NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2020

by | May 1, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2020

The latest on the efforts to re-start the season, Steve Yzerman weighs in on staging the draft before the season, Georges Laraque hospitalized with COVID-19, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: League commissioner Gary Bettman said he’s in constant contact with NHL Players Association director Donald Fehr, praising the collaborative process between the two sides addressing the issues they’re facing during this pandemic. They’ve formed a Return to Play committee consisting of league executives and players.

NHL Commission Gary Bettman is pleased with the close cooperation between the league and the NHLPA in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic (Photo via NHL.com).

“Having the committee that’s been put together with the players is important so that we can get the feedback on the issues that are important to them and how to resolve them, and that we can be communicating how we’re focusing on the things we think that need to be done,” said Bettman. “It’s been extraordinarily collaborative, constructive, and cooperative, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the interaction that we’re having.”

Bettman also said there’s no firm timeline as to when the league will resume the schedule, stressing the importance of ensuring the health and safety of the players. He confirmed a return to action will depend upon guidance from government health officials at all levels.

TSN: While the NHL is targeting mid-to-late May for its’ Phase 2 (reopening training facilities for small group workouts), Darren Dreger reports it won’t be mandatory for players to attend.  It will be for training camp, which is tentatively slated to begin on June 1. He also said some suggest Phase 2 will not be initiated.

Dreger indicated there won’t be a resumption to the season unless the players have an allowance to visit their families. How to address that issue is in the discussion stage.

Pierre LeBrun reports talks for a new collective bargaining agreement were shelved when the pandemic happened, but the two sides have signaled an intent to resume those talks at some point. Given the financial impact of the pandemic, LeBrun believes it’s important to the team owners and the players to work out a long-term CBA extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league and the PA have to establish a better working relationship to navigate through these difficult times. Revenue will be affected in the short term, in turn affecting the salary cap. A potentially positive long-term outcome from this pandemic could see the two sides reach an agreement to a CBA extension without the usual rancor and work stoppages of the past. There was already an improvement in CBA negotiations between the two sides over the past couple of years. Perhaps labor peace will be the silver lining of this pandemic for NHL fans. 

Frank Seravalli examined the challenges of televising NHL games should the schedule resume in arenas without fans. It will certainly sound different, as viewers will be hearing things from the players (good and bad) that would be otherwise drowned out by crowd noise. The sounds of the game will also come to the fore.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On the plus side, you’ll hear players and coaches calling out direction and advice during the action. The downside (for some) will be hearing so much profanity that it’ll overwhelm the networks’ censors. 

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Alberta premier Jason Kenney said he hasn’t yet received a proposal from the NHL for the city of Edmonton to be a divisional host should the season resume. Nevertheless, he isn’t ruling out the possibility. “I think I can conceive of a way that they could put together a plan that follows our health guidelines with appropriate protective equipment and with nobody in the stands,” said Kenney. “If they came to us with a plan for limited and specific use of those facilities we would give it consideration.”

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is skeptical about the possibility of staging the 2020 NHL draft before the resumption of the season. “My thought is why would you do that? Why would you need to do that? There’s a lot of things that are affected. Obviously, the draft position hasn’t been established. We don’t know who’s in the playoffs, who’s out of the playoffs in some cases,” said Yzerman. “So there’s a lot of questions and ultimately, if (the draft) needs to be done prior to, we’ll figure it out but at this time my own opinion is I haven’t heard a good reason why we should do it prior to the end of the season, if we do conclude the season.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was reportedly a lot of pushback among NHL general managers against the notion of staging the draft before the season resumes. I think Yzerman is the first GM to publicly express his concerns.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski suggests the NHLPA has leverage over the NHL it didn’t have before the pandemic. The players must approve any plan to resume the season. Nevertheless, there are hundreds of players with competing ambitions. “You’re talking about some players that are 19-year-old single guys that have been gaming the last couple of weeks. And then you’re talking about some players in their mid- to late-30s with three kids, and they have to worry about schooling and things like that. You have guys traveling back from Europe, and they’re probably going to need a couple of weeks of quarantine after that. There are so many variables,” said Washington Capitals defenseman Brenden Dillon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In the short term, escrow could be the determining factor. The players could face losing perhaps up to half of their salaries next season to escrow clawbacks if they vote against resuming the season. Nevertheless, this could work to the players’ long-term advantage if they gain some concessions from ownership in the next CBA. 

LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL: Former NHL player Georges Laraque confirmed he’s been hospitalized with COVID-19. “I guess I’m not invincible, just got diagnosed with Covid, since I’m asthmatic, not the best news, will fight it off!”, he announced yesterday via social media. In a radio interview, he indicated he’d been feeling poorly for a week, including having difficulty breathing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Laraque for a full and speedy recovery. 

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets season-ticket holders continue to be charged for future seats despite widespread economic uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic. 

NBC SPORTS: The Vancouver Canucks are donating $500K for COVID-19 relief. 

STLTODAY.COM/SPORTSDAY: The St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars will begin furloughing some of their staff while others, including team executives, will be taking pay cuts. 










NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Detroit Red Wings

by | Apr 11, 2020

NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Detroit Red Wings

 










What Are Steve Yzerman’s Off-Season NHL Plans For The Detroit Red Wings?

by | Mar 3, 2020

What Are Steve Yzerman’s Off-Season NHL Plans For The Detroit Red Wings?

 










NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2020

by | Jan 20, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2020

Should the Canadiens re-sign Ilya Kovalchuk? Will the Leafs shop for a defenseman? Could Rangers winger Pavel Buchnevich become available? What’s the latest on the Red Wings? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

SHOULD THE CANADIENS RE-SIGN KOVALCHUK?

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Jack Todd believes the Canadiens should re-sign Ilya Kovalchuk, who’s tallied eight points in as many games since joining the club on a one-year, $700K contract earlier this month. Todd feels the 36-year-old winger could continue playing at a high level for the next two seasons. While acknowledging there’s risk in re-signing Kovalchuk, Todd feels it’s pointless to trade him for a draft pick when the Habs are already well-stocked in promising young players.

TVA SPORTS: Pat Brisson, Kovalchuk’s agent, said it’s too early to talk about a new contract for his client. He said Kovalchuk is very happy playing in Montreal.

Will the Canadiens re-sign or trade Ilya Kovalchuk? (Photo via NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I understand the excitement some Montreal observers are feeling about Kovalchuk’s performance thus far. If he continues playing well, regardless of where the Habs are in the standings, perhaps general manager Marc Bergevin will consider re-signing him. However, he could also receive a tempting offer from a rival club before the trade deadline.

As we saw with Andrei Markov and Alexander Radulov, Bergevin has shown reluctance to re-sign 30-something stars. If he decides to keep Kovalchuk, he doesn’t have to lock him up to an expensive long-term deal. Given the winger’s age, he could make it a one-year, bonus-laden contract. Of course, that depends on how much interest there is in Kovalchuk heading into this summer’s free-agent market. 

SHOULD THE LEAFS SHOP FOR A DEFENSEMAN?

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan believes Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has to have a defenseman of some caliber in his sights, even if Rasmus Sandin proves himself as an NHL regular. Acquiring a blueliner would also have to make sense for the cap-strapped Leafs.

Rental players include New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen, San Jose’s Brenden Dillon, and Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson. However, Dubas has shown he’s willing to add a player who’s not on an expiring contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE:  If Dubas pursues a blueliner, it’ll likely be a dollar-in, dollar-out deal. There’s a growing sense it’ll cost the Leafs a good, young forward like Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, or Alexander Kerfoot to bring in a decent top-four defenseman.

The Leafs have been linked to Dillon. The Athletic’s Michael Russo wondered if they’d have any interest in Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin, who’s signed through 2020-21 with an AAV of over $4.1 million.

BUCHNEVICH AVAILABLE?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks observed Rangers winger Pavel Buchnevich hasn’t generated much offense of late. He’s managed just one goal and three assists in his last 13 games, and two goals and four assists over the last 23 contests.

Brooks speculates Buchnevich “is certainly to be a topic of conversation in the executive suite as Feb. 24 approaches,” regardless of where the Rangers sit in the standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks pointed out Buchnevich has battled flu-like symptoms for the past week, but that doesn’t account for the decline in his production since late November. The 24-year-old winger tallied 21 goals and 38 points in 64 games last season and 43 points as a sophomore in 2017-18.

Buchnevich is signed through 2020-21 with an affordable $3.25-million annual average salary. He would attract interest if the Blueshirts shop him at the trade deadline.

LATEST ON THE RED WINGS

DETROIT FREE PRESS: In a recent mailbag segment, Helene St. James was asked what Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman will do at the Feb. 24 trade deadline. She notes Yzerman’s intention to add more picks to the eight he already holds in the 2020 NHL Draft but could be hard-pressed doing so. Struggling pending UFAs such as Mike Green, Trevor Daley, and Jimmy Howard will have limited value in the trade market

Andreas Athanasiou scored 30 goals last season, but the decline in his production this season has tarnished his trade value. St. James feels it’s pointless to move the 25-year-old Athanasiou unless the return boosts the rebuild. The Pittsburgh Penguins might consider him after losing Jake Guentzel to shoulder surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Athanasiou is probably Yzerman’s best trade chip. I don’t see him shopping a young core player like Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, Anthony Mantha, or Filip Hronek, and Robby Fabbri has fit in well after being acquired from St. Louis earlier in the season.