NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 14, 2025
Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov and Senators defenseman Carter Yakemchuk shine in rookie tournament play, Kings winger Corey Perry is sidelined, Blackhawks re-sign goalie Spencer Knight, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets during the first of their two games in the 2025 Prospects Showdown at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Montreal Canadiens rookie winger Ivan Demidov (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: All eyes in Montreal are on Demidov after his promising performance in two regular-season games and five playoff contests last season. He didn’t disappoint in this game, including his game-tying highlight-reel goal. The 19-year-old winger is considered the early favorite to win the Calder Memorial Trophy this season.
Granted, this was just one game in a rookie tournament before training camps open later this season. Nevertheless, Demidov’s play will stoke the buzz surrounding this youngster.
OTTAWA SUN: Defenseman Carter Yakemchuk tallied twice and collected an assist as the Senators nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in the Prospects Showdown.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yakemchuk hopes to crack the Senators’ roster. The puck-moving blueliner had a promising camp last season but was among the late cuts because his defensive game needed work. If he’s improved that aspect of his game, he could become a welcome addition on the right side of their blueline.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Offseason acquisition Isaac Howard wasn’t a standout for the Oilers in their 6-5 loss to the Calgary Flames on Friday at Rogers Place.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers acquired Howard from the Tampa Bay Lightning this summer. Winner of the Hobey Baker Award as last season’s top college player, he’s expected to be on their active roster this season.
THE TENNESSEAN: Forwards Brady Martin and Joakim Kemell were the standouts for the Nashville Predators in their wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes in rookie tournament play.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin is the Predators’ first-round pick (fifth overall) in this year’s draft. Kemell is their first-rounder (17th overall) in the 2022 draft. The latter appeared in two games with the Preds last season.
THE ATHLETIC: The St. Louis Blues iced a five-man unit consisting of first-round picks in their prospect tournament games against the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks. Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, and Justin Carbonneau were the forwards, with Adam Jiricek and Theo Lindstein as the defensemen.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see if those five go on to become roster regulars for the Blues.
LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings winger Corey Perry will miss six to eight weeks after undergoing knee surgery following an injury suffered at the club’s training facility on Friday.
The 40-year-old winger signed a one-year contract with the Kings in July.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: An unfortunate setback for Perry, whose experience (especially in the postseason) was among the reasons why the Kings signed him.
CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks signed goaltender Spencer Knight to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.83 million. Knight, 24, is in the final season of a three-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks acquired Knight from the Florida Panthers in March. He immediately stepped into the starter’s role with the rebuilding club, sporting a record of 5-8-3 with a 3.18 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage.
NHLPA.COM: Former PA Executive Director Bob Goodenow passed away suddenly on Saturday at age 72.
Goodenow took over the job in 1991, leading the players through a strike in 1992, a half-season lockout in 1994-95, and the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season. A fierce advocate for players’ rights, he negotiated landmark gains in salary, free agency, pension, and health benefits, and helped them take control of their name, image, and likeness rights. Goodenow also helped establish pioneering programs such as player salary disclosure, second medical opinion for players, the agent certification program, and working with the NHL to implement the substance abuse and behavioral health programs for players and their families.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goodenow had a profound effect on the game for the players after they were taken advantage of for yearsby the league and by former PA director Alan Eagleson, who would be jailed for fraud and embezzlement.
Under Goodenow, the players made substantial financial gains. However, his downfall came during the 2004-05 season-killing lockout.
At the beginning of the standoff, Goodenow warned the players that it could take up to two years to achieve their goal of avoiding the salary-cap system advocated by the league. However, their support wavered after the league canceled the season, and he lost the confidence of PA president Trevor Linden. Once the lockout was ended, Goodenow was replaced by Ted Saskin.
At 6′ 4″ 210lbs, and with the way he can skate and handle the puck, I wonder if there has ever been even passing thought to converting Carter Yakemchuk to RW?
Being a much-coveted RD, probably not – but an intriguing thought nevertheless.
RD is a much better use as it is a much harder spot to fill. But maybe filling in on RW to get him to play more may be an option if RD is adequately filled. There are D that have gone that route, Brett Burns and Dustin Buff is probably the opposite, as they were converted to D or “rover”. Marginal D like Brendan Smith played up as well a back.
This kid is going to be a star right where he is, getting a lot more ice on D than at F..
GeorgeO,if he projects to being a top 4 D man leave him where he is. If they feel he tops out as a 5-6, move him immediately. Would be better off as a top 9 forward.
Oh, I’ve no doubt he will remain as a RD Johnny Z and Sr … just a passing thought inspired by watching his prowess with the puck, his size and very quick release – forehand AND backhand. An example of a D to F I can still visibly recall from my younger days was Detroit Norris Trophy winning (1954) D Red Kelly moving to the Leafs after 12 seasons and becoming an all-star C.
This season, at the RD, they have Zub (6′ 2″ 205lbs) again paired with Sanderson, Spence (5′ 11″ 190lbs) eventually paired with Kleven but likely filling in to open the season replacing Jensen who may or may not (at this juncture) be quite ready to play RD with Chabot. and the surprising Matinpalo (6′ 3″ 212lbs) holding down the 3rd pairing to open the season and probably the “swing” D thereafter.
None lack size, and that’s true as well with the RD depth in Belleville – Cameron Crotty (6′ 3″ 215lbs), Djibril Toure (6′ 7″ 208lbs) and Lassi Thomson (6′ 195lbs), as well as recent draftees still in University – Logan Hensler (6′ 3″ 200lbs) U. of Wisconsin and Hoyt Stanley (6′ 5″ 210lbs) Cornell U.
Barring pre-season/early season injuries, Yakemchuk will most likely start in Belleville where they will continue to refine his defensive game with many more minutes of ice-time than he could expect in Ottawa.
RIP Bob Goodenow. He took a lot of unfair criticism over the 2005 lockout. It was obvious that the owners would not sign an agreement that did not include a salary cap. Unfortunately too many players were dug in and did not listen. And when a season was lost and a salary cap implemented anyway the die was cast and he took the fall. But all in all, he did a fine job of rebuilding the NHLPA after the mess that was Allan Eagleson.
Agreed, Howard. The players caved and made Goodenow the scapegoat.
Demidov is fun to watch. I would say could get the Kuz signing but that kid needs a better 200ft center who can also feed him the puck…. Dach or Newhook that player?