NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2025

by | Apr 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2025

The Oilers clinch a playoff berth, the Senators widen their lead for the first Eastern wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers clinched a playoff berth by doubling up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Connor McDavid collected assists on all four goals and Corey Perry scored the winning goal for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 97 points. Will Smith and Henry Thrun replied for the Sharks, who dropped their eighth straight game.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Oilers as defenseman Mattias Ekholm and winger Zach Hyman left the game with injuries. Ekholm might not return for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Sharks announced that sidelined defenseman Mario Ferraro suffered a broken ankle during their 8-7 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday but he won’t have to undergo surgery.

Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto scored twice in a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Ridly Greig had a goal and an assist as the Senators opened a five-point lead over Montreal for the first wild-card berth with 92 points. Christian Dvorak and Nick Suzuki scored for the Canadiens, who hold the final wild-card spot with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal needed a regulation win to clinch their first postseason berth since 2021. They’ll get another opportunity on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, Canadiens prospect Jacob Fowler won the Mike Richter Award as this season’s best goaltender in US college hockey.

The Detroit Red Wings kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Marco Kasper tallied two goals (including the winner in overtime) for the Red Wings, who sit six points behind the Canadiens with 81 points. Gage Goncalves scored twice for the Lightning (98 points), who remain two points behind the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay forward Luke Glendening missed this game with an upper-body injury and could be sidelined for their remaining regular-season games. The Lightning got some good news on Friday as their top prospect Isaac Howard won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in US college hockey.

A 4-2 victory by the Calgary Flames (90 points) over the Minnesota Wild moved the former within three points of Minnesota and St. Louis Blues in the race for a Western Conference wild-card berth. Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames as they have a game in hand over the Wild and Blues, who have two games each remaining in their schedule.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf tied Mike Vernon for the most starts by a Flames rookie goaltender (51). Meanwhile, Wild captain Jared Spurgeon left this game after taking a puck to the throat in the second period and feeling lightheaded afterward. The Wild expect top prospect Zeev Buium to sign his entry-level contract and join their roster soon.

The Pittsburgh Penguins scored four unanswered goals to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist. Erik Haula and Ondrej Palat scored for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils expect sidelined defenseman Dougie Hamilton to be available for their upcoming first-round playoff series with the Carolina Hurricanes.

HEADLINES

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog’s comeback took a big step forward on Friday with a solid performance skating for their AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles in a 2-0 win. The 32-year-old winger saw just over 15 minutes of ice time with the Eagles in his first game since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. He’s since been recovering from multiple knee surgeries that threatened to end his playing career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche were said to have “guarded optimism” that Landeskog could return to the lineup for the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs. His performance with the Eagles suggests that could become a reality.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Tyler Seguin hopes to see some regular-season play before the postseason begins. He underwent hip surgery four months ago and hasn’t played since Dec. 1.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs will face the Canadiens on Saturday with only five defensemen as Oliver Ekman-Larsson is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The Leafs lack the cap space to call up a replacement from their AHL affiliate.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes prospect defenseman Alexander Nikishin signed a two-year entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 6’4”, 220-pound Nikishin could be in the Hurricanes lineup for their remaining regular-season games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2025

by | Apr 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2025

Capitals clinch first place in the Eastern Conference, Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Panthers coach Paul Maurice each reach notable career milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals clinched first place in the Eastern Conference and in the Metropolitan Division with a 5-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Pierre-Luc Dubois netted the winning goal in the shootout and also scored in regulation while Tom Wilson tallied his 33rd of the season. Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis scored late in the third period to force overtime and the shootout. The Capitals have 109 points, three behind the first-overall Winnipeg Jets. With 97 points, the Hurricanes have secured second in the Metro.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals also honored team captain Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking 895th regular-season goal with a pregame ceremony. Ovechkin tallied that goal against the New York Islanders on Sunday.

Speaking of the Jets, they secured a stranglehold on the Central Division crown by blanking the Dallas Stars 4-0. Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves for his league-leading eighth shutout of the season and Kyle Connor tallied twice for the Jets (112 points), who sit six points ahead of the Stars in the Central.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck collected his single-season high and franchise-record 45th win of the season. He’s the seventh goaltender in NHL history to reach the 45-win milestone, joining Braden Holtby and Martin Brodeur (48 each), Bernie Parent and Roberto Luongo (47 each), Evgeni Nabokov (46) and Miikka Kiprusoff (45).

Brad Marchand scored his first goal with the Florida Panthers in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Gustav Forsling collected two assists and Florida head coach Paul Maurice picked up his 915th regular-season win to move into third place on the all-time list as the Panthers sit third in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Alex DeBrincat replied for the Red Wings (79 points), who remain eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maurice sits behind Scotty Bowman (1,244 wins) and Joel Quenneville (969 wins). Meanwhile, Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been granted permission by the league and the NHLPA to rejoin the club in all team activities except for games. He’s serving a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Ekblad can return to action during Game 3 of the Panthers’ first-round playoff series.

The New York Rangers kept their thin playoff hopes alive by thumping the New York Islanders 9-2. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 44 shots while Artemi Panarin and Brett Berard each scored two goals for the Rangers, who sit six points behind the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card race. Maxim Tsyplakov and Hudson Fasching scored for the Islanders, who remain eight points behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin missed this game with an upper-body injury. The Rangers and Islanders will be eliminated from the postseason race if the Canadiens pick up one point in their four remaining games.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves stopped 39 shots as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. James van Riemsdyk, Zach Aston-Reese and Boone Jenner scored for the Jackets, who sit six points behind the Canadiens. JJ Peterka and Rasmus Dahlin scored for the Sabres as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues Jackets’ playoff hopes also hang by a thread. They will be eliminated if the Canadiens collect three points in their remaining games.

The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Adin Hill turned aside 24 shots while Ivan Barbashev and William Karlsson scored for the Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 105 points. Kraken winger Jared McCann scored to reach 60 points on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl returned to action following an eight-game absence with a shoulder injury.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala scored two goals in a 6-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Adrian Kempe and Andrei Kuzmenko each had three assists as the Kings remain six points behind the Golden Knights in second place with 99 points. Ducks rookie winger Cutter Gauthier netted his 20th goal of the season.

Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 31 shots to upset the Colorado Avalanche 4-1. Kiefer Sherwood and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Devon Toews replied for the Avalanche, who will finish third in the Central Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon missed this game and could be out for their remaining two games as he deals with a minor injury.

A three-goal third period lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Nick Foligno scored twice for the Blackhawks while David Pastrnak netted his 42nd goal of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins announced that sidelined defenseman Charlie McAvoy and forward Mark Kastelic are done for the season.

Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros made 39 saves to backstop his team for a 4-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Filip Forsberg scored the winner in the shootout while Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators head coach Andrew Brunette rejoined the team after taking time away dealing with a personal matter.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk will miss his sixth straight game with an upper-body injury when his club faces the Canadiens on Friday. However, he’s confident he’ll be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs starting next weekend.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk could return for action for one of their remaining three regular-season games after Friday. However, the club might prefer he sit out the rest of those games rather than risk reinjuring himself in a meaningless regular-season contest.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas was named the GM for Canada’s 2025 World Championship team. The Penguins also announced that sidelined players Rutger McGroarty, Noel Acciari, Blake Lizotte, Matt Nieto and Tommy Novak are finished for the season.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro’s season is over after suffering a lower-body injury during Wednesday’s games against the Minnesota Wild.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2025

by | Apr 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2025

A four-goal return to action for Joel Eriksson Ek as Marc-Andre Fleury set a new goalie record, the Devils clinch a playoff berth, the hockey world remembers Ray Shero, the Masterton Trophy nominees are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Joel Eriksson Ek scored four goals and Kirill Kaprizov tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, in an 8-7 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matt Boldy had four assists and Mats Zuccarello had three helpers for the Wild, who vaulted over the St. Louis Blues into the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 93 points. Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a hat trick in a five-point performance while teammate Will Smith had a goal and three assists.

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a consequential game for the Wild in more ways than one. Their victory over the Sharks eliminated the Vancouver Canucks and Utah Hockey Club from the postseason race.

Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov returned to action after missing considerable time with injuries. They’ll significantly boost the Wild offense which sputtered during their absence. Meanwhile, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury set the record for most overtime wins (70) in what was likely his final home start for Minnesota.

Celebrini became the first 18-year-old player in Sharks history to tally a hat trick. He holds the single-season franchise record for points by a rookie with 62.

The St. Louis Blues (93 points) dropped into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference following a 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Connor Brown scored twice for Edmonton, including the winning goal with 21 seconds remaining in the third period. Oilers captain Connor McDavid had three assists on his return from an eight-game absence with a lower-body injury. Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and an assist for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers sit third in the Pacific Division with 95 points. Meanwhile, the Blues sit behind the Wild because the latter holds a game in hand.

Before this game, they placed defenseman John Klingberg on long-term injury reserve while blueliner Jake Walman was a late scratch with an illness.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored the tying and winning goals as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit to upset the Calgary Flames 4-3 in overtime. Ville Husso stopped 36 shots for the Ducks. Mikael Backlund had a goal and an assist for the Flames (88 points), who sit five points behind the Wild and Blues with two games in hand over the latter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild have three games remaining in their schedule while the Blues have two. The latter has lost two straight after winning a franchise-record 12 straight games.

The New York Rangers’ playoff hopes suffered a significant setback after an 8-5 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Tyson Foerster collected his first NHL hat trick and Nick Seeler picked up three assists for the Flyers. Artemi Panarin scored his 300th NHL regular-season goal for the Rangers (79 points), who’ve lost three straight and remain eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers are on the brink of elimination from the playoff race. They have the same number of games remaining in the schedule as the Canadiens (four) but the latter needs only three points to punch their ticket to the postseason.

That final wild-card spot is the only playoff berth to be determined in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers’ victory and the Rangers’ loss clinched a playoff spot for the idle New Jersey Devils, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points. They’ll face off against the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies scored in overtime to complete a hat trick and defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Auston Matthews collected three assists and Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (100 points), who opened a three-point lead over the Lightning atop the Atlantic Division. Victor Hedman and Oliver Bjorkstrand each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov picked up an assist to regain first place in the scoring race. He and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon each have 116 points but Kucherov holds the lead with 34 goals to MacKinnon’s 32.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The hockey world mourned Ray Shero, who died on Wednesday at 62.

Son of former NHL coach and Hall-of-Famer Fred Shero, Ray had a long, successful career in management. He began as an assistant general manager with the Ottawa Senators from 1993 to 1998, and as an assistant GM with the Nashville Predators from 1998 to 2006.

Shero was named general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006, building them into a Stanley Cup contender in 2008 and a Cup champion in 2009. He won the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award in 2012-13.

Fired by the Penguins in 2014, he became GM of the New Jersey Devils from 2015 to 2020, drafting current Devils stars Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt.

Shero was in his fourth season as a senior advisor to Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin.

Guerin, Wild head coach John Hynes, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald, former Predators GM David Poile, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman released statements honoring Shero’s memory and legacy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Shero’s family, friends, the Wild organization, and those who knew him from his days with the Senators, Predators, Penguins and Devils.

TSN: Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan, and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin are among the 32 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominees. It is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Other notable nominees include Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, and Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above to see the full list.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of Landeskog, the Avalanche have loaned him to their AHL affiliate for conditioning as he continues his comeback. The 32-year-old left wing hasn’t played since leading the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup in June 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An update will be made regarding Landeskog’s status over the next couple of days. This move is a significant step in his comeback attempt. If it goes well, he could rejoin the Avalanche in the opening round of the playoffs.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are confident that team captain Brady Tkachuk will be good to go when the playoffs begin on Apr. 19. He’s missed the last five games with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators clinched a playoff berth so there’s no reason to rush him back to action. They’ll give him all the time he needs between now and Apr. 19 to heal up for the postseason.

RG.ORG: Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov is expected to arrive in Toronto on Friday. He’ll meet with his new team following their game in Ottawa and could make his NHL debut on Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2025

by | Apr 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2025

The Senators clinch their first playoff berth since 2017, the Capitals clinch the Metropolitan Division, the Canucks stage a history-making comeback, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators clinched their first playoff berth since 2016-17 despite a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fabian Zetterlund and Thomas Chabot scored for the Senators, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 90 points. Kent Johnson, Justin Danforth and Mathieu Olivier each had two points for the Blues Jackets (79 points), who sit eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Senators for ending their long playoff drought. The past several years have seen them go through an ownership change and a painful, at times fitful rebuilding process.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they moved a step closer to clinching the final Easter wild-card spot by defeating the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Sam Montembault made 35 saves (including 22 in the first period) while Nick Suzuki, Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist as the Canadiens (87 points) picked up their sixth straight win to sit eight points above the Red Wings, Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and New York Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal’s win assured the Senators of a playoff berth. It was the Canadiens’ sixth game in nine days, making their current win streak more impressive. The Wings, Jackets, Rangers and Isles all have a game in hand but the Habs need three points in their remaining four games to punch their ticket to the postseason.

Earlier in the day, the Canadiens signed highly-touted prospect Ivan Demidov to a three-year entry-level contract hours after he was released from his KHL deal. Demidov could be in the Canadiens’ lineup as early as Friday when they face the Senators. The way Demidov’s contract is structured, the first year will be used up regardless of the number of games played. He can also return to his KHL team next season if he fails to secure a roster spot with the Canadiens.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender James Reimer made 33 saves to shut out the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0, handing the latter their third straight loss. Tage Thompson scored his 44th goal for the Sabres, who were officially eliminated from the playoffs for the 14th straight season. The Hurricanes remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points. Their loss to the Sabres ensured the idle Washington Capitals clinched the division crown.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be out for at least a week.

The Vancouver Canucks staged a history-making comeback against the Dallas Stars with three goals within the final minute of the third period before winning the game 6-5 on an overtime goal by Kiefer Sherwood. Pius Suter scored two of those last-minute goals and Conor Garland collected three assists for the Canucks (85 points), who staved off elimination from the Western Conference wild-card race. Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 106 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are the first team in NHL history to erase a three-goal deficit in the final minute of regulation. They are six points behind the Minnesota Wild in the Western wild-card race.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists in a 7-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Pastrnak reached the 100-point plateau for the third straight season with 16 points in his last seven games. The Devils hold third place in the Metro Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a history-making performance for Pastrnak, joining Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito as the only Bruins to record three straight 100-point seasons. He’s also the first Czech-born NHL player to do so. Jaromir Jagr had five 100-plus point campaigns but never did it in three consecutive seasons.

Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton has been sidelined since March 4 with a lower-body injury. He’s skating on his own and could return to the lineup for the first round of the playoffs.

Third-period goals by Eetu Luostarinen and Carter Verhaeghe lifted the Florida Panthers over the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1. John Tavares scored his 37th goal of the season for the Leafs, who remain first in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. The Panthers sit four points behind the Leafs in third place.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: So much for the silly conspiracy theory that the Panthers were sandbagging the rest of their schedule to finish lower in the standings to ensure they face the Leafs in the first round. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Gustav Forsling returned to the injury-ravaged Panthers lineup for this game.

The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Third-period goals by Valeri Nichushkin and Jimmy Vesey set the stage for Charlie Coyle’s game-winner in the shootout. With 100 points, the Avalanche sit third in the Central Division. William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb scored for the Golden Knights, who sit first in the Pacific Division with 103 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nathan MacKinnon picked up an assist for his 116th point, moving one ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov into first place in the scoring race. He also has 1,015 points in 870 regular-season games, tying him with Joe Sakic for the Denver-based Avalanche scoring record. Sakick also reached that milestone in 870 games.

Golden Knights center Jack Eichel missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson scored his 200th goal as his club blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Tristan Jarry turned in a 26-save shutout and Kevin Hayes collected two goals for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pittsburgh rookie Rutger McGroarty left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot by Blackhawks center Connor Bedard. Penguins forward Blake Lizotte missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Nashville Predators nipped the New York Islanders 7-6 on an overtime goal by Fedor Svechkov. Steven Stamkos and Michael Bunting scored late in the third period to set the stage for Svechkov’s game-winner. Simon Holmstrom scored twice and set up two others for the Islanders, who sit eight points behind the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card chase.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders starting goalie Ilya Sorokin missed the third period for precautionary reasons with an upper-body injury. Head coach Patrick Roy said Sorokin should be ok but they didn’t want to take any chances.

The Utah Hockey Club defeated the Seattle Kraken 7-1, setting a franchise record for the most goals in one game since moving to Utah. Dylan Guenther and Mikhail Sergachev each had three points as Utah (84 points) sit seven points behind the Wild in the Western wild-card race.

IN OTHER NEWS:

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets prospect Chaz Lucius announced his retirement after being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a group of inherited disorders that affects the skin, joints and blood vessel walls.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lucius’ dream of becoming an NHL player reached a sad, sudden end. Here’s hoping he finds success elsewhere in the game or in whatever non-hockey endeavor he chooses.

CALGARY SUN: Flames top prospect Zayne Parekh signed his entry-level contract on Tuesday. With the Flames chasing a playoff berth, the young defenseman might not get a chance to see any playing time during the club’s final five regular-season games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL player Brendan Lemieux was suspended four games in Switzerland’s National League playoffs after punching a linesman in a scrum during a postseason game against ZSC Lions.

TSN: Alex Faulkner, the first Newfoundland-born player to compete in the NHL, passed away in Bishop Falls at age 88. Faulkner made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1961-62 season. He went on to play 100 games with the Detroit Red Wings from 1962-63 to 1963-64.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Faulkner’s family, friends and former teammates. He blazed the trail for 30 other Newfoundland-born players to reach the NHL, including Michael Ryder, Daniel Cleary, Ryane Clowe, Teddy Purcell, Alex Newhook and Dawson Mercer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2025

by | Apr 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2025

The Jets set a franchise record for wins while ending the Blues’ franchise-record win streak, Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov reaches a significant milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets collected their franchise-record 53rd single-season victory by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1, ending the latter’s franchise-record win streak at 12 games. Morgan Barron, Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (110 points), opening a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for first place in the overall standings. Pavel Buchnevich replied for the Blues, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 93 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists in his club’s 5-1 win over the New York Rangers. Brayden Point scored twice and set up another and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 38 saves as the Lightning (96 points) sit two points behind the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. The Rangers (79 points) remain six points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 115 points, Kucherov is tied for first place in the scoring race with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. He also collected his 80th assist, joining Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey and Bobby Orr as the only players in NHL history to accomplish that feat in at least three consecutive seasons.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the San Jose Sharks 3-2. Dustin Wolf stopped 29 shots while Adam Klapka, Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato scored for the Flames, who sit four points behind the Minnesota Wild for the final Western wild card with 87 points. Sharks rookie Will Smith scored twice and teammate Macklin Celebrini set the rookie franchise record for assists with 36.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: San Jose winger Tyler Toffoli missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The Sharks also announced defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin’s upper-body injury will sideline him for the remainder of the regular season.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 45 shots in a 3-2 upset win over the injury-depleted Edmonton Oilers. Cutter Gauthier tallied twice for the Ducks. Adam Henrique and Jeff Skinner replied for the Oilers (93 points), who remain four points behind the Los Angeles Kings in third place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Trent Frederic’s return from an ankle injury was short-lived. He missed this game after aggravating that injury during Saturday’s loss to the Kings.

Speaking of the Kings, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Seattle Kraken. Matty Beniers and Brandon Montour scored and Joey Daccord turned aside 28 shots for the win. Quinton Byfield tallied his 20th of the season for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was given time off from this game as he rests his surgically repaired ankle. Teammate Adrian Kempe left this game in the third period to attend to a personal matter. Forward Tanner Jeannot missed this contest with an undisclosed injury and is listed as week-to-week.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, and St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas are the league’s three stars for the week ending April 6, 2025.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have a growing list of injured players. Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Niko Sturm, Dmitry Kulikov and Gustav Forsling are sidelined, and the club could rest some of them for several games to ensure they’ll be fully healthy for the coming playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have already clinched a playoff berth so they have the luxury of giving some of these players an extra game or two to rest up over their remaining five games in the schedule.

It’s given rise to a silly conspiracy theory that they’re sandbagging the rest of the season to drop further in the standings, ensuring they draw the Toronto Maple Leafs as their first-round opponent.

If the playoffs started now, the Panthers would face the Lightning in the opening round. The theory suggests they prefer meeting the Leafs because they’re an easier opponent.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of playoff-bound teams with injury-ravaged rosters, the Avalanche hope to have sidelined defenseman Josh Manson and Samuel Girard and forwards Martin Necas and Jonathan Drouin back in the lineup later this week.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club blueliner John Marino is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association continue their collective bargaining agreement negotiations this week in New York City. CBA talks between the two sides began last week. The current agreement expires in September 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: League commissioner Gary Bettman hopes to get a new CBA in place as soon as possible, perhaps by the 2025 NHL Draft in late June. The recent relationship between the NHL and NHLPA lacks the rancor and mistrust that hampered previous CBA negotiations.

THE ATHLETIC: Meredith Gaudreau gave birth to her and late husband Johnny Gaudreau’s third child (a boy named Carter Michael Gaudreau) on April 1. Carter’s middle name is the same as his father’s.

Johnny and his brother Matthew were killed by an alleged drunk driver last August. The alleged driver faces charges including reckless vehicular homicide, aggravated manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My thoughts go out to the Gaudreau family. Here’s hoping Carter has a long and happy life.

TSN: Long-time NHL goaltender and broadcaster Greg Millen died on Monday at age 67. The cause of death was not revealed.

Millen spent 14 seasons as an NHL goaltender from 1978-79 to 1991-92 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. He played in 604 games, making 582 starts with a 3.88 goals-against average and a save percentage of .873.

Following his playing career, Millen went on to a long broadcasting career mostly with CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL on Sportsnet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Millen’s family, friends, teammates and broadcasting colleagues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2025

by | Apr 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2025

Alex Ovechkin is the all-time goal-scoring leader, the Senators and Canadiens move closer to clinching playoff berths, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OVECHKIN SCORES HIS 895TH GOAL, BREAKING THE ALL-TIME GOAL-SCORING RECORD

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders. Ovechkin tallied his 895th regular-season goal to surpass Wayne Gretzky.

The game was stopped to commemorate his achievement with an on-ice ceremony, including congratulations from Gretzky and league commissioner Gary Bettman, and video tributes that included Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Islanders forward Marc Gatcomb scored twice as the remainder of the game was an afterthought to Ovechkin’s accomplishment. The Isles (78 points) sit seven points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Capitals missed the chance to clinch first place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gretzky’s goal record seemed insurmountable. Breaking it was an incredible achievement by Ovechkin, a testament to his goal-scoring skill and durability.

Ovechkin paid tribute to former teammates Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie, who attended this game to watch him break the record. It was an emotional moment for Backstrom, who played more games with the Capitals superstar (1,058) than anyone else and assisted on more of his goals (279) than any other player.

During his on-ice tribute to Ovechkin, Gretzky said records were made to be broken but he wasn’t sure who could outscore the Capitals superstar. The Toronto Star’s Damien Cox tried to make the case for Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, but The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus believe it’s a high mountain to scale.

The 27-year-old Matthews sits 112th overall with 398 goals. The current active players closest to Ovechkin are Crosby (622) and Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (580) and they’re on the downside of their long careers. So are Malkin (513), Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (491), Edmonton Oilers winger Corey Perry (445), Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (438), Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (422) and Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (399).

Matthews and Oilers winger Leon Draisaitl (399 goals) are the only active players in their prime closest to Ovechkin’s record. Cox believes the Leafs captain could have a chance if he plays 13 more seasons while maintaining his current scoring pace. It’s not impossible but it will be a daunting challenge for Matthews.

Gretzky still has the most assists (1,963) and points (2,857). Those records could be unbreakable. Future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr is second in points with 1,921 and he last played in the NHL seven years ago.

Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas missed this game as he’s week-to-week after suffering a cut to his left foot during Friday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S OTHER GAMES

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators are one win away from clinching a playoff berth after blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned in a 30-save shutout, Adam Gaudette scored what proved to be the winning goal, and Thomas Chabot had two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ottawa holds the first Eastern wild-card berth with 90 points, putting them on the verge of ending their eight-year postseason drought. Meanwhile, the Blues Jackets’ three-game losing skid jeopardizes their playoff hopes, leaving them eight points out of the final wild-card spot.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 36 shots to nip the Nashville Predators 2-1, extending his club’s win streak to five games. Cole Caufield and Patrik Laine scored as the Canadiens (85 points) opened a six-point lead over the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern wild card. Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal is tantalizingly close to clinching that wild-card spot. The Rangers, Red Wings and Islanders have a game in hand on the Canadiens but the latter still controls their destiny, including games against the Red Wings on Tuesday and the Senators on Friday.

Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Chris Chelios for the most points (64) by a Habs rookie blueliner. Canadiens winger Emil Heineman and blueliner David Savard missed this game and are day-to-day with injuries. Winger Josh Anderson returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game for family reasons.

Speaking of the Red Wings, they picked up a vital two points with a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Cam Talbot made 32 saves while Alex DeBrincat and J.T. Compher scored for the Wings. Anton Lundell replied for the slumping Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 92 points. They’re 0-4-1 in the last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are nipping at the Panthers’ heels. They could vault past the defending Stanley Cup champions into third place in the Atlantic Division standings.

An overtime goal by Marco Rossi lifted the Minnesota Wild over the Dallas Stars 3-2. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists as the Wild (91 points) moved within two points of the St. Louis Blues for the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley scored for the Stars (105 points) as they sit three points behind the league-leading Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars captain Jamie Benn returned to action after missing two games with a lower-body injury. Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton missed this contest as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights downed the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on a late goal by Victor Olofsson. With 102 points, the Golden Knights hold a five-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings for first place in the Pacific Division. The Canucks (83 points) are eight points behind the Wild for the final Western wild card.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson tallied a hat trick for a 6-3 victory over the Boston Bruins. The Sabres have won four straight games. David Pastrnak collected assists on all three Bruins goals.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were officially eliminated from the playoff chase following a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev scored two goals and Spencer Knight stopped 28 shots for the Blackhawks. Penguins forward Rickard Rakell netted his 34th of the season.