NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2025
Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars to a Game 7 victory over the Avalanche, the schedule for three of the four second-round series are revealed, the latest on Mark Scheifele, Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux, Mattias Ekholm, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen tallied a hat trick and collected an assist on Wyatt Johnston’s winning goal to lead the Dallas Stars to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of their first-round series.
Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).
Josh Manson and Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche, who held a 2-0 lead in the third period until Rantanen broke the game open for the Stars. Rantanen leads all playoff scorers in the first round with 12 points.
The Stars await the winner of Sunday’s Game 7 matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s efforts in this game will be remembered as one of the greatest single-period performances in NHL playoff history. The Avalanche were on the verge of winning this series until their former teammate took over.
MacKinnon was shocked by how quickly things fell apart for his team, crediting Rantanen as the difference-maker in this game.
Trading away one of their best players (and a proven postseason performer) at midseason only to have him almost single-handedly beat them in Game 7 will haunt the Avalanche for years.
Stars head coach Peter DeBoer holds the North American pro sports record for the most Game 7 wins by a head coach or manager, going a perfect 9-0.
The NHL released the schedule for three of the four upcoming second-round series.
It begins on Monday, May 5, with Game 1 of the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers series, starting in Toronto at 8 pm ET.
On Tuesday, May 6, the Washington Capitals host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 starting at 7 pm ET. The Edmonton Oilers travel to Las Vegas to meet the Golden Knights in Game 1 starting at 9:30 pm ET.
TSN: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will be a game-time decision for Game 7 on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues in Winnipeg. Scheifele left Game 5 with an undisclosed and missed Game 6 in St. Louis, which the Blues won 5-2 to tie the series at three games apiece.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets missed Scheifele’s presence in the last game. He could provide them a lift if he’s good to go for the seventh and deciding game.
OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk dismissed speculation that he wants out of Ottawa. Speaking with the media on Saturday, Tkachuk called the rumor an obvious lie, maintaining his commitment to helping the Senators become a winning team.
Tkachuk also said he suffered a hip injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and played through that over the rest of the season after missing a couple of games. He also suffered an upper-body injury on March 30 and took off the final game of the regular season to prepare for the playoffs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk is under contract through 2027-28. Before this season, the speculation about his future was based on the Senators’ long postseason drought. Their recent improvement, partly thanks to Tkachuk’s performance and leadership, is testament to his commitment to this club.
Senators forward Claude Giroux hopes to return next season. The 37-year-old forward has no plans to retire. If the Senators don’t re-sign him, he’ll join another club.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux prefers to stay with the Senators. He’s completing a three-year contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. His production has declined over that period (79 points in 2022-23, 64 points last season, 50 this season) and he’ll have to take a pay cut, but they have the room to re-sign him to a one or two-year deal.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers will be without defenseman Mattias Ekholm for their second-round series against the Golden Knights. He missed their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings with an undisclosed injury.
MAYOR’S MANOR: Speaking of the Kings, John Hoven cited multiple sources claiming it appears that general manager Rob Blake and head coach John Hiller will return for 2025-26.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoven is well-connected with the Kings’ organization. He indicated there’s nothing official yet on the status of Blake and Hiller as the club’s powers-that-be are taking the weekend to decompress following another first-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.
CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed Matt Coronato to a seven-year contract extension with an AAV of $6.5 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coronato is completing his entry-level contract, receiving a substantial raise over his current AAV of $925K. The 22-year-old winger earned it with a solid sophomore season, finishing third among Flames scorers with 24 goals and 23 assists for 47 points in 77 games. Flames management anticipates big things to come for this promising forward.
DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes signed Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract extension. He’ll receive a base salary of $2.75 million and upward of $750K in performance bonuses.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen is a steady presence in the Hurricanes’ crease when healthy. They felt it was best to stick with the oft-injured netminder for another season rather than find an affordable replacement among the limited options in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets.
SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forward William Eklund may have avoided serious injury after being cut on his left wrist by a skate during a World Championship tune-up game.
Playing for Sweden, Eklund was injured playing against Czechia when he was clipped by Filip Hronek’s skate. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he is in stable condition. His agent, Todd Diamond, said it doesn’t appear the skate blade cut any key tendons or nerves.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Eklund wasn’t seriously hurt and fully recovers from this incident.
Well Dallas certainly knows how to draft past top 10:
Benn, 107th (‘07)
Smith , 69th (‘09)
Klingberg, 131st (‘10)
Oleksiak , 14th (‘11)
Faksa, 13th (‘12)
Lindell , 74th (‘12)
Nick Paul, 101st (‘13)
Nickushkin , 10th (‘14)
Hintz, 49th (‘15)
Ottenger, 26th (‘17)
Robertson , 39th (‘17)
Back, 75th (‘18)
Harley , 18th (‘19)
Bourque, 30th (‘20)
Johnston, 23rd (‘21)
Stankoven, 46th (‘21)
Bischell , 18th (‘22)
Of course also:Heiskenen , 3rd (‘17)
Great game, great comeback,
Good on ya Stars
It seems to me that the Stars should move on from Benn this summer and sign Duchene and Granlund.
Benn’s production has declined and his toughness will be missed but not his foolish penalties. The only way they should re-sign him if he takes a Spezza special!
Comes down to price of contract (CAP hit) Johnny
I believe he is valuable to the Starts; that is up to a certain point.
What that point is and whether Benn accepts that specific pay cut is TBD.
HOLY CRAP is all I can say. I, like many others had just about written this off when McKinnon score at the beginning of the third. A friend of mine, with about 15 minutes left said, “They got this, one goal every 5 minute.”…HOLY CRAP! Gotta feel a thousand times worse knowing that your GM did this too you by trading away Rantenen
8787, to address your post, I always knew that the Stars had Drafted well under GM Nill, but laying it out like that makes him (and his staff) look like genius’. Thanks for doing that.
Johnny Z – I’m not in total disagreement on Benn, he can definitely be a bit hot-headed and take some stupid penalties, but I think you nailed it with the Spezza comment. I think Jamie will come back like Duchene has been, year to year for around 3 million until he’s ready to hang em up. His leadership in the room is important. And since Duchene is still getting paid from Nashville again next year, I’m hoping he will take the same deal again. Even though he has earned a raised after the past couple of seasons. I hope he doesn’t depart because someone offers him a ton of cash in last few seasons in the league. He seems pretty content in Dallas and seems to really like the city and team.
Finally, not sure who I want to win game 7 tonight between the Blues and Jets, but both teams can be scary for different reasons. I’m just glad we’re still in the race.
I’m just hoping for an 8-7 victory in quintuple OT
I have no vested team to cheer for ; so I’m just looking for entertainment.
You’ll be happy to know the man responsible for those late picks was recently hired this season by the Leafs shortly after Dubas lured Wes Clark away. Happy to see you make a positive comment about a member of the Leafs brass. 🥰
Hi Ron,
My negative Nancy remarks re Leafs and Leafs Nation are as a whole (where they actually believe they are the hockey universe) not on an individual basis
In a post yesterday I had Claude Giroux turning 39 in January … actually, it’ll be 38.
I think they’ll bring him back at $4.5 mil per and probably on a 2-year deal.
Re Brady Tkachuk, it’s too bad they can’t corner those who keep floating the belief that he wants out of Ottawa – IF the source is a known pundit – and ask them point-blank in front of the cameras on what they base their contention.
If, on the other hand, the source turns out to be some moronic blog with absolutely NO direct connection with anyone associated with the team, then simply point that out – and name them – with the advice to follow them at your own risk. Far too many – including some in these pages – are too quick putting credence in obvious BS.
If Brady Tkachuk wants out the Bruins will trade Swayman for him that would get the two huggers back together
Bruins will even toss in Fabian Lysell
Heh … IF Brady Tkachuk ever leaves – either through trade or contract expiration – it will be to join his brother somewhere
For the upcoming Worlds here are the Canada and U.S. rosters so far – wonder which players will be invited (if any) – and how many will accept – from the eliminated teams Colorado, Ottawa, Montreal, New Jersey, Tampa, L.A., Minnesota and either St. Louis or Winnipeg?
Canada
9F – Ryan O’Reilly (Nashville); Tyson Foerster & Travis Konecny (Philadelphia), Adam Fantilli & Kent Johnson (Columbus); Macklin Celebrini (SJ); Bo Horvat (NYI); Barrett Hayton (Utah); Will Cuylle (NYR).
5D – Brandon Montour & Ryker Evans (Seattle); Noah Dobson (NYI); MacKenzie Weegar (Calgary); Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia)
1G – Dylan Garand (NYR prospect who played in the AHL with Hartford (39gp – 2/73gaa and .913 save %)
U.S.A.
13F – Matty Beniers (Seattle); Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley & Josh Doan (Utah); Connor Garland & Drew O’Connor (Vancouver); Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim); Will Smith (SJ); Tage Thompson (Buffalo); Michael McCarron (Nashville); Frank Nazar (Chicago); Isaac Howard (Michigan State U); Cole Hutson (Boston U)
6D – Michael Kesselring (Utah); Jackson LaCombe (Anaheim); Mason Lorei & Andrew Peeke (Boston); Brady Skjei (Nashville); Alex Vlasic (Chicago
3G – Jeremy Swayman (Boston); Joey Daccord (Seattle); Hampton Slykynski (Western Michigan U)
It seems Jake Sanderson (U.S.) and Thomas Chabot (Canada) have already declined invitations for the Worlds, while Dylan Cozens says he will go – if asked – by Hockey Canada. Another Senator who would go to the Worlds – for Sweden – is Linus Ulmark, but apparently the Swedish management has decided to go with Ersson, Soderblom and Arvid Holm
GeorgeO I am huge hockey fan but the worlds do nothing for me.Many of these players are a long way from being in shape,those who s teams did not make the playoffs.Pasternak got hurt playing for Czechia last year and it hurt his conditioning all summer.The talent on both teams does not wow me.
Does nothing for me either … but it’s a big deal in Europe
Wow. Not even 10 minutes in and 6 just shots by the Blues and they’re up 2-0! Vezina my butt.
Monday, May 5th, at 7 p.m. ET
Bruins will get #5 or #6 I would think
Will be interesting to see if Bruins will get a center out of this that they can use in a year or two
Joe they need to figure out the center position since they have Lindholm,Zacha,Poitras,Minten,Middlestadt,Beecher,Kastellac,just to name a few on there roster.