NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2024

by | Jan 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon extending his points streak plus the latest on Connor Bedard, Corey Perry, Cutter Gauthier and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tied a franchise record for the longest season-opening home points streak in a 3-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his streak to 23 games, tying Hall-of-Famer Joe Sakic. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice and Alexandar Georgiev had a 25-save shutout for the 27-12-3 Avalanche, who sit third in the overall standings with 57 points. Jiri Patera stopped 32 shots for the Golden Knights (23-13-5) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 51 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson missed this game with an undisclosed injury. Teammate Miles Wood was sidelined by an illness. Meanwhile, Golden Knights forward William Carrier is listed as week-to-week following surgery for an upper-body injury.

The Dallas Stars thumped the Minnesota Wild 7-2. Esa Lindell had three assists while Mason Marchment and Nils Lundkvist each had two points for the Stars (24-11-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 53 points. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist while Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves in his NHL debut for the 17-19-4 Wild.

A shootout goal by Sean Couturier gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Owen Tippett and Morgan Frost scored in regulation as the Flyers overcame a 2-0 deficit while Jamie Drysdale picked up an assist in his first game with his new club. Cayden Primeau stopped 37 shots for the 17-17-6 Canadiens while the Flyers (21-14-6) sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers dominated most of this game but Primeau stole a point for the Canadiens in this contest.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks announced rookie star Connor Bedard underwent surgery to repair a fractured jaw. He’ll be sidelined for six to eight weeks. The 18-year-old center suffered the injury on Jan. 5 after being checked by New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith.

SPORTSNET: Corey Perry is cleared to sign with a new NHL team after meeting this week with league commissioner Gary Bettman. The 38-year-old winger’s contract was terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 30 for engaging in what the club called unacceptable conduct that violated the team’s workplace rules and his standard player contract.

Perry subsequently issued an apology, adding he was seeking treatment for his struggle with alcohol. He’s now an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It didn’t take long for speculation to arise over which club Perry might sign with. Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now believes five or six clubs could be in the mix with Stauffer suggesting the Oilers should be looking into it.

Perry remains well-respected around the league. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he signs with a new club before the March 8 trade deadline, making him eligible to play in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

NHL.COM: Prospect winger Cutter Gauthier declined to go into details as to why didn’t want to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers. His decision forced his trade earlier this week to the Anaheim Ducks.

Gauthier told the Ducks podcast “Light The Lamp” on Wednesday that the decision was a personal matter between himself, his family and his agent. He also addressed rumors claiming former Flyers center Kevin Hayes influenced his decision. “I would like to specifically say that he had zero, zero conflict with anything that had to do with the trade…(Hayes) had nothing to do with the situation at hand. “

As for his plans going forward, Gauthier intends to focus the remainder of his sophomore season with Boston College, who have a good shot at winning the Beanpot tournament and the NCAA championship. After that, he intends to sign an entry-level contract with the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier’s within his rights to keep his reasons for spurning the Flyers a private matter. Nevertheless, it will only serve to stoke a rumor mill that’s been churning furiously over why he made that decision.

Speaking of Hayes, Flyers head coach John Tortorella went off on the reporter who claimed the Blues center was involved in Gauthier’s choice.

“It just pisses me off that you guys throw that around and affect someone’s life”, said Tortorella. The Flyers bench boss acknowledged that he and Hayes had a problem regarding his playing time last season. Nevertheless, Tortorella praised him as “a good man” and called the reporter’s story “bullshit”.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid wasn’t pleased with a review of an offside call that wiped out teammate Zach Hyman’s goal during the club’s 2-1 win on Tuesday over the Chicago Blackhawks. “If it takes 15 minutes to determine whether it’s offside or not, it probably doesn’t matter,” he said following the game.

The officials shut the game down for over six minutes reviewing the play from different angles before deciding that Leon Draisaitl’s skate blade might’ve been a centimetre offside and that he held the puck a fraction of a second too long.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The offside reviews, like the goal reviews, are taking way too long to reach conclusions. The league must do something to address this. I understand they want to ensure they’re reviewing every angle closely. However, they’re sometimes reaching their decisions long after the fans have seen it for themselves on the arena jumbotron.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres are awaiting word about Jeff Skinner as he underwent a series of tests for an upper-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled Ilya Samsonov from their AHL affiliate but will continue to assess the struggling goaltender closely.

OTTAWA SUN: Forward Shane Pinto can now practice with his Senators teammates. He has only five games remaining in his 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Ducks claimed defenseman Gustav Lindstrom off waivers from the Canadiens.

TORONTO SUN: The NHL Players Association officially unveiled a new in-house education program called “Line Change”, which instructs players in training each other in identifying potential mental health issues. Twenty players, including Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund, have already taken part in the three-hour session.

Keith Pelley is expected to be announced as the president and chief executive of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and the MLS club Toronto FC. Pelley is a former president of Rogers Media and of Bell Media’s TSN.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2024

by | Jan 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the fallout from the Gauthier-for-Drysdale trade, an update on the top vote-getters for the 2024 All-Star Game, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs crushed the San Jose Sharks 7-1. Mitch Marner had two goals and two assists while William Nylander collected three assists for the 21-10-7 Leafs, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 49 points. Henry Thrun scored for the 9-29-3 Sharks as they lost their 12th straight game and sit at the bottom of the overall standings.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk’s natural hat trick in the third period lifted his club to a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Anthony Stolarz stopped 29 shots for the Panthers (26-12-2) as they sit third overall in the Eastern Conference with 54 points. Brayden Schenn scored the lone goal for the 20-18-1 Blues (41 points), who sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

The Winnipeg Jets (27-9-4) maintained their hold on first place in the overall standings with 58 points by blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-0. Connor Hellebuyck had a 29-save shutout while Cole Perfetti scored twice for the Jets, who picked up their seventh straight win and extended their points streak to 13 games. Daniil Tarasov made 18 saves for the 13-20-9 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets center Mark Scheifele left the game after being struck in the face by a deflected shot by teammate Josh Morrissey. He missed the remainder of the game receiving stitches but returned at the end of the game to celebrate his club’s win. It’s unknown if Scheifele will miss any games.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson tallied his 20th goal of the season in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Conor Garland and Filip Hronek each collected two points for the 27-11-3 Canucks as they sit one point behind the Jets in second place in the overall standings. Brock Nelson netted both goals for the Islanders (18-12-10) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders activated defenseman Adam Pelech off long-term injury reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined since Nov. 24 with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in overtime, giving head coach Jon Cooper his 500th career NHL victory. Brandon Hagel scored the tying goal and set up the game-winning goal by Nick Perbix as the Lightning (20-17-5) hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 45 points. Trevor Moore picked up two assists for the 20-10-7 Kings as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hagel was outstanding for the Lightning. His hard work and skill made their comeback possible, especially with his assist on the game-winner.

An overtime goal by Nick Schmaltz lifted the Arizona Coyotes over the Boston Bruins 4-3. Connor Ingram turned aside 30 shots while Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist for the 20-17-2 Coyotes (42 points) as they sit one point behind the Edmonton Oilers for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. David Pastrnak tallied his 25th goal of the season for the Bruins (24-8-8) as they sit in third place in the overall standings with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins also lost goaltender Linus Ullmark in the overtime period as he had to be helped from the ice while attempting to make a glove save. There was no update regarding his condition.

Edmonton Oilers stars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid scored in a narrow 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for the 21-15-1 Oilers, who picked up their seventh straight win to hold the final Western wild-card spot with 43 points. Jason Dickinson scored for the 12-27-3 Blackhawks as they held the Oilers to 15 shots.

The Anaheim Ducks snapped a five-game losing skid as they upset the Nashville Predators 5-3. Troy Terry had a goal and an assist, Alex Killorn collected two assists and Lukas Dostal kicked out 39 shots for the 14-25-1 Ducks. Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots for the 22-18-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 45 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Trevor Zegras left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said the 22-year-old Zegras could be sidelined “for a while.”

Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Joey Daccord made 36 saves for his sixth straight win as the 17-14-9 Kraken (43 points) extended their win streak to seven games and their points streak to 11 games to sit just behind the Oilers. Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the 17-20-4 Sabres.

The Calgary Flames scored four unanswered third-period goals to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman each tallied twice for the 18-18-5 Flames (41 points) as they sit two points back of the Oilers. Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves for the 14-22-0 Senators as they’ve lost four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Josh Norris left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury following an awkward collision with Flames center Elias Lindholm. Before the game, the Senators activated forward Mathieu Joseph off LTIR. He’d been sidelined since Dec. 15 with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports the Philadelphia Flyers still don’t have an answer as to why top prospect Cutter Gauthier refused to sign with them, forcing the club to trade him on Monday to the Anaheim Ducks.

The Flyers held early contract talks with Gauthier last spring following the completion of his freshman year at Boston College and were prepared to sign him last May. However, they couldn’t promise the young winger a roster spot and he’d have to compete for one in training camp like everybody else. If he failed to qualify, he would’ve been sent to their AHL affiliate in LeHigh Valley.

Following the 2023 World Championships, the Gauthier camp informed the Flyers that he didn’t want to play for them and would return to Boston College for his sophomore season. It was assumed that his college coach Greg Brown convinced Gauthier it would be best for his development if he stayed in school for another year.

St. Louis Blues center (and former Flyer) Kevin Hayes was rumored to have influenced Gauthier’s decision as the two are believed to be friends. However, he denied having anything to do with it. Flyer president Keith Jones said Hayes told general manager Daniel Briere the same thing.

TSN: Hayes sounded off against the backlash he was receiving following the rumor that he may have influenced Gauthier’s decision. “It’s 100 percent false,” he said, adding that he didn’t know where it came from. He indicated that death threats were made against himself and his family with some saying they were happy Hayes’ brother had died.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman cited several sources suggesting whatever discussions took place back in March threw an unexpected wrench into the relationship. One theory is the Flyers wanted to sign Gauthier but doing so would’ve resulted in a higher bonus overage against their salary cap for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was also rumored that Gauthier didn’t want to play for Flyers coach John Tortorella. That has been debunked.

Gauthier and his representatives remain silent about his decision not to sign with the Flyers. Based on the reports thus far, it sounds like he was unhappy about not getting a guaranteed spot on their roster. Until he clears the air, the rumors will persist.

The speculation about Hayes was based on the belief that his parting with the Flyers was acrimonious. However, both sides indicated that wasn’t the case. He had no axe to grind and no reason to get involved in Gauthier’s plans. Even if he did, it doesn’t merit death threats or cruel comments about his late brother.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander is leading the fan voting for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. Thirty-two players (one from each club) were already chosen by the league with the remaining 12 roster spots to be determined by fan voting

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is currently second, Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl is third, and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson is fourth thus far. The voting ends at midnight on Thursday.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils center Jack Hughes is expected to be sidelined for “weeks, not months” with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (fractured foot) is week to week.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues signed forward Nathan Walker to a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens placed defenseman Gustav Lindstrom on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2024

by | Jan 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2024

Game recaps, the Flyers trade prospect Cutter Gauthier to the Ducks for Jamie Drysdale, the three stars of the week are announced and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson scored twice and collected two assists in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Thatcher Demko made 39 saves, Brock Boeser had a goal and two assists and Nils Hoglander tallied two goals for the 26-11-3 Canucks (55 points), who sit one point behind the league-leading Winnipeg Jets in the overall standings. Vincent Trocheck netted two goals for the Rangers (26-11-2) as they sit one point back of the Canucks.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes each have at least 50 points, making the Canucks just the third team in the last 30 years to feature three players with 50 or more points through 40 games. The others were the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins and the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators.

A shootout goal by Valeri Nichuskin lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-3. Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his home points streak to 22 games as the Avalanche (26-12-3) are one point out of first overall with 55 points. Brad Marchand potted two goals for the 24-8-7 Bruins, who sit ahead of the Canucks and Avalanche in the overall standings with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins sit ahead of the Canucks and Avs due to games in hand. The Canucks hold a game in hand over the Avs.

Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo left this game with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his status.

Dallas Stars goaltender Matt Murray made 23 saves for his first career NHL shutout in a 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (23-11-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 51 points. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 16 shots for the 17-18-4 Wild as he remains at 551 career victories.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 36 shots for the 20-15-4 Penguins, who sit just outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 44 points. Owen Tippett scored for the Flyers (20-14-6) as they hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins have the same amount of points as the New Jersey Devils (who hold that last wild-card berth), Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings. The Devils hold that berth with 21 wins, followed by the Capitals as they hold a game in hand over the Penguins and two games over the Red Wings while the Pens have a game in hand over the Wings.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers traded prospect forward Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A surprising move sparked by Gauthier’s unwillingness to sign with the Flyers. Philadelphia general manager Daniel Briere said the 19-year-old winger stopped communicating with the club following his participation in the 2023 World Championships.

That explains why Gauthier didn’t take part in the Flyers’ development camp last summer. The club kept it quiet from the media to protect the youngster. They also had trouble meeting with him during the recent 2024 World Junior Championship, where he tied for most points (12) and was named the tournament’s top forward as he led Team USA to the gold medal.

The Flyers reportedly never got an explanation behind Gauthier’s change of heart. Briere said they decided to move him now while his trade value was high.

There was also speculation that former Flyers center Kevin Hayes may have influenced Gauthier’s decision. Hayes strongly denied that rumor.

Landing the 21-year-old Drysdale gives the Flyers a skillful young puck-moving defenseman albeit one limited to just 18 games over the past two seasons due to injuries. He’s in the first season of a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.3 million. If Drysdale can stay healthy he could blossom into a solid top-pairing blueliner with the Flyers.

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said he made this move to add a forward with elite skating ability and an NHL-level shot. With three good young defensemen such as Pavel Mintyukov and Tristan Luneau and Owen Zellweger in their pipeline, they could afford to move Drysdale for Gauthier.

They already have three promising young centers in Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson but need more scoring punch on the wings. If Gauthier plays up to expectations he’ll provide an invaluable boost to the rebuilding Ducks’ offense.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers reportedly offered Gauthier to the Canadiens for the latter’s first-round pick (fifth overall) in last year’s draft. The Canadiens rejected the offer and used the pick to select David Reinbacher, whom the Flyers were also interested in selecting.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers were reportedly attempting to ensure prospect Matvei Michkov would drop to them with the seventh overall pick, which he did even with the Canadiens rejecting the offer.

Some Canadiens fans will probably be upset with their club for turning down this offer. However, the report indicates the Habs were confident Reinbacher was the right choice with their pick and other teams (like the Flyers) were also interested in landing the promising young blueliner.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Jones and Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 7, 2024

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Max Pacioretty had to make major changes to his skates to accommodate his altered right foot following two back-to-back Achilles tears. His right foot is now larger than his left.

Pacioretty said his new skates still don’t feel perfect but they feel much better. He’ll continue making modifications until he finds the right balance. He no longer feels any fear of another Achilles injury and is fully healthy now.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning winger Tanner Jeannot is listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Erik Cernak is expected to rejoin the lineup after missing the last three games The club recently placed blueliner Mikhail Sergachev (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

TSN: The Calgary Flames placed forward Kevin Rooney on waivers.










Maple Leafs Sign William Nylander To Eight-Year Extension

by | Jan 8, 2024

Maple Leafs Sign William Nylander To Eight-Year Extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made it official, signing William Nylander to an eight-year, $92 million contract extension. The average annual value is $11.5 million. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the deal also contains a full no-movement clause throughout the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates $69 million of the $92 million will be paid out in signing bonuses.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

No surprise there. Friedman and his colleague Nick Kypreos first reported last week that the Leafs and Nylander were closing in on this deal, which was expected to be done by today.

Nylander has earned this contract. He was underpaid on his current deal ($6.92 million annually) while his performance steadily improved. He reached 80 points in 2021-22 followed by a career-high of 40 goals and 87 points last season.

With 54 points in 37 games, Nylander is on pace for over 115 points this season. As of today, he leads the Leafs in points and is sixth among the league leaders. The 27-year-old winger has established himself as an elite scoring forward and should be paid as such.

Nylander’s critics believe his performance will tail off now that he’s inked his big-money contract. That’s a possibility I consider unlikely based on his play over the past three seasons. He’s in his playing prime now and will remain among the Leafs’ best players going forward.

The Leafs had a projected $32.5 million in cap space for next season with 11 active players under contract before Nylander’s signing. This deal will leave them with around $21 million to invest in filling out the remainder of their roster.

With the salary cap rising to around $87.5 million for next season, the Leafs felt comfortable in signing Nylander to such an expensive extension. They can afford it but it could complicate efforts to re-sign or replace pending UFAs like Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, TJ Brodie and Mark Giordano, as well as restricted free agents like Timothy Liljegren.

With Nylander under contract, the focus shifts toward Mitch Marner. He has a year remaining on his contract with an AAV of $10.9 million and is eligible for UFA status in July 2025.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2024

by | Jan 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2024

The Jets extend their points streak as they remain atop the overall standings, the injury-depleted Blackhawks upset the Flames, the Capitals and Red Wings score late game winners, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets picked up their sixth straight win and extended their points streak to 12 games by defeating the Arizona Coyotes 6-2. Mark Scheifele scored two goals while Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and an assist for the 26-9-4 Jets, who sit alone atop the overall standings with 56 points. Nick Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther replied for the 19-17-2 Coyotes (40 points), who sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

Chicago Blackhawks forward Colin Blackwell tallied twice and collected an assist to lead his injury-depleted club to a 4-3 upset of the Calgary Flames. Petr Mrazek made 28 saves for the 12-26-2 Blackhawks. Nazem Kadri scored two goals for the 17-18-5 Flames, who are three points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks have nine regular players sidelined by injuries. They include Connor Bedard (fractured jaw), Taylor Hall, (season-ending knee surgery), Seth Jones (shoulder), Nick Foligno (fractured finger), Anthony Beauvillier (upper body), Tyler Johnson (undisclosed), Andreas Athanasiou (groin), Joey Anderson (shoulder) and Taylor Raddysh (lower body).

The Washington Capitals nipped the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on John Carlson’s goal with 53 seconds remaining in the third period. Carlson also picked up an assist while Nicolas Aube-Kubel had a goal and two assists as the Capitals (19-13-6) sit just outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 44 points. Kevin Fiala scored twice for the 20-10-6 Kings as they are perched in third place in the Pacific Division with 46 points.

Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen netted the game-winner with 1:07 left in the third period in a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Alex Lyon made 29 saves for the win as the Red Wings improved to 20-16-4 and also sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Trevor Zegras scored both goals for the 13-25-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The New Jersey Devils hold the final Eastern wild card spot with 44 points with two more wins than the Capitals and two games in hand over the Red Wings.

CBS SPORTS: Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett suffered an upper-body injury on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche. It’s unclear if he’ll be available for Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Devils placed forward Tomas Nosek (foot) on long-term injury reserve.

The Minnesota Wild have called up goaltender Jesper Wallstedt for the first time in his career. Wallstedt, 21, was the Wild’s first-round pick (20th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2024

by | Jan 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2024

Marc-Andre Fleury ties Patrick Roy for career wins, Sam Reinhart and Zach Hyman have hat-trick performances, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard is sidelined with a fractured jaw, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves for his 551st career NHL win in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fleury is tied with Hall-of-Famer Patrick Roy for second on the all-time wins list. Marco Rossi scored the game-winner while Matt Boldy and Brock Faber each collected three points for the 17-17-4 Wild (38 points), who sit three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Cole Sillinger tallied all three goals for the 13-19-9 Blue Jackets.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart collected a hat trick as his club picked up its seventh straight win by dropping the Colorado Avalanche 8-4, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk each had four points and Carter Verhaeghe had three for the red-hot Panthers (25-12-2, 52 points) as they moved within two points of first place in the Eastern Conference. Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin each had two points for the 25-12-3 Avalanche (53 points) as they remain one point out of first place in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played without defenseman Bowen Byram. He’s expected to miss “a handful of games” due to a lower-body injury suffered on Thursday against the Dallas Stars.

Speaking of hat tricks and seven-game win streaks, Zach Hyman’s three goals continued the Edmonton Oilers’ winning ways in a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Evan Bouchard collected three assists while Stuart Skinner made 29 saves for the 20-15-1 Oilers (41 points), who moved into a playoff spot for the first time this season as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Anton Forsberg turned aside 43 shots for the 14-21-0 Senators as their losing skid extended to three games.

A third-period goal by Travis Konecny lifted the Philadelphia Flyers past the Calgary Flames 3-2. Morgan Frost had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (20-13-6) as they snapped a four-game losing skid and sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 46 points. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 39 shots for the 17-17-5 Flames as they are two points out of a Western wild-card spot.

The Boston Bruins rolled to a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Trent Frederic tallied two goals while David Pastrnak, Hampus Lindholm and Matthew Poitras each collected two points as the Bruins 24-8-6 sit atop the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Brayden Point netted two goals for the 19-17-5 Lightning as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have the same number of points as the New York Rangers and the idle Winnipeg Jets. However, the Jets hold first place in the overall standings with 23 regulation wins while the Rangers are second overall with 21 regulation wins. The Bruins have fewer victories.

Speaking of the Rangers, they suffered a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on a shootout goal by Cole Caufield. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist as the Rangers overcame a 3-0 deficit but Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault kicked out 45 shots for the win. The Rangers (26-10-2) hold first place in the Eastern Conference while the Canadiens improved to 17-17-5.

The Vancouver Canucks held off the New Jersey Devils by a score of 6-4. J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson each had two goals and an assist while Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks (25-11-3) as they hold first place in the Pacific Division with 53 points and sit one point out of first place in the overall standings. Colin Miller tallied twice for the 21-15-2 Devils as they cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler left this game with a broken foot from a blocked shot. The Devils also played without Timo Meier as he was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 30 while Jack Hughes missed this game with an upper-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy returned to action nearly two months after being sidelined by a fractured leg. However, blueliner Nikita Zadorov is out with an undisclosed injury while Phillip Di Giuseppe was placed on long-term injury reserve.

A 40-save performance by goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen gave the Buffalo Sabres a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zemgus Girgensons scored the game-winner for the 17-19-4 Sabres. Rickard Rakell replied for the Penguins (19-15-4) as they sit two points out of a wild-card berth in the East with 42 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander scored two goals and an assist in a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks, handing the latter their 11th straight loss. The 20-10-7 Leafs sit third in the Atlantic Division with 47 points while the Sharks (9-28-3) remain at the bottom of the overall standings.

The St. Louis Blues nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 thanks to a 29-save effort by goaltender Jordan Binnington. Brayden Schenn netted the winning goal in the shootout as the Blues (20-17-1) sit just outside the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 41 points. Teuvo Teravainen scored for the 22-13-5 Hurricanes as they extended their points streak to six games and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 49 points.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored twice in the third period as his club held off the Dallas Stars 4-3. Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist each had two points for the 22-17-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card spot with 45 points. Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley each had two points for the Stars (22-11-5) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 49 points.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals each from Jack Eichel and Nicolas Roy in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Logan Thompson stopped 28 shots for the Golden Knights (23-12-5) as they hold second place in the Pacific Division with 51 points. Mathew Barzal and Matt Martin replied for the 18-11-10 Islanders as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Chicago Blackhawks placed rookie star Connor Bedard on injured reserve after he suffered a fractured jaw during Friday’s game against the Devils. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks already have several players sidelined by injuries with Bedard now their ninth player on injured reserve. He could return sometime in mid-February at the earliest but he’s almost certain to miss the 2024 All-Star Game on Feb. 3.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks acquired forward Rem Pitlick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes recalled forward Dylan Guenther on an emergency basis with winger Jason Zucker serving a three-game suspension.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings backup goaltender Pheonix Copley is out for the season following successful ACL surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are using Aaron Dell as Copley’s replacement but they could go into the trade market for a goaltender before the March 8 deadline.