NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2022

by | Oct 18, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2022

​Why the time is now for the Coyotes to trade Jakob Chychrun, how a rising salary cap could make it easier for the Blackhawks to move Seth Jones and a look at which coaches are on the hot seat to start this season in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE TIME IS NOW TO MOVE CHYCHRUN

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes the Arizona Coyotes must move Jakob Chychrun now while his trade value remains high. He suggests the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild as three potential destinations for the 24-year-old blueliner given their early-season defensive struggles.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

The Senators can draw upon their young players and/or their stockpile of prospects and draft picks as trade bait. They also have almost enough cap space ($4.1 million) to take on Chychrun’s $4.6 million annual salary-cap hit. The Sens are holding firm to what they’re willing to part with but Proteau suggests that might change if the losses start piling up.

Chychrun’s size and hockey smarts could improve the Oilers’ blueline depth and lessen the pressure on their other defensemen. Proteau also wondered if Wild general manager Bill Guerin might step up to meet the Coyotes’ asking price though they’re in the middle of a salary-cap crunch. He’s got Matt Dumba eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.

Proteau cautions that teams interested in Chychrun could turn to more affordable options later in the season if the Coyotes don’t lower their asking price. One of them could be the Anaheim Ducks’ John Klingberg as a playoff rental player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have been linked to Chychrun since July. Proteau cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting over the weekend that there currently isn’t a path for a deal but that could change once Chychrun returns from his wrist injury.

The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman also suggested the Oilers could use a defenseman like Chychrun after watching their defense get picked apart by the Calgary Flames over the weekend. He believes adding a top blueliner needs to be GM Ken Holland’s priority before the trade deadline.

As for the Wild, their defense hasn’t been good but the goaltending of Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson has been brutal. Guerin might consider that to be a more pressing issue if things don’t improve soon.

As always, the two big stumbling blocks in a Chychrun trade are the Coyotes’ asking price and the rearguard’s injury history. Salary cap space is also an issue for some of the teams (like the Oilers and Wild) linked to him. Until one of those hurdles is overcome I don’t see Chychrun getting traded anytime soon.

COULD A RISING SALARY CAP MAKE SETH JONES’ CONTRACT EASIER TO MOVE?

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: With the NHL salary cap projected to rise to $92 million by 2025-26, Ben Pope suggests it could make Seth Jones’ contract easier for the rebuilding Blackhawks to build around or trade by 2025. The 28-year-old defenseman is in the first season of an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $9.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will depend on whether Jones is still playing at a level of performance that would entice other teams enough to take on his full cap hit. He would also have to be willing to waive his full no-movement clause. In the meantime, Jones isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

COACHES ON THE HOT SEAT

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille believes the New Jersey Devils’ Lindy Ruff and the Anaheim Ducks’ Dallas Eakins could find themselves on the hot seat if their clubs haven’t improved in the coming weeks.

The Ducks picked up Eakins’ option year for this season but nothing beyond that. They’ve added some decent veterans (Frank Vatrano, Ryan Strome, John Klingberg) and have some promising young talent in Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale and Mason McTavish. However, this is a rebuilding club expected to be bad again this season and that could make it tough for Eakins to maintain his job.

Ruff was booed when he was introduced during the Devils’ home opener on Saturday, which they lost 5-2. Gentille cites bad goaltending and some questionable lineup decisions behind the Devils’ woes. He also noted former Florida Panthers bench boss Andrew Brunette was hired this summer as Ruff’s assistant.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No rumors yet suggesting Eakins or Ruff (or any other NHL head coach) could soon lose their jobs. Nevertheless, this is something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Those two could certainly feel the heat if things don’t improve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 18, 2022

by | Oct 18, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 18, 2022

Recaps of Monday’s games, Sidney Crosby tops the stars of the week, an update on the health of Hall-of-Famer Borje Salming, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad each had four points while Adam Fox collected three assists as the New York Rangers downed the Anaheim Ducks 6-4. It was Panarin’s second four-point game of the season and set a Rangers record for the most points (10) in the first four games of a season.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Alex Ovechkin scored twice as the Washington Capitals defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-4. The Capitals got four unanswered goals in the third period as Ovechkin finished the night with four points while Evgeny Kuznetsov had three assists. Kuznetsov could face supplemental discipline for slashing Canucks defenseman Kyle Burroughs in the face. Capitals winger Connor Brown left the game with an apparent injury to his right leg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet reports the Canucks became the first team in NHL history to lose each of their first three games of the season after blowing a multi-goal lead in each game. They had a players-only meeting after the game but it could take more than that to address their poor defensive play.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk celebrated his 26th birthday with two goals and an assist in a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Patrice Bergeron had a goal and an assist while Linus Ullmark kicked out 38 shots for the win. Sam Bennett and Colin White each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who lost defenseman Aaron Ekblad to a lower-body injury in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers blueliner Brandon Montour missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Arizona Coyotes upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2. Shayne Gostisbehere snapped a 2-2 tie late in the third period after the Leafs overcame a 2-0 deficit. The Leafs appeared to tie the game 3-3 with 37 seconds remaining but it was overturned on a hand pass by Morgan Rielly. Gostisbehere, Nick Ritchie and Christian Fischer each had a goal and an assist. Leafs captain John Tavares picked up an assist for his 900th career point. Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin left the game with a neck injury in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The overturned goal shouldn’t overshadow the fact the Leafs were dreadful for most of this game against a club that (on paper) they should’ve easily defeated. Whatever the reason, they struggled against a determined Coyotes club that didn’t collapse when the Leafs staged their third-period rally.

Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin each had a goal and two assists to lead the Colorado Avalanche over the Minnesota Wild 6-3, handing the latter their third straight loss. Kirill Kaprizov tallied twice for the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltending has been an issue for the Wild thus far. Marc-Andre Fleury was terrible in their first two games while Filip Gustavsson wasn’t much better in this contest against the Avalanche.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on an overtime goal by Kirby Dach. Evgeni Malkin scored twice for the Penguins but the Canadiens got goals from Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield to force the extra frame. Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen missed this game on parental leave but Sam Montembeault got the win with a 26-save performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield’s goal came from a beautiful thread-the-needle pass from Jonathan Drouin, who’s been the target of criticism from Canadiens fans and the subject of trade speculation. More passing plays like that could silence his critics and improve his stock in the trade market.

An overtime goal by Phillip Danault gave the Los Angeles Kings a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Danault scored twice while Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe each had two points. David Perron scored two goals and collected an assist for the Red Wings. Kings defenseman Alex Edler missed this game after being struck in the face by a puck during warmups.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong defensive effort by Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin set the stage for teammate Oskar Sundqvist’s game-tying goal that forced overtime. With his club down 4-3, Larkin hustled back to thwart Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson’s attempt at an empty-net goal after the Wings pulled netminder Ville Husso to go with six attackers.

Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho each had three-point performances to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Schenikov scored two goals while goalie Frederik Andersen turned aside 22 shots for the win.

The Dallas Stars rolled to a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Jake Oettinger made 24 saves, Tyler Seguin and Miro Heiskanen scored while Mason Marchment collected two assists. Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oetting are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 16, 2022.

TORONTO STAR: Hall-of-Famer Borje Salming can no longer speak and has to be fed through a tube as a result of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). On Aug. 10, Salming released a statement indicating he’d been diagnosed with the disease for which there is no cure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It appears Salming’s symptoms are spreading rapidly. Spare a thought or prayer for the Leafs legend.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi has been sidelined for four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz is out for six-to-eight weeks with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Philadelphia Flyers placed defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. He played in two preseason games but missed their first two regular-season contests.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 17, 2022

by | Oct 17, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – October 17, 2022

The latest on Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, an update on Wayne Simmonds and a potentially interesting waiver option for the Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON KANE AND TOEWS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports player agent Pat Brisson said his client, Patrick Kane, is taking a wait-and-see approach to this season. The 33-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Brisson didn’t put a timeline on it, adding the Blackhawks won’t push Kane one way or the other. LeBrun indicated the plan is for management and Kane’s camp to revisit this issue around December or January to see where they are.

LeBrun noted the similarities between Kane’s situation and that of Brisson client Claude Giroux, who was shipped to the Florida Panthers by the Philadelphia Flyers before last season’s trade deadline. Noting the emotional toll it took on Giroux, LeBrun wonders if there might be a mutual desire between Kane and an interested club in getting a deal done well ahead of the March 3 trade deadline.

Kane’s teammate Jonathan Toews is another Brisson client. His declining performance could affect his trade value but his leadership and playoff experience remain respected by contenders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun also cited the $10.5 million cap hit of Kane and Toews as well as their full no-movement clauses. He thinks Kane could only approve two or three teams as trade destinations which will affect the type of return for the Blackhawks, though that could improve if they retain 50 percent of his cap hit. I daresay Toews would also have a small number of preferred destinations.

Media speculation has linked Kane to the Colorado Avalanche, Dalla Stars, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. However, there doesn’t appear to have been any serious trade talks. Those likely won’t happen until January at the earliest.

UPDATE ON SIMMONDS

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby reported Wayne Simmonds was recalled by the Maple Leafs along with Nick Robertson and Victor Mete after Matt Murray was placed on long-term injury reserve. Simmonds is happy to be back after clearing waivers on Monday but didn’t report to their AHL affiliate.

The Leafs allowed Simmonds to work out with “a satellite group of players” at Scotiabank Arena while they sought a trade that he would accept. The veteran winger is hoping to stay with the team as he doesn’t want to leave a contender for a rebuilding club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmonds carries an affordable $900K for this season but also has a 10-team no-trade clause.

MILANO ON WAIVERS

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico wonders if the Canadiens might attempt to claim Sonny Milano off waivers. The 26-year-old winger signed a one-year, $750K contract with the Washington Capitals and was placed on waivers yesterday for the purpose of sending him to their AHL affiliate in Hershey.

D’Amico suggests Milano could be a cheap, low-cost addition for the Canadiens. Prospect Juraj Slafkovsky looks like he could use some seasoning in the AHL while veterans Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov have failed to impress.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Canadiens pass on Milano another club might claim him now that he’s signed an affordable contract. We’ll find out later today.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2022

by | Oct 17, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2022

Brad Marchand is practicing with the Bruins, Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury acknowledges his poor start, Matt Murray’s injury could have a silver lining for the Leafs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL didn’t schedule any games for Sunday, Oct. 17, 2022, so no game recaps this morning.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand returned to practice with his Bruins teammates for the first time since undergoing double hip surgery in May. The 34-year-old winger was a full participant in a light on-ice practice Sunday. “I feel really good. Today was more of a mental victory than anything, “ said Marchand. “It’s been a long four months.”

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is expected to return to action around the American Thanksgiving long weekend in late November. He’ll be participating in morning skates with his teammates for the time being.

Speaking of the Bruins, they recalled defenseman Dan Renouf. That move suggests Brandon Carlo could be sidelined for a while with an upper-body injury suffered on Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes.

TWINCITIES.COM: Marc-Andre Fleury acknowledged his poor start to this season and admitted he has to improve his play. The 37-year-old goaltender gave up 11 goals on 49 shots over his first two games and was booed off the ice by Wild fans during their 7-6 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. “I don’t blame them; I’d boo myself,” said Fleury. “I was not good. I feel bad for the fans. I feel bad for my teammates.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild signed Fleury to a two-year contract and handed him the starter’s job after trading Cam Talbot to the Ottawa Senators. He’s at a point in his career where age could be catching up with him. If so, the Wild could be in serious trouble between the pipes this season.

TORONTO SUN: Michael Traikos suggests losing goalie Matt Murray for four weeks to an adductor injury could be the best thing that could’ve happened to the Maple Leafs. With Murray on long-term injured reserve, it provided them with the salary-cap wiggle room to recall Wayne Simmonds, Nick Robertson and Victor Mete.

This situation gives them an opportunity to fully evaluate Ilya Samsonov in the starter’s job. It also provides the club with a much-needed kick in the pants after they seemed to sleep-walk through their first two games of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The more important factor is Samsonov’s performance. If he proves up to the challenge as a starting goaltender, the Leafs will be fine. Their season could depend on it.

NEW YORK POST: Sammy Blais returns to the Rangers lineup tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. It’s his first NHL regular-season game since suffering a season-ending knee injury last November. An upper-body injury suffered during preseason play kept him out of the lineup through the Rangers’ first three games of this season.

NHLPA released a statement on Saturday after the NHL announced it was closing its investigation into allegations of sexual assault and grooming leveled at Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole due to lack of evidence.

 

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Tyler Pitlick is still skating in practice with the St. Louis Blues despite being released from his professional tryout offer last week. He could earn a contract with the club with Logan Brown looking like he’ll be headed to injured reserve.

THE PROVINCE: It appears Tucker Poolman could be sidelined longer than anticipated as the Vancouver Canucks recalled Noah Juulsen. Poolman was injured during the Canucks 3-2 loss on Saturday to the Philadelphia Flyers.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks suggests the NHL and NHLPA should reach an agreement at the end of this season to spread the anticipated $9.5 million increase in the salary cap in 2024-25 and 2025-26 over the next three seasons. It would provide an annual cap increase of $3 million in each season, giving some much-needed cap relief to a number of teams next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks points to a number of teams forced to ice reduced rosters already this season due to constraints brought about by the flattened salary cap. It will rise by just $1 million for next season before jumping by a projected $4.5 million in 2024-25 and another $4 million in 2025-26.

Cap Friendly indicates 13 teams are at or above this season’s $82.5 million cap with another four clubs carrying under $250K in cap room. That makes it difficult for those clubs to ice full rosters or call up replacements from the minors if injuries strike. It could become a problem over the course of the season and perhaps prompt some team owners to call upon the league for some form of cap relief of the kind suggested by Brooks.

The argument can be made that it’s the fault of those teams for overspending on talent. However, some of those big contracts were signed several years ago before the COVID-19 pandemic flattened hockey-related revenues in 2019-20 and 2020-21, freezing the cap over the past two seasons and leading to marginal increases for this season and the next.

Those contracts were signed with the understanding that the cap would continue rising based on the annual projections from league headquarters. No one expected a global pandemic that led to shortened schedules and significantly reduced revenue nor can they be faulted for that lack of foresight.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 16, 2022

by | Oct 16, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 16, 2022

Is there a deal to be had between the Coyotes and Senators for Jakob Chychrun? Could the Bruins shop one of their left-side defensemen? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports sidelined defenseman Jakob Chychrun is scheduled to join the club later this week to at least skate with his teammates. However, there remains no firm timeline for his return to action.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

The Ottawa Senators have been linked to Chychrun in the rumor mill. However, Friedman cites multiple sources claiming there currently isn’t a path for a deal between the two clubs, though that might change once he resumes skating.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun has requested a trade and Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong is willing to accommodate him. However, until he’s back playing and remains healthy and productive, he’ll likely remain with the Coyotes for a while.

As always, the combination of the Coyotes’ high asking price and Chychrun’s injury history makes it difficult for the club to ship him to the Senators or any other interested team.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports the Bruins will have five left-side defensemen once Matt Grzelcyk returns from injury in the near future. He noted that Bruins GM Don Sweeney intends to keep an open mind regarding moving one of those blueliners to clear some salary-cap space or to provide depth should injuries occur.

Mike Reilly appears the likely trade candidate. He cleared waivers last week and sources claimed the Bruins were shopping him prior to putting him on waivers. The fact he went unclaimed was due to so many teams possessing insufficient cap space to take on his $3 million cap hit.

Murphy also mentioned some speculation suggesting the Bruins might shop right-side rearguard Brandon Carlo if he doesn’t round into everything they’ve envisioned. One scout said to Murphy he wouldn’t be surprised if Sweeney shopped Carlo for “a big going-for-it move” at the March 3 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sweeney could attempt to move Reilly in a cost-cutting deal once Brad Marchand or Charlie McAvoy come off long-term injured reserve later this season. Perhaps by that point, there will be interested clubs that have accrued sufficient cap space to take him on.

Carlo suffered what looked like another head/concussion injury during last night’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. Given his concussion history, that could adversely affect his trade value if he’s sidelined again for any length of time.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2022

by | Oct 16, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2022

Game recaps, the league finds no evidence to support anonymous allegations against Ian Cole, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby had his second straight three-point game to lead his Pittsburgh Penguins to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tristan Jarry got the win with a 34-save performance while Jake Guentzel and Jeff Carter each had two points for the Penguins. Lightning forwards Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov each had two points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was also the second straight game that the Penguins scored six goals.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov turned aside 26 shots and Justin Holl snapped a 2-2 tie to nip the Ottawa Senators 3-2. Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist for the Senators. Samsonov got the start when Matt Murray suffered an adductor injury that will sideline him for four weeks. The Leafs recalled Erik Kallgren as Samsonov’s backup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It didn’t take long for Murray to be sidelined again, bringing into question the decision by general manager Kyle Dubas to acquire the oft-injured netminder this summer. The Leafs had better pray Samsonov remains healthy and plays well given their limited cap space and lack of depth in quality goalies within their system.

The Los Angeles Kings tamed the Minnesota Wild 7-6 on a third-period goal by Adrian Kempe, who finished the night with two goals and an assist. Anze Kopitar collected three assists while Kevin Fiala notched three points against his former team. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and two assists for the Wild, who pulled goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury after he gave up four goals on 14 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild overcame a 3-0 deficit and had tied the game at six before Kempe’s game-winning tally. It was a sloppy defensive contest for both clubs. Zuccarello didn’t mince words about his team’s performance. “Sometimes we play defense like we’re a f**king junior team. It’s the whole team. We have to sharpen up,” he said.

Vladimir Tarasenko scored two goals while Pavel Buchnevich and Brayden Schenn each had two points as the St. Louis Blues rolled to a 5-2 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Johnny Gaudreau collected an assist for the Jackets, who have dropped three straight to start the season.

The Calgary Flames got a three-point performance from defenseman Michael Stone and two points from Nazem Kadri as they held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Connor McDavid scored a goal and Leon Draisaitl had two assists for the Oilers.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic turned aside 37 shots for the win. Devils captain Nico Hischier returned to the lineup after being sidelined by a hamstring injury during preseason play.

The Dallas Stars defeated the Nashville Predators by a score of 5-1. Roope Hintz had two goals and an assist, Jason Robertson a goal and two assists while netminder Jake Oettinger kicked out 29 shots.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault tallied twice and Adin Hill made 31 saves to beat the Seattle Kraken 5-2. The Golden Knights have won three straight. Andre Burakovsky had two assists for the Kraken.

Boston Bruins winger A.J. Greer scored twice and set up another in a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Charlie Coyle, Nick Foligno and Pavel Zacha each had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who also lost defenseman Brandon Carlo in the first period to a possible head/concussion injury following a hit by Coyotes forward Liam O’Brien. Coyotes defenseman Conor Timmins left the game with an upper-body injury.

Defensemen Robin Salo and Scott Mayfield each scored twice and Anders Lee collected three assists as the New York Islanders crushed the Anaheim Ducks 7-1. Mathew Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier and Oliver Wahlstrom each had two points. Isles forward Cal Clutterbuck returned from injured reserve but Sebastian Aho went on IR with an upper-body injury.

The Philadelphia Flyers overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Travis Konecny scored the game-winner and assisted on Scott Laughton’s game-tying goal while Carter Hart made 28 saves for the win. Canucks defenseman Tucker Poolman left the game following the first period with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers are 2-0-0 while the Canucks have lost their first two games. Canucks star J.T. Miller is frustrated by his performance, acknowledging he’s been on the ice for all eight goals scored against his team thus far. Speaking of the Flyers, they placed winger Owen Tippett on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Three unanswered second-period goals by Conor Sheary, Anthony Mantha and T.J. Oshie lifted the Washington Capitals over the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. Oshie finished with two points. Nick Suzuki scored for the Canadiens, who remain scoreless in 10 power-play opportunities thus far this season.

The Florida Panthers held off the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist while Aleksander Barkov chipped in two assists. Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres.

Two second-period goals by Sam Lafferty helped the Chicago Blackhawks overcome a 2-0 deficit to down the San Jose Sharks 5-2. The Sharks have dropped four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Sharks honored former general manager Doug Wilson, who stepped away from the role last season for health reasons.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league announced Saturday it had concluded its investigation into anonymous allegations of sexual assault on social media made against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole, finding no evidence to substantiate the allegations.

The league conducted two interviews with Cole as well as interviews with NHL club personnel and other individuals with potentially pertinent information. It conducted a detailed review of online and social media, public data, court records and law enforcement checks, as well as attempted to contact the source of the allegations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reaction to this report on social media has been mixed, with some claiming the league didn’t go far enough with its investigation, expressing skepticism over the findings or insisting they turn this over to the police. That’s understandable given Kyle Beach’s allegations that he was sexually assaulted by a former Chicago Blackhawks video coach were so poorly handled.

However, I don’t see this as sweeping it under the table. The league took the allegation seriously and suspended Cole with pay while conducting what appears to have been a thorough investigation.

I’m not saying the anonymous source shouldn’t be listened to or believed but if they’re unwilling to speak to the league or the police then there’s not really much else that can be done. Cole, meanwhile, will be reinstated but this incident has tarnished his personal life and reputation.

THE ATHLETIC’S Peter Baugh reports there’s still no timeline for Gabriel Landeskog’s return to the Colorado Avalanche lineup. He remains sidelined with a lower-body injury.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets head coach Rick Bowness hopes to return behind the bench on Wednesday. He’s currently sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19.

SPORTSNET: The Washington Capitals are reportedly poised to sign free-agent winger Sonny Milano to a one-year, $750K contract.