NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2025

by | Mar 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2025

Alex Ovechkin moves within 10 goals of breaking the league goals record, injuries sideline Devils stars Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, the Utah Hockey Club re-sign three players, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for analysis of Wednesday’s trades.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 885th regular-season goal as his club nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Ovechkin scored the tying goal that set the stage for Tom Wilson’s overtime winner for the Capitals (88 points). Artemi Panarin and Sam Carrick scored for the Rangers, who sit just outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 67 points.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 10 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals.

Washington is tied with the league-leading Winnipeg Jets but the latter has 42 regulation wins to the Capitals’ 40.

An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Josh Norris had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who moved into the final Eastern Conference wild card with 67 points. Ryan Donato tallied his 23rd goal of the season for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold that wild card spot with a game in hand over the Rangers. Donato is having a career-best performance (46 points in 60 games) in his contract season. He’s expected to be moved by Friday’s trade deadline.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Adin Hill made 29 saves while Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, Noah Hanifin and Tanner Pearson each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 80 points. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner replied for the Leafs, who remain in second place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs and Florida Panthers have the same number of points, but the latter holds first place in the division with 32 regulation wins. Before the game, Matthews told reporters that he hopes management provides a boost to the roster at the trade deadline.

A three-goal second period enabled the Vancouver Canucks to hold off the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Jake DeBrusk, Teddy Blueger, and Carson Soucy scored for the Canucks, who sit just outside the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 67 points. Sam Colangelo and Brian Dumoulin scored for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are tied with the Calgary Flames in points but the latter holds that wild card with 29 regulations wins. Ducks goaltender John Gibson left this game following a collision with Canucks forward Drew O’Connor.

St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas scored the tying goal and the shootout winner in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Thomas extended his points streak to 11 games as the Blues sit one point behind the Flames with 66 points. Quinton Byfield and Trevor Moore replied for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 71 points.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in Vail, Colorado. He’s expected to be recovered in time for training camp in September.

B/R OPEN ICE: cites TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton could be out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe was fined $25,000.00 by the league for unprofessional conduct toward on-ice officials during Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yesterday was a very bad day for the Devils. The loss of Hughes and Hamilton threatens their playoff chances. They’re third in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points but only five points ahead of the Rangers, who are just outside the Eastern wild-card berth.

Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald was expected to be a buyer before Friday’s trade deadline. He’s placed Hughes on long-term injury reserve, giving the Devils $8 million in salary-cap wiggle room to make a significant addition or two. Whether he can pull it off remains to be seen.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: The Utah Hockey Club signed goaltender Karel Vejmelka to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4.75 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah HC also signed defenseman Ian Cole and forward Alex Kerfoot to one-year extensions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah GM Bill Armstrong is signalling that he’s not a seller this year. Vejmelka would’ve drawn plenty of interest from playoff contenders seeking a goaltending upgrade before Friday’s trade deadline. Utah sits four points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

SPORTSNET: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Mathieu Olivier to a six-year extension with an AAV of $3 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are battling for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. GM Don Waddell said he’s under no pressure to move out his pending UFAs like Ivan Provorov, even at the risk of their departure on July 1. If Waddell makes a move or two, it’ll likely be a hockey trade that involves player-for-player swaps that will help the Jackets now and in the future.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres signed winger Jordan Greenway to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Greenway would’ve attracted plenty of suitors if he’d become available in the trade market. The Sabres valued his two-way play more.










NHL Trades – March 5, 2025

by | Mar 5, 2025

NHL Trades – March 5, 2025

The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired forward Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand and a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for forward Michael Eyssimont, first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, and a 2025 second-round pick formerly belonging to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Detroit Red Wings are also involved in the deal. Gourde was traded to the Red Wings for unsigned defenseman Kyle Aucoin. The Wings traded him to the Lightning for a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025.

Seattle Kraken trade Yanni Gourde to the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning load up again near the trade deadline, bolstering their forward depth and taking pressure off their top-six forwards.

As per Puckpedia, the Kraken retained half of Gourde’s $5.166 million cap hit ($2.583 million). With the Wings retaining half, the Lightning bring him back to Tampa Bay at a cap hit of $1.291 million.

Gourde, 33, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, which explains the Kraken’s willingness to retain salary. There was no salary retention for Bjorkstrand, who has a year remaining on his contract with an AAV of $5.4 million.

It’s a homecoming for Gourde. The versatile two-way center began his NHL career in Tampa Bay, helping the Lightning win two Stanley Cups in his first six seasons.

The Kraken selected Gourde in the 2021 expansion draft. He played well in Seattle, reaching a career-high 76 points in 2022-23 as they reached the playoffs for the first time. Gourde returned to action recently after missing two months due to sports hernia surgery.

Bjorkstrand has reached or exceeded 20 goals in five of the last six seasons with the Kraken and Columbus Blue Jackets. With 16 goals in 61 games, he’s on pace to reach that plateau again.

The Kraken are retooling, moving out some veterans to make room for younger talent. Brandon Tanev could be next to hit the trade block. The 33-year-old winger is also UFA-eligible and the Kraken are reportedly willing to retain up to half of his $3.5 million AAV to facilitate a trade.

**UPDATE** The Pittsburgh Penguins traded winger Michael Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Nashville Predators for defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Tommy Novak.

The Penguins also traded defenseman Vincent Desharnais to the San Jose Sharks for a 2028 fifth-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bunting was acquired by the Penguins from the Carolina Hurricanes last season. He had 14 goals and 29 points in 58 games this season and is signed through 2025-26 with an AAV of $4.5 million.

Schenn, 35, has a year remaining on his contract with an AAV of $2.75 million. Novak is in the first season of a three-year deal with an annual cap hit of $3.5 million.

Desharnais is signed through next season with an AAV of $2 million.

The Penguins added depth at center in Novak, who can provide immediate help as they continue to retool their roster. Acquiring Schenn was an interesting move, suggesting he could be used as a trade chip to pry away a draft pick from a playoff contender.

Bunting is an energetic forward who will bring experienced depth at left wing on the Predators’ third line.

The San Jose Sharks traded goaltender Vitek Vanecek to the Florida Panthers in exchange for minor-league forward Patrick Giles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vanecek will replace Spencer Knight as the Panthers’ backup goaltender. They traded Knight to Chicago on Saturday as part of the return for Seth Jones.

Vanecek is in the final season of a three-year deal with an AAV of $3.4 million. The Panthers recently placed winger Matthew Tkachuk on LTIR, giving them the wiggle room necessary to acquire him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2025

by | Mar 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2025

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the Bruins ship Trent Frederic to the Oilers in a three-team trade, the Canadiens re-sign Jake Evans, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov became the third player to reach the 90-point plateau in a 6-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kucherov had a goal and two assists, while Jake Guentzel and Victor Hedman each scored two goals and collected an assist for the Lightning, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 76 points. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored twice as his club clings to the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 68 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov is third among the scoring leaders. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon leads the pack with 93 points, while Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl is second with 92 points. Werenski reached the 20-goal plateau for the second time and sits second in goals and points behind Colorado’s Cale Makar among defensemen.

Earlier in the day, the Lightning placed forwards Cam Atkinson and Logan Brown on waivers.

Speaking of MacKinnon and the Avalanche, he collected two assists in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Artturi Lehkonen scored twice for Colorado, who have won three straight games and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 74 points. Rickard Rakell replied for the Penguins, who’ve dropped seven of their last eight contests.

The Anaheim Ducks upset the Edmonton Oilers 6-2, handing the latter their sixth loss in their last seven outings. Mason McTavish tallied twice for the Ducks, while Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each had a goal and an assist for the slumping Oilers.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Kyle Palmieri netted his 20th goal of the season and Ilya Sorokin stopped 26 shots as the Islanders (63 points) sit three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern wild-card berth. Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson was named the game’s first start. He gave an emotional postgame interview about what it meant to him to have spent his career with the Islanders. Trade rumors continue to swirl around the 33-year-old center. He’s eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1.

Speaking of the Red Wings, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes. Jordan Martinook led the way with a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen turned aside 24 shots for the Hurricanes, who’ve won three of their last four and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points. Elmer Soderblom replied for the Wings.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley scored with five seconds remaining in the third period to nip the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists as the Stars have won 11 of their last 14 games, sitting second in the Central Division with 82 points. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier each had a goal and an assist for the Devils, who are in third place in the Metro Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton left this game with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition. The Devils were playing without Jack Hughes, as he’s still being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary tallied twice in a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves while Morgan Frost collected two assists against his former team as the Flames (67 points) moved two points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the final Western wild-card berth. Former Flame Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (62 points), who remain four points out of the final Eastern wild card.

The Minnesota Wild held off the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Mats Zuccarello, Frederick Gaudreau and Jared Spurgeon each had a goal and an assist as the Wild sit third in the Central Division with 76 points. Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko collected two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken center Yanni Gourde returned to the lineup after spending the past two months recovering from sports hernia surgery. He’s frequently appeared in the rumor mill as the March 7 trade deadline approaches.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly scored two goals and had an assist in a 6-3 victory over the Boston Bruins, snapping a six-game road losing skid. Predators forward Steven Stamkos had a goal and two assists, including his 600th regular-season assist. Charlie Coyle, Jordan Oesterle and Morgan Geekie replied for the Bruins (64 points), who remain two points out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins captain Brad Marchand missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The San Jose Sharks beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. Sharks rookies Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini each scored, with Smith also collecting an assist. JJ Peterka and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic become the NHL’s all-time leader with 2,165 blocked shots. The Sharks held goaltender Vitek Vanecek out of the lineup for trade purposes.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins traded forward Trent Frederic to the Edmonton Oilers in a three-team deal involving the New Jersey Devils.

The Bruins sent Frederic to the Devils for unsigned forward Petr Hauser and retained 50 percent of his $2.3 million cap hit. The Devils flipped him to the Oilers for unsigned forward Shane Lachance while retaining 50 percent of their share of his cap hit ($575K). The Bruins traded Hauser and forward Max Jones to the Oilers for defenseman Maximus Wanner, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frederic is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury but is expected to return to action in two weeks. Frederic and Jones will provide some affordable depth to their checking lines for the postseason.

The move signaled that the Bruins are sellers as the March 7 trade deadline draws near. They’re expected to entertain offers for UFA-eligible players like Justin Brazeau but not for team captain Brad Marchand. They could also listen on Morgan Geekie, a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights.

SPORTSNET: The Montreal Canadiens signed Jake Evans to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evans was slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s completing a three-year contract with an AAV of $1.7 million. The 28-year-old center has become an effective checking-line center for the rebuilding Canadiens. His name surfaced in the rumor mill, but they see him as an important part of their roster moving forward.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed center Jesper Boqvist to a two-year contract extension worth $1.5 million annually. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2025

by | Mar 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, plus the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Gabriel Landeskog and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens recovered from blowing a 3-0 lead with an overtime goal by Mike Matheson for a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had a goal and three assists and Cole Caufield reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time. Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin replied for the Sabres.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (65 points) have won five straight games, sitting one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson became the fastest rookie blueliner in franchise history to reach the 50-point plateau, accomplishing that feat in 63 games.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin stopped 21 shots to shut out the New York Islanders 4-0. J.T. Miller, Artemi Panarin and Will Cuylle each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (66 points), who sit behind the Red Wings in the wild-card race. Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped 22 shots as his club remains five points behind the Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Brock Nelson became the fifth player in franchise history to reach the 900-game milestone, but he might not have many more games left with them. The 33-year-old center is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and there’s no indication a contract extension is imminent. Nelson could be moved by Friday’s trade deadline.

The Rangers held winger Reilly Smith out of the lineup for the second straight game for “roster management”, suggesting they’re attempting to trade him before the Friday deadline.

The Washington Capitals blew a 3-0 and 4-3 leads before defeating the Ottawa Senators 5-4 on a shootout goal by Dylan Strome. Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and two assists while Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (86 points), moving within two points of the first-overall Winnipeg Jets. Shane Pinto scored twice and Jake Sanderson collected three assists for the Senators, who sit one point out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals signed goaltender Charlie Lindgren before this game to a three-year, $9 million contract extension. Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven missed this game with an undisclosed mid-body ailment and is expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov scored two second-period goals as his club held off the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, ending the latter’s eight-game win streak. The win leaves the Panthers second in the Atlantic Division with 79 points. Brandon Hagel replied for the Lightning, who sit third in the division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk could miss the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury. General manager Bill Zito said they hope the 27-year-old winger will return for the playoffs. Tkachuk was placed on long-term injury reserve on Sunday to enable the Panthers to call up goaltender Chris Driedger, giving them $8.7 million in additional cap space if they wish to add to their roster before Friday’s trade deadline.

The San Jose Sharks overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on a shootout goal by Fabian Zetterlund. Jack Thompson and Tyler Toffoli scored for the Sharks to end an eight-game winless skid. John Tavares and Matthew Knies opened the scoring for the Leafs, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto holds first place over Florida because they hold a game in hand. Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok made his season debut after being sidelined by an injury in training camp, followed by groin/sports hernia surgery in November. Meanwhile, the Sharks placed defenseman Henry Thrun (undisclosed) on injured reserve.

Goaltender Spencer Knight kicked out 41 shots in his debut with the Chicago Blackhawks for a 5-1 upset over the Los Angeles Kings. Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks. Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 70 points but have dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks acquired Knight on Saturday from the Panthers in the Seth Jones trade. Jones played over 22 minutes in his debut with the Panthers against the Lightning. The Blackhawks placed forward Philipp Kurashev on IR with an injured hand.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz, and Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 2.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland indicated his club doesn’t expect team captain Gabriel Landeskog to return to the lineup this regular season. The 32-year-old winger is attempting to return from knee surgeries that have sidelined him for the past two seasons. MacFarland said there’s a chance Landeskog could return in the 2025 playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A postseason return for Landeskog seems as likely as his return during the regular season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek reports the Dallas Stars are working on an eight-year contract extension with forward Wyatt Johnston. The 21-year-old forward is in the final season of his entry-level contract. Marek believes Johnston could see a raise to between $8 million and $8.5 million annually on his next deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston has steadily grown into a reliable offensive star, tallying 41 points as a rookie in 2022-23 and 65 points as a sophomore in 2023-24. He has 55 points in 60 games this season, putting him on pace to exceed last season’s output.

TSN: The Utah Hockey Club signed defenseman Olli Maatta to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.5 million. The 30-year-old Maatta was UFA-eligible on July 1.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports the Columbus Blue Jackets are closing in on a contract extension with scrappy winger Mathieu Olivier. It’s believed to be a multi-year deal, likely four years or more.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov could return this week after missing 39 games with a back injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins recalled goalie Tristan Jarry from their AHL affiliate and placed defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 3, 2025

by | Mar 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 3, 2025

Milestone performances for Auston Matthews and Sidney Crosby in Leafs-Penguins game, the latest on Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5. William Nylander had a goal and an assist, including the game-winner in overtime. Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies each had a goal and an assist as the Leafs regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Penguins forwards Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust each had a goal and two assists and Rickard Rakell scored two goals.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Matthews and Crosby.

Matthews scored his 390th regular-season goal to surpass Darryl Sittler as the second-leading goal scorer in Leafs history. Mats Sundin is the all-time leader with 420. The Leafs captain also reached the 700-point plateau.

Crosby picked up his 1,050th assist to move past Gordie Howe into 10th among the all-time assist leaders. Steve Yzerman is ninth with 1,063.

The Leafs played without defenseman Chris Tanev, who was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Forward Connor Dewar was activated off IR for this game.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill made 25 saves for a 2-0 shutout of the New Jersey Devils. Mark Stone and Noah Hanifin scored for the Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 78 points. Devils center Jack Hughes left the game late in the third period favoring his right arm after getting tangled up with Golden Knights center Jack Eichel and crashing into the endboards. The Devils sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe was ejected from the game after complaining to officials about what he felt was a non-call for interference by Eichel on Hughes. There was no postgame update regarding Hughes’ status. Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves in his first game since suffering a knee injury on Jan. 22.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick turned in a 34-save shutout in his 800th regular-season game to blank the Nashville Predators 4-0. Artemi Panarin and J.T. Miller each had a goal and an assist as the Rangers (64 points) moved within two points of the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Justus Annunen stopped 30 shots for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers held winger Reilly Smith out of the lineup for “roster management purposes,” sparking speculation that another trade could be in the works. On Saturday, the Rangers shipped defenseman Ryan Lindgren and winger Jimmy Vesey to the Colorado Avalanche.

Rangers forward Matt Rempe could face supplemental discipline after elbowing Nick Blankenburg in the face while trying to check the Predators defenseman. Rempe was called for elbowing and received a fighting major for his subsequent scrap with Predators defenseman Andreas Englund.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston tallied three power-play goals in a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Roope Hintz had a goal and three assists for the Stars as they hold second place in the Central Division with 80 points. Blues goaltender Joel Hofer got the hook after giving up three goals on nine shots but Joel Binnington was the losing goalie, allowing three goals on 12 shots. The Blues are one point behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card spot.

Speaking of the Flames, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes. Sebastian Aho scored the overtime winner for the Hurricanes, who hold sole possession of second place in the Metro Division with 74 points. Dustin Wolf made 31 saves for the Flames, who are 0-2-1 in their last three games but picked up a point to move ahead of the Vancouver Canucks into the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames and Canucks each have 65 points but Calgary has 28 regulation wins to Vancouver’s 27.

The Minnesota Wild nipped the Boston Bruins 1-0 to end a three-game losing skid, Filip Gustavsson made 28 saves for the shutout and Frederick Gaudreau scored the only goal as the Wild hold third place in the Central Division with 74 points. David Pastrnak’s point streak ended at 17 games as his club remains two points behind the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins captain Brad Marchand missed this game with an upper-body injury suffered during his club’s 3-2 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Wild played without defenseman Jonas Brodin, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers placed sidelined winger Matthew Tkachuk (lower body) on long-term injury reserve to free up salary-cap space to recall goaltender Chris Driedger. They had limited cap room after acquiring defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

Placing Tkachuk on LTIR prompted speculation that he could be sidelined for the rest of the regular season. That would free up salary-cap space for the Panthers to make more moves ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks rookie center Macklin Celebrini (lower body) is a game-time decision for Monday’s contest with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Defenseman Henry Thrun (upper body) has been ruled out for that game.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken recalled goaltender Philipp Grubauer from their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2025

by | Mar 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2025

The Blue Jackets defeat the Red Wings in Ohio Stadium, Alex Ovechkin continues his pursuit of the all-time goal record, a milestone game for Connor McDavid, and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for details and analysis of the three March 1 trades headlined by the Chicago Blackhawks sending Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 in the 2025 NHL Stadium Series before 94,751 fans at Ohio Stadium. Justin Danforth snapped a 3-3 tie late in the third period, Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 43 shots, and Zach Werenski and Boone Jenner each had two assists for the Blues Jackets. Alex DeBrincat tallied twice and Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second-highest-attended outdoor game in NHL history, sitting behind the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium (105,491). The fans witnessed an entertaining contest between two teams jockeying for wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets sit in the first wild card with 68 points, while the Red Wings hold the second berth with 66 points.

The ceremonial faceoff between the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2025 Stadium Series at Ohio Stadium (NHL.com).

The memory of Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau was honored by both clubs before the game, with the Gaudreau family leading the Jackets onto the ice. Gaudreau and his brother were killed by an alleged drunk driver last August.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 884th regular-season NHL goal in a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mitchell Chaffee, Gage Goncalves and Brandon Hagel scored for the Lightning, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 74 points. The Capital remains first overall in the Eastern Conference (84 points), but they’ve lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 11 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals.

The Edmonton Oilers snapped a five-game losing skid by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1. Leon Draisaitl collected two assists to extend his points streak to 11 games, while Connor McDavid collected his 700th career assist for the Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 74 points. The Hurricanes hold second place in the Metropolitan Division (72 points) but have won only twice in their last eight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the only players in league history to reach 700 assists in less than 700 games.

Third-period goals by Timo Meier and Curtis Lazar lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 3-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Devils captain Nico Hischier scored to collect his 400th career point as the Devils sit third in the Metro Division with 72 points. Mikhail Sergachev replied for Utah (63 points) as they remain two points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold second place in the division because they hold a game in hand over the Devils.

Speaking of the Canucks, they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Seattle Kraken. Eeli Tolvanen scored two goals and Brandon Montour had a goal and an assist for the Kraken. Due to an undisclosed injury, Canucks captain Quinn Hughes didn’t play the final nine minutes of this game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said Hughes tweaked something and would be reevaluated on Sunday. The Canucks have dropped four of their last five games.

The Florida Panthers got a 23-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to blank the Calgary Flames 3-0, picking up their eighth win in their last 10 contests. Jonah Gadjovich, Evan Rodrigues and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers (77 points) as they reclaimed first place in the Atlantic Division. Daniel Vladar made 39 saves for the Flames (64 points), who remain one point behind the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vladar kept the score respectable for the Flames. The Panthers dominated this game.

St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Robert Thomas collected an assist to extend his points streak to nine games as the Blues (64 points) picked up their fourth straight win. They sit one point back of the Canucks in the Western wild-card race. Kevin Fiala scored for the Kings as they’re 0-2-1 in their last three games to remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points.

The Ottawa Senators snapped a five-game losing skid by defeating the San Jose Sharks 5-3. Tim Stutzle extended his points streak to 11 games with a goal and an assist, while Brady Tkachuk and Shane Pinto scored in their first games after returning from injuries. Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini each had two points for the Sharks as they’re 0-5-3 in their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators (64 points) are two points behind the Red Wings for the final Eastern wild-card berth. Sharks defenseman Henry Thrun missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak pushed his points streak to 17 games with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, ending a five-game losing skid. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 31 shots for the Bruins as they sit two points behind the Red Wings. Anthony Beauvillier and Rickard Rakell replied for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins captain Brad Marchand left this game with an upper-body injury after being hit from behind into the boards by Penguins defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. Marchand will be reevaluated on Sunday.

The Montreal Canadiens collected their fourth straight win by doubling up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Cole Caufield tallied a career-high 29th goal, while Lane Hutson and Christian Dvorak each collected two assists for the Canadiens (63 points) as they sit three back of the Wings in the Eastern wild-card chase. Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin was credited with a goal in a 7-4 win over the Nashville Predators. Brock Nelson tallied twice and had an assist as the Islanders (61 points) kept their playoff hopes alive, sitting five points behind the Red Wings. Cole Smith scored two goals for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sorokin is the 20th goaltender in NHL history to be credited with a goal and joins Billy Smith as the only Islanders netminders to do so.

The Philadelphia Flyers also stayed in the Eastern Conference wild-card race by upsetting the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in a shootout. Ivan Fedotov stopped 29 shots, Jamie Drysdale scored the tying goal and Matvei Michkov netted the winner for the Flyers (62 points). Mark Scheifele scored his 34th of the season for the Jets, who remain first in the overall standings with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele is on pace to eclipse his career-high of 42 goals in 2022-23.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato had two goals and an assist and Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and two assists to beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-3. Leo Carlsson tallied twice for the Ducks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl are the NHL Players of the Month for February 2025. Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov is the Rookie of the Month for February.

ROTOWIRE: The New York Rangers moved winger Chris Kreider (upper body) to injured reserve.