NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2025

by | Mar 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2025

The Penguins defeat the Blue Jackets, updates on Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and J.T. Miller, a potential expansion option emerges, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby extended his points streak to six games with a goal and an assist to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell each had a goal and an assist while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 44 shots.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Boone Jenner, Justin Danforth and Kent Johnson replied for the Jackets, who are winless in their last six (0-5-1) and remain three points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby tallied his 25th goal of the season, marking the 15th time he’s reached that milestone in his 20-season NHL career. He’s ninth on the all-time list.

Gordie Howe leads the pack (20 seasons), followed by Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (19), the only other active NHL player among the top 10. Jaromir Jagr (18), Mike Gartner (17), Teemu Selanne, Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull, and Marcel Dionne (16) also sit ahead of Crosby.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forwards Connor McDavid (upper-body injury) and Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) will be sidelined for a week. Head coach Kris Knoblach said the club wants both players to be 100 percent healthy going into the playoffs, which begin on Apr. 19.

SPORTSNET: Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner has been cleared to return to action after leaving Thursday’s game to the Winnipeg Jets for concussion protocol following a collision in the crease.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recently-acquired Oilers forward Trent Frederic remains sidelined for another two weeks with a lower-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward J.T. Miller has no hard feelings or ill will toward the Vancouver Canucks despite leaving his former club on a sour note. Miller spent over five seasons with the Canucks but reports of a conflict with teammate Elias Pettersson led to his trade to the Rangers two months ago.

Miller faces his former team on Saturday for the first time since the trade. He praised the Canucks organization, saying they treated him with the utmost respect. Miller also said he and his family loved the city of Vancouver and he appreciated the support he received from Canucks fans during his time there.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette called out some of his veteran players for their poor performance of late, saying he wanted to see more professionalism from them down the stretch. The Predators are poised to miss the playoffs for the second time in three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Last summer’s signings of free agents Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei prompted speculation the Predators would push for a Stanley Cup this season. It’ll be interesting to see what changes they make following this disappointing campaign.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson is likely out for the remainder of the regular season with an undisclosed injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The NHL has met with a group led by billionaire Dan Friedkin to discuss its interest in bringing a franchise to Houston, Texas. ESPN reports the Friedkin group has become a leading candidate for a franchise if the league expands beyond 32 teams.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly said the league isn’t currently in a formal expansion process. However, multiple groups in Atlanta have also expressed an interest in bringing back a franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barring unforeseen economic issues, expansion to Houston and Atlanta will likely occur by the end of this decade.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators’ talks with Ottawa’s National Capital Commission to finalize the purchase of LeBreton Flats are reportedly making progess. The club intends to use the site to construct a new arena and entertainment complex in downtown Ottawa.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: A statue of Hall-of-Famer Wayne Gretzky outside Edmonton’s Rogers Place was recently defaced with feces.

Gretzky has faced considerable criticism in Canada for his friendship with US President Donald Trump amid the latter’s calls for the country to become America’s 51st state. However, it’s unclear if the vandalism was meant as a political statement.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2025

by | Mar 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2025

The Capitals become the first team to clinch a playoff berth as Alex Ovechkin moves closer to breaking the goals record, the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck and the Leafs’ John Tavares reach notable milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals became the first team to clinch a 2025 playoff berth by nipping the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Alex Ovechkin tallied his 888th regular-season goal and Anthony Beauvillier collected two assists as the Capitals sit first overall in the standings with 100 points. Ryan Poehling had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is seven goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since March 11 and is now listed as day-to-day.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots for his 40th win of the season in a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Kyle Connor’s shorthanded goal in overtime gave the Jets the win as they sit first in the Western Conference with 100 points. Jeff Skinner tallied twice for the Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck reached the 40-win plateau for the second time, joining Marc-Andre Fleury as the only active goaltender to achieve that feat and joined Ryan Miller as the second American-born netminder to do so. He also joined Hall-of-Famer Ken Dryden as the fourth-fastest goalie to reach the 40-win single-season milestone.

The Oilers entered the game with leading scorer Leon Draisaitl sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Captain Connor McDavid missed the third period with an upper-body injury for precautionary reasons and goaltender Stuart Skinner was pulled late in that period due to concussion protocols following a collision in the crease.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares scored twice and collected an assist to reach the 1,100-point plateau in a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. Jake McCabe had three assists as the Leafs got their third straight win to tie the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers with 87 points. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had two points for the Rangers (72 points), who’ve lost three straight and sit two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of the Panthers, they got an overtime goal from Aleksander Barkov to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 1-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 25-save shutout as the Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic with 35 regulation wins. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 27 shots for the Blue Jackets as they dropped their fifth straight game and sit three points back of the Canadiens.

Meanwhile, Montreal (74 points) picked up a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders. Bo Horvat tallied twice, including the game-winner, and Ilya Sorokin kicked out 38 shots and collected two assists for the Islanders, who are two points behind the Canadiens. Patrick Laine and Brendan Gallagher scored as the Habs overcame a 3-1 deficit to force the extra period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Gallagher announced his mother Della passed away on March 8 following a long battle with brain cancer. My condolences to Gallagher and his family.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev tallied a hat trick in a 5-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Dorofeyev reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time while Jack Eichel, Brandon Saad and Noah Hanifin each had two points for the Golden Knights, who sit first in the Pacific Division with 88 points. Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins, who’ve lost four straight and sit five points behind the Canadiens.

An overtime goal by Philip Broberg lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3, vaulting them one point ahead of the Canucks into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 77 points. Dylan Holloway and Tyler Tucker each had a goal and an assist as the Blues picked up their fourth straight win. Canucks winger Brock Boeser scored twice, including the tying goal with four seconds left in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holloway and Broberg have become key contributors for St. Louis this season. Since being signed away from the Oilers last summer, Holloway sits second among Blues scorers with 56 points while Broberg (22 points) leads their defensemen with a plus/minus of plus-13 and sits fourth in ice time per game (20:21).

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to eight games by beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Sean Walker were the goal scorers as the Hurricanes sit second in the Metro Division with 88 points. William Eklund scored for the Sharks, who played without defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper-body injury).

Brock Nelson scored his first two goals with the Colorado Avalanche in a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Cale Makar, Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton each collected two points as the Avalanche put this game away early with four goals in the first period. Dylan Cozens scored for the Senators, who pulled goalie Linus Ullmark after he gave up those four first-period goals on 13 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 87 points. The Senators have lost two straight but hold the first Eastern wild card with 77 points, three up on the Canadiens. Senators defenseman Nick Jensen missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1, mathematically eliminating the latter from the 2025 playoff race. Trevor Moore, Alex Turcotte and Joel Edmundson scored for the Kings, who’ve won six of their last seven contests to sit two points behind the Oilers with 83 points. Connor Bedard replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost six straight games.

Four unanswered third-period goals by Connor Zary, Daniil Miromanov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri lifted the Calgary Flames over the New Jersey Devils 5-3, putting them within two points of the Blues for the final Western wild-card spot. Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist as his club sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points.

Shootout goals by Nikita Kucherov and Gage Goncalves gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (85 points), who sit two points behind the Panthers and Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. Oskar Back and Mason Marchment replied for the Stars, who got a 38-save performance from Casey DeSmith. They sit second in the Central with 90 points.

The Anaheim Ducks got 33 saves from goalie John Gibson to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-1. Gibson had missed seven games with a lower-body injury. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks while Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Dylan Guenther, Kevin Stenlund and Mikhail Sergachev got the Utah Hockey Club a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Stenlund goal resulted from an attempted pass by Sabres center Tage Thompson on a 6-on-4 situation that inadvertently went into his own net. The win puts Utah (73 points) four points behind the Blues for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres announced defenseman Jacob Bryson signed a one-year, $900K contract extension before this game.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2025

by | Mar 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2025

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

GAME RECAPS

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

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

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

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy (NHL Images)

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

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

HEADLINES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

by | Mar 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

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

GAME RECAPS

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

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IN OTHER NEWS…

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2025

by | Mar 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2025

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

GAME RECAPS

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

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HEADLINES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2025

by | Mar 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2025

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

GAME RECAPS

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

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

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

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HEADLINES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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