NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2025

by | Feb 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2025

The 4 Nations Face-Off championship draws big ratings in North America, top storylines for the remainder of the regular season, the Canucks sign Kevin Lankinen to a contract extension, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

THE SCORE: The 4 Nations Face-Off championship game between Canada and the United States drew 16.1 million viewers across North America

It was the second-most-watched hockey game on the continent in a decade. Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers drew more viewers (16.3 million).

ESPN averaged 9.3 million viewers in the United States, peaking at 10.4 million, making it the network’s largest-ever hockey audience.

Sportsnet averaged 10.7 million Canadians tuning in for the championship game, peaking at 7.3 million viewers and averaging 5.7 million. It was the second-most-watched game for that network, with Game 7 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final reaching 15 million Canadians.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nearly a decade without a best-on-best tournament involving most of the NHL’s top talent whetted the fans’ appetite for the 4 Nations Face-Off. The players bought in and performed at their best. It also helped that the championship game was a closely contested match between the world’s biggest hockey nations as they resumed their ongoing rivalry.

NHL.COM: Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the playoff race, and the March 7 trade deadline are among the top storylines for the remainder of the NHL regular season.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed Kevin Lankinen to a five-year, $22.5 million contract extension. The 29-year-old goaltender is currently on a one-year, $875K deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Starter Thatcher Demko’s knee injury and backup Arturs Silovs’ disappointing performance landed Lankinen his current contract. His efforts kept this struggling team in the Western Conference playoff race, earning him the long-term contract security he’d sought last summer.

Lankinen’s new contract raises questions about Demko’s future as he battles with injuries and inconsistency. The latter is a year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Speaking of the Canucks, center Elias Pettersson is dealing with an undisclosed injury suffered at the 4 Nations Face-Off and is listed as day-to-day. Team captain Quinn Hughes (oblique injury) is doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (lower-body) isn’t expected to play in Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck won’t be playing in Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. Morrissey is dealing with an illness that prevented him from playing for Canada in the 4 Nations championship game.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils captain Nico Hischier could return for Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars. He missed their last six games with an upper-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck suffered a broken finger playing for Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The injury reportedly occurred during Monday’s game against Sweden. A source claims he’s not expected to miss any games.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner (shoulder surgery) will make his season debut on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Forward Kirill Marchenko (fractured jaw) and defenseman Dante Fabbro (concussion) will also return to action against the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This trio’s return couldn’t have come at a better time for the Blue Jackets. They’re one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby will miss the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury. Left winger Zach L’Heureux (upper body) is week-to-week.

Seattle Kraken defensemen Brandon Montour and Ryker Evans are expected to return to action in Saturday’s game against the Panthers. Team captain Jordan Eberle was upgraded to day-to-day. He’s been out since mid-November following pelvic surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken also moved center Yanni Gourde to long-term injury reserve retroactive to Jan. 4. He’ll be sidelined for another two weeks recovering from sports hernia surgery. It’s believed they’re putting him on LTIR to free up cap space for Eberle’s imminent return.

CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Tyson Barrie cleared waivers on Friday and was sent to their AHL affiliate.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 7, 2025

by | Jan 7, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 7, 2025

Check out the latest on the Canucks and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

SPORTSNET: Iain MacIntyre reports Elias Pettersson is focussing on improving his play over the second half of this season. The 26-year-old Vancouver Canucks centers has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury.

Pettersson’s become the recent subject of trade rumors amid rumors he’s feuding with teammate J.T. Miller. He acknowledged hearing that Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said anything was possible when it came to trades. However, he said there’s nothing he can do about it and he was not paying attention to the speculation.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Asked if he wanted to stay with the Canucks, Pettersson replied, “Yeah, of course. That’s why I signed here. Of course.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s no-movement clause doesn’t begin until July 1, giving the Canucks plenty of time to ship him wherever they want without his consent. However, they reportedly prefer to retain him and remain hopeful that he and Miller will resolve their differences.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Kierszenblat took notice of recent rumors linking the Canucks’ J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Canucks would want a center as part of the return for Miller or Pettersson if they decide to move one or the other.

Kierszenblat looked at which Rangers centers the Canucks should be interested in if they move Miller. Mika Zibanejad has regressed in recent seasons and has a full no-movement clause. Vincent Trocheck ranks near the top of the Rangers’ analytics, including faceoff win percentage. The oft-injured Filip Chytil would be ideal when healthy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad might not waive his NMC for a Canadian team. The same goes for Trocheck, whose NMC becomes a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. Chytil could be a good fit with the Canucks but his history of concussions is a big concern.

Stefen Rosner cites industry sources claiming the Canucks are interested in Brock Nelson but not as a postseason rental. The 33-year-old New York Islanders center has a 16-team no-trade list and Rosner suspects every Canadian team is on it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t hold your breath waiting for Nelson to land in Vancouver by the March 7 trade deadline.

UPDATE ON THE CANADIENS

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports Jake Evans’ stock is rising thanks to his improved play this season. The 28-year-old Montreal Canadiens center is UFA-eligible this summer and has been the subject of trade speculation.

D’Amico cited an Eastern Conference source who claimed Evans could price himself out of Montreal, suggesting a three or four-year deal at $3 million annually wasn’t attainable.

A Western Conference source was skeptical of the Canadiens’ chances to re-sign Evans. “You can’t pay a fourth-line center upwards of $3.5 million on the long-term and hope to be competitive when it counts.”

D’Amico noted the Canadiens have promising young centers like Owen Beck and Oliver Kapanen in their system as potential replacements for Evans. An NHL pro scout believes he could fetch a first-round pick in the trade market.

TVA SPORTS: Renaud Lavoie believes Evans and the Canadiens could agree to a long-term contract. He cited a source close to the situation saying Evans wants to stay in Montreal and the Habs want to keep him.

Lavoie’s source noted the salary cap is rising and could reach $100 million within two years. “Over three years, if you give Evans $1.5 million more, nobody is going to cry.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evan’s annual average value is $1.7 million. He’s bound to get between $3 million and $4 million on the open market this summer. It wouldn’t be shocking if the Habs re-signed him for between $3 million and $3.5 million. His situation will be worth monitoring leading up to the trade deadline.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan wouldn’t be surprised if the improving Canadiens become buyers and sellers at the trade deadline. General manager Kent Hughes could listen to trade offers for pending UFAs like Evans, David Savard, Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak.

Instead of seeking draft picks and prospects for those players, Hughes could ask for players who can provide immediate help to the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on the Canadiens’ place in the standings by March 7. However, Hughes could still attempt to swap some or all of his pending UFAs for players who can help his club beyond this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 1, 2025

by | Jan 1, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 1, 2025

Welcome in the New Year with the latest on the Rangers and Capitals plus an update on Bruins forward Trent Frederic in the NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST RANGERS SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: In Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas discussed the plight of the struggling New York Rangers.

Friedman believes more changes are coming after reading Larry Brooks’ Sunday column in the New York Post, in which Brooks speculated that head coach Peter Laviolette could be fired. He wondered if management might focus on center Mika Zibanejad.

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).

The 31-year-old Zibanejad is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $8.5 million. Friedman pointed out he carries a full no-movement clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad might be open to a move if the pressure of playing with the Rangers becomes too much to handle. However, his cap hit makes an in-season trade difficult to pull off unless the Rangers retain up to half of it. They might not be keen to carry dead cap space for the next five seasons even with the salary cap projected to rise substantially over that period.

Friedman also thinks there will be plenty of interest in Vincent Trocheck if the Rangers make him available in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I mentioned Friedman’s remarks about Trocheck earlier this week. He’s under contract until the end of 2028-29 with a more affordable AAV of $5.625 million. The 31-year-old center also carries a full NMC this season but it becomes a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. Shopping Trocheck could be an offseason move.

IS TRENT FREDERIC’S TRADE VALUE DROPPING?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa recently reported Trent Frederic’s production has dropped off The gritty 26-year-old Boston Bruins forward hasn’t dented the score sheet since Dec. 7. That could adversely affect his value in the trade market if the Bruins decide to shop the pending UFA before the March 7 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Playoff contenders will still be interested in the 6’3”, 221-pound Frederic if he hits the trade block before March 7. However, the Bruins won’t get as much in return if his scoring slump continues. 

CAPITALS INTEND TO KEEP THEIR GOALIE TANDEM INTACT

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cites Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Washington Capitals have informed teams that they won’t be shopping goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson at the trade deadline.

Lindgren and Thompson are due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. However, they’ve fared well playing for the Capitals this season. Their efforts have the club jockeying for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Silber notes that it’s unclear whether Lindgren and Thompson have futures in Washington beyond this season. Nevertheless, the Capitals will stick with what’s working for them this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindgren’s cap hit this season is $1.1 million while Thompson’s is over $766K. Both are in line for substantial raises but it shouldn’t break the bank for the Capitals to retain both.

The Capitals have over $28.8 million in projected cap space for 2025-26 assuming the cap rises by $4.5 million. Jakob Chychrun is their most notable pending UFA while all their rising young talent are under contract for next season. The Caps should have enough to re-sign both goalies and keep Chychrun in the fold while looking at adding to their roster.










Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 13, 2022

by | Jul 13, 2022

Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 13, 2022

The following is a list of notable NHL free-agent signings and trades during the opening day of free agency. This list will be updated throughout the day as details become available. I’ll also be doing live grades of today’s biggest signings on Bleacher Report.

Columbus Blue Jackets sign Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year, $66.5 million contract.

Seattle Kraken sign defenseman Justin Schultz to a two-year, $6 million contract.

Vegas Golden Knights trade winger Max Pacioretty and defenseman Dylan Coghlan to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for future considerations.

Ottawa Senators trade winger Connor Brown to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second-round pick in 2024.

San Jose Sharks sign center Nico Sturm to a three-year, $6 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign David Perron to a two-year, $9.5 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign Dominik Kubalik to a two-year, $5 million contract.

Seattle Kraken sign Andre Burakovsky to a five-year, $27.5 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign Ben Chiarot to a four-year, $19 million contract.

Pittsburgh Penguins sign Jan Rutta to a three-year, $8.25 million contract.

Florida Panthers sign Eric and Marc Staal to identical one-year, $750K contracts.

Colorado Avalanche sign winger Artturi Lehkonen to a five-year, $22.5 million contract.

Dallas Stars sign winger Mason Marchment to a four-year, $18 million contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning sign Ian Cole to a one-year, $3 million contract.

Washington Capitals sign Charlie Lindgren to a three-year, $3.3 million contract.

Columbus Blue Jackets sign Erik Gudbranson to a four-year, $16 million contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning sign Mikhail Sergachev to an eight-year, $68 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

The Lightning signed center Anthony Cirelli to an eight-year, $50 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

The Lightning signed defenseman Erik Cernak to an eight-year, $41.6 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

Washington Capitals sign goaltender Darcy Kuemper to a five-year, $26.26 million contract.

San Jose Sharks trade defenseman Brent Burns and center Lane Pederson to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for winger Steven Lorentz, goaltender Eetu Makiniemi and a conditional 2023 third-round pick. The Sharks also retain 33 percent of Burns’ $8 million annual average value through 2024-25.

New York Rangers sign center Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year, $39.38 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign forward Andrew Copp to a five-year, $28.13 million contract.

Vancouver Canucks sign winger Ilya Mikheyev to a four-year, $19 million contract.

Chicago Blackhawks sign forwards Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou to one-year contracts worth $3 million apiece.

St. Louis Blues re-sign defenseman Nick Leddy to a four-year, $16 million contract.

Ottawa Senators sign forward Claude Giroux to a three-year contract with an annual cap hit of $6.5 million.

Edmonton Oilers signed goaltender Jack Campbell to a five-year contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $5 million (as per TSN’s Darren Dreger).

Buffalo Sabres re-sign restricted free agent winger Victor Olofsson to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $4.75 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a one-year, $1.8 million deal (as per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli).

New Jersey Devils trade winger Pavel Zacha to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Erik Haula (as per TSN’s Darren Dreger and Daily Faceoff).

Colorado Avalanche signed defenseman Josh Manson to a four-year contract with an annual average value of $4.5 million (as per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun).

St. Louis Blues sign forward Robert Thomas to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension (as per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli).










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 10, 2022

by | Jul 10, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 10, 2022

How will the Leafs, Devils, Oilers and Capitals resolve their goaltending issues? What’s the latest speculation on Patrick Kane, Vincent Trocheck and Samuel Girard. Find out in this edition of the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SEVERAL TEAMS STILL FACE GOALIE ISSUES AS FREE AGENCY APPROACHES

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby reports landing a goaltender is the priority for Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. He must either re-sign Jack Campbell before the free-agent market opens on July 13, find a suitable replacement such as Darcy Kuemper via free agency, or pursue a trade for someone such as the Anaheim Ducks John Gibson.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (NHL Images).

Hornby suggests the next several days could determine if Dubas is bold enough to move William Nylander and his palatable $6.96 million annual average value for cap space, defense or prospects. Forward Alex Kerfoot could be another trade candidate.

TORONTO STAR: Dave Feschuk also weighed in on the Leafs’ pressing need for a starting goaltender. Possible trade targets could include the Ottawa Senators’ oft-injured Matt Murray, the Minnesota Wild’s Cam Talbot or Gibson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would indeed be a bold move to shop Nylander to free up cap room for a goaltender. However, that could turn disastrous if the goalie acquired becomes a bust while Nylander thrives with his new team.

Some will suggest Nylander for Gibson straight up. The dollars pretty much fit (Gibson’s AAV is $6.4 million) and the Leafs winger would provide the rebuilding Ducks with an established scoring forward to skate alongside rising young star Trevor Zegras.

However, the Leafs could be among the teams on Gibson’s 10-team no-trade list. We also don’t know if Ducks GM Pat Verbeek wants to take on a high-salaried player right now. Nylander is also just two years from UFA eligibility, which would make Verbeek uneasy over his future.

It’s rumored that the Talbot camp was unhappy about the Wild bringing back Marc-Andre Fleury on a two-year deal. GM Bill Guerin downplayed the issue and appears intent on icing a Fleury-Talbot goalie tandem for 2022-23. Maybe he changes his mind if he gets a suitable offer but I don’t think he’s keen to do so given his own salary-cap limitations.

As for Murray, his long history of injuries screams, “buyer beware”. Unless the Senators are picking up half of his $6.25 million cap hit through 2023-24, he’s not a worthwhile option for the Leafs. According to the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch, the Senators aren’t interested in retaining any portion of his salary.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports it wouldn’t be surprising if the New Jersey Devils were still in the market for Jack Campbell if they can find a taker for Mackenzie Blackwood. He also believes the Edmonton Oilers will be interested in Campbell or Darcy Kuemper, who’s been linked to the Washington Capitals. Brooks also thinks Talbot could be an option if he’s indeed unhappy with Fleury’s return.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins believes the Oilers’ biggest puzzle this offseason is resolving their goalie issue. He also mentioned Campbell, Kuemper and Talbot, and included the San Jose Sharks’ James Reimer as an option.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Round and round the goalie carousel goes and where it stops nobody knows. When it does, at least one of those clubs – Toronto, Edmonton, New Jersey or Washington – is going to be left empty-handed.

LATEST ON PATRICK KANE, VINCENT TROCHECK, SAMUEL GIRARD & MORE

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks suggests the Rangers should take a run at acquiring Patrick Kane as a one-year rental player instead of the Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller. The 34-year-old Chicago Blackhawks winger has a year remaining on his contract with a $10.5 million cap hit and a full no-movement clause. Brooks suggests he’d be a better fit for the Rangers if he wants out of Chicago and the Blackhawks absorb half of his cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Ryan Strome and Andrew Copp heading to market, the Rangers’ biggest need is a second-line center, not a right winger. Miller lacks no-trade protection and carries an affordable $5.25 million cap so there’s no need to get into haggling over cap retention and risk scuttling a potential trade.

Brooks also speculates the Rangers could be in on Carolina Hurricanes center Vincent Trocheck if they wish to address their second-line center needs through free agency. However, he thinks Trocheck could prove too expensive for the Blueshirts.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Adrian Dater reports Samuel Girard could be a “moving piece” if the Avalanche should decide to shed salary in order to sign pending UFA defenseman Josh Manson. Dater said he hasn’t heard any trade scenarios involving Girard but can’t see how the Avs can retain Manson without clearing the 24-year-old blueliner’s $5 million cap hit from their books.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Girard surfaced earlier this season as a possible trade chip but those rumors were quickly dismissed. The point can be made that he’s expendable because the Avs went on to win the Stanley Cup with him sidelined for most of the postseason. However, they could be unwilling to move him and his affordable contract through 2026-27.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators would like to upgrade their blueline with a right-shot defenseman. Options could include the Florida Panthers’ MacKenzie Weegar, the Arizona Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ John Marino.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The cap-strapped Panthers could consider moving Weegar if they hope to free up cap space to perhaps re-sign Claude Giroux. The Coyotes set a very high asking price for Chychrun that no one seems willing to pay right now. Marino could be available if the Penguins hope to free up salary to re-sign Evgeni Malkin, though it’s thought Marcus Pettersson is the more likely trade candidate.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup (Part Two) – July 3, 2022

by | Jul 3, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup (Part Two) – July 3, 2022

Check out the latest on Ryan McDonagh, Evgeni Malkin, Vincent Trocheck, Sergei Bobrovsky and more in Part Two of the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Minnesota Wild would like to bring back UFA goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for another season. He hasn’t made his decision yet and there will be competition for his services.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Depends on how much of a pay cut Fleury is willing to accept. Still, he and GM Bill Guerin are old teammates and friends. They could work something out.

Uncertainty over Nicklas Backstrom’s status makes it difficult to determine the Washington Capitals’ cap flexibility. It’s uncertain if they’ll bring back goalies Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov. They could pursue Colorado’s Darcy Kuemper if he becomes a UFA next week. They could be in on J.T. Miller.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With $8.9 million in cap space and 18 players under contract for next season, the Capitals will have to move Vanecek or Samsonov if they intend to bring in Kuemper. He could prove too expensive to sign. The Canucks’ asking price for Miller could include Connor McMichael or Hendrix Lapierre.

The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to negotiate with defenseman Kris Letang. They’re reportedly not close to a deal with Evgeni Malkin but that could change before July 13.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The cost of signing Letang will determine how much they’re willing to invest in bringing back Malkin. That could depend on how much of a pay cut he’s willing to accept and whether he’ll accept a three-year deal.

Friedman believes the St. Louis Blues could be a good destination for Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh. He admits it might take multiple moves and could affect their efforts to re-sign UFA winger David Perron. He also wondered if they can retain goalie Ville Husso.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues have $9 million in cap space and 18 players under contract for next season. McDonagh carries a $6.75 million cap hit and I don’t see the Lightning retaining part of it. They’ll have to shed some salary to fit him in and still have enough for Perron and perhaps Husso.

Friedman is curious whether Darcy Kuemper would consider signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs if Jack Campbell departs next week as a UFA. Re-signing defenseman Rasmus Sandin is trickier than they expected. He also wondered if Max Domi might be a fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wouldn’t rule out the Leafs as a suitor for Kuemper but they’ve got to do something first about Petr Mrazek’s contract. They’ll also likely try to move out Justin Holl and his $2 million cap hit for next season.

Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith isn’t expected to play next season while Duncan Keith’s situation could go either way. Trade candidates could include Zack Kassian, Warren Foegele, Jesse Puljujarvi and possibly Tyson Barrie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Puljujarvi has garnered a lot of attention recently in the rumor mill as a trade candidate. Kassian could be a buyout candidate while there could be some trade interest in Barrie.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are working with Ryan McDonagh to find a suitable trade. Winger Alex Killorn could also become a cost-cutting candidate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDonagh’s full no-trade clause gives him complete control over potential trade destinations. His $6.75 million annual average value through 2025-26 is also a limiting factor. Killorn carries a more affordable contract at $4.45 million through 2022-23. He carries a 16-team no-trade list.

If the Chicago Blackhawks trade Alex DeBrincat it might spur Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews to request a trade, especially if DeBrincat’s traded for futures. Teams are also inquiring about Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’ S NOTE: Kane and Toews have identical $10.5 million cap hits through 2022-23 and full no-movement clauses. Moving either guy will involve retaining a healthy chunk of their annual average salary. One would think the Blackhawks would retain the 21-year-old Dach as part of their rebuilding plans. Then again, a lot of us thought the same thing about Brandon Hagel before they shipped him to Tampa Bay.

The cap-strapped Vegas Golden Knights need to shed salary. They could move Laurent Brossoit for cap reasons. “Trading Nic Hague is not a preferred option”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are over $2 million above the cap with 18 players under contract for next season. Reilly Smith is believed to be signed but it won’t be made official until July 13 for tagging reasons. They’ll have to move more than Brossoit’s $2.325 million cap hit. Maybe they try to shop William Karlsson and his $5.9 million cap hit.

The Los Angeles Kings made their big move by acquiring Kevin Fiala last week. Friedman wondered if Fiala’s arrival might prompt one or two of their forward prospects to seek a trade if they feel he’ll block their efforts to crack the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If so, perhaps they could be packaged to add an experienced defenseman to their blueline.

It’s believed the Boston Bruins have an interest in Vincent Trocheck if the Carolina Hurricanes center hits the free-agent market next week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman also mentions Patrice Bergeron and perhaps David Krejci could return but that’s not a long-term plan at center. Trocheck could help at least fill the second-line center spot beyond next season. They have $2.3 million in cap space with 22 players signed for next season. Not a lot of room there.

The Calgary Flames are believed to have offered an eight-year deal to Johnny Gaudreau worth $9.5 million annually. They’re still waiting for a decision from the left winger, who feels loyalty toward Calgary but this is as much a family decision as it is a hockey one.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Gaudreau departs I can see the Flames pursuing Filip Forsberg if he doesn’t re-sign with the Nashville Predators.

Friedman wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes might make a pitch to Evgeni Malkin if he doesn’t sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wouldn’t put anything past Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon.

The New York Rangers probably can’t afford to sign Andrew Copp or Ryan Strome so they’re testing the trade market for centers. Potential trade partners could ask for Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko or even Braden Schneider in return. Friedman wondered if they might look at Adam Henrique if the Ducks absorbed part of his salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The New York Post’s Larry Brooks reported the Rangers have spoken to the Winnipeg Jets about Pierre-Luc Dubois. They’re also believed interested in Mark Scheifele. He also mentioned Vancouver’s J.T. Miller and Bo Horvat and Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, though those three have just one year each remaining on their contracts. Brooks mentioned Chicago’s Kirby Dach as an intriguing possibility.

The Florida Panthers denied they were trying to lay the groundwork to trade goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who has a full no-movement clause for two more seasons. UFA winger Mason Marchment is probably priced out of their market now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have $3 million in cap space with 17 players under contract for 2022-23. They can get some cap relief by placing sidelined winger Anthony Duclair (Achilles tendon surgery) on LTIR but they’ll have to be compliant when he returns at midseason.

Coming off their Stanley Cup win, the Colorado Avalanche face big decisions regarding UFAs Darcy Kuemper, Nazem Kadri and Valeri Nichushkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of the three, Nichushkin seems the most likely to be retained. Kuemper and Kadri will be expensive and they’ve got to keep an eye on their long-term cap space with Nathan MacKinnon due for a big raise next summer.