NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2026

by | Jan 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2026

Mattias Ekholm scored his first hat trick as the Oilers set a league record, the Rangers traded Carson Soucy, the three stars of the week, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Leon Draisaitl collected four assists while Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist for the 27-19-8 Oilers. Ducks forward Mikael Granlund also netted a hat trick as his club dropped to 28-22-3, and their seven-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a record-setting performance for the Oilers, becoming the first team in league history to have defensemen score hat tricks in consecutive games, with Evan Bouchard scoring three goals in a six-point performance in the Oilers’ previous game.

Those three-goal performances by Ekholm and Granlund bring the number of hat tricks scored in January to 27, matching the third-most in a single month (December 1981) in league history. The record is 29, set in December 1985.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images)

The New York Rangers nipped the Boston Bruins 4-3 on an overtime goal by Matthew Robertson. Will Cuylle, J.T. Miller, and Will Borgen also scored for the 22-25-6 Rangers, snapping a three-game losing skid. David Pastrnak collected three assists to reach the 900-point plateau, and Elias Linholm netted two goals for the Bruins (30-20-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is the sixth player in Bruins history to record 900 points, joining Raymond Bourque (1,506), Johnny Bucyk (1,339), Patrice Bergeron (1,040), Phil Esposito (1,012), and Brad Marchand (976).

Before this game, the Rangers held defenseman Carson Soucy out of the lineup. They subsequently announced they had traded Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.

Soucy, 31, is in the final season of his three-year contract with an AAV of $3.25 million and is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status this summer. He’s a short-term fix for the Islanders’ blueline with Alexander Romanov on long-term injury reserve, and Ryan Pulock sidelined with an upper-body injury.

As for the Rangers, the Soucy trade is expected to be the first of what could be several moves this season by the retooling franchise before the March 6 trade deadline.

Speaking of the Islanders, they got a 21-save shutout from Ilya Sorokin to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored twice, and Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who improved to 28-19-5. Samuel Ersson turned aside 19 of 23 shots for the Flyers (24-18-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers activated defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who had been sidelined since Jan. 14 with an upper-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy turned in a 28-shot shutout in a 2-0 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Darren Raddysh and Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning (33-14-4), who regained first place in the Eastern Conference with 70 points. Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 shots for the 27-21-4 Mammoth as their five-game win streak ended.

The game between the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena was postponed due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled for March 9.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, and Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal are the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 25, 2026.

TSN: Marc-Andre Fleury said a couple of NHL teams have contacted him about coming out of retirement, but the 41-year-old goaltender and future Hall of Famer has no plans to return to action. He still hangs out with his former club, the Minnesota Wild, and has skated with them in several practices, but his next role could be working in their front office.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury has until the March 6 trade deadline to sign an NHL contract if he intends to unretire. Even then, it would likely take several weeks of intense training for him to return to game shape.

Fleury said there were several reasons why he’ll remain retired. One of them is probably the wear and tear of his 21 NHL seasons on his aging body. He alluded to a sore hip during his one-period appearance in a preseason game with the Pittsburgh Penguins in September as he brought his NHL career full circle.

RG.ORG: DJ Siddiqi reports Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito believes the health of the players his club is sending to the Olympics next month will be a factor in their attempt to win a third-straight Stanley Cup.

The defending champion Panthers have been battered by injuries, leaving them four points out of the final wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference as of Jan. 27. Managing fatigue, ice time, and emotional drain, as well as avoiding further injuries, will be crucial to their playoff hopes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are sending eight players to the Olympics, including core players Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell.

PUCKPEDIA: Speaking of the Olympics, the trade and assignment regulations for the NHL’s break period (Feb. 4-22) have been revealed. No trades will be permitted during that period.

TORONTO SUN: The league has fined Maple Leafs winger William Nylander $5,000.00 for flipping off a TSN camera during Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Nylander made the gesture while watching the game in the press box with several other sidelined teammates.

THE PROVINCE: The Canucks placed winger Brock Boeser and defenseman Zeev Buium on injured reserve.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Bryan Rust faces a hearing on Tuesday with the league’s department of player safety regarding his high hit on Boeser during Sunday’s game between the two clubs.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson is out until the end of next month’s Olympic break with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2025

by | Oct 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2025

Jonathan Toews scores as the Jets win their fifth straight game, the Golden Knights extend their points streak, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Jonathan Toews scored his first goal with his hometown Winnipeg Jets in a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Mark Scheifele also scored for the Jets as they picked up their fifth straight win. Rasmus Andersson scored for the Flames, who’ve lost six straight (1-6-0) and sit last in the overall standings.

Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was Toews’ first goal since his final game with the Chicago Blackhawks on Apr. 13, 2023. The 37-year-old center has four points in his first six games of this season. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames placed little-used defenseman Daniil Miromanov on waivers earlier in the day.

The Vegas Golden Knights extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2) by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1, snapping the latter’s five-game season-opening win streak. Akira Schmid made 22 saves in relief of Adin Hill after the latter was sidelined in the first period with an injured left leg. Ivan Barbashev had a goal and an assist, and Mitch Marner collected two assists for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the overall standings with 12 points. Nikolaj Ehlers collected his first point with the Hurricanes by assisting on Sebastian Aho’s goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Golden Knights placed captain Mark Stone (wrist) on injured reserve. Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 30 shots in a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, snapping the latter’s two-game win streak. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki collected two assists to extend his points streak to six games, and Lane Hutson tallied the game-winner for the 5-2-0 Canadiens. Alex Lyon made 27 saves, and Jiri Kulich and Tyson Kozak scored for the 2-4-0 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Beck Malenstyn missed this game for personal reasons.

The Philadelphia Flyers got two goals from winger Owen Tippett to down the Seattle Kraken 5-2. Cam York had three assists and Sean Couturier collected two helpers for the Flyers, who improved their record to 3-2-1. Jordan Eberle and Jani Nyma replied for the Kraken as they suffered their first regulation loss (3-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jared McCann missed this contest with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Minnesota Wild rookie winger Danila Yurov scored his first NHL goal as his club beat the New York Rangers 3-1. Jonas Brodin and Kirill Kaprizov also scored for the 3-3-1 Wild. Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers as their record dropped to 3-4-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marco Rossi and defenseman Zach Bogosian missed this game as they’re day-to-day with lower-body injuries. Meanwhile, Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy returned to action after missing the last four games with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood were the three stars for the week ending Oct. 19, 2025.

RG.ORG: Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish is happy to have put his protracted contract negotiations behind him. The 22-year-old center enjoys playing head coach Joel Quenneville’s up-tempo, aggressive system. He’s now focused on helping his club reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish missed training camp due to his contract negotiations, but it hasn’t adversely affected his performance thus far in this regular season. He’s tied for second among Ducks scorers with five points in as many games.

THE SCORE: Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno has rejoined his teammates after taking a leave of absence to be with his 12-year-old daughter as she underwent follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease. She is now at home and doing well.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks placed Filip Chytil and Jonathan Lekkerimaki on injured reserve after the two forwards were sidelined during Sunday’s game against the Washington Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chytil left the game following a high hit from Capitals winger Tom Wilson. He has a history of concussions and is still being evaluated.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen is expected to miss several games after leaving Sunday’s contest with the Detroit Red Wings. Meanwhile, Oilers anthem singer Robert Clark announced he has been diagnosed with leukemia. He’ll undergo treatment starting next month, and hopes not to miss too much time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Clark for a swift and full recovery.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2025

by | Oct 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2025

The Capitals shut out the Rangers, injury updates on the Penguins’ Kris Letang, the Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm, and the Blue Jackets’ Eric Gudbranson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren made 35 saves to blank the New York Rangers 1-0. Anthony Beauvillier scored the only goal as the Capitals have won two of their first three games of the season. Jonathan Quick stopped 20 shots for the Rangers, who’ve won two of their first four contests.

Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Rangers placed defenseman Carson Soucy (upper body) on injured reserve. He suffered the injury during Saturday’s 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Rangers.

NESN: Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower-body injury) is unlikely to play in Monday’s matinee against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s listed as day-to-day but could return later in the week.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson is being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

NHL.COM: Utah Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL department of player safety for a dangerous trip against Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers was fined $2,500.00 for slashing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid on Saturday.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan will make his NHL debut on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cowan, 20, was chosen in the first round (28th overall) by the Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL Draft. He’s considered their top prospect.

TSN: The Florida Panthers signed forward Jonah Gadjovich to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates the 27-year-old Gadjovich will receive an average annual value of $905K.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (upper-body injury) will return to the lineup for Monday’s game against the Predators.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets blueliner Haydn Fleury is day-to-day with a bruised knee.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports San Jose Sharks owner Hasso Plattner recently raised eyebrows with some pointed comments about previous moves made by his club.

Plattner admitted that letting long-time Sharks forward Joe Pavelski depart to the Dallas Stars as a free agent was a mistake. He said acquiring defenseman Erik Karlsson may have been great in theory but not in practice, admitting he’d been a good player but not a team-friendly one.

The Sharks owner also admitted the long-term contracts for Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic put off a necessary rebuild, and that he backed current general manager Mike Grier’s work in building up the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hindsight in 20-20 and those regrets won’t change history. What matters now for the Sharks is that Grier’s rebuilding efforts continue to have Plattner’s support. The Sharks GM completed the teardown two years ago and has done a good job building up the roster with good young players and veteran acquisitions.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 12, 2025

by | Oct 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 12, 2025

A hat trick performance by the Blue Jackets’ Kirill Marchenko, Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer netted his first goal, the Ducks downed the Sharks in a wild, high-scoring contest, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko’s hat trick powered his club to a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 48 shots, and Zach Werenski and Boone Jenner each had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice and collected an assist, and Zeev Buium tallied his first NHL goal and picked up an assist for the Wild.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jenner’s goal was the 200th of his NHL career, joining Rick Nash and Cam Atkinson as the only players in franchise history to reach that milestone.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer scored his first NHL goal, but his club dropped a 4-2 decision to the Washington Capitals. Aliaksei Protas scored two goals and added an assist for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer was the first-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He collected his first NHL assist in his first game on Thursday.

An overtime goal by Leo Carlsson lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the San Jose Sharks 7-6. The Ducks erased a 6-4 deficit in the third period. Carlsson also had two assists, Mason McTavish had three assists, and Chris Kreider and Cutter Gauthier each scored twice for the Ducks. Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith each picked up three assists, but Celebrini’s turnover led to Carlsson’s winning goal.

A shootout goal by Mikko Rantanen gave the Dallas Stars a 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Jake Oettinger made 35 saves, and Thomas Harley had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas each had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Avalanche announced that defenseman Samuel Girard would miss this game and is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele tallied two goals as his club rallied from a 2-1 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for the Jets. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury left this game in the second period after blocking a shot by Kempe.

Three straight power-play goals by Aaron Ekblad, Anton Lundell, and Mackie Samoskevich powered the Florida Panthers to a 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. Ekblad, Lundell, and Brad Marchand each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, extending their season-opening win streak to three games. Senators center Shane Pinto scored twice for the second straight game.

The Boston Bruins extended their season-opening win streak to three games with a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Mark Kastelic had a goal and an assist for the Bruins. Jason Zucker replied for the Sabres, who have only one goal in their first two games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters that sidelined center Josh Norris is expected to miss a significant amount of time with an upper-body injury. Norris is still undergoing evaluation, and it’s uncertain how long he’ll be out of action.

Detroit Red Wings forwards Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat each had three points as their club overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond scored twice, including his 100th career NHL goal. Morgan Rielly and Nicolas Roy each had two points for the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz exited this game in the first period with a suspected head injury. The Leafs appeared to have difficulty at times adjusting to the Red Wings‘ speed in this game.

The New York Rangers thumped the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-1, giving head coach Mike Sullivan his first victory against his former team. Adam Fox scored two goals and picked up an assist. Penguins rookie Ben Kindel tallied his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Rangers announced center Vincent Trocheck is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy exited in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang left in the third period with an undisclosed injury and is undergoing evaluation. The Penguins activated forward Bryan Rust off injured reserve and sent forward Ville Koivunen to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

New Jersey Devils forward Connor Brown potted two goals, and Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Luke Hughes also had two assists for the Devils. Max Crozier picked up two assists for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Devils announced that forward Evgenii Dadonov has been sidelined with a fractured hand. A timeline for his return has yet to be determined.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 on an overtime goal by Seth Jarvis. Bobby Brink had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who got a 35-save performance by Samuel Ersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brink appeared to have scored the winning goal in overtime, but it was overturned for goalie interference by teammate Travis Sanheim. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov saw limited ice time and was benched during overtime by head coach Rick Tocchet. “I just wanted the guys who I thought were skating,” Tocchet said.

It was a costly win for the Hurricanes as top defenseman Jaccob Slavin left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. His status for the remainder of their road trip remains unclear. Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes announced that goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is out for at least a week with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle scored with 15 seconds remaining in the third period to give his club a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Cole Caufield scored his first goal of the season, and Zach Bolduc tallied his third straight goal for the Canadiens. Sam Rinzel and Connor Bedard replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal captain Nick Suzuki collected three assists while Caufield and Bolduc finished with two points each. The Canadiens had 10 power-play opportunities but only scored on two of them.

Edmonton Oilers forward Noah Philp scored his first NHL goal, and Leon Draisaitl scored a shorthanded empty-netter in a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Quinn Hughes collected an assist on a goal by Brock Boeser, becoming the Canucks’ all-time franchise points leader for defensemen with 410.

The Utah Mammoth got an overtime goal by Dylan Guenther to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2. Logan Cooley and Jack McBain also scored for the Mammoth. Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula replied for the Predators.

Third-period goals by Jake Neighbours and Pius Suter enabled the St. Louis Blues to double up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Neighbours finished with two goals, and Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist. Matt Coronato scored both goals for the Flames.

Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann scored with four seconds remaining in overtime to upset the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1. Matty Beniers also scored for the Kraken. Pavel Dorofeyev tallied his league-leading fifth goal of the season.










Notable NHL Trades – March 6, 2025

by | Mar 6, 2025

Notable NHL Trades – March 6, 2025

The New York Islanders shipped center Brock Nelson and prospect forward William Dufour to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Oliver Kylington, prospect forward Calum Ritchie, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a conditional third-rounder in 2028. The Islanders retained 50 percent of Nelson’s $6 million AAV and flipped Kylington to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. 

The Edmonton Oilers acquired defenseman Jake Walman from the San Jose Sharks. TSN reports it appears to be a conditional pick and a prospect going to the Sharks. 

The Vancouver Canucks trade defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2025 third-round draft pick.

The New York Rangers traded winger Reilly Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Brendan Brisson and a 2025 third-round pick. The Rangers retained 50 percent of Smith’s $5 million cap hit. He is UFA-eligible on July 1.

New York Rangers trade Reilly Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils acquired defenseman Brian Dumoulin from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025 and prospect Herman Traff. The Ducks retained half of Dumoulin’s $3.15 million cap hit. He is eligible for UFA status on July 1.

The Panthers also sent goaltender Chris Driedger to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen.

The San Jose Sharks traded forward Nico Sturm and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2026 fourth-rounder.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 13, 2025

by | Feb 13, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – February 13, 2025

Why has Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson changed agents? Could the Red Wings be interested in Sabres center Dylan Cozens? What’s the latest on the Rangers and Flames? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DOBSON CHANGES AGENTS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner reported Noah Dobson changed agents from Andrew Maloney to Judd Moldaver and Olivier Fortier of Wasserman Hockey. Moldaver represents some of the NHL’s top players, including Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias looks at two reasons why Dobson made this move. He’s either unhappy with the Islanders and wants a trade (which Macias considers unlikely) or it’s a business decision to garner better terms on his next contract.

New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Macias that the second reason is the most likely. Dobson, 25, is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. Macias pointed out that Fortier was the agent who got Alexis Lafreniere his new seven-year contract (with an average annual value of $7.45 million) with the New York Rangers.

COULD THE RED WINGS BE INTERESTED IN COZENS?

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan speculated the Detroit Red Wings could have some interest in Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens. It’s rumored the Sabres could move the 23-year-old Cozens by the trade deadline.

Khan suggested Cozens could fill the second-line center role on the Wings, a position that’s been difficult to fill. They also have the cap space to accommodate the remaining three years on his contract, which carries an average annual value of $7.1 million.

The Sabres would want a good young player but Khan doesn’t believe the Wings would part with Marco Kasper or Simon Edvinsson. The Wings could see Kasper as eventually filling the second-line center role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman remains patient with his young players. If he’s unwilling to part with Kasper or Edvinsson, the notion of a Cozens trade falls flat. The Sabres won’t be interested in draft picks and prospects, they want a player in return who can help their roster now.

LATEST ON THE RANGERS

THE ATHLETIC: If New York Rangers GM Chris Drury becomes a seller by the March 7 trade deadline, Arthur Staple and Peter Baugh believe there will a be market for defenseman Ryan Lindgren and forwards Jimmy Vesey and Reilly Smith. They’re slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Lindgren would draw the best return. Despite a down season, he remains an attractive player for contenders seeking a physical shutdown defenseman. Vesey and Smith could fetch mid-range draft picks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staple and Bough point out Drury’s been a buyer and a seller this season. He could follow the same path at the trade deadline.

UPDATE ON THE FLAMES

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson recently speculated the Flames could use the 4 Nations Face-Off break to consider ways to address a couple of roster issues before the trade deadline.

They could seek a permanent defense partner for MacKenzie Weegar, suggesting Carson Soucy of the Vancouver Canucks as a trade option. Gilbertson also wondered if they’ll stick with backup Dan Vladar or seek a more experienced second-stringer to support and mentor rookie starter Dustin Wolf.