NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2025
Recaps of Wednesday’s action, outdoor games coming in Florida, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Washington Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois scored twice to lift the Washington Capitals to a 2-1 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks. Logan Thompson made 30 saves as the Capitals (58 points) extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2), opening a two-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Eastern Conference. Conor Garland replied for the Canucks, who’ve dropped eight of their last 10 contests (2-3-5) and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 46 points.
Washington Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks got some good news on Wednesday as Filip Hronek is headed to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford on a two-week conditioning stint. He’s been sidelined by injuries since late November.
The Chicago Blackhawks got a two-point performance by Connor Bedard in a 3-1 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Bedard extended his points streak to a career-high eight games while Petr Mrazek kicked out 35 shots for the win. Juuso Parssinen scored for the Avalanche, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 51 points.
Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist tallied twice and Sam Reinhart netted his 23rd goal to defeat the Utah Hockey Club 4-1. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for the Panthers as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 52 points. Utah HC has one win in their last eight games (1-5-2).
The Calgary Flames-Los Angeles Kings game was postponed because of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: The league announced two outdoor games will be held in Florida next season. The Panthers will host the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami on Jan. 2, 2026, against the New York Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium in the 2026 Stadium Series on Feb. 1, 2026.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kudos to the league for coming up with a different host for the Winter Classic, though the Bruins would be a better opponent for the Panthers considering the recent rivalry between the two clubs.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan is expected to miss some time with a wrist injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Monahan is among the Jackets’ leading scorers with 41 points in as many games. He was on pace to match his career-high 82-point performance with the Calgary Flames in 2018-19.
CBS SPORTS: The Detroit Red Wings placed defenseman Jeff Petry (undisclosed) on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 2.
DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks forward Fabian Zetterlund is day-to-day with a lower-body ailment. He’s fourth among Sharks scorers with 27 points in 43 games.
TSN: The Seattle Kraken placed winger Daniel Sprong on waivers. He was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 8 in exchange for future considerations.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild recalled defenseman David Jiricek.
RG.ORG: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov hopes to sign a long-term contract extension. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and has been logging top-pairing minutes with the Kings.
Gavrikov said there have been no extension talks with the Kings as both sides agree it’s too early for such discussions. He’s not worried about the March 7 trade deadline as he carries a full no-trade clause.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings won’t be moving Gavrikov given their position in the middle of the Western Conference playoff chase and his value to their defense corps. How things pan out over the rest of the season could determine his future with the Kings.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: looks at what an NHL player pays in taxes depending on their team.
THE ATHLETIC: The Winnipeg Jets have seen a 12 percent increase in attendance this season following several seasons of decline following the pandemic. On Jan. 1, 2024, they were averaging 12,500 fans per game. A year later, it’s up to 14,000 in a building that seats 15,225.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ improved play this season is a contributing factor but they’ve also improved how they sell their product in the community, moving away from veiled reminders about the fate of the original Jets. The club admits they must rebuild a more robust season-ticket base, but they’re heading in the right direction.
Expect the unexpected but
But I’m expecting victories by Krakken, Oilers, Sens tonight.
Meaning, at days end, Sens back in WildCard spot.
I am asking Sullivan to “read the room” and notice who their opponents are. So increase Pettersson’s , Pickering’s, P-O J’s minutes and seriously crimp Grzylcyk’s minutes. Last game , up by two in 3rd and guess who literally hands them a goal to spur on the comeback. That’s at least 6 times already this year he’s caused a comeback goal in the third that has the opponents eventually winning.
I, in no way, see Pens ahead in the 3rd. However, if that miracle happens , sit Grzylcyk for all 5 on 5 play. Easy Peasy solution.
He was not the only one letting Jarry down all game; but he was the worst culprit in the third.
With two RD out with injuries (Hamonic and Bernard-Docker), probably their best checking bottom 6 F still not available (Amadio) and, of course, Ullmark not even back skating with that mysterious “strain” – they are likely going with the rookie Merilainen in goal – I, for one, am not looking at Buffalo as an automatic 2 points. For whatever reason they regularly elevate their game when playing the Senators.
And it doesn’t get any easier with their next 2 games yet another back-to-back in Pittsburgh and home to Dallas on the week-end. By the start of next week they could find themselves looking up at Detroit, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Columbus and possible Philadelphia
In Garrioch’s column this morning in the Ottawa Sun he high-lights another factor contributing to the Senators’ struggles – “Josh Norris has just two goals in his last 12 games … Shane Pinto has gone six games without scoring … Tim Stutzle had an assist in Detroit, but has just two goals in his last 15 games … Winger Drake Batherson has gone nine games without a goal. That’s your top three centres, plus one of your top wingers, and you need those guys to drive the offence if you’re going to have success. Winger Adam Gaudette, who started the season like wildfire, has gone 12 games without a goal, but he’s clearly not alone on that front.”
From that tax link article provided, players in the State tax-free places (like Lightning, Krakken etc) get about 28% more take-home pay than Habs players earning same gross (per article and chart, on $3M gross, take-home of $1.794 M vs $1.405 M).
Using the 53.15 % and 40.2 % effective tax rates given; a top level player who spends their career in those 2 cities and say grosses $110 M; the Habs player would take home $14.3 M less than his counterpart in Seattle or Tampa Bay
Then there’s tax quagmires generated by the Canada Revenue Agency which certainly won’t make it easier for Canada-based teams to attract top UFAs or even hang onto their own when they reach that stage
https://ottawasun.com/news/canada/former-leafs-patrick-marleau-jake-muzzin-join-tavares-in-fight-with-cra-over-millions-in-taxes
I haven’t yet had a chance to look through the article. But while taxes in Canada are generally higher, one factor that is overlooked is that players on Canadian teams get paid in US dollars. Meanwhile, their expenses for rent, food, etc., at least during the season, are primarily payable in Canadian dollars, which is approximately 70% of he US dollar. So that could serve as a bonus which provides some equalization.
I was literally looking up the exchange to make this very point!
8million on a Canadian team is actually 11,517,600 bucks
I haven’t looked at the article either, Howard, but there are so many “there’s this but then there’s that’s” to consider, as in:
Don’t those in the US get to deduct mortgage payments from their income tax?
All players get paid in NHL dollars, so the price of groceries in Canada paid in US dollars isn’t going to make up for several million dollars difference in take home pay over the life of a contract.
I know this topic has been debated ad nauseam here before, but I would add to the debate one more thing:
Surely the difference in taxation factors into the so many Canadian teams’ being on players’ NTCs.
LJ,
Mortgage interest is deductible in the US, not the entire payment.
I don’t understand what you mean by NHL dollars. Players everywhere are paid in US dollars. So as the Saint points out, players on Canadian teams are earning much more in local dollars.
All those things we Canadians get to buy in Canadian dollars cost more in Canadian dollars than Americans pay in U.S. dollars. It eats up most of the difference.
Saying you can have more money by being paid in Canadian dollars is like saying you can get taller by measuring your height in centimetres instead of inches.
WOW a total of a whole $388,516.00 between Montreal and Seattle on a $3 million salary.
The thing that this article didn’t take into place is cost of living in each of the cities. I found a site (link at the bottom) that ranks NHL cities by cost of living, among other things, and Edmonton has the lowest cost of living followed by Montreal. 5 of the top 10 cheapest cities are Canadian. Ottawa at 13 and Vancouver at 15 were the only 2 outside of the top 10.
If anything, the combination of these two you would think that players would want to avoid NYC. 5th highest in taxes and the highest cost of living.
Sorry, I forgot the link.
https://cardinalpointathleteadvisors.com/lifestyle-rankings/
KevJam, when I open the link I see Ottawa 8th and Vancouver 9th (following Montreal 1st, Edmonton 4th. Calgary 5th, Winnipeg 7th).
The only Canadian city outside the top 10 is Toronto at 14th.
George you were looking at the overall rankings. If you hit the dropdown menu you’ll see several different categories including cost of living.
Cost of living is a minor consideration when you’re making several million dollars a year and your career is short. You should be much more concerned about maximizing your take-home pay so you can sock away as much money as possible while the getting is good. Investments cost the same number of U.S. dollars whether you buy them in the U.S., Canada, or anywhere else.
George o ,8787,let’s let the puck drop before you guys cash it in! Did you think Chicago would beat Colorado last night! With Boston at TB tonight I am seriously thinking of opting out for the Norte Dame / Penn State game tonight! Saw Don Sweeney at a Prep School game in Boston last night! My friend said he is looking for his next job!
Sr, Colorado has had a problem all season long – so far – of playing down to the level of their opponent, as I’m sure Avalanche fans will attest – while Chicago, unlike the Senators, at least have most of their top roster still available.
Oh, and I am definitely “opting out” for the Irish – Penn State game tonight.
GO Irish!!!
The taxation article trues to tackle the issue with many variables included but some big ones are missing.
Howard mentions Canadian teams paying in US dollars. a 30% advantage.
Cost of living isn’t taken into account ,quality of education (which varies all over the continent) healthcare which is universal in Canada, cost of insurance in general, political stability .abortion laws etc etc. and these factors change not only between countries but between States and Provinces.
Side note Alex Carrier was asked about playing in Montreal and his first two comments were, playing at the Bell Centre is like a dream and his surprise at being recognized all over Montreal after 2 weeks which didn’t happen at all in Nashville where he played for a few years.
I mention the Bell Centre but only in the context of being one of the arenas in the NHL that players prefer to play in as there are a handful having a certain cachet, being history, the building.
I’ve only been in that building twice … whereas I was a frequent visitor to The Forum. And in THAT building there was a “feeling” that came over you as soon as you walked through the front doors that I never experienced anywhere else. And I visited the old rinks of the Original Six a number of times each. The closest to the The Forum in that respect was the old MSG in New York, although I did love the green ice of the Olympia.
I attended my first game at the Olympia, and, in order of preference here in Detroit:
Olympia
Joe Louis Arena
Little Caesars Arena
Iago, one rink that oozed “atmosphere” was the old Chicago Stadium and that massive pipe organ – we once made the mistake of getting tickets up in nosebleed alley just below the organ and I don’t think O could hear clearly for a week!
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=the+organ+at+the+old+Chicago+Blackhawks+arena#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:9cc263ea,vid:s12zcj7PXJY,st:0
Iago, one rink that oozed “atmosphere” was the old Chicago Stadium and that massive pipe organ – we once made the mistake of getting tickets up in nosebleed alley just below the organ and I don’t think O could hear clearly for a week!
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=the+organ+at+the+old+Chicago+Blackhawks+arena#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:9cc263ea,vid:s12zcj7PXJY,st:0
HF30, I believe I have pointed out that players and their families are covered by healthcare when playing in the US. So not a factor in signing, unless one argues that the healthcare is better in the US if only for the # of specialized health care centres.
You also state the quality of education is an advantage , then say it varies all over the continent. Whatever variance, like healthcare the US has way more choices and therefore is more appealing for players. For Quebec, have you considered language law requirements that may affect players’ families?
As for recognition being an appeal in Montreal, you are stepping over the overt scrutiny that players in Montreal get. Some francophones, ie Lecavalier, and more recently, Huberdeault, didn’t want to play in Quebec because of the scrutiny. Cary Price once said he felt like a “hobbit in a hole” because he couldn’t go out to buy groceries without being mobbed. We’ll see how Carrier likes being a Hab if the rebuild stalls.
Finally, a Habs fan of about as long a standing as I think you are, I am tired of dredging up the glory years of the Habs. It’s been 30+ years since the Habs won a Cup. And the cachet in the Bell Center wasn’t so enjoyable when the team got booed off the ice during their thrashing by the Pens. Visiting players prefer the Bell center the past few years because it was an easy two points and then they could leave town.
Suzuki, Caulfield and others reportedly like being a Hab, and believe they are developing something positive in Montreal. I think so too.
But they are for reasons different from what you suggest.
LJ
I don’t see anywhere that NHL players and their families have full healthcare like the medicare system in Canada no matter where they play.
I didn’t say quality of education is better in Canada, I said it differs all over the continent as for Quebec, special authorization is granted in certain cases and hockey players qualify.
i didn’t mention Montreal’s glory years, I mentioned the Bell Centre as one of a handful preferred arenas of players.
Some people thrive on recognition others are cowed by it, a factor in choosing a city to play in.
More importantly I was not making a case for Montreal being the preferred city of choice for NHL players, merely pointing out factors going beyond taxation that influence that choice.
HF30: I have a close relationship with an NHL player, and know first hand that paid access to health care for family members is provided to them. Whether that is a contractual obligation or the team that has stepped up, I don’t know and I don’t want to ask. But I have to think that if one team steps up in such a way, others would too. Maybe Lyle can tell us more, if I haven’t put him to sleep already.
I acknowledge that taxation itself is not the sole determinant for players. Indeed, did I not mention scrutiny as one?
But as I said in my reply to Howard, taxation is surely one factor that accounts for most NTC lists that include so many Canadian cities. I also acknowledge that this is supposition, or, as I prefer, a logical inference, as how could a difference of several million dollars on a contract not be a major consideration?
As an aside on what NHL players are entitled to that most of us don’t know, there is a recent article in the Athletic that lists 10 things. Perhaps you can access that article just for fun? I found it interesting and think you would too.
“most NTC lists that include so many Canadian cities” is a common refrain but actually is unknown because there is no disclosure.
If you look at a list of NTC/NMC by team you’ll be hard-pressed to find a correlation between taxation and franchise., eg New Jersey has the most players with restrictions.
One might infer players want to remain in the city if there are restrictions……or perhaps GM’s need to agree to them as candy
Of course taxation is a consideration but it is just one of many. I think we may be arriving at the same end point with two different starting .points.
Just curious, if the roof is closed on the LoanDepot Park during the classic, is it still considered an outdoor game? I know the odds of it are low, but like Lloyd Christmas says, there is still a chance. lol
I mean…. I know it’s semantics but calling something a “Winter Classic” in an area that hardly ever has anything resembling the season… whatever. I know I have to accept it but I hate it.
Go Nittany Lions.