NHL Rumor Mill – December 16, 2023

by | Dec 16, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 16, 2023

What will the Bruins do with Jake DeBrusk? Could David Savard become a trade chip for the Canadiens? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT WILL THE BRUINS DO WITH DEBRUSK?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa recently pondered Jake DeBrusk’s future with the Boston Bruins.

The 27-year-old winger is averaging the third-highest even-strength ice time (13:40) and the third-most shorthanded ice time (1:58) among Bruins forwards. He’s played left and right wing on their top three lines this season. However, he’s struggling to score this season with four goals and 11 points in 27 games after matching his career-high in goals last season with 27 in 64 games.

DeBrusk is in the final season of his two-year, $8 million contract and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Shinzawa wondered if they’d re-sign him, peddle him before the March 8 trade deadline, or let him depart via the UFA market on July 1.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).

Shinzawa believes the Bruins would be happy to sign DeBrusk to an extension but they have a ceiling and an amount that they won’t exceed. If he walks, they could put the $4 million they’re currently paying him toward addressing other roster needs.

A trade appears the least likely scenario unless the Bruins get a player back in the deal rather than futures. Otherwise, moving him wouldn’t improve their current roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Bruins were a marginal playoff contender perhaps it would be easier to decide DeBrusk’s fate. Instead, they’re jockeying with the New York Rangers for first place in the Eastern Conference. Unless general manager Don Sweeney can swap DeBrusk for a scorer, I think he’ll retain the winger and see how things play out leading up to the start of free agency on July 1.

COULD DAVID SAVARD BECOME A TRADE CHIP FOR THE CANADIENS?

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan recently noted the value of David Savard to the rebuilding Canadiens blueline. The 33-year-old veteran defenseman’s experience and leadership as well as his penalty killing and shotblocking have made him a valuable asset.

Cowan suggests those assets could also make Savard a key commodity for the Canadiens leading up to the March 8 trade deadline. He has a year remaining on his contract with a $3.25 million salary-cap hit. General manager Kent Hughes must open up some spots on his blueline with so many young defensemen in the organization.

The Tampa Bay Lightning only gave up a fourth-round pick to acquire Savard from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2021 NHL trade deadline. Cowan speculates Hughes would seek more than that after landing a conditional first-round pick as part of the return for Ben Chiarot from the Florida Panthers at the 2022 NHL trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Savard also lacks no-trade protection. If Hughes gets a worthwhile offer it wouldn’t be surprising if he ships out the veteran defenseman by deadline day.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2023

by | Dec 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2023

A milestone game for the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, the league and NHLPA investigate a breach in treatment protocol for Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki, and the Avalanche trade Tomas Tatar to the Kraken. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored two goals in a 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Jonathan Quick made 29 saves while Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox each picked up two assists for the Rangers (20-7-1) as they sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division and second overall in the Eastern Conference with 41 points. Lukas Dostal made 34 saves for the Ducks (10-19-0) as they’ve lost five straight games and nine of their last ten.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Kreider as he surpassed Adam Graves to move into third place among the Rangers’ all-time goalscoring leaders with 281. He also tied Graves for fourth on their all-time list for power-play goals (100) and surpassed the 500-point mark (501). He’s just seven points away from surpassing Graves for tenth place among the Blueshirts in total points.

The Boston Bruins defeated the New York Islanders 5-4 on a shootout goal by David Pastrnak, who also had a goal and an assist in regulation time. James van Riemsdyk and Morgan Geekie also each scored and collected an assist for the 19-5-4 Bruins, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 42 points. Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists while Mathew Barzal set up two goals for the Islanders (14-7-8), who sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders announced that defenseman Scott Mayfield (upper body) was placed on injured reserve before this game.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-2 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Casey Mittelstadt scored twice and collected an assist while Dylan Cozens had a goal and two assists for the 13-15-3 Sabres. Ivan Barbashev and Jack Eichel replied for the Golden Knights (20-6-5) as they held a three-point lead over the Bruins for first place in the overall standings with 45 points.

An overtime goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators over the Carolina Hurricanes 6-5. Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly each had a goal and two assists for the Predators (17-13-0), who’ve won three straight games and hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 34 points. Martin Necas and Stefan Noesen each had a goal and an assist for the 16-12-2 Hurricanes as they cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 34 points.

The Dallas Stars overcame a 4-2 deficit in a 5-4 win over the Ottawa Senators. Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist while Scott Wedgewood made 25 saves as the Stars improved to 17-8-3 and sit in second place in the Central Division with 37 points. Drake Batherson scored two goals and Jakob Chychrun picked up three assists for the 11-14-0 Senators, who have dropped seven of their last 10 games and remain mired in last place in the Eastern Conference with 11 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars goalie Jake Oettinger started this game but left just eight minutes into the first period with a lower-body injury. He will not be traveling with his team to St. Louis for Saturday’s game against the Blues.

Meanwhile, Senators winger Vladimir Tarasenko missed this game due to a family matter. Teammate Mathieu Joseph suffered a lower-body injury early in the first period and didn’t return.

Arizona Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram made 21 saves to shut out the San Jose Sharks 1-0. Mattias Maccelli scored for the Coyotes (14-13-2) as they regained the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 30 points. Kaapo Kahkonen turned aside 23 shots for the 9-18-3 Sharks.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli cited sources indicating the NHL and NHL Players Association are investigating a gap in treatment protocol as defenseman Juuso Valimaki was left in a Dallas hospital without care for hours last month after suffering a serious facial injury during a game against the Stars on Nov. 14.

According to Seravalli’s sources, Valimaki was dropped off at the emergency room and left to advocate for his own care with his wife Vilma (who was traveling with him during that road game) and a Coyotes employee. After initial observation, the overworked Dallas hospital told Valimaki to find a local hotel and return the next day as they were treating more critical incoming trauma patients.

Valimaki, however, required immediate treatment. With a bloodied face, a hole in his mouth, and internal bleeding, he was unable to function. Doctors later said he might have asphyxiated in his sleep on his blood had he gone to the hotel as instructed. Five hours later after the NHLPA stepped in, Valimaki received 55 stitches in his mouth to close the wound, which included a fractured bone and the loss of three teeth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli’s story indicates it was Valimaki’s wife who called the NHLPA after her husband spent an hour in the emergency room without care. It was two hours later when his face and wound were finally cleaned, another hour before he was admitted to the hospital for surgery to close the wound in his mouth and another 12 hours before he received surgery to repair the fractured bone in his mouth and realign his remaining teeth.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW/THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Avalanche traded winger Tomas Tatar on Friday to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tatar, 33, signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract this summer with the Avalanche. He struggled to mesh with his new club, tallying one goal and nine points in 27 games. The move frees up cap space for the Avalanche if they wish to make another move later in the season.

The Kraken, meanwhile, are struggling to score this season. Pressed for cap space, they hope Tatar (a former six-time 20-plus goal scorer) can regain his form in Seattle.

THE PROVINCE/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Vancouver Canucks traded forward Jack Studnicka to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Nick Cicek and a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In what could be a related move, the Sharks also placed forward Nico Sturm on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Sam Carchidi reports Flyers general manager Daniel Briere doesn’t intend to be a buyer before this season’s NHL trade deadline. While the club is exceeding expectations, Briere doesn’t intend to mortgage the future just to sneak into the playoffs.

Briere would love for the Flyers to reach the postseason. However, he still believes his club should stockpile draft picks rather than trade those assets for rental players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if Briere becomes a seller by the March 8 deadline if the Flyers are still holding a playoff berth by then. He could stand pat rather than shop his own pending unrestricted free agents such as Sean Walker and Nick Seeler.

Both defensemen have reportedly drawn lots of interest in the trade market. Briere could still move one or both by March 8 for the right offer.

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine is expected to miss six weeks as he recovers from a fractured clavicle suffered during Thursday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine has been plagued by injuries over the past three seasons. He’s recently surfaced in media trade conjecture though there’s no indication he wants to be moved or that the Blue Jackets are shopping him. If he was available in the trade market, his injury history would hurt his value.

CBS SPORTS: The Los Angeles Kings placed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (lower body) in injured reserve. He’s listed as week-to-week.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Kings, backup goalie Pheonix Copley left practice on Friday with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have reportedly called up David Rittich.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers to send him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 15, 2023

by | Dec 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 15, 2023

Zach Parise eyes a return this season, more speculation about Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro, plus updates on free-agent Ethan Bear, the Canucks’ Andrei Kuzmenko and the Red Wings Jonatan Berggren in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PARISE AIMING AT RETURNING THIS SEASON

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reports a source claims unrestricted free-agent winger Zach Parise is ramping up his conditioning with an eye on returning to action this season.

Parise, 39, wasn’t willing to face the grind of an 82-game schedule this season. He remained home with his family in Minnesota but has regained his desire to play and has been working on getting into game shape.

Unrestricted free agent winger Zach Parise (NHL.com)

Johnston said there’s no timeline when Parise would return but multiple clubs are aware of his progress and expressed an interest in signing him. Among them are his former club, the New York Islanders. It’s believed Parise wants to pursue the Stanley Cup and some of the teams looking at him are those with legitimate championship ambitions this season.

Parise will have to sign a contract before the March 8 trade deadline to be eligible to play in the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parise will also be an affordable signing. His last contract with the Islanders was a $750K base salary with another $750K in performance bonuses.

COULD THE SHARKS TRADE FERRARO?

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka recently noted the trade rumors swirling about San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro. Unlike other Sharks popping up in the rumor mill, Ferraro is signed beyond this season (through 2025-26) plus he carries an affordable $3.25 million average annual value on his contract.

General manager Mike Grier has said he’s willing to listen to offers on just about anyone on the Sharks roster. Trading Ferraro, however, would say something about how long the Sharks rebuild is expected to last.

Ferraro’s teammates and head coach David Quinn praised the blueliner’s skills, work ethic and positive attitude. Meanwhile, he recently said he wants to remain with the Sharks and be part of a possible resurgence.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The attributes and team-friendly contract that make Ferraro so valuable to the Sharks also make him an enticing target in the trade market. Unlike the Sharks’ pending UFAs, Grier doesn’t have to move him this season. The Sharks GM can afford to be patient and wait for the right offer.

TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman suggests the Washington Capitals could offer free agent Ethan Bear a two-year contract. Other clubs interested in the 26-year-old defenseman were proposing a one-year deal with the possibility of an extension next offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Chris Johnston and others had Bear all but signed with the Capitals to a two-year deal. It hasn’t happened yet but that doesn’t mean it won’t. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Friedman noted that the Canucks still haven’t taken Andrei Kuzmenko off their first power-play unit. “If he was removed from that, I’d be worried about his status in Vancouver,” he writes. He’s not convinced the 27-year-old winger will be traded soon but he believes the Canucks are “going to know the possibilities.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks insist they want to work with Kuzemenko to improve his overall game. He seems to have responded well in his last two games, tallying two goals including one on the power play.

Jonatan Berggren has two goals in his three games since his recent callup with the Detroit Red Wings. Friedman isn’t sure if the 23-year-old winger has gone so far as to request a trade but he wants more of an opportunity.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2023

by | Dec 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2023

Lightning stars Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov enjoy milestone performances, the Blue Jackets beat the Leafs after blowing a huge lead, the Canucks honor Roberto Luongo, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos enjoyed his first-ever four-goal game while Nikita Kucherov becomes the first player this season to reach 50 points in a 7-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 53 shots as the Lightning (14-12-5) sit just outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 33 points. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had three points and Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist for the 13-13-1 Oilers as their win streak ended at eight games.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 40 points, McDavid now sits 10 behind Kucherov in the scoring race while his Oilers (27 points) are two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Meanwhile, Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a 5-0 lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs but prevailed 6-5 on an overtime goal by Kent Johnson, who finished the night with two goals and an assist. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 43 shots for the 10-16-5 Blue Jackets as he returned to action after missing three games to an illness. Auston Matthews scored twice and added an assist while Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (15-6-6) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets seemed to be cruising to an easy victory entering the third period but the Leafs made it interesting with a five-goal rally. It was a costly win for the Jackets as winger Patrik Laine left this game favoring his left shoulder. Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves departed with a lower-body injury.

After inducting Hall-of-Famer Roberto Luongo into their Ring of Honour, the Vancouver Canucks blanked the Florida Panthers 4-0. Thatcher Demko turned in a 36-save shutout while Dakota Joshua tallied twice for the Canucks, who became the second team to reach 20 wins (41 points) this season and second overall in the Western Conference. The Panthers (17-10-2) sit third in the Atlantic Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko and his Canucks teammates are starting to look like the squad that Luongo backstopped to five division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies and a run to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final from 2008-09 to 2012-13.

A shootout goal by Bobby Brink gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Owen Tippett scored the game-tying goal late in the third period while Morgan Frost collected two points as the Flyers improved to 16-10-3 to sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 35 points. Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome each had a goal and an assist as the Capitals slipped to 14-8-4 (32 points) to sit one point out of an Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov missed this game due to an illness.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. Jordan Staal netted the game-winning goal in the second period while Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 25 shots for the Hurricanes (16-12-1), who hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 33 points based on wins. Ville Husso made 37 saves for the 15-10-4 Red Wings as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 34 points.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy’s shootout goal gave his club a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Boldy also scored in regulation while Filip Gustavsson turned aside 35 shots for the win as the Wild improved to 11-12-4 (26 points), sitting three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Yegor Sharangovich had a goal and an assist for the Flames (11-14-5) as they sit two points out of a wild-card spot in the West with 27 points.

The St. Louis Blues doubled up the Ottawa Senators 4-2 in their first game under interim head coach Drew Bannister. Robert Thomas scored twice and set up another while Jordan Binnington made 32 saves as the Blues (14-14-1) snapped a four-game losing skid to move into the final Western wild-card spot with 29 points. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 26 shots for the Senators (11-13-0), who remain in last place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Blues forward Jordan Kyrou was asked about the firing of now-former head coach Craig Berube. “I’ve got no comment. He’s not my coach anymore,” said Kyrou.

Those remarks didn’t sit well with Blues fans as they booed Kyrou during this game. He was visibly upset afterward, saying he respected Berube and was only trying to say that he was focusing on his future and helping the team win. Overcome by emotion, Kyrou said, “I love playing here, so it’s tough hearing the fans boo me.”

Speaking of coaching changes, one wonders how much longer the Senators front office will remain patient with bench boss D.J. Smith as the losses mount and another season starts to slip away.

The Seattle Kraken thumped the Chicago Blackhawks 7-1, ending Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard’s 10-game road points streak. Kailer Yamamoto tallied twice while Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and two assists for the 10-14-7 Kraken, who also sit just outside the final Western wild-card spot with 27 points. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, remain mired in last place in the overall standings a record of 9-19-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kraken indicated goaltender Philipp Grubauer is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin was the focus of an investigation following a human resources complaint by a team employee alleging verbal abuse in the workplace.

The alleged incident took place in late November. Two team sources claim the investigation is completed and determined Guerin did not commit a fireable offense.

The Wild aren’t commenting on the matter but released a statement indicating they conducted two separate investigations into alleged violations of their code of conduct and took appropriate steps to address those issues. This news comes a day after the club and assistant general manager Chris O’Hearn “mutually agreed to part ways”. Team sources say it was coincidental that the two investigations were concluded almost simultaneously.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said he and league commissioner Gary Bettman had been briefed about the investigations and were satisfied with the results.

SPORTSNET: Oilers winger Zach Hyman is calling for the eradication of antisemitism. Hyman is Jewish and the grandson of Holocaust survivors. “We live in Canada, in the US, where these things (antisemitism) shouldn’t be happening. And we can’t turn a blind eye to it,” he said. “Being a Jewish person doesn’t feel comfortable right now, and that’s a scary feeling.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No one should be the target of hate because of their religion. Freedom of religion is among the rights guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Jeff Skinner (upper body) on injured reserve.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Pavel Zacha were placed on injured reserve.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (undisclosed injury) will be a game-day decision for Friday’s matchup against the San Jose Sharks. Sean Durzi (lower body) has missed the last two games and is doubtful to face the Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 14, 2023

by | Dec 14, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 14, 2023

Are more changes in store for the Blues following their coaching change? What’s the latest Penguins speculation? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD MORE CHANGES BE IN STORE FOR THE BLUES

NHL NETWORK (via KUKLA’S KORNER): Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman looked at other possible moves for the St. Louis Blues following their coaching change.

He noted that general manager Doug Armstrong indicated in his press conference that there was no guarantee that interim head coach Drew Bannister would be in that role for the remainder of the season. Bannister was head coach of their AHL affiliate in Springfield before Berube’s firing.

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong (NHL.com).

Friedman thinks Armstrong has “specific people he wants to talk to” regarding his club’s head-coaching position. He wondered if one of them could be former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft.

Asked if other personnel changes could be in store, he noted that Armstrong isn’t afraid to make bold moves. He pointed out the Blues had a deal in place last summer with the Philadelphia Flyers that would’ve sent defenseman Torey Krug to the Flyers for blueliner Travis Sanheim but Krug invoked his no-trade clause to spike the deal. He also observed that Armstrong tried to trade struggling winger Jakub Vrana before putting him on waivers.

Friedman doesn’t think Armstrong is trying to trade players such as Robert Thomas or Colton Parayko. However, he wouldn’t be surprised if the Blues GM could make some roster changes if things don’t improve soon.

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford noted Armstrong said making roster changes was difficult to achieve during his press conference on Wednesday. The Blues GM said he’s spoken to teams and seen what’s out there. Nevertheless, he stressed that nobody in their current group should feel safe right now. “I mean player-wise, management-wise.”

If the Blues fail to improve, Armstrong said he’s not against buying players out who carry long-term contracts with no-trade clauses, though he feels that’s not his first course of action. He’s also not against demoting players to the Blues’ AHL farm team if he feels they’re not pulling their weight. He said that nothing can be off the table for management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are just one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Big changes to the roster probably won’t happen as long as they remain competitive for a playoff berth. If they collapse and tumble down the standings, perhaps more significant moves will be in store.

Those Blues carrying long-term contracts with no-trade clauses include forwards Brayden Schenn and Brandon Saad, defensemen such as Krug, Parayko, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy, and goaltender Jordan Binnington. Any attempt to move one or more of those players likely won’t happen until next summer at the earliest assuming any of them would waive their no-trade clauses.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun noted Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas’ remarks on Monday about deciding on the club’s future by the All-Star break in February. He believes Dubas wants to give his current roster time to overcome their current woes in the standings and prove to him what they have.

Dubas is on a seven-year contract. LeBrun believes that gives him time to implement a long-term vision while hoping to avoid a roster teardown for as long as possible. He also suggested that Sidney Crosby’s contract (which runs through 2024-25) could be the most important target date for Dubas’ plans.

Given the contracts of Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang, it won’t be easy to stage a roster teardown. However, LeBrun points out that Dubas’ acquisition of Karlsson last summer shows where there’s a will there’s a way.

LeBrun doubts those players would block a trade to a contender if Dubas goes into teardown mode. The question then becomes how much salary would the Penguins have to retain to move them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The acquisition of Karlsson (and that of Reilly Smith) was to provide a short-term boost to the Penguins roster to give their core of Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Jake Guentzel one more opportunity to stage a run for the Stanley Cup before their contracts expire or age catches up with them.

If Crosby wants to stay in Pittsburgh it’ll be interesting to see how long he’ll want to stick around, especially if the Penguins are heading into a rebuild or if it appears to be on the horizon.

Dubas is just trying to put it off for as long as possible until most of those players are finished with their contracts or in the final year of their deals. By that point, the rebuild can begin in earnest.

A roster rebuild is inevitable. It could come much sooner than Dubas or the Penguins’ veteran core expected it to occur.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2023

by | Dec 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2023

More scoring milestones were reached by Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, a big night for Jets winger Gabriel Vilardi, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals and set up another to rally his club to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jansen Harkins netted the winning goal in the 12th round of the shootout as the Penguins improved to 13-12-3 (29 points) to sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Sean Monahan tallied his ninth goal of the season for the 12-13-4 Canadiens, who sit a point back of the Penguins.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is now tied with Hall-of-Famer (and former teammate) Mark Recchi for 13th on the all-time points list with 1,533. He’s just six points behind Joe Thornton, who sits 12th with 1,539.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon extended his points streak to 13 games as his club downed the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. MacKinnon collected two assists, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists while Valeri Nichushkin tallied twice for the 18-9-2 Avalanche, who hold a two-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Central Division with 38 points. Zach Benson scored for the 12-15-3 Sabres, who’ve dropped seven of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon also reached the 800-point milestone, becoming the fifth-fastest active player to do so. Sabres forward Jeff Skinner left this game with an upper-body injury.

Colorado fans gave former Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson a standing ovation in his first game at Ball Arena since signing with the Sabres this summer. He spent nearly 13 seasons with the Avs and helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Speaking of the Jets, they rolled to a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Gabriel Vilardi had a career-high four points (one goal, three assists) against his former club while Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice and collected two assists and Mark Scheifele had two goals and an assist for the 17-9-2 Jets. Anze Kopitar and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings (16-6-4) as they blew a 2-0 lead and sit third in the Pacific Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was reported before this game that Jets winger Kyle Connor is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a lower-body (knee) injury.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Dawson Mercer tied the game in the third period for the Devils (15-11-1), who sit behind the Washington Capitals for the final Eastern wild-card spot with 31 points. Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots while Morgan Geekie had the only goal for the Bruins (18-5-4) as they sit atop the Eastern Conference standings with 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Erik Haula picked up an assist on Mercer’s goal as he was activated off injured reserve for this game. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed defenseman Jakub Zboril on waivers.

The New York Islanders nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 on a shorthanded goal by Simon Holmstrom with 1:33 remaining in the third period. Noah Dobson collected two assists for the Islanders (14-7-7) as they sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 35 points. John Gibson made 30 saves for the Ducks (10-18-0) as they’ve lost four in a row and nine of their last 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders activated defenseman Sebastian Aho off injured reserve for this game.

HEADLINES

TSN: The St. Louis Blues hired former all-star center Brad Richards as a consultant to work with the club’s power play under interim coach Drew Bannister. Meanwhile, winger Jakub Vrana cleared waivers and was sent to the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield.

SPORTSNET: The Minnesota Wild and assistant general manager Chris O’Hearn have agreed to “mutually part ways”. No reason was given for this move. The Athletic’s Michael Russo pointed out that O’Hearn was general manager Bill Guerin’s right-hand man as well as the club’s chief contract negotiator.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Wild, they placed defenseman Jonas Brodin (upper body) on long-term injury reserve.

THE ATHLETIC: Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis yesterday announced plans to move his club (and the NBA’s Washington Wizards) from downtown Washington to a new arena in Northern Virginia by 2028, pending legislative approval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As noted yesterday, the new arena would be 20 minutes away from their current location in the Capital One Arena, which has been home to the Capitals and Wizards since 1997-98.

TSN: The NHL recently announced the skills competition for the 2024 All-Star Game will be modified to showcase 12 players competing for points across eight different events, with the winner receiving a $1 million prize.