NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 9, 2023

by | Sep 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 9, 2023

Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville speak at general managers’ meeting, an update on William Nylander’s contract talks, Tim Stutzle talks about Alex DeBrincat’s departure from the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Former Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and former head coach Joel Quenneville spoke Friday at the NHL’s general manager and coaches meeting in Chicago. They were invited by league commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly to address the group but they did not speak to the media.

Bowman and Quenneville have been out of the league since 2021 following an investigation by the Blackhawks over the mishandling of allegations by former player Kyle Beach that he had been sexually abused by former assistant coach Brad Aldrich in 2010. Neither man was suspended by the league but Bettman has stated they need his clearance to return.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Following the meeting, Bettman told reporters that he has no timetable for when Bowman and Quenneville will be allowed to return to the NHL. He also claimed that the duo “voluntarily” attended the GM and coaches meeting. “It wasn’t something that they were told they needed to do,” said Bettman, “ We said if you’d like the opportunity to address the group, you would have it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It doesn’t appear Bowman and Quenneville will be allowed back to the NHL this season. However, their attendance at this meeting could set the stage for Bettman to give one or both men his blessing to return in the near future.

THE ATHLETIC: After re-signing Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving told Pierre LeBrun that he is focused on getting William Nylander under contract. “Willy is a really important player and a really good player, and we want to get him done too,” said Treliving.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

The Leafs GM indicated his intention to hold further talks with the Nylander camp before the upcoming season begins. The winger’s agent, Lewis Gross, told LeBrun that they remain open to getting a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports earlier this summer claimed negotiations weren’t going well. It’s a promising sign that both sides are still willing to discuss a contract.

Whether they can hammer out a deal remains to be seen. It’s believed Nylander seeks $10 million annually on his next contract. That could prove difficult for the Leafs over the long term with Mitch Marner due for a new deal in 2025.

THE SCORE: Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle didn’t mince words regarding former teammate Alex DeBrincat during a recent appearance on the Sportsnet podcast “32 Thoughts”.

“If he doesn’t want to be there, I don’t want to have to make him be there,” said Stutzle. He went on to say, “If you don’t want to be there, good luck on your way.”

DeBrincat was shipped in July to the Detroit Red Wings following a trade request by his representatives. Stutzle added that he and his teammates wanted DeBrincat to stay, calling him “a great guy, great player.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are attempting to build a contender based around their young core of talent such as Stutzle who have committed to the club’s long-term plans. They don’t want any unnecessary distractions, including from those who’d prefer playing elsewhere.

OTTAWA SUN: Speaking of the Senators, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the sale of the club to billionaire Michael Andlauer could be done “as early as next week”.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins could go with a “captain-by-committee” this season with three or four alternates rather than naming a team captain. The position is currently vacant following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins wouldn’t be the only NHL club to use that format if that’s what they decide to do this season. It can be a good way to determine which player is best suited to fill the role of team captain.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche have invited forward Saku Maenalanen to camp on a professional tryout offer. The 29-year-old winger played 64 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets.

SPORTSNET: On his “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he believes the Seattle Kraken have sorted out prospect center Shane Wright’s eligibility to play for their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley this season. Wright was one game short of the CHL’s cut-off eligibility, meaning he would’ve had to return to the OHL if he didn’t crack the Kraken lineup this season.

TSN: Former NHL players Dustin Brown and Jamie Langenbrunner and former NHL executive Brian Burke are among the 2023 inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. They join women’s star Katie King Crowley and official Brian Murphy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Class of 2023 for this well-deserved honor.

 

 

 

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 4, 2023

by | Jun 4, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 4, 2023

The Golden Knights take Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Blue Jackets will reportedly hire Mike Babcock as head coach, highlights from Gary Bettman’s “State of the League” press conference, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS WIN GAME 1 OF THE STANLEY CUP FINAL

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 5-2 in Game 1 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. Zach Whitecloud tallied the winning goal in the third period to break a 2-2 while Mark Stone and Reilly Smith put the game out of reach for Vegas.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (NHL Images).

Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill got the win with a 32-save performance, including a big paddle save on Florida’s Nick Cousins early in the second with the game tied at 1-1. Vegas’ Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore finished the night with two points each. Eric Staal and Anthony Duclair scored for the Panthers.

Game 2 is Monday night in Las Vegas at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: While the score was 2-2 after two periods, the Golden Knights were the better team over that stretch and took control of the game in the final frame. The Panthers kept it close until the third but the rust from their 10-day layoff was evident in this contest.

This game got rowdy at times and the Panthers’ frustration boiled over after Vegas made it 4-2. Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett each drew misconduct penalties for throwing punches at Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague during a scrum behind the Panthers’ net late in the period. Vegas center Chandler Stephenson also received a misconduct.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice was unperturbed by the loss. Following the game, he reminded reporters that his club fell behind 1-0 and 3-1 in the first-round series against the Boston Bruins. “Everybody just f**king breathe, alright?” said Maurice. “I feel like you people have been here, you’re tight. Loosen up a little bit.”

HEADLINES

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets are reportedly set to hire Mike Babcock as their new head coach pending the completion of his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1.

Babcock signed an eight-year, $50 million deal in 2015 to coach the Leafs but was fired in November 2019 amid accounts from former Leafs and Detroit Red Wings players that he bullied players, staffers and arena employees.

The 60-year-old Babcock has 17 seasons of NHL coaching experience with the Leafs, Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks. He’s 12th all-time in wins among NHL coaches (700), won a Stanley Cup with the Wings in 2008 and coached them to the Cup Final in 2009. He also guided the Ducks to the Final in 2003.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Babcock and Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was unavailable for comment on Saturday.

A team source told Portzline that Kekalainen and members of the club’s staff spoke with the veteran players on the roster to see how they would feel about the possibility of Babcock becoming head coach. Nevertheless, Portzline believes Babcock’s hiring could be met with consternation among some of the players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reaction toward this news on social media was mostly negative. Regardless, it appears Kekalainen believes Babcock deserves a second chance. As Portzline noted, there’s no disputing his successful record in the NHL and on the international stage for Canada despite his baggage.

Portzline also cited interviews Babcock have in 2021 where he pushed back against the allegations. Perhaps his nearly four-year banishment from the NHL has given him time to reflect and change for the better. We’ll find out in due course.

SPORTSNET: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly gave their annual State of the League news conference prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Among the highlights:

The league remains committed to Arizona despite the Coyotes’ failed bid to construct a new arena in Tempe. Bettman said the club is looking at other areas in the Phoenix area for a long-term home. He pointed to the size of the Arizona market and the Coyotes being a “victim of circumstance” as to why the league remains so patient in keeping the club in Arizona.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve said for years (and I’m not the only one) that the Arizona market is the reason Bettman has stubbornly worked to keep the Coyotes in their current location. A successful franchise in that market would significantly boost NHL revenue.

Bettman was asked about interest in Salt Lake City, Quebec City or a second team in Toronto. He said relocation currently isn’t being considered.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs would certainly have something to say about another club in their market. Sadly, Quebec City remains a long shot despite its state-of-the-art arena and rabid hockey fanbase. Salt Lake City, on the other hand, would be intriguing to the league as a potential relocation or expansion destination given its market size.

The Ottawa Senators are close to getting sold for what Bettman estimates could be around $1 billion USD.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman didn’t indicate who the front-runner is but it’s been reported that Toronto billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos has made the highest bid.

Bettman will be meeting individually with former Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and former head coach Joel Quenneville to determine whether they’ll be reinstated to work in the NHL. Both resigned in 2021 over their roles in mishandling Kyle Beach’s sexual assault allegations against former video coach Bradley Aldrich in 2010.

Daly said the league’s independent investigation into the Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal has wrapped up and expects to release its report in July. Several players currently in the NHL were accused of sexually assaulting a young woman in 2018 while members of Canada’s world junior team. Their names have not been revealed.

Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin remains eligible to play in the NHL next season despite an incident in a Seattle hotel involving an intoxicated woman in his room that sparked a team investigation. Bettman said there will be no league investigation, adding that the Avalanche handled the situation appropriately.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nichushkin was not charged by Seattle police and there is no further investigation into the matter.

Two Stadium Series games will be held at New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium next February. The Philadelphia Flyers will face off against the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 17 followed by the New York Rangers facing the New York Islanders on Feb. 18.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 20, 2023

by | May 20, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 20, 2023

Who could become the next general manager of the Leafs? Where could former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas end up? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHO COULD REPLACE DUBAS AS LEAFS GENERAL MANAGER?

SPORTSNET: Sonny Sachdeva looked at potential replacements for former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. He noted that team president Brendan Shanahan indicated that he’ll be open-minded in his search but will put the onus on experience.

Shanahan intends to rely heavily on assistant GM Brandon Pridham as the club conducts its search. He confirmed that Pridham will be in the running for the job.

Former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving (NHL.com)

Sachdeva wondered if Brad Treliving might be among the candidates. He stepped down last month from the Calgary Flames after nearly a decade as their general manager.

TORONTO SUN: Pridham and Treliving are also among Terry Koshan’s list of potential candidates. Former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, Carolina Hurricanes assistant general manager Eric Tulsky, former Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche, and former Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman were among other notables on his list.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin’s list included Detroit Red Wings assistant GM Kris Draper, Edmonton Oilers assistant GM Steve Staios and Ray Whitney, who spent over half a decade as a director for the department of player safety and narrowly lost out to Mike Grier for the role of San Jose Sharks general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would make sense to promote Pridham given his experience with the Leafs organization. If Shanahan opts for someone else, perhaps Tulsky, Darche, Draper, Staios or Whitney would be better choices to bring a fresh perspective to the job.

Whoever gets the job faces some big questions that must be addressed soon.

Do they replace head coach Sheldon Keefe and his staff?

Do they shake up the “Core Four” (Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander) by trading one of them? Will they re-sign Matthews and Nylander to contract extensions or trade one of them or maybe put both on the block? Will it be Mitch Marner who becomes a trade chip?

Can they make oft-injured goalie Matt Murray’s contract disappear? How will they replace their unrestricted free agents if Ryan O’Reilly and Michael Bunting hit the open market?

Who do you want to see as your club’s new general manager, Leafs fans? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

WHAT NEXT FOR DUBAS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat suggests not closing the door on the speculation linking Dubas to the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the postseason. While the now-former Leafs GM said earlier this week that he’d step away for a while if he didn’t return with Toronto, his firing by Shanahan could leave the door ajar for the Penguins if he’s interested.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz wonders if Dubas might be a match for the New York Islanders given the uncertainty over Lou Lamoriello’s future as their general manager. Dubas and Lamoriello have a good relationship stretching back to their time working together in Toronto.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane wonders if Dubas’ availability might affect the Flames’ search for a new general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas said that this season was difficult on his family and he wouldn’t put them through a move if he didn’t return with the Leafs. With a bit of time to reflect, however, maybe he’ll change his mind provided his family is fine with it.

We’ll find out soon enough what the immediate future holds for Dubas. Any club that is interested in hiring him will want to do so as soon as possible with the 2023 NHL Draft (June 28-29) and the start of free agency (July 1) on the horizon.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2023

by | May 10, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2023

What will the Avs do with Gabriel Landeskog sidelined for 2023-24? Could they find a way to trade Valeri Nichushkin? Should the Canadiens trade their first-round pick for Pierre-Luc Dubois? What’s the latest on the Penguins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE AVALANCHE

THE DENVER POST: Bennett Durando pointed out that the Colorado Avalanche will get $7 million in salary-cap relief if necessary by placing Gabriel Landeskog on long-term injury reserve. The 30-year-old Avs captain is expected to miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season recovering from knee surgery.

Durando observed the Avalanche would have nearly $21 million to work with if the salary cap rises to $83.5 million as projected. Part of that will be used to sign restricted free agents Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook to new contracts.

Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog (NHL Images).

The Avalanche must also fill at least one top-six forward position and possibly more if J.T. Compher departs as an unrestricted free agent and Valeri Nichushkin doesn’t return next season.

Should they go the free-agent route they could look at short-term signings for pending UFAs such as Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, the Rangers’ Patrick Kane, Toronto’s Ryan O’Reilly or Philadelphia’s James van Riemsdyk.

Assuming they want a younger, long-term setup among their top six, they might have to move someone like Devon Toews or Samuel Girard to free up sufficient cap room.

During a weekend mailbag segment, a reader told Durando’s colleague Mark Kiszla that the Avalanche should trade Nischushkin.

Kiszla acknowledged that we may never know why Nichushkin disappeared from the Avs. However, he doubted they’d have a chance of moving him unless they come clean with a potential trade partner over what happened with the winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche will place Landeskog on LTIR and use the savings to re-sign Byram and Newhook while attempting to address their second-line center position. They’ll either re-sign Compher or seek a more experienced option via free agency or a trade.

Free agency might be the better way to go if the Avs don’t want to get entangled in an expensive long-term deal for an aging veteran. It could also help them avoid shopping Toews or Girard this summer.

Moving Nichushkin will be difficult even without knowing what happened to him on that fateful day in Seattle. He’s signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $6.125 million and a full no-movement clause.

SHOULD THE CANADIENS SWAP THEIR FIRST-ROUND PICK FOR DUBOIS?

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Brendan Kelly doesn’t believe Montreal fans will remain patient with the Canadiens for another season if they don’t show signs of real progress with their rebuild.

One way to do that, he argues, is to trade their 2023 first-round pick (fifth overall) to the Winnipeg Jets for Pierre-Luc Dubois. The rumor mill has linked the 24-year-old center to the Canadiens since last summer as speculation persists he wants out of Winnipeg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois could help the Canadiens accelerate their rebuild. He’s a restricted free agent this summer and is a year away from UFA eligibility so there’s a good chance the Jets could shop him this summer if he won’t sign a long-term deal. The Habs could make a pitch for him that includes a first-round pick. 

If they do, it’ll likely be the first-rounder they acquired last year from the Florida Panthers bundled with a couple of promising prospects or a young player. It won’t be the fifth-overall selection.

The Jets won’t be negotiating from a position of strength if Dubois intends to test next summer’s free-agent market. They’ll want to get the best deal possible. Sure, another club could swoop in and outbid the Habs but it would be risky if he’s not interested in a contract extension.

In that case, the Canadiens don’t have to put up their first-rounder but can simply wait until next summer when they can sign him as a UFA. That’s assuming that the Habs want Dubois in the first place. For all we know, they’ve got their eyes on other plans.

UPDATE ON THE PENGUINS SEARCH FOR A NEW GM

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating the Pittsburgh Penguins might have an interest in Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas as their next GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas is in the final season of his contract with the Leafs. There’s rampant media conjecture that they could part ways if the club is eliminated from the second round by the Florida Panthers.

Despite the Leafs’ playoff difficulties under Dubas they have reliably been among the league’s top teams during his tenure. That could help him land with another club following this season if his time in Toronto is coming to an end.

Horwat also cited Freidman saying the Penguins and Calgary Flames are among the teams interested in talking to former Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been less than two years since Bowman lost his job over his role in covering up Kyle Beach’s allegations that he was sexually abused by former Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich. Any club hiring him can expect a considerable backlash from fans and pundits. Horwat also pointed out that he did a terrible job during his final seasons with the Blackhawks as they went from a Stanley Cup dynasty to a bottom-feeder with bloated contracts.










Blackhawks “Dynasty” Forever Tarnished

by | Oct 31, 2021

Blackhawks “Dynasty” Forever Tarnished

​On June 10, 2010, one of the longest Stanley Cup droughts in NHL history came to an end. An overtime goal by Patrick Kane against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final gave the Chicago Blackhawks their first championship since 1961.

It was the start of several dominant years for the Blackhawks. Over the following five seasons, the Blackhawks would win two more Stanley Cups. Kane, team captain Jonathan Toews and defenseman Duncan Keith established themselves as respected NHL superstars. Head coach Joel Quenneville burnished his resume as one of the league’s top bench bosses. General manager Stan Bowman was praised for his ability to maintain his championship roster.

Stanley Cup dynasties – teams that win three-or-more consecutive Stanley Cups – are rarities in the NHL’s salary-cap world. As a result, some observers considered the Blackhawks’ three championships in six years the closest thing to a Cup dynasty in today’s game.

Eleven years after that first Cup, that “dynasty” is forever tarnished by a scandal set in motion three weeks before Kane’s winning goal.

A small group of senior team executives, including Bowman and Quenneville, reached the fateful decision to cover up allegations of sexual assault made by winger Kyle Beach against video coach Bradley Aldrich.

They decided not to take any action against Aldrich until after the Stanley Cup Final so as not to risk the matter becoming a distraction for the players. After their celebrations with the Cup in Chicago had quieted down, the club gave Aldrich a choice of stepping down or facing an internal investigation.

That reference helped Aldrich get a job with USA Hockey and an assistant coaching job with a high school in Houghton, Michigan. Three years later, Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in jail on a fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charge for his alleged involvement with a male student between the age of 16 and 18. The student filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks earlier this year for providing a positive employment letter to Aldrich even though they knew he was a sexual predator.

Thanks to the courage of Beach and the student known as “John Doe 2” in stepping forward to tell their stories, aided by the dogged investigative journalism of TSN’s Rick Westhead and The Athletic’s Katie Strang, the Blackhawks were forced to conduct an independent investigation.

The resulting report, released to the public last week, was damning.

Bowman stepped down as general manager while another club official was relieved of his duties. Quenneville, who’d moved on to coach the Florida Panthers, resigned from that job following a meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

None of the players on the 2010 Blackhawks roster were mentioned in the report. Kane, Toews, Keith (now with the Edmonton Oilers) and others denied knowledge of the allegations. Beach, in his emotional interview with Westhead a day after the report was released, believed everyone in the dressing room knew. His story was supported by the testimony of former teammates Nick Boynton and Brent Sopel when they spoke with investigators this summer.

Only two players (Boynton and Sopel) along with former associate coach John Torchetti and former skills coach Paul Vincent, supported Beach and testified to investigators on his behalf. Nearly everyone else on that 2009-10 roster is facing scrutiny from fans and the media over what they did or didn’t do at the time the allegations were raised.

Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was the Blackhawks assistant GM at the time and took part in that fateful meeting before the 2010 Cup Final. Though he was cleared of any wrongdoing in a subsequent meeting with Bettman, he still faces calls for an apology to Beach from fans and pundits and a further explanation of his actions while with the Blackhawks.

Despite their denials, the reputations of the Blackhawks stars have suffered a significant blow. Assuming they had no knowledge of the incident at the time, they’re facing questions over when they did find out, how much they knew and why they didn’t do more to try and help Beach. The tone-deaf defense of Bowman by Kane and Toews following his dismissal was not a good look for either star.

The fallout isn’t just limited to the Blackhawks. NHLPA director Donald Fehr is feeling the heat from the player executive and rank-and-file members for his apparent inaction when Beach and his agent informed the PA of the allegations.

For Blackhawks fans, this is a devastating gut punch. The club they love and support, an Original Six franchise considered the epitome of a successful franchise in the salary-cap era, has been brought low by a handful of men who did nothing to protect a frightened young player from a sexual predator. It could take years for the Blackhawks to rebuild their standing and regain the full trust of their fans and win back those they lost from this sordid scandal

Bowman and Quenneville will probably never work in the NHL again. Kane, Toews, Keith and other players had nothing to do with how their club handled the allegations but they’ll face lingering doubts in the court of public opinion.

All of that pales in comparison to the hell Kyle Beach went through for 11 years. He was ostracized by the Blackhawks, even reportedly mocked by several teammates. He continued his playing career away from the NHL. Somehow, he found the determination to carry on every day despite his terrible burden and the courage to fight back with limited support despite the Blackhawks’ efforts to discredit him.

As more than one observer noted, Beach show more bravery and integrity than those who failed him.

Six men made a fateful decision that did immeasurable harm to Beach and another young man. That decision would eventually damage their own reputations and careers, in some cases beyond repair. It cost them their jobs, tarnished a once-great franchise, cast a dark cloud over the lives and careers of their franchise players, and stained the league’s brand.

All because they put winning a championship over doing the right thing.

That’s the dark legacy of the Blackhawks “dynasty.”