Chris Johnston reported on his show today that former NHLer Marc Savard could be headed to the Toronto Maple Leafs to join their coaching staff just a few days after mutually agreeing to part ways with the Calgary Flames. Savard returned to the NHL this past year as an assistant coach with Calgary but previously worked with Toronto’s new head coach Craig Berube in St. Louis during the 2019-20 season. After his run with the Blues, Savard spent two seasons as the head coach of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League guiding the team to an 88-35-8-4 record during that time (.695 winning percentage).
The 46-year-old ran the Flames power play this past season, which was seventh worst in the NHL. However, when Savard ran the Blues power play under Berube, St. Louis had the third-best power play in the NHL at 24.3%.
In other Atlantic Division notes:
- Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch is reporting that the Ottawa Senators are likely to pursue Boston Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark prior to the NHL entry draft next month. The Bruins have received some of the best goaltending in the league over the last two seasons and are in a predicament as they want to sign Jeremy Swayman to a long-term deal but will have Ullmark’s $5MM on their salary cap for one more season. The Senators were reportedly among the teams that tried to acquire Ullmark prior to the NHL trade deadline but were unable to complete a deal. Ottawa received some of the worst goaltending in the NHL last season despite inking free agent Joonas Korpisalo to a five-year $20MM deal last summer. The goaltender position has been a revolving door for the Senators since veteran Craig Anderson left town as a free agent back in 2020.
- Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic is reporting that it seems likelier than not that Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will go to free agency on July 1st, but he believes that Kane’s agent Pat Brisson will talk to the Red Wings in the next couple of weeks. Kane took a one-year deal for $2.75MM this past season and will be looking for more term on his next contract after posting solid numbers coming off hip resurfacing surgery. Kane dressed in 50 games for Detroit this season, tallying 20 goals and 27 assists while averaging a career-low in ice time at just 18:23 per game.
I don’t think the Bruins want to trade Ullmark within the division. It would have to be something really worth while for them to keep him in the division.
in fairness, Ottawa is near the bottom of that division so less of a threat
I get not trading in the division but at the same time get the best package because if the sens what him bad enough they will figure out a way. Im trying to remember the exact trade but i think it was Martin jones going playing for the kings and the sharks wanted him but the team didnt want to trade him in the division so traded him for the next best package in Boston only for him still to be traded back into the division 2 kr 3 days later for a better deal
Yea the Bruins traded traded Lucic to the kings for a 1st, jones and a prospect and then traded jones back to San jose for a 1st and a prospect. That some tidy business, the first pick ended up being 13th in 2015 and the 2nd was in 2016 in the mid 20’s. This is when Lucic was a top 6 menace albeit at the end of that run
The player Bos got from DJ was Sean Kuraly, the actual pick SJ sent to Boston for Jones ended up being #29 overall as SJ went to the finals. With the pick Boston selected Trent Federic. So a very good trade for Boston
I don’t think Ullmark will waive his NMC to go out west. Might have no choice but to trade him to a team out East.
I agree with that, but there are other teams in the East who wil have interest in Ullmark. Carolina talked to the Bruins about him at the trade deadline. There’s a possible Ullmark for Necas switch right there. New Jersey may have interest because they’re going to add a goalie this offseason. The question is just which one
Ullmark for Necas makes some sense, especially with Ullmark likely wanting to be with a Cup contender. (If he wanted to go to a bottom feeder team, he could have just stayed with the Sabres.) You’d think that Ottawa would be on his no-trade list.
Ullmark has a M-NTC not a full NMC.
In his case he has a 15 team no trade list.
I doubt that he has every west team on it, but I want the best deal possible- so even if it’s in the division , that’s what should be done
I disagree. The report is that Ullmark’s family is comfortable on the east coast & doesn’t want to move west. That doesn’t mean teams in the midwest are on it, but I think it is safe to say the California teams, the western Canadian teams, Seattle, Utah & Vegas are on it.
Hate to say when the Sens signed that guy last year ♂️ what a mistake on AAV and term.