NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2024
Brock Boeser is expected to miss Game 7 of Canucks-Oilers series, plus the latest on Blake Wheeler, Seth Jarvis, Jake DeBrusk and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE PROVINCE: Brock Boeser is expected to be out of the Vancouver Canucks’ lineup for Game 7 of their second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers on Monday with a blood-clotting issue.
Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).
Boeser’s status remains unclear if the Canucks advance to the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars. His condition is not believed to be life-threatening. Boeser’s agent declined to comment but a source claimed the 27-year-old winger “is going to be OK.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big blow for the Canucks ahead of the biggest game of their season. They’ll miss Boeser’s production on the ice. He’s tied for fourth with Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston and the New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider among playoff scorers with seven goals and tied with J.T. Miller for the lead among Canucks scorers with 12 points.
This must be personally devastating for Boeser’s teammates. Sportsnet’s Courtney Jacobsen observed the Canucks have relied on their resilience to reach this stage of the playoffs. They’ll need it more than ever now.
SPORTSNET: Oilers forward Adam Henrique remains sidelined for Game 7 against the Canucks. An ankle injury has limited him to just one game in this series.
TSN: Blake Wheeler and Filip Chytil participated in the New York Rangers’ optional skate on Sunday. Both forwards skated without non-contact jerseys. Defensemen Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller did not take part in the skate.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wheeler told reporters he’s ready to play when the Rangers face the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final. Game 1 is on Wednesday, May 22 at 8 pm EDT in New York.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis suffered a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder 15 games into this season. “I just kind of dealt with it, slipping in and out a lot,” he said.
Jarvis, 22, played 81 games in the regular season, enjoying a career-high performance with 33 goals and 34 assists for 67 points. He had a team-high 13 power-play goals. Jarvis also suffered a broken finger during the Hurricanes’ first-round series against the New York Islanders.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarvis hopes that his shoulder won’t require surgery. The team doctor might have something to say about that.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk told reporters he suffered a broken hand during the final months of the regular season. He recovered when the playoffs began, leading the Bruins with five goals and 11 points in 13 games.
THE ATHLETIC’s Fluto Shinzawa reported Bruins winger David Pastrnak played through recurring groin trouble this season. He also reported defenseman Matt Grzelcyk suffered a torn oblique.
DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau surpassed Patrick Kane as USA Hockey’s all-time leading scorer at the IIHF World Championships with 43 points in 38 games.
Team Canada defenseman Bowen Byram received a one-game suspension for slashing Finland’s Jesse Puljujarvi.
Maybe Gaudreau’s performance at the World Championships will stop the talk that his play is eroding. His problem, so far, playing with the Jackets is that he hasn’t had steady linemates, much less steady linemates whose playing style compliments his.
Sign Lindholm? Trade Laine? Not the easiest task to accomplish……….
I’ve been saying for weeks something is wrong with Adam Fox. Ditto Trouba. NY without a healthy Fox is not good.
Hard to see where Wheeler fits in to the lineup.
Chytil should be centering the 3rd line between Cullye and Kakko. Drop Wennberg to 4th line center. Adding in Wheeler to the 4th line with Wennberg and Goodrow?
That moves Vesey and Brodzinski out. Not a fan of moving Vesey out.
Adding Wheeler and his ability to finish could help but still cannot see how he is back this soon after that injury. he might dress a game , play a few shifts and be done. He was also looking extra slow before the injury
It’s not exactly an NHL level competition even if some NHL players are playing. Gaudreau has been a disaster for CBJ because his skill set and salary never lined up with their window.
It’s fair to suggest Gaudreau doesn’t have much help, Paul.
But he signed for big money and it’s also fair to expect Gaudreau to elevate the games of his his line mates. That’s what he’s paid to do.
As for the Worlds, there arenas are bigger, the body checking less and it’s not best on best so I wouldn’t expect the play to transfer to the NHL.
While it’s expected that a high salary player will lift the play of those around him, part of that is also chemistry, especially with your linemates. It’s hard to develop that chemistry when your linemates change almost as often as your underwear.
CBJ & Re-build
They look like they will continute to re-build They have $24.M in Cap space to spend
CBJ have the 4th pick and could pick one of the Big Centres ranked in the top 6…., Like Berkly Catton or Cayden Lindstrom…❓
Lots of young talend coming. and young LW Kent Johnston should be back next year after missing half the season….🤔
Patrik Laine has 2 more years at $8.7M, they could trade him at the Deadline next march
Elvis Merzlikins, had nobody that was intrested in him last year and at the deadline CBJ did try to trade him as per his request… maybe they buy him out next summer if they cant dump him this year❓
They may look for a vetran centre who can help Adam Fantail… maybe Johnny’s Calgary buddie
Sean Monahan….🤔
The sooner the Jackets buy out egotistical Merzlikins the better. I’d be happy to have Monahan join the Jackets, but I don’t think that’s realistic. Hopefully, they acquire a defenseman who is more defensive oriented to compliment the overload of offense oriented defensemen already on the roster.
Reading that Ullmark who wants to stay in Boston and go on a revenge tour, may block a trade.
Ullmark has a 16 no trade list, it was reported earlier that 15 of the 16 teams are in the western conference.
Would / could New Jersey be a potential trade partner?
What if Sweeney turned around and traded Swayman. What does that return look like for a guy who justed posted 2.15 ga .933sv% in 12 playoff games.
Who would do a trade of Jeremy Swayman for Quinton Byfield. would LA, would Boston?
Brandon Bussi, the bruins backup next season is 5 months older than Swayman.
When was the last time a goalie was traded for a haul? No one is trading a young 2nd line center, with a decent ceiling, for any goalie.
Brock, when was the last time a #1 goalie entering his prime was available?
A haul implies for then one. This is one for one.
We still don’t know what Quinton Byfield will be.
Not sure, Ben Bishop? 4th rounder and a bad player was the return. Swayman is super solid, but he’s a 4th round pick player, developed well, who’s succeeded on a super solid team that plays good systems. He’s not a guaranteed fix for every team, he’s not Patrick Roy or Martin Brodeur.
Oh Cory Schneider comes to mind as well, who brought back a 1st round pick, nothing else, and then never quite lived up to the hype.
Ullmark to Pittsburgh for Reilly Smith and a 2025 2nd round pick?
Hey Caper,
Re; Ullmark
I think NJ will be after $5.M Ullmark & Saros,❓
Start at the top and work there way down to get a Good tender at the NHL Draft,
Boston like NJ Winger Alexander Holtz could be what boston want with a 2nd rd pick going the other way to boston. There would have to be A player with some salary going back to boston for Ullmark to make it all work 🤔
NJ also have the 10th pick……………….