NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2024
Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches a historic assist milestone, the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy, the Islanders clinch a playoff spot, and the Capitals, Red Wings and Penguins remain in the race for the final Eastern wildcard berth. Details and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected his 100th assist of the season in a 9-2 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Adam Henrique, Darnell Nurse and Dylan Holloway each had three assists for the Oilers (49-25-6) as they sit ninth in the overall standings. Fabian Zetterlund scored his 23rd of the season for the Sharks.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the fourth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season. It’s the first time an NHL player has reached that milestone since Gretzky in 1990-91.
Oilers winger Evander Kane missed this game with a minor injury. San Jose forwards Kevin Labanc, Mike Hoffman and Alexander Barabanov remain sidelined for the remainder of the season. They’re slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer and have likely played their final games for the Sharks.
The New York Rangers are this season’s winner of the Presidents’ Trophy for the best NHL record after blanking the Ottawa Senators 4-0. Igor Shesterkin turned in a 26-save shutout and Artemi Panarin netted his 49th goal of the season for the 55-23-4 Rangers, who finished the season with 114 points. Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves for the Senators.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth time the Rangers have won the Presidents’ Trophy with their previous win coming in 2014-15. Their 55 wins and 114 points are franchise records.
Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1. The Isles (38-27-16) clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points and will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Timo Meier scored his 28th goal of the season for the Devils.
Washington Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren had a 16-save shutout in a 2-0 upset of the Boston Bruins. John Carlson and Nic Dowd were the goal scorers as the Capitals improved to 39-31-11 to hold the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 89 points. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 23 shots for the Bruins, who sit fourth overall with 109 points.
The Detroit Red Wings overcame a 4-1 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on an overtime goal by Lucas Raymond, who also scored the tying goal. J.T. Compher also scored twice for the 40-32-9 Red Wings (89 points) as they sit behind the Capitals in the standings. Brendan Gallagher scored two goals while rookie defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist in his first game with the Canadiens.
Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson each had a goal and an assist to double up the Nashville Predators 4-2. With a record of 38-31-12, the Penguins also have 88 points in the race for the final Eastern wildcard. Predators winger Filip Forsberg netted his 48th goal of the season as his club finished the season with 99 points (47-30-5). They already qualified for the playoffs but missed an opportunity to clinch the first Western Conference wildcard spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators can still secure that first wildcard if the Vegas Golden Knights lose one of their final two games. The Golden Knights have also qualified for the postseason.
Meanwhile, the Capitals, Red Wings and Penguins have one game each remaining in their respective schedules. The Capitals face the Philadelphia Flyers while the Red Wings and Canadiens square off again tonight. The Penguins meet the Islanders on Wednesday.
The Buffalo Sabres finished their season with a 4-2 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Dylan Cozens tallied twice for the Sabres. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored both of his club’s goals to reach 40 on the season while teammate Nikita Kucherov picked up his 99th assist. The Lightning have already clinched a playoff berth and hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 96 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov will get his chance to become the fifth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season in his club’s season-ending game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. With 142 points, he has a four-point lead over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.
Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist to lead his club over the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Blake Lizotte scored for the Kings (43-27-11), who sit third in the Pacific Division with 97 points.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi, and Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Apr. 14.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed general manager Bill Zito to a multi-year contract on Monday. His current deal will expire at the end of next season. Zito also takes over as the Panthers’ president of hockey operations.
During Zito’s tenure, the Panthers have qualified for the playoffs for four straight years, including this one. They won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2021-22 and reached the Stanley Cup Final last season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zito overhauled the Panthers’ roster with only four players (Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sergei Bobrovsky and Eetu Luostarinen) remaining from the lineup that began the 2020-21 season. He’s added Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe and Gustav Forsling.
DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko returns to action on Apr. 16 to face the Calgary Flames. Demko missed the last 14 games with a knee injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have two games remaining in their schedule, allowing Demko time to return to form before the playoffs begin this weekend.
TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann will miss his club’s final two regular-season games with a lower-body injury. Teammate Max Domi will miss Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers and could miss their finale on Apr. 17 against the Lightning.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed prospect forward Gavin Brindley to a three-year entry-level contract. He’ll make his NHL debut on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
NYR good for you! Now you are faced with the vaunted Presidents Cup jinx!
Well at least they hold claim to being one of the 8 teams in history that has won the President’s Trophy AND the Stanley Cup in one season 🙂
Congrats Patrick Roy. A lot of haters and doubters out there. Good on you for getting the NYI into the playoffs.
Penguins fans as a whole don’t hate Roy for that.
They are however; not by any stretch, fans of Islanders
So two thumbs down for Islanders being in and Penguins on the outside looking for Habs and Flyers help tonight
8787. Shouldn’t look for helps from the Habs – had a 4-1 lead last night and blew it. Too many leads blown this year – better get that fixed or else another top 5 pick awaits next year.
Patrick did a solid job with the Isles. On March 28, their playoff odds were pegged at 4.8%. They’re hot right now and could be dangerous in the playoffs.
Congrats to #97 getting 100 assits
dont know if the Oilers d is strong enough to win the cup this year… its 50-50…
They also dont have a Scoring RW on the 2nd line they are missing, still a few peices to add…..
Congrats Rangers (but beware the Prez trophy curse)
Congrats McDavid. Great company to keep: Gretzky; Lemieux; Orr
Re Penguins:
“Irony” must be Erik Karllsson’s middle name.
Right now there is an 85.4% chance (per Moneypuck) that Penguins just miss playoffs and hand Sharks the 15th or 16th pick (given up in the Karllson deal)
Yet if Karllson had just made 1 less (of his 4 brutal) errors (that lead to 4 Detroit goals) last Thursday; then the odds of just missing playoffs and handing the pick to Sharks drops to 36%
Penguins have 12 OT losses; and (setting aside EN Goals) a further 11 regulation 1 goal game losses. That’s 23 game points lost . Many of those 23 games had multiple Karllson mistakes/bungles leading to goals.
So, correct any 3 of those many many Karllson errors (that lead to a GA) in those 23 games; and Penguins would already have secured a playoff spot
Just Correcting any of his mistakes (that lead to a GA) in the Detroit game; and any one of his mistakes (that lead to a GA) in the January 2nd (Washington game); and Penguins are sitting this morning; in the WildCard spot
Not on Karlsson from last night:
Bruins playing last night like they desire to play Leafs instead of Lightning (Caps outshot Bruins 25-16; and I think Bruins had only 8 shots partway through 2nd). Bruins were favoured in that game.
Then I watched the Habs/Wings game (TVO) and refs put their whistles away for last 90 seconds of regulation (missing trips , hooks, picks) when Wings tied it; then no call on blatant trip in OT; ref looking right at it; and shortly after that; Wings win
Not in the cards for Pens. A Pens V last night (accomplished) with a regulation Bruins win (which odds makers had favoured heavily) and Habs regulation win (which Habs had in hand halfway through 3rd); and Penguins playoff odds were going to be a tad shy of 85%.
Sad way to waste a great season by Crosby
Again, don’t want it to happen; but wouldn’t blame him if he chooses to move on and sign extension with a contender (Avs?).
Only hope now is for Habs redemption tonight plus Torts getting Flyers a regulation V.
Oddly, regulation win for Flyers would give identical record with Caps. Then since 3rd(or 4th?) tie-breaker is head to head with 3 games played between them; then first Caps at Flyers game is thrown out of calculations; tied again Head to head; and then it has to go to 5th tie-breaker (goal differential)… Flyers take that over Caps
I thought the refs left the whistles in the locker room for the whole game – multiple uncalled boarding incidents that would have sparked brawls under different circumstances for the Wings. The Habs seemed intent on taking Raymond out of the game. Fortunately for Detroit, he would not let that happen. I’m sure he needed plenty of ice after the game.
Great finish upcoming, with 4 teams having a chance to make the 2nd wildcard with one game remaining.
Exactly! Boarding is more egregious than ticky tacky trips and slash infractions!
No challenge re boarding being more egregious
Looked like both teams got the benefits on that one.
Technically no overall “skin in the game” for me as I’m neither aWings or Habs fan ; but certainly a vested interest in the outcome because of Penguins v Wings in standings.
The trip in OT was so blatantly obvious and not called (would have likely either ended up scoring PP for Habs or potentially a shoot-out that could have gone either way)
To be fair, I did fast forward through most of 1st and 2nd period; but watched entirely 3rd and OT, so that is where I noticed the “stowed” refs whistles
Hoping for Habs win (regulation great, but not mandatory) and Flyers regulation win tonight.
Those two happen; Pens playoff fate all in their hands
Karlsson seems to be the new Ruhwedal Pengy.
If I was to pint to the one biggest thing why the Pens might miss the playoffs; PP was 14.62%.
31st in the NHL.
Was Karlsson on the 1st unit, yep along with 4 other guys. And if he was on there more than Letang, that’s on the coach, not Karlsson.
Stammer should command a contract with a AAV of $9.5M or more on a 3-4 year contract!!!!! I don’t see the Bolts able to navigate that! Maybe they trade for the Carey Price contract?
Trading for Carey Price’s contract doesn’t help, it hurts. Unless they are sending a roster player back the other way.
It doesn’t free up 10.5, it adds to total cap until they can place him on ltir.
Ltir use just doesn’t work like that, if it did, you wouldn’t see a team like Montreal holding that deal, they’d be getting a 1st rounder for it.
Johnny
I disagree with “command” $9.5 M on 3-4 year. “Demand” (ask) yes
I posted a solution yesterday
Currently he gets $1M signing bonus ; $5.5 M Sal and has the great benefit of no state tax with Lightening
He’s 34 so next contract won’t be 35+ and will likely be his last contract.
Max, he plays 5 more years.
Give him AAV identical to current for the next 5 years, heavily loaded (including high signing bonuses) in first 2-3 year, then taper for two, but make contract for 8 years, last 3 at league minimum, no trade protection
See full details in my post of yesterday, but the end result:
Stamkos gets no state tax, doesn’t have to move fam; effectively has raise for 3 years but nets (over next 5 years [$32.5 M] the same as what he got this year); but because his final 3 years (when he’s retired) are at league minimum; his Cap hit ends up being just $4.29 M. The Lightening can handle that Cap hit.
Precisely.
Plus bonus clauses structured to be possible but not automatic cap hits.
The approach will be positive – and the risk is small as his salary will likely be covered by power play prowess even if his skating eventually suffers
from that gruesome broken leg in Boston.
There is value to the franchise and market– and to maintaining the image of the team in free agent player’s minds as well.
Stamkos has always been a realist, and see what management did with miniscule resources at the trade deadline to push the team to the playoffs. Think any bad feelings will be swamped by mutual respect and the good intentions of both parties
The Pens actually have 88 points now not 89. They’ll need a lot of help tonight and will then have to beat the Isles on the road tomorrow. Lucky for them the Isles will have nothing to play for.
Fixed, thanks, I had 89 on the brain after writing about the Capitals and Red Wings…;)
We’ll take all the help we can get
Flyers are actually favoured tonight.
Habs at home, both teams travelled last night; if Habs “play” the full game , then there is a fair chance for Penguins
Alas, as at right now, fairly high odds that Penguins finish just out, hand Sharks 15th or 16th overall pick.
If Flyers and Wings win; Pens should just dress WBS players in their final game and hope for Wild to beat Kraken; that way at least Pens have a 5.1% chance (I know, very small but a chance) at 2nd overall; and 5.3% chance of a top 4 pick (odds from chart in Tankathon)
This handing Sharks a 14th – 16th overall pick just sucks …. 23 I goal game losses…. That’s how close Pens were. 3 more goals for (or 3 goals less against) for the ENTIRE season; Pens would already be in the playoffs. Just one more GF or one less GF in the ENTIRE year; and Pens right now sitting in playoff position.
That’s how close it is
Go Habs Go
Go Flyers Go
The above chants self destruct at the close of tomorrow’s games
Its between the Caps & Wings who get into the last playoff spot…
i think its the Caps that get in to the final spot tonight… Habs could well beat the wings tonight….
It’s funny. I woke up a flyers and habs fan this morning! Sacre bleu! Santa sucks! Booooo!
Couldn’t care less about Tortorella’s team … but hoping for a Montreal win over Detroit to go along with a fitting season-ending loss for Ottawa in Boston. And if the Coyotes can pull out a win over Edmonton … even better. That would put Ottawa in the 5th spot for the draft.
George. Habs control their own draft destiny. Lose and they will finish in 28th spot. Given the amount of times they have lost this season, one more shouldn’t be a problem!
I don’t know if there was an easier shutout then the one Washington got last night.
The bruins 8 shots after 2 periods 4 per period finished with 15 total shots. Only one pp the whole game it went to Washington. To be fair i didn’t really see any missed calls. The bruins didn’t do anything to draw one.
Swayman played very well gave up one goal.
If i didn’t know better it was like Boston didn’t try to win.
Yeah. I’ll give Washington some credit. They sure clogged up the neutral zone for 55 minutes. It came at a cost though. I believe they had 2 players unable to complete the game.
They sure didn’t give up much though. Easy 🪿 🥚 for Lindgren.
Penguins are donezo. They needed to win out the season, losing to Boston cooked them. Either Detroit or Washington will likely clinch tonight.
Hi Brock
See my post above
Losing to Boston is not the story, nor the reason they are where they are at. They were not expected to win that game against Bruins
Just 1 single extra goal for OR 1 less goal against in ANY of the 23 1 goal game losses this year; and Pens are right now sitting in a playoff position with their own destiny in their hands
Make that 3 goals extra for OR 3 less goals against in those 23, and Pens already secure in the playoffs and the rest of the seasons games for any team, are irrelevant to Penguins; they’d be studying Ranger’s film today and sitting key players vs Islanders.
The true “recent” games that put Pens where they are:
Habs could hold a 2 goal advantage 1/2 way through 3rd last night
and/or
Bruins playing last night like they’d prefer 1st round to be against Leafs rather than Lightning
and/or
Caps beating Lightning Sat
and/or
Wings taking Leafs to OT , let alone winning in OT
and/or the true shocker: Ilses taking 3 of 4 potential points off of Prez Trophy winning Rangers
Take away just 1 of those 5 unexpected outcomes, and Pens odds at getting in start to climb substantially
Take 2 of those away, now Pens are in the 65% range (right now) of making the playoffs
The odds that all 5 of those unexpected outcomes were to actually happen…. Astronomical
Cheering for Habs and Flyers tonight
Looks like my gut was right, Pens off to the golf course.