NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2021
Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the stars of the month, plus injury updates, game postponements and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Joe Pavelski scored twice and collected two assists as the Dallas Stars defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3. Stars captain Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists while Patrik Laine was held scoreless in his first game with the Blue Jackets since getting traded last month from the Winnipeg Jets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 36-year-old Pavelski is off to a strong start, with 14 points in his first seven games of the season.
Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber (NHL Images).
Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber collected an assist as his 1000th career NHL game ended in a 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Habs winger Tyler Toffoli continues to terrorize his former club by scoring twice while Josh Anderson also tallied two goals. The Canadiens (16 points) vaulted over the idle Toronto Maple Leafs into first place in the North Division.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eight of Toffoli’s nine goals this season have been against the Canucks.
The Carolina Hurricanes edged the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on a shootout goal by Andrei Svechnikov. Jordan Staal and Warren Foegele each had two points for the Hurricanes. Blackhawks winger Alex DeBrincat and defenseman Nicolas Beaudin rejoined the lineup after being on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list.
Vince Dunn scored and set up another as the St. Louis Blues hung on to nip the Arizona Coyotes 4-3. The Blues have won four straight games. Christian Dvorak tallied twice for the Coyotes, who played without forwards Christian Fischer (upper-body injury) and Lawson Crouse (upper body).
The Winnipeg Jets tallied three first period goals and held on to down the Calgary Flames 3-2. Matthew Tkachuk scored two goals for the Flames.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 27 saves backstopping his club over the Minnesota Wild 2-1. The Avalanche were playing with superstar Nathan MacKinnon, who’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon left this game with an upper-body injury. No post-game update was provided on his status.
The Anaheim Ducks snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Nicolas Deslauriers scored and added an assist while Kings rookie Arthur Kaliyev tallied his first career NHL goal.
Jesse Pulujaarvi scored his first two goals of the season as the Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Ottawa Senators 4-2. Connor McDavid and Tyson Barrie each collected two assists while Senators rookie Tim Stuetzle netted his third goal of the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have dropped nine straight games since their season-opening win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. They weren’t expected to be a playoff contender but it was assumed they would be more competitive after a busy offseason shoring up their roster with some veteran additions. None of those moves, however, have improved the Senators, who are on track for one of their worst seasons in franchise history.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Pavelski and McDavid were among the NHL’s top stars for the month of January 2021, joining Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar and Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk.
WGR 550/NEW YORK POST: The Buffalo Sabres’ scheduled games against the New York Islanders on Tuesday and Thursday were postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. Sabres forward Taylor Hall and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen were added to the protocol list following the club’s recent series of games against the New Jersey Devils.
NJ.COM: Speaking of the Devils, they now have 14 players on their COVID-19 protocol list. Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes, Damon Severson, Ty Smith and Matt Tennyson were added to the list yesterday.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind this doesn’t mean those players have all tested positive for COVID-19. Players can be added to the list if they’re a suspected close contact.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers forward Morgan Frost will undergo potentially season-ending shoulder surgery later this week. Center Sean Couturier (costochondral separation) is expected to return within seven-to-10 days.
THE DETROIT NEWS: Red Wings forwards Robby Fabbri and Adam Erne will rejoin their teammates today after missing several games on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list. Sam Gagner, Jon Merrill and Filip Zadina are also off the protocol list.
NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: Several sticks ordered by the Capitals for defenseman Zdeno Chara were instead delivered to a New Jersey man. The total order was worth over $5,000.00.
Re “ Several sticks ordered by the Capitals for defenseman Zdeno Chara were instead delivered to a New Jersey man. The total order was worth over $5,000.00.”
Can he apply the sound legal term “finders, keepers”
They are only worth $5000 to someone who is a nearly 7 foot tall hockey player haha…
In all seriousness though. How does something like that get delivered to some dude in NJ rather than Washington DC?
Tony DeAngelo lives in NJ. Let’s add this to list of rumored off ice behavior. Hijacking Chara’s sticks.
Does this mean that Chara intends to get rid of his original Micmac stocls?
sticks
Have to love Tyler Toffoli, he was asked post game about how it feels to be the top goal scorer in the league…..and he just rolled his eyes and muttered about it being early.
He doesn’t let it go to his head, just plays his game and avoids nonsense expectations built on a hot streak.
Did you catch Weber stand and acknowledge the “crowd” when it was announced that he was participating in his 1000 NHL game? Instant classic.
I’d bet you haven’t applauded Weber since his 500th game, when he buzzed your head with a 100-mph puck after your helmet was knocked off, leaving you with a cul-de-sac.
Haha! Not true. Like Caper, there are several Habs players whom I have great respect and affection for. Weber, Price, Gallagher, Danault and Anderson should all be Bruins. Kotkaniemi has been on my wish list since ’18, and I’ve always been a Scorey Perry fan. I also love Claude. This past few years it’s been tough to hate the team I’ve grown up naturally despising.
They are so much fun to watch right now, it makes me sick.
On the other hand, I quite like the new rivalry between my Bruins and Washington. Heavy, heavy hockey.
2422,
Weber’s wave gave truth to the rumor that he’s funny off the ice.
I’ve hated the Bruins for a long time but there are a few I always appreciated, not just the greatest player of all time Bobby Orr
Can there be any Habs fans that are still unhappy with the Subban-for-Weber trade?
Shoreorrpark –He’s now Scary Perry; just a ghost of his former self.
You are a true fan, SOP. I dislike the Bs but love Bergeron and while I don’t like Marchant I respect his skill. When the two played with Crosby in the Olympics I thought it was one of the best lines of all time.
And you have to be jazzed about how the Bs are playing. I had them pegged for decline this year.
So far so good with the B’s LJ. I think the lack of camp time and practice time has helped veteran teams like the B’s, and the Habs.
Young guys can be sheltered a bit until they get the reps.
And sometimes it is the moves you don’t make that matter the most.
I was one who thought the Habs lost the Subban/Weber trade simply due to the ages of the players involved.
But Subban is the one who has lost his explosiveness. Maybe they saw something the rest of us didn’t.
Too bad, I wish I was right about that one.
I really wish we did not let him go. He said he wanted to re-sign… 🙁
I loved the Weber/Subban trade when it was announced, it was robbery.
The contracts- Weber is easy to unload toward the end, low pay high cap, perfect for the bottom feeders. If he retires before the contract terminates, Preds eat the cap.
Natural leader respected around the league vs a player considered a nuisance.
A team first player vs a me first player.
PK is/was never as good as he made himself out to be while Weber has always been better than he made himself out to be.
Habs fans from the glory days saw the value/talent differential right off the bat.
One thing to remember about Subban – he donated $10 million dollars to a Montreal hospital. Montreal fans loved him and he loved the city and he showed it.
Any other NHL stars making that kind of commitment to their communities?
Re: The Senators. Quite frankly the veterans brought in have been garbage. Stephen, Paquette, Dadnov, & Watson have been terrible. The young guns, have looked quite good, a great sign for Ottawa fans.
We are also going to suffer because we easily have the worst D in the league. Chabot has been good, I’ve liked Zub, and Zaitzev started the season a new man. The rest have been trash.
Luckily for the Senators, Brannstrom, Sanderson, Dockery are still in the system and based on this season, they’ll have their pick of another top rated defenseman (Owen Power) in this draft class.
Sens future is very bright … they are loaded with young talent, have to be patient, especially with young d-men …
Great to see a POSITIVE posting from You Ed.
JJB, you didn’t mention goaltending. How’s that been?
Hi JJB
Agree the “vets” have been detrimental but I’ve posted many times… Sens’ future is bright
I actually believe that unless Leafs move away from 1/2 Cap on 4 forwards formulae; that Sens have more of a cup chance in the next 5 years than Leafs do
The huge problem (confusing …. let me add , ABSOLUTELY confusing) was Sens trade for Stepan
Arz was completely stuck and over the Cap… they HAD to make a move. Sens were gifting Arz by taking on Stepan. Absolutely gifting Arz.
The deal in no way should have been 2nd for Stepan
It should have been (and I posted this many times last summer)….
Stepan AND Garland for a 2nd
Stepan…. 2 points …. Minus 6
Garland… 24… very fast, great energy, great hands, has 7 points plus 3
Sens future….Chabot,Tkachuck, Stutzle, Batherson, Norris, Brannerstrom, Formenton, Logan Brown, Thompson, Sanderson, Greig , J B-D, Chlapik, Zub, Abromov, Gustaffsson….. all will be in their prime 4 years from now
They also are highly likely to pick in top 4 next year and should have two low 2nd rounders (their own plus Sharks)
Can you imagine if Sens got Owen Power next year
Still haven’t heard anything from George
Hope all is well with him
So does Couturier have an upper body or lower body injury?