In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the fallout from the Bruins coaching change, the trade market for Ducks goalie John Gibson, and Commissioner Gary Bettman weighs in on speculation about a higher-than-projected salary cap next season.
FALLOUT FROM THE BRUINS COACHING CHANGE
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Boston Bruins want to give interim head coach Joe Sacco a real shot at the job. Sacco was promoted from associate coach after the club fired Jim Montgomery on Tuesday.
LeBrun said the Bruins will give Sacco a legitimate chance at being their head coach. They have no plans to conduct a search for a new bench boss and won’t reach out to any legitimate candidates at this time.
Former Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery (NHL.com).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun and Chris Johnston also said that general manager Don Sweeney deserves some blame for putting the Bruins’ current roster together. They indicated there’s a feeling the players deserve their share as most haven’t played well thus far.
THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa looked at possible destinations for Montgomery if a new head coaching position arises. He suggested the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those clubs are struggling through their own disappointing performances thus far. There’s a sense in Montreal that the Canadiens won’t replace head coach Martin St. Louis but he could use an experienced assistant coach. Montgomery might not be interested in being anyone’s assistant unless head coaching offers dry up.
SPORTSNET: Rory Boylen included the Bruins among his list of teams that need to consider an early-season trade. The Penguins, Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators were also on Boylen’s list, published before the Bruins fired Montgomery.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those four clubs have frequently surfaced in the rumor mill recently. Their respective general managers are believed to be seeking help for their rosters.
The fact that the Bruins opted to replace their coach probably tells us all we need to know about the caliber of talent currently available in the trade market.
The Bruins could be in the market for a defenseman if they continue to look for a trade. Boston Hockey Now’s Andrew Fantucchio recently observed that Hampus Lindholm’s injury leaves them with a significant hole on the blueline.
THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille looked at other coaches who could be on the hot seats with their respective clubs. They include Derek Lalonde of the Detroit Red Wings, Luke Richardson of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Mike Sullivan of the Penguins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gentille listed several others but Lalonde, Richardson and Sullivan seem most in danger of losing their jobs.
UPDATE ON JOHN GIBSON
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun looked at the market for John Gibson if the Anaheim Ducks were to retain half of the 31-year-old goaltender’s $6.4 million annual cap hit through 2026-27.
LeBrun suggested the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche as potential fits. Both teams are contenders but there are concerns about their goaltending depth.
However, LeBrun reports the Avalanche are okay sticking with their goalies because they currently don’t see any significant improvements in the trade market. He speculates it might be a different story for the Hurricanes if starter Frederik Andersen remains sidelined.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks have reportedly been unwilling to retain salary to move Gibson. That might change now that he has only two more seasons left on his contract after this one. The rise of young goaltender Lukas Dostal might also feel more receptive toward that notion.
NO BIG INCREASE IN THE SALARY CAP, SAYS BETTMAN
THE SCORE: Josh Gold-Smith reports NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman dismissed recent rumors suggesting the league and the NHL Players Association could agree to raise the salary cap for next season well beyond original projections.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman raised eyebrows over the weekend when he reported the two sides would discuss increasing the cap between $7 million and $8 million instead of the originally projected $4.4 million.
“I don’t know where that came from,” said Bettman. “The numbers that were being thrown around were not accurate, and any change would require an agreement between us (the league) and the players’ association in terms of how it’s computed, and we haven’t had those discussions. So somebody, I think, floated something on a slow news day.”
The standard raise to the cap is five percent which would see it rise from $88 million this season to $92.4 million for 2025-26.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman didn’t rule out the possibility that it could be higher but it sounds like it won’t be near what Friedman suggested.