NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2024
Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, Senators owner Michael Andlauer weighs in on the Brady Tkachuk trade rumors, reaction to the Avalanche trading Alexandar Georgiev to the Sharks for Mackenzie Blackwood, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 on a shootout goal by Dylan Larkin. Andrew Copp scored two goals, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider had a goal and an assist each, and Sebastian Cossa picked up the win in his first NHL game after Ville Husso got the hook after giving up three goals on seven shots. Buffalo winger Jason Zucker tallied twice and picked up an assist.
Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings snapped a five-game winless skid (0-3-2) while the Sabres are 0-4-3 in their last seven contests. Both clubs began this season hoping to be postseason contenders but find themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 26 points in 28 games. The Wings risk extending their playoff drought to nine seasons while the Sabres’ postseason drought could reach 14 years.
Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period as his club held on to upset the New York Rangers 2-1. Hall finished with two points as he assisted on Tyler Bertuzzi’s game-opening goal. Will Cuylle netted a shorthanded goal for the Rangers. The Blackhawks ended a five-game losing skid while the Rangers have won only twice in their last 10 games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first NHL win for Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen. Meanwhile, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette faces growing criticism for his team’s recent struggles.
The Montreal Canadiens downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on shootout goals by Patrik Laine and Cole Caufield. Laine and Kirby Dach scored in regulation and Samuel Montembeault stopped 27 shots for the Canadiens. Troy Terry netted both goals for the Ducks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine’s off to a hot start with the Canadiens, collecting four points in as many games. Meanwhile, Jacob Trouba debuted with the Ducks following his trade by the Rangers on Friday, playing with a greater sense of urgency than in his final games in New York.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point, and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 8, 2024.
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer is fed up with rejecting trade rumors about team captain Brady Tkachuk.
The latest was a recent report by Larry Brooks of the New York Post claiming the Rangers made Tkachuk their primary trade target. Andlauer said that report could be considered “soft tampering” if Brooks’ reporting came from a source within an NHL team.
Andlauer said this was the third separate occasion in his year as Senators owner “where there’s been fires to put out”, referring to the Tkachuk trade rumors. “I can tell you 100 percent there’s never actually been an ounce of discussion about Brady Tkachuk being anything other than an Ottawa Senator.”
The Rangers issued a statement to LeBrun in response to Andlauer’s comments rejecting any notion of tampering. “This is an irresponsible accusation and we defer to the commissioner’s office.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have more about this in today’s NHL Rumors update.
THE ATHLETIC: The NHL is holding its Board of Governors’ meetings on Monday and Tuesday.
Upcoming negotiations with the NHL Players’ Association on a new collective bargaining agreement is expected to be among the topics of discussion. The current CBA expires in September 2026 but both sides appear keen to reach an agreement well before then.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps Andlauer’s concerns about soft tampering will be on the agenda.
THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak weighed in on the Colorado Avalanche making a multi-player trade on Monday that saw goaltender Alexandar Georgiev shipped to the San Jose Sharks for netminder Mackenzie Blackwood. Masisak considered it a “bold, risky move” by Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland to improve his club’s shaky goaltending.
NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Sheng Peng reports Sharks GM Mike Grier believes the offer from the Avalanche was too good to pass up. He believes the return, including promising forward Nikolai Kovalenko, will help his club continue rebuilding. Grier said the addition of Georgiev will also buy a little more time for promising goalie Yaroslav Askarov to develop his game with their AHL affiliate.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for my take on the trade.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils will induct Jacques Lemaire into its Ring of Honor in January. He is the winningest coach in franchise history, with 276 career regular-season victories, and 35 playoff wins. Lemaire coached the Devils to their first Stanley Cup championship in 1995.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Nick Leddy has returned to St. Louis for further testing regarding his lower-body injury. He’s been sidelined for the past 24 games.
DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Senators.
TSN: The Minnesota Wild assigned defenseman David Jiricek to their AHL affiliate in Iowa. He was acquired on Nov. 30 in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
THE SCORE: Beckett Sennecke has been added to Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming 2025 World Junior Championship. Chosen third overall by the Ducks in this year’s draft, he was passed over during the initial selection.
Nikolai Kovalenko is a 25 year old former sixth round pick getting his first taste of NHL action this season and has 8 points in 28 games. I guess Sheng Peng and I have different definitions of the word “promising”.
@Howard
It’s because you are looking at your feet. Look at his whole career, not just his small toe.
That would project out to be about 24-26 pts from a 6th round rookie? That’s not bad.
Ron, getting a consistent 25 point bottom 6 player in the 6th round is certainly not a bad move. But terms like “promising” are for top 6 players not bottom six players. And furthermore, at the age of 25, players are no longer promising. They are what they are.
Mikael, still trying to figure out your feet/toe thing but this year has been his whole NHL career,
Jiricek sent back to the AHL yet again? So, Minnesota agrees that he’s not an NHL player yet. Could it possibly be that two Columbus front offices and three head coaches were right thinking that he’s not an NHLer with an ego problem that makes him uncoachable? Have fun dealing with him and thanks for the draft picks, Guerin.
Bingo, Paul
When I first read above:
“Michael Andlauer is fed up with rejecting trade rumors about team captain Brady Tkachuk.”
It first read like if fed up with, then nigh ready to, accept …. Trade rumours
LOL
Just another reporter wanting air.
Rangers of corse would love to have him. But any trade has to have two (at least) agreeing parties. Return would need to be huge and would have to start with Lafrenier +
Rangers are struggling. I believe only 2 wins in last 10 (I think?). And one of those was over Penguins (having a very struggling year of their own).
On Penguins . MacFarland, couldn’t you have waited until AFTER tonight’s game to make the trade for Blackwood? We were looking forward to a serving of Giorgiev pie.
Giorgiev played very well against Detroit in his last game there on Saturday. 29 saves on 30 shots a .967 S%
Maybe Jarry will play lights out tonight and show McFarland that he traded for the wrong goalie.
I can’t stand Brooks. However, in that article he makes no mention of a source or insider information.
Speculation, period , ended.
Imagine a world where beat writers who earn a living off musing, and putting some piece of 💩 together because they have to come up with something , could be considered “tampering/ soft tampering “ ?
Andlauer needs to face reality and get a grip on it! Beat writers make a living off these type of pieces.
When I read that article, all I got out of it was bull 💩 . Just clickbait for the rabid NY fans demanding everything change.
Zero chance I believe he’s actually available. Zero chance I believe ANY conversation has taken place between Ottawa and NY about Tkachuk.
To mine or anyone’s knowledge, Drury / NY have done nothing wrong. Maybe Drury should be the one complaining about the names listed on the memo sent to 31 other teams?
You are missing the point of what “soft tampering” is here. All it takes is one GM “musing” to someone, maybe even someone in the press, so that it gets out to the public and then they can gauge the reaction to it before actually pursuing anything at all.
Sometimes it is literally JUST to get that type of response from Andlauer so Drury would know not to waste his time.
I think I nailed the point exactly when I said this was simply Brooks musing.
There isn’t even a hint of this coming from Drury or anyone in the Rangers organization.
Simply Brooks being Brooks and Ottawa overreacting.
Unlike actual names being leaked from Drurys memo, there is nothing for Ottawa to be complaining about.
If a beat writer throwing 💩 at a wall is now considered “soft tampering “ I guess people like Lyle should start worrying about their liability in any tampering cases going forward.
Well we really need a definition of what is meant by “soft tampering”. My guess would be when hacks like Brooks use their reach to preferably good and/or expensive, usually young, players who have voiced their feelings on the state of their play, the team, success, etc, recently or not could possibly then ask their agent to inquire further.
You know, like brother, like brother.
I don’t disagree with that Ron. But at that point, who can the NHL hold responsible? Brooks?
He’s not an affiliate, employee etc of NY, so who can be held responsible for Brooks being an idiot?
The guy is a total sensationalist who talks out of both sides of his behind. It would be tough (unfair) to hold NY or any team responsible for rumors. Or any team for a beat writers comments / suggestions or rumors.
Brooks used a player NY fans have been salivating over since his brothers team ended their playoff run last year.
Brooks just took that and ran with it.
Yes in no way the NYR have anything to do about this but even if they were it would be 1, funny but really impossible to prove or quite silly to even think they had any connection.
I’m sure it could have been handled better like just calling out brooks and others like him…to me, it’s all just part of the show.
If I was a GM I would be concerned about players having success in the 4 Nations Tourney! Especially those players on perennial non playoff teams!After playing with the best of the best,many may not want to return home full time absorbing a let down after playing with great players on good NHL playoff caliber teams!