NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2025

by | Mar 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2025

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, Gary Bettman talks about the playoff format and the All-Star Game, seven NHL prospects among this season’s Hobey Baker Award candidates, and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An accidental interference by referee Kelly Sutherland resulted in Steven Lorentz’s game-winning goal in the third period as the Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. Sutherland stumbled and fell when he caught a rut, accidentally blocking a clearing attempt by Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit. The puck remained in the neutral zone, where Lorentz picked it up and beat Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from the faceoff circle.

Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll kicked out 38 shots and Auston Matthews tallied his 27th goal of the season. Valeri Nichushkin replied for the Avalanche as their nine-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs move into a tie with the Florida Panthers with 85 points, but the latter holds first place in the Atlantic Division with 35 regulation wins to the Leafs’ 33. Colorado holds third place in the Central Division with 85 points. The Avs announced before the game that defenseman Josh Manson will miss three to four weeks with an upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy (NHL Images)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 34 shots to shut out the Seattle Kraken 4-0. Matt Boldy scored twice for the Wild, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marco Rossi left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury after being accidentally struck by a shot from Boldy. Kraken center Chandler Stephenson departed in the second period for undisclosed reasons and didn’t return. There was no postgame update on either player.

HEADLINES

TSN: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman took questions from reporters yesterday following the final day of general managers’ meetings.

Bettman gave an emphatic “no” when asked if the league would consider changes to the playoff format, saying he liked the current setup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman appears to be in the minority as there are growing calls from fans and pundits for changes to the playoff format. Don’t expect any tinkering while he remains in charge.

He said the league remains committed to staging an All-Star Game hosted by the New York Islanders next season. However, he said they’re reevaluating the format after last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament “raised the bar.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 4 Nations tournament gave the fans a meaningful event with hockey played at the highest level by many of the world’s top players who were fully invested. Fans don’t want a gimmicky skills competition followed by All-Stars going through the motions because they don’t want to risk injury on a nothing game.

The commissioner declined to speculate about the discussion between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week about a United States-Russia hockey series featuring NHL and KHL stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Russia’s war with Ukraine prompted the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to ban them from participating in international tournaments. The NHL has honored that ban.

Bettman said the 2025-26 season will open on Oct. 7. He also indicated that talks with the NHL Players’ Association regarding a new collective bargaining agreement will begin the first week in April. “I’m hoping we can do this quickly, quietly and painlessly,” said Bettman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The atmosphere between the league and the PA has been free of the animosity and distrust that hung over previous negotiations, leading to work stoppages that hurt the game’s momentum and upset its fans. Here’s hoping things go smoothly this time around.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals prospect forward Ryan Leonard and Minnesota Wild prospect defenseman Zeev Buium are among the 10 candidates for the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which annually honors the top US men’s college hockey player.

Leonard plays for Boston College while Buium skates for the University of Denver. Other candidates with NHL ties include Michigan State forward Isaac Howard (Tampa Bay Lightning), University of Minnesota forward Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues), University of Denver winger Jack Devine (Florida Panthers), Penn State winger Aiden Fink (Nashville Predators), and Clarkson winger Ayrton Martino (Dallas Stars).

The three finalists will be revealed on Apr. 3 and the winner will be announced on Apr. 11.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues head coach Jim Montgomery is optimistic that sidelined defenseman Colton Parayko might return before the end of this season. Parayko underwent a scope of his left knee on March 6 with a recovery timeline of six weeks. Montgomery said the defenseman’s rehab is progressing well.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers coach Paul Maurice said defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (right arm injury) is expected to be sidelined for two weeks. He’s expected back before the playoffs begin next month.

ROTOBALLER: Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Dmitry Orlov is expected to return to action tonight against the San Jose Sharks. He missed the last five games with an upper-body injury.

TSN: Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is expected to be named GM of Canada’s team at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in May.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

by | Mar 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

Sidney Crosby passes Wayne Gretzky for most points with a franchise, the Canadiens climb back into a wild-card spot, three Capitals reach personal milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored to reach his 1,670th regular-season point in a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and two assists as the Islanders scored four unanswered third-period goals. With 70 points, the Isles are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby took sole possession of fourth place on the all-time list for most points with a single franchise. Gordie Howe is the all-time leader, netting 1,809 with the Detroit Red Wings. Steve Yzerman is second, tallying 1,755 with the Wings. Mario Lemieux is third with 1,723 with the Penguins.

Crosby, 37, is under contract for two more seasons with the Penguins. He has 74 points in 68 games this season. If he remains close to that pace between now and the end of 2026-27, he could overtake Howe.

Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech returned to the lineup due to an illness, but blueliner Alexander Romanov missed the game with a similar illness.

The Montreal Canadiens regained the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Christian Dvorak had a goal and three assists, Josh Anderson tallied twice, and Brendan Gallagher had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (73 points) as they tallied five goals in the third period for their sixth straight win. Travis Hamonic had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who hold the first Eastern wild card with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens briefly held that wild-card spot on Jan. 21, only to tumble by dropping eight of their next nine games (1-8-1). Since Feb. 22, the Habs have gone 8-1-2.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and forwards Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas reached notable personal single-season milestones in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Thompson stopped 23 shots for his first NHL 30-win season, Wilson scored for his first 30-goal season, and Protas had two assists to set the single-season points record (61) for an NHL player born in Belarus. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals regained first place in the overall standings with 98 points, holding a game in hand over the Winnipeg Jets. The Wings (70 points) continue to flounder, losing eight of their last 10 to sit three points behind the Canadiens.

Speaking of the Jets, they dropped a 6-2 decision to the Vancouver Canucks. Brock Boeser scored two goals and had an assist and Pius Suter tallied twice as the Canucks maintained their grip on the final Western Conference wild card with 75 points. Nikolaj Ehlers and Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets (98 points).

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Dylan Holloway collected three assists as the Blues picked up their third straight win, sitting behind the Canucks with 75 points. Brady Skjei scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks hold that final wild-card spot with a game in hand over the Blues. Predators forward Michael McCarron was ejected after accruing 20 minutes in penalties, including a major penalty for a dangerous hit on Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich, a five-minute major for fighting Jake Neighbours, and a 10-minute game misconduct.

The Calgary Flames kept pace in the Western wild-card race by nipping the New York Rangers 2-1. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist, MacKenzie Weegar collected two assists, and Matt Coronato tallied the winner for the Flames, who sit two points back of the Canucks. Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers, who sit one point behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jonathan Huberdeau was held scoreless in this contract, but RG.Org’s Jim Biringer reports the 31-year-old winger has improved his overall game this season, earning praise from general manager Craig Conroy. With 50 points in 67 games, he’s on pace for his best season since joining the Flames in 2022.

The Rangers announced forward Arthur Kaliyev will miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs with an upper-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 7-1 drubbing of the Utah Hockey Club. Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mattias Ekholm each had a goal and two assists as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 84 points. Sean Durzi scored for Utah (71 points), who sit four points behind the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman missed Sunday’s game with an undisclosed injury while Ekholm (undisclosed) had missed six games.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Mikael Granlund tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, while Thomas Harley had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who hold second place in the Central Division with 89 points. Leo Carlsson scored twice for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars coach Peter DeBoer said sidelined forward Tyler Seguin continues skating regularly and should be ready to return around the end of the season. The news regarding top defenseman Miro Heiskanen (knee surgery) is less positive, as he could remain sidelined through at least the first round of the playoffs.

Shane Wright scored twice as the Seattle Kraken netted six unanswered goals in a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Adam Larsson had a goal and two assists for the Kraken. Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL announced the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will play a pair of games in Stockholm, Sweden next season as part of its annual Global Series on Nov. 14 and 16 at Avicii Arena.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports each of the men’s hockey teams participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics will name its first six roster players in June. It’s the first time the NHL will participate in the Winter Games since 2014. The rest of the rosters will be announced in December.

THE ATHLETIC: New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald made an impassioned plea for cut-resistant equipment during Tuesday’s meeting of NHL general managers in Florida. He cited his son Casey’s close call last December when a skate blade slashed his neck during an AHL game. Casey is the captain of the Hartford Wolfpack. The wound required 25 stitches to close.

DAILY FACEOFF: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of an America-Russia hockey series involving players from the NHL and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The NHL released a statement indicating they were made aware of the conversation between Trump and Putin, however, they were not a party to them and thus considered it inappropriate to comment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Such a tournament would require the NHL’s blessing and that of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which has banned Russia’s participation in international tournaments due to its war with Ukraine.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2025

by | Mar 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored two goals and collected an assist to lead his team over the Calgary Flames 6-2. William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (83 points) as they moved within two points of the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers. Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl replied for the Flames (71 points), who remain two points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews set an NHL record among American-born players with 36 multi-goal periods, surpassing Hall-of-Famer Jeremy Roenick (35). The Leafs are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning but the latter holds second place in the division with 34 regulation wins. Meanwhile, the Flames have lost seven of their last nine games.

Speaking of the Lightning, they got a 21-save shutout from Andrei Vasilevskiy to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0. Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel scored for the Lightning as they pulled within two points of the division-leading Panthers. The Flyers have dropped eight of their last 10 games.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen kicked out 45 shots in a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt each tallied their 20th goals of the season. Mathieu Olivier scored for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils are third in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. The Blue Jackets (70 points) remain two points behind the New York Rangers for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Third-period goals by Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Johansson gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings (81 points), who remain one point behind the second-place Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division. The Wild hold the first Western wild card with 81 points.

An overtime goal by Alex Tuch lifted the Buffalo Sabres over the Boston Bruins 3-2. Owen Power had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who won two of their last three games. Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (69 points), who’ve lost six of their last eight and remain three points out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forwards JJ Peterka, Josh Norris and Jiri Kulich missed this game due to injuries. Peterka and Norris are expected to return to action later this week.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt, and Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 16, 2025.

The San Jose Sharks have been officially eliminated from the 2025 playoff race. A lack of secondary scoring doomed the rebuilding club’s postseason hopes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks’ postseason drought has reached six seasons. Before 2019-20, their longest stretch without playoff appearances was two years (1991-92 to 1992-93, 1995-96 to 1996-97).

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog joined his teammates for a full practice on Monday, though he’s still not cleared for contact. It marks the first time this season Landeskog has participated in a full practice as he attempts a comeback since undergoing knee surgeries nearly three years ago.

ROTOWIRE: Speaking of the Avalanche, defenseman Josh Manson will likely be sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Calgary Flames.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders will continue to rely heavily on goaltender Ilya Sorokin as they attempt to remain in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.

TSN: Clarification on goaltender interference and other coach’s challenges were the main topics on Monday during the league’s annual spring general managers’ meeting.

NHL.COM: Former NHL defenseman Tomas Kloucek sided Sunday following a skiing accident in Czechia. He was 45 years old.

Kloucek appeared in 141 NHL regular-season games with the New York Rangers, Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers from 2000-01 to 2005-06, tallying two goals and eight assists for 10 points and 250 PIMs. He spent the remainder of his playing career in Europe, retiring in 2017.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Kloucek’s family, friends, former teammates and coaches.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2025

by | Mar 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2025

The Avalanche spoil Mikko Rantanen’s homecoming, Oilers star Leon Draisaitl extends his points streak, plus the latest on Auston Matthews, Travis Konecny and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche spoiled Mikko Rantanen’s return with a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Cale Makar scored in overtime and collected two assists while teammates Valeri Nichushkin and Jonathan Drouin each had a goal and an assist. Rantanen collected an assist on Jason Robertson’s game-opening goal while teammates Mavrik Bourque and Matt Duchene scored in the third period to force the extra frame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen received a standing ovation from the Colorado fans during his video tribute. He spent nearly 10 seasons with the Avalanche.

The Avalanche are 8-0-1 in their last nine games, gaining ground on Dallas in the Central Division standings. They sit two points behind the Stars in third place with 85 points. Dallas has dropped three of their last four contests.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl had an assist to extend his points streak to 18 games as his club downed the New York Rangers 3-1. Connor McDavid scored and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins collected three assists as the Oilers (82 points) moved one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings into second place in the Pacific Division. Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers as they cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Zach Hyman missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek made 18 saves to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0. Albert Johansson, Lucas Raymond and Marco Kasper scored for the Wings as they picked up their second win in their last nine games. The victory moves within two points of the Rangers in the wild-card race. The Golden Knights sit first in the Pacific Division with 86 points but have dropped four of their last five games.

The St. Louis Blues cruised to a 7-2 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Jordan Kyrou collected three assists while Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who are tied with the Vancouver Canucks with 73 points. Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish each had two points for the Ducks.

Speaking of the Canucks, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Utah Hockey Club. Logan Cooley snapped a 1-1 tie and Clayton Keller put the game away with an empty-net goal as Utah sits two points behind the Blues and Canucks. Quinn Hughes scored for Vancouver, who hold the final Western wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The race for the final Western wild card is heating up. For a while, it was just the Canucks and the Calgary Flames jockeying for that spot, but the Blues and Utah have surged over the past couple of weeks to make this interesting.

Canucks center Filip Chytil missed this game as he’s in concussion protocol following an unpenalized blindside hit by Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Utah Hockey Club announced that a lower-body injury has sidelined forward Liam O’Brien for the next four weeks.

The New York Islanders kept their playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Marc Gatcomb, Maxim Tsyplakov, Noah Dobson and Simon Holmstrom scored four unanswered third-period goals for the Isles (68 points), putting them four points behind the Rangers. Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov scored for the Panthers, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 85 points but have dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly returned to action after undergoing surgery in November for an abnormality in his heart, skating over 14 minutes and collecting an assist. Teammate Adam Pelech missed this game with a lower-body injury. Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews continues to be hampered by an undisclosed injury that has affected his scoring. Nevertheless, he’s determined to remain in the lineup as the Leafs jockey for playoff positioning with 16 games left in the regular season.

THE ATHLETIC: Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny is mired in a goal-scoring slump with one goal in his last 21 games. He’s also dealing with the departures of friends and former teammates Scott Laughton, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee this season.

ROTOBALLER: Buffalo Sabres forward Jiri Kulich is in concussion protocol following a hit by Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden on Saturday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sunday’s PWHL game between the Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens drew 14, 288 to Detroit’s Little Caesar’s Arena, setting the US attendance record for women’s hockey. The Sirens defeated the Frost 4-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The PWHL has drawn 1 million fans in just two seasons.

RG.ORG: Former NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk officially announced his retirement last week. The first-overall pick by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 NHL Draft, Kovalchuk spent 13 seasons in the league with the Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals. Winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy in 2003-04, he finished with 443 goals and 433 assists for 876 points, and 11 goals and 28 points in 40 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kovalchuk was among the league’s most dazzling goal-scorers in his prime, He exceeded the 40-goal plateau six times between 2003-04 and 2009-10, including two 52-goal seasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 16, 2025

by | Mar 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 16, 2025

Alex Ovechkin is within eight goals of breaking the all-time goals record, Sidney Crosby reaches another milestone, the Rangers regain a playoff spot, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 887th regular-season goal in a 5-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ovechkin also collected an assist while teammates Tom Wilson, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Lars Eller each had two assists. Macklin Celebrini replied for the Sharks.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals are tied with the Winnipeg Jets with 96 points but the latter holds first place in the overall standings with 46 wins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins extended their winning streak to four games by defeating the New Jersey Devils 7-3. Connor Dewar scored two goals and Philip Tomasino had a goal and an assist for the Penguins. Jesper Bratt had three assists for the Devils, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected an assist to tie Wayne Gretzky for fourth place for most points with one franchise with 1,669. Gordie Howe leads the pack with 1,809, Steve Yzerman is second with 1,755, and Mario Lemieux is third with 1,723.

The Ottawa Senators collected their sixth straight win by doubling up the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2, handing the latter their fifth loss in their last six games. Three answered goals by David Perron, Claude Giroux and Michael Amadio gave the Senators the win. William Nylander and Auston Matthews scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs slipped to third place in the Atlantic Division with 81 points, with the Senators (77 points) only four points behind, holding the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli scored two goals in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Victor Hedman, Nick Paul and Darren Raddysh each had a goal and an assist as the Lightning tied the Leafs with 81 points. Elias Lindholm and Marat Khusnutdinov scored for the Bruins (68), who sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning holds second place in the Atlantic Division with 33 regulation wins, while the Leafs have 31.

Speaking of the final Eastern wild card, the New York Rangers (72 points) took sole possession of that position by blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0, knocking the Jackets (70 points) out of that spot. Igor Shesterkin had a 21-save shutout,t while Vincent Trocheck scored twice. The Blue Jackets have dropped five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox collected an assist in his return from an eight-game absence with an upper-body injury. The Blue Jackets have been this season’s feel-good story by exceeding expectations to contend for a playoff berth. However, they’ve been wobbling over the past half-dozen games and are in danger of falling further behind the Rangers and Canadiens.

The Montreal Canadiens kept pace with the Rangers with a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist and Sam Montembeault made 21 saves as the Canadiens sit one point behind the Rangers and one point ahead of the Blue Jackets.

Speaking of wild-card races, the Vancouver Canucks (73 points) hold a two-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final Western berth following a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Elias Pettersson, Conor Garland and Pius Suter each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Ryan Donato had two assists for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center Filip Chytil left the game after being hit from behind into the boards by Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson, who was not penalized. There was no postgame update on his condition. Blackhawks star Connor Bedard received his second straight 10-minute misconduct following a scuffle late in the third period.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou tallied a hat trick to lead his club past the Minnesota Wild 5-1. Brayden Schenn had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who are 8-2-2 in their last dozen games and sit two points behind the Canucks. Jake Middelton scored for the Wild, who hold the first wild-card spot with 79 points but have only three wins in their last 10 contests.

The Los Angeles Kings nipped the Nashville Predators 1-0 on an overtime goal by Quentin Byfield, extending his goal streak to six games. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 24-save shutout as the Kings (81 points) moved one point ahead of the Edmonton Oilers into second place in the Pacific Division. Justus Annunen turned aside 20 shots for the Predators.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 26 saves to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 5-0. Mark Jankowski tallied twice while Sebastian Aho and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes, who won six straight games and hold second place in the Metro Division with 86 points. The Flyers have lost six of their last seven games.

The Buffalo Sabres upset the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on a shootout goal by Alex Tuch. Rasmus Dahlin scored the tying goal with 14 seconds remaining in the third period. Adin Hill stopped 37 shots for the Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 86 points.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2025

by | Mar 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2025

Oilers star Leon Draisaitl reaches 100 points, the Jets take sole possession of first overall, the Golden Knights re-sign Adin Hill, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored twice in a 2-1 overtime victory over the New York Islanders. Draisaitl became the second player this season to reach 100 points and is one goal away from becoming the first this season to score 50 goals. Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders, who got a 33-save performance from Ilya Sorokin.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl sits two points behind league leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche in the point races. The Oilers vaulted one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings into second place in the Pacific Division with 80 points. With 66 points, the Islanders are four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of Nathan MacKinnon, he was held scoreless as his Colorado Avalanche doubled up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Parker Kelly tallied twice and Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots for the Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 83 points. Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau replied for the Flames, who cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 71 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames have dropped six of their last eight games. They are tied in points with the Vancouver Canucks but hold that wild card with 24 regulation wins. Flames captain Mikael Backlund missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor scored two goals and Mark Scheifele collected three assists in a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars. The Jets regained sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 96 points. Mason Marchment scored for the Stars, who sit 10 points behind the Jets in second place in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Neal Pionk missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes held off the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 to pick up their sixth straight win. Jack Roslovic had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 24 saves for the Hurricanes, who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 84 points. Alex DeBrincat and Michael Rasmussen scored for the Wings, who’ve lost seven of their last eight games to sit two points out of the final Eastern wild card with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Just like this point last year, the Red Wings are slumping at the wrong time. With five other clubs jockeying for that final wild card, they’re in danger of extending their franchise-record playoff drought to nine years.

Seattle Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen scored two goals and collected an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Kaapo Kakko snapped a 2-2 tie and Philipp Grubauer turned aside 23 shots for the win. Nick Schmaltz and Kevin Stenlund scored for Utah (69 points), who remain two points behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Nashville Predators 2-1. Lukas Dostal got the win with a 28-save performance while Troy Terry and Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks (65 points), who are six points out of the final Western wild card. Jakub Vrana replied for the Predators.

HEADLINES

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed goaltender Adin Hill to a six-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $6.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hill has established himself as the Golden Knights’ starting goalie. He has a record of 24-11-4 with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney met with his team’s veteran core twice during this season, warning them that changes would be coming to the roster if things didn’t change on the ice. Three of those players (Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo) were shipped out by the March 7 trade deadline.

DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is unavailable for personal reasons. They recalled Jet Greaves from their AHL affiliate in Cleveland.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is expected to be in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tkachuk missed the final minutes of the Senators’ 6-3 win over the Bruins on Thursday due to a hip issue.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres forward Josh Norris is dealing with an undisclosed injury unrelated to his surgically-repaired shoulder. Acquired from the Senators last Friday, he has a goal and an assist in three games with the Sabres.