NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2020

by | Jul 18, 2020 | News, NHL | 8 comments

Vezina Trophy finalists announced, Caleb Jones admits testing positive for COVID-19, plus updates on David Pastrnak, Marc-Andre Fleury, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

2020 NHL AWARDS UPDATE

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Boston Bruins’ Tuukka Rask, and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy are the finalist for the 2020 Vezina Trophy, awarded to the top goaltender as voted by NHL general managers.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is among the finalists for the 2020 Vezina Trophy (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rask (2014) and Vasilevskiy (2019) won the Vezina before, while this is Hellebuyck’s second time as a finalist. Rask has the better stats of the three, but Hellebucyk led the league in shutouts (6) while carrying the Jets and their depth-depleted defense into the 2020 playoffs. That could be the determining factor in his favor.

LATEST TRAINING CAMP HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: David Pastrnak’s agent said his client is in quarantine after coming in contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. The Bruins winger tested negative for the coronavirus. That explains why he was held out of practice Thursday.

Pastrnak and teammate Ondrej Kase were following travel quarantine protocols after recently returning from the Czech Republic to attend training camp. The reason for Kase’s absence remains unknown.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers defenseman Caleb Jones admitted he tested positive for COVID-19 several weeks ago when he returned to Edmonton from his off-season home in Dallas. He had no symptoms and self-quarantined for two weeks. He’s fine now and skating in Oilers’ practices.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones is the second player known to have had the virus but the first to voluntarily admit it. Last month, the Toronto Sun reported Maple Leafs center Austin Matthews tested positive for COVID-19 over a month ago. He acknowledged it earlier this week.

The NHL is preventing teams from revealing the health status of its players during the return-to-play plan. Absent players are being listed as “unfit to play” or “unfit to participate” with no explanation.

Speaking of the Oilers, they and the mayor of Edmonton issued statements yesterday insisting the storm damage caused to part of Rogers Place arena on Thursday won’t derail plans to host Western Conference teams in the upcoming playoff tournament.

NHL.COM: Marc-Andre Fleury participated in training camp on Friday with his Vegas Golden Knights teammates for the first time this week. The club claims Fleury missed the opening days for “maintenance”, while head coach Peter DeBoer said the goaltender’s absence was not related to COVID-19.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Defensemen Olli Maatta and Connor Murphy joined Corey Crawford on the list of Blackhawks players deemed “unfit to play”. Blueliner Calvin de Haan missed his third straight practice dealing with a family emergency.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning forward Cedric Paquette was listed as “unable to practice” on Friday. He was banged-up during practice on Wednesday.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Noah Juulsen is battling for a spot on the Canadiens roster after being sidelined since Nov. 19, 2018, with migraines related to head trauma. The 23-year-old defenseman got in some games with the Habs’ AHL farm team in Laval before the schedule was interrupted in March and claims he’s felt great since then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For a while, there was concern Juulsen’s promising career could be over before it began. If he’s healthy he could be a valuable addition to the Canadiens blueline.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson declined to confirm a report by TSN’s Darren Dreger claiming interim coach Bob Boughner signed a contract extension to become their permanent head coach. Dreger also cited a report claiming former AHL coach Rocky Thompson would join the Sharks staff as an assistant coach. Wilson said there’s been no decision yet on the coaching staff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Wilson doesn’t like it when a reporter spoils his big reveal.

THE DENVER POST: Some promising news to report on former NHLer Kyle Quincey’s young son Axl. The 1-year-old appears on the road to recovery following his second brain surgery on June 9 to remove a tumor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Axl and his family. Here’s hoping he makes a full recovery.







8 Comments

  1. I think the Vezina will go to Hellebuyck.

    He is the only reason the Jets are in the play in round. He was also number 1 in high danger shots.

    I hear a lot of folks saying the Jets D wasn’t bad…. Yes they were, as in business good results hide sins.

    In this case the play of Hellebuyck protected the play of the porous D and in fairness the lack of support from the forwards coming back to help out.

    • Agreed, Caper. I’ll be very surprised if Hellebuyck doesn’t win the Vezina this year. Without him, the Jets would’ve been in big trouble.

  2. It may be way too early on a Saturday but getting some live Penguins hockey to watch is pretty sweet!

  3. It’s on the Penguins official site and their app.

    • Thanks Deee

      Watched it now (YouTube feed)

      Hope Sid’s OK; was playing Sid-like B4 he left

      Jarry 👍👍👍👍
      Top two lines 👍👍👍
      Guentz 👍👍👍👍
      Shultz 👍👍👍

      Marino was great this year looked very rusty today… he’ll shake that off no problem👎

      McC 👍👍👍

      4th line … 👍👍

      Marleau… I was not impressed 👎👎

      Rodrigues … really liked his play 👍👍👍

      Pettersson was a bit out of sorts but it might have been that it was exacerbated by Marino having quite a bad day 👎

      JJ wasn’t really challenged and only had three brutal miscues/out of place situations …. so neither 👎 or 👍.. IMHO

      Tanger/ Dumo looked good 👍👍

      Murr … would like at least two back but was shell shocked 👎👎👎

      Worst by far out there (believe it or not; yes worse than JJ)… Ruhweedel …. out of position more than 1/2 the time ; break out passes blown; receiving passes …. brutal 👎👎👎👎👎👎… absolutely awful

      Great to see from the depth players in general but true kudos :

      Laffy…. wow…. very very very good … was flying 👍👍👍👍👍

      Biggest (and most pleasant) surprise was from Czuczman (had no idea that the name was pronounced “churchman”)….. had not seen a ton of his play before but I had always been (from that small viewing sample) ; impressed by him…. today (again very very limited viewing)…, I was very very impressed… poised ; extremely good at joining the rush and carrying the puck and was easily handling the full D (both) as D partner Ruhweedel was completely out to lunch…. Czuczman… 👍👍👍👍👍

      Imagine Czuczman/Shultz as 3rd pairing ….. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

      For whatever reason; Sully won’t play the far superior Riikola instead of JJ; perhaps today’s showing by Czuczman will get Sully to sit JJ and put in Czu!!! …. yes I can dream

  4. I live in Edmonton. That was a Heckuva storm.

    The threshold for cancelling the 2019/20 playoffs should be low. I really hope they can do it, but if it puts players at risk – scrap it with no hesitation.

    The exposure Bubble concept is sound. Last week EPL soccer tested 2000 players and staff with Zero positive results. Fingers Crossed