NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2025

by | Jan 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2025

Hat-trick performances by Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka and Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, the Lightning unveiled their Quarter-Century Team, Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov to undergo surgery, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka each scored three goals and collected an assist to thump the Boston Bruins 7-2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 25 saves for the Sabres, who picked up just their third win in their last eight games. Bruins winger David Pastrnak collected an assist to extend his points streak to eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 56 points.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (NHL Images).

Dallas Stars winger Wyatt Johnston scored in overtime to complete a natural hat trick in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Roope Hintz had three assists as the Stars picked up their third straight win, sitting second in the Central Division with 65 points. Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl scored to extend his points streak to 10 games as his club sits second in the Pacific Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen left the game in the third period after Golden Knights captain Mark Stone fell into Heiskanen’s left knee in an awkward collision. The Stars defenseman had to be helped from the ice. There was no postgame update about his condition.

The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Kyle Connor tallied twice and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for the Jets, who sit atop the Western Conference with 73 points. Juraj Slafkovsky replied for the Canadiens (53 points), who are 0-2-1 in their last three contests and remain two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle left this game early in the third period when he injured his right leg following an awkward fall into the boards. He will be reevaluated on Wednesday.

Speaking of the Lightning, they suffered a 4-1 upset at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 34 shots, Seth Jones collected two assists and Connor Bedard scored for the Blackhawks. Brayden Point scored the Lightning’s only goal as they cling to the final Eastern wild card with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning had to use emergency backup goalie Kyle Konin to back up Jonas Johansson as starter Andrei Vasilevskiy was sidelined due to illness.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson turned aside 32 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas scored for the Capitals, who hold first place in the overall standings with 73 points. Blake Coleman tallied for the Flames as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson is 15-1-2 in his last eighteen starts while the Capitals have won seven of their last eight contests.

Carolina Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season to blank the New York Rangers 4-0. Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals and collected an assist for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves as his club remains three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 52 points.

The New York Islanders picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Ilya Sorokin stopped 30 shots while Simon Holmstrom scored two goals and collected an assist for the Isles (51 points). Artturi Lehkonen and Jack Drury scored for the Avalanche, who are 1-3-1 in their last five and sit in the first Western wild card with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders’ hot streak moves them within four points of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish collected two points for the third straight game in a 6-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Ducks have won three straight while the Kraken have dropped three of their last four games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning announced their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

Forwards Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Nikita Kucherov, defensemen Victor Hedman and Dan Boyle, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Brayden Point, Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier, defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Kubina, and goalie Ben Bishop.

TSN: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov requires surgery to address a nagging lower-body issue. He is expected to miss at least four weeks.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Wild placed defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild are also without forward Marcus Johansson as he’s still dealing with post-concussion symptoms. Losing Kaprizov and Brodin could put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues placed veteran winger Brandon Saad on waivers. He’ll be sent to their AHL affiliate in Springfield if he clears.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saad may have played his final game for the Blues. He’s struggled to score this season and it’s rumored he’s been on the trade block for weeks.

Saad’s contract has one year left and an average annual value of $4.5 million. It has a full no-trade clause which reverts to a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. If he clears waivers, the Blues could buy out his final season in June if they don’t find suitable trade options.

THE ATHLETIC: Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton revealed his recent three-game absence was due to the sudden and unexpected death of his father-in-law.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Laughton and his family.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

by | Jan 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the Sharks unveil their Quarter-Century Team, the mid-season Rookie All-Stars are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond had a goal and three assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-2. Marco Kasper tallied twice and collected an assist as the Wings (53 points) sit two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Kevin Fiala and Quinton Byfield scored for the slumping Kings (58 points), who hold third place in the Pacific Division but have dropped six of their last eight games.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big night for Detroit forward Dominik Shine. The 31-year-old forward made his NHL debut after spending nine seasons with the Red Wings AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. He saw 9:50 minutes of ice time and logged two hits and a blocked shot.

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty hopes he’ll get an opportunity to replace Alex Pietrangelo for Team Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. Doughty’s been sidelined with a fractured ankle since preseason but hopes to return to action in time for the tournament. Pietrangelo withdrew citing an injury.

The Vancouver Canucks got two goals from Conor Garland in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Quinn Hughes picked up two assists while Tyler Myers and Pius Suter had two points each as the Canucks (54 points) moved to within one point of the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington gave up three goals on 18 shots and was replaced by Joel Hofer in the second period. The Blues have lost three straight and sit four points back of the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues traded Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026. The 26-year-old defenseman played sparingly for the Blues as injuries and inconsistent play frequently sidelined him. The Isles hope a change of scenery will improve his performance as they bring him in to replace Ryan Pulock, who is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored in his return from a three-game suspension to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who’ve won seven of their last nine games to sit atop the Pacific Division with 67 points. Eeli Tolvanen and Vince Dunn replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (75 points) collected an assist to move within two points of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in the points race.

The Philadelphia Flyers got a two-point performance from Scott Laughton (one goal, one assist) in a 4-2 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Travis Konecny and Rasmus Ristolainen each had two assists while Samuel Ersson stopped 31 shots as the Flyers (52 points) moved within three points of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier missed this contest due to illness.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini snapped a 1-1 tie to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Mikael Granlund also scored and Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves as the Sharks snapped a six-game losing skid. Sidney Crosby replied for the Penguins, who’ve lost seven of their last nine and are seven points behind the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins placed sidelined center Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jesse Puljujarvi. Meanwhile, Fenway Sports Group is reportedly looking to sell a minority stake while retaining a controlling stake in the team.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Sharks unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Monday.

Forwards Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski highlight the First Team, which includes defensemen Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

The Second Team features forwards Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl and Owen Nolan, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Dan Boyle, and goaltender Martin Jones.

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf are among the players chosen for the NHL’s midseason Rookie All-Star Team. The roster also comprised Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Dallas Stars forward Logan Stankoven, and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nolan Allen.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, and Utah Hockey Club forward Barrett Hayton are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 26.

TSN: Mikko Rantanen said he was blindsided by the blockbuster trade that sent him from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The pending unrestricted free-agent forward said he was willing to accept a significant discount from his market value to stay with the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s discount wasn’t significant enough to keep him in Colorado. Pierre LeBrun reported the two sides discussed a contract extension but the club believed the gap between them couldn’t be breached, leading to the trade.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed goaltender Logan Thompson to a six-year, $35.1 million contract. The average annual value is $5.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s getting a significant raise over the $766,667 he’s earning this season. He’s been outstanding for the Capitals since his acquisition from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer. Management must also decide the fate of backup goalie Charlie Lindgren, who is UFA-eligible and playing well in his contract year.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg received a two-game suspension from the department of player safety for an illegal hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: An immigration issue is delaying Oilers defenseman John Klingberg from joining the team. He’s expected to make his season debut later this week.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers.

TSN: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have informed the International Ice Hockey Federation they intend to move forward on the 2028 World Cup of Hockey without IIHF involvement. They hope to announce the World Cup during the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators created a furor among their fans when team mascot Spartacat donned a jersey that was half-Senators and half-Quebec Nordiques as part of the club’s announcement it would play two preseason games this fall in Quebec City.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The outrage among Sens fans reached the point where team president Cyril Leeder took to social media to apologize for their mascot’s split jersey and allay concerns that the club might be relocating.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2025

by | Jan 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2025

Recapping Sunday’s action, the Rangers and Golden Knights unveil their Quarter-Century Teams, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen scored with 15 seconds remaining in the third period to nip the New York Rangers 5-4, ending the latter’s 10-game points streak. Cale Makar had two goals and an assist and Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists for the Avalanche, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 60 points. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (52 points), who sit three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin Necas had two assists and Jack Drury scored his first goal with the Avalanche. The pair were acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday in the Mikko Rantanen trade.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Utah Hockey Club 3-1, vaulting into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 34 shots, Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle each collected two points, and Brady Tkachuk scored to end a 10-game scoring drought. Clayton Keller scored for Utah, who’ve lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ottawa forward Josh Norris returned to the lineup after missing the last two games for precautionary reasons. The Senators’ victory dropped the Boston Bruins into the top wild-card Eastern spot (55 points) and the Lightning into the final wild-card berth.

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and collected two assists in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Kyle Connor had a goal and two assists for the Jets (71 points), who’ve won three straight and moved into a tie with the first-overall Washington Capitals. MacKenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames, who hold the final Western wild card with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals hold first overall with two games in hand. Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 4-1. Tomas Hertl scored to extend his points streak to nine games, Nicolas Roy collected three assists while Adin Hill turned aside 32 shots as the Golden Knights sit first in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Anton Lundell scored for the Panthers, who remain second in the Atlantic Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is withdrawing from the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February. He is tending to an ailment and preparing for the remainder of the Golden Knights’ season.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy had three assists and Marcus Foligno had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 62 points. Seth Jones and Frank Nazar replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild scratched forward Yakov Trenin and defenseman Declan Chisholm from this game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Sunday.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, defensemen Adam Fox and Ryan McDonagh, and forwards Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Jaromir Jagr, Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan, defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

The Vegas Golden Knights also revealed their Quarter-Century Team.

Forwards Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and William Karlsson, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, and goaltender Adin Hill made up the First Team.

The Second Team is comprised of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Alec Martinez and Brayden McNabb, and forwards Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith and Chandler Stephenson.

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during their 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman Jan Rutta on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg will have a hearing with the department of player safety for a hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki is being evaluated after crossing head-first into the boards during an AHL game on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

by | Jan 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

The Avalanche and Hurricanes play their first games since the blockbuster trade involving Mikko Rantanen, the Senators reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall were held scoreless in their debuts with the Carolina Hurricanes as they dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to the New York Islanders. Brock Nelson tallied the winning goal as the Isles overcame a 2-0 deficit. Jack Roslovic and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. The Islanders (49 points) have won four straight and sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Rantanan and Hall were traded to the Hurricanes on Friday evening in a three-team deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks. Islanders goaltender Marcus Hogberg left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury while teammate Ryan Pulock (upper body) departed in the first period.

Meanwhile, former Hurricanes Martin Necas and Jack Drury didn’t fare any better in their debuts with the Colorado Avalanche as they fell 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. Morgan Geekie scored two goals while David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Artturi Lekhonen replied for the Avalanche (58 points) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas and Drury were shipped from the Hurricanes to the Avalanche in the Rantanen trade. Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland acknowledged the move was a tough business decision. He wanted to re-sign Rantanen and improve his roster depth but couldn’t do both, so he chose the latter.

Rantanen’s departure saddened Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. “I never thought in a million years he’d leave. So yeah, it just sucks,” he said, calling Rantanen a great friend and teammate. “I’m gonna miss him”.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Stuart Skinner stopped 39 shots as the Oilers took over first place in the Pacific Division with 65 points. Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko scored in overtime to lift his club to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored to extend his home points streak to 19 games as his club holds the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 55 points. Kevin Fiala had two assists and Quinton Byfield scored the tying goal for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan will miss an additional six to eight weeks as he suffered a setback in his recovery from a wrist injury.

The Seattle Kraken got a 28-save performance from goaltender Joey Daccord in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jared McCann and Chandler Stephenson each collected two assists as the Kraken got their third win in their last four contests. Sidney Crosby tallied for the Penguins, who’ve lost three of their last four and sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Matt Nieto left this game with injuries. There was no postgame update on their conditions.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen made 29 saves against his former club. Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 40 shots while Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (53 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Devils (62 points) moved within two points of the second-place Hurricanes in the Metro Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Devils as captain Nico Hischier left the game in the third period after receiving an unpenalized cross-check to the mid-section from Suzuki in the previous period.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. Shane Pinto broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period while Anton Forsberg made 28 saves for the win, moving the Senators (54 points) within one point of the final Eastern wild card position. Bobby McMann scored for the Leafs (62 points), who’ve dropped two in a row but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Leafs placed forward Connor Dewar (upper body) on injured reserve and called up Nikita Grebenkin. They placed sidelined netminder Anthony Stolarz on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to clear cap space for Grebenkin.

Meanwhile, Senators forward Nick Cousins is expected to miss some time after a knee-on-knee collision with Leafs rookie Jacob Quillan in the first period. His teammate, Nick Jensen, missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot made 28 saves for his 33rd career shutout in a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marco Kasper and Michael Rasmussen were the goal scorers as the Red Wings (51 points) are four points out of the final Eastern wild card spot. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots for the Lightning (55 points), who’ve lost three of their last four and dropped into the first Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Blue Jackets are tied in points but the Bolts have more wins (26 to 24) and hold two games in hand over the Jackets.

The Dallas Stars got a 33-save shutout from Casey DeSmith to blank the St. Louis Blues 2-0. Evgenii Dadonov and Esa Lindell scored as the Stars picked up their third win in their last four games and sit second in the Central Division with 63 points. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 17 saves as his club sits five points out of the final Western wild card with 50 points.

Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice and added an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild, handing the latter their fifth defeat in their last six contests. The Flames hold the final Western wild card with 55 points. Marco Rossi had three assists for the Wild as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game after being boarded by Wild forward Jakub Lauko. There was no postgame update on his status.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes scored both goals in his club’s 2-1 win over the league-leading Washington Capitals. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for the Canucks (52 points) for their third win in their last 11 games (3-6-2) as they sit three points behind the Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the Capitals as their 12-game points streak ended (9-0-3).

The Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-2. Mason McTavish scored twice while Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly tallied for the Predators as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist in his return from injury as his club cruised to a 7-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists as the Panthers (61 points) sit one point behind the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs. Cody Ceci and Will Smith tallied for the Sharks, who’ve lost six straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sharks placed forward Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Saturday.

Forwards Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Wade Redden, and goaltender Craig Anderson comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Marian Hossa, Mark Stone and Brady Tkachuk, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Chris Phillips, and goaltender Patrick Lalime.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Will Borgen to a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension. Borgen, 28, was acquired from the Seattle Kraken last month in exchange for winger Kaapo Kakko. The average annual value of his new deal is $4.1 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2025

by | Jan 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, how the three-team trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes went down, the Islanders unveiled their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: A hat trick by Cole Perfetti powered the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club, snapping the latter’s three-game win streak. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists as the Jets (69 points) moved within three points of the league-leading Washington Capitals. Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton scored for Utah with team captain Clayton Keller picking up two assists.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a milestone game for Ehlers, becoming the first Dane in NHL history to reach the 500-point plateau.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored in overtime and collected two assists in regulation play to down the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel scored two unanswered goals as the Lightning overcame a 3-1 deficit. Frank Nazar and Louis Crevier each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Kucherov’s 100th career multi-point game. The win moved the Lightning into third place in the Atlantic Division with 55 points.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson tallied twice in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Wyatt Johnston, Matt Duchene and Evgenii Dadonov each collected two assists for the Stars, who moved ahead of the Minnesota Wild into second place in the Central Division with 61 points. Jack Eichel scored two goals for the Golden Knights, who’ve lost five of their last six games and cling to first place in the Pacific Division with 64 points.

The New York Islanders picked up their third straight win by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1. Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist while Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for the Islanders (47 points), who sit six points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers (50 points), who remain three points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders announced yesterday the signing of Tony DeAngelo to a one-year contract for the remainder of this season. This move suggests Isles blueliner Noah Dobson will be sidelined for the rest of the season. DeAngelo must first clear waivers before he can join the Islanders.

HEADLINES

The NHL world is still buzzing over Friday night’s blockbuster trade that saw the Colorado Avalanche ship Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal involving the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for trade details and my reaction. The Hurricanes also acquired prospect forward Nils Juntrop from the Blackhawks in the deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reports the Hurricanes may have been the only suitor for Rantanen given the Avalanche’s asking price. He revealed Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky was involved in trade talks with the Vancouver Canucks involving Elias Pettersson earlier this month and J.T. Miller earlier this week before shifting to Rantanen.

According to Johnston, the origins of this trade go back to last June when the Hurricanes were at an impasse in contract talks with Martin Necas. The Avalanche raised the issue at the time but a deal didn’t take place. The discussions resumed two months ago and eventually grew more serious.

League sources told Johnston that there were no advanced discussions with the Rantanen camp about a contract extension before the deal went down. The 28-year-old forward is UFA-eligible on July 1. Johnston claims Rantanen was blindsided by this move by the Avalanche.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Blackhawks brokered this deal between the Avalanche and Hurricanes. If Rantanen hits the open market on July 1, Friedman wouldn’t be surprised if the Blackhawks pursued him.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak believes the Avalanche replaced Rantanen in the short term with a very good player in Necas. However, he noted that the 26-year-old lacks Rantanen’s track record of success, especially in the postseason.

Masisak also observed the move gave the Avalanche some salary-cap wiggle room for the rest of the regular season and possibly much more in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rantanen deal was the biggest in-season NHL trade in the salary-cap era since the Boston Bruins shipped Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks 20 years ago. It could open the floodgates to more creative moves involving big-name talent before the March 7 trade deadline. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

NHL.COM: The New York Islanders revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Friday.

The First Team comprises forwards Brock Nelson, John Tavares and Josh Bailey, defensemen Nick Leddy and Adam Pelech, and goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

The Second Team features forwards Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal and Frans Nielsen, defensemen Kenny Jonsson and Ryan Pulock, and goalie Semyon Varlamov.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Derek O’Brien cites reports from several Swedish media sources indicating Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson was defrauded by a Swedish real estate broker who is now in prison.

Pettersson lost the deposit on a luxury villa north of Stockholm that was revealed to have many flaws that required repairs. He successfully sued the broker to have the mortgage contract cancelled but it’s unlikely he’ll ever get the deposit back.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carolina Hurricanes winger William Carrier underwent surgery to repair a lower-body injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least two months.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Carrier is out for the season the Hurricanes could place him on long-term injury reserve and use the salary-cap savings to add another player before the trade deadline. He’s in the first season of a six-year contract with an AAV of $2 million.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Avalanche. He missed the Bruins’ 2-0 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday with a minor upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist was fined $2,000.00 for embellishment by the department of player safety.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Matt Murray and returned Dennis Hildeby to their AHL affiliate.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames assigned little-used defenseman Tyson Barrie to their AHL affiliate for conditioning. He’s appeared in nine games this season, the last being on Nov. 12.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres center Ryan McLeod is expected back in the lineup when his club faces the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. He missed the last three games with a nagging injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks signed center Colin White for the remainder of the season on a two-way contract. He began this season on a minor-league deal with their AHL affiliate.










Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen To The Hurricanes In Three-Team Deal

by | Jan 24, 2025

Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen To The Hurricanes In Three-Team Deal

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports the Colorado Avalanche have traded forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal involving the Chicago Blackhawks.

According to Seravalli, the Blackhawks are sending Taylor Hall to the Hurricanes. Other reports suggest Martin Necas will be heading to the Avalanche.

Colorado Avalanche trade Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL Images).

Details to follow…

**UPDATE**

The trade is as follows:

Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall to the Hurricanes.

Martin Necas, Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder from the Hurricanes to the Avalanche.

A third-round pick going to the Blackhawks, who retain half of Rantanen’s $9.25 million cap hit. They retained no portion of Hall’s cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll take a lot to top this blockbuster as the biggest trade of 2024-25, perhaps even of the entire calendar year of 2025, and we’re only just over three weeks into the new year.

This move signals the Hurricanes are going for it this season. Rantanen is one of the league’s elite scorers, on pace for his third straight 100-point campaign with 64 points in 49 games. He was also a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche in 2022 and his experience should prove helpful.

Hall is a former winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy (2018). His best seasons are behind him but he’s still a well-respected playmaking winger. He’s going from one of the league’s worst clubs to one of the better ones as his presence also bolsters the Hurricanes’ offense.

It’s been reported that Rantanen informed Avalanche management of his intention to test the free-agent market in July. Rather than stick with him as an own rental for one last playoff run, the Avs opted to ship him out for Necas and Drury. It remains to be seen if the Hurricanes will attempt to re-sign him before July 1.

Necas is a scoring forward who can play center or wing. The 26-year-old’s production cooled a bit following a hot start but he’s 12th among this season’s leading scorers with 55 points in 49 games, putting the 26-year-old on pace to exceed his career-high 71 points in 2022-23. He’s in the first season of a two-year deal with an average annual value of $6.5 million.

Drury, 24, saw checking-line duty with the Hurricanes. He missed 10 games with an injury hand and has nine points in 39 games after reaching 27 points in 74 games last season.

How Necas and Drury fit in with their new club will be interesting. The deal also freed up cap space for the Avalanche, creating speculation they’re not done making moves.

The Blackhawks used their cap space to facilitate this deal and move Hall to a playoff contender. In return, they received the 2025 third-round they traded to the Hurricanes last year.