NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2023
A hat-trick performance by Seth Jarvis as Hurricanes honor Cam Ward, the NHLPA name Marty Walsh as its new executive director, plus the latest on Thatcher Demko, Jesse Puljujarvi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Andrei Svechnikov collected three assists as the Hurricanes improved to 36-10-8 to sit second in the overall standings with 80 points. Montreal fell to 23-28-4 on the season. The Canadiens played without Kirby Dach as he was sidelined by a non-COVID-related illness.
Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes honored former goaltender Cam Ward by making him their first inductee into their Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. He spent 13 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy by backstopping them to the 2006 Stanley Cup. He holds the franchise’s single-season record for wins (39) and is their career leader in games played by a goalie (668), wins (318) and shutouts (27).
The Boston Bruins got a 28-save shutout performance by Jeremy Swayman to blank the Nashville Predators 5-0. Patrice Bergeron, Hampus Lindholm and Nick Foligno each had two points as the league-leading Bruins (41-8-5) opened a seven-point lead over the Hurricanes with 87 points. The Predators slipped to 25-21-6 (56 points) and sit five points behind the Minnesota Wild for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.
Vegas Golden Knights forward William Carrier scored with 18 seconds remaining in regulation to lift his club to a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Adin Hill made 25 saves for the win as the Golden Knights (33-18-4) won four straight and sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 38 shots for the Sharks as they dropped to 17-28-11.
Two goals and an assist by Yanni Gourde powered the Seattle Kraken over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 6-2. Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz each had two points for the 31-18-6 Kraken as they sit two points back of the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Travis Konency scored twice for the Flyers as they slipped to 22-24-10.
The St. Louis Blues doubled up the New Jersey Devils 4-2 thanks to a 34-save performance by Jordan Binnington. Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn each had a goal and an assist as the Blues improved to 26-25-3 (55 points) to sit six points out of the final Western wild-card spot. The Devils are 35-14-5 to sit five points behind the Hurricanes in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues placed winger Brandon Saad (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jake Neighbours from their AHL affiliate in Springfield.
Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Washington Capitals 6-3. Washington defenseman Erik Gustafsson collected three assists. The Panthers (28-24-6) and Capitals (28-23-6) each have 62 points but the Capitals hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Capitals announced winger Carl Hagelin underwent left hip resurfacing and is sidelined indefinitely.
Three-point performances by Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Dominik Kubalik tallied two goals for the Wings (26-20-8) as they moved two points behind the Capitals for the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Flames slipped to 25-19-11 and fell out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 61 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames’ inconsistency this season has raised questions and criticism of the club’s culture under head coach Darryl Sutter. He signed a two-year contract extension last October so he’s unlikely to be going anywhere for the time being.
Before the game, the Red Wings announced defenseman Olli Maatta signed a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3 million.
A 37-save performance by Joonas Korpisalo lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-1 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the 17-34-4 Jackets while the Jets (34-20-1) remain two points behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division with 69 points.
HEADLINES
NHLPA.COM: The NHL Players Association announced yesterday that its Executive Board unanimously appointed Martin (Marty) J. Walsh as its new Executive Director. Walsh is the former U.S. Secretary of Labor and the former mayor of Boston.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my thoughts on this hiring here.
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko may have suffered a setback in his efforts to return from a lower-body injury suffered in early December. It’s believed he may have tweaked something during practice on Thursday. He’s slated to return to action on Saturday in a backup role.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kailer Yamamoto is expected to return to action on Friday against the New York Rangers. He’d been sidelined by an upper-body injury since Jan. 11. To fit him into the lineup, the Oilers will have to make a move that could involve winger Jesse Puljujarvi, who did not practice on Thursday. He was expected to be placed on waivers but that didn’t happen.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Could a much-anticipated trade involving Puljujarvi take place before tonight’s game against the Rangers? We’ll learn more soon enough.
NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (lower body) has been placed on injured reserve and Andy Andreoff has been recalled from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning founder Phil Esposito will join Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis as the inaugural inductees into the franchise’s Hall of Fame during its Alumni Weekend on March 16-18.
TSN: Former NHL defenseman and assistant coach Paul Jerrard died of cancer on Thursday at age 57. Jerrard played five games for the Minnesota North Stars in 1988-89 and spent the remainder of his 11 professional seasons in the minors. He became an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche in 2002-03 as well as with the Dallas Stars from 2011 to 2013 and the Calgary Flames from 2016 to 2018. Since 2018-19, he’d been an assistant coach with the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Jerrard’s family, friends, teammates and coaching colleagues.
That is 5 in a row now for the Wings! That is their longest streak this season. They might make it very interesting down the stretch. Now if only they could play just western teams………..
šRe; Calgary Flames game last night.
First period was a bit slow the wings played well again on there Alberta road trip colecting 4 points in 2 days āļø
The Wings took over in the 2nd and 3rd periods
The flames looked and played like a disenchanted team again, Now Looks like they are now in a dog fight with the Wild for the final playoff spot
An other Stellar game by the Wings Captain
Dylan Larkin 3 more points last night….. he is going to be $9.M player to sign now a 26 yr old Centre…
Steve Y get you check book out now…..š
The only Flames player the played well was
Dillon DubƩ the 24 yr old is having a Great year
Goaltending has been weak,
They need to give young Daniel Vladar a few more starts in goal to see if he can get his game backā
as Jacob Markstrƶm is having his worst year ever…. hitting that 33/34 year old mark when most goaltender start to go down hill….
ā¶ļø A Trade
Hearing the Flames are looking to trade for a Top 6 younger forward and MacKenzie Weegar name is out there he dose not look happy in Calgary at All…āļø
Weegar has a NTC that kicks in july 1st for his 8 year deal at $6.25M…….
Ottawa are intrested in him for there 2nd paring RD Spot to play with young Sanderson Go get him Pierre Dorion….
Shane pinto 6ft3 22 yr old Centre/Winger who could play 2nd line Centre- Winger
and RD man Nikita Zaitsev come the other way to make the dollar workā….š¤
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I think the Sens were very interested in Weegar before someone ELSE gave him a full 8 year contract. I doubt that is something Dorion wants to take on currently. I could be wrong.
Also I really do not want Pinto gone.
I don’t want to see Pinto go either theSaint – but with Norris and Stutzle holding down the top two C spots, and if Pinto keeps developing the way he has so far, where does he play? Eventually they’re going to have to start paying him a much heftier salary and I doubt they can reasonably have 3 Cs earning $6 mil per and up.
Maybe the answer lies in having Stutzle go back to his LW position and move DeBrincat to his natural RW position. Even if Pinto could play a wing position, where would he fit? Tkachuk and DeBrincat are the top two LW while Batherson and Giroux are the top two RWers.
True George… I guess part of me worries about whether Norris will be healthy…
Maybe we start looking at Batherson as potential trade bait. A good $4,975,000 cap hit per to 2026-27 with decent offensive stats – 16g 28a 44pts in 52gp – streaky though – and oh boy, that glaring -27!!
Moving him for the RD they need would allow some other roster juggling to keep Pinto in the fold – and he is a right shot. With Greig seemingly set to become the 3rd line C and Brassard probably re-signed as the 4th line C, why not move Giroux to the top RW position and insert Pinto as the 2nd line RW, That gives them good options on face-offs as well with natural Cs playing RW on the top 2 lines.
Just a nit-picking thought that harkens back to my proof-reading days re: “Bruins (41-8-5) opened a seven-point lead over the Hurricanes with 87 points …” If both Boston and Carolina posted wins last night, should it not read “Beuins (41-8-5) maintained a seven-point lead over the Hurricanes with 87 points” ??
So, what do I do? I don’t proof-read my own post and spell Bruins wrong!
LOL…re-read your “nitpicking” post George. Love those Beuins. Hark some more.
I watched most of that Bruins game. What a team! Every back pass, every break out, no looker…finds it’s man. Perfectly. Every play. These guys are dialed in. Even Nicky Foligno looks to have a new lease on life getting powerplay time.
The Flames “culture” seems to be about crappy defense and forwards who can’t finish. The Sens and RedWings are young teams that make mistakes, but who have lethal quick strick chaotic offenses. The Flames just can’t defend.
The Flames look slow as a team as well. Have some guys like Dube who have some jump whenever I watch them, but other than that…
Or maybe just flat, I dunno. Pretty bland none the less.
That Seider kid looks darn good for a 21 yr old.
Heard teams are calling about Walman who has been getting bigger minutes of late. Yzerman likely waits to see if they can get back into it first before making a decision on him.
Dark G, and yet if you look at their D complement none among them are having bad years defensively
Kylington – currently on IR – is a +34
Hanigin – +12
Zadorov +10
Andersson +6
Weegar +4
Stone +2
Tanev E
If there is anything that has crimped their closing the current gap of 7 pts for the final WC slot, it has to be the disappointing season being turned in by Markstrom and his 2.93gaa 0.891 save % over 36 gp. That and the less-than-expected offense from their top F.
Only Toffoli seems to be delivering consistently with 22g 26a 48pts in 55gp to go along with a +8.
Kadri’s not doing too bad with 20g 20a 40 pts in 55gp, but is a glaring -10, while Huberdeau’s 10g 26a 36pts in 52gp and -2 is a lot less than expected. Together they are nowhere near replacing the offense lost in Gaudreau and Tkachuk.
Mangiapane 11g 17a 28 pts in 55gp is lagging well behind his previous production, but at least he’s a +5, while Backlund and his +17 is also doing well defensively but not much offensively (10g 24a 34 pts in 55gp). Same with Coleman – 12g 15a 27pts – but a +11.
Could a goalie be their target on TD Day?
Guys, George & The Saint
I think Pinto will have more Value than Drake Batherson, but love the way RW Batherson plays in the top 6…. he is good in the top 6 signed for 5 more years @ $4.95M….š
The reason being Pinto is big and can play centre on most teams and is ready to break into a 2nd line centre role and his first full season in Ottawa….
unless they move Josh Norris who looks like to be an injury prone player…..š¤ Scoring 35 goals last year they miss him right now…ā.
I would like to keep both of them… āļø but they will need to trade one of them to get a 2nd pair d/man And Or a Starting Goaltender is First priority for next season
The best UFA Goaltender Avalable is Tristan Jarry from the Pens unless they go older… i would hate that…
Now would be the time to trade Pinto
The Vancouver Canucks Thatcher Demko who are both still young at 27 yrs old… then you jump into the 30-34 year old who are allready on the Decline
for a 2nd pairing RD/man…..maybe a trade or the go the UFA route someone to play RD man with young Sanderson….
Sens could be Great Trade Bate for the Re-building Canucks who look like they are now going the re-building route …š¤
ā¶ļø A Trade,
Ottawa’s 1st pick and a prospects from the minors like a Hamilton Bulldogs….āJorian Donovan or
there 3rd paring young d/man Erik BrƤnnstrƶm….
for Demko
But if its a 2nd pairing d/man it would have to be one of the forwards mentioned above but they would have to send RD man Nikita Zaitsev out with them $4.5 for 1.5 years to make the moneys work…. for a MacKenzie Weegar of Calgary, sound like they want to move him.
Wings two points back of Capsā¦. With Wings having 3 games in handā¦.
TSN reporting that possibly my boyfriend Colton Parayko might be availableā¦.. Oilā¦. Certainly not EK by any stretch; but definitely cheaper Cap and trade wise
Leafs, also take note
Iowa Princeā¦. Just let me know how many firsts you need to convert Ruhwedel + Dumo into Parayko š§
Pengy
I for one would not be surprised if caps fall out of the playoffs this Year actually I would be surprised if they do make it
Iām absolutely good with that
Not having Ovechkin for a few games won’t help their cause either.
Playing canes next shouldnāt help much either š¤
Watching the Hurricanes/Habs it was disappointing to see the failure to deal with Hurricanes full press on the forecheck.
It isn’t as if its new and just discovered, its uncommon but they have been doing it for years.
There are strategies, eg dumping the puck up ice, adjusting the gap for example. Any prescouting should have prepared for it.
Disappointing coaching.
I wouldn’t get too discouraged habsfan. The Canes have done that to many of our teams over the past few years.
Donāt worry the Habs next game will be against the Leafs and play like itās for the cup and the Leafs will play like itās a preseason game.
lol I’m not discouraged or worried, I’m disappointed in the lack of adjustments
This is a development year for the Habs, so not winning isn’t the issue.
I expected more from the coaching.
Re the TML, goals against are down and it isn’t on account o stellar goaltending,its because of coaching.
There is an emphasis on the back game over the pinching D.
I don’t see many TML games but the change is pretty clear.
You honestly expected more from the coaches than what Marty has delivered thus far? The Canes often do as they please, regardless of the opponent. It should have been an even easier victory given the fact that they’re playing a glorified AHL club.
The coaching and adjustments aren’t the issue. The Habs are simply a couple of years away from being a couple of years away.