NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2023

by | Feb 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2023

The Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane enjoys another multi-goal game, the Senators trade Nikita Zaitsev to the Blackhawks and the Vegas Golden Knights ship Shea Weber’s contract to the Arizona Coyotes. Get the details on these and other stories in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Chicago Blackhawks overcame a 3-0 deficit to upset the Dallas Stars 4-3, leaving the latter winless (0-3-2) in their last five games. Patrick Kane and Max Domi each had two goals and an assist as the Blackhawks improved to 20-32-5 on the season. Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist for the Stars (30-16-12) as they remain second overall in the Western Conference with 72 points, one back of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Kane’s third multi-goal game in his last four contests. That could alleviate concerns about his nagging hip injury among clubs that might be interested in acquiring him before the March 3 trade deadline.

A third-period goal by Simon Holmstrom lifted the New York Islanders to a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets, leaving the latter with three losses on their four-game road trip. Ilya Sorokin made 25 saves to pick up his second-straight 20-win season as the 30-24-7 Isles (67 points) opened a three-point lead over the Florida Panthers for the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets (35-22-1) as they remain one point behind the Stars in second place in the Central Division with 71 points.

The Calgary Flames scored five unanswered goals to rally back from a 3-1 deficit and defeat the Arizona Coyotes 6-3. Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist to reach 500 career points as the Flames (27-20-11) moved to within two points of the Minnesota Wild for the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 65 points. Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes as they dropped to 20-29-9.

HEADLINES

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES/OTTAWA SUN: The Blackhawks acquired defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, a second-round pick in 2023 and a fourth-rounder in 2026 from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for future considerations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a straightforward salary dump by the Senators, shedding Zaitsev’s $4.5 million annual salary cap hit through 2023-24. They could use that freed-up cap space to upgrade their defense either at the trade deadline or in the offseason.

The Sun’s Bruce Garrioch noted the Senators have been linked to St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko but it doesn’t sound like they’re anywhere close to a deal. They’ve shown some interest in the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba but Garrioch believes they’d likely want to sign the pending UFA to a short-term contract extension. He also noted the Los Angeles Kings could move a defenseman such as Matt Roy or Sean Walker.

As for the rebuilding Blackhawks, they can afford to take on Zaitsev’s cap hit through next season as this move enables them to add to their growing stock of draft picks. They now have seven picks in the first three rounds of the 2023 draft, including three second-rounders.

ARIZONA SPORTS/VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Vegas Golden Knights acquired defenseman Dysin Mayo in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick and the contract of Shea Weber.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move is seen as a precursor for a bigger acquisition by the Golden Knights before the trade deadline, lightening their long-term injury reserve which already contains Mark Stone, Robin Lehner and Nolan Patrick. Shedding the all-but-retired Weber’s contract means they have more flexibility to acquire players signed beyond this season.

For a budget team like the Coyotes, acquiring Weber’s contract enables them to reach next season’s salary-cap floor especially if they trade a player such as Jakob Chychrun who is signed beyond 2023-24. On paper, Weber’s AAV is $7.857 million but in actual salary, Cap Friendly indicates he’s being paid $3 million for this season, after which the actual salary drops to $1 million over the next three seasons.

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin is officially sidelined for the remainder of the regular season and the 2023 playoffs due to a cervical spine injury. He played just four games before suffering the injury in October.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be a career-ending injury for Muzzin, who was already on long-term injury reserve before this announcement. The Leafs have used the salary-cap flexibility to add Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators forward Ryan Johansen underwent emergency surgery on Wednesday after being cut on his lower right leg by a skate blade during Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet as to how long Johansen will be sidelined but there’s speculation it could be a season-ending injury.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: Alex Ovechkin has returned to the Capitals after taking time away dealing with the recent death of his father.

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was fined $5,000.00 for cross-checking Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie during Tuesday’s game between the two clubs. Larkin had been assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for his actions.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane is expected to miss two more games with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2023

by | Feb 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2023

A hat-trick performance for Patrick Kane while Jonathan Toews steps away for health reasons, the Senators ship Tyler Motte to the Rangers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: A hat trick by Patrick Kane powered the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-3 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kane also collected an assist as he and Max Domi each finished the game with four points as the Blackhawks improved to 18-32-5 on the season. John Tavares and Mitch Marner were among the scorers for the Leafs (34-15-8) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane received a standing ovation from the fans at Chicago’s United Center as there is a sense that game could be among his last in a Blackhawks jersey. He could be playing for another club by the March 3 trade deadline.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews (NHL Images).

Before the game, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews released a statement indicating he was stepping away from the team as he deals with the effects of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome which sidelined him for the entire 2020-21 season. He’s been sidelined since Jan. 28 but indicated he’d been struggling with symptoms for several weeks.

Toews’ condition effectively ends any talk of the Blackhawks shopping him before the March 3 trade deadline. General manager Kyle Davidson said the team will do all it can to help their captain regain his health and perhaps return to action at some point before the end of the season.

The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 on an overtime goal by Mikko Rantanen. J.T. Compher had a goal and three assists while Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists as the 31-19-5 Avalanche (67 points) moved to within two points of the second-place Winnipeg Jets in the Central Division. Warren Foegele tallied twice for the Oilers (30-19-8) hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar missed this game with an upper-body injury after taking incidental contact to the head during Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. It was his first game after being sidelined since Feb. 7 with a similar injury. The Avs also announced that defenseman Erik Johnson will be sidelined for multiple weeks recovering from a broken ankle.

The Oilers played with Evander Kane as the winger is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Jets, they dropped a 4-2 decision to the New Jersey Devils. Dawson Mercer scored two goals as the Devils improved to 37-14-5 (79 points) to move within three points of the first-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division. Mark Scheifele and Neil Pionk each had two points for the Jets (34-21-1) as they remain three points behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers left the game with an undisclosed injury in the third period.

The Minnesota Wild nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3 on a goal by Ryan Hartman with 21 seconds remaining in the third period. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice as the Wild (30-21-5) sit in the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 65 points. Tommy Novak had a goal and two assists for the 26-22-6 Predators (58 points) as they sit seven points behind the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators announced they will be unveiling a statue of Pekka Rinne on March 10 outside Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Rinne spent his entire NHL career with the Predators and is the only player on the team to have his number retired.

Ottawa Senators forwards Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk and Alex DeBrincat each had three points to thump the St. Louis Blues 7-2. With 58 points, the Senators (27-24-4) are five points behind the New York Islanders, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The Blues dropped to 26-27-3 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Jake Neighbours suffered an upper-body injury in the first period of this game. Head coach Craig Berube believes Neighbours will be sidelined for a while.

An overtime goal by Barrett Hayton lifted the Arizona Coyotes to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor Ingram made 34 saves as the Coyotes (20-28-4) have gone 5-0-4 in their last nine games. The Blue Jackets slipped to 18-34-5 as Johnny Gaudreau missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shayne Gostisbehere returned to the Coyotes lineup for the first time since being sidelined on Jan. 24.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Prior to yesterday’s game against the Blues, the Ottawa Senators traded left wing Tyler Motte to the New York Rangers in exchange for right wing Julien Gauthier and a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2023 draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Motte returns to the Rangers after spending part of last season with the Blueshirts.

The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch speculates Gauthier could be a potential replacement for winger Austin Watson if he’s moved at the March 3 trade deadline. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple believes the Rangers have sufficient salary-cap space to add a fourth-line center at the trade deadline.

Speaking of the Senators, Garrioch also reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the sale price of the franchise could reach $1 billion. Former owner Eugene Melnyk bought the franchise 20 years ago for $130 million.

More than 15 groups were granted permission to review the Senators’ financial statements and a copy of the memorandum of understanding with the National Capital Commission for a new rink at LeBreton Flats.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks winger Timo Meier is questionable for today’s game against the Seattle Kraken with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 17, 2023

by | Feb 17, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 17, 2023

Could the Blues trade a defenseman? Are the Predators about to become sellers? What’s the latest on the Canadiens and Senators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE BLUES COULD SHOP A DEFENSEMAN

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the St. Louis Blues could give some consideration to moving a defenseman. Their top four of Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug and Nick Leddy all have no-trade clauses which could complicate things. Nevertheless, Parayko has been drawing the most interest among this group.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE Parayko, Krug and Faulk are each earning an average annual value of $6.5 million. Krug and Faulk are signed through 2026-27 and Parayko to 2029-30. Leddy’s AAV is $4 million through 2025-26.

I don’t doubt that Blues general manager Doug Armstrong is willing to entertain offers for those four. As Dreger pointed out, however, they all have full no-trade clauses. It’s possible they could be moved but the potential destinations will be limited. Their cap hits could also prove difficult for most clubs to absorb unless Armstrong retains a portion, which I don’t see him doing for contracts with that much term remaining on them.

WILL THE PREDATORS BECOME TRADE DEADLINE SELLERS?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes the Nashville Predators could become sellers by the March 3 trade deadline if they don’t soon get on a winning streak to salvage their playoff hopes. He believes GM David Poile could be willing to listen to offers on a lot of his players, including Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, Mattias Ekholm or Mikael Granlund.

NHL WATCHER: cited Elliotte Friedman’s recent appearance on The Jeff Marek Show where he said he doesn’t think the Predators will move Ekholm or Alexandre Carrier. Instead, he speculated it could be Dante Fabbro “or something else”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The good news is those players all lack no-trade protection. The bad news is that all but Fabbro and Carrier have two years or more remaining on their respective contracts with annual salary-cap hits between $5 million and $8 million per season. Good luck peddling them before the March 3 trade deadline with so many teams carrying limited cap space. I doubt Poile is willing to retain salary on any of them.

Fabbro and Carrier would draw more interest given their more affordable cap hits. They’re both due to become restricted free agents with arbitration rights this summer which could also make them enticing for clubs seeking more than a rental defenseman.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens could have difficulty drumming up interest in their trade candidates. Sean Monahan and Joel Edmundson are considered to have the most value but their respective injury histories have teams wary about acquiring them. There’s very little interest in Jonathan Drouin while winger Evgeni Dadonov’s improved play of late might draw attention as a secondary trade target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens got a first-round pick from the Flames last summer for taking Monahan off their hands so he’s already provided them with draft capital going forward. They also got value for Dadonov by acquiring him from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer as it enabled them to shed the entirety of the remainder of Shea Weber’s contract.

Edmundson is under contract through 2023-24 so the Canadiens can try again in the offseason or next season. There was talk of re-signing Sean Monahan before he was sidelined in December. If they can’t move him now, they could sign him to an affordable one-year deal and try again to peddle him if there’s real interest.

As for Drouin, his plethora of injuries and inconsistency torpedoed his trade value. Nevertheless, the Toronto Star’s Nick Kypreos wondered if the Colorado Avalanche might look into reuniting Drouin with his old Halifax Mooseheads teammate Nathan MacKinnon. I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators GM Pierre Dorion dismissed speculation suggesting he might trade winger Alex DeBrincat. He said the 26-year-old winger won’t be traded. “No chance,” said Dorion, adding the club still hopes to re-sign the pending restricted free agent before the end of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators gave up a lot to acquire DeBrincat last summer. Yes, it will be expensive to re-sign him but they’ll get it done, especially with new ownership soon to take over.

The Senators have received lots of calls regarding rugged forward Auston Watson. Dorion is willing to listen to offers for goaltender Cam Talbot, winger Tyler Motte and defenseman Nick Holden. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings have been linked to Talbot but his recent injury hasn’t helped drum up interest.

Dorion indicated he’s 99.9 percent certain that he’s not trading veteran center Derick Brassard. The club has been pleased with defenseman Travis Hamonic and likely won’t move him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2023

by | Feb 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2023

The Bruins become the first club to reach 40 wins this season, the Devils become this season’s first club to reach 20 road wins, the Blue Jackets scratch Vladislav Gavrikov for trade-related reasons, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins are the first team this season to reach the 40-win plateau as they nipped the Dallas Stars 3-2 on David Pastrnak’s overtime goal. Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha each had a goal and an assist as the Bruins (40-8-5) sit atop the overall standings with 85 points. Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski each had two points for the Stars (30-14-11) as they sit on top of the Western Conference with 71 points.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Ryan Graves’ goal with two seconds remaining in the third period lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 3-2. Vitek Vanecek made 31 saves for the 35-13-5 Devils as they became the first team this season to win 20 road games as they sit third in the Eastern Conference with 75 points. Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Blue Jackets as they slipped to 16-34-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets played without Vladislav Gavrikov as the defenseman was a healthy scratch for trade-related reasons. The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau weighs in on this latest trend of teams holding players considered trade candidates out of the line, suggesting it shouldn’t be for any longer than a week.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 with Stefen Noesen snapping a 2-2 tie in the second period. Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen made 13 of his 34 saves in the third period as his club improved to 35-10-8 and sit second in the Eastern Conference with 78 points. Joe Snively had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (28-22-6) as they slipped down into the final Eastern wild-card berth with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals played without captain Alex Ovechkin as he’s taken a leave of absence to deal with a family matter and the death of a loved one. He will miss the club’s Stadium Series against the Hurricanes on Saturday.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith stopped 38 shots while Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell each had three points in a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Jake Guentzel also scored twice for the Penguins (27-17-9) as they vaulted over the Capitals into the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 63 points. Timo Meier replied for the 17-27-11 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks winger Kevin Labanc revealed his father, Milan, had been in a medically induced coma for over two months after falling from a ladder while hanging Christmas lights during the American Thanksgiving weekend. Labanc said his father is now out of the woods and recovering. That explains why the winger’s on-ice performance has suffered in recent weeks leading to his being a healthy scratch in eight of the Sharks’ last 10 games.

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on a shootout goal by Steven Stamkos. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 43 shots for the 35-16-2 Lightning as they moved past the Toronto Maple Leafs into second place in the Atlantic Division with 72 points. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist for the 28-19-5 Avalanche as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played without defenseman Erik Johnson as he’s sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. He joins Cale Makar (head injury) and Josh Manson (lower body) among injured Avs blueliners though Manson could return to action for Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois scored the game-tying goal and tallied in the shootout in a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. David Rittich made 27 saves for the Jets as they improved to 34-19-1 and sit two points behind the Western Conference-leading Stars with 69 points. Philipp Grubauer stopped 38 shots for the 30-18-6 Kraken as they’ve dropped four of their last five games and sit third in the Pacific Division with 66 points.

Ottawa Senators goalie Kevin Mandolese kicked out 46 shots in his NHL debut to backstop his club over the New York Islanders 3-2. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson scored in the shootout as the Senators improved to 26-24-3 (55 points) to sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves for the Islanders (27-23-7) as they sit one point behind the Capitals with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau missed this contest as he’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The St. Louis Blues kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Ivan Barbashev had a goal and two assists while Brayden Schenn tallied twice for the Blues (25-25-3). With 53 points, they’re eight points behind the Wild for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. The Panthers dropped to 27-24-6 and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 60 points.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen picked up his first shutout of the season with a 22-save performance to blank the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Jonathan Drouin collected three assists for the 23-27-4 Canadiens while the Blackhawks dropped to 16-31-5 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens played without Arber Xhekaj as the rookie defenseman is out indefinitely with an apparent shoulder injury. Blackhawks blueliner Jarred Tinordi left the game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

VANCOUVER HOCKEY INSIDER: Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko denied rumors claiming he wanted to be traded. He said he had no idea where the speculation was coming from. Sidelined by a lower-body injury since early December, Demko said he’s focused on returning to action when he dresses as the Canucks backup in their game on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Demko rumors probably started innocently enough with a pundit musing over whether the Canucks might consider moving the netminder despite the three years remaining on his contract. Like the game of “Telephone”, the story changed as it bounced around the media and blogosphere and eventually morphed into Demko requesting a trade.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, goaltender Spencer Martin cleared waivers yesterday and will be assigned to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, BC.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings placed winger Lucas Raymond on injured reserve and recalled winger Jakub Vrana from their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vrana’s future with the Wings was considered in doubt after he was demoted to the minors. Recent speculation even suggested we would never see him skating with the parent club again as talk of a trade or a contract buyout surfaced in the rumor mill. This is a golden opportunity for Vrana to silence his doubters and prove he still has a future in Detroit.

A TO Z SPORTS’ Alex Daugherty cited Nashville Predators general manager David Poile telling the “Robby & Rexrode” Show that he doesn’t believe his club will be a buyer by the March 3 trade deadline. He suggested he could become a seller if things don’t improve favorably for his struggling club.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2023

by | Feb 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2023

Tim Stutzle’s four-point performance sparks a Senators comeback win, Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun remains scratched for trade-related reasons, the three stars of the week are revealed and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle capped a four-point performance for the Ottawa Senators forward in a 4-3 comeback win over the Calgary Flames. The Senators overcame a 3-1 deficit on goals by Drake Batherson and Alex DeBrincat to set the stage for Stutzle’s game-winner. With a record of 25-24-3 (53 points), the Senators are eight points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Dillon Dube scored twice for the Flames as they fell to 25-18-11 and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stützle (NHL Images).

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Kings winger Adrian Kempe scored his seventh goal in the last three games while Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson each collected three points as the Kings (30-18-7) sit one point behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights with 67 points. The Sabres dropped to 26-22-4 and sit five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Shootout goals by Anton Lundell and Aleksander Barkov gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 27 shots for the 27-23-6 Panthers as they moved to within one point of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Eastern playoff berth with 60 points. Kirill Kaprizov tallied his 30th goal of the season for the Wild as they hold third place in the Central Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild winger Marcus Foligno left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury. There was no post-game update as to his condition.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored two goals for the second straight game in a 6-1 trouncing of the Vancouver Canucks. Ville Husso stopped 29 shots for the Red Wings (24-20-8) as they moved to within five points of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Canucks are 21-29-4 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 50 points in 51 games in his contract year, Larkin is on pace to exceed his career-best single-season point total of 73. He’s proving his value to the Red Wings but the seeming lack of progress in his contract extension talks with Wings management has sparked speculation as the March 3 trade deadline approaches.

The Arizona Coyotes picked up their first road win in 19 games by doubling up the Nashville Predators 4-2. Lawson Crouse scored twice and Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves for the 18-28-8 Coyotes. The loss left the Predators (25-20-6) sitting five points behind the Flames with 56 points.

HEADLINES

TSN: Arizona Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny said Jakob Chychrun will remain a healthy scratch for trade-related reasons for the remainder of this week. The 24-year-old defenseman has been a fixture in the trade rumor mill since last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun’s been a healthy scratch since Saturday, prompting speculation that a trade was imminent. However, that might not be the case. I’ll have more in today’s Rumors update.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson and Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller are the league’s three stars for the week ending Feb. 12, 2023.

OTTAWA SUN: Actor Ryan Reynolds has partnered with Remington Group, a Toronto real-estate development corporation, to bid for the ownership of the Senators.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo is expected to return to the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Kraken after missing three games with a lower-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 13, 2023

by | Feb 13, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 13, 2023

More speculation over where the Coyotes will trade Jakob Chychrun, four clubs reportedly have interest in Patrick Kane, the latest on the Oilers’ interest in Erik Karlsson plus updates on Jakub Vrana and Vitaly Kravtsov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHERE WILL JAKOB CHYCHRUN GO?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Arizona Coyotes finally appear poised to move Jakob Chychrun after making the 24-year-old defenseman a healthy scratch on Saturday for “trade-related reasons.”

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Garrioch believes the Los Angele Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have been among the club in hot pursuit of Chychrun. The Senators were in the mix but the Coyotes’ asking price of two first-round picks plus a high-end prospect was too expensive.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards rules out the possibility that the Panthers could be Chychrun’s destination. It’s said that the Florida native would love to return home and play for the Panthers but Richards believes they lack the means to make it a reality.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Saturday, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reported sources from the Oilers and Leafs claimed they’re not in on Chychrun. The Kings also denied it but Marek observed they were honoring former captain Dustin Brown that night, meaning they didn’t want to comment on something that would distract from Brown’s big night.

NHL Insider Nick Kypreos tweeted Sunday that it sounded like Chychrun was headed to the Kings with prospect defenseman Brandt Clarke going to the Coyotes. However, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler followed up by citing a source claiming Clarke isn’t being traded by the Kings.

I wouldn’t rule out the Bruins since general manager Don Sweeney has a history of swinging big moves at the trade deadline. However, Kings GM Rob Blake has the depth in young assets to outbid Sweeney. We could find out as early as today where he ends up.

FOUR CLUBS HAVE “CONFIRMED INTEREST” IN PATRICK KANE

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus reported Saturday that they’ve heard the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights have “confirmed interest” in Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane.

So far, the 34-year-old Kane has yet to inform Blackhawks management whether he’ll waive his no-movement clause before the March 3 trade deadline. The organization feels it’s 50/50 that Kane will waive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s interest in the New York Rangers and his disappointment over their recent acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko suggests he’s leaning toward accepting a trade to the right club. We’ll learn soon enough if he’s willing to go to one of those aforementioned teams. If he’s open to all four, it’ll come down to the best offer.

LATEST ON THE OILERS INTEREST IN ERIK KARLSSON

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Nugent-Bowman reports questions abound over financial obstacles and structural fits regarding the Edmonton Oilers’ reported interest in San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. He cited an Oilers source saying that acquiring the 32-year-old Karlsson was possible but “remarkably unlikely”.

Nugent-Bowman believes it would require the Sharks to retain a sizeable portion of Karlsson’s $11.5 million annual cap hit over the next four seasons. Even then, the Oilers would have to move a roster player such as Tyson Barrie ($4.5 million cap hit through next season).

With Oilers GM Ken Holland last week saying his cap-strapped club having to make “dollar-in, dollar-out” deals, it would take moving more than Barrie to make a Karlsson trade happen. That’s on top of paying what’s expected to be an expensive asking price by the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anything’s possible but this could be a difficult lift for the Oilers during the season. It could require shedding two or perhaps three roster players depending on how much of Karlsson’s cap hit the Sharks are willing to eat.

Adding Karlsson would provide a welcome boost of superstar talent to their blueline. However, it could also weaken them elsewhere on the roster.

A Karlsson trade could take place before the trade deadline. Nevertheless, I still believe it’s more likely to occur in the offseason when teams have more cap space to work with and a greater willingness to make significant trades involving superstar talent.

UPDATES ON VRANA AND KRAVTSOV

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman reports Jakub Vrana said he doesn’t know what the Detroit Red Wings has in store for his future. Vrana, 26, has struggled to get his career back on track after emerging from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in January. He was subsequently placed on waivers and is currently playing with the Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

Vrana told Bultman that everyone knows he wants to remain a Red Wing. However, the club’s lack of public insight into his situation has sparked speculation that he’s not part of their long-term plans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s talk Vrana could be peddled at the trade deadline or during the offseason. If a trade isn’t possible they could buy out the final year of his contract this summer.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports sources confirm that Vitaly Kravtsov’s camp has requested the Rangers move their client before the March 3 trade deadline if he’s not part of their immediate plans.

The 23-year-old winger could become a trade chip but only if the Blueshirts can get a satisfactory return. Brooks speculates GM Chris Drury could also look at shopping Kravtsov in the offseason.