NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 10, 2023
The Sharks upset the Oilers, Connor Bedard sets a Blackhawks record while the Jets’ Kyle Connor and the Bruins’ Charlie Coyle enjoy hat-trick performances. Details on these stories and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks got a 39-save performance from Mackenzie Blackwood to hold off the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Tomas Hertl and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist for the 2-10-1 Sharks. Darnell Nurse and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins replied for 2-9-1 Oilers, who are tied with the Sharks with a league-worst five points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The arse has gone out of it for the free-falling Oilers. This could be Jay Woodcroft’s final game as their head coach. Whether a new bench boss can save their season remains to be seen given their porous goaltending, sloppy defensive play and lack of production but they have to do something.
Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).
Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard became the youngest player in franchise history to have a multipoint game in a 5-3 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bedard scored twice and set up two others while Nick Foligno collected three assists for the Blackhawks (5-7-0). Anthony Cirelli, Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos replied for the Lightning as they slipped to 6-4-4.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is also the youngest player since 1944 with a four-point game. He now leads all rookies this season with seven goals and 11 points. Meanwhile, Blackhawks winger Andreas Athanasiou left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.
The Boston Bruins downed the New York Islanders 5-2 thanks to Charlie Coyle potting his first career NHL hat trick. Coyle finished with four points while David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists as the Bruins (23 points) took over first place in the overall standings with a record of 11-1-1. Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves for the Islanders as they dropped to 5-4-3.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins activated forward Jakub Lauko off injured reserve but he didn’t skate in this game. They also placed forward Morgan Geekie (upper body) on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech missed this contest with a lower-body injury.
Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor tallied a hat trick to lead his club over the Nashville Predators by a score of 6-3. Connor finished the night with four points while Mark Scheifele had four assists as the Jets rose to 7-4-2. Filip Forsberg scored twice for the 5-8-0 Predators.
An overtime goal by Cole Caufield lifted the Montreal Canadiens over the Detroit Red Wings 3-2, snapping their four-game losing skid. Cayden Primeau made 27 saves for the win in his first game since Oct. 24 while Mike Matheson had a goal and two assists as the Canadiens improved to 6-5-2. Christian Fischer and JT Compher replied for the 7-5-2 Red Wings as they’re winless in their last four (0-3-1).
New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected a goal and an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to 13 games in a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and two assists while Louis Domingue stopped 25 shots in his first NHL game since 2021-22 as the Rangers improved to 10-2-1. Brandon Duhaime replied for the Wild as they fell to 5-6-2.
The Vancouver Canucks (10-2-1) extended their win streak to five games and pushed their points streak to nine games as they beat the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Elias Pettersson took over the lead in the NHL scoring race (24 points) with a goal and two assists while Ilya Mikheyev tallied twice. Drake Batherson and Artem Zub replied for the 5-7-0 Senators as they’re at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 10 points.
Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots as the Stars improved to 8-3-1 on the season. Boone Jenner and Kirill Marchenko replied for the Blue Jackets as they dropped to 4-6-3.
St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas scored the game-winner as his club nipped the Arizona Coyotes 2-1. It was Thomas’ fifth straight goal as his club improved to 6-5-1. Lawson Crouse replied for the 6-6-1 Coyotes.
The Seattle Kraken (5-6-3) blew a 3-1 lead but still defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 as Oliver Bjorkstand scored his second goal of the game with 32 seconds remaining in the third period. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists for the 8-4-0 Avalanche as they dropped their first home game of the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also lost forward Artturi Lehkonen in the second period after falling face-first into the boards. He was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and is reportedly alert, responsive and has full movement of his limbs. An update on his condition could be released on Friday.
An overtime goal by Bryan Rust gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings (8-2-3). Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had his 450th career multipoint game with a goal and an assist while Erik Karlsson collected two assists as the Penguins improved to 6-6-0 with their third straight victory. Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar collected an assist to move into second place on the franchise’s all-time points list with 1,155.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kopitar has a ways to go to catch franchise leader Marcel Dionne’s 1,307 points.
IN OTHER NEWS…
THE PROVINCE: Former Vancouver Canucks great Trevor Linden slammed the club’s former general manager Jim Benning. Linden, who as team president hired Benning in 2014, claimed the former GM probably wouldn’t have chosen Elias Pettersson in the 2017 NHL Draft if he’d had the choice.
Benning refuted Linden’s story, claiming the decision to select Pettersson was a group one. “We were always going to draft Pettersson. The whole group like Petey,” he said.
Benning added that he felt the scouting group hadn’t watched other players enough and wanted them to conduct their due diligence. He called rumors that he liked another player over Pettersson “simply not true,” adding that he told team owner Francesco Aquilini he was drafting the young center the night before the draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This sad little attempt at a pissing contest serves no purpose and changes nothing regardless of whose side of the story you believe. The Canucks chose Pettersson, who is currently the NHL’s leading scorer and a big reason why the club is off to its best start in years.
THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports Kraken winger Jordan Eberle is doing well after suffering a deep cut to his leg from a skate blade during practice on Wednesday. He’s listed as day-to-day.
CBS SPORTS/DAILY FACEOFF: The Washington Capitals placed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (lower body) on injured reserve and announced winger Anthony Mantha is day-to-day after taking a puck to the ear during Wednesday’s game against the Florida Panthers.
CALGARY SUN: The Flames have recalled goaltender Dustin Wolf amid speculation that starting goalie Jacob Markstrom could be nursing an injury.
Ottawa had 20 GVA in the game yesterday , thats right twenty give aways!
a typical high number would be 9-12.
The team thinks offence as soon as they get the puck, biting them in the ass.
Have also noticed the past few games too many players using the one hand wand check. Two hands on the stick lads and drive thru the opposition. If the opposition know they will feel contact they will move the puck quicker next time.
5 goals on 16 shots against is tough to combat.
If they don’t pick up 4 points in the next 3 games its time to make a coaching change.
Fergy, we’re on the same wavelength … but I’m not encouraged when I I see things like this in Garrioch’s column today:
“Staios met with the players Monday to let them know he was here to provide stability. There had been so much chaos around this team in the last couple of weeks that he felt it was necessary to try to calm the waters.
As Staios noted in an interview with Postmedia Saturday, coach D.J. Smith and his staff have his full support. That message was passed along to the players again Monday and that’s why Giroux noted Tuesday that ‘D.J.’s our coach and he’s not going anywhere.”
Maybe he isn’t – but the fan base damned well will be. This isn’t Toronto or Montreal where they have – and will continue to – fill the seats regardless.
George , lets use the U.S Thanksgiving measuring stick on this. If the team does not turn it around in the next 2 weeks I believe Andlauer will give the order to terminate. Problem is it’s tough to find a suitable replacement at this stage.
Starting to think some of the younger guys have tuned Smith out.
Ottawa Senators recent history in a nutshell: “one step forward … two steps back” – repeatedly … ad nauseam.
The players may like and support D. J. Smith, but at what point does the coaching “system” begin to be regarded as a major part of the problem?
Smith has been at the helm since the 2019-20 season and despite having seen the addition of a number of so-called high quality draft picks (Chabot, Stutzle, Sanderson, Tkachuk, Batherson, Greig), trade acquisitions/free agent signings (Chychrun, Giroux, Zub, Norris, Tarasenko, Korpisalo) they continue to spin their wheels at roughly the same pace as the previous 4 seasons.
Yes, there have been injuries early this season but all teams go through that problem. The good ones find some way to adjust their game accordingly in order to minimize the losses – especially at home where, so far this year, the Senators have been mainly abysmal.
Are they going to let Smith and his crew dangle until the appointment of a full time GM (who will likely want his own choice as coach) or is Staios going to make a move now?
Hey George,
I think injury’s have quite a bit to do with this,
Especaly missing key D/men for a total of 18 games
-Thomas Chabot for 6 games
-Artem Zub for 7 games
-Erik Brännström for 5 games
and playing 2 rookies Kleven & Bernard-Docker’
then
at forward
Speedster Ridly Greig 3 games
Shane Pinto 41 game suspension
Joshua Norris has only played 9 of the 12 games coming back from a majior injury
and they have some New players and some rookies playing up front also about 5 i think in Total ❓
for the Sen’s the Best has yet to come ✔️
they will go on a roll in the next few games they have a Very Good Young team…
Steve Staios was a great addition to sens managment team
When young Shane Pinto is back they will sign him for the last 41 games for $1.M range and then do a bridge deal with him for 2-3 years…🤔
I think the next trade before Shane Pinto is back
my guess is UFA forward
Dominik Kubalik @$2.75.M…❓
Yes I agree. Liking a coach is not the same as playing well for a coach. I have been a manager in restaurants before where it was really tough to get the “friends” you had to work hard for you. They didn’t full on slack, but the sense of urgency was not there.
I feel like there is zero sense of urgency from this team. It’s to the point where a new coach is the only answer… and possibly a small shakeup on the blueline again.
Anyone else think Daryl Sutter can fix the Oilers? Maybe Jacques Lemaire, or Julian? They need a failsafe defensive restructure. 97 is hurt.
27 might be too. He’s sure playing like it could be possible.
Sometimes initials are better than #’s 😄
Lol. Yes. LD 29.
i think that both the leafs and oilers play the the same style of wide open hockey . at some point they both have to trade an offensive style player for a goalie to stop the puck . in the oilers case another change in coach will not fix the problem . they may have to trade hyman or nugent hopkins for a saros type og goalie .all the no trade clauses are killing them . that is on the general manager
Maybe Julien, Shoreorrpark – he’s just 63 y/o – but Lemaire is 78. I doubt he could handle the rigors of being a full-time coach again.
It’s been a rough morning but staying up to celebrate the Pens winning in OT twice… was worth it. Not knocking the refs, they made the right call on Rust’s first non goal.
Good game by the Penguins. Using a 3rd string goalie but he’s holding up pretty well in Sully’s system so far.
Well McDavid wants out wonder who needs a top center if I’m Boston I don’t trade half my team your best team in NHL right now. But I definitely take a run at him I’d offer McAvoy and Ullmark
Boston doesn’t have anywhere close to the assets for McDavid. Remember every other team in the nhl puts there offers in, so it’s not what would you be willing to trade, but what the other teams would be willing to give. You can forget about McDavid in Boston unless McDavid says that’s the only team he’ll go to.
Didnt think I be seeing Connor Bedard with more goals and points than Connor McDavid 10 games in; but here we are.
McDavid is injured shut him down, without his speed he simply isn’t the same player.
Casey DeSmith looks to be an excellent signing for the Canucks. As Demko’s backup he is 3-0-1 for $1.8 million. Whereas Jack Campbell, at $5 million, gave up 4 goals to an AHL team, and looks to be a bad signing with 3 more years remaining at $5 million.
A lot of DeSmith’s success should be credited to the team in front of him. IMO
Rutherford really liked him when they were both in Pittsburgh. Doesn’t surprise me that Rutherford has given him another shot.
Re; the Oilers Goaltending…
Lots of chater in the Edmonton Sports Media
Regarding what to do with Jack Campbell,
Trade him out with a prospect and pick…
Or
Let him ride the pine in Bako for $1.8M a year then
Trade JC out at the deadline if they can or if not..❓
At the NHL Draft in July for a very good prospect and a 2nd pick ….🤔 as lots of rebuilding teams will have lots of Cap Space come 2024-25 season
2nd
Connor Brown,
Zero pionts in 9 ganes played at $775,000 cap hit this year…❗️
But
if he played one more game this season with the Oilers they will have to pay him a bounus at the end of the season that will come out of next years Cap at a high cost $3.2.M
they only have $14.M in Cap space for the 2024-25 season that would bring it down to $10,8.M in Cap space and they have 6 UFA playes to re-sign❓
One being Warren Foegele who is curently there 6th Best forward every night with 6 points🤔
Willie , Campbell gets paid full pop playing in Bakersfield.
It’s going to look really bad on the Oilers if they release Brown before paying out the bonus. I could see a performance bonus at let’s say 50, 60 games for a guy coming back from injury but 10 ? That is just a bad management decision.
Hey Fergy,
Out of Jack Campbells $5.M PA Salary
According to PuckPedia, A Jack Campbell Buyout would leave the Oilers on the hook for about $1.6 million. this year in the minors
That would save the team about $3.4-million this season.
if they were to buy out his contract over 6 years
it would cost them $1.6M per year so $9.6M for over 6 years…
2 options for JC………❓
1/ They would be beter of trading him with a
pick and A prospect to a team that needs a good back up if they have injurys running into the playoffs❓
Or
2/ A Team at the NHL Draft on July 1st or before
who is rebuilding and wants picks and prospects like the Hawks who have LOT’S of Cap Space
this year 2023-24 $12.M
and
$51.M for the 2024-25 season on july 1st at the draft……….⁉️
as the Oilers are Cash Strapped.
Regarding Brown, Zero points in 9 games trade him or send him to Bako its a Buissnes and He is NOT Performing as expected….✔️
Amazes me how quickly everyone jumps to McDavid trade speculation. LMAO. The Oilers will burn everything else down and build around him or they might as well just move the team before they are run out with fire and pitchforks.
Lol they been trying that for 9 yrs and have gotten absolutely nothing out of it. Two elite players will never amount to anything come playoff time. They’d be better off moving one of them to free up space for a couple real D men and elite goalie.
Re; 29&97
I would say now they will both re-sign in Edmonton for 8 more years each✔️