NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2025
The Oilers take a commanding lead in the Western Conference Final, the latest coaching hires, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
OILERS DEFEAT STARS, TAKE 3-1 SERIES LEAD IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers took a stranglehold on the Western Conference Final with a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 on Tuesday, taking a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry each had a goal and an assist, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid each collected two assists, and Stuart Skinner stopped 28 shots for the Oilers. Jason Robertson replied for the Stars.
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).
Edmonton winger Zach Hyman left the game in the first period, favoring his right shoulder and arm following a hit from Stars winger Mason Marchment. He will be reevaluated on Wednesday.
Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to the lineup, replacing the sidelined Connor Brown. Backup goalie Calvin Pickard also returned after being sidelined since Game 2 of the Oilers’ second-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm remained out with an undisclosed injury suffered on Apr. 11, but is getting closer to returning.
Stars center Roope Hintz returned to action after being sidelined with a lower-body injury in Game 2.
The Oilers can wrap things up on Thursday as the series returns to Dallas for Game 5.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Hopkins became the seventh player in NHL playoff history to record multiple points in each of the first four games of the round before the Stanley Cup Final, and the first to do so in 37 years. Meanwhile, Perry tied four Hall-of-Famers (Teemu Selanne, Mark Recchi, Ron Francis and Jean Beliveau) for the most goals in a single postseason (six) by a player aged 39 or older.
Two of Edmonton’s goals in this game came on the power play. They’ve netted at least one goal with the man advantage in every game in this series. The Oilers have also done a good job shutting down Dallas’ offense since Game 1. They continue to get solid goaltending from Stuart Skinner while their defense leads the Stars in blocked shots since the opening game.
LATEST ON THE HURRICANES AND PANTHERS
YAHOO! SPORTS: The Carolina Hurricanes picked up their first Eastern Conference Final win since 2006 with their 3-0 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 4. They’ll try to stave off elimination again in Game 5 on home ice in Raleigh on Wednesday at 8 pm ET.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Sidelined Panthers Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola and A.J. Greer took part in an informal skate on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if any of them suit up for Game 5.
LATEST COACHING HIRES AND RUMORS
THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports a league source claims that Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love and Ontario Reign head coach Marco Sturm are among the finalists for the Boston Bostons’ head-coaching position.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Ian Laperriere will no longer be the head coach of the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. He’ll now serve as an advisor to the Flyers’ hockey operations department.
TSN: Former New York Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca has joined the Chicago Blackhawks as an assistant coach. Interim head coach Anders Sorensen will return as an assistant coach.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils hired Brad Shaw as an assistant coach. He served last season with the Flyers as an assistant coach and interim bench boss.
Looks like a repeat of last years SC final.Edmonton getting back Ekholm only makes them stronger. Will the Cup finally return to Canada
The Oilers put on a clinic last night in the third period on playing with the lead. Dallas barely got a sniff. If Skinner continues his solid play, the Oilers may well win the Cup.
Well, if they get to the finals, this will be our 8th kick at the can since Montreal won the last one in 1993.
1994 – Vancouver lost to NYR
1996 – Quebec Nordiques had re-located to Colorado and the newly-named Avalanche won the cup
2004 – Calgary lost to Tampa
2006 – Edmonton lost to Carolina
2007 – Ottawa lost to Anaheim
2011 – Vancouver lost to Boston
2016 Note: No Canada-based team made the playoffs – first time that happened since 1970
2021 – Montreal lost to Tampa (weird Covid-related series of games)
2024 – Edmonton lost to Florida
Winnipeg has never reached a Cup final while for Toronto, they haven’t made the finals since their last Cup in 1967.
That was something to see from this team for sure. Rolling lines, short high energy shifts, rinse and repeat.
What I am most impressed with is that they did not relent and sit back to protect the one goal lead they kept pushing forward.
Skinner looked great again. And Arvidsson was effective and flying making great use of his ice time coming in for Brown.
Hopefully Hyman is not a long term thing and just day to day.
Ya 1Oilerfan, Stuuuu came up big again. Dallas came out wheeling and he held the fort until the Oil found their way in the 2nd and 3rd. Starting to look like last year’s WCF, Stu is outplaying Oettinger. Don’t look now, but Stu’s overall playoff #’s are looking good. Who had that on their bingo card after game 2 against LA?
Good to see the PK do “OK”, but great to see the PP start to click. Nuggy playing great, beauty assist on the winning goal, first one was nice too.
Hyman collision didn’t look too bad, but his instant reaction and straight down the tunnel didn’t look good. Here’s hoping. He is leading the NHL in hits by a wide margin, and is causing havoc in the O-zone. Especially in front of the net. Will be missed. How many more minutes can you feed a 39 yr old Perry?
Knoblach played Draisaitl big minutes in the 3rd, he was a force out there.
Makes me wonder if the Oil go 11-7 next game to ease Ekholm into it? Dallas did it with Heiskenen. Makes sense to me, even more so with Hyman out.
Rotate double shifting McDrai and Nuge. But long term that can wear them out, especially if they get to the final and it is Florida. Either one actually.
Need somebody else to step up and move up the lineup. Mr Frederic ready to start make plays with the puck? He has been playing really safe see he came back.
Ray – if Ekholm is ready to go that 11 and 7 line up makes some sense and a great way to get him acclimated
Bruins… Marco Sturm reportedly set to become Bruins’ next head coach
Just hope Sweeney get him the tools to work with otherwise we’ll be seeing the Bruins looking for another HC in a year or two and probably a new GM
Joe it will be interesting to see Sturms assistant coaches.If Sacco,Leach,Essensa and Kelly are back it’s becauseSturm was asked to retain them since they might be still under contract.Bostons way of getting out cheap.
Draft .. if Martone is there at 7 ( don’t think he’ll be ) the B’s probably go O’Brien … Boston print will drive you crazy with all these rumors … RFA…UFA signings and trades
“The Kraken appeared to be getting close to hiring Washington assistant coach Mitch Love as their new head coach, according to Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco. However, those talks apparently stalled at the finish line. He relays that there may be a condition for the new bench boss to retain assistant Jessica Campbell which could be a deterrent to potential candidates who might want to bring in their own preferred group of assistants. Love is a speculative finalist for both the Pittsburgh and Boston openings as well so things falling apart late could also be a sign that a better offer came from one of the other teams.”
Carolina fought off the Mark Carney curse and got a win. Now it is Toronto’s turn. What is it 69 years and counting? DId not happen this year.
Move to Quebec city and leave the curse behind.
What is the Mark Carney curse?
He hasn’t played hockey in NA since his NCAA days where he was a 3rd string tender at Harvard, he is listed as playing 1 game, which was actually only half a period. Stopped all 5 shots for a perfect 100 save % and a GAA of 0.00.
His roommate, Peter Chiarelli, yes that Peter Chiarelli, still calls it “the shutout”.
I guess the game was out of hand and getting ugly as Harvard had a 9-1 lead. So the coach put the back up in, he get gashed by a stick, Carney goes in.
Story is here:
https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2025/03/12_Mark-Carney-College-Hockey.php
Actually 57 years (there were no playoffs in 2005).
The Leafs made it their Conference finals in 1978, 1993, 1994, 1999 and 2002 – so, 1 series removed from chances at the Cup.
In that 57-year span they missed the playoffs 21 times, including 7 straight from 2006 to 2012 (a frustration shared by Ottawa until this past season). and 10 of the 11 seasons from 2006 to 2016, losing in Round 1 in 2013.
So what does Toronto do with the CORE 4 GeorgeO ?
I think they let Marner walk and make better use of the freed-up cap. Tavares they’d be nuts to let walk – get him signed, but obviously to a lesser amount than $11 mil – and add the savings, along with Marner’s freed up cap to UFA shopping (or maybe trades with teams needing to clear cap).
I think Treleving knows what’s he doing … unlike Dubas.
I think Marner leaves too George, only change I would make to your post is that I don’t think they’re letting him walk, I think he’s walking whether they want to sign him or not.
Which we don’t know, other than Berube said he want both Tavares and Marner back.
Well, in the end, a distinction without a difference, Ray. Either way you look at it, they get nothing back in the way of player/pick assets.
Hyman out for the remainder is tough.
surgery for some sort of tear. must of caught the right angle….. bad luck
Long time listener first time caller!
Why oh why does EVERY mention of the Habs last cup appearance always have comments like COVID/bubble/weird? Like shouldn’t Tampa have the same thing? I to recall MTL beating Tor, Wpg and VGK. Would they have the same comments being made if they’d made it? That’s my rant for the day. Peace!
Can’t speak for everyone, but the reason I mention it is because when the season ended the Habs were in 10th place in the eastern conference and not in a playoff position. Season wasn’t completed so they had a play in round. Plus no fans or home ice vs on the road advantage to teams that finished higher.
So it is an anomaly worth mentioning because we have never had a 10th place team in a conference make it to the SCF, because they aren’t in the playoffs.
Would they have qualified, who knows, just not how it usually works.
And I referred to it as “weird” in the sense that, the way it worked thanks to the scheduling. two Eastern Conference teams wound up in the finals with Montreal losing to Tampa.
TML this year need more credit as they gave Fla much more to handle than any other team so far.
I think Marner will go but the team doesn’t need a makeover. A healthy Matthews next year will make a difference and all in all the D was pretty good.
The spare parts to the bottom of the lineup were fine as well so the tweaking showed good choices.
I’m outside the TML bubble and I would like Tavares in Montreal, but keeping him and adding Ehlers puts you right in there.
You’re right,HF30, but Games 5 and 7 kind of wiped out all the good news.
Really tough news for the Oilers about Hyman – having gone through a similar sort of injury, I’d say he either tore ligaments in his elbow or dislocated his shoulder.
Loved that guy, by the way, in Toronto, just a great pro.
Rumor – this week Penguins extending interview with Mitch Love, possible front runner next Penguins head coach?
And according to JohnnyZ above he’s read where it suggests he’s close to signing with Seattle.
George, JohnnyZ indicated Kraken want keep assistant coach may have stalled talks with Mitch Love, and appears Penguins or Bruins could of made better offer for Love.
Hearing Dubos earlier this week returned was extending interviews with Mitch Love and DJ Smith. Sources say Love is the front runner. Dubos also wants Penguins head coach vacancy filled by June 1.