NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 19, 2020

by | Feb 19, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 19, 2020

Sidney Crosby has a four-point game, an update on Jay Bouwmeester, the Senators honor Chris Phillips, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby picked up four points in a 5-2 victory over the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs. Bryan Rust collected three points as the Penguins (80 points) moved into first place in the Metropolitan Division. Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 43rd goal of the season for the Leafs (70 points), who cling to third place in the Atlantic Division. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin was a late scratch due to illness. Earlier in the day, the Penguins also revealed forward Zach Aston-Reese is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby led his club to a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not to take anything away from the Penguins’ dominant performance, but that was a pathetic effort by the Leafs in a must-win game. They’ve dropped six of their last nine and remain in danger of slipping out of a playoff spot.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 17 saves to shut out the New Jersey Devils 3-0, snapping his club’s five-game losing skid. It was their first victory since Jay Bouwmeester suffered a cardiac incident last week in Anaheim. Bouwmeester released a statement yesterday indicating he’s on the road to recovery. With 76 points, the Blues hold a two-point lead over the Dallas Stars for first place in the Western Conference. Devils’ Will Butcher and Nick Merkley left the game with injuries.

The Ottawa Senators honored former defenseman Chris Phillips by retiring his number and thumping the Buffalo Sabres 7-4. They tallied four goals in a 3:29 span in the first period and sealed the two with two third-period goals. Jean-Gabriel Pageau led the way with two goals and two assists while Artem Anisimov also scored twice. Brandon Montour scored twice for the Sabres, who remain eight points behind the Leafs in the Atlantic.

Travis Konecny had a three-point performance as the Philadelphia Flyers rolled to a 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, leaving the latter winless in their last six games. The Flyers (73 points) vaulted over the New York Islanders and the Blue Jackets into third in the Metropolitan Division.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho scored to extend his points streak to 10 games in a 4-1 win over Nashville Predators. The Hurricanes (72 points) hold the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Predators (65 points) remain three points out of a Western Conference wild-card berth.

Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers each had three points as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Los Angeles Kings 6-3. With 67 points, the Jets are one point out of a Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Montreal Canadiens blew a 3-1 lead to fall 4-3 to the lowly Detroit Red Wings, who swept their four-game regular-season series. Andreas Athanasiou scored twice for the Wings, handing the Habs their fifth straight defeat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And with that, we can close the book on the Canadiens’ playoff hopes for 2020. Earlier in the day, they traded defenseman Marco Scandella to the St. Louis Blues for two draft picks. More moves are likely in store leading up to the Feb. 24 trade deadline. The Wings, meanwhile, won 15 games thus far this season. Four of those came against the Canadiens.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen received some good news when an MRI on his upper-body injury revealed no requirement for surgery. He’s expected to return before the end of the regular season.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser will be sidelined eight weeks with a rib cartilage fracture.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks already made a significant move to address Boeser’s absence by acquiring Tyler Toffoli earlier this week. They might not be done dealing.

CBC.CA: A shoulder injury will sidelined Edmonton Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom for the next two-to-three weeks.

SPORTSNET: The New York Rangers acquired minor-league winger Julien Gauthier from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for minor-league defenseman Joey Keane.










NHL Injury Outlook: Week Before NHL Trade Deadline Reeks of Chaos

by | Feb 19, 2020

NHL Injury Outlook: Week Before NHL Trade Deadline Reeks of Chaos

 










Dillon to the Capitals, DeMelo to the Jets, Scandella to the Blues

by | Feb 18, 2020

Dillon to the Capitals, DeMelo to the Jets, Scandella to the Blues

The Washington Capitals acquired defenseman Brenden Dillon from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2020 draft (originally belonging to Colorado) and a conditional third-rounder in 2021. The Sharks retain half of Dillon’s $3.27 million annual average salary. If the Capitals win the 2020 Stanley Cup, the 2021 third-rounder becomes the 2020 third-rounder that originally belonged to Arizona.

The Washington Capitals acquire defenseman Brenden Dillon from the San Jose Sharks (Photo via NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dillon, 29, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s a big, physical rearguard logging over 19 minutes of ice time per game. He’ll bring some welcome grit to the Capitals’ blueline down the stretch and into the postseason.

The Sharks appear to be getting started on selling off their UFAs to restock their prospect pipeline. With Dillon gone, perhaps forward Melker Karlsson and goaltender Aaron Dell could be next. This move could also stoke speculation over the fates of Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.

The Winnipeg Jets acquired defenseman Dylan DeMelo from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a third-round pick in 2020.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets were in the market for some experienced blueline help. DeMelo is a reliable depth rearguard carrying an affordable $900K AAV. He’s also due to become a UFA this summer. TSN’s Darren Dreger speculates Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff might not be done adding to his defense corps before deadline day.

DeMelo could be the start of another UFA selloff by the Senators. Expect the conjecture about center Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s trade status to ramp up in the coming days.

The St. Louis Blues acquired defenseman Marco Scandella from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a second-round pick in 2020 and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of teams selling off UFAs, this could be just the start for the Canadiens. Ilya Kovalchuk and Nate Thompson could be next out of Montreal before the deadline. This deal means the Habs have three second-rounders and 12 picks overall in this year’s draft.

Scandella appears to be a replacement for Jay Bouwmeester, who’s on long-term injured reserve recovering from a cardiac incident last week.

 










Three NHL Stars In A Tight Race For The 2020 Richard Trophy

by | Feb 18, 2020

Three NHL Stars In A Tight Race For The 2020 Richard Trophy

 










NHL Rumor Mill – February 18, 2020

by | Feb 18, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – February 18, 2020

Bruins linked to Kyle Palmieri and Josh Anderson, the Canadiens were scouting the Avalanche and Lightning, plus the latest on the Rangers, Devils, Islanders and Red Wings in today’s NHL rumor mill.

BRUINS CHASING PALMIERI OR ANDERSON?

NJ.COM: Mike Rosenstein cited a report from Boston’s WEEI Radio claiming the Boston Bruins could be interested in New Jersey Devils winger Kyle Palmieri. He’s signed through next season, and it would make more sense to give up assets to land a player who can help them through two playoff runs. Palmieri leads the Devils with 22 goals and 41 points.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Joe Haggerty reports sources are claiming the Bruins are very much interested in Josh Anderson. The 25-year-old winger has been sidelined by a shoulder injury since December, but he recently resumed practicing. Haggerty believes Anderson will have to return to the lineup before the Bruins move on him. If healthy, the big, physical forward could be the next player on their priority list behind New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider.

Could the Boston Bruins pursue New Jersey Devils winger Kyle Palmieri? (Photo via NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were linked to Tyler Toffoli and Blake Coleman before they were recently traded to the Canucks and Lightning respectively. There’s growing pressure on Bruins general manager Don Sweeney to address his club’s need for secondary scoring depth. As more players come off the market, the higher the asking prices for those available.

ARE THE CANADIENS EYEING THE AVALANCHE OR LIGHTNING?

TVA SPORTS: The presence of Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and assistant Scott Mellanby in Colorado last night watching the Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning sparked speculation over what moves he could make with either club. The Avs are said to be dissatisfied with young center Tyson Jost, while the Lightning has limited salary-cap space for next season. The Habs are expected to move Ilya Kovalchuk and Nate Thompson, while goalie Charlie Lindgren could be in play.

Jean-Charles Lajoie sees Canadiens center Max Domi as a replacement for sidelined Avs center Nazem Kadri. Yvon Pedneault believes the Lightning could be forced to part ways with forward Yanni Gourde.

THE DENVER POST: Mark Kiszla wonders what Avalanche GM Joe Sakic will do to boost his injury-ravaged roster, especially with top-line winger Mikko Rantanen now sidelined by a shoulder injury. Sakic could be forced to mortgage part of his club’s future if he were to pursue someone like Montreal’s Tomas Tatar.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens play the Lightning on March 5, so that probably explains Bergevin was watching the Bolts in Colorado. They also face the Avs on March 21. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t fully dismiss the possibility of Bergevin scouting either club for a possible deal before the trade deadline.

UPDATE ON THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the Rangers face an impossible situation with veteran goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who’s dropped behind Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev among their three netminders. He’s only received two starts since Jan.11 and Brooks considers a trade unlikely. A buyout in June of the final year of his contract seems possible.

Brooks doesn’t expect the Rangers to move Georgiev unless they get a “sure-shot top-six or a top-end first-rounder.” Unless blown away by offers, they’re not in a rush to move defenseman Tony DeAngelo. If they don’t re-sign Chris Kreider, it’ll give them the salary-cap space to re-sign DeAngelo. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports of little progress in Kreider’s contract talks and he remains very much in play in the trade market. If Kreider gets traded by the deadline, the Rangers will have sufficient cap room for DeAngelo and Georgiev.

As for Lundqvist, some consider it disrespectful that he’s now their third stringer, but the Blueshirts must give playing time to their young netminders. His expensive $8.5 million annual average value through 2020-21 and no-movement clause makes him almost impossible to move. 

LATEST ON THE DEVILS

NORTHJERSEY.COM: Abbey Mastracco reports Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said Travis Zajac won’t be going anywhere by the Feb. 24 trade deadline. The 34-year-old center insists he wants to stay and help his club on and off the ice. Zajac has refused to waive his full no-movement clause.

Mastracco also reported the Devils have not had a conversation with the agent for Sami Vatanen, but Fitzgerald said that could change. The 28-year-old defenseman is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: So much for all the recent musings about Zajac reuniting with former Devils GM Lou Lamoriello with the New York Islanders. And speaking of the Isles…

WHAT NEXT FOR THE ISLANDERS?

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple examined what other moves could be in store for the New York Islanders after acquiring defenseman Andy Greene on Sunday. With Casey Cizikas three weeks away from returning to action and no firm deadline for Cal Clutterbuck’s return, Staple suggests adding a third-line center.

Anaheim’s Derek Grant, San Jose’s Melker Karlsson, Los Angeles’ Trevor Lewis, Buffalo’s Conor Sheary, or Ottawa’s Tyler Ennis could fit that role. If they want to go big, Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau could be in play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello always plays his cards close to the vest. Nevertheless, he’s got over $18 million in deadline cap room to make another move if he wishes.

POTENTIAL RED WINGS TRADE BAIT

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan lists center Andreas Athanasiou and goaltender Jonathan Bernier as possible trade options for the rebuilding Detroit Red Wings. Young defenseman Dennis Cholowski has struggled to stick with the Wings. If he’s moved, Khan believes it would be as part of a larger deal in which the Wings get a young blueliner in return. Oft-injured rearguard Trevor Daley could be difficult to move.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: Helene St. James also listed Luke Glendening, Mike Green, and Darren Helm among the Wings’ trade candidates. Poor seasons by veterans Frans Nielsen, Justin Abdelkader, and Valtteri Filppula will adversely affect their trade value.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2020

by | Feb 18, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2020

Avalanche lose Mikko Rantanen to injury, Canadiens’ Shea Weber close to returning to action, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning won a franchise-record 11th straight game with a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Nikita Kucherov tallied the winner in overtime as the Bolts (85 points) sit one back of the Boston Bruins for first overall in the league standings. It was a costly defeat for the Avs, as winger Mikko Rantanen suffered an upper-body injury (shoulder) that could sideline him for weeks. Earlier in the day, the Avs revealed goaltender Philipp Grubauer remains sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen could miss weeks with a shoulder injury (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s growing sparking speculation over what moves the Avs will make to bolster their injury-depleted roster. I’ll have more details this morning in the Rumors section.

Calgary Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane tallied his first career NHL hat trick to down the Anaheim Ducks 6-4. With the win, the Flames (68 points) hold the first wild-card berth in the Pacific Division. Jakob Silfverberg had a goal and an assist for the Ducks.

The Arizona Coyotes (68 points) hold the second Western Conference wild-card spot after edging the New York Islanders 2-1. Conor Garland tallied his 20th goal of the season for the Coyotes. Andy Greene collected an assist in his first game with the Isles since being acquired from the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. The Islanders have dropped three straight games.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury kicked out 25 shots in a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals. The Golden Knights (70 points) move into a tie with the Edmonton Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division, but the Oilers hold two games in hand. The Capitals (79 points) cling to a one-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. Washington captain Alex Ovechkin was held scoreless for the fifth straight game and remains stuck at 698 career goals.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves and Aaron Ekblad collected two assists to give the Florida Panthers a 5-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. The Panthers (68 points) move within two points of the Toronto Maple Leafs for third place in the Atlantic Division. Following the game, Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon got emotional when asked if he thought that was his last home game with the Sharks. Dillon is a free agent this summer and considered a trade candidate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fans and pundits love to bandy about the names of possible trade candidates. We shouldn’t forget that these are human beings. While the players acknowledge getting traded is part of the business of hockey, it can still be difficult facing the prospect of leaving a team.

HEADLINES

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, and former LA Kings winger Tyler Toffoli (now with the Vancouver Canucks) are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Feb. 16.

THE SCORE: Canucks winger Brock Boeser will be sidelined three weeks with a rib injury, while winger Micheal Ferland (concussion) is done for the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This news explains why the Canucks acquired Toffoli from the Kings last night.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens captain Shea Weber has returned to practice with his teammates and could play tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. Weber had suffered an ankle injury that supposedly had him sidelined for six weeks amid speculation it was career-threatening.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres have suspended defenseman Zach Bogosian for failing to report to their AHL affiliate after he recently cleared waivers. The suspension removes Bogosian’s $5.14 million salary-cap hit from the Sabres’ books, providing them flexibility as the Feb. 24 trade deadline approaches. The club could negotiate a mutual contract termination with Bogosian.