Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 17, 2024

by | Mar 17, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 17, 2024

A look at some of the notable players in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

REINHART, GUENTZEL, STAMKOS AMONG THIS SUMMER’S NOTABLE UFA CLASS

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the latest rumors and reports regarding the top players in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart tops this list. He is due for a significant raise over his average annual value of $6.5 million. With the 28-year-old Reinhart poised to score 50 goals this season, the Panthers intend to take a serious run at extending his contract.

The lack of a state tax gives the Panthers a chance at re-signing Reinhart if he accepts a little less than teammates Aleksander Barkov ($10 million) and Matthew Tkachuk ($9.5 million). He’ll draw lots of interest if he goes to market but he “absolutely” wants to stay put.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think the two sides will get it done. Discussions have reportedly been ongoing between the Panthers and the Reinhart camp. I can see him getting $8.5 million annually on a long-term deal.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel will be in high demand if he tests the market on July 1. Fox suggested Patrik Laine’s contract ($8.7 million AAV) would be a suitable comparable for the 29-year-old Guentzel with the Hurricanes or another team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes could re-sign Guentzel if he becomes a good fit and wants to stay. With a projected $30.7 million in cap space for next season and 13 roster players under contract, there’s room to keep him. That could mean letting Teuvo Teravainen depart via free agency or trading restricted free-agent winger Martin Necas.

Elias Lindholm’s low production since joining the Vancouver Canucks and their recent re-signing of Elias Pettersson suggests Lindholm is a pure rental player this season. Fox noted that the 28-year-old two-way center’s stock is in decline but a strong performance in the postseason should bolster his value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm was linked to the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers before the Canucks acquired him from the Calgary Flames. He’s seeing third-line center duty in Vancouver right now but there could be teams willing to bet that his performance will rebound in a top-six role.

The Vegas Golden Knights have several high-profile UFAs and can’t afford to keep them all. However, there’s mutual interest between Vegas management and defenseman Noah Hanifin regarding an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could mean bidding farewell to 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault. There haven’t been any contract talks between management and the 33-year-old winger.

Speaking of Marchessault, he said that the value of his next contract is motivating his performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchessault is making an AAV of $5 million as he finishes a six-year contract. Given his age, he likely won’t get any offers over four years but he could seek around $7 million annually on a three or four-year deal. He seems destined to hit the open market.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos raised eyebrows last September when he voiced his disappointment over the lack of contract extension talks last summer. He might have to accept a pay cut if he hopes to finish his career with the only team he’s played for in his 16-year NHL career. The Lightning have over $75 million invested in next season’s payroll.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 34-year-old Bolts captain is earning an AAV of $8.5 million, considered below market value when he signed his current deal in 2016. He could accept another pay cut but could draw the line at anything under $6 million annually.

Matt Duchene has improved his stock this season with the Dallas Stars. The 33-year-old center could have more suitors this time around.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duchene was bought out by the Nashville Predators last summer as a cost-cutting measure after his production dropped from 86 points in 2022-23 to 56 points last season. Signed to a one-year, $3 million contract by the Stars, he has 58 points in 67 games. He’ll be receiving buyout payments for the next five seasons so perhaps he’d be willing to sign a three-year deal with the Stars for around $4 million annually.

Defenseman Brett Pesce could price himself away from the Carolina Hurricanes, who have several other players on expiring contracts. Fox believes the Toronto Maple Leafs could be among the suitors if the 29-year-old Pesce goes to market on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce’s current AAV is $4.025 million. It could cost the Leafs (or anyone else) over $6 million annually to sign him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2024

by | Mar 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2024

A five-point game for the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin, the Bruins regain first place in the overall standings and milestone performances for the Canucks’ Quinn Hughes, the Capitals T.J. Oshie and the Oilers’ Corey Perry in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings snapped their seven-game losing skid by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Patrick Kane snapped a 1-1 tie while James Reimer made 25 saves for the 34-27-6 Red Wings, who hold sole possession of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 74 points. Tage Thompson scored his 20th goal of the season for the 32-31-5 Sabres as they sit five points back of the Wings.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk’s hat trick powered his club to a 4-3 overtime victory over the New York Islanders. Tkachuk’s game-winner was also his 30th goal of the season for the 28-33-4 Senators and the third straight season he’s reached that plateau. Bo Horvat sent the game into overtime for the Islanders (29-22-15) as they sit one one behind the Wings.

The Washington Capitals remain in the Eastern Conference playoff chase by nipping the Vancouver Canucks 2-1. Alex Ovechkin broke a 1-1 tie with his 841st career goal for the Capitals (32-25-9) as they move ahead of the Islanders and one point back of the Wings with 73 points. Brock Boeser tallied his 36th goal of the season for the Western Conference-leading Canucks (42-18-8) as they slipped into fourth in the overall standings with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quinn Hughes collected an assist to set a new single-season points record for Canucks defensemen with 77, breaking his old record of 76 set last season. Meanwhile, Capitals winger T.J. Oshie played in his 1,000th career NHL game.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin scored two goals and collected three assists in a 7-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Chris Kreider and K’Andre Miller each had a goal and two assists for the Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers (44-19-4) as they moved ahead of the Canucks into third in the overall standings with 92 points. Bryan Rust and Lars Eller each had a goal and an assist for the 29-28-9 Penguins.

The Boston Bruins held off the Philadelphia Flyers 6-5 to take over sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 95 points. Charlie Coyle scored twice and Jake DeBrusk had a goal and an assist for the 40-14-15 Bruins. Joel Farabee tallied two goals and Owen Tippett collected three assists for the Flyers (34-26-8) as they cling to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers now hold a three-point lead over the ninth-place Capitals.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored two goals and picked up two assists as his club beat the Florida Panthers 5-3. Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 47 shots and Nikita Kucherov netted his 40th goal of the season for the Lightning (35-25-6) as they hold the first Eastern wildcard berth with 78 points. Sam Reinhart tallied twice to reach 48 goals on the season for the 45-19-4 Panthers, who dropped one point behind the league-leading Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forwards Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues returned to the lineup. Rodrigues missed two games with an ankle injury while Bennett was sidelined for one contest with an undisclosed injury.

Colorado Avalanche center Artturi Lehkonen scored with one second left in overtime in a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Sean Walker tallied two goals for the Central Division-leading Avalanche (43-20-5) as they hold fifth place in the overall standings with 91 points. Stuart Skinner stopped 40 shots for the 40-21-4 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Corey Perry collected an assist for his 900th career point.

The Dallas Stars kept pace with the Avalanche by downing the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Wyatt Johnston scored for the fourth straight game as Scott Wedgewood turned aside 27 shots for the 41-19-9 Stars as they sit second in the Central with 91 points. Kevin Fiala replied for the 34-22-11 Kings, who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars honored franchise Hall-of-Famer Mike Modano by unveiling a statue of him. He played all but one of his 21 NHL seasons with the Stars and is their franchise leader in goals, assists and points. They retired his No. 9 in 2014.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi scored two third-period goals in a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, extending their points streak to 14 games. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist for the Predators (39-25-4) as they hold the first Western Conference wildcard berth with 82 points. Andre Burakovsky scored for the 28-26-12 Kraken.

The St. Louis Blues remain in the Western wildcard hunt after taming the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on a shootout goal by Jordan Kyrou, who also had a goal and an assist in regulation. Robert Thomas collected an assist for his 300th career point as the 35-29-3 Blues (73 points) sit four points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the final wildcard spot. Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist for the Wild (33-27-8) as they sit one point up on the Blues and three back of Vegas.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel’s shootout goal completed a three-goal rally in a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sebastian Aho scored two unanswered third-period goals to tie the game, setting the stage for Guentzel’s winner as the Hurricanes (41-20-6) sit second in the Metro Division with 88 points. John Tavares had a goal and an assist for the 38-19-6 Leafs, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen missed this game with an upper-body injury. Before this game, the Hurricanes announced they’d signed goaltender Spencer Martin to a one-year, $775K contract extension.

The Calgary Flames kept their fading playoff hopes alive with a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Mikael Backlund tallied twice for the 33-29-5 Flames (71 points) as they sit six points out of the final Western wildcard spot. Cole Caufield scored his 20th goal of the season for the 25-31-11 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canadiens announced that head coach Martin St. Louis was taking an indefinite leave of absence for family reasons. Meanwhile, Flames Hall-of-Famer Lanny McDonald received a standing ovation in his return to the Saddledome since suffering a cardiac event last month. The 71-year-old McDonald waved and gave a thumbs-up to the fans.

A three-goal first period powered the Arizona Coyotes to a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist and Karel Vejmelka turned aside 37 shots for the 28-35-5 Coyotes. Nick DeSimone scored for the 32-31-4 Devils (68 points) as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: During this game, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported relocation could be on the table for the Arizona Coyotes if they lose a land auction scheduled for June. The Coyotes intend to build a new arena on that parcel of land and are keen to win the auction. If they don’t, however, Friedman indicated that “the status quo cannot continue”. The club is said to be preparing for both scenarios.

The Columbus Blue Jackets doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Alex Nylander scored twice and picked up an assist for the 23-33-11 Blue Jackets. Fabian Zetterlund scored his 18th goal of the season for the 16-43-7 Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 16, 2024

by | Mar 16, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 16, 2024

What next for the Ducks? Could the playoffs factor into a new contract with the Rangers for Kaapo Kakko? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DUCKS NEED TO BECOME BUYERS

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens believes the Anaheim Ducks must stop being sellers and become buyers in the trade market if they hope to progress in rebuilding their roster.

Stephens isn’t suggesting they blow their cap space on expensive free agents or that they shouldn’t trade a roster player or two for future assets. However, it’s time for general manager Pat Verbeek to use his projected $34 million in cap space and draft capital to add players who can help promising youngsters like Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Trevor Zegras and Pavel Mintyukov.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Verbeek brushed aside the trade rumors about Zegras. He said he wasn’t shopping the 22-year-old forward nor did he receive any calls about him leading up to the March 8 trade deadline.

“We want “Z” to play with us,” said Verbeek following the trade deadline. “Hopefully, he can get through this injury pretty quick and get back on the ice.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks could be worth monitoring during the offseason.

They are well-stocked with young talent on their roster and within their prospect pipeline. With seven picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft (including two first-rounders), they can afford to use some of it to acquire an established player or two. Verbeek could target clubs that are trying to shed salary this summer.

Zegras has been sidelined since Jan. 11 with a broken ankle. His recovery timeline was six to eight weeks. I don’t doubt that Verbeek wants to hang onto Zegras but I wouldn’t be surprised if the trade rumors flare up again in the weeks leading up to the NHL Draft in late June.

PLAYOFFS COULD DETERMINE KAAPO KAKKO’S NEXT CONTRACT

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker believes the 2024 playoffs could determine Kaapo Kakko’s next contract with the Rangers. The 23-year-old winger is slated to become a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights.

Kakko missed 21 games earlier this season with a lower-body injury. His production has been limited to eight goals and 12 points in 45 games as he’s bounced between the first and third lines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko was the subject of some trade speculation before the March deadline. His performance over the rest of this season (including the playoffs) will factor into what type of contract he gets from the Rangers. It won’t be surprising if his name comes up in offseason trade speculation.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 16, 2024

by | Mar 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 16, 2024

Recaps of Friday’s games plus the latest on Brendan Gallagher, Jordan Eberle, Gabriel Vilardi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tyler Toffoli scored his first two goals with the Winnipeg Jets in a 6-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Josh Morrissey collected three assists and Laurent Brossoit turned in a 21-save shutout for the 42-19-5 Jets, who hold first place in the Central Division with 89 points. John Gibson stopped 32 shots for the 23-41-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Jets announced that forward Gabriel Vilardi will be sidelined indefinitely with an enlarged spleen. Meanwhile, Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

The Los Angeles Kings blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Anze Kopitar tallied twice and Cam Talbot kicked out 28 shots for the shutout. Chicago goaltender Arvid Soderblom gave up four goals on 10 shots before being replaced by Petr Mrazek. With a record of 34-21-11, the Kings hold third place in the Pacific Division with 79 points. The Blackhawks dropped to 18-44-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, the Blackhawks recalled winger Lukas Reichel and demoted forward Zach Sanford.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher recently admitted that his mother Della is battling a stage-4 brain cancer called Glioblastoma. He admitted that it has affected him on and off the ice. His sister Bree is running in the BMO Marathon in Vancouver on May 5 and is seeking donations for her fundraising campaign for Brain Cancer Awareness Month in May.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link if you’d like to contribute to Bree Gallagher’s campaign.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Seattle Kraken commemorated Jordan Eberle’s 1,000th career game in a pregame ceremony before Thursday’s game against the Washington Capitals.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok is listed as week-to-week with an injured hand.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders activated defenseman Robert Bortuzzo off long-term injury reserve.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Halifax Mooseheads forward and Blue Jackets prospect Jordan Dumais received a five-game suspension from the Mooseheads related to his recent arrest for DUI in Halifax. Dumais, 19, will miss the remainder of the QMJHL regular season and the opening game of the playoffs.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 15, 2024

by | Mar 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 15, 2024

Check out the latest on Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, Jacob Markstrom, Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman, Filip Hronek and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman doesn’t see Sidney Crosby walking away from the Pittsburgh Penguins next summer without giving management a chance to turn things around. His guess is the Pens will offer Crosby a two or three-year contract extension this summer worth around $10.5 million annually.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers wonder if Crosby might demand a trade to a contender this summer or sign with one next summer as an unrestricted free agent. The Athletic’s Penguins beat writer Rob Rossi maintains that Crosby intends to retire as a Penguin and will sign an extension this summer.

I’m with Rossi on this one. I don’t believe Crosby will demand a trade or sign elsewhere. He’ll finish his NHL career with the Penguins.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Shelly Anderson reports Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson dismissed rumors suggesting he might make his way back to the Ottawa Senators.

“Yeah, that’s Canada for you,” chuckled Karlsson. “I played there for a long time so I kind of know how that game works. They’ve got a lot of things to talk about every day to fill a lot of air time, but they only have a few things to actually discuss.”

Karlsson added, “They like to make up these what-if scenarios. That’s just the way it is, and it’s not something that I really look into or worry about too much.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Karlsson isn’t heading back to Ottawa for a reunion with the Senators. Moving on…

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes this summer’s goalie market will be interesting. He noted the Calgary Flames pulled Jacob Markstrom from the market leading up to last week’s trade deadline as did the Nashville Predators with Juuse Saros. The Boston Bruins looked into moving Linus Ullmark but punted that decision to the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom, 34, has two years left on his contract with an annual average value of $6 million and a full no-movement clause. The 30-year-old Ullmark has one year remaining with an AAV of $5 million and a 16-team no-trade list that drops to a 15-team list on July 1. Saros, 28, also has a year left on his contract with a $5 million cap hit but he lacks no-trade protection.

All three clubs could be willing to listen to offers but they will set high asking prices. Ullmark seems the most likely to move as the Bruins will want to free up some cap space this summer.

The Bruins reportedly rejected “at least one ask about Jeremy Swayman.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman is expected to take over as the Bruins’ full-time starter after this season. He’s on a one-year deal worth $3.475 million and has arbitration rights this summer. It’s believed they’ll try to move Ullmark to free up cap room for Swayman’s new long-term contract.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were “incredibly disappointed” that they failed to acquire Noah Hanifin from the Flames. Friedman wouldn’t be surprised if he signed a contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. He also believes the Dallas Stars will attempt to re-sign Hanifin’s old teammate Chris Tanev.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Golden Knights have 15 roster players under contract for 2024-25 with less than $10 million in cap space. They’ll garner another $5 million if Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve. It could cost them half of that cap space to re-sign Hanifin.

Meanwhile, the Stars have a projected $18.3 million in cap space with 12 active roster players under contract. Joe Pavelski and Matt Duchene will be due for new contracts as well as Tanev.

There are “debates” over Filip Hronek’s contract discussions with the Vancouver Canucks. Friedman doesn’t expect those talks to be anywhere near as complicated as Elias Pettersson’s recent negotiations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “debates” are over whether Hronek will be paid more than Quinn Hughes. He is pulling in an AAV of $7.85 million through 2026-27. Hronek, 26, is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights earning an AAV of $4.4 million. He’s enjoyed a career-best performance with 45 points in 67 games.

The Canucks have already tabled a contract extension to the Hronek camp. Some observers believe he could seek an AAV of over $8 million. Maybe the Canucks try to tempt him with an eight-year deal worth just under Hughes’ annual cap hit in the hope that he’ll prefer the long-term security.

The Edmonton Oilers showed interest in signing recently acquired forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick to contract extensions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have $14.2 million in projected cap space with 13 players under contract. As Friedman said, we’ll see how things shake out during the postseason.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2024

by | Mar 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2024

Big multi-point performances by the Lightning’s Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, the race for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth intensifies, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point had a career-high six points (three goals, three assists) while Nikita Kucherov had a five-point performance (one goal, four assists) in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. The Lightning (35-25-6) tallied four unanswered third-period goals for the win. They hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 76 points. Jack Roslovic had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (43-19-4), who sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov gained some ground (112 points) in the scoring race, sitting three points behind league leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.

Speaking of the Eastern wildcard race, the Washington Capitals (31-25-9) moved to within one point of the New York Islanders for that final berth by nipping the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Connor McMichael snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period for the Capitals, who have 71 points. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored for the 28-25-12 Kraken.

Meanwhile, the Islanders were blanked 4-0 by the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned in a 21-save shutout and Zach Benson scored twice for the Sabres (32-30-5) as they moved to within three points of the Islanders (29-22-14) for that final wildcard spot with 69 points. The Isles cling to that berth with 72 points and have dropped two straight games.

The Detroit Red Wings suffered their seventh straight loss as they fell 4-1 to the Arizona Coyotes Connor Ingram stopped 28 shots while Nick Bjugstad and Clayton Keller each had a goal and an assist for the 27-35-5 Coyotes. Lucas Raymond scored for the Red Wings (33-27-6), who sit just behind the Islanders with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles hold that berth with a game in hand. The Red Wings have been in disarray since team captain Dylan Larkin was sidelined during a 4-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on March 2.

Three unanswered third-period goals by John Ludvig, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins over the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Tristan Jarry made 29 saves for the 29-27-9 Penguins (67 points), as they kept their playoff hopes alive by moving to within five points of the Islanders. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Klim Kostin each had a goal and an assist for the 16-42-7 Sharks.

The New Jersey Devils also stayed alive in the race for that Eastern wildcard berth with a 6-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Jake Allen made 35 saves in his first game with the Devils (32-30-4) since being acquired at last Friday’s trade deadline. With 68 points, they’re four back of the Islanders. Wyatt Johnston and Craig Smith replied for the 40-19-9 Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 89 points.

Turning to the top of the standings, the Carolina Hurricanes downed the league-leading Florida Panthers 4-0. Frederik Andersen made 21 saves for the shutout, Evgeny Kuznetsov tallied his first goal and Jake Guentzel his first assist with the Hurricanes (40-20-6), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 86 points. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 31 shots for the Panthers (45-18-4) as they remain on top of the overall standings with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov was acquired by the Hurricanes before last Friday’s trade deadline. He was named the game’s first star and was moved by the support of the Carolina fans. “I just want to say thanks to the fans. I almost cry a little bit,” he said, acknowledging he’s gone through a difficult stretch on and off the ice in recent years.

Meanwhile, Panthers forwards Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues were held out of this game for precautionary reasons due to their lower-body injuries.

The Boston Bruins (39-14-15) moved to within one point of the Panthers with a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jake DeBrusk scored in overtime and Linus Ullmark made 18 saves for the win. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki tied his career high with his 26th goal of the season as his club dropped to 25-30-11.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 55th goal of the season to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2. Matthews, William Nylander, Tyler Bertuzzi, Pontus Holmberg and Timothy Liljegren each had a goal and an assist for the 38-19-8 Maple Leafs (84 points) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division. Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers (34-25-8) as they remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the first player in Leafs history to reach the 55-goal plateau twice. Meanwhile, his teammate Calle Jarnkrok is expected to miss some time after leaving this game in the second period with an upper-body injury in the second period.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 16 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Zach Bogosian and Kirill Kaprizov were the goal scorers for the 33-27-7 Wild (73 points) as they moved to within four points of the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wildcard spot. Lukas Dostal made 29 saves for the 23-40-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury also reached another career milestone as it was the 75th shutout of his career. He’s 11th on the all-time shutout list, one back of Ed Belfour and Tony Esposito. Meanwhile, his teammate Joel Eriksson Ek missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be sidelined for a few more.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they gave up four goals in the third period in a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. Blake Coleman scored two goals and Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 32-29-5 Flames. Anthony Mantha scored for the Golden Knights (35-24-7) as they hold that final Western wildcard spot with 77 points.

A shootout goal gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anton Forsberg kicked out 35 shots for the 27-33-4 Senators. Boone Jenner scored his 20th goal for the 22-33-11 Blue Jackets.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL and NHLPA reached a settlement regarding Corey Perry’s contract termination earlier this season. Exact details are unknown but this case cannot be used as a precedent in future contract termination discussions.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes’ hopes of building a new arena in Phoenix remain alive. The Arizona State Land Department Board of Appeals approved the $68.5 million appraisal for a portion of land where the Coyotes intend to build. The department can sell the land at auction but must advertise the date within 10 weeks.

TSN: Canada is expected to name St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong as the GM of its Men’s Hockey Team for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: In the “Strange But True” department, a shipment of 18,000 Jaromir Jagr bobblehead dolls was stolen ahead of a planned giveaway by the Penguins to fans who attended Thursday’s game against the Sharks.