NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2025
The Maple Leafs hold off the Panthers in Game 1 of their second-round series, the Islanders win the draft lottery, the Calder Trophy finalists are announced, Rob Blake steps down as the Kings GM, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: William Nylander scored twice and collected an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs held off the Florida Panthers 5-4. Matthew Knies and Chris Tanev each had a goal and an assist while Max Pacioretty and Jake McCabe picked up two assists. Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe each collected two assists for the Panthers.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs got off to a hot start on Nylander’s two goals. Morgan Rielly put them up 3-1 before the end of the period. Tanev made it 4-1 in the second but the Panthers cut the lead in the third to 4-3 before Knies tallied what proved to be the game-winner.
Panthers forward Sam Bennett could face supplemental discipline for elbowing Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the head midway through the second period. There was no penalty called on the play. Stolarz left the game after vomiting at the Leafs bench during a TV timeout, departing Scotiabank Arena on a stretcher to a local hospital for evaluation. Joseph Woll replaced Stolarz, finishing with 17 saves.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stolarz’s injury overshadowed an entertaining opening game between these two clubs. There was no postgame update on his condition. More information could be released on Tuesday.
For the first time since 2009, the New York Islanders have the first-overall draft pick. They won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, moving up from having the 10th-best chance of winning the lottery.
The San Jose Sharks had the best odds, finishing last in this season’s overall standings. However, the Isles’ win drops the Sharks into second overall and the Chicago Blackhawks (who finished second-last in the standings) into third overall.
The Utah Hockey Club moved up 10 spots into fourth overall after winning the second draw.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the full listing of the top 16 in this year’s draft. The remaining 16 spots will be determined by the end of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The last four selections will belong to the final-four playoff teams regardless of their placement in the regular-season standings. The 32nd pick will go to the Stanley Cup champion with the 31st pick going to the other Cup Finalist.
NEW YORK POST: The Rangers have until June 25 to decide if they’ll keep their first-round pick (12th overall) or send it to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
That pick is top-13 protected. It was sent to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the return in the J.T. Miller trade in January. The Canucks flipped that pick to the Penguins as part of the return in the Marcus Pettersson trade.
If the Rangers retain that pick, their unprotected 2026 first-rounder will belong to the Penguins.
NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf are the finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson is considered the favorite here. He led this season’s rookies with 60 assists, 66 points (a record for an NHL rookie defenseman). He also led them in ice time (22:44) among rookies with at least 25 games played.
Flyers fans were disappointed that winger Matvei Michkov wasn’t among the finalists. He led all rookies with 26 goals and finished second in points with 63. He’d be a candidate (perhaps even the favorite) in any other season, but was up against three stronger candidates in 2024-25.
Hutson is an obvious finalist as his performance played a key role in the rebuilding Canadiens reaching the playoffs. Celebrini had the same point total as Michkov but did so in 10 fewer games after missing several weeks with an early-season injury. He also played a larger role with the Sharks than Michkov did with the Flyers.
Wolf’s performance kept the Flames in playoff contention until the final days of the regular season. That gave him the edge over Michkov, whose club finished last in the Eastern Conference.
THE ATHLETIC: The Los Angeles Kings announced Rob Blake will not return as general manager. They didn’t announce an immediate replacement for Blake. Team president Luc Robitaille will hold a press conference on Tuesday. The future of head coach Jim Hiller remains undetermined.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This news comes after the Kings suffered their fourth-straight first-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.
The Athletic’s Eric Stephens pointed out that Blake has a mixed legacy with the Kings, building up the roster through the draft, free agency and trades, but also making some questionable moves in the trade market. Stephens singled out the acquisition of Pierre-Luc Dubois, shipping out Sean Durzi to the Arizona Coyotes (now the Utah Hockey Club), and including then-prospect Brock Faber to the Minnesota Wild for winger Kevin Fiala.
John Hoven of the Kings’ site Mayor’s Manor listed several potential candidates to replace Blake. They include Kings director of scouting Mark Yannetti, former Kings assistant GM Mike Futa, and Marc Bergevin, the senior advisor to the GM.
THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz confirmed Andrew Brunette will return as head coach next season.
TSN: Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will play for Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, joining his friend and former teammate Sidney Crosby. It’s the first time Fleury will play in the Worlds.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils defenseman Luke Hughes underwent successful shoulder surgery. Winger Jesper Bratt will also undergo shoulder surgery. Both players are expected to be ready for training camp in September.
OTTAWA SUN: The Senators hope to sign Claude Giroux to a contract extension. The versatile 37-year-old forward is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
The Senators are also expected to retain their 2025 first-round pick, which is 21st overall. The league penalized the Senators a first-round pick in either 2024, 2025 or 2026 because of a botched trade with the Vegas Golden Knights involving Evgenii Dadonov in March 2022.
SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forward William Eklund underwent successful wrist surgery on Monday. His recovery will take three months, and he’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.
Eklund was playing for Sweden against Czechia in a tune-up game for the upcoming Worlds when his wrist was cut by a skate. He avoided significant tendon and nerve damage.
RG.ORG: Spencer Knight embraces his new role as the Chicago Blackhawks’ starting goaltender. He’s hoping to play 65 games next season.
TSN: The NHL is reportedly planning an international event at UBS Arena next February instead of the previously announced NHL All-Star weekend.
DAILY FACEOFF: David Carle won’t be joining the ranks of NHL coaches, signing a multi-year extension with the University of Denver.
Nobody wants an All Stars game.
The alternative is not much better due to the fact of injuries to star players that kills a teams chance for the playoffs.
There’s only one choice for the Calder. Wolf and Celebrini of course had very solid rookie seasons for a goalie and forward respectively. But Hutsons season was historic in terms of a rookie D-man.
Didn’t see tons of games with those 3 Howard, but from what I did see snd the stats he put up; I’m on board with you re Hutson
Can someone confirm my understanding of the nhl awards. When we see the 3 finalists…the voting has been completed already and they are just holding off stating the winner correct.
I just tire of hearing that so and so is snubbed when the tallies are already counted. I think a large populace believes the 3 finalists named by a committee and then the bodies vote on them which I do not believe is the case at all.
” When we see the 3 finalists…the voting has been completed already and they are just holding off stating the winner correct?”
That is correct. In the case of the Calder Trophy Finalists, they voted for by the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season.
I’ve been reading that this year’s draft class (upcoming 2025) isn’t as good or deep as the next class in 2026.
If that’s the case, I’d definitely relinquish the #12 Ranger pick this season, instead of next.
If the Rangers get back in the playoff mix next year they can use that #1 pick for trade bait. Or, if they fall out of it again, that have the potential for a better pick in a better draft class.
Unless I’m missing something, it seems like a no-brainer.
Stolarz’s injury could be a double whammy from the slapper that knocked his mask followed by Bennett’s forearm at his head/neck.
Agree ds, twice now in the playoffs where a guy takes 2 head/big shots in a short period of time and the symptoms kick in. Scheifele was the other.
When a guys starts puking from a concussion is not good and is a dangerous situation. Not a doctor, but he may be out for a while.
I forget who posted it on here the basic calculation that teams who play like this make. You take a guy out, you deal with a major or a 1 game suspension, at worst. So, good trade.
And again, it’s the Panthers. In six games, this playoff season; an obvious cheap shot by Ekblad, dirty, late and intentional cheap shot by Tkachuk late against Guentzel, and now Bennett.
Last year was the same deal, maybe even worse.
These guys are dirty, and when it happens this often, it isn’t crazy or conspiratorial not to consider it is intentional. Conspiracies lack hard evidence. This has been right in front of our eyes and we have the video.
If the refs or league won’t fix it, the Leafs, or anybody else who ends up playing them needs to deal with it themselves. Target all 3 of these F heads, with purpose and with intent. And no I don’t feel bad about posting that, because they have and will again, do it to you. That seems obvious and how much more evidence do you need?
F those guys. Man I hate the Panthers.
They’re a hard bunch to like Ray – that’s for sure. at least, outside of their fan base.
And yet, despite scoring 4 goals in what turned out to be a 5-4 nail-biter, not one Panther obviously performed well enough to warrant a “star” in Hockey Night In Tor … err … Canada’s 3-star selections.
It’s that sort of homerism that morphs into dislike of the Leafs … which is totally wrong because neither the players nor the franchise have anything to do with that obviously incurable self-centeredness.
Or quite possible the 3 players picked for the 3 stars were the actual 3 best players of the game. I realize that most of you can`t fathom that the 3 best players in a game could be Leaf players and they were the best players over the entire game, not just the 3rd period. Unless you`re awarding points for an elbow to the head or maybe Rodrigues should`ve gotten a star for running Woll. Two goalies down is better than one they say in Florida
Hey George, I would argue a lot of Leaf hate is irrational. You’re upset about the 3 stars picked on a broadcast? I’ve been reading this site on and off for over 10 years, there are way more comments about delusional Leaf fans than there are Leafs fans on here. Florida knows Stolarz injury history and a rat who does this every round hit him in the head hard enough he was throwing up and had to leave by ambulance. First comments today are about the Calder, who should give up what draft pick, etc. So I would say in many cases the view of Toronto is a bit much. I would assume Woll is now starting from here on out which hurts Toronto as much as if someone runs Bob tomorrow night and takes him out.
Also for the preferential treatment us Toronto folk get, I still follow hockey but went blind about 10 years ago soI listen to the games on the radio and since the pandemic they don’t send those guys on the road. I listen to Joe and Jim call the game on the radio while they watch it on a tv at Rogers. They did this for the playoff series against Ottawa. Sometimes they don’t know if a goalie is pulled because they haven’t shown that yet, garbage like that.
Bruins .. 5th spot in draft was probably the cutoff for the Bruins to get that first line center for their immediate future … looks like they should just take best player available and try signing a UFA center .. This legit #1 center position has been a issue for them since # 37 & 46 left
Re “the Senators are expected to retain their 2025 first-round pick …” — if they do they’re nuts.
This isn’t a deep draft – the same article also points out the consensus that “it fall off after # 12 ” – and with next year’s draft cited as being a much better overall crop and no guarantee that the team will have as good or better season in 2025-26, they should forfeit this year’s.
Hanging hopes on Bettman relenting is a Fool’s Errand.
From the linked article “There is precedent for this happening. The New Jersey Devils were supposed to forfeit a first-round pick between 2012 and 2014 after a deal they signed with Ilya Kovalchuk circumvented the cap.
The club pushed the decision back to 2014 and, on the eve of the draft, Bettman rescinded the punishment. That’s why Andlauer and Staios are in no hurry to make this happen.”
The fundamental difference is, the Devils are a U.S.-based team and, at the time, were managed by Lamoriello, Bettman couldn’t give a rat’s patootie about a small-market Canada-based franchise.
Don’t sell Bettman’s interest in Ottawa short.
While it’s a small market team, there’s a natural rivalry with both Toronto and Montreal, which have cachet as major original 6 franchises.
Two of the wealthier teams in the league Toronto #1 and Montreal #3 make Ottawa punch out of it’s weight class on accoun of natural rivalry.
Yes, and no George.
No to deferring this year’s draft pick on the basis that the 2026 draft is supposed to be deeper. We all know how notoriously hard evaluating potential is, and how many first rounders don’t make it. Evaluating a draft class an entire year early is a mugs’ game. Also factor in the chance of the Sens finishing higher in the standings next year.
Yes, it is foolish to hang on to the pick this year in the hope that Bettman will reverse the decision. IMO Bettman has become more imperious with time. Changing his position would mean admitting he got it wrong.
LJ, in a best case scenario, if they could hold off on announcing the forfeit until it was their turn to pick in order to see if someone they rate high enough has dropped a few notches, then yes, i would hold onto the pick until that time arises.
But unfortunately they must make the announcement BEFORE the draft gets under way.
This year it’s # 21. With teams like Montreal, Detroit, Columbus, the Islanders, Rangers, Utah, Seattle, Calgary all in a position to improve their teams significantly, Ottawa could conceivable fall closer to the top 10 in yet another close race. And next year’s draft is supposedly a much deeper one than this year’s.
It simply isn’t worth the price to risk that.
What a kick in the gnadz last night
The lottery had but one number left to draw and Pens had at that moment, an 18.2% chance at Schaeffer.
Not only didn’t they get Schaeffer; they went from just missing out 1st overall to actually dropping 2 spots (from start of draft [9th to 11th] ) in a 10 minute span.
Schaeffer to a possibility of (heaven forbid) a Dubas “off the boards” pick of a 50th ranked, 160 lb , 5’9” player at 11th overall.
Lets hope his staff stick firm with him and we get one of Mrtka , Lankovic, Smith, O’Brien or Spence
After the draft let down, I felt I was due more sorrow so I watched the Panthers/Leafs tilt and was “gifted” more pain watching refs completely ignore 4 Leafs penalties ; each of those followed within seconds by a Leaf goal
Nothing was more blatant than the McCabe trip followed only seconds later by the GWG by Knies.
You can’t miss that trip as it was a scoring chance by Panthers; just can’t miss it; so it WAS completely ignored
Ouch!
@7878 you should consider therapy and I hear they`re made huge inroads with shock treatments. Definitely couldn`t make your condition any worse to seek help. You`ve got another what 5 more years of Dubas so it wouldn`t hurt to get a jump on things
I’ll need Shock therapy if Dubas re-ups Grzylcyk OR Nieto
OR
if he doesn’t trade or waive BOTH Hayes and Accairi
Hutson may be the favorite, but Celebrini is clearly my favorite newcomer this year. What a talent.
I predicted Celebrini as my Calder winner at the start of the season. He’s on his way to superstardom as the Sharks’ foundation player.
Can you even imagine a club with both him and McKenna lining up across from you after they’ve been seasoned a little?
Gadzooks!
That almost doesn’t seem fair SOP. Even now it will likely be Celebrini and Misa, or one of the other C’s expected to go in the top 5. And they already have Will Smith and Eklund up front.
Not to worry, the B’s are getting McKenna!
I would think SJ really wanted to get Schaeffer as their D prospect depth isn’t nearly as deep after Dickenson, who sure looks like a player. But they will be OK.
B’s like many teams, dropped last night.
Makes for a potential interesting call – McQueen, a C, who only played 20 games this season, but at 6’5″ with a bunch of skills, is an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling. But risky. Or the higher floor producer in Eklund on the wing. I think I take the riskier pick with McQueen.
Assuming the draft rankings are how it will go on draft night, which it often doesn’t. Someone like Desnoyers or Frondell could drop to 7. Or McQueen could be gone by then. Some teams have to thinking about taking him.
Lyle are you sticking to that prediction now
No, hence the reason I said Hutson is considered the favorite. I am sticking with my prediction that Celebrini will become a superstar for the Sharks.
Celebrini is going to be elite and possibly the heir apparent to Sid on Team Canada. Indeed, Canada’s centers at the next Olympics could be Sid, Mackinnon, McDavid and Celebrini.
But Hutson is the clear choice for the Calder.
I take a defenseman if I get the chance, Ray.
There’s a few kids who should be 1st or second pairing pros. I’ve seen enough of Smith to take him at the 7 spot.
That’s provided both top centers are gobbled up by the time Don makes his pick. Which they should be.
I’m not sure where guys are reading that this is a weak draft class. There’s probably 35+ kids who should translate into solid pros just from North America alone.
LJ. I was thinking the same thing about Cellebrini one day replacing Sid. He already has Sid hockey-sense tendencies.
Well we need another high end D as well SOP. We need lots of stuff unfortunately. High end C and D are the toughest to find it seems.
Smith gets good reviews and there is talk of perhaps that huge Mrtka kid being the 2nd D-man off the board. They just rank the C’s/forwards higher.
I’m simply going off the sites that aggregate the scouts, like McKenzie etc, and the ones that have their own scouts or ex scouts doing it for them. Now that my G kids are older I don’t attend as many Oil King games as I used too, so I don’t get to see these guys live anymore. Now they want to go to the Oiler games and they’re super busy playing their own sports.
If you like him, I’m good. Sign him up!
And Wolf may well be the best of the 3.
He certainly was the biggest surprise of the 3
Quite the night for the Isles. The new GM got himself quite a prize, whoever he’ll be.
Schaefer seems to be the consensus #1, even if not by much. As the Isles have a promising center in Ritchie and a promising winger in Eiserman, they may very well lean to defense.
My son, an Isles fan, jokingly suggested they pick Hagens, the Long Island kid, over the 3 Ontario prospects because ten years from now the Ontario kids may get homesick and go back to Ontario. So I figure that the Isles, if they pick one of the Ontario boys, should try to hook him up with a Long Island girl to make sure he stays.
Home sick or clearly was correct in evaluating that this team was going in the wrong direction after 10 years commitment to winning there? I guess I would be butt hurt too if the franchise player went elsewhere for less money and completely performed his large contract 7 years later.
Maybe this time the Isles will get it together (probably not) so another player in their prime leaves a losing team. Kinda suspicious that they won the lottery considering Lou’s contribution to the league but I’d rather the isles or anyone else get first crack to get a real good player spreading the talent to other teams vs just the hopeless ones year after year.
Also I guess that Ottawa holding on to their pick seems like they will be keeping their ‘26 pick as well. Bettman has this, you suffered enough, I’m a nice guy and I believe you learned your lesson vibe. Plus if they wanted to punish the Sens over that, they would have right away a not have the team and its fans twist in the wind for years.
Ron, probably the ONLY reason Staios will decide to use his 1st round pick this year, and forfeit next season’s, is because he doesn’t have a 2nd round pick, and wouldn’t be drafting until the 86th pick in Round 3. I suppose, in the circumstances, that’s reason enough to do it this way.
He’d just better hope the bottom doesn’t fall out next season, and the team drops to top 10 range.
If they have Misa/Hagens close the Isles could trade the 1st pick to Chicago for the 3rd and 29th….. or the 3rd/29th and 34th
An elbow to the head from the blindside while on your knees is not sportsmanlike to me. Maybe somewhere the rules have changed where Domi’s “cross check” is a blatant violation of the spirit of the game but an obvious targeted hit to the head isn’t. Furthermore, we are talking about a guy with past experience at delivering such hits. I can’t help but think if Marchand had any flashbacks after that and had a sense of relief it wasn’t him again. Does anyone expect anything from the league on this? Of course not! We want to protect players in vulnerable positions and the best way to do that is ignore a play that is the very definition.
Regardless of this, the game itself was quite entertaining. To be able to pot 5 on Bob is a good sign. The Matthews issue is still looming and on two plays he isn’t himself. One play where the 22 yr old Knies (what a player!) sends Jones flying in the corner and puts the puck on Matthews stick in a spot Matthews usually scores from but instead doesn’t hit the net…with a chance to ice the game with an empty net, Matthews misses again. Choker or injured? Tough situation for Woll but having not played for almost a month should be better next game. But the most important thing is after a dirty hit taking out your starting goalie didn’t faze the Leafs and still came out fighting and won the game. The next game I’d like to see Bennet pay for his actions with another loss. If I was on the ice, he’ll be picking up his chiclets off the ice too.
Food for thought Ron on Matthews, usually they show the speed on a players shot. Something I don`t recall seeing on any of Matthews shots. Plus he doesn`t seem to hit the net as often, maybe he needs glasses, not everyone can wear contacts.
Bruins….Little early for UFA but I’m going shopping for Sweeney…
Center..Roslovic (28) Donato (29)
LW..Ehlers (29)
RW..Mantha (30)
Geekie ( 26)
Jeannot (27)
D…..B Dumoulin (33)
Trade Korpisalo bring up DiPietro
Hey George, I guess if the leafs getting three stars on Monday is the kind of favouritism or homerism that makes everyone hate the leafs, then I guess we should hate the Jets as well, as it was Lowry, Perfetti, and Hellebuyck as the three stars in double overtime game seven!