NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 7, 2025

by | Jun 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 7, 2025

The Panthers defeat the Oilers to tie the Stanley Cup Final, the Stars fire head coach Pete DeBoer, a plethora of other coaching moves, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

PANTHERS DEFEAT OILERS IN GAME 2 OF THE STANLEY CUP FINAL

NHL.COM: A double-overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, tying the series at a game apiece.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

The goal was Marchand’s second of the game, making the 37-year-old winger the second-oldest player in Stanley Cup playoff history to score in multiple overtime periods. Hall-of-Famer Igor Larionov was 41 when he tallied for the Detroit Red Wings in triple overtime of Game 3 in the 2002 Stanley Cup Final.

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 42 shots, Seth Jones had a goal and an assist, and Nate Schmidt and Anton Lundell each collected two assists for the Panthers. Stuart Skinner made 37 saves, Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid each had three points, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist for the Oilers.

This contest was a see-saw battle with the Oilers holding a 3-2 lead after the first period, only to see the Panthers dominate the second period to go up 4-3. The Oilers battled back with Corey Perry sending it to overtime with 18 seconds remaining in the third period, but the Panthers maintained their poise and are heading home having earned a split in Edmonton.

Game 3 is Monday in Florida at 8 pm ET.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars fired head coach Pete DeBoer on Friday. The move comes just over a week after they were eliminated from the Western Conference Final for the third straight year, and days after team owner Tom Gagliardi shot down reports from Canada that DeBoer was out. He has a year remaining on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBoer did a fine job coaching the Stars into a Western Conference powerhouse, but failed to guide them past the Conference Finals. He seemed to lose his cool during the final game against the Oilers, creating confusion among his players after pulling goaltender Jake Oettinger early in the game, and blaming his players afterward for the club’s elimination.

Candidates to replace DeBoer are already being floated by pundits, with the usual suspects (John Tortorella, Peter Laviolette, Gerard Gallant, Jay Woodcroft) popping up. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pursue a former NHL bench boss, hire away an assistant coach from another club, promote from within, or bring in a coach from the minor league or junior ranks.

Speaking of coaching moves…

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs hired former Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde as an assistant coach.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Dan Hinote left the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate to join the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant coach. He was the associate coach of the Colorado Eagles this season. He previously spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken fired assistant coach Dave Lowry and goaltending coach Steve Briere.

THE PROVINCE: On Thursday, the Vancouver Canucks announced the hiring of Kevin Dean, Brett McLean and Scott Young as assistant coaches. They also announced assistant coach Yogi Svejkovsky, defensive development coach Sergei Gonchar, and video coach Dylan Crawford won’t be back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Svejkovsky is reuniting with former Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet in Philadelphia as part of the Flyers’ coaching staff.

THE DENVER POST: Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor is expected to be sidelined for the next five to six months after undergoing hip surgery for the second time in two years.

SPORTSNET: Ottawa Senators defenseman Nick Jensen also underwent hip surgery. There is no timetable for his recovery.

The Rochester Americans are mourning the death of former AHL and NHL winger Scott Metcalfe, who passed away on Friday at age 58.

Metcalfe spent most of his 15-year professional career in the minor leagues. A first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1984 NHL Draft, he played 19 games over three seasons (1987-88 to 1989-90) with the Oilers and Buffalo Sabres. Metcalfe spent nine seasons with the Americans, winning the Calder Cup in 1996. He was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2006.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Metcalfe’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Americans’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 6, 2025

by | Jun 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 6, 2025

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers on the eve of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, Sean Monahan wins the Masterton Trophy, the latest coaching hires, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: A healthy Evander Kane has made his presence felt in this postseason, with five goals and 11 points in 16 games.

Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).

Injuries hampered the 33-year-old Oilers winger in the 2024 playoffs, limiting him to just two games in last year’s Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. After missing the 2024-25 regular season recovering from surgeries, he’s been a physical force in the Oilers’ current playoff run.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Several Oilers were playing through significant injuries during last year’s playoffs, but Kane’s performance suffered the most. His current postseason play could make the difference in this rematch against Florida as the Oilers attempt to counter the Panthers’ physical style.

ESPN.COM: Panthers defenseman Seth Jones said his club hopes to improve in the neutral and offensive zones after squandering a 3-1 lead to fall 4-3 to the Oilers in Game 1. Teammate Matthew Tkachuk agreed, saying the Panthers could be more consistent on the forecheck and earn more zone time to thwart the Oilers’ counterattack.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers acknowledged that Edmonton is a different team compared to the one they faced in last year’s Cup Final. As a result, those adjustments they hope to make could be difficult to achieve.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers rallied around forward Tomas Nosek after his delay-of-game penalty in overtime of Game 1 led to Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl’s game-winning power-play goal.

Nosek inadvertently fired the puck over the glass as he attempted to avoid Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin. Panthers coach Paul Maurice called it a “tough break”, alluding that Nosek could stay in the lineup for Game 2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Jake Walman taunted Nosek as he skated to the penalty box. Some observers suggested it was poor sportsmanship that the Panthers could use for motivation in Game 2. Others felt it was the kind of swagger the Oilers needed to counter the Panthers’ “in your face” style.

THE SCORE: Kaspari Kapanen is happy to be playing a pivotal role with the Oilers after his NHL career appeared to be in jeopardy a year ago.

The Oilers claimed Kapanen off waivers in November. He had a modest 13 points in 57 games in Edmonton and was a healthy scratch in the first round of the playoffs. Since then, he scored the series-clinching goal in Round 2, collected two assists in Game 1 of the Final, and is filling in for the sidelined Zach Hyman on their second line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kapanen made the most of his opportunity, with five points in his eight postseason games. He’s part of the improved depth that carried the Oilers back to the Final this season.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan is the 2024-25 winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Monahan dedicated this season to his best friend Johnny Gaudreau following the latter’s tragic death in August. Gaudreau’s widow, Meredith Gaudreau, made a surprise visit to Monahan’s home in Toronto to present him with the trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Monahan had previously overcome career-threatening hip and groin injuries, signing a multi-year contract with the Blues Jackets last summer to reunite with Gaudreau. He finished tied for third among the Jackets with 57 points in 54 games.

YARDBARKER: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper shot down speculation that he was considering leaving the club or was on the verge of getting fired. “Contrary to rumors and whatever’s going on out there, I’m never leaving you guys,” he told the Sports Club of Tampa Bay.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooper’s comments were a response to a recent rumor claiming he could be heading to the Utah Mammoth to take over the operation of the club. It’s been noted that he has a year left on this contract, so we’ll likely hear more talk about Cooper’s future around this time next year.

NEW YORK POST: Former Rangers head coach David Quinn is returning to the club as an assistant coach to new bench boss Mike Sullivan. Joe Sacco and Ty Hennes round out the coaching staff.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers added Yogi Svejkovsky to their coaching staff. He worked with new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet in Vancouver.

RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov reports Igor Larionov hopes to speak with the Montreal Canadiens about bringing back winger Ivan Demidov to KHL club SKA St. Petersburg for one more season.

Larionov was recently named their new head coach, and believes the youngster would benefit from another season in the KHL, followed by returning him to the Canadiens in time for the 2026 playoffs. However, sources say neither the player nor the Canadiens are considering such an option.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nor should they. Demidov made a promising debut with the Canadiens. He joined them for their last two regular-season games and collected two points, followed by two assists in five playoff games. The only way he returns to the KHL is if he fails to stick with the Canadiens next season.

NHL.COM: Center Michael Misa of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and Boston College center James Hagens are confident they can make the jump to the NHL next season. They are among the top prospects in this year’s draft class and could be among the top-five picks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Misa said he’s had dinner or will be dining with the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Utah Mammoth and Nashville Predators. The Isles hold the first-overall pick, with the Sharks second, the Mammoth fourth, and the Predators fifth.

TORONTO STAR: Rogers Communications received all necessary league approvals to buy out Bell’s 37.5 percent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. It will increase Rogers’ stake to 75 percent.

TSN: Former NHL forward Sergei Kostitsyn announced his retirement this week. He played six seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators from 2007-08 to 2012-13, scoring 67 goals and 176 points in 353 regular-season games and 15 points in 40 playoff contests. He spent the remainder of his professional career overseas.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 5, 2025

by | Jun 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 5, 2025

The Oilers draw first blood in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, Nikita Kucherov wins the Ted Lindsay Award, the Avalanche re-sign Brock Nelson, the Penguins and Bruins have new head coaches, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OILERS DEFEAT PANTHERS IN THE OPENING GAME OF THE STANLEY CUP FINAL

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl opened and closed the scoring as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Draisaitl scored early in the first period, but the Panthers rallied on goals by Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand midway through the period. Bennett’s second goal of the game early in the second period gave the Panthers a two-goal lead, but a slapshot by Oilers winger Viktor Arvidson quickly cut that lead to one goal.

Connor McDavid set up Mattias Ekholm for the tying goal at 6:33 of the third period. McDavid also picked up the primary assist on Draisaitl’s game-winner on the power play at 19:29 of overtime.

Game 2 is Friday, June 6, in Edmonton at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl tied a Stanley Cup Playoff record with three overtime goals in a single postseason. Teammate Stuart Skinner settled down after giving up three goals, making 24 saves over the rest of the game, including 16 in the second period.

McDavid leads all playoff skaters with 22 assists, holding a one-point lead over Draisaitl (28-27).

Bennett scored his 12th goal to lead all scorers in these playoffs. He also set a franchise record for the most goals in a single postseason. Jesper Boqvist rejoined the Panthers’ lineup for Game 1. He replaced A.J. Greer, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Before this game, Oilers winger Zach Hyman revealed he dislocated and tore ligaments in his right wrist in a collision with Dallas Stars winger Mason Marchment in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final. He’s out for the remainder of the playoffs, but hopes to be ready for training camp in September.

Meanwhile, Aaron Ekblad told reporters he hopes to remain in Florida after this season. The long-time Panthers defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

“I live and breathe for the Florida Panthers,” said Ekblad. “I bleed for the Florida Panthers. I’ve given my body and everything to this team. I want to keep doing it forever, for as long as they’ll let me keep coming to the rink.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad is completing an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $7.5 million. The Panthers must also re-sign Bennett, meaning Ekblad might have to accept a significant pay cut on a shorter term to remain in Florida.

HEADLINES

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is the 2024-25 winner of the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL’s MVP, as voted by the membership of the NHL Players’ Association. The team surprised Kucherov with the award during a training session on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov previously won this award in 2018-19, the same season he won the Hart Memorial Trophy. He’s up for that award this season with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Kucherov also took home his first Art Ross Trophy in ’18 -’19 and won it this season for the third time.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche signed Brock Nelson to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.5 million. Acquired from the New York Islanders at the March trade deadline, the 33-year-old center was due to become a UFA on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Re-signing Nelson addresses the Avalanche’s long-term need for a second-line center. However, it leaves them with $1.2 million in cap space, with 19 active roster players under contract for the 2025-26 season. Expect a cost-cutting trade in the coming weeks.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins named Dan Muse as their new head coach. He served previously as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hiring Muse surprised observers expecting the Penguins to choose a more experienced NHL head coach. Nevertheless, he’s considered a smart bench boss who works well with young players, which should make him a good fit for the rebuilding Penguins.

EISHOCKEY NEWS: The Boston Bruins announced Marco Sturm as their new head coach. “A dream come true,” said Sturm. “I’m proud and super happy that it worked out.” He’s returning to the club that he played for from 2005-06 to 2009-10.  Sturm was the head coach of the AHL’s Ontario Reign for the past three seasons. He’s the first German-born head coach in NHL history. 

NHL.COM: League commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said collective bargaining discussions between the two sides are going well. They didn’t offer a timetable for when an agreement will be reached, but Bettman felt it should be in place before the current agreement expires in September 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talks are likely to continue throughout the summer.

Bettman said the league has had discussions with parties interested in adding new markets, but insisted there are no plans to expand beyond the current 32 teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation suggests Houston and Atlanta could become the next destinations for NHL expansion clubs. It won’t be surprising if there are new franchises in those markets by the end of this decade.

Bettman also said an All-Star event will be hosted by the New York Islanders in 2027. The franchise was supposed to host the 2026 All-Star Game, but that plan was scuttled by the success of this year’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

SPORTSNET: The NHL and NHLPA indicated there will be no changes in the upcoming CBA to address any perceived advantages for teams located in no-tax states.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said there are many reasons why a player chooses to play in a certain location, a particular team or a particular coach that have nothing to do with the tax situation in that market.

NHLPA assistant executive director Ron Hainsey pointed out that clubs in higher-tax states like Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston dominated the league between 2008 and 2020. He noted that superstars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara could’ve made more money playing elsewhere, but stayed put because they were playing for contenders, they liked where they lived, and didn’t want to move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stick tap to Hainsey for pointing out the blatantly obvious to punch holes in this “issue”.

The notion of teams in no-tax states having an advantage over other clubs has been recently trotted out by critics of the Florida Panthers, insinuating it’s the main reason behind their recent success. It’s the same excuse being used to explain why a Florida-based team has reached the Stanley Cup Final in every season since 2020.

That critique, of course, is nonsense.

The Panthers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning before them, were built by smart general managers and guided by shrewd coaches. To suggest otherwise is insulting to the hard work that those franchises have done to become champions.

THE ATHLETIC: Hainsey confirmed that the league and the PA are working to address the long-term injury reserve loophole in the next CBA. He didn’t get into the details, but said they continue to discuss finding a mechanism to put into place to manage that issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LTIR is legalized salary-cap circumvention because there is no salary cap during the postseason. Every team has used it at one time or another, but some clubs have used it to bolster their rosters in preparation for the playoffs.

The Panthers are the most recent example. Matthew Tkachuk suffered an injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off that sidelined him for the final weeks of the regular season. The Panthers used the salary-cap savings to acquire Seth Jones and Brad Marchand before the trade deadline. Tkachuk returned to action for the start of this postseason, able to rejoin the roster because the salary cap only applies to the regular season.

The Panthers operated within the rules as laid out in the CBA. They did nothing wrong, and they aren’t the only team to have used LTIR to their advantage. Nevertheless, this loophole allowed them to bolster their roster for the playoffs in a way that they wouldn’t have had if Tkachuk had been healthy.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: T.J. Oshie will make an announcement on Monday, in which he is expected to reveal his intention to retire. The 38-year-old Washington Capitals winger missed all of this season dealing with back issues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oshie tallied 302 goals and 393 assists for 695 points in 1,010 games between 2008-09 and 2023-24. He began his career with the St. Louis Blues before being traded to the Capitals in 2015, and helped the latter win the Stanley Cup in 2018. He had 34 goals and 69 points in 106 playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 4, 2025

by | Jun 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 4, 2025

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers on the eve of Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, the Flyers re-sign Noah Cates, the Canucks re-up Derek Forbort, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

TSN: Corey Perry has no plans to retire after this season. The 40-year-old Edmonton Oilers winger confirmed he intends to return for his 21st NHL season in 2025-26.

Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry (NHL Images).

Perry is appearing in his fifth Stanley Cup Final in the last six seasons, having played for the Oilers last season, the 2021-22 Tampa Bay Lightning, the 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens, and the 2019-20 Dallas Stars (2020).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry isn’t the superstar he was during his 14 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, winning a Stanley Cup in 2007, and the Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) and the Maurice Richard Trophy (top goal scorer) in 2011.

Nevertheless, Perry’s grit, experience, and clutch offense have made him an invaluable, affordable depth player for every postseason club he’s played for since 2019-20. If the Oilers don’t re-sign him, another playoff contender will.

SPORTSNET: Oilers winger Connor Brown will be a game-day decision for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brown’s been battling an illness in recent days, forcing him to skip practice on Tuesday.

NHL.COM: Seth Jones of the Florida Panthers is thrilled to be playing in his first Stanley Cup Finals. The 30-year-old defenseman said he feels revitalized after being acquired from the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks before the March trade deadline.

Jones played on the 2018-19 Columbus Blue Jackets that upset the Tampa Bay Lightning and the 2019-20 Jackets that eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup qualifying round during the 2020 Covid Bubble playoffs. However, he’d never advanced past the second round in his career until this spring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones has been a steady defensive presence for the Panthers in this postseason. It’s been suggested that he’s an insurance policy in case Aaron Ekblad departs via free agency this summer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau looks at the Conn Smythe Trophy candidates for both clubs entering the Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My picks are Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Oilers captain Connor McDavid. Tell us your picks in the comments section below.

Game 1 is tonight in Edmonton at 8 pm ET.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed Noah Cates to a four-year, $16 million contract extension. The 26-year-old center will earn an average annual value of $4 million. He’s completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.63 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A two-way center, Cates had 16 goals and 37 points in 78 games this season. He is expected to fill the second-line center position for the rebuilding Flyers next season.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks signed Derek Forbort to a one-year, $2 million contract.

MLIVE.COM: Jakub Vrana’s NHL career could be over. The 29-year-old forward has drawn interest from Sparta Prague of the Czech Extraliga as well as his former Swedish team, Linkoping.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vrana is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. A once-promising winger who won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2017-18, Vrana netted a career-best 25 goals and 52 points in 69 games in 2019-20.

However, he was soon traded to the Detroit Red Wings, and his performance declined. He suffered a shoulder injury in 2021-22, had a stint in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, and bounced from the Red Wings to the St. Louis Blues. He was signed by the Capitals last year and claimed off waivers by the Nashville Predators in March.

Vrana has 119 goals and 223 points in 406 NHL regular-season games from 2016-17 to 2024-25, and eight points in 38 playoff games.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Rasmus Kupari signed a two-year contract with Lugano in Switzerland’s National League. The 25-year-old Jets forward is due to become an NHL restricted free agent on July 1. The Jets can retain his NHL rights with a qualifying offer before July 1.

TSN: Former Red Wings forward Slava Kozlov was named head coach of HC Sochi in the KHL.

THE SCORE: Scott Stinson believes the NHL should avoid further expansion. He argues that the league has grown too large, resulting in seasons that are already taking too long to complete. A much larger group of teams is competing for 16 playoff spots, meaning a club’s chances of winning the Stanley Cup are lower than they were 30 years ago.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stinson’s arguments won’t carry weight with a league focused on increasing revenue, whatever the cost. The opportunity to expand to 34 or 36 teams is irresistible when billionaires are willing to pony up the $2 billion expansion fees to own an NHL franchise.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2025

by | Jun 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2025

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov wins two awards, Oilers winger Evander Kane could make a difference in the upcoming Stanley Cup Final, Jesper Fast retires, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov made NHL history, becoming the first player to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in the same year.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

Barkov, 29, is a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward, previously winning in 2021 and 2024. He joins Patrice Bergeron, Bob Gainey, Pavel Datsyuk, Guy Carbonneau, and Jere Lehtinen as the only players to win the award three times or more in their careers.

The King Clancy Trophy signifies leadership and contribution to the community.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov’s teammate Sam Reinhart was runner-up for the Selke. Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning was third.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Winger Evander Kane could be a difference-maker for the Oilers in the upcoming Stanley Cup Final. He missed the 2024-25 regular season recovering from injuries that hampered his performance in last year’s postseason, sidelining him for five of their seven games against the Panthers in the 2024 Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers missed his physical offensive style in last year’s series with Florida. Kane made his presence felt in this postseason thus far, with five goals and six assists for 11 points in 15 games. He could provide a measure of snarl that they were lacking in their previous go-around with the Panthers.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast announced his retirement from professional hockey at age 33. He suffered a neck injury in the final game of the 2023-24 season that required surgery last August. Fast missed the entire 2024-25 season.

Fast spent 11 seasons in the NHL, starting with the New York Rangers from 2013-14 to 2019-20. He spent his final four seasons with the Hurricanes. A skilled checking forward and penalty-killer, Fast had 91 goals and 157 assists for 248 points in 703 regular-season games, and 14 goals and 27 points in 80 postseason contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Fast in his future endeavors.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed forward Yanni Gourde to a six-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $2.33 million. It also contains a full no-trade clause for the entirety of the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gourde is coming off a six-year deal with an AAV of $5.16 million. Given his age, the versatile 33-year-old forward was facing a pay cut on his next contract. He likely would’ve received a higher AAV on a short-term deal on the open market compared to what he got to stay in Tampa Bay, but opted for the long-term security offered by the Lightning.

Gourde didn’t want to leave Tampa Bay. However, he was left unprotected in the 2021 expansion draft and was selected by the Seattle Kraken. He was pleased when the Lightning reacquired him this season and still believes they can be a Stanley Cup contender.

The Lightning retain an important third-line forward on an affordable contract. The deal also works well over the long term, as most of Gourde’s AAV can be buried in the minors should his performance decline significantly in the final years of his contract.

Critics on social media complained this was another example of a Sun Belt team enjoying the benefit of being a non-state tax club. That may have an aspect of this deal, but the factors mentioned above played a bigger role in Gourde’s decision.

Gourde’s signing leaves the Lightning with $3.48 million in available cap space with 20 active roster players under contract. They must re-sign or replace restricted free agent Gage Goncalves and unrestricted free agents Nick Perbix, Cam Atkinson, and Luke Glendening.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild signed forward Marcus Johansson to a one-year extension worth $800K.

TSN: The Ottawa Senators signed defenseman Tyler Kleven to a two-year, $3.2 million contract extension.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The NHL switching to a remote draft this year makes the 2025 Draft Combine in Buffalo the only opportunity for general managers to meet face-to-face in one location during this month. The combine runs from June 2-7 at LECOM HarborCenter.

General managers used to take the opportunity in a centralized draft to meet and discuss potential trades involving established NHL players. Now, the seeds of such deals at this year’s draft may be planted at the Combine.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s speculation of discontent among NHL teams over this year’s decentralized draft, with some observers suggesting it could return to its previous format next year.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco will not be among the finalists for the full-time head coach position.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Former Devils forward Scott Gomez was named head coach of the USHL’s Chicago Steel.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2025

by | Jun 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2025

The latest on the Panthers and Oilers ahead of the Stanley Cup Final, an update on Alex Ovechkin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: The Florida Panthers will tie an NHL record in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. They will be playing their 309th game (regular-season and playoffs) over the past three seasons, tying the record for the most games played over that period. They’ll break the record in Game 2.

The Dallas Stars (1997-98 to 1999-2000) and Detroit Red Wings (2006-07 to 2008-09) hold the current record.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Led by Matthew Tkachuk, the entire Panthers team (including the front office, coaching staff, medical trainers, and equipment managers) took part in the first Gaudreau Family 5K Walk/Run and Family Fun Day virtually from Ft Lauderdale on Saturday.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Several players and staff also brought their families to the event. This was done without fanfare. The media was not informed that the team would be participating in the event after their practice on Saturday.

Tkachuk was a former teammate and close friend of Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed along with his brother Matthew by an alleged drunk driver last August.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid left the ice early during practice on Sunday. Head coach Kris Knoblauch said there was no major issue, and the superstar will be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forward Connor Brown rejoined his teammates for practice on Sunday. He’d been sidelined since Game 3 of the Western Conference Final following a hard hit by Dallas Stars defenseman Alexander Petrovic. Knoblauch is confident Brown will be ready for Game 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The opening game of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is Wednesday, June 4, in Edmonton at 8 pm ET.

RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov reports a source close to Alex Ovechkin said the Washington Capitals captain has not decided to retire from the NHL following the completion of his contract at the end of the 2025-26 season.

On Friday, a Russian media outlet quoted Ovechkin’s wife, Nastasyia, suggesting her husband would return to Russia in 2026. However, the source claims the Capitals superstar intends to complete the final season of his NHL contract, after which he’ll decide whether to remain in Washington. His final decision will be based on his health and performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin set the all-time goal record this season (897) and will surpass the 900-goal plateau next season. He also exceeded the 40-goal plateau (44) for the league-leading 14th time in his 20-season NHL career. The Capitals captain turns 40 in September.

EISHOCKEY NEWS: Contrary to reports last week, the Boston Bruins’ head-coach position remains vacant, though a decision on who fills that role is likely imminent.

Marco Sturm of the AHL’s Ontario Reign was in Boston last week for interviews, but the Bruins have also invited other candidates.

THE PROVINCE: Former Vancouver Canucks forward Vasily Podkolzin is in the Stanley Cup Final with the Edmonton Oilers. Ben Kuzma believes drafting Podkolzin 10th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft was a “big miss” by the Canucks.

Kuzma points out they could’ve had Matt Boldy, who was chosen two picks later by the Minnesota Wild. Boldy has gone on to become a first-line forward with the Wild, netting a career-best 73 points this season.

Podkolzin struggled in his three season with the Canucks, who traded him to the Oilers last summer. The 23-year-old winger had 24 points in 82 games as a depth forward this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reviewing NHL Central Scouting’s final 2019 rankings, Boldy was ninth among North American skaters while Podkolzin was second among International skaters. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman had Boldy eighth overall among his top prospects and Podkolzin 12th. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy had Podkolzin eighth and Boldy 11th, and McKeen’s Hockey and Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino had Podkolzin 11th and Boldy 12th.

Hindsight is 20-20. The NHL Draft is often a crapshoot, with some players meeting or exceeding expectations while most fail to do so.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as MVP of the 2025 Memorial Cup after his London Knights defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1.

Cowan scored a goal in the final games, finishing with a tournament-leading seven points in five games.