NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2023

by | Sep 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2023

Marc-Andre Fleury ponders his future, sale of the Senators receives league approval, plus the latest on Logan Couture, Robin Lehner, Max Pacioretty and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Marc-Andre Fleury is entering his 20th NHL season but hasn’t decided yet if it will be his last. The 38-year-old Minnesota Wild goaltender is in the final season of his contract and said he’ll play out this campaign before evaluating if he’ll continue his playing career.

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

Fleury has 544 career wins. He needs just eight more victories to pass Patrick Roy for second place on the all-time wins list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s hard to believe sometimes that Fleury’s been in the NHL this long. I told one of my social media followers that it seemed like I was watching him play in the QMJHL with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles yesterday. That was over 20 years ago.

OTTAWA SUN: The sale of the Ottawa Senators to billionaire Michael Andlauer finally received formal approval from the NHL Board of Governors yesterday. At $950 million dollars, it’s the highest price ever paid to purchase an NHL franchise.

Following the purchase, Andlauer released an open letter to Senators fans stating that his goal is to bring the Stanley Cup to Ottawa. He also sought to assure them about the club’s future under his ownership. “My partners and I may be the team owners on paper, but this team truly belongs to Ottawa-Gatineau,” he wrote. “I promise to take care of your team with the utmost respect, integrity and care both on and off the ice.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The late Eugene Melnyk deserves credit for rescuing the Senators nearly 20 years ago (with the help of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman) and keeping them in Ottawa at a time when the franchise was bankrupt and on the verge of relocation. Nevertheless, Melnyk’s mercurial style and front-office meddling generated uncertainty and concern among Senators fans over the quality of the on-ice product and the club’s future in Ottawa.

A new era has begun for the Senators. Andlauer was a minority owner of the Montreal Canadiens before purchasing the Sens. He knows the league, understands the business of hockey, and appears determined to bring stability to this franchise and a winning product on the ice. He still has to navigate toward the construction of a new downtown arena but the odds appear better under his stewardship than they were during the final years of Melnyk’s tenure.

Speaking of the Senators, center Josh Norris downplayed concern regarding a minor shoulder ailment that saw him start training camp with a yellow non-contact jersey. “I think they’re looking out for me and I totally get it,” said Norris, who missed all but eight games last season to shoulder surgery. He said he didn’t want to be in that jersey but acknowledged it was probably the best thing to take precautions and be ready for the start of the season.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The rebuilding Sharks got bad news as team captain Logan Couture will miss the start of training camp. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury that he suffered during offseason training.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no timeline for Couture’s return. It’s uncertain if he’ll be ready for the club’s season debut on Oct. 12.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner remains sidelined indefinitely and will start the season on long-term injured reserve. He missed all of last season recovering from hip surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reports also indicated that some wonder if Lehner will ever play again. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $5 million.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of uncertain injury recovery timelines, Capitals winger Max Pacioretty has “no concrete timetable yet” for when he’ll join his new club. The 34-year-old winger played only five games last season with the Carolina Hurricanes as he was twice sidelined by a torn right Achilles tendon. He signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Capitals this summer as a free agent.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams continues to work on getting young defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power under contract extensions before the start of this season. The two sides appear to be closing in on deals following a week of intense negotiations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dahlin and Power are the linchpins of the rebuilding Sabres’ blueline. It’s not surprising that Adams hopes to sign the two defensemen to long-term contracts with average annual values that could become team-friendly over the course of their playing prime.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Sabres, promising forward Matt Savoie is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during a prospects tournament game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks opened training camp missing three of their young core players. Center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale are still without new contracts as negotiations continue with management. Meanwhile, forward Mason MacTavish was dealing with a muscle spasm.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacTavish could rejoin his teammates as early as today. It’s uncertain as to when Zegras and Drysdale will be under contract. Reports from earlier this week claimed there’s a “wide gap” between them and management over what their new deals will look like.

THE DENVER POST: Valeri Nichushkin has rejoined his Colorado Avalanche teammates for the first time since taking a leave of absence from the club during their first-round series against the Seattle Kraken in April. The 28-year-old winger was welcomed back by his teammates “with open arms”.

Nichushkin’s departure was the result of an incident in Seattle in which a team doctor found an intoxicated woman in the winger’s hotel room and called an ambulance, according to a police report. He was not disciplined over the incident by the team or the league and faced no charges over the incident.

“I know you guys want to find something there, but it’s nothing really interesting,” Nichushkin told the media. “I think we should close it. It’s a new season right now. We have to focus on that.” He said that his extended absence from the Avs was due to a “family reason.”

CALGARY SUN: Oliver Kylington missed the start of Flames training camp without indicating when he’ll return to action. The 26-year-old defenseman missed all of last season to focus on his mental health. It was expected that he would rejoin his teammates this season after arriving in Calgary last week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kylington talked about his mental health during an interview this summer. He said he was looking forward to joining his Flames teammates this season. Here’s hoping he continues to get the help he needs to deal with this issue.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sticking with the Flames, Nikita Zadorov has openly opposed his home country’s invasion of Ukraine. The Russian defenseman is the sole NHLer among his countrymen to speak out against the invasion. He said he’s aware of the consequences he might face but claimed there are “a lot of people who have the same view as me in Russia.”

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders winger Oliver Wahlstrom skated with the Islanders for the first time since suffering a season-ending lower-body injury last December. Defenseman Alex Romanov also joined his teammates, dispelling concerns that he might miss the start of training camp rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks winger Ilya Mikheyev left training camp for personal reasons. He’s been sidelined since January with a knee injury and underwent surgery the following month.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Chris Wideman is sidelined indefinitely with a back injury.

 










NHL Rumor Mill – July 8, 2023

by | Jul 8, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 8, 2023

Do the Penguins have a “Plan B” if they fail to land Erik Karlsson? What are some possible trade destinations for John Gibson? What’s the latest on the Canadiens and Leafs? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PENGUINS SHOPPING FOR KARLSSON BACKUP PLAN

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski cites multiple sources claiming the Pittsburgh Penguins are exploring other defense options if they fail to land San Jose Sharks blueliner Erik Karlsson.

Kingerski claims Kyle Dubas, the Penguins’ president of hockey operations, is shopping in the trade market for additional defensemen or a backup plan, preferably mobile offensive blueliners.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: One of Kingerski’s sources suggested keeping an eye on Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. However, Kingerski and Jimmy Murphy noted that Boston general manager Don Sweeney expressed exasperation when asked about the Grzelcyk trade rumors, chiding the Boston media.

Murphy cited numerous sources claiming Sweeney has had conversations with other clubs regarding Grzelcyk, as well as goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, defensemen Brandon Carlo and Trent Frederic, and forwards Jake DeBrusk and Trent Frederic. However, that doesn’t mean the Bruins are shopping those players but rather that teams have inquired about them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas is keen to put his stamp on the Penguins immediately. If he can’t find a way to land Karlsson this summer he could consider other options for his blueline.

I don’t fully close the door on those Bruins trade rumors but Sweeney already made his major cap-clearing move by shipping Taylor Hall to Chicago. He might have to shed another salary depending on the cost of re-signing restricted free agents Swayman and Frederic but that’s not a certainty right now.

WHERE COULD THE DUCKS TRADE GIBSON?

THE SCORE: John Matisz speculated over two obvious trade destinations for John Gibson and two dark-horse candidates for the 29-year-old Anaheim Ducks goaltender.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).

Matisz considers the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres as his obvious choices. Both are rising young clubs lacking an experienced starter between the pipes.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings are Matisz’s dark horses. It’s doubtful the Jackets can get out of the NHL basement with a tandem of Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov, while the Kings are trying to become Stanley Cup contenders with the duo of Cam Talbot and Pheonix Copley.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t disagree with Matisz and his choices. So far, however, it appears those four clubs are willing to go into next season with their current goalies and see what happens.

Matisz noted that Gibson’s contract with its $6.4 million AAV through 2026-27 and 10-team no-trade list is a stumbling block. He also pointed out the netminder’s poor stats last season.

A Gibson trade remains possible depending on how desperate one of those three clubs becomes for a goaltending boost during 2023-24. I rule out the Kings because I don’t believe the Ducks would trade him to their closest rival. Moving Gibson, however, will depend on the Ducks’ asking price and how much of his AAV they’re willing to retain to facilitate a trade.

The flattened salary cap for 2023-24 is another sticking point. Gibson might end up having to wait until next summer for a trade. That’s when the salary cap for 2024-25 is expected to significantly jump from its current $83.5 million to at least $87.5 million. Those teams could have considerably more cap space to work with and perhaps a greater willingness to invest in Gibson.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

MONTREAL GAZETTE: With the Canadiens recently trading Joel Edmundson to Washington, Pat Hickey looked at other veteran moves that could help to speed up the club’s youth movement.

Hickey noted the Canadiens’ depth at center following their recent addition of Alex Newhook. He wouldn’t be surprised if Christian Dvorak and his $4.45 million cap hit are moved before the start of the regular season. He also noted the Canadiens have tried unsuccessfully to trade winger Mike Hoffman and his $4.5 million salary.

“Any combination of moves that result in the departures of Dvorak, Hoffman and/or Joel Armia ($3.4 million cap hit) will accelerate the youth movement,” writes Hickey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dvorak would have the most value of those three. He and Armia are signed through 2024-25.

Hoffman, meanwhile, is a UFA next summer. If he has a decent season the Canadiens might be able to move him at the March 1 trade deadline as most of his cap hit will have been paid out by then.

WILL THE LEAFS ADD MORE SNARL TO THEIR BLUELINE?

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan believes Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving must add to his defense corps the same amount of snarl that Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi will bring to their forward lines.

Koshan noted that Treliving is working with limited cap space. Nevertheless, Matt Dumba remains available in the UFA market. He also wondered if the former Flames GM would look into acquiring Nikita Zadorov from Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s going to depend on the cost of re-signing RFA goaltender Ilya Samsonov.










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.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2022

by | Jul 14, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2022

Analysis of some of the biggest signings and trades from the opening day of free agency, a look at two of the notable free agents still available and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Johnny Gaudreau explained why he signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He said the experience of playing at Nationwide Arena and speaking with current and former Columbus Blue Jackets players were motivating factors behind his decision.

Former Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 13. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I analyzed Gaudreau’s new contract and those of the other noteworthy signings for Bleacher Report yesterday. His decision to go to Columbus generated considerable surprise on social media. It also left Calgary fans bewildered and upset after he rejected a more lucrative offer from the Flames to join the Jackets. Whatever the reason behind his decision, he makes the Blue Jackets a better team and should accelerate their rebuilding process.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Gaudreau was reportedly interested in signing with the Flyers but their limited salary-cap space meant they weren’t able to make room for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ offseason moves haven’t sat well with their fans who’ve been quite critical on social media. It’ll be interesting to see what general manager Chuck Fletcher intends to do to improve his roster for next season.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA/VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights each made significant cost-cutting trades with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Sharks shipped defenseman Brent Burns to the Hurricanes while the Golden Knights sent them winger Max Pacioretty.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mike Grier, the Sharks’ new general manager, is wasting little time addressing his club’s need for an overhaul following several seasons of decline. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, got nothing in return for Pacioretty. They are paying the price for their pursuit of big-ticket talent over the past couple of years in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are going for it. Burns has three years left on his contract with the Sharks retaining 33 percent of his $8 million cap hit. Pacioretty is a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility. Both should provide a welcome boost of experience and offense to their lineup as they attempt to stage a run for the Stanley Cup in 2022-23.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche haven’t given up trying to bring back Nazem Kadri as their second-line center. The 31-year-old Kadri is the biggest name remaining among this year’s crop of unrestricted free agent talent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Avs with $3.9 million in cap space. They’ll have to shed some salary if they intend to bring back Kadri.

THE ATHLETIC: The Dallas Stars attempted to re-sign John Klingberg before the defenseman became an unrestricted free agent but weren’t able to reach an agreement. The door appears closed on a return after the club signed blueliner Colin Miller and added winger Mason Marchment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Klingberg is the top defenseman still available in the UFA market. Speculation linked him to the Seattle Kraken but other clubs could get into the bidding.

OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux was all smiles as he met with local media after signing a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Senators. Giroux makes his offseason home in Ottawa and said he was excited to be joining his hometown club. “They’ve got a lot of talented guys who like to work hard and compete,” said Giroux. “I just like the character of the team, and I’ll fit right in with them.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the Senators’ most significant UFA signing in years. Giroux was linked to the Sens for months but there was speculation the 34-year-old forward would prefer signing with a Cup contender. He should bring a welcome boost of experience and leadership to their roster.

TSN: The New Jersey Devils have reportedly signed former Tampa Bay Lightning winger Ondrej Palat to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils were in the market for a top-six winger. Palat is a solid two-way forward with considerable playoff experience. He’ll be a solid addition to the rebuilding Devils in their quest to become a playoff contender next season.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins made a noteworthy addition by acquiring Pavel Zacha from the Devils in exchange for Erik Haula. They’re also still in talks with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci on one-year, bonus-laden contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A former first-round pick, Zacha struggled to play up to expectations in New Jersey. Perhaps the move to Boston will help the 25-year-old forward improve his game. As for Bergeron, there have been conflicting reports saying he’s going to return while others claim he’s still pondering his future.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Lightning wasted little time locking up three players eligible for restricted free agent status next summer. Defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak and center Anthony Cirelli were all signed to lucrative long-term contract extensions.

SPORTSNET: The Anaheim Ducks signed former New York Rangers center Ryan Strome to a five-year, $25 million contract on Wednesday evening.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 29-year-old Strome will fill the Ducks’ second-line center position. This is a good move by the rebuilding club, bringing in some experienced depth to take some of the burden from rising star Trevor Zegas.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman spent just under $20 million via free agency yesterday to make his club more competitive next season. He added forwards David Perron, Andrew Copp and Dominik Kubalik and defensemen Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings have patiently rebuilt over the past three seasons. These veteran additions should help them take the next step toward playoff contention next season. Perron, Copp and Chiarot will bring veteran skill and leadership to the Wings roster.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Rangers traded defenseman Patrik Nemeth and two draft picks to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defense prospect Ty Emberson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a straightforward salary dump by the Rangers, freeing up cap space to put toward re-signing RFA winger Kaapo Kakko.

SPORTSNET: The Calgary Flames brought back defenseman Nikita Zadorov on a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 12, 2021

by | Dec 12, 2021

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 12, 2021

Check out the latest on Jake DeBrusk, Evander Kane and Evgenii Dadonov in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve Macfarland wondered if Jake DeBrusk will flourish with another team in the same way Sam Bennett’s has since the Calgary Flames traded him to the Florida Panthers last season.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images)

Like DeBrusk, Bennett was a former first-round pick who requested a trade after struggling to reach his potential and seeing his role with his club reduced. After nearly six disappointing seasons with the Flames, he has blossomed with the Panthers.

Macfarland noted the Bruins seek a player of equal value for the 25-year-old DeBrusk. He wondered if the Flames might convince them to take a look at defenseman Nikita Zadorov the Bruins’ need for a physical defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames were mentioned among the dozen clubs reportedly interested in DeBrusk. Zadorov’s $3.75 million cap hit for this season is comparable to DeBrusk’s $3.675 million so the dollars would work for both cap-strapped clubs. Macfarland believes the Flames would have to include a sweetener with Zadorov to further entice the Bruins.

The Bruins, however, could prefer a better option than Zadorov. He’s bounced from the Colorado Avalanche to the Chicago Blackhawks to the Flames over the past two seasons.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports Ryan Bowness, the Penguins Director of Pro Scouting, attended Evander Kane’s first game with the AHL’s San Jose Barracudas on Saturday. Scouts from the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars were also in attendance.

Kingerski pointed out scouts’ schedules are often made weeks in advance. They also love the Sharks and Barracudas being in the same location, especially if both clubs are playing on the same night as they can kill two birds with one stone.

He noted all of those aforementioned clubs could use a power forward like Kane. However, that doesn’t mean those scouts were there specifically to watch him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It could be a coincidence those scouts were there last night. Then again, maybe one of them was evaluating Kane’s performance.

The Red Wings are the only club with sufficient cap space to take on Kane’s $7 million annual average value. That doesn’t mean they have any interest in him.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps recently suggested moving Evgenii Dadonov would make the most sense for the Vegas Golden Knights to free up sufficient salary-cap space when Jack Eichel returns to action in February. The 32-year-old winger has bounced around the Golden Knights’ lineup this season. He’s signed through 2022-23 with an annual cap hit of $5 million.

Krepps suggested shipping Dadonov back to the Ottawa Senators, who have the cap space to take on his contract. He also suggested other “bottom-feeder teams” like the Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils or Seattle Kraken as potential trade partners. He felt the Golden Knights would only want a third- or a fourth-round pick or perhaps an affordable depth forward in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I won’t outright dismiss the idea of Dadonov being peddled to the Senators, Devils or Kraken but I won’t hold my breath expecting one of them to take him on. Those clubs would likely squeeze the Golden Knights to include a draft pick in the deal as a sweetener.

I would rule out the Blackhawks. They’re already sitting over the cap ceiling with Tyler Johnson and Andrew Shaw on long-term injury reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2021

by | Aug 21, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2021

Henrik Lundqvist announces his retirement, the Blues to retire Chris Pronger’s number, legendary Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret to call it a career following this season, the viability of moving the Coyotes to Houston, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NEW YORK POST: Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist officially announced his retirement yesterday after 15 seasons with the New York Rangers and four with Frolunda in Sweden before that. A heart condition has ended his playing career at age 39.

Former New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has retired (NHL Images).

Lundqvist is the sixth winningest goaltender in NHL history with a record of 459-310-96, a 2.43 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and 64 shutouts, along with 61 wins and 10 shutouts in the playoffs. The Rangers immediately retired Lundqvist’s No. 30 and will stage a retirement ceremony later this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lundqvist was one of the great goaltenders of his generation and the best in Rangers history. “King Henrik” is their all-time leader in wins, save percentage, shutouts, and game-played by a goalie (887). He’s a shoo-in for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

A First Team All-Star in 2011-12 and a Second Team All-Star the following season, Lundqvist won the Vezina Trophy in 2012 and was also a four-time Vezina finalist. He backstopped the Rangers to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final and won Olympic gold for his home country of Sweden in 2006.

Best wishes to Lundqvist and his family in their future endeavors.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues announced they will retire Chris Pronger’s No. 44 on Jan. 17 before a game against the Nashville Predators. The former Blues captain is among their franchise leaders in games played (598), assists (272) and points (356).

A four-time All-Star, Pronger’s best season was 1999-2000, becoming just the second defenseman in NHL history to win the Hart Memorial Trophy and the James Norris Memorial Trophy. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

WGR 550: Long-time Buffalo Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret will retire at the end of the 2021-22 season. This will be his 51st season behind the mike for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jeanneret is one of the best in the business. His iconic call of Brad May’s series-winning overtime goal against the Boston Bruins in the 1993 playoffs is among my favorites.

THE ATHLETIC: News of the Arizona Coyotes’ lease agreement with Gila River Arena ending next year prompted some observers to suggest relocating the franchise to Houston. However, Dallas Stars CEO Brad Alberts told Saad Yousef he doesn’t think that’s a possibility, saying there’s been no discussion at the league level about putting a team in that city.

Alberts said he’s heard rumors that Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta wants an NHL franchise in his city but doesn’t know for certain if he does. He acknowledged things can change but doesn’t believe the league intends to abandon Phoenix.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I said yesterday, the league will do everything it can to keep the Coyotes in Arizona. If that’s not possible, moving to a new city requires a wealthy owner with a viable NHL arena. Fertitta was keen to do so two years ago but that was before the pandemic disrupted normal life. He might not be so enthusiastic now.

TSN: The Calgary Flames avoided salary arbitration with Nikita Zadorov by signing the 26-year-old defenseman to a one-year, $3.75 million contract. They also signed blueliner Juuso Valimaki to a two-year, $3.1 million deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That leaves Philadelphia Flyers rearguard Travis Sanheim as the only player still scheduled for arbitration. His hearing is slated for Aug. 26 but he’ll probably be signed before then.