NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2023

by | Jan 20, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2023

Are the Rangers pursuing Timo Meier or Vladislav Gavrikov? What’s going on with Matt Dumba and Jake Muzzin? Are the Canucks close to replacing coach Bruce Boudreau? What’s the latest on the Predators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE THE RANGERS EYEING MEIER OR GAVRIKOV?

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple cited Daily Faceoff reporting the New York Rangers have taken a long look at Timo Meier. The San Jose Sharks winger is a restricted free agent in July who is due a $10 million qualifying offer and seems likely to be moved before the March 3 trade deadline.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

According to Staple, the Sharks would want a young center as part of the package along with one of the two first-round picks the Rangers hold in this year’s draft. However, he pointed out the Blueshirts have a lot of roster holes to fill and limited cap space to do so beyond this season. Meier could get at least $8.5 million annually on his next contract.

Staple also cited a league source claiming the Rangers asked the Columbus Blue Jackets about defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. The asking price is said to be a first-rounder plus a mid-round pick.

Staple’s colleague Shayna Goldman included the Rangers in her list of potential destinations for Meier. Others included the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meier’s going to be an expensive acquisition for pretty much every playoff contender this season in terms of return and contract beyond this season. A club could acquire him as a rental player and then shop his rights in the offseason. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if a Meier trade occurs in the offseason.

UPDATE ON DUMBA

TSN: Darren Dreger took note of the Minnesota Wild scratching Matt Dumba from Thursday’s game against the Carolina Hurricane. He pointed out the 28-year-old defenseman hasn’t played well of late and believes head coach Dean Evason is trying to send a message. Despite Dumba’s recent play, Dreger said Dumba continues to draw interest in the trade market but he has to get his game back on track.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild general manager Bill Guerin isn’t in any rush to move the struggling Dumba. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reported Guerin’s received trade calls about the blueliner but he’s not about to move him unless he feels the Wild are getting better. Dumba, meanwhile, said Guerin has been upfront with him that he could be moved by the trade deadline.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

TSN: Chris Johnston reports hockey analyst and former NHL coach Rick Tocchet said he doesn’t have a contract with the Vancouver Canucks. However, Johnston expects that’ll change soon as it sounds like negotiations have started on a deal for Tocchet plus a couple of additions to his coaching staff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I hate how the Canucks are handling this situation. Management is obviously unhappy over Bruce Boudreau’s coaching and they’re entitled to that. However, they’re leaving Boudreau twisting in the wind while it appears they’re very actively courting his replacement. If they don’t want him, they should fire him and install one of the assistant coaches as interim bench boss until his full-time replacement is found.

I don’t fault Tocchet and I believe Boudreau is handling this well despite the circumstances. Nevertheless, this isn’t a good look for the Canucks’ front office. Of course, the case can be made that nobody will care if Tocchet can reverse their fortunes but that doesn’t excuse their shabby treatment of Boudreau.

LEAFS EXPECT CLARITY SOON ON MUZZIN’S STATUS

TSN: Chris Johnston reports it doesn’t sound like there’s been any development on whether sidelined defenseman Jake Muzzin will return to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ lineup this season. They expect to get clarity on his injury status soon as it’ll determine how much longer he’ll remain on long-term injury reserve. If he’s out for the season they could use the cap relief to perhaps acquire someone at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Muzzin has been out since Oct. 19 with a cervical spine injury and will be re-evaluated in February. He’s signed through 2023-24 with an average annual value of $5.625 million.

WILL THE PREDATORS MAKE ANY DEADLINE DEAL?

THE TENNESSEAN: Paul Skrbina recently speculated over the Nashville Predators’ plans for the March 3 trade deadline. He expects they’ll remain in the playoff race so they’ll either buy or stand pat. “Outside of Mattias Ekholm, who wants no part of moving his family, the Predators don’t have much to offer trade-wise,” writes Skrbina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekholm recently surfaced in the rumor mill as a trade candidate. He lacks no-trade protection but he’s also in the first season of a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million. That salary is almost as effective as a no-trade clause given the high number of cap-strapped teams around the league this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 13, 2023

by | Jan 13, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 13, 2023

The latest on Patrick Kane, Ivan Provorov and John Klingberg plus updates on the Jets, Kraken, Bruins and Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST FROM TSN’S “INSIDER TRADING”

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the conversation between Blackhawks management and Patrick Kane about his future won’t be happening until the 34-year-old winger has returned from the “little injury” that has been nagging him this season. Teams with an interest in Kane are monitoring his health status closely. He’s expected to resume play on Saturday.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s understandable why interested clubs are closely watching Kane’s health in the coming weeks. Assuming he agrees to be traded, those teams will have to deal with difficult financial gymnastics and what could be an expensive asking price to obtain him.

Darren Dreger observes the Winnipeg Jets have the cap space to become buyers at the trade deadline if they wish. They are slowly getting back players that were sidelined during the first half of the season and a lot will depend on the health of their roster as the deadline nears.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets did a fine job handling the absence of those injured players. Still, I think general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will keep an eye on the trade market for a deal or two that bolsters his roster for the playoffs.

LeBrun reported the full no-trade clause of Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Klingberg reverted on Jan. 1 to a 10-team list of preferred trade destinations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates it’s a 10-team no-trade list to the end of the season. Bit of confusion there. Regardless, LeBrun points out Klingberg will want to join a playoff contender so there shouldn’t be too much issue with him waiving it should one of them make a suitable pitch to the Ducks.

Dreger was asked if the Seattle Kraken could draw on their stockpile of 11 picks in this year’s draft (including three second-rounders) if they wish to boost their roster for the postseason. While it’s too early in the season for GM Ron Francis to start shopping picks, there’s a belief he could do so for the right fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, if there’s an affordable depth option or two out there. I can see Francis making that type of move if the Kraken remains in the thick of the postseason hunt by the March 3 trade deadline. I don’t see him pursuing a big-ticket player like Patrick Kane.

ESTIMATING PROVOROV’S TRADE VALUE

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Giana Han examined the pros and cons of the Flyers trading Ivan Provorov. The 25-year-old defenseman has recently become the subject of rumors suggesting it might be best for all concerned if he was traded to a playoff contender.

Han believes potential buyers would want to determine how much of Provorov’s struggles stem from himself or his current environment. With an annual average value of $6.75 million through 2024-25, he wouldn’t be a rental player. Given his age, he could still have some upside for contenders as a top-four blueliner.

NHL Network analyst Brian Lawton believes the Flyers shouldn’t trade Provorov for anything less than a first-round pick. He also thinks two other pieces should be included in the return. Han points out the Flyers aren’t under pressure to move Provorov by the March 3 trade deadline. However, they should be willing to listen to offers given their need to accumulate assets for the future.

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman lists the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres as five clubs that should try to acquire Provorov. He believes the Flyers defenseman would make a good consolation prize for teams that fail to acquire Jakob Chychrun. Provorov could also be more affordable to acquire than the Arizona Coyotes blueliner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Time is on the Flyers’ side here. They can afford to wait for the offseason if they don’t get any suitable offers for Provorov before the trade deadline.

Provorov has heard the recent trade talk but insists he wants to remain with the Flyers. He lacks a no-trade clause so he won’t have any say in the matter if GM Chuck Fletcher (or his replacement?) decides to peddle him.

His contract offers interested teams cost certainty for the next two seasons. However, his cap hit could prove difficult to move this season given the high number of cap-strapped teams.

UPDATES ON THE BRUINS AND CANUCKS

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney won’t hesitate to move any of his prospects, including Fabian Lysell or Mason Lohrei, if they’ll help to fetch a return that helps them pursue the Stanley Cup this season.

Shinzawa points out the Bruins are all-in to win the Stanley Cup this year. He also noted that Sweeney hasn’t had any qualms over shipping out prospects in his recent trades, pointing to last season’s deal with the Anaheim Ducks for Hampus Lindholm.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Depleting their prospect pool could cost the Bruins down the road when current stars like Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci and Taylor Hall have moved on.

Given where they are in the standings right now, Bruins fans will likely forgive Sweeney if shipping out promising youngsters fetches a return that turns them into Stanley Cup champions in June.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman yesterday reported Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin have had talks with Rick Tocchet. Now a TNT hockey analyst, Tocchet was an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins when Rutherford was their general manager and Allvin his assistant GM.

Friedman doesn’t think the Canucks are close to a coaching change, suggesting it could be at least a couple of weeks away. Still, Rutherford and Allvin could go with someone they’re familiar with if they decide to part ways with current bench boss Bruce Boudreau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Media consensus suggests Boudreau is the most likely head coach to be replaced during this season. Whether Tocchet becomes his replacement remains to be seen. In my opinion, it’ll take more than a coaching change to address the Canucks’ roster weaknesses. That’s the management’s responsibility.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 5, 2022

by | Nov 5, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – November 5, 2022

Could the Flames re-sign Milan Lucic? Will the Oilers trade a forward to make room for Dylan Holloway? What coaches are available if some teams consider making changes behind the bench? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE FLAMES SIGN LUCIC TO A NEW CONTRACT?

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve Macfarlane recently mused over whether the Flames will re-sign Milan Lucic. The 34-year-old power forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He’s been one of their steadiest players this season and is skating on the second line with Elias Lindholm and Tyler Toffoli.

Calgary Flames winger Milan Lucic (NHL Images).

In addition to Lucic’s improved play, he’s also become a leader in the dressing room. Macfarlane believes there’s little doubt he wants to stay in Calgary and would cost a lot less than the $6 million average annual value he’s earning split between the Flames and the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames have limited cap space ($1.7 million) for 2023-24. Fortunately, all their core players are under contract and Lucic is their most noteworthy pending free agent.

They might have to create some additional cap room even if Lucic’s next contract is a short-term one at a far more affordable rate than his current one. Still, I think the two sides can work something out if he wants to stay and management feels he can still contribute.

WILL THE OILERS MOVE A FORWARD TO MAKE ROOM FOR HOLLOWAY?

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell examined the Edmonton Oilers’ options to get promising winger Dylan Holloway more playing time this season. The easiest choice would be to send him to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield and then recall the 21-year-old if he does well there after a few games.

Another would be finding a way to create room on the roster for Holloway to skate among the top-six forwards. That could come down to making a decision on moving Kailer Yamamoto, Jesse Puljujarvi or Warren Foegele.

Mitchell believes Yamamoto will stay put, in part because he’s signed through next season. Puljujarvi has frequently surfaced in media trade rumors but Mitchell believes the big winger helps the team even when he’s not scoring.

That leaves Foegele as potentially vulnerable. He‘s a left-shot winger filling the position Holloway is best suited to play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Foegele hasn’t popped up as much as Puljujarvi in the rumor mill but he has been mentioned before as a trade candidate. However, general manager Ken Holland has found ways to balance his roster thus far without resorting to a trade. I think Holloway’s destined spend some time in Bakersfield.

AVAILABLE NHL COACHES

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin looked at the notable former NHL coaches currently available for any team that might be considering a shakeup behind the bench this season.

Topping the list, of course, is Barry Trotz followed by Rick Tocchet. Other familiar names include Alain Vigneault, Dave Tippett, Andrew Brunette, Travis Green and Jeff Blashill.

Larkin also listed “up-and-comers” such as Ryan Warsofsky, Jay Leach and Ian Laperriere. He also noted former NHL coaches Mike Babcock and Joel Quenneville are available but suggests both carry too much baggage to return to the league’s coaching ranks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2022

by | Jul 1, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2022

The Avalanche stage their Stanley Cup victory parade, the Lightning working on trading Ryan McDonagh and signing Nick Paul, the Red Wings hire Derek Lalonde as head coach, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

THE DENVER POST/COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Colorado Avalanche held their Stanley Cup victory parade on June 30 in Denver. During the parade, defenseman Bowen Byram briefly jumped from the fire truck he was riding to mingle with fans along the route. He was nearly prevented from rejoining his teammates by a policeman who thought he was one of the fans.

In other highlights, head coach Jared Bednar gave an emotional speech thanking the Avalanche organization for giving him the opportunity to prove himself at the NHL level. He also praised his players and fellow coaches and thanked the fans for sticking with the club after his difficult first season in 2016-17.

Cale Makar thanked his “underappreciated” defense partner Devon Toews, Mikko Rantanen apologized for “forgetting” how to speak English following the Cup win and drank from a shoe with Artturi Lehkonen, and Nathan MacKinnon joked about finally winning something in his ninth NHL season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In short, a good time was had by all.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman cites multiple sources claiming the Tampa Bay Lightning are working on a trade with Ryan McDonagh. It’s not a move they want to make but may have to for salary cap reasons. The 33-year-old defenseman is signed through 2025-26 with an annual average value of $6.75 million and a full no-trade clause.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDonagh is still an effective defenseman but won’t be easy to move given his age and contract. The Bolts might have to include a draft pick or prospect to make the deal work.

They’ve also got less than two weeks to pull this off. Free agency begins on July 13 and most teams with available cap space interested in acquiring McDonagh could consider more affordable free-agent options if trade talks fall through.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports that the Lightning are closing in on a multi-year contract with Nick Paul. The 27-year-old forward was acquired from the Ottawa Senators prior to the March 21 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Paul’s new contract could be one reason why the cap-strapped Lightning are trying to trade McDonagh. He fit in well with the Bolts, especially during the postseason. He reportedly rejected a four-year, $10-million contract offer from the Senators before he was traded. It’ll be interesting to see what he gets from the Lightning.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings have hired Derek Lalonde as their new head coach. He spent the past four seasons as an associate coach with the Lightning and is a former ECHL coach of the year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We shouldn’t be surprised that Wings general manager Steve Yzerman went with a former Lightning coach. He’s the one who hired Lalonde during his tenure as the Bolts GM.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: A Bruins source indicated former Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery could become their new bench boss. ESPN.com’s Kevin Weekes reports he’s been offered a three-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A formal announcement could come as early as today (July 1). Montgomery spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets are reportedly targeting Rick Tocchet as their new head coach. They’ve made him an offer but a deal had yet to be finalized. Tocchet is a former head coach of the Lightning and the Arizona Coyotes.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs are open to trading the rights of pending UFA defenseman Ilya Mikheyev.

TSN: The Buffalo Sabres signed goaltender Craig Anderson to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. He was slated to become a UFA on July 13.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blues Jackets acquired gritty forward Mathieu Olivier from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2022 fourth-round pick that the Jackets acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs last year.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed goaltender Scott Wedgewood to a two-year contract extension worth $1 million per season. He’ll serve as Jake Oettinger’s backup.

SPORTSNET: Ottawa Senators defenseman Victor Mete released a statement on social media yesterday indicating he was not present at the Hockey Canada gala in 2018 that is now the focus of sexual assault allegations.

Mete, a member of Canada’s World Junior team in 2017-18, said he was deeply troubled by the allegations. He indicated he was vacationing in Jamaica with his family at the time of the alleged incident and only learned about the situation recently through media reports. He added he’d be willing to fully cooperate if requested by those investigating the matter.

Agents for NHL players Cal Foote and Dante Fabbro recently issued statements saying their clients also weren’t involved in the incident.

TSN: Speaking of the Senators, they’ve informed forward Adam Gaudette that he won’t be receiving a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 13. The club also announced they’ve hired Trent Mann and Ryan Bowness (son of former Stars coach Rick Bowness) as assistant general managers.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals have promoted Emily Engel-Natzke as their new NHL video coordinator. She becomes the first woman to be hired as part of the full-time coaching staff of an NHL club.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 22, 2022

by | May 22, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 22, 2022

In the Sunday NHL rumor roundup, a collection of the latest Canucks speculation, the latest coaching rumors plus updates on the Stars and Devils.

LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal recently reported the Vancouver Canucks were thought to be ready to restart contract talks this past week with Brock Boeser’s representatives. They have sufficient salary-cap flexibility to tender a $7.5 million qualifying offer to Boeser by the July 11 deadline to retain his rights.

They feel the Canucks are unlikely to take Boeser to arbitration and could qualify him if a compromise isn’t reached beforehand. It’s believed that’s something the winger’s camp prefers as well. It could be a short-term extension, perhaps for three years and below the $7.5 million qualifier.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser’s annual cap hit on his current deal is $5.875 million. He’s going to seek a significant raise, especially after seeing what teammates Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes got last season. Granted, their raises came from the previous management but Boeser’s within his rights to seek a big pay bump. It probably won’t reach $7.5 million but it could be close to $7 million.

Team sources also doused reports suggesting Oliver Ekman-Larsson could be shopped in a cost-cutting move this summer. While the club may have done some due diligence on his trade value, they remain impressed with Ekman-Larsson as a player and a person.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekman-Larsson’s big cap hit ($7.26 million) through 2026-27 plus his full no-movement clause would’ve made him difficult to move during an offseason when the salary cap is rising by just $1 million.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes J.T. Miller will draw plenty of trade interest if the Canucks cannot free up sufficient cap space to sign the 29-year-old center to a contract extension. He drew plenty of interest in this season’s trade market from the New York Rangers but Kuzma believes his career-best 99-point performance this season will draw a number of suitors attracted to his versatility.

If the Rangers still want Miller, Kuzma speculates the Canucks would want 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere as part of the return. His former agent is Canucks assistant general manager Emilie Castonguay.

Re-signing Miller will be expensive. Kuzma cited the Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad and the San Jose Sharks’ Tomas Hertl as comparables. Both were making similar to Miller’s current cap hit ($5.5 million) before signing lucrative long-term deals. Zibanejad’s is for eight years and $68 million while Hertl’s is also for eight years and is worth $65.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Either decision comes with risk for the Canucks. Trade Miller and the return might not pan out as hoped for their long-term plans. Sign him for over $8 million annually on an eight-year deal and it could become a drain on their cap space that grows burdensome as his skill decline in the final years of the deal.

The Rangers could revisit their interest in Miller but that will depend on whether they get pending UFAs Ryan Strome and Andrew Copp signed before July 13. They could also consider more affordable options on long-term deals in the trade market, such as the Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele if he becomes available.

TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” SATURDAY SEGMENT

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman provided an update on Barry Trotz as the former New York Islanders head coach is drawing interest from teams seeking a new bench boss. He will meet with the Philadelphia Flyers this week. Marek believes the Flyers want to be thorough in assessing their coaching candidates. The Winnipeg Jets also met with Trotz while the Vegas Golden Knights and Detroit Red Wings could also be among his suitors.

The Dallas Stars could circle back to Rick Tocchet as a coaching candidate to replace Rick Bowness, who stepped down earlier this week. They had spoken with Tocchet earlier this season but couldn’t reach an agreement. They could also have an interest in the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires’ Marc Savard.

Speaking of the Stars, Marek believes they’d like to sign center Roope Hintz to a contract extension this summer. That could mean moving out a body. There could also be some clarity soon regarding the future of pending UFA defenseman John Klingberg.

Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils are considering all their options for the offseason. That could include shopping their first-round pick (second overall) in this year’s draft. He believes they should soon have a list of players that they would be interested in acquiring in exchange for that pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this month, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald stated he’d like to bring in an established player to complement his core of young forwards. He’s likely seeking a top-six winger to skate alongside Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. Fitzgerald could also seek a starting goaltender given Mackenzie Blackwood’s ongoing injury and consistency problems.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 9, 2021

by | Jun 9, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – June 9, 2021

Dougie Hamilton’s contract status is the Hurricanes’ offseason priority, the Kings seek two top-six forwards, and the latest on the Rangers’ search for a head coach in today’s rumor mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE HURRICANES?

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan considers it crucial for the Carolina Hurricanes to re-sign Dougie Hamilton, pointing out their defense is built around him and Jaccob Slavin. The 27-year-old blueliner is due to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton (NHL Images).

Hamilton’s outplayed his current $5.75 million annual cap hit. While there’s mutual interest in a new deal, the two sides tabled contract negotiations until after this season. Kaplan speculates he could get as much as $8.5 million per season on the open market but the Hurricanes could be uncomfortable going that high.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock isn’t optimistic about the Hurricanes’ chances of re-signing Hamilton. He believes the rearguard has “almost certainly played his last game” for the Canes. The same goes for pending UFAs such as Jordan Martinook, Brock McGinn and Petr Mrazek.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The flattened salary cap could limit the number of teams willing to get into a bidding war for Hamilton’s services in this summer’s free-agent market. Nevertheless, there will be a team that will pay him over $8 million annually if the Hurricanes won’t do it.

The emergence of rookie goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic likely spells the end of Mrazek’s tenure with the Hurricanes. James Reimer is also a UFA this summer but it wouldn’t be surprising if he returned as Nedeljkovic’s backup.

Kaplan also considers re-signing head coach Rod Brind’Amour a priority. Sources indicate the two sides are believed to have the framework of a deal in place. However, Brind’Amour also wants his three assistant coaches taken care of as well. She also believes they could lose Brady Skjei, Warren Foegele or Morgan Geekie to the Seattle Kraken in next month’s expansion draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeCock believes Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon would be insane to let Brind’Amour depart. I can see Hamilton hitting the free-agent market but not Brind’Amour, who’d be quickly snapped up by another club.

KINGS SEEKING TWO TOP-SIX FORWARDS

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Los Angeles Kings could attempt to acquire two top-six forwards via this summer’s trade or free-agent markets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no indication as to who the Kings could target. Unrestricted free agent options include Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Boston’s Taylor Hall, Toronto’s Zach Hyman, Tampa Bay’s Blake Coleman, St. Louis’ Jaden Schwartz, Colorado’s Brandon Saad, and the New York Islanders’ Kyle Palmieri.

I spoke with John Hoven of the Kings’ site Mayor’s Manor yesterday about Dreger’s report. He believes they’re seeking established scorers around 27 years old on short-term contracts of two-three years.

That would mean they won’t become a suitor for Buffalo Sabres’ center Jack Eichel. Maybe they’d have an interest in Eichel’s teammate Sam Reinhart? We’ll find out who’s on their radar in the coming weeks.

LATEST ON THE RANGERS COACHING SEARCH

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports Gerard Gallant remains the favorite to become the new head coach of the Rangers. However, general manager Chris Drury is waiting to see if there is fallout from the second round of the playoffs that could make another candidate or two available.

Brooks believes the Rangers will watch Rod Brind’Amour’s contract negotiations with the Hurricanes. It’s believed those two sides were discussing a deal worth $1.8 million annually. Brind’Amour could be in line for $4 million per season with the Rangers but a source told Brooks he’d become the Seattle Kraken’s top choice if he goes to market.

The Blueshirts are also monitoring Paul Maurice’s situation with the Winnipeg Jets and Bruce Cassidy’s with the Boston Bruins. There’s talk Jared Bednar’s job as coach of the Colorado Avalanche could be in jeopardy if they fall to the Golden Knights but it’s not clear if he’d become a candidate for the Rangers’ job.

Former Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet remains a viable candidate after creating a favorable impression with Drury following two interviews with the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gallant is probably atop most coaching wish lists this summer. He’ll land an NHL head-coaching gig this summer, be it the Rangers or another club. Brind’Amour would also be pursued by a number of clubs if the Hurricanes are foolish enough to let him walk.

Maurice has been the Jets’ bench boss for seven seasons but there’s no indication the Jets intend to shake things up behind the bench. I don’t think Cassidy will lose his job if the Bruins fall to the Islanders.

Bednar’s done a fine job in Colorado but his coaching of the Avs has come under criticism during their current series with the Golden Knights. It’ll be interesting to see what GM Joe Sakic does if his club fails to advance.