NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2025

by | Mar 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2025

Alex Ovechkin reaches a points milestone on his path to breaking the all-time goals record, Zach Werenski breaks a Blue Jackets record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored to become the 11th player in NHL history to reach the 1,600-point milestone in a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Ovechkin’s goal was his 886th, putting him nine away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Connor McMichael had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who have won four straight games to sit first in the overall standings with 92 points. Shane Wright and Jordan Eberle replied for the Kraken.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Carolina Hurricanes newcomers Mark Jankowski (two goals) and Logan Stankoven (one goal) powered their club over the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. It was the pair’s first points since being acquired by Carolina at the trade deadline. The Hurricanes are second in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets as they dropped into second overall with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals hold the lead over the Jets because they hold a game in hand.

The Columbus Blue Jackets thumped the New York Rangers 7-3. Adam Fantilli tallied a hat trick and Zach Werenski picked up two assists for the Blue Jackets, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points. Vincent Trochek had two assists for the Rangers (68 points), who remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski moved past Rick Nash to set the franchise record for the most assists with 260.

Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, Warren Foegele and Brandt Clarke each had a goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings held on for a 6-5 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Tomas Hertl tallied a hat trick for the Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. The Kings sit third in the division with 75 points.

The Dallas Stars got three unanswered goals by Mikael Granlund, Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Matt Duchene and Cody Ceci each collected two assists for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 86 points. Derek Forbort scored for the Canucks (69 points) as they remain one point behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Roope Hintz missed this game as he’s still being evaluated after being struck in the face by a puck during Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. He’s listed as day-to-day.

New Jersey Devils forward Erik Haula had a goal and an assist and trade-deadline acquisition Cody Glass scored as their club beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Jamie Drysdale scored for the Flyers. The Devils sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Overshadowed by the recent trade deadline was the Devils signing defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4 million.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored twice to lead his club to a 3-1 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves for the Wild in what was likely his final game against his former club. The Wild have lost two straight games but hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 76 points.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the New York Islanders 4-1. Sam Colangelo tallied twice to extend his goal streak to four games. Tony DeAngelo replied for the Islanders (65 points), who sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov is likely done for the season. He’s been sidelined since late November with a lower-body injury.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Ingram released a statement indicating he’d been struggling since returning to action following the death of his mother to breast cancer. He’d been away from the team from the end of November until mid-January for family reasons.

It’s the second time Ingram has entered the program dealing with mental health issues. He opened up about his obsessive compulsive disorder and its effect on his mental health. Ingram won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy last season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2025

by | Mar 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2025

Nathan MacKinnon is the first player to reach 100 points this season, Wyatt Johnston inks a contract extension with the Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice to become the first player to reach 100 points this season in a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Valeri Nichushkin had a hat trick and collected an assist while Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle each picked up an assist in their debuts with the Avalanche since the trade deadline. Mitch Marner and John Tavares each scored twice, and Auston Matthews had three assists for the Maple Leafs.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was a close, high-scoring affair until Colorado broke it open with four unanswered goals in the third period, including two empty-netters. The Avalanche sits third in the Central Division with 78 points, while the Leafs remain in second place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

The Edmonton Oilers ran up a 5-1 lead and held on to nip the Dallas Stars 5-4. Zach Hyman scored two goals and set up another and Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 78 points. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist in his first game since coming to Dallas at the trade deadline. The Stars sit second in the Central Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Stars announced Wyatt Johnston had signed a five-year contract extension. The average annual value is $8.4 million. Johnston, 21, has blossomed into a valuable core player for the Stars. With 60 points in 63 games, he’s poised to exceed the career-high of last season’s 65-point sophomore performance.

Stars forward Roope Hintz left this game after being struck in the face by a puck. Head coach Peter DeBoer said Hintz was receiving tests at a local hospital. They’re hopeful that he avoided serious injury.

An overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. Tkachuk finished the game with two goals, while trade-deadline acquisition Dylan Cozens collected an assist and a game-high nine hits. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cozens made a positive impression in his debut with the Senators following his acquisition at the trade deadline. The Senators vaulted into the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 69 points, while the Rangers sit just outside the final wild card with 68 points.

Goaltender Vitek Vanecek had a 21-save shutout to blank the Buffalo Sabres 4-0. A.J. Greer, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers, who’ve won six straight games and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 83 points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 32 shots for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Vanecek’s debut with the Panthers following his acquisition from the San Jose Sharks last week.

Boston Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman had a 26-save shutout to upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0. Cole Koepke tallied twice for the Bruins (66 points) as they kept their playoff hopes alive in the Eastern Conference, sitting two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild card. The Lightning (78 points) remain one point behind the second-place Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. He’s considered day-to-day.

Calgary Flames rookie goalie Dustin Wolf turned aside 26 shots for his third shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Joel Farabee scored for the Flames (70 points), who moved ahead of the Vancouver Canucks into the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Jakub Dobes made 23 saves for the Canadiens (66 points), who are two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild card.

The Los Angeles Kings beat the St. Louis Blues 2-1 on an overtime goal by Quinton Byfield. Anze Kopitar also scored for the Kings, who snapped a 0-3-2 winless skid. They sit third in the Pacific Division with 73 points. Nick Leddy replied for the Blues (69 points) as they sit one point behind the Flames.

New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a goal and two assists as his club doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for the Islanders (65 points), who’ve won four of their last five games to sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Macklin Celebrini collected assists on both Sharks goals.

The Seattle Kraken downed the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves for his first win since Dec. 30, while Matty Beniers had a goal and an assist for the Kraken. Owen Tippett scored for the Flyers as they dropped their third straight game.

Nashville Predators winger Steven Stamkos tallied a hat trick, including the game-winner in overtime, to down the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. Alex Vlasic and Ilya Mikheyev replied for the Blackhawks. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2025

by | Mar 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, the aftermath of the trade deadline, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets remained in first place in the overall standings with a 6-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists, while Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey each had a goal and an assist. With 92 points, the Jets hold a two-point lead over the Washington Capitals. Dawson Mercer scored for the Devils, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff’s trade deadline moves didn’t earn a positive review from Paul Friesen of The Winnipeg Sun. Cheveldayoff made two depth moves, acquiring veteran defenseman Luke Schenn and energy winger Brandon Tanov.

On Friday, the Devils announced that defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler will miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury. Blueliner Dougie Hamilton is expected to miss “an extended period of time” with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Capitals, they overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2. Aliaksei Protas had two goals and an assist and Tom Wilson netted a goal and an assist. Dylan Larkin and Moritz Seider scored for the Red Wings (66 points), who’ve dropped five straight games and sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

The Vegas Golden Knights blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0. Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves for the shutout while Mark Stone had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 23 shots for the Penguins.

A late goal by Kiefer Sherwood lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Elias Pettersson and Teddy Blueger also scored and Kevin Lankinen kicked out 37 shots for the Canucks, who moved ahead of the Calgary Flames into the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 69 points. Brock Faber replied for the Wild, who hold the first wild-card berth with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild GM Bill Guerin explained that a lack of cap space prevented him from making any significant additions at the trade deadline. He couldn’t place Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek or Jonas Brodin on long-term injury reserve because they’re expected to return before the end of the regular season.

The St. Louis Blues held off the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Brayden Schenn tallied twice while former Duck Cam Fowler collected two assists for the Blues, who sit one point behind the Canucks. Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry each had two points for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn frequently surfaced in the rumor mill as a trade candidate leading up to Friday’s deadline. Blues GM Doug Armstrong declined to comment on whether he’d had trade talks with other teams involving his captain. Schenn has a full no-trade clause this season, which likely explains why he wasn’t moved. That clause becomes a 15-team no-trade list on July 1.

An overtime goal by Connor Bedard lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Spencer Knight picked up his second straight win with the Blackhawks by stopping 36 shots. Clayton Keller and Mikhail Sergachev each had two points for Utah (66 points) as they sit three back of the Canucks.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky said he didn’t regret his acquisition of Mikko Rantanen from Colorado in January, even if it didn’t end the way he would’ve liked.

Unable to sign Rantanen to a contract extension, Tulsky traded him to the Dallas Stars on Friday in exchange for rookie forward Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks and two third-rounders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tulsky bungled this situation. He should’ve sought assurances that he could sign Rantanen to a contract extension before making the trade with the Avs. When Rantanen wouldn’t commit, the Hurricanes GM was forced to trade him for a return that could pay long-term dividends but doesn’t move his club closer to the Stanley Cup this year.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane won’t be ready to return for the rest of the regular season as he recovers from abdominal surgery.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres signed winger Jason Zucker to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4.75 million.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders are negotiating a two-year contract extension with winger Kyle Palmieri. The AAV is expected to be below his current cap hit of $5 million.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier explained his decision to trade top-six forward Fabian Zetterlund to the Ottawa Senators on Friday was to acquire forward Zack Ostapchuk. Grier envisioned the 21-year-old Ostapchuk developing into a third-line center who could grow with their cadre of young forwards like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and William Eklund.










Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2025

by | Mar 7, 2025

Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2025

The Boston Bruins traded Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers for a conditional 2027 second-round pick. The Bruins retained half of Marchand’s $6.13 million cap hit.  

Boston Bruins traded Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Fraser Minten and a first-round pick. 

Toronto Maple Leafs trade Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar to the Pittsburgh Penguins. More to follow. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Luke Kunin from the San Jose Sharks for a 2025 fourth-rounder. 

The Ottawa Senators acquired Fabian Zetterlund, Tristen Robins and a fourth-round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Noah Gregor, Zack Ostapchuk and a second-round pick. 

Philadelphia Flyers trade Erik Johnson to the Colorado Avalanche for Givani Smith.

The Buffalo Sabres shipped Henri Jokiharju to the Boston Bruins. Details to follow.  

The Dallas Stars acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks. The Stars sign Rantanen to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $12 million. More details to follow.

New Jersey Devils acquire Cody Glass from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third-round pick.

The Boston Bruins Trade Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt, prospect Will Zellers and a second-round pick.

The Detroit Red Wings Acquire Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Joe Veleno.

The Philadelphia Flyers trade Scott Laughton, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-rounder to the Toronto Maple Leafs for prospect Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick.

The Buffalo Sabres trade Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker.

The Winnipeg Jets acquire Luke Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

The Jets also acquire Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken for a 2027 second-round pick.

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded Anthony Beauvillier to the Washington Capitals for a second-round pick in 2025.

The Philadelphia Flyers traded Andrei Kuzmenko to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick. Flyers retain 50 percent of Kuzmenko’s $5.5 million cap hit. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2025

by | Mar 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s games, the Stars could be close to acquiring Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can see the roundup of Thursday’s trades by following this link. 

NHL.COM: A late goal by Seth Jarvis lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 32 shots as the Hurricanes sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Morgan Geekie scored both goals for the Bruins (64 points), who’ve lost three straight games and sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikko Rantanen played what could be his final game with the Hurricanes. Reports emerged overnight claiming the Dallas Stars have permission from the Canes to negotiate a contract extension with the 28-year-old winger’s representatives that would lead to Rantanen being traded to the Stars before today’s 3 pm ET trade deadline.

Meanwhile, the Bruins continue their sell-off, shipping pending free-agent forward Justin Brazeau to the Minnesota Wild for forwards Jakub Lauko and Marat Khusnutdinov.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar had two goals and four assists and Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and three assists in a 7-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. The Avalanche have won four straight games, holding the first Western wild-card berth with 76 points. Sharks forward William Eklund had a goal and an assist, while rookie teammate Macklin Celebrini tallied his 20th goal of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a four-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl with a league-leading 98 points. Sharks forward Nikolai Kovalenko returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel scored a second-period hat trick and newly acquired forward Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied the winning goal to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5. The Lightning have won 10 of their last 11 games, sitting third in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Rasmus Dahlin and JJ Peterka each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy became the third goaltender in NHL history to record eight or more consecutive 30-win seasons, joining Martin Brodeur (12) and Patrick Roy (eight).

Speaking of the Stars, they got an overtime goal from Jason Robertson to nip the Calgary Flames 3-2, picking up their fourth straight win. Robertson also scored the tying goal as the Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit. They sit second in the Central Division with 84 points. Joel Farabee and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames, who cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 68 points.

The Florida Panthers extended their win streak to five games by blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 16-save shutout for his 423rd regular-season win, tying Tony Esposito for 10th on the all-time list. Sam Reinhart, Mackie Samoskevich and Aleksander Barkov were the goal-scorers as the Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 81 points.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had three points in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who hold sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 90 points. Rookie winger Matvei Michkov scored his 20th of the season for the Flyers (62 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The Edmonton Oilers got an overtime goal from Evan Bouchard to down the Montreal Canadiens 3-2, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to 13 games with his league-leading 46th goal and also added an assist for the Oilers. Cole Caufield netted his 31st goal of the season for the Canadiens (66 points) as they sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka kicked out 38 shots in a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Nick Schmaltz, Kevin Stenlund and Lawson Crouse scored as Utah overcame a 2-1 deficit. With 68 points, they sit three points behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren scored for the Red Wings (66 points), who have lost four straight games and remain one point behind the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings fans must have an uneasy feeling of deja vu. Around this time last season, the Wings held a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference before a costly losing skid knocked them out of contention. Meanwhile, Utah placed forward Nick Bjugstad (upper body) on injured reserve.

The Nashville Predators defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-3. Filip Forsberg tallied twice and Steven Stamkos had two assists for the Predators. Adam Larsson, Jared McCann and Michael Eyssimont replied for the Kraken.

IN OTHER NEWS…

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Colton Parayko will undergo a scope on his left knee and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues’ playoff odds got a lot longer with their top defenseman sidelined.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Ryan Reaves on waivers. If he clears, they can free up $1.15 million in cap space by sending him to the minors.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predators claimed forward Jakub Vrana off waivers from the Washington Capitals and defenseman Jordan Oesterle from the Boston Bruins. Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets claimed winger Christian Fischer from the Detroit Red Wings.










Notable NHL Trades – March 6, 2025

by | Mar 6, 2025

Notable NHL Trades – March 6, 2025

The New York Islanders shipped center Brock Nelson and prospect forward William Dufour to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Oliver Kylington, prospect forward Calum Ritchie, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a conditional third-rounder in 2028. The Islanders retained 50 percent of Nelson’s $6 million AAV and flipped Kylington to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. 

The Edmonton Oilers acquired defenseman Jake Walman from the San Jose Sharks. TSN reports it appears to be a conditional pick and a prospect going to the Sharks. 

The Vancouver Canucks trade defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2025 third-round draft pick.

The New York Rangers traded winger Reilly Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Brendan Brisson and a 2025 third-round pick. The Rangers retained 50 percent of Smith’s $5 million cap hit. He is UFA-eligible on July 1.

New York Rangers trade Reilly Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils acquired defenseman Brian Dumoulin from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025 and prospect Herman Traff. The Ducks retained half of Dumoulin’s $3.15 million cap hit. He is eligible for UFA status on July 1.

The Panthers also sent goaltender Chris Driedger to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen.

The San Jose Sharks traded forward Nico Sturm and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2026 fourth-rounder.