NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2025

by | Apr 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2025

Recaps of the final night of this regular season, Nikita Kucherov wins the Art Ross Trophy while Leon Draisaitl takes home the Maurice Richard Trophy, the full schedule for the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust scored twice to reach the 30-goal plateau for the first time in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had two points to reach the 90-point plateau (91) for the third straight season. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin potted his 897th regular-season NHL goal as his club finished in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with 111 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What’s impressive about Crosby reaching 90 points for the third straight season is that he did it at an age (37) when a normal player would be in decline or retired. The same can be said for the 39-year-old Ovechkin, who finished this season with 44 goals.

Ovechkin was honored by the Penguins for breaking the goal-scoring record, receiving a standing ovation from the Pittsburgh crowd. The club also gifted him a Rolex watch, with Crosby and teammate Evgeni Malkin presenting it to him following the game.

The Capitals’ captain also silenced rumors that he might retire at the end of this season. “I’m not retiring yet,” he said. Ovechkin has a year remaining on his contract and intends to honor it.

Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff got the 900th regular-season win of his career as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4. JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, while Flyers rookie winger Matvei Michkov scored twice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff is the fifth coach in NHL history to reach 900 wins, joining Scotty Bowman (1,244 wins), Joel Quenneville (969), Paul Maurice (916) and Barry Trotz (914).

The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on an overtime goal by Scott Laughton. Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies each had two assists for the Leafs, who finished atop the Atlantic Division with 108 points. Alex DeBrincat netted his 39th goal of the season for the Red Wings.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Carolina Hurricanes 7-5. Drake Batherson had two goals and an assist, Adam Gaudette scored twice, while Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and two assists for the Senators. Hurricanes rookie Skyler Brind’Amour (son of head coach Rod Brind’Amour) scored his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury but left in the second period after taking a stick to the face. Tkachuk later said it was for precautionary reasons and he’ll be ready to face the Maple Leafs when their series begins on Sunday evening.

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended their season with their sixth straight win by downing the New York Islanders 6-1. Jet Greaves made 36 saves in his fifth straight start while Adam Fantilli scored his 31st of the season for the Jackets, who finished two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Hudson Fasching scored for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets could’ve gone through the motions after their playoff hopes were dashed the night before. Instead, they were determined to end this season on a high note.

This team persevered through offseason tragedy and could be a playoff club next season if management addresses its roster weaknesses.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin ended his club’s season with a 27-save shutout performance in a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals for the Rangers. The Lightning finished second in the Atlantic Division with 102 points.

The Calgary Flames finished their season with a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Dan Vladar stopped 30 shots, Nazem Kadri scored twice to reach a career-high 35 goals, and Sam Morton and Zayne Parekh each scored in their NHL debuts for the Flames. Taylor Ward also scored in his first NHL game as his Kings finished second in the Pacific Division with 105 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league released the full schedule for the upcoming first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It begins on Saturday with the Winnipeg Jets facing off against the St. Louis and the Dallas Stars meeting the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link provided for the full schedule.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is this season’s winner of the Art Ross Trophy with a league-leading 121 points. It’s the second straight season he’s won the award and the third time since 2018-19. Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers won the Maurice Richard Trophy for the first time as the league’s leading goal-scorer with 52.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl was the only player to crack the 50-goal plateau this season. Seven others finished with over 40 goals.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Connor Bedard addressed rumors he wasn’t happy playing for the rebuilding Blackhawks.

“I’m a pretty mild-mannered guy and if I look a little sad on the bench or something, maybe people can take it out of context,” said Bedard. “I’ve said it so many times, I love being here and the city, the people.”

Bedard acknowledged that the club is rebuilding and it is sometimes frustrating as the losses pile up. However, he also cited the positivity around the team, especially with promising players like Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov joining the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks management will attempt to bolster the roster this summer around Bedard through trades and free agency. Nevertheless, their future lies with their youngsters.

Bedard had 67 points in 82 games despite the sometimes frustrating stretches of the season. Nazar steadily improved throughout this season. Moore, Rinzel and Levshunov showed potential in their brief appearances down the stretch.

BLACK N’ GOLD HOCKEY: cited The Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy reporting Bruins center Elias Lindholm said he suffered a back injury during training camp which contributed to his disappointing performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm played all 82 games for the Bruins but finished with 47 points.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed defenseman Neal Pionk to a six-year, $42 million contract extension. Pionk, 29, was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The average annual value of the contract is $7 million.

TSN: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini has committed to playing for Canada at the IIHF World Championships in May.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Jesse Puljujarvi received a two-game suspension by the department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee.

KSL SPORTS: Utah Hockey Club winger Michael Carcone expects to head to free agency on July 1. After meeting with management and coaching staff, he doesn’t expect to reach an agreement on a new contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2025

by | Apr 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2025

The Canadiens clinch the final Eastern Conference wild card, the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck wins his second straight Jennings Trophy, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid has his eighth 100-point season, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens doubled up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 to clinch the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 91 points. Kaiden Guhle scored twice, Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, and Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Hall-of-Famer Larry Murphy for the single-season assist record for NHL rookies (60). Taylor Hall and Tyson Jost replied for the Hurricanes, who face the New Jersey Devils in the opening round of the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens defeated a Hurricanes squad that rested seven regulars, including Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Jaccob Slavin and Jordan Staal. Nevertheless, this was a well-deserved victory for a rebuilding club that rose from second-last in the overall standings on Dec. 1 to securing its first postseason berth since 2021.

Montreal will face the Washington Capitals in the first round, with their series expected to begin on Monday. The last time these two clubs met in the playoffs was in 2010, when the Canadiens upset the heavily-favored Capitals in seven games. Time will tell if history repeats itself.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and Mark Scheifele scored in overtime to nip the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in the final game of the regular season for both clubs. Neal Pionk also scored for the league-leading Jets while Troy Terry replied for the Ducks.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck won the William M. Jennings Trophy for the second straight year as the Jets gave up the fewest goals this season (191). He becomes the fifth goalie to win this award in consecutive seasons since it was first presented in 1981-82, joining Martin Brodeur, Roman Turek, Patrick Roy and Brian Hayward.

Hellebuyck also picked up his 47th win of the season, tying Bernie Parent and Roberto Luongo for the second-most among NHL goalies. Braden Holtby and Martin Brodeur are tied with 48 wins.

The Jets also took care of some business before the game, announcing forward Alex Iafallo signed a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.666 million. It’s a slight pay cut from his current AAV of $4 million, but the 31-year-old accepted it to stay in Winnipeg, telling the media that he didn’t want to go anywhere else.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his eighth 100-point season in a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ty Emberson tallied twice and Stuart Skinner had an 18-save shutout for the Oilers, who concluded their season in third place in the Pacific Division with 101 points. The Sharks finished their season winless in their last 11 games (0-8-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Hall-of-Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Marcel Dionne as the only players to reach 100 points eight times. Meanwhile, Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was told by Sharks management that he won’t be signed to a contract extension, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Nashville Predators finished their season on a winning note, defeating the Dallas Stars 5-1. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the Predators while Mason Marchment replied for the Stars, who’ll face the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Tyler Seguin picked up an assist in his first game since Dec. 1. He underwent hip surgery on Dec. 5. Seguin’s teammate Jason Robertson left the game with a lower-body injury in the second period. There was no postgame update on Robertson’s condition, but he was seen after the game with a brace on his right knee.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev broke a 1-1 tie in a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Victor Olofsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, who’ll face the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs. Pius Suter scored for the Canucks.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings. Erik Haula and Dawson Mercer replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton returned to action after missing 18 games with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs opening round begins Saturday with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the St. Louis Blues (6 pm ET start) while the Dallas Stars face off against the Colorado Avalanche starting at 8:30 pm ET.

The full playoff schedule will be released on Thursday.

THE ATHLETIC: Katie Strang reports New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports (which owns the Rangers) paid financial settlements to a former Rangers employee last year after she alleged Panarin sexually assaulted her.

Strang cited sources claiming the alleged assault occurred in December 2023 during a Rangers road trip. Neither Panarin nor his agent replied to a request for comment. An MSG spokesperson and the woman (whose identity has been protected) stated the matter has been resolved.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a small hole in his heart. He returned to the club’s practice facility on Wednesday but did not take part in practice. His teammates were relieved to see him.

Letang, 38, has a long history of injuries and medical problems, including two strokes. A small hole in his heart was discovered in 2014 following his first stroke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Letang had no comment for reporters and isn’t expected to play in their season-closing game against the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

CBS SPORTS: Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann will undergo surgery on Monday for an undisclosed issue he’s dealt with throughout the season. He played in all 82 of his club’s games this season. He faces a six-week post-surgery recovery period.

TSN: Florida Panthers forward Jesse Puljujarvi has a hearing with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee on Tuesday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed center Nic Dowd to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $3 million. Dowd, 34, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The checking-line forward tallied a career-high 27 points this season.

RG.ORG: Prospect winger Porter Martone is hoping to have a positive impact with whatever NHL club selects him in this year’s draft. The 6’3” power forward with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads said he wants to win Stanley Cups and create a winning culture, hoping to eventually take on a leadership role with that team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL Central Scouting has Martone at No. 6 among this year’s top North American prospects. TSN’s Bob McKenzie and Craig Button, The Hockey News’ Nick Ferrari and Ryan Kennedy, and McKeen’s Hockey have him among their top-five prospects.

NHLPA: recently released its annual poll of its membership. A surprising result was that Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers were polled higher than Vezina Trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck in the top goalie category.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2025

by | Apr 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2025

The Wild and Blues clinch playoff berths while the Blue Jackets keep their playoff hopes alive, a milestone game for Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild clinched the first Western Conference wild-card berth (97 points) with a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks. Joel Eriksson Ek scored the tying goal with 22 seconds remaining in the third period to ensure the Wild the point they needed to clinch that playoff berth. They started goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in overtime in what could be the swan song to his NHL career, and got the game-winner from Matt Boldy with 18 seconds remaining in the extra frame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In a classy move, Wild starter Filip Gustavsson requested Fleury take over between the pipes at the end of the third period. The future Hall-of-Famer made five saves in overtime and was mobbed by his teammates following Boldy’s goal. They will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues (96 points) clinched the final Western wild-card by downing the Utah Hockey Club 6-1. Jordan Kyrou scored two goals, Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists, and rookie forward Jimmy Snuggerud tallied his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas left the game early in the third period with a lower-body injury for precautionary reasons. Head coach Jim Montgomery believes he’ll be fine. The Blues will square off against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round.

The Calgary Flames (94 points) defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 but were eliminated from the playoff race. Morgan Frost scored the game-winner in a shootout while Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist. Brandon Saad had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough finish for the Flames, but they exceeded expectations by staying in the playoff race for most of this season. It will give them something to build on going forward.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves had a 26-save shutout to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Adam Fantilli scored his 30th goal of the season and Sean Monahan collected two assists for the Blue Jackets (87 points), who sit two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal can clinch on Wednesday if they defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in any fashion or lose in overtime or the shootout. If the Canadiens lose that game in regulation time, the Blue Jackets can clinch if they get a regulation win in their final game on Thursday.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his 400th NHL regular-season goal and Mitch Marner collected his 100th point of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Anthony Stolarz kicked out 35 shots for the shutout. The Leafs clinched the Atlantic Division title for the first time with 106 points and will face the Ottawa Senators in the first round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the sixth-fastest player to reach the 400-goal plateau, doing so in 628 games played. He joins Wayne Gretzky (436 games played), Mike Bossy (506 GP), Mario Lemieux (508), Brett Hull (520), and Jari Kurri (608). He needs 21 goals to break Mats Sundin’s franchise record of 420 goals.

Marner joins Matthews, Darryl Sittler and Doug Gilmour as the fourth player in Leafs history to reach 100 points in a season.

Sabres defenseman Owen Power missed this game with a season-ending injury to his left knee that could require surgery in the offseason.

Speaking of the Senators (95 points), they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Frank Nazar scored in overtime and Connor Bedard tallied twice for Chicago while Dylan Cozens had two assists for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a long time since “The Battle of Ontario” carried over into the playoffs. The last time the Leafs and Senators faced each other in the postseason was 21 years ago in the opening round of the 2004 playoffs.

The Leafs enter that series with defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jake McCabe questionable for Game 1. Sidelined Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is expected to return to action for that game.

The Tampa Bay Lightning secured second place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points by beating the Florida Panthers 5-1. Brayden Point had a goal and two assists while Nikita Kucherov collected two points for a league-leading 121 points. Brad Marchand replied for the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of rivalries, “The Battle of Florida” continues as the Lightning and Panthers face off in postseason play for the fourth time in five years.

Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome’s hat trick powered his team to a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Adam Pelech returned to action in this game after leaving Sunday’s match against the New Jersey Devils following an illegal hit to the head by Devils forward Paul Cotter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was likely the final home game for Islanders forward Matt Martin, who was saluted by the fans and the Capitals following this contest. Meanwhile, the Capitals will face the Canadiens or Blue Jackets in the first round.

The Los Angeles Kings tied their single-season record for most wins (48) by holding off the Seattle Kraken 5-4. Samuel Helenius scored two goals for the Kings (105 points), who will meet the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for the fourth straight year. Matty Beniers netted his 20th goal of the season for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken confirmed Ron Francis will return for his fifth season as general manager.

An overtime goal by Brian Dumoulin gave the New Jersey Devils a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins. Timo Meier had a goal and two assists for the Devils (91 points), who will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist to finish the season with 106 points.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture formally announced yesterday that he’s no longer physically able to continue his playing career.

The 36-year-old center’s final game was in February 2024. He was diagnosed in 2023 with Osteitis pubis, a deep groin injury that sidelined him for almost all of the last two seasons.

Couture hasn’t officially retired as his contract runs through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million. He will remain on their books for the next two years and be placed on long-term injury reserve if they need salary-cap flexibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I noted yesterday, Couture will be remembered as one of the best players in Sharks history. He’s among their top-five players in games-played, goals, assists, and points. Couture didn’t rule out returning to the game in coaching or management. General manager Mike Grier said there’s a job for him anytime with the Sharks.

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier admitted it’s been a tough season for his rebuilding club. However, he believes they have a bright future with the young players in the lineup and their prospect system.

Couturier admitted he didn’t have much of a relationship with former head coach John Tortorella. “We didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, and it was hard,” he said. “I just tried to work with him and do what’s best for the team because that’s my job as the captain.”

THE DENVER POST: Gabriel Landeskog returned to the Avalanche following his recent conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate. He’s resumed practicing with the Avs and could be ready for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series with the Dallas Stars.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers is listed as week-to-week with a right-foot injury just days before their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no indication if Ehlers will return at some point during that series.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The NHL department of player safety handed Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse a one-game suspension for cross-checking Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield in the back of the head during Monday’s game between the two clubs.

Nurse will miss the Oilers’ final regular-season game on Wednesday against the Sharks and will be in the lineup for the first game of their opening-round series against the Kings.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner are among the 32 King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominees. The award recognizes leadership qualities and contributions to the community.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Click the link above for the complete list.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2025

by | Apr 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2025

The Kings clinch home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, Ivan Demidov shines in his debut as Canadiens earn a point in the wild-card race, Sharks captain Logan Couture will announce his retirement, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings clinched home-ice advantage in their upcoming first-round series with the Edmonton Oilers by blanking them 5-0. Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich combined for the shutout while Adrian Kempe had a goal and two assists for the Kings, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 103 points. The Oilers are third with 99 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings pulled Kuemper at 8:13 of the third period after going up 5-0 in favor of Rittich to give him some playing time before his start on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken.

Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Kings forward Quinton Byfield during the second period. Byfield left the ice and missed the rest of the game in concussion protocol. His teammate, Philip Danault, wasn’t pleased with the Oilers’ actions in this game. “They have their B squad in trying to hurt us,” he said.

Before the game, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said defenseman Mattias Ekholm will miss at least the first round of the 2025 playoffs.

Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov (NHL.com).

Montreal Canadiens rookie winger Ivan Demidov scored his first NHL goal and collected his first assist but his club dropped a 4-3 shootout decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Frank Nazar tallied the game-winner and scored a goal and an assist in regulation time. Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky scored to reach 50 points for the second straight season as his club picked up a point in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. They hold the final berth with 89 points, four ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demidov handled the pressure of his first NHL game quite well but Montreal failed to clinch a playoff berth and are 0-1-2 in their last three games. They have one game left while Columbus has two. The Canadiens can clinch if the Blue Jackets lose in any fashion to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.

Speaking of Canadiens rookies, Lane Hutson collected an assist on Slafkovsky’s goal to break the franchise record for the most points by a rookie defenseman with 65. Chris Chelios held the previous record with 64 points.

A four-goal third period lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 6-4 win over the Dallas Stars. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider led the way with a goal and two assists each in the third period. Jamie Benn collected two assists for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 106 points but have gone 0-4-2 in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars general manager Jim Nill said sidelined defenseman Miro Heiskanen will miss the start of their opening-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. He didn’t rule out Heiskanen’s return later in the first round.

The New York Rangers upset the Florida Panthers 5-3 with J.T. Miller, Juuso Parssinen and Matt Rempe each collecting a goal and an assist. Sam Reinhart tallied twice for the Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers center Sam Bennett picked up an assist in his return to action after being sidelined on Apr. 5 with an upper-body injury against the Ottawa Senators.

Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk scored in overtime to nip the San Jose Sharks 2-1. Linus Karlsson scored for the Canucks in regulation while Macklin Celebrini netted his 25th goal of the season for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks captain Quinn Hughes collected an assist on DeBrusk’s goal to tie Alexander Edler’s franchise record for most points by a defenseman (409).

The Utah Hockey Club got a four-point performance by Clayton Keller for a 7-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Keller scored two goals and set up two others while Logan Cooley and Alex Kerfoot each had three points. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for the Predators.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks will hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce captain Logan Couture is unable to continue his playing career due to injury.

Couture, 36, has been sidelined since February 2024 by a groin ailment. He missed all of this season and only appeared in six games in 2023-24. He spent 15 seasons with the Sharks from 2009-10 to 2023-24, sitting fifth among their franchise leaders with 933 games played and 378 assists. He was also third in goals with 323 and fourth in points with 701.

Named captain of the Sharks in 2019-20, Couture was a proven postseason performer with 48 goals and 53 assists for 101 points in 116 playoff games. He led all scorers with 20 assists and 30 points during the Sharks’ run to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An unfortunate, premature end for Couture’s playing career. He will be remembered as one of the great players in Sharks’ history.

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, and Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck are the league’s three stars for the week ending Apr. 13, 2025.

The department of player safety suspended New Jersey Devils forward Paul Cotter for two games for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech on Sunday.

THE ATHLETIC: A post-mortem analysis of the brain of former NHL player Chris Simon revealed he had severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he died by suicide in 2024.

According to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, Simon is one of the 19 of 20 NHL players’ brains to have tested positive for CTE following their deaths. They include Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Ralph Backstrom, Bob Probert and Derek Boogaard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meanwhile, the NHL remains in denial about CTE, claiming more study is required.

MLIVE.COM: The four US-based Original Six franchises (Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers) have all missed the playoffs for the first time in the post-expansion era (1967-68 to the present).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2025

by | Apr 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2025

The Jets clinch the Presidents’ Trophy, the Blue Jackets and Flames remain alive in the playoff race, Nikita Kucherov is this season’s scoring champion and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets clinched the Presidents’ Trophy despite a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. It’s the first time in franchise history the Jets have won this award, sitting atop the overall standings with 114 points.

Corey Perry had a goal and an assist and Connor McDavid collected two assists for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 99 points. They will face the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Jets for winning their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. They will attempt to become the first team since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks to finish first overall and go on to win the Stanley Cup when the 2025 playoffs begin on Saturday.

Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg left this game after being struck on the left knee by a shot from McDavid. Jets coach Scott Arniel later said that he thinks Samberg will be okay. Meanwhile, the Jets are awaiting word on the status of winger Nikolaj Ehlers after suffering a foot injury against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

The Jets clinched because the Washington Capitals (109 points) lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Adam Fantilli scored two goals while Jet Greaves made 29 saves in his second straight start in as many days for the Jackets (85 points), who kept their playoff hopes alive by sitting three behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 43rd goal of the season and the 896th of his NHL career as his club will finish the season in first place in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets and Canadiens each have two games left. The latter can clinch that final wild card with a win in regulation, overtime or shootout against the Blackhawks on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames avoided elimination with a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Yegor Sharangovich tallied twice and Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the Flames (92 points), who sit two behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand. Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who are assured the best odds to win the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery with the worst record in the league. The lottery is expected to be on May 5 or 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames, Blues and Minnesota Wild play on Tuesday, with the latter two having played 81 games each. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Wild (95 points) need a point against the Anaheim Ducks to clinch a berth. The Blues (94 points) need a regulation win against the Utah Hockey Club to clinch. Calgary must defeat the Vegas Golden Knights and “get help”.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov will win the Art Ross Trophy as his club defeated the Buffalo Sabres 7-4. Kucherov scored two goals and added an assist, Jake Guentzel tallied twice, and Brandon Hagel had three assists for the Lighting, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Rasmus Dahlin picked up two assists for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 119 points, Kucherov will become the scoring champion for the second straight season and the third time since 2018-19. Nathan MacKinnon (116 points) finished second for the second consecutive year as his club’s regular-season schedule ended on Sunday. Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (106 points) sits third and Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (104) is fourth.

Speaking of the Lightning, they called up Conor Geekie with Oliver Bjorkstrand listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Sabres defenseman Owen Power missed this game with a lower-body injury and he’s not expected to play in their remaining two games.

The Colorado Avalanche scored four unanswered third-period goals to double up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Charlie Coyle had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche, who finished the season third in the Central Division with 102 points. Mason McTavish scored his 22nd goal for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche rested several key players during their final two games. Nathan MacKinnon is dealing with a minor undisclosed ailment while Ryan Lindgren, Jonathan Drouin and Josh Manson are nursing injuries. Cale Makar and Ross Colton also didn’t travel with the Avs on their final road trip of the regular season.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored his 399th NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Morgan Rielly collected three assists as the Leafs hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points. Sebastian Aho replied for the Hurricanes, who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 99 points.

An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. Stutzle finished the game with two goals and an assist for the Senators, who hold the first Easter wild card with 94 points. Garnet Hathaway had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin turned in a 25-save shutout in a 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. Bo Horvat scored for the Islanders. The Devils sit third in the Metro Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Paul Cotter has a hearing scheduled on Monday with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal check on Isles defenseman Adam Pelech.

The Boston Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1. Morgan Geekie scored for the fifth straight game while David Pastrnak collected two assists to extend his multi-point streak to five games. Rickard Rakell scored his 35th goal of the season for Pittsburgh.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Calvin de Haan isn’t happy with how the Rangers managed his playing time. Acquired at the trade deadline, he was a healthy scratch for the past 18 games.

When asked how he’s been treated by the Rangers during an optional practice on Sunday, de Haan didn’t mince words. “It’s f**ked,” he replied.

The Rangers informed the media that de Haan would speak with them at the end of the season. He took to social media to explain the situation, saying his brief remark was based in frustration over his lack of playing time. He also said he would’ve preferred a media scrum setting to chat about how his time with the Rangers has gone.

THE PROVINCE: Derek Forbort suffered a fractured orbital bone following a late punch by Minnesota Wild forward Yakov Trenin to the face of the Vancouver Canucks blueliner when he was lying defenseless on the ice following a fight between the two players on Saturday. Trenin will not face supplemental discipline.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Elmer Soderblom will miss their final three games of this season with an undisclosed injury.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild signed prospect defenseman Zeev Buium to a three-year entry-level contract. He was selected 12th overall by the Wild in last year’s draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2025

by | Apr 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2025

The Jets clinch top spot in the Western Conference and Central Division, the Golden Knights secure the Pacific Division title, the Rangers, Islanders and Red Wings are eliminated from the playoff race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets clinched first place in the Western Conference and the Central Division with a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Cole Perfetti tallied the game-winner in the shootout and Josh Morrisey scored twice for the Jets (114 points). Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets hold a five-point lead over the second-place Washington Capitals in the overall standings but they have two games left while the Capitals have three. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers left the game in the second period after accidentally colliding with a linesman. There was no postgame update on his status.

This was also the final game for Blackhawks forward Patrick Maroon and defenseman Alec Martinez as both players retired after this game. They will not be joining the Blackhawks on their season-ending two-game road trip.

The Vegas Golden Knights clinched the Pacific Division title for the fourth time in eight years by defeating the Nashville Predators 5-3. Noah Hanifin broke a 3-3 tie with 1:55 remaining in the third period while Brett Howden and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (107 points). Former Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault scored in his first game in Vegas since joining the Predators last summer.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists in a 7-3 victory over the New York Rangers, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth last week and will face the New Jersey Devils in the opening round. J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist for the Rangers.

A shootout goal by Bobby Brink lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the New York Islanders 4-3 to eliminate the latter from the postseason chase. Tyson Foerster tallied twice for the Flyers while Bo Horvat, Anders Lee and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

The Montreal Canadiens failed to clinch the final Eastern wild-card berth as they dropped a 1-0 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mitch Marner scored in overtime for the Leafs, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. Jakub Dobes stopped 35 shots for the Canadiens (88 points), who picked up a point to move seven ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, eliminating the latter from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs also announced that former general manager Gerry McNamara died on Friday at age 90.

A minor-league goaltender for most of his playing career, McNamara appeared in seven NHL games with the Leafs between 1960-61 and 1969-70. He was a scout for the Leafs in the 1970s and was GM from 1981-82 to 1987-88.

My condolences to McNamara’s family, friends, former teammates and the Leafs organization.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves made 21 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 7-0 drubbing of the Washington Capitals. James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists and Adam Fantilli scored twice as the Blues Jackets kept their playoff hopes alive. They’re five points behind Montreal but have three games left while the Canadiens have two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets face Washington on Sunday in the second game of their back-to-back. They will be eliminated if they lose that game in any fashion.

The Capitals gave captain Alex Ovechkin the day off on Saturday but he could return to the lineup for Sunday’s contest. Teammate Jakob Chychrun was also absent Saturday as he’s battling an illness while Hunter Shepard gave up seven goals on 26 shots. Charlie Lindgren will be their starter on Sunday.

Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello scored in overtime to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Brock Faber and Marcus Foligno scored in the third period as the Wild overcame a 2-0 deficit. Marcus Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks. With 95 points, the Wild sit one point ahead of the St. Louis Blues in the first Western Conference wild-card spot and five points ahead of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks announced center Elias Pettersson is done for the season as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury suffered on March 22 against the New York Rangers. Wild forward Yakov Trenin was ejected after hitting Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort with a late punch while the latter was lying on the ice following a fight between the two players.

The St. Louis Blues fell 4-3 to the Seattle Kraken on a shootout goal by Chandler Stephenson. Nick Leddy had a goal and an assist in regulation play for the Blues, who sit one point behind the Wild in the final wild-card spot, four points ahead of the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild and Blues each have one game left in their schedules while the Flames have three games. The latter still has a chance to clinch a wild-card spot if they win all three games while the Blues lose their final game. Speaking of the Blues, defenseman Colton Parayko returned to action in this game after injuring his right knee on March 5 against the Los Angeles Kings.

Speaking of the Kings, they held off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4. Kevin Fiala scored two goals while Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each had a goal and two assists for the Kings, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 101 points. Colorado center Brock Nelson scored twice, including his 300th NHL regular-season goal. The Avalanche will face the Dallas Stars in the first round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings will meet the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for the fourth straight year. They’ll face an Oilers team lacking a key defenseman as Mattias Ekholm will be sidelined for “quite some time” with an undisclosed injury.

Meanwhile, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog could join his teammates for their series with the Stars. He’s currently on a conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. On Saturday, Landeskog scored a goal in his second game with the Eagles. His last NHL game was Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.

The Stars, meanwhile, dropped a 5-3 decision to the Utah Hockey Club. Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists for Utah. Jason Robertson scored his 35th goal of the season and Wyatt Johnston his 32nd for the Stars, who clinched second place in the Central Division.

A shootout goal by Anton Lundell gave the Florida Panthers a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Rasmus Dahlin and JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.