NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2023

by | Nov 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2023

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the NHL and NHLPA discuss neck guards for its players, Paul Stastny retires, the Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy is suspended, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson tallied a hat trick and defenseman Quinn Hughes had three assists in a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Colton Sissons and Dante Fabbro replied for the Predators. The Canucks end the month of October with a record of 6-2-1 while the Predators slipped to 4-5-0.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A much better start for the Canucks compared to last season (2-5-2), 2021-22 (3-5-1) and 2020-21 (4-5-0). A healthy roster, strong performances from Pettersson and Hughes and the players’ adjustment to head coach Rick Tocchet’s system are among the contributing factors. Pettersson sits second among NHL scorers with 16 points and Quinn (11 points) is tied for the scoring lead among NHL defensemen.

The Los Angeles Kings downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Cam Talbot made 29 saves, Phillip Danault scored what proved to be the game-winner and Quinton Byfield collected two assists for the 5-2-2 Kings. John Tavares scored and William Nylander collected an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to a team record nine games for the 5-3-1 Maple Leafs.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league has initiated discussions with the NHL Players Association to increase neck protections among its players. The move comes following the death of former NHL player Adam Johnson on Saturday after his neck was accidentally sliced by a skate blade during an EIHL game in England.

TSN: Chris Johnston reports there’s a huge level of concern around the NHL about this issue with teams calling league headquarters for direction. Three teams (Pittsburgh, Washington and Carolina) have started the process of optional neckguards for their players while the Penguins are making them mandatory for their AHL and ECHL affiliates.

Pierre LeBrun, meanwhile, indicated that cut-resistant gear has been a topic of discussion for the past half-dozen NHL general managers meetings dating back to Evander Kane’s wrist injury last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL cannot implement changes to player equipment without the consent of the NHLPA. However, it sounds like the PA could be receptive to this issue. Teams are already taking action to allow their players the option of wearing cut-resistant gear. This could be something that gets put into practice more quickly than previous changes to equipment policies.

NHL.COM: Paul Stastny has retired after 17 NHL seasons. He had 293 goals and 822 career regular-season points in 1,145 games with the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes. He also had 73 points in 118 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stastny’s best seasons were with the Avalanche, including a career-high 79 points in 2009-10. He reportedly sought the guidance of his father, Hall-of-Famer Peter Stastny, before reaching this decision. Stastny told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that he’s interested in returning to hockey one day in a management role.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy received a four-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Monday.

The Bruins also announced that blueliner Matt Grzelcyk will miss “a couple of weeks” with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Bruins center Matthew Poitras and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski won’t be returned to their respective junior teams. Both will remain with their NHL clubs following their nine-game trials with their respective teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That means their entry-level contracts now go into effect and will count against their respective teams’ salary-cap payrolls for this season.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture suffered a minor setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury that will keep him off the ice for a little while. Meanwhile. Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov will miss four to six weeks due to a broken finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The hits just keep on coming for the struggling Sharks. The absence of Couture has hurt their offense and Barabanov’s absence won’t help.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Kirby Dach underwent successful knee surgery in New York on Tuesday. He’s expected to make a full recovery and be ready to return to action next season.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche blueliners Cale Makar and Bowen Byram missed practice on Tuesday and are questionable for Wednesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Chicago Blackhawks center Conor Bedard is off to a promising start with six points in nine games. However, Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig was the rookie points leader for October with seven points in eight contests.

THE SCORE: Buffalo Sabres rookie Zach Benson is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Edmonton Oilers signed center Sam Gagner to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level and placed forward Adam Erne on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2023

by | Sep 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2023

Mike Babcock steps down as Blue Jackets head coach plus the latest on Paul Stastny, Calen Addison and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger reports Mike Babcock has resigned as head coach of the Blue Jackets following an NHL Players Association investigation into allegations that he violated his players’ privacy during offseason meetings.

Associate coach Pascal Vincent has taken over as head coach, signing a two-year contract. Training camp opens on Sept. 20.

Mike Babcock steps down as Columbus Blue Jackets coach (NHL Images).

Babcock, 60, was hired by the Blue Jackets in July. He released a statement that continuing as their head coach was becoming too much of a distraction, expressing his disappointment that he couldn’t continue in the role and wishing the team well.

Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen also released a statement calling Babcock’s resignation a necessary move to refocus the club on the upcoming season. Kekalainen thanked him for his “hard work and professionalism.”

“Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast co-host Paul Bissonnette revealed last week that he’d been told Babcock was demanding to see players’ cellphones to scroll through photos. Babcock and Jackets captain Boone Jenner quickly released statements refuting Bissonnette’s version of events. Jenner and teammates Johnny Gaudreau and Zack Werenski indicated they had no problem with Babcock’s request, claiming it was being blown out of proportion.

The narrative changed after the NHLPA met with Blue Jackets players to conduct an investigation into the matter. A source told Hedger that one player felt Babcock was using his phone for an “uncomfortable length of time,” leaving him concerned that Babcock may have been searching through his text messages. Hedger cited a report from Sportsnet indicating multiple sources mirrored what he had been told.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes this is the end of Babcock’s coaching career in the NHL. He felt that this incident, and the allegations that surfaced in 2019 that Babcock bullied players and staff during his tenures with the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, irreparably tarnished his otherwise impressive NHL coaching career.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes Babcock’s resignation raises troubling questions about the Blue Jackets organization.

If they knew about the extent of his interactions with the players when first revealed by Bissonnette and tried to cover it up, it doesn’t look good for those who run the team like Kekalainen and president of hockey operations John Davidson.

If they didn’t know, Portzline suggests the club’s ownership must start asking questions about why the players felt more comfortable talking to Bissonnette and the NHLPA than with those in charge.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fallout from this will hang over the Blue Jackets during training camp and the upcoming start of the season. This situation isn’t a good look for the franchise, especially for Kekalainen and Davidson. They were responsible for bringing in Babcock in the first place despite his baggage. They gave him a chance to redeem himself as an NHL coach and it blew up in their faces before he coached a single game for them.

The issue here is invasion of privacy. A person’s cell phone often contains personal information that they might be reluctant or unwilling to share with somebody else. That’s why we have password protection on our phones. It would be like someone asking to go through your personal computer or to visit your home to dig through your personal effects.

Portzline believes Bissonnette may have done the Blue Jackets a favor by breaking this story as it allowed the team to confront this issue as quickly as possible. Bissonnette is a colorful and brash personality. However, he’s willing to talk about issues that some in the media may be reluctant to cover for fear of losing access to team contacts.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski also points out that the NHLPA, under new executive director Marty Walsh, deserves credit for its swift handling of this situation with its proactive investigation. He also noted that the NHL has its “whistleblower” apparatus yet the Blue Jackets players felt more comfortable talking to Bissonnette and the PA.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman recently reported that long-time NHL center Paul Stastny isn’t interested in signing a professional tryout offer with NHL clubs. The 37-year-old unrestricted free agent is only interested in contract offers. He’s coming off a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With training camps opening on Wednesday and Thursday, Stastny might have to accept a league minimum deal (one year, $775K) if he hopes to skate with an NHL team this season. He could end up waiting until injuries strike a club during training camp.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild reached an agreement with forward Jujhar Khaira on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level. He’d spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Wild, Michael Russo reports a new contract for restricted free-agent defenseman Calen Addison should be coming within the next few days.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs play-by-play man Joe Bowen and his long-time broadcast partner Jim Ralph will be returning to radio this season. It will be the 72-year-old Bowen’s 42nd season covering the Leafs.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Future Hockey Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr recently confirmed he’ll be playing for the Kladno Knights in the Czech Extraliga. It will be his 35th professional hockey season, which began when he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990-91. Jagr, 51, last played in the NHL in 2017 and has been skating with Kladno ever since.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 6, 2023

by | Aug 6, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 6, 2023

Check out the latest on Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alexis Lafreniere plus some free-agent forward options for the Sabres in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

KUZNETSOV CALLS TRADE RUMORS “NOT ENTIRELY TRUE”

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Jared Serre recently cited Evgeny Kuznetsov claiming reports that he’d requested a trade from the Capitals weren’t “entirely true”, claiming he’d heard about most of the rumors through the media.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (NHL Images).

The Kuznetsov speculation started in March following a report that he’d requested a trade. A purported friend of the 31-year-old center claimed he was tired in Washington. NHL reporter Mike Vogel confirmed Kuznetsov’s trade request last month amid a report that the Nashville Predators had looked into acquiring him.

Kuznetsov claimed that 95 percent of the rumors were “superficial information” that wasn’t worth reading.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov didn’t deny the trade request. He compared his situation with the Capitals to a marriage. “You constantly swear, back and forth, some moments happen, but you still have this love”.

Reports last month claimed the Capitals were aggressively shopping Kuznetsov this summer without success. It appears the trade discussions with the Predators fell through.

Kuznetsov’s $7.8 million annual cap hit through 2024-25 plus his inconsistent play likely dampened his trade value. It’s expected he’ll still be in the Capitals’ lineup when they open their season against Pittsburgh on Oct. 13.

AN UPDATE ON LAFRENIERE’S CONTRACT TALKS

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Arthur Staple was asked what was taking so long for the New York Rangers to sign Alexis Lafreniere.

Staple doesn’t consider it unusual that a deal hasn’t been reached yet between the Rangers and the 21-year-old winger. He theorized that his camp could be hoping to get an offer sheet, or maybe the hold-up is over the length of Lafreniere’s next contract, or maybe it’s not a top priority for either side since he’s not going anywhere.

Asked why Lafreniere hasn’t been tendered an offer sheet, Staples suggests the signing team would be taking a huge bet on a young player who hasn’t yet proven that he can play top-six minutes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere is also coming off an entry-level contract and didn’t have arbitration rights. His only leverage is not reporting to the club until he’s got a deal that his camp considers suitable. Given his current situation, that’s not going to work in his favor.

Too many teams with limited salary-cap space is probably another factor. Only eight clubs have $5 million or more in cap room and some of them need it to re-sign their own remaining RFA players.

Lafreniere will likely agree to a short-term bridge deal of two or three years before training camp starts in September. Given the Rangers’ cap limitations, it will probably be a low-cost annual cap hit of around $2.5 million.

SOME SUGGESTED FREE-AGENT OPTIONS FOR THE SABRES

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn recently suggested some free-agent options for the Buffalo Sabres if they wish to find a short-term replacement for sidelined winger Jack Quinn. He listed Tomas Tatar, Paul Stastny, Pius Suter, Zach Parise and Max Comtois.

Fairburn acknowledged the depth of talent is thin among the remainder of this summer’s free-agent class. If they can’t sign Tatar or Suter, he recommends they go the trade route or hope to find a suitable replacement from within their system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No indication yet as to the Sabres’ intentions. There’s plenty of time for them to address this. They could evaluate their options during training camp before deciding if they need external help.

It’s believed Quinn’s injury puts the brakes on any efforts to trade Victor Olofsson, at least until Quinn returns to the lineup.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 1, 2023

by | Aug 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 1, 2023

The top remaining unrestricted free agents, Sharks speculation that has nothing to do with Erik Karlsson, and the latest on the Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TOP REMAINING UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

DAILY FACEOFF: Patrick Kane and Matt Dumba sit first and second on Frank Seravalli’s list of the top remaining NHL unrestricted free agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane won’t be entertaining contract offers until he’s recovered from his recent hip surgery. That’s expected to be sometime in early December. Dumba, meanwhile, is the top defenseman in the market and has been linked to the Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.

Forwards Max Comtois, Tomas Tatar and Jonathan Toews sit in positions three through five on the listing.

Former Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Comtois recently said that he’s received calls from interested clubs but no contract offers yet. He indicated that the Montreal Canadiens have not contacted him. There’s been no rumors of late linking Tatar to any NHL club but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t received any calls.

Toews, meanwhile, has been silent except for releasing a statement in response to the recent death of Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz. The agency that represents him did not have his name on their list of clients who are free agents this summer, fuelling speculation that he’s mulling retirement.

Forward Pius Suter, winger Noah Gregor, goaltender Jaroslav Halak, center Paul Stastny and winger Phil Kessel rounded out the top 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suter said he doesn’t intend on returning to his native Switzerland and hopes to sign an NHL contract. Kessel, 35, has indicated he wants to continue his NHL career. So does the 38-year-old Halak. No word on Stastny or Gregor.

UPDATE ON THE SHARKS

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For those of you who are weary of all the speculation about Erik Karlsson, here’s the latest on the San Jose Sharks that has nothing to do with the 33-year-old defenseman. Enjoy!

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng observed that Sharks general manager Mike Grier has been pursuing devalued assets this summer that still appear to possess real upside. He’s acquired goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and wingers Anthony Duclair and Filip Zadina and made a failed attempt at signing Vladimir Tarasenko.

Peng listed defenseman Matt Dumba, winger Tomas Tatar and winger Max Comtois as three free agents that he believes Grier should target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have over $5 million in projected cap space for 2023-24. They will have more if they somehow manage to trade a certain expensive Norris Trophy-winning defenseman this summer. That will give Grier more room to perhaps add a free agent or two such as those listed by Peng.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller wondered if the Sharks might consider trading Alexander Barabanov. The 29-year-old winger has been a good player, netting 93 points in 147 games. However, he could become the odd man out among their top-six forwards with the additions of Duclair and Zadina and with promising William Eklund expected to crack the lineup this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller suggested that Barabanov, who is slated to become a UFA next July, could be an enticing target for playoff contenders at the March trade deadline. He carries an affordable $2.5 million cap hit but his 10-team no-trade clause could affect the number of possible trade partners for the Sharks.

LATEST ON THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins reported on Sunday that he’d heard the Oilers were closing in on new contracts with defenseman Evan Bouchard and center Ryan McLeod. The latter has an arbitration hearing on Aug. 4.

Leavins believes the goalposts have been slightly moved in terms of what it might cost to sign them. That leads him to conclude that the Oilers might have to go the professional tryout offer (PTO) route to add a center or two rather than signing UFAs. He also doesn’t rule out an in-season trade, suggesting Washington’s Nic Dowd and Montreal’s Jake Evans as possible trade options.

Robert Tychowski, meanwhile, believes the Oilers have dodged a “potential grenade” of an offer sheet for Bouchard. If it was going to happen, he thinks it would’ve by now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed regarding the Bouchard offer sheet. There aren’t many teams with the cap space to pull it off. It also remains a rarely-used tactic that most general managers tend to avoid.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 5, 2023

by | Jul 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 5, 2023

A brief look at the top remaining unrestricted free agents, Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim is off the trade block and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrick Kane and Matt Dumba top Frank Seravalli’s list of this summer’s top remaining unrestricted free agents.

Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko is said to be mulling over half-a-dozen offers and has been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators. He’s reportedly close to reaching a decision that could come before the end of this week.

Kane is rehabbing from a hip resurfacing procedure and is expected to be sidelined for four to six months. It could be weeks before he signs with a new club, perhaps before training camp opens in September.

As for Dumba, the Arizona Coyotes are reportedly pursuing the 28-year-old defenseman. They’ve had a busy couple of weeks stocking up with veterans, signing forwards Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot and Nick Bjugstad and acquiring blueliner Sean Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings.

Jonathan Toews is another notable still available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After 15 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Toews is reportedly taking his time considering his future before deciding whether he’ll return to action or retire. He’s been battling health issues for the past three seasons.

Other noteworthy UFAs include Max Comtois, Tomas Tatar, Oskar Sundqvist, Jaroslav Halak, Paul Stastny and Phil Kessel.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said he’s received calls from clubs expressing interest in Travis Sanheim. However, he doesn’t think he’ll be moving the 27-year-old defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sanheim’s contract is likely the reason why Briere doubts he’ll be moving the blueliner. Signed last October, the eight-year, $50 million deal kicked in on July 1 with a full no-trade clause. Unless Sanheim waives it, he’s not going anywhere.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals signed defenseman Martin Fehervary to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.675 million.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are bringing back Travis Hamonic for two more years. The 32-year-old defenseman’s new contract carries an AAV of $1.1 million.

TSN: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Robert Hagg to a one-year contract worth $775K.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Filip Zadina cleared waivers yesterday and will be staying with the Red Wings. At the 23-year-old winger’s request, GM Steve Yzerman tried moving him to a new club via trade but couldn’t find any takers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2022

by | Aug 24, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2022

The Hurricanes sign Paul Stastny, the Islanders make some depth signings, the Coyotes’ new arena gets a name and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes signed Paul Stastny to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. The 36-year-old forward scored 21 goals and 45 points in 71 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets. He also gets a $500K performance bonus if the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup.

Carolina Hurricanes sign free agent Paul Stastny (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stastny signing is meant to offset the absence of Max Pacioretty, who is sidelined until February recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. The signing raised some questions over whether Jesperi Kotkaniemi will be knocked out of the second-line center position.

Stastny can play center or left wing. With Pacioretty on the shelf, he could be projected to fill the left wing spot on the second or third line. He can also slide into the second-line center position if Kotkaniemi struggles in that role in the coming season.

DAILY FACEOFF: One day after re-signing Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov and Kieffer Bellows, the New York Islanders made four depth signings on Tuesday. Defensemen Dennis Cholowski and Paul LaDue and forward Arnaud Durandeau each signed two-year, two-way contracts while forward Hudson Fasching signed a one-year, two-way deal.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Arizona State University announced its new 5,000-seat arena will be called Mullett Arena. The venue is also the temporary home of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The venue is named in honor of the Mullett family, who have been long-time supporters of ASU’s hockey program. Nevertheless, this news drew plenty of jokes on social media referencing early-90’s style hockey hair.

NJ.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning forward and New Jersey native Ross Colton recently said it would be cool to one day play for the Devils. He loves being in Tampa Bay and playing for the Lightning but said he grew up as a die-hard Devils fan.

“I understand it’s a business and whatnot. But down the road if I could throw on the (Devils) jersey one day, that would be awesome,” said Colton.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colton could get that opportunity in two years’ time. That’s when he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent unless he signs an extension with the Lightning. His current contract expires next summer when he’ll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights and a year away from UFA eligibility.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed restricted forward Noah Gregor to a one-year, one-way contract worth $950K. He will be eligible for arbitration next summer.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Tickets for the 2023 Winter Classic between the Penguins and Boston Bruins at Fenway Park on Jan. 2 go on sale today.