NHL Rumor Mill – January 3, 2025

by | Jan 3, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 3, 2025

Check out the latest on the Flames and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CALGARY SUN: Kent Wilson examined whether Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens would be a good fit for the Flames. They’ve been in the market for a big center with a right-handed shot.

The 6’3”, 210-pound Cozens seems to fit the bill. He’s two years removed from a career-best 31-goal, 68-point performance. The 23-year-old has been the frequent subject of recent trade speculation.

Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens (NHL Images).

With a growing pool of draft picks and prospects, the Flames could part with some of them to acquire Cozens. He could help them accelerate their rebuild.

However, Wilson also points out the decline in his production over the past two seasons, adding that he doesn’t drive the play or defend well. He’s employed as a second-line center against other teams’ second and third-liners.

Wilson also believes Cozens would be expensive to acquire and retain. He’s in the second season of a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $7.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are reportedly looking to add to their roster rather than subtract. If they were to trade Cozens (and that remains a big “if” right now) they’ll want a good young player who can provide immediate help in return, not draft picks and prospects. That’s what they got for Casey Mittelstadt last season, swapping him to Colorado for Bowen Bryam.

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reports Flames goaltender Dan Vladar wants to sign a contract extension. The 27-year-old has evenly split the goalie duties with promising rookie Dustin Wolf but he’s also drawn the bulk of the starts against difficult opponents.

Vladar is earning an annual salary-cap hit of $2.2 million. He is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll depend on how much Vladar seeks on his next contract and for how long. The Flames won’t want to invest in a big raise on a long-term deal when Wolf is considered their future between the pipes. However, finding a suitable replacement for Vladar could be difficult.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple believes the struggling New York Islanders face a reckoning this season as they hobble into the New Year. He believes the core group are good players, many of whom played key roles in the club’s “delightful run” from 2018 to 2021, “but it is so very over.”

Islanders center Brock Nelson is near the top of most NHL trade boards. However, Staple reports teams that are currently buyers are hearing that Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello isn’t interested in selling. Lamoriello has often said the team’s performance will dictate what he’ll do at the trade deadline. Staple believes the team is “sending a neon message to him now.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello has been running it back since 2021-22, hoping his core can regain the form that carried the Isles to consecutive conference finals in 2020 and 2021. Since then, however, they missed the 2022 postseason and were bounced from the first round over the following two seasons.

Islanders fans are calling for change, that it’s time for at least a roster retool. The team must take that opportunity to rebuild while their supporters are open to it.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2025

by | Jan 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s action and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 on an overtime goal by Devon Toews, who finished with three points. Nathan MacKinnon collected three assists, including setting up Jonathan Drouin for the tying goal with eight seconds remaining in the third period. Sabres winger Jason Zucker scored a hat trick and added an assist while Tage Thompson had three helpers.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 64 points and is the first player this season to reach the 50-assist plateau. The Avalanche have won six straight games.

Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood suffered a lower-body injury in the third period following a collision with Sabres forward Zach Benson, who scored to make it 4-2. Avs head coach Jared Bednar was visibly angry with the officials for not whistling the play dead when it was apparent Wedgewood was hurt before Benson scored. Mackenzie Blackwood replaced Wedgewood for the rest of the game.

The Avalanche also played without winger Valeri Nichushkin. He’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry scored his second goal in overtime as his club upset the Winnipeg Jets 4-3. Terry finished with three points and Radko Gudas had a goal and an assist as the Ducks picked up their third straight victory. Mark Scheifele tallied his 23rd goal of the season while Alex Iafallo had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 56 points.

The Vegas Golden Knights picked up their seventh win in their last eight games with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Mark Stone, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin each collected two points for the Golden Knights as they sit one point behind the Jets in the overall standings. Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights placed winger Ivan Barbashev on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 17.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 871st regular-season goal but his club fell 4-3 to the Minnesota Wild. Matt Boldy scored the winner in a shootout and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28 shots as the Wild have won four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 24 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 regular-season goals. His Capitals picked up a point and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 53 points. Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered by a slew-foot from Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux, who received a three-game suspension for his actions.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1. Jaccob Slavin snapped a 1-1 tie and Martin Necas added an empty-netter to seal the win. Anton Lundell scored for the Panthers, who got a 37-save performance from goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. They’ve lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Tyson Jost missed this game as he was sent back to Raleigh for treatment for an injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied twice in a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist while goalie Jake Oettinger faced only 13 shots as the Stars picked up their third straight win. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist as his club has dropped three of their last four contests and cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators welcomed back defenseman Artem Zub as he returned to action after missing 16 games with a broken foot.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann scored twice as his club nipped the New York Islanders 2-1. McMann got the tiebreaker with 2:59 remaining in the third period while Joseph Woll stopped 32 shots as the Leafs lead the Atlantic Division with 50 points. Scott Mayfield scored for the Islanders as they’ve lost four of their last five games.

The Vancouver Canucks regained the final Western Conference wild-card spot (44 points) with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Seattle Kraken. J.T. Miller scored the winning goal for the Canucks while Kevin Lankinen replaced Thatcher Demko after the latter left the game with back spasms in the second period. Matty Beniers and Vince Dunn each collected two points, including goals as the Kraken overcame a 3-1 deficit to tie the game in the third period.

Utah Hockey Club forward Lawson Crouse netted two goals in a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames, who slipped one point behind the Canucks in the Western wild-card race. Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist for the Flames. The win was Utah’s first in five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah forward Matias Maccelli missed this game due to illness.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick kicked out 32 shots for his 399th career NHL win to backstop his club over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Mika Zibanejad and Brett Berard scored for the Rangers as they snapped a four-game losing skid. Elias Lindholm scored for the Bruins, who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

The San Jose Sharks upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1. Yaroslav Askarov turned aside 24 shots for the win while Tyler Toffoli and Mario Ferraro scored for the Sharks as they snapped an eight-game losing streak. Anthony Cirelli replied for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic made his season debut after being sidelined with an upper-back injury since training camp.

Detroit Red Wings forward Jonathan Berggren scored with 36 seconds remaining in the third period in a 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists while Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane scored a goal and an assist each for the Wings, who’ve won three straight. James van Riemsdyk and Zach Werenski each collected three points for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets Quarter-Century Team was unveiled yesterday.

Werenski, Seth Jones, Rick Nash, Artemi Panarin, Cam Atkinson and Sergei Bobrovsky were named to the First Team. Johnny Gaudreau, Boone Jenner, Nick Foligno, David Savard, Fedor Tyutin and Steve Mason made up the Second Team.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 2, 2025

by | Jan 2, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 2, 2025

Could the Canucks trade Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller? What’s the latest Leafs speculation? Could the Penguins attempt to trade Jesse Puljujarvi? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE CANUCKS FACE A CHOICE BETWEEN PETTERSSON AND MILLER?

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston observed Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin’s recent comments about Elias Pettersson during his year-end interview with Sportsnet.

Allvin said he believes Pettersson has the tools to become a No. 1 center but needs more maturity and accountability. He also didn’t dismiss the possibility of a trade.

Johnston suggests Allvin could be trying to encourage improvement from Pettersson, or perhaps signal to his team that everyone must be held accountable. Another option could be trying to re-set the trade market for Pettersson, whose hefty contract and recent struggles could be difficult to move.

“Will they trade (Pettersson)? Almost certainly not,” writes Johnston. “But that doesn’t mean they won’t”.

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos believes Canucks management is leaning closer toward making a major roster change, citing the feud between Pettersson and J.T. Miller. “Don’t be surprised if we start hearing the Canucks are willing to take calls on Miller,” writes Kypreos.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In the middle of this speculation came recent remarks by former Canucks forward Brad Richardson regarding Miller’s interactions with Pettersson.

Richardson said he loves Miller but felt the veteran center was being too hard on Pettersson. “Listen, J.T., he’s the man. But there is a lot of tension. And something’s gonna give. I’m not saying you’re going to love every guy on your team – it helps – but something’s gonna give here. We’ll see.”

Johnston believes Richardson’s remarks jibe with what others have said about the relationship between Miller and Pettersson. He considers both players demanding and exacting but Miller’s brash, outspoken personality hasn’t sat well at times with the introverted Pettersson.

Both players recently denied a rumored rift. However, Allvin’s and Richardson’s remarks add fuel to the fire. It could come down to Allvin and president of hockey ops Jim Rutherford having to choose between them.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos took note of Auston Matthews’ nagging upper-body injury and its potential effect on the remainder of the season for the Maple Leafs captain.

If the setbacks continue, Kypreos speculates the Leafs could place him on long-term injury reserve before the March 7 trade deadline to help him get healthy for the playoffs. They could use the salary-cap savings ($13.25 million) to trade for another top center and give them a healthy boost when Matthews returned for the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Putting Matthews on LTIR for the remainder of the regular season would enable Leafs management to add more than a center. They could also buttress their blueline, especially on the right side. Whether they go that route remains to be seen and requires sufficient medical evidence to pass muster with league HQ.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes the Leafs should attempt to acquire Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders. He thinks they need a second or third-line center to provide additional depth at that position for the playoffs.

Nelson, 33, is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. With the Islanders struggling, he could be shopped by the trade deadline if he hasn’t signed a contract extension.

Simmons acknowledged the cost of acquiring Nelson won’t be cheap. A source suggested acquiring a player like him could cost a first-round pick plus other pieces. More affordable trade targets could include Yanni Gourde of the Seattle Kraken, Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers, Alexander Wennberg of the San Jose Sharks, or Ryan Strome of the Anaheim Ducks.

Nelson’s cap hit is $6 million but he also has a 16-team no-trade list that could affect where he ends up if the Isles attempt to move him before the deadline.

SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN: Elliotte Friedman recently said the Maple Leafs are trying to improve their roster. It’s been reported they’re trying to add a center, preferably one with term remaining on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laughton, Wennberg and Strome would fit the bill. Laughton and Wennberg each have a year remaining on their contracts while Strome has two years.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes the Leafs will have to clear some cap space to make additions before the March 7 trade deadline. He recommends forwards Pontus Holmberg, David Kampf, Ryan Reaves, Nick Robertson and defenseman Conor Timmins as trade candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson was a fixture in last summer’s rumor mill when he requested a trade rather than re-sign with the Leafs. His lack of leverage forced him to ink a one-year deal before training camp opened in September. The 23-year-old could have the most value of that bunch but that’s not saying much.

WHAT NEXT FOR JESSE PULJUJARVI?

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel reports Jesse Puljujarvi may have asked Penguins GM Kyle Dubas to be moved to a place where he can play. He was placed on waivers Tuesday but went unclaimed.

Puljujarvi is in the final season of a two-year contract. He’s been a healthy scratch since Dec. 7, during which the Penguins went 5-4-1. Having cleared waivers, he can be sent to their AHL affiliate but the Penguins are keeping him on their roster as injury insurance as they prepare to face the Florida Panthers on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A team could attempt to acquire Puljujarvi via trade since he cleared waivers and wouldn’t have to go on them again to be sent to the minors. That seems unlikely given his struggles throughout his NHL career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2025

by | Jan 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2025

The Kings defeated the Devils in the first game of the New Year, the three stars and rookie of the month are revealed, plus updates on Auston Matthews, Kirill Kaprizov, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

KINGS SHUT OUT DEVILS

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves to shut out the New Jersey Devils 3-0 in 2025’s first NHL game. Andre Lee’s first-ever NHL goal was also the first goal of the New Year while Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe also scored for the Kings, who picked up their eighth straight home victory. Jake Allen stopped 21 shots for the Devils as they dropped their third consecutive game.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils (51 points) remain second overall in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Washington Capitals. The Kings have won three straight and sit second in the Pacific Division with 49 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, and New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom are the NHL’s three stars for December 2024. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson is the league’s Rookie of the Month for December.

Forwards Shane Doan, Clayton Keller, and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson highlight the Arizona Coyotes’ quarter-century team.

Doan, Keller, Ekman-Larsson, bluliner Keith Yandle and goaltender Mike Smith were part of the Coyotes’ First Team. Hall-of-Famer Jeremy Roenick, forwards Nick Schmaltz and Martin Hanzal, defensemen Teppo Nunminen and Zbynek Michalek and netminder Ilya Bryzgalov formed the Second Team.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is uncertain that his nagging upper-body injury will be sufficiently healed before the end of this season. That could affect Matthews’ participation in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews missed nine games in November and five straight since Dec. 20. He’s resumed skating with his teammates but there’s no timetable for his return to action. I’ll have more about this situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PUCKPEDIA: Speaking of the Leafs, they placed defenseman Jani Hakanpaa (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 23.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Marc-Edouard Vlasic has been practicing since mid-November but there’s no timetable for his return. The long-time Sharks defenseman has been sidelined since the beginning of training camp with an upper-back injury.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He’s already missed 13 games this season because of a nagging lower-body injury but it’s uncertain if this injury is related to the previous one.

SPORTSNET: Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux will have a hearing for his slew-foot of Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon on Tuesday.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Zac Jones vented his frustration over being a healthy scratch in four of the last five games. “It f***ing sucks,” said Jones, adding that he felt like he was “rotting away a little bit.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones’ remarks could lead to him getting traded if the Rangers become sellers by the March 7 trade deadline.

COLORADO AVALANCHE: placed defenseman Oliver Kylington on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 27.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL superstar Jaromir Jagr will need dental work after losing several teeth in a recent game for Rytiri Kladno against Mountfield HK in the Czech Extraliga. Jagr, 52, also had two assists as Kladno won the game 4-2.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 1, 2025

by | Jan 1, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 1, 2025

Welcome in the New Year with the latest on the Rangers and Capitals plus an update on Bruins forward Trent Frederic in the NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST RANGERS SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: In Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas discussed the plight of the struggling New York Rangers.

Friedman believes more changes are coming after reading Larry Brooks’ Sunday column in the New York Post, in which Brooks speculated that head coach Peter Laviolette could be fired. He wondered if management might focus on center Mika Zibanejad.

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).

The 31-year-old Zibanejad is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $8.5 million. Friedman pointed out he carries a full no-movement clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad might be open to a move if the pressure of playing with the Rangers becomes too much to handle. However, his cap hit makes an in-season trade difficult to pull off unless the Rangers retain up to half of it. They might not be keen to carry dead cap space for the next five seasons even with the salary cap projected to rise substantially over that period.

Friedman also thinks there will be plenty of interest in Vincent Trocheck if the Rangers make him available in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I mentioned Friedman’s remarks about Trocheck earlier this week. He’s under contract until the end of 2028-29 with a more affordable AAV of $5.625 million. The 31-year-old center also carries a full NMC this season but it becomes a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. Shopping Trocheck could be an offseason move.

IS TRENT FREDERIC’S TRADE VALUE DROPPING?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa recently reported Trent Frederic’s production has dropped off The gritty 26-year-old Boston Bruins forward hasn’t dented the score sheet since Dec. 7. That could adversely affect his value in the trade market if the Bruins decide to shop the pending UFA before the March 7 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Playoff contenders will still be interested in the 6’3”, 221-pound Frederic if he hits the trade block before March 7. However, the Bruins won’t get as much in return if his scoring slump continues. 

CAPITALS INTEND TO KEEP THEIR GOALIE TANDEM INTACT

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cites Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Washington Capitals have informed teams that they won’t be shopping goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson at the trade deadline.

Lindgren and Thompson are due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. However, they’ve fared well playing for the Capitals this season. Their efforts have the club jockeying for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Silber notes that it’s unclear whether Lindgren and Thompson have futures in Washington beyond this season. Nevertheless, the Capitals will stick with what’s working for them this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindgren’s cap hit this season is $1.1 million while Thompson’s is over $766K. Both are in line for substantial raises but it shouldn’t break the bank for the Capitals to retain both.

The Capitals have over $28.8 million in projected cap space for 2025-26 assuming the cap rises by $4.5 million. Jakob Chychrun is their most notable pending UFA while all their rising young talent are under contract for next season. The Caps should have enough to re-sign both goalies and keep Chychrun in the fold while looking at adding to their roster.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2025

by | Jan 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2025

The Blues defeat the Blackhawks in the Winter Classic, both clubs reveal their quarter-century teams, the Rangers get bad news about Igor Shesterkin and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler scored two goals in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game, leading his club to a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field before a sellout crowd of 40, 933 fans.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler celebrates a goal at the 2025 NHL Winter Classic (NHL.com).

Justin Faulk had a goal and two assists for the Blues (40 points), moving within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Blackhawks as their losing skid stretched to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall was among several Blackhawks who apologized to their fans for their poor performance in this game.

No offense to Chicago or the Blackhawks but I hope we don’t see them in any more Winter Classics for a while, or at least until they’re a competitive team again. This was their seventh appearance and the worst thus far.

The Winter Classic has become an afterthought. The league must consider new locations, teams, or formats to reinvigorate their annual New Year’s Eve outdoor game. They should also consider scaling back some of its annual Stadium Series games to focus more on the Winter Classic.

Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid collected two assists and Leon Draisaitl scored in a 4-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. McDavid and Draisaitl extended their points streaks to 12 games while McDavid moved past Mark Messier into third place on the Oilers’ all-time points list with 1,036. Jaxson Stauber stopped 34 shots for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah sent goaltender Connor Ingram to their AHL affiliate in Tucson on a conditioning stint. He’s working his way back from a lower-body injury that has sidelined him for 18 games.

The Washington Capitals remained in first place in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Boston Bruins 3-1. Aliaksei Protas scored two goals and Tom Wilson had two assists for the Capitals (52 points), who sit one point up on the New Jersey Devils. Justin Brazeau scored for the Bruins.

Speaking of the Devils, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Strome tallied the tie-breaker with 3:24 remaining in the third period, finishing the night with two points. Lukas Dostal made 32 saves for the Ducks. Jonas Siegenthaler and Timo Meier were the Devils’ goal scorers as they’ve lost two in a row.

The Montreal Canadiens picked up their third straight victory by upsetting the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Vegas took a 2-0 lead on goals by Zach Whitecloud and Noah Hanifin but the Canadiens stormed back with unanswered goals from Cole Caufield, Emil Heineman and Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights sit second in the Western Conference standings with 53 points. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have won six of their last seven and sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Colorado Avalanche center Casey Mittelstadt scored the winning goal in a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. It was Mittelstadt’s first goal in 19 games. Jonathan Drouin picked up two assists in his return from injury as the Avalanche collected their fifth straight win. Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi scored and Eric Comrie stopped 33 shots for the league-leading Jets (55 points) as their win streak ended at four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Islanders 3-1. Steven Lorentz ended a 23-game scoreless drought with the game-winner while Joseph Woll made 30 saves to give the Leafs the win. Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the Islanders, who are 2-5-0 in their last seven contests. Isles forward Simon Holmstrom missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy surprised everyone by pulling goalie Ilya Sorokin with 42.3 seconds while the faceoff was in his own zone. The Isles failed to clear the zone and John Tavares scored an empty-netter to seal the win for Toronto. Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed his fifth straight game as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi tallied twice and collected an assist while goalie Filip Gustavsson kicked out 43 shots in a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury. Colton Sissons, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predator forward Zachary L’Heureux received a match penalty for slew-footing Wild captain Jared Spurgeon during the second period. Spurgeon crashed heavily into the end boards and left the game with a lower-body injury.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Jason Robertson led the way with a goal and two assists as the Stars are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and sit in the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 45 points. Jason Zucker and Beck Malenstyn replied for the Sabres as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Matt Dumba returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury. They loaned blueliner Lian Bichsel back to their AHL affiliate.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri snapped a 1-1 tie and Jonathan Huberdeau netted the insurance goal to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Brock Boeser tallied his 14th goal for the Canucks, who are winless in five of their last six games (1-2-3). The win vaults the Flames (43 points) over the Canucks into the final Western wild-card berth.

Shootout goals by Kent Johnson and Adam Fantelli lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Kirill Marchenko scored two goals, Sean Monahan had three assists and Elvis Merzlikins made 33 saves for the Blue Jackets as they’ve won three of their last four games. Sebastian Aho collected two assists for the Hurricanes, who are 1-2-1 in their last four contests.

Third-period goals by J.T. Compher and Dylan Larkin gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was their second straight victory under new head coach Todd McLellan, who collected his 600th NHL win. Drew O’Connor netted two goals for the Penguins (39 points), who remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated defenseman Marcus Pettersson (lower body) off injured reserve for this game and placed blueliner Kris Letang (lower body) on IR.

The Philadelphia Flyers blanked the San Jose Sharks 4-0, handing the latter their eighth straight loss. Samuel Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov combined for the shutout when Ersson left the game after the second period with an undisclosed injury. The goal scorers were Nick Seeler, Ryan Poehling, Travis Konecny and Egor Zamula. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 30 shots for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win puts the Flyers two points behind the Senators for that wild-card spot in the East. The Sharks placed forward William Eklund (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Blackhawks and Blues revealed their quarter-century teams on Wednesday.

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith were among the Blackhawks’ First Team selections while Hall-of-Famer Marian Hossa made their Second Team. Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Pronger and former Blues Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo highlight those who made the Blues’ First Team with Hall-of-Fame defenseman Al MacInnis among those on their Second Team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the links provided for the full lists. Many were no-brainers but there were a few interesting selections as well.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers placed goaltender Igor Shesterkin on IR with an upper-body injury. The move ensures they’ll be without their starting goaltender for the next three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be the death blow to the free-falling Rangers’ fading playoff hopes if Shesterkin is sidelined for a lengthy period.