoven are in line for raises after 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston will be coming off his entry-level contract and will lack arbitration rights next summer. Stars management will hold all the leverage here.

A long-term comparable for New Jersey Devils blueliner Luke Hughes would be Brock Faber’s eight-year, $8.5 million AAV with the Minnesota Wild. That would elevate his annual salary over brother Jack’s $8 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like Johnston, Luke will be completing his ELC and will have little leverage in negotiations. Management could be reluctant to pay him more than Jack at this stage of his career. A bridge deal could be an option here.

Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka could seek something north of $7 million on a long-term deal if GM Kevyn Adams wants to use up some of his UFA years. A bridge contract could be the easier route.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Peterka is also on his ELC. He reached a career-high 50 points last season but is now on a point-per-game pace. He’ll be in line for over $7 million annually if he maintains that production throughout this season.

Re-signing forward Fabian Zetterlund could be a priority for San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier. He’s off to a good start and is tight with teammate William Eklund. The rebuilding Sharks have plenty of cap space so a long-term deal is possible.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zetterlund was among the few bright spots in an otherwise miserable 2023-24 campaign for the Sharks, finishing with 20 goals and 44 points. The 25-year-old winger carries an AAV of $1.45 million and has 10 points in 16 games this season, putting him on track for over 50 points. That could put him in line for around $5 million annually.

A comparable contract for Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish is the five-year, $6.25 million extension signed by Quinton Byfield with the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish is in the final season of his ELC. He had 43 points in 80 games during his rookie season (2022-23) and 42 points in 64 games last season. He’s on pace to exceed 50 points this season. Byfield got his deal after hitting 55 points last season.

Limited cap space could affect the New York Rangers’ efforts to re-sign K’Andre Miller. It’ll cost them $4.65 million to qualify his rights. Fox speculates a long-term deal could cost between $6 million and $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salary cap is projected to rise to $92 million for 2025-26, giving the Rangers over $25 million in cap space.

$12 million of that could go toward re-signing Igor Shesterkin. It’s believed they’ll try to trade Jacob Trouba and his $8 million cap hit next summer. That could give them enough to re-sign Miller and perhaps Kaapo Kakko and Ryan Lindgren. However, the long-term cap hit could make it difficult to retain Artemi Panarin before his UFA eligibility in 2026.

The Minnesota Wild’s tight budget and the rise of promising center prospects (Danila Yurov, Riely Heidt) could make it tricky to sign Marco Rossi to a long-term deal. GM Bill Guerin must keep an eye down the road when superstar Kirill Kaprizov is due for a new contract. Fox speculates a two-year bridge deal at $6.25 million annually could be an option.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi had 21 goals and 40 points as a rookie last season. He has 13 points in 14 games, putting him on track for around 80 points. However, Guerin will hold the leveral with Rossi coming off his ELC.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2024

by | Oct 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2024

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines, the Blue Jackets honor Johnny Gaudreau in their home opener, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin reaches an assist milestone, the struggling Oilers picked up their first win of the season, and more.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets honored Johnny Gaudreau before their home opener against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

With Gaudreau’s family on the ice, the Jackets raised a banner with his number 13 in a pregame ceremony. During the opening faceoff, the Jackets started without a left winger, which was Gaudreau’s position. Both teams didn’t move following the puck drop, letting the puck come to rest where Gaudreau would’ve stood, and remained in place for 13 seconds.

Once the game resumed, the Panthers held off the Blue Jackets 4-3. Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists and Spencer Knight made 35 saves for his first win in 21 months. Sean Monahan scored for the Blue Jackets and pointed to Gaudreau’s banner to honor his long-time friend and former Calgary Flames teammate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson left the game with an upper-body injury after accidentally colliding with Monahan during the second period. Jackets coach Dean Evason described the injury as “not looking good”. That suggests Gudbranson could be sidelined for some time.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had two assists, including the 700th of his NHL career, as his club doubled up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Logan Thompson made 24 saves for the win over his former team and Jakub Vrana scored on his first shot in his return with the Capitals. Victor Olofsson and Jack Eichel replied for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin becomes the sixth player in NHL history to score 700 goals and collect 700 assists. He joins Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Dionne, and Phil Esposito. He’s also the 60th player to reach the 700-assist plateau.

Ovechkin has three assists in two games but still seeks his first goal of the season and remains at 853 career goals. He remains 41 goals behind Gretzky’s record of 894.

The Golden Knights also lost Olofsson late in the third period when he injured his left leg. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said it didn’t look good but hopes it’s not severe. Olofsson was seen on crutches after the game.

An overtime goal by Leon Draisaitl lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, snapping their season-opening three-game losing skid. Draisaitl finished with a goal and an assist and Connor McDavid collected two assists as they were put on the same line for the first time this season. The Flyers opened the scoring with a 2-0 lead as rookie Matvei Michkov tallied the first two goals of his NHL career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A big comeback win by the Oilers, perhaps signaling that the slumbering Stanley Cup finalist is finally awakening from its season-opening slumber. It was a disappointing finish for the Flyers but their promising rookie Michkov finally breaks through after being limited to an assist in his first two games.

The Dallas Stars extended their season-opening win streak to 4-0-0 by nipping the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on a shootout goal by Wyatt Johnston. Matt Duchene and Roope Hintz scored for the Stars while Tyler Toffoli and former Star Ty Dellandrea replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars played without forward Tyler Seguin and defenseman Matt Dumba. Seguin is day-to-day with a lower-body injury while Dumba (lower body) is week-to-week.

Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames are also 4-0-0 after beating the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Matt Coronato had two goals and goaltender Dustin Wolf turned aside 31 shots. Nick Foligno had the only goal for the Blackhawks.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves and tallied an empty-net goal in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Kirill Kaprizov collected two assists while Jakub Lauko scored the game-winner. Mathieu Joseph replied for the Blues.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won their home opener by beating the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning. Conor Garland had the lone goal for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was the first professional sports event in Tampa Bay since the second of back-to-back hurricanes in the region.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 7-3 win over the Nashville Predators. Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Adam Larsson each had a goal and an assist for the Kraken. Michael McCarron, Tommy Novak and Brady Skjei scored for the Predators, who’ve dropped their first three games of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators may have “won” free agency by signing Skjei, Steven Stamkos, and Jonathan Marchessault but that hasn’t resulted in significant improvement thus far.

Head coach Andrew Brunette said his team deserves to be where it is right now, claiming they’re playing firewagon hockey. “We’re trying to be cute. We’re trying to show how talented we are to everybody. But we’re not really playing with a purpose,” he said.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a 23-save performance from goalie Pyotr Kochetkov in his season debut to double up the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Hurricanes rookie Jackson Blake tallied his first career NHL goal. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier replied for the Devils.

IN OTHER NEWS…

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said he doesn’t see any reason for concern regarding the next round of collective bargaining with the NHL Players’ Association. Those talks are expected to begin in 2025.

Daly also admitted he’s surprised by the league’s strong and fast comeback from the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes the COVID period created a stronger demand and appreciation from fans for the live product, and feels the game is in better shape than ever before.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daly also discussed the Utah Hockey Club and the league’s 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Follow the link above for the full interview.

TORONTO STAR: The good news for the Maple Leafs is John Tavares is out of sick bay. The bad news is William Nylander has caught the flu bug and is questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Buffalo Sabres hope to have JJ Peterka in the lineup when they face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. He’s been sidelined for the last two games after suffering a concussion in Czechia. Peterka was a full participant in practice on Tuesday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club defenseman Sean Durzi is out for the foreseeable future with an upper-body injury.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jake Allen set an NHL record with his 3-0 win over Utah on Monday. He’s the first goaltender to secure a win against 33 NHL clubs in his career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2024

by | Oct 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2024

The Bruins sign Jeremy Swayman, the Devils sweep the Sabres in the Global Series, recapping the final games of the preseason, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

**BREAKING NEWS**

The Boston Bruins have signed goaltender Jeremy Swayman to an eight-year, $66 million contract. The average annual value is $8.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both sides took it almost to Monday’s deadline for clubs to submit their opening-night rosters. As Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli explained on Saturday, the longer this standoff continued once the regular season began, the less money Swayman would make this season. The Bruins also would’ve faced a higher cap hit for Year One because his salary would’ve been prorated.

Swayman is getting a significant raise and long-term security with this deal. If the 25-year-old plays up to expectations, it could even become a reasonable deal for the Bruins as the contract value of goaltenders increases over time.  

It’ll be interesting to see how this affects Swayman’s play in the early going of this season. He missed training camp and preseason play because of this standoff and won’t be in their opening-night lineup later this week. It could take a week or two for him to get fully up to speed.

DEVILS SWEEP SABRES IN GLOBAL SERIES

NHL.COM: The New Jersey Devils defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 at O2 Arena in Prague, Czechia to sweep the two-game 2024 NHL Global Series. Seamus Casey scored his first NHL goal and Jack Hughes collected two assists for the Devils. Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres and Devon Levi stopped 34 shots in his season debut.

New Jersey Devils forward Seamus Casey (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward JJ Peterka left this game with a concussion after being hit in the head by Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon. He joined teammates Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Zach Benson (lower-body injuries) on the sidelines.

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S PRESEASON ACTION

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto had a hat trick and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Linus Ullmark made 23 saves for the win. Christian Dvorak and Arber Xhekaj replied for the Canadiens.

The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. John Tavares snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period, Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist, and Mitch Marner collected two assists. Ville Husso stopped 30 saves for the Red Wings.

Utah Hockey Club winger Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Ivan Ivan replied for the Avalanche

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad collected three assists and Jonah Gadjovich tallied twice to beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 26 shots for the Panthers.

The Washington Capitals got a 17-save shutout performance by Charlie Lindgren in a 2-0 victory over the Boston Bruins. Aliaksei Protas and Trevor van Riemsdyk scored for the Capitals.

The Carolina Hurricanes downed the Nashville Predators 5-3 with Eric Robinson scoring the go-ahead goal with 2:29 remaining in the third period. Tommy Novak had a goal and two assists for the Predators.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard picked up three assists in a 6-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Mathieu Joseph had two assists for the Blues.

The San Jose Sharks beat the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5 on Ethan Cardwell’s game-winner with 12 seconds remaining in the third period. Luke Kunin tallied two goals for the Sharks while Pavel Dorofeyev scored a hat trick for the Golden Knights.

HEADLINES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras hopes to rebound from a difficult 2023-24 season in which he was sidelined for 51 games by injuries. He acknowledged he wasn’t at 100 percent physically and mentally to start last season after missing training camp due to contract negotiations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras’ struggles in ’23-’24 made him a frequent subject of trade speculation. The 23-year-old forward is entering a crucial season that could determine his future with the Ducks. He’s entering the second season of a three-year contract. A sub-par campaign could turn the trade chatter into reality.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Erik Karlsson is on track to be in the lineup for the Penguins’ season opener on Wednesday against the New York Rangers. The 34-year-old defenseman was sidelined by an upper-body injury at the start of training camp. He couldn’t play in any preseason games but doesn’t expect it’ll take long for him to get up to speed.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed free-agent winger Kevin Labanc to a one-year, $775K contract. He played with the New Jersey Devils on a professional tryout offer, scoring six goals in four preseason games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets made this move because forwards Boone Jenner and Dmitri Voronkov were recently sidelined by upper-body injuries. Labanc received a contract offer from the Devils but has a better opportunity to see top-six minutes with the Blue Jackets.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo cited a Minnesota Wild source who said rookie forward Liam Ohgren and rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt have made their opening-night roster.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche claimed defenseman John Ludvig off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes signed center Skyler Brind’Amour to a one-year, two-way contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: He is the son of Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour. General manager Eric Tulsky said his organization was impressed with the 25-year-old center’s defensive play last season in the AHL and his strong showing during this preseason.