NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2024
Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky reaches a significant milestone, the Jets remain unbeaten, the Golden Knights re-sign Shea Theodore, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Sergei Bobrovsky became the fastest goaltender to reach 400 career wins (707 games), stopping 24 shots in a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers, handing the latter their first regulation loss of the season. Anton Lundell, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers while Alexis Lafreniere replied for the Rangers.
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky is the 14th goaltender to reach the 400-win milestone. He’ll soon move past Chris Osgood (401), Grant Fuhr (403) and Glenn Hall (407) and should overtake Tony Esposito (423) later this season to move into 10th overall as he burnishes his case for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Earlier in the day, the Rangers demoted popular enforcer Matt Rempe to their AHL affiliate in Hartford as he struggled to secure a full-time roster spot. They also placed defenseman Chad Ruhwedel on waivers.
The Winnipeg Jets extended their season-opening win streak to seven games as Nikolaj Ehlers scored in overtime to give his club a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Jets held a 3-1 lead early in the third period but the Kraken battled back to force overtime. Nino Niederreiter scored two goals for the Jets as did Kraken center Matty Beniers, whose second goal tied the game late in the third.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are the only team that hasn’t suffered a loss this season.
Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had his fourth straight multi-point game (2 goals, one assist) as his club doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves for his first win of the season as the Wild extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The sale of the Lightning to a pair of Wall Street investors was made official on Thursday. Former majority owner Jeff Vinik will retain a minority stake in the franchise and will continue to run the team until 2027.
The Detroit Red Wings got third-period goals from Patrick Kane and Michael Rasmussen in a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Cam Talbot kicked out 37 shots for the win. Nico Hischier tallied twice for the Devils.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s game-winner was the 77th of his career, tying him with Bill Guerin for fourth all-time among American-born skaters and tying him with Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand for fifth among active skaters.
Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon (one assist) and Cale Makar (one goal) extended their points streaks to eight games as their club defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and two assists and Ross Colton tallied his seventh of the season. Lawson Crouse had the only goal for Utah.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colton left the game in the second period after being slashed on the hand. There was no postgame update on his condition.
The Dallas Stars defeated the Boston Bruins 5-2, handing the latter their fourth loss in their last five games (1-3-1). Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who sit third overall in the Western Conference (6-2-0). David Pastrnak and Justin Brazeau replied for the Bruins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penalties were costly for the Bruins. The Stars blew the game open with three straight power-play goals in the second period.
St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 40 saves in a 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dylan Holloway scored two goals and Jordan Kyrou picked up two assists for the Blues. Oliver Ekman-Larsson had the Leafs’ only goal.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This lopsided loss came after Toronto dropped a 6-2 decision to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their previous contest. This was Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube’s first game against his former club. Leafs winger Max Pacioretty missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
The Carolina Hurricanes got a goal and an assist from Martin Necas as they held off the Calgary Flames 4-2, ending the latter’s six-game season-opening points streak. Dan Vladar stopped 39 shots for the Flames.
Los Angeles Kings winger Warren Foegele tallied twice in the first period as his club nipped the San Jose Sharks 3-2, handing the latter their eighth straight loss (0-6-2) as they remain the only winless team in the league. Mikael Granlund scored two goals for the Sharks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings activated goaltender Darcy Kuemper from injured reserve before this game. He’s expected to return to action against Utah on Saturday.
HEADLINES
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights signed defenseman Shea Theodore to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.425 million. Theodore, 29, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Theodore’s future in Vegas seemed in doubt after they acquired and signed defenseman Noah Hanifin last season. The departure of winger Jonathan Marchessault stoked speculation that Theodore would be next out the door due to salary-cap constraints.
Theodore is an important part of the Golden Knights’ roster core, providing them with a reliable source of offense from the blueline. He is also one of only three original members still with the Golden Knights, along with William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb.
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid believes Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby should captain Canada’s team at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
“It’s just how it should be,” said McDavid. “He’s Sidney Crosby and he’s been there so many times and he’s the guy. It’s not like I thought about it a lot, it’s just such a no-brainer.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby’s international record speaks for itself. He’s a member of the elite Triple Gold Club, winning gold in the World Juniors (2005), the World Championships (2015), and the Olympics (2010, 2014). He also captained Canada as they won the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. Crosby was named to the IIHF All-Decade Team for 2010-2020.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins sent goaltender Tristan Jarry back to Pittsburgh to work with one of the club’s goalie coaches on an individual level. Jarry has struggled this season, prompting the Penguins to go with Alex Nedeljkovic and Joel Blomqvist as their current tandem.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry’s struggles have made him the subject of trade speculation. However, his performance and contract ($5.375 million AAV through 2027-28) make it unlikely he’ll change teams.
NEW YORK POST: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair is expected to miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a relief for the Isles and Duclair. It was feared he would be laid up for months recovering from that injury.
RG.ORG: James Murphy reports NHL Players’ Association Executive Director Marty Walsh hopes to discuss expansion fees with the league during the next round of collective bargaining.
Expansion fees have been split among existing NHL owners. Walsh wants to discuss the possibility of the players receiving a cut of future expansion monies.
Walsh has yet to discuss this topic with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. He’s also under no illusions that the 32 club owners could willingly share any of the profits stemming from future expansion. Nevertheless, he’s hoping to have that conversation with the league.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That proposal could receive a hard no from the NHL owners. However, Bettman could also use that subject as leverage to gain something else for the owners.
St.Louis got an additional goal from Broberg as well as the two from Holloway.
Every time this happens, it makes Edmonton decision to allow those two to leave via offer sheets a very ,very , very poor one
APM,
your right Philip Brobeg was going to be in our 2nd pairing in Edmonton….
he would have mad Nurse better as he was better that the $9.M nurse in the playoffs…
the Oil should have used the $3.M to sign both players$1.8M for PB and $1.M for DH.
that they payed Adam Henrique‼️
and Hollaway would be on the 3rd line this year and pushing for the 2nd line next season…
It certainly hasn’t helped with D cohesion by not only allowing Broberg to go via the offer-sheet, but also losing big Desharnais to Vancouver via free agency and dealing Ceci. That’s 50% of their nightly D structure which they are now trying to rectify with Emberson, Stecher and p.t.o. Dermott.
They may yet eventually gel with their new partners, but a lot of a good, cohesive D is familiarity. And right now it often looks like the left hand ain’t informing the right hand what they’re about to do – hence turnovers up the yin-yan.
George,
i agree, both Broberg & vinny were big parts of the d they lost and the Oil have not found d/men that can replace them,
Kulak and Vinny were a very good 3rd paring and played together for 2 years
Philip Broberg was going to be top 4 d/man for sure he showed flashes of what he could…👌
Oil have there work cut out for them, i hope young Ty Emberson sticks with kulak….❓
Yesterday, Swany and I exchanged posts on who would be in goal for the Leafs against St. Louis … I at first speculated it would be Woll (although for some reason I was thinking it was a road game for the Leafs) as it would be an opportunity for his family in Missouri to see him in action.
Swany made a good case for Stolarz to be the starter. In the end, however, it seems Treleving and Berube decided there was no time like the present to get Woll into game action. And regardless of the outcome, you can’t really blame them.
The fact they didn’t pull him when the Blues went up 4-1 at 3:45 in the 3rd is an indication that, one way or another, getting Woll into 60 minutes of action was the priority here. They need him in game shape as soon as possible because a tandem of Stolarz and Hildeby isn’t going to cut it.
For Sens fans:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/8639531196125715
I posted this too late yesterday.
that is awesome!
Priceless
Dallas looked very good in their win at Boston with their backup goalie!To dig up old wounds,TylerSeguin had the Stars 4th goal!Boston can t seem to get out of each others way!Monty looks like he is lost for words!
Marner for a bag of pucks, we`ll even return the bag if we have to, please anyone
You sure have to wonder what’s churning in his mind, Yogi.
From this vantage point, when panned on the bench and watching his play, he just looks like someone waiting resignedly for the other shoe to drop, with all the media and on-line chatter about his pending free-agency and speculation as to what he’s likely seeking.
On the bench (and lately, the cameraman seems to be seeking him out – especially if he’s just left the ice following a goal against – which happened 3 times last night) he just sits there and doesn’t seem to engage in any positive chatter/encouragement you might see from others.
I think back to last spring’s playoffs and Nylander’s angry retort to Marner’s glove-tossing, and wonder now if the general feeling on the bench is such that many wish he were somewhere else now.
I’m probably reading it wrong … but man, there sure seems to be some distance developing there.
No George you summed it up pretty good. After the Columbus game he refused to take any responsibility for his missed assignments that cost 3 goals in that game. Instead in a post game interview he choose to spread the blame around and yes there was enough to around. Players will admit when they stink the joint out and they don`t appreciate it when the main screw up tries to point to others instead of owning up to his missed assignments. Clearly he`s not buying into Berube`s new systems and Berube`s comments are starting to reflect that. Matthews stunk too, but at least he admits it. Considering this is Marner`s contract year, one would think he`d put in a better effort. Hate to see what he`s going to be like after he signs a new deal. I hope his new team and teammates are understanding.
I know +/- is not everyone’s favourite stat, but as I posted somewhere yesterday, it is at least indicative of something that needs attention. If you look at that category in the Leaf’s club stats, it’s almost like a tale of two cities
On the plus side you have McMann (+6), Domi (+4), Nylander, Robertson and Benoit (+3 each), Timmins and Pacioretty (+2 each)
On the minus side there’s Marner (-5), Kampf (-4), Matthews, Holmberg, Reaves, Rielly (-3 each), Lorentz and Tanev (-2 each).
Incidentally, one guy who did seem to pay attention to detail last night was Benoit, and I was impressed by his hustle after his stick shattered on a shot from the blue line and he skated hard back to his own zone to get in the way of Saad who was cruising in with another Blues defender on a 2 on 0 counter-rush, breaking up the chance.
+/ – is for the birds, watched a player step onto the ice and get a minus simply because he was on a line change. Same thing when a team pulls a goalie and the other team scores into an empty net. But the last 2 Leaf games Marner`s a -6 and he was the player who`s missed assignment scored the goal. Players do have bad games, but Marner`s lack of effort to cover his man or go into corners is astounding for a guy who makes almost 11 million per and seeking a new contract that contains a tidy raise. During the summer we all heard about Marner training with Sid and we all hoped Sid would have a positive influence on him. Sadly, Marner must have some kind of positive influence repellant in his system. Yeah Benoit has been a joy to watch. He may not be the most talented guy but he`s definitely #1 on the team for his effort. How Anaheim let the kid go is a head scratcher, but I`m 100% glad they did and he plays every game like that. Pity Marner and Matthews don`t spend more time with him, let some of that effort rub off on them
His new teammates and team are gonna be the same as they are now🤷♂️
Don`t be shocked if he`s wearing Pittsburgh colours next summer. Marner and Dubas share a common bond