NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2022
The Sabres’ Tage Thompson has a six-point night, the Ducks’ Jamie Drysdale could be sidelined for the season, plus updates on Charlie McAvoy, T.J. Oshie, Jake Oettinger and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson tallied a hat trick and collected three assists to lead his club to an 8-3 drubbing of the Detroit Red Wings. Jeff Skinner collected three points, including his 300th career NHL goal, as the Sabres improved their record to 6-3-0. Dylan Larkin, David Perron and Olli Maatta replied for the Wings, whose record drops to 4-3-2.
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE After tallying just three points in his first seven games of the season, Thompson now has nine points in his last two contests.
Shootout goals by Brent Burns and Andrei Svechnikov lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Washington Capitals 3-2. Svechnikov also scored the tying goal that sent the game into overtime and the shootout frame as the Hurricanes move to a 6-2-1 record while the Capitals drop to 5-4-1. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 785th career NHL goal.
The Los Angeles Kings improved to 6-5-0 by dropping the St. Louis Blues 5-1. Carl Grundstrom scored twice, Kevin Fiala had three assists and Jonathan Quick made 27 saves for the win. The Blues have lost five straight and fall to 3-5-0.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt and Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury are the league’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 30, 2022.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Bad news for the Anaheim Ducks as they announced Jamie Drysdale will require surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The 20-year-old defenseman could miss the remainder of the season as his recovery period is four-to-six months.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough break for Drysdale as he was hoping to build upon his 32-point rookie performance last season. It’s also a big loss to the blueline of the rebuilding Ducks, who’ve stumbled from the gate this season with a 2-6-1 record.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Some good news for Charlie McAvoy as he’s resumed practice with his Bruins teammates. The 24-year-old defenseman is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and wasn’t expected to return to action until December 1. He’s ahead of schedule but isn’t going to play during their upcoming three-game road trip.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McAvoy could return by mid-November at the latest if he performs well in practice over the next week or two. He will provide a significant boost to their blueline, which has performed well in his absence. It will also force management to find a way to shed salary to make room within their salary cap payroll for his arrival.
WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals winger T.J. Oshie is out indefinitely while defenseman John Carlson is day-to-day as both players are sidelined by lower-body injuries.
SPORTSNET: Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger will have his lower-body injury re-evaluated in a week’s time. The club cannot recall Anton Khudobin due to salary-cap issues.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars addressed this by signing Matt Murray to a one-year entry-level contract. Murray, 24, played 11 games with their AHL affiliate, five of those this season. He is not to be confused with sidelined Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Matt Murray.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars rookie center Wyatt Johnston will be staying with the club for the season. The 19-year-old played his ninth game of the season on Saturday, raising questions as to whether the Stars would return him to his junior club before his 10th game for contract reasons.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, the first season of Johnston’s entry-level contract goes into effect when he plays his 10th game. Had the Stars returned him to the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, his ELC would’ve slid to next season.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins center Jeff Carter has been sidelined by a lower-body injury.
TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild forwards Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman suffered upper-body injuries during Sunday’s win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights netminder Laurent Brossoit has been sent to their AHL affiliate for a conditioning stint. This is the next step in his return to the Golden Knights lineup as he recovers from offseason hip surgery.
That contract given to Tage Thompson isn’t looking too bad now, is it?
I was one of the ones who thought it was a real bad contract. Don’t mind admitting I maybe wrong with that take . Won’t be the last one either .
Buffalo is playing like a playoff bound team. I’d like to see that happen just to have a new team from the Atlantic in the playoffs.
Yes they can replace the leafs
Hi MB4
Agree “can”
My wish… nyet
Pengy
Way too early to call the races. Seams to me lots of injuries happening early this year.
True MB4
I (as at now); think B’s are playoff bound
Yes anything can (and does) happen; but solid roster AND McA will be returning
I guess your not interested in a Dumo/Carlo swap…. LOL
Mb4, nice one, your turn is coming.
Bc Leaf
I know bruins turn will come Just keep kicking it down the rd
looks like Buffalo will be battling the Panthers, Lightning, Sens and Leafs for playoff spots. unless the B’s fall apart it sure looks like they’ll be a top team in the Atlantic Division. Good for the Sabres and their fans after everything that team has been through during their rebuilding
41 year-old Craig Anderson – 3gp 1.65gaa 0.946 save %
Thompson 6g 6a 12 pts +3
Dahlin 6g 6a 12 pts +9
Tuch 6g 3a 9ts +3
Skinner 2g 6a 8pts +4
Oloffson 6g 1a 7 pts +4
Cozens 4g 2a 6pts E
Maybe Buffalo is looking more and more like a desired landing spot for Patrick Kane. They certainly have the cap space.
Hi Mike
Certainly firing on all cylinders right now…. But I’m not as at right now) convinced that the Anderson/Comrie duo can keep up their “pace”; and I am thinking that Teams are now waking up to the “new” Sabres , and will finally start taking them seriously (vs “for granted)!
Bruins in playoffs… I’m convinced
Nothing else convincing (re ATL) for me right now
Hi Paul
Agree with your insight/prognostication…. but as a Leafs/Pens fan, do not share your “like to see that happen” wish . LOL
Buffalo’s next 3 will tell us if they have play-off aspirations. They face the Pens, Canes and Bolts. If they fare well maybe they will be suitors for Patty Kane! :aah:
Hi JZ
If they face the “Pens” who played the last 4 games…. Count that as a Sabres V
I’m positive Sabres have Playoff aspirations
I’m not convinced (as at now) that Comrie/Anderson duo holds solid for the full 82
Not saying it can’t happen; just not convinced as at right now
Charlie Mac either plays this week or next.
Pasta should be shipped off to Arizona for two firsts And Chychrun, he’s acting like a spoiled brat. He is not worth Mcdavid money. I mean come on! I’‘d like to give his agent a one way ticket to anywhere.
That’s actually a good trade proposal Rick. A top ten pick in 2023 for sure and another number 1 in 2024. Not to mention one of the best D’s in the NHL if he stays healthy The future for the B’s would look solid.
Put down the bong. Jeez. 1stly. Pasta going to get paid
2. Arz wouldn’t give that pkg for a pasta rental. He would never sign there
3. My guess he signs at or just above what JH got from flames
4.will resign 8yr deal to stay a bruin
Re “The Stars addressed this by signing Matt Murray to a one-year entry-level contract.”…. plucked him right off of Leafs LTIR…. Nice …. LOL
I didn’t realize there was another Matt Murray (and goalie to boot) in the NHL
Both MMs are “paper thin”…. MM (Leaf) 178 lbs, MM (Star)…. 170 lbs
Re Thompson…I was impressed by him last year…. Certainly hitting on all cylinders last night
Good on ya Tage; good for Sabres; not good for Leafs et all
(Those ATL teams battling for same playoff position)
Boston current cap space according to capfriendly is $6.140 McAvoy cap hit is $9.5
Bruins need to clear over $3m to make room for McAvoy.
Logical choices are Mike Reilly @ $3m 2yrs and/or Craig Smith @ $3.1 who will be an ufa at season end.
Boston has 6 dman making $3m or more. With the cap i don’t think you can have your 5 and 6 dman making over $3m something got to give.
Hi Caper
Not auite as bad as that
CapFriendly is a little confusing on it’s numbers
23 man roster… but actually 24 (including DK on IR) and McA showing re $85.4 M
That’s 25
Take out 2 league min (have to be at no more than 23 when DK and McA return)… that $85.4 M becomes $82.9 M
They could go at 22 like other teams … putting them with DK and McA and 20 others on roster and under the $82.5 M
Not saying they’ll do this…. But the option is there
Re moving a player…. Reilly has a year after this…. Tougher to move
Foligno and Smith… UFA 1/7/23…. Easier to move
Smith… no trade protection
Foligno (partial NTC) can be moved to 16 teams
Hi Pengy, the issue being they have one player in Jakub Lauko at $764,167 who does not require waivers.
As you noted with McAvoy and Krejci come off waivers that puts them at 25 move Lauko down. They still need to move a contract to get to 23.
Foligno and Reilly already cleared waivers once, not sure what the time line is that they would need to go on waivers again. Maybe Reilly can still be sent down without going on waivers.
No one is taking Foligno without a sweetener even with his improve play.
One way or another Sweeney has to move contracts.
Need to be compliant with a 23 man roster and be at the cap or less.
Ya Caper, this may turn into an issue.
All looked good regarding the cap based on expected return dates, early returns for Mac, March and Grz, now makes it tight. Depends when he actually plays I guess.
Good news on the ice, bad news with the payroll.
Can’t see them paying to move Foligno, but can see them sending him or Reilly down and rolling with 22. Reilly might get claimed? Useful player, but would rather give Zboril minutes, and he would get claimed IMO. Bit of a log jam on D when Charlie gets back.
One of the unique things about the Boston Bruins roster is their third line center Charlie Coyle has a salary cap of $5.25 which is more then their #1 and #2 Centers.
I have Tage on one of my pools as a dark horse (That starts today) I Kinda wish he would have waited a bit to get those 6 points as now I feel he will be pegged down on many peoples dark horse draft list.
Dang!