NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2023
The Oilers defeat the Flames in the Heritage Classic, an update on Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers snapped a four-game losing skid with a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames in the 2023 Heritage Classic before over 55,000 fans at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).
Evander Kane had a goal and two assists, Connor McDavid collected an assist in his return from injury while Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each collected two points for the 2-5-1 Oilers. Nazem Kadri and A.J. Greer replied for the 2-6-1 Flames as they’ve dropped five straight games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a much-needed win for the Oilers as they hope to put their poor performance through October behind them. The Flames, meanwhile, continue to struggle as they’ve been outscored 20-6 over the past five games.
New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt scored two goals and collected an assist as his club held off the Minnesota Wild 4-3. Luke Hughes had two assists as the Devils improved to 5-2-1. Pat Maroon had a goal and an assist for the Wild as they slipped to 3-4-2.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Devils placed defenseman Colin Miller (lower body) on injured reserve and recalled center Justin Dowling from their AHL affiliate in Utica.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 23 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 4-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche (6-2-0). JJ Peterka, Casey Mittlestadt, Tyson Jost and Rasmus Dahlin were the goal scorers for the 4-5-0 Sabres.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar left the game in the second period with an apparent leg injury when he was shoved from behind into the end boards behind his own net by Sabres forward Kyle Okposo. There was no penalty on the play. Makar returned in the third period and finished the game.
Earlier in the day, the Sabres placed goaltender Eric Comrie (lower body) on injured reserve as he’s expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
Three unanswered third-period goals by Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson and Evgeny Kuznetsov gave the Washington Capitals a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks, who remain winless in nine games (0-8-1). Alex Ovechkin and John Carlsson each collected two assists while Darcy Kuemper kicked out 31 shots for the 4-3-1 Capitals. Luke Kunin scored for the Sharks.
HEADLINES
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy took part in his first light on-ice workout with the Lightning since undergoing surgery on a herniated disc in his back a month ago. He remains weeks away from returning to action.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The earliest Vasilevskiy might return to action is late November. Given how well backup Jonas Johansson has held the fort, he won’t have to try to accelerate his return.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that the NHL is expected to hand down punishment to the Ottawa Senators this week regarding the club’s trade of Evgeni Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2021.
At the time, the Knights thought that Dadonov lacked no-trade protection because it was believed that he didn’t submit his no-trade list to the Senators by July 1, 2021. He was dealt to the Golden Knights on July 28, which was allowed because they weren’t on his no-trade list.
However, it turned out that Dadonov’s list was still in effect. As a result, the Knights’ attempt to trade him a year later to the Anaheim Ducks was overturned by the league.
THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes writes that the Senators appeared to have been cleared of any wrongdoing following the NHL’s initial investigation into the matter in March 2022.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could end up costing the Senators one or two draft picks. It also might not endear general manager Pierre Dorion to the club’s new ownership.
CBS SPORTS: St. Louis Blues forward Alexei Toropchenko is sidelined with a lower-body injury.
I wonder if the play of Kadri, Heberdeau and Weager are a pause for the flames when looking at Lindholm and Hanifin.
Kadri 7m caphit 9gp 1g 1a 2pts -11
Huberdeau 10.5 caphit 9gp 2g 3a 5pts -10
Weager 6.25 caphit 9gp 1g 2a 3pts -5
Lindholm 9gp 2g 4a 6pts -5
Hanifin 9gp 0g 4a 4pts -7
Huberdeau said last year he didn’t like going to the rink and wasn’t a fan of Sutter coaching. Sutter is now gone, no more excuses.
Yes it’s early in the season, the flames need their best players to be their best players.
I guess Lindholm and Huberdeau are being their best players. Lindholm is tied for the lead in points and Huberdeau is third.
Is that mess Brad Treliving’s “legacy” in Calgary?
Ya Caper & George, Conway didn’t cause this problem, but it his job to try and fix it.
Lindholm and Hanifin have decisions to make as well, as this is a two way street. I have posted before that if I was Lindholm, I would want to see how this year played out for a few months before deciding anything. Hanifin has been open about his plan.
Last night was the first time I have watched the Flames play. Weager, Hanifin and Lindholm seemed engaged and in the battle most of the time. Huberdeau and Kadri only in fits and starts, and not many.
The whole team seems in a funk, for whatever reason, but ya, can’t blame Sutter anymore. Zadorov has said the same thing publicly.
Don’t want to say the Flames are pot committed after signing Kadri and Huberdeau, but pretty flippin’ close. Tough to do a “re-tool” or whatever a quick turnaround is called with 2 high priced guys mailing it in. If Lindholm and Hanifin don’t sign, the decision to trade them will be an easy one if you are near the bottom of the standings. What to do after is when it gets hard.
To quote Woodcroft, the Oilers looked like the Oilers, which is kind of a big deal in these parts. Maybe this gets them turned around. They needed that one or we would be talking about WTF to do with Oil this AM.
Conroy isn’t off to a good start.
Toffoli this season has 7 goals and 10 points and who did Conroy get in the trade? Not much. Last season not only did Toffoli lead the Flames in goals, but he also led them in GWG. I can’t find the stat, but I also believe Toffoli let the Flames in game-tying goals. Last season it seemed that when the Flames needed a big goal it was Toffoli who scored it.
The best sound bite last night came from E. Kane.
“What is anybody here going to do.”
LOL
With the Cap-mismanagement, the penalty and the slowish start by the sens I’d be surprised if Dorion survives this week. If they had lost to the Penguins then I think the walking papers would already have been handed out.
A lot of Dorion’s dumb moves seem to be coming back on him at the worst possible time. Andlauer already has people he wants in the organization, but we was doing a solid by honouring what looked like was working…
Now though… I could see the whole thing being wiped clean. DJ is not horrible, but I think it’s time for something new in this group. The pieces are all there, but are being mismanaged.
It’s hard to imagine Dorion knowing about the list and still making the deal, so thinking dumb isn’t the best word. But can definitely say he doesn’t run a tight ship, because whoever was responsible in getting this to the league, and to Dorion, obviously wasn’t doing their job.
Would be interested to see the process for this mapped out at the league and with the Sens. Seems like something you would want follow-up on if you didn’t see it submitted by a player? No flag went up within the organization? Devil’s in the details is a phrase that comes to mind. Wow.
yeah maybe dumb was not the right word… careless maybe? Either way…package with all the other flubs lately… doesn’t look good on him.
So, now the NHL is reversing THAT decision??? Can they walk and chew gum at the same time?
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-wont-face-league-discipline-after-dadonov-trade-is-voided/
But it was public information. I’m flabbergasted that Dorion is being held responsible for the Knights not doing their due diligence.
The trade from Ottawa to Vegas was legal and in line with the rules.
It’s like if I sell you a car that’s been in an accident. I followed all the rules, car fax now has all the information. The VIN is the VIN. There’s no hiding it. The Sens didn’t hide it, Vegas didn’t check and tried to resell the car.
Thanks for sending that George, I was looking but couldn’t find it, but seemed to remember something like it at the time.
So the article said that the Sens confirmed that Dadonov sent in the list, and that OTT had received it. It didn’t say who knew that and when. But let’s say that Dorion did know and with held that info or lied about it then why were they “cleared of any discipline”? Seems hard to fathom that is the league position.
Or, say Dorion did know and Vegas didn’t ask, I find that hard to fathom as well. Like Dark G said, the info was out there, if in fact Dorion knew. That seems hard to believe as well. I can’t make myself believe folks who run hockey teams are that negligent, totally counter intuitive. Also seems like information you would be obliged to provide legally, but I’m not a contract lawyer. Howard – thoughts on that?
But hey, maybe they can be that negligent.
Or maybe there is more to the story, that somebody in the Sens organization F’d up, or something we are not even thinking of.
Pretty strange all around, something isn’t computing in my brain. There has to be more to this story?
So after today will Matt Poitras stay with the Bruins or leave for the year ? Probably needs to get stronger and learn more about the NHL game … I say let the kid play and learn on the job … Come on #37 walk thru that clubhouse door …. Bruins -$160 tonight
Heinen. Just signed probably playing tonight in place of brown