NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2024

by | Dec 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2024

Recaps of Thursday’s games, Rangers GM Chris Drury meets with his team to clear the air following two recent trades, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust each had four points in a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators. Rust scored twice (including the winner in overtime) and Crosby snapped a 10-game goal drought as the Penguins (35 points) remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Filip Forsberg and Brady Skjei each had two points for the Predators, who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 25 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators placed captain Roman Josi on injured reserve and activated blueliner Jeremy Lauzon for this game. Josi is expected to be sidelined for at least one week.

Meanwhile, the Senators got an overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk to defeat the Calgary Flames 3-2. Goaltender Linus Ullmark turned aside 29 shots for his seventh straight win as the Senators have won five straight games. Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Flames (37 points) as they remain one point behind the Colorado Avalanche for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

The Avalanche netted three unanswered third-period goals to double up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Joel Kiviranta tallied the winning and insurance goals and Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves in his first game against his former club. Luke Kunin had two assists for the Sharks.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 40 shots to backstop his club over the New Jersey Devils 4-2, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Sean Monahan had two goals and an assist for the Jackets as they snapped a five-game losing skid. Luke Hughes and Timo Meier replied for the Devils, who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 45 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Jack Hughes fired a career-high 13 shots on Merzlikins, who robbed him of two sure goals with spectacular saves. That effort earned Hughes the praise of Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe, calling his effort “outstanding”.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala each tallied twice in a 7-3 romp over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Kings (42 points) have won eight of their last 10 games (8-1-1) and sit three points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. Tyson Foerster scored two goals and collected an assist for the slumping Flyers as they’ve dropped three straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers head coach John Tortorella made Cam York a healthy scratch, saying the 23-year-old defenseman has struggled in his last 12 games since returning from an upper-body injury on Nov. 23.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, William Karlsson snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period as they defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Brett Howden had a goal and an assist as Vegas has won six of their last seven contests. Teddy Blueger replied for the Canucks, who’ve won two of their last seven games (2-3-2).

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Boston Bruins 3-2 on an overtime goal by Mattias Ekholm. Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid scored in the third period to set the stage for Ekholm’s heroics in OT as the Oilers have won six of their last seven games and 10 of their last 13. Elias Lindholm and Mark Kastelic tallied for the Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 38 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed forward Tyler Johnson on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. The 34-year-old center signed a one-year contract on Nov. 3 but appeared in nine games, collecting two points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his points streak to nine games in a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 shots and Gage Goncalves tallied his first NHL goal as the Lightning won their fourth straight game. Pavel Buchnevich replied for the Blues as they’ve dropped four of their last five (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning played without defenseman J.J. Moser as he’ll be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks with a lower-body injury. An illness forced Blues rearguard Philip Broberg to be sidelined for this game.

The Chicago Blackhawks picked up their third straight win by downing the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Ilya Mikheyev scored twice and Nolan Allan got his first-ever NHL goal. Ryker Evans replied for the Kraken.

HEADLINES

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL holiday roster freeze is in effect from Dec.20 to 12:01 am on Dec. 28.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury addressed the entire team for the first time before their practice on Thursday. Afterward, the club engaged in a fun, energetic session that concluded with a full-team shootout game.

Following practice, Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck met with the media to deny a report claiming a recent players-only meeting was to criticize Drury. “That could not be further from the truth,” he said. “When we have closed-door meetings in here, it’s about us. It’s about what we can do.”

The Rangers have been the hot topic of speculation among pundits and fans in recent weeks following their slide in the standings and Drury’s league-wide memo last month indicating he was willing to entertain trade offers for certain players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jacob Trouba was on Drury’s list and was shipped to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6. Winger Kaapo Kakko was traded to Seattle on Wednesday but it’s not known if he was also on that list.

The report indicated a lighthearted mood among the players during practice following their meeting with Drury. Whether this marks the moment the Rangers snap out of their funk remains to be seen.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders placed goaltender Semyon Varlamov on long-term injury reserve, potentially clearing the way for sidelined winger Anthony Duclair’s return on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: Buffalo Sabres winger Jordan Greenway will be sidelined long-term following surgery for a middle-body injury. There is no timetable for his return but head coach Lindy Ruff expects he’ll be back later this season.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings sent goaltender Ville Husso to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. The move suggests sidelined netminder Cam Talbot will soon return to action.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild placed forward Yakov Trenin (upper body) on injured reserve.










Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2024

by | Mar 7, 2024

Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins are reportedly close to sending winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. Forward Michael Bunting is believed to be part of the trade package going to Pittsburgh as he’s a healthy scratch tonight for “trade-related reasons.”  The Penguins and Hurricanes are still sorting out the details. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m not sitting up all night waiting for this deal to be consummated. If it happens later tonight, check out the details at the NHL Trade Tracker. 

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)

San Jose Sharks trade winger Anthony Duclair to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Jack Thompson and a 2024 third-round pick.

Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenseman Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder.

Chicago Blackhawks traded winger Anthony Beauvillier to the Nashville Predators for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second time Beauvillier has been traded during this season. He was acquired by the Blackhawks from the Vancouver Canucks in November.

Colorado Avalanche acquired winger Brandon Duhaime from the Minnesota Wild for a 2026 third-round pick.

Arizona Coyotes trade defenseman Troy Stecher and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a 2027 fourth-rounder.

Nashville Predators acquired defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 third-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Yakov Trenin and defenseman Graham Sward.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2023

by | Dec 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2023

A milestone game for the Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon, the Sabres rebound from a nine-goal loss with a nine-goal victory, the Canucks move into first place in the overall standings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored four goals )including his 300th career tally) and collected an assist in a 6-4 win over the Ottawa Senators. MacKinnon extended his points streak to 17 games while Mikko Rantanen scored twice for the 20-11-2 Avalanche, who sit second in the Central Division with 42 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the Senators (11-17-0) as they dropped their sixth straight game and their second under interim coach Jacques Martin.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 53 points, MacKinnon sits four behind Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league scoring lead. Meanwhile, the constant losing by the Senators is frustrating team captain Brady Tkachuk. “It’s a pretty s****y feeling, and I don’t think I’ve felt worse in my life. This is not fun right now,” said Tkachuk.

After losing 9-4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their previous game, the Buffalo Sabres bounced back by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 9-3. Jeff Skinner scored two goals and set up another in his return from injury, Kyle Okposo tallied twice, Tage Thompson had a goal and two assists while Alex Tuch collected four helpers for the 14-17-3 Sabres. Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 26th goal of the season for the Leafs (16-8-6) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 38 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews called this loss “the worst game since I’ve been here”, calling his club’s performance “embarrassing.” It was a rough night for the Leafs goaltenders. Ilya Samsonov got the hook in the second period after giving up five goals on 19 shots. Martin Jones fared little better, allowing four goals and 15 shots.

Meanwhile, Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was still fuming over Sabres fans chanting for head coach Don Granato to be fired during their last game. He considered that criticism of Granato unfair, blaming that lopsided loss on himself and his teammates. “We really wanted to back Donnie, that was the main focus today and he got way too much heat the other game, he didn’t deserve it,” said Dahlin.

An overtime goal by Matt Duchene lifted the Dallas Stars over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Duchene and Thomas Harley each finished with a goal and an assist for the Stars (19-8-4) as they vaulted over the Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets to regain first place in the Central. Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (22-9-3), who moved past the Vegas Golden Knights into first place in the overall standings with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have the same amount of points as the Golden Knights but hold first place as they have one more regulation win. Meanwhile, Dallas and Colorado also have the same amount of points (42) but the Stars hold two games in hand.

Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. While his agent recently said his client loves playing in Vancouver and there’s a plan with the club to improve his game, his ongoing absence from the lineup will ensure the trade rumors keep swirling.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they dropped a 5-4 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning as Nick Paul potted the game-winner late in the third period. Paul and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and two assists, Brayden Point scored two goals and set up another while Victor Hedman had three assists for the 16-13-5 Lightning (37 points), who sit one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby’s shootout goal lifted his team past the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Crosby also scored in regulation while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 23 shots for the win as the Penguins improved to 15-13-4. Teuvo Teravainen replied for the 17-12-4 Hurricanes.

An overtime goal by Alex Ovechkin gave the Washington Capitals a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anthony Mantha scored twice for the Capitals (17-9-4) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 38 points. Cole Sillinger and Yegor Chinakhov scored for the 11-17-6 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was Ovechkin’s first goal in 15 games. Emotions boiled over during the overtime period as Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins and Capitals winger Tom Wilson traded blows during a tangle-up in the Jackets net. The Capitals and Hurricanes have the same amount of points but the Capitals hold three games in hand.

The Edmonton Oilers tallied four unanswered goals led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had a goal and an assist while Ryan McLeod tallied twice for the 14-15-1 Oilers. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for the 16-13-2 Devils.

St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals and set up another as his club downed the Florida Panthers 4-1. Robert Thomas collected three assists while Joel Hofer made 37 saves for the 16-15-1 Blues. Eetu Luostarinen scored for the Panthers (18-12-2), who’ve dropped four of their last five games but remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 38 points.

The Nashville Predators doubled up the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on two goals by Philip Tomasino, snapping the Flyers’ nine-game points streak. Juuse Saros turned aside 29 shots for the Predators (19-14-0) as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 38 points. Morgan Frost and Sean Couturier replied for the 18-11-3 Flyers as they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators forward Yakov Trenin was ejected from this game for boarding Frost during the second period. Frost spent several minutes in the Flyers dressing room but returned to finish the game.

An overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov gave the Minnesota Wild a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Kaprizov and Marco Rossi each finished with a goal and two assists for the 14-13-4 Wild while Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky each had a goal and an assist for the 14-13-5 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild played without forward Ryan Hartman as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom kicked out 25 shots to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 3-0. Elias Lindholm had a goal and two assists for the Flames (14-14-5) as they’ve won three straight games. The Ducks dropped to 12-20-0 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks welcomed back Mason McTavish and Jamie Drysdale following their lengthy absences due to injuries. However, they also lost rookie Leo Carlsson to what could be a serious injury to his right leg after he and Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar became entangled during the third period.

The Arizona Coyotes picked up their fourth straight win by downing the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Clayton Keller and Alex Kerfoot each had a goal and two assists for the 17-13-2 Coyotes, who hold the final Western wild-card spot with 36 points. Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves for the Sharks (9-21-3) as they made forward Alexander Barabanov a late scratch due to illness.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 13, 2022

by | Nov 13, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 13, 2022

The Leafs honor Borje Salming, the Devils remain red hot, Cale Makar approaches a league record, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Jordie Benn completed the Leafs’ three-goal rally in the second period while Erik Kallgren made 27 saves to improve their record to 8-5-3. Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller scored for the Canucks as they fall to 4-8-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs honored Hall-of-Fame defenseman Borje Salming in a pregame ceremony. The 71-year-old Salming, who is battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), made the ceremonial puck drop assisted by his family following a video retrospective of his trailblazing 17-season NHL career, all but one of which was spent with the Leafs.

This was a touching, beautiful and heartfelt tribute by the Leafs to one of their greatest players. They also started the game with five of Salming’s Swedish countrymen – Kallgren, Timothy Liljegren, Rasmus Sandin, William Nylander, Pierre Engvall and Calle Jarnkrok – on the ice. That’s a testament to his legacy as a pioneer for Swedish (and European) players in the NHL.

Second-period goals by Jesper Boqvist and Dougie Hamilton lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes to extend their win streak to nine games. Tomas Tatar had a goal and an assist for the 12-3-0 Devils while Dylan Guenther and Clayton Keller replied for the 6-7-1 Coyotes.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar scored two goals while teammate Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists to down the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. The Avalanche’s record sits at 8-4-1. Jordan Staal scored for the 9-5-1 Hurricanes, who placed sidelined winger Teuvo Teravainan in injured reserve with an upper-body injury retroactive to Nov. 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar is closing in on a potential NHL record. With 196 career points in 191 games, he is poised to become the fastest defenseman in league history to reach 200 points, a record currently held by Sergei Zubov with 207 games played.

Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each collected an assist as their club doubled up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Stuart Skinner picked up the win by kicking out 42 shots for the Oilers (9-7-0) while McDavid and Draisaitl extended their points streaks to 10 and 11 games respectively. Sam Bennett scored twice for the Panthers (8-6-1) while defenseman Aaron Ekblad returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering a groin pull on Oct. 17.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron scored twice and Keith Kinkaid stopped 30 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Brad Marchand collected two assists for the Bruins as their record improves to 13-2-0. Tage Thompson had the only goal for the 7-8-0 Sabres, who played without captain Kyle Okposo due to what was described as “general soreness.”

The Ottawa Senators’ Claude Giroux collected three assists as his club snapped a seven-game winless skid by dropping the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Alex DeBrincat scored twice for the 5-8-1 Senators while Kevin Hayes netted the only goal for the 7-5-2 Flyers, who also lost defenseman Wade Allison in the second period with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was Giroux’s first game in Philadelphia since they traded him last March to the Florida Panthers. The Flyers honored their former captain with a pregame video tribute.

An overtime goal by Mike Hoffman lifted the Montreal Canadiens over the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 5-4. Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach and Kaiden Guhle each collected two points as the Canadiens improved to 8-6-1. Jason Zucker collected three assists and former Hab Jeff Petry had two points for the Penguins, who drop to 6-6-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Canadiens continue to exceed expectations over a month into this season. They’ll likely return to earth as the season wears on but young players like Suzuki, Dach and Guhle continue to provide Habs fans with the hope that a better future might not be as far away as originally thought.

The New York Islanders nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on an overtime goal by Zach Parise. Brock Nelson tallied twice for the Islanders (10-6-0) while Joonas Korpisalo made 42 saves to help the injury-ravaged Jackets (4-9-1) steal a point.

Two unanswered third-period goals by Ivan Barbashev and Ryan O’Reilly lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, improving their record to 5-8-0. Jordan Binnington made 34 saves (22 of those in the third period) for the win. Reilly Smith and Phil Kessel replied for the 13-3-0 Golden Knights.

The Calgary Flames ended a seven-game winless skid with a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Elias Lindholm and Adam Ruzicka each had a goal and an assist for the Flames to boost their record to 6-6-2. Connor Hellebuyck made 32 stops for the 8-4-1 Jets.

Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros kicked out 34 shots as his club held off the New York Rangers 2-1. Juuso Parssinen and Mark Jankowski tallied for the Predators while Filip Chytil scored for the Rangers. Nashville’s record now sits at 6-8-1 while the Rangers are 7-6-3. Predators forward Yakov Trenin missed this contest with a lower-body injury.

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Sean Durzi tallied twice in a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, improving the Kings’ record to 10-6-1. Dominik Kubalik and Filip Hronek each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who fall to 7-5-3.

A goal by Jarred Tinordi late in the third period lifted the Chicago Blackhawks over the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Tinordi had two goals on the night while Arvid Soderblom got the wing for the 6-5-3 Blackhawks with a 39-save performance. Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for the 4-10-1 Ducks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel received a three-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Cal Foote on Friday.

TSN: Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway and Lightning forward Pat Maroon were both fined for unsportsmanlike conduct stemming from Aube-Kubel’s hit on Foote. Hathaway was tagged for over $4,000.00 while Maroon will pay over $2,700.00

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Lightning, they claimed forward Rudolfs Balcers off waivers from the Florida Panthers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 6, 2022

by | Aug 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 6, 2022

A look at what David Pastrnak’s contract extension could look like plus the latest notable contract signings in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss recently examined what he believes David Pastrnak’s contract extension could look like. The 26-year-old Bruins winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Goss points out Pastrnak’s value to the Bruins as one of the NHL’s most-skilled forwards. Since 2019-20, only five players (Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid and Kyle Connor) have scored more goals than Pastrnak. He suggests an eight-year deal worth $9.5 million per season would be fair for both sides, matching defenseman Charlie McAvoy as the highest-paid Bruin.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Joe Haggerty believes Jonathan Huberdeau’s eight-year, $10.5 million contract with the Calgary Flames sets the table for Pastrnak’s new deal. He points out the Bruins winger is three years younger than the 29-year-old Huberdeau but has averaged more goals and points in his career with the Bruins than Huberdeau did in his career with the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is going to get a lucrative long-term contract between $9.5 million and $10.5 million per season. He’s getting it from the Bruins on an eight-year deal or from another club in next summer’s free-agent market on a seven-year contract.

The Bruins’ expensive commitment to McAvoy indicates they have no plans of rebuilding their roster. I expect they’ll pay out a massive raise to Pastrnak and use those two as their foundation players going forward.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators forward Yakov Trenin has signed the two-year contract he was awarded via arbitration. The deal is worth an average annual value of $1.7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trenin, 25, is coming off a career-best 17-goal performance in 80 games last season. The 6’2”, 201-pound forward plays a physical two-way game and can skate at left wing or center. The arbitration award is a significant raise over the $725K AAV of his previous contract.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights avoided salary arbitration with Keegan Kolesar, signing the 25-year-old forward to a three-year contract with an annual cap hit of $1.4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A versatile, physical checking-line forward, Kolesar had 24 points in 77 games last season with the Golden Knights. He earned an AAV of $725K on his previous contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 3, 2022

by | Aug 3, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 3, 2022

Max Pacioretty criticizes a lack of accountability on the Golden Knights while the Flames avoid arbitration with Andrew Mangiapane and Oliver Kylington. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Former Vegas Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty criticized what he considered the club’s laid-back approach toward losing. The 33-year-old left winger was traded last month by the Golden Knights to the Carolina Hurricanes in a cost-cutting move.

Former Vegas Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty (NHL Images).

Speaking on the Raw Knuckles podcast with Chris Nilan and Tim Stapleton, Pacioretty talked about how there was no accountability with losing throughout the club when he joined the Golden Knights following a trade from the Montreal Canadiens in 2018. He indicated that was quite a change from what he was used to in Montreal where there was pressure to win.

Pacioretty pointed out that there were players on the Golden Knights who don’t know what it’s like because they haven’t played anywhere else. He felt that demands for accountability by a coach or management or elsewhere helped bring out the best in him, adding he thought that was missing for the Golden Knights last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pacioretty said he didn’t want to say there was a country club attitude on the Golden Knights. However, the perks the players seem to enjoy there (Pacioretty mentioned having their cars washed, organic food deliveries and going to play golf) combined with Las Vegas being a new NHL market in the Sun Belt could also be detrimental if they’re not answerable for poor performance.

Other factors, such as injuries to key players like Pacioretty, contributed to the Golden Knights missing the playoffs last season for the first time in their short history. Nevertheless, his comments about the club’s relaxed atmosphere could also explain the under-performance of some players last season. Making the playoffs in their first four seasons, including reaching the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural campaign, could also be a contributing factor, a case of too much too soon.

The Golden Knights hired former Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy in June. Perhaps he can bring the accountability that Pacioretty believes was lacking in Vegas.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames avoided salary arbitration with Andrew Mangiapane as the two sides agreed to a three-year, $17.4 million contract. The annual average value is $5.8 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant raise from the $2.425 million AAV that Mangiapane was earning on his previous contract. A career-best 35-goal season in a contract year will do that.

The 26-year-old winger has been trending toward that level of production over the previous two seasons. He had 17 goals in 68 games in 2019-20 and 18 goals in 56 games in 2020-21. If not for COVID-19 shortening those seasons, he would’ve probably reached 25 goals or more in each.

The Flames also avoided arbitration with defenseman Oliver Kylington as they agreed to a two-year, $5 million contract. The AAV is $2.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kylington is betting on himself after a career-best 31-point effort. He also gets a nice pay bump over the $750K he earned last season. The 25-year-old blueliner will be eligible for unrestricted free agent status in two years’ time. He could put himself in a good position for a much better payday by then if he reaches or exceeds the 30-point plateau again.

TSN: Nashville Predators forward Yakov Trenin had his arbitration hearing yesterday. He’s coming off a one-year, $725K contract, scoring a career-best 17 goals and 24 points. The two sides now await the ruling from the arbitrator.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Prior to 2020, a team and a player could still reach an agreement on a new contract prior to the arbiter’s decision. That’s no longer the case.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers avoided arbitration with rugged winger Zack MacEwen, agreeing to a one-year, $925K deal.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: After 40 years with the Oilers as a player, general manager, president of hockey operations and alternate governor, Kevin Lowe announced his retirement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Lowe and his family as they embark on the next stage of their lives outside the NHL spotlight.