NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2025
The Stars rally to defeat the Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, the Islanders get permission to speak with Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, the Blackhawks are poised to hire a former Red Wings coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE STARS TAKE GAME 1 OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars scored five unanswered third-period goals to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 6-3 in Game 1 of the 2025 NHL Western Conference Final.
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin (NHL Images).
Miro Heiskanen, Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene tallied three straight power-play goals to get the rally going. Tyler Seguin finished the night with two goals and an assist, while Heiskanen and Granlund each had a goal and an assist.
Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard scored for the Oilers. Draisaitl finished with a goal and two assists, Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, and Connor McDavid finished with two helpers.
Game 2 is Friday, May 23, in Dallas at 8 pm ET.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers were in control of this game heading into the third period, but poor penalty killing was their undoing as the Stars took advantage of their undisciplined play.
HEADLINES
THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reported the New York Islanders were granted permission to speak with Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan about their top hockey job. Shanahan’s contract with the Leafs expires at the end of June.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s assumed the Leafs won’t renew Shanahan’s contract. Giving the Isles permission to speak with him lends credence to that speculation.
Don’t expect a change of management for the Leafs. Johnston reported “a positive internal view” of Brad Treliving’s work as general manager over the past two seasons.
TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Seattle Kraken were permitted to speak with Leafs associate coach Lane Lambert. Before joining the Leafs, Lambert was the Islanders’ head coach from 2022 to 2024.
SI.COM: Former Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill will reportedly become the next head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. Blashill was the Wings’ bench boss from 2015-16 to 2021-22. He went on to become an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blashill might have better luck with the Blackhawks than he did with the rebuilding Red Wings, especially after working with well-respected Lightning coach Jon Cooper for the past three seasons.
WINNIPEG SUN: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff recently met with the agent for pending free-agent Nikolaj Ehlers. He intends to meet with the 28-year-old winger, hoping to make him “a unique Jet-for-life type player.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s completing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million. Most pundits believe he intends to test the market. However, Cheveldayoff has a recent history of re-signing core players, inking Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele to extensions two years ago.
NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield remains questionable for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers. He’s been sidelined with an undisclosed injury since Game 4 of the Hurricanes’ second-round series with the Washington Capitals.
DAILY FACEOFF: Steven Ellis reports Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini are meshing well as linemates on Team Canada in the 2025 IIHF World Championship. Crosby has 11 points and Celebrini six through the round-robin of the tournament.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could become a preview of a Crosby-Celebrini line at next year’s Winter Olympics.
RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov admitted he was disappointed not to be a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy, but the 20-year-old felt he should’ve played better. He praised Lane Hutson’s performance, saying he believed the young Montreal Canadiens defenseman would be a star since he first saw him play in the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson is among the finalists and considered the favorite to win the Calder.
Michkov has a good head on his shoulders, taking responsibility for why he didn’t make the Calder shortlist. He’ll likely use that as motivation to improve his game, which will only benefit the Flyers moving forward.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Former Flyers interim head coach Brad Shaw is reportedly joining the New Jersey Devils’ coaching staff.
97.3 ESPN: Ian Laperriere reportedly won’t be back as head coach of the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. It’s believed he could work in the organization in a different role.
NHL.COM: The 4 Nations Face-Off was named the Sports Event of the Year at the SBJ Sports Business Awards in New York. The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were named Sports Team of the Year.
Why is Boston waiting to hire a coach.Snooze and you lose.Especially since now it seems they will not hire the popular assistant coach in Dallas. Hint,they will get someone who is cheap with little or no head coaching experience in the NHL.
It may be that keeping Sweeney is scaring off potential coaches. We know Tochett didn’t want to be under Sweeney. No doubt others feel the same.
From this “who cares?” perspective, Sr, do you want them to hire someone fast, or do you want them to get it right?
What’s the hurry? There’s nothing to coach at this time, and few coaches (if any) have anything concrete to say either at the draft or in specific trade speculation.
Here is what was reported in Sports Illustrated:
According to sources with RG, Tocchet avoided joining the Bruins thanks to some uncertainties within their front office. Most of the concern was centered around Bruins general manager Don Sweeney entering the final year of his contract and his future in Boston not being guaranteed.
It wasn’t just Sweeney’s contract status that gave Tocchet pause, though. Sweeney also has a reputation for firing coaches early in their tenures. Sweeney has fired three coaches during his time with the Bruins, including two in the last three years.
So he had 2 reasons, which seems kind of contradictory to me. Most of the concern was he only had a year left, not Sweeney’s record of firing coaches.
Not sure what about Tochett’s record/resume as a coach makes everyone think he will have great success. Kind of a mixed bag, which is fine, but not a slam dunk by any means.
If I was Tochett I would think the Flyers have a chance to be a contender again sooner than the B’s. Have to think he knows both rosters.
GeorgeO,should they wait for Seattle and Chicago before they settle on a coach?
Well, yeah, if neither Lambert nor Blashill interested him in the first place.
Boston is entering a phase of uncertainty with it’s roster. Not shocking when you finish with 5th worst record in the NHL and trade 3 key vets at the TDL.
Have a good look at the roster, do some line and D combo’s in your head and determine if you think this team will be able to compete with any of the final 4 we are watching on TV today, as that is what a contender looks like.
IMO, not even flippin’ close.
Then have a look at the UFA list for this off season and ask yourself if a couple of those guys, who will get inflated contracts to agree to come to Boston, will get us to that level.
Slightly better, but still not remotely close. We get to pick later in the draft, cool!
Not complaining, it’s where we are in the competitive cycle, it’s how it works when your best guys get old and retire and you move picks and prospects to compete for a cup.
Hire a coach who can teach young players, stick with Sacco, or go with Leach, who ever they think is best in that role. Go outside if they think that is better. Don’t go hard ass, yet. How about Woodcroft?
Sign UFA’s who can be quality veteran depth guys on a contender to 1 or 2 year deals, and move them for assets at the TDL. Eat some salary to facilitate if necessary.
Above all be patient for the young guys to develop and wait for opportunities to add quality by trade and keep that space for when they arise. Think Eichel deal. They needed the space and the assets. Sweeney can get the process started and mover further upstairs when his extension is over.
That’s what I would do.
Or fire everybody!! They suck!
And I was complaining about Leaf fans, sheesh.
Bruins management team needs to be fired along with all 3 behind the bench coaches, that is where the “re-tool” needs to start. UFA players and coaches have little interest in signing on with this team as it is. Coaches aren’t allowed to choose their assistants ,management does not know how to draft or negotiate with player reps. When it’s time for extensions. Leadership across the board is non-existent
Yeah, you just missed out on Blashill.
Heh, since he was “not renewed” by Detroit on April 30, 2022 (fancier way of saying he was fired), 23 teams have hired new head coaches not named Blashill.
Shanahan will almost certainly be leaving the Leafs. I doubt they’ll find someone else to fill his position. Treliving will assume control of hockey operations. He’s done a pretty good job so far and he certainly deserves more time to put his stamp on the team.
There’s a good chance Shanahan will go to the Isles to head their hockey operations. If that’s the case he’d likely hire a young GM to oversee at least a retooling. That leaves Bergevin out. Likely Darche or maybe Pridham although the Leafs may want to work something out with Shanahan to keep Pridham in Toronto.
I know there’s a lot of negative stuff about Michkov but it’s more sour grapes than anything. Supposedly he didn’t want to come to Montreal and supposedly Hans didn’t want him making RD Reimbavher the better choice. Now the hype is that Demifov is the better player.
In my opinion natural goal scorers are top needs and I’d rather have Michelob and Demidov .
What I have seen of Michkov is limited but it has been very good, holding his ground and putting in more physical effort than expected.
He isn’t a Rookie of the year candidate but in the long haul he’ll be on the top end of the draft class
Hab fans are all over Michael Hage as if he’s the next coming but Cole Eiserman drafted one spot before him just keeps scoring goals to less fanfare.
Side note on Demidov, with all of his skating prowess he has a really wife stance on the ice which is begging for knee on knee hits like Laine got preseason against TML.
Can’t speak to how Demidov skates, haven’t watched him much other than highlights. Almost every great skater has a wide stride, can almost look bow legged. Check out McDavid from either straight on or from behind.
Unless your talking about when he takes a sharp change in direction, some guys will spread them when they make cuts. And ya, that is times you can get the knee on knee when the D man has to react to the cut.
I think if you have youngsters now taking power skating, the good ones teach the wide stride for generating efficient speed, my 6 yr old grand son is taking it now. But easier to talk about than to do.
Mitchkov will be a really good player. No doubt about that. I don’t recall hearing that he didn’t want to play in Montreal but I was happy the Habs passed on him. There was the issue with his three year contract in the KHL and there seems to be a lot of drama with him.
I think Demidov will be the better player. The question is will Reinbacher be a better Dman than Zayne Parekh in whatever RD they’d have taken last year if they had drafted a forward in 2023. Doubtful. Reinbacher will be solid defensively but his offense will be only average.
For the record I was hoping the Habs would draft Ryan Leonard in 2023.
RB
I’m referring to his wife stance while getting around and shifting using his edges, the new 180 degree shift that Hutson does too. Demidob does it heavily and power which to me is rock and hard place waiting to happen.
Howard Leonard would have been a fine pick too no doubt but I’d take Michkov.
Reinbacher has NHL written all over him, strong,smart, soaks up coaching and there is little negative to say about him.
My only complaint is that the NHL is full of good solid D-men compared to natural goal scorers.
Give me 6 Alex Carrier s on D and it would be strong despite none being a “star’.
Oilers played an energetic, controlled, great 40 minutes last night. Exactly how they beat teams in the playoffs last 2 seasons. By far the better team. And then….. ouch.
I get it 3 straight penalties like that can swing momentum, but that was a tough loss. Need to fix that PK or stay out of the box, which is next to impossible when you play aggressively. Last year special teams was the big factor but in the Oilers favor.
PK last year was 94% in the playoffs. Gave up 4 goals in 4 series, and scored 3 shorthanded. So only -1 on the PK in 4 rounds. Were never going to duplicate that, but this year has been extreme in the other direction.
SportsNet headline:
Oilers squander golden opportunity with immature collapse
100%
All the bad penalties, bad PKs, all the pure uncontrolled hatred in the Oiler’s eyes as the game closed. WOW! Immature and undisciplined!
I expect a solid 60 minutes out of the Oil tomorrow night Johnny. May not win as Dallas is really good, but thinking we won’t see a repeat of that 7 minute stretch to start the 3rd.
Bruins should hire Bergeron and Chara.