NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 6, 2019

by | Jul 6, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 6, 2019

Forty players filed for salary arbitration, the latest free-agent signings, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHLPA: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington and New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba were among the 40 players selected salary arbitration by the 5 pm ET deadline yesterday.  Arbitrations hearings will be held in Toronto between July 20 to August 4.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba was among 40 player filing for salary arbitration on Friday. (Photo via NHL Images)

Anaheim Ducks

Chase De Leo

Boston Bruins

Danton Heinen

Buffalo Sabres

Remi Elie

Jake McCabe

Evan Rodrigues

Linus Ullmark

Calgary Flames

Sam Bennett

Ryan Lomberg

David Rittich

Rinat Valiev 

Carolina Hurricanes

Anton Forsberg

Brock McGinn

Colorado Avalanche

J.T. Compher

Sheldon Dries

Ryan Graves

Dallas Stars

Jason Dickinson

Florida Panthers

MacKenzie Weegar

Los Angeles Kings

Alex Iafallo

Montreal Canadiens

Joel Armia

Charles Hudon

Artturi Lehkonen

Nashville Predators

Rocco Grimaldi

Colton Sissons

New Jersey Devils

Will Butcher

Connor Carrick

Mirco Mueller

New York Rangers

Pavel Buchnevich

Jacob Trouba

Philadelphia Flyers

Scott Laughton

Pittsburgh Penguins

Zach Aston-Reese

St. Louis Blues

Jordan Binnington

Joel Edmundson

Zach Sanford

Oskar Sundqvist

Tampa Bay Lightning

Cedric Paquette

Vegas Golden Knights

Malcolm Subban

Washington Capitals

Christian Djoos

Chandler Stephenson

Winnipeg Jets

Andrew Copp

Neal Pionk

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The dates for each hearing will be released before July 20. As soon as it is, I’ll post it up. Paquette yesterday re-signed with the Lightning to a two-year, $3.3-million contract.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins yesterday re-signed head coach Mike Sullivan to a four-year contract extension. 

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets re-signed defenseman Scott Harrington to a three-year, $4.9-million contract. 

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche re-signed defenseman Nikita Zadorov to a one-year contract. Cap Friendly indicates it’s for $3.2 million. 

VANCOUVER SUN: The Canucks re-signed winger Josh Leivo to a one-year, $1.5-million contract.

WGR 550: Forward Zemgus Girgensons signed his one-year, $1.6-million qualifying offer with the Buffalo Sabres. Speaking of the Sabres, 2019 first-round pick Dylan Cozens underwent surgery on his left thumb and will require two-three months to recover. 

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed UFA forward Nick Cousins to a one-year, $1-million contract. 

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed winger Andreas Martinsen to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level. 

SPORTSNET: Ontario sports minister Lisa MacLeod has apologized for harsh comments aimed at Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk at a recent Rolling Stones concert. MacLeod said she was giving Melnyk some “feedback”. According to Melnyk, she said, “I am your minister and you’re a f—ing piece of s–t and you’re a f—ing loser,”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And that, ladies and gentlemen, was Friday’s most bizarre sports story. On the one hand, some Senators fans will probably applaud MacLeod for ripping into the cantankerous Melnyk. On the other hand, she’s among the most despised members of Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2019

by | Jan 22, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2019

Game recaps, Oilers re-sign Koskinen, Hurricanes re-up Teravainen, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines. 

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Nashville Predators beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1, giving head coach Peter Laviolette his 600th career NHL victory. Pekka Rinne made 35 saves, Nick Bonino had a goal and an assist, and Victor Arvidsson tallied his 10th goal of the month. 

Los Angeles Kings goaltender picked up his 302nd career victory in a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues (Photo via NHL Images).

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick made 33 saves for his 302nd career victory in a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Quick moved past Mike Richter into fourth place for American-born goalies on the all-time wins list. Kings forward Tyler Toffoli scored a goal and added an assist. 

Mikko Koivu tallied his 200th career goal and Eric Staal had a two-point night as the Minnesota Wild doubled up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Following the game, the Golden Knights traded little-used defenseman Brad Hunt and a sixth-round pick in 2019 to the Wild in exchange for the Wild’s fifth-rounder.

The Florida Panthers picked up their third straight win by beating the San Jose Sharks 6-2. Frank Vatrano had a goal and four assists while Aleksander Barkov collected three assists. The Sharks were playing without defenseman Erik Karlsson as he deals with an undisclosed injury. Karlsson will also miss the Sharks next game as well. 

HEADLINES

New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner, New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, and Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane were named the NHL’s three stars for the week ending January 20. 

NEWSOBSERVER.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes re-signed winger Teuvo Teravainen to a five-year, $27-million contract extension. The annual average value is $5.4 million. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teravainen, 24, has steadily developed into a reliable offensive forward for the Hurricanes. He enjoyed a career-best performance (23 goals, 64 points) last season and could exceed those totals (10 goals, 39 points in 48 games) this season.

Skating alongside center Sebastian Aho, Tervainen sits second among Hurricanes scorers in assists (29), points (39) and power-play points (12). He’s earned this raise as he’s become one of the Hurricanes’ core players. It’s a reasonable contract for a young player whose best seasons could still be ahead of him. 

SPORTSNET: The Edmonton Oilers re-signed goaltender Mikko Koskinen to a three-year, $13.5-million contract extension. The annual salary-cap hit is $4.5 million. In 27 games, the 30-year-old Koskinen has a record of 14-10-1, with a 2.78 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage and three shutouts. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some Oilers fans are upset over this move and calling for general manager Peter Chiarelli to be fired. Despite Koskinen’s stats, he has been inconsistent at times this season. Nevertheless, he’s outperformed former starter Cam Talbot, whose days in Edmonton are likely numbered now. Koskinen’s contract isn’t outrageous and could provide some affordable stability between the pipes for the Oilers, though I also expect they could be in the market for a promising young netminder this summer. 

TSN.CA: The Oilers also placed forwards Ty Rattie and Ryan Spooner on waivers. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These moves could free up some salary-cap space for perhaps an upcoming addition via trade. We’ll see…

TORONTO SUN: Jake Gardiner (back spasms) could return to the Maple Leafs blueline for Wednesday’s game against the Washington Capitals.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators goalie Craig Anderson is fed up with players crashing the crease and is calling on the league to crack down. Anderson recently returned to action after missing 11 games with a concussion. 

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets have hired NHL Hall-of-Famer Martin St. Louis as a special teams consultant.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Former NHL player and coach George “Red” Sullivan passed away Saturday at his home in Peterborough, Ontario. He was 89.  Sullivan played for the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, and New York Rangers from 1949-50 to 1960-61, tallying 107 goals and 346 points in 556 games. He coached the Rangers for four seasons (1962-63 to 1965-66), was the first coach in Pittsburgh Penguins history (1967-68 to 1968-69) and was the Washington Capitals’ bench boss as a midseason replacement in 1974-75.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Sullivan’s family, friends, and former teammates.  










Updated Look At NHL Coaches on the Hot Seat

by | Nov 25, 2018

Updated Look At NHL Coaches on the Hot Seat

Earlier this month, I looked at several NHL coaches thought to be at risk of losing their jobs. Since then, the St. Louis Blues fired Mike Yeo while Todd McLellan was relieved of his duties by the Edmonton Oilers.

Yeo was among those on my previous list. Given the Blues ongoing struggles since then, it wasn’t surprising when his firing was announced last week.

McLellan wasn’t on my list because the Oilers at that time had recently overcome a slow start and seemed to be surging in the Western Conference standings. Their resulting slump led to his dismissal.

Given these recent developments, it’s time to revisit and revise the listing. Some who were on the original compilation have seen an upturn in their fortunes while others could still be feeling the heat.

Dave Hakstol, Philadelphia Flyers. While many of the Flyers faithful remain disenchanted with Hakstol, GM Ron Hextall remains patient with his coach and his roster. They’re playing .500 hockey right now as their performances continue to blow hot and cold. Their inconsistency continues to cast a harsh spotlight upon Hakstol.

Ottawa Senators coach Guy Boucher could be among several NHL coaches feeling the heat this season. (Photo via NHL.com).

Guy Boucher, Ottawa Senators. He’s in the final season of his contract and there’s no certainty he’ll be back after this season. Though the Senators defied expectations earlier this season, they’ve sunk in recent weeks toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference. With the club seemingly at the mercy of their unpredictable owner Eugene Melnyk, it wouldn’t be surprising if Boucher was handed his walking papers before the new year.

Bob Boughner, Florida Panthers. With a knee injury sidelining goaltender Roberto Luongo for the opening month of the season, the Panthers got off to a sputtering start. They’ve shown some improvement since Luongo’s return and aren’t out of playoff contention yet but remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. If they don’t gain ground in the standings soon, speculation could grow over Boughner’s job security.

Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins. With the Penguins sitting outside the Eastern Conference standings, GM Jim Rutherford is shopping around for trades to bolster his struggling roster. Sullivan can’t be faulted for injuries sidelining several key players, goalie Matt Murray’s shaky start and the lack of skilled depth among his checking lines. But if there are no season-saving trades on the horizon, perhaps Rutherford will consider a coaching change.

Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks. Despite losing top defensemen Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm to recent injuries, the Ducks entered this week holding onto third place in the Pacific Division. Despite critics suggesting Carlyle’s tactics no longer work in a league trending toward youth and speed, Ducks general manager Bob Murray is sticking by his coach. Their recent improvement could reduce some of the heat Carlyle’s felt in recent weeks.

Jeff Blashill, Detroit Red Wings. After one of the worst starts in franchise history, the Red Wings rallied back in recent weeks. They’re now within striking distance of a wild-card berth, silencing Blashill’s critics. The Wings aren’t going to part with him now.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2018

by | Sep 18, 2018

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2018

Panthers name Aleksander Barkov as captain, Oilers re-sign Darnell Nurse, and more in your NHL morning coffee headlines.

SUN-SENTINEL.COM: The Florida Panthers yesterday named Aleksander Barkov as their new team captain. The 23-year-old center becomes the 10th (and youngster) captain in franchise history.

Florida Panthers name Aleksander Barkov as their new captain. (Photo via NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A good choice by the Panthers. Despite being hampered by injuries in his five NHL seasons, Barkov has matured into the Panthers’ top forward. In 2017-18, he set career highs in assist (51) and points (78) and was a finalist for the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward.

Barkov’s work ethic and lead-by-example style earned praise from his teammates and coaches. With the Panthers poised to become legitimate playoff contender, he’s the right guy to lead them. 

EDMONTON SUN: The Oilers yesterday re-signed defenseman Darnell Nurse to a two-year bridge contract worth $6.4 million. The annual average value is $3.2 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dollars, not term, was the reason behind the contract standoff. Nurse’s representatives valued him at over $4 million annually while the Oilers put it at under $3.5 million.

With the Winnipeg Jets inking Josh Morrissey to a two-year, $6.3-million bridge deal, the market value was set. Should Nurse continue to develop as projected, he’ll be in line for a substantial raise on his next contract. 

THE SCORE: Montreal Canadiens forward Nicolas Deslauriers was taken to hospital as a precaution and for further testing after leaving the second period of last night’s preseason game against the New Jersey Devils with an upper-body injury. The Canadiens rallied in the third period with three unanswered goals to defeat the Devils 3-1.

CBS SPORTS: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim will be sidelined one week with an upper-body injury.

USA TODAY: Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has taken a leave of absence following the death of his father on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Sullivan, his family and the Penguins’ organization. 

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators yesterday names Peter MacTavish as their new assistant general manager. He had been working as a recruiter and agent for CAA Hockey. 

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets names Jarred Boll as an assistant development coach while Fedor Tyutin joins their scouting staff. 

 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2017

by | Aug 21, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2017

Pittsburgh Penguins star Evegni Malkin (left) likes his team’s chances of winning a third straight Stanley Cup title.

Latest on Evgeni Malkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Jonathan Drouin & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines.

 NBC SPORTS: Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin believes his club has the tools to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup. He notes the club kept its core intact and singles out captain Sidney Crosby’s work ethic. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winning consecutive championships is very difficult in today’s NHL, but the Penguins managed it this past season. If they do win three in a row, they’ll be the first team since the 1981-82 New York Islanders to accomplish that feat. 

SPORTSNET: Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan recently told The Boston Globe the NHL’s new iPad system played a key role in his club’s championship march last season. The system broadcasts real-time replays to each team’s bench, allowing them to review on-ice events more quickly. 

CSN MIDATLANTIC: Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov believes the club’s off-season roster turnover is a good thing, injecting more youth into the lineup. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Critics might suggest Kuznetsov is being overly optimistic, but the potential addition of promising youngsters such as forward Jakub Vrana and defenseman Christian Djoos could give the Caps a positive jolt. 

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Jonathan Drouin joins the NFL’s Roberto Aguayo and MLB’s Tim Beckham as three former Tampa Bay pro athletes who could return to haunt their former teams this year. 

NHL.COM: Gerard Gallant embraces the challenge of coaching the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural season. “I knew we were going to have a pretty decent team, but the team was better than I thought,” Gallant said. “I thought we got better top-end players than I thought we’d get.”

 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2017

by | May 19, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2017

Anaheim Ducks winger Corey Perry (10) celebrates his overtime goal against the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of the 2017 Western Conference Final.

Ducks even Western Conference Final at 2 games apiece, plus updates on the Senators, Penguins & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHL.COM: Corey Perry’s overtime goal gave the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, knotting the series at two games apiece and handing the Predators their first home-ice loss in the 2017 postseason.

The Predators overcame a 2-0 deficit on third-period goals by P.K. Subban and Filip Forsberg to force overtime. Predators captain Mike Fisher left the game in the third period with a possible head injury and didn’t return. 

TRIBLIVE.COM/OTTAWA SUN: Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan isn’t tipping his hand on whether he’ll start Marc-Andre Fleury or Matt Murray in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final tonight. The Ottawa Senators, however, aren’t concerned over who they face in the Penguins net. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 4 could prove the crucial one in this series. The Senators hold a 2-1 series lead, holding the usually lethal Penguins offense to just three goals. If the injury-battered Pens can’t find a way to overcome Ottawa’s smothering defensive system tonight, they’ll be returning to Pittsburgh facing elimination in Game 5.

TSN;  Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold expressed buyer’s remorse over his club acquiring center Martin Hanzal from the Arizona Coyotes before the trade deadline. Hanzal’s presence didn’t help the Wild avoid first-round elimination in the 2017 playoffs. 

 YAHOO SPORTS: The agent for Nashville Predators center Mike Ribeiro said his client suffered an alcohol relapse before the Christmas holidays. He’s currently resting at home in Nashville hoping to get better and could make a decision on his hockey future soon. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hopefully Ribeiro finds the help he needs to continue his recovery. The 37-year-old’s NHL career is probably over. His performance significantly declined this season and the Preds couldn’t find any takers when he submitted a trade request. He was placed on waivers in February and finished the season in the AHL. 

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman is interested in bringing back goaltender Peter Budaj next season. Budaj is eligible for unrestricted free agency in July. 

NEWSDAY: The New York Islanders named Luke Richardson as an assistant coach. 

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Arizona Coyotes promoted Steve Sullivan to assistant general manager. 

THE DENVER POST: Lee Hee-beom, head of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics organizing committee, said his group is ready to cooperate with the NHL in hopes the league will allow its players to participate in the Games. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I believe that ship has sailed. The team owners appear adamant against participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics. It’ll take significant concessions from the IOC to change their minds.