NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2024

by | Jan 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2024

Marc-Andre Fleury ties Patrick Roy for career wins, Sam Reinhart and Zach Hyman have hat-trick performances, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard is sidelined with a fractured jaw, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves for his 551st career NHL win in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fleury is tied with Hall-of-Famer Patrick Roy for second on the all-time wins list. Marco Rossi scored the game-winner while Matt Boldy and Brock Faber each collected three points for the 17-17-4 Wild (38 points), who sit three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Cole Sillinger tallied all three goals for the 13-19-9 Blue Jackets.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart collected a hat trick as his club picked up its seventh straight win by dropping the Colorado Avalanche 8-4, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk each had four points and Carter Verhaeghe had three for the red-hot Panthers (25-12-2, 52 points) as they moved within two points of first place in the Eastern Conference. Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin each had two points for the 25-12-3 Avalanche (53 points) as they remain one point out of first place in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played without defenseman Bowen Byram. He’s expected to miss “a handful of games” due to a lower-body injury suffered on Thursday against the Dallas Stars.

Speaking of hat tricks and seven-game win streaks, Zach Hyman’s three goals continued the Edmonton Oilers’ winning ways in a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Evan Bouchard collected three assists while Stuart Skinner made 29 saves for the 20-15-1 Oilers (41 points), who moved into a playoff spot for the first time this season as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Anton Forsberg turned aside 43 shots for the 14-21-0 Senators as their losing skid extended to three games.

A third-period goal by Travis Konecny lifted the Philadelphia Flyers past the Calgary Flames 3-2. Morgan Frost had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (20-13-6) as they snapped a four-game losing skid and sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 46 points. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 39 shots for the 17-17-5 Flames as they are two points out of a Western wild-card spot.

The Boston Bruins rolled to a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Trent Frederic tallied two goals while David Pastrnak, Hampus Lindholm and Matthew Poitras each collected two points as the Bruins 24-8-6 sit atop the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Brayden Point netted two goals for the 19-17-5 Lightning as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have the same number of points as the New York Rangers and the idle Winnipeg Jets. However, the Jets hold first place in the overall standings with 23 regulation wins while the Rangers are second overall with 21 regulation wins. The Bruins have fewer victories.

Speaking of the Rangers, they suffered a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on a shootout goal by Cole Caufield. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist as the Rangers overcame a 3-0 deficit but Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault kicked out 45 shots for the win. The Rangers (26-10-2) hold first place in the Eastern Conference while the Canadiens improved to 17-17-5.

The Vancouver Canucks held off the New Jersey Devils by a score of 6-4. J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson each had two goals and an assist while Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks (25-11-3) as they hold first place in the Pacific Division with 53 points and sit one point out of first place in the overall standings. Colin Miller tallied twice for the 21-15-2 Devils as they cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler left this game with a broken foot from a blocked shot. The Devils also played without Timo Meier as he was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 30 while Jack Hughes missed this game with an upper-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy returned to action nearly two months after being sidelined by a fractured leg. However, blueliner Nikita Zadorov is out with an undisclosed injury while Phillip Di Giuseppe was placed on long-term injury reserve.

A 40-save performance by goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen gave the Buffalo Sabres a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zemgus Girgensons scored the game-winner for the 17-19-4 Sabres. Rickard Rakell replied for the Penguins (19-15-4) as they sit two points out of a wild-card berth in the East with 42 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander scored two goals and an assist in a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks, handing the latter their 11th straight loss. The 20-10-7 Leafs sit third in the Atlantic Division with 47 points while the Sharks (9-28-3) remain at the bottom of the overall standings.

The St. Louis Blues nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 thanks to a 29-save effort by goaltender Jordan Binnington. Brayden Schenn netted the winning goal in the shootout as the Blues (20-17-1) sit just outside the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 41 points. Teuvo Teravainen scored for the 22-13-5 Hurricanes as they extended their points streak to six games and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 49 points.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored twice in the third period as his club held off the Dallas Stars 4-3. Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist each had two points for the 22-17-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card spot with 45 points. Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley each had two points for the Stars (22-11-5) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 49 points.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals each from Jack Eichel and Nicolas Roy in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Logan Thompson stopped 28 shots for the Golden Knights (23-12-5) as they hold second place in the Pacific Division with 51 points. Mathew Barzal and Matt Martin replied for the 18-11-10 Islanders as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Chicago Blackhawks placed rookie star Connor Bedard on injured reserve after he suffered a fractured jaw during Friday’s game against the Devils. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks already have several players sidelined by injuries with Bedard now their ninth player on injured reserve. He could return sometime in mid-February at the earliest but he’s almost certain to miss the 2024 All-Star Game on Feb. 3.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks acquired forward Rem Pitlick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes recalled forward Dylan Guenther on an emergency basis with winger Jason Zucker serving a three-game suspension.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings backup goaltender Pheonix Copley is out for the season following successful ACL surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are using Aaron Dell as Copley’s replacement but they could go into the trade market for a goaltender before the March 8 deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2024

by | Jan 6, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2024

Check out the latest on the Senators and the Blackhawks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau recently looked at which two players the Ottawa Senators will likely shop leading up to the March 8 trade deadline.

Looking at the Senators’ record, Proteau believes they don’t have a chance at reaching the playoffs this season. General manager Steve Staios will have to decide which players to keep and which ones to send packing by the deadline.

Ottawa Senators winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

Winger Vladimir Tarasenko is their best trade asset. He’s on a one-year, $5 million contract and becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The 32-year-old winger currently has eight goals and 24 points in 32 games. Staios could move him for young players and draft picks.

Dominik Kubalik is another trade candidate. The 28-year-old winger is also slated to become a UFA this summer and has eight goals and 11 points in 34 games with a $2.5 million cap hit.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Staios continues his search for veteran help before the trade deadline. He seeks a third-line forward who can help support alternate captain Claude Giroux by acting as a leader for their younger players.

Garrioch also indicated that Shane Pinto is expected to sign a one-year contract worth around $800K. There is speculation that Staois could be discussing a long-term extension with Pinto’s agent but it’s unlikely to be the case.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barring a second-half performance for the ages, the Senators will not make the playoffs this season. Staios will be a seller at the trade deadline.

It will be surprising if Tarasenko and Kubalik aren’t moved by March. As for Pinto, Staios will likely evaluate his performance over the remainder of the schedule before getting into contract talks beyond this season.

Staios will also want a veteran leader or two with term remaining on their contracts. Whoever they bring in must be willing to be there and help to lead their younger players. Staios might have better luck finding those veterans via free agency this summer.

Hiring the right kind of coach will also be necessary for the Senators to make any real progress after this season. We know that Jacques Martin is only a stop-gap measure for the rest of this season. Whoever they hire as their full-time bench boss will have to keep Daniel Alfredsson on the coaching staff. With everything else going on, the new ownership must avoid repeating the mistakes of the past by alienating the popular Senators Hall-of-Famer.

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers dismissed recent speculation suggesting the Chicago Blackhawks could be looking to add big-name talent to their roster for next season. “If you were dreaming of someone like William Nylander, you’re going to be disappointed,” he writes.

Powers noted the Blackhawks will have plenty of salary cap space for 2024-25. “If someone wants to get paid more than market worth on a short-term deal, the Blackhawks would be happy to open their checkbook.” However, it’s unlikely to happen for long-term deals.

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson isn’t likely to deviate from his current rebuilding plans until he has a better idea of the talent available in his prospect pipeline. He doesn’t want to pay a veteran for the next eight years with the money that will be needed to re-sign Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinski when their contracts expire in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will also puncture last week’s speculation suggesting Elias Pettersson will forsake the Vancouver Canucks to join the Blackhawks this summer.

Pettersson is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights playing on a team that is jockeying for first place in the standings, a team that will pay him handsomely to stay in Vancouver. He’s not going to stage a holdout to force the Canucks to trade him. The Blackhawks aren’t going to send him an offer sheet as it would probably be matched. Even if the Hawks successfully signed Pettersson away, they would owe the Canucks five first-round draft picks as compensation.

As Powers noted, the Blackhawks won’t be rebuilding forever. For now, Davidson isn’t going to change his current plans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2024

by | Jan 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2024

The Jets take over first place in the overall standings, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard suffers an injury and Andrei Svechnikov ties a Hurricanes record. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets took over first place in the overall standings with 54 points as they downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Laurent Brossoit stopped 37 shots while third-period goals by Nate Schmidt and Cole Perfetti powered the 25-9-4 Jets to their fifth straight win, extending their points streak to 11 games. Mason McTavish scored for the Ducks (13-24-1), who’ve won just three of their last 10 games.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

Third-period goals by Simon Nemec, Michael McLeod and Tyler Toffoli lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Nemec and Alexander Holtz each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (21-14-2) as they vaulted into the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 44 points. Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard left the game in the first period following a clean hit by Devils defenseman Brendan Smith. The ‘Hawks dropped to 11-26-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard jumped up immediately following the hit and skated off holding his mouth. Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno also left this game with an injury. There was no postgame update as both players will be re-evaluated in Chicago on Saturday.

Bedard was recently named as his club’s representative for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. His fans will be hoping that his condition isn’t serious.

The Blackhawks have been decimated by injuries this season. Taylor Hall, Seth Jones, Anthony Beauvillier, Tyler Johnson and Andreas Athanasiou are among the notables currently sidelined, with Hall out of the season.

The Carolina Hurricanes tallied five unanswered third-period goals to thump the Washington Capitals 6-2. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and two assists to tie the Hurricanes’ record with his sixth straight multi-point game. Brent Burns had two goals and an assist and Sebastian Aho collected three assists for the surging Hurricanes (22-13-4) as they’ve won five straight and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 48 points. Nic Dowd and Dylan Strome scored for the 18-13-6 Capitals (42 points) as they blew a 2-0 lead and dropped two points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen is listed as week-to-week with an apparent leg injury following an accidental collision with Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood during Thursday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.

Head coach Pete DeBoer said Heiskanen would undergo further testing on Friday but the injury “doesn’t look terrible.” The blueliner isn’t out for the season and won’t require surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Heiskanen is the Stars’ top defenseman. Losing him for a significant period would be a big setback for their blueline.

CBS SPORTS: Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello has come off the injured reserve list. He’d been sidelined since Dec. 16 with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zuccarello’s return might help the Wild snap out of their four-game losing skid that has sent them tumbling five points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes are close to announcing the location they will focus on for their new arena.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Coyotes, they placed forward Zach Sanford on waivers.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers called up forward Mackie Samoskevich and placed forward Nick Cousins (concussion) on injured reserve.

IIHF: Team USA defeated Sweden 6-2 to capture gold at the 2024 World Junior Championship. It’s the sixth WJC gold in the country’s history with their first coming in 2006 and the previous one in 2021.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki was named the most valuable player of the 2024 WJC. The 19-year-old winger had seven goals and 10 points in seven games to lead Sweden to a silver medal. Lekkerimaki was chosen by the Canucks in the first round (15th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 5, 2024

by | Jan 5, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 5, 2024

Check out recent speculation on the Flames, Flyers and Rangers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CALGARY SUN: Daniel Austin wondered how busy Flames general manager Craig Conroy will be leading up to the March 8 trade deadline.

Trading pending unrestricted free agents such as Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev means Flames fans will be in for a couple of seasons of watching a young, developing team. That could also raise questions over whether veterans Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund will want to stick around.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

Re-sign those three and the Flames will be making a long-term commitment to a core that has underachieved over the past two seasons.

If one of those three gets traded it could create a domino effect for the other two. With players like Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau on long-term contracts, Conroy could prefer returns of young NHL-ready players rather than loading up on draft picks and prospects.

Austin also wondered if Conroy will listen to calls for backup goalie Dan Vladar. Moving him would create room for promising Dustin Wolf.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think a roster retool rather than a full-fledged rebuild is in the works for the Flames. Lindholm, Hanifin and Tanev will likely be peddled for young players who can help this club stage a turnaround within the next couple of seasons.

The Flames already have some good young talent in Wolf, Yegor Sharangovich, Connor Zary, Matt Coronato and Jakob Pelletier. Adding some more to that group could give them a crop of youth that could develop into a more reliable core of talent.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz listed defensemen Sean Walker, Nick Seeler, Rasmus Ristolainen and Marc Staal and center Morgan Frost as the players most likely to be moved by the Philadelphia Flyers if they become sellers by the March 8 trade deadline. He also thinks Carter Hart, Ryan Poehling and Scott Laughton would be moved only in the right deal.

The Flyers’ better-than-expected performance thus far this season could complicate things. Jettisoning too many players risks upsetting the team culture. Kurz believes Flyers GM Daniel Briere is keeping his eye on the future. However, it would also help the Flyers from a business standpoint if they make the playoffs this season with a young and improving crop of players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers have played well thus far but are showing signs of wobbling. If they fall out of contention by February, Briere will likely start shopping some of those players mentioned by Kurz. If they’re still in the thick of things, however, he could decide to keep his roster intact to give them a shot at reaching the postseason.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker believes a scoring top-six winger could be on the Rangers’ wish list. Blake Wheeler only has four goals while Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko have been sidelined by injuries.

The Rangers’ strong performance thus far proves their depth as a team. However, Walker believes they need reinforcements and upgrades to advance in the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Options could include Vancouver’s Andrei Kuzmenko, San Jose’s Anthony Duclair, Washington’s Anthony Mantha and St. Louis’ Jakub Vrana. Not the deepest pool of potential scoring wingers that could be available in the trade market. Perhaps it will improve closer to the March 8 trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2024

by | Jan 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2024

Recaps of a busy Thursday schedule, the first 32 players selected for the 2024 All-Star Game are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins took a 5-2 lead over the Boston Bruins and held on for a 6-5 victory, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Sidney Crosby scored the game-winner and collected two assists while Kris Letang picked up three assists for the 19-14-4 Penguins (42 points), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie each had a goal and two assists while Brad Marchand tallied twice for the Bruins (23-8-6) as they dropped to second place in the overall standings with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced forward Matt Nieto will be sidelined for six to eight weeks following knee surgery. Meanwhile, Jesse Puljujarvi signed a professional tryout offer with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Two unanswered third-period goals by Jacob Trouba and Jimmy Vesey gave the New York Rangers a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist while Vincent Trocheck chipped in three assists for the Rangers (26-10-1) as they took over first place in the overall standings with 53 points. Colin Blackwell scored for the injury-ravaged Blackhawks as they slipped to 11-25-2.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

An overtime goal by Nathan MacKinnon lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Dallas Stars 5-4. MacKinnon scored twice and picked up an assist while Jonathan Drouin also netted two goals for the 25-11-3 Avalanche, who’ve won four straight and moved into first place in the Western Conference with 53 points. Tyler Seguin potted two goals for the Stars (22-10-5) as they sit in third place in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is tearing up the league right now. With 21 points in his last nine games, the Avs center is tied with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league’s scoring lead with 64 points.

Speaking of Nikita Kucherov, he picked up an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Darren Raddysh scored twice for the Lightning (19-16-5) as they moved ahead of the New Jersey Devils into the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 43 points. Zach Bogosian scored for the 16-17-4 Wild.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves to backstop his club to a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks, handing the latter their 10th straight loss. Morgan Barron and Gabriel Vilardi scored for the Jets (24-9-4), winning four straight and sitting second in the Western Conference with 52 points. Alexander Barabanov scored for the 9-27-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sharks announced defenseman Matt Benning is out for the rest of the season following hip surgery. He’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.

The Florida Panthers picked up their sixth straight win by downing the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1, handing the Stanley Cup champions their sixth loss in their last seven games. Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist for the 24-12-2 Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 50 points. Logan Thompson made 32 saves for the Golden Knights (22-12-5), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 49 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov caught an inadvertent elbow in the head from Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez and left the game in the first period. Barkov’s teammate Evan Rodrigues also left the game following the first period with a lower-body injury.

Before this game, the Golden Knights claimed defenseman Tobias Bjornfot off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings.

A shootout goal by Johnny Gaudreau lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. The Blue Jackets (13-19-8) overcame a 2-0 deficit on third-period goals by Damon Severson and Jake Bean while Daniil Tarasov stopped 39 shots. Travis Konecny scored both goals for the 19-13-6 Flyers, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers forwards Cam Atkinson and Morgan Frost were healthy scratches from this contest. It’s the 11th time Frost has been scratched, which could fuel speculation over his future in Philadelphia.

The Calgary Flames scored four first-period goals en route to a 6-3 win over the Nashville Predators. Rasmus Andersson, Blake Coleman, Yegor Sharangovich and Conor Zary each had a goal and an assist for the 17-16-5 Flames. Goalie Juuse Saros got the hook following the second period after giving up five goals on 20 shots as his Predators (21-17-1) sit in the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Dennis Gilbert suffered an upper-body injury late in the game following a slew-foot by Predators forward Philip Tomasino. Earlier in the day, they assigned defenseman Oliver Kylington to their AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint as he prepares to return to action after missing all of last season and the first half of this one dealing with mental health issues.

Seattle Kraken netminder Joey Daccord turned aside 32 shots as his club downed the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Jordan Eberle and Vince Dunn each had two points as the 16-14-9 Kraken picked up their sixth straight win and extended their points streak to a franchise record 10 games. They also moved into the final Western wild-card spot with 41 points. Parker Kelly scored for the 14-20-0 Senators, who’ve dropped seven of their last 10 games.

St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas scored the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Thomas also picked up an assist for the 19-17-1 Blues. Conor Garland scored for the Canucks (24-11-3) as they sit third overall in the Western Conference with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues recalled forward Jakub Vrana, placed defenseman Justin Faulk (lower body) on injured reserve and sent forward Nikita Alexandrov to their AHL affiliate in Springfield on a conditioning stint.

Three unanswered third-period goals powered the New York Islanders over the Arizona Coyotes by a score of 5-1. Bo Horvat scored twice, Mathew Barzal collected two assists and Ilya Sorokin made 25 saves for the Islanders (18-10-10) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division. Nick Schmaltz scored for the 19-16-2 Coyotes as they slipped out of a Western wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Islanders indicated goalie Semyon Varlamov is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. They called up netminder Ken Appleby from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

Detroit Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri tallied two goals while Patrick Kane scored the winner in a shootout in a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. The Wings improved to 19-16-4 on the season. Adrian Kempe had two goals for the Kings (20-9-6) as they sit third in the Pacific Division.

The Buffalo Sabres crushed the Montreal Canadiens 6-1. Jeff Skinner had a goal and three assists, Tage Thompson scored twice and Devon Levi made 32 saves for the 16-19-4 Sabres. Joel Armia had the only goal for the 16-17-5 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens announced center Christian Dvorak is done for the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league released the names of 32 players (one from each club) selected to participate in the 2024 All-Star Game on Feb. 3 in Toronto.

Among the Eastern Conference notables are Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov.

Western Conference stars include Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and Chicago Blackhawks rookie center Connor Bedard, who will be the youngest player in NHL history to play for an NHL All-Star team.

Fans can vote through Jan. 11 to select the remaining 12 players.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin was not among the 32 players selected for the All-Star Game because his wife was expecting their second child then. He asks Rangers fans to vote for one of his teammates instead.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 4, 2024

by | Jan 4, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 4, 2024

What’s the latest on William Nylander’s contract situation? Will the Devils pursue a goaltender? Could the Capitals become trade-deadline buyers? Which Ducks could hit the trade market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON NYLANDER’S CONTRACT SITUATION

NHL NETWORK: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander’s representatives are working right now on a contract extension. He wouldn’t be surprised if this gets done soon and considers signing him their No. 1 priority.

Nylander declined to talk about the rumors regarding a contract extension following the Leafs’ 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

Nick Kypreos claimed they’re talking about an eight-year deal in the range of an $11.25 million average annual value. Friedman isn’t sure about that but doesn’t think his colleague is off by much (if at all) with his estimation.

Nylander is on pace for a career-high 117 points. Friedman believes he’s earned that potentially hefty raise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers (like the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons) are concerned that the Leafs winger could be a “one-year wonder.” They fear he’ll come crashing back to earth once he’s signed a lucrative long-term deal.

I think what we’re seeing from Nylander is the real thing now that he’s in his playing prime. He has steadily improved over the past four seasons, including an 80-point campaign in 2021-22 and 87 points last season. He’s also been arguably their most consistent playoff performer.

ARE THE DEVILS IN THE HUNT FOR A GOALIE?

Elliotte Friedman talked about the difficulties facing the New Jersey Devils in upgrading their goaltending. He believes they’ve been looking for help but teams with goaltenders to trade hold the position of leverage.

Friedman listed Anaheim’s John Gibson, Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom, Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins, Montreal’s Jake Allen and San Jose’s Kaapo Kahkonen as potential trade candidates.

Acquiring Gibson would mean getting the Ducks to retain part of the goalie’s $6.4 million average annual value through 2026-27 and that would be difficult to do. Markstrom would have to agree to waive his no-movement clause.

Merzlikins is available but he’s struggled at times and carries a $5.4 million AAV through 2026-27. Allen carries a more affordable $3.85 million through 2024-25 but no one as yet is willing to meet the Canadiens’ asking price.

Kakhonen is playing well this season and is slated for unrestricted free-agent status this summer. However, he’s never been in a position where he’s had to lead a team into the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson and Markstrom are the only starters on this list with playoff experience. The former’s hefty contract and the latter’s NMC likely ensure they won’t be moved by the trade deadline.

Merzlikins only has two games of postseason experience under his belt. Allen has seen playoff action but he’s no longer a starter. Kahkonen has yet to play a postseason game.

Friedman also believes the Devils are looking for blueline depth. He could see them pursuing someone like Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With defenseman Dougie Hamilton sidelined until possibly the end of the regular season, the Devils could put his $9 million AAV on long-term injury reserve if they wish to add a goalie, blueliner or both.

If the Devils pursue Hanifin, they have depth in tradeable assets (especially young players) that would interest the Flames. The two clubs also have a recent trade history with last June’s Tyler Toffoli deal.

WILL THE CAPITALS BECOME TRADE-DEADLINE BUYERS?

Friedman believes the Washington Capitals could become buyers at the trade deadline given their better-than-expected performance this season. However, it still thinks it’s early yet as they’ll likely wait and see how the season develops leading up to deadline day. If they do dabble in the trade market, they could pursue a top-six forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals have to be mindful of their cap space. They placed Nicklas Backstrom on LTIR for the season but they currently have a projected $3.18 million in trade-deadline cap room.

WHICH DUCKS WILL HIT THE TRADE BLOCK?

Asked which players the Ducks will move at the trade deadline, Friedman considers Adam Henrique as the most likely option. A UFA at the end of this season, he’s a very good center with big-game experience who will draw interest in the trade market.

Friedman hasn’t heard much trade talk about Jakob Silfverberg. He believes the Toronto Maple Leafs would be interested in bringing back pending UFA defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.