NHL Rumor Mill – April 18, 2025

by | Apr 18, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 18, 2025

Check out the latest speculation regarding the offseason plans for the Canucks, Penguins and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston wondered what the future holds for Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet and first-line center Elias Pettersson.

Tocchet’s contract expires at the end of this season but the Canucks hold a club option for another year. It’s believed they offered a contract extension, but Tocchet has strong bargaining power given his reputation around the league and his 2024 Jack Adams Award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Management’s plans for next season and beyond will also factor into whether Tocchet stays or goes.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Pettersson had an awful season, prompting Johnston to ponder if management still believes signing him to his long-term contract last year was a good idea. If they decide to move him, they must find a trade partner and a suitable replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson has seven seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $11.6 million. If the Canucks intend to move him their best opportunity is before his no-movement clause kicks in on July 1.

Pettersson’s performance this season makes him difficult to move unless the Canucks retain up to half of that cap hit, which they won’t do. They’ll likely hang onto him and hope he has a bounce-back effort next season.

Johnston believes the Canucks must find a suitable second-line center. Filip Chytil is talented but not a full-fledged second-line center, plus he’s frequently sidelined. Pius Suter has shown potential in that role, but Johnston wonders if he can truly fill that spot next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suter can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Canucks could scour the trade and free-agent markets before then to see if there are obtainable options. They have over $16.7 million in cap space with 17 active roster players under contract for next season.

The Canucks might have to find a scoring right wing if Brock Boeser departs as a free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser recently expressed doubt that he’ll be back with the Canucks. If they don’t re-sign him, it’ll give them more cap space to add that second-line center, likely the more pressing need in management’s eyes.

Team captain (and reigning Norris Trophy winner) Quinn Hughes has two years left on his contract. They can sign him to an extension next summer, but Johnston believes he’ll want to see improvement before he commits to a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes isn’t going anywhere this summer but the Canucks’ performance next season could determine his future in Vancouver. That will play a role in management’s moves this summer.

PENGUINS

POST-GAZETTE.COM: Matt Vensel had nine questions that will define the offseason for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

One was whether it would be the status quo for next season. Vensel doesn’t think so, suggesting defensemen Erik Karlsson and winger Rickard Rakell as trade candidates this summer.

Winger Bryan Rust’s no-movement clause expires at the end of this season but it would take a significant offer to convince management to part with him. Much-maligned defenseman Ryan Graves and goaltender Tristan Jarry could be shopped this summer, though the latter is no sure thing if they can’t find a suitable replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Josh Yohe of The Athletic believes there’s a real chance Karlsson could be moved if a suitable offer from a team he’s willing to join should emerge, but it would take the Penguins retaining part of his annual cap hit.

As for Jarry, Yohe believes he’ll be back next season, citing his improved performance following his stint in the minors. Of course, the Penguins will listen to offers if a rival club expresses interest in him.

Vensel wondered if the Penguins would make a splash in the trade or free-agent markets this summer. If they do, improving the blueline is the priority. Vladislav Gavrikov and Ivan Provorov are the top left-handed defensemen potentially available in the UFA market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vensel also mentioned that Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will be the player we hear the most between now and the start of free agency on July 1. He cited Marner’s relationship with Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas during the latter’s tenure as Leafs GM. However, that relationship might not be enough for the rebuilding Penguins to win a bidding war for his services.

ISLANDERS

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple addressed questions over how the New York Islanders intend to address their crowded blueline during the offseason.

He believes restricted free agents Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov will be re-signed. Dobson’s difficult season could land him a four or five-year contract with an AAV between $7.5 million and $8 million. He suggested a six or seven-year deal for Romanov for between $6.5 million and $7 million.

Dobson and Romanov would receive lots of interest in the trade market, but it would be difficult getting equal value for either guy.

Scott Mayfield seems the main candidate to be moved. He’s got five years left on his contract with a full no-trade clause, but they could attempt to buy him out. Ryan Pulock has five years left with a full NTC for the next two years.

Adam Pelech had four years left on his contract with a 16-team no-trade list. Of those three, he’s the one they could prefer to keep.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2024

by | Nov 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2024

A record night for Lightning winger Brandon Hagel, Hurricanes winger Martin Necas sits on top of the scoring race, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel collected a career-high five assists in an 8-2 drubbing of the Colorado Avalanche. Hagel tied an NHL record with four assists in the first period. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists and Jake Guentzel tallied twice for the Lightning. Ivan Ivan scored two goals for the Avalanche as their three-game win streak ended.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had a goal and an assist to take over first place in the NHL scoring race (35 points) as his club downed the Dallas Stars 6-4. The Hurricanes got a goal and three assists from Sebastian Aho plus a goal and two assists from Seth Jarvis. Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment and Miro Heiskanen each had a goal and an assist for the Stars as they blew a 3-1 lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov missed this game with a concussion. There is no timetable for his return. They’re also missing starter Frederik Andersen as he’s sidelined until January recovering from knee surgery. The Canes are making do with call-ups Spencer Martin and Yaniv Perets but there’s speculation they could turn to the trade market.

The Winnipeg Jets got a 43-save performance from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Alex Iafallo scored twice and Neal Pionk picked up two assists as the Jets (18-4-0) sat atop the overall standings with 36 points. Jake Middleton scored for the Wild, who sit second in the Central Division with 30 points, six behind the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov was held scoreless in this game as he returned to action after missing a game with a lower-body injury. Teammate Jakub Lauko left the game with a lower-body injury.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier snapped a 10-game goalless drought with his first NHL hat trick, leading his club over the Nashville Predators 5-2. Filip Forsberg and Zachary L’Heureux replied for the Predators. The Devils have won five of their last six games and hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 32 points. Predators goaltender Juuse Saros was pulled in the second period after giving up four goals on 30 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Timo Meier received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct in the third period for cross-checking L’Heureux in the face. L’Heureux immediately left the game for treatment.

The Washington Capitals snapped a two-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers, handing the latter their sixth loss in their last seven games. Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal and picked up two assists while Lars Eller tallied twice. Niko Mikkola had the only goal for the Panthers.

St. Louis Blue head coach Jim Montgomery got his first win with his new club as they defeated the New York Rangers 5-2. Zack Bolduc scored two goals, Brayden Schenn had a goal and an assist and Dylan Holloway collected two assists for the Blues. Igor Shesterkin stopped 38 shots for the struggling Rangers as they dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Chris Kreider missed this game with an upper-body injury, resulting in the recall of Matt Rempe from their AHL affiliate in Hartford.

The Rangers’ slump has sparked plenty of trade rumors amid reports general manager Chris Drury has informed his 31 NHL counterparts that he’s open for business. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill.

A shootout goal by Jack Eichel lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 5-4. Eichel also had a goal and an assist in regulation as did teammate Ivan Barbashev as their club sits in first place in the Pacific Division with 30 points. Morgan Frost had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights played without Zach Whitecloud (upper-body injury) and William Karlsson (personal reasons).

San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini had his first three-point game (two goals, one assist) in a 7-2 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Fellow Sharks rookie Will Smith picked up two assists and rookie netminder Yaroslav Askarov stopped 22 shots for his first win with the Sharks. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had two points for the Kings, who’ve dropped five of their last eight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forward Nico Sturm scored in his return to action after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3. Senators forwards Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist to snap a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Jonathan Huberdeau, Yegor Sherangovich and Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames as their four-game winning streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators Defenseman Artem Zub was sidelined by a broken foot suffered during Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks and could be out for a while. Teammate David Perron missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri were the goalscorers for the Islanders, who’ve dropped six of their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Isles defenseman Alexander Romanov missed this game due to an illness and is listed as day-to-day.

The Seattle Kraken got a goal and an assist from Shane Wright to beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Joey Daccord picked up the win with a 21-save performance. Trevor Zegras and Frank Vatrano replied for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks center Mason McTavish was held scoreless as he returned to the roster after missing six games with an upper-body injury. Ducks center Leo Carlsson left the game with an upper-body injury in the second period following a hit from Kraken forward Tye Kartye. Before the game, the Ducks placed Brock McGinn (lower body) on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen, and Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll were the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 24, 2024.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser could return to action on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. He’s missed the last seven games with a concussion.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine participated fully in his club’s practice on Monday. It’s an encouraging sign that Laine is making strides in his recovery from a sprained knee but he’s not expected to return before the end of this week.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators traded forward Philip Tomasino yesterday to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Tomasino was a first-round pick of the Predators (24th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft. General manager Barry Trotz explained that he shipped out the 23-year-old center because of a lack of production over the past two seasons. He believed it was time for a change.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tomasino could have a better shot of becoming an NHL regular with the retooling Penguins as they transition younger players into their lineup.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL player turned analyst Paul Bissonnette was assaulted by six individuals at a restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona on Sunday evening. He said he was trying to intervene after seeing a group of drunken golfers being abusive to the restaurant staff.

Five of the six men face misdemeanors while a sixth faces a felony. Bissonnette said he took a few shots but gave more. He went to the hospital to get checked out following the melee but said he was “all good”, thanking the restaurant staff and the responding police offers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2024

by | Nov 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, reaction to the Bruins firing head coach Jim Montgomery, and updates on Alex Ovechkin, Auston Matthews, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele tallied a hat trick in a 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Morgan Barron scored two shorthanded goals and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots as the Jets set a franchise record for the most wins in their first 10 home games (9-1-0). Panthers forward Sam Reinhart scored his 14th goal to extend his points streak to 11 games.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

The Edmonton Oilers got three-point performances from Evan Bouchard, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-2. McDavid had two goals and an assist while Bouchard and Draisaitl had a goal and two assists each. Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris replied for the Senators, who have just three wins in nine games thus far in November (3-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a rough month for Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark. He’s given up five goals in three of his five starts since Nov. 5. Before this game, the Oilers claimed winger Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.

Speaking of the Blues, they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice to extend his points streak to six games. Scott Perunovich and Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues, who’ve dropped six of their last seven games (1-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas collected an assist in his first game since suffering a fractured ankle on Oct. 22.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider snapped a 3-3 tie midway through the third period to give his club a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Mika Zibanejad, Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Canucks forward Elias Pettersson picked up two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks announced center J.T. Miller is taking an indefinite leave of absence as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury and the emotional toll it’s taken as he tried to play through the injury. Meanwhile, the Rangers learned that center Filip Chytil did not suffer a concussion after colliding with teammate K’Andre Miller last week. He remains listed as day-to-day but will join his teammates in Calgary as they prepare to face the Flames on Thursday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got an overtime goal from Brayden Point as they overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. The Lightning picked up their third straight win as Point finished the night with two goals in his first game since being sidelined by a lower-body injury on Nov. 3. Jesse Puljujarvi and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins, who have just two wins in their last eight contests (2-3-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby remains at 599 regular-season goals but collected an assist to surpass Joe Sakic for the sixth-most assists (1,017) with one franchise. He should pass Gordie Howe (1,023) and Mario Lemieux (1,033) to move into fourth place later this season. Passing Lemieux will also give Crosby the Penguins’ all-time assist record.

A shootout goal by Justin Kirkland lifted the Calgary Flames to a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Pierre Engvall opened the scoring for the Isles but Rasmus Andersson tied it in the third period. Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the Flames while Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves for the Islanders, who have one win in their last five games (1-1-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov returned to action for the first time since being sidelined on Nov. 1 by an upper-body injury.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 as Leo Carlsson broke a 2-2 tie midway through the third period. Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist and Trevor Zegras collected two assists as the Ducks won their third straight game. Jason Dickinson tallied twice and Connor Bedard had two assists for the Blackhawks as they’ve dropped five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks starting goalie Petr Mrazek missed this game for personal reasons.

HEADLINES

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The slumping Bruins (8-9-3) fired head coach Jim Montgomery on Tuesday. Associate coach Joe Sacco takes over on an interim basis. Hired in June 2022, Montgomery had a record of 120-41-23, reaching the playoffs twice and winning the Presidents Trophy in 2022-23 with an NHL record of 65 wins and 135 points. Montgomery won the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year for 2022-23.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the Bruins struggled through the opening weeks of this season, the rumblings for change grew. Given the lack of suitable options in the trade market and the Bruins’ limited cap space, a coaching change was the only move they could make.

Boston Hockey Now’s Andrew Fantucchio and Christopher Hurley singled out several notable players who contributed to the Bruins’ sputtering performance.

They include the declining play of 36-year-old captain Brad Marchand following three offseason surgeries, superstar winger David Pastrnak’s lower-than-expected production, Jeremy Swayman’s shaky goaltending after protracted contract negotiations kept him out of training camp, and the disappointing efforts from free-agent additions Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov.

The Bruins might rebound under Sacco. However, there’s a growing feeling in Boston that management’s inability to offset the departures of key players like Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, Linus Ullmark and Torey Krug since 2019-20 is the real reason behind the club’s decline. That could put general manager Don Sweeney on the hot seat if this club fails to improve under Sacco.

SPORTSNET: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is listed as week-to-week after suffering a lower-leg injury during Monday’s win over the Utah Hockey Club. He’ll undergo further evaluation on Wednesday in Washington. Ovechkin has 868 career goals, 26 behind Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is in Munich, Germany, seeking treatment for an upper-body injury from a doctor he’s previously worked with. Matthews has been sidelined for six games and remains listed as day-to-day. He’s been accompanied to Munich by a team physician.

The Leafs also placed forward David Kampf (lower body) on injured reserve and called up forward Fraser Minten.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier (back) and defenseman Brett Pesce (undisclosed injury) are listed as day-to-day.

The Vegas Golden Knights placed defenseman Ben Hutton (upper body) on long-term injury reserve and winger Mark Stone (lower body) on IR.

TSN: The Montreal Canadiens assigned forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard to their AHL affiliate in Laval on a long-term injury conditioning loan. He underwent surgery in July for a broken leg.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2024

by | Oct 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2024

Alex Ovechkin continues his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, Penguins fans salute Marc-Andre Fleury in his last game in Pittsburgh, the Red Wings ship Olli Maatta to Utah, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continued to pursue Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, tallying twice in a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Aliaksei Protas has a goal and two assists for the Capitals, who improved their record to 6-2-0. Igor Shesterkin made 41 saves for the Rangers, who were outshot 46-19 by the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery mentioned a little concern in his postgame press conference but didn’t know the extent of the injury.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves as his club beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 in what is likely his final game in Pittsburgh. Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and collected an assist and Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists for the Wild. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had three assists and teammate Rickard Rakell scored two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury began his NHL career in Pittsburgh, playing 13 seasons for the Penguins and helping them win three Stanley Cups. He intends to retire at the end of this season. The fans chanted Fleury’s name following the game as he saluted the crowd to a standing ovation.

Pittsburgh has lost six straight (0-5-1) and sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. They also announced winger Bryan Rust is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks.

The Seattle Kraken thumped the Montreal Canadiens 8-2. Brandon Montour led the way with his first career hat trick and added an assist while Chandler Stephenson had two helpers for the Kraken. Montreal goaltender Sam Montembeault got the hook after giving up five goals on 10 shots. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sniped his ninth goal, tying New Jersey’s Nico Hischier for the league goal-scoring lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montour and Stephenson came to Seattle as free agents this summer. Their performance against the Canadiens puts them among the Kraken’s leading scorers.

Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle scored two goals and collected two assists as his club crushed the St. Louis Blues 8-1. Brady Tkachuk and Adam Gaudette each scored twice and Linus Ullmark turned aside 26 shots. Blue goalie Joel Hofer was pulled after giving up five goals on 21 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The start of this game was briefly delayed by a power outage at Canadian Tire Centre due to electrical storms in the area. Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen left this game with an upper-body injury in the second period. There was no postgame word regarding his condition. Before the game, the Blues announced forward Alexey Toropchenko agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $1.7 million. 

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson made 23 saves to shut out the Boston Bruins 2-0. Tyler Foerster and Joel Farabee were the goal scorers. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 17 shots for the Bruins (4-5-1) as they slipped into last place in the Atlantic Division.

The San Jose Sharks doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 to pick up their second straight win after starting the season 0-7-2. Jake Walman had a goal and two assists and Vitek Vanecek made 26 saves for Los Tiburones. Akil Thomas and Alex Laferriere replied for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Kevin Fiala was a healthy scratch for missing a team meeting. Meanwhile, the Sharks placed Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve. 

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 40 shots, including 17 in the first period, in a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish each had two points for the Ducks. Mathew Barzal scored for the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

HEADLINES

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings traded defenseman Olli Maatta to the Utah Hockey Club in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah needed to add some experienced depth to their injury-battered blueline with Sean Durzi and John Marino out for months recovering from surgeries. The 30-year-old Maatta has averaged over 18 minutes of ice time per game in his 11 NHL seasons and won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers called up forwards Noah Philp and Drake Caggiula from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield as they await word on the severity of Connor McDavid’s leg injury. The Oilers captain was sidelined on Monday after falling awkwardly into the boards during the opening shift against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPORTSNET: The NHL’s department of player safety fined Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin $5,000 for high-sticking Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell.

CALGARY SUN: Flames captain Mikael Backlund is scheduled to play in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game when his club faces Utah HC on Wednesday.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Fraser Minten to their AHL affiliate.

RG.ORG: Hockey Hall-of-Famer Sergei Zubov believes Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov and Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov represent the future of Russian Hockey. Zubov praised Michkov’s focus on goal scoring and Demidov’s growth playing alongside veterans like former NHL center Evgeny Kuznetsov.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons ponders the mystery of Alexander Mogilny’s exclusion from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmons isn’t the only person wondering why the HHoF continues to snub Mogilny. The Sun scribe says he’s asked several Hall of Fame voters about it but they’re sworn to secrecy about the selection process.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2023

by | Sep 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2023

Marc-Andre Fleury ponders his future, sale of the Senators receives league approval, plus the latest on Logan Couture, Robin Lehner, Max Pacioretty and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Marc-Andre Fleury is entering his 20th NHL season but hasn’t decided yet if it will be his last. The 38-year-old Minnesota Wild goaltender is in the final season of his contract and said he’ll play out this campaign before evaluating if he’ll continue his playing career.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Fleury has 544 career wins. He needs just eight more victories to pass Patrick Roy for second place on the all-time wins list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s hard to believe sometimes that Fleury’s been in the NHL this long. I told one of my social media followers that it seemed like I was watching him play in the QMJHL with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles yesterday. That was over 20 years ago.

OTTAWA SUN: The sale of the Ottawa Senators to billionaire Michael Andlauer finally received formal approval from the NHL Board of Governors yesterday. At $950 million dollars, it’s the highest price ever paid to purchase an NHL franchise.

Following the purchase, Andlauer released an open letter to Senators fans stating that his goal is to bring the Stanley Cup to Ottawa. He also sought to assure them about the club’s future under his ownership. “My partners and I may be the team owners on paper, but this team truly belongs to Ottawa-Gatineau,” he wrote. “I promise to take care of your team with the utmost respect, integrity and care both on and off the ice.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The late Eugene Melnyk deserves credit for rescuing the Senators nearly 20 years ago (with the help of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman) and keeping them in Ottawa at a time when the franchise was bankrupt and on the verge of relocation. Nevertheless, Melnyk’s mercurial style and front-office meddling generated uncertainty and concern among Senators fans over the quality of the on-ice product and the club’s future in Ottawa.

A new era has begun for the Senators. Andlauer was a minority owner of the Montreal Canadiens before purchasing the Sens. He knows the league, understands the business of hockey, and appears determined to bring stability to this franchise and a winning product on the ice. He still has to navigate toward the construction of a new downtown arena but the odds appear better under his stewardship than they were during the final years of Melnyk’s tenure.

Speaking of the Senators, center Josh Norris downplayed concern regarding a minor shoulder ailment that saw him start training camp with a yellow non-contact jersey. “I think they’re looking out for me and I totally get it,” said Norris, who missed all but eight games last season to shoulder surgery. He said he didn’t want to be in that jersey but acknowledged it was probably the best thing to take precautions and be ready for the start of the season.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The rebuilding Sharks got bad news as team captain Logan Couture will miss the start of training camp. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury that he suffered during offseason training.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no timeline for Couture’s return. It’s uncertain if he’ll be ready for the club’s season debut on Oct. 12.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner remains sidelined indefinitely and will start the season on long-term injured reserve. He missed all of last season recovering from hip surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reports also indicated that some wonder if Lehner will ever play again. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $5 million.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of uncertain injury recovery timelines, Capitals winger Max Pacioretty has “no concrete timetable yet” for when he’ll join his new club. The 34-year-old winger played only five games last season with the Carolina Hurricanes as he was twice sidelined by a torn right Achilles tendon. He signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Capitals this summer as a free agent.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams continues to work on getting young defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power under contract extensions before the start of this season. The two sides appear to be closing in on deals following a week of intense negotiations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dahlin and Power are the linchpins of the rebuilding Sabres’ blueline. It’s not surprising that Adams hopes to sign the two defensemen to long-term contracts with average annual values that could become team-friendly over the course of their playing prime.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Sabres, promising forward Matt Savoie is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during a prospects tournament game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks opened training camp missing three of their young core players. Center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale are still without new contracts as negotiations continue with management. Meanwhile, forward Mason MacTavish was dealing with a muscle spasm.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacTavish could rejoin his teammates as early as today. It’s uncertain as to when Zegras and Drysdale will be under contract. Reports from earlier this week claimed there’s a “wide gap” between them and management over what their new deals will look like.

THE DENVER POST: Valeri Nichushkin has rejoined his Colorado Avalanche teammates for the first time since taking a leave of absence from the club during their first-round series against the Seattle Kraken in April. The 28-year-old winger was welcomed back by his teammates “with open arms”.

Nichushkin’s departure was the result of an incident in Seattle in which a team doctor found an intoxicated woman in the winger’s hotel room and called an ambulance, according to a police report. He was not disciplined over the incident by the team or the league and faced no charges over the incident.

“I know you guys want to find something there, but it’s nothing really interesting,” Nichushkin told the media. “I think we should close it. It’s a new season right now. We have to focus on that.” He said that his extended absence from the Avs was due to a “family reason.”

CALGARY SUN: Oliver Kylington missed the start of Flames training camp without indicating when he’ll return to action. The 26-year-old defenseman missed all of last season to focus on his mental health. It was expected that he would rejoin his teammates this season after arriving in Calgary last week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kylington talked about his mental health during an interview this summer. He said he was looking forward to joining his Flames teammates this season. Here’s hoping he continues to get the help he needs to deal with this issue.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sticking with the Flames, Nikita Zadorov has openly opposed his home country’s invasion of Ukraine. The Russian defenseman is the sole NHLer among his countrymen to speak out against the invasion. He said he’s aware of the consequences he might face but claimed there are “a lot of people who have the same view as me in Russia.”

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders winger Oliver Wahlstrom skated with the Islanders for the first time since suffering a season-ending lower-body injury last December. Defenseman Alex Romanov also joined his teammates, dispelling concerns that he might miss the start of training camp rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks winger Ilya Mikheyev left training camp for personal reasons. He’s been sidelined since January with a knee injury and underwent surgery the following month.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Chris Wideman is sidelined indefinitely with a back injury.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2023

by | Sep 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2023

Quinn Hughes named the Canucks’ new captain, the Avalanche hope Gabriel Landeskog can return for the 2024 playoffs, Zach Parise not returning to the Islanders to start the season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks yesterday named Quinn Hughes as their new captain. He replaces Bo Horvat, who was traded in January to the New York Islanders. The 23-year-old defenseman is entering his sixth season with the Canucks and is the 15th captain in franchise history.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes got the nod over such notable teammates as J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The respect that he has from his teammates appears to have factored into this move by the club. Horvat spoke to Hughes on Sunday before the announcement was made and took to Instagram to praise the new captain.

THE ATHLETIC: Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland is hoping that team captain Gabriel Landeskog can return to the lineup for the 2024 playoffs. The 30-year-old left winger will miss the 2023-24 regular season recovering from the knee injury that sidelined him for the entirety of last season.

“There’s still so much to be gleaned from this,” said MacFarland. “It’s hard to put a timeline on it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog underwent three surgeries on his knee in the previous two years. If he misses this season and the playoffs his playing career could be over.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello yesterday said that Zach Parise will not be returning to the club for the start of the season. The 39-year-old free-agent winger remains with his family in Minnesota. Lamoriello left the door open for a possible return later in the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parise isn’t signing with another club nor is he retiring. He appears to be taking some more time to see if he wants to play one more NHL season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Islanders, Alexander Romanov could miss the start of training camp following offseason shoulder surgery. Lamoriello said the 23-year-old defenseman is progressing well and should return to the lineup soon.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens named Mike Matheson as an alternate captain. He replaces Joel Edmundson, who was traded to the Washington Capitals in July. The 29-year-old defenseman is thrilled by the news. “I grew up in Montreal, idolizing this team,” he said, calling it a “pinch-myself moment.”

DAILY FACEOFF: In other Canadiens news, Christian Dvorak has not been medically clear to start the coming season. The 27-year-old forward underwent season-ending knee surgery in March.

CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The Hurricanes signed forwards Kieffer Bellows and Jayden Halbgewachs to professional tryout offers.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov has been loaned by SKA St. Petersburg to fellow KHL team HK Sochi. The 18-year-old winger played for Sochi last season, collecting 20 points in 27 games. He’d been unable to get playing time with SKA St. Peterburg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov was chosen seventh overall in this year’s draft by the Flyers. His early-season struggles with SKA St. Petersburg created a stir on social media with his critics already calling him a draft bust. However, it’s far too early to write him off.

Michkov’s under a KHL contract through 2025-26. He’s got plenty of time to sort out his game before he’s ready to join the Flyers. We’ll have a better grasp of his abilities by then.