NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2024
Recaps of Tuesday’s games plus the latest on Auston Matthews, Tage Thompson, Timo Meier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks got a 32-save shutout from Kevin Lankinen to blank the Boston Bruins 2-0. Jake DeBrusk tallied the winning goal in his first game against his former club since signing with the Canucks this summer. Connor Garland had a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Jeremy Swayman made 13 saves for the Bruins as they suffered their first loss under interim coach Joe Sacco.
Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have tightened up defensively in their three games under Sacco (2-1-0) but they’ve managed only three goals during that stretch. Meanwhile, Canucks winger Brock Boeser was held scoreless in his return to action after missing seven games with a concussion.
An overtime goal by Mikhail Sergachev lifted the Utah Hockey Club to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain scored in regulation for Utah while Jayden Struble and Alex Newhook tallied for the Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. The Habs also announced Patrik Laine will accompany them on their upcoming three-game road trip as he works his way back from a sprained knee.
HEADLINES
TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was a full-practice participant on Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since Nov. 3 with an upper-body injury.
BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Sabres center Tage Thompson is expected to be in the lineup when his club faces off against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. He missed the last five games with a lower-body injury.
NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier received a one-game suspension for cross-checking Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux on Monday.
SPORTSNET: The Ottawa Senators placed defenseman Artem Zub (fractured foot) on long-term injury reserve and called up defenseman Donovan Sebrango from their AHL affiliate in Belleville.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move enables the Senators to exceed the $88 million salary cap by over $3.7 million. They could use that space to pursue a replacement for Zub via the trade market, but if he returns to the lineup before the end of this season, they would have to be cap-compliant.
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is listed as day-to-day with a concussion. He won’t play in Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers but could return during the weekend.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina netminder Frederik Andersen is sidelined for eight to 12 weeks recovering from knee surgery. There’s speculation the Hurricanes are shopping around for goaltending depth. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger will miss Wednesday’s game against the Canadiens with an upper-body injury.
THE SCORE: The San Jose Sharks assigned goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to their AHL affiliate as veteran netminder Vitek Vanecek returns from an upper-body injury.
TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed winger Valtteri Puustinen on waivers. He was a healthy scratch in 13 of the Penguins’ 23 games this season.
Bruins got goalies last night and deserved a better result. But If I was Sweeney I would be looking at a Big team changing trade as swapping fringe players not going to do squat. If cannot swing one he should move all the mid players possible by deadline. Even ask Brad if he wants to chase a cup and resign afterwards. Stock the cupboard as they say
After watching the Bruins all year it is evident that it is not the coaching ,but the roster! Offensive ineptitude has even got Pasta! Him missing breakaways is surprising! Now is the time to try to break up the core and add new pieces! Most NHL teams are afraid to try this but in Boston it seems that if they can get ahead of this issue they should! It s a copy cat league,so teams I m sure would follow! Zegras or a similar young offensive player would be a good place to start! This action could mean Sweeney s job down the road!
I think Pasta is just thinking too much looking to make a better play rather than just shoot. I also think they need a better answer on the point on the power play. Mac Avoy is having a terrible year in all aspects that play last night of the empty netter is typical of what has happened all year. You keep hoping he will play out of it but how long can you wait.
Last year Geekie and Coyle had career years. They’re not close to where they were.
Not goalies. Goalied Dan auto correct
Last night Vancouver was the last to reach the 20-game so-called quarter pole. For what it’s worth, here’s the way the league stood with all teams having played 20 games. I’ll do it again at the exact half-way mark (41 games each).
Winnipeg 17 3 0 34 .850 84 47 +37
Minnesota 13 3 4 30 .750 69 50 +19
Carolina 14 5 1 29 .725 78 51 +27
Washington 13 6 1 27 .675 81 55 +26
Dallas 13 7 0 26 .650 70 50 +20
New Jersey 12 6 2 26 .650 72 52 +20
Vegas 12 6 2 26 .650 75 62 +13
Toronto 12 6 2 26 .650 61 50 +11
New York R. 12 7 1 25 .625 67 55 +12
Florida 12 7 1 25 .625 70 65 +5
Vancouver 11 6 3 25 .605 63 62 +1
Calgary 11 6 3 25 .625 54 54 E
Tampa 11 7 2 24 .600 76 61 +15
Los Angeles 10 7 3 23 .575 61 56 +5
Colorado 11 9 0 22 .550 66 71 -5
Edmonton 10 8 2 22 .550 55 62 -7
Buffalo 10 9 1 21 .525 65 63 +3
Seattle 10 9 1 21 .525 58 55 +3
Columbus 9 9 2 20 .500 70 72 -2
Anaheim 8 9 3 19 .475 50 60 -10
Utah HC 8 9 3 19 .475 55 64 -9
Boston 8 9 3 19 .475 48 60 -21
New York I. 7 8 5 19 .475 51 59 -8
Philadelphia 8 10 2 18 .450 57 71 -14
Detroit 8 10 2 18 .450 49 63 -14
Ottawa 8 11 1 17 .425 62 65 -3
St. Louis 8 11 1 17 .425 49 69 -20
Pittsburgh 7 10 3 17 .425 55 80 -25
Montreal 7 11 2 16 .400 56 77 -21
San Jose 6 10 4 16 .400 50 71 -21
Chicago 7 12 1 15 .375 48 60 -12
Nashville 6 11 3 15 .375 46 64 -18
Thanks George O! Looks like Washington on one end and Nashville on the other end are the biggest surprises!
I agree there – especially Nashville, given their big off-season signings.
I would also include Columbus as a surprise, given the unfortunate circumstances surrounding that team. The Top 16 cuts off with Edmonton and their 22 points, but there’s Columbus, sitting 19th overall at .500, just 2 points back of the Oilers … AND with 15 more goals for and a better overall goal differential.
As per Auston Matthews
My source is from a Jr.A club , reliable enough I would think ?
He has a L5-S1 herniated disc issue ???
Whatever happened in Germany obviously calmed the issue..
Hopefully MORE THAN CALMED
Boston has scored 51 goals in 23 games that’s 2.21 goals for per game which ranks 32nd in the league
Boston has the fewest third period goals in the league.
Where did all the goals go?
Player 2023-2024 2024-2025 24/25 projected
Pastrnak 47 8 28
Marchand 29 6 16
Coyle 25 4 14
Zacha 21 3 11
Frederic 18 3 11
Geekie 17 1 3
McAvoy 12 3 11
Total 169 94
Boston need a top 6 LW to help with scoring
No Morgan Geekie??
Ww
Geekie should be on 3rd line with Frederick and Coyle. Problem is no cap space to get the scoring LW
They need to make a team changing trade and move Zacha Geekie Frederick and or a d man Carlo?
Ducks seem like a good partner. Jeez go really big
Zegras Gibson Vatrano
Swayman and Zacha go other way
I feel better about the Bruins of late. If they play like last night most games they will win way more than they lose.
Kinda like the Oilers, the other team I watch a lot, not capitalizing on their chances and not getting eonough saves.
It should improve for the B’s, even though they don’t have a bunch of high end skill. They dominated the Nucks last night and have started to out chance their opponents. Big positive IMO.
Team D has picked up, tending has gotten better, just need to finish.
Not there yet, but starting to trend in the right direction. The goals will come, need a bust out night so they can stop squeezing the stick.
Ya, and fix the PP and PK (this will come). Caper suggested giving Lohrei 1st unit PP time, need to consider it soon if it doesn’t get going.
Agree on Pasta, thinking vs doing. He too needs a big night and will get on a heater.
Keep the faith boys!
Caper this is what happens when signing free agents,making trades at the deadline,trading away draft picks and not developing young players! Merkulov went from some PP time back to Providence in a week! One of their better forwards last game Ryan Johnson sat out last night for Providences McLaughlin! Poitras and Lysell are in the AHL! Wouldn’t they be better off playing these guys and evaluate them! Or at least use them in trades! I Don t see what marching out this same corps is doing,waiting for a spark to go off?
Sr
You must mean Tyler Johnson. Not Ryan. Isles always play bruins tough. If bruins win they will have to earn it and score more than 2 goals
Boston,
just seen on Sports desk the Bruins are scoring 1.7 goals per game over the past 6 games…❗️
they Realy need to pull the triger on a first line LW
Looks like they may have to trade out a d/man and a forward and maybe a 2nd round pick
for a team to hold back salary $1M–$2M in Salary’s ? maybe a re-building team in a 3 way deal❓
With the 2 players going out they could save $4-$5.M++
i think the Canucks would love to have Big Zadorov back……🤔
Thanks Mr Bruin4!