NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2025
The latest 4 Nations Face-Off news on the eve of the championship game, updates on notable sidelined players as NHL teams prepare for the resumption of the schedule, and much more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.
4 NATIONS FACE-OFF NEWS
NHL.COM: The 4 Nations Face-Off championship game between Canada and the United States begins at 8 PM ET on Thursday, Feb. 20 at Boston’s TD Garden. The United States defeated Canada 3-1 during their round-robin game last Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
TSN: Team USA and Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy remains in a Boston hospital after undergoing “an irrigation and debridement procedure” stemming from an infection in his right shoulder. He is listed as week-to-week.
Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (NHL Images).
McAvoy missed the Americans’ 2-1 loss to Sweden on Monday with an upper-body injury suffered earlier in the tournament and was ruled out of Thursday’s championship game. He is being treated with antibiotics and his condition is reportedly improving.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Bruins weren’t pleased with how McAvoy’s condition was handled by Team USA, claiming they felt the blueliner didn’t receive the proper care.
Friedman said McAvoy suffered the injury during Team USA’s game against Finland when he was driven into a goalpost by Finnish forward Joel Armia. An initial diagnosis of the injury may not have revealed the full severity.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were jockeying for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference when the schedule was paused for the 4 Nations tournament. Losing their top defenseman for several weeks could derail their playoff hopes.
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes received medical clearance to return to practice but not to resume playing. He won’t be traveling to Boston to join Team USA in case another defenseman becomes sidelined before Thursday’s championship game.
An injured oblique muscle sidelined Hughes for four games before the 4 Nations tournament. He was in a non-contact jersey for the second straight day as he practiced with his Canucks teammates.
DAILY FACEOFF: Team USA invited New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson to travel to Boston and serve as potential illness or injury replacements ahead of Thursday’s championship game.
SPORTSNET: Matthew Tkachuk and Auston Matthews practiced with Team USA on Wednesday but Brady Tkachuk was absent with an illness.
The trio were sidelined from Monday’s game against Sweden. Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday that he expected all three to be in the lineup for Thursday’s game against Canada.
NHL.COM: Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington will get the start against Team USA in Thursday’s championship game. He’s played in every game for Canada and is the only goalie in this tournament to play a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final. In 2019, Binnington backstopped the St. Louis Blues to the Cup against the Bruins in Boston’s TD Garden.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fans and pundits have criticized Binnington’s performance but he has the steadfast support of his teammates and Team Canada coach Jon Cooper. A win in the championship game should silence his critics.
HEADLINES
TSN: Evgeni Malkin told The Athletic’s Rob Rossi that he has no plans of playing anywhere except Pittsburgh, ending speculation he could return to Russia to finish his playing career in the KHL.
“I retire with Pittsburgh,” said Malkin. “The Penguins are my team. I love this team. When I retire it’s here.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malkin’s comments put to rest any talk of him waiving his no-movement clause to accept a trade to another NHL club. The 38-year-old center has one season left on his contract with a full no-movement clause.
NEW YORK POST: Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (upper-body injury) resumed practicing with his teammates on Wednesday. The club intends to ease him back into action.
TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty left practice on Wednesday after tweaking something during pre-practice drills. Leafs head coach Craig Berube said the injury is not believed to be serious but they’ll learn more after Pacioretty is reevaluated on Thursday.
NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson (lower-body injury)was in a full-contact jersey during practice on Tuesday but didn’t partake in any drills. He was placed on long-term injury reserve on Jan. 20. The earliest he could return to action is next Tuesday against the New York Rangers.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser expects to return to action on Sunday against the Seattle Kraken. He’s been sidelined since Dec. 12 with a lower-body injury.
DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka’s status for Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings is uncertain as he deals with an illness. Center Logan Cooley’s status (lower body) has improved to day-to-day.
SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Alex Wennberg (upper body) and Nico Sturm (right ankle) could be ready for Saturday’s game against the Calgary Flames.
THE SCORE: ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports the NHL recently met with a group interested in bringing an expansion franchise to New Orleans.
Prospective ownership groups from Atlanta and Houston have also expressed interest in landing NHL expansion franchises.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently said expansion wasn’t a “front-burner issue” but the league is expected to add two more franchises before the end of the decade.
ASSOCIATED PRESS: NHL Hall-of-Famer Bobby Hull had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he died two years ago, his widow said in a statement released on Wednesday.
Researchers at Boston University’s CTE Center found that Hull had stage 2 CTE when he died in 2023 at age 84. He suffered short-term memory loss and impaired judgment during the final decade of his life. He chose to donate his brain for research after seeing former teammate and fellow Hall-of-Famer Stan Mikita decline during the final years of his life.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hull and Mikita suffered repeated blows to the head during their careers. Mikita became one of the first NHL players to don a helmet in Dec. 1967 after an errant shot tore off a piece of his ear, which was later stitched back on.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Former Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange died Wednesday at age 76. He was the voice of the Penguins beginning in 1974-75, leaving after that season but resuming his duties in 1976-77 on television and radio until health issues forced him to step down in 2021.
Lange gained widespread recognition for his colorful play-by-play and unique catch-phrases, including “Scratch my back with a hacksaw”, “Buy Sam a drink and get his dog one, too,” and, after every Penguins victory, “Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has just left the building.” He received the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Foster Hewitt Award in 2001.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I first became aware of Lange during the Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in the early 1990s, enjoying his unique, entertaining play-by-play. He narrated the franchise’s greatest highs and lowest lows in a style that will never be equaled – my condolences to his family, friends, and the Penguins organization.
Elvis has left the building for the last time.
Very sad day for all Penguin’s fans.
We absolutely loved Mike Lange
Everything from his “he beat him like a rented mule” to his famous “Lord Stanley Lord Stanley get me the brandy” was a great thing to hear.
Charming and enthusiastic to the end.
RIP Mr. Lange. You now get to be with Elvis.
Condolences out to the entire family.
The best do ever do play by play sports in the city of Pittsburgh….Period !!
US is limping into tonight’s game with several minor injuries added into the mix! Boston blaming the Wild organization for Mcavoy injury treatment!Looks like Helleybuck will have to steal the game for the US tonight!
Helleybuck shouldn’t have to steal the game. He won’t need to.
If he plays normally; all we need to do is shoot as many pucks at Binnington as we can.
Law of averages (Helleybuck/Binnington) gets us the big V
No multi-pass plays; no waiting for clear lanes; no hesitating. Just shoot shoot shoot. Binnington will do the rest for us.
williew on February 19, 2025 at 8:17 pm
Good Morning 8798,
I don’t think you seen this yesterday or last night when I posted it
I think the Penguins and Kyle Dubbie are going into a Re-Build and Re—tool,
More than likely the latter❓
The Penguin’s only have two first round pics this year in the 2025 draft and No Second round pics🙈
But
they do have lots & Lots of players that can trade at the trade dead line this year and the trade dead line next year if they can get a couple more first pics this year or maybe a couple of seconds this year that’s a really good start to doing it.🤔
I think they may look for defence men that should’ve 21–22 years old so they can step in in next one or 2 years so they can start training them up.
The pens have 2–3 young defence men 19 to 20 that could potentially step in in the next couple of year’s…
but then you really need to add to that probably need A Really Good offensive defence men.
They have a couple of forwards and some wingers that could potentially make the team but Not a lot.🤔
That’s what they need to draft for pics prospects to help rebuild. The Penguins have like $25 to $ 28 million next season in cap space the following year they have $60 million in cap space so that’s not a problem for them
They also have two young goaltenders or 24 year-old and a young Russian who is 21. They have some pieces but not enough but they do have lots to trade so hopefully you get a couple of pet first pics this year that she set them on the right track.
They really need to get a couple of STAR Forwards in the next two drafts and it looks like they could pick
Top six or lower in the 2025 draft if they don’t add too many Good Players,
They could Very Well pick top 4 or five and 26.NHL draft Also…..❓🤔🤔
Evgeni Malkin told The Athletic’s Rob Rossi that he has no plans of playing anywhere except Pittsburgh, ending speculation he could return to Russia to finish his playing career in the KHL.
So that’s a good 2nd or late First. They loose
And if Sid says the same thing that’s a very good package they would loose…❓
But don’t Rule him out going to play with his buddy Nate in Colorado….‼️❓❓🤔
To have a shot at 1 more cup…..
Hellebuyck is dialed in and has been all year so no reason to think he won’t stand tall tonight. But you never know, a lucky one off a skate or something early could change his mindset, but wouldn’t bet on it.
So the old saying that “you can’t stop what you can’t see” applies for Canada. Even if they still hit him, it should mean rebounds. Get to the net to impair his vision, and bang home a greasy one or two. And you will get hit while doing it.
On the other end, stop the US from doing the same, especially the brothers, it’s what they do best, it’s what makes them so effective.
Thinking refs try and stay out of the way in this one and only the most flagrant get called especially late, so home plate will be tough to get too.
Should be great hockey and intense. Stressful for fans, or at least this one. Pumped for it already!
Go Canada
Hi WillieW
I think I responded to that post yesterday
When I turned on the radio this morning and they were talking about Mike my heart sunk. I knew what was coming when a minute or two later I heard rip Mike. 😢😢.
https://triblive.com/sports/where-does-penguins-radio-broadcaster-mike-lange-get-his-memorable-calls/
Bobby Hull’s judgment was in decline long before the last ten years. He abused his wives and was a charter member of the Hitler had Some Good Ideas but Went Too Far club.
Great hockey player. When I met him just after he retired he was more than kind a generous with his time Envelope joked his ex wife took everything except his new hair. Lol
Hitler comparison, Howard? Not like you to wade into bad judgement territory.
LJ I was certainly not comparing him to Hitler. I’m just noting that he once told an interviewer that Hitler had some good ideas. Not too bright.
Condolences to Pittsburgh and lange family, great announcer! Listened to a lot of penguins games on satellite radio heading home from work!! …..
Hoping for a Canada victory tonight. I was wrong last game but feel team Canada will respond, weather that is a W who knows. All Avalanche players involved need to crank it up if they want to win as well as all others. Point, koneckny, Reinhart, cerelli, hagel, Bennett, etc.
I fully believe next year is Malkin’s last year and he will retire…
great career but he is slowly badly..
Willie W
Malkin stated he is only playing for penguins. That means he not going anywhere he will retire a ms a Pen
Ww.
Sid is also never leaving Pit not even to play with Nate both have full NMC. And as you know teams are sentimental to their core players this is exactly reason Marchand won’t get traded unless he asked to be
Agree on Marchand MB4, that convo happens before anything is done.
The McAvoy injury will hurt the B’s chances of getting in, they were already facing an uphill climb. Being without, what I think, is their best player, has to make it tougher. Sweeney knows that, heck we all know it.
He’s playing with some buds who are on good teams, maybe he thinks about it? Edmonton could use another guy who can score. If Klingberg rounds into form and can find his game again, has his mobility back, I think they go fwd hunting.
If he doesn’t, RD becomes the priority again.
Having said all that, IMO the B’s want to keep him around, and I think he wants to stay.
So, since we’re now assured that Zelensky was responsible for the war and is, in fact, THE dictator, does tat mean the NHL must fall in line and remove the sanctions levied against Russia and so, among other things, allow them back into international hockey tournaments? And, if that does transpire, what happens if all the other European nations says nuts to that … they remain ostracized?
Interesting times ahead indeed.
That decision will rest with the IIHF and the Olympic Committee.
I’ve mixed emotions about such things. Russia is clearly a rogue nation under Putin and deserve pariah status, but aside from Ovechkin’s pro Putin comments do we know what other athletes would say had they the freedom to speak?
Tough one …
Suddenly Erik Karlsson looks like a good addition ?
He has been terrific for Sweden and shown he is still elite and can be a force….Panthers sniffing a bit mmhhhh…
Some salary retained by the Pens and Karlsson could go at the deadline or in the off season…for sure !!
We shall see…he has played better for the Penguins the last two months and he looked good in 4 nations…..he just needs the right fit and he wants to compete for a Cup!