NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2023

by | Oct 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2023

The Ducks finally sign Jamie Drysdale, the Kings extend coach Todd McLellan’s contract, recaps of Thursday’s preseason action, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

HEADLINES

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Jamie Drysdale to a three-year, $6.9 million contract. The average annual value is $2.3 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with Trevor Zegras, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek gets Drysdale signed to a team-friendly bridge contract. The 21-year-old defenseman had little leverage coming off his entry-level contract. Should he and Zegras improve as projected, they’ll be well-situated to command much more lucrative terms on their next contracts.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings have extended the contract of head coach Todd McLellan to the end of the 2024-25 season. He’s entering his fifth season behind the Kings bench, guiding them to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023.

Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have made steady improvement under McLellan, finishing with 99 points in 2021-22 and 104 points in 2022-23. However, they’ve fallen in the first round of the playoffs in both seasons to the Edmonton Oilers. McLellan’s long-term future with the Kings will depend on their performance this season and next.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Kings, forward Arthur Kaliyev has been suspended for two preseason games and two regular-season games by the NHL department of player safety for kneeing Anaheim Ducks forward Chase De Leo. The latter suffered a sprained MCL and will be sidelined for eight weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The punishment hardly seems to fit the crime. I think any player who deliberately injures another should be suspended for as long as the player he injured is sidelined. However, there’s also that grey area of determining intent or whether it was accidental. Besides, such a harsh punishment for a superstar probably wouldn’t go over well with fans and pundits.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture is considered a long shot to be in the lineup for the club’s season-opener next week. The 34-year-old center is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks already faced a challenging season as management rebuilds, er, sorry, “retools” its roster. Losing Couture to injury to start this campaign was the last thing they needed.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud underwent surgery for an upper-body injury and is listed as week-to-week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big blow to the Golden Knight’s blueline. It’s also the third straight season that Whitecloud has been sidelined by a significant injury. He was limited to 59 games in each of the last two seasons.

SPORTSNET: The city of Calgary unveiled a preliminary deal for a $1.2 billion event center and entertainment district near the city’s downtown. It includes an $800 million arena for the Flames. Construction will reportedly begin in 2024 and the arena is expected to be opened in 2026 or 2027.

The province of Alberta will contribute $330 million to the project while the city of Calgary will contribute $537 million. The Flames will pay $40 million upfront and $17 million per year over the course of a 35-year lease with payments rising one percent per year.

PRESEASON GAMES RECAP

NHL.COM: Ryan O’Reilly scored his first preseason goal with the Nashville Predators and collected three assists in a 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Juuse Saros made 40 saves for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Predators, they will honor former general manager David Poile during a pregame ceremony on Nov. 22. Poile retired on July 1 after 40 seasons in the NHL including 25 seasons as the Predators GM.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. William Nylander scored twice, including the winner in overtime. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner each had two points for the Leafs. Shayne Gostisbehere collected two assists for the Wings.

Florida Panthers center Kevin Stenlund scored two goals in a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for the Lightning.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist as his club downed the New York Islanders 5-2. Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves for the Islanders.

The Washington Capitals doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Riley Sutter netted a shorthanded goal and collected an assist for the Capitals. Spencer Martin stopped 35 shots in his first game for the Jackets since being claimed off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks earlier this week.

Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras tallied the go-ahead goal in a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers. Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves. Kaapo Kakko replied for the Rangers, who finished the preseason with a record of 1-5-0.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington kicked out 24 shots to shut out the Dallas Stars 4-0. Robert Thomas tallied twice for the Blues. Jake Oettinger stopped 24 shots for the Stars.

The Ottawa Senators blanked the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 as Anton Forsberg turned in a 21-save shutout. Jakob Chychrun and Josh Bailey each had a goal and an assist for the Senators. Jets defenseman Ville Heinola left the game with a lower-body injury in the first period following a collision with Senators defenseman Erik Brannstrom.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Heinola suffered the injury to his left leg. “It’s not good,” said Jets coach Rick Bowness following the game. “It’s not a short-term injury.”

A shootout goal by Mats Zuccarello gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. A third-period goal by Pat Maroon tied the game for the Wild. Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard was unable to get off a shot during the shootout as he was poke-checked by Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 27 saves for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Wild as defenseman Jared Spurgeon left the game in the first period and didn’t return. He will be evaluated today.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-3. Pierre-Luc Dubois tallied his first preseason goal for the Kings while Mike Hoffman picked up his first preseason tally for the Sharks.

The Arizona Coyotes downed the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on a two-goal performance by center Logan Cooley. Ducks goalie John Gibson allowed four goals on 17 shots before leaving the game with an apparent hand injury.

Four unanswered goals by the Vegas Golden Knights gave them a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Alex Pietrangelo had two assists and Logan Thompson kicked out 31 shots for the Golden Knights. Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had two assists for the Avalanche.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE SCORE: The NHL is reportedly considering hosting the 2024 Draft at The Sphere, a music and entertainment arena just off the Strip in Las Vegas. For the past 30 years, NHL drafts have been primarily held inside the host city’s arena.

THE PROVINCE: Stan Smyl is transitioning out of the Vancouver Canucks front office into a role as a team ambassador. Smyl has been with the Canucks since breaking in as a player 45 years ago, serving in various roles following his playing career. He’s been serving as their vice president since 2021.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: A report indicated Devils chairman and governor David Blitzer is joining the NHL’s executive committee.

AZCENTRAL.COM: The Arizona Coyotes have found a new TV broadcaster, signing a multi-year deal with Scripps Sports to televise all locally broadcasted games. The announcement comes on the same day that the Coyotes and Bally Sports Arizona received approval to terminate their multi-year contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 21, 2023

by | Sep 21, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 21, 2023

Re-signing Steven Stamkos could be complicated for the Lightning, a trio of Islanders forwards face questions this season, and the Predators had goalie Yaroslav Askarov’s name in the trade market earlier this summer. Details in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RE-SIGNING STAMKOS COULD BE COMPLICATED FOR THE LIGHTNING

THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman, Joe Smith and Dom Luszczyszyn examined the complications facing the Tampa Bay Lightning in re-signing Steven Stamkos. The 33-year-old Lightning captain raised eyebrows yesterday when he expressed his disappointment over the lack of talks with management regarding a contract extension.

Stamkos is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He’s in the final season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million. He told reporters he’s “ready whenever” the club wants to engage in contract talks.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

The Lightning have a projected $75 million invested in 16 players for 2024-25. With the cap projected to rise by $4 million next season, they’ll have just over $12 million in cap space.

Evolving-Hockey’s projection for Stamkos’ next contract is a three-year deal with an AAV of $7.6 million. A comparable contract could be Anze Kopitar’s two-year extension ($7 million AAV) signed this summer with the Los Angeles Kings.

Stamkos is still performing on a level that justifies his current $8.5 million AAV. Luszczyszyn believes it doesn’t warrant the type of discount that the Lightning can fit within its cap structure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I know this isn’t a trade or free-agent rumor but Stamkos’ contract situation will be worth monitoring this season in the wake of his comments yesterday.

He wants to finish his NHL playing career with the only team he’s ever skated for and they want to keep him. The devil, of course, is in the salary-cap details.

Stamkos accepted less than market value on his current contract with the Lightning. He benefited from living in Florida where there is no state tax. He’s fully aware of the club’s salary-cap limitations and could be receptive to accepting a pay cut to finish his career in Tampa Bay. How much of a cut he’ll accept, however, could be the sticking point.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois has said Stamkos will have to wait until the end of this season for contract talks to begin. I don’t think that’s going to lead to a situation where Stamkos demands a trade or BriseBois considers shopping him by the March 8 trade deadline.

Nevertheless, I wouldn’t be surprised if Stamkos’ name surfaces in the rumor mill leading up to deadline day, especially if the Lightning struggle to remain among the league’s elite clubs. Their roster corps has played a helluva lotta hockey since 2014-15, with four trips to the Stanley Cup Final (including two championships) and two appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals.

That wear and tear could catch up with them this season, especially considering how much their roster depth has been depleted in recent years by the high cost of retaining their best core players. If it does, some pundits could start mentioning Stamkos as a trade candidate.

QUESTIONS FACING PAGEAU, WAHLSTROM AND MARTIN

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz recently raised a list of one question for each New York Islanders player entering this season.

Among them was wondering whether Jean-Gabriel Pageau will finish this season with the Islanders. He frequently came up in trade rumors this season due to the club’s current glut of centers. If Bo Horvat remains at center, Pageau could be shopped for a goal-scoring winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pageau, 30, carries a $5 million annual cap hit through 2025-26 along with a 16-team no-trade list. He won’t be easy to move with so many clubs pressed for cap space. Such a deal might take place by the trade deadline when some clubs have accrued sufficient cap space, provided they’re not on his no-trade list.

Winger Oliver Wahlstrom will be worth watching as he attempts to rebound from the knee injury that prematurely ended his 2022-23 campaign. If his impact this season is minimal. Kurz suggests he could be moved.

This season could be the last with the Islanders for Matt Martin. The 34-year-old grinding forward is in the final season of his contract.

PREDATORS USED ASKAROV AS TRADE BAIT AT THE DRAFT

THE TENNESSEAN (via YAHOO! SPORTS): Paul Skrbina reports Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz admitted he had Yaroslav Askarov’s name “out there” leading up to the 2023 NHL Draft in June.

“If you’re trying to move up in the draft as far as I wanted to, that’s going to take your best prospect,” said Trotz. “I was going, ‘I got good goalies but I could use a young center man that could be dynamic.”

Trotz has starting goalie Juuse Saros under contract for two more seasons at a team-friendly $5 million AAV. Askarov, meanwhile, has at least another year to develop. Trotz intends to speak with Saros and his agent about the future.

“There’s nothing to say that we can’t have Saros and Askarov,” said Trotz. “You don’t have to move one of those guys.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz took over from long-time Predators GM David Poile earlier this year. He’s already shown a willingness to make bold moves. Shopping Askarov in an attempt to move up to land a prospect center indicates that he’s willing to entertain all options.

Saros has also come up at times this year as a trade candidate. I don’t see the Predators moving him until Askarov’s ready. How much of a pay raise Saros will seek on his next contract will also determine Askarov’s future in Nashville.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 21, 2023

by | Sep 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 21, 2023

The Bruins name their new captain, Steve Stamkos hasn’t had any contract extension talks yet with the Lightning, plus updates on William Nylander, Mattias Ekholm, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins named Brad Marchand as the new captain, replacing Patrice Bergeron who retired in July. Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs praised Marchand’s development over his 15 seasons with the club, noting that he had the opportunity to learn from former Bruins captains such as Bergeron and Zdeno Chara.

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand’s pesky style of play and his lengthy list of fines and suspensions from earlier in this career had some fans questioning this decision by the Bruins. However, the evolution of his game into an elite scoring winger combined with his lead-by-example performances made him an obvious choice as Bergeron’s successor.

For those who believed defenseman Charlie McAvoy would’ve been a better choice as Bruins captain, his day will come within the next several years. The 35-year-old Marchand will likely retire within the next five years. Marchand is also slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 if he and Bruins management fail to reach an agreement on a contract extension before then.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos told reporters yesterday that he was disappointed in the lack of contract extension talks with management. “It was something that I expressed at the end of last year that I wanted to get something done before training camp started,” said Stamkos. “There haven’t been any discussions.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said having Stamkos finish his playing career with the Lightning was in everyone’s best interest. However, his captain will have to wait until the end of this season before negotiations begin. “Steven and I share the common goal of bringing the (Stanley) Cup back to Tampa,” said BriseBois. “That’s our objective. In order for us to do that in future years, we’re going to need to spend our cap dollars as wisely as possible.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Re-signing Stamkos won’t be easy for the Lightning. They’ve been pressed for cap space in recent years due to the high cost of retaining their best players, resulting in a steady erosion of their overall roster depth.

With the cap projected to rise by $4 million next season, the Lightning have just over $12 million in cap space with 16 players under contract. I’ll have more on Stamkos in today’s Rumors update.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs intend to try William Nylander at center for the coming season. The club also announced that goaltender Matt Murray will soon undergo a “significant surgery” while defenseman Jake Muzzin will remain on long-term injury reserve with a cervical spine injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs experimenting with moving Nylander from the wing is to see if they can add more scoring to their third line while moving David Kampf down to the fourth-line center role. The move also comes with Nylander in a contract year as he’s slated to become a UFA next summer.

Murray will be joining Muzzin on long-term injury reserve with a combined $10.3 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm will miss the start of training camp with his hip flexor injury. There’s no timeline for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Subsequent reports suggest Ekholm won’t be sidelined for long. He regularly skated with Evan Bouchard last season on the Oilers’ second defense pairing.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators general manager Pierre Dorion claimed he and Shane Pinto’s camp are inching toward a new contract for the 22-year-old center. The two sides have reportedly closed the gap in their negotiations but work remains to get a deal done.

Meanwhile, center Josh Norris will be skating with a non-contact yellow jersey as the Senators hit the ice for training camp. Norris tweaked his shoulder during a recent captain’s skate in Ottawa but it isn’t considered a serious injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators aren’t taking any chances with Norris. An injured shoulder requiring season-ending surgery limited him to just eight games in 2022-23.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak will miss the opening month of the regular season as he continues to rehab from his March 15 knee surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That explains in part why the Canadiens brought back Sean Monahan for another series.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the Canadiens, Paul Byron announced his retirement as a player and has joined the franchise as a player development consultant. In 521 games over 12 seasons, the 34-year-old two-way winger had 98 goals and 110 assists for 208 points with the Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames. He also had 11 points in 36 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hip injuries force Byron’s retirement after missing the entirety of last season. His energetic play and leadership made him popular with his teammates and a fan favorite in Montreal, especially during the Canadiens run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: And speaking of players moving on to front-office roles, Patric Hornqvist joined the Panthers’ hockey operations department as a development coach and scout. Hornqvist, 36, announced his retirement in July due to season-ending concussions suffered in December.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: A DUI criminal charge against Predators head coach Andrew Brunette has been dropped. Brunette was accused of driving his golf cart under the influence in Florida earlier this year.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks confirmed defenseman Tucker Poolman will not play this season due to ongoing migraine symptoms plaguing him since 2021-22.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Saku Maenalanen has been released by the Avalanche from his professional tryout offer after failing his training camp medical.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes signed forward Jan Jenik to a one-year, two-way contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2023

by | Sep 7, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2023

New contracts for Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson, Flyers forward Morgan Frost and Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OTTAWA SUN: Entering his sophomore season, Jake Sanderson signed an eight-year, $64.4-million contract extension on Wednesday with the Ottawa Senators. The 21-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $8.05 million.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a big raise for Sanderson, who is in the final season of his three-year entry-level contract with an AAV of $925K. He’ll become the Senators’ highest-paid defenseman starting in 2024-25, earning just slightly more than Thomas Chabot ($8 million AAV). Sanderson will also be the third highest-paid player on the roster, behind Tim Stutzle ($8.35 million) and Brady Tkachuk ($8.205 million).

Sanderson is coming off an impressive rookie performance last season with 32 points in 77 games. A highly skilled rearguard, the 6’3”, 195-pound blueliner has the potential to become an elite player for the Senators. This contract would become quite cost-effective should he reach his full potential.

Speaking of the Senators, incoming owner Michael Andlauer hopes to finalize his purchase of the club by early next week.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers inked Morgan Frost to a two-year, $4.2-million contract. The 24-year-old center’s AAV will be $2.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frost completed a one-year, $800K contract. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2022-23 with 19 goals and 46 points in 81 games.

In 2025, Frost will once again become an RFA with arbitration rights. Frost will be in line for a more lucrative long-term contract if he builds on last season’s performance.

THE ATHLETIC’s Charlie O’Connor reports the Flyers have hired former NHL star Dany Heatley as a professional scout.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev could miss preseason action as he continues to rehab from knee surgery. His agent, Dan Milstein, indicated his client is still likely three to four weeks from returning to action. “He could be ready, but why risk in preseason,” said Milstein. “Maybe play the final two games.”

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes signed general manager Bill Armstrong to a multiyear contract extension. Terms were not disclosed.

Since taking over in 2020, Armstrong has overseen a considerable roster turnover, trading such notables as Jakob Chychrun, Christian Dvorak, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Darcy Kuemper for draft capital. Promising young players such as Barrett Hayton and Matias Maccelli were contributors to last year’s roster while top prospects Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther could join the roster this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes beat writer Craig Morgan reported Armstrong’s new contract runs through 2028-29. The Coyotes have been near the bottom of the standings over the past three seasons. However, they made noticeable improvement last season under head coach Andre Tourigny, who was hired by Armstrong in 2021 and recently received his own contract extension.

Speaking of the Coyotes, suspended club co-owner Andrew Barroway had the charges dropped Monday from his domestic violence case in Colorado.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Coyotes also signed forward Ryan Dzingel and defenseman Peter DiLiberatore to professional tryout offers (PTOs).

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed former San Jose Sharks center Noah Gregor to a professional tryout offer.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Dylan Wells accepted a PTO from the Predators.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Former San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson has been hired by the Penguins as their senior advisor of hockey operations. Wilson was the Sharks GM from 2003 until stepping down in 2022 for health reasons.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau has been hired by the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs as a senior advisor. Boudreau was the bench boss of the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks. He was fired by the Canucks in January.

NHL.COM: Michael Del Zotto has retired after 13 NHL seasons. The 33-year-old defenseman had 262 points in 736 regular-season games with the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators and New York Rangers. He also had 12 points in 32 playoff games. He last played in the NHL in 2021-22 with the Senators.

RDS.CA: Kevin Poulin also announced his retirement. The 33-year-old goaltender spent parts of five seasons with the New York Islanders from 2010-11 to 2014-15. In 50 NHL games, he had a record of 18 wins, 25 losses and three overtime losses with a career goals-against average of 3.07 and a save percentage of .899. Since 2015-16, he played in Europe, ECHL and the AHL, spending the last two seasons with the Laval Rocket.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2023

by | Aug 22, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2023

Could the Leafs’ William Nylander be a fit with the Ducks? What’s the latest on the Predators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD NYLANDER BE A FIT WITH THE DUCKS?

NHL NETWORK: Mike Rupp believes Maple Leafs winger William Nylander could price himself out of Toronto. He suggests the Anaheim Ducks might be a good fit.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

Nylander, 27, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Rupp thinks his tenure with the Leafs is coming to an end, perhaps before the end of the coming season.

The Leafs must also re-sign Auston Matthews. Rupp believes they’ll get that deal done but there won’t be enough long-term cap space to retain Nylander, who tallied 40 goals last season.

Rupp would be interested to see Nylander get an opportunity where he could be “the man” somewhere. He noted the Leafs haven’t picked high in the draft in quite some time. Rupp noted the Ducks already have a boatload of young talent and suggested they use some of their picks as trade bait.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that Rupp is merely suggesting that Nylander would be a great fit with the Ducks. He’s not saying those two clubs are discussing a trade. Nevertheless, it’s something interesting to muse about as the offseason dog days drag on.

Rupp envisioned Nylander at left wing on the Ducks’ top line alongside Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry. Nylander has spent more time in Toronto at right wing but he can also skate on the left side. If he meshed well with Zegras and Terry, the Ducks would have a potent first line that could accelerate the club’s rebuilding process.

With $16.6 million in cap space, the Ducks could afford to take on Nylander’s $6.9 million cap hit for this season. With over $39 million in projected cap space for 2024-25, they can afford to pony up the $10 million annually that Nylander reportedly prefers on his next contract.

As for a return, core Ducks like Zegras and Terry as well as up-and-comers Mason McTavish and Jamie Drysdale are off-limits. So are top prospects like Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov and Lukas Dostal but they might part with Owen Zellweger, Sasha Pastujov or Nathan Gaucher.

The Ducks have all their picks for the next three drafts along with an extra second-rounder and two extra third-rounders in the 2024 draft. They would likely package some of those extra 2024 picks in a deal for Nylander but they’ll also have to include a first.

So what say you, Leafs and Ducks fans? Does Nylander to Anaheim make sense? And what do you think the trade would look like? Let me know in the comments below.

LATEST PREDATORS SPECULATION

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: In a recent mailbag segment, Michael Gallagher was asked which trade might make sense for the Predators given their $7.9 million cap space for the coming season.

Gallagher noted the Predators have been linked to Leafs winger William Nylander, Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce.

Of the three, he considers Kuznetsov the most likely given the Predators pushed hard to acquire him before the start of free agency on July 1 and remain high on him. The only problem with taking him on is it would push Cody Glass down to the third line unless head coach Andrew Brunette wants to move him to the wing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators might still have an interest in Kuznetsov but I think that has waned over the summer. If they really wanted him they likely would’ve acquired him by now. Maybe they wanted the Capitals to retain part of his $7.8 million cap hit through 2024-25 or perhaps the Predators are on his 10-team no-trade list. Whatever the reason, the deal didn’t happen and doesn’t seem likely to be resurrected.

Gallagher believes the current Predators roster is what we’ll see when training camp opens next month. If they make an addition it could be an affordable free agent such as Max Comtois or Jay O’Brien.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2023

by | Aug 17, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2023

Should the Predators pursue the Flames’ Noah Hanifin? Can the Avalanche afford Devon Toews? Who could be the odd man out on the Sabres blueline? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE PREDATORS PURSUE NOAH HANIFIN?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ann Kimmel recently mused over whether the Nashville Predators should pursue Noah Hanifin.

Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin (NHL Images).

The 26-year-old defenseman is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility and has informed the Calgary Flames that he’s not interested in a contract extension. The Predators, meanwhile, have blueliners like Dante Fabbro, Jeremy Lauzon and Alexandre Carrier facing “prove it” seasons approaching 2023-24.

With the Predators carrying almost $8 million in cap space, they’re among the few clubs that can afford to take on Hanifin’s $4.95 million cap hit for this season.

The addition of Hanifin would give the Predators a solid top-four left-shot defenseman. If he’s unwilling to re-sign with them, he could be peddled for assets at the trade deadline. However, general manager Barry Trotz could be hesitant about parting with any of his most appealing prospects without another season to fully evaluate them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz hasn’t been the Predators GM for long but he’s already shown a willingness for bold moves like signing Ryan O’Reilly, Gustav Nyquist and Luke Schenn as well as trading Ryan Johansen.

We don’t know if he’s eyeing Hanifin but the Flames blueliner could be a solid addition to the Predators. This might be something worth monitoring in the coming weeks with training camp approaching.

CAN THE AVALANCHE AFFORD DEVON TOEWS?

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes Devon Toews will get a substantial raise on his next contract. The 29-year-old Colorado Avalanche defenseman is in the final season of a four-year deal with an average annual value of $4.1 million.

Baugh cites Evolving-Hockey projecting a contract extension for Toews with the Avalanche could be eight years with an AAV of just over $8 million. While the salary cap is projected to significantly rise over the next two seasons, the Avs must also re-sign Alexandar Georgiev, Mikko Rantanen and Bowen Byram in 2025.

The Avalanche tend to be careful over who they sign to long-term contracts, especially those who will be over 30 for most of the contract. Baugh believes they’ll face difficult decisions on who they can afford to keep.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews could prove difficult to replace if he departs as a free agent next summer. He usually pairs with Avs superstar Cale Makar on the top line.

I don’t expect the Avalanche to trade Toews this season as they’ll be pushing for Stanley Cup contention. If they do re-sign him, they’ll have to ship out someone else before the summer of 2025 to make room for those new contracts for Rantanen, Byram and Georgiev.

LATEST ON THE SABRES

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowki noted the Sabres are carrying nine defensemen under NHL contracts for 2023-24. They won’t be able to carry them all and that could force GM Kevyn Adams to move one of them to create more salary-cap flexibility for the trade deadline later in the season.

Lysowski considers Jacob Bryson as the most likely to be moved. He carries a $1.85 million cap hit and might interest a non-contender seeking younger defensemen.

Ilya Lyubushkin’s physical style could interest clubs but he carries a $2.75 million cap hit. Riley Stillman and Henri Jokiharju could also become trade candidates.