NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2025
The Leafs, Oilers and Golden Knights advance to the second round, the Avalanche force Game 7 with the Stars, the Rangers hired Mike Sullivan as their new head coach, Hart Trophy Finalists are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines
RECAPPING THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION
NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs won the latest round in the Battle of Ontario by doubling up the Ottawa Senators 4-2, winning their best-of-seven first-round series in six games.
Max Pacioretty snapped a 2-2 tie for the Leafs in the third period after the Senators erased a 2-0 deficit on goals by Brady Tkachuk and David Perron. William Nylander scored twice for the Leafs, including the empty-netter that put the series away.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty (NHL Images).
The Leafs will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the second round.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators showed plenty of character by battling back after falling behind 2-0. They threw a scare into Toronto but Pacioretty’s goal gave the Leafs the lift they needed to win this game and end the series. Like the Montreal Canadiens, the future is bright for the Senators, who ended a long playoff drought and can use this series as a building block moving forward.
The Leafs face a stiff challenge in the Panthers, who steamrolled over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round. They could suffer a similar fate unless they can find a way to match Florida’s physical style while their best players (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares) must overcome the Panthers’ smothering defensive game.
For the fourth straight season, the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Los Angeles Kings from the opening round. Trent Frederic scored what proved to be the winning goal as the Oilers held off the Kings 6-4, taking the series in six games.
Connor Brown had a goal and two assists while Frederic, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers. Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere each had two points for the Kings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was as wild as this series, with the Kings taking a 2-1 lead only to have the Oilers rally for a 5-2 lead. The Kings made it interesting by making it 5-4 late in the third before Brown’s empty-netter sealed the deal for the Oilers.
What effect this series could have on the Kings’ offseason plans will be worth monitoring. Blowing a 2-0 series lead to be eliminated by the Oilers for the fourth straight season could raise questions about Rob Blake’s future as general manager.
Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone tallied what proved to be the series-winning goal in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild, eliminating the latter in six games.
Adin Hill made 29 saves while Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel also scored for the Golden Knights. Ryan Hartman tallied both goals for the Wild.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights will face off against the Oilers in the second round. They earned this victory after overcoming a 2-1 deficit to Minnesota in this series. They got the win without winger Pavel Dorofeyev, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
This was the final game for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. The 21-year NHL veteran and future Hall-of-Famer is expected to retire. He received a nice send-off from the Golden Knights following this game. Fleury spent four seasons with Vegas from 2017-18 to 2020-21, backstopping them to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and winning the Vezina Trophy in 2021.
The Colorado Avalanche forced a seventh and deciding game with the Dallas Stars following a 7-4 win in Game 6 of their first-round series. The Avalanche got four unanswered third-period goals from Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, Josh Manson and Cale Makar (the latter two being empty-netters) for the win.
MacKinnon and Makar each had a goal and two assists while Nichushkin tallied twice for the Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz each had four points for the Stars.
Game 7 is in Dallas on Saturday, May 3, at 8 pm ET.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series has lived up to expectations as two of the league’s best teams have given their all in this contest. This would’ve made a great Conference Final.
Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel left this game favoring his shoulder after crashing into the boards following a collision with Avalanche forward Jack Drury. There was no postgame update about his status.
Before this game, the Stars announced that sidelined winger Jason Robertson has gone from week-to-week to day-to-day. He may return to action in Game 7.
HEADLINES
**UPDATE**
The New York Rangers announced they have hired former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan as their new coach. No word yet as to the terms of his contract or who will be on his staff.
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov are the finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the player deemed most valuable to his team.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov won the Hart in 2018-19 and Draisaitl in 2019-20. Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy this season as the points leader while Draisaitl won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the top goal scorer.
This is the first time Hellebuyck has been a finalist for the Hart and is also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. Given his dominant performance for the Jets this season, he could be the front-runner.
NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will not play in Game 6 of his club’s first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. He suffered an undisclosed injury during Game 5 on Wednesday. Sidelined Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has travelled with the team to St. Louis but it remains to be seen if he’ll play in Game 6 on Friday.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom is open to signing a contract extension. The 35-year-old has a year remaining on his current deal with a cap hit of $6 million. The earliest the Devils can attempt to re-sign him is July 1.
YAHOO! SPORTS: Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovecevic suffered a knee injury that could require surgery to repair. He is not expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.
FULL PRESS HOCKEY: Jim Biringer reports the NHL is looking to build on the momentum it received from the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Steve Meyer, president of NHL Content & Events, said the league is looking at the future of its annual All-Star Game and how to make it as compelling for fans as the 4 Nations tournament.
NHLPA: Former NHL player Kyle Okposo has been named the PA’s new Business Development and Player Engagement Advisor. Okposo retired as a player at the end of last season following a 17-year career.
NEW YORK POST: Hockey TV analyst Joe Micheletti has retired after 19 seasons.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Former Flyers defenseman Ed Van Impe died Tuesday at age 84. He was a member of the Flyers’ Hall of Fame.
One of the original Flyers and their second captain in franchise history, Van Impe spent nine of his 11 NHL seasons in Philadelphia from 1967-68 to 1975-76, winning two Stanley Cups.
He began his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1966-67 and finished with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1976-77. A rugged stay-at-home blueliner, he had 153 points and 1,024 PIMs in 703 games, and 13 points in 66 playoff contests.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Van Impe’s family, friends, former teammates and the Flyers’ organization.
Fla.vs Toronto, Carolina vs Washington doesn t stand up to the wars out west in their series. Tell Marchand to take it easy on Carlo in this series.
Ya…beyond hoping that the Leafs get thumped in 4 I couldn’t give a crap about those eastern series
Suckin on Lemons
Dark G ok thank you. Happy to see your hatred was as helpful as your comment.
Speaking of series in the West, my God, can one of those teams get a save here or there? I know it’s late in the series so fatigue might play a role but is it defense not doing its job or is it teams figuring out the teams’ systems or is it just poor goaltending? And the goals that are scored aren’t the gritty hard playoff style goals. They’re the ones that a goalie should have had those backbreaking type goals.
It will be interesting games going forward in the west.
As for the east, big congrats to the Leafs for not choking and a good step forward for the Sens and Habs. We’ll have to see if they can repeat next year.
The Panthers and Leafs play a similar style in how they defend and generate offense with the Cats forcing errors and Leafs capitalizing on them in the offensive zone so it should be an interesting series. As like the Leafs coming on top over the Sens which most people guessed in 5 or 6 games, I’m suspecting most will favor the Cats over the Leafs in 6 or less. It would shock the hockey world if the Leafs get through…I’m up for one. 😛
I was naturally hoping for a 7th game in the series, Ron – but I give the Leafs credit – and a cagey old veteran like Pacioretty – in doing what they had to do to end it before having to experience what would have been one huge pressure-filled confrontation against a team with absolutely nothing to lose and zero pressure.
I hope they can now go deep and get a chance to bury a 58-year-old monkee. Be even greater if that chance came against Winnipeg or Edmonton!
I have a strong dislike of the Panthers, even with Marchand on that team.
I never thought I would say this, but Go Leafs!
Ron, some tending a D structure issues out west with some teams for sure. But some of those teams – COL & Edmonton – are also generating a whole bunch of quality chances. Both teams can take over games offensively.
Some old school fire wagon hockey in Edmonton. My guess is Vegas will slow that down a notch and clear the net front better. Some big boys on that D core. But not completely either. Should be entertaining.
Ottawa showed well for a young core team George. They played hard and smart after game 1.
Leafs were calm this time around, stuck with their game, came out the other end. Turns out you learn stuff over the years.
I don’t care about that series at all. I am only watching the West games until the Canadian teams are out.
The two most exciting teams our Colorado n Dallas. They get after it when both teams are cranking. Big time hockey with serious skill, speed and toughness all combined. It’s amazing that one of them won’t advance? This is like a conference final already. Hope the Avalanche gets it done. Landeskog is unbelievable
Rangers hire Mike Sullivan as their next head coach.
RIP Ed
Those Boston University guys stick together. I m sure Sully was too expensive for Boston. CHEAP!
Sacco’s record wasn’t very good as coach of the B’s. Sign him up!
Ray Bark,he was left to coach Pasta and an AHL roster.
I know Sr, was an attempt at humor.
Not a very good one obviously.
Habfan 67, I’ve waited until today to fully respond to your optimism about seeing Dach with Laine and Demidov – you did ask me not to burst your bubble!
I would love it if you are proven correct. But remember Dach took more than half of last season to recover his game, and then injured his knee and lost the rest of the season. Deja vu all over again, meaning, I fear, another half season to recover his game.
I believe Hughes will want more certainty and will pursue a legit # 2 center rather than risk relying on the unreliable Dach.
The Habs would not likely have gotten to the playoffs without the boost Laine gave them. His 20 goals helped an offence challenged team. But he became less effective when other teams started to mark him more closely on PPs, and you saw how ponderous and slow he looked on regular shifts. It would not shock me if the Habs tried to move him. He only has a 10 team no trade list.
As a lot of teams will be bidding for a legit 2nd center, don’t be surprised if the Habs part with draft picks, and a few blue chip prospects not named Demidov or Hage. And they will keep Xhekaj.
Thoughts?
LJ, agree on Dach. But I wouldn’t trade Laine without giving him a chance to show what he can do with a real center. They need his scoring ability.