NHL Rumor Mill – November 1, 2024

by | Nov 1, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 1, 2024

Check out the latest on the Oilers, Leafs and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

OILERS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Caleb Kerney cited Elliotte Friedman’s appearance earlier this week on “Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer” listing four potential blueline trade targets for the Oilers.

They include Cam Fowler of the Anaheim Ducks, Connor Murphy of the Chicago Blackhawks, Matt Benning of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Seth Jones of the Blackhawks.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was broadcast before the Leafs acquired Benning from the San Jose Sharks. However, Kerney’s colleague Nick Barden cited TSN’s Darren Dreger suggesting the Leafs could flip Benning to bring in an additional asset if the club is still struggling with the salary cap.

Don’t hold your breath expecting Fowler, Jones or Murphy to don an Oilers jersey anytime soon. Fowler and Jones carry hefty cap hits with no-trade protection. The asking prices are likely too expensive for the cap-strapped Oilers unless they can swing a three-team deal.

Murphy is signed through next season with an AAV of $4.4 million and a 10-team no-trade list. The earliest he could be available is near the March 7 trade deadline.

EDMONTON JOURNAL’s Jim Matheson also mentioned Murphy and suggested Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov as another trade option for the Oilers. He’s eligible for UFA status next July and the Jackets carry $4.7 million of his $6.75 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Provorov is more likely to be available than Fowler, Jones and Murphy. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported last week that the Utah Hockey Club contacted the Blue Jackets about Provorov but they’re not in a hurry to move him. They’ll likely wait until the trade deadline if they’re out of the playoff race by then to drive up his value.

LEAFS

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan recently noted that Nick Robertson was a healthy scratch from the Maple Leafs game against the Winnipeg Jets earlier this week. The 23-year-old winger led the Leafs with five preseason goals but has only one in 10 regular-season contests thus far.

Robertson said he wasn’t taking the benching personally, saying he was focused on working hard.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Aarif Deens cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that the Avalanche were shopping around for a forward.

Deens suggested Robertson as a possible trade option for the Avs, pointing out that the winger can’t seem to find a permanent role with the Leafs. He thinks Robertson’s offensive game could take off with the right linemates.

Robertson is on a one-year, $875K contract. He’d be an affordable possibility for the cap-strapped Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson was the frequent topic of offseason speculation after requesting a trade on June 30 but re-signed before training camp. Leafs management saw him as a middle-six winger but they could entertain trade offers if he continues having difficulty filling that role.

CANADIENS

RG.ORG: Marco Dumont cites a source claiming Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans is attracting some interest in the NHL trade market. Dumont cites the jump in the 28-year-old Evans’ production (five points in 11 games) and his mature defensive game.

Evans is UFA-eligible next summer and carries an affordable $1.7 million cap hit this season. Dumont’s source noted that the Canadiens are searching for a top-four defenseman, suggesting that it would make sense to use Evans as trade bait to address their blueline need.

The Canadiens have other assets such as draft picks and prospects to draw on. However, if they’re unwilling to sacrifice their future it would make sense to cash in on their pending UFAs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens aren’t likely to move Evans right now. It’s more likely a trade-deadline move if he proves too costly to re-sign.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 29, 2024

by | Sep 29, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 29, 2024

Some predictions for the coming season in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski made bold predictions for every NHL team for 2024-25. Among them were some trade and free-agent forecasts.

Wyshynski expects this season will be Jim Montgomery’s last as head coach of the Bruins. He cited the lack of contract extension talks between the two sides and the club’s inability to get past the Florida Panthers in the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another early postseason exit could spell the end for Montgomery in Boston.

Linus Ullmark’s tenure with the Ottawa Senators will only last this season. Wyshynski noted the 31-year-old goaltender is in the final season of his contract and the Sens are giving him time to acclimate before trying to re-sign him.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark could enjoy his time in Ottawa and want to stick around, especially if he backstops them to their first postseason appearance in eight years. Where it could get sticky is how much salary he’ll want and for how long.

Wyshynski expects Mitch Marner will re-sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He pointed out how stories that he’ll get traded this summer gave way to stories that he’s open to negotiating a contract extension during this season, remaining unwavering in his intent to stick with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll cost a fortune to keep Marner in the fold, perhaps over $12.5 million annually. However, John Tavares’ big contract comes off their books next summer and if Tavares wants to stay he’ll have to do so for less money. They’ll have enough to re-sign Marner, even if it means carrying a top-heavy roster that struggles in the playoffs for the foreseeable future.

Igor Shesterkin will get his hefty new contract with the New York Rangers, probably before the start of the season to avoid an average performance on his part bringing down his average annual value. Whyshynki predicts they’ll reach common ground at around $11 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers are believed to be willing to go as high as $11 million while the Shesterkin camp reportedly seeks an average annual value of $12 million. They’re not that far apart if those reports are true.

Wyshynski predicts the rising salary cap could make it possible for the Chicago Blackhawks to find a trade partner willing to take defenseman Seth Jones and his $9.5 million AAV off their hands.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe, but that also depends on Jones’ willingness to waive his full no-movement clause. Until that happens, the 29-year-old defenseman isn’t going anywhere.

Expect the Anaheim Ducks to move Cam Fowler by the March 7 trade deadline. The 32-year-old defenseman has had discussions with management about his future. He’s signed through 2025-26 with an AAV of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler will be enticing to contenders seeking a top-pairing defenseman who will be more than a rental player for one postseason.

Speaking of the Ducks, Wyshynski predicts they’ll move forward Trevor Zegras in the offseason when he’ll have a year remaining on his contract. The 23-year-old center can become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras emerged as a trade candidate in January. His name continues to float to the surface of the rumor mill. A strong performance on his part this season could silence that chatter or bolster his value in the trade market.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2023

by | Sep 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2023

The Blue Jackets refute a privacy violation accusation against coach Mike Babcock, Carey Price admits his playing career is likely over, the Blues’ Torey Krug will miss the start of training camp, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Columbus Blue Jackets released statements from head coach Mike Babcock and team captain Boone Jenner refuting allegations that he invaded his players’ privacy.

“Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast host Paul Bissonnette said he got a text from an unnamed player claiming Babcock called Jenner into his office asking to see his phone in order to view the photos on it to determine the type of person he was.

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock (NHL Images).

After looking into the allegation yesterday, the Blue Jackets released statements from Babcock and Jenner with their versions of what happened, stating Bissonnette’s depiction wasn’t delivered in the proper context.

Babcock said that he asked players and staff to share family photos off their phones as a way of getting to know them better. He called Bissonnette’s depiction of events “a gross misrepresentation of those meetings and extremely offensive.”

Jenner, meanwhile, said he was “happy to share” some of his photos of his family, pointing out Babcock had done the same with him. “I thought it was a great first meeting and a good way for us to start a relationship. To have this blown out of proportion is truly disappointing.”

Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau fully supported Babcock and Jenner. He said the coach also asked him to share some of his family photos. “It was his way of kinda getting to know me, and I got to know him,” said Gaudreau, adding he had no problem with it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Babcock was hired as the Blue Jackets coach earlier this summer. He is under a harsher spotlight following allegations in 2019 that he bullied players during his coaching tenures with the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bissonnette is standing by his comments claiming “tons of players” have confirmed the accusation. However, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league doesn’t consider this to be an issue. He also said the NHLPA has followed up, claiming Bissonnette’s depiction of the events wasn’t consistent with what the players reported to the PA.

Babcock and Jenner also spoke to the media yesterday after their statements were released. They insisted what happened was taken out of context and blown out of proportion.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price admitted that his knee injury has likely ended his playing career. He missed all of 2022-23 and is expected to be sidelined again this season.

Price, 36, said his knee feels good on a day-to-day basis and he can do things that are strenuous for a short period of time. However, he cannot handle the brunt of a full season of goaltending as he still gets tremendous swelling in his knee as a result. Price indicated that it was swollen for two weeks following his participation in a charity softball event this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price still has three seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $10.5 million. He will be placed on long-term injury reserve this season once he completes his training camp medical next week.

STLTODAY.COM: St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug will miss the start of training camp after injuring his right foot during off-season training. He’ll be reevaluated on Oct. 1.

Krug, 32, has been hampered by injuries in recent years. He missed 19 games last season and 18 contests in 2021-22.

NHL.COM: Seth Jones said he’d be honored if he were to be named the next captain of the Chicago Blackhawks. “I’ve always wanted to be a captain,” said Jones, adding he’d learned from some great leaders such as Shea Weber, Nick Foligno and Jonathan Toews over this career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks have yet to name a replacement for Toews, who captained the club from 2008 to April of last season. Jones could be the front-runner for the role.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets named center Adam Lowry as their new team captain. Lowry, 30, takes over from Blake Wheeler, who was bought out of the remaining year of his contract in June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets head coach Rick Bowness cited Lowry’s work ethic, competitiveness and ability to communicate with his teammates as reason why he was tapped as the new captain. The Athletic’s Murat Ates cited Lowry as “a level-headed, inclusive, passionate, honest and consistently hard-working player.”

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed free-agent winger Tomas Tatar to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rumors linked Tatar to the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders. Instead, he lands with one of the top teams in the Western Conference.

The 32-year-old winger has a reputation as a solid regular-season performer who struggles in the postseason. Perhaps he’ll have better luck in the playoffs with the Avalanche.

CALGARY SUN: Mikael Backlund hasn’t closed the door on signing a contract extension with the Flames. The 34-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Backlund is taking a wait-and-see approach to this season to determine if the Flames are ready to become a Stanley Cup contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Backlund could be shopped by the March 8 trade deadline if the Flames are out of playoff contention by then.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed winger Maxime Comtois to a professional tryout offer (PTO).

TSN: Speaking of the Golden Knights, Nick Holden is joining their front office after announcing his retirement yesterday. The 36-year-old defenseman played 654 career regular-season games over 12 seasons (2010-11 to 2022-23) with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, the Golden Knights and Ottawa Senators, finishing with 178 career points.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Adam Erne to a PTO contract.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken prospect Shane Wright will be granted an exemption from the OHL allowing him to play for the club’s AHL affiliate if he fails to make the Kraken roster this season. In other words, he won’t have to return to his junior club because he missed the age eligibility cutoff by just five days.

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins announced their “Historic 100” list of the 100 most legendary players in franchise history ahead of its “All-Centennial” all-star roster reveal on Oct. 12. Among the notables are Bobby Orr, Raymond Bourque, Phil Esposito, Eddie Shore, Brad Park, Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Gerry Cheevers, Tim Thomas, Brad Marchand, Jean Ratelle, Rick Middleton and Joe Thornton.

ESPN.COM: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly believes a third attempt at operating an NHL franchise in Atlanta could be more successful than the previous two attempts. He indicated the market demographics have significantly improved in that area but noted that the rink location would be important.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated that league commissioner Gary Bettman has said that expansion isn’t a priority for the NHL right now.

Nevertheless, there’s been speculation among some pundits that another franchise in Atlanta could become a possibility down the road. In addition to the construction of an arena in a suitable location, it will also require a deep-pocketed ownership group willing to pay over $1 billion in expansion fees.

TSN: The NHL and NHLPA are planning on staging a scaled-down version of the World Cup of Hockey in February 2025 given the timeframe and uncertainty over the participation of Russian players. It will not be a “typical tournament” of eight national teams playing over 16 days.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 22, 2022

by | Dec 22, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 22, 2022

Should the Oilers or Jets attempt to acquire Jakob Chychrun? Are the Senators interested in the Blackhawks’ Seth Jones? What’s the latest on James van Riemsdyk, Jordan Staal and Vladislav Gavrikov? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE OILERS OR JETS PURSUE CHYCHRUN?

THE ATHLETIC: Ryan Nugent-Bowman noted that the Edmonton Oilers have been linked to the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Vladislav Gavrikov, the Montreal Canadiens’ Joel Edmundson, the Nashville Predators’ Mattias Ekholm and the Anaheim Ducks’ John Klingberg in the rumor mill.

However, Nugent-Bowman thinks they should attempt to acquire Jakob Chychrun. He believes the Arizona Coyotes defenseman would bolster the Oilers’ blueline and alleviate pressure from Darnell Nurse.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Nugent-Bowman acknowledged the Coyotes’ high asking price for Chychrun as well as the blueliner’s injury history. However, he pointed to his solid performance when healthy as well as his affordable $4.6 million cap hit through 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Bowman doesn’t believe Oilers management shares his opinion on Chychrun. General manager Ken Holland could surprise us but I think there’s a better chance of seeing Edmundson, Gavrikov or Klingberg suiting up for the Oilers by the March 3 trade deadline.

I don’t think the Predators intend to part with Ekholm. GM David Poile is stubbornly sticking with his veterans.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jacob Stoller suggests Chychrun could be the missing piece to put the Winnipeg Jets over the top.

Along with Josh Morrissey, Chychrun would give their blueline two top-pairing caliber players. He thinks this could be this version of the Jets’ best opportunity to make a run at the Stanley Cup with Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler slated to become unrestricted free agents in 2024.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun would certainly provide a big boost of talented skill to the Jets’ defense corps. However, I’ll be surprised if Kevin Cheveldayoff, their usually cautious general manager, pays the Coyotes’ asking price to get him.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Ottawa Senators’ re-signing of Artem Zub doesn’t mean they’re still not seeking a right-side defenseman. Friedman mentioned the Chicago Blackhawks’ Seth Jones but said it appears that was as much due diligence as anything else.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones’ hefty $9.5 million average annual value through 2029-30 aside, any trade involving the 28-year-old defenseman depends on his willingness to waive his no-movement clause. Things are rough for the rebuilding Blackhawks right now but there’s no indication Jones wants out. He could become their next captain if Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane don’t return next season.

Friedman believes the Edmonton Oilers are eyeing Vladislav Gavrikov. He believes the Columbus Blue Jackets would set a high asking price for the 27-year-old defenseman, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Mark Spector elaborated that it would likely be a first-round pick plus a third or fourth-rounder.

The New Jersey Devils have a very nice right-side defense with Dougie Hamilton, John Marino and Damon Severson. The latter is eligible for UFA status next summer and his situation could be worth watching but the Devils are trying to win now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Severson’s drop to the third pairing and his free-agent eligibility has made him the occasional topic of media trade speculation. I think the Devils will hang onto him for the playoffs unless their season goes off the rails before the March 3 trade deadline.

Friedman thought Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk might make sense for the Calgary Flames. However, he no longer thinks that’s a fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: van Riemsdyk is a UFA in July and is reportedly available in the trade market. The Flames, however, are pressed against the salary cap. Even if the Flyers retained half of JvR’s $7 million cap hit, the Flames would have to move out a player to make the dollars fit.

No one is expecting Jordan Staal to leave the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staal is a UFA next summer coming off a 10-year, $60-million contract. The 34-year-old center isn’t going to get $6 million annually again but perhaps he’ll accept something between $4.5 million and $5 million on a two or three-year deal to stay in Carolina.

Friedman considers the chances of the Vancouver Canucks trading defenseman Quinn Hughes to be low. He also thinks Ethan Bear will get a contract extension while a decision has to be made regarding Jack Rathbone.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless Quinn asks for a trade he’s not going anywhere.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2022

by | Nov 23, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2022

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Leafs place Morgan Rielly on LTIR and the Stars’ Jason Robertson is on pace to match a franchise points record. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres snapped an eight-game losing skid by thumping the Montreal Canadiens 7-2. They jumped out to an early 3-0 lead within the first 2:13 and finished the night with Jeff Skinner scoring twice and adding three assists, Tage Thompson enjoying a four-point performance while Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch each collected three points. Cole Caufield and Sean Monahan replied for the Canadiens (9-9-1) while the Sabres improve to 8-11-0.

Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner (NHL Images).

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider tallied two third-period goals to lead his club to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin picked up the win with a 35-save performance to boost his club’s record to 10-6-4. Kevin Fiala had a goal and two assists for the 11-9-2 Kings.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs placed defenseman Morgan Rielly on long-term injured reserve after he suffered a knee injury against the New York Islanders on Monday. He’ll be sidelined for at least 10 games and 24 days.

Rielly joins fellow blueliners Jake Muzzin (neck) and T.J. Brodie (strained oblique) on the sidelines. The Leafs have called up Victor Mete and Mac Hollowell.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly’s absence is stoking trade speculation that began when Muzzin went down last month. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill update.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Jason Robertson can tie a Stars franchise record for the longest points streak (13) held by Dave Gagner when his club faces off on Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Robertson, 23, currently sits third among NHL scorers with 14 goals and 29 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson and Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger are two of the brightest young stars in the league right now. The Stars are currently second overall in the Western Conference in part because of those youngsters but they aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. Hopefully, that changes as the season rolls on.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Good news for the Blackhawks as defenseman Seth Jones is returning to the lineup after being sidelined for 10 games with a broken thumb.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers provided an update on sidelined forwards Scott Laughton, Travis Konecny and Wade Allison. Laughton will miss approximately two weeks with a suspected head injury, Konecny is out 10-14 days with an injured right hand while Allison is out for two-to-three weeks with a hip pointer/strained oblique muscle.

Laughton, Konecny and Allison joined Ryan Ellis, Sean Couturier, James van Riemsdyk, Cam Atkinson and Bobby Brink on the sidelines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s no wonder the Flyers have struggled in recent weeks.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks have called up Aaron Dell as starting goaltender James Reimer is out with a lower-body injury. Forward Nico Sturm is also sidelined as he has an upper-body injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins forward Trent Frederic is listed as day-to-day with an apparent shoulder injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2022

by | Oct 18, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2022

​Why the time is now for the Coyotes to trade Jakob Chychrun, how a rising salary cap could make it easier for the Blackhawks to move Seth Jones and a look at which coaches are on the hot seat to start this season in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE TIME IS NOW TO MOVE CHYCHRUN

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes the Arizona Coyotes must move Jakob Chychrun now while his trade value remains high. He suggests the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild as three potential destinations for the 24-year-old blueliner given their early-season defensive struggles.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

The Senators can draw upon their young players and/or their stockpile of prospects and draft picks as trade bait. They also have almost enough cap space ($4.1 million) to take on Chychrun’s $4.6 million annual salary-cap hit. The Sens are holding firm to what they’re willing to part with but Proteau suggests that might change if the losses start piling up.

Chychrun’s size and hockey smarts could improve the Oilers’ blueline depth and lessen the pressure on their other defensemen. Proteau also wondered if Wild general manager Bill Guerin might step up to meet the Coyotes’ asking price though they’re in the middle of a salary-cap crunch. He’s got Matt Dumba eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.

Proteau cautions that teams interested in Chychrun could turn to more affordable options later in the season if the Coyotes don’t lower their asking price. One of them could be the Anaheim Ducks’ John Klingberg as a playoff rental player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have been linked to Chychrun since July. Proteau cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting over the weekend that there currently isn’t a path for a deal but that could change once Chychrun returns from his wrist injury.

The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman also suggested the Oilers could use a defenseman like Chychrun after watching their defense get picked apart by the Calgary Flames over the weekend. He believes adding a top blueliner needs to be GM Ken Holland’s priority before the trade deadline.

As for the Wild, their defense hasn’t been good but the goaltending of Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson has been brutal. Guerin might consider that to be a more pressing issue if things don’t improve soon.

As always, the two big stumbling blocks in a Chychrun trade are the Coyotes’ asking price and the rearguard’s injury history. Salary cap space is also an issue for some of the teams (like the Oilers and Wild) linked to him. Until one of those hurdles is overcome I don’t see Chychrun getting traded anytime soon.

COULD A RISING SALARY CAP MAKE SETH JONES’ CONTRACT EASIER TO MOVE?

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: With the NHL salary cap projected to rise to $92 million by 2025-26, Ben Pope suggests it could make Seth Jones’ contract easier for the rebuilding Blackhawks to build around or trade by 2025. The 28-year-old defenseman is in the first season of an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $9.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will depend on whether Jones is still playing at a level of performance that would entice other teams enough to take on his full cap hit. He would also have to be willing to waive his full no-movement clause. In the meantime, Jones isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

COACHES ON THE HOT SEAT

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille believes the New Jersey Devils’ Lindy Ruff and the Anaheim Ducks’ Dallas Eakins could find themselves on the hot seat if their clubs haven’t improved in the coming weeks.

The Ducks picked up Eakins’ option year for this season but nothing beyond that. They’ve added some decent veterans (Frank Vatrano, Ryan Strome, John Klingberg) and have some promising young talent in Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale and Mason McTavish. However, this is a rebuilding club expected to be bad again this season and that could make it tough for Eakins to maintain his job.

Ruff was booed when he was introduced during the Devils’ home opener on Saturday, which they lost 5-2. Gentille cites bad goaltending and some questionable lineup decisions behind the Devils’ woes. He also noted former Florida Panthers bench boss Andrew Brunette was hired this summer as Ruff’s assistant.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No rumors yet suggesting Eakins or Ruff (or any other NHL head coach) could soon lose their jobs. Nevertheless, this is something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Those two could certainly feel the heat if things don’t improve.