NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 9, 2025
The latest on the Oilers and Panthers ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, an update on Anthony Duclair, results from the Draft Combine, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a game-time decision for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday in Florida. The question of his health came up after he skipped practice on Sunday. Head coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t specify what might be ailing Nugent-Hopkins.
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It could be the same illness that affected teammate Connor Brown on the eve of Game 1. Like Nugent-Hopkins, he was a game-time decision, but suited up for that match and Game 2.
TSN: The Oilers shuffled up their defense pairings during their Sunday practice. Darnell Nurse was moved up to the first pairing alongside Evan Bouchard. Mattias Ekholm was dropped to the second pairing with John Klingberg, who was elevated from the third pairing. Jake Walman will play on the third pairing with Brett Kulak, who was on the second pairing with Nurse in Game 2.
Speaking of defensemen, Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers participated in the club’s optional skate on Sunday. He took a shot off his left hand by Nurse during the second overtime in Game 2.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are getting lots of production from their blueline. Florida defenseman has produced a franchise-record 17 goals in his postseason.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seth Jones leads all Panthers blueliners with four goals, followed by Nate Schmidt, Niko Mikkola, and Ekblad with three each. Dmitry Kulikov has tallied twice, and Gustav Forsling and Uvis Balinskis with a goal apiece.
NEWSDAY: Andrew Gross reports New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche is hopeful that head coach Patrick Roy and winger Anthony Duclair have put their issues behind them.
Duclair took a leave of absence for the final eight games of the regular season following a public clash with Roy. Darche said he has a “bit of a relationship” with Duclair, saying the 29-year-old winger was in a good mood when he spoke with him, adding he’ll sit down with Duclair again soon.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair joined the Islanders last summer as a free agent, signing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million and a full no-trade clause for the first two seasons. A promising start last season was derailed by a leg injury, limiting him to 11 points in 44 games.
Roy ripped Duclair following a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Apr. 1, calling his performance “god awful” and criticizing his overall effort. That led to the winger’s leave of absence and questions about his future with the Islanders.
SPORTSNET: The results from the fitness testing held at the 2025 NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo were released on Saturday.
Center Anton Frondell of Djurgardens IF in Sweden and forward Cole Reschny of the University of North Dakota tied for the best VO2 max (64.7). Winger Cameron Schmidt of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants had the best bench press (7.82 watts/kg), forward Milton Gastrin of MoDo Hockey in Sweden topped the agility test to the left side, and Bill Zonnon of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada did the most consecutive pull-ups.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I singled out those four because they’re among the prospects expected to be chosen in the first round of this year’s draft, which will be held in Los Angeles on June 27-28. Doing well in the combine can be a determining factor in the selection process, but it’s not a definitive measure of whether a prospect will become an NHL star.
During the 2014 Draft Combine, Sam Bennett failed to perform a single pull-up. Nevertheless, he was chosen fourth overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2014 Draft and went on to stardom with the Florida Panthers.
TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs jersey worn by Hall-of-Famer Darryl Sittler during his record-setting 10-point game against the Boston Bruins in 1976 sold at auction for over $143 K.
“The Maple Leafs jersey worn by Hall-of-Famer Darryl Sittler during his record-setting 10-point game against the Boston Bruins in 1976 sold at auction for over $143 K.”
I don’t think this jersey will be thrown onto the ice!😉
Johnny Z I wonder who was lucky enough to be in goal for Boston that night!
All his points were scored against rookie goalie Dave Reece in an 11–4 Maple Leaf victory.
David Reece as the Bruins goalie, backup was Cheevers.
Reece managed to win 7 games during his only season as the Bruins’ backup goalie.
Definitely not
I was 2, and have seen no video of it; but have heard about it
10 friggin’ points
WOW!
Is that the record or did somebody in 20’s or 30’s get more??
What’s the most this millennium? 7? 8?
https://records.nhl.com/records/skater-records/points/most-points-one-game
This millennium – Oilers Sam Gagner 8 – Feb 2, 2012 vs Chicago
🙏 George
And, 8787, over the next 10 games following that big night, he ran up another 15 points.
The Florida D certainly has been a factor when it comes to goal production from the back end with 17 so far … but the Oilers’ D has also contributed with 14 to date, led by Bouchard with 7, Nurse with 2. and 1 each from Klingberg, Walman, Josh Brown, Kulak and, in his first game in this series, Ekholm.
Oilers/Panthers series so far (and I expect throughout); one of the more (most??) exciting in a long time.
Two OTs; game saving saves by D; bouncy goals, spectacular goals; great saves; great hits; controversies
This series could very easilybe 2-0 Oil or 2-0 panthers
1-1 appropriate
5 more OTs please
As a guy who needs his sleep, how about five game – winning goals in the last minute of regulation?
Make it 5 GWGs in last 10 seconds and we have a deal
I get no sleep anyway
I’m 50 and have twin infants as well as 5 (often) bickering teenagers in the house
My wife has banned me from wearing ear plugs
habfan30,
Impressive Dave Reece. My younger brother taped a score sheet on my door that night after coming home from partying just to let me never forget the outcome of that game. All the goals/assists from sittler and the rest of the leafs. He liked Toronto and I was of course a big bruins fan then, lol
Dave Reece a proud member of the Univ. of Vermont Hall of Fame.
Nuge not playing would leave another big hole for the Oilers. Plays both PK and PP and centers 2nd line when Knoblach decides to play McDrai together. Let’s hope it is the flu and it passes enough to go.
I was away trying to get to Northern Sask to go fishing, a no go due to fires. 1st time in 35 years we couldn’t get to where we needed to.
So I didn’t get to post about the cheesy, dirty Panthers and the play where Bennett accidently, on purpose falls on an exposed Skinner. Again.
Cheap, dirty play. AGAIN, on a vulnerable goalie who is down trying to make a save.
Do something refs, NHL. How many flippin’ times for folks to realize it is intentional. It’s like watching the WWE when the ref is distracted and everyone in the rink can see it but him.
That guy deserves to get what is coming to him. He has zero regard if injures a player, so opposing players need to deal with him the same way. Whatever that entails, all good IMO.