NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 30, 2025

by | Aug 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 30, 2025

Check out the latest on Oilers winger Zach Hyman, Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, Canadiens center Nick Suzuki, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Zach Hyman isn’t sure if he’ll be ready for the start of the Edmonton Oilers’ regular season on Oct. 8.

The 33-year-old Edmonton Oilers winger suffered a dislocated wrist in Game 4 of the 2025 Western Conference Final. He underwent surgery in May, spending the past three months recovering.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

“Will I be ready for the start of the season? I don’t know. But I’m on the right track, which is good,” Hyman said. He indicated he’ll have one more meeting soon with his surgeon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman is among the Oilers’ scoring leaders. Having him healthy and productive will be key to their Stanley Cup hopes this season.

NJ.COM: Ryan Novozinsky reports the New Jersey Devils and Luke Hughes remain apart on a new contract. The 21-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent and is ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival team.

The Devils seek an eight-year contract or a two-year bridge deal. Hughes’ representatives want a five-year contract, ending the same time as Jack Hughes, his brother and teammate, ensuring both would be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status at the end of the 2029-30 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes could also seek an average annual value of over $8 million on his new contract. The Devils currently have just over $6 million in cap space, which would require a cost-cutting trade before the start of the regular season. That would explain why veteran Dougie Hamilton surfaced in the rumor mill this summer.

TVA SPORTS: Team Canada assistant general manager Julien BriseBois explained why Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki wasn’t chosen for Canada’s roster in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February.

It was speculated that Suzuki was passed over because he didn’t play for Canada in the 2024 World Championship. BriseBois denied this, saying they knew he was a good player and had followed his performance closely last fall.

“We’re here to win, not to play politics,” BriseBois said. “We’re going to select the players who give us the best chance of winning the gold medal.”

Suzuki was among the 42 players invited to attend Canada’s Olympic orientation camp, held last week in Calgary. BriseBois stated that it was because he’s a player whose performance will be highly scrutinized.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Their roster decisions panned out in the 4 Nations. Canada won that tournament with a thrilling overtime victory over the United States in the gold medal game.

RG.ORG: Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell indicated earlier this week that he would be meeting soon with Adam Fantelli’s agent to discuss a contract extension. The 20-year-old center is slated to become a restricted free agent without arbitration rights next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fantelli is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He had a promising sophomore campaign in 2024-25, scoring 31 goals and accumulating 54 points. Fantilli also filled in as the Jackets’ first-line center after a wrist injury sidelined Sean Monahan.

Speaking of Monahan, Waddell indicated that he and captain Boone Jenner had fully recovered from last season’s injuries and are ready to go this season.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW/NESN: Panthers CEO Matt Caldwell is leaving the team to become the new CEO of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. Meanwhile, the Panthers’ chief revenue officer, Shawn Thornton, is departing to join the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks as senior vice president and chief partnership officer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yes, that’s the same Shawn Thornton who spent 14 seasons in the NHL (2002-03 to 2016-17) as a physical checking-line forward and enforcer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 22, 2025

by | Aug 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 22, 2025

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki has high expectations for the coming season, Stars winger Mikko Rantanen could face a fine in his native Finland, the Blackhawks sign Frank Nazar to a lucrative contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki acknowledges his rebuilding club faces higher expectations after reaching the playoffs for the first time in four years last season.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

“We all want the same goal at the end of the day – we want to be challenging for the Stanley Cup. So I think from now on, that’s pretty much going to be our goal,” said Suzuki.

The Canadiens captain said his teammates had higher expectations heading into last season than management, the media, and fans.

As captain, Suzuki has set an example by living in Montreal year-round. He and his wife have become part of the community and are involved in several local charities. It is also a big reason why a growing number of his teammates are spending more of their offseason time in the city.

FULL PRESS MEDIA: Jim Biringer believes Suzuki has silenced any lingering doubt about his ability as an elite NHL player. He has steadily improved during his career, establishing himself as the Canadiens’ first-line center. Suzuki also put the club on his back last season, playing a major role in their surge down the stretch to clinch a playoff berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens fans have known for years what Suzuki was capable of. His consistent improvement was overshadowed by the club’s struggles during the difficult seasons of their rebuild process. He garnered more recognition around the rest of the league when he reached a career-high 89 points last season.

Suzuki has risen to the challenge as captain of the Canadiens. Whatever the result of their rebuild, he will remain their leader and their best all-around forward.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen could face a hefty fine for missing mandatory military service in his native Finland.

While a member of the Colorado Avalanche in 2024, Rantanen was supposed to arrive for military service on Apr. 15. However, the Avalanche’s season hadn’t ended yet. He applied to change the start date for his mandatory service, which was approved two days later, but the Finnish military still considers him guilty of an unauthorized absence.

The penalty is a fine of 10 to 15 days’ salary, which at the time would’ve been 85,000 euros or $ 99,000 in US dollars.

Every Finnish man over the age of 18 is required to serve in the military. Rantanen’s teammate, center Roope Hintz, was exempt from his service due to his professional hockey career and a previous injury that prevented him from serving.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen has denied any wrongdoing. His case will be heard in a Finnish court soon.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks signed forward Frank Nazar to a seven-year, $46.1 million contract extension. His new $6.59 million average annual value will begin in 2026-27 following the completion of his entry-level deal.

Nazar, 21, steadily improved after being called up last December. He also had an impressive performance in the 2025 World Championship, tallying six goals and 12 points to help Team USA win the gold medal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant raise for Nazar, who showed promise during his first full NHL campaign with 12 goals and 26 points in 53 games last season. It’s a bit of a gamble inking him to this lucrative deal before he’s fully developed, but this contract could become a significant bargain if he reaches his full potential.

DNVR AVALANCHE: Logan O’Connor’s recovery from hip surgery has gone well, and the outlook is a positive one. The procedure was not as extensive as expected. He should miss between 10-16 games at the start of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 29-year-old Avalanche winger underwent surgery in June and was projected to be sidelined for five to six months.

TSN: The Crown has decided not to appeal the acquittals of five former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team. Alex Formenton, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote had each been charged with sexual assault in London, Ontario.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The five were NHL players when the charges were laid. The league issued a statement following the verdict that it still found their actions “unacceptable”. Those five remain ineligible to play in the NHL pending a review of the case by the league.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2024

by | Aug 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2024

More details on why the Flyers terminated Ryan Johansen’s contract, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki on how the addition of Patrik Laine should help his club, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman shed more light on why the Philadelphia Flyers terminated Ryan Johansen’s contract last week citing a material breach.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Johansen (NHL Images).

“I don’t like to question injuries, especially since anyone who’s played 905 games (like Johansen) is guaranteed to have legitimate ones. I’m told the key will be everyone navigating how he went from not missing games and practices in Colorado to how he was unable to play for either Philadelphia or AHL Lehigh Valley. The timing is a little weird, which probably has something to do with video of Johansen dancing at his wedding. Again, I wouldn’t try to handicap this, except for saying the NHL and NHLPA hate risking precedent from an arbitrator, so a settlement is always the preference without an air-tight case.”

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey noted Johansen played in 63 games with the Colorado Avalanche last season before getting traded to the Flyers on March 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers reportedly attempted to send Johansen to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley following the trade. He informed them of his injury which prevented that move and kept him sidelined for the rest of the season.

Johansen’s agent vowed to fight his client’s contract termination. He claims the 32-year-old forward has a “severe hockey injury” scheduled for surgery, adding his client worked “in good faith” with the Flyers, its medical staff, and authorized third-party physicians.

THE ATHLETIC: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki believes adding Patrik Laine will improve his team’s roster this season. The Canadiens acquired the 26-year-old winger last week from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“I think we can beat anybody,” said Suzuki last Thursday. “I thought last year we competed against really good teams all the time.” The 25-year-old Canadiens captain believes adding Laine and a healthy Kirby Dach makes their forward unit “look pretty scary.”

Suzuki contacted Laine following the trade, telling the winger he’d be a “great addition.” He added that Laine is excited about joining the Canadiens and ready to go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A motivated Laine and the return of Dach should bolster the Canadiens offense which relied heavily on the top line of Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky for the bulk of its production last season. If both players stay healthy they’ll provide the Habs with much-needed scoring depth.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Canadiens, a local restaurant chain created a burger honoring Arber Xhekaj called “The Sheriff”, taken from the defenseman’s nickname. Xhekaj appeared in the promotion holding the burger, but the restaurant had to edit the picture to make the blueliner’s huge hands appear smaller so as not to dwarf the product.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: A torn hamstring will sidelined Jaromir Jagr for six weeks, forcing him to miss the start of Rytiri Kladno’s season in the Czech Extraliga. The 52-year-old former NHL star and future Hall-of-Famer owns the club and had hoped to play in every game for them this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jagr’s spent the past seven seasons playing for Kladno since ending his 24-year NHL career midway through the 2017-18 season.

TSN: The American Hockey League last week announced it has mandated cut-resistant gear for all its players and on-ice officials.

The decision was made after former AHL and NHL player Adam Johnson died when his throat was cut by a skate during a game in England’s Elite Ice Hockey League.

The Canadian Hockey League instituted a similar policy last November. USA Hockey implemented a policy that dictates all players 18 years and younger to wear neck protection in all games and practices.

The NHL does not yet have a similar policy but numerous players started wearing neck guards following the incident.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2023

by | Mar 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2023

Recaps of Friday’s games, more information on the Flyers’ recent management change, the Lightning induct Phil Esposito, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier into its Hall of Fame, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs became the fifth team to reach the 90-point mark by downing the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2. Zach Aston-Reese scored two goals while John Tavares, Morgan Rielly and Calle Jarnkrok each had two points as the Leafs improved to 41-18-9 and sit second in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. The 44-15-8 Hurricanes (96 points) have dropped three of their last four and remain one point up on the New Jersey Devils for the lead in the Metropolitan Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs forward Noel Acciari left the game in the first period after being struck in the jaw after a collision with Hurricanes winger Jesse Puljujarvi.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images)

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 5-2 upset of the Buffalo Sabres. Carter Hart made 36 saves for the 25-32-11 Flyers. Victor Olofsson scored both goals for the Sabres (33-29-6) as they remain six points behind the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are fading down the stretch, losing eight of their last 10 games. With 14 games remaining in their schedule and holding two games in hand over the Islanders, they cannot afford to lose more ground in the standings if they want to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.

The St. Louis Blues got two goals from Sammy Blais to beat the Washington Capitals 5-2. Joel Hofer stopped 32 shots in his first NHL game this season to pick up his second career win for the 30-33-5 Blues. The Capitals dropped to 33-30-7 (73 points) and sit five points back of the Islanders.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Scott Harrington scored two goals in a 7-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Ducks improved to 23-36-10 on the season. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the 21-40-7 Blue Jackets.

HEADLINES

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Marcus Hayes reports sources indicated Flyers CEO Dave Scott did not consult the “Three Wise Men” – Bob Clarke, Paul Holmgren and Bill Barber – when he made the decision to fire Chuck Fletcher as general manager and hire Daniel Briere as interim GM.

Clarke, Holmgren and Barber are former Flyers players who went on to roles in management and coaching with the club for years before becoming senior advisors to the team. One league source said they wouldn’t have approved of Briere’s hiring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Critics of the Flyers’ front office such as Hayes claim the franchise has been hampered in recent years by Clarke, Holmgren and Barber, accusing them of favoring people “who see the game through the same mottled, last-century lenses as they still see it.”

Clarke, Holmgren and Barber played key roles for the Flyers on the ice, behind the bench and in the front office, turning them into Stanley Cup champions in the 1970s and contenders from the 1980s through 2010. They are no longer in management and coaching roles but still wielded considerable influence over who was employed in those roles.

However, the Flyers are poised to miss the playoffs for the seventh time since 2012-13. It’s been apparent for some time that this club is struggling to adjust to a changing game that favors speed and skill.

Hiring Briere without first consulting Clarke, Holmgren and Barber signals what could be other significant changes in the Flyers’ front office. It’ll be interesting to see what transpires in the coming months.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL department of player safety for cross-checking Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell on Thursday.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Canadiens, head coach Martin St. Louis revealed winger Jonathan Drouin missed a team meeting on Friday morning and will not be allowed to play in Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Speaking of St. Louis and the Lightning, the club honored him, Vincent Lecavalier and Phil Esposito as its first inductees into its Hall of Fame. Esposito was the Lightning’s founder in 1992 while St. Louis and Lecavalier became the team’s first stars, leading the Bolts to its first Stanley Cup in 2004.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Esposito, St. Louis and Lecavalier for their well-deserved honors.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings prized defenseman Simon Edvinsson will play his first NHL game today against the Colorado Avalanche.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres signed top goalie prospect Devon Levi to a three-year entry-level contract.










The Canadiens Don’t Need To Tank The Season

by | Nov 29, 2022

The Canadiens Don’t Need To Tank The Season

A quarter of the way into the 2022-23 schedule, the Montreal Canadiens are exceeding expectations.

Having bottomed out last season in one of the worst performances in franchise history, the Canadiens (11-9-1) had 23 points entering their Nov. 29 games with the San Jose Sharks. They’re just two points out of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Several factors account for this improvement thus far.

Head coach Martin St. Louis doesn’t punish players (especially the younger Habs) for making mistakes. It’s much easier to play the game when you’re not terrified of getting banished to the press box for screwing up now and again.

Nick Suzuki wears the captaincy as comfortably as he would his favorite pair of skates. He leads the Canadiens in scoring, becoming the first-line center this franchise has been lacking for some time.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield (NHL Images).

Cole Caufield, meanwhile, continues to blossom into one of the league’s most dangerous snipers. Off-season acquisition Kirby Dach is thriving alongside Suzuki and Caufield, providing the Canadiens with a potent scoring line.

Rookie defensemen Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj and Johnathan Kovacevic stepped up when veterans Joel Edmundson and Mike Matheson were sidelined by injuries. 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slavkovsky is showing some potential as a future top-six winger.

The Canadiens’ rebuilding process under general manager Kent Hughes and his boss Jeff Gorton seems to be tracking in the right direction. A house of horrors a year ago, the Bell Centre is rocking once again to the cheers of Habs fans.

However, not every Canadiens follower is pleased by the club’s promising early-season play.

There are those fearful that the Canadiens are wrecking their rebuild, screwing up their chances of winning the 2023 draft lottery and the rights to projected top prospect Connor Bedard. Some suggest management tank the season by trading away as many veteran players as they can as soon as possible.

Hughes and Gorton entered this season with no illusions. Their game plan was always to shop some veterans (especially those on expiring contracts) by the March 3 trade deadline for draft picks and prospects to put toward the ongoing rebuild.

Waiting for February or March to unload those players isn’t good enough for those Canadiens followers hoping their club finishes dead last. They want them gone now in the belief it’ll send the team tumbling toward the bottom of the standings and fulfill their daydreams of Bedard pulling on a Habs jersey at the 2023 draft.

Those folks are overlooking the potential already on display within this season’s roster.

The Canadiens have two foundation stars in Suzuki and Caufield. Dach has the potential to become a star in his own right. The 18-year-old Slavkovsky could turn into a serious scoring threat as his game matures. Guhle, Xhekaj, Harris and Kovacevic are providing a tantalizing glimpse of what could become a solid blueline corps.

Why mess with that right now? What gut the roster of veteran experience, skill and leadership that takes the pressure off those kids while they’re developing their skills? Why risk damaging the budding confidence of those promising players with another season wallowing in the bottom of the standings?

Despite the Canadiens’ early-season play, realistic fans understand that they will likely come up short of a playoff berth. There are still too many holes in their current roster despite their better-than-expected start. Management probably understands this too. They will start shopping some of their veterans leading up to the March trade deadline for draft picks and prospects. In the meantime, those players are more beneficial in the lineup now to help the kids develop their abilities.

Even if management did all it could between now and the trade deadline to tank the season, there’s no guarantee they’ll win the lottery again. Just because they might miss out on Bedard doesn’t mean they can’t find a potential star later in the opening round. Caufield, after all, was chosen 15th overall in the 2019 draft.

Thanks to their current and former management, the Canadiens already have a crop of promising talent on the roster and within their prospect pipeline. Those youngsters could form a solid core that forms the nucleus of a future Stanley Cup contender or at the very least a perennial playoff club.

Thanks to the guidance of St. Louis and his coaching staff, they’re already getting better. They’re entertaining to watch and never give up when they fall behind on the scoreboard.

Those Canadiens fans worried about next year’s draft lottery should just relax. Don’t look at it like they’re wrecking their chances of landing a magical unicorn prospect. Appreciate that they already have a promising core that could become something special in a few years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2022

by | Oct 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2022

Recaps of Wednesday’s preseason games, Hockey Canada faces growing criticism as sponsors distance themselves from the organization, the Stars sign Jason Robertson to a four-year contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I underwent surgery on Oct. 5 to repair damaged tendons in my left hand. It was similar to the procedure I had in February. As a result, it could take a little longer to post my daily updates over the next few days. Please bear with me. As always, I appreciate your support.

RECAPS OF PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: A third-period goal by Mike Reilly broke a 4-4 tie as the Boston Bruins nipped the New York Rangers 5-4. Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha each had a goal and two assists. Mika Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko both scored twice for the Rangers.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

The Washington Capitals doubled up the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 on third-period goals by Connor Brown and Alex Ovechkin. It was a costly win for the Capitals as winger T.J. Oshie left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We could hear an update on Oshie’s status later today after he’s been reevaluated by the Capitals’ medical staff.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender David Rittich made 37 saves to backstop his club to a 5-0 shutout of the Calgary Flames. Kyle Connor scored twice and Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists.

Third-period goals by Logan O’Connor and Mikko Rantanen lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Dallas Stars 2-1. Alexandar Georgiev got the win with a 32-save performance.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson scored two third-period goals (including the game-winner) in a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Canucks captain Bo Horvat collected three assists. Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist.

SPONSORS AND TWO PROVINCES WITHDRAW SUPPORT FROM HOCKEY CANADA.

CBC.CA: Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said it “boggles the mind” that Hockey Canada continues to defend its leadership amid ongoing accusations of its mishandling of sexual assault allegations against a number of junior hockey players.

“Parents across the country are losing faith or have lost faith in Hockey Canada,” said Trudeau. “Certainly, politicians here in Ottawa have lost in Hockey Canada.”

Canada’s sports minister Pascale St-Onge believed mass resignations by Hockey Canada’s leadership are necessary to restore trust in the organization. If they continue to dig in its heels, she called upon Hockey Canada’s voting members to clean house.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Hockey Quebec and the Ontario Hockey Federation are pulling their support from Hockey Canada and moving to withhold registration fees from the national federation. Meanwhile, Tim Hortons, Telus and Scotiabank announced Wednesday that they will be suspending their sponsorship of men’s hockey for the 2022-23 season.

TSN: Rick Westhead reports a group of Hockey Canada’s sponsors is discussing the possibility of permanently suspending their business relationships with the national sports organization, using the “reputational damage” clauses in their contracts.

THE ATHLETIC: Ken Volden, a senior executive at TSN, acknowledged that the network’s business operations have been affected by its coverage of the Hockey Canada scandal. However, the network will continue to pursue the story.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ongoing damage to Hockey Canada worsens the longer it continues to keep its head in the sand. Suppose the outcry by politicians and the public won’t force the organization to implement change in its leadership. In that case, the withdrawal of funding by the provinces and major corporate sponsors should do it.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed winger Jason Robertson to a four-year, $31 million contract. The average annual value is $7.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson gets a hefty raise over his entry-level AAV of $894K. He earned it by becoming one of the Stars’ top players. He was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2020-21 with 45 points in 51 games and tallied 41 goals and 79 points as a sophomore last season.

This deal also sets up the 23-year-old for a more lucrative payday on a longer-term contract. He’ll earn $9.3 million in actual salary in the final year of this deal, meaning it’ll cost the Stars that much to qualify his rights.

Speaking of the Stars, goaltender Anton Khudobin has a clean bill of health after recovering from off-season hip surgery. He could be showcased for a trade or placed on waivers and demoted to their AHL affiliate Texas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scott Wedgewood has nailed down the backup role behind young starter Jake Oettinger.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki and teammates Joel Armia and Emil Heineman are listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries. The Canadiens also announced the signing of 2021 first-round pick Logan Mailloux to an entry-level contract. He will spend the coming season with his junior team in London, Ontario.

The Columbus Blue Jackets released center Victor Rask from his professional tryout offer.

THE SCORE: Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis isn’t ruling out Shane Wright playing the full season in the NHL. The 18-year-old center was considered the top prospect heading into the 2022 draft but was selected fourth overall by the Kraken.

DAILY FACEOFF: The NHL department of player safety fined Arizona Coyotes forward Michael Carone $2,027.23 for roughing Vegas Golden Knights forward Gage Quinney in a preseason game on Tuesday.