NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 7, 2021

by | Feb 7, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 7, 2021

​Recaps of Saturday’s games, more changes to the schedule, the Stars scratch Anton Khudobin scratched for disciplinary reasons, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens held on to edge the Ottawa Senators 2-1 as Josh Anderson snapped a 1-1 tie early in the third period. Canadiens goalie Jake Allen made 34 saves for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allen’s been sharp for the Habs, winning four of his five starts with a 1.81 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. That’s caused some pundits to suggest a “goalie controversy” as Allen has better stats than starter Carey Price. We shouldn’t read too much into that unless Allen receives more starts than Price in the coming weeks.

The Arizona Coyotes picked up their first series sweep of the season by downing the St. Louis Blues 3-1. Jakob Chychrun scored twice while Clayton Keller added a goal and an assist. The Blues also lost forward Robert Thomas after he exited the game with what appeared to be an injured left wrist. Defenseman Marco Scandella also missed the game with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Blues revealed center Tyler Bozak was placed on injured reserve.

New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves in his 500th career NHL game as his club nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Jordan Eberle had two goals and Anders Lee snapped a 3-3 tie in the third. Penguins rookie defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph tallied his first career NHL goal. Teammate Jared McCann left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Auston Matthews scored twice to extend his goals streak to seven games as the Toronto Maple Leafs extended their points streak to seven games by thumping the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Wayne Simmonds also scored twice but left the game in the third period with an apparent hand injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved win by the Leafs over a floundering Canucks team who’ve suffered four straight lopsided defeats. Something’s got to give for the Canucks if they don’t soon snap out of this tailspin.

Shootout goals by Troy Terry and Max Comtois lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the San Jose Sharks 2-1. Ryan Miller made 28 saves for the win while Ducks center Isac Lundestrom netted his first career NHL goal. Logan Couture tallied for the Sharks.

The Calgary Flames drew first blood against the Edmonton Oilers with a 6-4 victory in the opening game of this season’s version of The Battle of Alberta. Mikael Backlund had a goal and two assists while Sam Bennett tallied his first goal of the season. Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his multiple-point game streak to seven with a goal and an assist. Earlier in the day, the Los Angeles Kings reclaimed Oilers goalie Troy Grosenick off waivers.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league announced 27 games have been rescheduled.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most involve the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. Both clubs recently had games postponed because of COVID-19 protocols.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin has been scratched from today’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks over what head coach Rick Bowness called “an internal issue that we’ll deal with internally.” Asked if this would extend beyond today’s game, Bowness said they’ll address it “one day at a time.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowness shed little light on the issue other than to suggest Khudobin may have broken one of the coach’s rules. “I have very few rules, but you damn well better follow them,” he said.

It must be a serious transgression for Bowness to scratch Khudobin, who backstopped the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final last year. He’s taken over the starter’s job while Ben Bishop continues his recovery from offseason knee surgery.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski was placed on injured reserve for one-to-two weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski and defense partner Seth Jones are off to slow starts this season. He suffered this injury during Thursday’s 4-3 win over the Stars.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins expect to have sidelined defenseman Matt Grzelcyk and winger Jake DeBrusk back in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas is sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour expects he’ll return to the lineup soon.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: The Capitals added forward Jakub Vrana to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 6, 2021

by | Feb 6, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – February 6, 2021

​The latest on Johnny Gaudreau, Brock Boeser and Phillip Danault plus an update on Sam Bennett in today’s NHL rumor mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently noted the strong play this season of Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau and Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser has silenced the trade chatter that arose about the two during the offseason.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Fox pointed out the Gaudreau speculation seems to stem from the notion the Flames might need to make major changes if they are to stop coming up short in the playoffs. The Boeser conjecture arose from the Canucks’ limited salary-cap space in the offseason.

The rumors also came about because of where the two players are from. Boeser is a Minnesota native which seemingly makes him a great fit with the Wild. Gaudreau gets linked to the Devils because he grew up in New Jersey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gaudreau always seemed more likely to be moved last year than Boeser because he’s a year away from UFA status and there’s a feeling of uncertainty over whether his future remains in Calgary.

Boeser, on the other hand, becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of next season. With Cap Friendly indicating the Canucks have just over $27 million invested in five players for 2022-23, they have a good chance of re-signing Boeser to a big raise.

That cap space, however, will shrink substantially once Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko are re-signed this summer. Still, there should be enough to keep Boeser in the fold.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports Phillip Danault still hopes to complete his career with the Canadiens. The 27-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

Questions have been raised over Danault’s future in Montreal with the rise of young center Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. There are reports claiming he rejected a six-year, $30 million contract offer from the Canadiens during the offseason.

Danault has declined to discuss his contract status but it could be weighing on him. Cowan points out he’s one of only two Canadiens yet to score a goal this season, though he does have five assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cowen also suggests Danault’s stats could be affected by the ice time he’s getting thus far. Nevertheless, his future with the Canadiens will remain an open question throughout the season. There’s little fear he’ll be traded if the Habs continue playing as well as they have but it still could come up before the April 12 trade deadline.

THE JOURNAL NEWS: Vincent Z. Mercogliano reports sources confirmed to the USA TODAY Network the New York Rangers are interested in Calgary Flames forward Sam Bennett. Of course, it depends upon the Flames’ asking price.

Mercogliano notes recent reports suggesting the Flames had an interest in Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo. However, he points out a one-for-one swap isn’t possible because DeAngelo’s cap hit ($4.8 million) is higher than Bennett’s $2.55 million. The Flames lack sufficient cap space to take on those extra dollars.

The Rangers aren’t willing to absorb half of DeAngelo’s cap hit but it’s less certain if they’ll pick up 25 percent. Mercogliano suggests the cheaper option for the Rangers is to keep DeAngelo on the taxi squad and buy him out at season’s end.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2021

by | Feb 6, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2021

​Recaps of Friday’s action, the league faces criticism as it looks at rapid testing, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals 27 seconds apart by Brad Marchand and Sean Kuraly lifted the Boston Bruins over the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. James van Riemsdyk was the lone scorer for the Flyers, who played without goaltender Carter Hart (back spasms, day-to-day) and defenseman Philippe Myers, who has an upper-body injury. Forward Oskar Lindblom left the game in the third period following a hit from Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton.

The Detroit Red Wings’ winless skid stretched to eight games (0-6-2) after dropping a 3-1 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Barclay Goodrow tallied twice for the Lightning, including the game-winner.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

Second-period goals by Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators. The Panthers extended their points streak to eight games (6-0-2) as they’re the only team that hasn’t lost in regulation. Predators goalie Pekka Rinne made 34 saves.

The Vegas Golden Knights scored five straight goals in the opening 27 minutes to beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-2. Max Pacioretty, William Karlsson and Nicolas Hague each collected three points for the Golden Knights, who were playing their first game since their schedule was paused on Jan. 26 by COVID-19.

Shootout goals by Ryan Donato and Kevin Labanc lifted the San Jose Sharks over the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. The Sharks overcame a 3-1 deficit on third-period goals by Logan Couture, Evander Kane and Brent Burns but Max Comtois tied it for the Ducks.

HEADLINES

TSN: The NHL and NHLPA are investigating rapid testing for players and team staff on game days to flatten the COVID-19 curve after five teams had their schedules paused and games postponed over the past two weeks. A total of 26 games have been postponed, 17 in February alone.

The Buffalo Sabres were among those teams. They were reportedly furious that they were apparently forced to play games last weekend against a New Jersey Devils team that was going through an outbreak of COVID-19. Five Sabres players have since wound up on the NHL’s COVID protocol list while Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger has tested positive. The Sabres had no players on the protocol list prior to the series against the Devils.

THE ATHLETIC: John Vogl reports Eric County executive Mark Poloncarz believes the NHL should have taken greater action to ensure the safety of the Sabres and Devils and everyone around them. “It seemed they were more interested in playing a game,” he said.

League commissioner Bill Daly said there were no concerns expressed regarding last Sunday’s games between the Sabres and Devils. An NHLPA representative said league and union medical advisors determined the game could go on based on the information available to them at the time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league announced on Thursday they were taking steps to reduce player-to-player transmission of the coronavirus, including removing the glass behind the benches to increase airflow, increasing the distance between players in dressing rooms, and limiting the time spent at the arena by players and coaches.

The recent postponements and reschedulings aren’t surprising. There’s a greater risk of exposure and transmissions because the players aren’t under the strict quarantine conditions they played under during the 2020 playoffs. Doing more to limit transmission at the arena is one thing but there’s little the league can do to prevent players from exposure when they have greater access to the general public away from the rink.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman John Marino returned to practice yesterday after being placed on the COVID-19 protocol list on Wednesday. Sidelined blueliners Kris Letang and Mike Matheson also skated yesterday.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott (leg injury) will not play today against the Vancouver Canucks.

TVA SPORTS: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexander Romanov required stitches after being struck in the face with a puck during practice on Friday. Canadiens coach Claude Julien said Romanov will travel with the club for today’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

CBS SPORTS: Calgary Flames forward Derek Ryan has been referred to a specialist after injuring a finger during Thursday’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

NEWSDAY: The New York Rangers promoted Chris Drury to associate general manager.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Justin Williams is returning to the Carolina Hurricanes as a special advisor to the general manager.










Little Sign of Improvement Thus Far From Red Wings and Senators

by | Feb 5, 2021

Little Sign of Improvement Thus Far From Red Wings and Senators

 










NHL Rumor Mill – February 5, 2021

by | Feb 5, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – February 5, 2021

Sam Bennett becoming a healthy scratch is stoking speculation he could be traded soon. Get the latest plus updates on the Avalanche and Penguins in today’s NHL rumor mill.

BENNETT ON THE BLOCK?

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson reports the Flames made Sam Bennett a healthy scratch in yesterday’s 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The move comes just days after his agent claimed the 24-year-old forward was seeking a change of scenery, fuelling speculation a trade could be in the works.

Calgary Flames benching Sam Bennett fueled more trade chatter (NHL Images).

Gilbertson noted TSN’s Darren Dreger broke the news of Bennett’s benching. While Dreger acknowledged it would fuel conjecture, he claimed there was “nothing on the front burner related to trade.”

Flames coach Geoff Ward claimed it was his decision to make Bennett a healthy scratch but Gilbertson suggests this feels like a move could be coming soon. Scratching him, however, won’t help the Flames’ depth nor improve his trade value.

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis believes if Bennett is scratched from Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers it could mean he’s played his final game for the Flames. He also said the front office has received clarity about Bennett’s status from the forward himself. Francis claims he “wants out”, prompting management to sit him.

The Flames aren’t in a rush to move Bennett unless it’s for the right deal. However, the benching could turn his situation into a bigger distraction.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports Bennett has been a subject of conversation between the Flames and the New York Rangers. Brooks claims the Flames have conducted due diligence on Tony DeAngelo and have expressed “at least preliminary interest” in the 25-year-old defenseman. Sources tell Brooks the Flames haven’t made a definitive decision whether to trade Bennett.

DeAngelo, meanwhile, is in the first season of a two-year contract carrying an annual average value of $4.8 million. The Rangers don’t want to absorb a significant chunk of the blueliner’s salary or take back a big contract in return. If the Flames were to acquire DeAngelo he’d be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine due to travel restrictions at the US-Canada border.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trade talks might not be on the front burner for Bennett but they could heat up quickly. Cap Friendly shows him in the final season of his contract with an affordable $2.55 million cap hit and lacking no-trade protection. There could be clubs willing to take a chance on him filling a top-six role this season, especially considering his strong postseason performances.

DeAngelo’s offensive skills could boost the Flames’ blueline production. However, recent reports out of Calgary suggest they’re not interested in the troubled defenseman, whose temperamental attitude and poor defensive game are big red flags. If the Flames were to acquire DeAngelo they could insist on the Blueshirts picking up part of his cap hit.

COULD AVS’ JOHNSON WAIVE HIS NMC FOR EXPANSION DRAFT?

THE DENVER POST: In a recent mailbag segment, Mike Chambers was asked if he felt Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson would waive his no-movement clause for this summer’s expansion draft. That move would allow the Avalanche to protect another defenseman.

Chambers believes it’s likely, citing Johnson as a player who’d do anything for the Avs’ organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We have no indication if the 32-year-old Johnson will waive his NMC. He is signed through 2022-23 with an annual cap hit of $6 million. If he does waive it, the Seattle Kraken could balk at selecting an aging defenseman with a long injury history carrying that hefty cap hit.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski suggests the arrival of Penguins rookie defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph could turn another blueliner into a possible trade chip for the club’s next general manager.

Once the Penguins’ blueline is healthy they will have five left-shot defensemen. Kingerski feels Marcus Pettersson would be the trade chip that could net the best return. Moving him could fetch a couple of draft picks to replace the second, fifth and sixth-round picks that the Pens lack in the 2021 draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kingerski stresses this isn’t a pressing issue for the Penguins nor do they need to rush into a trade. Nevertheless, this could be a situation worth monitoring if Joseph continues his strong play over the course of this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2021

by | Feb 5, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2021

​Recaps of Thursday’s action, the league revises its COVID-19 protocols as more players are sidelined and more games are postponed, the 2021 Draft could be pushed back, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Alex Ovechkin scored his 709th career goal to move into seventh place on the all-time list but it wasn’t enough to prevent his Washington Capitals from dropping a 4-2 decision to the New York Rangers. Ryan Strome scored twice while goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves for his third straight victory. Ovechkin passed former Capital and Rangers Mike Gartner on the goal-scoring list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is now eight goals behind Phil Esposito (717) who sits sixth on the list.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

Third-period goals by Roman Josi and Matt Duchene set the stage for Filip Forsberg’s overtime winner as the Nashville Predators rallied to edge the Florida Panthers 6-5. Forsberg had a five-point night with two goals and three assists while the Panthers’ Jonathan Huberdeau netted a hat trick and collected two assists.

Patrik Laine scored his first goal with the Columbus Blue Jackets as they nipped the Dallas Stars 4-3. Jack Roslovic also tallied his first goal with the Jackets. Both players were recently acquired from the Winnipeg Jets. Earlier in the day, the Blue Jackets placed goalie Elvis Merzlikins on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Ottawa Senators rookie Tim Stuetzle had a goal and two assists as his club upset the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Matt Murray made 36 saves as the Senators snapped a ten-game winless skid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators were the hungrier team in this contest. The Canadiens were playing their third game in four nights but they may also have been guilty of taking the struggling Senators too lightly.

Jason Spezza tallied his first hat trick since 2016 in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 7-3 victory over the floundering Vancouver Canucks. Auston Matthews scored twice to extend his goal-scoring streak to six games as the Leafs reclaimed first place in the North Division from the Canadiens. Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott left the game with a charley horse injury.

Two third-period goals by Alex DeBrincat lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 6-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Patrick Kane scored and added three assists for the Blackhawks while Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Dougie Hamilton each had two points for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks blew a 3-1 lead but didn’t lose their composure and pulled off a big win. They also capitalized on the power play with three of their goals coming with the man advantage.

Antti Raanta kicked out 40 shots as the Arizona Coyotes held on to beat the St. Louis Blues 4-3. Christian Dvorak and Conor Garland each had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes while Mike Hoffman tallied twice for the Blues.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his franchise-record 153rd career victory backstopping his club over the Calgary Flames 4-1. Mason Appleton tallied twice and Mathieu Perreault had three assists for the Jets. Flames forward Sam Bennett was a healthy scratch, stoking speculation he could be traded soon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have more about Bennett in the Rumors section.

HEADLINES

TSN: The NHL has revised its COVID-19 protocols as the number of players on the protocol list grew to 40 while four teams have had games postponed in recent days. Glass panels have been removed from behind the team benches to allow for better airflow, players aren’t allowed at the arena until one hour and 45 minutes prior to game time (unless being treated for injuries) and all team meetings must be virtual. Players must also be seated six feet apart in the dressing rooms.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some players aren’t happy about the restriction on their time at the arena and intend to fight it. The league, however, could be unwilling to bend given the sharp rise of late in COVID cases among players and coaches.

WGR 550: Buffalo Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger has tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, Jake McCabe became the fifth Sabre added to the NHL’s protocol list. The Sabres are among the clubs to have their games postponed.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche have had their games postponed until Feb. 11 after team captain Gabriel Landeskog was added to the COVID protocol list.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the NHL is considering pushing back the 2021 Draft to 2022 and perhaps staging back-to-back drafts, one for this year’s class of prospects and the other for the 2022 class. Dreger believes the general managers support this as would the majority of draft-eligible prospects as they’re not playing right now. That decision, however, would have to involve the NHLPA as it is a CBA issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s also been talk of perhaps pushing this year’s draft to December. It wouldn’t be surprising if the draft date is changed considering the effect the pandemic is having upon hockey at all levels. The teams can’t scout players who aren’t playing while the players haven’t had an opportunity to develop their skills and improve their draft stock.

TORONTO SUN: Popular Maple Leafs usher Vic Braknis passed away at age 81. He worked in that role for Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment for 29 years. He also spent 17 years in the same role with the Montreal Canadiens and worked for the Toronto Blue Jays during their World Series years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Braknis’ family, friends and MLSE.