NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2022

by | Feb 15, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2022

​Milestone nights for the Leafs Mitch Marner, the Wild’s Matt Boldy and the Oilers’ Stuart Skinner, Jack Eichel to make his Golden Knights’ debut on Wednesday, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner reached 400 career points with a goal and two assists in his club’s 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. He joins the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid as the second player from the 2015 NHL Draft to achieve that milestone. With 65 points, the Leafs are three points behind the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild rookie winger Matt Boldy tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 7-4 romp over the Detroit Red Wings. Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice and collected an assist as his club opened a three-point lead over the Nashville Predators (60 points) for second place in the Central Division. The Wings (50 points) remain seven points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Wild defenseman Matt Dumba missed this game and could be sidelined for several weeks with a lower-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner kicked out 20 shots for his first career NHL shutout to blank the San Jose Sharks 3-0. Oilers forward Evander Kane was held scoreless in his first game against his former club since the recent termination of his contract. The Oilers (53 points) moved within two points of the Anaheim Ducks for the final Western Conference while the Sharks (48 points) remain seven points back.

Marc-Andre Fleury turned in a 31-save performance to backstop his Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Alex DeBrincat snapped a 1-1 tie in the third and Brandon Hagel got the insurance marker. The loss leaves the Jets (48 points) seven points away from a Western wild-card berth. Jets defenseman Neal Pionk missed this game due to border restrictions as he’s ineligible for one more day to cross the border despite emerging from COVID protocol last Thursday.

HEADLINES

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Jack Eichel will make his long-awaited debut with the Golden Knights when the club faces the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. The Golden Knights also placed winger Mark Stone (lower-back injury) on long-term injury reserve, clearing sufficient cap space for Eichel to return to action. Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres last November, the 25-year-old center had been recovering from neck surgery.

The Golden Knights also announced defenseman Alec Martinez remains sidelined by a facial injury that’s taken longer than expected to recover from. He’s been out since Nov.11 after suffering a facial laceration during a game against the Minnesota Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With defenseman Jake Bischoff (716K) already on LTIR for the season, the addition of Stone’s $9.5 million cap hit ensures sufficient cap room for the Golden Knights to activate Eichel ($10 million AAV). It’s uncertain how long Stone will remain sidelined but it will stoke complaints from some fans and pundits if he’s out for the regular season but returns for the playoffs when the salary cap doesn’t count.

Yes, it’s a legalized form of salary-cap circumvention which we saw in 2015 with the Chicago Blackhawks (Patrick Kane) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (Nikita Kucherov) in 2021. Once again, it’s worth remembering that the league closely monitors players on LTIR with uncertain recovery timelines to ensure a fully healthy player isn’t being held out of the lineup solely for cap purposes.

The NHL had an opportunity to address that loophole during the 2020 extension to the collective bargaining agreement. The issue either didn’t come up during negotiations with the NHL Players Association or else sufficient numbers of team owners had no problem with it. Just remember, folks, it could one day benefit your team.

NHL.COM: Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom, Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine, and New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier are the league’s three starts for the week ending Feb. 13.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators could return to full capacity in their respective arenas on March 1 as the province of Ontario eases restrictions on large indoor gatherings provided public health and health system indicators continue to improve.










Flames Acquire Toffoli From Canadiens

by | Feb 14, 2022

Flames Acquire Toffoli From Canadiens

In the first major deal before the March 21 trade deadline, the Calgary Flames acquired forward Tyler Toffoli from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick (top-10 protected), a 2024 fifth-round pick, prospect Emil Heineman and veteran forward Tyler Pitlick.

Montreal Canadiens winger Tyler Toffoli (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames receive a versatile two-way forward in Toffoli. He played for Calgary head coach Darryl Sutter during their days with the Los Angeles Kings so it shouldn’t take him long to reacquaint himself with Sutter’s system. The Flames were seeking secondary scoring as they push to secure a playoff berth and he should fit the bill. Toffoli’s not a rental so he’ll benefit their offense beyond this season.

Toffoli’s $4.25 million leaves the Flames with $54.45 million in projected cap space for 2022-23 invested in 12 players. It’ll be interesting to see what effect his acquisition will have upon their efforts to re-sign restricted free agent Matthew Tkachuk and unrestricted free agent winger Johnny Gaudreau, who will both seek significant raises after this season.

I confess being surprised by this move as I felt the Canadiens might prefer retaining Toffoli given his affordable contract. Most pundits expected defenseman Ben Chiarot to be the first Hab dealt before the trade deadline.

This move likely signals the start of a rebuild by Canadiens VP of Hockey Ops Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes. They now have two picks in the first round of this year’s draft, with their own potentially being first-overall if they win the draft lottery. Shedding Toffoli’s contract gives them $79.8 million invested in 10 players next season, though they’ll get $7.857 million in cap relief if necessary with Shea Weber on permanent long-term injury reserve.

Elite Prospects indicates Heineman, 20, is a 2020 second-round selection by the Florida Panthers who was dealt to the Flames last year in the Sam Bennett trade. He’s a speedy 6’1”, 185-pound two-way forward who can skate on either win. He has 11 goals and 16 points in 36 games this season with the Swedish Hockey League’s Leksands IF. 

Pitlick, 30, is a veteran checking-line forward and the cousin of Canadiens forward Rem Pitlick. He’s a UFA next summer and will likely be a short-term pickup for the Habs.

​










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2022

by | Feb 14, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2022

​The Avalanche point streak reaches 19 games, Jeff Skinner scores four goals against the Canadiens and Sidney Crosby reaches a multi-point milestone. Details in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche’s points streak reached 19 games (17-0-2) after blanking the Dallas Stars 4-0. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 23-save shutout, Gabriel Landeskog scored twice and Nathan MacKinnon picked up an assist in his return to action after being sidelined since late January by a concussion and broken nose. With 72 points, the Avalanche opened a three-point lead over the Florida Panthers for first place in the overall standings. The Stars (52 points) remain three points out of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jeff Skinner (NHL Images).

Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner scored four goals and collected an assist to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-3. Teammate Alex Tuch picked up three assists. The Habs have lost 10 in a row. Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot missed this game and was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss one week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A one-week absence isn’t likely to dampen interest in Chiarot in the trade market or hurt his value. It could perhaps hasten the Canadiens’ efforts to find a suitable trade partner for the pending free-agent defenseman.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had two assists as his club doubled up the New Jersey Devils 4-2. It was Crosby’s 409th career multi-point game, moving him into 11th on the all-time list. Bryan Rust, Brian Boyle and Mike Matheson each had a goal and an assist. With the win, the Penguins move into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg kicked out 33 shots to upset the Washington Capitals 4-1. Brady Tkachuk and Connor Brown each had a goal and an assist for the Senators. The Capitals have lost five straight home games and hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals have struggled of late with goaltending being one of the issues behind their slump. That’s sparked speculation over whether they’ll pursue an upgrade like Chicago’s Marc-Andre Fleury before the March 21 trade deadline.

Senators forward Austin Watson missed this game and will miss his club’s next contest after receiving a two-game suspension for a hit to the head of Boston Bruins defenseman Jack Achan on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2022

by | Feb 13, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2022

Recaps of Saturday’s action, updates on Nathan MacKinnon, Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl, the Canadiens acquire Andrew Hammond, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The red-hot Calgary Flames picked up their sixth straight victory by downing the New York Islanders 5-2. Adam Ruzicka had a goal and an assist while Johnny Gaudreau collected two assists. Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves replacing Semyon Varlamov after the latter was placed in COVID protocol following pre-game warmups. With 58 points, the Flames sit one behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division.

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler (NHL Images)

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler scored twice and added three assists as he rallied his club from a 2-0 deficit to a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Mark Scheifele scored and collected two assists for the Jets (48 points) as they sit seven points out of a Western Conference wild-card berth. The Predators (60 points) slid one point behind the Minnesota Wild into third place in the Central Division. Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki was ejected in the first period for elbowing Jets forward Evgeny Svechnikov in the face, who was forced to leave the game with an injury.

A 51- save performance by Thatcher Demko carried the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks while the Leafs Auston Matthews tallied his 32nd of the season. Defenseman Travis Hamonic returned to action for the first time since Dec. 8 for the Canucks (50 points), who sit five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference. The Leafs, meanwhile, remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 63 points.

The Minnesota Wild held off the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to extend their home points streak to 12 games. Kevin Fiala tallied a goal and an assist for the Wild while Andrei Svechnikov netted both Hurricanes goals. Wild blueliner Matt Dumba returned from an upper-body injury suffered on Jan. 30. With 61 points, the Wild sit second in the Central Division while the Hurricanes (67 points) hold a one-point lead for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn collected two assists and Oskar Sundqvist had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, who were held to just 16 shots in this contest. The Blues hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 59 points.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman picked up his first win since Jan. 2 with a 30-save shutout to blank the Ottawa Senators 2-0. The Bruins got first-period goals by Trent Frederic and Curtis Lazar. Matt Murray made 35 saves for the Senators. With 57 points, the Bruins are four behind the Washington Capitals for the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Senators forward Austin Watson faces a hearing today for interference on Bruins defenseman Jack Ahcan when he appeared to catch Ahcan in the head with a high hit.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had three assists in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Wings goalie Thomas Greiss made 32 saves in his first game since Jan. 9 as his club sits seven points behind the Bruins, who hold the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Patrik Laine’s power-play goal in the dying seconds of regulation gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A heartbreaking loss for the Canadiens, whose performance has noticeably improved under new head coach Martin St. Louis. Cole Caufield has definitely benefited from playing for St. Louis, scoring two goals in as many games after managing just one in 30 previous contests this season.

HEADLINES

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon will return to action today against the Dallas Stars after being sidelined since Jan.26 by a broken nose and concussion.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Tomas Hertl’s agent has been in contract extension talks with the Sharks, but the 28-year-old center has yet to decide if he’s staying. Hertl is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and could cost at least $7 million annually to re-sign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I’ve noted in the rumor mill, much could depend on how much cap space the Sharks have for next season following the outcome of Evander Kane’s grievance over his contract termination. A date for that hearing has yet to be determined.

The Sharks did get some good news as sidelined defenseman Erik Karlsson could return from surgery on his left forearm earlier than anticipated. He was expected to be re-evaluated by mid-March. However, defenseman Jaycob Megna underwent surgery to repair a displaced fracture and is likely out for four-to-six weeks.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Montreal Canadiens traded minor-league forward Brandon Baddock to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for goaltender Andrew Hammond.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move allows the Canadiens to send struggling young goalie Cayden Primeau back to their AHL affiliate in Laval.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden will undergo knee surgery on Monday after suffering a fall shoveling out his driveway during the All-Star weekend. He’s expected to be sidelined for some time.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2022

by | Feb 12, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2022

​The Oilers win their first game under new coach Jay Woodcroft, Brad Marchand to appeal his six-game suspension, Flyers center Sean Couturier undergoes season-ending surgery, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers won their first game under new head coach Jay Woodcroft by downing the New York Islanders 3-1. Connor McDavid collected two assists, Mike Smith made 37 saves and Zach Hyman scored what proved to be the winning goal. With 51 points, the Oilers are four behind the Anaheim Ducks for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jason Robertson lifted the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Robertson reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his young NHL career while teammate Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist. Jets center Mark Scheifele also had a goal and an assist. The Stars sit one point ahead of the Oilers and three behind the Ducks while the Jets (46 points) are nine points out of a wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets have dug themselves a deep hole in the Western Conference standings. They could become sellers if they haven’t gained ground by the time the calendar flips to March.

The Ducks, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 decision to the Seattle Kraken. Jordan Eberle broke a 3-3 tie late in the third period while teammate Ryan Donato scored twice for the Kraken. Ducks forward Isac Lundestrom tallied two goals.

Steven Stamkos scored two goals as the Tampa Bay Lightning held off the Arizona Coyotes 4-3. Teammate Corey Perry netted his 399th career goal. Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes. With 68 points, the Lightning sits one point behind the first-place Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division.

HEADLINES

TSN: The NHL Players Association has filed an appeal on behalf of Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand over the six-game suspension he received by the NHL department of player safety. Marchand was handed the ban for roughing Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry and then high-sticking him on his mask during Wednesday’s game between the two clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand’s suspension history likely contributed to his latest punishment. League commissioner Gary Bettman will review the appeal and determine if it will stand or be reduced.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Flyers center Sean Couturier underwent season-ending back surgery on Friday. A decision whether Ryan Ellis (lower-body) will require surgery could be made in the coming weeks. Center Kevin Hayes could require a third abdominal surgery after having fluid drained from his adductor on Jan. 18.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries to those three key players are significant reasons why the Flyers are on the cusp of missing the playoffs for the second straight year.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said he’d like to bring former client Vincent Lecavalier into the organization in some capacity. “It’s not going to be assistant GM, despite all the rumors,” said Hughes. “But if we can find a way to do it then we’d absolutely like to do it.”

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko will remain sidelined for another both with an unspecified upper-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs yesterday signed Joseph Woll to a three-year contract extension on Friday. He’s currently playing for their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. The first year of the deal is a two-way contract and becomes a one-way deal in the final two years.

The Leafs also got some good news on forward Ondrej Kase, who was shaken up during Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames but could return to the lineup on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2022

by | Feb 11, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2022

Avalanche retake first overall, my reaction to the Oilers firing head coach Dave Tippett, plus the latest on Tomas Hertl’s contract talks and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche (70 points) retook first place in the overall standings by holding off the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Gabriel Landeskog opened the scoring to reach the 20-goal plateau for the ninth time in his career while Devon Toews had a goal and an assist. Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 44 saves and teammate Braydon Point had a goal and an assist. With 66 points, the Bolts sit three points behind the first-place Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog (NHL Images).

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen turned aside 34 points in a 6-0 shutout of the Boston Bruins. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and two assists, Teuvo Teravainen had three assists and Sebastian Aho scored twice for the Hurricanes, who sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 67 points. The Bruins (55 points) maintain their hold on the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 55 points.

The Washington Capitals (61 points) widened their lead over the Bruins for the first wild-card spot by downing the Montreal Canadiens 5-2, spoiling the coaching debut of Canadiens bench boss Martin St. Louis. Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov made 42 saves while teammate Joe Snively scored his first two NHL goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens put forth a better effort in this game but weak goaltending and a lack of scoring depth were their undoing. That’s something a coaching change won’t fix. It’ll require a lot of work by management leading up to the trade deadline and during the offseason to address some of their issues.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith turned in a 26-save shutout to blank the Ottawa Senators 2-0. Jeff Carter and Bryan Rust were the goal scorers. Senators goalie Matt Murray allowed just one goal on 43 shots in his first game against his former team since being traded to the Senators in 2020. The Penguins (66 points) remain one back of the Hurricanes in the Metro Division.

The Calgary Flames down the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2, snapping the latter’s six-game winning streak. Jacob Markstrom stopped 46 shots while Flames defensemen Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin each had a goal and an assist. Leafs forward Mitch Marner’s goal streak ended at eight games. The Flames (56 points) vaulted into second place in the Pacific Division while the Leafs remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 63 points. Leafs forward Ondrej Kase left the game in the first period following a big hit by Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

A five-goal third period carried the New Jersey Devils to a 7-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Nico Hischier scored twice and collected an assist while Yegor Sherangovich had a goal and two assists. Blues forward Brayden Schenn replied with two goals as the Blues (57 points) hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

An overtime goal by Jakub Voracek lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Buffalo Sabres 4-3.

HEADLINES

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers yesterday fired head coach Dave Tippett and assistant coach Jim Playfair, replacing them on an interim basis with now-former Bakersfield Condor coaches Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers general manager Ken Holland had to do something as his club sits six points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. While a coaching change can’t hurt, it probably won’t be enough to overcome their porous goaltending and defensive depth and lack of reliable secondary scoring. That’s on Holland, who will face considerable grilling by Edmonton fans and pundits if they miss the postseason.

This is the 11th coaching change by the Oilers since 2008. It’s the first under Holland’s watch but this revolving door of bench bosses was supposed to have come to an end by now. This move also raises concerns about the long-term futures of Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and it’s not just coming from the Toronto media.

Speaking of the Oilers, they also announced winger Zack Kassian will miss the next four to eight weeks with a fractured jaw while defenseman Duncan Keith is out for two to four weeks with a concussion.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Joe Will, the Sharks acting general manager, is in discussions with agent Craig Oster regarding a long-term contract extension for Tomas Hertl. The 28-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word if the two sides are closing in on a deal but the fact they’re talking over a month before the March 21 trade deadline appears a positive sign for his future in San Jose.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno received a two-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for kneeing Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Lowry in the head during a scuffle in a game on Tuesday.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is listed as day-to-day following their game against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and defenseman Neal Pionk have emerged from COVID protocol and will play against the Dallas Stars on Friday.

GOPHNX.COM: The Arizona Board of Regents approved a plan that will allow the Coyotes to play games at Arizona State University for the next three seasons and perhaps beyond if needed. The Coyotes’ lease at Gila River Arena is being terminated by the city of Glendale at the end of this season, forcing the club to seek a temporary home while it seeks approval to construct a new arena in Tempe.