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.










NHL Trades – March 1, 2025

by | Mar 1, 2025

NHL Trades – March 1, 2025

Panthers Acquire Seth Jones From The Blackhawks

The Florida Panthers acquired defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for goaltender Spencer Knight, a conditional first-round pick in 2026 and Chicago’s fourth-round pick in 2026.

Chicago Blackhawks traded defenseman Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers(NHL Images).

The Blackhawks retain 26 percent of Jones’ $9.5 million average annual value through 2029-30 ($2.5 million).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whenever we think an expensive contract is too difficult to move, two general managers find a creative way to make it work.

Jones spoke with Blackhawks management over a week ago about the possibility of a trade. The 30-year-old defenseman forced the issue earlier this week by criticizing the club’s play during a 2-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club. He waived his no-movement clause to facilitate this move.

The Panthers had to improve their blueline depth if they intend to successfully defend the Stanley Cup this spring. Jones should address that issue. He is a big-minute, puck-moving defenseman with a right-hand shot who will line up alongside Niko Mikkola on their second defense pairing. He could also become an insurance policy for the Panthers if Aaron Ekblad departs via free agency on July 1.

Sending Knight to Chicago freed up his $4.5 million cap hit from the Panthers’ books, making it possible (with the Blackhawks retaining some salary) to acquire Jones. The deal leaves them with just over $629K in projected trade deadline cap space. Chris Dreidger will replace Knight as their backup goaltender.

Trading Jones to Florida leaves a gaping hole on the Blackhawks’ blueline while gaining another goaltender. They were using Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom as their goalie tandem with Laurent Brossoit sidelined by knee surgery for the season.

Knight has another season remaining on his contract. They could demote Soderblom to their AHL affiliate, but he’s not waiver-exempt. Perhaps one of them (other than Brossoit) will be dealt to another club by the March 7 deadline.

Rangers Trade Lindgren to Avalanche In Multiplayer Deal

The New York Rangers traded defenseman Ryan Lindgren, forward Jimmy Vesey and prospect defenseman Hank Kampf to the Colorado Avalanche for center Juuso Parssinen, defenseman Calvin de Haan, a conditional 2025 second-round pick and a conditional 2025 fourth-rounder.

The Rangers retained 50 percent of Lindgren’s $4.5 million cap hit.

New York Rangers trade  defenseman Ryan Lindgren to the Colorado Avalanche (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth major trade made by the Rangers since Dec.6. The previous three deals saw Jacob Trouba shipped to Anaheim, Kaapo Kakko dealt to Seattle, and Filip Chytil sent to Vancouver.

As of March 1, the Rangers are four points out of the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. However, this move suggests that general manager Chris Drury is looking ahead to next season. Lindgren and Vesey are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

This is the second time the 23-year-old Parssinen has been traded this season. The Avalanche acquired him in December from the Nashville Predators. He has 11 points in 37 games split between those two clubs seeking checking-line duty and is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. Meanwhile, the 33-year-old de Haan is UFA-eligible this summer. He had seven points in 44 games.

The Avalanche made this move to shore up their roster for the playoffs. Lindgren is a defensive-minded blueliner who will likely slot in on their third defense pairing. Vesey could play left wing on their third or fourth line.

Nyquist to the Wild

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Nashville Predators held forward Gustav Nyquist out of the lineup for Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders. They’re discussing a trade with the Minnesota Wild, but the deal has yet to go through.

**UPDATE** The Wild acquired Nyquist from the Predators in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick. The Predators retained 50 percent of the 35-year-old forward’s $3.185 million cap hit. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild sought affordable scoring depth ahead of the trade deadline. Nyquist has 21 points in 57 games this season with the Predators but tallied 75 points in 2023-24. Perhaps the change of scenery will boost his production.

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus believes they need more than a third-line forward, but they’re running out of tradeable assets to add someone else. This is likely the only significant move the Wild can afford to make before March 7.

Meanwhile, this move gives the Predators an extra second-rounder in next year’s draft to retain for themselves or use as a trade chip to add an established player. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2025

by | Mar 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games plus the latest on Brady Tkachuk, Kirby Dach, Nick Foligno and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Roope Hintz collected a career-best four assists, Jason Robertson had three points, Logan Stankoven tallied twice, and Wyatt Johnston scored to extend his home points streak to 11 games for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 78 points. Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore replied for the Kings as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points.

Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz. (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton scored twice and set up another as his club overcame a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Minnesota Wild 5-2. Oliver Kylington picked up two assists for the Avalanche as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 72 points. Mats Zuccarello and Vinnie Hinostroza scored for the slumping Wild as they dropped their third straight game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up their fourth straight win by nipping the New York Rangers 3-2. Matthew Knies broke a 2-2 tie in the third period, William Nylander netted his 34th goal of the season, and Anthony Stolarz made 33 saves as the Leafs regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 76 points. Mika Zibanejad had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who remain four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Leafs announced they had placed winger Max Pacioretty on injured reserve. 

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is confirmed to return to action when his club faces the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Tkachuk has been sidelined since the 4 Nations Face-Off with a lower-body injury. Sidelined forwards Josh Norris and Shane Pinto took part in practice on Friday and appear poised to return to the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators need a boost to get them out of their five-game losing skid. Like the Rangers, they’re four points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Kirby Dach underwent successful surgery on his right knee in Montreal earlier this week. He will miss the remainder of this season but is expected to be fully recovered for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the same knee Dach had surgically repaired in October 2023. This latest injury raises questions over his once-promising future with the Canadiens.

DAILY FACEOFF: Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly has been cleared for contact as he continues his recovery from last November’s heart surgery.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues signed defenseman Tyler Tucker to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $925K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 28, 2025

by | Feb 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 28, 2025

A five-point game for Utah’s Clayton Keller, the Predators end the Jets’ win streak, the Oilers drop their fifth straight, the Blue Jackets beat the Red Wings ahead of Saturday’s Stadium Series game, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Utah Hockey Club winger Clayton Keller had a career-high five points (one goal, four assists) in a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists for Utah (63 points) as they moved within two points of the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Frederick Gaudreau scored for the Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 72 points.

Utah Hockey Club winger Clayton Keller (NHL Images).

The Nashville Predators ended the Winnipeg Jets’ franchise-record win streak at 11 games with a 2-1 victory. Juuse Saros made 24 saves, while Filip Forsberg and Tommy Novak scored for the Predators. Neal Pionk replied for the Jets, who remain first overall in the standings with 87 points.

Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists to hold off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3, handing the latter their fifth straight loss. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 shots for the Panthers as they vaulted over the Toronto Maple Leafs into first place in the Atlantic Division with 75 points. Leon Drasaitl tallied his league-leading 44th goal and Zach Hyman netted his 20th as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton captain Connor McDavid has been struggling since scoring the tournament-winning goal for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. He admits he hasn’t played up to his usual standard, managing three assists in his club’s last four games. Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, sidelined Oilers winger Evander Kane’s full no-trade clause reverts to a 16-team no-trade list on Feb. 28.

The Columbus Blue Jackets scored four second-period goals en route to a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings ahead of their Stadium Series game on Saturday in Columbus. James van Riemsdyk scored two goals and Boone Jenner collected three assists as the Jackets picked up their third straight win. They hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 66 points and 29 regulation wins. J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (66 points), who hold the first wild-card spot with 30 regulation wins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The two teams will face off on Saturday before an estimated 90,000 fans at Ohio Stadium. Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan wasn’t pleased with the performance of several of his core players, singling out team captain Dylan Larkin among the no-shows.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg scored twice as his club defeated the Washington Capitals 5-2. Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist while teammate Brayden Schenn played in his 1,000th regular-season NHL game as the Blues (62 points) sit three points behind the Canucks in the Western wild-card race. Connor McMichael had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who’ve lost two straight games but remain first overall in the Eastern Conference with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brayden Schenn joined his brother, Predators defenseman Luke Schenn, as the 10th siblings in NHL history to play 1,000 games. Luke played his 1,000th game on Oct. 17th against the Oilers.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Ryan Strome and Troy Terry each had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Tyler Myers had a goal and an assist for the Canucks as they cling to the final Western wild-card berth with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks defenseman Noah Juulsen is set to undergo season-ending hernia surgery. He’s been out since Feb. 2. The Ducks added winger Robby Fabbri (upper body) to their injured reserve list.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a 27-save shutout from Andrei Vasilevskiy to blank the Calgary Flames 3-0. Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman each had two points as the Lightning picked up their seventh straight win (72 points), moving within two points of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. The Flames remain one point behind the Canucks in the Western wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning learned that backup goaltender Jonas Johansson will be ready for action by as early as next Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since Jan. 28 with a knee injury.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Taylor Hall scored his first goal with the Hurricanes since he and Rantanen joined the team on Feb. 24. Carolina sits second in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points. Alex Tuch and JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.

The Vegas Golden Knights scored five first-period goals on their way to a 7-5 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. Ivan Barbashev scored twice and collected two assists, Keegan Kolesar tallied two goals, and Jack Eichel collected an assist to set the Golden Knights’ single-season franchise record with 51 assists. Vegas holds first place in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy had three assists and forward Frank Nazar had two helpers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno left the game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no post-game update on his status.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin kicked out 38 shots to nip the Boston Bruins 2-1. Alexander Romanov and Kyle Palmieri scored for the Isles. Boston winger David Pastrnak scored, extending his points streak to 16 games while reaching the 800-point plateau. However, the loss left the Bruins (62 points) four points behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins announced that forward Trent Frederic is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. They also placed forward Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers.

The Montreal Canadiens kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-3 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks. Cole Caufield tallied the winning goal, while Nick Suzuki scored twice and collected an assist as the Canadiens (61 points) won their third straight game and sit five points back of the Blue Jackets. Will Smith and Alexander Wennberg each had two points for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected his 40th assist in this game, becoming the first rookie defenseman to reach that milestone in less than 60 games since Hall-of-Famer Nicklas Lidstrom in 1991-92.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored the tying and winning goals as his club overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in overtime. Malkin also had two assists on the night, while Erik Karlsson scored two goals and picked up an assist. Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov also had two goals and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins came to life after goalie Alex Nedeljkovic ripped into his teammates and coaches after he was pulled from the game with the Flyers leading 3-0. Penguins forward Michael Bunting missed this game after undergoing appendix surgery and is sidelined indefinitely.

Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway was helped from the ice in the second period after receiving a blindside hit from Penguins forward Bokondji Imama, who was penalized for interference.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 27, 2025

by | Feb 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 27, 2025

The Jets extend their win streak to 11 games, Nathan MacKinnon regains the lead in the scoring race, and updates on Roman Josi, Miro Heiskanen, Adam Fox and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets extended their franchise-record win streak to 11 games by defeating the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist, Mark Scheifele tallied his team-leading 33rd of the season, and Connor Hellebucyk made 24 saves for his league-leading 36th win. The Jets opened a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals in the overall standings with 87 points. Thomas Chabot scored and Linus Ullmark made 36 saves for the Senators as their losing skid reached five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 62 points, the Senators remain two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. They’re feeling the absence of forwards Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris and Shane Pinto, who remain sidelined by injuries.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice in the third period in a 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. MacKinnon also collected an assist to finish with three points, regaining the lead in the NHL scoring race with 90 points. Martin Necas had three assists and Cale Makar collected two as the Avalanche snapped a two-game losing skid. They hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 70 points. Jack Hughes replied for the Devils as they remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a three-point lead over Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl. Necas has quickly developed a strong offensive chemistry with MacKinnon since being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 24, collecting 12 points in 11 games since the trade. The Avs also welcomed back Valeri Nichushkin. He’d been sidelined with a lower-body injury since Dec. 31.

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Forward Conor Garland tallied twice, including the winner in overtime. Nils Hoglander also scored, Filip Chytil had two assists and Quinn Hughes picked up an assist in his return to the Canucks lineup after missing six games with an undisclosed injury. Adrian Kempe and Warren Foegele scored as the Kings overcame a 2-0 deficit to force the extra period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win vaulted the Canucks over the Calgary Flames into the final Western wild-card spot with 65 points, while the Kings are third in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Meanwhile, Vancouver winger Brock Boeser is frustrated over the lack of progress in contract extension talks with management, prompting speculation that he could be traded if the Canucks stumble in the playoff race.

HEADLINES

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi is listed as day-to-day as he continues to be evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers.

TSN: The Predators made a minor trade on Wednesday, acquiring forward Jesse Ylonen from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Anthony Angello. Both are playing in the American Hockey League (AHL).

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars general manager Jim Nill said his club will probably get a clearer timeline on defenseman Miro Heiskanen’s recovery from knee surgery by mid-to-late March. Heiskanen underwent surgery on Feb. 4 and was listed as month-to-month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s assumed the Stars could place Heiskanen on long-term injury reserve, freeing up his $8.45 million cap hit to put toward adding players before the March 7 trade deadline. However, that only works if they know for certain that he’ll be sidelined for the rest of the regular season. Otherwise, they would have to free up space to be cap-compliant when he returned to action.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (upper body) was placed on injured reserve. He’ll be out for at least seven days but is expected to return before the end of the regular season.

Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson will return to action on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. He’s been out since Jan. 20 with a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He will remain with the team but isn’t expected to suit up for Friday’s game against the Rangers.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers reclaimed defenseman Travis Dermott off waivers from the Minnesota Wild, who claimed him from the Oilers on Dec. 13.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Wild acquired forward Tyler Madden from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for defenseman Joseph Cecconi. Both players will report to their new teams’ respective AHL affiliates.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed forward Matt Nieto on waivers.