NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2021

by | Apr 8, 2021 | News, NHL | 19 comments

A franchise record for Leafs’ goalie Jack Campbell, hat tricks for Leon Draisaitl and Kevin Fiala, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs’ goaltender Jack Campbell set a franchise record with his 10th consecutive win to hold off the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Campbell made 32 saves while teammate Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 28th goal of the season. Corey Perry scored twice for the Canadiens. The Leafs moved into first place in the league’s overall standings with 58 points as they hold a seven-point lead over the Edmonton Oilers for first in the Scotia North Division. The Canadiens remain in fourth with 43 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (NHL Images).

The Oilers, meanwhile, doubled up the Ottawa Senators 4-2 thanks to Leon Draisaitl’s hat trick. Draisaitl and Connor McDavid (three assists) each finished with four points on the night. The Oilers (50 points) hold a one-point lead over the third-place Winnipeg Jets.

A hat trick by Kevin Fiala (the first of his NHL career) powered the Minnesota Wild to an 8-3 drubbing of the Colorado Avalanche. Fiala finished with four points while Wild rookies Kirill Kapizov scored twice and collected an assist while Victor Rask and Jared Spurgeon each had three helpers. The Wild (50 points) snapped the Avalanche’s 15-game points streak and moved within two points of the second-place Vegas Golden Knights (52 points) in the Honda West Division.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the St. Louis Blues and remain four points back of the first-place Avalanche. Jordan Binnington made 50 saves and Vladimir Tarasenko netted his third goal of the season as the Blues (40 points) snapped a seven-game winless skid to move two points ahead of the San Jose Sharks into fifth place.

A three-goal outburst in the third period rallied the Los Angeles Kings over the Arizona Coyotes 4-3. The Coyotes remain in fourth place in the West with 43 points.

HEADLINES

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have 21 players who’ve tested positive for COVID-19. As the cases spread among the team, the NHL remains committed to having the team complete its schedule. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league has a plan in place to allow the Canucks to complete the season.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Zach Parise played his first game last night since March 22 after testing positive for COVID-19. He’s not fully convinced he had the coronavirus as he didn’t feel any symptoms.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars coach Rick Bowness rejoined his team in Chicago after a false positive COVID-19 test forced him into quarantine for the past two games.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs’ winger William Nylander was held out of last night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens as a precaution after coming in contact with a potential positive COVID-19 case from outside the team.

Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher has been placed on long-term injury reserve as he’s expected to be sidelined at least six weeks with a fractured thumb.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will allow the Canadiens to exceed the cap by almost the equivalent of Gallagher’s $3.75 million cap hit if they decide to acquire another player before the 3 pm ET trade deadline on Monday.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets captain Blake Wheeler has been sidelined indefinitely by a concussion. It’s believed he suffered the injury after being elbowed in the head by Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk during Monday’s game between the Jets and Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a big loss for the Jets. Wheeler usually skates at right wing on their top line though of late he’s also played on their second line. He’s fourth among their scorers with 10 goals and 32 points.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner is out for six weeks with a broken finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A significant blow for the struggling Blue Jackets as they try to stay in playoff contention in the Discover Central Division. Jenner’s a big, hard-working forward who can play center or wing. They’ll miss his energy and physical game.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Mike Hoffman was a healthy scratch from last night’s game against the Golden Knights. Head coach Craig Berube denied it has anything to do with his trade status, claiming it was his decision to put Sammy Blais into the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoffman’s come up in recent days as a trade candidate with the Blues’ playoff hopes fading. He could be playing elsewhere by Monday’s deadline.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks purchased AHL affiliate Rockford IceHogs and signed a new 15-year lease with the club’s arena.







19 Comments

  1. Sitting here sipping my Black Rifle Coffee
    ( Freedom Roast) thinking that the Bruins can only hope for T Rask to get healthy so they can trade him to Colorado….Aves would have to send a roster player back to make it work because of $$$$ but they do have a few Dmen that would help the B’s now and in the future

    Grubauer 7 GA on 18 SOG

    • Hi Joe

      Still can’t see Rask moved and I don’t see a D coming back in trade and of course pending health of Rask… but for Ships N Giggles…

      Rask (50% retained) for Nichushkin and a 1st ?

    • I hope you are getting paid for every time you find it necessary to shill for some coffee company.

      Really, it’s predictable and it’s tedious.
      But the truth is that you don’t have much else to say anyway.

      Why not just switch it to Monday, Wednesday and Friday?
      Maybe then some will be fooled into thinking your efforts are spontaneous.

      Lyle, you should be asking for a cut from this use of your site to peddle a commercial product.

      rich

      • Rattus, who spit in your Black Rifle Coffee (Authoritarian Roast) this AM?

      • I have a feelin you’re in the basement with your mask on waiting for the all clear signal …

  2. Campbell 👍👍👍👍… the difference maker

    Iowa Prince…. you’re day was made last night… streak ended by beating a Cup fav and Bennington is back 👍👍👍👍👍

    Re Parise and “ He’s not fully convinced he had the coronavirus as he didn’t feel any symptoms.”…. mmmmm. …. two positive results were wrong? 🧐🤯🤔

    I have always strived to be transparent and fair and at the same time non stereotypical ….. but…. did GMLL standing beside two very large men in suits say to Fitz…. “I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse”

    WTF… Steal steal steal

    4th is conditional; 2 AHL journeymen …. basic throwaways to Isles…..

    So in reality it is a 1st for BOTH TZ and KP…… AND at 50% retained

    WTF??

    A veteran centre and veteran winger ….. collectively needle movers…. at 50% retained…. for a 1st…. wow

    All the talk was about so many teams going after KP…. so per pundits he was the draw in the trade; but he was having a down year.

    TZ was playing much better than last year…. and he is a Centre

    If this whole deal per media was revolving around KP…. then most of the value in return was for him and not TZ…. meaning Hextall should have been easily able to outbid the perceived value for TZ’s services and he could have been Pens 3C solution

    With that in mind…. wouldn’t Fitz have accepted say Lafferty and O’Connor for TZ @ 50%??

    As at now…. that move (and with their tandem on fire) has likely made NYI’s the fav to come out of the East

    ….. calling Ronny Hextal…… calling Ronny Hextall…. wherefore art though?

    The only way Hextall can s I’ve out of this is if he actually made a pitch to Fitz and Fitz talked to TZ (who has a full NTC) and Zajac nixed the deal…. but you’d think we would have heard about it

    • Oh and just to add…

      If TJ and KP (again let’s emphasize …. AT 50%) go basically for a 1st….

      Kevyn Adam’s , who absolutely MUST retain 50%… must now be expecting max of a 2nd for Hall

    • delusional … as usual

      • snarky … as usual

    • Wonder if Krecji would get a better return?

  3. I really like Jack Campbell. This kid gets it.

  4. You know you’re in the dumper when Sammy Blais jumps you in the lineup …

  5. Odd game that Leafs/Habs game…1st period, complete domination by the Leafs even though both teams scored on first shot. 2nd period complete reversal not as intense but no one scored…3rd period, more domination from the Leafs nod eventually the better team won an odd one.

    As an airchair GM, do you write this game as a one off or does this game indicate what moves you are gonna make?

  6. Ron, the Leafs performance last night has changed my perception of the Leafs this year: they are much better than I had given them credit for.

    Last night the individual difference maker was Matthews. But as a team the biggest thing I have seen is their commitment to defence. They are final 4 contenders.

    And for all the criticism of Andersen, they are in the top 1/3 of the league for goals against. Their need? Perhaps a depth D as insurance but they are playing well, consistently. Having gotten spanked by the Jets a few week ago they handled them well in their recent games. That’s a mark of a good team.

    The Habs? They are like the little girl with the curl. When they are good they are very good, when they are bad they are very bad. Having added size, defence, offence and goal tending this year they are underperforming; a trend that is the same under Ducharme as it was Julien. Two good coaches. Too many new faces and a long acclimatization period? Will they gel by playoff time?

    Even my morning espresso has not brought me clarity.

    PS: Lyle, I get a “slow down” message every once in a while, then I lose my post. This is a second attempt. Technical problems again?

    • No technical issues at this end. The problem could be with your browser or internet connection.

    • But at least they won the off-season

  7. For those of you who don’t like Joe’s supposed “shilling” his favorite coffee company, just skip his posts if you don’t like them. He’s not going off-topic and as long as he’s not posting links or ads I don’t have an issue with it.

    • Yeah Lyle,

      There is someone else (or maybe the same guy – “Mr Peanut”?) doing exactly the same thing over on Eklund – I read ‘em all! – except that he’s slacked off for the last few weeks.

      So I get that you don’t seem to mind extraneous product promotion on your hockey site – fine, it’s your site.

      I, personally, find it gratuitous.

      rich

  8. Caps at home tonight are only a $-123 Bruins still getting a lot of play considering they have a hard time beating them (Caps)