NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2024

by | Oct 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2024

The North American portion of the 2024-25 regular season begins on Tuesday. Check out the latest injury updates, contract signings, waiver claims, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL NORTH AMERICAN SCHEDULE BEGINS TUESDAY

NHL.COM: The NHL season began last week in Prague, Czechia between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL Global Series. The North American portion of the schedule begins Tuesday with a triple header televised nationally in Canada and the United States.

The schedule opens with the Seattle Kraken hosting the St. Louis Blues at 4:30 ET. It will be a historic game as Seattle assistant coach Jessica Campbell becomes the first woman in NHL history to serve in a behind-the-bench capacity.

The Florida Panthers will raise their 2024 Stanley Cup banner at home before facing off against the Boston Bruins starting at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: South Florida is outside the cone of concern for the approaching Hurricane Milton. For now, this game appears likely to be played as scheduled in Sunrise.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been forced to evacuate. They were expected to depart for Raleigh, North Carolina, on Monday evening with most players bringing along their family and pets. Some made private arrangements to evacuate their families.

The tripleheader concludes with the Utah Hockey Club making its debut by hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

INJURY UPDATES

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks announced forward Dakota Joshua and goaltender Thatcher Demko were placed on the club’s injured non-roster list. Joshua missed training camp recovering from surgery for testicular cancer while Demko’s been dealing with a rare muscle injury in his knee.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s speculation both players could be sidelined three-to-four weeks.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer and winger Jason Robertson returned to the club on Monday. DeBoer underwent an appendectomy two weeks ago and dealt with some minor complications during his recovery. Robertson was sidelined recovering from offseason surgery to remove a cyst from his foot.

CBS SPORTS: The Anaheim Ducks placed goaltender John Gibson (abdomen) on injury reserve. Meanwhile, San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Eduoard Vlasic is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Sharks, rookie center Macklin Celebrini is good to go for their season opener on Oct. 10. He was sidelined last week by a lower-body injury.

TSN: The Calgary Flames placed winger Yegor Sharangovich on injured reserve. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Artemi Panarin returned to practice on Monday for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury during a preseason game last week. Meanwhile, the Rangers placed defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve and winger Jimmy Vesey (lower body) on long-term injury reserve (LTIR).

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed forward Bryan Rust and Blake Lizotte and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic on IR and placed forward Matt Nieto (knee surgery) on LTIR.

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres placed forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel on IR with a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs placed Calle Jarnkrok, Jani Hakanpaa and Dakota Mermis on LTIR and put Conor Dewar and Fraser Minten on IR.

LATEST NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs signed winger Max Pacioretty to a one-year contract worth $873,770 and forward Steven Lorentz to a one-year deal worth $775K. They also signed defenseman Cade Webber to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pacioretty and Lorentz attended Leafs training camp on professional tryout offers (PTOs).

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild signed goaltender Jesper Wallstedt to a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension. The average annual value (AAV) is $2.2 million commencing in 2025-26.

The Washington Capitals signed winger Jakub Vrana to a one-year, $775K contract. He attended Capitals training camp on a PTO.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Winger Austin Watson turned his PTO with the Red Wings into a one-year, two-way contract with the club.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The Anaheim Ducks claimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres.

Forward Zach Aston-Reese was claimed off waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets from the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights claimed forward Raphael Lavoie from the Edmonton Oilers.

The Vancouver Canucks reclaimed goaltender Jiri Patera from the Boston Bruins, who had claimed Patera off waivers from the Canucks last week.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck missed practice on Monday for family reasons. He’s expected to be ready for their season opener against the Oilers on Wednesday.

THE SCORE: Jett Luchanko is set to become the youngest roster player in Philadelphia Flyers history. He was chosen 13th overall in this year’s draft and turned 18 on Aug. 21.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators returned Carter Yakemchuk to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. Chosen seventh overall in this year’s draft, the 18-year-old defenseman had a strong training camp and performed well in preseason action. However, management felt it best for his long-term development that he return to the Hitmen where he’ll get more playing time this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A smart decision by the Senators. Despite his preseason play, Yakemchuk likely would’ve seen limited action in regular-season play. He’ll be in a better position next season for a full-time roster spot among their top-four blueliners.

RDS: Former NHL player Mike Ribeiro pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault in Texas on Monday. The charge was connected to an event that occurred in June 2021 resulting in Ribeiro being acquitted on two counts of sexual assault earlier this year.

The jury was unable to agree on the final charge. The process of selecting a new jury was slated for Monday but the two sides reached an agreement in which Ribeiro admitted under oath that he sexually touched the victim without her consent.

Ribeiro will avoid prison and must pay a $4,000 fine.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 29, 2024

by | Aug 29, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 29, 2024

Jeremy Swayman talks about his contract negotiations with the Bruins, Rutger McGroarty doesn’t reveal much about why he didn’t want to play for the Jets, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: Jeremy Swayman said he decided to be better prepared for this summer’s contract negotiations with the Boston Bruins after going through arbitration last summer.

During an appearance on the “Shut Up Marc Podcast”, the 25-year-old Swayman called last year’s arbitration experience “scary”.

“It’s a lot of resentment toward people that want you to succeed, and when you’re not being compensated for your endless efforts and doing what you do best, it’s a nerve-wracking feeling. Because it’s your family you’re fighting for.”

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

Swayman said he’s educated himself and better understands the business side of things.

“I understand the comparables, and how I can’t ruin the goalie market for other guys that are going to be in my shoes down the line.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Arbitration can be a bruising process for a player’s ego. The people who employ you, praise you, and give you a larger role on the team are standing before an arbitrator belittling your accomplishments.

Swayman learned the lesson and is better educated and prepared this time around. He holds the hammer this time, sitting in a better negotiating position now that he’s the Bruins’ starting goaltender. 

In contract negotiations, remember the line from the movie The Godfather: It’s not personal, it’s strictly business. 

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss suggests a fair annual salary range for Swayman on a long-term contract is between $6.75 million and $8.5 million.

Goss pointed out there are five goaltenders (Montreal’s Carey Price, Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky, Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, and the New York Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin) with average annual values over $6.4 million.

All but Sorokin have won the Vezina Trophy. Bobrovsky and Vasilevskiy are Stanley Cup champions while Price backstopped the Canadiens to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman’s performance over the past two seasons is worthy of a significant raise over the $3.75 million he received last year via arbitration. Over the last two seasons, he’s taken over as the Bruins’ starter, sits among the league leaders in save percentage, and was co-winner of the Jennings Trophy with former teammate Linus Ullmark.

There’s a rumor that the Swayman camp seeks $10 million annually. A more realistic number is around $8.5 million.

I’ll have more about Swayman in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WINNIPEG SUN/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Rutger McGroarty didn’t say much about why he didn’t want to play for the Jets in his first press conference since getting traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins last week.

“I wanted to be upfront and honest with them, and I just told them that I wasn’t going to be signing with them,” McGroarty told reporters. He praised the Jets for how well they handled the situation, saying he had “nothing but respect” for them.

McGroarty said he’s fired up and looking forward to the Penguins’ training camp next month. Despite signing an entry-level contract with his new team following the trade, he understands there is no guarantee he’ll land a roster spot this season.

“I’ve been promised a spot in the rookie tournament, and that’s about it,” said McGroarty. “I feel like I’ll get what I deserve. I’m going to come ready to work for camp. I like where my game is right now.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whatever McGroarty’s reasons for not wanting to play for the Jets, he has a better chance of earning a roster spot with a retooling Pittsburgh club than he would’ve had on a deeper Winnipeg roster.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Blackhawks goaltender Laurent Brossoit underwent successful meniscus surgery on his right knee on Tuesday. He’ll be sidelined for five to seven weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brossoit was signed this summer as the backup for Blackhawks’ starter Petr Mrazek. They’re expected to use Arvid Soderblom to fill the gap until Brossoit is cleared to return.

RG.ORG: Former San Jose Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov didn’t enjoy the rebuilding club’s style of play last season.

“The team played primitive hockey,” said Barabanov. “You run around without the puck and don’t understand why you need all this. We didn’t even try to keep the puck, play for your partner. It was the most simple hockey that kills the player in you.”

The Sharks finished last in the overall standings. However, Barabanov acknowledged it helped them get top prospect Macklin Celebrini in this year’s draft.

Barabanov has no hard feelings toward his former club. “I hope that the team will finish the rebuild. They have many good young players with great futures.”

He also said he had contract offers from several NHL clubs. However, they weren’t as enticing as the one he signed with KHL club Ak Bars Kazan.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings have invited winger Austin Watson to training camp on a professional tryout offer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The St. Louis Blues have started up their own contract tracker called “BluesFriendly”. It’s a nod to CapFriendly, which was shut down in July after its owners were hired by the Washington Capitals.

The tracker appears on the Blues’ official NHL site. It contains the annual cap hit, contract term, expiry status and acquisition info for each player on their roster and/or players on one-way contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The site doesn’t indicate how much cap space the Blues have, which players have no-trade/no-movement clauses, those who are waiver-exempt or on injury reserve. The contract info only goes to 2028-29 but several players have deals extending beyond that season.

Still, it’s the first time an NHL club has made basic salary info available on its official site. The other 31 clubs could follow suit if this proves popular with Blues fans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 9, 2023

by | Dec 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 9, 2023

Recaps of Friday’s game, the Islanders acquire Robert Bortuzzo from the Blues, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers overcame 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to tame the Minnesota Wild 4-3. Evan Bouchard scored two goals and set up another to extend his points streak to 10 games, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins collected four assists while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who picked up their sixth straight win and improved their record to 11-12-1. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who suffered their second straight loss and slipped to 9-12-4.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild also lost Jonas Brodin as the defenseman left the game early in the third period after being crunched into the boards by Oilers winger Evander Kane.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves in a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Eetu Luostarinen broke a 1-1 tie in the third period while Anton Lundell picked up two assists for the 16-8-2 Panthers. Tristan Jarry turned aside 30 shots while Reilly Smith scored for the Penguins (11-12-5), who’ve won just three of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins also played without winger Bryan Rust as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets upset the St. Louis Blues 5-2. Jet Greaves kicked out 41 shots for his first career NHL victory while Yegor Chinakov scored twice and collected an assist for the 9-15-3 Blue Jackets. Robert Thomas tallied both goals for the Blues as they dropped to 13-12-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Blue Jackets as center Boone Jenner left this game after taking a puck to the face in the second period.

HEADLINES

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The New York Islanders acquired defenseman Robert Bortuzzo from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

This trade came after the Islanders placed blueliner Ryan Pulock (leg) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 7. He’s the third Isles rearguard to be sidelined over the past two weeks, joining Adam Pelech and Sebastian Aho.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move indicates the Islanders preferred a more experienced NHL depth defenseman to help fill the void on their blueline rather than calling up someone from their AHL affiliate.

Bortuzzo is a 13-year NHL veteran who won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019. However, he was a frequent healthy scratch this season as Scott Perunovich and Tyler Tucker garnered more playing time. Bortuzzo is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Andre Burakovsky is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. It was his first game since suffering a different upper-body injury that sidelined him for six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Burakovsky has been banged up a lot this year. He also suffered a season-ending groin injury in January.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Devils, defenseman Brendan Smith was fined $2,864.58 by the department of player safety for a dangerous trip against Kraken forward Devin Shore.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the second fine for Smith since 2022.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Austin Watson was fined $2,022.57 by the department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during his club’s loss to the Nashville Predators on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As time expired in that game, Watson deliberately shot the puck at Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. It’s the third time since 2017 that he’s been fined by the league.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2023

by | Oct 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2023

The Jets’ Connor Hellebucyk and Mark Scheifele and the Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin sign contract extensions plus an update on Jake Guentzel and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

JETS SIGN HELLEBUYCK AND SCHEIFELE

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets yesterday announced the signings of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele to identical seven-year contract extensions with an average annual value of $8.5 million. The deals go into effect next season.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was surprising news from the Jets. Given their eligibility for unrestricted free-agent status next summer, Hellebuyck and Scheifele frequently appeared in trade speculation during the offseason. It was assumed one or both would be shopped before the March 8 trade deadline if the Jets were out of playoff contention by then.

Re-signing Hellebuyck and Scheifele is a big win for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. He faced considerable criticism over the direction of the club in recent years, sparking calls for a roster rebuild from fans and pundits.

Cheveldayoff locked up this club’s two best players on long-term extensions with a reasonable average annual value, signaling that this club has no intention of rebuilding the roster. These moves also put a dent in the belief around the league that the small-market club can’t retain their best players.

Hellebucyk and Scheifele are both in their playing prime and would’ve earned considerably more from next summer’s free-agent market. By accepting less money to stick with the Jets, they’ve provided a big vote of confidence in Cheveldayoff’s plans.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

However, it’s also a substantial investment by the Jets in two 30-year-old players who will be in decline by the second half of their seven-year deals. While the salary cap is projected to rise considerably over that period, having $16 million tied up in two aging stars still takes a big bite out of their payroll. It could become a salary-cap headache down the road.

TSN: Speaking of the Jets, defenseman Ville Heinola underwent surgery on his fractured left ankle and will be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks.

CBS SPORTS: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has ruled himself good to go for his club’s season opener on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames. He’d missed preseason play with neck spasms.

SABRES SIGN DAHLIN TO EIGHT-YEAR EXTENSION

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres yesterday announced they reached an agreement with Rasmus Dahlin on an eight-year, $88 million contract starting in 2024-25. The average annual value is $11 million, making it the most lucrative contract in Sabres history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a hefty new contract for Dahlin but one that should prove worthwhile for the Sabres. The 23-year-old defenseman is among the league’s elite puck-moving blueliners, reaching or exceeding 40 points in four of his five NHL seasons. Those include his 53-point performance in 2021-22 and last season’s career-best (to date) 73-point output.

Dahlin is the cornerstone of the Sabres’ blueline corps and one of their core players. He will play a key role in this club’s future as they attempt to transition into a perennial playoff contender. This deal ensures they’ll have Dahlin under contract throughout the prime of his career. $11 million annually makes him one of the league’s highest-paid defensemen but it could be worth it for the Sabres over the long term.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Jake Guentzel is hopeful of signing a new contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. “I’ve pretty much grown up in Pittsburgh,” he said. “I love this place so much. I really do. This is a great place, both for me and my family. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

Guentzel is in the final season of his contract earning an AAV of $6 million. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Contract talks haven’t started yet but both sides seem confident that a deal will get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins will have to pay Guentzel a raise if they hope to retain him. Perhaps they can convince him to accept between $8 million and $9 million for the security of a long-term contract.

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray will be sidelined for six to eight months following bilateral hip surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murray will likely spend the season on long-term injury reserve. He will become an unrestricted free agent next summer but his playing career is probably over.

The Leafs also announced Curtis McElhinney as their new director of Goaltending Development and Scouting, Jake Muzzin was named a pro scout and Chris Bourque was named a college free-agent scout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Muzzin is in the final season of his standard player contract with the Leafs but he is moving on to a post-playing career. He’s on what I call permanent LTIR due to a neck injury suffered during a game last October.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Sidelined forwards Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Radek Faksa remain questionable for the Stars’ season opener on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defensemen Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud were placed on injured reserve yesterday.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Flyers blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen was placed on IR with an undisclosed injury.

TSN: The Tampa Bay Lightning signed forward Austin Watson to a one-year, one-way contract worth just over $776K. He played four games with the Lightning during the recent preseason on a professional tryout offer.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders placed forward Ross Johnston on waivers yesterday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Johnston clears waivers he’ll likely be sent to their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Ottawa Senators reclaimed defenseman Lassi Thomson off waivers yesterday from the Anaheim Ducks. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche claimed goalie Ivan Prosvetov from the Arizona Coyotes, the Calgary Flames claimed forward A.J. Greer from the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed defenseman John Ludvig from the Florida Panthers.

NEW YORK POST: The NHL has banned its teams from using Pride Tape during pregame warmups as it continues to move away from special initiatives that caused issues for a handful of players, including Pride Night.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: “Hockey is for everyone.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2023

by | Aug 24, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2023

The Leafs sign Auston Matthews to a four-year contract extension while teammate William Nylander hopes to stay in Toronto, Canucks center Elias Pettersson is in no rush to sign an extension, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs reached an agreement with Auston Matthews on a four-year, $53 million contract extension that begins in 2024-25. The average annual value is $13.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Starting in ’24-’25, Matthews will have the highest AAV in the league, surpassing Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million) and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid ($12.5 million).

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

The deal is front-loaded, paying $16.7 million in actual salary for ’24-’25, $15.2 million in 2025-26, $11.080 million in 2026-27 and $10.020 million in 2027-28. Of that $53 million total, $50 million will be paid out as signing bonuses. That means he’ll get $15.925 million of his actual salary on July 1 of the first season, $14.425 million for the second season, $10.180 million in season three and $9.120 million in the final season.

Matthews turns 26 on Sept. 17 and will be 27 when the ’24-’25 regular-season schedule begins. He’ll be 30 when his new contract expires. If he maintains his annual 40-plus goal pace, he’ll be in line for yet another lucrative deal.

Top NHL stars usually sign expensive contracts for the maximum number of years under the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). That’s eight years for re-signing with their current team as a restricted free agent and seven years if they sign with a new club as an unrestricted free agent.

Matthews, however, is breaking that trend. Signing deals that are four or five years in length ensures he’ll remain among the highest-paid players during most of his career.

It also ensures that Matthews is not locked into one team for too long, especially if management decides to rebuild the roster. Had he signed an eight-year extension and the Leafs ended up rebuilding four years from now, he’d be stuck on a club with no chance of winning the Stanley Cup over the remaining term of a contract that would prove difficult to trade.

Other NHL superstars are likely taking notice. Don’t be surprised if we start seeing similar deals among the league’s current and future top players in the coming years.

TORONTO SUN: Speaking of the Leafs, William Nylander claims there’s no other place he wants to play. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The 27-year-old winger indicated his representatives have spoken with Leafs management but doesn’t think there’s much going on right now. He’s unconcerned about the situation, adding that his focus is on getting ready for the coming season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was reported earlier this summer that negotiations between the Leafs and Nylander’s camp weren’t going well, with speculation claiming he seeks $10 million annually on his next deal.

With Mitch Marner due for a hefty raise in 2025, it’s believed the Leafs could retain Nylander for this season as a self-rental as they chase that elusive Stanley Cup and let him depart via free agency in July. Time will tell if that comes to pass.

THE PROVINCE: Elias Pettersson told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that he’s not in a rush to sign a new contract with the Vancouver Canucks. The 24-year-old center is in the final season of his three-year deal with an AAV of $7.35 million but he’ll earn $10.25 million in actual salary in 2023-24. He’ll become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next July.

Pettersson indicated that contract discussions are on hold as he focuses on preparing for the coming season. He wants to ensure that he gets the right contract for himself, be it a short or long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report goes on to point out that the Canucks performance this season could determine the length of Pettersson’s next contract. It also noted that his camp has positioned itself well given the anticipated rise in the salary cap to over $90 million within the next two seasons.

Because Pettersson signed his current contract after the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) extending the CBA, it won’t cost the Canucks $10.25 million to qualify his rights next summer. It will instead cost them $8.82 million to do so.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed winger Alexis Lafreniere to a two-year, $4.65 million contract. The AVV is $2.325 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise that Lafreniere agreed to a bridge contract. The 2020 first-overall pick has struggled to play up to expectations with the Rangers. Only 21, he still has plenty of time to reach his full potential and perhaps land a more lucrative deal when the new one expires as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

SPORTSNET: The Edmonton Oilers are reportedly finalizing a two-year, $7.8 million contract for defenseman Evan Bouchard. The AAV is $3.9 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That deal will leave the Oilers with just over $382K in cap space for this season with 21 roster players under contract.

The puck-moving Bouchard, 23, gets a decent pay raise for now on a short-term contract. He stands to cash in down the road when the Oilers have more cap space, especially with the cap projected to rise to $92 million for 2025-26 when he’ll become an RFA with arbitration rights.

NHL.COM: As expected, the Arizona Coyotes formally announced the re-signing of head coach Andre Tourigny. He has received a three-year contract extension.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed defenseman Darren Raddysh to a two-year extension with an AAV of $975K.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Lightning also inked former Ottawa Senators forward Austin Watson to a professional tryout offer.

Speaking of PTOs, the Columbus Blue Jackets have added goaltender Aaron Dell and defenseman Nicolas Meloche.

TSN: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Scott Harrington to a PTO.

NHL: The league and the NHL Players Association are working on plans to begin a rotation of international competition starting with a tournament in February 2025 and followed by tournaments every second year starting with the 2026 Winter Olympics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s about damn time too. The last tournament involving NHL players was the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. The last Olympic participation was in 2012.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2023

by | Apr 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2023

Could trading Alex DeBrincat be among some notable offseason changes for the Senators? Will the Flames consider moving Elias Lindholm or Mikael Backlund? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DEBRINCAT’S STATUS AMONG OFFSEASON QUESTIONS FACING THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Alex DeBrincat is non-committal about a contract extension with the Senators. The 25-year-old winger said he’s “definitely open to anything” but he intends to discuss his future with his family and his agent.

Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

Garrioch believes that “doesn’t exactly scream that DeBrincat wants to be in Ottawa long-term, but the Senators need to find out one way or another before the NHL Draft in Nashville in June.”

TSN: Garrioch believes Senators general manager Pierre Dorion could look at trading DeBrincat if a long-term extension hasn’t been agreed to by the draft. He indicated that there have been no substantial discussions between Dorion and the DeBrincat camp.

Doiron indicated the Senators intended to make DeBrincat a $9 million qualifying offer even if there isn’t an extension in place. A restricted free agent this summer, the winger is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrincat didn’t close the door on a contract extension but his comments certainly don’t sound encouraging. I can’t see Dorion hanging onto him for another season in the vain hope of changing his mind only to lose him for nothing to next summer’s free-agent market.

Dorion looks foolish for not ensuring DeBrincat would sign an extension last summer before acquiring him from the Chicago Blackhawks. The Senators gave up three draft picks in that trade, including last year’s seventh-overall selection. That trade will have blown up in Dorion’s face if DeBrincat merely accepts the qualifying offer with the intent of testing the free-agent market in 2024.

However, the Senators GM can salvage this situation if he can get a solid return in a DeBrincat trade that provides immediate roster help. He’ll likely seek a comparable player rather than a top prospect or a first-round pick as the centerpiece of such a deal. DeBrincat could draw considerable interest given that most of the big names in this summer’s UFA market are past their prime.

Garrioch believes goaltender Cam Talbot and winger Austin Watson won’t be back. Both are pending UFAs this summer. Defenseman Nick Holden was informed by Dorion that he won’t be re-signed.

In an earlier column, Garrioch wrote that goaltending is the biggest need for the Senators to address this summer. He also felt that winger Alex Formenton should be traded if he isn’t brought back. He spent the season playing in Switzerland after he and the Senators failed to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Speaking of Dorion, Ken Warren believes it’s not a certainty he and head coach D.J. Smith will be back next season with new ownership expected to take over the club in the coming weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see what happens to the front office and coaching staff once the sale of the Senators is completed. The new owner could keep them intact to evaluate the club’s performance next season. Then again, perhaps they’ll come in looking to make sweeping changes in the management office and behind the bench.

COULD THE FLAMES SHOP BACKLUND AND LINDHOLM?

TSN/CALGARY SUN: Salim Valji and Wes Gilbertson reported Mikael Backlund and Elias Lindholm sounded non-committal about re-signing with the Calgary Flames by next summer. Both forwards are slated to become unrestricted free agents in July 2024 along with winger Tyler Toffoli and defensemen Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov.

Backlund, 34, said he loved Calgary and the Flames but he wants to win the Stanley Cup, adding he didn’t know what would happen if the club makes a contract extension offer this summer. Gilbertson noted Backlund’s long pause before answering a question about an extension raised eyebrows.

Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Lindholm replied, “We’ll see what happens. I’ve got one more year. Gotta look at it that way. I have one more year and that’s all I can say.” Gilbertson doesn’t feel that’s a “bring-me-a-pen proclamation”.

Valji noted that Zadorov and Toffoli were more upbeat as they expressed a willingness to get something done regarding their contracts. They also praised head coach Darryl Sutter, whose handling of the roster sparked questions among fans and media over his relationship with the players.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Randy Sportak suggested the comments coming from the Flames’ top two centers could force the club to finally bite the bullet and consider a roster rebuild. He believes it’ll be difficult to retain all their pending UFAs even if Toffoli, Zadorov, Tanev and Hanifin expressed a desire to stay.

A tough decision would be moving some of those veterans to retool the organization rather than stage a full rebuild like the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks. A tougher one would be stripping it down.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportak raises a good point that the Flames face a crossroads this season. They could keep everyone and hope for a bounce-back performance next season. Over the long run, however, a veteran-laden team can be a drain on the salary cap and make it difficult to make room for younger talent.

Much will depend on the fate of general manager Brad Treliving, whose contract expires at the end of this season. Treliving invested heavily in this roster and could be reluctant to retool if he stays on the job. If he and the Flames part ways, his replacement could opt to shake things up.

As I’ve said before, we could be seeing another summer of change in Calgary.