NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2025

by | Mar 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2025

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, Gary Bettman talks about the playoff format and the All-Star Game, seven NHL prospects among this season’s Hobey Baker Award candidates, and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An accidental interference by referee Kelly Sutherland resulted in Steven Lorentz’s game-winning goal in the third period as the Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. Sutherland stumbled and fell when he caught a rut, accidentally blocking a clearing attempt by Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit. The puck remained in the neutral zone, where Lorentz picked it up and beat Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from the faceoff circle.

Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll kicked out 38 shots and Auston Matthews tallied his 27th goal of the season. Valeri Nichushkin replied for the Avalanche as their nine-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs move into a tie with the Florida Panthers with 85 points, but the latter holds first place in the Atlantic Division with 35 regulation wins to the Leafs’ 33. Colorado holds third place in the Central Division with 85 points. The Avs announced before the game that defenseman Josh Manson will miss three to four weeks with an upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy (NHL Images)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 34 shots to shut out the Seattle Kraken 4-0. Matt Boldy scored twice for the Wild, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marco Rossi left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury after being accidentally struck by a shot from Boldy. Kraken center Chandler Stephenson departed in the second period for undisclosed reasons and didn’t return. There was no postgame update on either player.

HEADLINES

TSN: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman took questions from reporters yesterday following the final day of general managers’ meetings.

Bettman gave an emphatic “no” when asked if the league would consider changes to the playoff format, saying he liked the current setup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman appears to be in the minority as there are growing calls from fans and pundits for changes to the playoff format. Don’t expect any tinkering while he remains in charge.

He said the league remains committed to staging an All-Star Game hosted by the New York Islanders next season. However, he said they’re reevaluating the format after last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament “raised the bar.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 4 Nations tournament gave the fans a meaningful event with hockey played at the highest level by many of the world’s top players who were fully invested. Fans don’t want a gimmicky skills competition followed by All-Stars going through the motions because they don’t want to risk injury on a nothing game.

The commissioner declined to speculate about the discussion between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week about a United States-Russia hockey series featuring NHL and KHL stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Russia’s war with Ukraine prompted the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to ban them from participating in international tournaments. The NHL has honored that ban.

Bettman said the 2025-26 season will open on Oct. 7. He also indicated that talks with the NHL Players’ Association regarding a new collective bargaining agreement will begin the first week in April. “I’m hoping we can do this quickly, quietly and painlessly,” said Bettman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The atmosphere between the league and the PA has been free of the animosity and distrust that hung over previous negotiations, leading to work stoppages that hurt the game’s momentum and upset its fans. Here’s hoping things go smoothly this time around.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals prospect forward Ryan Leonard and Minnesota Wild prospect defenseman Zeev Buium are among the 10 candidates for the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which annually honors the top US men’s college hockey player.

Leonard plays for Boston College while Buium skates for the University of Denver. Other candidates with NHL ties include Michigan State forward Isaac Howard (Tampa Bay Lightning), University of Minnesota forward Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues), University of Denver winger Jack Devine (Florida Panthers), Penn State winger Aiden Fink (Nashville Predators), and Clarkson winger Ayrton Martino (Dallas Stars).

The three finalists will be revealed on Apr. 3 and the winner will be announced on Apr. 11.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues head coach Jim Montgomery is optimistic that sidelined defenseman Colton Parayko might return before the end of this season. Parayko underwent a scope of his left knee on March 6 with a recovery timeline of six weeks. Montgomery said the defenseman’s rehab is progressing well.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers coach Paul Maurice said defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (right arm injury) is expected to be sidelined for two weeks. He’s expected back before the playoffs begin next month.

ROTOBALLER: Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Dmitry Orlov is expected to return to action tonight against the San Jose Sharks. He missed the last five games with an upper-body injury.

TSN: Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is expected to be named GM of Canada’s team at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in May.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2025

by | Mar 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored two goals and collected an assist to lead his team over the Calgary Flames 6-2. William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (83 points) as they moved within two points of the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers. Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl replied for the Flames (71 points), who remain two points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews set an NHL record among American-born players with 36 multi-goal periods, surpassing Hall-of-Famer Jeremy Roenick (35). The Leafs are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning but the latter holds second place in the division with 34 regulation wins. Meanwhile, the Flames have lost seven of their last nine games.

Speaking of the Lightning, they got a 21-save shutout from Andrei Vasilevskiy to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0. Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel scored for the Lightning as they pulled within two points of the division-leading Panthers. The Flyers have dropped eight of their last 10 games.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen kicked out 45 shots in a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt each tallied their 20th goals of the season. Mathieu Olivier scored for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils are third in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. The Blue Jackets (70 points) remain two points behind the New York Rangers for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Third-period goals by Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Johansson gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings (81 points), who remain one point behind the second-place Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division. The Wild hold the first Western wild card with 81 points.

An overtime goal by Alex Tuch lifted the Buffalo Sabres over the Boston Bruins 3-2. Owen Power had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who won two of their last three games. Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (69 points), who’ve lost six of their last eight and remain three points out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forwards JJ Peterka, Josh Norris and Jiri Kulich missed this game due to injuries. Peterka and Norris are expected to return to action later this week.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt, and Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 16, 2025.

The San Jose Sharks have been officially eliminated from the 2025 playoff race. A lack of secondary scoring doomed the rebuilding club’s postseason hopes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks’ postseason drought has reached six seasons. Before 2019-20, their longest stretch without playoff appearances was two years (1991-92 to 1992-93, 1995-96 to 1996-97).

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog joined his teammates for a full practice on Monday, though he’s still not cleared for contact. It marks the first time this season Landeskog has participated in a full practice as he attempts a comeback since undergoing knee surgeries nearly three years ago.

ROTOWIRE: Speaking of the Avalanche, defenseman Josh Manson will likely be sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Calgary Flames.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders will continue to rely heavily on goaltender Ilya Sorokin as they attempt to remain in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.

TSN: Clarification on goaltender interference and other coach’s challenges were the main topics on Monday during the league’s annual spring general managers’ meeting.

NHL.COM: Former NHL defenseman Tomas Kloucek sided Sunday following a skiing accident in Czechia. He was 45 years old.

Kloucek appeared in 141 NHL regular-season games with the New York Rangers, Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers from 2000-01 to 2005-06, tallying two goals and eight assists for 10 points and 250 PIMs. He spent the remainder of his playing career in Europe, retiring in 2017.

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










NHL Rumor Mill – March 14, 2025

by | Mar 14, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 14, 2025

The latest on Brock Boeser, Kyle Palmieri and Ryan Donato plus a look at the Wild’s potential free-agent targets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HURRICANES HAD INTEREST IN BOESER

CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal recently reported the Carolina Hurricanes were believed to have made a pitch for Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser in the hours before last Friday’s trade deadline.

Boeser, 28, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. There’s been no sign of progress in contract extension talks with the Canucks.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Dhaliwal said the Hurricanes attempted to flip one of the two first-round picks they received from the Dallas Stars in the Mikko Rantanen trade to the Canucks as part of their offer for Boeser. He also indicated the Canucks made another contract offer to Boeser but it was unclear how much it differed from their original pitch of five years at $8 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser could be heading to free agency on July 1, where the Hurricanes might be willing to sign him after losing out on Mikko Rantanen.

There’s plenty of time for Boeser and the Canucks to reach an agreement and things can change quickly. However, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin saying Boeser didn’t draw attractive offers in the trade market before last Friday’s deadline might not have sat well with the winger’s camp.

WHO WILL THE WILD TARGET THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith and Michael Russo looked at which free agents might be on the Minnesota Wild’s radar this summer. The buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter drop from a combined $14.7 million to $1.7 million next season, freeing up valuable cap space for general manager Bill Guerin to bolster the roster.

The upcoming UFA class doesn’t contain many game changers. Minnesota native Brock Nelson could extend with the Colorado Avalanche, Mitch Marner will be too expensive, while the rest (John Tavares, Jamie Benn, Claude Giroux) are in their mid-to-late thirties.

Minnesota native Brock Boeser could be available, but Smith and Russo question if it’s worth overpaying for a winger whose value at the recent trade deadline was underwhelming.

Whatever Guerin has in mind must account for Kirill Kaprizov’s future with the Wild. Kaprizov can sign a contract extension on July 1 but Wild management must sell him on their seriousness of building a contender around him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild will be worth monitoring in the offseason. Guerin would make a foray or two into this summer’s UFA market, but he’ll also look at the trade market for suitable additions.

THE LATEST ON PALMIERI AND DONATO

TSN: Pierre LeBrun provided an update on contract extension talks between the New York Islanders and Kyle Palmieri, and the Chicago Blackhawks and Ryan Donato. On July 1, both players are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status.

The Palmieri negotiations are continuing and could be close to an agreement, though there’s no timeline for announcing the deal. Meanwhile, Donato and the Blackhawks have taken a breather on their extension discussions, but talks could resume soon.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2025

by | Mar 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2025

Recaps of Tuesday’s games include a milestone for Sidney Crosby, the latest in the Mikko Rantanen trade drama, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby scored two goals and Erik Karlsson tallied in overtime as the Pittsburgh Penguins upset the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2. Tristan Jarry stopped 35 shots and Rickard Rakell had two assists for the Penguins. Pavel Dorofeyev and Noah Hanifin each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights as they sit first in the Pacific Division with 83 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby became the first player in league history to have multi-goal games against 31 different NHL franchises. Penguins defensemen Ryan Shea and Pierre-Olivier Joseph missed this game as they’re week-to-week with upper-body injuries. Forward Tommy Novak is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Washington Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Alex Ovechkin collected three assists and Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and two assists for the Capitals, who have won five straight games and hold first place in the overall standings with 94 points. Frank Vatrano, Pavel Mintyukov and Drew Helleson each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After a disappointing season with the Los Angeles Kings, Dubois has rediscovered his scoring touch with the Capitals. He has 57 points in 65 games, putting him on track to exceed his career-best 63-point performance with the Winnipeg Jets in 2022-23. He considers playing with Ovechkin in his quest to break the all-time goal record on a team that looks like a Stanley Cup contender the opportunity of a lifetime.

The Winnipeg Jets kept pace with the Capitals atop the overall standings with a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers. Vladislav Namestnikov and Gabe Vilardi scored and Cole Perfetti added two assists for the Jets (94 points). Mika Zibanejad scored for the Rangers (68 points), who sit two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals sit ahead of the Jets with a game in hand. Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Luke Schenn admitted feeling a little overwhelmed after being traded twice within a day and a half. On March 5, he was acquired from the Nashville Predators by the Penguins, who flipped him to the Jets.

Speaking of the Blue Jackets, they dropped a 5-3 decision to the New Jersey Devils. Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists, while Luke Hughes and Cody Glass each collected two points for the Devils, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points. Mathieu Olivier scored twice for the Blue Jackets (70 points).

The Ottawa Senators opened up a little breathing room between themselves and the Blue Jackets by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Brady Tkachuk scored his 400th NHL point while Dylan Cozens scored to pick up his third straight point since joining the Senators at the trade deadline. The Senators have won four straight and hold the first Eastern wild card with 73 points. Jamie Drysdale and Rodrigo Abois replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cozens seems rejuvenated since being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres, providing a welcome jolt of energy to the Senators’ lineup.

Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each had a goal and an assist and Sam Montembeault made 29 saves for the Canadiens, who sit two points behind the Blue Jackets. Filip Hronek had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (69 points), who remain one point behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. Canucks captain Quinn Hughes remained sidelined with a lower-body injury but could return to action for Wednesday’s game against the Flames in Calgary.

The Boston Bruins also sit two points behind the Blue Jackets after rallying to nip the Florida Panthers 3-2. Dmitry Kulikov and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers but the Bruins replied with third-period goals by David Pastrnak, Mason Lohrei and Pavel Zacha. The Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Former Bruins captain Brad Marchand skated with the Panthers during their gameday skate but remains week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The Panthers acquired Marchand at the trade deadline.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield scored for the fourth straight game in a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders. Darcy Kuemper turned aside 33 shots for the Kings, who’ve won three straight and sit third in the Pacific Division with 77 points. Anders Lee scored for the Islanders (65 points) as they remain five points behind the Blue Jackets.

The Carolina Hurricanes got their fifth straight win by downing the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1. Seth Jarvis scored to extend his goal streak to three games and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 23 shots for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 82 points. Gage Goncalves scored for the Lightning, who are third in the Atlantic Division with 78 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov left this game near the end of the second period with an undisclosed ailment.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves to nip the Colorado Avalanche 2-1, ending the latter’s six-game win streak. Mats Zuccarello scored in regulation and the shootout, while teammate Matt Boldy tallied the winning goal. Joel Kiviranta replied for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild hold the first Western wild card with 78 points, while the Avalanche is third in the Central Division with 81 points.

The Nashville Predators picked up their fourth straight win with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist and Kieffer Bellows tallied the game-winner for the Predators. Patrick Giles and Collin Graf scored for the Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE SCORE: Mikko Rantanen’s agent refuted the claim by Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour that the superstar winger didn’t want to play in Carolina.

Andy Scott said Brind’Amour was “completely misinformed”, claiming his client had an open mind when he arrived in Carolina but later felt that the Hurricanes weren’t a good fit “from a style-of-play standpoint.” Scott said it was “nothing personal” on Rantanen’s part, adding that his client respected Brind’Amour and the Hurricanes’ players.

The Hurricanes acquired Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche in January. After failing to agree to a contract extension, they shipped him to the Dallas Stars at the trade deadline. He signed an eight-year extension with the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whatever the reason behind that situation, Hurricanes management did not ensure Rantanen was open to a contract extension before acquiring him from the Avalanche. They brought him in to improve their chances of winning the Stanley Cup, but ended up trading him to the Stars for a return that helps them long-term but won’t move them closer to the Cup this season.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Speaking of the Stars, forward Roope Hintz avoided a facial fracture when a puck struck him in the face during a weekend game against the Edmonton Oilers. However, he’ll be sidelined for five to seven days.

ROTOWIRE: Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka is being evaluated for a lower-body injury. His status for Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings remains uncertain.

SPORTSNET: Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson underwent heart surgery during the 4 Nations Face-Off break in the NHL schedule. Born with a heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot, he had surgery to replace a pulmonary valve after it had stopped working properly by inserting a new valve into the one already in his heart.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Davidson for a swift recovery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2025

by | Mar 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2025

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the Bruins ship Trent Frederic to the Oilers in a three-team trade, the Canadiens re-sign Jake Evans, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov became the third player to reach the 90-point plateau in a 6-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kucherov had a goal and two assists, while Jake Guentzel and Victor Hedman each scored two goals and collected an assist for the Lightning, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 76 points. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored twice as his club clings to the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 68 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov is third among the scoring leaders. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon leads the pack with 93 points, while Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl is second with 92 points. Werenski reached the 20-goal plateau for the second time and sits second in goals and points behind Colorado’s Cale Makar among defensemen.

Earlier in the day, the Lightning placed forwards Cam Atkinson and Logan Brown on waivers.

Speaking of MacKinnon and the Avalanche, he collected two assists in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Artturi Lehkonen scored twice for Colorado, who have won three straight games and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 74 points. Rickard Rakell replied for the Penguins, who’ve dropped seven of their last eight contests.

The Anaheim Ducks upset the Edmonton Oilers 6-2, handing the latter their sixth loss in their last seven outings. Mason McTavish tallied twice for the Ducks, while Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each had a goal and an assist for the slumping Oilers.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Kyle Palmieri netted his 20th goal of the season and Ilya Sorokin stopped 26 shots as the Islanders (63 points) sit three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern wild-card berth. Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson was named the game’s first start. He gave an emotional postgame interview about what it meant to him to have spent his career with the Islanders. Trade rumors continue to swirl around the 33-year-old center. He’s eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1.

Speaking of the Red Wings, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes. Jordan Martinook led the way with a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen turned aside 24 shots for the Hurricanes, who’ve won three of their last four and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points. Elmer Soderblom replied for the Wings.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley scored with five seconds remaining in the third period to nip the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists as the Stars have won 11 of their last 14 games, sitting second in the Central Division with 82 points. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier each had a goal and an assist for the Devils, who are in third place in the Metro Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton left this game with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition. The Devils were playing without Jack Hughes, as he’s still being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary tallied twice in a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves while Morgan Frost collected two assists against his former team as the Flames (67 points) moved two points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the final Western wild-card berth. Former Flame Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (62 points), who remain four points out of the final Eastern wild card.

The Minnesota Wild held off the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Mats Zuccarello, Frederick Gaudreau and Jared Spurgeon each had a goal and an assist as the Wild sit third in the Central Division with 76 points. Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko collected two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken center Yanni Gourde returned to the lineup after spending the past two months recovering from sports hernia surgery. He’s frequently appeared in the rumor mill as the March 7 trade deadline approaches.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly scored two goals and had an assist in a 6-3 victory over the Boston Bruins, snapping a six-game road losing skid. Predators forward Steven Stamkos had a goal and two assists, including his 600th regular-season assist. Charlie Coyle, Jordan Oesterle and Morgan Geekie replied for the Bruins (64 points), who remain two points out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins captain Brad Marchand missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The San Jose Sharks beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. Sharks rookies Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini each scored, with Smith also collecting an assist. JJ Peterka and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic become the NHL’s all-time leader with 2,165 blocked shots. The Sharks held goaltender Vitek Vanecek out of the lineup for trade purposes.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins traded forward Trent Frederic to the Edmonton Oilers in a three-team deal involving the New Jersey Devils.

The Bruins sent Frederic to the Devils for unsigned forward Petr Hauser and retained 50 percent of his $2.3 million cap hit. The Devils flipped him to the Oilers for unsigned forward Shane Lachance while retaining 50 percent of their share of his cap hit ($575K). The Bruins traded Hauser and forward Max Jones to the Oilers for defenseman Maximus Wanner, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frederic is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury but is expected to return to action in two weeks. Frederic and Jones will provide some affordable depth to their checking lines for the postseason.

The move signaled that the Bruins are sellers as the March 7 trade deadline draws near. They’re expected to entertain offers for UFA-eligible players like Justin Brazeau but not for team captain Brad Marchand. They could also listen on Morgan Geekie, a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights.

SPORTSNET: The Montreal Canadiens signed Jake Evans to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evans was slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s completing a three-year contract with an AAV of $1.7 million. The 28-year-old center has become an effective checking-line center for the rebuilding Canadiens. His name surfaced in the rumor mill, but they see him as an important part of their roster moving forward.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed center Jesper Boqvist to a two-year contract extension worth $1.5 million annually. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 3, 2025

by | Mar 3, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 3, 2025

Check out the latest on Mikko Rantanen, Brayden Schenn, Erik Karlsson and John Gibson, plus updates on the Flyers, Blue Jackets, Senators, and Wild in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TEAMS STILL CALLING ABOUT MIKKO RANTANEN

TSN: Darren Dreger considers it “not very realistic” that the Carolina Hurricanes will trade Mikko Rantanen. Nevertheless, he thinks “there’s always the potential” that they’ll move the 28-year-old winger by the March 7 trade deadline.

Dreger believes it would “take something silly,” like an offer that Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and general manager Eric Tulsky weren’t expecting. He thinks they’ll hang onto Rantanen, hope for a deep playoff run, and convince him that Carolina is a good long-term fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We didn’t expect Rantanen to be traded by the Avalanche, but Tulsky swung a creative three-way deal to get him. It’s unlikely another club will swoop in with a mind-blowing offer, but we can’t dismiss that possibility.

UPDATE ON BRAYDEN SCHENN

St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn (NHL Images).

Dreger also said that it looks unlikely that Brayden Schenn will be traded with the St. Louis Blues in the mix for a Western Conference wild-card berth. He noted that they don’t have to trade the 33-year-old center this season because he’s got three more years left on his deal. They could revisit this in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s also been reported that the Blues set a high asking price for Schenn, making a move by the trade deadline unlikely.

PENGUINS HAVEN’T ASKED ERIK KARLSSON TO WAIVE HIS NMC

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: Seth Rorabaugh reports that Erik Karlsson said he hasn’t been approached by Penguins management about waiving his no-movement clause.

Karlsson acknowledged it’s been a stressful time for his teammates with the trade deadline approaching and the Penguins considered to be sellers. “As for my situation, like I said, I’ll deal with that if it, and when it, comes. Until then, I’m not.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson’s strong performance for Sweden in last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off prompted some observers to suggest rival general managers could take an interest in him. However, his contract remains a big hurdle in the path to a trade.

The Penguins carry $10 million of his $11.5 million average annual salary through 2026-27, plus his NMC gives him complete control over the situation. A rival team could pitch an offer to the Penguins’ liking that would make Karlsson agree to waive his clubs. However, it will take a creative proposal to do so.

THE FLYERS COULD HAVE A QUIET TRADE DEADLINE

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz wouldn’t be surprised if Scott Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen remain with the Philadelphia Flyers after the March 7 trade deadline. The Flyers aren’t in any rush to move two players considered integral parts of their roster. Their asking price for Laughton could be too expensive for most suitors, while Ristolainen hasn’t generated much interest in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laughton is signed through next season and Ristolainen through 2026-27. There’s no need to move them to cut costs because they already did that by trading Joel Farabee to Calgary in January. Laughton and Ristolainen will remain in Philadelphia unless someone makes a significant offer this week. 

THE LATEST ON JOHN GIBSON

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens noted recent reports indicating John Gibson is open to being traded by the Anaheim Ducks, but he wants to go to a team where he’d have a clear path to being the starting goaltender. It’s believed the Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers are among the clubs on his list of trade destinations.

The Ducks prefer not retaining any portion of Gibson’s $6.4 million average annual cap hit, but they aren’t ruling it out completely. They also have the cap space to take on an expiring contract if it’ll enable them to move Gibson’s full contract. That would keep cap space clear down the road to re-sign their promising young players when they are due for new contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson’s been in the rumor mill for a while now with no indication that a trade is in sight. A move seems more likely in the offseason unless a contender with goaltending issues steps up with a suitable offer by March 7.

BLUE JACKETS BECOME TRADE DEADLINE BUYERS

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer reports the Columbus Blue Jackets’ push for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference makes them increasingly look like buyers as the trade deadline approaches.

A source told Biringer that the Jackets are looking at adding depth to their forward lines. They were active in talks with the Nashville Predators about forward Gustav Nyquist before he was shipped to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After overcoming front-office turmoil and the tragic death of Johnny Gaudreau last summer, the Blue Jackets are the feel-good story of the season. General manager Don Waddell has no reason to be a seller now. He’ll likely keep an eye open for a player in the trade market who can help the Jackets maintain their current momentum.

ARE MORE MOVES COMING FOR THE WILD?

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith report the Minnesota Wild don’t have much cap space after acquiring forward Gustav Nyquist from the Nashville Predators on Saturday. GM Bill Guerin is keeping an open mind leading up to the trade deadline. However, it would have to be a dollar-in, dollar-out move and the Wild don’t have many tradeable pieces on their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Russo and Smith suggest such a move would require salary retention or a three-team deal.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie reports Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios continues working the phones but we shouldn’t expect his club to be a big player in the trade market. They lack sufficient cap space to make a major move.

If Staios makes a trade, it’ll likely be for an affordable veteran forward. Options could include Seattle’s Brandon Tanev, Chicago’s Ryan Donato, and Boston’s Trent Frederic.