NHL Rumor Mill – October 21, 2024

by | Oct 21, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 21, 2024

More suggested goalie options for the Avalanche and more proposed trade destinations for Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak recently examined the Colorado Avalanche’s goalie woes.

Masisak thinks starter Alexandar Georgiev still has enough of a track record to sort out his inconsistent play. Their internal options aren’t great if Georgiev doesn’t improve. Backup Justus Annunen is a wild card and it would be risky to make him the starter for more than a short period. Kaapo Kahkonen has never proven to be a No. 1 goalie for a significant period.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (NHL Images).

Options in this season’s trade market could include pending unrestricted free agents like Washington’s Logan Thompson or Charlie Lindgren, Detroit’s Alex Lyon, Calgary’s Dan Vladar, San Jose’s Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek, and Utah’s Karel Vejmelka. The latter four would require salary retention to fit them within the Avs’ limited cap space.

Masisak also looked ahead toward this summer’s free-agent market where the pickings are slim assuming the New York Rangers re-sign netminder Igor Shesterkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s also been suggested the Avs attempt to acquire John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks assuming the Ducks retain half of his $6.4 million cap hit through 2026-27 and also accept Georgiev in return.

The Avs are in a bind with no immediate solutions given their cap constraints and the lack of suitable options in the trade market this early in the season.

SPORTSNET: David Morassutti proposed several trade destinations for Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren following his season debut against the Los Angeles Kings last week.

Liljegren’s future has been a topic of speculation after sliding down the Leafs’ blueline depth chart. His $3 million annual average value through 2025-26 could also create a salary-cap headache for management.

Morassutti suggested the Utah Hockey Club, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets as potential destinations for Lilejegren.

Utah’s blueline got thin with Sean Durzi and John Marino sidelined by injuries. The Stars’ defense could use more depth on the right side. The Blackhawks and Ducks are rebuilding teams that could benefit from a veteran rearguard in his mid-twenties. The Penguins need to bolster their defense and the struggling Blue Jackets have the cap space to add to their blueline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs reportedly aren’t rushing to move Liljegren partly because of the uncertain health of their own defense corps. That could change as the season advances but it’s difficult to find suitable trade partners for a defenseman carrying a $3 million cap hit if he’s spending most of his time in the press box.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2024

by | Sep 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2024

More concern about the league’s “no-tax” states, the Lightning’s Victor Hedman talks about Steven Stamkos’ departure, the latest on Jonathan Marchessault leaving Las Vegas, an update on Luke Hughes, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo reports NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league continues to monitor the issue of teams in “no-tax” states having an advantage over other clubs who must pay more to sign players. However, he indicated there are no easy solutions, pointing out that players make decisions on where to play for a variety of reasons.

Daly said Thursday that it’s still too early to determine if this is an issue to be addressed. He added that he’s spoken to the NHL Players Association about the matter and the mutual feeling is that addressing it would prove complicated.

If the league adjusted the salary cap for no-tax teams, it raises questions about what happens to a player who subsequently gets traded or demoted to the minors. It would also be difficult to determine how much of a “hometown discount” a player took to sign with one of those clubs.

NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh doesn’t see this situation as much of a problem, agreeing with Daly that it would be complicated to address. He also noted that there hasn’t been a similar debate about this issue in other sports leagues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This became an issue because the Florida Panthers, once a league laughingstock, won the Stanley Cup this year.

Last season, folks were complaining about the Vegas Golden Knights using long-term injury reserve to their advantage to win the Stanley Cup, even though every team in the league has the same opportunity to avail themselves of LTIR (and have done so) in similar circumstances. The same complaint was raised about the Lightning in 2021.

By the way, the Lightning and Golden Knights also play in no-tax states. Scarcely a peep was raised about that.

The Panthers, Lightning, Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators have been around for decades. Their supposed advantage was never an issue when they spent years as also-rans or first-round-and-out clubs. Once they become champions or contenders, suddenly, it’s a problem. Heck, no one mentioned it when the Stars won the Cup in 1999 and the Predators reached the 2017 Cup Final.

The Golden Knights have been a perennial playoff club since their inception, in part because they fleeced several teams with savvy trades to land quality players before their expansion draft.

The Seattle Kraken haven’t been as successful in their brief history as their non-tax peers. Nevertheless, it’s only a matter of time until someone starts attributing any of the Kraken’s future achievements to playing in a no-tax state.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (NHL Images).

Good management is the real reason behind the varying degrees of success most of those clubs have enjoyed.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said his team will miss former captain Steven Stamkos, who signed with the Nashville Predators this summer. Hedman also said he’ll miss Stamkos more as a friend.

Hedman praised Stamkos’ legacy with the Lightning, which includes leading the club to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. He also said there will be plenty of focus on how the Bolts handle the departure of their long-time captain.

The 33-year-old defenseman is also considered Stamkos’ likely successor as team captain. “We’ll cross that bridge when it comes to that” he said.

THE SCORE: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon explained his reluctance to sign Jonathan Marchessault to a five-year contract was why the 33-year-old winger departed to Nashville as a free agent.

“We emotionally are attached to the players that have helped us have success, and yet there’s just no supporting data that justify, or in our minds, demonstrate a reason to have wingers that age like that at the end of their career.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This comes within a couple of days of Marchessault saying his departure was over the length of a contract extension, suggesting the Golden Knights lack loyalty to their players in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils defenseman Luke Hughes suffered a left shoulder injury during offseason training. His expected recovery timeline is six to eight weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries were a key reason why the Devils missed the playoffs last season. Hughes was among the few highlights in a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, finishing third among rookie scorers with 47 points. They will feel his absence during the opening weeks of this season.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders claiming Ilya Sorokin’s absence from an informal veterans skate on Thursday has nothing to do with an off-ice issue. Last week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculated was “battling something” but didn’t elaborate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles signed veteran goalie Keith Kinkaid to a professional tryout offer (PTO) yesterday, raising more questions about Sorokin’s status as training camp approaches.

SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar said he’s pain-free following season-ending hip surgery in March. He intends to challenge the promising Dustin Wolf for the vacant starter’s job.

CALGARY SUN: Speaking of the Flames, they signed forward Jakob Pelletier to a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K at the NHL level.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford left a rookie scrimmage yesterday after suffering a head injury when he was knocked head-first into the boards. He was being evaluated but there was no further word about his condition.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: A new naming rights agreement has changed the name of the Carolina Hurricanes’ home venue from PNC Arena to the Lenovo Center.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock has retired and will begin a career in broadcasting with the Sharks Audio Network.

Stalock, 37, played 179 games in the NHL, 63 with the Sharks from 2010-11 to 2015-16 and 2021-22. He also played with the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks. He finished with a record of 70 wins, 65 losses and 20 overtime losses, with a 2.70 goals-against average, a save percentage of .908, and 11 shutouts.

THE PROVINCE: Former NHL winger Stephen Peat passed away on Sep. 12 from injuries suffered when he was struck by a car over two weeks ago in Langley, BC. He was 44 years old.

Peat played 130 NHL games with the Washington Capitals from 2001-02 to 2005-06, amassing 10 points and 234 penalty minutes as an enforcer. He struggled with addiction and homelessness following his playing career.

His friends believe those issues were the result of CTE suffered during his playing career, but that can only be confirmed by posthumous examination of the brain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Peat’s family, friends, former teammates and coaches.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2024

by | Jun 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2024

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers ahead of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Penguins re-sign Alex Nedeljkovic, the Canucks grant Ilya Mikheyev permission to seek a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers star Leon Draisaitl has struggled to score in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. The 28-year-old forward has 30 points in this postseason but his production has been declining since the Western Conference Final, netting four points in that series and only two assists thus far in the Stanley Cup Final.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch defended Draisaitl’s play, suggesting bad puck luck could be behind his recent low production. The decline could also be due to an undisclosed injury we’ll learn about after the series ends.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are making a change to their lineup for Game 6 tonight in Edmonton. Nick Cousins will replace Kyle Okposo and be reunited with linemates Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Stenlund. It’s Cousins’ first game since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins re-signed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $2.5 million. Nedeljkovic was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nedeljkovic was Tristan Jarry’s backup in 2023-24. He appeared in the Penguins’ final 14 games of the regular season, starting 13 and picking up points in 10 games.

THE PROVINCE: Ilya Mikheyev’s agent, Dan Milstein, said he’s been permitted by the Vancouver Canucks to seek a trade for his client. The 29-year-old winger has two years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $4.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikheyev had 28 points in 46 games in 2022-23 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. He struggled with consistency in 2024-25.

DAILY FACEOFF: Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar is expected to have fully recovered from hip surgery when training camp opens in September. The 26-year-old went under the knife in March with a recovery time of four to six months.

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings unveiled their new logo on Thursday, returning to a look similar to their 1990s style.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, it’s the Oakland Raiders on ice.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2024

by | Mar 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2024

Four-assist performances from the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and the Oilers’ Connor McDavid, a hat trick for the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov assisted on each of his club’s goals in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Brayden Point scored twice to reach the 40-goal mark as the Lightning extended their win streak to five games. With a record of 38-25-6, they hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 82 points. William Eklund replied for the 16-46-7 Sharks.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov leads the scoring race with 122 points, opening a five-point gap over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. Lightning winger Anthony Duclair scored against his former team, reaching the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in his career. Since being acquired by the Lightning before the March 8 trade deadline, Duclair has four goals and seven points in five games.

The Edmonton Oilers erupted for five unanswered third-period goals to crush the Buffalo Sabres 8-3. Connor McDavid collected four assists while Zach Hyman and Mattias Ekholm scored two goals each for the 42-21-4 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 88 points. JJ Peterka tallied two goals for the 33-33-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman is just two goals away from reaching the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in his career. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (Hyman’s former teammate) leads the league this season with 57 goals.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected the third hat trick of his NHL career in a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Jonathan Quick made 24 saves as the Rangers (46-20-4) moved within one point of the league-leading Bruins with 96 points. Justin Brazeau had a goal and an assist for the 41-15-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quick picked up his 391st career win to tie Ryan Miller for the most NHL victories by an American-born goaltender.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored twice in his triumphant return to the lineup to beat the New York Islanders 6-3, leaving the latter winless in their last six games (0-5-1). Andrew Copp also had two goals and Christian Fischer had a goal and two assists for the Red Wings (36-28-6) as they opened a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 78 points. Mathew Barzal netted his 21st goal for the 29-25-15 Islanders as they slipped five points behind the Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury. During his absence, the Wings went into a tailspin that threatened to derail their playoff hopes. They’re a different team when their captain is in the lineup.

The Vancouver Canucks gained ground on the Bruins in the overall standings with a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nikita Zadorov scored two goals for the Canucks (44-18-8) as they sit one point behind the league-leading Bruins. Juraj Slafkovsky scored to extend his points streak to six games for the Canadiens (25-32-12), who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slafkovsky remains a bright spot for the Canadiens this season. He had just eight points in his first 31 games but now has 30 points in his last 38 contests. Speaking of the Canadiens, they announced that Joshua Roy will be sidelined for four to six weeks with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of gaining ground in the overall standings, the Carolina Hurricanes moved to within three points of the Bruins by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on an overtime goal by Seth Jarvis. Frederik Andersen stopped 30 shots for the 44-20-6 Hurricanes (94 points) as they’ve won five straight games. Travis Konecny netted his 28th goal of the season for the Flyers (35-26-9), who remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Flyers head coach John Tortorella declined to discuss Couturier during a pregame interview. However, benching his captain has drawn plenty of media attention as rumors grow of a possible rift between the two.

The Nashville Predators continue to tighten their grip on the first Western Conference wildcard berth as they blanked the Florida Panthers 3-0. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 33 shots for the shutout and Filip Forsberg tallied twice for the 41-25-4 Predators (86 points) as they extended their points streak to 16 games with their fourth straight win. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 34 shots for the 45-20-4 Panthers (94 points) as they’ve lost three straight and sit three points behind the Bruins in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers were without team captain Aleksander Barkov as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Western Conference wildcard spots, the Vegas Golden Knights cling to the final berth following a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Keegan Kolesar snapped a 1-1 tie and Chandler Stephenson netted the insurance goal for the 37-25-7 Golden Knights (81 points). Jaden Schwartz replied for the 28-28-12 Kraken.

The New Jersey Devils got two power-play goals from Jack Hughes to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier each had a goal and two assists for the 34-32-4 Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers replied for the Jets (44-20-5) as they remain in first place in the Central Division with 93 points.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists to keep their playoff hopes alive in a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Jake Neighbours scored twice and Joel Hofer made 37 saves for the 37-30-3 Blues (77 points) as they sit four points behind the Golden Knights for that final Western wild-card berth. Mark Kastelic and Dominik Kubalik scored for the 28-36-4 Senators.

The Anaheim Ducks snapped a seven-game losing skid by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for his first NHL shutout while Alex Killorn scored two goals for the 24-43-3 Ducks. Arvid Soderblom made 21 saves for the 19-46-5 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks center Leo Carlsson left this game in the second period following a knee-on-knee collision with the Blackhawks Alex Vlasic. There was no postgame update on his condition.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson was offered an in-person hearing by the NHL department of player safety for high-sticking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor on Thursday. Wilson faces the possibility of a suspension beyond five games.

CALGARY SUN: Flames goaltender Dan Vladar will undergo season-ending hip surgery next week. He’s expected to be ready for the start of next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 10, 2024

by | Feb 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 10, 2024

Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury defeats the Penguins on the night commemorating his two recent career milestones, the Rangers and Oilers pick up victories in Friday’s action, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: On the night the Minnesota Wild honored Marc-Andre Fleury for recently reaching the 1,000-game and 552nd career win milestones, he backstopped them to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 34-save performance.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Kirill Kaprizov broke a 2-2 tie in the third period and also collected an assist while Matt Boldy and Jonas Brodin each had a goal and an assist for the 23-23-1 Wild (51 points) as they moved within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Reilly Smith and Sidney Crosby scored against their former teammate as the 23-18-7 Penguins (53 points) remain five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game could also be Fleury’s last against the Penguins, with whom he played 13 of his 20 NHL seasons. The 39-year-old goalie is in the final year of his contract amid speculation he could retire at the end of this season.

Wild defenseman Brock Faber set franchise records for single-season assists (27) and points (31) by a rookie defenseman. This game also had a bit of controversy as Kaprizov scored after the puck seemed to rebound off the netting above the glass behind the Penguins’ goal. The on-ice officials didn’t see it and a video review following a coach’s challenge proved inconclusive.

Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane tallied a hat trick in a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Connor McDavid collected three assists for the Oilers (30-16-1) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 61 points. Ryan Strome tallied twice and Adam Henrique had two assists for the 18-31-2 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks goaltender John Gibson left this game following the second period with a lower-body injury. The Ducks also played without center Mason McTavish as he missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

The New York Rangers blew a 3-1 lead to the Chicago Blackhawks before winning the game 4-3 on an overtime goal by Mika Zibanejad. Chris Kreider and Adam Fox each had two points while Igor Shesterkin stopped 28 shots in his first start since Jan. 26 for the Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers (33-16-3) as they moved into second place in the Eastern Conference with 69 points. Alex Vlasic, Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson scored for the 14-35-3 Blackhawks.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Alex Newhook will return to the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars after being sidelined since Nov. 30 with a high ankle sprain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Newhook’s return is timely considering the Canadiens traded center Sean Monahan last Friday to Winnipeg. He had seven goals and 13 points in 23 games but had points in four of his previous seven contests at the time of his injury.

CBS SPORTS: St. Louis Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen returns to action on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. He’d missed the last seven games with a lower-body issue.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Calgary Flames placed goaltender Dan Vladar on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and recalled netminder Dustin Wolf from their AHL affiliate.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 18, 2023

by | Dec 18, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 18, 2023

The annual holiday roster freeze is from Dec. 20-27. Check out the latest on the Penguins and Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE PENGUINS CONSIDER MOVING CROSBY, MALKIN OR LETANG?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski weighed in on how recent comments by Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas sparked speculation about whether he’d consider rebuilding if his struggling club didn’t improve soon.

Kingerski doesn’t dismiss the possibility of Dubas peddling Erik Karlsson, who agreed to be traded to Pittsburgh this summer because he wanted to win. He can also see pending free-agent winger Jake Guentzel getting shopped by the March trade deadline. Rickard Rakell, Reilly Smith, Lars Eller, Noel Acciari or Ryan Graves could be trade bait if Dubas decides it’s time for a change.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

However, Kingerski doesn’t see Dubas attempting to move long-time core stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang. He believes the Penguins are getting the best out of those three while the rest of the roster is struggling. The only one he thinks might accept a trade is Malkin, as he was ready to move on as a free agent in 2022 because it felt like the previous management didn’t want him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only way I see Crosby, Malkin or Letang getting traded right now is if they ask for it. Maybe one of them might want out in a couple of years. Perhaps Crosby will move on when his contract expires in 2025. However, if they insist on finishing their careers in Pittsburgh, their no-movement clauses will ensure that they stay put.

COULD THE OILERS MAKE ANOTHER BIG SPLASH AT THE TRADE DEADLINE

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell believes the Edmonton Oilers could pull off another big splash at the March 8 trade deadline comparable to their acquisition of Mattias Ekholm before last season’s deadline.

Mitchell suggests the Oilers could do it without having to include Jack Campbell in the deal. They could package a first-round pick, a promising player such as Philip Broberg or Dylan Holloway, and a player such as Warren Foegele or Brett Kulak.

Trade targets could include a defenseman such as the Calgary Flames Chris Tanev or the Philadelphia Flyers blueliner Sean Walker, or a goaltender like the Detroit Red Wings’ James Reimer, the Flames’ Daniel Vladar or the Nashville Predator’s Juuse Saros, though Mitchell acknowledged he’d be “an extreme long shot.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of the Oilers rolling the dice again at the trade deadline if they’re in playoff contention by March 8. They’re in “win-now” mode and could be willing to sacrifice a first-rounder, especially if it’s for a player they could retain beyond this season. Broberg, Holloway, Foegele and Kulak have surfaced in the rumor mill at various times in recent months.

Mitchell’s colleague Daniel Nugent-Bowman believes the Oilers need another goaltender to relieve Stuart Skinner and push him for the starter’s job. They also need improvement among their top-four defense, depth at center and among their middle-six forwards.

As for Mitchell’s suggested targets, trades between the Flames and Oilers are rare but they do happen, with the most notable recent example being Milan Lucic getting swapped for James Neal in 2019. Nevertheless, I see Walker or Reimer seem to be more likely targets than Tanev or Vladar.

Saros isn’t going anywhere. Earlier this season, Predators GM Barry Trotz indicated he wants to open contract extension talks next summer. With his club having battled back into playoff contention thanks in part to Saros, Trotz has no reason to trade his starting goaltender.