NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2023
Recaps of Wednesday’s games, Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom stepping away for health reasons, the latest on the Senators and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry had a hat trick and collected an assist in a 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Rookie Leo Carlsson netted his third goal while Lukas Dostal made 35 saves for the 6-4-0 Ducks. Lawson Crouse tallied twice while rookie Logan Cooley netted his first career NHL goal as the Coyotes slipped to 4-4-1.
Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks netminder John Gibson missed this game with an upper-body injury.
The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Tage Thompson had a goal and two assists, rookie winger Brandon Biro tallied his first two NHL goals and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 38 shots as the Sabres improved to 5-5-0. Joel Farabee and Cam Atkinson replied for the 4-5-1 Flyers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers goaltender Carter Hart left the game with a mid-body injury in the first period after giving up two goals on five shots. Backup Samuel Ersson allowed two goals on nine shots. There was no postgame update on Hart’s condition.
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger kicked out 43 shots to hold off the Calgary Flames 4-3, handing the latter their sixth straight loss (2-7-1). Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist for the Stars as they improved to 6-1-0. Flames rookie Connor Zary scored in his first NHL game.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Radek Faksa missed this game with an upper-body injury.
The Flames’ ongoing slump continues to generate speculation about their pending free agents. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.
The Colorado Avalanche rolled to a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist while Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar each had two assists for the 7-2-0 Avalanche. Robert Thomas replied for the Blues as they dropped to 3-4-1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche forwards Jonathan Drouin and Tomas Tatar were healthy scratches for this contest.
HEADLINES
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nicklas Backstrom is stepping away from the team due to ongoing issues related to his hip. The 35-year-old Washington Capitals center underwent hip resurfacing in June 2022 and appeared in 39 games last season. He played just eight games this season with one assist. It remains uncertain if he’ll return to the team.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Backstrom is one of the greatest players in Capitals history. He’s their all-time assist leader (762) and sits second in games played (1,105) and in points with 1,033.
However, Backstrom’s on-ice career could be over. Players who’ve undergone this procedure such as Ed Jovanovski and Carl Hagelin struggled to return to form while Ryan Kesler never played again.
It also raises questions over how effective Patrick Kane will be once he returns to action. The 34-year-old free-agent winger continues to rehab from his resurfacing procedure and is expected to begin fielding offers from interested clubs later this month.
OTTAWA SUN: Senators owner Michael Andlauer was not pleased with his club having to forfeit a first-round draft pick over the club’s role in the Evgenii Dadonov trade to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2021 and the subsequent invalidated trade that would’ve sent Dadonov from the Golden Knights to the Anaheim Ducks in 2022.
During the press conference yesterday, Andlauer indicated that he was aware there was a grievance against the team during the due diligence process before purchasing the club this summer. “It was basically, from the seller’s standpoint, really a non-issue,” said Andlauer. “I don’t know if a first-rounder is a non-issue to you guys, but it is (an issue) to me.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andlauer said he received a 73-page report from the league that he acknowledged indicated the Senators’ actions at that time were “negligent in nature”, adding that the club deserved to be punished.
The problem, however, is the league waited until after Andlauer purchased the Senators before delivering its sentence. It gives the impression that they wanted to ensure that this didn’t jeopardize the sale or risk Andlauer reducing or withdrawing his $950 million bid.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Potential candidates to replace fired Senators GM Pierre Dorion include former Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, Tampa Bay Lightning director of hockey operations Mathieu Darche and Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM Eric Tulsky. They could also consider promoting assistant GM Ryan Bowness or president of hockey ops (and current interim GM) Steve Staios could take over on a full-time basis.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Former Senators star and current Pittsburgh Penguins assistant GM Jason Spezza has also been suggested as a candidate.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of Andlauer, following the sale of his 10 percent stake in the Canadiens, the club’ new valuation is now at a league-record $2.5 billion.
NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak were the league’s three stars for October 2023 while Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal was named rookie of the month.
TSN: Former NHL star Joe Thornton will join Flames assistant GM Brad Pascall in handling the management duties and the assembly of Canada’s roster for this year’s Spengler Cup tournament.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be a stepping stone for Thornton toward a new career in NHL management.
YAHOO! SPORTS: Former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser has transitioned to working as a real estate agent. DeKeyser, 33, spent 10 seasons in the NHL (all with the Red Wings) before injuries cut short his playing career.
The Bruins have a lot of young players in their lineup by choice or not … going to get a good look this season of what they really have before they jump into the UFA market next offseason, this year should be very interesting
Joe, yep.
Assuming there are quality UFA’s to pursue, specifically at C. Only 1 that is better than they currently have. I say that because Nylander is back on the wing from what I have read.
I think the odds are 50/50 at best Lindholm is available July 1 as a UFA. Not so much that he signs with Calgary, but signs with the team that trades for him if Calgary doesn’t turn it around and get him signed. But hey, they could still get it going too.
Andlauer is justifiably upset at the loss of the first rounder. I can’t help but wonder if the punishment would have been as harsh had the Knights, or another high profile US based team, had been the guilty party.
Once again, you would expect Vegas to have done its due diligence before acquiring Dadonov, including reviewing his contract. They likely dropped the ball as well.
There is obviously much information we don’t know. And that is the essential problem. In both the Dadanov and Pinto matters, the NHL has been as clear as mud. This isn’t right. The league can’t be run like a mob outfit. The paying public, especially in Ottawa, deserves to know.
Who does Mike think he’s fooling? Sure it would have been nice to know the punishment prior to purchase. But let’s be real. Does knowing change his purchase? I highly doubt that. He has a nice excuse to fire the old guard and bringing in his people without looking like the bad guy as a new owner.
I sincerely doubt he gives a Royal Crap as to what others “think.”
But considering the league’s “decisions” on that episode – after clearing the Senators of any wrongdoing in 2022 – their reversal of the rainbow tape “decision” – their “decision” to level a half-season ban on Pinto while officially endorsing gambling through advertising revenue, and the continued employment of an incompetent in the department of player discipline, I go back to my question a day or so ago: can those clowns at head office walk and chew gum at the same time?
They waver like the politicians they have become. Moving the goalposts and dismissing punishment to their favorites. At least Andlauer has a potential lawsuit against the former owners. But the Melnyk sisters only have to assign him a 1/2% share of their current ownership of the Sens to settle.
As for the convoluted Pinto suspension, wow! And when he comes back he will be sporting gambling logos on his jersey and helmet! What a twisted mess the NHL has become!
George O, then there is the whole Chicago thing. The optics are not the best.
I don’t think the NHL&NHLPA are doing themselves any favors by not giving more information on these things.
OK Pinto had a non disclosure built into his deal, but what exactly are the rules? He didn’t bet on hockey, OK, soooo…..what else merits 1/2 a season suspension?
WTF happened with this NT list? Gonna do something to fix the process? Sens? NHL?
If you don’t get in front of these things people guess and speculate, which is worse. Get to the end state as quickly as possible and move on.
Johnny, I don’t think they are acting like politicians, I think they are acting like what they are; lawyers.
I have conversations with ours somewhat regularly on contracts, first they freak you out about all possible bad case scenarios and the liability involved in each, and then at the end say “but that’s a commercial decision up to you”. Not being critical, because they’re right, but it’s their job and how they think. Seems to match how the NHL communicates, which is as little as possible and careful not to expose themselves. Politicians can’t shut up and say dumb crap all the time.
@Ray Bark, one could only surmise that it was a third part gambling on Pinto behalf but can’t be proven.
Ya heard that too Caper with regards to Pinto.
What I found interesting is that the only thing listed in the CBA is no betting on hockey. I haven’t read the CBA, but that’s the reporting.
Friedman reported some stuff like no bookies, don’t tell your buds if someone is hurt or not playing came up in recent NHLPA meetings with the teams.
I don’t know why they just don’t spell it out and put it out there, as there are obviously rules the NHLPA agreed to out there or they wouldn’t have been able to suspend him. IMO.
No proxy betting. It’s in the agreement, I do believe.
His account was placing wagers (based in NY State) while he was playing in Ottawa or a different city entirely.
Caper, Chicago gets off with a fine for a despicable sexcapade and Ottawa loses 2 draft picks – including a 1st – for a situation that is as clear as mud! Dadonov was with Vegas for EIGHT months before they attempted to deal him to clueless Anaheim while Dadonov possessed a “fluid” no-trade list.
Vegas whines and that little turd Bettman jumps.
If my team needed an offensive boost I would be leaning towards signing Kessel before Patrick Kane. The players who had the same surgery that Kane just went through, came back at a lesser level they they were before. ended more than a few players careers. Where Kessel is fully healthy and knows how to stay healthy. I know Kessel isn’t the same player is was a few years ago, but there is too much of an unknown on how Kane will produce after this surgery and coming in the middle of the season.
the NHL is giving full vibes that they are actively engineering which teams will succeed and which ones will fail.
My feelings about Dorion’s mismanagement are clear but this seems like piling on and the NHL is doing nothing to make it easier to fathom.
The Finto suspension hidden behind a non-disclosure makes the NHL decision suspect.
The loss of a 1st round pick is something that should have been clarified before the purchase of the team.
Truth is that everybody was negligent in the initial trade, Whether the Sens disclosed or not, the league had to look into it before approving and Vegas had to check the contract thoroughly as well.
Getting into bed with and making betting so integral to the game now is impacting the decision making.
Tor/Bos … even $ line … o/u 6 ….for purposes of getting a B’s win I’ll go Tor & over
The Anaheim Coyote tilt Wednesday night was totally entertaining!!!