NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2025
Milestone games for the Ducks’ John Gibson and the Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho, the Ducks re-sign Frank Vatrano, Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark sidelined again, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES
NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson kicked out 36 shots for his 200th NHL regular-season win in a 4-1 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Frank Vatrano tallied twice and set up another and Troy Terry scored a goal and an assist as the Ducks picked up their fourth win in their last five contests. Jake Guentzel replied for the Lightning.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks signed Vatrano before the game to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4,571,189.
Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the 30-year-old forward will receive a base salary of $3 million annually with $9 million of his salary deferred until 2035, when he’ll receive $900k annually for 10 years, lowering the AAV from $6 million. Vatrano intends to reside outside California and its tax system by that point of his retirement.
Speaking of Gibson, he was part of the Ducks’ Quarter-Century Team, joining defensemen Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin and forwards Paul Kariya, Bobby Ryan, and Jakob Silfverberg on the Second Team. Forwards Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne, defensemen Scott Niedermayer and Cam Fowle,r and goalie Jean-Sebastian Giguere comprised the First Team.
Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho’s overtime goal lifted his club over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3, giving him his 600th NHL regular-season point. Aho also collected two assists while teammate Seth Jarvis scored twice and had an assist. Erik Karlsson scored a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 41 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated defenseman Kris Letang off injured reserve for this game and placed winger Philip Tomasino (lower-body injury) on IR.
The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on an overtime goal by Morgan Rielly. Matthews Knies and Oliver Ekman-Larsson also scored and Auston Matthews picked up two assists as the Leafs got their fifth win in their last six outings. Tyson Foerster and Scott Laughton scored for the Flyers, who’ve dropped seven of their last 10 contests (3-6-1).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto (54 points) sits one point behind the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals. Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe left the game in the first period after striking his head on the ice during a fight with Flyers winger Garnet Hathaway. An update on his condition is expected on Monday.
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat scored in overtime in a 5-4 upset of the Boston Bruins. The Isles took a 4-2 lead with Anders Lee scoring two goals but the Bruins rallied as David Pastrnak tallied twice in the third period to force the extra period. The Isles snapped a three-game losing skid while the Bruins are winless in their last four (0-3-1).
The New York Rangers picked up their second win in their last seven games by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. Filip Chytil scored two goals, Mika Zibanejad picked up his 400th regular-season assist, and Louis Domingue stopped 25 shots in his first start since Nov. 2023. Tyler Bertuzzi and Wyatt Kaiser scored for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost six of their last seven.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Chris Kreider missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Some folks wondered if he was being sat out as a prelude to a trade but he’s reportedly battled a back injury since November.
HEADLINES
DAILY FACEOFF: Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered on Dec. 22 against the Edmonton Oilers. Defenseman Travis Hamonic will be sidelined for two to four weeks with a lower-body injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators were on a six-game winning streak when Ullmark was sidelined. They’ve lost four of their last five and slipped out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken placed goaltender Joey Daccord (upper body) and center Yanni Gourde (lower body) on injured reserve.
SPORTSNET: Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety on Saturday for roughing Penguins forward Drew O’Connor during Friday’s game between the two clubs.
TSN: The Los Angeles Kings placed forward Arthur Kaliyev on waivers while the Utah Hockey Club claimed defenseman Nick DeSimone off waivers from the New Jersey Devils.
IIHF.COM: An overtime goal by Nashville Predators prospect Teddy Stiga gave Team USA a 4-3 victory over Finland in the Gold Medal Game at the 2025 World Junior Championship. It’s the first time the United States has won back-to-back WJC gold medals.
Team USA captain (and Washington Capitals prospect) Ryan Leonard was named tournament MVP and was named to the tournament All-Star Team.
Czechia nipped Sweden 3-2 in the Bronze Medal Game in a record-setting 14-round shootout. Seattle Kraken prospect Eduard Sale scored the game-winner.
Lyle, for Tampa it’s actually their 4th straight loss – 5-2 to Montreal, a pair of 201 losses to San Jose and L.A., and now 4-1 to the Ducks, being outscored 13 to 6.
Re Ullmark – with him now out “week to week” and, of course, no firm diagnosis for the fan base (none of our business, I guess, but that’s gotta be some “strain”), Ottawa’s season is once again likely headed for the dumpster.
Forsberg, for whatever reason, lost any consistency at the start of last season and it’s shown no sign of returning this season, while Merilainen, although occasionally showing promise, is simply not ready yet for any extended work at the NHL level. Sogaard is beyond hope in terms of dependency – even at the AHL level.
The skaters, of course, talk positively in front of the cameras about their confidence in whoever is in net on any given night, but you know that, deep inside, it’s “here we go again.” That showed in spades with their recent pathetic “team efforts” in St. Louis and Dallas. They should be easy pickings in Detroit tomorrow.
Well yesterday was a very good day.
Expected a Pens regulation loss and came away with a game point and at least 1 day of actually being above the *cut line (2 full days if Vancouver beats Habs tomorrow).
and then the come from behind OT Gold Medal victory.
đđđ đđ„
* Yes, Iâm fully aware weâve played more games than others weâre battling against for the last Wild Card position. Itâs still an accomplishment over our early season dismal performances. Weâre still very unlikely to make playoffs without some key changes (first and foremost an acquisition of an NHL Rightie D); but weâll enjoy the rest of today anyway.
8787 and George…. Don’t look now but the Penguins are in a wild card spot..
Two tough OT shootout losses on the road at Florida and Carolina.. They played hard and competed well
If Dubas makes a good deal in getti ng talent back for Marcus Petersson…
Big twelve game stretch 5 in a row at home. Columbus Ottawa Tampa Seattle Utah
Then 7 game road swing..
Buffalo. Washington LA. Anaheim. San Jose Seattle Urah..
I have said all along they can be a playoff team
Long way too go but???
I’ve got my fingers crossed that Dubas doesn’t trade our best D-Man
Weâre already weak on D. Trading Pettersson for futures just makes Pens playoff chances fall
Get an RHD, move up a couple of WBS fwds and move down 2 (or 3) of our bottom 6 pylons; reduce ice time (or press box) for our consistent error makers; and that gives Pens a fair shot at playoffs.
All of above ;with the exception of an RHD acquisition) is completely in Pens control
George o and 8787 you shouldnât feel much different than the people in Boston!The wildcard positions in the Eastern conference are wide open!It s there for the taking!Boston s issues are mental! When they score,they Don t defend! When they defend they Don t score! Pasternak who has been Rather quiet all year had back to back2 goal games and the team got 1 point!Don t count out Tampa,Montreal,Detroit and Columbus!
Oh I have no delusions that Pens will make the playoffs without changes.
Media keeps talking about Dubas trading Pens best defenseman (Pettersson); and Defense is pretty well Penâs premiere holdback to success.
Pens only have 2 right-handed Defensemen
Trade away Pettersson for futures; while never acquiring another RD; AND continuing to provide ice-time to players who fail miserably at the defensive side of the game, is the guaranteed formula for Pens to miss the playoffs.
Dubas has failed miserably in his time with the Pens, and Sully keeps giving extra ice time (rather than sitting them) to players costing us multiple goals against.
One or both of those must change for Pens to have a chance to finish in a playoff spot.
Note: A Habs victory tonight puts them in a playoff spot.
Pittsburgh isn’t the only team to have played more games than others in the mix, 8787.
As of this morning, just 7 teams have reached the 41-game half-way mark: Toronto, Boston, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Washington, St. Louis & San Jose.
Tonight, 4 more reach 41: Florida, Buffalo, Colorado, Seattle – leaving 6 still at 40: Carolina, Columbus, NYI, Minnesita, Nashville, Chicago, to be joined there tonight by Montreal and Washington.
Vancouver, at 38, plays their 39th tonight, joining Detroit, NYR, Utah, Vegas Edmonton, Calgary, Anaheim.
Ottawa, Dallas and L.A. are at 38 each, while Tampa sits at 37, with 5 games in hand on San Jose, New Jersey and Boston who have each reached 42 games played.
8787..
Marcus is being traded and Dubas will make a good deal..
Nhl defenseman can play both sides 8787.
Moves are coming and they are capable..
8787 thoughts on this hypothetical deal bad contract for bad contract.
To Chicago….Tristan Jarry. Ryan Graves drew O’Connor. 3td round pick
Jarry has been playing better and he is still better than. Miraznek and Soderbloom. .jarry thrives when playing well. O connor a younger 3rd line center
To Pittsburgh..
RHD. Seth Jones. He is a good skater eats minutes and even at $9.5 when his contract is over he will still only be 36 still younger than LETANG.
MONEY IS EVEN IN THIS DEAL PLUS THE CAP IS GOING UP A LOT THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS..OOPSSS SORRY CAP BAR STUCKđ
This gives Pittsburgh a solid r dman
Sr. They sure are. I cannot remember watching a more frustrating Bruin team than this crew. Swayman has been pretty much below avg all year and would be ok if they went to rotations like they did with Ullmark. It should be interesting next few games and if can can beat bolts both games to stay ahead but I wonât hold my breath. Regardless of where they are at they should on d move Freddy for assets at deadline
Sr, I’m certainly not counting out Tampa, Montreal, Detroit or Columbus – Hell, I’m not counting out the Rangers or Islanders, either, although both have a much tougher row to hoe.
Without Ullmark for any more serious length of time, however, I am counting out the Senators.
That team is snake-bit.
This week, the Rangers jumped from a 2.6% chance to make the playoffs, to a 7.6% chance.
Their upcoming schedule is not favorable. My guess is they lose at least 4 of the next 5. January generally looks bad.
They need to start winning at a pace of .700 plus, right now if theyâre going to turn things around. Over their last 22 games theyâre playing.300.
Iâm pretty sure theyâll need a Devine intervention at this point.
George, OTT might be able to pry Korpisalo out of Boston!
Snake-bit is right. They just lost RD Hamonic for 4-5 weeks to a knee injury, and today at practice RD Bernard-Docker had to be helped off the ice after crashing into the boards in a battle for the puck with Ostapchuk.
This follows on the heels of the bad news on Ullmark, in addition to both Amadio and Perron still out with their maladies.
If it wasn’t for bad luck they’d have none at all.
Arthur Kaliev was one of the popular trade candidates this summer, many rumors flew about teams wanting him and would there be bidding on him.
23y/o 6’2 210 on his ELC, a sniper when he’s on and hope the Habs grab him but I doubt he’ll still be around.
Playing with PLD last year didn’t help him at all.
I wonder if itâs a reset situation and wonât be plucked off. But for whatever reason, I wonât mind the Leafs snapping him up too. Thereâs just too much runway left on this guy to just give up on.
A re-org is going to be necessary at Hockey Canada.
Not only did we not get to the playoffs at the WJC we did not do well at the Spengler Cup. New coachs and GM”s required.
The US is on a roll winning the last 2 gold medals and the people in Massachusetts are excited over the winning
goal and tournament MVP were scored by Boston kids!
Small error, Zibanejad picked up his 400th career assist. Not point.
He has 702 career points.
I was going to turn it off after the 2nd. It looked like the US was not coming back. Fun game! Glad I didnât turn it off IN the 2nd.
Capitals- going to add Leonard before the playoffs.
every move working out for them now and career years for a few guys.
Letâs not forgot the winning goal,Stiga and the MVP Leonard are both Boston kids,meaning they grew up in the Boston Suburbs!