NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2021

by | Jul 14, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2021

Pekka Rinne retires, Dominique Ducharme becomes full-time Canadiens coach, an updated list of injured Lightning players, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild’s buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter were reported yesterday. You can read my take here.

THE TENNESSEAN: Pekka Rinne announced his retirement yesterday. A three-time All-Star, the 38-year-old goaltender spent his entire 15-season NHL career with the Nashville Predators, winning the Vezina Trophy in 2018, backstopping the franchise to its only Stanley Cup Final appearance.

Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne announced his retirement after 15 NHL seasons (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rinne had a remarkable NHL career. He holds several Predators single-season records (43 wins, .930 save percentage, 2.12 goals-against average, eight shutouts) and is their career leader in wins (369), shutouts (60) and goals-against average (2.43). Those stats could get him into the Hockey Hall of Fame one day.

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens announced Dominique Ducharme is their full-time head coach, signing him to a three-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a tale of two seasons for Ducharme. Injuries to key players, a grueling second-half schedule (25 games in 44 days) following a COVID-19 outbreak and limited practice time made it difficult for him to implement his system, prompting questions over his readiness to become a full-time NHL bench boss.

The Canadiens’ surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final changed that perception. It’ll be interesting to see how he manages the heightened expectations over the course of a full schedule next season with the Bell Centre full of fans.

NBC SPORTS: The Tampa Bay Lightning finally revealed which players were dealing with serious injuries during the 2021 playoffs. Victor Hedman will require surgery to repair a knee injury suffered in March. His expected recovery time is two-to-four weeks. Nikita Kucherov suffered a fractured rib in the semifinal against the New York Islanders, requiring him to wear a flak jacket and undergo pain-blocking injections.

Ryan McDonagh and Barclay Goodrow suffered broken hands. Alex Killorn suffered a broken fibula that sidelined him for most of the Final.

TSN: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson has waived his no-movement clause to allow himself to be exposed in next week’s expansion draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will provide the Avalanche the flexibility to protect a defenseman they otherwise risked losing in the expansion draft. It’s unlikely the Seattle Kraken will select Johnson, who missed most of this season to injury. He’s signed through 2022-23 with an annual average value of $6 million and a modified no-trade clause.

The deadline for teams to request a player to waive their NMCs to be exposed in the expansion draft was yesterday at 5 pm ET. Those players will have until Friday to reach a decision.

SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken’s expansion draft will be held next Wednesday on an outdoor stage at Gas Works Park with fans in attendance.

TSN: Former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel said almost every player and coach on their 2010 Stanley Cup roster were aware of the sexual assault allegations leveled by a former teammate against former video coach Brad Aldrich.

Sopel hopes more players from that team will speak out about what they were told about Aldrich. He understands the difficulty some of them feel as they’re either still playing with the club or employed by the team in other capacities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sopel is the first player from that roster to publicly claim there was wide knowledge of those allegations. Former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville issued a statement denying he had prior knowledge of those allegations, insisting he first learned about them through the media earlier this spring. He’s offered to participate in the Blackhawks’ investigation into those claims.

TSN: Former NHL forward Jordan Weal has signed a two-year contract with KHL club AK Bars Kazan. He last played in the NHL in 2019-20 with the Montreal Canadiens and spent this season with their AHL affiliate in Laval. Weal previously played with the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers and Arizona Coyotes.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks re-signed goaltender Josef Korenar to a one-year, two-way contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2019

by | Apr 27, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2019

Sharks and Hurricanes win Game 1 of their respective second-round series, Jack Adams Award finalists revealed, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHL.COM: Brent Burns had a four-point performance (one goal, three assists) while teammate Joe Thornton had a goal and an assist (his 100th career playoff assists) to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of their second-round series. Sharks goaltender Martin Jones made 26 saves for the win.

The Sharks were without captain Joe Pavelski (head injury) and winger Joonas Donskoi (undisclosed) for this contest. Both remain questionable for Game 2 on Sunday. 

San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns had a four-point performance against the Colorado Avalanche in a 5-2 Game 1 victory (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forward Kevin Labanc’s game-winning tally was a thing of beauty, dodging a hit from Avs winger Mikko Rantanen near the Colorado blueliner and firing a high wrister past netminder Philipp Grubauer. 

The Carolina Hurricanes drew first blood in their second-round series with the New York Islanders as Jordan Staal’s overtime goal gave them a 1-0 Game 1 victory. Hurricanes goaltender Petr Mrazek made 31 saves for the shutout while Isles goalie Robin Lehner also kicked out 31 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For a one-goal playoff game, this one was rather entertaining. There were some good scoring chances, several flashy saves, and some big hits in this contest. The Islanders didn’t look too rusty from their 10-game layoff while the Hurricanes had little difficulty adjusting to a new opponent after ousting the Washington Capitals less than 48 hours prior. 

Craig Berube of the St. Louis Blues, Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders are this year’s finalists for the Jack Adams Award, “given annually to the coach voted as the best in the NHL.”

THE SCORE/TSN: Boston Bruins pesky left winger Brad Marchand wasted no time trolling Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Cam Atkinson and Riley Nash. Marchand broke Atkinson’s stick in Game 1 by stomping on it during a faceoff. “I think he was trying to dull my blade there,” Marchand said. He chided former teammate Nash following Game 1 for his hit on David Krejci that sidelined the Bruins center with an upper-body injury. “I don’t think he had a hit in two years with us.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Well, at least he’s not cheap-shotting someone or licking an opponent’s face. 

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens yesterday re-signed center Jordan Weal to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $1.4 million. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens acquired Weal from the Arizona Coyotes before the February trade deadline. This is the second re-signing in as many days of a depth forward they traded for this season, having inked Nate Thompson on Thursday to a one-year contract. Both are reasonable short-term signings. 

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Igor Ozhiganov is likely to return to the KHL next season. The Leafs remain interested in re-signing him. 

CBS SPORTS: Former NHL winger Jannik Hansen is hanging up his skates. He spent nearly 13 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks – all but two with the Canucks – from 2006-07 to 2017-18. In 626 NHL games, the 33-year-old tallied 109 goals and 147 assists for 256 points, as well as seven goals and 19 points in 70 playoff contests. He spent this season in the KHL with CSKA Moscow. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 26, 2019

by | Apr 26, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 26, 2019

Bruins edge Blue Jackets in overtime, Blues down the Stars, Ted Lindsay Award finalists revealed, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Charlie Coyle scored the tying and winning goals as the Boston Bruins edged the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 in overtime to take Game 1 of their second-round series. Seth Jones collected two assists for the Blue Jackets, who overcame a slow start following a 10-day layoff to take a 2-1 lead before Coyle sent the game into the extra frame.

It was a costly win for the Bruins, as center David Krejci is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury after leaving the game in the third period following an open-ice hit by Jackets forward Riley Nash.

Charlie Coyle’s two goals gave the Boston Bruins a 3-2 overtime victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 1 of their second-round series (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It took a period for the Jackets to shake off the rust but once they did you could sense the flow of the game shifting in their direction, especially after they overcame a 1-0 deficit to take a 2-1 lead. Expect a more consistent effort from them as this series goes on. Losing Krejci, who centers the second line, could be a serious blow for the Bruins if he’s sidelined for a lengthy period. 

Vladimir Tarasenko’s two-goal performance powered to the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars in the opening game of their second-round series. Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 27 saves, including 16 in the final period as the Stars pushed for the equalizing goal. Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza scored for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko was an offensive force in this game, driving to the net and driving the Stars defense to distraction. Binnington looked shaky at times in the opening-round series against Winnipeg but he returned to form in this contest. 

NBC SPORTS: San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski remains day-to-day with a head injury and is considered unlikely to skate in Game 1 tonight against the Colorado Avalanche. He didn’t practice with his teammates yesterday.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The league has apologized to the Vegas Golden Knights over the controversial penalty call on center Cody Eakin that resulted in Pavelski’s injury during Game 7 of their opening-round series. Officials assessed Eakin with a five-minute major for cross-checking though replays showed Pavelski got hurt when his head struck the ice and not from Eakin’s stick. The Sharks scored four goals on the ensuing power play which turned the tide of the game.

CBS SPORTS: Carolina Hurricanes forwards Andrei Svechnikov (concussion) and Micheal Ferland (upper body) remain doubtful for Game 1 of their second-round series against the New York Islanders.

NHL.COM:  Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane, and Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov are this year’s finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, “presented annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL as voted by fellow members of the NHL Players’ Association.”

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger Zach Hyman “will undergo surgery on his right knee Monday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and be out a minimum six months.”

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens re-signed fourth-line center Nate Thompson to a one-year, $1-million contract.

 










2019 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker

by | Feb 25, 2019

2019 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker

Here’s the list of today’s notable deals heading toward the 3 pm ET deadline. This list will be updated frequently throughout the day.  Following the deadline, I’ll examine the day’s biggest moves in the Soapbox section. 

Florida Panthers trade defenseman Chris Wideman to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward Sebastian Dea.

Winnipeg Jets trade left wing Nic Petan to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for center Par Lindholm.

Florida Panthers trade defenseman Bogdan Kiselevich to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick.

Buffalo Sabres trade defenseman Nathan Beaulieu to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a sixth-round pick. 

Vancouver Canucks trade defenseman Erik Gudbranson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for winger Tanner Pearson.

Minnesota Wild trade center Matt Hendricks to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a seventh-round pick. 

Anaheim Ducks traded defenseman Michael Del Zotto to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a sixth-round pick.

New Jersey Devils trade winger Marcus Johansson to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2019 second-round pick and a fourth-round pick in 2020. 

Philadelphia Flyers trade winger Wayne Simmonds to the Nashville Predators in exchange for winger Ryan Hartman and a conditional 2020 fourth-round draft pick.

Ottawa Senators trade Matt Stone to the Vegas Golden Knights (Photo via NHL Images)

Ottawa Senators trade right wing Mark Stone to the Vegas Golden Knights for prospect defenseman Erik Brannstrom, center Oscar Lindberg, and a second-round pick in 2020. 

Minnesota Wild trade forward Mikael Granlund to the Nashville Predators in exchange for winger Kevin Fiala. 

Los Angeles Kings trade defenseman Oscar Fantenberg to the Calgary Flames for a conditional fourth-round pick in 2020.

New York Rangers trade defenseman Adam McQuaid to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a fourth- and a seventh-round draft pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. 

Florida Panthers trade center Derick Brassard and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2020 to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a third-round pick in 2020

Florida Panthers trade forward Tomas Jurco to the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations. The Hurricanes trade prospect Cliff Pu to the Panthers for future considerations.

Arizona Coyotes trade center Jordan Weal to the Montreal Canadiens for center Michael Chaput

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports the New York Rangers trade center Kevin Hayes to the Winnipeg Jets for Brendan Lemieux, the Jets’ 2019 first-round pick and a conditional pick. 

New Jersey Devils trade goaltender Keith Kinkaid to the Columbus Blue Jackets in return for a fifth-round pick in 2022.

Detroit Red Wings trade forward Gustav Nyquist to the San Jose Sharks for a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL draft and a conditional third-round pick in 2020. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2019

by | Jan 12, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2019

Game recaps, Rick Nash retires, an update on Sergei Bobrovsky, the latest trades and contract signings, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.com: Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner scored his 30th of the season in his first game against the Carolina Hurricanes since they trade him last summer, but it was the Hurricanes that emerged with a 4-3 win. Sebastian Aho scored twice, Micheal Ferland had a three-point night and Curtis McElhinney made 30 saves as the Hurricanes held on for the victory.

Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner scored his 30th goal of the season on Friday and was also voted into the NHL All-Star Game by the fans. (Photo via NHL Images)

Speaking of Skinner, he joined Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl as the “Last Men In” to skate for their respective divisions in the upcoming NHL All-Star Game in San Jose.  

Jake Guentzel tallied a hat trick as the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied from a 3-0 deficit to thump the Anaheim Ducks 7-4, handing the latter their 10th consecutive defeat. Evgeni Malkin had a four-point performance, Phil Kessel had three points and Tanner Pearson scored twice for the Penguins.  Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced the re-signing of backup goaltender Casey DeSmith to a three-year extension worth an annual average value of $1.25 million. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks have slipped out of a wild-card berth and are in danger of tumbling out of playoff contention altogether if they don’t snap out of this tailspin soon. Getting Cam Fowler and Rickard Rakell back from injury should help but general manager Bob Murray could be under pressure to do something, be it a trade or a coaching change, to reverse this season-threatening skid.

As for the DeSmith signing, it’s an affordable move by the Penguins to ensure a measure of stability behind oft-injured starter Matt Murray. It could turn into an incredible bargain if DeSmith goes on to outplay Murray and take over the starter’s role, or easily moveable if Tristan Jarry should supplant him from the backup job. 

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit kicked out 33 shots and teammate Kyle Connor collected three points to lead their club to a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. 

The Calgary Flames overcame a 2-0 deficit to edge the Florida Panthers 4-3. Michael Frolik led the way with a goal and two assists. 

SPORTSNET: After 15 NHL seasons, multiple concussions have forced Rick Nash to announce his retirement. A six-time all-star, Nash tallied 437 goals, 368 assists, and 805 points in 1,068 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. He won the Maurice Richard Trophy in 2003-04 as the league’s leading goal scorer. He captained the Blue Jackets for over four seasons (2007-08 to 2011-12. He also won two gold medals (2010, 2014) playing for Canada’s Men’s Olympic Hockey teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE:  A dazzling goal scorer, Nash remains the Blue Jackets’ all-time offensive leader. Those who ran the Blue Jackets during his tenure with them did an insufficient job building around his scoring talent. His playoff scoring stats weren’t as impressive as his regular-season numbers, at times making him a target for criticism. Those concussion injuries often took a lengthy toll upon his performance. With better health, he would’ve been a more dominant scorer. 

THE ATHLETIC (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED): Following a meeting with Blue Jackets management, coaches and players, Sergei Bobrovsky has returned to the lineup. The club had disciplined him following an incident during a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. He spoke to the media following the meetings, acknowledged he allowed his emotions to get the better of him, apologized to his teammates, said the air has been cleared and they’re all moving on from the incident. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m guessing Bobrovsky snapped after he was pulled from the game and verbally lashed out at his teammates. Whatever the reason, the proof of whether he and the club have put this situation behind them will be determined by their play. 

DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon apologized for getting into a spat on the bench with head coach Jared Bednar during a 5-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. He said he felt embarrassed after seeing the footage and took responsibility for handling the situation poorly. He defended Bednar and said he and his teammates enjoy playing for him. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Good on MacKinnon for owning up to his mistake. 

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson publicly shared his struggles with alcoholism and mental illness on Friday. Last summer, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor domestic abuse and received an 18-game suspension by the league. He said he and his girlfriend, who also struggled with alcohol, are now in a better place, have put the incident behind them, and remain committed to their sobriety. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Watson and his family as they work to improve their lives with the help of the resources available to them from the league, the NHLPA and the Predators, as well as the support of their families. 

TSN: The St. Louis Blues placed forwards Tyler Bozak (concussion) and Robert Thomas (shoulder) on injured reserve.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks acquired defenseman Slater Koekkoek from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Jan Rutta.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Koekkoek struggled to crack a very deep Lightning blueline. He’ll have a better opportunity becoming an NHL regular with the Blackhawks, whose blueline depth has steadily eroded in recent years. 

NBC SPORTS: The Philadelphia Flyers traded center Jordan Weal to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for minor-league defenseman Jacob Graves and a sixth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2017

by | Jun 30, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2017

Will the Florida Panthers bring back Jaromir Jagr?

Latest trade, free agent & buyout updates and former Oiler Dave Semenko passes away. Details in your NHL morning coffee headlines.

SUN-SENTINEL.COM: Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon seems reluctant to bring back free-agent right winger Jaromir Jagr, who took to Twitter yesterday claiming no team has contacted him to discuss a contract. Tallon said he’s had cordial talks with Jagr’s agent on a regular basis.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the Panthers prefer bringing  the 45-year-old Jagr back on a one-year deal worth less than the $5.5 million bonus-laden deal he had for 2016-17. If other clubs aren’t calling the future Hall of Famer, it’s likely because of his age and possible asking price. He could be waiting a few days until teams that lose out on this summer’s top free agents come calling. 

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes traded goaltender Eddie Lack, defenseman Ryan Murphy and a seventh-round pick in 2019 to the Calgary Flames in exchange for defense prospect Keegan Kanzig and a sixth-round pick in 2019. The Hurricanes will also retain half of Lack’s $2.75 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes clear their logjam in goal and now have Scott Darling and Cam Ward as their goalie tandem for 2017-18, while the Flames pick up a seasoned backup for recently-acquired starter Mike Smith. The Hurricanes were expected to move a defenseman when they acquired Trevor van Riemsdyk last week from the Vegas Golden Knights. Murphy was frequently mentioned as a trade candidate last season. 

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH/EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Columbus Blue Jackets are buying out left wing Scott Hartnell. The Edmonton Oilers placed winger Benoit Pouliot on waivers for the purpose of a contract buyout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets now have over $62 million invested in 21 players for 2017-18. That’s plenty of room to re-sign restricted free agents Josh Anderson and Alexander Wennberg and still leave enough room for a significant UFA signing or perhaps a trade acquisition (Ilya Kolvachuk, maybe?).

The Oilers, meanwhile, now have over $56 million committed to 21 players. Looks like they’re clearing space for restricted free agent Leon Draisaitl’s new deal and for a whopping new contract for Connor McDavid that will kick in next July. 

CALGARY HERALD: The Flames re-signed winger Kris Versteeg to a one-year, $1.75 million contract.

PHILLY.COM: The Flyers re-signed winger Jordan Weal to a two-year deal worth $1.75 million per season.

NORTHJERSEY.COM: The New Jersey Devils re-upped backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid to a two-year, $2.5 million contract.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues re-signed forward Magnus Paajarvi to a one-year, one-way contract worth $800K.

SPORTSNET: Several NHL agents are apparently squabbling among themselves over the NHLPA leadership’s handling of such issues as escrow, Olympic participation and World Cup of Hockey revenue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We take you live to NHL Headquarters for reaction. 

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Former Oilers enforcer Dave Semenko passed away yesterday at age 59 following a brief battle with cancer. Semenko played 575 NHL games, most of those with the Oilers, and was part of two Stanley Cup championship teams in Edmonton. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Semenko’s family, friends and former teammates. By all accounts, Semenko was a fine team player and a good man. Many of his former Oilers teammates were clearly shaken by his untimely passing.