NHL Rumor Mill – May 23, 2023

by | May 23, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 23, 2023

More speculation over Leafs trade and general manager candidates plus the latest on the Blues and Rangers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MORE LEAFS TRADE CANDIDATES SPECULATION

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes the Maple Leafs must re-sign center Auston Matthews. “You can’t win a Stanley Cup without a front-line centre. And you don’t trade away Matthews – or let him walk in free agency – because you can’t replace a player of that calibre.”

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Simmons also noted that Matthews agent and good friend Judd Moldaver is close to former Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas but even closer to Dubas’ agent Chris Armstrong. He wondered how much that relationship might affect Matthew’s future with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Simmons also observed, that’s impossible to know right now without a general manager in place. We’ll find out once the calendar flips to June when the Leafs have a new GM and we learn what their vision is for the club in the future.

I concur with Simmons that the Leafs must re-sign Matthews. He’s their franchise player and they need him if they hope to end their long Stanley Cup drought. The only reasons they should trade him are if he asks to be moved or he’s reluctant to sign a long-term extension.

The next Leafs GM has to decide whether to trade Mitch Marner or Michael Nylander if they won’t stick with the core four. Nylander is the more spectacular player who can change a playoff game. Marner is a better all-around player but has not yet become a postseason game-changer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most Leafs observers share Simmons’ take that the Leafs must re-sign Matthews. They also acknowledge John Tavares won’t be traded because of his no-movement clause. That leaves Marner or Nylander if management wants to shake up the roster.

It could come down to which player draws the most interest and the best offers in the trade market. Each has their strengths and weaknesses but they can also fetch a solid return that provides immediate help for the Leafs.

Simmons’ colleague Terry Koshan believes Nylander is the trade candidate, claiming he “still requires a kick in the pants every so often”. However, he feels his best days are still to come and would bring in a top defenseman.

Koshan considers Marner as “the heartbeat of this team” and thinks he can still help the Leafs win the Stanley Cup, pointing out that Steve Yzerman and Alex Ovechkin did so later in their careers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander’s contract could also make him easier to move. He’s more affordable than Matthews and Marner with a cap hit of over $6.9 million for next season. While the other two have no-movement clauses that kick in on July 1, Nylander has a 10-team no-trade clause that goes into effect on the same day.

COULD THE LEAFS TARGET BLUES GM ARMSTRONG?

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun looked at recent conjecture over possible candidates to fill the Leafs’ vacant post of general manager. He claims there have been rumblings linking them to St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong.

LeBrun believes Armstrong had the experience, championship pedigree, confidence and wherewithal to withstand the pressures of the Toronto market. However, he doesn’t believe that the Blues GM has an “out clause” in his contract that runs through 2025-26.

Nevertheless, LeBrun wondered if Blues owner Tom Stillman would be okay with the Leafs approaching Armstrong if that’s what the latter really wanted. “Maybe, maybe not,” he writes. “Pretty hard to know exactly how Stillman would react.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can’t rule anything out, but Armstrong is committed to the Blues. He wouldn’t have signed that long-term extension if he wasn’t. Despite the club’s disappointing performance this season, Armstrong has been busy since February laying the groundwork for a quick turnaround on the ice next season.

Speaking of which…

BLUES WILLING TO SHOP FIRST-ROUND PICKS

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the St. Louis Blues are willing to move their two late first-round picks to improve in the short term. They acquired those picks from the Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Seravalli pointed out that Doug Armstrong has done this before. He used first-round picks he acquired by trading away Kevin Shattenkirk and Paul Stastny to bring in Brayden Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly.

It’s believed Armstrong seeks a player or players in their mid-twenties who are under contract.

BACKUP GOALIE OPTIONS FOR THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker looked at some backup goaltending options that make sense for the Rangers.

One is re-signing Jaroslav Halak provided he’s willing to accept a pay cut from the $1.55 million he earned this season. They also have an in-house option in Louis Domingue, who spent this season with their AHL affiliate in Hartford.

Other low-cost options could include Tampa Bay’s Brian Elliott, Detroit’s Alex Nedeljkovic, St. Louis’ Thomas Greiss, Winnipeg’s David Rittich and Vegas’ Jonathan Quick.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2023

by | Mar 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2023

Alex Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky to claim a scoring record, the Hurricanes and Stars remain on top of their respective divisions, Jonathan Quick reaches a goaltending milestone and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin surpassed Wayne Gretzky for the most 40-goal seasons in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ovechkin has now reached the 40-goal plateau a record 13 times in his NHL career but his Capitals dropped to 33-31-8 (74 points) and sit five points behind the Florida Panthers for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jack Roslovic scored twice, including the game-winner, for the 22-41-7 Blue Jackets.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 10 games left in the Capitals’ schedule, Ovechkin has a shot at reaching 50 goals for a record 10th season.

A three-goal third period lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the New York Rangers 3-2 with Teuvo Teravainen tallying the winning goal late in the third period. The Hurricanes (46-15-8)  became the second team this season to reach 100 points and sit two ahead of the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division. The 41-20-10 Rangers got a 36-save performance by Igor Shesterkin but remain in third place in the Metro with 92 points.

The Dallas Stars dropped a 5-4 decision to the Seattle Kraken as Adam Larsson scored the game-winner in overtime. Brandon Tanev tallied twice and collected an assist for the Kraken (39-24-7) as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 85 points. Stars captain Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists as his club rose to 38-19-14 to maintain their hold on first place in the Central Division with 90 points.

An overtime goal by Matt Boldy carried the Minnesota Wild over the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Filip Gustavsson kicked out a career-high 47 shots as the Wild (41-22-8) sit second in the Central with 90 points on the basis of regulation wins. Timo Meier netted his 35th goal of the season for the 45-18-8 Devils (98 points), who sit two points back of the first-place Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division.

The league-leading Boston Bruins nipped the Ottawa Senators 2-1 with Linus Ullmark stopping 40 shots for the win. David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk scored for the 54-11-5 Bruins (113 points) while Dylan Gambrell scored for the 34-32-5 Senators (73 points) as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins announced defenseman Derek Forbort will be sidelined by a lower-body injury for the remainder of the regular season.

Speaking of the final Eastern wild-card spot, the Florida Panthers (36-28-7) failed to widen the gap between them and the teams chasing them after dropping a 6-3 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers. Travis Sanheim tallied two goals and Carter Hart made 41 saves for the 26-32-12 Flyers. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour each had two points for the Panthers (79 points), who remain one up on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The New York Islanders improved to 37-27-8 by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-2 to widen their lead over the Panthers for the first Eastern wild-card berth with 82 points. Cal Clutterbuck scored twice and chipped in an assist for the Islanders. Mitch Marner tallied his 27th goal of the season for the Leafs (42-19-9) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Brock Nelson left the game in the first period following a hit by Leafs forward Noel Acciari. There was no immediate update on his condition.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jonathan Quick (31 saves) took over second place for most wins among American-born goaltenders (375) by backstopping his club over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. The Golden Knights (44-21-6) hold first place in the Pacific Division with 94 points. J.T. Miller scored twice and added an assist while Quinn Hughes set a franchise single-season assist record for defensemen (61) as they fell to 31-34-5 on the season.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 29 shots in a 2-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Nikolaj Ehlers and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (40-29-3) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 83 points. Barrett Hayton tallied for the 27-33-11 Coyotes.

The Calgary Flames kept pace with the Jets by dropping the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. Tyler Toffoli had three assists for the 32-25-11 Flames (79 points) as they remain four back of the Jets. Frank Vatrano scored for the 23-38-10 Ducks. Flames defenseman Chris Tanev missed this game with an upper-body injury. 

Montreal Canadiens netminder Sam Montembeault stopped 31 shots as his club upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Nick Suzuki had two assists and Kirby Dach scored in his return to action for the 28-37-6 Canadiens after missing 16 games with a lower-body injury. Brayden Point netted his 44th goal of the season for the Lightning (42-24-6) as they remain three points back of the Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The good news for the depleted Canadiens is Dach and Brendan Gallagher returning to the lineup following lengthy injuries. The bad news is winger Josh Anderson left the game with an ankle injury and is expected to miss their next game while defenseman Kaiden Guhle is done for the season with a high-ankle sprain suffered last week against the Panthers.

The Nashville Predators snapped a three-game skid with a 7-3 drubbing of the Buffalo Sabres. Luke Evangelista scored twice and added two assists while Matt Duchene scored twice for the Predators (35-26-8) as they are five points behind the Jets with 78 points. Tage Thompson scored his 43rd of the season while Jeff Skinner netted his 30th for the 33-31-6 Sabres (72 points) as they remain seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

A shootout goal by Lucas Raymond gave the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Filip Zadina and Alex Chiasson scored for the 31-30-9 Wings, who sit eight points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Marco Scandella and Robert Bortuzzo replied for the 31-33-6 Blues.

IN OTHER NEWS…

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed head coach Jared Bednar to a three-year contract extension. He’s led the Avs to five straight playoff appearances, two consecutive division titles and the 2022 Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a well-deserved extension for Bednar, who took over this club during the lowest period in its history after Patrick Roy quit as head coach before the 2016-17 season. Their rise among the league’s elite over the past five seasons is in part due to his coaching.

TSN: The NHL announced Fanatics will take over as its’ on-ice jersey provider beginning in 2024-25, taking over from Adidas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That move reportedly isn’t sitting well with hockey fans familiar with Fanatics products.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2023

by | Mar 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2023

Timo Meier and Jonathan Quick make their debuts with their new clubs, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Teuvo Teravainen combined for eight points as the Hurricanes blank the Lightning, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Timo Meier opened the scoring in his debut with the New Jersey Devils as they defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-4 on an overtime goal by Nico Hischier. Jesper Boqvist scored twice for the Devils as they improved to 41-15-6 and sit two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points. Jack McBain had a goal and an assist for the 21-32-10 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Dawson Mercer’s goal streak ended at eight games.

Jonathan Quick made 25 saves in his Vegas Golden Knights debut to hold off the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-3. Ivan Barbashev scored twice, including the winning goal, as the Golden Knights (38-19-6) vaulted over the Dallas Stars into first place in the Western Conference with 82 points. The Canadiens fell to 26-33-4 on the season.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barbashev now has five points in four games since joining the Golden Knights in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. The Golden Knights also played without William Carrier as he’s been sidelined indefinitely since Friday with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and four assists while Teuvo Teravainen tallied a hat trick in a 6-0 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Frederik Andersen made 14 saves for the shutout while Martin Necas and Shayne Gostisbehere each had three points for the 41-12-8 Hurricanes, who sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. The Lightning fell to 37-21-5 and remain third in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have won just two of their last 10 games (2-5-3). They also lost defenseman Victor Hedman when he fell awkwardly after being checked by Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov.

An overtime goal by Yanni Gourde lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Brandon Tanev scored the tying goal late in the third period for the Kraken (36-21-6) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 78 points. Nathan MacKinnon scored his 25th goal of the season for the Avalanche (34-21-6) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 74 points.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart made 25 saves to beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1, handing the latter their sixth straight defeat. The Flyers improved to 24-28-11 while the Wings sank to 28-26-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Two weeks ago, the Wings were surging in the standings and pushing for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Their recent decline was the reason why general manager Steve Yzerman became a seller leading up to last week’s trade deadline.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers head coach John Tortorella doesn’t like the criticism general manager Chuck Fletcher received for failing to trade James van Riemsdyk before Friday’s trade deadline. “Do you not he tried to move him? Are you guys kidding me? He tried like hell to move him,” said Tortorella. He explained there were different scenarios that went on which prevent a van Riemsdyk trade.

SPORTSNET: Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Mike Stothers announced Saturday that he’d been diagnosed with an advanced form of skin cancer known as stage 3 melanoma of the lymph node. He is receiving treatment and is scheduled for more testing this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Stothers make a swift and complete recovery.










Notable NHL Trades – March 2, 2023

by | Mar 2, 2023

Notable NHL Trades – March 2, 2023

Twas the day before the March 3 trade deadline, and all through the league, general managers were still busy making moves.

I’ve already covered the Boston Bruins’ acquisition of Tyler Bertuzzi. The following are the other noteworthy moves that happened today.

Columbus Blue Jackets trade Jonathan Quick to the Vegas Golden Knights (NHL Images)

Jonathan Quick wasn’t with the Columbus Blue Jackets for long. A day after being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings, the Jackets flipped him to the Vegas Golden Knights for third-string goalie Michael Hutchinson and a seventh-round pick in 2025. The Jackets also retain 50 percent of Quick’s $5.8 million cap hit

The Golden Knights made this move because their current tandem of Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit are sidelined by lower-body injuries. Starter Robin Lehner has been sidelined for the season since last summer. Quick, 37, has struggled this season but he does bring experience between the pipes and should help them hold the fort until Thompson and Brossoit return to action.

That wasn’t the only move by the Blues Jackets as they shipped Jakub Voracek and a 2023 sixth-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes for minor-league goalie Jon Gillies.

This was a straightforward salary dump by the Blue Jackets. Voracek’s been sidelined for months by concussion symptoms and his career is likely over. He had a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $8.25 million.

The Coyotes now have five players (Voracek, Shea Weber, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Joshua Brown) on injured reserve totaling $28.2 million. None of them are expected to play again. They’ll just keep them on injured reserve in order to reach the cap floor next season.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 2, 2023

by | Mar 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – March 2, 2023

The trade deadline is March 3 at 3 pm ET. Here’s the latest on Brock Boeser, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jonathan Quick and Colton Parayko plus the latest on the Flyers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS BROCK BOESER NEXT OUT OF VANCOUVER?

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan reported a lot of teams have an interest in Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser. However, a lot of them have balked at his $6.65 million average annual value through 2024-25. The Canucks are open to retaining part of the 25-year-old winger’s cap hit if it helps them net a good return. They’ve even spoken of including draft capital in the deal.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported yesterday that a Boeser trade is not close. He’s expected to play tonight against the Minnesota Wild. Two teams are calling about the winger but his contract is difficult to move and Dhaliwal doubts the Canucks have much of an appetite to retain much salary. They’re also not about to give him away. Dhaliwal considers Boeser easier to move in the offseason when teams have more cap space to work with.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports Boeser acknowledged hearing his name in trade rumors before but this year it feels more real. Some of that is because the Canucks have authorized his agent to speak with other clubs about trading for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve been saying the same thing about Boeser since he first surfaced in the rumor mill this season. If the Canucks want to move his entire cap hit from their books, the summer is the best time to do it. However, they’ll have to work quickly. Once the free-agent market opens on July 1, the number of teams with the cap space to take on his cap hit will quickly dwindle.

COULD TYLER BERTUZZI BE THE NEXT RED WING TO BE TRADED?

**UPDATE** The Red Wings traded Bertuzzi this morning to the Boston Bruins for a conditional first-round pick in 2024 (top-10 protected) and a 2025 fourth-rounder. The Wings have retained 50 percent of Bertuzzi’s $4.75 million cap hit for this season.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff reports growing speculation regarding Tyler Betuzzi’s future with the Red Wings following the club’s trade of Filip Hronek to Vancouver yesterday. The 28-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were linked to Bertuzzi but their acquisition of Mikael Granlund may have taken them out of the running. Duff also suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes as possible destinations.

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan considers Bertuzzi the Wings’ best trade chip heading toward Friday’s deadline. They can’t risk losing him this summer to free agency. Bertuzzi could fetch a decent return.

Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would also like to move struggling winger Jakub Vrana. However, he has a year remaining on his contract at $5.25 million and the Wings might have to retain some of his salary to move him. Winger Filip Zadina could also be available but his lack of production and the two years remaining on his contract at $1.825 million annually could hurt his trade value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bertuzzi should generate interest from playoff contenders or perhaps clubs seeking a top-six winger willing to attempt to sign him to a contract extension. The Leafs, Stars and Oilers all lack sufficient cap space to acquire him. The Hurricanes still have some wiggle room with $2.6 million in projected cap space after acquiring defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere yesterday.

LATEST FLYERS SPECULATION

TSN: Darren Dreger yesterday reported the Philadelphia Flyers are taking calls on Ivan Provorov. The 26-year-old defenseman carries an AAV of $6.25 million for two more seasons. Dreger believes it would take a significant offer to convince the Flyers to move him.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan reported the Flyers are trying to move Provorov but a deal hasn’t emerged yet. Meanwhile, she believes there’s a limited market this week for forward Kevin Hayes even if the Flyers retained part of his $7.1 million cap hit. Pending UFA winger James van Riemsdyk remains the most likely to be moved by Friday’s deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers could surprise by shipping out Provorov and/or Hayes, which would certainly provide some excitement for what’s shaping up to be a quiet deadline day. However, I agree with Kaplan that van Riemsdyk is the most likely to be traded, and I can see the Flyers retaining part of his $7 million AAV for the right return.

BLUES JACKETS COULD MOVE JONATHAN QUICK

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun tweeted on Wednesday that the Columbus Blue Jackets will explore the trade market to see if a playoff team has any interest in Jonathan Quick. The Jackets acquired the 37-year-old pending UFA goaltender early Wednesday morning from the Los Angeles Kings. LeBrun said Quick has been made aware of the Jackets’ intentions.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski tweeted that Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said he’s communicated with Quick and his agent. He said he has the utmost respect for the goaltender and his career and will “try to do the right thing” for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quick’s performance really declined this season which is why the Kings decided to trade him for Joonas Korpisalo. The rebuilding Jackets will probably retain half of his $5.8 million cap hit for a suitable offer. Perhaps a playoff contender looking for an experienced backup will take a chance on him.

LATEST ON COLTON PARAYKO

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford reports a source claims the St. Louis Blues want to move a defenseman. Colton Parayko seemed the likely candidate due to his poor performance this season and the Blues desire to free up salary-cap space.

Despite the 29-year-old Parayko’s struggles, there is interest in him around the league. However, a source close to the blueliner, who was born in St. Albert, Alberta, claimed he would only waive his no-trade clause to go to Edmonton.

Rutherford believes this situation could carry over into the offseason if Blues GM Doug Armstrong can’t find a suitable deal by the trade deadline. Of course, it will depend on whether Parayko will agree to be moved.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parayko is signed through 2029-30 with an AAV of $6.5 million. Given his on-ice difficulties this season, that contract could prove difficult to move if the Blues don’t retain part of his salary, which I doubt they want to do. It could come down to swapping him for a comparable contract. If Parayko remains adamant about only going to Edmonton, he’ll be with the Blues for a long time.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2023

by | Mar 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2023

Anze Kopitar has a four-goal performance as the Kings reportedly ship Jonathan Quick to the Blue Jackets, the Wild acquire Gustav Nyquist, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored four goals as his club overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 6-5. Adrian Kempe scored the winning goal in the shootout as the Kings improved to 34-20-8 to sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Josh Morrissey scored two goals and collected two assists and Kevin Stenlund also tallied twice as the Jets (35-24-2) hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

The Boston Bruins picked up their eighth straight win by nipping the Calgary Flames 4-3 on an overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy. Linus Ullmark kicked out 54 shots while Dmitry Orlov scored twice and collected an assist for the 47-8-5 Bruins as they opened a 13-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the overall standings with 99 points. The Flames sank to 27-21-13 with 67 points to sit five back of the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward Nick Foligno left the game with a leg injury in the second period following a questionable hit by Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Third-period goals by Sidney Crosby, Jason Zucker and Bryan Rust carried the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-1 victory over the Nashville Predators for their third straight win. The Penguins (30-21-9) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 69 points while the Predators dropped to 29-23-6 and sit seven points back of the Jets in the Western Conference.

A 39-save performance by Filip Gustavsson gave the Minnesota Wild a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders with Frederick Gaudreau tallying the winner in the shootout. Ryan Reaves scored in regulation for the Wild as they improved to 34-21-6 to move into second place in the Central Division with 74 points. Josh Bailey tallied for the Islanders (31-25-8) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points.

The Seattle Kraken snapped a three-game losing skid by dropping the St. Louis Blues by a score of 5-3. Morgan Geekie scored twice and Martin Jones made 22 saves for his first win since Jan. 25 as the Kraken (33-21-6) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich each had a goal and an assist as the Blues fell to 26-29-5.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots in a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Eric Staal had a goal and an assist as the Panthers (30-26-6) sit three points behind the Penguins in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Brayden Point replied for the 37-19-4 Lightning as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points.

The Ottawa Senators kept their playoff hopes alive by thumping the Detroit Red Wings 6-1. Austin Watson scored two goals and Tim Stutzle had a goal and two assists as the Senators improved to 30-26-4 (64 points) to sit five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Dominik Kubalik scored for the Red Wings as they fell to 28-24-8 (64 points). Wings defenseman Filip Hronek left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Eric Robinson netted his first career NHL hat trick in a 5-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 38 shots for the 20-35-6 Blue Jackets, who sat out goalie Joonas Korpisalo from this game for “trade-related reasons”. Jack Quinn had a goal and an assist for the 31-24-4 Sabres as they sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Their home record has dropped to 12-16-2 on the season.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 38-save performance from Jake Allen to defeat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Christian Dvorak had a goal and an assist for the 26-30-4 Canadiens while the Sharks sank to 18-31-12.

Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz scored for the fourth straight game in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Schmaltz and Clayton Keller each finished with two points for the 21-30-9 Coyotes. Andreas Athanasiou tallied for the 21-34-5 Blackhawks. The Coyotes held center Nick Bjugstad from this game for “trade-related reasons”.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings have reportedly traded goaltender Jonathan Quick and a 2023 first-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for goalie Joonas Korpisalo and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.

**UPDATE:  TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the Blue Jackets will receive a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and a third-round pick in 2024 as part of the return along with Quick. The condition on the first-rounder is based on the unlikely possibility of the Kings missing the playoffs this season.**

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report suggests there could be more pieces involved in this trade but the centerpiece of this deal is the Kings moving on from Quick while bringing in Korpisalo and Gavrikov.

Quick was the Kings’ long-time starter who backstopped them to the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. However, the pending free agent struggled this season which prompted this move to shore up their goaltending depth. Korpisalo has put solid numbers since December behind a porous Blue Jackets defense.

The Kings were in the market for a left-side defenseman and reportedly had an interest in the Arizona Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun. The two clubs were said to have discussed a trade but those talks evidently fell through, forcing them to turn to Gavrikov. He lacks Chychrun’s offensive skills but plays a responsible defensive game.

As for the Blue Jackets, they get a first-round pick in this year’s draft and likely more assets to put toward rebuilding their roster. Quick, who was said to be unhappy about moving to one of the worst teams in the league, faces an uncertain future given his free-agent status on July 1 and the decline in his performance this season.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Gustav Nyquist from the Blue Jackets in exchange for a 2023 fifth-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nyquist remains sidelined by a shoulder injury but is expected to return to action before the playoffs. He’s an experience two-way forward with 53 points last season. His production declined this season but the Wild are gambling that he’ll regain his form in Minnesota.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: The San Jose Sharks acquired the rights of prospect defenseman Henry Thrun from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick. The Sharks have until Aug. 15 to sign Thrun to an entry-level contract or he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed defenseman Jake Walman to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.4 million. He was slated to become a UFA on July 1.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals signed defenseman Nick Jensen to a three-year deal worth an AAV of $4.05 million.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller receive a three-game suspension for spitting on Kings defenseman Drew Doughty on Sunday.

TSN: Dallas Stars defenseman Colin Miller was fined $5,000.00 for elbowing Vancouver Canucks center Nils Aman. Canucks defenseman Christian Wolanin was fined over $2,000.00 for slashing Stars forward Ty Dellandrea.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Anaheim Ducks claimed defenseman Scott Harrington off waivers from the New Jersey Devils. Harrington was acquired by the Devils along with Timo Meier on Sunday.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed forward Brock McGinn and defenseman Mark Friedman on waivers.

TSN: The NHL sent a memo to teams yesterday indicating they will be closely scrutinizing trades involving injured players who are acquired with the intent of keeping them on long-term injury reserve until the playoffs. The league isn’t banning such moves outright but wishes to ensure such moves don’t circumvent the salary cap.