NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2024
The free-agent market opens at noon ET. Before the signing frenzy begins, check out the latest recent notable signings, contract buyouts and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
REINHART, GUENTZEL, KANE AMONG EARLY CONTRACT SIGNINGS
SPORTSNET: Sam Reinhart and the Florida Panthers have agreed to an eight-year contract before the midnight ET deadline for eight-year extensions. Financial terms weren’t disclosed but will be officially announced on July 1.
Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently speculated the average annual value would be $9 million. We’ll find out later today if that’s the case but it wouldn’t be surprising. It would give Reinhart the third-highest AAV among Panthers skaters, behind Aleksander Barkov ($10 million) and Matthew Tkachuk ($9.5 million).
Jake Guentzel and the Tampa Bay Lightning agreed to a new contract on Sunday just hours after his rights were traded to the Lightning by the Carolina Hurricanes. Terms were unknown but will be officially announced later on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Guentzel signing likely means the end of Steven Stamkos’ 16-season career with the Lightning. Stamkos’ agent indicated that his client is heading to free agency.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings and Patrick Kane agreed to a one-year contract. It comes with a $4 million base salary and $2.5 million in bonuses.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 35-year-old Kane enjoyed a bounce-back season with the Red Wings after undergoing a hip resurfacing procedure last June. It’s rumored the New York Rangers were interested in bringing Kane back for another season but wouldn’t go as high as the Wings with the base salary.
TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs reached an agreement with Max Domi on a four-year contract with an AAV of $3.75 million. It contains a $3.5 million signing bonus in the first year and a 13-team no-trade list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: An affordable signing for Toronto. After a slow start, Domi fit in well with the Leafs last season, netting 47 points in 80 games.
The Leafs also re-signed Timothy Liljegren to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3 million. The 25-year-old defenseman was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Leafs are reportedly close to signing Chris Tanev to a multi-year contract worth an annual salary-cap hit of $5 million. They acquired the signing rights to the 34-year-old defenseman from the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
SPORTSNET: The Utah Hockey Club and Sean Durzi agreed to a four-year contract extension with an annual salary cap hit of $6 million. The 25-year-old defenseman averaged over 23 minutes of ice time while leading his club’s blueliners with 41 points.
NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: The Predators are close to signing defenseman Alexandre Carrier to a new contract. Terms were not disclosed.
MARCHESSAULT, BERTUZZI, KYLINGTON HEADED TO MARKET
LAS VEGAS SUN: Jonathan Marchessault is heading to free agency. The 33-year-old winger was unable to reach a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchessault was among the few original members of the Golden Knights (aka “The Golden Misfits”) on their roster last season. The 33-year-old winger is their franchise scoring leader and won the Conn Smythe Trophy leading them to the Stanley Cup last year. He’ll draw plenty of attention in the free-agent market with Reinhart, Guentzel and Kane off the board.
TORONTO SUN: Tyler Bertuzzi is moving on and won’t be signing with the Maple Leafs. The 29-year-old forward completed a one-year, $5.5 million contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like Domi, Bertuzzi had a slow start with the Leafs last season but finished strong with 21 goals and 43 points. He shouldn’t have any difficulty finding a new club willing to pay him a multi-year deal for around $5.5 million.
TSN’s Salim Nadim Valji reports defenseman Oliver Kylington, 27, is heading to free agency.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kylington was a Masterton Trophy nominee last season after returning to action following two seasons dealing with mental health issues.
NOTABLE CONTRACT BUYOUTS
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed Jack Campbell on unconditional waivers Sunday before buying out the remaining three years of his contract. The 32-year-old goaltender carried an AAV of $5 million. The buyout will count as $1.1 million against the Oilers’ cap payroll this season, $2.3 million in 2025-26, $2.6 million in 2026-27, dropping to $1.5 million for each of the remaining three years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Campbell was signed two years ago to fill the Oilers’ starting goaltender role. Inconsistent play in 2022-23 cost him that job to Stuart Skinner. He spent most of last season with the Oilers AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. It remains to be seen if the 32-year-old netminder lands with another NHL club this summer.
WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets placed defenseman Nate Schmidt on unconditional waivers on Sunday before buying out the remaining year of his contract. The 32-year-old had a cap hit of $5.95 million for 2024-25. This buyout will count as $2.716 million against the Jets’ cap payroll this season and $1.616 million in 2025-26.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks expressed surprise on social media that the Jets didn’t trade Schmidt, retaining salary in the deal. There may have been no market for him.
IN OTHER NEWS…
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens traded defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic to the New Jersey Devils for a 2026 fourth-round pick.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens appear to be making room for one of their promising young blueliners for this season. This move also clears over $766K from their cap payroll.
TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson has informed management he has no intention of signing with the club and has requested a trade.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson is completing his entry-level contract. The 22-year-old winger is the younger brother of Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson. He’s struggled to crack the Leafs lineup full-time partly because of injuries.
Robertson lacks arbitration rights so his only leverage is to refuse to sign until traded. We’ll see if the Leafs find a new home for him this summer or engage in a contract standoff.
THE SCORE: Four of the five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal were not tendered qualifying offers yesterday. Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Michael McLeod will become unrestricted free agents today.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A trial date for their case has not yet been set. Don’t expect those players to receive any contract offers.
Here in Ottawa we all knew there were going to be departures – but the real oddity is, 5 of the 6 who – so far – won’t be back, all had their surname begin with “K”
Kubalik, Korpisalo, Kastelic, Kelly, Katchouk (along with Brannstrom) … if I were Tyler Kleven I’d feel a bit apprehensive about being called up. 🙂
George,
Todays shoping list for the Sen’s
1/
Goaltending
Looks like kits Set.✔️
2/
Defence
–Time to give big LD Tyler Kleven A shot in the NHL,
–Add A 2nd pairing RD
–Keep trying to trade Chychrun or Chabot for, picks or A RD man or top 6 forward like RW Martin Necas from thje Cane’s
— Use Hamonic as 7th d/man
3/
Forwards
Add one more top 6 forward, like RW Martin Necas from thje Cane’s in a trade for d/man Chychrun
Give 1or 2 of the kids from the farm a shot on the 3rd / 4th line, like
LW, Sokolov, Egor, 4th line
LW, Roby Järventie 3rd line,
C- Zack Ostapchuk 3rd line
Add
A Tough winger to the botom 6 to help stop and help Brady Tkachuk’ with ALL the fighting..⁉️
they need more team toughness…
williew – all signs pointing to the retention of Anton Forsberg as the back-up for Ullmark – they were paired early in their careers in Sweden and will be the tandem … to start the season anyway. Hopefully, the new goaltending coaching can work out last year’s kinks in Forsberg’s game – which was pretty decent prior to last season
Kleven is pretty much a given to start the season in Ottawa, where the coaching will concentrate on improving his puck control. I agree, a RD is a top priority – someone like Brett Pesce who turns 30 in Nov and is coming off a cap hit of $4,025,000. A 4-year deal at north of $5 might do it.
Necas isn’t coming here, but I do hope he can find trade partners for Chychrun ($4.6 mil) and Joseph ($2,950,000 – I like him but not at close to $3 m).
Probably only one F will be elevated from Belleville – hopefully Sokolov – who they are retaining – has learned what it takes to earn a position at the NHL level. Ostapchuk has an outside chance.
Theoretically they already have the “tough winger” to spell Tkachuk in 6’3″ 205 lb Zack MacEwen who is stll with the team for 2 more seasons at $775,000 per.
Chychrun just dealt to Washington for RD Jensen and a 3rd round pick next year
just seen that this am for JC for RD Nick Jenson and a 3rd round pick
A 26 yr old d for a 34 yr old d and 3rd pick ….🤔
I dont know how much a i like that…., but he can Skate and is more of a shut down type…, shut down is what we need….
They must be hoping big Tyler Yakemchuck will be ready in a couple of season to play…?
or an other RD/man
Bernard-Docker or Guénette could step up…
After seeing what the Leafs did with 34 yr old Chris Tanve 6X$4.5M….⁉️ WoW just Talk about GM’s throwing money at players
other signings
-Like the david peron signing he is a 50 point guy
-Like the Noah Gregor 4th line a good defencive forward
-Like the Michael Amadio 3rd line winger scored 15 goals each yr
But we still need a
Big Tough nosed winger for the 4th line❓