NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2024
Oilers captain Connor McDavid talks about his offseason, Alex Ovechkin prepares for his 20th season with the Capitals, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid revealed he adjusted his summer training schedule to account for his club’s shorter offseason following the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
McDavid, 27, was also motivated to change his offseason training following the Oilers’ poor start last season.
“I went with a little bit of a different strategy this summer,” said McDavid. “In years past, it’s just been very heavy volume. Very go, go, go. Throw everything at the wall and hope something sticks.”

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
McDavid admitted he felt fatigued at the start of last season following a long summer of heavy training. That contributed to a 2-9-1 start to the season for the Oilers before rebounding following a coaching change.
The Oilers captain said he took some time off the ice this summer though he continued his off-ice workouts. He resumed skating in August and feels good heading toward training camp.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is in his playing prime but what worked for him in his offseason regimen several years ago isn’t as effective now. The human body changes as it ages and athletes must adjust accordingly.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Alex Ovechkin has returned to the United States to prepare for the upcoming season with the Washington Capitals.
Entering his 20th NHL season, the 38-year-old Ovechkin is 42 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Following a slow start last season, the Capitals captain finished with 31 goals, marking the 18th time he’d reached the 30-goal plateau.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Age is catching up with Ovechkin. Nevertheless, a better start could improve his chances of breaking Gretzky’s record this season.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The funeral of Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew has been scheduled for 12 pm on Monday in Philadelphia. The Gaudreaus were killed by a drunk driver last Thursday.
NEW YORK POST: Former Rangers defenseman Marc Staal has retired as an active player, rejoining the Rangers as a player development coach.
Chosen in the first round of the 2005 NHL Draft (12th overall) by the Rangers, Staal spent 13 seasons with the Rangers (2007-08 to 2019-20). He spent the following four seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Staal had 53 goals and 234 points in 1,136 regular-season games and 20 points in 128 playoff contests.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated that Staal overcame multiple concussions and played the last 11 years of his 17-season NHL career without vision in his right eye after being struck by a puck in 2012-13. He wore a visor after that and never missed a game because of his eye or vision.
THE SCORE: Long-time NHL defenseman Alex Goligoski also hung up his skates on Thursday.
A second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2004 draft, Goligoski spent 17 seasons in the NHL from 2007-08 to 2023-24. He scored 87 goals and collected 388 assists for 475 career regular-season points with the Penguins, Dallas Stars, Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild. He also had 21 points in 47 playoff games. He won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2008-09.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils invited defenseman Jakub Zboril and goaltender Michael Hutchinson to training camp on professional tryout offers (PTOs).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils also denied a rumor claiming they were bringing Milan Lucic to camp on a PTO. “Categorically untrue. His situation lies with the league. We haven’t and couldn’t sign him to a PTO.”
Lucic entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program following his arrest last fall for a domestic incident. He needs clearance from the league to resume his career but has not yet been cleared by league doctors to exit the program.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks prospect forward Beckett Sennecke suffered a broken foot during offseason training and will miss the next six to eight weeks. Sennecke, 18, was chosen third overall by the Ducks in this year’s draft.
The Ducks also signed goaltender Oskar Dansk to a one-year, two-way contract. The former Vegas Golden Knights netminder spent the past two seasons with the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate.
TSN: A London, Ontario court is hearing legal arguments in the sexual assault case of five former players of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Hockey team.
Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged earlier this year in connection with an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in 2018.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL defenseman Larry Trader died Thursday at age 61. Trader played 91 games in the NHL with the Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens from 1982-83 to 1987-88, scoring five goals and 18 points. He also won a Calder Cup with the AHL’s Adirondack Red Wings in 1985-86 and a Spengler Cup for Canada in 1986-87.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Trader’s family, friends and former teammates.
US HOCKEY HALL OF FAME: Former NHL players Matt Cullen and Kevin Stevens are among the inductees in the Class of 2024. The induction ceremony will be held on Dec. 4, 2024, in Pittsburgh.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Cullen and Stevens for this great honor.
I suspect it’ll take two more seasons for ovi to beat the Gretzky. Then off to Russia to play for khl along with Malkin.
Yup
He’s not getting 42 this year
it will be an interesting season for the fans if Ovie gets close.
he scored 23 of his 31 goals in the last half of the season but looked done in the playoffs. I agree it will take 2 seasons. The Caps look better on paper now imho
Congratulations Marc and Alex on your retirements and lengthy careers.
Congratulations Matt and Kevin on your inductions.
Re the 2018 junior players and
“court is hearing legal arguments”
is the trial on or are these just preliminary motions?
8787,
Re the 2018 junior players, pre-trial hearings are scheduled this week, in november and next january. Jury selection begins only sept. 8, 2025.
and none of the players on that team can participate in international games still…
Makar off Team Canada is huge. that gives this trial a reason to try to speed up finally
@ds – I don’t care about the peed of the trial. I only care about justice being served. If guilty, I am okay with none of these guys every playing again anywhere.
Thanks Pat, greatly appreciated.
ds,
Makar not charged . The international playing ban, I believe, was pre actual charges. Not 100% sure but I believe the others can play. Wouldn’t they have a serious challenge to being banned; especially those on that team that weren’t even there (at the hotel)? At least 1 wasn’t even in the same city. How could they be culpable?
Those 5 for sure not able to play in international competitions until (IF) the are found not guilty
With theSaint on need for proper trial and justice to prevail and that this is paramount and other issues irrelevant
With 5 charged and “7 or 8 in the room” leads me to believe that at LEAST one other teammate has agreed to provide testimony in lieu of being charged with anything beyond a potential misdemeanour.
To be fair, these 5, as at this moment , are deemed (as they legally should be) innocent until proven guilty.
Just a gut feeling; but my guess was s that not all five get convicted.
What happens then if at least one is found not guilty? Legally clear. But is there a team that would take him/them on?
I’m surprised that the trial is not going to start fir another year.
@8787
they would not allow any roster player from 2018 to play in the past springs worlds and i thought was still the case since i hadnt read anything since the spring
somehow i missed the nations roster news etc
Makar? He’s not on trial. He was with that junior team in London but so were many other who also are not implicated – Batherson of Ottawa among them.
to my knowledge none of the players on the 2018 team even those not accused of any wrongdoings are allowed to play internationally for Canada presently
Makar who was not even in London that night cannot play for Team Canada.
maybe Lyle can confirm this?
Makar was in London at the event
But for sure Kyrou, Mete, Clague were not at the event
I believe the international ban (for all members) was pre charges/arrests
Not sure what legal avenue any of the non 5 attendees could do re a current ban (if still in place); but how could they ban Kyrou or Clage or Mete if they were not even in the city at the time.
Clage and Mete are lower tiered talent-wise and may not be considered anyway; but Kyrou is a reasonable talent that should at least be considered to play at the World’s if he’s out of the playoffs by then
to my knowledge none of the players on the 2018 team even those not accused of any wrongdoings are allowed to play internationally for Canada presently
Makar who was not even in London that night cannot play for Team Canada.
maybe Lyle can confirm this?
and the trial is not until sept 2025
So, guilt by association is the NHL stance?
“John is a con artist. John has black hair. Therefore, people with black hair are necessarily con artists.”
WTF?
Makar is already on the Canada roster for NHL’s 4 Nations Face Off.
It would make no sense, and sound illegal, to have someone not charged with anything, and have no evidence of wrong doing against, not eligible to participate.
When something sounds like it doesn’t make any sense, it usually isn’t true. At very least you are missing information.
Ray, I was looking at articles like this from back in February
https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/all-players-from-2018-world-junior-team-remain-suspended-by-hockey-canada-pending-appeal/article_a6889126-88c8-5a11-bce7-ea234a6d34df.html
Ray, I was looking at articles like this from back in February – couldn’t find any subsequent one removing the ban for those never charged
https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/all-players-from-2018-world-junior-team-remain-suspended-by-hockey-canada-pending-appeal/article_a6889126-88c8-5a11-bce7-ea234a6d34df.html
makar still needed special counsel to get it reviewed
hopefully they reinstate others for the worlds etc
Agree Ray
Even more so, the original full team ban was weird
There were at least 3 from the winning team (Kyrou, Clauge, Mete) that weren’t even in London at the time
How do you ban players who literally could not have assaulted the young woman
Others apparently asleep in their room at the time
5 charged…. I understand a ban (until/if cleared) and maybe the 2 or 3 others who MAY have been in the room(per reports there were 7 or 8 present in the room) as perhaps those imposing the ban , MAY believe the other 2 or 3 should have come forward????
But banning the whole squad???
Ok looks like Makar was cleared this summer which is good
https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/cale-makar-cleared-to-play-for-canada-in-4-nations-tournament/article_bca35da8-3569-11ef-8a9a-0b00b1682166.html
Thanks for that ds – popped in just as I posted the above re “guilt by association”
Why not check your facts before posting them in the first place, several times, and then having to walk it back? Not a good look, ds.
Hopefully we’re not going to have to endure strings of what ifs, I heard’s, and did you knows throughout the trial.
Surely we can let this court case come to its conclusion and until it does concentrate on hockey.
huh?
i never remember reading that makar had that review. what a terrible person i am
why so sensitive?
For those of you who were wondering:
https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/cale-makar-cleared-to-play-for-canada-in-4-nations-tournament/article_bca35da8-3569-11ef-8a9a-0b00b1682166.html#:~:text=Updated%20June%2028%2C%202024%20at%204%3A50%20p.m.&text=Colorado%20defenceman%20Cale%20Makar%20will,from%20international%20hockey%20being%20lifted.&text=LAS%20VEGAS%E2%80%94Colorado%20Avalanche%20defenceman,been%20cleared%20to%20represent%20Canada.
Lyle, part of the confusion in this whole sorry mess is statements like this in the above link
“Other players, notably St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas, will also be able to use this process to clear their names.”
Why a “process?” 5 players have been charge charged and face trial. Absolutely no indication that charges could still be laid against others. So, ostensibly, every other member of that 2018 squad should automatically be cleared to play for Canada in any international tournament – if invited.
Unless …. the intent is to wait until the trial commences to see if any other names come out in testimony.