The latest on the Flyers’ Sean Couturier, the Penguins’ Kevin Hayes, and the Jets’ Cole Perfetti, some arbitration dates are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier faces a make-or-break season. The 31-year-old Flyers captain played a full season in 2023-24 after missing a season and a half to back surgery but struggled to regain his form, finishing with 38 points in 74 games. Couturier was also a healthy scratch late in the season.
Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It can sometimes take a full season for a player to bounce back from a serious surgery. Couturier could return to his Selke Trophy form this season and silence the concerns about his future. His contract is partly behind those worries, entering the third season of an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $7.75 million.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins forward Kevin Hayes intends to use his trade from the St. Louis Blues as motivation while he awaits his role with his new club. Hayes, 32, said he didn’t really find a role with the Blues, making it difficult to play his best hockey.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins acquired Hayes to replace the aging Jeff Carter as their third-line center, which was greeted with criticism citing Hayes’ age and struggles last season with the Blues. How well he adjusts will contribute to the outcome of the Penguins’ season.
WINNIPEG SUN: Cole Perfetti’s role this season with the Jets could determine the length of his next contract. The 22-year-old restricted free-agent forward is believed to have talked with new head coach Scott Arniel regarding his role with the team, which could sway whether he signs a long-term deal. Perfetti could see top-six minutes and power-play time under Arniel.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Former Jets head coach Rick Bowness seemed to lose confidence in Perfetti last season. He could break out this season with a more robust role under Arniel.
PUCKPEDIA: released the salary arbitration dates for Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (July 29), Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko (July 31), New York Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom (Aug. 1) and Carolina Hurricanes winger Martin Necas (Aug. 4).
New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren also has an upcoming arbitration hearing date.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Arthur Staple recently reported Lindgren’s hearing is scheduled for Aug. 2.
TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs avoided arbitration with forward Connor Dewar as the two sides agreed to a one-year, $1.18 million contract.
BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Buffalo Sabres won’t be facing Beck Malenstyn in arbitration, signing the 26-year-old winger to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.35 million.
NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club signed Cole Beaudoin to a three-year entry-level contract. Beaudoin, 18, was selected 24th overall by Utah in the 2024 NHL Draft.
TSN: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas and Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois were named to Canada’s management team for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and the 2026 Men’s Olympic hockey team.
THE ATHLETIC: A tax ruling involving Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares could make it difficult for Canadian NHL teams to sign free agents.
The report indicates a key reason behind Tavares’ signing with the Leafs was the belief a provision in the Canada-US Tax Treaty commonly used by professional athletes would allow him to pay lower taxes on his initial $15 million signing bonus.
However, the Canada Revenue Agency claims he owes over $6.8 million (plus another $1.2 million in interest) on that signing bonus. Tavares is disputing the CRA’s assessment, the outcome of which could have a far-reaching effect on Canadian teams trying to lure players north of the border.
This stems from where Tavares’ principal residence was in 2018. He was a US tax resident that year. However, a person is considered a resident of Canada for tax purposes if they spend 183 days in the country.
The issue centers on whether Tavares’s bonus with the Leafs that year was employment income or an inducement to sign the contract. If the CRA is successful, it will reframe how the provision of bonuses is applied.
The CRA is also scrutinizing the use of Retirement Compensation Agreements (RCAs) by Canadian teams to reduce the tax burden on non-resident players.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve shortened this to provide the main highlights. If you have a subscription to The Athletic, I recommend reading the piece for the full details. This case could take a couple of years before a decision is reached.
Higher taxes are one reason why Canadian teams have had difficulty signing top free-agent talent. A ruling against Tavares will mean those clubs must pay more to entice free agents to sign with them. It will also mean they must pay more to retain their best players.
Canadian teams will likely turn to the NHL to address this situation If this becomes a significant impediment for them. They’re unlikely to go to the Canadian government. An attempt to find a federal and provincial solution to help those clubs dealing with a historically low Canadian dollar in 1999 didn’t poll well with Canadians. It was abandoned following disagreements between the provinces and the federal government over the breakdown of the funding.
That forced the NHL to implement a revenue-sharing scheme for Canadian teams which stayed in place until the 2005 CBA was implemented.