NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2025
Recaps of Thursday’s games, the Stars could be close to acquiring Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can see the roundup of Thursday’s trades by following this link.
NHL.COM: A late goal by Seth Jarvis lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 32 shots as the Hurricanes sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Morgan Geekie scored both goals for the Bruins (64 points), who’ve lost three straight games and sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikko Rantanen played what could be his final game with the Hurricanes. Reports emerged overnight claiming the Dallas Stars have permission from the Canes to negotiate a contract extension with the 28-year-old winger’s representatives that would lead to Rantanen being traded to the Stars before today’s 3 pm ET trade deadline.
Meanwhile, the Bruins continue their sell-off, shipping pending free-agent forward Justin Brazeau to the Minnesota Wild for forwards Jakub Lauko and Marat Khusnutdinov.
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar had two goals and four assists and Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and three assists in a 7-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. The Avalanche have won four straight games, holding the first Western wild-card berth with 76 points. Sharks forward William Eklund had a goal and an assist, while rookie teammate Macklin Celebrini tallied his 20th goal of the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a four-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl with a league-leading 98 points. Sharks forward Nikolai Kovalenko returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel scored a second-period hat trick and newly acquired forward Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied the winning goal to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5. The Lightning have won 10 of their last 11 games, sitting third in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Rasmus Dahlin and JJ Peterka each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy became the third goaltender in NHL history to record eight or more consecutive 30-win seasons, joining Martin Brodeur (12) and Patrick Roy (eight).
Speaking of the Stars, they got an overtime goal from Jason Robertson to nip the Calgary Flames 3-2, picking up their fourth straight win. Robertson also scored the tying goal as the Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit. They sit second in the Central Division with 84 points. Joel Farabee and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames, who cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 68 points.
The Florida Panthers extended their win streak to five games by blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 16-save shutout for his 423rd regular-season win, tying Tony Esposito for 10th on the all-time list. Sam Reinhart, Mackie Samoskevich and Aleksander Barkov were the goal-scorers as the Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 81 points.
Winnipeg Jets forwards Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had three points in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who hold sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 90 points. Rookie winger Matvei Michkov scored his 20th of the season for the Flyers (62 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.
The Edmonton Oilers got an overtime goal from Evan Bouchard to down the Montreal Canadiens 3-2, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to 13 games with his league-leading 46th goal and also added an assist for the Oilers. Cole Caufield netted his 31st goal of the season for the Canadiens (66 points) as they sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card berth.
Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka kicked out 38 shots in a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Nick Schmaltz, Kevin Stenlund and Lawson Crouse scored as Utah overcame a 2-1 deficit. With 68 points, they sit three points behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren scored for the Red Wings (66 points), who have lost four straight games and remain one point behind the Senators.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings fans must have an uneasy feeling of deja vu. Around this time last season, the Wings held a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference before a costly losing skid knocked them out of contention. Meanwhile, Utah placed forward Nick Bjugstad (upper body) on injured reserve.
The Nashville Predators defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-3. Filip Forsberg tallied twice and Steven Stamkos had two assists for the Predators. Adam Larsson, Jared McCann and Michael Eyssimont replied for the Kraken.
IN OTHER NEWS…
STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Colton Parayko will undergo a scope on his left knee and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues’ playoff odds got a lot longer with their top defenseman sidelined.
SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Ryan Reaves on waivers. If he clears, they can free up $1.15 million in cap space by sending him to the minors.
DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predators claimed forward Jakub Vrana off waivers from the Washington Capitals and defenseman Jordan Oesterle from the Boston Bruins. Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets claimed winger Christian Fischer from the Detroit Red Wings.
Good trade and very reasonable price (1st [lottery protected] and middling at best AHLer) for Walman.
Solid D having a career year on a bottom team; with top minutes; and one more year on his contract at very reasonable cap hit. This is a key piece for Oilers who have struggled defensively of late.
Comparing that trade and other recents, I was very surprised with what the old man got for Brock Nelson.
Certainly a very good center and key guy that was definitely in demand. But he’s a UFA (with 43 points) and gets 2 firsts (Ritchie [1st ‘23] and in ‘26) and a conditional 3rd?
With that Benchmark, what would Leafs have to pay for Schenn (38 points) who has 3 more years on his contract after this year?
And what does that mean for possible return on Laughton ? 3 years younger, much lower cap hit, 1 year after this still left on contract?
Re Marchand. Tough to think of him not in a Bruins uniform; but the demand will be there. He’d easily come over with just an annual Cap hit of only $1.53 M (50% retained by Bruins, 50% of that by a 3rd team). He’s only owed $220 K as of today; so 3rd team ponying up just $55K. Recent years $200 K or so in retention meant a 4th rounder.
Good trade and very reasonable price (1st [lottery protected] and middling at best AHLer) for Walman.
Solid D having a career year on a bottom team; with top minutes; and one more year on his contract at very reasonable cap hit. This is a key piece for Oilers who have struggled defensively of late.
Comparing that trade and other recents, I was very surprised with what the old man got for Brock Nelson.
Certainly a very good center and key guy that was definitely in demand. But he’s a UFA (with 43 points) and gets 2 firsts (Ritchie [1st ‘23] and in ‘26) and a conditional 3rd?
With that Benchmark, what would Leafs have to pay for Schenn (38 points) who has 3 more years on his contract after this year?
And what does that mean for possible return on Laughton ? 3 years younger, much lower cap hit, 1 year after this still left on contract?
Re Marchand. Tough to think of him not in a Bruins uniform; but the demand will be there. He’d easily come over with just an annual Cap hit of only $1.53 M (50% retained by Bruins, 50% of that by a 3rd team). He’s only owed $220 K as of today; so 3rd team ponying up just $55K. Recent years $200 K or so in retention meant a 4th rounder.
Great trade by Lou! I guess he’s realized that it’s time to move on from the older players and rebuild. Though I still think a younger GM should oversee the rebuild.
Getting a 1st and a top prospect (rated #13 overall by The Hockey News) for an aging veteran is a master stroke. Now he has to acquire young and future assets for Palmieri.
On a side note, as Lyle referenced in last nights rumors, Pierre LeBrun was saying last night that the Isles are still trying to extend Nelson and that a trade wasn’t close. Remember that not long before the Habs re-signed Evans, he was saying that they weren’t close to an extension. So I guess Pierre is the go to guy for hockey scoops. It’s just that whatever he says, you know the opposite will happen.
Boston has no alternative but to trade Marchand! After watching how they lost to Carolina last night this team is all done! Bad teams lose games this way ! Hold on to Geekie,he s their second best offensive talent after Pasta!This on a team that is offensively challenged and may have the worst group of forwards in the NHL!
As of this morning in the East no less than 8 teams (Columbus, Ottawa, NYR, Detroit, Montreal, NYI, Boston and Philadelphia) are poised to make the stretch run one for the books, with just 6 pts separating 14th-place Philadelphia from the first WC holder Columbus.
Among those 8 teams, the lowest-scoring are NYI (168 g), Boston (172 g) and Ottawa (174 g), with only Columbus (207 g) above the 200-mark. At the other end, only Ottawa (176), NYR (186) and Detroit (197) have given up fewer than 200 goals, while Columbus is the only team among the 8 to h ave a + goals differential – and that is just +2! The rest range from Ottawa’s -2 to Boston’s -32.
So, it’s pretty clear where each team’s focus should be today in moves to shore up obvious weaknesses -IF their mind-set remains a playoff spot. Some – e.g., the Islanders, the lowest-scoring of the 8 who just dealt away one of their top goals producers – may indeed have decided that pursuing trades to “shore up” simply isn’t worth it.
George, any truth to rumors Brady T getting tired of the boos during US anthem? Seen talk that his fight with Wilson was a carry over from the 4 nations conversation about how him and his brother wouldn’t have acted up if Wilson was on team Canada. Would love to have him in NY! What would it take?
Slick62, I’m sure Tkachuk isn’t the only American player in the league not happy with the anthem boos, so if that becomes a reason for wanting to leave a Canadian franchise it will extend way beyond Brady.
But this too shall pass – eventually – when saner minds convince the volatile that the current economic direction using tariffs was a major contributor to the Great Depression and will do absolutely nothing to enhance anyone’s economy.
I wish fans wouldn’t boo the anthem, it doesn’t accomplish anything, and it is impacting the wrong folks, the players on the ice and fellow fans in the building who are from the US, but also understand why.
I used to think that saner heads will prevail on tariffs really quickly George, but starting to doubt that. I think he actually believes it’s a good idea, he has been saying it for decades it turns out. Markets down again today.
Anyway, they aren’t booing because of tariffs as we have been there done that last time with him. Go ahead I guess?? And ya, still dumb.
It’s the repeated comments, which I am starting to think he means, about annexation and the lies involving us.
Folks do realize that unless Canada agrees to that, which we won’t, the only way is militarily?
News flash, elbows go up, and one of the only ways to vent that is at a sporting event. Still a useless idea, I won’t do that, but I do understand why some folks do it. Hopefully BT understands why and calms it down if true, if not, then trade him I guess.
To Boston.
Don’t expect much more than a 2nd for Marchand. His age. His health. His UFA status. Mind you….Nelson just got that haul for Lou…who knows at this point…
If it’s only a 2nd; he stays
he does have a modified trade list type protection that would keep him from poo-poo’ing a trade somewhere he didn’t want to go
To what end? Loyalty? Sentimentality?
They’re nothing but the Hallmarks of professional sports losers.
Marchand might depend on the contract negotiations. Word is they broke down, which doesn’t mean they can’t resume.
He’s at the tail end of his career and not the same player he was. No longer elite, but complimentary. And he isn’t going to get better as he turns 37 in May.
Marchand knows that but guessing his agent is still trying to get the best he can, which is his job. Sweeney has likely been frank with Marchand so everyone understands that a better offer isn’t coming in the summer.
My guess is Marchy will need to make the phone call pretty quick, or ya, they might move him for a 2nd. I would suggest another add on, but we’ll see.
If it is sweet FA in return then of course he stays.
Hope he stays and a last minute deal is reached.
Re Oilers d/man…
Oilers main priority is still a 2nd parring d/man
Lot’s of chatter in town about 2 SHARKS
Mario Feraro, i dink he stays a shark and is part of the long term Re- build..❓
&
Jake Walman, age, 29,D shoots, L 6’1″218lbs
You slept too long, they already got Walman and da Griddy!
If the Avs get Landeskog back for the playoffs that is a deep forward group
Landeskog has played his last – certainly effective last – NHL game.