NHL Morning Coffee Headllines – August 14, 2021 Auston Matthews undergoes wrist surgery, Joe Thornton signs with the Panthers, start times for the 2021-22 season revealed, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines. TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews could miss the early part of training camp next month after undergoing wrist surgery […]
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Matthews out at least 6 weeks after undergoing wrist surgery
Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews will miss at least six weeks after undergoing wrist surgery, the team announced Friday.
Matthews experienced discomfort during his on-ice training earlier this week and opted for surgery after consulting with specialists and the team's medical staff.
The 23-year-old center dealt with wrist issues throughout the 2020-21 season.
Toronto opens training camp Sept. 22 and is scheduled to kick off its preseason campaign three days later at Scotiabank Arena against the Montreal Canadiens.
Matthews is coming off another stellar season. He notched a league-leading 41 goals to become the first Maple Leafs player to capture the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy.
The three-time All-Star was also a finalist for the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award.
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NHL to require team staff vaccinations; player protocols not yet complete
The NHL sent out a memo to all of its teams on Friday detailing some of the league's vaccine requirements ahead of the upcoming campaign, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
"Any person whose job, role, position, or access entails or entitles them to have personal interactions (within 12 feet) with club hockey operations personnel (including Players) are required to be fully vaccinated," the statement reads.
There are a limited number of exceptions - such as valet parking attendants, Friedman added. Protocols for the players are not yet complete.
The league had strict rules for players and clubs for the majority of last season but relaxed them for certain squads in May. The protocols were loosened and allowed more freedoms to players and staff on teams that were at least 85% fully vaccinated.
Once a franchise hit the 85% threshold, players were allowed to gather socially outside of team facilities, sit at restaurants outdoors, and spend time in each other's hotel rooms on the road. Players also stopped receiving PCR tests on off days and were allowed to attend team meetings without face coverings.
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Jets to honor Hawerchuk with statue, street renaming
True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Winnipeg Jets, announced Friday that it's submitted an application to rename a portion of Graham Avenue in honor of the late Dale Hawerchuk.
If approved, Honourary Dale Hawerchuk Way, which would stretch between Donald Street and Carlton Street, is expected to be unveiled in time for the beginning of next season.
The club will also erect a statue of Hawerchuk, who died last August at the age of 57 after a battle with cancer, in True North Square. The statue is expected to be unveiled in August 2022.
Erik Blome, who designed the Wayne Gretzky statue in front of the Staples Center and created the 14 sculptures in the Toronto Maple Leafs' "Legends Row," will design Hawerchuk's statue.
"Dale, quite simply, is part of the fabric of this city and of the Winnipeg Jets organization," executive chairman Mark Chipman said.
"Beyond that, he has contributed so much to the sport of hockey. We are so proud to give Dale these much-deserved honors to showcase his extraordinary career and the remarkable person he was, and ensure his legacy lives well beyond the fans who followed his career and who were lucky enough to see him play."
Hawerchuk was drafted first overall by the Jets in 1981. He played his first nine seasons in the league with Winnipeg, winning the Calder Trophy in 1982. Hawerchuk then joined the Buffalo Sabres for five seasons before wrapping up his career with the St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers.
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001, Hawerchuk produced 1,409 points in 1,188 career games.
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Panthers sign Thornton to 1-year contract
The Florida Panthers signed veteran forward Joe Thornton to a one-year deal, the club announced Friday.
Thornton's contract is worth $750,000 and has no bonuses or incentives, according to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.
The 42-year-old has played in 1,680 career games between the Boston Bruins (1997-06), San Jose Sharks (2006-20), and Toronto Maple Leafs (2020-21).
"With more than 1,600 games played in the NHL, Joe will bring a wealth of experience to our locker room and lineup," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said in a statement. "His drive to succeed is unmistakable and we are thrilled that he chose to sign with our club and that he believes in what we are building here in South Florida."
Thornton is sixth all time in games played in NHL history. He has amassed 1,529 points during his career, which included a Hart Trophy in the 2005-06 campaign.
The six-time All-Star has never won the Stanley Cup despite all his on-ice accolades.
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NHL Rumor Mill – August 13, 2021
NHL Rumor Mill – August 13, 2021 A look at why some of this summer’s notable trade candidates haven’t been moved yet in today’s NHL rumor mill. PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski looked at this summer’s top-five trade candidates who haven’t been moved yet and why. Topping his list, of course, is Buffalo Sabres center […]
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 13, 2021
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 13, 2021 The Jets avoid arbitration with Andrew Copp, the NHL won’t pay for players’ COVID insurance at 2022 Beijing Olympics, several Canadian teams prepare for full capacity this season and more in today’s morning coffee headlines. WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets avoided salary arbitration with Andrew Copp, reaching an […]
Jets sign Copp to 1-year, $3.64M extension
The Winnipeg Jets have signed forward Andrew Copp to a one-year contract extension worth $3.64 million, the team announced Thursday.
Copp entered the offseason as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He'll be unrestricted when his new deal expires and is eligible for another extension as of Jan. 1, 2022.
The Jets now have all their players under contract for the 2021-22 season. Winnipeg is currently projected to be over the $81.5-million salary cap, according to CapFriendly, but the club can exceed the limit by $5.29 million with Bryan Little on long-term injured reserve.
Copp, 27, set career highs in goals (15), points (39), and ice time (18:15 per contest) this past campaign across 55 games. He was a fourth-round pick of the Jets in 2013.
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Oilers sign Koekkoek to 2-year contract
The Edmonton Oilers signed defenseman Slater Koekkoek to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $925,000, the team announced Thursday.
Koekkoek recorded one point in 18 games with the Oilers last season, averaging just over 13 minutes per contest. Edmonton signed him to a one-year deal last December.
The 27-year-old was the 10th overall pick in 2012. He spent time with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks before joining the Oilers.
Edmonton has made significant changes to its blue line this offseason. The club traded Ethan Bear and lost Adam Larsson in the expansion draft while bringing in veterans Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci.
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NHL Rumor Mill – August 12, 2021
NHL Rumor Mill – August 12, 2021 The latest on Evander Kane and Kirill Kaprizov in today’s NHL rumor mill. THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports Evander Kane was a problem for the San Jose Sharks during last season. Sources indicate several players spoke to general manager Doug Wilson about the winger throughout 2020-21, telling him […]