NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 8, 2024

by | Aug 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 8, 2024

The potential effect of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault on the Predators’ power play, Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond could take on leadership roles with the Red Wings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE TENNESSEAN: Last month’s signings of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault are expected to bolster the Nashville Predators power play. The Preds struggled with the man advantage during their playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks.

Stamkos and Marchessault will likely be part of the Predators’ top power-play unit alongside Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly. Stamkos will mostly stay on the left side, Marchessault and O’Reilly will play around the net and in the slot, while Forsberg and Josi keep pucks in play and shots from the points.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators improved on the power play in 2023-24, finishing 16th overall with a PP percentage of 21.6. Adding Stamkos and Marchessault could push them into the top 10 this season.

THE SCORE: Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde intends to have Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond take on greater roles with the club this season.

In an interview with Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Lalonde said he’d spoken with the pair over the summer about an increased leadership role with the team.

Seider and Raymond are restricted free agents but Lalonde isn’t concerned that both remain unsigned.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seider and Raymond are expected to be under contract when training camp opens next month. They’ve already taken on larger roles as their play improves and their experience grows. They’ll play important roles with the Red Wings in the coming years.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald explained his recent acquisition of Paul Cotter from the Vegas Golden Knights. He anticipates the 24-year-old forward will replace the physicality the Devils lost when Miles Wood departed last summer as a free agent.

Cotter had 25 points in 76 games last season with the Golden Knights along with 233 hits and forcing 35 turnovers.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights are taking steps to expand their fan base by touring in Jackson, Wyoming; Boise, Idaho; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Billings, Montana; and Reno.

In addition to participating in on-ice clinics, fans will get the opportunity to meet players, broadcasters and other members of the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Smart move by the Golden Knights to grow their fanbase by extending their reach outside the Las Vegas region, especially in areas with no NHL franchises.

TSN: Dillon Dube and Michael McLeod are listed on KHL rosters as they await trial in London, Ontario after being charged with sexual assault in February. Dube is listed on Dinamo Minsk’s roster and McLeod with Astana Barys.

Both players became unrestricted free agents when their NHL clubs declined to qualify their rights.

A trial date is expected to be set on Aug. 13.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 3, 2024

by | Aug 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 3, 2024

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is hungry for another Stanley Cup championship, the notable remaining restricted free agents, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has his heart set on winning the Stanley Cup again.

“We won the Cup, the greatest prize, but you want to feel the same feelings again,” said Barkov. That leaves you hungry. Winning the Cup helps us this coming season, but winning two in a row will no way be easy. Everyone needs to give it their all, everyone has to play his best game and, of course, you need a little bit of luck.”

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winning consecutive Cups is not an easy feat. Only two teams (the 2016 and 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins and the 2020 and 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning) have accomplished the feat in the salary cap era. Still, it can be done. The Panthers have been to consecutive Cup Finals and return with most of their roster core (including Barkov) intact.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau provides brief profiles of five young restricted free agents still awaiting new contracts from their clubs. He also examines the risks and rewards of signing them to long-term deals.

They include Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis, Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley, Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider, and winger Lucas Raymond.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All but Harley are coming off their entry-level contracts, giving their clubs leverage in their current negotiations. Some could end up with short-term “bridge” deals depending on their team’s salary-cap space. Swayman, meanwhile, opted not to go through arbitration again and is still in negotiations with the Bruins.

These players remaining unsigned at this stage in the offseason suggests they’re not interested in signing offer sheets with other clubs or no rival general managers are willing to go that route.

YARDBARKER: No contract extension talks are planned between the Dallas Stars and forward Evgenii Dadonov. The 35-year-old winger wants to see how this season plays out.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Former Devils forward Michael McLeod signed a one-year contract with KHL club Barys Astana. McLeod is one of five players to be charged with sexual assault in connection with an alleged incident in London, Ontario involving members of Canada’s World Junior team in 2018.

RG.ORG: Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov has started training with SKA St. Petersburg for the upcoming KHL season with an eye on a possible departure to the NHL next year. He was chosen fifth overall by the Canadiens in the 2024 draft.

Demidov will spend this season in the KHL but will face competition from players such as recent addition Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Canadiens could negotiate a loan if he doesn’t secure a roster spot with SKA St. Petersburg.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 31, 2024

by | Jul 31, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 31, 2024

A look at the remaining notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox and Rory Boylen updated their list of the notable remaining restricted free agents following the signings of Carolina Hurricanes winger Martin Necas on Monday and New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren on Tuesday.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman still tops the list. He’s coming off a one-year, $3.45 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nothing new to report on his contract negotiations. Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis cited AFP Analytics projecting the 25-year-old goaltender is in line for a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6.433 million. However, some recent media speculation suggests he could get around $9 million annually depending on the length of the deal.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and winger Lucas Raymond sit second and third on their list. They speculate Seider could get an AAV of $8.6 million on a long-term deal but Raymond could get a mid-term commitment akin to teammate Alex DeBrincat’s four-year contract.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been over a month since Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said he’d get Seider and Raymond signed “in due time.” There’s been nothing new since then but plenty of time remains to get both players under contract before the start of training camp in mid-September. AFP Analytics projects Seider getting a seven-year deal with an AAV of $8.125 million and Raymond seven years at $7.758 million annually.

Seth Jarvis is the focus for Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky now that Martin Necas is under contract. The versatile 22-year-old forward can play center or wing and has risen among the Hurricanes’ core players. He’s coming off an entry-level contract and there’s speculation he could get an eight-year deal worth around $8 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projects a seven-year deal worth $7.75 million annually for Jarvis. Unless Tulsky makes a cost-cutting move, the Jarvis camp will have to accept much less than that because the Hurricanes only have $6.44 million in cap space.

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill could attempt to sign defenseman Thomas Harley to a bridge contract. That’s what he did with Jason Robertson when the winger came off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Harley is projected to get a seven-year deal with an AAV of $6.922 million. However, the Stars have $6.243 million in cap space. The 22-year-old blueliner could end up with a short-term contract worth under $5 million annually.

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers’ sophomore slump compromises his bargaining position coming off his entry-level contract. The betting is the 21-year-old center gets a bridge deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projects a seven-year deal worth $6.66 million annually. The Kraken have the hammer here so it could be much shorter and for around $5 million annually.

Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti seems a classic case for a bridge deal after a healthy but inconsistent 2023-24 performance under former head coach Rick Bowness. However, the Winnipeg Sun’s Scott Billeck recently reported positive communication between the Perfetti camp and new Jets bench boss Scott Arniel. That could sway Perfetti into signing a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The projection has Perfetti in line for a seven-year deal with an AAV of $5.584 million. That could become a real bargain for the Jets if he blossoms into the scorer he was projected to become when the Jets drafted him in 2020.

The New Jersey Devils could go the bridge route with Dawson Mercer. Comparables include Ottawa’s Shane Pinto (two-year, $3.75 million AAV) and Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko (three years, $3.85 million AAV).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projected a six-year deal at $6.52 million annually. However, the Devils only have $4.9 million in cap space. Mercer will likely get a bridge deal unless the Devils shed some salary.

Cole Sillinger enjoyed a bounce-back performance from his 2022-23 sophomore slump with 13 goals and 32 points in 77 games. Like teammate Kirill Marchenko, he could get a three-year deal.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2024

by | Jul 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2024

Check out the ongoing speculation that the Panthers might trade Aaron Ekblad, an update on Jacob Trouba, and nine possible offer-sheet candidates in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON EKBLAD AND TROUBA

TSN: Jay Onrait spoke with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on Tuesday regarding speculation the Florida Panthers could trade Aaron Ekblad to free up some salary-cap space.

Kaplan said it will be difficult for the Panthers to maintain their roster despite being a destination franchise. Nevertheless, their front office isn’t afraid to make hard decisions. She can’t confirm that Ekblad’s on the trade block but wouldn’t be surprised if the Panthers explored that possibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ekblad trade rumors stretch back to June 2 when the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons speculated they could move him to free up cap room to re-sign Brandon Montour, who has since signed with the Seattle Kraken.

Ekblad has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7.5 million and a 12-team no-trade list for 2024-25.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

The Panthers are above the $88 million cap by over $933K. They can easily become cap-compliant before their season opener in October by demoting a lower-salaried player rather than moving a high-salaried core player like Ekblad. Montour’s departure could make the Panthers less likely to move him if they intend on staging a successful defense of their Stanley Cup title.

Onrait and Kaplan also discussed the recent trade rumors swirling around New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba. The Rangers reportedly had a deal on the table with the Detroit Red Wings. However, the 30-year-old defenseman didn’t want to do it with his wife still finishing her residency as a medical doctor.

Kaplan believes Trouba will be in the Rangers lineup when they start the season in October even though it was a really uncomfortable process over the last days and weeks. She noted Trouba used his no-trade protection in his contract to nix the deal with the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers general manager Chris Drury attempted an aggressive move to trade Trouba in the week leading up to the start of free agency. He hoped to shed most of his captain’s $8 million cap hit to Detroit to free up room for a foray or two into the UFA market.

Trouba used his no-trade protection to reject the deal as was his contractual right. He now has a 15-team no-trade list. Drury could peddle him to any club not on that list but it’s pointless to do so at this stage with all the top free-agent talent now gone from the market. Trouba isn’t moving unless Drury finds a return that improves the Rangers right away.

POSSIBLE OFFER SHEET CANDIDATES

SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler looked at nine restricted free agents who could become offer sheet targets this summer. She acknowledged the rarity of offer sheets, noting the last one occurred in 2021 when the Carolina Hurricanes successfully signed away Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Montreal Canadiens.

The longer Jeremy Swayman goes without a new contract with the Boston Bruins sows another small seed of doubt about this deal and how soon it’ll get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Someone could pitch an offer sheet to Swayman but that depends on his willingness to sign one. The same goes for every restricted free agent. It’s pointless to attempt if they’re not interested.

Swayman knows he’s got the Bruins’ starting goalie sewn up. He loves being a Bruins and playing in Boston. He also opted not to go to arbitration when he had the chance. That should tell us all we need to know about his interest in an offer sheet.

His negotiations could take time but that’s common. Most RFA contract talks can take most of the summer before a resolution is reached. It’s doubtful there’s any real concern here.

The Canadiens could make a “revenge play” against the Hurricanes by targeting Seth Jarvis.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens could make that move if Marc Bergevin was still their general manager. His attempt at signing Sebastian Aho in 2019 prompted the retaliatory Kotkaniemi signing two years later. The current Habs management probably isn’t interested in going down that road.

Swimming in cap space, the Detroit Red Wings can match any offer for Moritz Seider and/or Lucas Raymond. Whether someone attempts to set the market for them is the bigger question.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s doubtful that any club will attempt it. That move will only succeed in pissing off every general manager around the league for setting the market value for comparable players.

A rival club could attempt to squeeze the cap-strapped Edmonton Oilers by pitching an offer sheet to Dylan Holloway or Philip Broberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Possible but unlikely. Holloway and Broberg are in the early stages of their NHL careers. They might not pan out as hoped.

Sadler also suggested Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings, Cole Perfetti of the Winnipeg Jets and Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils. An offer sheet to any one of them could mess up their team’s plans to sign them to an affordable bridge contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another possibility but only if the player is willing to entertain offer-sheet proposals. Those three might not be interested in such deals.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 25, 2024

by | Apr 25, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 25, 2024

Check out the latest on the Penguins, Red Wings and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Rob Rossi reports Sidney Crosby wants to stay with the Pittsburgh Penguins and they want to keep him. Contract extension talks have not started yet between the two sides.

Sources told Rossi that both sides expect to have a new deal in place before or soon after July 1. The length of the contract and annual average value are the main elements to be worked out.

The Penguins prefer Crosby’s next contract to take him up to retirement. They’re also believed willing to do a short-term deal.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Crosby’s earned an AAV of $8.7 million on his last two contracts. It’s speculated his annual cap hit could be $10 million to $10.5 million on a two or three-year deal.

The Penguins prefer a longer contract that keeps Crosby’s AAV at or below $8.7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby will re-sign with the Penguins before next season. It’s just a question of how much and for how long.

Rossi also reported Bryan Rust was told by Penguins management before the March trade deadline that he would be back with the club next season. Multiple teams called about the 31-year-old winger but general manager Kyle Dubas retained him because he was preparing to trade Jake Guentzel.

Dubas shopped Reilly Smith before the trade deadline but found no takers because he wasn’t on an expiring contract. That will change next season and Dubas expects a more favorable market for the 33-year-old winger in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hockey News’ Nick Horwat cited Rossi’s colleague Josh Yohe reporting Penguins sources claim Smith never wanted to come to Pittsburgh. If that’s the case, it’s best to move him out this summer if there’s a market for his services.

UPDATE ON THE RED WINGS

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen reports the Red Wings have a projected cap space of around $28 million for 2024-25. However, that will shrink quickly once restricted free agents Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond are signed to new contracts.

The best comparables for Seider are Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson (eight years, $8.05 million AAV) and Buffalo’s Owen Power (seven years, $8.35 million AAV). However, his agent could seek over $9 million annually on a long-term deal. Raymond’s best comparables are Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle (eight years, $8.35 million AAV) and Montreal’s Cole Caufield (eight years, $7.85 million AAV).

Allen speculates Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s $8.75 million is the team ceiling. Assuming Seider and Raymond come in at $8.3 million and $8.1 million respectively, it will take a big chunk out of the Wings’ cap space.

General manager Steve Yzerman might have to shed salary to retain Patrick Kane and Shayne Gostisbehere. Allen suggested moving defenseman Justin Holl, who is earning $3.5 million through 2025-26, but that’s questionable unless Yzerman retains some of Holl’s cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Max Bultman noted that Yzerman hopes to bring back Gostisbehere. He indicated that Kane hasn’t shut the door on returning with the Wings for another season. Bultman also suggested Holl as a trade candidate and didn’t rule out Yzerman buying out his contract.

BIG DECISIONS FACING THE BLUE JACKETS’ NEXT GM.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline looked at some of the big decisions facing whoever takes over as the next general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

One of those decisions is whether Elvis Merzlikins deserves another chance as the Jackets’ starting goaltender. He was better on the ice this season but is also a constant source of dressing-room drama and has been hampered by illnesses and injuries.

A change of scenery might also be needed for Patrik Laine. The 26-year-old winger has struggled with injuries and is currently in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

The Blue Jackets have a glut of wingers. They must ensure veteran players don’t get in the way of a young player’s development.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The new Jackets GM might have no choice but to stick with Merzlikins given the issues mentioned by Portzline. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Laine once he comes out of the player assistance program. Given those injury issues, he could prove difficult to move. The Jackets could stick with Laine for next season to see how he performs.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2024

by | Mar 25, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2024

A look at some of this summer’s notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the latest rumors and reports regarding this summer’s top-12 restricted free agents.

The Vancouver Canucks recently offered an eight-year, $52-million contract extension ($6.5 million average annual value) to Filip Hronek. However, the 26-year-old defenseman’s camp rejected that proposal. Fox believes the Canucks want to keep Hronek’s salary below Quinn Hughes’ $7.85 million AAV but the blueline could try to push it into the $7 million range.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hronek is completing a three-year deal with an AAV of $4.4 million. He’s enjoying a career-high performance in his contract year with 45 points in 71 games. Hronek has arbitration rights and is a year away from UFA eligibility. It could cost the Canucks between $7 million and $7.5 million annually to keep him in the fold.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider is completing his entry-level contract. Fox doubted that Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would attempt to lowball the 23-year-old blueliner. He speculated Seider could get an eight-year deal worth $8.6 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seider is the Wings’ best defenseman and a key piece of their rebuilding roster, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2021-22. He’s yet to reach his playing prime. A long-term deal at $8.6 million AAV could become a bargain over time.

The Buffalo Sabres trading Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche earlier this month was based on the belief they would be unable to re-sign him to a long-term extension. Following the trade, the 25-year-old center pointed out how much the Avalanche wanted him by giving up defenseman Bowen Byram in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mittelstadt seems to be settling in well as the Avalanche’s second-line center. A strong performance over the rest of the regular season and in the 2024 playoffs will ensure he’ll get a lucrative long-term extension.

While Fox thinks Seider will get a long-term deal from the Wings, he believes Lucas Raymond could end up with a short-term contract. Like Seider, he’s completing his entry-level deal. Fox pointed out that Yzerman signed Alex DeBrincat last summer to a four-year contract averaging $7.875 million per season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how Yzerman handles Raymond’s contract situation. The 21-year-old winger leads the Wings in scoring with career highs in goals (24), assists (36) and points (60), but he has had bouts of inconsistency in his short NHL career.

Fox wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes will attempt to sign Seth Jarvis to a bridge deal coming out of his entry-level contract or bet big that the 22-year-old winger will break out and sign him to a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After struggling at times during his sophomore campaign, Jarvis has played well this season for the Hurricanes, sitting third in scoring with a career-high 57 points. I’d say bet big and lock him up long-term. A bridge deal could make him more expensive to sign down the road.

Despite Thomas Harley’s 40-point performance this season, Fox speculates that Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill could sign the 22-year-old defenseman to a bridge deal coming out of his entry-level contract. He noted that Nill did the same with winger Jason Robertson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Harley will get a bridge deal. This is his first full season after splitting the past two seasons between the Stars and their AHL affiliate.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman refused to comment on an early March report claiming contract extension talks had begun. However, he didn’t deny the report.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman signed an affordable one-year deal last summer due to the Bruins’ limited cap space for this season. He’s going to get a big raise over his $3.475 million and will likely take over as their full-time starter next season. There’s already speculation that his goalie partner Linus Ullmark could be traded during the offseason.

Fox noted the emergence of Quinton Byfield this season leaves Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake facing a big decision. He could sign the 20-year-old forward to a bridge deal or attempt to ink him to a long-term contract. Fox suggested the latter might come in between $6.5 and $7 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On the one hand, it’s tough to justify a lucrative long-term deal based on one good year. On the other, it’ll cost a lot more than $7 million to sign Byfield coming off a bridge deal if he continues to improve as projected. He’s steadily improved with each season.

Hurricanes winger Martin Necas is completing a two-year bridge deal worth $3 million annually and has arbitration rights. The 25-year-old forward is in a position to justify a significant raise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas has surfaced in trade rumors over the past two seasons. He might end up getting that raise from another club.

Turning to the remaining players on Fox’s list, Matty Beniers’ struggles in his sophomore season could see the 2023 Calder Trophy winner getting a short-term bridge deal from the Seattle Kraken.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Sean Durzi will seek a lucrative offer coming off his bridge contract. He’s on pace for a career-best performance.

The Buffalo Sabres could try to sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a mid-term deal. He’s performed well this season but it’s a small sample size to justify a long-term contract.