NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2025
The Maple Leafs avoided elimination and forced Game 7 with the Panthers, Stars captain Jamie Benn fined, the Oilers could get two sidelined players back for the Western Conference Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs staved off elimination with a 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 6 of their second-round series.
Joseph Woll had a 22-save shutout, Auston Matthews scored the game-winner, and Max Pacioretty netted the insurance goal for the Leafs. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 15 shots for the Panthers.
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).
The series returns to Toronto for the seventh and deciding game on Sunday, May 18, at 7:30 pm ET.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead by their fans and pundits following their disastrous 6-1 loss in Game 5, this was a solid bounce-back performance by the Leafs.
Matthews (who appears to be hampered by an undisclosed injury) scored the biggest goal of his career, Woll shook off his horrible Game 5 outing, and Pacioretty continues to enjoy a strong comeback from an injury-hampered regular season.
The Leafs put up their best defensive effort of the postseason in this contest, effectively stifling the Panthers’ offensive attack.
Having avoided elimination in Florida, the Leafs return home facing their seventh Game 7, needing to snap a six-game losing skid in those situations to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
The Leafs could go into that contest without power forward Matthew Knies. The 22-year-old winger suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 6.
This will be one of the most consequential games in franchise history. A loss will mean the end of the “Core Four Era” of the Maple Leafs, ensuring the departures of Mitch Marner and John Tavares via free agency on July 1. It could also start the clock ticking on Matthews’ departure when his four-year contract expires in 2028.
TSN: Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn was fined $5,000.00 for roughing Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele in Game 5 of their second-round series on Thursday. Game 6 of their series is on Saturday in Dallas at 8 pm ET, with the Stars holding a 3-2 series lead.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm and backup goaltender Calvin Pickard will not play in Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Final. However, the two sidelined players are expected to return to action later in that series. The Oilers await the winner of the Jets-Stars series.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: As his contract with the Washington Capitals expires, Nicklas Backstrom will resume his playing career where it began. The 37-year-old center reportedly signed with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League. Backstrom has been sidelined since October 2023 amid chronic hip issues.
DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Capitals, they signed prospect defenseman Ryan Chesley to a three-year entry-level contract. They chose him in the second round (37th) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov has praise for his former head coach John Tortorella. He considered Tortorella the best coach he could’ve had for his first NHL season. Michkov acknowledged they occasionally disagreed, but insisted they had a great relationship, adding he was grateful for what Tortorella taught him.
TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov is a finalist for KHL Rookie of the Year. The 19-year-old winger had 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 65 games with SKA St. Petersburg. He joined the Canadiens late this season, collecting two points in two games, and two assists in five playoff contests.
THE SCORE: The Minnesota Wild signed prospect forward Danila Yurov to a three-year, entry-level contract. He was chosen 24th overall in the 2022 Draft.
TSN: The judge in the trial of five former members of Canada’s 2018 Junior team dismissed the jury after a juror complained that defense lawyers were acting unprofessionally. This came three weeks after a juror’s complaint about one of the defense lawyers led to a mistrial.
The trial will continue before a judge alone.
The day before yesterday, when some were quick to write the Leafs’ epitaph, I posted
“Yes, that was a singularly pathetic effort … much like the 4-0 loss at home to the Senators in the last series. But they did bounce back with a better effort in Ottawa, and I remind you that, in their 2 games in Florida, they just missed going up 3-0 in the series with the game 3 5-4 OT loss. Nor was the 4th game – a 2-0 loss – a runaway by Florida by any means. Their collective embarrassment alone should ensure a strong effort in game 6 Friday.”
Well, Matthews played a solid 60-minutes two-way game, got the winner, Woll was a Brick Wall, and the cagey veteran Pacioretty rose to the occasion with the game-clinching marker.
Now it comes down to one game – with home-ice advantage. In this one, the Leafs have to take another close-checking … and steady … approach … be patient. However, IF they come out all Gung-Ho, trying to get an early lead to please the Go Leafs Go element of the crowd (they don’t seem to realize that that often works against their team by galvanizing the opposition to greater checking efforts)… and Florida withstands that pressure (which they won’t be able to maintain for 60 minutes) they will lose.
Steady as she goes and they’ll be on their way to Round 3.
Nobody can deny the Leafs collectively stunk the joint out in game 5. Most people knew the Leafs would bring a better effort to game 6. The question was would it be enough and last night they showed that they can play a tight checking smothering game. The Leafs kept Florida to the outside most of the night. The Leafs did one thing last night, they showed they can do it and they`re every bit deserving to move on to the 3rd round as Florida. Game 7 will be an all out, no holding back war. I just hope it isn`t decided by the refs.
What was telling, too, Yogi, is that they won with that style with just 17 shots on Brobovsky while limiting the Panthers to 21. A perfect road game.
What they can’t do is try to please an impatient crowd by opening it up to a run-and-gun game. Stay patient with relentless tight checking.
100% true George along with staying out of the penalty box. Whether a person likes the calls or non calls, you just can`t give away chances like that to the opposition. Toronto may have to tell Woll not to go behind the net to play the puck. Both teams play a similar game so it`ll be who establishes it first. Matthews 1st goal in his last 50 shots, hopefully it`s only the beginning
Well George that was a hard fought playoff game. My biggest concern would be the health of Knies he is going to be a star in this league this would be a huge loss if he can’t go.
Man on tv, at this stage of the season, when everything boils down to one game, a team can’t dwell on the ramifications of the loss of one player.
Over an entire series, maybe … but in one game, whoever replaces Knies if he can’t go (Holmberg or McMann) simply has to play solid two-way shifts without trying to be something they aren’t. Other regulars will pick up the slack.
Redemption and a chance to keep playing. A real team effort. Should be a terrific Game 7.
BCLeaf Fan:
It was a character win, for sure. But I wonder, even if the Leafs win the series thereby demonstrating some real moxie, would that be enough to prove their current approach is enough if they lose in the conference finals? Would they resign Marner, would he resign, and what about Tavares?
They’ll cross those bridges when the time comes … right now they are pros playing for Toronto, and if they can maintain that sort of consistency in their game by game approach, they’ll be a tough out for any team they face.
It’s a fair question LJ, due to the noise around the team, but IMO that is fan and hence media driven. If they get to the ECF and they still walk from Marner and Tavares, that would surprise me.
Why the F would you do that when your team is good enough to get to the final 4? Only in T.O. But I just can’t see how that happens.
Heck even if they lose tomorrow night I wouldn’t automatically do that. Seriously, how does that improve you chances at winning the cup? And when folks say the generic “use that money to sign other guys who will be better in the playoffs” I skip right past it. Like who?
If Marner and Tavares both want to stay and will sign contracts within the range for their performance and where you are projecting the cap to go, then sign them. Although I wouldn’t blame Marner for leaving.
Nelson along with Elhers or Boeser won’t make your team better than Tavares and Marner. They will both get more money than they are worth as they will be UFA’s. And if you are trading for impact players, you will be subtracting them as well. They don’t have many early picks to deal either, so their 1 really good prospect or off the roster.
Their D is set as is their tending, sign those 2 guys and try for a guy like Frederic, who can skate, bang and stir the pot in your bottom 6 while also chipping in some goals. They will have a bit of space even after they sign those 2.
Maybe you can get Kane out of Edmonton, they may have some decisions to make cap wise.
So have the guys who threw their Jersey’s on the ice stopped being Leaf fans? I hope they win on Sunday just so those morons have to eat crow.
Ray you never get frustrated or angry with Boston. It doesn`t make you less of a fan for criticizing your team, maybe a little stupid but. Anybody who can afford to sit in the golds or platinum seats in Toronto, a jersey is a drop in the bucket for them. Some of the noise around the team is created by the players themselves, not only the media or the fans. Marner`s contract status has always been a circus, he seems to enjoy it. Even if it`s not in the best interests of the team. You wouldn`t blame him for leaving and yet I don`t think he`ll be happy anywhere else. Last summer Marner called himself a hockey god in an interview. Is there anybody else in this years UFA class that would be more talented him, no. Knies is the key, until Toronto knows what it`ll cost them to sign Knies, everything else is iffy. I don`t see Toronto parting with both Marner and Tavares, leaves too big of a hole in the offense, especially with no picks and few prospects that can step in. I think Marner walks because he wants to be the big cheese somewhere. not just one of the gang
LJ, who knows the answer to your question ?
I guess, if we compare this group to last year, the goaltending has been really good and reliable as well. The defence corps is much improved also.
The lingering uncertainty is the forward group and its unbalanced production.
How that is resolved depends on management. Personally I would try to keep the core four and look for depth from within. Alex Steeves, imo, is an NHL player and guys such as Jacob Quillan and Ryan Tverberg could make the team next year.
Auston Matthews’ situation is a mystery that may not be made clear for a while yet but they need him to score in season and in the playoffs.
What does John Tavares have left? Is Marner worth the money? How good can Knies be during his prime?
All I can say for sure is that this team is better than it was and should be competitive for several seasons.
Not sure what you men by frustrated Yogi. If you mean throwing your jersey on the ice, no way. The B’s are my team. I fully expect some pain over the next 7-10 years. If they try to hang on and contend again through UFA’s I will disagree because I don’t think it will work. But they will still be my team and I will cheer for them, good, mushy middle or bad.
I just don’t get the jersey thing, are ya 12?
12 Ray? Speaking of I take it that`s your idea of an insult. You should try coaching Ray if you don`t understand how frustrated and worked up people can get. The only Leafs jersey I have is from 1935 and it`ll only come out for the parade
Benny Bombs
Re
“The judge in the trial of five former members of Canada’s 2018 Junior team dismissed the jury after a juror complained that defense lawyers were acting unprofessionally. This came three weeks after a juror’s complaint about one of the defense lawyers led to a mistrial.
The trial will continue before a judge alone.”
Transparency first: I have no knowledge whatsoever regarding the Canadian legal system and/or legal rulings/procedures
That said; after reading the summaries of the reasons for the mistrial (a couple of weeks ago) and jury dismissal with continuance only by judge (yesterday); it’s s head scratcher
Per reporter: mistrial happened after a couple of days when a juror passed a note to judge about “improper /inappropriate) behavior by a defense lawyer
The behavior: at lunch where many in trial attendance apparently often shop at same food mart for lunch; at check out a juror and a defense lawyer were in tandem in line. They exchanged common chit/chat banter that anyone of us has done in line to pay with complete strangers. The juror apparently was nodding a lot, and defense lawyer made a comment about them : “that’s a lot of nodding”
The lawyer claims they didn’t recognize the juror; and the juror reported to the judge that they believed the reference to the nodding was in relation to perhaps what they were doing in court , while in the jury box
End result : mistrial!!
Yesterday, total jury dismissed; trial to continue by judge only
Why? :
A juror sent a note to the judge about “inappropriate”
behavior by 2 defense lawyers
Their “inappropriate” behaviour:
The juror believed (?) when two of the defense lawyers (on consecutive days) were chatting together (as defense lawyers do) as the jury entered the room and were laughing; that the laughing was the lawyers making fun of how they (the juror) dressed.
No overheard conversation about what they were chatting about; just that they happened to be chatting/laughing at the precise moment the jury entered (two days in a row) and a juror said that laughter was not only directed AT them; but specifically at how they dressed?
For that; the whole jury is dismissed.
Now I do get the argument made (by defense lawyers) that if they (juror or jury as a whole) ARE in fact perceiving “inappropriate” behavior, then the juror (and defacto, the jury) is “tainted” (biased perception of defence lawyer then negatively equated to defendants overall). I get their (defense lawyers) argument
Prosecution asked judge to eject that juror; replace with one of the alternates; and for judge to survey/question ALL remaining jurors to determine if they could continue as neutral/objective/unbiased jurors.
The judge apparently ruled that once one juror has perceived “inappropriate” behavior by a defense lawyer; then it can be assumed that at least some of the balance of the jury have same opinion and it would not be fair to the defendants
I also understand this rationale
What I have trouble reconciling is that the situation arose solely from a juror who NOTE: did NOT hear anything, but “perceived” that two lawyers were not only talking specifically about them; but more importantly that the talk was precisely about HOW they (juror) dressed AND that these lawyers were actually making fun of them!!!!
Why would any defense lawyer want to be anything but friendly to ANY juror that will be making a decision on their client
This just does not make any sense.
Any lawyers here who can shed light on this?
Does this happen often?
Congratulations to the Ottawa Charge of the PWHL who advanced to the League finals against defending champions Minnesota with a 2-1 win over the Montreal Victoire last night.
Would be great to see Demidov win rookie of the year in consecutive years in different leagues.