NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2020

by | May 25, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2020

Some positive reaction to the league proposed 24-team return-to-play tournament, New York state allowing pro teams to resume training, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

**UPDATE** The NHL has published its framework for Phase 2 of its Phased Return To Sport Protocol. You can read the details by following this link. I’ll have more on this in tomorrow’s Morning Coffee Headlines. 

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Unlike some who feel the NHL’s return-to-play proposal could be a travesty, Mike McIntyre suggests it could be the most memorable Stanley Cup playoffs in our lifetime.

There won’t be any home-ice advantage, while the playing field will be level for the most part because many players have recovered from nagging injuries. It also provides for some potentially entertaining match-ups, such as the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets squaring off in the best-of-five play-in series.

McIntyre doesn’t feel this tournament should become the new normal. Provided the health and safety of everyone involved can be assured, he thinks this could give sports fans starved for live events the opportunity to enjoy this unique tournament from the comfort of their homes.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Jim Souhan acknowledged the daunting logistical hurdles the NHL must clear to safely stage this tournament, including COVID-19 testing, finding suitable hub cities, international travel issues, and the absence of the usual “sportstuff” that accompanies the game, such as fans and media scrums.

Nevertheless, Souhan suggests hungry sports fans should take what they can get, appreciate the players willing to take this risk, and hope the league is doing this because it can ensure the players’ safety. 

For Pittsburgh Penguins winger Patrick Marleau, the proposed 24-team tournament could be his last chance to play for the Stanley Cup (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The critics of this proposed tournament raised legitimate concerns. If the league cannot assure the health and safety of everyone involved, from the players, team and training staff, arena staff, broadcasting crews, plus all those involved in feeding, housing, and transporting those people, then no, this tournament shouldn’t happen.

On the other hand, the NHL will earn justifiable plaudits if they can pull this off, providing an example for other major professional sports leagues. I expect many of those voicing opposition to this tournament will tune in to follow the outcome. If this is done in careful steps, it’s worth a try.

TRIBLIVE.COM: For Patrick Marleau, this tournament could be his last shot at playing for the Stanley Cup. The 40-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins winger is in the twilight of his career and could retire after this season.

SPORTSNET: New York state governor Andrew Cuomo yesterday announced professional sports teams could resume training as of Sunday. Those include the New York Islanders and New York Rangers, as both clubs are eligible to participate in the proposed 24-team tournament.

NEW YORK POST: The league hasn’t told the Rangers (or Islanders) when they can reopen their facilities. “We have yet to set a date on which clubs may reopen their facilities for training and, eventually, formal training camps,” NHL group VP of communications John Dellapina told The Post via email. “We are still working with the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) on a league-wide plan to return to play.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Phase 2 of the NHL’s return-to-play plan involves players returning to their respective NHL cities and taking part in small-group training in their team facilities. That could go into effect in early- or mid-June.

THE DETROIT NEWS: Representatives for Red Wings forward Dmytro Timoshov denied a recent report out of Russia claiming their client was close to signing with the KHL’s Dinamo Riga in Latvia.

NEWSDAY: Construction on the New York Islanders’ new arena at Belmont Park is expected to resume on Wednesday.










Is NHL Biting Off More Than It Can Chew By Restarting Season?

by | May 24, 2020

Is NHL Biting Off More Than It Can Chew By Restarting Season?

 










NHL Rumor Mill – May 24, 2020

by | May 24, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – May 24, 2020

​Check out the latest on the Detroit Red Wings in today’s NHL rumor mill.

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan reports the Detroit Red Wings season may be over, but general manager Steve Yzerman faces a busy off-season.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman (Photo via NHL.com).

One of his first decisions will be whether to pick up the option year in head coach Jeff Blashill’s contract or find a new bench boss. Gerard Gallant and Lane Lambert (former Yzerman teammates) could be among the candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gallant won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year for guiding the Vegas Golden Knights to the 2018 Stanley Cup in their expansion season. He could become the front-runner if the job becomes available.

In addition to deciding which of his free agents to re-sign, Khan speculates Yzerman could look to this year’s unrestricted free agent market for affordable second- and third-tier talent on short-term deals as stop-gap measures during the roster rebuild. He believes the Wings need a winger with scoring ability, a pair of defensemen, and a backup goaltender.

Khan also anticipates Yzerman will make low-risk value trades similar to his acquisitions of Robby Fabbri and Brendan Perlini.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Fabbri acquisition worked out well, but Perlini struggled throughout this season and probably won’t be back. Nevertheless, Yzerman will likely keep his eye open for once-promising players struggling with other clubs who could benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.

THE DETROIT NEWS: Ted Kulfan recently posted a three-part series examining potential UFA targets to address the Red Wings’ roster needs.

He doubts Arizona Coyotes winger Taylor Hall or Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby will be interested in joining a rebuilding clubs like the Wings. He also expects the St. Louis Blues will re-sign Alex Pietrangelo while Michigan native Torey Krug could be re-signed by the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some pundits suggested Krug might be willing to return home if he can’t sign with the Bruins. While we shouldn’t rule it out, I think he’d prefer playing for a contender.

Kulfan’s list of proposed forward options includes Colorado’s Vladislav Namestnikov, Florida’s Evgenii Dadonov, Mike Hoffman, or Erik Haula, Nashville’s Mikael Granlund, Vegas’ Tomas Nosek, or the New York Rangers’ Jesper Fast.

Blueline possibilities could include Toronto’s Tyson Barrie, Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz, Washington’s Brenden Dillon, or the New York Islanders’ Andy Greene.

Goaltending targets could include Vegas’ Robin Lehner, but the term and price would have to be worked on). Others include Dallas’ Anton Khudobin, the Islanders’ Thomas Greiss, and Calgary’s Cam Talbot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Wings have over $46.2 million invested in 11 players. Once Yzerman re-signs key free agents like Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Anthony Mantha, he’ll have plenty of cap room to bring in a couple of quality veteran free agents on short-term deals.

With the salary cap remaining around $81.5 million and several clubs looking to pinch pennies, that could work in Yzerman’s favor. If he sticks to affordable short-term options, he’ll have plenty to choose from once the notable names are snapped up.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2020

by | May 24, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2020

What next following the NHLPA’s approval of a proposed 24-team return-to-play tournament? Check out the latest in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the ball is back in the NHL’s court now that the NHLPA voted to approve a 24-team return-to-play tournament. The league is going through its internal process. If it goes smoothly with no pushback from the teams, the league could make an official announcement on Tuesday.

LeBrun indicates there are two open issues. One is the players would like to see teams re-seeded following each round instead of going bracket-style. The other is whether the opening round of the 16-team playoffs will be a best-of-five or best-of-seven.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The U.S. Memorial Day weekend is the reason why the announcement could be made on Tuesday. At least we know we won’t have to wait too long. There’s now a framework in place for a return to play at some point this summer. They’ll have plenty of time to sort out those issues.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychkowski wonders if the 24-team format will serve hockey fans well in the long run. As much as they love the game, they might not be as inclined to watch it in the summer. Teams that are eliminated from the play-in round might not return to action again until December.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Alex Killorn (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These are unusual times.  Fans could tune in if there aren’t many live sports on television or not as many outdoor activities to enjoy.

THE ATHLETIC: Tampa Bay Lightning NHLPA rep Alex Killorn explained to Joe Smith why his club was one of only two to vote against the proposed 24-team tournament. The Carolina Hurricanes were the other.

Killorn indicated he and his teammates didn’t believe it was fair that certain clubs that probably wouldn’t have made the playoffs would now have an opportunity to do so in a best-of-five play-in.  They also believed teams that would receive a bye from the play-in wouldn’t be as well prepared for the playoff rounds. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those are fair criticisms from the Lightning. Killorn acknowledged he and his teammates understand not everyone would be pleased with the proposed format. They also remain keen to return to action.

The bye clubs will get some playing time with that round-robin, but it won’t have the same intensity as the play-in series. Speaking of which…

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox wonders about the intensity of the three-game round-robin involving the top-four seeds in each conference. “Not only are these not do-or-die contests, but “winning” the top seed doesn’t guarantee the easiest Round 1 opponent.”

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wonders what’s in store for the seven clubs that aren’t part of the tournament, especially in the draft lottery. The league still hasn’t announced its plan for the 2020 draft, which could end up being held after the tournament following pushback from general managers. He feels those seven clubs should be guaranteed the top-seven picks, with each having a shot at winning the draft lottery. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league could still surprise us by staging the draft lottery and the draft next month. Like most observers, however, I think they’ll wait until after the tournament to hold the draft. The draft lottery could still be held before the tournament, but the league will have to come up with a reasonable system. 

Brooks also cites sources saying the NHL won’t select a Canadian city as one of its tournament hubs unless the Canadian government grants the league exemption to its 14-day quarantine requirement for crossing its borders.

THE SCORE: Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb reports Acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf “signed an order Friday exempting foreign-born professional athletes from being denied entry into the country.”

 

 










NHL Resumption? What It All Means

by | May 23, 2020

NHL Resumption? What It All Means

 










NHL Rumor Mill – May 23, 2020

by | May 23, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – May 23, 2020

Could the Sharks trade Tomas Hertl or Kevin Labanc? Should they make a pitch for Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev? Check out the latest Sharks speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Kevin Kurz was asked about the possibility of the San Jose Sharks trading Tomas Hertl. The 26-year-old forward carries a $5.625-million annual average value through 2021-22 and his modified no-trade clause (three-team trade list) doesn’t kick in until next season. While one can never say never, Kurz doesn’t see the Sharks moving Hertl.

Kevin Labanc Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio - San ...

San Jose Sharks winger Kevin Lebanc (Photo via NHL Images).

Kurz was also asked about how much Kevin Labanc could receive on his next contract. The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent completing a one-year, $1-million contract and has arbitration rights, but the decline in his production this season could hurt his efforts to land a lucrative new deal. Kurz wouldn’t offer more than $3 million to $4 million annually, but he wonders if the Labanc camp would accept it. He considers the winger a prime trade candidate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks general manager Doug Wilson could surprise us by moving Hertl before his modified no-trade goes into effect, but I doubt he’ll go that route. Even if he were so inclined, Hertl’s history of knee injuries could make him a difficult sell. Labanc bet on himself last summer and lost. With the Sharks carrying over $66 million invested in 13 players for next season, Wilson could peddle the winger if his contract talks become contentious.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Marcus White suggests the Sharks address their need for a reliable backup for starting goalie Martin Jones by pursuing a trade for Alexandar Georgiev. The 24-year-old New York Rangers goaltender is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights following this season.

Long-time Rangers starter Henrik Lundqvist has another year left on his contract while promising Igor Shesterkin is also signed for next season. White suggests offering up a second-round pick in the 2020 draft to the Rangers for Georgiev.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Assuming Lundqvist doesn’t retire, accepts a trade, or has his contract bought out, the Rangers cannot go into next season carrying three goalies. They won’t move Shesterkin, leaving Georgiev the most likely candidate. He could be a good fit with the Sharks, but the Blueshirts could squeeze them for more than a second-rounder.