NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2024
The Avalanche force Game 6 with the Stars, updates on the other second-round series, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAP
NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Dallas Stars 5-3 in Game 5 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Cale Makar scored twice (including the game-winning goal) and Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Joe Pavelski scored his first of this postseason and added an assist for the Stars, who hold a 3-2 lead in the series. Game 6 is in Denver on Friday, May 17 at 10 pm EDT.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong bounce-back effort by the Avalanche following their disastrous performance in Game 4. Makar and MacKinnon rose to the occasion, providing the leadership and clutch play expected of them. The Avs got a boost on the blueline with defenseman Devon Toews returning to action after an illness sidelined him in Game 4.
The Stars have the best road record (4-1) in this postseason but they’ve struggled at home, winning three of seven contests in Dallas. They also missed center Roope Hintz, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered in Game 4.
PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson seems to have few answers to address his lack of production in this postseason. Head coach Rick Tocchet admits his wingers haven’t helped but felt Pettersson can drive the play more. Pettersson insists it’s not for lack of effort but acknowledges only he can control what he does on the ice.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson can play harder but he’s not being helped with low-scoring forwards like Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty as his wingers.
SPORTSNET: Tocchet had some good news about Thatcher Demko. The Canucks starting goalie has been sidelined by a lower-body injury since suiting up in Game 1 of their first-round series with the Nashville Predators. Tocchet said Demko has “improved immensely the last 72 hours”.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have relied on third-stringer Arturs Silovs, who backstopped the Canucks over the Predators in the first round and has been solid in their current series with the Edmonton Oilers. No word if Demko will return to action in this series but there’s speculation he might get the nod for Game 6.
Speaking of goaltenders, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch is keeping mum as to whether Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard gets the start for Game 5 tonight. Pickard replaced the struggling Skinner in Game 3 and got the start (and the win) in Game 4.
NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce has returned to practice with his teammates. He’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury since Game 2 of their first-round series with the New York Islanders. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour didn’t rule out Pesce’s return if the blueliner felt he was good to go. The Hurricanes are down 3-2 in their series with the New York Rangers with the two clubs facing off tonight in Game 6.
NEW YORK POST: After losing their last two games to the Hurricanes, the Rangers could shake up their defense corps for Game 6. During practice on Wednesday, K’Andre Miller was reunited with Jacob Trouba while Braden Schneider was back with Erik Gustafsson.
IN OTHER NEWS…
NHL.COM: Utah goaltender Connor Ingram is this season’s winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. He nearly retired due to obsessive-compulsive disorder and lingering depression before seeking help through the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in 2021. Ingram had a career-best performance this season, sporting a 23-21-6 record with a 2.91 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and six shutouts.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Three Penguins recently underwent surgery. Kris Letang had an operation on May 10 to repair a fractured left finger and will require eight weeks of recovery. Blueliner John Ludvig is sidelined for four to six months following surgery in April on a damaged extensor tendon in his left wrist. Winger Matt Nieto will be out for six-to-seven months following surgery on the MCL in his left knee.
THE TENNESSEAN: Former Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame on July 20. He spent the entirety of his 15-season NHL career with the Predators, winning 30-plus games eight times. Rinne was a four-time finalist for the Vezina Trophy, winning it in 2018.
SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly considering Jeff Blashill as their next head coach. He coached the Detroit Red Wings from 2015 to 2022 and spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings signed backup goaltender David Rittich to a one-year, $1 million contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are expected to go shopping for a starting goaltender in this summer’s trade market. They reportedly attempted to acquire Boston Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark before the March trade deadline but it’s believed he used his no-trade clause to spike the deal.
CBS NEWS: A Native American woman who worked for the Chicago Blackhawks is suing the club and its charity for breach of oral contract, fraud and sexual harassment. Nina Sanders said she was brought in to build relationships between the team and the Native American community but was later pushed out.
Why did the Pittsburgh players wait this long to get surgery! The season for them was over a long time ago!
Doctor scheduling?
3 surgeries, 1 wk, 2 wk 3wk after being eliminated isn’t exactly waiting so long.
Read an article yesterday claiming Winnipeg won’t be resigning 33yr old left defenseman Brenden Dillon and it states Dillon is likely to sign a 2yr contract @ $2.9m
Boston should be all over that. Dillon is a warrior strong in his own zone, can and does play physical.
Linholm, Lohrei and Dillon would be a nice ld side.
Same article say Winnipeg will like sign Dylan DeMelo 5yrs @ $5m per. I’m like r u Nuts!
Right shot defenseman are at a premium these days and DeMelo is a proven commodity as JMo’s partner. Unless the Jets have a clear path to an upgrade there, they need to sign him. DeMelo had 31 points season and was +46, very strong timing on his behalf for a career year.
RD. Dylan DeMelo
Would be a perfic fit in Ottawa playing shut down role with the Sen’s with Chabot in the 2nd pairingif he dose not Re-sign with the Jets…..🤔
100% agree on Dillon Caper. I like the physical element and have commented on here before about him being a target, but I think I was talking about the Leafs.
Also, Forbort looks better after his surgery in a shut down role, and does eat some big PK minutes, which Dillon also does.
It’s not a flashy role by any means, but an important one that the B’s need to fill for next year. Which guy depends on the contract, and if either guy wants to play in BOS, but either of those 2 guys fits.
What is wrong with Wotherspoon! Cheaper,younger and can fill that same role! Peake making over 2? I think he has played pretty good! Have to look at the economics!Need money for Swayman and top 6 forwards!
Sr, nothing wrong with Wotherspoon and the savings of $2m is good.
Peeke is a nice addition but he doesn’t play physical. Boston doesn’t have a player like Dillon who is willing and capable of dropping the gloves.
The savings for now is with the Lohrei whose contract is $925,000
Wotherspoon would be the 7th dman
Swayman will be $7m – $7.5 Bussi $900k
Dman $26,775,000
goaltending $8,400,000
$35,175,000 d & G
Fowards on the books 10 totalling $34,962,500
cap ceiling $87,700,000
Boston has $17,562,500 to fill out the forward position that’s enough to add a #1C and a top 6 forward.
They have room to make moves.
Caper timing is everything! Wait to pick up that defensemen that you think they need at next years trade deadline for a 4-5 round pick! You ll have him for the last 15 games and the playoffs for peanuts!
Brock, i wouldn’t be paying Demelo $5m, that’s an over payment.
I would take Dillon over Demelo.
I like Dillon but the reality is he’s older and LHD are easier to find. If the Jets don’t keep DeMelo, now Neal Pionk, a AHL caliber player, is Jets top RHD. Flush next season down the toilet then, the tank is on.
Would love to see Blashill hired away from the Lightning. Coop is a bit too loyal to old friends whose performance is mediocre; Lightning need both defensive pieces & a little fire for the eventual three pairs in the coaching box. Hope Halpern stays, however, one of the subtle bright spots has been the massive improvement in face-off prowess across the team, his specialty (and sometimes under-rated).
Lyle, is there a word or two missing from that last paragraph above?
I gather the woman is suing the Blackhawks for “breach of oral contract, fraud and sexual harassment”
If it doesn’t rain it pours for that sorry organization .
Fixed, thanks.
RIP, Dutchie.
True that SOP. Proud Sask native, by all accounts a great guy and a good host.
Get checked gentlemen.
Wow RIP Darren Dutchyshen. WAY too young.
That is truly sad. He was one I could listen to … always forthright … never even a hint of homerism.
R.I.P. Darren.