NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2024
Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week, an update on Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers nipped the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 in their first game since Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Carter Verhaeghe snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period and Sam Reinhart tallied his 20th of the season for the Panthers as they ended a two-game losing skid. Zach Hyman scored two goals and Connor McDavid collected three assists for the Oilers as their five-game win streak ended.
Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: An entertaining game between the 2024 Cup Finalists. Defensive breakdowns proved costly for Edmonton, who blew a 4-2 lead. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist in extending his multipoint streak to six games. Hyman left the game in the second period after being struck by a puck under his visor but returned in the third period sporting a fishbowl visor protecting his face and swollen nose.
Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood collected his first NHL hat trick in a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped 30 shots for his first win of the season since his season debut last week. Valeri Nichushkin replied for the Avalanche as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 36 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks fans serenaded Sherwood after he scored his third goal by chanting his name as he sat on the bench.
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied twice and Jason Robertson collected two assists to defeat the Washington Capitals 3-1, snapping the latter’s 10-game road win streak. Dylan Strome replied for the Capitals, who remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 44 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars rookie defenseman Lian Bichsel scored the winning goal as he makes the case to remain in the lineup. Called up to provide blueline depth as injuries and illness struck their blueline corps, the 20-year-old has two goals in three games, averaging over 15 minutes of ice time per game.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, and Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 15, 2024.
TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson is listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s been Pittsburgh’s best defenseman this season. He’s also been considered a prime candidate to be moved if the Penguins become sellers at the March 7 trade deadline. How long Pettersson is out of the lineup and his performance once he returns will be closely monitored by contenders seeking blueline depth in the New Year.
TSN: Detroit Red Wings forward Jonatan Berggren was fined $2,148.44 by the NHL’s department of player safety for cross-checking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Conor Dewar on Saturday.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild placed forward Devin Shore on waivers.
SPORTSNET: Zach Dietz’s efforts to get to Canadian Tire Centre to join the Ottawa Senators as an emergency backup goaltender (EBUG) recently went viral. The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees’ goalie and his girlfriend were stuck in traffic so Dietz grabbed his gear, left his car, and was filmed sprinting toward the arena. A couple later picked him up in an SUV and drove him the rest of the way.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dietz replaced an injured Anton Forsberg but his services weren’t required as Linus Ullmark backstopped the Senators to a 3-2 overtime win over the Penguins.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Former Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz has announced his retirement at age 34. He spent 12 seasons in the NHL with the Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals and Seattle Kraken from 2012-13 to 2023-24.
Schultz won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins and had a career-best 51-point performance in 2016-17. He had 324 points in 745 regular-season games and 42 points in 81 playoff contests.
Ullmark is starting to heat up for the Sens. Had to happen sooner or later.
As George was mentioning a week or so ago, a bunch of back to backs on the road coming during WJC and Forsberg is out. It usually doesn’t go well for tenders on the 2nd game of back to backs, big decision for Green on how much they ride Ullmark.
If it was me, I give the call up a chance before overworking Ullmark. But if they struggle, might have too.
I think Ullmark is up to playing more! Didn t have the opportunity in Boston because of their platoon system!
Ray this, in essence, is their season and looking at he dates I can see Ullmark getting the bulk of the work. Out of necessity.
He will almost certainly start tonight in Seattle. in Calgary on the 19th and either in Vancouver on the 21st or Edmonton the next night (22nd). Leevi Merlinainen, their 6′ 3″ 190lb G, will get the other half of that first of upcoming 4 back-to-backs.
After the Edmonton game they weirdly get SIX days off between games on this road trip from Hell, before going into Winnipeg on Dec 28 and Minnesota the next night (29th). Ullmark will probably start in Manitoba, and if Ottawa can pull off a win there, Merilainen will likely face the Wild. Otherwise, we could see back-to-backs by Ullmark.
On Jan 2 they’re in Dallas – another Ullmark start – and the following night in St. Louis. Win or lose in Dallas, Merilainen will probably get the nod in St. Louis.
The marathon then ends in Detroit on Jan 7 and wo starts there will depend largely on the record to this point (they absolutely have to emerge from this road trip no worse than .500). If a win is seen as a must, Ullmark will start.
Two nights later they’re at home at last to face Buffalo – a team with their own struggles but which always seem to give Ottawa fits – nothing assured there. Maybe Forsberg is back by then – who knows? but I’d bet another Ullmark start, as well as in their next game on Jan 11 in Pittsburgh, before facing their 4th back-to-back at home on the 12th against Dallas (which will involve either Forsberg or Merilainen – and even perhaps someone not with the team yet if, during the stretch, Staios is compelled to conclude a deal.
I am exhausted just reading their schedule…
Sometimes teams really come together when they KNOW something like this is coming their way. I feel like this group is that type and boy do I hope I am right…
Ya, they got dealt a tough hand with that one. Better to get it done with now than in the spring I guess.
I keep repeating myself on the Sens on this site, get ready for the playoffs boys! Assuming no more big injuries where they lose key guys for months at a time.
They’re playing good hockey, and with solid tending, I think they get in. I think they get it now, might even play better as the season goes on.
Fun game last night between Oil and Panthers. Big hits…big goals…a couple of flukes let in by both Bob and Stu.
Everyone likes to crap on the Oiler D and while they have some warts it is magnified that I do not recall any instance of substance where Stu bailed them out.
Sure he has had nights where stopping 30 shots or so gives or saves the game…but I don’t recall a save where a defenseman falls or gets caught up ice. If there is a gaffe the other team simply needs to put it on net. Last night’s first goal is an example. Certainly it was a great shot…but my point is that he never seems to come up big in that situation….ugh
Not sure how you get to Skinner on that first goal 1Oilerfan. Bouchard did a toe pick, or whatever the F that was, on the offensive blue line and the guy had a breakaway for 150′. Shorthanded.
Bouchard is creating a bunch of chances at both ends of the ice these days. That is the guy who needs to tighten sh*t up IMO. I get it, he is very valuable offensively, but how many passes is he gonna fire off shin pads in his own end before he tones it down a bit in the D zone. Even the reliable Ekholm had a tough night.
Skinner has been great for the last half dozen games, this one not so much, but sure didn’t get much help.
Oilers got on a roll, then got sloppy for a night, I expect they get it turned around again pronto.
IMO they win the Pacific this year. Vegas is solid, but not the team they used to be. VCR can play better now that Demko is back, so will be close, but I think the Oil win that race.
Ray…this is the thing with Stu. More often than not…he makes 25to 30 saves…stats look decent..
But he never seems able to steal a moment or some momuntem. It seems like every notable breakdown ends up behind him.
When is the last time you seen a skinner highlight lol.
For example..Bob…down 4 to 2…hyman gets a breakaway…and Bob comes up big in a big moment. Stu just never seems to grasp those moments.
Now that said…that 1st goal is not on him and we could do worse than Stu for sure….but dang…just once I would like to see him make a save on something like that
I know I have harped frequently on the significance of team goal differential in determining whether or not a team can make the playoffs and, if some do, the unlikelihood they’ll go far. But the history of the seasonal results in that category clearly shows that to be the case.
So, looking at those 15 current minus teams, just 2 currently hold down a playoff spot – Boston (minus 19) in 3rd place in the Atlantic and Colorado (minus 6) in the 2nd WC slot out West. And both have teams breathing down their necks, some with multiple games in hand (e.g., Tampa (plus 30) in the Atlantic which has 4 games in hand).
Do fans of any of these 15 minus teams realistically see the team of their choice either getting in as minus team, or wiping out that minus over the rest of the season?
Colorado (-6), Columbus (-10), Calgary (-11), Buffalo (-12), Philadelphia (-13), NYI (-13),
St. Louis (-14), Detroit (-16), Boston (-19), Anaheim (-19), Chicago (-21), Pittsburgh (-24), San Jose (-27), Nashville (-28), Montreal (-31)
By the same token, do fans of these teams currently even or slightly above even and currently in or close to a playoff spot, falling out of the picture?
Ottawa (+ 4), Vancouver (+3), Utah (+3), NYR (+ 1), Seattle (E).\
From my perspective as an Ottawa fan, the 9 game road trip that begins tonight in Seattle will decide their fate.
As for the 11 plus teams all currently in a playoff spot, I don’t see any falling out between now and the end – barring some unforeseen key injuries:
Winnipeg (+36), Washington (+36), Tampa (+30), New Jersey (+24), Dallas (+23), Carolina (+21), Minnesota (+18)Vegas (+16), Los Angeles (+16), Edmonton (+12), Toronto (+11), Florida (+10)