NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2025
The latest 4 Nations Face-Off news, the QMJHL honors Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin prepares for the final stretch of the regular season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
LATEST 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF NEWS
NEW YORK POST: Islanders center Brock Nelson is carrying on his family’s legacy of skating for the United States in international play. Nelson’s great-uncle Gordon Christian played in the 1956 Winter Olympic Games. His grandfather Bill Christian and great-uncle Roger Christian won gold at the 1960 Games, and his uncle Dave Christian won gold in 1980.
Team USA center Brock Nelson (NHL.com).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson won the bronze medal playing for Team USA at the 2011 World Juniors and the 2015 Worlds.
TSN: Jordan Binnington was named the starter for Canada’s opening game at the 4 Nations Face-Off against Sweden on Wednesday in Montreal. Coach Jon Cooper said Binnington was “excited” and “confident” when informed of the decision. He gets the nod over Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington backstopped the St. Louis Blues to the Stanley Cup in 2019. He played for Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championships, finishing with a 6-2 record with a 2.81 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage.
DAILY FACEOFF: Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz and Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros could take on prominent roles for Finland’s injury-battered roster. Defensemen Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Ristolainen and Jani Hakanpaa withdrew from the tournament, putting pressure on the forwards and goaltenders.
SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm hopes to have a big impact for Team Sweden in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekholm was part of Sweden’s gold-medal team at the 2018 World Championships with a goal and two assists in four games.
IN OTHER NEWS…
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) is renaming its Rookie of the Year trophy to the Sidney Crosby Trophy. It was known as the RDS Cup from 1996-97 to 2023-24. Crosby won the award in 2003-04 with the Rimouski Oceanic.
RG.ORG: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will be training with a “mystery partner” in Miami during the 4 Nations Face-Off to maintain his fitness level for the remainder of the regular season. Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record of 894 while the Capitals are jockeying with the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 15 goals to break Gretzky’s record. He was coy about the identity of his training partner, saying that it’s a former player but it isn’t Ilya Kovalchuk.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Utah Hockey Club continues to evaluate goaltender Connor Ingram’s condition. After taking an Ovechkin slapshot off his mask, he left Sunday’s games against the Capitals.
TSN: Minnesota Wild center Ryan Hartman’s appeal of his 10-game suspension will be heard by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday. Hartman was suspended for roughing Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle during a Feb. 1 game between the two clubs.
DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Wild, they placed forward Devin Shore on waivers for the fourth time this season.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken invited two youth hockey referees pushed by a parent to an upcoming game. The incident occurred during a game on Sunday at the Kraken Ice Complex.
The parent came on the ice during a 12-and-under game and pushed each of the referees, 13 and 14, to the ice before quickly leaving. The parent has been charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault.
Should be interesting to see the 4 Nations Tourney starting tonight!Canada and the US should be overwhelming favorites! Looking at the rosters I see close to 25 players whose teams will not qualify for the playoffs! Wonder if they will make this series their Stanley Cup Playoffs!
I’m sure that’ll be the case, Sr. And, for the Europeans in that group, the annual IIHF spring Worlds gathering is a much bigger deal than it is for U.S./Canadian NHLers
I’ve seen lots of predictions with Canada as the “bronze” team behind the US and Sweden – – – primarily driven by goaltending as the differentiator. Will be interesting to see if Canada’s offense can overcome the lack of goaltending.
Which, if that turns out to be the case foleyd7, could have possibly been avoided with the selection of Logan Thompson of Washington (the ONLY team among 32 without a rep at the tournament) who has a 24 2 5 records in 31gp with a 2.23gaa and 0.921 save %!
foleyd7 and George, with such few games the tending could easily be the deciding factor. Not having Thompson on the roster makes zero sense to me.
I get it Hill and Binnington have won cups, but Montembault?
Thompson has flat out been the best CDN tender in the NHL this year, not close. One of the best in the league. And, he has been excellent his entire career.
If there is one position in the NHL where you need to ride the hot hand, it is in net.
Again, this makes absolutely zero sense.
Go Canada!
Quite a legacy for Nelson! I remember Dave Christian. He was a good hockey player. I think Boston and Washington from what I remember? Christian hockey sticks, had a few of them out on the pond
Yeah, Ray, agree totally. And I bet this snub will be added motivation for him to elevate his game even more once the playoffs start. Sort of a “here … stuff this!” approach.
Washington will go deep.
International hockey has a different vibe to it tan NHL and while players react differently, the choice of players tends to include some reward for previous performance.
Montembeault stepped up in a big way his last international tournament and he has responded well to pressure.
Molson was probably tossed a candy to have a Hab on Canada’s team given the games played in Montreal.
HF 30 I think your last sentence is probably the best guess, and I would actually be fine with that, as he isn’t going to play anyway, unless something really strange happens.
If it was me, it would have been Thompson and Hill, with Hill as the backup.
I’m looking forward to the premiere event Saturday night. That’s going to be the must win game for the two top teams. No warm ups and straight into battle, this tournament ought to be entertaining for sure.
I wonder if Ovechkin’s mystery training partner might be Zdeno Chara. Chara is an absolute fitness nut and both played together in Washington.
Hi Ray,
Agreed….👍
i hope the give Hill a shot he has been very very good again this year
He is also a UFA and Vegas will have to pay him he gets in the $7.M range to keep him there……..❓
he makes $4.9M right now PA….,
I wonder if Ovechkin’s mystery training partner might be Zdeno Chara. Chara is an absolute fitness nut and both played together in Washington.
I really hope the Jets don’t trade for Brock Nelson, the guy looks like he’s in his mid-50s already.
Haha, ya Brock, the pic above has a Howie Morenz, Eddie Shore look to it.
Mystery partner… Wayne Gretzky?
Heh. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?
Wayne: “Ovi, try this … will worked wonders for me” (knowing damned well it’ll likely cause a groin strain)
GeorgeO if he’s with Gretzky they will be working out on the golf course!
IDK, I would take Nelson any day on the Avalanche. The guys a really good and smart hockey player. I watch him at times or have seen him play not only against the Avalanche but all other teams and I don’t see any age related problems. All he does is score as well as play good hockey. 7yr contract I can see being cautious about that but if a trade for him / or 4-5 yr deal, I would be interested?