NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 9, 2025

by | Dec 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 9, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s action, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson kicked out 39 shots to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 4-0. James van Riemsdyk scored to extend his goal streak to four games as the Red Wings vaulted into first place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 16-11-3 (35 points). The Canucks dropped to 11-16-3, losing five of their last six games.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks winger Nils Hoglander made his season debut after missing 29 games with a lower-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Dennis Hildeby made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 2-0 blanking of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews were the goal scorers as the Maple Leafs (14-11-4) have won four of their last five contests. Jonas Johansson stopped 22 of 23 shots for the 16-11-2 Lightning, who’ve dropped four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning forward Gage Goncalves was ejected early in the third period for kneeing Maple Leafs defenseman Dakota Mermis. Shortly afterward, Leafs winger Bobby McMann received a match penalty for slashing Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand.

Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point returned to action after being sidelined by injuries. Earlier in the day, the Lightning moved starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to injured reserve.

Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson was a healthy scratch for this contest. Head coach Craig Berube said his play had dropped off recently.

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and two assists, and Filip Gustavsson turned aside 23 shots for the Wild, who improved to 16-9-5. Jordan Eberle replied for the struggling Kraken (11-10-6) as their losing skid reached six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kraken announced that rookie forward Berkly Catton is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. He’s unlikely to be joining Canada for the 2026 World Junior Championship.

Los Angeles Kings winger Joel Armia tallied twice in a 4-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the 14-8-7 Kings. Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist for the Mammoth (14-14-3), who’ve dropped six of their last eight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the struggling Mammoth announced that first-line center Logan Cooley is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

The Calgary Flames defeated the Buffalo Sabres 7-4. Nazem Kadri had a goal and two assists, and Yegor Sharangovich tallied twice and picked up an assist for the improving Flames (12-15-4), who’ve won three straight and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist for the 11-14-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After struggling through the opening weeks of this season, the Flames have been red-hot of late (pun intended), sitting only three points out of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, and Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe are the league’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 7, 2025.

THE SCORE/SPORTSNET: The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) downplayed concerns over the smaller ice surfaces at the two arenas in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Both rinks will be 60 meters long by 26 meters wide, or approximately 196.85 feet by 85.3 feet. The standard NHL rink is 200 feet by 85 feet (60.96 by 25.908 meters).

The IIHF stated the dimensions of the two rinks are fully consistent with its regulations and the NHL’s requirements for its Global Series rink specifications, adding that the differences are “insignificant.”

Meanwhile, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly is optimistic that the main rink will be completed on time and to league standards. His main concern is with the quality of the ice surface.

Daly said that if the players felt the ice was unsafe, they wouldn’t play. Nevertheless, he doesn’t see anything insurmountable that would prevent the main rink from being completed in time for the Games.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks have sent forward Landon Slaggert and rookie defenseman Sam Rinzel to their AHL affiliate in Rockford.

NHL.COM: Center Craig Smith announced his retirement after 14 NHL seasons with the Nashville Predators, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Capitals, and Detroit Red Wings.

In 987 regular-season games from 2011-12 to 2024-25, Smith tallied 220 goals and 232 assists for 452 points. He also had 23 points in 83 playoff games.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: The Senators have hired a firm to lobby the provincial and federal governments to help pay for the team’s planned new arena at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sports teams make enough money to pay for their own arenas, but most have convinced provincial and state governments to pick up a larger chunk of the tab. The Senators’ efforts will likely sway the Ontario government to pay part of the cost.

THE ATHLETIC: surveyed 120 NHL players, in which over 86 percent believe playing in a no-tax state matters. Many cited how teams in Florida convinced many of their best players to sign team-friendly contracts.

Some also suggested that teams in higher-tax states should have a higher salary cap, and those in lower or no-tax states should have a lower cap to balance things out. Some believe it is advantageous to sign in no-tax states because their dollars will go further.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Playing in a warm-weather state with no state tax on a good team is an obvious enticement for players. However, the state has to make money somehow, which means high property taxes, sales taxes, cost-of-living expenses, and fees that can offset some or most of those financial benefits.

Some pundits and fans believe that teams in no-tax states have an advantage over others when it comes to building and maintaining a Stanley Cup contender or champion, citing the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. However, it hasn’t worked so well for the Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators.

Speaking of the Panthers, their no-tax advantage didn’t help them from 1997-98 to 2018-19, when they only made the playoffs three times and struggled to retain their best players. It wasn’t until they finally brought in good management and coaches that they turned themselves around.

That’s when being in a no-tax state made it possible for the Panthers to retain most of their key players. It’s easier to convince them to take team-friendly contracts when you’re a winner or a contender.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 25, 2025

by | Aug 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 25, 2025

Check out the latest on Leafs winger Matthew Knies, Stars center Roope Hintz, Canadiens winger Patrik Laine, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TORONTO SUN: Matthew Knies is keen to find out who will be joining him and center Auston Matthews at right wing on the Maple Leafs’ top line. That role was filled by Mitch Marner, who has since departed for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

“It’ll be a bit different without Mitch, but the acquisitions we’ve made have been looking good,” Knies said, referring to forwards Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, and Dakota Joshua. “I don’t know what we’ll put together at the start of the season, but we have a lot of great players on our team.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whoever replaces Marner won’t replace his offence, but the hope is that the winger will be able to offset enough that the position doesn’t become a weakness. They’ll have to establish chemistry with Knies and Matthews starting in training camp next month.

The Leafs could move William Nylander into the first-line right wing position, but that could affect their second-line production.

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz said he’s fully healthy with training camp approaching next month. The 28-year-old Hintz suffered a broken foot during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but he didn’t require surgery.

“I’m feeling good. My foot is fine, and I’ve been able to train normally this summer,” Hintz said. “So everything is good.”

Hintz suffered the injury when Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse slashed him in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. He missed Game 3, but returned for the final two games of the series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated the problem was a bleeding issue that forced him to miss one game following the injury. Hintz said they found a solution that made him feel like normal, enabling him to return to action for the rest of the Conference Final.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Patrik Laine and his wife joined several Montreal athletes and their partners in the “From Us To You” fashion show last week. From Us To You is the foundation founded by the Laines to promote mental health initiatives.

“I didn’t see myself walking down the runway, but here we are,” Laine said. “I think it’s cool to combine fashion and sports and mental health.”

Laine also stated that his reputation as one of the NHL’s more fashionable players came about by accident. He said he wore something different before a game a few years ago, creating an expectation for him to dress up. “I don’t mind it. I hadn’t been super into fashion until a few years ago. It’s pretty fun. You show off your personality”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most NHL players tend to dress conservatively before games. That might change now that the pre-game dress code will be abolished under the new collective bargaining agreement, which takes effect in 2026-27.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders’ 2025-26 season will depend on the performances of forward Mathew Barzal and goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

Barzal is coming off an injury-hampered season, limiting him to 20 points in 30 games. Meanwhile, Sorokin’s workload increased over the past two seasons, especially in 2024-25 as backup Semyon Varlamov was sidelined by injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barzal’s absence and an overworked Sorokin contributed to the Islanders missing the playoffs last season. A healthy season for the former and a reduction of the latter’s workload could help the club rebound in 2025-26.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: This season will be Logan Mailloux’s opportunity to earn meaningful NHL minutes. The 22-year-old defenseman was traded to the Blues by the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for winger Zack Bolduc.

Mailloux had difficulty cracking the rebuilding Canadiens’ defense corps last season and was limited to just seven games. The 22-year-old could start the season on the Blues’ third defense pairing alongside Tyler Tucker, and could challenge for a spot on one of their power-play units.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mailloux could have a better opportunity in St. Louis to earn more NHL playing time than he had in Montreal. It’ll be interesting to see how the move to the Blues affects his trajectory.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2025

by | Jul 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2025

Check out the latest on Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Sorokin, the Canucks trade Arturs Silovs to the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov reports Alex Ovechkin is denying reports claiming he decided to retire from the NHL following the 2025-26 season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

In May, Ovechkin’s wife Nastasyia suggested the family might move back to Russia in 2026, after his contract with the Washington Capitals expires.

“She said maybe we’ll come and play in Russia,” Ovechkin told reporters. “But it was just a ‘maybe’. No one mentioned a specific date. It’s all nonsense that you guys are twisting and putting Nastasyia in a position where it sounds like she said I’m playing my last NHL season. Let’s just wait and see!”

Asked if he would consider continuing his NHL career beyond this season, the 39-year-old Ovechkin was noncommittal. “Anything is possible. I’m not saying no, but I’m not saying yes either.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin appears to be keeping his options open. He turns 40 in September and isn’t the player he once was. Nevertheless, he netted 44 goals in 65 games last season, setting the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring record. He also had five goals in 10 playoff games.

Another productive season that helps the Capitals remain a playoff contender could entice Ovechkin into extending his NHL career by another season or two.

Meanwhile, New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin shut down recent speculation suggesting he was a trade candidate during last month’s NHL Draft.

“I wasn’t surprised by the rumors – it’s part of the business,” Sorokin said. “What did surprise me, though, was how seriously people took them, even though everyone knows I have a no-trade clause. But overall – let them talk.”

Sorokin expressed his happiness over the new long-term contract signed by teammate Alexander Romanov and his surprise over Noah Dobson being traded to the Montreal Canadiens.

“That one surprised me,” he said, but admitted the salary cap meant the Isles couldn’t afford to keep Romanov and Dobson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sorokin’s agent, Dan Milstein, swatted down the speculation last Thursday, claiming his client had never been part of any trade talk involving the Islanders.

THE PROVINCE/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Vancouver Canucks traded goaltender Arturs Silovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for prospect forward Chase Stillman and a fourth-round draft pick in 2027.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen under long-term contracts, Silovs was the odd man out in the Canucks crease. His waiver-exempt status was a contributing factor behind this decision.

Silovs became a fan favorite in Vancouver during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. Replacing a sidelined Demko and then-backup Casey DeSmith, he backstopped the Canucks into the second round before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games. His struggles early last season led to his demotion to the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, where he became playoff MVP, carrying that team to its first Calder Cup championship.

The Penguins will be counting on a more consistent effort from Silovs as they attempt to shore up their shaky goaltending. Starter Tristan Jarry’s performance has been erratic, and promising Joel Blomqvist struggled in his 15-game NHL debut last season.

TSN: Former NHL forward Joe Pavelski won the American Century Golf Championship on Sunday at Tahoe. He closed with an eagle to defeat former MLB pitcher John Smoltz by nine points in the celebrity tournament.

“I don’t know what to say, actually,” said the 41-year-old Pavelski. “But just an amazing week. This place is incredible. It means the world to me.”

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former Red Wings forward Daniel Sprong appears to be out of NHL options. Known for his powerful shot, the 28-year-old winger has garnered a reputation in NHL circles for his uninspiring defensive play.

Sprong’s next stop could be in the KHL. He’s reportedly received interest from Avangard Omsk and CSKA Moscow.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In nine NHL seasons (2015-16 to 2024-25), Sprong has 87 goals and 79 points for 166 points in 374 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken, Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2025

by | Jul 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2025

The Stars trade Matt Dumba to the Penguins, the Avalanche re-sign Josh Manson, Ilya Sorokin’s agent reacts to recent trade rumors, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins acquired defenseman Matt Dumba and a 2028 second-round pick from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a salary dump by the Stars, who were sitting over the salary cap before this deal took place. It clears Dumba’s $3.75 million cap hit from their books, giving the Stars $1.955 million in cap space with 21 active roster players under contract for this season, with no notable players to re-sign.

The Dallas Stars trade Matt Dumba to the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL Images).

The Athletic’s Josh Yohe considers this move more about the second-round pick for the rebuilding Penguins, continuing management’s theme of taking on bad contracts in the short term to add solid future assets.

Dumba’s performance has declined in recent years, but he won’t make the Penguins’ defense corps any worse than it already is. He’s also in the final season of his two-year contract, and he could be dealt at the March trade deadline for another draft pick if he has a decent performance this season.

Yohe also suggests Dumba can provide depth on the right side of the Penguins’ blueline if they trade Erik Karlsson.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed defenseman Josh Manson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.95 million beginning in 2026-27. It’s a slight discount from his current AAV of $4.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Manson, 33, has been plagued by injuries in recent years. When healthy, however, he provides the Avalanche with a physical, right-shot presence on their blueline. It would cost them much more to replace him had he gone to market next summer.

TSN: Player agent Dan Milstein, who represents Ilya Sorokin, took to social media on Thursday to swat down recent trade rumors swirling around the 29-year-old New York Islanders goaltender.

Milstein reminded everyone that his client has a full no-trade clause, claiming Sorokin “has never been part of any trade discussions – not at any point.” He went on to scold those who originated the rumors. “There’s a difference between reporting facts and creating buzz about yourself.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before Milstein’s comments appeared, NYI Hockey Now’s Russ Macias dismissed the Sorokin speculation, citing his no-movement clause and why the Islanders have no reason to move him.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed restricted free-agent forward Mackie Samoskevich to a one-year, $775,000 contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This deal generated some buzz yesterday as some readers questioned why Samoskevich accepted less money than the AAV of his entry-level contract ($925,000).

The Panthers were already over the salary cap before re-signing Samoskevich, who had little leverage coming off his entry-level contract. Given their cap situation, it wouldn’t be surprising if management convinced the 22-year-old forward to accept this reduction with the promise of a more lucrative deal next summer, when the Panthers have over $23 million in cap space.

This signing leaves the Panthers sitting above the cap by $3.725 million. They’re allowed to exceed the cap by 10 percent during the offseason, but must be cap compliant when they begin the regular season.

It’s been rumored that Matthew Tkachuk could miss the start of the season if he undergoes surgery this summer to repair a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia. In that case, the Panthers would place him on long-term injury reserve, enabling them to remain above the cap when the season begins. However, they’ll have to shed salary or find another way to become cap-compliant if he returns to action during the regular season.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW/TORONTO SUN: The Sharks traded defenseman Henry Thrun to the Toronto Maple Leafs for winger Ryan Reaves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks cleared a logjam on defense following their recent acquisitions of Dmitry Orlov and Nick Leddy. Reaves hasn’t fit within the Leafs’ roster for the past couple of years.

Thrun, 24, will be a decent depth addition to the Leafs’ blueline. Reaves could provide the Sharks with some muscle to ensure rival clubs don’t take liberties against their promising youngsters like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.

SPORTSNET: The new NHL-NHLPA collective bargaining agreement (CBA) contains a provision that will allow NHL teams to place one CHL player in the AHL per season. This would enable teams to transition a promising young prospect into professional hockey sooner. Players who are 18 years old would be ineligible for the new rule, which begins in 2026-27.

DAILY FACEOFF: London Knights head coach Dale Hunter has been selected by Hockey Canada to coach its 2026 World Junior team. His brother, Mark Hunter, will be part of the management group.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston weighs in on Sportsnet’s recent announcement that it is hiking its fees for its subscription-only service from $75.00 (Canadian) to $324.99.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t use Sportsnet’s subscription-only service, but if I did, this significant rate increase would probably have me considering other options. Johnston believes fans aren’t currently getting their money’s worth, citing on-air quality and the degrading of the Hockey Night in Canada brand.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2025

by | Jul 10, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 10, 2025

Check out the latest on Erik Karlsson, Ilya Sorokin and Jordan Kyrou, plus five teams that could make moves this summer, in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports multiple teams are interested in Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson.

According to a league source, the Toronto Maple Leafs are among them. They’re in the market for an offensive defenseman and have also been linked to Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils. The Penguins would have to retain part of their share ($10 million) of his average annual value.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images)

The source also dismissed the notion of bad blood between Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas and his former team. It’s also believed the Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Utah Mammoth and Dallas Stars were involved.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have $4.9 million in cap space, meaning the Penguins must retain up to half of their share of Karlsson’s cap hit. Even then, the Leafs would have to shed more salary to make it work.

Karlsson is reportedly willing to waive his no-movement clause to join a contender. That rules out the Red Wings, Ducks and Mammoth.

The Stars meet the contender criteria, but they’re over the cap by nearly $1.8 million. It’s unlikely they could make the dollars fit.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner is skeptical of a recent report suggesting the New York Islanders were considering trading goaltender Ilya Sorokin during the 2025 NHL Draft.

The report claimed Islanders GM Mathieu Darche might’ve dangled Sorokin in an attempt to move up in the first-round draft order to select Long Island native James Hagens. However, Rosner pointed out that Darche indicated teams weren’t willing to trade their first-rounders.

Rosner also doesn’t see the Islanders trading their franchise goaltender when backup Semyon Varlamov is coming off lower-body surgery. He also noted that Sorokin is in the second season of an eight-year contract with a full no-movement clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only reason Darche would trade Sorokin is if he were staging a full roster rebuild. As Rosner noted, the Islanders aren’t moving their core players if they remain committed to being competitive.

STLTODAY.COM: Lynn Worthy doesn’t put much stock into recent trade rumors surrounding Blues winger Jordan Kyrou.

He acknowledged the 27-year-old’s scoring ability is what would make him a great trade chip. However, it’s also a big reason why the Blues should retain him, especially since they were 13th last season in goals scored.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of the Kyrou speculation occurred before his no-trade clause kicked in on July 1. Unless he’s keen to move on (and he’s publicly expressed no such sentiment), he’ll be in their lineup when the regular season begins in October.

SPORTSNET: Sonny Sachdeva listed the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche as five teams that could make moves in this summer’s trade market.

It’s believed the Oilers considered moving out a key player like Adam Henrique or Darnell Nurse to continue reshaping their roster, but they declined to waive their no-trade clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sachdeva suggested the Oilers take a swing at adding Minnesota’s Marco Rossi or Florida’s Evan Rodrigues, or a depth forward like New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer or Colorado’s Ross Colton. Their biggest need, however, remains between the pipes. However, the limited goaltending options available mean they could be waiting for a while to find a suitable trade target.

The Maple Leafs could use a couple of scoring forwards. Sachdeva proposed Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust of the Pittsburgh Penguins as trade targets. Moving out forwards Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf would free up $4.5 million to create additional cap space to facilitate a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could get Rakell or Rust but not both. However, they lack the tradeable assets to interest the Penguins, like a first-round pick or a good, young NHL player.

The Jets have the cap space ($19.8 million) to work with if they wish to continue adding to their forward lines. One option could be Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz, who has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $5.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth hopes to push for a playoff berth this season, so it’s unlikely Schmaltz is available. It might be a different story if they’re outside the postseason picture by the March trade deadline.

Sachdeva noted the Kings made some additions via free agency (forwards Corey Perry and Joel Armia, defensemen Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin), but they need more if they hope to take the next step this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sachdeva mentioned acquiring Jason Robertson from the Dallas Stars, but even he considers that to be a remote possibility.

The Avalanche could be a landing spot for Schmaltz or one of the Penguins’ wingers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: See my previous comments on Rust, Rakell and Schmaltz.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 9, 2025

by | Jul 9, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 9, 2025

Did the Islanders attempt to trade Ilya Sorokin at the draft? What’s the latest on Dougie Hamilton and Marco Rossi? Will the Capitals explore the trade market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE THE ISLANDERS CONSIDERING TRADING ILYA SOROKIN?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski cited Frank Servalli of Daily Faceoff claiming the New York Islanders considered the possibility of trading Ilya Sorokin. Seravalli made the remarks during an appearance on the Kevin Karius Show.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (NHL Images).

The 29-year-old goaltender is in the second year of his eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8.25 million. Seravalli said he’d heard of speculation that the Isles had discussed a deal with the Utah Mammoth for the fourth-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No reaction yet from those who cover the Islanders regarding this report. Any attempt to trade Sorokin would need the goaltender’s blessing. He has a full no-movement clause through 2027-28.

THE LATEST ON DOUGIE HAMILTON

B/R OPEN ICE: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli also believes the New Jersey Devils explored the trade market for Dougie Hamilton.

The 32-year-old defenseman is signed through 2027-28 with an AAV of $9 million. He carries a 10-team trade list for the remainder of his deal.

Seravalli doesn’t believe the Devils are intent on trading Hamilton. However, they’ll need to find some flexibility with their blueline going forward. If not, they’ll have to make some tough decisions with some of their younger defensemen, like Simon Nemec.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Utah Mammoth and Dallas Stars were believed to be among the clubs interested in Hamilton. While the Devils are getting trade calls for the puck-moving blueliner, he’s not expected to be moved anytime soon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hamilton’s cap hit and trade list will limit the potential suitors, in turn meaning few options for the Devils to get a suitable return.

The signing bonuses in his contract will also be a factor. Murphy pointed out Hamilton will receive a base salary of $1 million for this season and next, with a $7.4 million signing bonus due on July 1, 2026, and $5.25 million in actual salary for the final season with no bonus payments.

Interested clubs may have been waiting for the Devils to pay Hamilton his signing bonus for this season before expressing interest. Some might prefer waiting until next summer after his final bonus payment is made.

AN UPDATE ON MARCO ROSSI

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith report that there were teams interested in acquiring Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi. However, they were offering up futures or top-six forwards, which the Wild didn’t want.

The Vancouver Canucks offered the 15th overall pick in this year’s draft, but Russo and Smith aren’t sure there was a player the Wild would’ve wanted with that pick. “If you look at Carolina, who would the Hurricanes offer other than Jesperi Kotkaniemi?”

As for Rossi’s stalled contract negotiations, they could stretch into training camp and beyond unless he signs an offer sheet. Wild general manager Bill Guerin has said he would match any offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Until a rival club steps up with a significant trade offer, it seems Rossi won’t be going anywhere this summer. If no one’s pitching an offer sheet, the 23-year-old center could have little choice but to re-sign rather than risk missing training camp and regular-season playing time that will adversely affect his performance after he inevitably re-signs with the Wild.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE CAPITALS?

NHL.COM: Tom Gulitti recently reported Washington Capitals GM Chris Patrick indicated he intends to explore the trade market after plans to make a significant addition in free agency fell through.

Gulitti indicated the Capitals hope to add a top-six forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the Capitals were among the clubs bidding for Nikolaj Ehlers before the UFA winger signed with the Hurricanes last week.