NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2024
The latest on the Oilers and Panthers ahead of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Penguins re-sign Alex Nedeljkovic, the Canucks grant Ilya Mikheyev permission to seek a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers star Leon Draisaitl has struggled to score in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. The 28-year-old forward has 30 points in this postseason but his production has been declining since the Western Conference Final, netting four points in that series and only two assists thus far in the Stanley Cup Final.
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch defended Draisaitl’s play, suggesting bad puck luck could be behind his recent low production. The decline could also be due to an undisclosed injury we’ll learn about after the series ends.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are making a change to their lineup for Game 6 tonight in Edmonton. Nick Cousins will replace Kyle Okposo and be reunited with linemates Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Stenlund. It’s Cousins’ first game since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins re-signed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $2.5 million. Nedeljkovic was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nedeljkovic was Tristan Jarry’s backup in 2023-24. He appeared in the Penguins’ final 14 games of the regular season, starting 13 and picking up points in 10 games.
THE PROVINCE: Ilya Mikheyev’s agent, Dan Milstein, said he’s been permitted by the Vancouver Canucks to seek a trade for his client. The 29-year-old winger has two years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $4.75 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikheyev had 28 points in 46 games in 2022-23 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. He struggled with consistency in 2024-25.
DAILY FACEOFF: Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar is expected to have fully recovered from hip surgery when training camp opens in September. The 26-year-old went under the knife in March with a recovery time of four to six months.
TSN: The Los Angeles Kings unveiled their new logo on Thursday, returning to a look similar to their 1990s style.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, it’s the Oakland Raiders on ice.
Another Dubas blown move
So much has been focused on Nejelkovic and all his starts down the stretch and Pens drive and wins and almost getting them in
Hogwash
Missed in all of this is that Pens push had very little to do with Nedjelkovic in net. In fact his numbers were not that good at all through that stretch. Since Feb 20 his save percentage was only .88 (59 goals against in 506 shots)
Last 18 games
13 of 18 with save percentage of .89 or less .
7 of those .84 or less.
4 of those .81 or les;
2 in the 700’s
Nedjelkovic is 28, is small for a goalie (only 6’) and 2 years at $2.5 M; and finished off last season at a “run” of only 0.88 since last week of Feb!!!
Blomquist (6’2”, 0nly 22, on $886,667 Cap hit; an excellent season in AHL last year; and on the rise)
Pens have lost their top scorer (Guentzel) and have literally nothing in bottom 6. That’s what absolutely needs to be addressed; and Cap space is at a premium
Nedjelkovic over Blomquist (the far better choice IMHO) is costing an extra net (very valuable) cap space of more than $1.6 M
Another nut head move by Dubas
What’s next? Extending Nieto for 2 extra years at $2,000,000????
Dubas could sign McJesus for a bag of pucks and a cheeseburger and you’d still complain. If only the Penguins would hire Hextall again, right…?
I think Pens fans need to lower expectations for the next 7-8 years minimum. Likely more like 10.
Average rebuild is 7 years, and that is to make the playoffs again.
Pens won’t be starting that until Crosby retires or decides he wants to chase a cup somewhere else. Hey, I would do the same thing if I had Crosby; if he wants to stay, he stays, keep trying to get in as he keeps you in the hunt.
IMO they will be a bubble team for next couple years, then the inevitable rebuild. I don’t care who the GM is. Dubas can’t stop the core guys from aging, and can’t make great players appear out of thin air.
Some Old Guy
Lesser of two evils?
Dubas has lost every trade; over-paid and loaded up on useless bottom 6 UFAs; failed miserably at keeping Rierdon (if he’d axed him in January, very fair chance Pens get the extra measly 3 points to make the playoffs) waaaaay past his due date
He ruined one franchise through Cap limiting contracts on forwards
He’s ruining any chance at a last ditch try for the club
I would have been good with a strong move to full rebuild. Ownership didn’t want that. So be it
His (Dubas’) marching orders from ownership is to keep the fires burning until Crosby retires and build a team that is playoff bound at least
Losing every trade and overpaying UFAs is certainly not the way to meet his mandate
No one needs to be an NHL GM to see that
Now that he has lost all of those trades; fellow GMs realize the advantage they have over him in any future trade
It’s not a pretty outlook for Pens
Ray
Agree in principle to most of what you’ve said.
Current roster and every move Dubas has made since joining has Pens expectations very low
Without a couple of substantial “win” trades; no playoffs for another 8 years or more
Re “keep trying to get in as he keeps you in the hunt.”
That’s my point. Dubas’ moves should be geared towards that.
Consistently losing (snd badly) trades are not (geared towards that)
Signing and overpaying underperforming aging UFAs is not
Re-upping Nedjelkovic at that Cap hit; with those stats over the last 2 months of the season, over bringing up Blomquist; is definitely NOT
Other GMs in the last few days are making pre-draft trades
Pens have players that must get jettisoned (Accairi, Smith, Nieto for starters)
Dubas’ has to do something to improve this club
The Nedjelkovic move is a step backwards
Fair enough 87Pengy87, might as well be as competitive as possible.
I think Dubas did good in the Guentzel. Got a solid NHL’er and a couple prospects who were both 2nd round picks, and a dart throw.
Stay competitive now and a couple guys who might help you down the road. Fits the basic strategy I laid out doesn’t it?
I’m not a fan of Dubas but judging him just for re-signing Nedeljkovic is to early. Just wait what he has/they have in store and judge him then.
Inalso think that the FA signings last season weren’t that good.
The Nedjelkovic re-up is just the tip of the iceberg
The UFA signings , as we both agree; were failures
Dubas has also lost every trade he’s made as Pens’ GM
Din’t get me started re Rierdon
We’re getting pummelled with every move
We’re due a win
I’ve posted today re a win-win trade with Wadell netting Laine
Fingers crossed
@ 8787
I think a Tristan Jarry move is coming to be honest.
Guentzel had to go and we got 3 decent assests and a second round pick.
Bunting is a physical force and a 20 – 25 goal scorer with a full season in Pittsburgh
Koivunen is only 20 tearing up the Swedish league.
Ponomarev is young will be on the bottom 6 this year
we got a second round pick that’s hardly failure
Eller was solid
ndelkjovic was solid
graves bust
accari bust
Nieto injured all year N/A
Smith started out ok fizzled so eeehhh on him.
Why are we complaining if we know we have the best GM in Hockey.
Who is the best GM in hickey and what is your team?
Hey 8787 it sounds like you think “the fat lady has sung and left the building” for the Penguins already for next season.
GO OILERS GO
Needing Dubas to pull his head out of his butt to prevent the Fat Lady from singing (and off-key to boot)
hers is hoping Panthers win the Cup…Oilers are cocky
Compared to Tkachuk and Bennett?
Re; Pen’s
Looks like the Pen’s will go into a full Re-build come next March when they miss the playoffs, They will start to trade out players❓
Not sure if Sid will be one of them or not, depends if he wants to chase an other cup with a contender or not…
Your going to See Buffalo & NJD & Ottawa All finish ahead of the Pen’s, the East its going to be tough over there 6th to 10th spot next season, All 3 of these teams mentioned are going to be good…..
Personaly i think Alex Nedeljkovic was a good signing, he was better than Jarry last year,
if he has an other good year they trade him at the draft for a nice pick or prospect…..
Williew
Re “he was better than Jarry last year”
He wasn’t. Just look at the numbers
Moreover, Nedjelkovic was pretty bad down the stretch ; have a look at the first post today to see how bad his numbers down the stretch actually were
Those numbers do not warrant 2 @ $2.5 M ; and definitely not over bringing up the bigger, much younger, aspiring Blomquist, that has a Cap hit barely over league min
Jarry – 2.91gaa 0.903 save %
51gp 24-13-7 – 55 pts out of a possible 88 for a .625 pace
Nedjelkovic – 2.97gaa 0.902 save %
38gp 18-7-7 – 43 pts out of a possible 64 for a .672 pace
You’re going to crucify Nedjelkovic for miniscule difference in stats – Hell, the team played at a better % pace with him in nets. There it is in black and white!
Maybe, just maybe, down the stretch the whole team was generally crappy in front of him.
8787 & George,
You both have good points,
8787, he would have got that money in the open market to share the starting with an other goaltender, in locations like this to name a few….Toronto, Ottawa,LA Kings, Carolina,
George,
I think your right the Pen’s did not play that well down the stretch, They Missed there top line winger Jake….
Thats why i think Buffalo & NJD & Ottawa All finish ahead of the Pen’s, the East for the 2024/25 Season
The Pen’s have just over $10.5M in Cap space and need to sign a good d/man to help goaltending
and a top six scoring forward along with 2 more forwards in there botom 6…..
they need Quality players and that will Cost them a little more in the UFA Market🤔
Hold the phone williew – my stats are incorrect. When I looked up Nedjelkovic’s 2023-24 season I got this site – pensburgh.com
https://www.pensburgh.com/2024/6/2/24168655/2023-24-season-in-review-alex-nedeljkovic-penguins-goaltenders-nhl-free-agents
but when I then asked for Jarry’s stats at the same site for the same 2023-24 season, they gave me 2022-23 – I’ve looked again but can’t find Jarry 2023-24
So, 87Pengy87 might be right.
Big game 6 in the Stanley Cup final and all that is talked about is Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins. What a joke.