NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2025
Alex Ovechkin is the all-time goal-scoring leader, the Senators and Canadiens move closer to clinching playoff berths, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
OVECHKIN SCORES HIS 895TH GOAL, BREAKING THE ALL-TIME GOAL-SCORING RECORD
NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders. Ovechkin tallied his 895th regular-season goal to surpass Wayne Gretzky.
The game was stopped to commemorate his achievement with an on-ice ceremony, including congratulations from Gretzky and league commissioner Gary Bettman, and video tributes that included Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).
Islanders forward Marc Gatcomb scored twice as the remainder of the game was an afterthought to Ovechkin’s accomplishment. The Isles (78 points) sit seven points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Capitals missed the chance to clinch first place in the overall standings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gretzky’s goal record seemed insurmountable. Breaking it was an incredible achievement by Ovechkin, a testament to his goal-scoring skill and durability.
Ovechkin paid tribute to former teammates Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie, who attended this game to watch him break the record. It was an emotional moment for Backstrom, who played more games with the Capitals superstar (1,058) than anyone else and assisted on more of his goals (279) than any other player.
During his on-ice tribute to Ovechkin, Gretzky said records were made to be broken but he wasn’t sure who could outscore the Capitals superstar. The Toronto Star’s Damien Cox tried to make the case for Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, but The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus believe it’s a high mountain to scale.
The 27-year-old Matthews sits 112th overall with 398 goals. The current active players closest to Ovechkin are Crosby (622) and Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (580) and they’re on the downside of their long careers. So are Malkin (513), Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (491), Edmonton Oilers winger Corey Perry (445), Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (438), Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (422) and Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (399).
Matthews and Oilers winger Leon Draisaitl (399 goals) are the only active players in their prime closest to Ovechkin’s record. Cox believes the Leafs captain could have a chance if he plays 13 more seasons while maintaining his current scoring pace. It’s not impossible but it will be a daunting challenge for Matthews.
Gretzky still has the most assists (1,963) and points (2,857). Those records could be unbreakable. Future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr is second in points with 1,921 and he last played in the NHL seven years ago.
Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas missed this game as he’s week-to-week after suffering a cut to his left foot during Friday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
RECAPPING SUNDAY’S OTHER GAMES
NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators are one win away from clinching a playoff berth after blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned in a 30-save shutout, Adam Gaudette scored what proved to be the winning goal, and Thomas Chabot had two assists.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ottawa holds the first Eastern wild-card berth with 90 points, putting them on the verge of ending their eight-year postseason drought. Meanwhile, the Blues Jackets’ three-game losing skid jeopardizes their playoff hopes, leaving them eight points out of the final wild-card spot.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 36 shots to nip the Nashville Predators 2-1, extending his club’s win streak to five games. Cole Caufield and Patrik Laine scored as the Canadiens (85 points) opened a six-point lead over the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern wild card. Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal is tantalizingly close to clinching that wild-card spot. The Rangers, Red Wings and Islanders have a game in hand on the Canadiens but the latter still controls their destiny, including games against the Red Wings on Tuesday and the Senators on Friday.
Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Chris Chelios for the most points (64) by a Habs rookie blueliner. Canadiens winger Emil Heineman and blueliner David Savard missed this game and are day-to-day with injuries. Winger Josh Anderson returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game for family reasons.
Speaking of the Red Wings, they picked up a vital two points with a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Cam Talbot made 32 saves while Alex DeBrincat and J.T. Compher scored for the Wings. Anton Lundell replied for the slumping Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 92 points. They’re 0-4-1 in the last five games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are nipping at the Panthers’ heels. They could vault past the defending Stanley Cup champions into third place in the Atlantic Division standings.
An overtime goal by Marco Rossi lifted the Minnesota Wild over the Dallas Stars 3-2. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists as the Wild (91 points) moved within two points of the St. Louis Blues for the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley scored for the Stars (105 points) as they sit three points behind the league-leading Winnipeg Jets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars captain Jamie Benn returned to action after missing two games with a lower-body injury. Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton missed this contest as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
The Vegas Golden Knights downed the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on a late goal by Victor Olofsson. With 102 points, the Golden Knights hold a five-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings for first place in the Pacific Division. The Canucks (83 points) are eight points behind the Wild for the final Western wild card.
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson tallied a hat trick for a 6-3 victory over the Boston Bruins. The Sabres have won four straight games. David Pastrnak collected assists on all three Bruins goals.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were officially eliminated from the playoff chase following a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev scored two goals and Spencer Knight stopped 28 shots for the Blackhawks. Penguins forward Rickard Rakell netted his 34th of the season.
I’m happy that Ovechkin broke the record, it is well deserved but to be honest I could have done without the game stoppage and ceremony.
Give him a standing O, play the game and do a ceremony later on back home in Washington.
Ovechkin will forever be remembered as the guy who was outscored by the legendary Marc Gatcomb on the biggest day of his career.
Fully fully agree
Big celebration (pre game) at home certainly much more appropriate
And what they did in NY inconvenienced anyone how, exactly?
I’m pretty sure they did the same thing when Gretzky broke Gordie Howe’s record. (Fuzzy memory though, so I might be wrong.)
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=the+night+Gretzky+broke+Gordie+Howe%27s+record#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:466121ae,vid:JNW28GBQPO4,st:0
Yes they did but goal was at home rink
All those postulating as to who is best situated to eventually break Ovechkin’s record keep overlooking one salient fact – Ovechkin isn’t finished.
If you compare his achievement to that of Gretzky, who hung them up at age 38, you see that, over his final 5 seasons, Gretzky scored 91 of his total. Ovechkin, who turns 40 in September, has scored 189 over his last 5 seasons.
In his final season, with the NYR, Gretzky had 9 goals in 70gp. Ovechkin has 42 this season and still has 6 games left! Nor have we heard any suggestions that he is even thinking of retirement.
Ovie stated earlier this season that he intends to play the final year of his contract.
So, one more season for sure.
Thanks for the link George . I remember that but nice to see it again . I personally loved they stopped the game and recognized such a great record was broken . I never thought I would see it but wow good on OV and really nice to see NYI team and fans just appreciate such a huge record that may not be broke again .
The only thing I would have done was an NYI player third star Wayne second and OV first
Now that Pens are formally eliminated; goal should be:
Lose out to increase lottery chances; and at worst move towards earliest pick possible
Cheer for Rangers to win, UTH to lose from now on (if these two can flip current league standings positions , we also get 14th OA pick)
Cheer for rangers to lose. Much rather an unprotected 26 1st.
Kind of ironic, ain’t it? Both Pennsylvania teams along with the Bruins all officially eliminated before the much-maligned Buffalo Sabres.
Not sure it’s ironic but it’s something
Only in the sense that, periodically throughout this season, there were lengthy threads on how pathetic a team they were
Well unfortunately that’s true as well. But that factors in the past decade plus of losing. Buffalo leap frogging Pitt and Boston is notable though and a nice moral victory. Being better than Philly should just be expected… every franchise for a variety of reasons is better than Philly and deservedly so.
Overall, they’ve also passed Anaheim and Seattle, and are just 3 b/o Columbus and 4 behind NYI.
Hi Chrisms
As I say d before; I do understand the draw re chance at the next Wunderkin McKenna (only turned 17 four months ago and finished 2nd in points for thr whole league, only to s 21 year old.
He’s approaching 50 straight games with a point; had 129 points in 56 GP in reg season and has 16 points in 5 playoff games so far this year
So yes, it would be great to snag him
That said; we are only getting him with a Rangers pick IF they finish 22nd or worse next year AND win the lottery
Odds of that happening are extremely close to zero , maybe 1/4 of 1%
The pick (Rangers) next year may be even higher than 16th
Most likely the Rangers pick in ‘25 will be about the same place in ‘26
All else considered, A same selection point in ‘25 is worth more than a samr selection point in ‘26 just by the mere fact that the player should be NHL ready 1 year sooner
Pens pick at top 5 or 6 (with a lottery chance at Schaeffer (1s) or Misa (2nd) and worst case picking one of Martone, McQueen, Smith, Desoyners, or Ekland is good
Then if we get Rangers say 14th OA and pick someone like a Lakovic or Mrtka; good
Use our 26 picks and do an offer sheet
Punt some oldies, slow pokes, D blunderers, snd pipsqueaks
Sign no aging UFAs or pipsqueaks
Bring up youth from WBS
Bob’s your uncle …. Back in the plsyoffs for ‘26
Gutsy win by the Habs last night in the second game of a back to back which involved a late night Montreal to Nashville flight. I figure two wins in the last five games should be enough to wrap up a spot in the playoffs. That would force any of the team chasing them to pretty much run the table,
The Panthers injury list for last nights game looked like an all star team. If they don’t get some of those players back for the playoffs it could be over quickly for them.
There was a rarity last night – a team playing a back-to-back gets a SO in both of them, with 2 different goalies. I’m sure it’s probably happened before, but still. Something else that caught me by surprise was hearing that this, their 10th SO, puts Ottawa in the league lead! I really haven’t paid much attention to that aspect of their game and never would have guessed they were in that position in a hundred years, LOL.
With Florida’s loss to Detroit, Ottawa is now just 2 points back of the Panthers, both with 10 possible points left in the schedule. Right now, if the playoffs started today, they’d be meeting the Leafs while Florida would go up against Tampa. If Ottawa passes Florida, THEY would meet Tampa in Round 1. The Lightning are 4 back of the Leafs and both have 12 possible points left … so, conceivably, Tampa could catch them and if Ottawa passed Florida we’d be back to a Toronto-Ottawa first round.
And LJ, I think it’s time to start believing that no one is catching the Habs who, in fact and again quite conceivably with both having 10 points left in the schedule, could still catch the Senators and they would go up against Toronto, while Ottawa would meet Washington. The Habs and Senators have one head-to-head game left – in Ottawa – and the Senators have to go into a tough rink in Columbus tomorrow – their final road game – and it won’t be easy to beat a desperate team there.
The hope of seeing all 7 Canada-based teams in the playoffs is all but out the window, as Vancouver is now 8 points back of Minnesota and with just 10 possible points left in their schedule, but Calgary still has hope with 12 possible points left to them and 2 games in hand on the Wild as they sit 6 back.
Oh, and Lyle … technical note – Ottawa has endured a 7 year drought … it would be 8 if they missed this year.
Crazy stuff. Love it.
The ironic thing George would be all the changes Toronto made to avoid playing Florida or Tampa in the first round only to have Ottawa pass Florida and Toronto ends up playing Florida anyways
Exactly Yogi … as I say – crazy stuff. Sure keeps our “who’d-a-thunk” attention up! lol
I like their chances, George, but at the same time ain’t counting my chickens. The last several games they have had to come back from poor starts. That isn’t going to keep happening – although playing their third game in four nights explained last night.
But if you believe no one is going to catch the Habs then you have to believe no one is going to catch the Sens: they are as you know 5 points ahead of the Habs and 11 points up on the other chasers. Nothing short of mass kidnapping will prevent them from getting to the playoffs.
LJ, I’m not suggesting the Senators can still be eliminated from the playoff picture, but what I am saying is, it’s still within the realm of possibility that Montreal could catch them for the first WC slot.
Tomorrow, Detroit is in Montreal while Ottawa is in Columbus. A win by the Habs coupled with an Ottawa loss in Columbus, and the gap is 3 points. Then, in Friday, the Habs are in Ottawa and should they win that one, it’s now a 1 point difference – with 3 games left to play.
Don’t touch that dial!
Can I touch the dial until I need glasses?
Told you at the beginning of the season Ullmark would be a big confidence maker in Ottawa. Stability in the net goes a long way, just look at what it`s done in Edmonton. No stability no confidence
Thank you, Don Waddell, Dean Evason, the other coaches and all the Blue Jackets players for a fun, entertaining season. The mountain was just a little too high, but it’s been fun watching.
Were it not that it would be a Montreal’s expense, Paul, I would have liked to have seen CBJ in the playoffs. Would have been sweet.
Ullmark is looking really solid. Forsberg was great the night before but that’s not a consistent outing for him. Linus feels like the real deal to me.
Also.. his post game interviews are pure gold… and I get the feeling he had much disdain for some of those local paper writer… *cough cough* Garrioch *cough cough*
theSaint, the addition of Ullmark, getting Jensen to play alongside Chabot, the emergence of Kleven AND Matinpalo on the D, and adherence of all positions to Green’s two-way system, has vaulted the Senators – in terms of goals allowed – from 29th place in the league overall to somewhere in the area of 10th.
What needs to be tweaked in the off-season is a bit more offense from the bottom 6 F group, as their goals scored has actually dropped from last season – perhaps partly from the increased attention to defensive assignments. Whatever the case, last season they potted 255 goals – now, with 6 games left, that has dropped to 218 – a difference of 37. And they’re not about to remedy that over 6 games.
GeorgeO are you sold on Cozens? 14 goals and 41 pts for a top 6 center! Pinto is going to be looking for similar contract as his goals are equal to Cozens!
What Cozens has that Pinto does not, is a willingness to add some physicality and sandpaper. Both are 6’3″ and over 200 lbs.
Pinto can ask for Cozens’ money level, but I doubt he gets it. But that’s up to Staios, and he has shown that he is not adverse to making a move if he feels it strengthens the team without cramping his cap – e.g., Chychrun.
GeorgeO they had to let Chychrun go because no one would take Chabot s contract! Which one would you want now,Chabot or Chychrun?
Sr….as a huge Sens fan myself, I am so much happier with Chabot. Same level of play, same injury risk, much better contract for Thomas.
Sr, show me one serious link where anyone – and I don’t mean some blogger – suggested they were trying to peddle Chabot. Just one.
Considering the vastly superior – not to mention experienced – talent surrounding Chychrun now, which shields his defensive shortcomings, and the way Chabot has responded to Jensen and a better overall defensive system, I’ll take Chabot, thank you.
GeorgeO,Saint you guys are ready for the playoffs. Love that ornery feeling. Good luck to your Sens in the playoffs.
Cozens was hot after being acquired from the Sabres. If he reverts to not producing points and talking talks without taking actions, then the Senators will be in for five years of a bad acquisition.
The Caps are in tough if they have to face the Habs in the first round.
Here’s the upset boys!
If only, SOP.
The Caps are ripe for the picking. The emotional high that carried them all season peaked yesterday on Long Island.
Anderson neutralizes Wilson and the Habs shoot from everywhere mentality will have Thompson in fits.
The Habs aren’t soft and they don’t know they shouldn’t be in a playoff spot. That’s good for them. Mediocre goaltending.
That’s the only drawback.
Put a hundred on it for fun, LJ.
I’m with you there 100% Shoreorrpark.
As we can see, SOP is one of those rare fans who can appreciate players on much disliked rivals.
I’m still hedging my bets, SOP. I’ll wait until I know they are in the playoffs before placing any bets.
The team that fooled me in the East is Tampa Bay, I had them and the Bruins missing the playoffs this year.
i didn’t see Vasilevskiy rebounding as he did.
I thought Ottawa would be in along with. Detroit, Pittsburgh
I saw the Habs rebuild continuing to improve but only a hope and a prayer for the playoffs.
The one thing about Tampa that I find hard to understand (and Carolina, for that matter) is how they can drop from such a strong home ice points % pace to such an ennnhh road performance
Tampa – .757 at home – .487 on the road
Carolina – .782 at home – .473 on the road
Compare that to the other top teams
Washington – .718 at home – .689 on the road
Toronto – .654 at home – .615 on the road
Florida – .676 at home – .539 on the road (quite a drop, too, but still above .5– at least)
New Jersey – .581 at home – .575 on the road
For that reason I can see Tampa losing tonight at MSG -probably 2 – 1 or something of that nature.
Well, so much for that thought. Turns out the Rangers are even more mediocre at home than the Lightning have been on the road.
When you have a young team sometimes they get there sooner than you and they even thought. The key is to convince them not to be happy making the playoffs, but make some noise. The NHL has a history of 8th seeds upsetting #1. I know that all to well.
Mike Sullivan’s tenure as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ head coach could be over in 10 days. The Penguins will miss the postseason for the third consecutive season. Sullivan’s coaching has stagnated for increased losses, decreased production, and no direction.
Kyle Dubas will have a busy offseason with possibly hiring a new head coach, drafting need prospects, and shopping for talent in free agency.
Should. But won’t. Unless some crazy thing happens and they can trade him.