NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2025

by | Aug 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2025

The latest on Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm and Canadiens forward Kirby Dach, blueliner Tyson Barrie announced his retirement, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm believes his club must find what their culture will be under a new head coach and with the additions to the roster for the coming season.

Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (NHL Images)

Appearing last week on “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Lindholm said he likes the Bruins’ young prospects, and he also believes they still have some really good veterans who know how to win in the NHL.

“We just need to figure out how to build around that,” Lindholm said. “People are going to underestimate us, but I’m very optimistic. I think we’ve got some good things ahead.

Lindholm, 31, missed most of last season with a broken patella. He spent most of his recovery watching the Bruins implode, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. He will be ready when training camp opens next month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins hope to rebound from last season’s disappointing performance with a healthier roster and a bounce-back effort from starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman. How quickly they adjust to new coach Marco Sturm’s system will determine the outcome.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens forward Kirby Dach was on the ice testing his surgically repaired knee at the club’s training facility in Brossard on Monday. The 24-year-old center has missed 129 games since being acquired by the Canadiens in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens hope that Dach might be ready for the start of the season or within the opening weeks of the campaign. However, they won’t rush his return to the lineup.

Dach was acquired to fill the Canadiens’ second-line center position. However, injuries have hampered his development, leaving that position a nagging issue for the rebuilding club.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie announced his retirement on Monday.

The 34-year-old spent eight of his 14 NHL seasons with the Avalanche from 2011-12 to 2018-19. He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Calgary Flames.

During his career, Barrie had 110 goals and 398 assists for 508 points in 822 regular-season games, and 21 points in 47 playoff contests. The puck-moving blueliner had seven seasons with 41 or more points, including four seasons with over 50 points.

RG.ORG: Former Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Sergei Gonchar revealed that family matters were behind his decision to depart the club earlier this year. He was invited to stay on as the Canucks’ defense coach following head coach Rick Tocchet’s departure, but couldn’t commit to a full-time position at the time.

“Right now, my projects are mostly family-related. I’ve spoken with one NHL team, but there’s nothing concrete yet,” Gonchar said. “The main issue is relocation – teams want you around full time, and at the moment that’s not possible.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Jan Rutta has signed a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette HC in Switzerland.

The 35-year-old defenseman spent the past eight seasons in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and San Jose Sharks. He helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.

Rutta has 23 goals and 75 assists for 98 points in 417 NHL regular-season games, and 11 points in 49 postseason games.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 14, 2025

by | Jul 14, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 14, 2025

The latest on the top remaining unrestricted free agents and suggested destinations for several of them in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently looked at the latest buzz on some of the top remaining unrestricted free agents.

Former Carolina Hurricanes forward Jack Roslovic (NHL Images).

Forward Jack Roslovic tops the list as the best player available. He enjoyed a productive 2024-25 season with the Carolina Hurricanes, netting 22 goals and 39 points in 81 games. Fox cited colleague Elliotte Friedman indicating that the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in signing the versatile 28-year-old forward. Meanwhile, the Washington Capitals could also take a long look at him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rising salary cap means most NHL clubs remain flush with cap space this summer. However, many of the remaining UFAs (like Roslovic) will likely get low-cost, short-term contracts that are easy to shed if they don’t pan out.

The Score’s Josh Wegman recently suggested the Leafs could be the best fit for Roslovic. While defensively inconsistent and a healthy scratch during the playoffs, he played alongside Leafs captain Auston Matthews in 2014-15 with the US National Team Development Program.

Winger Victor Olofsson is No. 2 on Fox’s list. He’s a power-play specialist with three 20-plus goal seasons on his resume.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wegman thinks the Boston Bruins would be a good landing spot for Olofsson. Their power play was among the league’s worst last season, finishing 29th overall.

Matt Grzelcyk is an undersized (5’10”, 180 pounds), left-shot defenseman who had a career-best 40 points last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to Wegman, the Colorado Avalanche could use a puck-mover like Grzelcyk. They need an experienced No.3 left-shot defenseman.

Ilya Samsonov could be an intriguing option in a thin goalie market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wegman suggested the Pittsburgh Penguins as a destination. Since he published this piece four days ago, the Penguins acquired Arturs Silovs, making it unlikely that they’ll add a UFA netminder.

Oft-sidelined winger Max Pacioretty is still weighing all his options, including retirement. Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving recently said the door remains open for the 35-year-old winger’s return.

Forward Luke Kunin recently changed agents and the physical forward reportedly garnered interest from multiple teams.

Winger Joel Kiviranta reached career highs in games played (79) and goals (16) last season. He could be a good addition to a team seeking depth among their bottom-six forwards.

Former Utah Mammoth Michael Carcone’s speed and edge could make him a cost-effective bottom-six forward.

Jan Rutta’s playoff experience and defensively responsible game could make the blueliner a good addition on a one-year contract.

Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev suffered a precipitous decline last season. However, Fox believes the workhorse netminder is better than his recent performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wegman suggests the Edmonton Oilers, who are beating the bushes in search of a goaltending upgrade. However, Georgiev would likely be a desperate last choice for them at this stage.

Wegman’s suggested destinations for other notable UFAs include Joe Veleno to the New York Rangers and James Reimer to the Calgary Flames.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2025

by | Jan 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2025

Recapping Sunday’s action, the Rangers and Golden Knights unveil their Quarter-Century Teams, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen scored with 15 seconds remaining in the third period to nip the New York Rangers 5-4, ending the latter’s 10-game points streak. Cale Makar had two goals and an assist and Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists for the Avalanche, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 60 points. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (52 points), who sit three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin Necas had two assists and Jack Drury scored his first goal with the Avalanche. The pair were acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday in the Mikko Rantanen trade.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Utah Hockey Club 3-1, vaulting into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 34 shots, Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle each collected two points, and Brady Tkachuk scored to end a 10-game scoring drought. Clayton Keller scored for Utah, who’ve lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ottawa forward Josh Norris returned to the lineup after missing the last two games for precautionary reasons. The Senators’ victory dropped the Boston Bruins into the top wild-card Eastern spot (55 points) and the Lightning into the final wild-card berth.

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and collected two assists in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Kyle Connor had a goal and two assists for the Jets (71 points), who’ve won three straight and moved into a tie with the first-overall Washington Capitals. MacKenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames, who hold the final Western wild card with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals hold first overall with two games in hand. Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 4-1. Tomas Hertl scored to extend his points streak to nine games, Nicolas Roy collected three assists while Adin Hill turned aside 32 shots as the Golden Knights sit first in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Anton Lundell scored for the Panthers, who remain second in the Atlantic Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is withdrawing from the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February. He is tending to an ailment and preparing for the remainder of the Golden Knights’ season.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy had three assists and Marcus Foligno had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 62 points. Seth Jones and Frank Nazar replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild scratched forward Yakov Trenin and defenseman Declan Chisholm from this game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Sunday.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, defensemen Adam Fox and Ryan McDonagh, and forwards Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Jaromir Jagr, Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan, defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

The Vegas Golden Knights also revealed their Quarter-Century Team.

Forwards Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and William Karlsson, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, and goaltender Adin Hill made up the First Team.

The Second Team is comprised of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Alec Martinez and Brayden McNabb, and forwards Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith and Chandler Stephenson.

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during their 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman Jan Rutta on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg will have a hearing with the department of player safety for a hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki is being evaluated after crossing head-first into the boards during an AHL game on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 26, 2024

by | May 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 26, 2024

The Stars down the Oilers to tie the Western Conference Final, the latest on the Panthers and Rangers ahead of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars defeated the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final, tying the series at one game apiece. Stars captain Jamie Benn opened the scoring early in the first period but the Oilers’ Connor Brown tallied less than a minute later. Mason Marchment scored the winning goal early in the third period and Esa Lindell put the game away with an empty netter.

The series shifts to Edmonton for the next two games with Game 3 on Monday, May 27 at 8:30 pm EDT.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton dominated the first period, outshooting Dallas 16-4. Thanks to goaltender Jake Oettinger, the Stars’ defense weathered the storm, limiting the Oilers to 13 shots over the next two periods. They also held the Oilers’ top offensive players without a point.

The Oilers are puzzled by the lack of penalty calls on the Stars. Their lethal powerplay had just three opportunities with the man advantage in this series thus far. When asked about it, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged it’s tougher to draw penalties in the playoffs. “The standard is the same for both teams. I’m not saying it’s unfair to us, but we would like the same standard.”

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Jimmy Vesey is listed as week-to-week after suffering an apparent shoulder injury in Game 2 on Friday. Veteran winger Blake Wheeler could replace Vesey for Game 3 on Sunday in Florida at 3 pm EDT.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: New York winger Kaapo Kakko was a healthy scratch in Game 2, raising questions about his role with the team going forward in this postseason and perhaps beyond. He has two points in 11 games during this postseason.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers dropped Game 2 to the Rangers but received solid performances from Gus Forsling, Ryan Lomberg, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

THE SCORE: Reports indicate the Columbus Blue Jackets are poised to hire Don Waddell for their top hockey operations position. His exact title has yet to be determined.

Waddell resigned Friday as president and general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes.

IIHF.COM: San Jose Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta received a one-game suspension for elbowing Sweden’s Isac Lundestrom during Saturday’s game between Czechia and Sweden in the IIHF World Championships. Rutta will miss Sunday’s gold-medal game between Czechia and Switzerland.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 29, 2023

by | Aug 29, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 29, 2023

A look at questions facing several Pacific Division teams in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently looked at the biggest question facing each team in the Pacific Division.

Among them was whether the Calgary Flames would make any major trades before training camp opens later next month. The expectation is defenseman Noah Hanifin will be dealt at some point. There’s less certainty about center Elias Lindholm but it wouldn’t be a shock if the Flames moved him before summer ends.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hanifin, Lindholm and center Mikael Backlund are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer.

Hanifin has reportedly informed Flames management that he intends to test next summer’s UFA market. There are reports the Flames and Lindholm’s camp are discussing an extension but no word as to whether progress has been made. A new contract for Lindholm could lead to one for Backlund.

Dixon wondered if the Los Angeles Kings might pursue another goaltender. He suspects that move might come during the season if the current tandem of Pheonix Copley and Cam Talbot aren’t up to snuff. Dixon isn’t sure if they could land Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, in part because it would take some salary-cap gymnastics by the Kings to pull it off.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with this assessment. Kings general manager Rob Blake could be forced into the trade market if Copley and Talbot can’t get the job done.

The Kings have plenty of promising young players to draw on for trade bait and a recent trade history with the Jets. However, Blake could ask the Jets to retain half of Hellebuyck’s $6.166 million salary-cap hit to facilitate a trade or try to swing a three-team deal to spread it around.

Turning to the San Jose Sharks, Dixon wondered if offseason acquisitions such as Mike Hoffman, Anthony Duclair, Mikael Granlund and Jan Rutta end up getting flipped to other clubs.

Duclair, 28, could be part of the Sharks’ future but the others are over 30 and probably won’t figure into their long-range plans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of that group, Duclair has the best trade value and would fetch the biggest return. That will depend on whether he wants to re-sign with the rebuilding Sharks or test next summer’s free-agent market. If it’s the latter, he’ll be used as a bargaining chip near the March trade deadline by the Sharks.

Dixon also took note of Elias Pettersson putting contract extension talks on hold with the Vancouver Canucks to focus on preparing for the coming season. He wondered if Pettersson might change his mind once he’s back in North America.

Dixon also wondered if frequent trade-rumor subject Brock Boeser gets moved before training camp begins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s remarks prompted at least one pundit to suggest the club he covers at least look into whether a trade can be done for the 24-year-old center. Considering his value to the retooling Canucks, I doubt it.

Pettersson is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. If a new contract isn’t agreed to by then, the Canucks are under no pressure to move him as they’ll still retain his rights.

As for Boeser, he made it clear at the end of last season that he wants to stay with the Canucks. There’s no indication they intend to move him. That could change over the course of the season but for now, I expect him to be part of their roster when the schedule begins in October.










Penguins Acquire Erik Karlsson in Three-Team Trade

by | Aug 6, 2023

Penguins Acquire Erik Karlsson in Three-Team Trade

The San Jose Sharks traded Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a three-team deal involving the Montreal Canadiens.

The Penguins get Karlsson, forward Rem Pitlick, forward Dillon Hamaliuk and the Sharks third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

San Jose Sharks trade defenseman Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL Images).

The Sharks receive the Penguins 2024 first-round pick (top-10 protected), forward Mikael Granlund, defenseman Jan Rutta and forward Mike Hoffman.

The Canadiens acquire the Penguins 2025 second-rounder, defenseman Jeff Petry, goaltender Casey DeSmith and forward Nathan Legare.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are retaining $1.5 million of Karlsson’s $11.5 million annual salary cap hit through 2026-27. Meanwhile, the Penguins are retaining over $1.562 million of Petry’s $6.25 million annual cap hit through 2024-25.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas finally lands the big fish he was pursuing since mid-June. This is the biggest trade he’s ever made in the NHL and it could define his legacy with the Penguins.

With the first-pairing spot on the right side of the Penguins’ blueline promised to Kris Letang, Karlsson will either move into the second-pairing position or over to the left side on the first pairing. He will likely anchor the first power-play unit.

The Penguins didn’t get much cap savings from the Sharks’ retaining part of his salary. However, they were able to clear the entirety of Granlund’s $5 million average annual value from their cap payroll

This move could work out well for the Penguins if Karlsson remains a 70-80 point defenseman who meshes well with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin over the next two or three seasons. But if Karlsson’s performance declines and injuries start catching up with him, they’ll have a blueliner with eroding skills and a still-significant annual cap hit on their books.

Pitlick joins the Penguins from the Canadiens. The 26-year-old carries an average annual value of $1.1 million and will either skate on the Penguins’ checking lines this season or head to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Hamaliuk, 22, spent last season with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder and is likely headed to the minors.

This move also leaves the Penguins with $1.495 million in cap space. They could get more if Jake Guentzel ends up on long-term injury reserve to start the season.

The Sharks aren’t getting a package of promising youngsters in this deal in Granlund, Rutta and Hoffman. Granlund and Rutta are coming from the Penguins while Hoffman joins them from the Canadiens.

This trio struggled with their former clubs and their best seasons could be behind them. Nevertheless, they should provide some experienced short-term depth for the Sharks as they continue to rebuild on the fly.

The real prize here for San Jose is shedding the bulk of Karlsson’s contract as well as getting a first-round pick as part of the return. They now have two first-rounders and two second-round picks in next year’s draft.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens managed to address some of their needs in this trade. They moved out Hoffman and his $4.5 million cap hit for this season, clearing space to bring back Petry at a slightly reduced price to add some experience to their young blueline, and brought in more depth to their goaltending with DeSmith.

Petry shouldn’t have much difficulty readjusting to the Canadiens. Despite his difficulties with the Penguins last season he still managed 31 points in 61 games. DeSmith could be the Habs’ third goalie behind Sam Montembeault and Jake Allen unless Montembeault or Allen ends up getting shipped out at some point.

Legare spent the past two seasons with the Penguins’ farm club. He will likely end up with the Habs’ AHL affiliate in Laval. The addition of the Penguins’ pick gives them two second-rounders in the 2025 draft.