NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2025

Connor Bedard’s contract extension talks are underway, Brock Boeser explains why he returned to the Canucks, the Stars introduce Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BEDARD’S CONTRACT TALKS, BOESER’S RETURN TO CANUCKS, STARS HIRE GULUTZAN

TSN: Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson confirmed his club has opened contract extension talks with Connor Bedard.

Davidson declined to go into detail, but said the 19-year-old center remains committed to the Blackhawks and wants to be in Chicago long-term.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

The rebuilding Blackhawks’ struggles during Bedard’s first two NHL seasons saw him at times admit his frustration over the club’s performance. That sparked rumors that he wanted out of Chicago, which he denied several times last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is in the final season of his entry-level contract and is the foundation for the Blackhawks’ rebuild. They’ll open the vault to keep him and will undoubtedly try to lock him up for the maximum term.

Bedard isn’t the only notable Blackhawk eligible to sign a contract extension this summer. Forward Frank Nazar and goaltender Spencer Knight are also due to become restricted free agents (RFA) next summer. Like Bedard, Nazar is in the final season of his entry-level contract and will lack arbitration rights. Knight is in the final season of his second NHL contract and will be arbitration-eligible next July.

THE SCORE: Brock Boeser told NHL.com that he was prepared to sign with a new team when free agency began on July 1. However, a last-minute call from the Vancouver Canucks led to his return on a seven-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.25 million.

Boeser said the phone call from the Canucks came as a shock, but it convinced him to instruct his agent to get a deal done. “I think my heart was still in Vancouver,” said the nine-year Canucks veteran.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser’s love of Vancouver must run deep. He seemed certain to depart, especially after they attempted to move him at the March trade deadline.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars introduced Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach. It’s the second time he held the job, having served in that role 12 years ago.

Gulutzan addressed the concerns among some Stars fans about his return. He said GM Jim Nill was right to fire him back then, adding that he’s improved as a bench boss after eight seasons as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nill didn’t win the GM of the Year award three straight times by making rash decisions. He’s put a considerable amount of thought into this hiring.

THE LATEST NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed defenseman Brent Burns to a one-year contract with a $1 million base salary and $2 million in bonus clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Burns is 40 and well removed from his peak years with the San Jose Sharks. Nevertheless, he’s the NHL’s active Ironman (925 consecutive games played) and netted 29 points last season with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’ll provide experienced depth on the right side of the Avs’ blueline.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed forward Gustav Nyquist for a one-year, $3.25 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move suggests that forward Nikolaj Ehlers won’t be returning with the Jets. The 29-year-old wing remains the top player available in the UFA market. He could decide on his next destination by today.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues inked center Pius Suter to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.125 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues were seeking additional depth at center. The 29-year-old Suter is coming off a career-best 25-goal performance with the Canucks.

The Blues also placed defenseman Nick Leddy on waivers.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed RFA center Morgan Frost to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.375 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Jan. 30, the Flames acquired the 26-year-old Frost and forward Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers. He put up 37 points in 81 games last season, split between Philadelphia and Calgary. The Flames hope he’ll find a more consistent offensive form that has eluded him thus far in his six-season NHL career.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed defenseman Kaeden Korczak to a four-year contract extension with an AAV of $3.25 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Ottawa Senators signed forward Arthur Kaliyev to a one-year, two-way contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A once-promising forward with the Los Angeles Kings, the 23-year-old winger struggled with injuries and consistency. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers, putting up four points in 14 games with the Blueshirts.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders signed coveted Russian free-agent forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year, entry-level contract. He had 23 goals and 67 points in 65 KHL games last season.

TSN: The NHL, NHL Players’ Association, IOC and IIHF finalized an agreement allowing NHL players to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics next February.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 5, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 5, 2025

The NHL Trade Deadline is 3 PM ET on March 7. Check out the latest on Brayden Schenn, Brock Boeser, Drake Batherson and Brandon Tanev, plus updates on the Devils, Bruins Jets, Lightning, Oilers and Avalanche in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

WILL THE BLUES MOVE BRAYDEN SCHENN?

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford reports St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong is “on the fence” about moving team captain Brayden Schenn. The Blues remain in the hunt for a Western Conference wild-card berth. The 33-year-old center has a full no-trade clause, giving him full control of this situation.

Armstrong has set a high asking price for his captain. The Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils could be among the suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn also has three more years remaining on his contract, so there’s no pressure on Armstrong to trade him now. Unless someone meets the Blues’ asking price, Schenn finishes this season in St. Louis. The offseason could become interesting as his no-trade clause becomes a 15-team no-trade list on July 1. 

ARE CANUCKS FORWARDS BROCK BOSER AND PIUS SUTER AVAILABLE?

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance reports the Vancouver Canucks are positioning themselves to be a buyer and a seller at the trade deadline.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

They’re open to moving their pending unrestricted free agents if the returns are sufficiently enticing. Contract extension talks between the Canucks and Brock Boeser remain stalemated, but a league source told Drance that interest in the 28-year-old winger was lukewarm. They’re not about to move Boeser at below market value, especially when they’re still in the playoff race.

The Canucks won’t move any impact players with term remaining on their contracts, and that includes struggling center Elias Pettersson. Carson Soucy is the only realistic expectation. They would like to acquire young players in their mid-twenties with term remaining on their contracts.

TSN.CA: Farhan Laji reports it’s very unlikely Boeser will get an extension from the Canucks before the trade deadline. It’s possible they could attempt to sign him after March 7.

Laji also noted Canucks forward Pius Suter surfaced in the rumor mill. However, there is nothing imminent, and Suter will be in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks reportedly offered Boeser a five-year contract with an AAV of $8 million. He rejected the offer, preferring a longer-term deal. It appears both sides want to work toward an agreement, but uncertainty persists as the deadline approaches.

DEVILS SHOPPING FOR CENTERS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the New Jersey Devils were already in the market for a center before Jack Hughes was injured over the weekend. They’re awaiting word on whether he’ll require surgery and how long he could be sidelined.

If Hughes is out for the regular season, it would free up over $8 million in cap space to put toward acquisitions as the trade deadline approaches. LeBrun said they’ve inquired into the availability of New York Islanders center Brock Nelson and Carolina Hurricanes forward Mikko Rantanen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The update on Hughes’ condition could come as early as today. If he’s out for the rest of the regular season, they won’t waste time stashing him on long-term injury reserve to clear cap room for the trade deadline.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE BRUINS AFTER THE FREDERIC TRADE?

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss looks at other possible Bruins trade candidates following their trade of forward Trent Frederic on Tuesday to the Edmonton Oilers. He speculates that move signals they’re getting an early start on selling.

Goss suggested Charlie Coyle as a trade option, citing the interest in centers in this year’s trade market. Coyle has two years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $5.25 million.

Forward Morgan Geekie could be another. He’s a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights. Forward Justin Brazeau is UFA-eligible on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team captain Brad Marchand had popped up recently in the rumor mill, but it seemed a long shot at best that he’d be moved. Sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury, he’s less likely to be moved now.

TEAMS CALLING ABOUT BATHERSON

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports teams are calling the Senators about Drake Batherson. They’re not in a hurry to move the 26-year-old forward, but he’s an attractive option for teams seeking younger, affordable talent. Garrioch said Batherson’s struggles this season have rival clubs thinking he might benefit from a change of scenery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are buyers, not sellers. They’ll want a return that helps them make the playoffs now and keep them a contender after this season. Teams looking into Batherson are probably offering draft picks and prospects, which won’t help the Senators right now.

UPDATE ON BRANDON TANEV

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Seattle Kraken are willing to retain 50 percent of Brandon Tanev’s $3.5 million cap hit to facilitate a trade. There are high-end Stanley Cup contenders and playoff bubble teams interested in the gritty 33-year-old winger. LeBrun believes the Vegas Golden Knights and Ottawa Senators could be suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tanev is UFA-eligible after this season. His physical, energetic style of game is well-suited for postseason competition.

LATEST ON THE ISLANDERS, JETS, LIGHTNING, OILERS AND AVALANCHE

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports all eyes are on Islanders forwards Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri leading up to the trade deadline. However, they’re not the only potential trade candidates if GM Lou Lamoriello becomes a seller.

Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau and winger Anders Lee each have a year remaining on their contracts. They could fetch quality returns, especially if the Isles agree to retain some salary. They could also attempt to flip defensemen Adam Boqvist and Tony DeAngelo. The Isles aren’t interested in moving Noah Dobson unless they get an offer they can’t refuse.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Winnipeg Jets are willing to spend to add to their roster by the deadline. “Everything from Brock Nelson to a depth forward up front to a quality, experienced defenseman.” He said there’s a strong appetite to bolster their roster for a run at the Stanley Cup.

Chris Johnston believes it would be a massive mistake to overlook the Tampa Bay Lightning at the deadline. They’ve accrued over $6 million in cap space, so there is plenty of room to acquire a forward. GM Julien BriseBois has a trade record for swinging deadline deals to help his club in the playoffs.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes the Edmonton Oilers aren’t done making acquisitions in the trade market following their trade for Trent Frederic yesterday. He thinks they’ll pursue a defenseman next.

LeBrun also expects the Colorado Avalanche will add a forward. The “home-run swing” would be Brock Nelson, but they can’t afford it. LeBrun expects they’ll go after a depth forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe the Avs will be among the suitors for Brandon Tanev.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 3, 2024

Recapping Wednesday’s preseason action, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S NHL PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: Four first-period goals powered the Nashville Predators to a 6-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Jonathan Marchessault tallied twice for the Predators while rookie forward Felix Unger Sorum had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes.

Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes raised nearly $300K from ticket revenue, donations, and a silent auction from the sellout crowd which will be used for Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

The Florida Panthers nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on an overtime goal by Sandis Vilmanis. Spencer Knight made 26 saves for the Panthers. Nikita Kucherov scored for the Lightning.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter scored two goals and Gabriel Vilardi collected three assists in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Niederreiter snapped a 2-2 tie with 6:38 remaining in the third period. Dustin Wolf stopped 22 shots for the Flames.

The Seattle Kraken thumped the Edmonton Oilers 6-2. Shane Wright scored twice and Philipp Grubauer made 28 saves for the Kraken. Leon Draisaitl scored and picked up an assist and Darnell Nurse logged 22:17 of ice time in his preseason debut. Nurse has been dealing with an undisclosed injury since the Stanley Cup Final in June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jared McCann was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. Head coach Dan Bylsma listed him as day-to-day.

Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Lukas Dostal kicked out 35 shots for the Ducks. Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 32 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman John Marino will miss the club’s season opener with an upper-body injury. He’s missed all of training camp and preseason dealing with this ailment.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forwards Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and defenseman Thomas Chabot are all okay after leaving Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens with injuries. Meanwhile, Carter Yakemchuk is making the case to start this season with the Senators. The 19-year-old defenseman is their leading scorer in this preseason with five points, including two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators can keep Yakemchuk in their lineup for up to 10 regular-season games without using up the first year of his entry-level contract. He was chosen seventh overall in this year’s NHL draft.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks and their fans are breathing a sigh of relief after Macklin Celebrini was listed as day-to-day after crashing hard into the boards during Tuesday’s game against Utah. The 18-year-old center was chosen first overall in this year’s draft.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE/CBS SPORTS: Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Winger Blake Lizotte is out indefinitely with a concussion after being struck by a puck during last Sunday’s preseason game against Ottawa.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk looks forward to a healthy season after nursing ankle and shoulder injuries that limited him to 60 games in 2023-24.

SPORTSNET/THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward Pius Suter is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. They also lost goaltender Jiri Patera off waivers yesterday to the Boston Bruins.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals could keep promising prospect Andrew Cristall on their roster for the opening games of this season. The 19-year-old had a strong training camp and performed well in preseason action.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings released forward Alex Chiasson from his professional tryout offer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t play in his club’s preseason home game on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Nevertheless, he still found a way to get on the ice, pranking his teammates by disguising himself as an ice crew member and chirping the Wild bench during a TV timeout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Admit it, folks, we’ll miss Fleury when he retires at the end of this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 12, 2023

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin on his chances of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the Canucks sign Pius Suter, a new endorsement deal for Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin remains uncertain if he’ll eclipse Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record of 894. The 37-year-old left winger has 822 goals and needs 73 to pass Gretzky.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

In an interview with MatchTV, Ovechkin admitted he’d like to break Gretzky’s record. “I still doubt that this is possible, but I will make every effort to get to this number.” Ovechkin also said that his summer training for the coming season is going well.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has three seasons remaining on his contract with the Capitals. He’ll break the goals record by averaging just over 24 per season. He tallied 42 goals in 2022-23 despite missing nine games to injuries.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed center Pius Suter to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A nice affordable signing by the cap-strapped Canucks to boost their checking-line depth at center. Suter should help them improve their penalty-killing. He’s also taken a significant pay cut, down from the $3.25 million AAV he earned with the Detroit Red Wings.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard signed an exclusive deal with Sherwood Hockey.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ian Kennedy reports sources saying Brian Burke will take a leadership role with the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players’ Association. Burke recently served as President of Hockey Operations with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Anders Bjork signed a one-year contract with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. He netted eight points in 13 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season following a trade with the Buffalo Sabres.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins named Marty Lauzon as director of high performance.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 6, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 6, 2023

Check out the latest on Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alexis Lafreniere plus some free-agent forward options for the Sabres in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

KUZNETSOV CALLS TRADE RUMORS “NOT ENTIRELY TRUE”

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Jared Serre recently cited Evgeny Kuznetsov claiming reports that he’d requested a trade from the Capitals weren’t “entirely true”, claiming he’d heard about most of the rumors through the media.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (NHL Images).

The Kuznetsov speculation started in March following a report that he’d requested a trade. A purported friend of the 31-year-old center claimed he was tired in Washington. NHL reporter Mike Vogel confirmed Kuznetsov’s trade request last month amid a report that the Nashville Predators had looked into acquiring him.

Kuznetsov claimed that 95 percent of the rumors were “superficial information” that wasn’t worth reading.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov didn’t deny the trade request. He compared his situation with the Capitals to a marriage. “You constantly swear, back and forth, some moments happen, but you still have this love”.

Reports last month claimed the Capitals were aggressively shopping Kuznetsov this summer without success. It appears the trade discussions with the Predators fell through.

Kuznetsov’s $7.8 million annual cap hit through 2024-25 plus his inconsistent play likely dampened his trade value. It’s expected he’ll still be in the Capitals’ lineup when they open their season against Pittsburgh on Oct. 13.

AN UPDATE ON LAFRENIERE’S CONTRACT TALKS

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Arthur Staple was asked what was taking so long for the New York Rangers to sign Alexis Lafreniere.

Staple doesn’t consider it unusual that a deal hasn’t been reached yet between the Rangers and the 21-year-old winger. He theorized that his camp could be hoping to get an offer sheet, or maybe the hold-up is over the length of Lafreniere’s next contract, or maybe it’s not a top priority for either side since he’s not going anywhere.

Asked why Lafreniere hasn’t been tendered an offer sheet, Staples suggests the signing team would be taking a huge bet on a young player who hasn’t yet proven that he can play top-six minutes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere is also coming off an entry-level contract and didn’t have arbitration rights. His only leverage is not reporting to the club until he’s got a deal that his camp considers suitable. Given his current situation, that’s not going to work in his favor.

Too many teams with limited salary-cap space is probably another factor. Only eight clubs have $5 million or more in cap room and some of them need it to re-sign their own remaining RFA players.

Lafreniere will likely agree to a short-term bridge deal of two or three years before training camp starts in September. Given the Rangers’ cap limitations, it will probably be a low-cost annual cap hit of around $2.5 million.

SOME SUGGESTED FREE-AGENT OPTIONS FOR THE SABRES

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn recently suggested some free-agent options for the Buffalo Sabres if they wish to find a short-term replacement for sidelined winger Jack Quinn. He listed Tomas Tatar, Paul Stastny, Pius Suter, Zach Parise and Max Comtois.

Fairburn acknowledged the depth of talent is thin among the remainder of this summer’s free-agent class. If they can’t sign Tatar or Suter, he recommends they go the trade route or hope to find a suitable replacement from within their system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No indication yet as to the Sabres’ intentions. There’s plenty of time for them to address this. They could evaluate their options during training camp before deciding if they need external help.

It’s believed Quinn’s injury puts the brakes on any efforts to trade Victor Olofsson, at least until Quinn returns to the lineup.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2023

Spencer Knight to take part in the Panthers development camp, “Spittin’ Chiclets” hosts criticize Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello, the latest free-agent signings and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Spencer Knight’s road to returning to the Panthers next season will go through the club’s upcoming prospect development camp.

Knight, 22, missed the final months of the Panthers’ 2022-23 season after entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The three-year NHL veteran has been granted a special provision to take part in their prospect development camp to get in some on-ice work.

Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight (NHL Images).

Expected to join the Panthers for training camp in September, Knight will have to compete for the backup goaltender spot with recently-signed Anthony Stolarz. His new three-year contract ($4.5 million average annual value) began on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knight was considered Panthers starter Sergei Bobrovsky’s successor but struggled last season before going into the player assistance program. While his contract suggests he’s got the backup job locked up, he’ll still have to outperform Stolarz in training camp and preseason play.

NEW YORK POST: “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast hosts Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney are not fans of the offseason moves made by New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello.

I think the Islanders are going to be f**king horrible,” said Whitney. Bissonnette, meanwhile, was critical of Lamoriello bringing back Semyon Varlamov, Scott Mayfield and Pierre Engvall on long-term contracts.

He has checked the f**k out,” said Bissonette of Lamoriello. “The Islanders are going to get relegated this season, that’s how bad they’re going to be.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What say you, Islanders fans? Do you agree or disagree with BizNasty and Whitney? Let us know in the comments below.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Seattle Kraken avoided arbitration with Will Borgen by signing the 26-year-old defenseman to a two-year, $5.4 million contract with an average annual value of $2.7 million. They also signed unrestricted free-agent forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare to a one-year, $775K contract.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed UFA forward Andreas Johnsson to a one-year, $800K contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins president of hockey ops Kyle Dubas knows Johnsson well. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for three seasons, two of those during Dubas’ tenure as their general manager.

Speaking of the Penguins, they signed UFA forward Vinnie Hinostroza to a one-year, $775K contract.

SPORTSNET: Adam Vingan looked at four of the best remaining bargain in this summer’s UFA market.

Winger Tomas Tatar topped the list following his 20-goal performance last season with the New Jersey Devils. He’s followed by former Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina, whose contract was terminated earlier this week.

Center Pius Suter and defenseman Caleb Jones round out Vingan’s list.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Stanley Cup has been engraved with 52 names of the Vegas Golden Knights 2022-23 championship roster. Twenty-six are players with the rest being ownership, coaches, trainers and management.