NHL Rumor Mill – December 18, 2024

by | Dec 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 18, 2024

The latest on John Tavares and Ivan Provorov plus updates on the Islanders, Sabres and Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT ARE POSSIBLE COMPARABLE CONTRACTS FOR JOHN TAVARES?

TSN: Darren Dreger said there is ongoing dialogue between the Toronto Maple Leafs and John Tavares regarding a contract extension. The 34-year-old center is completing a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $11 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images).

Dreger mentioned the contracts of Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (two years, $7 million AAV) and Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux (three years, $6.5 million AAV) have been brought up as comparables in those discussions.

The Tavares camp hasn’t brought up Steven Stamkos’ four-year deal ($8 million AAV) with the Nashville Predators. Dreger believes the Leafs center aims to be lower than that if this gets done with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs would prefer something closer to Giroux’s contract. Everything will depend on how high the salary cap is set for next season. Original projections have it rising to $92.5 million but there’s speculation it could reach up to $96 million.

WILL THE ISLANDERS SELL AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the Islanders core is running out of time to prevent some of them from hitting the block by the March 7 trade deadline. He feels there’s no point in keeping it intact if they’re going to be a .500 club and be in the mix for an underwhelming wild-card race in the Eastern Conference.

Sears noted this is the fourth straight season that general manager Lou Lamoriello has stubbornly stuck with a roster core that hasn’t won a playoff series since 2021. He doesn’t expect Lamoriello to be a seller if the Isles are in the playoff race, speculating the Isles GM could become a buyer by the deadline.

Nevertheless, Sears believes it would “amount to malpractice” if Lamoriello hung onto aging UFA-eligible forwards Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri if the Isles are only going to get bounced from the first round again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Isles keep sputtering along as they have thus far they’ll make it easy for Lamoriello to become a seller. They’re overdue for a roster shakeup and Nelson and Palmieri could fetch returns that provide for the future.

LATEST ON IVAN PROVOROV

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports agent Mark Gandler said his client Ivan Provorov would be open to contract extension talks with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old defenseman is due to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Gandler said Provorov and his family spend a lot of time in Columbus and love it there. LeBrun suggests something that could sway the blueliner is his 16-year-old brother is committed to Ohio State University, though Gandler said that is two separate business decisions.

LeBrun said extension talks between the two sides haven’t started yet but he speculates it could happen sometime in the New Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on how much of a raise Provorov seeks over his current average annual value of $6.75 million and whether Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell believes he fits into the club’s long-term plans.

SABRES STILL IN THE TRADE MARKET

TSN: Chris Johnston reports the Buffalo Sabres remain in the trade market despite their owner’s recent meeting with the players to express support for them and clear the air regarding the rumors swirling around the club.

Johnston claims the Sabres have been pretty active in having discussions with other clubs. He said they’re telling teams if they want one of their best players the Sabres want one of theirs back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres owner Terry Pegula told his players not to expect a big trade. That was before they got spanked 6-1 by the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. If they’re not doing a big trade, perhaps a change in management is coming. Stay tuned…

CANUCKS SEEK A DEFENSEMAN AND A WINGER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Vancouver Canucks remain in the market for a top-four defenseman. They’re also looking to add a winger.

The defenseman is the priority. LeBrun indicates the Canucks haven’t been the same since Filip Hronek was sidelined by a lower-body injury. He underwent a procedure earlier this month and is expected to miss at least eight weeks.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported on “X” that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman clarified his recent remarks suggesting a trade that would see the Canucks ship Elias Pettersson to the Sabres for Dylan Cozens and Bowen Byram.

Friedman said he was merely spitballing but said the two teams have talked. He added that he can see the Canucks having an interest in Cozens and Byram and the Sabres being interested in Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman’s spitballing created a buzz on social media among Canucks and Sabres fans. However, the Sabres probably aren’t keen to add a player carrying an $11.6 million AAV, especially one as streaky as Pettersson.

NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2024

by | Dec 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Sabres and Predators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE SABRES TRADE KAKKO?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes it’s time for the Rangers and Kaapo Kakko to part ways after the 23-year-old winger was a healthy scratch from Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. He suggested offering Kakko to the Buffalo Sabres for rugged winger Jordan Greenway.

New York Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko (NHL Images).

Brooks also confidently states that the Rangers don’t intend to sacrifice promising youngsters like Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann or EJ Emery for a patchwork fix that enables the club to win a playoff round or two. He also dismissed the notion of parting with a first-round pick for a playoff rental like Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports chatter about Kakko is reverberating around the league. He wondered if Rangers general manager Chris Drury expects to receive a return like a second-round pick or a package of a later pick and a pending unrestricted free agent. He doubted that another club would value Kakko enough to make a bigger offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Rangers are entertaining offers for Kakko they’re doing so from a position of weakness. He’s got 14 points in 29 games, which is an improvement over last season’s 19-point output in an injury-shortened season, but that’s not indicative that he’s going to become a reliable top-six forward.

Maybe Kakko finally blossom into a scoring forward one day but it seems unlikely to happen in New York. With his trade value low, Drury could be fortunate to get a serviceable NHL player in return.

THE LATEST ON THE SABRES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports big changes aren’t coming for the struggling Buffalo Sabres following a team meeting with owner Terry Pegula in Montreal. Pegula told the players he remains confident they can find the solution for their current woes from within.

Pegula also told the players he stands by general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff, adding they shouldn’t expect a big trade.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels wondered what the Sabres fallback position is if Pegula’s vote of confidence doesn’t inspire his players to improve.

Engels acknowledged the Sabres have premium pieces at every position, but wondered why so many of them (including Dylan Cozens, Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs and Jack Quinn) are floundering. He also pointed out several notable former Sabres (Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly, Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues and Brandon Montour) who went on to Stanley Cup glory with other clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo is a terrific hockey town. Their fans deserve better than what they’ve seen over the past 13 years.

The Sabres’ problems are longstanding and ingrained within the organization. It starts from the top with Pegula, leading to several management changes, a revolving door of coaches, and players who seem liberated whenever they move on to other clubs. If this version of the Sabres fails to improve, Pegula could make another change in the front office and behind the bench.

UPDATE ON THE PREDATORS

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Nashville Predators are eyeing the trade market to find some help before the upcoming NHL holiday roster freeze. A source told D’Amico that they’ve spoken to the Sabres and one of the players they like is Dylan Cozens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Terry Pegula’s remarks to the Sabres are anything to go by, Cozens isn’t going anywhere, at least for now.

The Predators probably aren’t the only club interested in Cozens, who has recently surfaced in trade rumors. He’s struggled this season but had a career-high 31 goals and 68 points in 2022-23, earning a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.1 million.

D’Amico reports the Predators are seeking depth at center and on the blueline. There’s been some speculation that other clubs might see whether the Preds and Steven Stamkos are having any second thoughts about the four-year contract they agreed to during the summer. However, there is no indication Stamkos is thinking twice about his new team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2024

by | Dec 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2024

John Tavares sets a Leafs record, Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov rises again in the scoring race, the Rangers and Sabres continue to slide, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: John Tavares had a natural hat trick as the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-3, setting a franchise record as the oldest player (34 years, 86 days) to accomplish that feat. Max Domi and Nick Robertson each had a goal and an assist while rookie goaltender Dennis Hildeby stopped 24 shots for the win as the Leafs hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 40 points. Jack Quinn tallied twice for the Sabres, who’ve lost their 10th straight game (0-7-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ongoing absence of defenseman and team captain Rasmus Dahlin is a significant reason behind the Sabres’ spiral. Head coach Lindy Ruff is shouldering the blame for his club’s woes but there’s plenty of blame to go around.

The Sabres’ front office faces growing heat for not making a trade to shake things up. However, they’re reportedly getting offers from rivals hoping to take advantage of their plight to pluck away one of their good young players.

Meanwhile, the Leafs announced goaltender Anthony Stolarz (lower body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 12.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals from Victor Olofsson in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Jack Eichel picked up two assists for the Golden Knights as they hold first place in the Pacific Division with 43 points. Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice to reach 22 goals on the season, moving into a tie with Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl for the NHL goal-scoring lead. The loss left the Wild (43 points) one point behind the Winnipeg Jets for the lead in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild netminder Jesper Wallstedt made his season debut as Filip Gustavsson dealt with lower-body soreness. Wild coach John Hynes said Gustavsson’s injury isn’t expected to be serious.

Jordan Kyrou extended his goal streak to four games while Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist as the St. Louis Blues held off the New York Rangers 3-2. Joel Hofer turned aside 26 shots for the Blues. Rangers forwards Brett Berard and Will Cuylle scored in the third period to make it interesting but they lost for the fourth time in their last five games. With 31 points, they’re one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers star Artemi Panarin missed this game with an upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Teammate Kaapo Kakko was a healthy scratch prompting rumors he could be getting traded but the New York Post’s Mollie Walker reported there was no indication a deal was in the works.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Dustin Tokarski made 27 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was Tokarski’s first NHL game since Feb. 2023. Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal each had two points for the Hurricanes as they picked up their third win in their last eight contests. Dmitri Voronkov replied for the Blue Jackets, who are 1-5-2 in their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson left this game after taking a stick to the face in the first period. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Following the game, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour received North Carolina’s highest civilian honor from Governor Roy Cooper. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is presented to persons “who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.”

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard broke a 3-3 tie late in the third period and Connor Murphy put the game away with an empty-net goal to beat the New York Islanders 5-3. Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and two assists and Arvid Soderblom kicked out 30 shots for the win. Ryan Pulock, Simon Holmstrom and Noah Dobson replied for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech returned to the Isles after missing several games with injuries. However, center Bo Horvat missed this contest with a lower-body injury and is day-to-day.

Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno missed this game because of illness. He isn’t expected to be sidelined for long. 










NHL Rumor Mill – December 13, 2024

by | Dec 13, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 13, 2024

​Check out the latest on the Sabres, Hurricanes and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST SABRES SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Buffalo Sabres are getting calls from other teams about Dylan Cozens. The 23-year-old right-shot center is two years removed from a 30-goal season but he’s struggling in 2024-25. He has five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $7.1 million, which Friedman believes helps his value in the trade market.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports no sense of panic among the Sabres’ organization despite their difficulties. Teams are calling in for promising young players like Jack Quinn but general manager Kevyn Adams isn’t moving him. He’s open to a trade that helps his team now but doesn’t want to force things.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn wonders what move could set the Sabres back after missing the playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons. They’re closer to last place in the league this season than they are to a playoff berth.

Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens (NHL Images).

Fairburn cited Adams saying he didn’t spend his $7 million in cap space because Quinn, forward JJ Peterka and goalie Devon Levi are restricted free agents next summer. However, Quinn has one goal this season, Peterka has one goal in his last 13 games, and Levi is back in the AHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are plenty of reasons why the Sabres have struggled over the years, from meddling ownership to poor management to a revolving door of coaches. The issue now is whether Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff can find a way to turn things around before their postseason drought stretches to 14 years and counting.

HURRICANES SHOPPING FOR A GOALTENDER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes had discussions with the San Jose Sharks about Mackenzie Blackwood before the 28-year-old goaltender was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. They’re seeking insurance for starter Pyotr Kochetkov.

LeBrun mentioned Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames, Anton Forsberg of the Ottawa Senators and Karel Vejmelka of the Utah Hockey Club as options. However, none of those teams are ready to be sellers.

The Hurricanes have spoken to the Anaheim Ducks about John Gibson. However, the asking price will have to go down before

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman also noted the Hurricanes’ interest in Gibson. He said there’s been an on-again, off-again courtship between the Hurricanes and Ducks over Gibson for years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson has a 10-team no-trade list but these reports suggest the Hurricanes are on that list. The Hurricanes could prefer the Ducks retain part of his $6.4 million average annual value through 2026-27, but the Ducks could seek something substantial to make salary retention worthwhile.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello isn’t tipping his hand about potential moves this season. His peers find it hard to believe that Lamoriello would move pending UFA center Brock Nelson if the Isles remain in playoff contention.

The Dallas Stars are expected to utilize its extra salary-cap space while Tyler Seguin recovers from hip surgery. Friedman indicates they’re doing due diligence on what centers and right-shot defensemen are available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars are expected to put Seguin on long-term injury reserve and use the salary-cap savings to bolster their roster for the playoffs. Seguin is out for four to six months.

The Vancouver Canucks are trying to find a better fit for Vincent Desharnais. It hasn’t worked out as hoped for the 28-year-old defenseman, who signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Canucks.

Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen is being scouted as a potential depth addition.

Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz is doing all he can to avoid making head coach Andrew Brunette the fall guy for the club’s struggles this season. Friedman speculated that little-used forward Juuso Parssinen could follow Dante Fabbro and Philip Tomasino out of Nashville.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz might not have much choice if the losses keep mounting.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2024

by | Dec 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games and the latest on Kirill Kaprizov, Tom Wilson and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson had a four-point night, including a natural hat trick, to lead his club to a 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Batherson also tallied his 100th NHL goal. Linus Ullmark made 31 saves while teammates Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle each had two points as the Senators have won three of their last four games. Cutter Gauthier scored and John Gibson stopped 29 shots for the Ducks, who’ve lost four straight (0-3-1).

Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win gives the Senators 28 points (13-13-2), putting them within two points of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

The New York Rangers nipped the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in the battle of two struggling clubs. Mika Zibanejad netted his 300th career regular-season goal and Adam Fox had a goal and two assists for the Rangers, who picked up their third win in their last 11 games. Owen Power and Tage Thompson replied for the Sabres, who have lost eight straight games (0-5-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres were in third place in the Atlantic Division before their losing skid began. If the Montreal Canadiens defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, the Sabres will drop into last place in the Eastern Conference.

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff is pushing every button trying to snap his club out of its funk. He benched defenseman Owen Power and forward JJ Peterka for parts of this game. Power’s turnover in the first period led to Zibanejad’s goal, earning him a seat on the bench for the rest of the period.

The win leaves the Rangers (31 points) holding the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Defenseman K’Andre Miller left the game in the third period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold is committed to getting franchise superstar Kirill Kaprizov signed to a contract extension.

“Well, it’s a priority,” said Leipold. He indicated the 27-year-old winger is “a big part of our future.” Leipold said he’s discussed Kaprizov’s next contract with general manager Bill Guerin as they try to figure out what the salary cap is going to be. “It’s an important part of our strategic plan to get him signed for as long as we can.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov is signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $9 million. He can sign an extension with the Wild on July 1, 2025.

Kaprizov is jockeying for the NHL scoring lead, making him an early favorite to win the Hart Memorial Trophy, something no Wild player has ever done. If he takes home the Hart, the cost of signing him will rise considerably, making him one of the league’s highest-paid stars.

Leipold and Guerin will want to know next season’s salary cap as that will give them a better idea of what it could be in 2026-27, the first season of Kaprizov’s next contract.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman projected the cap could rise by five percent to $92.4 million in 2025-26 as mandated in the CBA. He hinted it could go beyond that if the league and the NHL Players’ Association agree to increase it beyond the five percent limit. The higher the cap rises for next season, the higher it’ll go in 2026-27, giving the Wild more room to accommodate Kaprizov’s next contract.

SPORTSNET: Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson suffered a small fracture to his sinus cavity during Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. He went briefly to the locker room but returned and finished the game. His face swelled up and got worse on the flight back to Washington. However, he returned to practice on Wednesday wearing a bubble mask.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets placed forward Yegor Chinakhov (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled goaltender Jet Greaves from their AHL affiliate in Cleveland.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forward David Gustafsson suffered a concussion after taking a punch to the jaw from Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic on Tuesday. He missed practice on Wednesday and is in concussion protocol.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs placed forward Alex Nylander on waivers. The younger brother of Leafs star William Nylander has no points in five games seeing limited playing time.

NHL.COM: David Bonderman, who led the ownership group that brought the Seattle Kraken into existence, passed away on Wednesday at 82.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2024

by | Dec 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: more on the Senators’ claim about “soft tampering” on Brady Tkachuk, the latest on Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, and the clock could be ticking for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams.

MORE ON THE SENATORS CLAIM OF “SOFT TAMPERING” REGARDING BRADY TKACHUK

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer didn’t hold back his frustration and anger over a recent report claiming the New York Rangers made Senators captain Brady Tkachuk a trade target.

Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Andlauer claimed it’s the third separate occasion over the past year that he and the team had to “put out a fire” about trade rumors regarding Tkachuk. He made it clear to LeBrun that he and his club have never spoken to another team about Tkachuk at any time, adding that the winger will remain with the Senators for the long term.

Chris Johnston wonders if this will be discussed during the current NHL Board of Governors meeting. He pointed out the league wasn’t happy about how this summer’s free-agent period began, noting the league sent around a memo warning the teams of fines or forfeiture of draft picks in cases of tampering.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league was reportedly displeased over how quickly some of the top unrestricted free agents were signed within the opening hours of the free-agent market. It’s not unusual for those types of players to be quickly snapped up but some of this year’s signings occurred within minutes of the market opening. 

Darren Dreger claims those warnings from the NHL are considered toothless by pretty much every owner around the league. He noted this seems to impact Canadian teams more, especially smaller markets, as there’s an opinion players in those markets would prefer going to greener pastures with lower taxation. Dreger thinks there’s little the league can do unless a team like the Senators files formal charges.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some players in those markets prefer moving on but most tend to stay. The most notable recent examples are Leon Draisaitl re-signing with the Edmonton Oilers, and Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele re-upping with the Winnipeg Jets last year.

Accusations of tampering are easy to make but difficult to prove. Andlauer may be frustrated with dealing with these rumors but it comes with the territory. The best way to silence that speculation is to win. The Oilers dealt with rumors of Draisaitl and Connor McDavid moving on but that chatter faded once the club became a Stanley Cup contender.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Andlauer is expected to address this issue with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly before the Board of Governors meetings end on Tuesday.

Garrioch indicated the issue is someone gave New York Post reporter Larry Brooks this information about the Rangers targeting Tkachuk. Brooks has covered the Rangers for three decades, cultivating numerous sources. Garrioch also indicated Andlauer and Senators GM Steve Staios assured Tkachuk that he wouldn’t be traded.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun and Garrioch defended Brooks and I agree that he didn’t make up this story. A trusted source passed that info along to Brooks, who duly reported it.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker noted Andlauer saying his club hasn’t spoken to another team about Tkachuk. She indicated that was not mentioned in the Post’s original report.

ESPN.COM: Kevin Weekes reports his sources told him the Rangers have had no internal or external discussions around Tkachuk.

THE LATEST ON CAM FOWLER

SPORTSNET: In the latest “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reported hearing the Anaheim Ducks wanted to send defenseman Cam Fowler to the Rangers as part of the return for Jacob Trouba.

Friedman believes Fowler wanted to be included in the trade as he wants to play for a contender. However, the deal couldn’t be done because the Rangers wanted cap flexibility and couldn’t take on Fowler’s $6.5 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler is signed through next season and carries a four-team trade list. However, he’s indicated he’s willing to expand that list for the right offer.

IS THE CLOCK TICKING FOR SABRES GM KEVYN ADAMS?

DAILY FACEOFF: Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News believes Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is running out of time to turn his club into a contender. They’re mired again near the bottom of the standings and risk missing the postseason for the 14th straight season.

Lysowski noted Adams tried to make moves this summer to bolster his roster, including going after Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas. However, most players he pursued had no move or no-trade protection and blocked a move to Buffalo.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reported Sabres fans are “all over Dylan Cozens.” He thinks teams have inquired about the struggling forward, but if he were Adams, he’d be fearful of Cozens becoming the next player to go on and win elsewhere like Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly and Sam Reinhart.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lysowski pointed out Adams is the longest-serving Sabres GM since Darcy Regier. That tenure could end soon if this club fails to improve.

The Sabres put a lot of faith in their young players. Some, like Rasmus Dahlin, have blossomed into stars but others like Cozens are struggling. Something must happen soon if this club hopes to end its long playoff drought.