NHL Rumor Mill – December 2, 2024

by | Dec 2, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 2, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: a look at Penguins trade candidates and the Wild, Avalanche, Blue Jackets & Predators might not be done dealing.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently looked at trade candidates for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Rickard Rakell are considered “as good as gone.” The 28-year-old Pettersson is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Rakell is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5 million.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson will likely be on the move before the March 7 trade deadline but Rakell isn’t a certainty to join him. The 31-year-old forward is a streak scorer and those extra years on his contract could be a sticking point.

Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk and forwards Anthony Beauvillier, Michael Bunting, Noel Acciari, and Kevin Hayes are among those Yohe considers available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of those players will end up with other clubs by deadline day. Acciari’s physical style and penalty killing could make him the most sought-after player in that group.

Yohe believes the Penguins would trade Erik Karlsson if his contract wasn’t so expensive. However, he thinks it’s a possibility that Kris Letang could end up with another club. He doesn’t think ending his career in Pittsburgh is as important to Letang as it is for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If there is any way to dump Karlsson it’ll happen in the offseason when teams have more cap space and a willingness to gamble. As for Letang, I’ll believe it when I see it.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau noted the Minnesota Wild acquiring David Jiricek from the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Colorado Avalanche shipping Justus Annunen to the Nashville Predators for Scott Wedgewood.

He believes those trades were just the start for the four clubs, suggesting more moves could be in store before the March 7 trade deadline.

The Avalanche, Predators and Wild are determined to be playoff contenders, so Proteau sees them adding talent. Meanwhile, the rebuilding Blue Jackets will attempt to bring in talent that helps them now and over the long term.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salary cap constraints will be a factor for some of those clubs. The Avalanche have $3.04 million in projected trade deadline cap space and the Wild just $1.14 million. It won’t be an issue for the Blue Jackets ($27.6 million in current cap space, over $90 million at the deadline) or Predators ($23.9 million).

The Wild supplanted the Winnipeg Jets atop the overall standings on Sunday. It’s rumored promising center Marco Rossi could be a trade chip in a player-for-player swap. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are within two points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Their trade deadline plans could change if they’re in playoff contention by the deadline.

Predators general manager Barry Trotz could go from buyer to seller if his club fails to gain ground in the standings. The Avs remain all-in as playoff contenders but they have limited options to draw on for trade bait.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2024

by | Dec 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2024

A record-setting game for two Canucks, the Bruins win their Centennial Game, the three stars of the month and Rookie of the Month are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A hat-trick performance by Jake DeBrusk lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. DeBrusk scored in overtime to complete the hat trick and also collected an assist.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson each had three assists, with Hughes collecting his 311th career assist to break the previous franchise record (310) for defensemen held by Alex Edler. Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen made 27 saves to become the first netminder in league history to start the season with a 10-0-0 record on the road.

Detroit forwards Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin and Marco Kasper each had two assists. Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meanwhile, in Vancouver, Canucks fans are keeping J.T. Miller in their thoughts, chanting his name during WWE’s Survivor Series at Rogers Arena. Miller has been on an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons since Nov. 19.

The Boston Bruins celebrated their 100th anniversary by thumping the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 in their Centennial Game. Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored in his 700th regular-season NHL game while teammates Charlie McAvoy and Charlie Coyle each tallied two goals. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice and sits third among NHL goalscorers with 16.

Dallas Stars winger Mason Marchment’s backhand goal broke a 1-1 tie as his club defeated the Winnipeg Jets 6-3, handing the latter their third straight loss. Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz also scored and Jake Oettinger stopped 26 shots for the Stars. Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (36 points), who slipped into second place in the overall standings behind the Minnesota Wild (36 points) based on games played and win percentage.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets have cooled considerably following a red-hot start that saw them win 17 of their first 20 games, dropping four of their last five games. Winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3. Sean Monahan led the way with a goal and an assist and Zach Werenski had two helpers to extend his points streak to eight games. Blackhawks center Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets (11-9-3, 25 points) extended their points streak to six games (5-0-1) and sit two points out of the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Shootout goals by Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras gave the Anaheim Ducks a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Terry had three assists in regulation and Frank Vatrano tallied twice and collected an assist for the Ducks. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk scored two goals as his club has dropped seven of their last nine contests (2-5-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen, and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck are the league’s three stars for November 2024.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini was named Rookie of the Month for November 2024.

ESPN.COM: Colorado Avalanche forward Miles Wood is considered month-to-month with an upper-body injury. He was placed on injured reserve on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wood had already missed seven games earlier in the season with an upper-body injury.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 1, 2024

by | Dec 1, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 1, 2024

What’s the latest on Rangers stars Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider? Could the Rangers or Red Wings have former coach Joel Quenneville in their sights? Are changes in store for the Islanders? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE LATEST ON THE RANGERS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports teams are trying to figure out what the New York Rangers are trying to do after they sent around a note last week indicating Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider were available.

Friedman noted that Trouba had been in the rumor mill before but not Kreider. “Are there other players available? And since Trouba and Kreider have partial no-trade clauses, where would they be willing to go?”

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Things may have calmed down a bit on Saturday after the Rangers beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 to snap a five-game losing skid. Friedman thinks they want to tone down the heat and pause before doing anything too intense or something they might regret later.

Friedman indicated the Rangers haven’t permitted rival clubs to speak with Trouba or Kreider. They want to keep control of the process, which is critical as no one wants to run afoul of the NHL’s tampering rules.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salaries of Trouba and Kreider are also obstacles that could be insurmountable. Trouba is signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $8 million while Kreider’s is $6.5 million through 2026-27. Those sound like deals that get done in the offseason when teams have more cap space and willingness to swing major deals.

Trouba and Kreider each have 15-team no-trade lists. Clubs with depth in tradeable assets are likely rebuilding and would probably be on those no-trade lists.

Drury bungled this situation. His actions could jeopardize the rest of the Rangers’ season, leading to Igor Shesterkin’s departure next summer as a free agent, jeopardizing Drury’s tenure as general manager.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico cites a source suggesting a coaching change could be coming for the Rangers. The source claims their current bench boss, Peter Laviolette, doesn’t have long in New York, adding Joel Quenneville could be the guy if general manager Chris Drury wants to go that route.

D’Amico cites another NHL insider suggesting that Quenneville could also be on the radar of Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman if he changes things behind the bench.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drury is unlikely to find a suitable trade for Trouba or Kreider. A coaching change might be his only option to get his club back on track. The Red Wings, meanwhile, rarely replace coaches during the season and could stick with current bench boss Derek Lalonde until the end of this campaign.

ARE CHANGES COMING FOR THE ISLANDERS?

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer reports a source claims the New York Islanders were considering a management change before last season began. However, general manager Lou Lamoriello saved his job when the club squeaked into the 2024 playoffs.

Lamoriello has shunned rebuilding because his teams are never out of the playoff mix. However, the Islanders could become sellers this season if they don’t soon turn things around. They’re dealing with injuries to key players like Mathew Barzal, Anthony Duclair, Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly, but they weren’t winning when they were in the lineup.

Brock Nelson is the most likely trade candidate if the Isles become sellers. The 33-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Biringer’s source claims Nelson was in play last season and could’ve been moved if the team wasn’t in the wild-card mix. He said the Vancouver Canucks were interested in him and could have their eye on the center again this year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see what unfolds if they fail to gain ground in the standings. I’ve mentioned before that the Islanders won’t move Nelson if they’re still in the playoff chase by the March trade deadline but he will draw interest just the same.

The Canucks could be a suitor for Nelson. However, most of the chatter out of Vancouver indicates their focus is on shoring up their defense corps.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2024

by | Dec 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2024

The Capitals and Wild each get 10 wins in November, Lightning captain Victor Hedman reaches a franchise milestone, the Blue Jackets trade David Jiricek to the Wild, the Avalanche and Predators swap backup goalies, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals within 10 seconds by Taylor Raddysh and Pierre-Luc Dubois enabled the Washington Capitals to hold off the New Jersey Devils 6-5. John Carlsson collected three assists as the Capitals (17-6-1, 35 points) vaulted over the Devils (19-9-2, 34 points) into first place in the Eastern Conference. Devils center Jack Hughes also had three assists.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jared Spurgeon lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Spurgeon and Kirill Kaprizov each had a goal and an assist as the Wild (16-4-4, 36 points) moved into a tie with the Winnipeg Jets (18-6-0, 36 points) atop the overall standings. Fedor Svechkov and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators, who dropped their fourth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals and Wild were the only teams to win 10 games in November. The Jets still hold first overall based on wins. Kaprizov scored his 61st career power-play goal, surpassing Mikko Koivu for the second-most PPGs in franchise history. Zach Parise holds the record with 69.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got two assists from Auston Matthews and a goal and an assist from Matthew Knies to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Lightning captain Victor Hedman collected two assists to pass Martin St. Louis for the most assists (590) in franchise history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews missed nine games with an undisclosed injury while Knies missed two games with an upper-body injury. Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day.

New York Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko scored with 24 seconds remaining in regulation to nip the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist and Adam Fox collected two assists as the Rangers snapped a five-game losing skid. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Missed calls on both teams sparked criticism of the officiating in this game. Meanwhile, the Canadiens placed forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard on waivers.

The Florida Panthers crushed the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 to sweep their home-and-home series. Spencer Knight turned in a 20-save shutout, Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist, Matthew Tkachuk collected two assists and Sam Bennett scored for the third straight game.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and forward Michael Bunting each had a goal and two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Alex Nedeljkovic made 30 saves as the Penguins picked up their third straight win. Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

An overtime goal by rookie winger Matvei Michkov lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Michkov also had an assist while Aleksei Kolosov made 25 saves for the Flyers, who’ve won three straight to hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours each scored for the Blues.

The Los Angeles Kings picked up their third straight win by dropping the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Anze Kopitar, Trevor Moore and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Senators center Tim Stutzle scored to extend his points streak to six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings center Trevor Lewis left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, ending a three-game winless skid (0-2-1). Simon Holmstrom tallied twice and Anders Lee netted his 10th goal of the season.

The Edmonton Oilers beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots and Kasperi Kapanen scored his first goal with the Oilers, who picked up their third straight win. Nikolai Kovalenko replied for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche acquired goalie Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators in exchange for netminder Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick in 2025. Wedgewood backed up Avs starter Alexandar Georgiev in this game.

The Avs hope the experienced Wedgewood will bring more stability to their goaltending, but he struggled with the Predators after signing a two-year contract with them during the summer.

Four first-period goals powered the Utah Hockey Club to a 6-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Jaxon Stauber made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout and Nick Schmaltz scored two goals for Utah, ending the Golden Knights’ five-game points streak.

The San Jose Sharks doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2 to sweep their home-and-home series. Mackenzie Blackwood kicked out 36 shots and Will Smith scored for the third straight game as the Sharks held off a late rally by the Kraken, who got goals from Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn returned to action after missing 19 games with a mid-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: The Columbus Blue Jackets traded defenseman David Jiricek and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for blueliner Daemon Hunt, a 2025 first-round pick (top-five protected), a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 third-round pick and fourth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets were concerned about Jiricek’s skating, which is the key reason they were willing to part with the 21-year-old defenseman, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. However, the Wild consider Jiricek worth the investment, hoping the big defenseman with the booming shot reaches his potential as a top-four NHL blueliner.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The NHL department of player safety fined Penguins center Evgeni Malkin $5,000.00 for slashing and Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov $5,000.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct during an incident between the two players in Friday’s game between their two clubs.

SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Golden Knights. However, he hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Stars.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 30, 2024

by | Nov 30, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 30, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Canucks, Canadiens, Avalanche and Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE RANGERS

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reports executives around the NHL are wondering if the New York Rangers could entice Igor Shesterkin to sign an offer of $12.5 million per season given the club’s current slump, management’s desire to alter the team’s core, and their inability to reduce the numbers of shots and scoring chances against him.

Shesterkin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He might want to see what other teams have to offer if the Rangers intend to retool or make big roster changes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin would be the top goaltender and among the biggest names in next summer’s UFA market. Plenty of clubs will line up to get him, especially if the salary cap rises higher than the $92.4 million projection. His departure would also signal the Rangers are rebuilding, not retooling.

Staple also noted a recent TSN report claiming Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko is back on the trade block. The 23-year-old winger’s been among the few bright spots on their roster this season. Staple doesn’t see them moving Kakko for futures when there’s no one in their system to replace him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no reason to move Kakko during this season unless it’s a player-for-player swap, or if the Rangers are tearing down the roster now.

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

A league source told Staple that Rangers general manager Chris Drury recently contacted the Vancouver Canucks about bringing J.T. Miller back to New York. Drury tried to acquire Miller before the 2022 trade deadline. Miller subsequently signed an eight-year extension with the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks aren’t trading Miller, who carries a full no-movement clause and wants to stay in Vancouver. Even if he were available, the Rangers would have to move one of their high-salaried forwards to make room for his $8 million annual salary-cap hit.

Staple also noted how much things have fallen apart for the Rangers since news broke of Drury’s willingness to shake up his roster core with a trade. He doesn’t see anyone trading for team captain Jacob Trouba due to the decline in his performance. Staple wondered if Trouba is stripped of the captaincy and what could be in store for head coach Peter Laviolette and Drury himself.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staple suggested this goes back to Drury’s shabby treatment of Barclay Goodrow in June when he abruptly placed the popular checking line forward on the waiver wire, where the San Jose Sharks claimed him. Another issue was Drury’s bungled attempt to trade Trouba before July 1.

Drury might’ve been trying to motivate his veterans when he sent that memo around the league indicating his willingness to entertain trade offers for some of them. However, it’s blown up in his face. The Rangers look nothing like the club that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season. They’re clinging to a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets nipping at their heels.

UPDATES ON THE CANUCKS

DAILY HIVE: Noah Strang cited CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reporting Canucks GM Patrik Allvin contacted the Boston Bruins to discuss bringing Nikita Zadorov back to Vancouver. Dhaliwal claimed it was a “short conversation” and wasn’t major.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadorov was traded to the Canucks last November by the Calgary Flames. He signed a six-year contract with the Boston Bruins in July with an average annual value of $5 million. The deal includes a full no-movement clause for this season.

The Canucks had their chance to sign Zadorov last summer but balked because he was asking for more than they were willing to pay. They’re pressed for cap space and can’t afford to take on his contract now.

ESPN: Kevin Weekes took to “X” reporting the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets are among the teams interested in Nils Hoglander. The 24-year-old Canucks forward signed a three-year contract extension with an AAV of $3 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoglander had a career-high 24 goals last season but only two goals and five points in 22 games thus far. He could become a trade chip to bring in a top-four defenseman.

THE LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is “listening to just about anything” regarding his club’s pending UFAs. They include defenseman David Savard and forwards Jake Evans, Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia.

Hughes could also be willing to entertain offers for Mike Matheson. The 30-year-old defenseman has another year left on his contract with an AAV of $4.88 million. Matheson is currently nursing a lower-body injury but when healthy, he could be a valuable trade chip. He has 13 points in 20 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on where the Canadiens are in the standings by the trade deadline. Some of those players could be on the move if the Habs are once again out of playoff contention. Matheson could have more value given he’s still in his prime and has another year left on his contract.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wondering if the Pittsburgh Penguins might inquire about the availability of young Canadiens forward Kirby Dach. Friedman’s cohost Kyle Bukauskas doubted the Habs would give up on Dach this early in his career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Let’s be clear, Friedman isn’t saying the Penguins are calling about Dach, he’s just spitballing here.

I agree with Bukauskas. Dach is struggling after missing all but one game last season with a knee injury. It takes time to come back from something like that. Hughes will be patient with Dach unless someone makes a mindblowing offer for him.

WILL THE AVALANCHE PURSUE A GOALTENDER?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently looked at possible goaltending options for the Colorado Avalanche. He and co-host Tyler Yaremchuk believe there is “no more urgent goaltending situation in the NHL than the Colorado Avalanche,” pointing out they need an upgrade over the current tandem of Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen.

Seravalli doubts they can afford to take on the contract of Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson. His suggested options include Mackenzie Blackwood of the San Jose Sharks and Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Sharks aren’t in a hurry to move Blackwood. Neither are the Flames, who are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.

Sharks GM Mike Grier will likely wait until the March trade deadline to peddle Blackwood to get the best possible return. Vladar probably won’t be moved if the Flames remain in the postseason hunt.

COULD THE OILERS TARGET A TOP-FOUR DEFENSEMAN

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Bob Stauffer of “Oilers Now” suggesting the Oilers have their eye on a top-four defenseman who can play the right side with a left-handed shot who can move the puck.

Stauffer wouldn’t say who the Oilers could target. Staples speculates it could be Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen, Detroit’s Ben Chiarot or Ottawa’s Nick Jensen.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2024

by | Nov 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2024

Recapping the action of Friday’s 14 games in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny scored two goals as his club upset the New York Rangers 3-1. Bobby Brink also scored and Ivan Fedotov stopped 22 shots for the Flyers as they moved into the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 25 points (11-10-3). Vincent Trocheck replied for the Rangers, who’ve lost five in a row and hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 25 points (12-9-1).

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers look nothing like the dominant club that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season. General manager Chris Drury miscalculated if he felt that publicly shopping some of his veterans in the trade market would light a fire under this team. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon scored twice as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves as he remains unbeaten in regulation (5-0-1) this season. Ryan Donato tallied both goals for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit will remain sidelined for another six weeks after undergoing a second procedure on his right knee.

The Vancouver Canucks blew a 3-1 lead but got a 4-3 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Connor Garland had two goals (including the winning goal) and an assist and Kevin Lankinen turned aside 31 shots for the Canucks. Sabres forward Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Sam Lafferty left this game with a lower-body injury.

Power-play goals by Dougie Hamilton, Timo Meier and Jack Hughes carried the New Jersey Devils over the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. Hamilton, Meier and Hughes each finished with two points. Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko also had a goal and an assist while teammate Lucas Raymond scored to extend his goal streak to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Tomas Tatar left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. His status is unclear for Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The Devils sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 34 points.

The Washington Capitals overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 on an overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun. Tom Wilson had two goals, Dylan Strome scored a goal and two assists and Connor McMichael had three helpers for the Capitals. Simon Holmstrom scored twice and Anders Lee had a goal and two assists for the Islanders, who have only two wins in their last 10 games (2-4-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was a last-minute scratch as he’s dealing with a lower-body issue.

Three unanswered third-period goals by A.J. Greer, Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett carried the Florida Panthers over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 6-3. This was Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad’s 700th career NHL regular-season game. Seth Jarvis, Sean Walker and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win moves the Panthers into first place in the Atlantic Division with 29 points, one ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Columbus Blue Jackets extended their points streak to five games (4-0-1) with a 5-2 upset of the Calgary Flames. Adam Fantilli scored two goals, and Kirill Marchenko had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets. Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extended his points streak to seven games with a goal and an assist.

An overtime power-play goal by Brayden Point gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning while Roman Josi netted both goals for the Predators, who’ve dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nashville winger Steven Stamkos wasn’t pleased with his club’s work ethic against his former team. It’s been a difficult season for Stamkos with seven goals and 12 points in 24 games since signing with the Predators this summer.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Erik Portillo turned aside 28 shots in his NHL debut to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Alex Turcotte and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings while Ryan Strome replied for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings placed center Akil Thomas (undisclosed) on injured reserve ahead of this contest. He was injured during Monday’s 7-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose Sharks rookies Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith each had a goal and an assist in an 8-5 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Ethan Cardwell tallied his first NHL goal for the Sharks and Jake Walman tallied twice. Kraken center Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists and teammate Shane Wright potted two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are still rebuilding and aren’t expected to be a playoff club this season. Nevertheless, promising youngsters like Celebrini, Smith and William Eklund and veterans like Mikael Granlund, Tyler Toffoli, Mackenzie Blackwood and Alexander Wennberg have turned this group into an entertaining team. It’s a refreshing change from the moribund bunch that floundered at the bottom of the standings in 2023-24.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got a game-winning goal from recently acquired winger Philip Tomasino to nip the Boston Bruins 2-1. Penguins winger Rickard Rakell also scored and Tristan Jarry got the win with a 31-save performance. Charlie Coyle scored for the Bruins as Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden scored twice, including the game-winner, in a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. It’s the first time Howden has reached 10 goals in a season. Ivan Barbashev also tallied two goals for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 33 points. Cole Perfetti scored twice for the Jets, who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winnipeg remains atop the overall standings with 36 points but they’ve cooled from their red-hot start of 17 wins in their first 20 games. The Jets activated defenseman Logan Stanley off injured reserve for this game.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment scored two goals and collected an assist as his club defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and an assist for the Stars while Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had two points for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz returned to action after missing the club’s previous game with an undisclosed ailment. However, teammate Logan Stankoven missed this game with a minor injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins lifted the Edmonton Oilers over the Utah Hockey Club 4-3. His teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist, Evan Bouchard had two assists and Calvin Pickard kicked out 28 shots for the win. Alexander Kerfoot, Logan Cooley and Lawson Crouse scored for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman Maveric Lamoureux missed this game as he’s sidelined for four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies will return from injuries in Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues activated defenseman Philip Broberg off injured reserve. He could return to action on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.