NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2024
The Senators rally to defeat the Predators, the three stars of the week are announced, plus updates on Jack Hughes, Tomas Hertl, Adam Fantilli, Jack Quinn and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines
NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators overcame a 3-0 deficit to upset the Nashville Predators 4-3 on an overtime goal by Claude Giroux. Second-period goals by Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk set the stage for Giroux’s game-winner for the 19-25-2 Senators. Roman Josi and Philip Tomasino each collected two points for the Predators (26-22-2), who’ve dropped four of their last five and sit outside the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 54 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators and St. Louis Blues have the same number of points but the Blues hold the final wild-card spot with two games in hand. Preds defenseman Alexandre Carrier left this game in the second period with an undisclosed injury and didn’t return.
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, and Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 28.
ESPN: Greg Wyshynski reports the NHL remains hopeful that New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes can still participate in the NHL All-Star Game and the skills competition this weekend. Hughes, 22, has been sidelined since Jan. 5 with an upper-body injury. The Devils star wants to take part in the All-Star weekend and continues to be evaluated.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes should be careful not to push too hard to take part in this weekend. While it means a lot to him to take part in the All-Star Game, aggravating his injury in a meaningless tournament could prolong his absence from the Devils lineup as they try to secure a playoff berth down the stretch.
THE MERCURY NEWS: Sharks center Tomas Hertl wants to know how long it will take the rebuilding club to become competitive and where he fits into their long-term plans. The 30-year-old Hertl has six years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $8.135 million and a no-movement clause.
From all indications, Sharks general manager Mike Grier is in no hurry to move Hertl, who’s been his struggling club’s best player this season. Nevertheless, Grier has indicated that he would listen if Hertl or team captain Logan Couture reached a point where they wanted to be moved.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Hertl decides he doesn’t fit into the Sharks plans his hefty contract will make it difficult to move him during the regular season. That type of trade would likely be an offseason move when clubs have more cap space to work with.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets rookie center Adam Fantilli suffered a lacerated left leg after he was cut by a skate blade during Sunday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. He won’t participate in tonight’s road game against the St. Louis Blues and will receive further evaluation when the club returns to Columbus.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fantilli sits second among Blue Jackets scorers with 27 points and is fourth among this season’s rookie class.
THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres winger Jack Quinn underwent surgery to repair a lower-body injury suffered on Saturday in a game against the Sharks. He’s expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s another blow for Quinn, whose sophomore season was already shortened by a ruptured Achilles tendon during offseason training. His latest injury isn’t related to that nor was it a knee injury. He has 12 points in 17 games.
STLTODAY.COM: The Blues are awaiting the results of an MRI on defenseman Scott Perunovich, who suffered a lower-body injury during Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.
WINNIPEG SUN: The Minnesota Wild claimed defenseman Declan Chisholm off waivers from the Jets.
DAILY FACEOFF: The Seattle Kraken placed forward Devin Shore on waivers.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL forward Zack Kassian’s retirement was a brief one. After hanging up his skates before the start of this season, he’s resumed his playing career by signing a one-year contract with HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga.
So every time an NHL player is cut by a skate it makes the news… nowadays. Is it possible that serious injury by skate has always occurred and at the same rate but now we hear about it specifically becuase it’s a hot topic? I mean 2 years ago would Fantilli’s injury just have another ‘LBI’?
Not knocking the coverage or whatever. It’s a serious issue that needs analysis and a solution. Youth hockey in my state requires neck guards. The refs typically won’t drop the puck until every has one on.
I think we are hearing more of it now because the material used in the uniforms is a lot thinner and the skates are a lot sharper than they were back in the day.
KevJam,
Yeah, that’s kinda what i was trying to get at. Is there something different in the game, equipment, play style etc… that is causing more skate cut type injuries?
In last night Sens Preds game the skate of one player contacted and severed the skate lace of another player…in such a way that that player was out until his boot was relaced on the bench. Never seen that one before.
Dark G, I saw parts of the Sens game last night, I missed the part where they fell behind 3-0, so only saw the best part for them.
The Sens looked good, and the announcers were talking about how the changes Martin has made are starting to pay dividends.
Not sure if that is accurate, or not, but they have a winning record in their last 10. Maybe turning the corner and will finish the year on a positive note?
A fragile bunch Ray. Especially the D and the Goalies. At moments both goalies look like all-world tenders. Than others…just horrendous. Same with the D. Chabbot is really struggling. His decisions just seem off slightly. And when things go off the rails for the team, they go WAY off. Saturday night for example.
Not a Leaf fanboy, but where did Samsonov rank in the minds of the 3 star selection committee?
The game against Seattle probably wasn’t considered because it was played on the final day of the previous week. Not a big deal, the important aspect is that Sammy has regained his form, albeit from a small sample size. Hate to see goalies struggle, such a tough position to play. Just like quarterbacks, everyone knows when you have a poor outing.
I have been waiting for Skinner to be getting one of the 3 stars in a week. He guy in on a 12-game winning streak and he hasn’t let in more than 3 goals in a game since Dec. 22nd in a 4-3 win against the Rangers, which was the second game of a back-to-back for the Oilers. In that time Skinner has a .950 SV%, 1.41 GAA, 15.92 GSAA, HDSV% .904, and a 7.37 HDGSAA. The only thing I can think of as to why is that he has only played 2 games or less in any of those weeks. I would think he should get one of the stars for the month of January.
KevJam, yep!
I’m thinking Oiler fans are happy that Holland didn’t take their earlier advise of how they needed to trade for a tender NOW!
Or at least some Oiler fans.
Have to give Holland some credit, he doesn’t panic, even when the heat is on.
Hey Kevjam
Your right Skinner has been fantastic, it help’s when Paul coffey is the d/man Whisperer …he has the d just rolling along at last…..
if we could add RD man Chris Tanev to the group for a 2nd pick that would be great….
then we would have 7 NHL d/men we could rotate,
Broberg is not quite ready this season for that roll in the playoffs…….
doing a deal with Calgary is always tough, dont hold your breath….🤔
Yeah Ray, that is one of the bigger differences between Holland and Chiarelli. Chiarelli panicked and put the Oilers back a few years.
williew,
I don’t think the upgrade of Tanev from Ceci would be worth the asking price. Plus, like I said on the rumours page, Murry Edwards will not approve a deal with the Oilers or Canucks unless it’s a huge overpay.
The guy I would like to see the Oilers trade for is Alex Currier from the Preds. He is younger and has really strong transition and defensive numbers. Plus he will be cheaper to acquire.
Re; Last night game the Sen’s & Preds
last night was no stop in the action, Sen’s young goaltender Mads Søgaard let in 3 in the first period
he is not ready for the NHL yet…
Joonas Korpisalo, played his best game so far as a Senator …..👌
Really impresed with the Sen’s 3 young guys.
Shane Pintos game again he has played very well since his suspension, and has been what the team needed…3 wins & 2 loss , Bos & NYR
The other young player was Ridly Grieg was going no stop All night back checking hitting …👍
The other was there Best d/man again, young Sanderson he is a horse out there and there Best d/man
This is the Guy they should Trade out of Ottawa is LD Thomas Chabot……❓
Chabot Played poor, give aways, Not a good performance again from him he need’s a change of address and keep Jacob Chychrun🤔.
Tyler Kleven the young 22 yr old LD/man we should see more of him next season…?
Mathieu Josep, is a keeper…👍
Claude Giroux, an other very solid performance..👍
Chabot is the one that should be moved, but his contract will make it extremely tough! May have to give a sweetener to help move him!! Annahiem, Nashville and Chicago are the only ones now with enough space to take him. Ottawa would lose in the trade, but it might be worth it cap-wise.
How is this:
Barry, TB’s 2025 1st, and the Jets 2023 2nd for Chabot
Both those picks should be late in their rounds, and Barry will be UFA, so Nashville is really not giving a whole lot. And the Sens get out of cap hell and fill a need on the RS and just maybe they sign Barry for cheap for 2 more years.
While you never know for sure, you don’t need to be Nostradamus to understand that the Sharks very likely won’t be competitive over the next few years.
I won’t put my money on not before Hertl’s contract has finished.
The average is 7 years, they didn’t really start until this past off season when they moved Karlsson.
What is Hertl worth in assets with that contract? He does get to decide where he goes, so thinking it won’t be overwhelming.
Ther would have to be salary coming back, so SJ would most likely have another aging vet with a big cap hit to deal with. It might be worth it for the picks that they get. I think he could get dealt in the summer, too many players with NTC’s that won’t go to SJ.
Before I saw Hertl’s cap hit I was thinking of the Oilers. Now that I see it’s over $8 million for 6 more seasons, I don’t think that would be a smart move. Especially with Draisaitle and the Oilers talking about an extension this summer. I would expect it to be no lower than $11.5 million x8.
Watching the play out there, I cannot help but think Staios may make it priority to move Chabot. At this point, I don’t even think it matters what the return is. He could gain valuable cap space and shed a defensive liability. If Chychrun wants to stay and signs an extension, I see no other path.
Sanderson is the future of the Sens D. No doubt there.
I keep hearing rumours of Staios wanting Tanev, but I am not sure Tanev wants Ottawa unless there are clear signs that they will improve next year. The only thing that hurts is that I truly feel like when Chabot moves, he will be rejuvenated, but I do not see that with the Sens currently.
Also…keep Martin on in management next year and hire Craig Berube.
I think Chabot is the main reason why Staios wants Tanev. Quine Hughes and Oliver Kylington both had breakout seasons after they were partnered up with Tanev. Staios is probably hoping that Tanev can do the same for Chabot.
yes, that is a good point. I think it would be an interesting pairing. Chabot can be brilliant at times. I think he needs a better support partner AND a solid coach. I really feel like DJ Smith kind of ruined him and he has to shake off the effects.
Playing under Martin might help Chabot, he is a proven defensive coach, and if Chabot can defend effectively, with his offensive skills, you have a top pair guy don’t you?
Plus having the team defense improve has to help him I would think. I would want to be really sure before I traded a guy like him.
Staios worked next to Holland for a few years, my guess is he learned to be patient, especially in times like this when a team is struggling.
I got a feeling the Sens get it going a little bit down the stretch and by then Staios has a way better idea what he has in each player, plus Chabot missed some time and hasn’t had as much time under Martin as some of the other guys.
I think some teams would step up for Chabot, even with the big ticket.
Lot of teams have 9 days off which is totally ridiculous
I just think Sen’s Chabot is way to Injury Prone….
@ 26 yr old has only played 50 game’s per season in the past 5 season….🙈
they need a Tanev style player/Leader on the sens d…
last night he played not good in my option,
and for $8.M PA salary its time to ship him out & keep and sign JC……❓