NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2022

by | Apr 22, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2022

​The Golden Knights become the first team to clinch a playoff berth, Patrick Marleau reaches another milestone for games played, plus the latest on Jonathan Toews, Conor Garland and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights became the first team to clinch a berth in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs by downing the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Jonathan Marchessault led the way with two goals and two assists for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Honda West Division and the overall standings with 68 points. San Jose forward Patrick Marleau reached another milestone, playing in his 900th consecutive NHL game. The Sharks (41 points) remain four points back of the fourth-place Arizona Coyotes.

Jonathan Marchessault’s four-point performance in a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks helped the Vegas Golden Knights clinch a 2021 NHL playoff berth (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marleau recently broke Gordie Howe’s NHL record for most games played with 1,768. His Ironman streak is also impressive, becoming just the fourth player in league history to play 900 consecutive games. The leader is Doug Jarvis (964), followed by Garry Unger (914) and Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle (913), with the latter poised to tie Unger in tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Speaking of the Coyotes, they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Minnesota Wild. Kirill Kaprizov set the Wild record for most goals by a rookie with 19 while Cam Talbot kicked out 39 shots for the win. With 61 points, the Wild sits three points behind the second-place Colorado Avalanche. Coyotes winger Conor Garland missed the game following a lower-body injury suffered in practice earlier in the day.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson scored twice as his club held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists as the Oilers (56 points) sit one point behind the second-place Winnipeg Jets in the Scotia North Division. The Canadiens, meanwhile, sit fourth with 49 points, opening an eight-point lead over the Calgary Flames. Oilers winger Zack Kassian left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury. 

The Chicago Blackhawks overcame a 4-1 deficit to drop the Nashville Predators 5-4 on an overtime goal by Brandon Hagel, who also collected two assists. The Predators sit in fourth place in the Discover Central Division with 52 points while the Blackhawks sit three back in sixth.

HEADLINES

The NHL extended the West Division schedule to May 13 to accommodate postponed games involving the Avalanche.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the NHL hopes to start the 2021-22 season on Oct. 12, which is one week later than in a normal year. Training camps would open on Sept. 22 if there are no COVID-related delays.

The league cannot say for certain when the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs will begin due to the in-season delays some teams have dealt with this season.

The NHL still intends to participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics provided an agreement is reached with the International Ice Hockey Federation and the International Olympic Committee.

The 2021 NHL Draft (July 23-24) will be held virtually for the second straight year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That means it’ll probably take over seven hours again to complete the second day of the draft unless the league sets a more rigid timetable for each team to make their selections.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner accused the NHL of lying to the players regarding its policies on COVID-19 restrictions and vaccinations. He claimed the league told them restrictions would ease if a certain threshold of vaccinations were achieved.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly denied Lehner’s claim, saying loosened restrictions were previously discussed internally and with the NHL Players Association but no decision was reached or communicated to the players.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is likely done for the remainder of this season as he continues to battle an illness that’s left him drained and lethargic. However, his health is improving and he’s expected to return next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Toews as he continues his recovery.

CBS SPORTS: Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart will miss his club’s next two games due to a knee sprain.

TSN: A settlement in principle has been reached between the NHL and Kelli Ewen, widow of former player Todd Ewen, over the wrongful death lawsuit she filed against the league in 2019. The suit alleges Todd’s suicide in 2015 was linked to the league allegedly downplaying the potential long-term effects of repeated head trauma and profiting from a culture of on-ice violence.










NHL West Division Odds: Vegas and Colorado Battle Once More

by | Apr 21, 2021

NHL West Division Odds: Vegas and Colorado Battle Once More

 










NHL Rumor Mill – April 21, 2021

by | Apr 21, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – April 21, 2021

​Should the Flames entertain trade offers this summer for Matthew Tkachuk? How much could it cost the Leafs to re-sign Zach Hyman? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.

OTTAWA SUN: Don Brennan believes a significant shakeup is coming this summer for the struggling Calgary Flames. He believes they should focus on moving underachieving forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan but also felt they should be open to offers for winger Matthew Tkachuk.

Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

The 23-year-old Tkachuk has a year left on his contract at $7 million before becoming a restricted free agent. He has 10 goals and 30 points in 45 games, prompting Brennan to claim he isn’t providing the Flames what he’s being paid to give.

Brennan acknowledged trading Tkachuk shouldn’t be at the top of the Flames offseason “to do” list but feels they should be willing to listen to offers. He goes on to suggest the Senators make a pitch to reunite Matthew with little brother Brady in Ottawa, wondering how much more it might cost above a first-round pick and Logan Brown to get a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brennan’s merely spitballing, of course. We don’t know if the Flames will put Tkachuk on the block or even listen to offers, though nothing should be off the table at this point.

We also don’t know if the Senators would consider making a pitch for Matthew but their first-round pick will certainly be part of the asking price if they do. The Flames will want more than Logan Brown unless another good young player or prospect is also part of the offer. There’s also the question of how much Matthew will want on his next contract and the willingness of the Senators (or another club) to pay it. It will likely be more expensive than his current deal.

I believe the Flames will retain Matthew for at least one more season to see how he responds if Gaudreau and/or Monahan get traded this summer. They have to move quickly on Gaudreau as he’s an unrestricted free agent next summer but there’s no reason to do so with Tkachuk given his RFA status next year.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun canvassed “half a dozen NHL front office executives” to determine how much Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman might get via this summer’s free-agent market. The responses varied between $4.5 million and $5.5 million. LeBrun believes Hyman’s agent could also use Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher ($6.5 million annually) as a comparable in contract talks.

LeBrun believes the number is going to have to start with a four if Hyman wants to stay with the Leafs under a tight salary cap. It’ll start with a five if he tests the open market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman’s completing a four-year, $9 million contract ($2.25 million annual average value). He’s become an invaluable member of their core as a tenacious, versatile forward.

While Hyman and Gallagher play a similar style, the latter has better stats and plays a leadership role. The Leafs winger isn’t getting a contract comparable to the Habs alternate captain.

Cap Friendly indicates the Leafs have $68.1 million invested in 13 players for 2021-22. In addition to Hyman, they must also re-sign or replace Frederik Andersen, Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, Nick Foligno, Jason Spezza, Ben Hutton, Zach Bogosian and David Rittich.

As LeBrun said, if Hyman wants to stay in Toronto he’ll have to accept something between $4 million and $4.99 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2021

by | Apr 21, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2021

​Recaps of Tuesday’s action features a high-scoring win for the Penguins and the Canucks winning their second straight game coming out of their COVID-19 pause. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: A four-point performance by Anthony Beauvillier (one goal, three assists) carried the New York Islanders over the New York Rangers 6-1. Josh Bailey scored two goals and set up another as the Islanders tied the Washington Capitals with 62 points, though the latter holds first place in the MassMutual East Division on the basis of regulation wins. Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba left the game in the first period following a hit by Matt Martin. The Blueshirts (52 points) are six points behind the fourth-place Boston Bruins.

New York Islanders forward Anthony Beauvillier (NHL Images).

The Pittsburgh Penguins took a 6-0 lead into the third period against the New Jersey Devils but struggled to hang on for a 7-6 victory. Jeff Carter scored his first goal for Pittsburgh after being acquired last week from the Los Angeles Kings while teammates Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust each had a goal and an assist. Devils defenseman Will Butcher collected three assists. The Penguins (61 points) sit one back of the Washington Capitals and the Islanders. The Devils played without P.K. Subban as the defenseman was placed on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.

Tuukka Rask turned in a 32-save shutout as the Boston Bruins blanked the Buffalo Sabres 2-0. Brad Marchand and Connor Clifton were the goal scorers as the Bruins (58 points) won their fifth straight game and sit three points behind the third-place Penguins.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a goal and an assist from Nino Niederreiter to down the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1. The Hurricanes sit in first place in the Discover Central Division with 65 points while the Lightning sits three points back in third place.

Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight made 33 saves in his NHL debut backstopping his club to a 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sam Bennett scored twice while Jonathan Huberdeau and Anthony Duclair each had three points. The Panthers are tied in points with the Hurricanes but the latter holds two games in hand. Blue Jackets forward Max Domi was a healthy scratch for the second straight game.

The Dallas Stars extended their points streak to eight games (6-0-2) by dropping the Detroit Red Wings 5-2. Rookie Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist as Dallas (50 points) sit one point behind the fourth-place Nashville Predators in the Central. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen missed the game with a lower-body injury.

A four-goal third period carried the Vancouver Canucks over the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 for their second straight win over the Leafs since returning from their COVID-19 pause. Tanner Pearson and Brandon Sutter each scored twice for the Canucks. John Tavares tallied two goals for Toronto, who remain atop the Scotia North Division with 61 points but are winless in their last five games. Leafs defenseman Zach Bogosian left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 as Andreas Athanasiou and Blake Lizotte each had a goal and two assists. The Kings (40 points) sit five points behind the fourth-place Arizona Coyotes in the Honda West Division.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is sidelined at least a week with a concussion suffered during Monday’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen was placed on the COVID-19 protocol list, joining goaltender Philipp Grubauer and winger Joonas Donskoi.

TSN: Roberto Luongo was named general manager for Canada’s men’s team at the 2021 World Championships. Shane Doan is also part of the management team.










NHL Central Division: A True Three Ring Circus for Bettors

by | Apr 20, 2021

NHL Central Division: A True Three Ring Circus for Bettors

 










What Next For The New Jersey Devils?

by | Apr 20, 2021

What Next For The New Jersey Devils?