NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2022

by | Jun 20, 2022 | News, NHL | 20 comments

The latest on the Avalanche and Lightning heading into Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Stars have reportedly hired Pete DeBoer as their new head coach, and an update on top prospect Shane Wright in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE DENVER POST: Sidelined winger Andre Burakovsky did not accompany the Colorado Avalanche as they traveled to Tampa Bay on Sunday for Games 3 and 4 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Burakovsky suffered a hand injury during Game 2 and was being evaluated on Sunday. He’s expected to rejoin his teammates on Monday.

Colorado Avalanche winger Andre Burakovsky (NHL Images).

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said sidelined center Nazem Kadri (thumb injury) traveled with the team on Sunday. He’s skating again and practicing puckhandling and shooting but Bednar isn’t sure if he’ll play in the upcoming two games.

NHL.COM: Fourteen years after winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 as a rookie with the Detroit Red Wings, center Darren Helm is relishing this opportunity to win it again with the Avalanche. If he does, he’ll become the fourth player in NHL history to go at least 14 years between championships.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Tampa Bay Lightning are hoping to once again overcome an 0-2 deficit in a playoff series. They have an opportunity to shake things up at home for the next two games. However, they’re facing a much tougher opponent in this Stanley Cup Final than they did against the Dallas Stars in 2020 and the Montreal Canadiens last year.

TORONTO SUN: Michael Traikos wonders if the wear and tear of three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final might be taking its toll on the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fatigue could be an issue for the Lightning. However, the real problem is that the Avalanche are the most formidable opponent they’ve faced since beginning their march as consecutive Cup champions in 2020.

The Avs are faster and possess impressive depth on their forward lines and blueline. They’ve adjusted to the absence of sidelined key players like Kadri and Samuel Girard without missing a beat. They lack a superstar goaltender but their tandem of Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz has been solid throughout this postseason.

It would be foolish to write the Lightning off. They’ve shown a remarkable ability to bounce back from adversity. Nevertheless, they must win Game 3 tonight or risk being swept away by the Avalanche in Game 4.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Matthew DeFranks cited a Sportsnet report claiming the Stars have hired Pete DeBoer as their new head coach. He’s coaching the Florida Panthers (2008-2011), New Jersey Devils (2011-2015), San Jose Sharks (2015-2020) and Vegas Golden Knights (2020-2022).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Neither the Stars nor general manager Jim Nill has confirmed the hiring, though that could come later today. DeFranks anticipates DeBoer would focus on increasing their shots (especially from the point) while still maintaining a solid defense.

SPORTSNET: Projected top prospect Shane Wright believes he can make an immediate impact in the NHL next season. He intends to put in a lot of work this offseason and in training camp to step in right away and make a difference.

The Montreal Canadiens hold the first-overall pick in this year’s draft. Wright recently met with the Canadiens brass and would love to suit up for the historic franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright isn’t considered a generational superstar but has drawn favorable comparisons to Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron and New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad. Even if he doesn’t reach the big league next season, he’s still projected to be a future NHL star.







20 Comments

  1. “Fourteen years after winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 as a rookie with the Detroit Red Wings, center Darren Helm is relishing this opportunity to win it again with the Avalanche. If he does, he’ll become the fourth player in NHL history to go at least 14 years between championships.”

    Lyle, who are the three that have gone 14 years between cups?

    • Chris Chelios, Mark Recchi and Bill Guerin.

      Chelios 16yrs (Montreal 1986 Detroit 2002)

      Recchi 15yrs (Pittsburgh 1991 and Carolina 2006)

      Bill Guerin 14yrs (New Jersey 1995 and Pittsburgh 2009)

      All from Nick Cotsonika story

    • From the linked article: Chelios, Recchi, Guerin.

      • As per the link provided above: Chris Chelios, Mark Recchi and Bill Guerin.

      • I heard it was chelios recchi and guerin.

    • read the article,

      “Chris Chelios went 16 years (1986 with the Montreal Canadiens to 2002 with the Red Wings), Mark Recchi went 15 (1991 with the Penguins to 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes) and Bill Guerin went 14 (1995 with the New Jersey Devils to 2009 with the Penguins)”

  2. Tampa must win tonight; ok, the don’t have to, but it will make it extremely difficult to win 4 straight against Colorado.

    I thinking this will be the best game and expect to see the Lightening to come out very strong and will Colorado be able to handle the first 10 -15 minute rush.

  3. Fatigue as a contributor to being down 2-0 in series… sure a “contributor”

    Adjusting to the altitude …. Sure a “contributor”

    Agree fully with Lyle…. The key reason Bolts are down 2-0 in the series…. their opponents

    Avs have certainly been the better team so far….. and in all aspects of the whole 60 minutes on Sat

    Pre SCF, I did feel that Avs had a very fair shot at heading East up by 2-0 in the series

    I, in no way, foresaw the complete dominance (of the 3 time cup defenders) that happened Saturday

    I can’t fathom a repeat tonight.

    A sweep is possible; but to me Bolts win at least one at home

    If Bolts win tonight and Wednesday…. Completely different series…. Still of course favouring Avs; but in no way by as much as they were favoured after the end of Sat’s game

    Sat’s game was pure dominance

    Give me 5 more games like game 1…. much more exciting to watch

    • This 2 – 0 deficit seems different than previous Tampa bay deficits…rampa is getting steam rolled.

      Kind of reminds me growing up when the islanders where at the end vb of their 4 year run you could feel Edmonton was pulling the plug..

      Tampa is great and i think they will win one at home but wow Colorado looks good..

      Anybody watching the abc hockey coverage how awful messier and chelios are on commentary in between periods..messier stumbles and stutters on commentary chelois loos like a self tanned old man who is hungover..

  4. Tampa wins tonight, in the meantime in beantown “Hello Darkness, my old friend. “

    • There’s always the light at the end of the tunnel… Once draft day arrives all will be good when the Bs can make their 1st round selection really count. Hopefully they’ll have same success like they did when they were picking three times – all of the board picks (that’s balls)!

      Oh wait…

      • Heh. Right up there with Tyler Biggs, Luke Schenn, Jeff Ware, Brandon Convery and Scott Thornton, eh Ron?

        All teams have gone down the dead-end street with blown 1st round picks. The Bruins just happened to do it 3 times in a row in the same draft!

      • Ha so true and those names were tops! Goes to show when size and truculence is favored over skill. I still recall as recent as 7 years ago when many here, including you I think, thought the Leafs should of picked Strome over Marner siting how one is a large center and the other was a smallish winger.

        As for my comment, it was a preemptive comment we’ll be hearing soon regarding the next disappointment with the management in beantown.

      • They did make it count. Got Lindholm. Better then a mid rd 1st any day

      • You’re right … I was one favouring Strome over Marner (long-standing ingrained prejudice against the “diminutive” I guess) … one of the reasons why I hope the Senators don’t get into the dickering if Chicago ever decides to move DeBrincat.

        Just that I suppose I feel they have a tougher time with the constant body contact as the years go by, not to mention the playoffs …

      • It’s still a valid point. The ideal player is big, strong, fast smart, etc… so it’s easy to be blinded by a larger than average player that looks like a real player.

        With the league looking to move away from some of the more physical aspects and more into goals and write rules to help teams score them and it seems most fans are just loving the goal scoring – look at pengy every time there’s a high scoring affair, he not alone and very much in the majority of people who like seeing goals scored.

        If big physical players can no longer impede another player physically without getting a penalty the modern day player wouldn’t be a big physical menace but a scoring one that bulls his way into the dirty areas…ie initiate physically to move into a scoring chance. Running guys or impose physical will is dying… as we can see with this years cup finalists are anything but what anyone would call truculent.

  5. Tampa should turn up the heat in their building to slow down the Avs.

    In other words,..Tampa should “tamp”er with the heat. ( I know,..1st sad Dad joke after Fathers day) what do I win? haha

    • Tampa must win and I think they will win tonight…but after that not sure that !

      Colorado looks focused and is on a mission..

  6. This is off topic for this thread, but it is a thought provoking article on what impact signing a big name coach has, from Sportsnet:

    https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/on-paying-for-big-name-coaches-and-questions-about-return-on-investment/

    It prompts some questions in my mind:

    1: Tortorella has an irrefutable short shelf life. What is the point of hiring Tortorella in Philly, given that it is realistic to say they are more than 4 years away from a Cup? See Columbus for an answer?

    2. Sutter got a ton out of the Flames this past year, and they fell quite short in the playoffs. Signing Gaudreau and Tkachuk will mean sacrificing current good roster players. Is either worth the effect of 9 million plus?