Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 10, 2024

by | Nov 10, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 10, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Predators, Canadiens, and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST RANGERS SPECULATION

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks dismissed the suggestion that the Rangers might get Igor Shesterkin under contract for an average annual value of $11.5 million. “It’s going to be more, I think at least another half a million a year.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most pundits believe Shesterkin will get at least $12 million annually on his next contract. If the Rangers balk at that price, other clubs will line up to pay him.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Brooks also raised the issue of how the Rangers will afford to re-sign Artemi Panarin when the 33-year-old left winger’s contract expires at the end of next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll depend on how much Panarin wants and how much cap space the Rangers have after re-signing Shesterkin, K’Andre Miller, and perhaps Kaapo Kakko and Ryan Lindgren this summer.

UPDATE ON THE PREDATORS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz continues to search for a center but it’s not easy. “When you’re struggling, you get thrown anvils, not life-preservers,” writes Friedman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman also reported on Trotz’s comments last week about implementing his rebuild plan and subsequent clarification that he might consider calling up some young players if his team doesn’t improve soon. He has no intention of tearing down the roster by staging a fire sale of his veteran stars.

Friedman also reported the Predators placed defenseman Dante Fabbro on waivers. He believes Fabbro won’t be claimed because of his $2.5 million cap hit, which most teams can’t afford now.

The 26-year-old blueliner is available for trade. He could be sent to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee where he’ll get more playing time and interested teams can get a better look at him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fabbro was the Predators’ first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft. However, he’s struggled to establish himself as a full-time top-four defenseman in Nashville.

The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie wondered if the Ottawa Senators might put in a claim for Fabbro or attempt to trade for him. The Hockey News’ Caleb Kerney raised the same question about the Edmonton Oilers.

McKenzie noted Fabbro’s limited offensive upside and cap hit made him question if the Sens would consider adding him. Those factors could also raise red flags for the Oilers.

CANADIENS SHOULD TRADE FOR A GOALTENDER

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey recently weighed in on reports claiming the Canadiens are shopping around for a defenseman and a physical forward.

Some observers have tied the Canadiens to Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic but Hickey dismissed the notion of the Bruins trading him to a division rival. He also rejected the clamor from some Habs followers to acquire Trevor Zegras, the skilled winger currently struggling with the Anaheim Ducks.

Hickey believes the Canadiens’ biggest need is an upgrade between the pipes. Their goalie tandem of Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau hasn’t been able to steal some games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The market is even thinner for quality goalies. There’s no help coming on the horizon for the Habs. They must find a way to dig themselves out of their current mess.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”.

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman reported the Boston Bruins have looked around in the trade market. However, they’re trying to be patient with their club and let their group work out its problems.

Friedman also mentioned Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is still working the phones. Teams are asking about Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Dylan Cozens but Adams doesn’t want to subtract from his roster.

The NHL and NHL Players Association didn’t ask for an expedited grievance regarding the Philadelphia Flyers’ efforts to terminate Ryan Johansen’s contract. Friedman explains that means no one is in a hurry to have this adjudicated and it will take time until there’s an outcome.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 6, 2024

by | Nov 6, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 6, 2024

Is a rebuild coming for the Predators? What’s the latest on the Flames, Oilers and Bruins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty cited Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz hinting at rebuilding the roster if his club doesn’t improve soon.

Trotz added forwards Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei this offseason. However, the Predators lurched to a 4-7-1 start this season.

“I’m trying to do some things right now,” Trotz said in a radio interview with Nashville’s 102.5 The Game. “We will be limited a little because of the contracts that we have…but if we don’t get going, then I’m going to start our rebuild plan.”

Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz (NHL Images).

Trotz indicated he could start calling up some of his club’s promising young players if his current roster doesn’t start winning.

The Predators GM subsequently clarified his remarks, saying he doesn’t intend to “burn it down to the studs.” He said his plan when he took over last year was to stockpile draft picks and prospects over the next three years but also to ice a competitive team.

Trotz indicated his signings of free agents this summer was to buy time for his prospects to develop. “But if it doesn’t work, I’ve still got to buy the time for those young players. He also said that veterans like Stamkos, Marchessault, Skjei, Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, Ryan O’Reilly and Juuse Saros aren’t going anywhere.

Trotz said his team is in the process of finding a second-line center, which includes trade options. If they can’t find one, they may have to move Stamkos to center and bring up a couple of young wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz also said he’s fully confident in head coach Andrew Brunette. Daugherty writes that the real issue is players not performing to their full potential, which may result in changes soon.

Trotz acknowledged last month that it wasn’t easy to find a second-line center this early in the season. For now, he’ll have to look to within his roster and his farm system.

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson believes the Flames still need a cornerstone center but also thinks they could use a suitable defense partner for MacKenzie Weegar. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll attempt to address this issue with a trade because big-minute blueliners come at a hefty price.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The same can be said for second-line centers.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve MacFarlane reports there’s no talk of a contract extension for Andrei Kuzmenko. The Flames winger is high on most insiders’ trade-bait lists as the club rebuilds its roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzmenko is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. The former 39-goal scorer has been inconsistent this season. He recently saw some fourth-line duty and was benched during the second half of the Flames’ 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils.

Kuzmenko must regain offensive consistency if he hopes to re-sign with the Flames or garner a lucrative deal elsewhere via next summer’s free-agent market.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins recently speculated why the Oilers haven’t pursued a top-four defenseman in the trade market. He believes GM Stan Bowman figures that at worst this Oilers roster can bumble its way into the playoffs.

Bowman could wait until Christmas to start looking for a blueliner unless he gets an irresistible offer. He should be in a much better position by then with his salary-cap space plus there should be better options available by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowman could wait until closer to the March 7 trade deadline depending on where the Oilers are in the standings. He’ll have accrued more cap space and there should be plenty of suitable choices by then.

ESPN.COM’s Kevin Weekes reports Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic is garnering some interest around the league. The 26-year-old Frederic is slated to become a UFA next summer.

Weekes claims several teams are interested in Frederic’s size, speed, toughness, character and skills.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those traits also make Frederic invaluable to the struggling Bruins. The earliest he could be available in the trade market is during the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, assuming the Bruins are out of playoff contention by then. Otherwise, they’ll hang onto him for the postseason and address the contract situation afterward.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 13, 2024

by | Jul 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 13, 2024

The latest on the Rangers attempt to trade Jacob Trouba, Predators GM Barry Trotz weighs in on teams like his in “no-tax” states, and the latest signings in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS’ Stefen Rosner cited former New York Rangers general manager Neil Smith saying team captain Jacob Trouba blocked a trade to the Detroit Red Wings when he learned that’s where the Rangers wanted to trade him.

Smith said the Rangers asked Trouba for his 15-team no-trade list before his no-movement clause changed to a modified no-trade clause on July 1. As per his contract, the Trouba camp refused until July 1. When they did submit the list, Detroit was part of it because it had already been leaked to the media that the Rangers were talking about a trade with the Red Wings.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

That leaves Rangers management facing what Smith calls some “muddy waters” with their most important player, their team captain. He believes they’ll have to make Trouba feel wanted again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was clumsily handled by Rangers management but it did provide some intrigue to this summer’s trade market. That deal with Detroit was dead once it got leaked to the press. It seems that way based on all we’ve learned since late June.

Some Rangers supporters still blame Trouba for “putting himself above the team” by invoking his no-trade clause to block the deal to Detroit. However, he did nothing wrong by abiding by the terms of his contract.

The Rangers know which teams aren’t on Trouba’s “no-trade” list. They could attempt to move him to one of those clubs this summer, or before next year’s trade deadline, or at some point next summer. His $8 million cap hit will make that difficult to pull off, but it’s not impossible.

In the meantime, both sides will have to deal with the fallout from this situation. It’ll be interesting to see how this shakes out and what effect (if any) it has on the Rangers in 2024-25.

THE SCORE: Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz acknowledged that his team has an advantage playing in a state that doesn’t levy a state tax.

“It is an advantage because your dollar goes a little bit further,” he told TSN’s Overdrive on Wednesday. “There’s no question”.

The Predators made headlines this summer by signing unrestricted free agents Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. Along with the Predators, the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars and Seattle Kraken also have the advantage of playing where there is no state tax.

Four of the last five Stanley Cup champions were from “no-tax” states. The Lightning won in 2020 and 2021, the Golden Knights in 2023 and the Panthers in 2024.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those clubs have played in “no-tax” states for years. It’s only been recently that three of them enjoyed championship success. Some observers believe this gives those teams an unfair advantage that should be addressed in the next round of collective bargaining. 

The lack of a state tax does help those teams retain their best players and add players via free agency. However,  it does not guarantee success. How management invests that money in building and maintaining a contender remains the determining factor.

The Predators have declined since reaching the 2017 Stanley Cup Final and winning the Presidents’ Trophy the following season. Their previous management was not renowned for making big splashes in the free-agent pool like those that Trotz just made. It remains to be seen how those moves pan out.

As for the Stars, they have had their share of ups and downs since their Stanley Cup victory 25 years ago. The Kraken have only existed since 2021-22 and are still trying to build themselves into a contender.

The Panthers were a laughingstock for over two decades until they finally brought in stable ownership and management. The Lightning endured some ownership and management turmoil following their first Stanley Cup in 2004, including a rebuilding phase directly responsible for their consecutive championships.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights’ habit of swinging big trades for elite talent left them with a depleted prospect pipeline that could prove costly in the long run.

The salary cap eventually catches up with these clubs.

Limited cap space forced the Lightning to make cost-cutting moves that drained their roster depth, including the recent departure of Stamkos and trading away Mikhail Sergachev.

The Golden Knights recently lost Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson, William Carrier, Michael Amadio, and Logan Thompson due to cap constraints while the Panthers had to bid farewell to defenseman Brandon Montour.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders also signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way contract.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets avoided arbitration with goaltender Jet Greaves, signing him to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $812,500.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Greaves is the fourth who filed for salary arbitration to sign with his club before his arbitration hearing was scheduled. The other three were Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser, San Jose Sharks blueliner Ty Emberson and Blue Jackets rearguard Jake Christiansen.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2024

by | May 8, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2024

Check out the latest on Leafs winger Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault, and the latest updates on the Predators and Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE LEAFS’ MITCH MARNER AGREE TO A TRADE?

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan believes Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving should ask winger Mitch Marner whether he’d have any interest in waiving his no-movement clause.

Marner, 27, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025. Koshan acknowledged he’s one of the best hockey players on the planet but his performance in the Leafs’ first-round series against Boston was underwhelming and not close to what a leader should provide.

Koshan suggested exploring the trade market to see if Marner would fetch a No. 1 defenseman. If not, they can use part of the money they would’ve invested in him to sign a top blueliner in next summer’s free agent market.

Meanwhile, Steve Simmons doubts Marner or team captain John Tavares will agree to waive their no-movement clauses. He thinks Marner might have some value in the trade market but it will be limited compared to his worth because he only has a year left on his contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Simmons dismissed the notion that Marner could fetch the Leafs any number of great young players as mostly fantasy. He believes the Leafs will be in a better position to address their needs next summer when Marner and Tavares come off their books.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner could agree to waive his NMC if Treliving tells him they won’t offer a contract extension or if he starts to feel the pressure of playing in Toronto is too much. If he does, however, the Leafs likely won’t get a great return even if he agreed to a contract extension with his new club as a condition of the trade.

I’ve seen some folks suggesting the Leafs offer up Marner to the Utah franchise straight up for Clayton Keller. That won’t happen. Keller is their best player and a foundation piece on a roster of good young players. He also carries an affordable $7.125 million annual cap hit through 2027-28. They’ll want to add someone who can play with him.

WILL JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT REMAIN WITH THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS?

LAS VEGAS SUN/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL/THE ATHLETIC: Jack Williams, Ed Graney and Jesse Granger report Jonathan Marchessault wants to remain with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 33-year-old winger is among the few remaining original members of the club. He’s completing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million and is slated to become a UFA on July 1.

“I’ve done everything I can to stay here,” Marchessault told reporters Tuesday as he and his teammates cleaned out their lockers for this season. “I know I’m a big part of this organization and team. I’ve proved that over the years.”.

“I’m pretty confident. I’d love to stay. This is my home. I’m part of the guys that started this. It’s the most proud thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Marchessault said he spoke with general manager Kelly McCrimmon and their chat went well. “He wants me back,” he said. “He likes me, obviously, and the feeling is mutual.” McCrimmon agreed the conversation went well, adding he’s had preliminary talks with the winger and his agent.

The problem is the Golden Knights’ limited salary-cap space. They have roughly $7.6 million available with 18 active roster players under contract for next season. A new contract for Marchessault could cost between $6 million and $7 million annually on a three or four-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will take plenty of salary-cap gymnastics to free up sufficient room to sign Marchessault and leave enough for the rest of the roster.

That means making a cost-cutting trade or two. All of the expensive Golden Knights have some form of no-trade protection. Four – Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl and Alex Pietrangelo – have no-movement clauses.

William Karlsson, Ivan Barbashev, Shea Theodore and Adin Hill carry cap hits of $4.9 million or higher and have modified no-trade clauses. One of them could become a trade candidate.

LATEST ON THE PREDATORS

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty and Gentry Estes report Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz said everything was on the table regarding his off-season plans for the club.

Trotz told reporters on Tuesday that he wants to build up his top nine forwards, adding more youth and speed to augment the top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist.

“We’ve got some draft capital that will allow us to be flexible and use those assets to acquire (talent),” he said. “That’s what we’re going to have to do.”

Trotz could be leaning toward re-signing Juuse Saros rather than trading him. The 29-year-old goaltender has a year remaining on his contract. The Predators can re-sign him starting on July 1. Trotz said Saros wants to stay and he wants to keep him. “We’re gonna work hard on getting something done with him.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros was the subject of frequent trade speculation often linking him to the New Jersey Devils. He’s earning an AAV of $5 million on his current deal and it will cost more to re-sign him. I don’t doubt Trotz’s sincerity about retaining Saros but it will be worthwhile to monitor those negotiations.

UPDATE ON THE DEVILS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting the Devils are speaking to multiple candidates for their vacant head-coaching job, including former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils hope to hire a new coach within 7-10 days. “They should have a clearer picture by the end of this week.”










NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2023

by | Jun 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2023

How will the impending sale of the Senators affect their offseason plans? What’s the latest on the Canadiens? Could the Predators explore this summer’s trade market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports speculation began over what changes Michael Andlauer could make to the Senators following news of his agreement in principle to purchase the club. Whatever he has in store must wait until the sale is officially completed, which could take several weeks or months.

Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

That won’t affect the offseason plans of general manager Pierre Dorion and his staff as they prepare for the upcoming draft in Nashville (June 28-29) and the start of the free-agent period on July 1. Dorion must also consider possible trade options for restricted free-agent winger Alex DeBrincat.

DeBrincat lacks a no-trade clause but he and his agent provided the Senators with a list of preferred trade destinations. Garrioch reports the list includes his hometown Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars. He pointed out that the Panthers and Golden Knights lack the salary-cap space to make a deal for DeBrincat so there would have to be some major juggling to do that.

Garrioch also indicated that DeBrincat will receive his $9 million qualifying offer from the Senators on June 25. Dorion will have until 5 pm Monday to determine if he’ll elect arbitration in the hope of getting a 15 percent discount on that qualifying offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s anticipated that the Senators will attempt to move DeBrincat prior to the first round (June 28) of this year’s draft. As Garrioch noted, this is the time to strike when the iron’s hot while general managers have the cap space and the willingness to spend in the trade market.

The Red Wings have plenty of cap space and need additional scoring. However, they could be seeking more of a power forward than a finesse player.

I doubt the Golden Knights and Panthers will get into the bidding. Nevertheless, their respective general managers have well-earned reputations for making significant moves.

Like the Golden Knights and Panthers, the Stars lack sufficient cap room. GM Jim Nill could be in the market for more affordable depth. Encouraged by the play of promising young players like Wyatt Johnston, he could also promote a youngster such as Mavrik Bourque.

UPDATE ON THE CANADIENS

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu confirmed a Radio-Canada report claiming the Montreal Canadiens are attempting to move up in the 2023 first-round draft order. Currently holding the fifth-overall pick, they’ve attempted to swap picks with the fourth-overall San Jose Sharks and have contacted the Anaheim Ducks about the second-overall selection.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Basu observed that the cost of jumping to second overall would be astronomical but worth it to land a highly-touted prospect like Adam Fantilli. If this wasn’t Connor Bedard’s draft year, Fantilli would be the favorite to go first overall.

I don’t see the Habs prying that pick away from the Ducks but it doesn’t hurt to ask. The same goes for trying to get the Sharks’ pick.

Basu also reports the Canadiens will not buy out winger Mike Hoffman. The first contract buyout window for NHL teams opens today and runs until 5 pm ET on June 30. They are willing to retain half of Hoffman’s $4.5 million cap hit in a trade but that seems unlikely to happen given he didn’t produce enough to justify the cost.

The Canadiens won’t be tendering a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Denis Gurianov. However, they haven’t ruled out signing him as an unrestricted free agent to a one-year deal at a reduced rate.

They’re also interested in signing pending UFA center Sean Monahan to an affordable one-year deal to give him a chance to prove he can stay healthy and improve his value in next summer’s free-agent market.

PREDATORS EXPLORING THE TRADE MARKET

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher reports Predators general manager Barry Trotz intends to go shopping for offensive-minded players in this summer’s trade market. He’s willing to spend as much of the club’s $15.5 million in projected cap space for 2023-24 as possible to achieve that aim.

Trotz doesn’t anticipate he’ll be a big player in this summer’s UFA market, describing it as “a little bit lean.” He also wants to add players “that fit our culture.” He’s pitched trade offers to clubs that are looking to shed salary.

Gallagher observed there are three teams (Montreal, Tampa Bay and Vancouver) with less than $1 million in cap space. He also noted there will be several others looking to move a player with a sizable cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens will garner $10.5 million in cap relief by placing all-but-retired sidelined goalie Carey Price on long-term injury reserve. Still, they’ll be open to moving out a veteran forward like Mike Hoffman to free up cap room.

Meanwhile, the Lightning will garner over $6.8 million in LTIR cap relief due to permanently sidelined defenseman Brent Seabrook.

It’s been well-documented the Canucks are actively trying to shed salary. They’re believed to be shopping Conor Garland but Trotz might have his eye on scoring winger Brock Boeser.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2023

by | May 31, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2023

Leafs to hire Brad Treliving as general manager, Predators fire John Hynes and hire Andrew Brunette as head coach, the Capitals hire Spencer Carbery as their new head coach, the latest Stanley Cup Final news and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Darren Dreger broke the news that the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to hire Brad Treliving as their new general manager. Treliving spent nine seasons as GM of the Calgary Flames before stepping down last month.

Former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving. (NHL.com)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs were reportedly seeking someone with management experience to replace former GM Kyle Dubas. Treliving certainly has that but whether he can succeed where Dubas failed in terms of ending the Leafs’ 57-year Stanley Cup drought remains to be seen.

Under Treliving, the Flames reached the playoffs five times and finished atop the Pacific Division in 2018-19 and 2021-22. During his tenure, he drafted Matthew Tkachuk, Adam Fox, Sam Bennett, Andrew Mangiapane, Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington and Dillon Dube. Treliving also traded for Dougie Hamilton, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Tyler Toffoli, Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Milan Lucic and Travis Hamonic.

However, the Flames also missed the playoffs four times and only reached the second round twice while Treliving was their general manager. He’s also had his share of failures, such as losing Johnny Gaudreau to free agency while the jury remains out on his swap of Tkachuk for Huberdeau and Weegar.

Treliving faces some significant issues with the Leafs. Topping the list is signing Auston Matthews to a contract extension. He must also determine the futures of Leafs stars John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander and the fate of head coach Sheldon Keefe.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators fired head coach John Hynes on Tuesday, replacing him with Andrew Brunette. An assistant coach this season with the New Jersey Devils, Brunette was a 2021-22 finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year after guiding the Florida Panthers to their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators incoming general manager Barry Trotz is facing some criticism for leaving Hynes twisting in the wind while he sought new head-coaching candidates given his own history as a long-time NHL head coach.

Nevertheless, Trotz has signaled that change will be afoot for the Predators. He obviously wanted his own man behind the bench and was going to take his time to find him. Now that he has his new bench boss, his focus could shift toward making some roster changes this summer.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals have hired Spencer Carbery as their new head coach. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Maple Leafs leading their power play. Before that, he spent three seasons as head coach of the Capitals’ AHL affiliate in Hershey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carbery will be under pressure to quickly reverse the aging Capitals’ fortunes after they missed the postseason for the first time since 2013-14. He’ll be reunited with defenseman Rasmus Sandin, who played under Carbery in Toronto until acquired by the Capitals before the March trade deadline. Meanwhile, Capitals assistant coaches Scott Allen and Bryan Murray will be returning next season. 

TSN: The Calgary Flames reached out to former New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant, who is interested in their vacant head-coaching job.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights’ ongoing success is attributable in part to two former Florida Panthers. The Golden Knights selected Jonathan Marchessault in the 2017 expansion draft when the Panthers left him unprotected. Around the same time, they acquired Reilly Smith in a trade with the Panthers.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Patric Hornqvist has been sidelined since December by a concussion but he remains a valuable member of the Panthers. He’s been on the ice in a non-contact jersey during practices, peppering goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky with shots while providing guidance and encouragement to other teammates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hornqvist remains out for the season and the future of his playing career is murky right now. For the time being, he’s like another assistant coach for the Panthers.

TWINCITIES.COM: After spending several seasons with the Minnesota Wild as an assistant coach, Brett McLean is taking over as head coach of their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said he has no interest in joining their front office. Inducted on Sunday into the IIHF Hall of Fame, Zetterberg is spending his days as an unofficial consultant with the Wings as well as with his former Swedish club (Timra) and the Swedish national team. His only active hockey work is helping out with his son’s practices as he puts his focus on his family and a life outside of hockey.