NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2024

by | Dec 31, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games, last week’s three stars are revealed, the 2025 Draft will be held in Los Angeles, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets regained first place in the overall standings (55 points) by blanking the Nashville Predators 3-0. Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his league-leading fifth shutout while Gabriel Vilardi tallied two goals to reach 17 on the season as the Jets picked up their fourth straight victory and their sixth in their last seven games. Predators goaltender Juuse Saros stopped 25 shots.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck has been the league’s top goaltender during the first half of this season. He’s also the leader among starters with 24 wins, a 2.00 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. The Jets goalie is on pace to win his second straight Vezina Trophy and his third since 2019-20, making him the dominant netminder of the decade thus far.

Jets center Mason Appleton missed this game with a lower-body injury. He has been placed on injured reserve.

Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist scored twice in a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers. Sergei Bobrovsky made 33 saves as the Panthers snapped a two-game losing skid to take over first place in the Atlantic Division with 48 points. Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren and Chris Kreider replied for the free-falling Rangers as they’ve dropped four in a row and seven of their last eight, sliding to 14th in the Eastern Conference with 33 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers’ mounting losses ensure they’ll remain the focus of media trade speculation entering the New Year. They’re moving closer to becoming sellers by the March 7 trade deadline.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-2. Jaden Schwartz led the way with a goal and two assists, Kaapo Kakko collected two assists, and Philipp Grubauer turned aside 28 shots. Logan Cooley and Alex Kerfoot scored for Utah, who’ve gone 0-3-1 in their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah remains within striking distance of a Western Conference wild-card berth but their recent inconsistent play could send general manager Bill Armstrong into the trade market for help.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Jets center Mark Scheifele, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, and Columbus Blue Jackets blueliner Zach Werenski are the league’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 29.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski reports the 2025 NHL Draft will be held in Los Angeles from June 27-28, 2025 at the Peacock Theater.

It will also be the NHL’s first decentralized draft. The top prospects and league officials will be in attendance, but teams will make their selections from their home facilities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league is following the same format as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. It makes sense for the teams as they don’t have to travel to a different location each year. However, it might not be as enjoyable for the fans. It could also affect how general managers wheel and deal during the draft as they’ll no longer be able to discuss potential trades face-to-face.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The NHL fined the Stars $100,000 for violating the CBA’s rule against staging a practice during the NHL’s holiday break.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was expected after reports emerged on Saturday that the league was investigating the Stars for holding an optional skate on Dec. 26.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes is sidelined week-to-week with an injured hand while center Elias Pettersson will be out this week with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both players missed Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Losing two of their biggest stars is a major blow for the Canucks.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews participated in practice yesterday but he won’t be in the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the New York Islanders. It’ll be the fifth straight game he’s missed with a nagging upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers wonder if the Leafs might shut Matthews down for the regular season, put him on long-term injury reserve, use the $13.25 million in cap savings to acquire depth for the playoffs, and activate Matthews once the postseason begins when the salary cap is no longer in effect.

That scenario works if Matthews undergoes a procedure that sidelines him until the end of the regular season or receives a certified medical evaluation recommending complete rest and rehab until late April. They’re not even close to that plan yet as he continues to work his way back into the lineup.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler will play his 1,000th NHL regular-season game during Tuesday’s Winter Classic matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field.

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov was fined $2, 473.96 by the department of player safety for high-sticking Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield during Sunday’s game between the two clubs.

Blackhawks forward Pat Maroon was fined $3,385.42 for elbowing Stars forward Mavrik Bourque on Sunday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is expected to be sidelined longer than day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He left Saturday’s game against the New Jersey Devils during the third period and didn’t return.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche winger Jonathan Drouin is expected to rejoin his teammates for Tuesday’s game against the Jets. Injuries have limited Drouin to five games this season.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed winger Jesse Puljujarvi on waivers.

THE SCORE: Former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is contemplating a comeback. The 36-year-old center’s last NHL game was on Apr. 13, 2023. He’s been sidelined by chronic immune response syndrome and symptoms of long COVID.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2024

by | Dec 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2024

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby breaks a franchise record, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane reaches a career milestone, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin moves closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected his 1,034th regular-season assist, passing Mario Lemieux for the most in franchise history in a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. Michael Bunting and Philip Tomasino each had two points for the Penguins as they’re 4-2-0 in their last six games. Anders Lee and Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders, who’ve dropped four of their last six contests.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What a difference a month has made for the Penguins. They were near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings just after American Thanksgiving and seemed to be fading fast. Today, they’re one point out of the final wild-card berth. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist to reach his 1,300th career regular-season point as his club doubled up the Washington Capitals 4-2. Lucas Raymond also had a goal and an assist while Alex DeBrincat tallied twice as the Wings got their first win under new head coach Todd McLellan. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored to reach his 870th regular-season goal, putting him 25 away from passing Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in league history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Lars Eller returned to action after an illness sidelined him for four games.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov made 31 saves in a 3-0 shutout of the Calgary Flames. Brett Howden, Victor Olofsson and Tanner Pearson scored for Vegas, who’ve won six straight and sit atop the overall standings with 53 points. Dan Vladar stopped 34 shots for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames’ points streak ended at five games (3-0-2).

The Anaheim Ducks scored four unanswered goals to upset the Edmonton Oilers 5-3. Cutter Gauthier, Robby Fabbri and Mason McTavish each had a goal and an assist as the Ducks collected their second win in their last five games. Leon Draisaitl scored twice and Connor McDavid had two assists for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Brock McGinn missed this contest with a lower-body injury. He’s been placed on injured reserve.

Third-period goals by Josh Norris and Claude Giroux gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Leevi Merilainen stopped 30 shots as the Senators snapped a two-game losing skid to hold onto the final Eastern wild-card berth with 40 points. Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau scored his club’s only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild got some good news as Joel Eriksson Ek returned to action after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury. However, superstar Kirill Kaprizov missed his second straight game with what’s been called a minor lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans scored to extend his goal streak to five games in a 5-2 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Joel Armia had a goal and an assist, Alexandre Carrier collected two helpers, and Brendan Gallagher netted his 10th of the season for the Canadiens. Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel scored for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have won four of their last six (35 points), sitting five points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card spot. Speaking of the Habs, goalie Cayden Primeau cleared waivers and was sent to their AHL affiliate in Laval. Meanwhile, Lightning winger Jake Guentzel missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Los Angeles Kings nipped the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on two third-period goals by captain Anze Kopitar. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist and Kevin Fiala tallied his 14th of the season as the Kings picked up their seventh straight home victory. Flyers forwards Scott Laughton and Matvei Michkov each had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov was benched in the third period of his previous game but responded well with a better showing in this contest.

Five unanswered goals powered the Dallas Stars over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1. Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene each had a goal and two assists as the Stars (43 points) hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Connor Bedard scored his 10th of the season for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi received a game misconduct for elbowing Stars center Colin Blackwell. Reports indicate the league will fine the Stars for violating a CBA rule prohibiting on-ice activities and travel on specified dates during the Christmas holiday break. The team held an “optional practice” on Dec. 26.

The Buffalo Sabres collected their third straight win with a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 35 shots while Tage Thompson and Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist each. The Blues got goals from Brayden Schenn and Nathan Walker.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2024

by | Dec 29, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2024

Alex Ovechkin scores in his return from injury, a milestone game for Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour, the Predators and Avalanche make a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continued to pursue Wayne Gretzky’s goal record by scoring an empty-netter for career goal 869 in a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ovechkin returned to action after missing 16 games with a fractured left fibula. Jakob Chychrun and Andrew Mangiapane each had a goal and an assist and Logan Thompson stopped 35 shots for the win. John Tavares and Bobby McMann replied for the Leafs.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin extended his league record for empty-net goals to 60, four more than Gretzky. The Washington captain needs 26 goals to break The Great One’s record. Meanwhile, the Capitals (50 points) sit one point behind the Eastern Conference-leading New Jersey Devils.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour became the fastest NHL coach to reach 300 regular-season wins as his club defeated the Devils 5-2. Brind’Amour achieved the feat in 488 games (300-143-45) thanks to Jack Roslovic scoring twice and setting up another while Seth Jarvis collected three assists. Paul Cotter and Ondrej Palat were the Devils’ scorers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Timo Meier received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, who hobbled off the ice but would return to finish the game. Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere missed this game with an upper-body injury and was replaced by call-up Ty Smith.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes turned in a 34-save shutout in his first NHL game in a 4-0 upset of the Florida Panthers. Kirby Dach tallied twice, Jake Evans netted a shorthanded goal and Cole Caufield potted his 18th of the season for the Canadiens, who’ve gone 11-8-1 over their last 20 games. Spencer Knight stopped 21 shots for the Panthers as their four-game win streak ended.

Three unanswered third-period goals set the stage for Vince Dunn’s overtime winner as the Seattle Kraken overcame a 4-1 deficit to upset the Vancouver Canucks 5-4. Dunn finished the game with two goals and an assist and teammate Jaden Schwartz also tallied twice for the Kraken as they ended a five-game losing skid. Brock Boeser scored twice while fellow Canucks forwards Conor Garland and Jake DeBrusk also found the back of the net.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks captain Quinn Hughes and center Elias Pettersson missed this game due to injuries but they’re not expected to be out of action for long. Vancouver starter Thatcher Demko looked rusty as he continues to work his way back into game form after missing most of the season recovering from a knee injury.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to lead his team over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Former Oiler Warren Foegele tallied his 10th of the season as he and Byfield each finished with three points to give the Kings their first win in three games. Kasperi Kapanen, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and former King Viktor Arvidsson scored for the Oilers as their three-game win streak was snapped.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings placed forward Trevor Moore on injured reserve. They recalled forward Arthur Kaliyev from his AHL conditioning stint but he didn’t play in this game.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman turned aside 18 shots to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist and David Pastrnak netted his 13th of the season as the Bruins improved to 5-1-1 in their last seven. Daniil Tarasov made 24 saves in his first game since Dec. 5 as his Blue Jackets saw their two-game win streak end.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the loss the Blue Jackets (36 points) are just two points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Bruins called up forward Fabian Lysell, who was held scoreless in his NHL debut.

The Winnipeg Jets overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele each scored their 22nd goal of the season, Nikolaj Ehlers collected three points and Connor Hellebuyck kicked out 33 shots as the Jets sit first overall with 53 points. Tim Stutzle and Ridly Greig scored for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators had to rely on the goalie tandem of Mads Sogaard and Leevi Marilainen with their regular netminders Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg sidelined by injuries. Soggard was the starter in this game with Marilainen expected to start on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild.

Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point each had a goal and two assists in a 6-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 42 shots as the Lightning have won eight of their last 10 games. Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist for the struggling Rangers as they pulled goalie Igor Shesterkin after he gave up five goals on 13 shots. The Blueshirts have just two wins in their last 10 contests.

The New York Islanders defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3. Casey Cizikas and Anders Lee each scored two goals for the Islanders while Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy demoted rookie forward Maxim Tsyplakov to the fourth line during this game, citing two penalties and several turnovers committed by the winger.

Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau tallied twice and Nazem Kadri collected two assists to defeat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Mikael Backlund also scored for the Flames while Dustin Wolf got the win with a 21-save effort. Sharks netminder Yaroslav Askarov stopped 30 shots while fellow rookie Macklin Celebrini scored his 12th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win moves the Flames into a tie with the Dallas Stars but the latter holds the final Western Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand and 20 wins to the Flames 17. Sharks forward Carl Grundstrom left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek suffered a fractured cheekbone earlier this month and is week to week.

Philadelphia Flyers forward winger Noah Cates scored to extend his goal streak to five games in a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee also scored for the Flyers as Samuel Ersson made 32 saves for the win. Troy Terry replied for the Ducks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE TENNESSEAN/COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Nashville Predators traded forward Juuso Parsinen and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche for minor-league forward Ondrej Pavel and a 2026 third-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second trade between these two clubs. They recently swapped goaltenders with the Predators shipping Scott Wedgewood to the Avalanche for Justus Annunen.

Parsinen, 23, had a promising start to his NHL career in 2022-23 with 25 points in 45 games but struggled to earn a regular roster spot with the Predators. The Avalanche hope the 6’3”, 212-pounder can provide depth to their center position.

ROTOWIRE: Speaking of the Avalanche, defenseman Oliver Kylington is listed as month-to-month with an upper-body injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS/THE ATHLETIC: It’s been a difficult month for the Dallas Stars.

It was reported yesterday that sidelined center Tyler Seguin’s home was broken into earlier this season. They also learned yesterday that forward Mason Marchment is week-to-week after suffering a “gruesome” facial injury during their 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

The NHL is also investigating the Stars for a potential CBA violation for staging an “optional skate” on Dec. 26 during the league’s holiday break.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2024

by | Dec 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2024

Recapping Friday’s eight games and the notable news of the past four days in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen tallied his first career hat trick in a 4-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Nathan MacKinnon collected three assists to become the first player this season to reach 60 points while Mikko Rantanen netted his 20th goal as the Avalanche picked up their fourth straight win. Nick Schmaltz replied for Utah as they’re winless in three straight (0-2-1).

Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also announced on Friday that they signed Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.25 million. That’s a big raise over his current $2.35 million AAV. The 28-year-old goaltender was due to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

The Avalanche acquired Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9. He’s won three of his four appearances for Colorado with a .931 save percentage. Nevertheless, this is a significant commitment by Avs management based on a short sample size of his work, raising skepticism among some observers.

In other Avs news, defenseman Cale Makar was the NHL’s first star for the week ending Dec. 22. Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was the second star and Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine was the third star.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner scored a natural hat trick as his club clipped the Detroit Red Wings 5-2. John Tavares had two assists as the Leafs snapped a two-game losing skid. Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson scored for the Red Wings, losing their fourth straight and the first under new head coach Todd McLellan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde, who was fired as Wings head coach on Dec. 26. Assistant coach Bob Boughner was also relieved of his duties. McLellan has considerable NHL head-coaching experience but he’ll need some time to get the struggling Wings on a winning track.

Meanwhile, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed this game. He remains hampered by a nagging upper-body injury that sidelined him for nine games in November. Matthews isn’t expected to be in the lineup for Saturday’s game against Washington.

The Buffalo Sabres got their second straight win by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. Alex Tuch led the way with a hat trick while Jack Quinn and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and an assist. Tyler Bertuzzi and Seth Jones scored for the Blackhawks, who pulled goaltender Petr Mrazek following the first period after giving up four goals on 11 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres ended a 13-game winless skid on Dec. 23 by crushing the New York Islanders 7-1. Chicago has lost three in a row.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected four assists in a 6-2 upset of the Boston Bruins. Dmitri Voronkov scored two goals and had an assist while Sean Monahan tallied twice for the Blue Jackets, who are 3-0-1 in their last four. Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle were the Bruins’ goal scorers as their five-game points streak (4-0-1) ended.

A four-goal third period powered the Vegas Golden Knights over the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Alex Pietrangelo had three assists while Jack Eichel and Mark Stone were among four players with a goal and an assist each for the Golden Knights, who’ve won nine of their last 10 to take over first place in the overall standings with 51 points. Will Smith and Fabian Zetterlund each had two points for the Sharks, who are winless in their last six (0-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game marked Tomas Hertl’s return to San Jose for the first time since the Sharks shipped him to the Golden Knights at last season’s trade deadline. He was held off the score sheet but received a video tribute from the Sharks before the game. Injuries kept Sharks forward William Eklund and defenseman Jake Walman out of the lineup for this contest.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 29 shots in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Luke Hughes had a goal and an assist as the Devils won for the sixth time in their last seven contests, sitting atop the Eastern Conference with 51 points. Eric Robinson and Brent Burns replied for the Hurricanes as they’ve dropped four of their last five.

The Minnesota Wild overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Dallas Stars 3-2 on an overtime wraparound goal by Brock Faber. Jonas Brodin and Marcus Foligno also scored for the Wild while Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves for the win. Evgenii Dadonov and Wyatt Johnston scored for the Stars as they’ve lost three of their last four (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov missed this game with a lower-body injury. Stars forward Mason Marchment was taken to a Dallas hospital after being struck in the face by a shot in the first period. There was no update regarding his condition.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler had a goal and two assists in a 7-4 victory over the Nashville Predators. Robert Thomas tallied twice while Jordan Kyrou and Dylan Holloway each had two points for the Blues. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault each had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who pulled goalie Juuse Saros after he gave up five goals on 15 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Dec. 23, the Predators placed forward Cole Smith (lower body) on injured reserve. He’s expected to miss four-to-six weeks.

HEADLINES OF THE PAST WEEK

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a brief look at some notable news during my holiday break (Dec. 24-27).

The NHL’s holiday roster freeze ended at 12:01 am on Dec. 28.

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected his 1,030 career NHL assist in a 7-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 23. He’s tied with Mario Lemieux for the most assists in franchise history.

SPORTSNET: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin) skated on his regular line with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas for a portion of Friday’s practice. Sidelined by a fractured fibula since Nov. 18, he could return to the lineup against Toronto on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and center Elias Pettersson missed practice on Friday due to injuries. They could miss Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Senators starting goaltender Linus Ullmark could miss the next five games after experiencing tightness in his back in a Dec. 22 game against the Edmonton Oilers.

THE ATHLETIC: The New York Rangers raised eyebrows by scratching winger Chris Kreider from their Dec. 23 games against the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That led to speculation that Kreider could be traded once the NHL’s holiday roster freeze ended. So far, there’s no indication a deal is afoot.

SPORTSNET: Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Geekie is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens called up goaltender Jakub Dobes and intend to place Cayden Primeau on waivers Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Primeau was expected to share the goaltending duties this season with starter Sam Montembeault. However, his shaky performance led to Montembeault starting the last 10 games. The Canadiens carried three goalies last season because they were concerned a rival club would pluck Primeau off waivers. This move indicates they’ve lost confidence in him as a backup.










Happy Holidays!

by | Dec 24, 2024

Happy Holidays!

I’m taking my annual Christmas break from Tuesday, Dec. 24 to Friday, Dec. 27. Updates will resume on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. 

 via GIPHY










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 23, 2024

by | Dec 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 23, 2024

The Avalanche and Oilers tie for the most wins in December, Sam Reinhart reaches a milestone for special-teams goals, Matt Rempe receives a lengthy suspension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta tallied a natural hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Cale Makar had a goal and two assists and Nathan MacKinnon had two assists for the Avalanche as they picked up their third straight win, Kappo Kakko scored his first goal as a member of the Kraken as they’ve lost five straight games.

Colorado Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have eight wins in December, tying them with the Edmonton Oilers for the most in this calendar month. MacKinnon sits first in the scoring race with 57 points, holding a five-point lead over Oilers center Leon Draisaitl.

Speaking of the Oilers, they got their eighth victory by defeating the Ottawa Senators 3-1, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Draisaitl collected an assist while Viktor Arvidsson, Zach Hyman and Adam Henrique scored for the Oilers. Nick Cousins replied for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury. Head coach Travis Green said Ullmark indicated his back had tightened up. Meanwhile, Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missed this game due to illness.

The Florida Panthers got shorthanded goals by A.J. Greer and Eetu Luostarinen within 42 seconds in the second period to double up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart opened the scoring on the power play, tying Hall-of-Famer Dave Andreychuk for the fourth-most special team goals in a calendar year with 31. Nick Paul and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andreychuk is also the all-time leader for most special-team goals in a calendar year with 38, followed by Mario Lemieux (37) and Pat Lafontaine (33). The Panthers have won four straight games while the Lightning’s four-game win streak ended.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 22 shots and collected two assists in a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers. William Carrier, Jack Roslovic, and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes. Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey scored his club’s only goal as they’ve lost four of their last five.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers played without enforcer Matt Rempe. He received an eight-game suspension from the league’s department of player safety for boarding and elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen during Friday’s game between the two clubs.

The Washington Capitals (48 points) regained first place in the Eastern Conference standings by downing the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Aliaksei Protas tallied twice and Pierre-Luc Dubois collected two assists against his former team. Kevin Fiala scored for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings dropped into third place in the Pacific Division with 43 points.

A shootout goal by Mason McTavish lifted the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-4 win over the Utah Hockey Club. The Ducks overcame a 4-1 deficit to force overtime and the shootout. Robby Fabbri tallied two goals while Cutter Gauthier and Olen Zellweger each had two assists for the Ducks. Utah forward Clayton Keller had two goals and two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A disappointing finish for Utah (38 points) as their four-game win streak ended. However, their points streak extended to eight games (6-0-2) as they sit within one point of the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.