NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2024

by | Mar 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games feature the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon moving into a tie for the league scoring lead, the Devils fire head coach Lindy Ruff, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and collected two assists in a 5-0 romp over the Chicago Blackhawks. Justus Annunen collected his second straight shutout over the Blackhawks with a 37-save performance for the 38-20-5 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 81 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 32 shots for the 15-42-5 Blackhawks, who are winless in their last seven games (0-5-2).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon extended his season-opening home points streak to 30 games and tied Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov for the scoring lead with 105 points.

The Florida Panthers picked up their fifth straight win by doubling up on the New York Rangers 4-2. Sam Reinhart tallied twice, Aleksander Barkov picked up two assists and Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 26 shots for the Panthers (42-16-4) as they remain atop the overall standings with 88 points. Will Cuylle and Chris Kreider replied for the 40-18-4 Rangers, who lead the Metropolitan Division with 84 points but slipped to fourth in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart took over sole possession of second place in the goal-scoring race with 44 goals.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha scored two goals and David Pastrnak had three assists in a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 32 shots for the Bruins (36-13-14) as they moved into second place in the overall standings with 86 points. John Tavares scored for the 35-18-8 Leafs, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets upset the Vegas Golden Knights 6-3 as Alex Nylander tallied his first career NHL hat trick. Daniil Tarasov made 37 saves for the 21-30-10 Blue Jackets. Vegas center Jack Eichel was held scoreless in his first game since being sidelined on Jan. 11 with a knee injury. The Golden Knights (33-22-7) remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 73 points but have just two wins (2-7-1) in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the Golden Knights activated Eichel off long-term injury reserve they placed captain Mark Stone (upper body) on LTIR. That leaves them with roughly $7.3 million in salary-cap flexibility to put toward adding to their roster by Friday’s trade deadline.

A shootout goal by Pavel Buchnevich lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Jordan Binnington stopped 40 shots for the 32-26-3 Blues (67 points) as they kept their playoff hopes alive by moving within five points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Scott Laughton scored for the Flyers (32-23-8) to remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points.

The Seattle Kraken snapped the Calgary Flames’ five-game win streak with a 4-2 victory. Philipp Grubauer made 35 saves while Jared McCann had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (27-23-11). Andrei Kuzmenko tallied both goals for the 30-26-5 Flames. Both teams have 65 points and sit seven points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames forward Martin Pospisil faces supplemental discipline following his ejection from this game for hitting Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn from behind.

Before this game, the Kraken announced they scratched center Alex Wennberg from this game for trade-related reasons. The Rangers and Avalanche are among the clubs rumored to be interested in Wennberg, who could be on the move before Friday’s trade deadline.

HEADLINES

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils yesterday fired head coach Lindy Ruff. Associate coach Travis Green has taken over on an interim basis.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils management had to do something to shake things up. Their playoff hopes are fading and they’re struggling to land a reliable starting netminder in the trade market.

Ruff had difficulty finding solutions to the Devils’ problems this season but I don’t consider him solely to blame. They probably wouldn’t be in their current predicament if they had better goaltending and a healthier roster. It’ll be interesting to see if Green has better luck finding a solution than his predecessor.

NHL.COM: Defensemen dominate the league’s three stars for the week ending March 3. Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi was the first star, followed by the Florida Panthers’ Brandon Montour and the Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will be sidelined for the next two weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: How well the Wings adjust to Larkin’s absence could determine whether they clinch their first playoff berth since 2016. They hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed forward Tommy Novak to a three-year, $10.5-million contract extension. His annual average value is $3.5 million. The 26-year-old center was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Novak drew some interest in the trade market amid speculation about whether the Predators would re-sign him. This isn’t a sign-and-trade scenario as the Preds want to keep Novak in the fold.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes signed former Anaheim Ducks winger Max Comtois to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level. The 25-year-old has 28 points in 45 games this season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is an affordable depth addition by the Hurricanes as they prepare to bolster their roster for the playoffs. It’s unlikely that this is the only move they’ll have in store before Friday’s trade deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 4, 2024

by | Mar 4, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 4, 2024

The trade deadline is Friday at 3 pm ET. Check out the latest on the Bruins, Stars, Sabres, Predators, Leafs, Lightning, Avalanche and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TRADE RUMORS FROM JEFF MAREK’S LATEST “RINK FRIES”.

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek shared some interesting trade speculation in his latest “Rink Fries” column.

Marek pointed out that Boston Bruins goaltending prospect Brandon Bussi will require waivers next season. He speculates they could draw on their depth between the pipes to address other roster needs. That doesn’t mean they’ll trade Linus Ullmark at the trade deadline as they can wait until the summer or next season to move him. Getting Jeremy Swayman signed is also a consideration.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited a source claiming a market exists for Ullmark, citing Western clubs such as the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings that need help between the pipes.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images).

Ullmark and Swayman are among the reasons the Bruins exceeded expectations by jockeying for first place in the overall standings in what’s supposed to be a transition season.

Moving one of them could help them add a center or a defenseman but it’s rare nowadays for a goalie (even a former Vezina Trophy winner) to fetch a significant return in the trade market. Bussi’s inexperience at the NHL level could weaken them down the stretch and into the playoffs.

Ullmark’s $5 million cap hit through next season won’t be easy to move. Too many teams have limited cap space. His 16-team no-trade clause also complicates things.

The Dallas Stars could look to add to their blueline despite acquiring Chris Tanev last week from the Calgary Flames. He speculates they could target Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers head coach John Tortorella recently said his club isn’t shopping Seeler. Nevertheless, they could listen to offers if someone is willing to overpay by offering up a first-round pick. If not, they’ll be content to stick with Seeler as they attempt to secure a playoff spot.

Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo could be on the move by the deadline. Marek cited his colleague Elliotte Friedman suggesting the New York Rangers as a trade destination. He also indicated that defenseman Erik Johnson’s name is in the rumor mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers seek a reliable right winger to skate alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider on their second line. Okposo, 35, might be unable to address that need at this point in his career. The Blueshirts are linked to Anaheim Ducks winger Frank Vatrano.

Marek suggests keeping an eye on Nashville Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier. He’s on an expiring contract “and most likely to be moved” to make room for promising Spencer Stastney.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators have surged up the standings over the last three weeks. They might not be as keen to move Carrier as they might’ve been a month ago. Still, Predators GM Barry Trotz could listen to offers if someone is willing to overpay for him.

THE LATEST ON THE LEAFS, LIGHTNING, AVALANCHE & CANADIENS

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan reports rumors link the Maple Leafs to right-shot defensemen such as Matt Dumba of the Arizona Coyotes, Sean Walker of the Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville’s Alexandre Carrier.

Koshan noted that Leafs GM Brad Treliving has two fewer assets to work with after trading a third-round pick and a sixth-rounder to acquire Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks last week. Lyubushkin was injured in Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers and the Leafs are hoping he won’t be out of the lineup for long.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes beat writer Craig Morgan believes Dumba’s value might be a third-round pick. However, that could rise to a second-rounder if the Coyotes are willing to retain half of his $3.9 million cap hit.

Like Seeler, the Flyers aren’t shopping Walker but could listen to offers. They reportedly seek a first-round pick for the 29-year-old blueliner. They’re content to stick with him for the rest of the season if no one meets their asking price.

As I mentioned, Carrier surfaced in the rumor mill several weeks ago when the Predators faced falling out of the Western Conference playoff race. Their recent surge into the first wild-card position could make them less interested in moving him.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina believes Lightning GM Julien BriseBois will be in the market for players with term remaining on their contracts or those they believe they can keep beyond this season.

He noted that rumors have linked the Lightning to Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin. They need a replacement for blueliner Mikhail Sergachev as the latter is out for the season recovering from leg surgery. Placing him on long-term injury reserve frees up nearly $7.4 million in salary-cap flexibility.

Encina noted that the Lightning doesn’t have much draft capital to draw on for trade bait. They might have to use prospects such as Isaac Howard and Ethan Gauthier as trade bait.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning hold the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. BriseBois could swing a deal to shore up his defense corps and perhaps add a gritty checking forward. Given his recent trade history and the reports of Tampa Bay being Hanifin’s preferred destination, we can’t rule out the Lightning making another big splash.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak noted the Colorado Avalanche garnered more salary-cap flexibility by trading Kurtis MacDermid to the New Jersey Devils. That’s prompted speculation they’re preparing to be buyers at the upcoming trade deadline.

Trying to outbid other teams will be challenging for the Avalanche. They lack a second and a third-round pick in this year’s draft and could end up dangling prospects such as Calum Ritchie, Mikhail Gulyayev and Sean Behrens as trade bait. Future salary-cap complications could result in a defenseman like Bowen Byram or Samuel Girard becoming a trade candidate if the Avs hope to land an impact player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Peddling Byram or Girard should only be for a player they can retain beyond this season. It would be a waste of a quality asset to ship out one of them for a rental player.

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu noted there’s no certainty the Montreal Canadiens will trade defenseman David Savard by the deadline. He has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $3.5 million. The Canadiens aren’t eager to move him because he mentors their young blueliners. What is clear is the asking price starts with a first-round pick if a team wants the Canadiens to retain half of that cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Basu noted that Toronto Maple Leafs assistant GM Ryan Hardy has attended a few Canadiens games lately. He could be scouting Savard or conducting due diligence as the two clubs face each other on March 9 following the trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2024

by | Mar 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2024

Recaps of Sunday’s games, Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov is sent to their AHL affiliate, the Rangers sign Jonathan Quick to a contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his points streak to 11 games in a 6-1 thrashing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zach Hyman tallied twice and Leon Draisaitl collected three assists for the Oilers (37-20-2) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Evgeni Malkin replied for the 27-24-8 Penguins (62 points). They have lost three straight games and are 10 points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman has 42 goals this season and is on pace to crack the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in his career. He’s also tied with Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart for second place in the goal-scoring race. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews leads the league with 53 goals.

Speaking of McDavid, he now has 97 points and sits four back of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the points race. Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is the league leader with 105 points.

As for the Penguins, they have no choice but to become sellers leading up to Friday’s trade deadline. Their hopes of a bounce-back performance after missing the playoff last season are all but dashed now.

The Vancouver Canucks moved within one point of the league-leading Florida Panthers by nipping the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Conor Garland’s tie-breaker in the second period was the game-winner for the 39-17-7 Canucks, who sit second in the overall standings with 85 points. Alex Killorn scored and Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for the 22-36-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks played without defenseman Tyler Myers. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Josh Morrissey, Morgan Barron, Vladislav Namestnikov and Sean Monahan were the goal scorers as the Jets improved to 39-16-5 and took over first place in the Central Division with 83 points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 30 saves for the 29-29-4 Sabres.

Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault netted a hat trick as his club defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-1. Kevin Fiala had a goal and two assists while Cam Talbot turned aside 30 shots for the Kings (31-19-10) as they hold the first Western Conference wildcard spot with 72 points. Timo Meier scored for the 30-27-4 Devils (64 points), who sit eight points out of the final Eastern wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Eastern clubs with fading playoff hopes, the Devils will need an immediate boost by Friday’s trade deadline or they can forget about qualifying for the 2024 postseason. Some observers suggest replacing Lindy Ruff as head coach but a new bench boss won’t improve their goaltending and blueline depth.

The Minnesota Wild got a hat trick from Kirill Kaprizov in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matt Boldy collected two assists for the 29-27-6 Wild (64 points), who sit eight points out of the final Western wild-card berth. Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 28 shots for the 15-39-6 Sharks.

Arizona Coyotes forward Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists as his club downed the Washington Capitals 5-2. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and an assist for the 25-31-5 Coyotes. Anthony Mantha tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 28-23-9 Capitals, who sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Capitals announced they were sending center Evgeny Kuznetsov to their AHL affiliate in Hershey after he cleared waivers yesterday. Kuznetsov was recently cleared to resume practicing with the Capitals by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. It’s unclear if he’ll report to or play for Hershey.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed goaltender Jonathan Quick to a one-year, $1.275 million contract extension. Quick, 38, has rebounded from an eventful 2022-23 season to become Igor Shesterkin’s backup with a record of 13-5-2 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn left labrum.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL winger Tim Ecclestone, 76, passed away on March 2. He played 11 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames from 1967-68 to 1977-78, scoring 126 goals and 233 assists for 359 points in 692 regular-season games and 17 points in 48 playoff contests. He remained in Atlanta following his playing career and became a restaurateur.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Ecclestone’s family, friends and former teammates.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 3, 2024

by | Mar 3, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 3, 2024

Check out the latest on the Flames’ Noah Hanifin and Jacob Markstrom and the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel plus updates on the Hurricanes, Flyers and Sabres in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

HANIFIN FOCUSING ON FLORIDA TEAMS?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports it’s believed that the Tampa Bay Lightning are the preferred trade destination for Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin. He felt if it were easy to do, it would have been done by now. “Everyone continues to work at it,” he said, adding that it remains to be seen how Hanifin and the Flames proceed if they can’t get a deal done with the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A significant hurdle will be landing a suitable return from the Lightning.

They have the cap space ($7.3 million) with Mikhail Sergachev on LTIR for the remainder of the regular season. However, they don’t have any first-round picks in 2024 or 2025 to draw on for trade bait plus they lack second and fourth-rounders in this year’s draft.

Meanwhile, their prospect pipeline is ranked 29th by The Athletic with Isaac Howard and Ethan Gauthier as their top young players. Trading one of them further depletes their prospect pool, which is a concern for an aging roster whose Stanley Cup window has likely closed.

Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin (NHL Images).

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports he’s been told the Florida Panthers are making a push for Hanifin. He wondered how that could affect core defensemen Brandon Montour and Gustav Forsling. Both of them are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Hanifin is willing to join the Panthers (currently in first place in the overall standings) and sign a contract extension it could affect Forsling. Like Hanifin, he’s a left-shot defenseman whereas Montour is a right-shot blueliner.

UPDATE ON MARKSTROM

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman talked about Jacob Markstrom’s remarks on Friday where he said he felt the Flames could’ve handled his situation better regarding a rumored trade to the New Jersey Devils.

Friedman believes Markstrom is upset that Flames management approached him about the possibility of a deal with the Devils. He indicated he would be willing to consider going to New Jersey but then the plans changed and the trade didn’t happen. Then at some point, management informed Markstrom that they preferred to keep him because he’s playing great and the team is doing so well.

The Devils have identified Markstrom as their top target. Friedman has heard they’re prepared to revisit their interest in the Flames goalie this summer if they don’t acquire a goalie with term by the March 8 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The sticking point in that deal was the Devils wanted the Flames to retain a portion of Markstrom’s $6 million average annual value through 2025-26. It fell apart because the Flames refused.

On Friday, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Devils are now willing to take on Markstrom’s entire cap hit. Whether that prompts a change of heart for Flames GM Craig Conroy remains to be seen, especially with his club continuing to remain in the playoff hunt. If Markstrom is bothered by all of this he’s not letting it affect his performance.

PENGUINS SEEKING PROSPECTS OVER DRAFT PICKS FOR GUENTZEL

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Pittsburgh Penguins have told teams they’re more interested in acquiring two prospects as part of the return for Jake Guentzel over a prospect and a draft pick. If they must take back a contract in the deal, that could change the dynamic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins GM Kyle Dubas wants his roster to get younger as soon as possible without going into a full-scale rebuild. Prospects could get into the lineup quicker than draft picks.

Speaking of the Penguins, Friedman believes they’ve told sidelined winger Bryan Rust that they won’t ask him to waive his no-movement clause.

LATEST ON THE HURRICANES, FLYERS AND SABRES

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock reports Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell could move one of his four goaltenders once starter Frederik Andersen returns to action. Andersen has been sidelined for most of this season with a blood-clotting issue.

The Hurricanes were once thought to be in the market for a goalie. However, that has quieted with the solid play of rookie Pyotr Kochetkov, Antti Raanta’s recovery from injury and the addition of Spencer Martin off waivers. One could be moved to free up salary cap space for the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raanta or Martin seems likely to hit the trade block or get placed on waivers.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller reports Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella said his team isn’t actively shopping defenseman Nick Seeler. Tortorella praised the 30-year-old Seeler, calling him “one of the true competitors that I’ve ever coached as far as he handles himself.”

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski reports the Sabres are getting more calls about Erik Johnson as the market for defensemen thins out following Chris Tanev’s trade to Dallas and Toronto’s acquisition of Ilya Lyubushkin.

Like those two, Johnston is a right-shot blueliner. He’s also respected for his penalty-killing, shot-blocking and leadership. He’s also two years removed from winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 3, 2024

by | Mar 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 3, 2024

The Flames honor Miikka Kiprusoff and rally to beat the Penguins, the Jets overcome a three-goal deficit to down the Hurricanes, the Predators pick up their eighth straight win, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames retired Miikka Kiprusoff’s No. 34 in a pregame ceremony and scored three third-period goals to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman and Yegor Sharangovich were the goal scorers for the Flames after the Penguins made it 3-1 early in the third. Sharangovich finished with two goals for the 30-25-5 Flames (65 points) as they picked up their fifth straight win and sit five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. The Penguins sank to 27-23-8 (62 points) and are 10 points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kiprusoff earned the accolades and the undying love of Flames fans. He holds the franchise single-season records for wins (45), goals-against average (1.69), save percentage (.933) and shutouts (10), and is the franchise leader among goalies for games played (576), wins (305), GAA (2.46), SP (.913) and shutouts (41).

A five-goal third period lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Sean Monahan netted the game-winning goal, Nino Niederreiter tallied twice and Josh Morrissey collected three assists for the Jets (38-16-5) as they sit in second place in the Central Division with 81 points. Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov each had two points for the Hurricanes (36-19-6) as they remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points.

Nashville Predators forward Cody Glass (NHL Images)

Nashville Predators forward Cody Glass netted his first career NHL hat trick in a 5-1 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. The Predators (35-25-2) extended their win streak to eight games and moved ahead of the Los Angeles Kings into the first Western wild-card spot with 72 points. Nathan MacKinnon scored and remains second in the scoring race with 101 points while his Avalanche (37-20-5) are third in the Central Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Predators, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports they’re making progress on a contract extension for forward Tommy Novak, who was a player of interest in the trade market as the March 8 deadline approaches. It’s also safe to assume that the Predators won’t be moving goaltender Juuse Saros as they attempt to lock down a playoff berth.

The league-leading Florida Panthers picked up their 10th win in their last 11 games by blanking the Detroit Red Wings 4-0. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves for the shutout and Brandon Montour had a goal and two assists for the 41-16-4 Panthers as they sit atop the overall standings with 86 points. Patrick Kane’s points streak ended at 10 games as his Red Wings (33-22-6) hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 72 points.

A shootout goal by Max Domi gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. Ilya Samsonov stopped 32 shots while William Nylander scored to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Leafs (35-17-8) hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Vincent Trocheck scored two goals and Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and two assists for the 40-17-4 Rangers, who sit second overall with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ilya Lyubushkin’s first game back with the Leafs after being reacquired from the Anaheim Ducks lasted two periods before leaving the game after taking a big hit from Rangers forward Matt Rempe. There was no immediate word postgame regarding his condition. Before the game, the Leafs activated forward Calle Jarnkrok off injured reserve and sent forward Nick Robertson to their AHL affiliate.

The New York Islanders picked up their third straight victory by upsetting the Boston Bruins 5-1, handing the latter their fourth loss in their last five games. Kyle Palmieri led the way with a hat trick plus an assist for the 26-20-14 Islanders (66 points) as they sit six points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern wild-card spot. Marc McLaughlin scored for the 35-13-14 Bruins as they’re perched in third place in the overall standings with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins also lost forward Pavel Zacha as he left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. There was no immediate word following the game regarding his condition.

Speaking of the Lightning, they nipped the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on a shootout goal by Victor Hedman. Nikita Kucherov collected an assist to lead the scoring race with 105 points as the Lightning improved to 33-25-6 (72 points). The Canadiens dropped to 23-28-10 (56 points) and are winless in six of their last seven games (1-5-1).

A shootout goal by Jamie Benn gave the Dallas Stars a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Jason Robertson scored the tying goal for the Stars (37-17-9), who hold first place in the Central Division with 83 points. Magnus Chrona kicked out 36 shots for the 15-38-6 Sharks.

The Edmonton Oilers beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Leon Draisaitl netted his 30th goal of the season and collected an assist and Connor McDavid had an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games. The Oilers (36-20-2) picked up their third straight win and vaulted over the Vegas Golden Knights into second place in the Pacific Division with 74 points. Eeli Tolvanen replied for the 26-23-11 Kraken (63 points), who are seven points out of the final Western wild-card berth.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights were thumped by the Buffalo Sabres 7-2. Jeff Skinner and Owen Power each had a goal and two assists and Dylan Cozens tallied twice for the 29-28-4 Sabres (62 points). Brendan Brisson and William Karlsson scored for the 33-21-7 Golden Knights (73 points) as they’ve won just three of their last 10 games.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Tyson Foerster scored two goals in a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. Felix Sandstrom stopped 23 shots for the 32-23-7 Flyers, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points. Vladimir Tarasenko and Thomas Chabot scored for the 25-31-3 Senators.

The St. Louis Blues kept their playoff hopes alive by taming the Minnesota Wild 3-1. Torey Krug had a goal and an assist, Jake Neighbours tallied his 20th goal of the season and Jordan Binnington turned aside 21 shots for the Blues (31-26-3) as they sit five points behind the Kings with 65 points. Jon Merrill replied for the 28-27-6 Wild (62 points) as they’ve dropped three straight and are eight points behind the Kings.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger scored in his third straight game in a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Zach Werenski and Jack Roslovic each had two assists for the 20-30-10 Blue Jackets. Philipp Kurashev and Ryan Donato each had a goal and an assist for the 15-41-5 Blackhawks.










Vancouver Canucks Sign Elias Pettersson To A Contract Extension

by | Mar 2, 2024

Vancouver Canucks Sign Elias Pettersson To A Contract Extension

The Vancouver Canucks announced they’ve signed Elias Pettersson to an eight-year, $92.8 million contract extension. The average annual value is $11.6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Chris Johnston reports Pettersson will carry the NHL’s fifth-highest cap hit starting next season. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews leads the pack with $13.25 million, followed by the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million), the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid ($12.5 million) and the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin ($11.642 million).

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

It’s also just slightly more than Toronto’s William Nylander. On January 8, he inked an eight-year, $92 million contract ($11.5 million AAV).

Some of you will argue that the Canucks overpaid for Pettersson and that he’s not worth that much. However, the stats say otherwise. Since his Calder Trophy debut in 2018-19, he leads the Canucks in total goals (165) and points (398) while sitting third in assists with 165. He’s regularly finished among their top-two scorers each season (including two first-place finishes) except for his injury-shortened 2020-21 campaign.

Pettersson tallied a career-high 102 points last season, becoming the first Canuck to reach 100 points since Daniel Sedin in 2010-11 and only the fifth in franchise history to do so. With 75 points in 62 games this season, he could reach 100 points again.

The Canucks are enjoying their best season in years, jockeying for first place in the overall standings. They believe their Stanley Cup window is opening. To win hockey’s holy grail, they need a strong core.

Pettersson is key to that core and will remain so through his playing prime. If he maintains his recent offensive output throughout that contract it will be money well spent.