NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2021

by | Mar 6, 2021 | News, NHL | 41 comments

Recaps of Friday’s games, Brent Seabrook retires, Sabres GM speaks about his club’s poor performance and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Brad Marchand scored twice and set up another to lead the Boston Bruins over the Washington Capitals 5-1. Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom collected an assist to give him 700 for his career. Capitals winger Tom Wilson could face supplemental discipline after he drilled Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo in the head during the first period. Wilson was unpenalized on the play while Carlo left the game and was taken to hospital for his injury.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson has a history of questionable hits stretching back to 2015. His previous antics earned him four fines and three suspensions totaling 23 games.

A shootout goal by Philipp Kurashev lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Alex DeBrincat scored twice, Patrick Kane collected two helpers and Malcolm Subban made 39 saves for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks have proven to be a handful for the Lightning in this series compared to their previous one earlier in the season. It’s indicative of how much the Hawks have improved since the opening weeks of the schedule.

David Perron’s game-tying goal late in the third period set the stage for Mike Hoffman’s overtime winner as the St. Louis Blues edged the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Perron scored twice while Ryan O’Reilly assisted on every Blues goal. The Kings have dropped four straight.

The Colorado Avalanche got an overtime goal by Valeri Nichushkin to nip the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Avs center Nathan MacKinnon remained sidelined by an apparent head injury suffered during Wednesday’s game against San Jose. He received clearance to play but was a late scratch to avoid further injury. Head coach Jared Bednar believes MacKinnon could miss a couple of more games.

A three-goal first period powered the Minnesota Wild to a 5-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Jordan Greenway and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and an assist while Kirill Kaprizov and Marcus Foligno both collected two assists.

Max Pacioretty scored in overtime as the Vegas Golden Knights downed the San Jose Sharks 5-4. Pacioretty scored twice and added an assist. Vegas goalie Oscar Dansk made 24 saves to pick up his first win since 2017.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook announced his playing career is over due to injuries. The 35-year-old blueliner’s last game was Dec. 15, 2019, after which he underwent surgery on both of his hips and right shoulder. He then suffered a back injury during the opening day of training camp in January. Seabrook finishes his career with three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013, 2015), an Olympic Gold Medal (2010) and 464 points in 1,114 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seabrook spent his entire 15-year NHL career with the Blackhawks and played a crucial role in their rise from league laughingstock to three-time Stanley Cup champion. He hasn’t officially retired, however, as he has three years and $15 million in actual salary remaining on his contract. He’ll remain on long-term injury reserve, which will provide the Blackhawks with a measure of salary-cap relief.

WGR 550: Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams expressed his unhappiness yesterday over his club’s poor performance. He called where the team was at this time “unacceptable”, criticized what he called a lack of competitiveness by the players, emphasized he has “full authority on hockey decisions,” indicated “everything is being evaluated” when asked about head coach Ralph Krueger’s status and claimed team captain Jack Eichel has not requested a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adams’ statement seemed to be the club’s attempt to mollify Sabres fans upset with the club’s lack of progress. Talk is one thing, action is another. The fans are more interested in what, if anything, the current management intends to do to end this team’s decade of mediocrity.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former Canadiens goaltending coach Stephane Waite said the club expected starting goalie Carey Price would struggle in January and February as he adjusted to sharing his workload this season with backup Jake Allen. Price was expected to improve as the season wore on and saw more starts.

Waite also said the long-time Habs netminder isn’t at 100 percent physically but he can still play. “He’s not hurt but he has some stiffness. He has to learn to play with the pain and that’s why we need a very good backup and that’s what we have in Montreal right now.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will further stoke debate among Canadiens fans over whether Price will ever regain his once-dominant form on a consistent basis.

THE SCORE: Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning said he’s not looking to make a coaching change. Bench boss Travis Green is in the final season of his contract but Benning believes Green and his staff “have done a good job with our group”. As for trades, the Canucks GM said his struggling team has to figure this out from within as new players would have to quarantine for two weeks and regain their conditioning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: So, no Jake Virtanen to the Anaheim Ducks for Danton Heinen as rumored a week ago?

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers are breathing a sigh of relief as they learned goaltender Igor Shesterkin suffered a mild groin strain during Thursday’s win over the New Jersey Devils. He had to be helped off the ice at the end of the third period when he was unable to put weight on his right leg. He’s listed as day-to-day.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Former 1980 Team USA forward Mark Pavelich, 63, was found dead in a Minnesota treatment facility. Pavelich helped Team USA upset the powerful Soviet Union squad on route to winning Olympic gold in 1980. He went on to spend six seasons in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks, tallying 329 points in 355 games.

Pavelich was arrested in 2019 and charged with a violent assault on his neighbor but was found mentally incompetent to stand trial. Family and friends believe his condition was linked to head trauma suffered during his playing career. He was receiving treatment for his condition and was believed to be making progress at the time of his death.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Pavelich’s family, friends and former teammates.







41 Comments

  1. Re “ Tom Wilson could face supplemental discipline ”

    WTF…. there better not be “could” …. it HAS to happen

    That’s 3 times in two weeks that his sole reason in hitting was to injure… and in fact to seriously injure… put a player not only out of the game; but out of the building straight to the hospital

    I was absolutely gobsmacked there wasn’t a 5 and ejection

    How could 4 men in stripes miss this

    He absolutely must get a minimum of 5 games

    Without a serious message… he will assume that is absolutely kosher to do that…. and he will end up ending someone’s career…

    I watched him do this as a teenager in Toronto …. direct charge shoulder to head of unsuspecting kid….kid is out cold…. Wilson laughs, his family and teammates cheer him on… sickening

    I have absolutely no time for a guy who just wants to injure

    I do absolutely love earth shattering clean hits…

    Love a spontaneous fight….

    Entertaining and all part of the game; and gets the “steam” and P & V going in the game

    Very entertaining

    Big clean hit; or a prolonged spontaneous punch up can be as entertains as a “beauty” goal

    This head Hunter has to stop… and suspension is the only way to make it happen

    His history speaks for itself

    Not a fan

    • I would say there’s no question of “if” Wilson gets suspended. The question is how many games. Has there been any communication from the league around pro-rating suspensions due to the shortened season? If not I’m thinking 10 games would be about right.

      Hoping for a quick recovery for Carlo and for Wilson to fall down a flight of stairs.

      • Or fight Ross The Boss

    • I couldn’t agree more with you more Penger. Tom Wilson absolutely disgraced himself, entire Washington organization and the game of hockey. That was an inexcusable hit to the head. Carlo could have been brain dead after that hit, and the other Washington player who intentionally fell on Carlo after the initial hit took liberty on Carlo’s neck several times, that indicates it was part of their game plan all along. I’m sure it was talked about in the dressing room prior to puck drop. I am by no means a Bruin’s fan, in fact I’m a die hard Leaf fan. I can not stand the sight of the Bruins. What Wilson did last night is not hockey, it was clear intent to end someone’s career and possibly life. It has to be a minimum 10 games if not more. Possibly a suspension for the remainder of the season. NHL need to send a message not just to the Washington organization but to the fans of the game as well. They need to make a statement that they won’t tolerate such an ugly display of dispicable act. If they don’t take a absolute stance, one day someone will lay dead on the ice. Also, I would fine all 4 refs of the game. At some point there has to be accountability for not doing their job. Last night was clear example of inconsistency in calling games. I have seen multiple times this season where refs call penalty on players for having their stick on stick. NHL keep saying they want to protect the players, they want skill and creativity over head shots and fighting. Well than ENFORCE what you preach.
      I am not denying the game is fast and furious and you are bound to miss some calls, but come on there are 4 sets of eyes on the ice, and not one saw the hit to the head. These guys should be employed based on performance, like the rest of the people in society. I hope speedy recovery for Carlo.

    • Pengy

      Couldn’t agree more.

      A strong message needs to be sent via the NHL and NHLPA. No appeal on his behalf by the PA.

      He came from way outside the play to hit a vulnerable and unsuspecting opponent.

      I would say since he’s a repeat offender it starts at 10 games.

      • Wilson needs to go for the season. No need for that garbage. Send a real good message this time Parros

  2. Don’t want to come across wanting the 70’s Bruins back but I would take the 2011 Bruins back on how they were built with a combo of skating & toughness …. for the last few years Bruins players have been injured by opposing players … Pasta Krug Rask and others, teams playing the Bruins know they can get away with it … in a reg season the Bruins can get by because of their skill set in a seven game series against the big heavy teams in the league the Bruins will have problems… knowing how Neely played the game it must be hard for him to watch this ….. The last 10 minutes of last nights game I held my breath not wanting to see another key Bruin player getting run at by a Cap player

  3. Ovi skates on free on $5000 for spearing in the nuts. Wilson stays in the game after that cheap crap. Iv said it for years NHL refs are the worst and most inconsistent of all sports. Totally disgusted

    • Don’t know if all the officials doing the game last night were the same group as the last game these two teams played but one referee was for sure …. just maybe he should be sat down for a couple of games

      • Would like to see Wilson do that s**t against Ryan Reaves or Evander Kane for 16 games.He is lucky he is not playing in their division.I hope Kevin Miller is in the next series vs. Wilson.Maybe if he has to fight 11,84,86 He will think twice

    • I bet they consistently caught all those tiny hooks though and maybe a couple phantom trips

      • Evander Kane can kiss my ash

  4. Ovi should also have been suspended very chicken s**t play Wilson will get what’s coming to him felt bad for Chara he didn’t know what to do. Was fun game to watch it was to bad Carlo got hurt ruined a great Bruin win.

  5. Tom Wilson, aka The Scum of the Earth …

    Regarding the Sabres, Kevyn Adams should take a really long look in the mirror for going into the season with those two goaltenders … he has nobody to blame but himself …

  6. NHL might want to consider going back to a 1 ref and 2 linesman system with the addition of VAR.

    It would give 1 ref control of the game and avoid my call/your call and the plethora of real or perceived conflicts of interests and egos.

    Perhaps the eliminated 2nd refs could be the ones in “the sky” on calls involving goals and flagrant penalties eg boarding, high sticking, head shots, slew foots.

    • I wouldn’t mind seeing that habfan30 … but then you’d run into a major squawk from the National Hockey League Officials Association (their “union”).

      • George,
        It’s why I suggested the 2nd ref be up in the sky, no jobs would be lost, giving the union less to squawk about or at least give the NHL legs in a scrap with them.

    • Habfan30, I like it, gives more space back to the players on the ice and a birds eye view of the play.

      The decision would have to be quick and only certain things that could be called down. Goals, major penalties, goaltender interference of that nature.

      • That would require the on-ice official to have an ear plug of some sort, otherwise how does the ref-in-the-sky stop the play? Would his jurisdiction only be with certain types of infractions – or all?

      • The ref would where an earpiece and he’d be informed of what happened.

        VAR can check multiple angles and decide, though in my opinion I think the on ice ref should see the angle/review and make the final decision.

        VAR should be a tool for the on ice ref not a replacement.

      • ugghh wear not where

      • I think the dude in the booth should just flicker the arenas lights a couple times to signal the ice ref to give him a call.

      • Like it too.
        They can call off a goal, count a goal after the fact, the can do the same with a major penalty.

        The problem with Wilson is he likes to hit guys when they aren’t expecting it. Might be within the rules some times but still cheap. He has been disciplined 4 times, but has taken cheap shots repeatedly.

        If the league doesn’t deal with it a player will, and Wilson will deserve it. Unfortunately the player who does will pay the price, when in fact he should get a medal.

        Lots of players make a mistake and hit a guy wrong, high, late, whatever. Happens. They learn and stop. It appears Wilson doesn’t care if he hurts guys.

    • Those fat assed referees couldn’t skate the full ice surface now that there used to only skating to centre. Besides when you stop at the red line you get a better view of the chintzy hooking calls they like to make.

  7. Wilson should get no less than 25

    Pointless way to come into the corner… stick and arms high and one foot off the ice to go high to the head? wtf…

  8. I believe it to be a dirty hit and Boston responded well.

    People say take fighting out of the game.

    Tinordi fights Wilson, Bruins score 3 times while he was in the box.

    After Bergeron goal he skate across the width of the ice and stick tap the glass of the penalty box where Tinordi is sitting.

    Frank Servallie (spelling) of tsn on Twitter last night claims the hit was good and clean.

    Frank tweets the head was not the principle point of contact. He didn’t have many responders agree with his take.

    • Hi Caper

      If Servalie (sp?) saw that as a clean hit; maybe Servalie needs a suspension from reporting

      For sure …. hit to head; aimed at head; raised his body from the 15’ charge at last minute; just to make sure he made contact with the head

      He MUST be suspended

    • Hi Caper

      If Servalie (sp?) saw that as a clean hit; maybe Servalie needs a suspension from reporting

      For sure …. hit to head; aimed at head; raised his body from the 15’ charge at last minute; just to make sure he made contact with the head

      He MUST be suspended

  9. Tom Wilson has a clean record for the last 18 months. He’ll get 2-3 games, or absolutely nothing. Good on Tinordi and Freddy for standing up to him.
    What I’d really like to know, is what Bergeron said to Wilson before the period started.

    • Don’t know but Wilson thought it was funny and I’m sure it wasn’t

    • I’m both shocked and pleased to be wrong on this guess.

  10. So Seabrook retired but didn’t retire? Got it

    • Hi Brock

      He’s on the Pronger/Zetterberg/Kessler/et al retirement plan

      Can’t play anymore due to injury… LTIR until end of current contract (4 1/2 years) ….. insurance picks up tab

      Were he to actually formally retire; he is walking away from $15 + M

      Pronger was actually voted into the HHOF in June of ‘15 and he stayed under contract (LTIR) until the end (of that contract) … 30/6/17

      Pronger’s last 2 years of Sal were only $575 K each

      I can’t blame Seabrook for not walking away from over $15 M

      The cost to keep him on board is the price of the insurance premiums…. not sure if player or team (or shared) is on the hook for that… it’s the cost of doing business

  11. Tom Wilson types won’t be purged from the NHL because every team in the NHL would love to have Tom Wilson, or some one like him, on its roster. Officials could change that thinking, but they won’t because they are participants in it.

    From what I’ve read, European teams play mostly by NHL rules, but their game is less violent than NHL games because officials are more likely to call it by those rules. I recall only a couple of NHL officials in the last few years who weren’t North American. Perhaps, a lot more are needed if the NHL is ever to see the game differently.

  12. IMO Wilson should get 10 games. I’m tired of watching this guy with no regard for fellow players. Youth
    Hockey teaches kids to check for purpose of separating player from puck. This guys purpose is to separate players heads from their body.

    • I have a question for everyone here.

      If a player was to intentionally use his stick to injure the same way Wilson hits to injure would the NHL DoPS view it any differently?

      If I’m Brandon Carlo I know I cannot match Wilson in a fight but a well placed cross check or flying elbow to the jaw might make him change his mind. Ever see Hatcher on Roenick?

    • Thanks DM

      If it is in person ; then by rule , they are considering 5 or more( as the bloody well should)

      4 or less and there is no “offer” of an in person hearing; but player can request one

      Next up… the refs from that game (and I believe it may have been same crew that balked on Ovi nut-stabbing) also need to have a review

      Refs have been suspended for games before…. that doesn’t come from the NHL but the head of officiating

      A message must be sent

      If Wilson walks on this…then it will be WHEN not IF he ends someone’s career (maybe even worse… put someone in a coma)

      Have not been a fan of Wilson’s since I saw him play in GTHL (AAA Jr. Canadiens )…. he was doing it then… and with glee

  13. I’m tired of seeing guys get injured regardless of what team they play for from dumb hits. Being a life long bruins fan Seeing Cam Neely have to retire because of Ulf. We got lucky with Bergy that Philly incident was horrific. Could’ve ruined his whole life. But I have a question I know they teach you to finish your checks or you could get hurt. how much if any do they teach kids to take hits?

  14. My assistant coach always said if someone is running you raise your stick and bust his teeth he will never run you again. I used to think he was barbaric but maybe he had something there.