NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 25, 2023

by | Aug 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 25, 2023

Brandon Hagel’s contract with the Lightning could lead to a big raise for the Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk, the Oilers officially announce Evan Bouchard’s new contract and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PUCKS WITH HAGGS: Joe Haggerty believes Bradon Hagel’s eight-year, $52 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning could have ramifications for the Boston Bruins and their negotiations with winger Jake DeBrusk.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).

Eligible next July for unrestricted free-agent status, the 26-year-old DeBrusk is in the second season of a two-year, $8 million contract. He’s endured inconsistency earlier in his career but reached a career-high 50 points (including 27 goals) in 64 games last season.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss believes the Bruins should sign DeBrusk to a comparable extension as soon as possible. He opines that the $6.25 million (or close to it) average annual cap hit will be more team-friendly in 2026 than it is right now.

Goss noted the depletion of the Bruins’ veteran core in recent years. He points out that Brad Marchand can’t keep playing forever and there’s not a lot of depth on the Bruins’ left wing. He warns that waiting to evaluate his performance this season could make DeBrusk more expensive to sign if he scores at the same pace as he did last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The good news for the Bruins is they’ve got a projected $23.8 million in cap space with 12 active roster players under contract. That’s plenty of room to sign DeBrusk to a contract comparable to Hagel’s.

The bad news is they must also shell out big bucks if they hope to acquire or sign a first-line center next summer. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman could be in line for a big raise provided they don’t trade him. That could force them to make a cost-cutting trade or two that could deplete their depth elsewhere in the lineup.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers officially confirmed they’ve signed Evan Bouchard to a two-year contract. The 23-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $3.9 million.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers hired Hockey Hall of Famer Angela Ruggiero as a hockey operations advisor. One of the most decorated women’s hockey players of all time, Ruggiero trained with Rangers general manager Chris Drury during their playing days. Both were inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL player Sven Baertschi officially announced his retirement. In a statement, the 30-year-old forward cited a number of injuries that have taken a toll. He played 10 seasons in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights, scoring 66 goals and 138 points in 292 games.

THE DENVER POST: Former NHL player Kyle Quincey is building a psychedelic retreat center for former athletes and military members.

Quincey, 34, experienced emotional instability following his retirement in 2019, citing 20 concussions and massive mood swings. In 2020, his youngest son was diagnosed with brain cancer. The youngster is now in remission following a year of treatment but that ordeal also took its toll on Quincey’s mental health.

Introduced to “magic mushrooms” by former NHL enforcer and psychedelics advocate Daniel Carcillo, Quincey found they had a profound effect on him. He’s building the retreat where he hopes to provide psilocybin therapy for individuals suffering from traumatic brain injury, addictions, anxiety and depression.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2020

by | Jul 18, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2020

​Vezina Trophy finalists announced, Caleb Jones admits testing positive for COVID-19, plus updates on David Pastrnak, Marc-Andre Fleury, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

2020 NHL AWARDS UPDATE

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Boston Bruins’ Tuukka Rask, and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy are the finalist for the 2020 Vezina Trophy, awarded to the top goaltender as voted by NHL general managers.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is among the finalists for the 2020 Vezina Trophy (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rask (2014) and Vasilevskiy (2019) won the Vezina before, while this is Hellebuyck’s second time as a finalist. Rask has the better stats of the three, but Hellebucyk led the league in shutouts (6) while carrying the Jets and their depth-depleted defense into the 2020 playoffs. That could be the determining factor in his favor.

LATEST TRAINING CAMP HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: David Pastrnak’s agent said his client is in quarantine after coming in contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. The Bruins winger tested negative for the coronavirus. That explains why he was held out of practice Thursday.

Pastrnak and teammate Ondrej Kase were following travel quarantine protocols after recently returning from the Czech Republic to attend training camp. The reason for Kase’s absence remains unknown.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers defenseman Caleb Jones admitted he tested positive for COVID-19 several weeks ago when he returned to Edmonton from his off-season home in Dallas. He had no symptoms and self-quarantined for two weeks. He’s fine now and skating in Oilers’ practices.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones is the second player known to have had the virus but the first to voluntarily admit it. Last month, the Toronto Sun reported Maple Leafs center Austin Matthews tested positive for COVID-19 over a month ago. He acknowledged it earlier this week.

The NHL is preventing teams from revealing the health status of its players during the return-to-play plan. Absent players are being listed as “unfit to play” or “unfit to participate” with no explanation.

Speaking of the Oilers, they and the mayor of Edmonton issued statements yesterday insisting the storm damage caused to part of Rogers Place arena on Thursday won’t derail plans to host Western Conference teams in the upcoming playoff tournament.

NHL.COM: Marc-Andre Fleury participated in training camp on Friday with his Vegas Golden Knights teammates for the first time this week. The club claims Fleury missed the opening days for “maintenance”, while head coach Peter DeBoer said the goaltender’s absence was not related to COVID-19.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Defensemen Olli Maatta and Connor Murphy joined Corey Crawford on the list of Blackhawks players deemed “unfit to play”. Blueliner Calvin de Haan missed his third straight practice dealing with a family emergency.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning forward Cedric Paquette was listed as “unable to practice” on Friday. He was banged-up during practice on Wednesday.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Noah Juulsen is battling for a spot on the Canadiens roster after being sidelined since Nov. 19, 2018, with migraines related to head trauma. The 23-year-old defenseman got in some games with the Habs’ AHL farm team in Laval before the schedule was interrupted in March and claims he’s felt great since then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For a while, there was concern Juulsen’s promising career could be over before it began. If he’s healthy he could be a valuable addition to the Canadiens blueline.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson declined to confirm a report by TSN’s Darren Dreger claiming interim coach Bob Boughner signed a contract extension to become their permanent head coach. Dreger also cited a report claiming former AHL coach Rocky Thompson would join the Sharks staff as an assistant coach. Wilson said there’s been no decision yet on the coaching staff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Wilson doesn’t like it when a reporter spoils his big reveal.

THE DENVER POST: Some promising news to report on former NHLer Kyle Quincey’s young son Axl. The 1-year-old appears on the road to recovery following his second brain surgery on June 9 to remove a tumor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Axl and his family. Here’s hoping he makes a full recovery.