NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2024
John Tavares sets a Leafs record, Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov rises again in the scoring race, the Rangers and Sabres continue to slide, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: John Tavares had a natural hat trick as the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-3, setting a franchise record as the oldest player (34 years, 86 days) to accomplish that feat. Max Domi and Nick Robertson each had a goal and an assist while rookie goaltender Dennis Hildeby stopped 24 shots for the win as the Leafs hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 40 points. Jack Quinn tallied twice for the Sabres, who’ve lost their 10th straight game (0-7-3).
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ongoing absence of defenseman and team captain Rasmus Dahlin is a significant reason behind the Sabres’ spiral. Head coach Lindy Ruff is shouldering the blame for his club’s woes but there’s plenty of blame to go around.
The Sabres’ front office faces growing heat for not making a trade to shake things up. However, they’re reportedly getting offers from rivals hoping to take advantage of their plight to pluck away one of their good young players.
Meanwhile, the Leafs announced goaltender Anthony Stolarz (lower body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 12.
The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals from Victor Olofsson in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Jack Eichel picked up two assists for the Golden Knights as they hold first place in the Pacific Division with 43 points. Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice to reach 22 goals on the season, moving into a tie with Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl for the NHL goal-scoring lead. The loss left the Wild (43 points) one point behind the Winnipeg Jets for the lead in the Central Division.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild netminder Jesper Wallstedt made his season debut as Filip Gustavsson dealt with lower-body soreness. Wild coach John Hynes said Gustavsson’s injury isn’t expected to be serious.
Jordan Kyrou extended his goal streak to four games while Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist as the St. Louis Blues held off the New York Rangers 3-2. Joel Hofer turned aside 26 shots for the Blues. Rangers forwards Brett Berard and Will Cuylle scored in the third period to make it interesting but they lost for the fourth time in their last five games. With 31 points, they’re one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers star Artemi Panarin missed this game with an upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Teammate Kaapo Kakko was a healthy scratch prompting rumors he could be getting traded but the New York Post’s Mollie Walker reported there was no indication a deal was in the works.
Carolina Hurricanes goalie Dustin Tokarski made 27 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was Tokarski’s first NHL game since Feb. 2023. Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal each had two points for the Hurricanes as they picked up their third win in their last eight contests. Dmitri Voronkov replied for the Blue Jackets, who are 1-5-2 in their last eight games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson left this game after taking a stick to the face in the first period. He’s listed as day-to-day.
Following the game, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour received North Carolina’s highest civilian honor from Governor Roy Cooper. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is presented to persons “who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.”
Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard broke a 3-3 tie late in the third period and Connor Murphy put the game away with an empty-net goal to beat the New York Islanders 5-3. Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and two assists and Arvid Soderblom kicked out 30 shots for the win. Ryan Pulock, Simon Holmstrom and Noah Dobson replied for the Islanders.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech returned to the Isles after missing several games with injuries. However, center Bo Horvat missed this contest with a lower-body injury and is day-to-day.
Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno missed this game because of illness. He isn’t expected to be sidelined for long.
The latest NHL power ratings show the same teams stuck in neutral! Ottawa 24, up from 29 last week,Detroit 26, Buffalo 27, and Montreal 29! Tampa 14, Boston 15 just a step above! Questions to be asked, why hasn t Detroit made a coaching change?Why hasn t Buffalo made a trade? When are all the young players and draft picks going to pan out in Montreal?
“Questions to be asked, why hasn t Detroit made a coaching change?Why hasn t Buffalo made a trade? When are all the young players and draft picks going to pan out in Montreal?”
The Red Wings usually don’t make coaching changes during the season. Yzerman might break with precedent this season but he could once again wait until the offseason if he feels a change is required.
Recent reports indicate Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has tried to shake things up. However, the players he pursued in the offseason refused to waive their no-trade protection. Meanwhile, teams that are calling him now are hoping Adams gets desperate and gives up a good young player for has-beens and never-weres.
It takes time for draft picks and prospects to pan out when you’re in the third full season of a rebuild like the Canadiens. Some, like Cole Caufield, are already starting to pan out. Lane Hutson is among this season’s top NHL rookies. Kaiden Guhle keeps improving on defense. Meanwhile, others like Juraj Slafkovsky, Kirby Dach, and Arber Xhekaj, need more time to develop consistency or, in Dach’s case, to regain his form after missing all but two games last season to a serious knee injury. Another couple of seasons will determine how many pan out and whether they can improve the Canadiens.
Lyle it must be tough as a season ticket holder spending good money only to hear that by Christmas it s wait until next year!
That’s the chance you take as a season ticket holder. And if you’re a knowledgeable fan, you should already have a good idea what kind of team you’re supporting when you spent that money in the first place.
Jess Rubenstein, in the discussion yesterday regarding the Rangers downward spiral you posted “The Rangers start was so misleading as they were playing all of the bottom feeders. This core of the team has been emotionally fragile since the David Quinn days.”
That caused me to take a closer look at their first 17gp during which they played at a .735 pace with a 12 – 4 – 1 record and the results clearly bear out what you say:
Their record against teams currently struggling to get into playoff contention is 10 – 1 – 1 21 pts with 46gf and 23ga: 6 – 0 over Pitt; 5 – 6 in OT loss to Utah; 4 – 1 over Detroit; 5 – 2 over Detroit; 7 – 2 over Montreal; 2 – 1 over Anaheim; 2 – 1 over Ottawa; 5 – 2 over NYI; 1 – 6 to Buffalo; 4 – 0 over Detroit; 3 – 2 over San Jose; 2 – 0 over Seattle.
Just 5 of their first 17 were played against top echelon teams in which they posted a 2 – 3 – 0 record, scoring 15 while giving up 18: 4 – 1 over Toronto; 1 – 3 to Florida; 3 – 5 to Washington; 3 – 6 to Winnipeg; 4 – 3 over Vancouver.
Thanks for the clarification – certainly puts things in a different light.
Re; Buffalo Trades & young players❓
Winning again 2-0 last night , and lost again, they we up 3-1 in the 2nd… No Wonder Coach Ruff was lost for words…
the d is Way too Young ( average age 23..)
They Older d man in there Top 4,
the d-mix 6XLD and 2 RD is not right ,I think they need an Older RD to help them out
They need to start trading after xmas with things start to move in the market
Buffalo have 4 UFA’s …. A couple of good one’s…they are going round in Circles and have been for years…
and 2 Very Good Scoring Wingers to help lead them….and a good back up goaltender 29 to 32 yrs old Devon Levi is way to young and not good enough to play NHL… maybe in a few years.
They will also have $34M++ in Cap Space, maybe $12 to $13.M on 3-4 younger players Extend them…
They way they are playing they could get a nice top pick maybe to trade with
Your Thoughts on what they could get in players via Trades…
1X UFA, Henri Jokiharju, a 25 yr old RD….maybe trade a 2nd pick & hime for a Older RD
LW, Jason Zucker, 32 yr, 21 pts in 30 games,..maybe
LW, Jordan Greenway, 27 yr old…maybe A pick
RW, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, 28 yr old… maybe A 5th pick
Ya Willie, the vultures are circling the Sabres, as they should be.
Risky time for the Sabres, as trying to save this season seems like a fools errand. Especially with young D and C’s. They take time. I get it they have missed the playoffs for 14 years, but can’t change that, only the future.
If the Sabres are hunting for a quality, young RD with experience, get in line. Although they do have the assets to get one. Just who the F is gonna trade one. Especially teams in the playoff or in the hunt for them. The Habs have some excellent RD prospects, and could use a young C. I am sure Hughes has inquired about Cozens, who is struggling a bit, not sure what the cost to acquire would be, but I would be all over that player if I was them.
Wait for Pegula to snap, or Adams to get really desperate to save his job, and maybe he makes a Chiarelli type deal.
Ray,
Your right they need to shake the team up Buffalo
needs veteran Help,
but they needa RD d/man in the top 4 and one at #6…So they have 3&3.
There aresome very good players in the top 6 in the draft, they look like they will finish bottom 5, maybe even last…🤔
Williew, they have a veteran third pair defender in Connor Clifton who they signed for 3 years at 3 million per season!
SR,
They got Connor Clifton, But Who is the othere d/man….❓just looked they got a couple of
(No Names……Jacob Bryson & Dennis Gilbert
I Really think one of the Trades they need to make is Bowen Byram the young 23 yr old LD and maybe a 2nd round pick for a Good top 4 RD-man 27-29 yr old RD.❓
keep the 3 young guys and pair them up with RD men, keep Connor clifton,
>UFA 25 yr old LD Henri Jokiharju.
>UFA 27 yr old LD Jacob Bryson.
>UFA 28 yr old LD Dennis Gilbert
Replace them with a RD-man so thats 2 good right d they need.
Then add a couple of UFA scorers or Trade for one?
SR,
Maybe if the leafs dont sign Tavares,
Buffalo make him an offer when the UFA market opens up………..🤔
Buffalo adding a 6th d/man to 3rd pairing…❓
What about Big Canucks RD,Vincent Desharnais
Canucks want to move him and clear his $2,M in cap space he wpild be good for 6th RD man ?
I bet the can get him Real cheap….. maybe a 7th pick or a UFA d/man buffalo has like 2 LD Jacob Bryson and or LD Dennis Gilbert both about $775,000….
Congratulations to the Sabres on extending their skid to ten games. Intentionally blowing a lead to intentionally lose another game is disgusting, dishonorable, and disrespectful.
Dahlin not playing needs to be resolved. He needs to play.
An improvement for the Sabres is a Vice President of Hockey Operations. A hockey executive would preside over hockey operations and keep Kevin Adams in check. If Adams does nothing, the Vice President of Hockey Operations fires Adams and makes the necessary improvements.
The Buffalo players intentionally blew the lead, what are you smoking. I have to nominate that one for the dumbest comment of the year. Maybe it`s a ploy in their contract negotiations, give me a raise or I`ll blow more leads
Yogi:
Your comment is uncalled for. I cannot reply to that.
The Sabres can speak for themselves why they are committed to losing. If they want to apologize for their skid, they can start by winning games.