NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 12, 2025

by | Jul 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 12, 2025

The best remaining unrestricted free agents, the Sharks sign Jeff Skinner, the decentralized draft format could be here to stay, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Forward Jack Roslovic, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, and winger Max Pacioretty are among the best remaining players in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent class.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Roslovic has been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but there’s no indication thus far that the 28-year-old forward is close to a deal.

Other notables include forward Victor Olofsson, goaltender James Reimer, winger Luke Kunin, netminder Ilya Samsonov, and center Evgeny Kuznetsov.

San Jose Sharks sign winger Jeff Skinner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of the top remaining UFAs could end up signing low-cost, one-year contracts once the calendar flips to September and training camp approaches. Some will end up accepting professional tryout offers (PTOs) in the hope of earning a contract during training camp. And some will end up heading to Europe.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed winger Jeff Skinner to a one-year, $3 million contract. Skinner, 33, had 16 goals and 29 points in 72 games last season with the Edmonton Oilers, and two points in five playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2010-11 as NHL Rookie of the Year. He is a 15-season NHL veteran who reached or exceeded 20 goals nine times and 50-plus points seven times. However, his performance has declined significantly from his career-best 82-point performance in 2022-23. He’ll likely skate at left wing on the Sharks’ third line, bringing an extra measure of experienced depth to this rebuilding club.

SPORTSNET: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league continues to see support for maintaining a decentralized draft among its teams.

Daly indicated they will continue to poll the clubs, process the information, and make decisions regarding what next year’s draft will look like. He said the efficiency of not having to travel to a central location each year remains “very appealing to a number of clubs.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: From an entertainment standpoint, this year’s decentralized draft was a dud.

However, The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell reminds us that the NHL Draft is not an event to entertain fans or the media. It’s the most important time of year for a hockey operations department as they conduct the important business of procuring young talent that will dictate the direction of their franchises.

If the NHL sticks with the decentralized format, they must improve the presentation if they intend to broadcast it as a much-anticipated event for the fans. Campbell believes a decentralized draft can work if the league can fine-tune the process. Let’s hope he’s right.

STLTODAY.COM: John Kelly, the television voice of the Blues for the past two decades, will no longer be calling games for the club after his contract was not renewed. Instead, the Blues, FanDuel Sports Network, and 101 ESPN will switch to a simulcast model with Chris Kerber on play-by-play and Joey Vitale providing analysis.

THE SCORE: Ryan Reaves said a fractured relationship with the Toronto Maple Leafs led him to seek a fresh start elsewhere, resulting in his trade to the San Jose Sharks earlier this week.

Reaves claimed there was a “lack of trust” starting early last season, saying if he had a bad game, he’d be out of the lineup for several games, and if he had a good game, he’d still be out of the lineup for the next game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reaves has had a 15-season career, but time has caught up with him. He is a 38-year-old forward with limited skills whose effectiveness has been hampered by age and the changing pace and style of the NHL product.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2025

by | Jul 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2025

The Stars trade Matt Dumba to the Penguins, the Avalanche re-sign Josh Manson, Ilya Sorokin’s agent reacts to recent trade rumors, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins acquired defenseman Matt Dumba and a 2028 second-round pick from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a salary dump by the Stars, who were sitting over the salary cap before this deal took place. It clears Dumba’s $3.75 million cap hit from their books, giving the Stars $1.955 million in cap space with 21 active roster players under contract for this season, with no notable players to re-sign.

The Dallas Stars trade Matt Dumba to the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL Images).

The Athletic’s Josh Yohe considers this move more about the second-round pick for the rebuilding Penguins, continuing management’s theme of taking on bad contracts in the short term to add solid future assets.

Dumba’s performance has declined in recent years, but he won’t make the Penguins’ defense corps any worse than it already is. He’s also in the final season of his two-year contract, and he could be dealt at the March trade deadline for another draft pick if he has a decent performance this season.

Yohe also suggests Dumba can provide depth on the right side of the Penguins’ blueline if they trade Erik Karlsson.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed defenseman Josh Manson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.95 million beginning in 2026-27. It’s a slight discount from his current AAV of $4.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Manson, 33, has been plagued by injuries in recent years. When healthy, however, he provides the Avalanche with a physical, right-shot presence on their blueline. It would cost them much more to replace him had he gone to market next summer.

TSN: Player agent Dan Milstein, who represents Ilya Sorokin, took to social media on Thursday to swat down recent trade rumors swirling around the 29-year-old New York Islanders goaltender.

Milstein reminded everyone that his client has a full no-trade clause, claiming Sorokin “has never been part of any trade discussions – not at any point.” He went on to scold those who originated the rumors. “There’s a difference between reporting facts and creating buzz about yourself.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before Milstein’s comments appeared, NYI Hockey Now’s Russ Macias dismissed the Sorokin speculation, citing his no-movement clause and why the Islanders have no reason to move him.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed restricted free-agent forward Mackie Samoskevich to a one-year, $775,000 contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This deal generated some buzz yesterday as some readers questioned why Samoskevich accepted less money than the AAV of his entry-level contract ($925,000).

The Panthers were already over the salary cap before re-signing Samoskevich, who had little leverage coming off his entry-level contract. Given their cap situation, it wouldn’t be surprising if management convinced the 22-year-old forward to accept this reduction with the promise of a more lucrative deal next summer, when the Panthers have over $23 million in cap space.

This signing leaves the Panthers sitting above the cap by $3.725 million. They’re allowed to exceed the cap by 10 percent during the offseason, but must be cap compliant when they begin the regular season.

It’s been rumored that Matthew Tkachuk could miss the start of the season if he undergoes surgery this summer to repair a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia. In that case, the Panthers would place him on long-term injury reserve, enabling them to remain above the cap when the season begins. However, they’ll have to shed salary or find another way to become cap-compliant if he returns to action during the regular season.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW/TORONTO SUN: The Sharks traded defenseman Henry Thrun to the Toronto Maple Leafs for winger Ryan Reaves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks cleared a logjam on defense following their recent acquisitions of Dmitry Orlov and Nick Leddy. Reaves hasn’t fit within the Leafs’ roster for the past couple of years.

Thrun, 24, will be a decent depth addition to the Leafs’ blueline. Reaves could provide the Sharks with some muscle to ensure rival clubs don’t take liberties against their promising youngsters like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.

SPORTSNET: The new NHL-NHLPA collective bargaining agreement (CBA) contains a provision that will allow NHL teams to place one CHL player in the AHL per season. This would enable teams to transition a promising young prospect into professional hockey sooner. Players who are 18 years old would be ineligible for the new rule, which begins in 2026-27.

DAILY FACEOFF: London Knights head coach Dale Hunter has been selected by Hockey Canada to coach its 2026 World Junior team. His brother, Mark Hunter, will be part of the management group.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston weighs in on Sportsnet’s recent announcement that it is hiking its fees for its subscription-only service from $75.00 (Canadian) to $324.99.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t use Sportsnet’s subscription-only service, but if I did, this significant rate increase would probably have me considering other options. Johnston believes fans aren’t currently getting their money’s worth, citing on-air quality and the degrading of the Hockey Night in Canada brand.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2025

by | Mar 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s games, the Stars could be close to acquiring Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can see the roundup of Thursday’s trades by following this link. 

NHL.COM: A late goal by Seth Jarvis lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 32 shots as the Hurricanes sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Morgan Geekie scored both goals for the Bruins (64 points), who’ve lost three straight games and sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikko Rantanen played what could be his final game with the Hurricanes. Reports emerged overnight claiming the Dallas Stars have permission from the Canes to negotiate a contract extension with the 28-year-old winger’s representatives that would lead to Rantanen being traded to the Stars before today’s 3 pm ET trade deadline.

Meanwhile, the Bruins continue their sell-off, shipping pending free-agent forward Justin Brazeau to the Minnesota Wild for forwards Jakub Lauko and Marat Khusnutdinov.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar had two goals and four assists and Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and three assists in a 7-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. The Avalanche have won four straight games, holding the first Western wild-card berth with 76 points. Sharks forward William Eklund had a goal and an assist, while rookie teammate Macklin Celebrini tallied his 20th goal of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a four-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl with a league-leading 98 points. Sharks forward Nikolai Kovalenko returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel scored a second-period hat trick and newly acquired forward Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied the winning goal to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5. The Lightning have won 10 of their last 11 games, sitting third in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Rasmus Dahlin and JJ Peterka each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy became the third goaltender in NHL history to record eight or more consecutive 30-win seasons, joining Martin Brodeur (12) and Patrick Roy (eight).

Speaking of the Stars, they got an overtime goal from Jason Robertson to nip the Calgary Flames 3-2, picking up their fourth straight win. Robertson also scored the tying goal as the Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit. They sit second in the Central Division with 84 points. Joel Farabee and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames, who cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 68 points.

The Florida Panthers extended their win streak to five games by blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 16-save shutout for his 423rd regular-season win, tying Tony Esposito for 10th on the all-time list. Sam Reinhart, Mackie Samoskevich and Aleksander Barkov were the goal-scorers as the Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 81 points.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had three points in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who hold sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 90 points. Rookie winger Matvei Michkov scored his 20th of the season for the Flyers (62 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The Edmonton Oilers got an overtime goal from Evan Bouchard to down the Montreal Canadiens 3-2, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to 13 games with his league-leading 46th goal and also added an assist for the Oilers. Cole Caufield netted his 31st goal of the season for the Canadiens (66 points) as they sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka kicked out 38 shots in a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Nick Schmaltz, Kevin Stenlund and Lawson Crouse scored as Utah overcame a 2-1 deficit. With 68 points, they sit three points behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren scored for the Red Wings (66 points), who have lost four straight games and remain one point behind the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings fans must have an uneasy feeling of deja vu. Around this time last season, the Wings held a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference before a costly losing skid knocked them out of contention. Meanwhile, Utah placed forward Nick Bjugstad (upper body) on injured reserve.

The Nashville Predators defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-3. Filip Forsberg tallied twice and Steven Stamkos had two assists for the Predators. Adam Larsson, Jared McCann and Michael Eyssimont replied for the Kraken.

IN OTHER NEWS…

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Colton Parayko will undergo a scope on his left knee and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues’ playoff odds got a lot longer with their top defenseman sidelined.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Ryan Reaves on waivers. If he clears, they can free up $1.15 million in cap space by sending him to the minors.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predators claimed forward Jakub Vrana off waivers from the Washington Capitals and defenseman Jordan Oesterle from the Boston Bruins. Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets claimed winger Christian Fischer from the Detroit Red Wings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 18, 2024

by | Nov 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 18, 2024

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin nets a hat trick, Hurricanes forward Martin Necas moves up in the scoring race, Leafs forward Ryan Reaves is suspended, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted a hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson stopped 40 shots against his former team while Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas each had two assists. Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar replied for the Golden Knights.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 39-year-old Ovechkin became one of the oldest players in NHL history to tally a hat trick. He’s tied with Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl and Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart atop the goal-scoring leaderboard with 13 goals. The Capitals captain has 866 career regular-season goals, putting him 29 goals from overtaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

I made a preseason prediction that Ovechkin would have one more 40-goal season left. That prediction doesn’t look so crazy now.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had a hand in each of his team’s goals to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-1. The red-hot Necas scored twice and collected two assists to extend his points streak to 13 games. Teammate Eric Robinson had a goal and two assists. Jake Neighbours tallied for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas has 30 points and sits third among the points leaders. The Hurricanes (13-4-0, 26 points) sit first in the Eastern Conference.

The New York Rangers blanked the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick made 24 saves for his second straight shutout while Alexis Lafreniere and Zac Jones were the goal scorers. Philipp Grubauer stopped 21 shots as the Kraken’s four-game win streak ended.

Nashville Predators winger Steven Stamkos tallied two power-play goals in a 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Rookie forward Zachary L’Heureux opened the scoring for the Predators with his first NHL goal and Juuse Saros made 24 saves for the win. Elias Pettersson scored for the fifth time in seven games for the Canucks, who’ve dropped seven of their last 10 home games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center J.T. Miller was benched for all but two shifts in the third period. Before the game, the Canucks placed defenseman Derek Forbort (lower body) on injured reserve. This win for the Predators was their third in their last 11 games (3-5-3).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The department of player safety handed down a five-game suspension to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves for an illegal hit to the head of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the longest suspension of Reaves’ career after getting three games in 2016, one game in the 2020 playoffs, and two games in the 2021 playoffs.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk received a $5,000.00 fine for clipping Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: The Colorado Avalanche placed goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Anaheim Ducks placed center Mason McTavish (upper body) on IR retroactive to Nov. 8.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell was cleared to return from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program on Sunday. The Wings placed him on waivers because they have no room for him on their NHL roster. When they signed Campbell, they originally intended to have him serve as a mentor for promising Sebastian Cossa with their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates they have no room for Campbell with their AHL affiliate because Ville Husso is now paired with Cossa in Grand Rapids. Campbell is on a one-year contract with a cap hit of $775,000.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2024

by | Nov 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2024

Check out the recaps of Saturday’s games in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers got a 27-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to blank the Winnipeg Jets 5-0, handing the latter consecutive losses for the first time this season. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov had a goal and two assists while Sam Reinhart collected three assists. Jets goalie Connor Hellebucyk stopped 26 of 31 shots.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets remain atop the overall standings (15-3-0, 30 points) but must take their game to another level against the defending Stanley Cup champions, who were well-prepared for this contest.

Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots in a 4-0 shutout of the New Jersey Devils. Victor Hedman and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and an assist while Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his points streak to seven games. Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom made 23 stops.

An overtime goal by Mitch Marner lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Marner’s goal was the 200th of his career and he also collected an assist on one of Bobby McMann’s two goals. Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves was ejected in the second period for a blindside hit to the head of Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who left the game and didn’t return. There was no postgame update regarding Nurse’s condition but it was reported he was aware and joking with the trainers.

Reaves apologized to Nurse in the Oilers dressing room during the third period but could face supplemental discipline from the league. During his NHL career, Reaves has received three suspensions totaling six games.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blew a 3-0 lead but defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Evgeni Malkin’s shootout goal. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby tallied his 599th career regular-season NHL goal. Tyler Toffoli sniped two of the Sharks’ three goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins had three rookies in the lineup, including Owen Pickering, who made his NHL debut, collecting an assist for his first point in the big league. Meanwhile, Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status. Defenseman Jake Walman returned to the Sharks lineup after missing the past five games, four due to injury.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment tallied twice to nip the Minnesota Wild 2-1. Ilya Lyubushkin had two assists and Jake Oettinger made 22 saves as the Stars picked up their third straight victory. Kirill Kaprizov replied for the Wild while Filip Gustavsson kicked out 38 shots.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Spencer Martin made 24 saves for his first-ever NHL shutout in a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. Jordan Martinook had a goal and an assist while Martin Necas picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games. Senators netminder Anton Forsberg stopped 24 of 27 shots in a losing cause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes won without one of their top forwards. Winger Seth Jarvis was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury retroactive to Nov. 10.

The St. Louis Blues downed the Boston Bruins 3-2 on an overtime goal by captain Brayden Schenn. Radek Faksa collected a goal and an assist for the Blues as they snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Trent Frederic tallied both goals for the Bruins as they were outshot 31-17 in this contest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins center Mark Kastelic left this game with a lower-body injury. Teammate Tyler Johnson missed this game due to a family matter. The Bruins are 1-1-2 in their last four games.

A two-goal performance by Adrian Kempe powered the Los Angeles Kings over the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. It’s the second straight game Kempe has tallied two goals. Dylan Larkin scored for the Wings, who got a 37-save effort from goalie Cam Talbot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are 5-1-1 in their last seven home games. They activated forward Alex Turcotte off injured reserve for this game. Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson missed this game with a lower-body injury. The Wings have dropped four of their last five contests and sit uncomfortably close to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs turned aside 28 shots in his first game since Oct. 30 to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. J.T. Canucks center J.T. Miller led the way with a goal and an assist. Arvid Soderblom stopped 29 of 31 shots for the Blackhawks as they’ve dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks played without defenseman Seth Jones as he was placed on IR due to an injured right foot suffered during Thursday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson scratched struggling winger Taylor Hall from the lineup, citing his need for more practice after coming off a lengthy absence due to injury last season.

The Seattle Kraken picked up their fourth straight win as they defeated the New York Islanders 3-2 on a late goal by Jamie Oleksiak. Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde each collected two points for the Kraken while Pierre Engvall and Brock Nelson replied for the Islanders, who are 1-1-2 in their last four games.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny scored twice and added an assist in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Rookie winger Matvei Michkov collected two assists as the Flyers have won three straight. Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers rookie defenseman Emil Andrae left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update about his status.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on three unanswered third-period goals by Lucas Condotta, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. Team captain Nick Suzuki scored what proved to be the game-winner while Cole Caufield picked up two assists. Dante Fabbro netted his first for the Blue Jackets after being claimed off waivers last week. The Jackets have only one win in their last eight games (1-6-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens honored former captain Shea Weber in a pregame ceremony inducting him into the club’s Ring of Honour alongside their other Hall of Famers. They also played without defenseman David Savard due to an upper-body injury. His absence could be short-term as he participated in the morning skate and spoke with reporters afterward.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 24, 2024

by | Oct 24, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 24, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, three teams seek a center, contract speculation about Alexis Lafreniere and Wyatt Johnston, and the latest on Utah HC and the Leafs.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz said that not much is happening in the NHL trade market right now.

“No one is trading anyone right now. I would like to get a center, but no one is giving their centermen away,” said Trotz during a recent interview with The Game in Nashville.

The Calgary Flames are in the market for a right-shot center. GM Craig Conroy said he’s not parting with a first-round pick for a player who would only be with his team for a year. “But if it was a first-round pick for a guy who would be here long term, we would be open to that,” said Conroy.

Friedman indicated the Florida Panthers are also looking for a center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Since the implementation of the salary cap in 2005, October tends to be a dead month in the trade market once the regular season begins. The few deals that occur usually involve low-cost depth players. The Predators, Flames, and Panthers could be waiting until the calendar flips to 2025 to find those centers. 

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images).

The New York Rangers prefer to sign Alexis Lafreniere to a maximum-term eight-year contract. However, Friedman isn’t convinced the 23-year-old winger wants that as it would take him up to age 31 before he’s eligible for unrestricted free-agent status.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s rumored the Rangers and Lafreniere discussed eight years with an average annual value of $8 million. The length of that deal could be the sticking point in their negotiations.

Friedman speculates the Dallas Stars could offer forward Wyatt Johnston over $8 million annually on his next contract. They signed goaltender Joel Oettinger to an $8.25 million AAV while defenseman Miro Heiskanen and Roope Hintz each received $8.45 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston is in the final season of his three-year entry-level contract. He lacks arbitration rights, which gives Stars management leverage in their negotiations.

The Utah Hockey Club is determined not to overpay finding replacements for sidelined right-shot defensemen Sean Durzi (four to six months) and John Marino (three to four months). “No panic, short-term moves,” writes Friedman, noting the emergence of Michael Kesselring has helped.

Friedman also noted that Utah is deep with forwards and 21-goal scorer Michael Carcone is off to a slow start this season. He believes someone will give Carcone a spot if he can’t find one in Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carcone was a healthy scratch in four of Utah’s seven games leading into Thursday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. He could become a trade chip for a defenseman.

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan noted Utah HC’s blueline dilemma, suggesting that club could be a good trade destination for Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren.

Liljegren, 25, has been the subject of frequent trade speculation this month. With an AAV of $3 million, he’s been an expensive healthy scratch for the Leafs. He could benefit from a change of scenery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah currently has over $8.2 million in cap space so they can easily afford Liljegren’s cap hit. He’s the right age and under contract through 2025-26. The question is, do they see him as a suitable addition to their blueline? Stay tuned…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau wondered if the Leafs will eventually attempt to move forwards Ryan Reaves and David Kampf. He believes roster changes are coming once their sidelined players return from injury.

Reaves hasn’t done much in his four games thus far, averaging a team-low 8:15 of ice time. Meanwhile, Kampf has played five games and his ice time has decreased since last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It won’t be easy moving either guy. Reaves carries an affordable $1.35 million cap hit through next season but at 37 he’s past his prime as an agitating forward. Kampf, 29, carries an AAV of $2.4 million through 2026-27 and a 10-team no-trade list.