NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2022

by | Dec 29, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2022

The Red Wings stage a big rally to defeat the Penguins, the Bruins continue their winning ways, the Leafs are fined for violating the CBA and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings overcame a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on an overtime goal by Jake Walman. Magnus Hellberg stopped all 19 shots he faced after replacing Ville Husso in the Red Wings net while David Perron scored the tying goal as his club improved to 15-11-7 on the season. Jason Zucker tallied twice for Pittsburgh as they dropped to 19-10-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang were all held scoreless in this contest as the Penguins were outshot 46-31.

Third-period goals by Patrice Bergeron and Pavel Zacha lifted the Boston Bruins to a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils (22-11-2). Linus Ullmark stopped 30 shots for the 28-4-3 Bruins as they extended their points streak to nine games and sit atop the overall standings with 59 points, seven ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes. The once red-hot Devils, meanwhile, have dropped eight of their last nine contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Devils placed defensemen John Marino (upper body) and Ryan Graves (lower body) on injured reserve. Both are considered week-to-week.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).

Bruins fourth-line forward Tomas Nosek (undisclosed) was kept out of the lineup for this game. Head coach Jim Montgomery called it nothing serious, preferring Nosek not to play in back-to-back games during his recovery.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson made a season-high 49 shots backstopping his club to a 3-2 shootout upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Adam Henrique scored twice in regulation while Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry tallied in the shootout for the 10-22-4 Ducks. Mark Stone and Ben Hutton replied for the Golden Knights (24-12-2), who hold a two-point lead over the Dallas Stars for first place in the Western Conference with 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was Gibson’s fifth game this month and his first since Dec. 13 as injuries and illness limited his playing time.

The Calgary Flames nipped the Seattle Kraken 3-2 as Jonathan Huberdeau snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist for the Flames (17-13-7) while Philipp Grubauer made 41 saves for the 18-11-4 Kraken.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point scored twice to drop the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Victor Hedman collected two assists as the Lightning improved to 21-11-1 while the Canadiens (15-17-3) dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens also set a franchise record in this game by starting five rookies (Kaiden Guhle, Johnathan Kovacevic, Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron) on their blueline.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs were fined $100,000 by the NHL for violating the collective bargaining agreement. They traveled to St. Louis on Dec. 26 for their game the following day against the Blues. That date was a mandated off-day for all team purposes, including travel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some fans criticized the league for this action. However, it was the NHL Players Association that mandated off days for players in the CBA. The league is merely enforcing the rules.

Meanwhile, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was fined $25,000 by the league for what it called “demeaning conduct directed at the officials” during the Leafs 5-4 overtime win against the Blues. Keefe was upset over what he considered two uncalled infractions by Blues players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The second infraction was Leafs forward Zach Aston-Reese getting cut by a high stick from Blues winger Brandon Saad. I don’t think Keefe was unjustified in his anger at the officials over that missed call.

Speaking of the Leafs, Morgan Rielly is set to return to the lineup in Thursday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. The 28-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since Nov. 21 by a knee injury. During his absence, the Leafs went 12-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s not to imply that the Leafs are a better team without Rielly but rather an indication of how well they adjusted during his absence. Having their best defenseman back in the lineup should only make them better.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers placed goaltender Carter Hart on injured reserve despite the fact he practiced with the club earlier this week. He is expected to play in the final two games of their upcoming road trip against the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks provided he clears concussion protocol.

THE SCORE: Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin has reinjured his surgically repaired left ankle. There is no timetable for his return. Nichuskin underwent the procedure in early November and returned to the lineup on Dec. 9.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday against the Canadiens. He’s been sidelined since Dec. 3 by a concussion.

YARDBARKER: The Minnesota Wild placed winger Marcus Foligno (lower body) on injured reserve.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 28, 2022

by | Dec 28, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 28, 2022

The Blackhawks dominate today’s NHL Rumor Mill as we look at the latest trade speculation involving Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Max Domi and more.

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille, Hailey Salvian and Jesse Granger believe Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane could end up with the New York Rangers by the March 3 trade deadline.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Salvian believes the Blackhawks’ constant losing with a rebuild underway makes it harder to imagine Kane staying in Chicago after deadline day. His no-movement clause gives him complete control over where he could go. She believes a reunion with former Blackhawks teammate Artemi Panarin in New York could make a lot of sense.

Gentille observed the Rangers have over $7 million in trade-deadline cap space with no one on long-term injury reserve. He suggests it could work if the Blackhawks retain a portion of Kane’s salary. Granger didn’t rule out the possibility of Kane landing with the Colorado Avalanche given the number of injuries they’ve had this season.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Joe Haggerty noted rumors linking Kane to the Bruins. Given how well they’re playing, he wondered whether they need a rental player like the Blackhawks winger, pointing out Kane is on pace for a paltry 13 goals this season.

Haggerty linked to Spittin’ Chiclets co-host Ryan Whitney suggesting the possibility of Kane joining the Bruins. “Get rid of (Mike) Reilly, get rid of (Craig) Smith and Chicago retains half salary and boom (Kane) is a Bruin,” tweeted Whitney.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers appear to be in a better position to acquire Kane if the pending free agent agrees to waive his no-movement clause. Along with the Panarin connection and their cap space, the Blueshirts are loaded with promising young players such as Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere or Filip Chytil to tempt the Blackhawks.

Getting rid of Reilly and Smith is easier said than done considering the Bruins’ failed efforts to do so thus far. Of course, that could change as the trade deadline approaches but it’s not a certainty. If the Bruins can’t shed those salaries, they’ll have no chance of landing Kane.

Even if Kane is willing to go to Boston, the Bruins lack the depth in youngsters within their system to outbid a club like the Rangers. The Blackhawks will likely ask for top prospect Fabian Lysell and the Bruins’ first-round pick in 2023 as part of the return along with probably two or three other pieces going to Chicago.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Charlie Roumeliotis doesn’t believe Kane has made a decision on whether he’ll stay or go. His representatives are scheduled to meet with Blackhawks management after the calendar flips to 2023.

Roumeliotis observed that Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is on pace to reach 30 goals for just the fourth time in his career. Like Kane, he’d a pending free agent carrying a full no-movement clause. He believes Toews could be a good second or third-line center with a club like the Colorado Avalanche or Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like Kane, the Blackhawks will likely have to retain up to half of Toews’ remaining cap hit to make him affordable to clubs like the Avalanche and Jets given their limited cap space. The ‘Hawks won’t get as much of a return as they could with Kane but they’ll still want draft picks and promising young players as part of the deal.

Max Domi is on a one-year contract and could draw interest in the trade market. He’s second among Blackhawks scorers with 11 goals and 23 points. Domi’s also been strong in the faceoff circle this season, which could also prove useful for playoff clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Domi’s production and 56.1 faceoff win percentage could indeed prove enticing for postseason contenders seeking depth at center. His affordable $3 million contract will also be attractive for clubs with limited cap space.

Roumeliotis wouldn’t be surprised if bottom-six sparkplug forward Sam Lafferty draws interest in the trade market. His $1.15 million average annual value through 2023-24 will also be appealing.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2022

by | Dec 28, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2022

The schedule resumes with the Hurricanes extending their win streak to nine games, Connor McDavid stretching his points streak to 16 games and Jamie Benn reaching a Stars milestone. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to nine games by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. Antti Raanta stopped 24 shots for the shutout while Martin Necas, Jesper Fast and Jordan Martinook were the goal scorers as the Hurricanes (23-6-6, 52 points) hold a six-point lead over the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Petr Mrazek made 46 saves for the Blackhawks (8-21-4) sitting in last place in the overall standings with 20 points.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid stretched his points streak to 16 games by scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. McDavid leads the league with 31 goals while Stuart Skinner kicked out 46 shots for the win as the Oilers improved to 19-15-2. Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames as they dropped to 16-13-7.

The Vancouver Canucks are over .500 for the first time this season (16-15-3) as they downed the San Jose Sharks 6-2. Bo Horvat and Ilya Mikheyev each had four points for the Canucks. Timo Meier scored twice and Erik Karlsson collected two assists to extend his points streak to a career-high 10 games for the 11-19-6 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau said he’s hoping sidelined starting goaltender Thatcher Demko can return in mid-January but remains uncertain if he’ll be back before February. Demko’s been out with a lower-body injury since Dec. 1.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn scored his 343rd career goal and Roope Hintz tallied twice in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Benn moved past Brian Bellows into second place on the Stars’ all-time goals list. With 48 points (21-9-6), Dallas moves to within one point of the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Juuse Saros made 30 saves for the Predators as they slipped to 14-14-5. Predators forward Matt Duchene missed this game as his wife was giving birth to the couple’s baby daughter.

The Ottawa Senators (15-16-3) got a 49-save performance from Cam Talbot to upset the Boston Bruins 3-2 on a shootout goal by Alex DeBrincat, who also scored in regulation. Jake DeBrusk tallied his 14th goal of the season for the Bruins (27-4-3), who remain atop the overall standings with 57 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. There was no update as to his condition following the game.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs past the St. Louis Blues 5-4 after the Blues (16-16-3) overcame 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to force the extra frame. Calle Jarnkrok had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (22-7-6) while Ryan O’Reilly and Jordan Kyrou were among the Blues scorers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues played without defenseman Torey Krug as he was placed on long-term injury reserve with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to be re-evaluated in six weeks. The Leafs, meanwhile, placed forward Nick Robertson and defenseman Victor Mete on LTIR.

The Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 with Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson each collecting a goal and two assists. The Kings (20-12-6, 46 points) move within three points of the Golden Knights (24-12-1), who sit atop the Western Conference with 49 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Trevor Moore missed this game for undisclosed reasons. The Kings also placed Arthur Kaliyev (lower body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 20. Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez departed in the second period with an injured leg after blocking a shot by Kings forward Alex Iafallo.

Washington Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 32 saves to blank the New York Rangers 4-0. Marcus Johansson, Erik Gustafsson, Lars Eller and Conor Sheary were the goal scorers as the Capitals (20-13-4) picked up their fifth straight win and their 10th in their last 11 contests. Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 shots for the 19-12-5 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen left the game in the final minutes after being struck in the face by the puck. Earlier in the day, they placed blueliner John Carlson (facial injury) on injured reserve.

New York Islanders forwards Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal each tallied twice in a 5-1 romp over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders improved to 20-14-2 but lost winger Oliver Wahlstrom to injury after he was cross-checked in the first period by Pittsburgh defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The Penguins slide to 19-10-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins recalled defenseman Mark Friedman from their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Minnesota Wild (20-12-2) picked up their seventh victory in their last eight games by dropping the Winnipeg Jets 4-1, handing the latter their third straight defeat. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist while Filip Gustavsson made 36 saves for the Wild. Pierre-Luc Dubois tallied for the Jets (21-13-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets played without rookie forward Cole Perfetti as he’s out for at least a week with an injured shoulder. Wild defenseman Jake Middleton missed this game with a non-COVID illness.

Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and an assist for the 12-16-5 Coyotes. Cale Makar had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche as they dropped to 19-12-2.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers got some good news as goaltender Carter Hart skated with his teammates in practice on Tuesday. He suffered what appeared to be an upper-body injury during Friday’s loss to the Carolina Hurricanes following a collision with Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis.

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings assigned forward Jakub Vrana to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint. Vrana hasn’t played since Oct. 15 before entering the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens recalled defenseman Justin Barron from their AHL affiliate in Laval.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 27, 2022

by | Dec 27, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 27, 2022

The NHL’s holiday roster freeze ends at 12:01 am on Dec. 28. Check out the latest on Bo Horvat, Vladislav Gavrikov and more as we catch up on recent trade speculation in the NHL Rumor Mill.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps recently wondered if the Golden Knights have enough to make a bid for Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat in the NHL trade market. His suggested proposal was “Brett Howden, Kaeden Korczak, Laurent Brossoit, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2023 second-round pick.”

Krepps, however, doubted that package would be enough to bring Horvat to Vegas. He believes the Canucks would seek bigger packages.

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have made several significant acquisitions in recent seasons via trades, landing Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty and Jack Eichel. However, as Krepps observed, they lack the cap space and depth in tradeable assets to make a competitive bid to the Canucks for Horvat.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they’re currently carrying three goaltenders. Logan Thompson isn’t going anywhere, meaning a pending free agent like Brossoit or Adin Hill could be moved before the March 3 trade deadline.

Krepps suggested the Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers and Canucks as possible trade partners. He believes Jets backup David Rittich is struggling, the Flyers are relying on inexperienced backups such as Samuel Ersson and Felix Sandstrom, while Canucks starter Thatcher Demko is sidelined for six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers appear in more dire need of depth between the pipes, especially if Carter Hart (upper-body injury) is sidelined for a lengthy period of time.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger wondered if the Blue Jackets will put Vladislav Gavrikov on the trade block before deadline day. The 27-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Gavrikov and his wife love living in Columbus and he’d prefer to stay with the Blue Jackets. Contract talks, however, have been at a standstill since the summer. Salary and term are the sticking points.

Hedger suggested a healthy Gavrikov could fetch a first-round pick as part of the return. His $2.8 million cap hit shouldn’t be difficult to move by March 3. On the other hand, it wouldn’t make much sense for a team that’s struggling defensively to part with one of its few experienced blueliners.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gavrikov has frequently surfaced in the rumor mill linked to playoff contenders such as the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. His solid all-around game and cost-effective cap hit should draw even more interest as the trade deadline approaches.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont recently examined the Canadiens’ options for struggling forward Joel Armia.

Armia’s difficulties this season and $3.4 million cap hit make him tough to move in the trade market even if the Canadiens retain half of his salary. They could assign him to their AHL affiliate in Laval, freeing up $1.125 million in cap relief but still carrying $2.275 million of his remaining cap hit.

Dumont believes buying out the remaining two years of his contract in June is the only workable option.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has proven quite savvy at making shrewd trades. However, he’d probably have to include a sweetener like a draft pick or prospect as well as retain 50 percent of Armia’s cap hit to drum up any interest in the trade market. a buyout in June as Dumont suggested seems the more likely option.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 27, 2022

by | Dec 27, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 27, 2022

Catching up on the notable news coming out of the Christmas holiday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The schedule resumes Tuesday with 11 games on tap. However, tonight’s game between the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in Columbus has been postponed due to inclement weather. No makeup date for the game has been announced yet.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, and Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson were named the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 25.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: In case you missed it, Ovechkin earned the star of the week honors by scoring twice during his club’s 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 23, moving him past Gordie Howe into second place on the all-time goal-scoring list. With 802 career goals, the Capitals winger has Wayne Gretzky’s 894 in his sights.

SPORTSNET: Ovechkin’s goal chase isn’t sitting well with critics of his support of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Luke Fox offers up a balanced take of this situation.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman John Carlson is sidelined indefinitely after being struck in the face by a puck during Friday’s game against the Jets. He was transported to a hospital for evaluation and released into the care of the club’s medical personnel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlson’s absence will be keenly felt if he’s sidelined for a lengthy period. He’s their top defenseman and sits fifth among Capitals scorers with 21 points in 30 games.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers goaltender Carter Hart suffered an upper-body injury during Friday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The team will issue an update on his condition on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “upper-body injury” could be a concussion as Hart and Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis collided with each other after the latter was inadvertently pushed into the Flyers goalie by defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards examined the Panthers’ struggles thus far and the daunting task they face in securing a playoff berth by season’s end. “With three first-round picks already traded elsewhere (Montreal, Philadelphia and Calgary own them) and salary cap concerns, no one expected the Panthers to be serious buyers at this year’s trade deadline,” writes Richards. He speculates they could be sellers if they haven’t improved by deadline day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers were Presidents’ Trophy winners last season. A depleted blueline is one factor behind their current difficulties, prompting speculation they could attempt to pursue such notables as the San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson and the Arizona Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun. Given those issues noted by Richards, I doubt they’ll be suitors for either guy this season.

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils defenseman John Marino is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury. He’s played a significant role in the Devils’ success thus far this season, averaging 21 minutes per game.

GOPHNX.COM’s Craig Morgan reported Arizona Coyotes rookie forward Matias Maccelli will miss six weeks with a lower-body injury. The 22-year-old winger sits second among this season’s rookie scorers with 22 points in 30 games.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The NHL department of player safety suspended Minnesota Wild forward Mason Shaw for two games for kneeing San Jose Sharks forward Evgeny Svechnikov on Dec. 22.

NHL.COM: Happy belated birthday to Steve “Wochy” Wojciechowski, who turned 100 on Dec. 25. The former Detroit Red Wings forward is believed to be just the second NHL player to become a Centenarian.










Happy Holidays!

by | Dec 24, 2022

Happy Holidays!

First, I must acknowledge that hockey history occurred on Friday night.  Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored two goals in a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets to move past Gordie Howe into second place on the all-time NHL goals list with 802. He sits 92 goals behind leader Wayne Gretzky. That game was one of 11 played on Dec. 23 before the NHL holiday break from Dec. 24 to 26.

I am also on my annual holiday break. The next update to this site will be Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Happy holidays, everyone!

 

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