NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2025
Check out the latest news ahead of today’s 4 Nations Face-Off games in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: It’s a must-win scenario for three of the four teams in the 4 Nations Face-Off as Canada faces Finland (1 PM ET) and Sweden tangles with the United States (8 pm ET) at TD Garden in Boston.
If the game between Canada and Finland ends in regulation, the winner faces the United States in the championship game on Thursday. If Canada and Finland go to overtime, Sweden could advance to the championship game if they defeat the United States in regulation.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks on social media raised the possibility of the United States throwing their game against the Swedes if Canada defeats the Finns in overtime, eliminating Canada and giving them an easier opponent in the championship game. It would be a devious tactic but I don’t believe the Americans would do that. They prefer going undefeated in the round-robin and beating Canada on home ice on Thursday to drive home the point that (to paraphrase Matthew Tkachuk) this is their time right now.
SPORTSNET: Team Canada defenseman Cale Makar hopes to participate in Monday’s must-win game against Finland. Illness sidelined him from Saturday’s game against Team USA, though he was close to playing in that game.
“I’m going to do everything I can to play tomorrow,” said Makar. “I just got to make sure I feel right, body and everything-wise, and go from there.”
Meanwhile, Thomas Harley has been cleared to play for Monday’s game against Finland regardless of Makar’s status. The Dallas Stars defenseman played well filling in for Makar during Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Americans.
Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper was staying mum on his starting goaltender for Monday’s must-win game against Finland. That’s raised speculation he could replace Jordan Binnington with Adin Hill, who served as Binnington’s backup in Canada’s previous two games in this tournament.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decision to pass over Logan Thompson in favor of Binnington, Hill, and Sam Montembeault was questioned by fans and pundits before the tournament began. The Washington Capitals goalie sits second among NHL starters in save percentage (.921) and is fourth in goals-against average (2.23) and wins (24).
Thompson was reportedly snubbed because Team Canada assistant coaches Bruce Cassidy and Peter DeBoer didn’t have a great experience with him during their tenures with the Vegas Golden Knights. Whatever the reason, that decision will generate plenty of second-guessing if Canada comes up short in this tournament.
TSN: Team Canada remains confident despite their 3-1 loss to the Americans, which put them into a must-win situation against Finland.
“This is our Game 7,” said head coach Jon Cooper, adding his team has learned a lot during the previous two games.
“We don’t have a lot of time to think about it,” said team captain Sidney Crosby. “It’s a big one coming up here.”
Meanwhile, goaltender Kevin Lankinen will get his second straight start for Finland. He backstopped them to a 4-3 overtime victory over Sweden on Saturday.
DAILY FACEOFF: Sources say Team USA winger Matthew Tkachuk will likely sit out tonight’s game against Sweden. He suffered a lower-body injury against Canada that sidelined him for most of the third period.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk shouldn’t risk aggravating that injury against the Swedes in a meaningless game. It’s best to let him recuperate and prepare for the big match later this week.
THE ATHLETIC: ESPN reports that Saturday’s game between Canada and the United States drew 4.4 million viewers, peaking at 5.2 million at the 10:45 quarter-hour. It’s the most-watched non-Stanley Cup Final game since a Blue Jackets-Bruins playoff game in 2019 drew 4.5 million viewers. NHL postseason games last season averaged 1.54 million viewers.
It was also the most-watched NHL game in the United States since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and Oilers last June, which drew 7.67 million viewers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL should scrap the old All-Star Game format in favor of annual two-week midseason international tournaments involving their best players in non-Olympic years. They could call it “The World Cup of Hockey” or something like that (insert wink emoji here).
Other than Roman Josi who is Swiss,the hockey writers listed their top ten defensemen this year! The only one not playing is Canadas Dougie Hamilton!Can someone tell me why Doughty,Sanheim and Hartley are playing ahead of him?
Canada was trying to have a left-right balance on defense, Sanheim and Harley play the left side. That’s why Harley was picked to replace Theodore, but I agree that Hamilton would have been a better choice than Doughty to replace Pietrangelo. I would guess it was because of his international experience.
Last summer I kept wondering in posts here why UFA goaltender Kevin Lankinen wasn’t being signed by somebody – Ottawa included. He had won gold with Finland at the 2019 World Championship, registering the best save % of 0.940 and a sparkling gaa of 1.50, playing in all of their games in that tournament.
His NHL career to date has amounted to 146gp with a 2.94gaa and 0.905 save % … and that included 2 seasons with a bad Chicago team. He also played 2 seasons with Nashville where he posted a 20 14 1 record and a save % of 0.912.
At the last minute the best offer he got was a p.t.o. invite with Vancouver, and on Sept 21 signed a 1-year deal @ $875,000. So far, on a dysfunctional team, he has a 19 8 7 record, 2.53gaa and save % of 0.905.
If he stands on his head against Canada, while Hill or whoever is shaky, and Canada loses, Lankinen will join with Logan Thompson as two of the most near-sighted goalie decisions ever made in NHL history. And the cost for Lankinen as a UFA again will rise dramatically.
Agreed!
I had hoped Detroit would have picked him up when the season started and traded the oft-injured Lyon.
A blogger’s kist isn’t a list of the coaching staff, so the hockey writers are meaningless.
George, you never know with goalies and tournaments. Montembeault had crazy numbers in his last international tourney.
Management staffs are privy to all there is to know about Lankinen and almost all made the same decision.
Look at Charlie Lindgren, he was the “next one” in Montreal till he got run out of town, years later he’s reborn in Washington.
If Canada / Finland’s go to OT. The US should be dressing Kreider as their goaltender.
“Ugly American “ enough for ya?
In all seriousness, I don’t believe for one second the US will tank.
This by far is the best team the United States has ever iced on the international stage. I don’t think they fear Canada at all. Nor do I think they’d be that disrespectful.
Sorry Captain Obvious
I have to disagree.
We beat Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, Lindros, Yzerman, Brødeur et al in ‘96
That team (Hull , Leclair, Leech, Modano, Chelios, Richter, Tkachuck, the Hatcher bros, Lafontaine, Suter, Rolston, Housley, Guerin, etc.) was our best team ever.
That’s relative to opposition at the same time, and not comparing old teams to n ew (different eras, styles, equipment).
Our current team is great but I truly believe our ‘96 team takes the gauntlet as our best roster ever.
*I do acknowledge that only being 22 at the time ( I’m 50 now) that team had an indelible memory and pride etched in my mind. I’ve had 28 years to fondly remember that tournament; and again, we literally beat the absolute best players in the world (Gretsky, Brodeur, Messier, Lindros, Yzerman , Lindros). I’ve only seen this team in 2 games. We trounced Finland but only won in regulation because Binnington couldn’t stop two beach balls.
8787, can you imagine that? Up 4-3 with a minute to go and the Finnish net empty … and they had CROSBY out there!
Apologize for the sarcasm … but that’s why coaches put the guys out there who know where the net is better than anyone. Including Ovechkin.
All Sid did was take a helluva hit in a collision, still got up, got control of the puck and put the game away.
We’re not tanking. Period.Stop.
Putting it another way. If Canada wins in regulation today; then a Sweden regulation win tonight means that we were just the two Binnington softies away from being out of tournament final.
We also want to show our final opponents that we’re undefeated.
We’re full tilt tonight.
Re Thompson not chosen: if it was Cassidy and DeBoer that nixed him. Thank-you. I don’t think we beat them with Thompson in net.
He’s not letting those two goals in, so we’d have been down 1-0 (McDavid’s goal) and we’d be the one pulling the goalie with 2 minutes left.
🙏🙏 Cassidy/DeBoer
Cooper, please keep playing Binnington
8787
it really looks like your Pens are looking to pick top 6 and or lower with there 1st Round Pick,❓
They also have one more 1st pick not sure where it from but i can see the trying to pick up 1 and Or 2
more 1st round pick’s in this draft and a couple more 2nd round picks this year and Or a Really good top Project to speed things up…….🤔
What do you think..❓
PS
yes SCRAP the All Star game the 4 nations cup is Way beter
Lyle writes:
“The NHL should scrap the old All-Star Game format in favor of annual two-week midseason international tournaments involving their best players in non-Olympic years.”
No thanks. Yes, big viewership, but surely in part to the fact that there hasn’t been a best on best for donkey’s. The novelty will wear off.
This year’s season started October 4, and the last possible game for the Cup is June 23. There are conflicting spins on tv viewership, with last year’s ratings showing heavy viewing in Alberta but down just about everywhere else.
Of course! It’s nearly July when the Cup is awarded.
The NHL is already moving to an every other year international tournament when factoring in the Olympics. Olympics in 2026, a new “8 nations world cup” format for 2028, Olympics again in 2030, etc.
No need to also do this at the All Star games in the off years – – – it would then become too commonplace too quick.
Anything replacing the all-star game and week is worth it.
At east this format shows the best players playing real hockey.
With that being said, I’d be happy with naming All-Stars and trophy winners without a game at all. Ease up the schedule as far as back to back giving the players a chance.
Take MacKinnon’s comment on 10 min. OT, wanting to cap it at 7. Clearly the players feel stretched to the wire as it is.
Just a question for all you hockey fans!Do the players get financially compensated and if so, how much!
«Players in the 4 Nations tournament will each receive an appearance bonus.
An undisclosed prize pool will also be shared among the winners.
Bill Daly states that the players are playing for the love of their country, as their salary is negligible compared to what they usually earn.»
– Chris Johnston