NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

by | Jan 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner and Victor Hedman reach notable offensive milestones. Read on for the details and much more from a busy Thursday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the only goal in a 1-0 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 25 saves for his second straight shutout victory as the Capitals picked up their third straight win to take over first place in the overall standings with 65 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots for the Senators (48 points) as their three-game win streak ended, leaving them one point behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 874 NHL regular-season goals, leaving him 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Merilainen became the 179th NHL goalie that Ovechkin has scored against, breaking Jaromir Jagr’s record of 178. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot missed this game as he’s day-to-day after taking a puck to the face during Tuesday’s 2-0 win over the New York Islanders.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit with four unanswered goals to nip the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied the game with his 20th goal of the season and Evan Bouchard tallied the game-winner as the Oilers moved into a tie with the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (61 points) in the Pacific Division. Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the sixth player in Oilers history to reach the 20-goal plateau nine times, joining Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier (10 times), Leon Draisaitl and Wayne Gretzky (nine times). The Oilers sit second in the Pacific because the Golden Knights hold a game in hand.

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Auston Matthews tallied twice and Mitch Marner had two assists for the Leafs, who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 58 points. Nico Hischier scored two goals and Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist for the Devils to extend their points streak to four games (1-0-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner became the fastest player to reach 700 points in Leafs history, reaching that milestone in 622 games, breaking Darryl Sittler’s record of 666. Leafs center John Tavares missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jake McCabe had two assists in his return from a four-game absence with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a shootout goal from Jake Guentzel to down the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Guentzel also scored in regulation while netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 34 shots for the Lightning. Troy Terry scored the tying goal in the third period and Lukas Dostal made 32 saves as the Ducks have one win in their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman collected an assist to become the first player in franchise history to reach the 600-assist milestone. Lighting blueliner Erik Cernak left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

Winnipeg Jets blueliner Dylan DeMelo scored with 27 seconds remaining in the third period to beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Mark Scheifele tied the game with his 27th goal of the season as the Jets are tied with the league-leading Capitals with 65 points. Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken, who’ve won twice in their last eight games (2-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeMelo was playing in his 600th NHL regular-season game. The Capitals hold first over the Jets with a game in hand.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected an assist to extend his home points streak to 18 games in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. James van Riemsdyk scored twice as the Blue Jackets (50 points) have won six straight and vaulted over the Boston Bruins in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Tyler Toffoli replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Considering everything the Blue Jackets have endured since last year (management and coaching changes, trading Patrik Laine, the sudden death of Johnny Gaudreau, and injuries to Boone Jenner, Erik Gudbranson and Sean Monahan), their surge into a playoff berth has been impressive. Even general manager Don Waddell is surprised by their performance in recent weeks.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 to extend their points streak to six games (5-0-1). Jakub Dobes made 32 stops to pick up their fourth straight win in as many starts while Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook and Joel Armia scored for the Canadiens (48 points) as they also sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jason Robertson scored for Dallas, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points. The Stars played without Roope Hintz, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars also unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

The First Team comprises forwards Mike Modano, Jamie Benn and Jere Lehtinen, defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Sergei Zubov, and goaltender Marty Turco. The Second Team comprised forwards Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Brenden Morrow, defensemen John Klingberg and Esa Lindell, and goaltender Ed Belfour.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot kicked out 41 shots (including 23 in the third period) in a 5-2 upset of the Florida Panthers. Dylan Larkin tallied twice and collected an assist while Lucas Raymond had two helpers as the Red Wings sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 46 points. Anton Lundell and Evan Rodrigues scored for the Panthers, who pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period after he gave up four goals on 15 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov received a notable honor from his home country of Finland. It was announced that the Finnish Association of Sports Journalists named Barkov its Sportsman of the Year for 2024, making him the first hockey player to receive that award.

The Los Angeles Kings thumped the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Alex Turcotte scored twice and set up another as the Kings took over third place in the Pacific Division with 55 points, ending a two-game losing skid. Filip Hronek scored for the Canucks, who have two wins in their last 10 games (2-5-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet wasn’t pleased with the performance of center J.T. Miller. “He’s struggling. He’s caught in between,” he said in his postgame interview. “You know, it seems like every time he’s on the ice, something bad happens.” Miller’s been the subject of trade rumors amid reports of a rift with center Elias Pettersson.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Reilly Smith, Chris Kreider and Artemin Panarin gave the New York Rangers a 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Panarin finished with two goals as the Rangers extended their points streak to six games (4-0-2) to sit four points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card spot. Matias Maccelli tallied twice for Utah, extending their losing skid to three games.

St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn scored twice and Dylan Holloway picked up two assists to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. The Blues swept the two-game series and are 7-3-0 in their last 10. Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who hold a one-point lead over the Blues and Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Philadelphia Flyers held off the New York Islanders 5-3. Sean Couturier had a goal and an assist while Travis Konecny had three assists for the Flyers, extending their points streak to four games (3-0-1) and sitting within three points of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Islanders captain Anders Lee scored his 20th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Ryan Poehling left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a hard hit from Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored his 300th NHL regular-season goal in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg also extended his goal streak to four games while teammate Steven Stamkos scored the winner in the shootout. Connor Bedard scored and Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists for the Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2025

by | Jan 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2025

Connor McDavid moves up among the Oilers’ all-time scoring leaders, the Sabres accomplish a unique feat, Leafs center John Tavares is injured during practice, Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry goes on waivers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid moved into second place among his club’s all-time leading scorers as his club defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-3. McDavid scored twice and collected an assist to move past Jari Kurri with 1,044 points while the Oilers picked up their seventh win in their last eight games. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the Wild as they’ve lost three of their last four games.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wayne Gretzky is the franchise leader with 1,669 points.

McDavid angered the Wild by going unpenalized for elbowing Marcus Johansson in the jaw during the second period. Johansson left the game with an upper-body injury.

Oilers winger Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the third straight game. He has 15 points in 40 games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Ryan McLeod collected his first NHL hat trick in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 35 shots and Jason Zucker collected two assists as the Sabres picked up their third win in their last four contests. Jacob Slavin and Martin Necas replied for the Hurricanes

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres accomplished a unique feat by scoring a goal without registering a shot during a full 20-minute period. The goal occurred in the final minute of the third period with the Sabres hanging onto a 3-2 lead.

As per Daily Faceoff, McLeod attempted a shot on the empty Hurricanes net but his stick snapped and didn’t make contact with the puck. Meanwhile, Carolina defenseman Brent Burns’ attempt to get the puck out of the slot caused him to trip McLeod. That resulted in what would’ve been a penalty shot, but with the net empty, became an automatic goal, giving McLeod a hat trick and the Sabres the win.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Wednesday.

The First Team consists of forwards Daniel Briere, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek, defensemen Brian Campbell and Rasmus Dahlin, and goaltender Ryan Miller.

The Second Team is comprised of forwards Chris Drury, Derek Roy and Jack Eichel, defensemen Jay McKee and Tyler Myers, and goaltender Dominik Hasek.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center John Tavares left practice on Wednesday favoring his right leg after getting tangled up with defenseman Chris Tanev. Head coach Craig Berube said Tavares was still being evaluated and he’s hoping he’ll be okay. Meanwhile, defenseman Jake McCabe took part in his first full practice after missing the last four games with an upper-body injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed goaltender Tristan Jarry on waivers and plan on assigning him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. They have called up netminder Joel Blomqvist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unlikely that a rival club will pluck Jarry off waivers. He has a record of 8-8-4 with a 3.31 goals-against average and a save percentage of .886. Jarry also carries an average annual value of $5.375 million through 2027-28.

NESN: Boston Bruins president Cam Neely said his club is looking at two approaches leading up to the March 7 trade deadline. They could be buyers or they could be “retooling a little bit” depending on where they are in the standings by the deadline. They’re holding one of the two wild-card berths in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ll likely be retooling if their play throughout the first half is anything to go by. Their lack of a reliable first-line center is a significant factor in their struggles this season. However, they might have to wait until the offseason to address that need.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings winger Alex Laferriere has been sidelined by an upper-body ailment. A further update on his status is expected later this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 23-year-old Laferriere has had a solid sophomore season with 13 goals and 26 points in 41 games.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic was fined $1,996.53 by the NHL’s department of player safety for cross-checking Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk.

Utah Hockey Club center Jack McBain was fined $4,166.67 for high-sticking Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher.

RG.ORG: The upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off is forcing NHL general managers to move up their timelines to prepare for the March 7 trade deadline. The tournament takes place from Feb. 12-20, with 28 of the 32 NHL teams being off from Feb. 9-22, leaving the general managers less than two weeks to prepare for the trade deadline.

Teams are moving up their pro scouting meetings to narrow down their trade boards.

TSN: The Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks made a minor trade on Wednesday, with the Jets acquiring defenseman Isaak Phillips from the Blackhawks for defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2025

by | Jan 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2025

The Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski’s home points streak puts him in elite company, Canadiens rookie Lane Hutson extends his lead in the rookie points race, the Bruins reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored twice to extend his home points streak to 17 games in a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored in a shootout as the Blue Jackets won their fifth straight game. Bobby Brinks and Owen Tippett replied for the Flyers as their two-game win streak ended.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski’s streak puts him in elite company among NHL defensemen. He joins Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Ray Bourque and John Van Boxmeer with the longest home points streaks (17-plus games). Orr remains the all-time leader with 25 games. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets (48 points) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected three assists to widen his lead in the rookie scoring race as his club downed the Utah Hockey Club 5-3. Kirby Dach scored twice and Cole Caufield tallied the winning goal for the Canadiens, who’ve won 10 of their last 13 games (10-2-1) and sit two points behind the Blue Jackets. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each collected two assists for Utah as they’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson leads all rookies with 35 points, four points ahead of Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers and Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks.

Canadiens winger Emil Heineman was struck by a car while walking in Salt Lake City and will be sidelined for three to four weeks recovering from his injuries. Meanwhile, Utah HC activated John Marino off injured reserve for this game. The 27-year-old defenseman was making his season debut with Utah after recovering from back surgery. He was acquired from the New Jersey Devils last June.

The Nashville Predators won their 1,000th game with a 5-3 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Steven Stamkos scored twice and collected an assist and Jonathan Marchessault got an assist in his first game against his former team since signing with the Predators last summer. Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev collected his first NHL hat trick as his club has dropped three of its last four games.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson made 19 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 3-0, extending their points streak to eight games (5-0-3). Brandon Duhaime, John Carlson, and Ethen Frank were the goalscorers for the Capitals as they hold first place in the overall standings with 63 points. The Ducks have dropped four of their last five contests (1-3-1).

A natural hat trick by Kyle Connor within a 6:38 span in the first period carried the Winnipeg Jet to a 6-1 romp over the Vancouver Canucks. Connor also collected an assist while Gabriel Vilardi collected three helpers. Nils Hoglander scored for the struggling Canucks as they’ve lost five of their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets also have 63 points but the Capitals hold a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Canucks (48 points) remain one point behind the Calgary Flames, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Speaking of the Flames, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the St. Louis Blues. Radek Faksa broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period and Jordan Binnington stopped 26 shots as the Blues sit three points behind the Flames and two behind the Canucks. Kevin Bahl scored for the Flames.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to reach his league-leading 70th point as his team rallied from a 2-1 deficit to nip the New York Rangers 3-2. Artturi Lehkonen scored with 1:13 remaining in regulation and Devon Toews tallied the winning goal in overtime for the Avalanche. Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom scored for the Rangers, extending their points streak to five games (3-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers activated Chris Kreider (upper body) off injured reserve for this game. Blueshirts center Filip Chytil returned to action after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

The Boston Bruins built an early 4-0 lead on their way to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightnings. David Pastrnak scored his 20th goal of the season and collected two assists and Jeremy Swayman kicked out 43 shots as the Bruins won their second straight game. Connor Geekie and Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning center Brayden Point was scratched from this game for missing a team meeting earlier in the day. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Mark Kastelic on injured reserve, blueliner Hampus Lindholm on long-term injury reserve, and recalled center Matthew Poitras and defenseman Michael Callahan from their AHL affiliate in Providence.

Dallas Stars forwards Matt Duchene and Logan Stankoven each had three points to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Jake Oettinger turned aside 27 shots for the Stars, who’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Auston Matthews scored for the Leafs, who were booed off the ice by their fans following this game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Shootout goals by Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Jesper Boqvist scored in regulation for the Panthers while Nico Hischier tallied his 20th of the season for the Devils.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Marilainen made 24 saves for his second shutout in three games in a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders. Adam Gaudette and Artem Zub scored for the Senators, who’ve won three straight and sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Marcus Hogberg stopped 25 shots for the Islanders as their three-game win streak is over.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left this game in the first period after being struck in the face by a shot from Islanders blueliner Adam Pelech. He was ruled out of the rest of this game for precautionary reasons.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Jamie Oleksiak, Eeli Tovanen and Kaapo Kakko lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2. Philip Tomasino and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins, who have one win in their last eight (1-4-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated Evgeni Malkin from injured reserve after missing four games with an upper-body injury and sent winger Jesse Puljujarvi to their AHL affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton. The Penguins also released a statement indicating Malkin’s home was burglarized on Saturday and his three Stanley Cup rings were stolen.

The San Jose Sharks clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and two assists for the Sharks while Vladimir Tarasenko tallied twice for the Red Wings, who also lost forward Tyler Motte in the second period to an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

Forward Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, and goaltender Tim Thomas comprised the First Team.

Forwards Joe Thornton, David Pastrnak and Milan Lucic, defensemen Torey Krug and Dennis Seidenberg, and goaltender Tuukka Rask made up the Second Team.

The schedule for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the full team rosters were released on Tuesday. The series will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston with teams of NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for slew-footing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid during Monday’s game between the two teams.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL defenseman Tony DeAngelo’s contract with KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg was terminated for family reasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2025

by | Jan 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2025

Notable milestones for Connor McDavid, Connor Bedard and Flames rookie Rory Kerins, the Flyers reveal their Quarter-Century team, the three stars of the week are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid celebrated his 28th birthday by scoring the game’s only goal in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Stuart Skinner turned in a 30-save shutout as the Oilers collected their sixth win in their last seven games, sitting in second place in the Pacific Division with 57 points. Darcy Kuemper stopped 29 shots for the Kings, who remain four points behind the Oilers in third place in the division.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid tied Glenn Anderson for the most game-winning goals (72) in franchise history.

Chicago Blackhawks sophomore center Connor Bedard scored to reach his 100th NHL point but his club fell 5-2 to the Calgary Flames. Calgary rookie Rory Kerins collected two assists in the first period, becoming the fifth rookie in Flames history with multiple assists in his NHL debut. Jakob Pelletier scored twice and set up another as the Flames won three straight, vaulting over the Vancouver Canucks into the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 49 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks remain mired at the bottom of the NHL standings. Bedard expressed his frustration again as the losses kept mounting.

“It’s been hard. It’s been a lot of games to lose. It weighs on you,” Bedard said following the game. “Yeah, I mean, just keep trying to find a way, trying to get better every day. But it’s hard.”

Bedard wants to win and help the Blackhawks return to their glory days. The Blackhawks brought in veteran players to take pressure off him and his young teammates as they develop their game. However, management must do more to alleviate that burden. Being in contention to win the draft lottery every year is not the best path forward.

Flames forward Martin Pospisil received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall midway through the second period.

The Philadelphia Flyers got two goals from Noah Cates to upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. Cates snapped a 3-3 tie midway through the third period as the Flyers overcame a 3-1 deficit. Sam Reinhart scored twice for the Panthers to move into second place in the league goalscoring race with 27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Monday.

The First Team comprises forwards Claude Giroux, Simon Gagne, and Mike Richards, defensemen Eric Desjardins and Kimmo Timonen, and goaltender Roman Cechmanek. The Second Team comprises forwards Sean Couturier, Jakub Voracek and Daniel Briere, defensemen Chris Pronger and Ivan Provorov, and goalie Brian Boucher.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes, and right wing Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings are the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 12, 2025.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar denied recent reports claiming team captain Gabriel Landeskog’s comeback attempt was hampered by swelling in his surgically repaired knee. The Avs also reactivated goaltender Scott Wedgewood off injured reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog’s last NHL game was Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. He’s undergone two knee surgeries since then and is working on resuming his NHL career.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators owner Michael Andlauer completed the sale of the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs to Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman and his family. Andlauer is focusing solely on the Senators. It’s believed he received $20 million for the Bulldogs.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek has returned from his AHL conditioning stint. He’s a game-day decision for tonight’s contest against the Winnipeg Jets. The Canucks placed defenseman Erik Brannstrom on waivers.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Zach Aston-Reese to a one-year extension worth $775K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2025

by | Jan 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2025

The Red Wings extend their win streak, Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel are the latest Lightning players to score 20 goals this season, the Hurricanes honor Eric Staal and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A four-goal first period powered the Detroit Red Wings to a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken, extending their win streak to seven games. Patrick Kane (one goal, one assist) and Alex DeBrincat (one goal) extended their points streak to seven games. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Matty Beniers replied for the Kraken, who’ve dropped five of their last six games.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The last time the Red Wings had a seven-game win streak was from Jan. 12-23, 2012. They’re 7-1-0 since Todd McLellan took over as head coach. With 44 points, they’re two behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and set up another as his club defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and an assist and Jonas Johansson stopped 31 shots as the Lightning sit third in the Atlantic Division with 49 points. Rickard Rakell and Kevin Hayes scored for the Penguins, who remain two points behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov and Hagel joined Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel with 20 goals each on the Lightning this season. That’s the most of any team thus far. Cirelli will soon make it five as he has 17 goals.

Penguins winger Michael Bunting was involved in a car accident on Sunday afternoon. He and everyone involved are okay, but he missed this game. The Penguins also moved center Evgeni Malkin and reactivated winger Philip Tomasino.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Cutter Gauthier tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, and Lukas Dostal made 35 saves for the win. The Hurricanes overcame a 2-0 deficit as Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis scored in the third period to force the extra period. The Ducks ended a three-game winless skid (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes honored Eric Staal in a pregame ceremony, retiring his No. 12 jersey. Staal spent 12 of his 18 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2006. He’s third among their franchise leaders with 909 games played and sits second with 322 goals, 453 assists and 775 points.

The Hurricanes also activated defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere off injured reserve for this game and placed blueliner Ty Smith on waivers. Gostisbehere missed seven games with an upper-body injury.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Keegan Kolesar, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Dorofeyev finished the night with two goals and an assist as the Golden Knights regained first place in the overall standings with 61 points. Ryan Hartman replied for the Wild, who sit third in the Eastern Conference with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild backup goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury got an emotional standing ovation from the crowd in what could be his final game in Las Vegas against his former team. Fleury spent four seasons with the Golden Knights, backstopping them to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and winning the Vezina Trophy in 2020-21. He is expected to retire following this season.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Dallas Stars 3-2. Josh Norris, Tim Stutzle and Matthew Highmore were the goalscorers and Leevi Merilainen turned aside 24 shots as the Senators (45 points) sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jacob Robertson and Evgenii Dadonov replied for the Stars as their seven-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators general manager Steve Staios spoke with the media on Sunday, expressing optimism over the club’s performance thus far.

Staios doesn’t have a timeline for sidelined goalie Linus Ullmark and winger David Perron to return to action but anticipates they could be back “in the near future.” He also believes they have sufficient goaltending depth to weather Ullmark’s absence.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2025

by | Jan 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck reach new milestones. Get the details plus recaps from a busy Saturday in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored an empty-netter for his 873rd NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ovechkin added an assist to finish with two points while Logan Thompson got the win with a 32-save performance as the Capitals regained first place in the overall standings with 61 points. Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators, who’ve dropped five of their last seven games.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 22 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. He also joined Gordie Howe and Ron Francis as the only players in NHL history to record 20 20-goal seasons. Howe is the all-time leader with 22 seasons. Before this game, the Capitals placed goalie Charlie Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled netminder Hunter Shepard.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his league-leading sixth shutout of the season to blank the Colorado Avalanche 3-0. Nikolaj Ehlers scored two goals and Mark Scheifele collected his team-leading 25th goal. Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for the Avalanche as they dropped into the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck tied his franchise record for most shutouts in a season and tied Craig Anderson for the third-most shutouts by an American goaltender (43) in NHL history. He trailed Jonathan Quick (62) and Ryan Miller (44). The Jets lead the Western Conference with 61 points but sit second in the overall standings as the Capitals have a game in hand.

An overtime goal by David Pastrnak lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Pastrnak finished with 2 goals and an assist while Jeremy Swayman kicked out 40 shots for the Bruins as they snapped a six-game winless skid (0-5-1) and cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 47 points. Sam Reinhart tallied twice for the Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 53 points.

The Seattle Kraken scored six unanswered goals to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. Kaapo Kakko led the way with two goals while Joey Daccord turned aside 33 shots as the Kraken ended a four-game winless streak (0-3-1). Sam Lafferty and Jack Quinn scored for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko had 10 points in 30 games before the New York Rangers traded him last month to Seattle. He has seven points in 10 games with the Kraken.

Ottawa Senators rookie goaltender Leevi Merilainen made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 5-0 rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Claude Giroux collected three assists for the Senators as they ended a four-game winless stretch (0-3-1). Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic gave up five goals on 17 shots and was replaced by Tristan Jarry in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 43 points, the Senators are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, sitting one point back of the Penguins.

The Vancouver Canucks blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0. Kevin Lankinen stopped 20 shots for the shutout while Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood tallied for the Canucks (48 points) as they maintained their grip on the final Western wild-card berth and ended a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). It’s the Leafs second straight defeat following a five-game win streak but they remain first in the Atlantic Division with 56 points.

A shootout goal by Jason Robertson gave the Dallas Stars a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jamie Benn scored in regulation and Jake Oettinger stopped 30 shots to extend their win streak to seven games. Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored his ninth power-play goal of the season as he returned to action after missing four games with flu-like symptoms while Samuel Montembault kicked out 34 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens and Penguins each have 44 points, leaving both clubs two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Montreal’s win streak ended at three games but they have points in their last four contests.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves made 31 saves as his club extended their win streak to a season-high four games with a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets. Colton Parayko replied for the Blues, who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

The New Jersey Devils got an overtime goal by Stefan Noesen to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Ondrej Palat and Jack Hughes scored in regulation for the Devils while Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning.

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson made 22 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 6-0. Travis Konecny had four assists while Jamie Drysdale had a goal and an assist against his former club. Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier was heavily booed and jeered by Flyers fans in his first game in Philadelphia. His refusal to play for the Flyers led to his trade to the Ducks for Drysdale last January.

A third-period goal by Zach Hyman capped a three-goal rally by the Edmonton Oilers in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin each collected two points as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 55 points. Nick Foligno and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the second time in seven games. The 32-year-old has seven goals and 15 points in 40 games, putting him on pace for one of his lowest-scoring seasons.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal scored with 1:25 remaining in the third period to lift his team over the Utah Hockey Club by a score of 2-1. Brock Nelson scored the tying goal earlier in the third period after Nick Schmaltz opened the scoring for Utah in the second period. The Islanders have won three straight while Utah is 1-2-1 in their last four.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders starter Ilya Sorokin missed this game due to illness. Jakub Skarek was called up as an emergency backup for Marcus Hogberg.

The Calgary Flames held off the Los Angeles Kings 2-1, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf turned aside 31 shots while Matt Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau were the goal scorers as the Flames (47 points) remain one point behind the Canucks for the final Western wild-card berth. Jacob Moverare scored for the Kings, who remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames unveiled their Quarter Century Team before this game.

The First Team comprises forwards Jarome Iginla, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, defensemen Mark Giordano and Robyn Regehr, and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

Forwards Sean Monahan, Craig Conroy and Mikael Backlund, blueliners Rasmus Andersson and Dion Phaneuf, and goaltender Jacob Markstrom made up the Second Team.

New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots while Vincent Trocheck and Adam Edstrom scored in a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Mark Stone opened the scoring for Vegas, who’ve lost two straight but remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 59 points. The Rangers are 4-1-1 in their last six contests.

The Minnesota Wild got a 36-save performance by Marc-Andre Fleury to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who’ve won five of their last six games. William Eklund replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped three straight.