NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2024

by | Nov 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2024

Big multipoint games for the Stars’ Mason Marchment and the Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki, the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2024 are formally inducted, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment had a five-point performance (one goal, four assists) as his club thumped the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-1. Four of those points came in the first period as the Stars took a 6-0 lead. Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists while Miro Heiskanen scored two goals for the Stars. Penguins goalie Joel Blomqvist got the hook after giving up three goals on eight shots.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins set a franchise record for the most goals given up in the opening period of a home game.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored twice and collected two assists in a wild back-and-forth contest to lead his club to a 7-5 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield tallied two goals and teammate Juraj Slafkovsky picked up three assists as their club snapped a six-game losing skid (0-5-1). Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Tage Thompson and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson left this game with lower-body injuries.

Following the game, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen suffered an ailment during practice on Sunday that may have affected his performance. Luukkonen was pulled from this game after giving up four goals on 18 shots. Canadiens netminder Cayden Primeau didn’t fare any better, getting the hook in the third period after allowing five goals on 14 shots.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2, handing the latter their first home loss of the season. Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 30 shots for his seventh straight win while Jordan Staal, Eric Robinson and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each had a goal and an assist. Golden Knights netminder Adin Hill allowed four goals on 21 shots and was replaced by Akira Schmid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina forward Martin Necas picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games. Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

An overtime goal by Samuel Girard lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Girard finished the game with two points while Alexandar Georgiev turned aside 29 shots for the win. Predators netminder Juuse Saros also stopped 29 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The struggling Predators have one win in their last five games (1-3-1).

Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf kicked out 28 shots as his club downed the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. The Flames got goals from Mikael Backlund and Jonathan Huberdeau 38 seconds apart in the second period. Trevor Moore scored for the Kings before the Flames’ Kevin Rooney put the game out of reach with an empty-net goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames announced earlier in the day that winger Anthony Mantha will undergo season-ending knee surgery.

A shootout goal by Travis Konecny gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov had a goal and an assist and also tallied in the shootout rounds. Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers placed defenseman Jamie Drysdale (upper body) on injured reserve and activated Ryan Poehling from IR for this game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Former NHL stars Pavel Datsyuk, Jeremy Roenick and Shea Weber were among the Class of 2024 formally inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the players’ category on Monday. Former Nashville Predators general manager David Poile and NHL executive Colin Campbell were inducted into the builders category. US women’s hockey stars Krissy Wendell-Pohl and Natalie Darwitz were also inducted into the players’ category.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Class of 2024.

Datsyuk is the 10th player from the Red Wings’ 2002 Stanley Cup team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Weber and Poile are the first members of the Predators to go into the Hall.

Roenick thanked his former Phoenix Coyotes teammate Keith Tkachuk, expressing the hope that Tkachuk would one day join him in the Hall. He also got emotional while thanking former San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson for reaching out during a low point near the end of Roenick’s career, giving him a chance to reach the 500-goal plateau with the Sharks.

CALGARY SUN: Hockey Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald offered a heartfelt tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau in a somber moment during the induction ceremony. The Gaudreaus were killed in August by an alleged drunk driver.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen were the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 10, 2024.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (upper-body injury) remains day-to-day and is unlikely to face the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. The Leafs also placed winger Max Pacioretty (lower-body injury) on IR.

OTTAWA SUN: Speaking of the Senators, center Shane Pinto will return to the lineup against the Leafs. He’s been sidelined by an undisclosed injury since playing his last game on Oct. 22.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins winger David Pastrnak revealed he was sidelined for two-to-three weeks after playing for Czechia in the 2024 World Championship in May. He admitted he didn’t feel right entering Bruins training camp in September but insists he’s felt much better over the last couple of games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would account for Pastrnak’s goal-scoring difficulties this season. He has 14 points in 16 games but only six goals.

Speaking of the Bruins, they returned center Matthew Poitras to their AHL affiliate in Providence.

DAILY FACEOFF: Chicago Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Matt Benning, and Colorado Avalanche goalie Kaapo Kahkonen were placed on waivers on Monday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2024

by | Nov 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2024

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Blue Jackets claim Dante Fabbro off waivers, an injury update from the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks got a 44-save shutout performance from goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to blank the New Jersey Devils 1-0. Nico Sturm got the only goal when his backhand pass from behind the net deflected off the skate of former Shark Timo Meier. Devils netminder Jake Allen stopped 26 shots.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Jake Walman missed his second-straight game with an upper-body injury. The Sharks also made Will Smith a healthy scratch for the fourth time this season. The 19-year-old rookie center has two goals and an assist in 12 games.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson kicked out 38 shots in his season debut as his team doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Leo Carlsson scored the game-winner in the third period as the Ducks snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Yegor Chinakhov and Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets as their winless streak reached five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An emergency appendectomy forced Gibson from the lineup at the start of the season.

An overtime goal by Philipp Kurashev lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-1 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Jason Dickinson opened the scoring for the Blackhawks but the Wild tied it on a goal by Matt Boldy. Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek made 32 saves for the win.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE TENNESSEAN/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets claimed defenseman Dante Fabbro off waivers from the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Fabbro, 26, was a first-round pick of the Predators in 2016. He has 72 points in 315 games.

Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell released a statement explaining the move. “Dante Fabbro is a puck-moving defenseman who can play in all situations, and adds mobility and depth to our backend.”

Fabbro carries a salary-cap hit of $2.5 million and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fabbro will join the Blue Jackets in Seattle for their game against the Kraken on Tuesday. He struggled to establish himself as a top-four defenseman in Nashville but will get plenty of playing time with the rebuilding Blue Jackets. A solid performance in Columbus could also make him a valuable rental asset by the March 7 trade deadline.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins announced forward Cody Glass has been diagnosed with a concussion. There is no timeline for his return.

They also announced forward Kevin Hayes will be sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks called up top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki. The 20-year-old winger was chosen 15th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ recent trade of winger Daniel Sprong to the Kraken was seen as setting the table for Lekkerimaki’s call-up.

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer cites an NHL executive who said goaltender interference will be among the topics of discussion during an upcoming one-day meeting of NHL general managers.

The GMs seek a better understanding of the current standard and clarification of how goalie interference is ruled. “Guys usually ask; we just want to know the rule to tell our video coaches what to expect,” said the executive. “Everyone’s human. There are mistakes. We would just like clarification on the rule.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been plenty of questions and criticism regarding goalie interference this season. The most notable came from Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Last week, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner publicly expressed frustration over the lack of clarity and consistency. As a member of the NHL competition committee, Hellebuyck had sought clarification of the rule but now feels he may have to pass that role on to a young netminder.

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Tim Graham examines why former NHL star Alexander Mogilny has yet to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Graham believes Mogilny should be in the Hall but seeks clues for his exclusion from the media coverage the winger received during his career. He also examined remarks about Mogilny in the autobiographies of former teammates Martin Brodeur and Mats Sundin regarding his eccentricities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I recommend reading Graham’s piece if you have a subscription. I agree that Mogilny belongs in the Hall but Graham provides compelling reasons why the gifted winger has been passed over.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 10, 2024

by | Nov 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 10, 2024

The Jets set an early-season wins record, Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of the all-time goal record continues, Nathan MacKinnon takes over the scoring lead with a multipoint game, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets are the first team in NHL history to win 14 of their first 15 games with a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Vladislav Namestnikov and Alex Iafallo each had a goal and an assist and Cole Perfetti collected two assists for the 14-1-0 Jets, who sit atop the overall standings with 28 points. Roope Hintz replied for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets goaltender Connor Hellebucyk set a franchise record for the longest shutout streak (191:47), which ended late in the third period when Hintz scored.

Alex Ovechkin scored two goals to lead the Washington Capitals to an 8-1 rout of the St. Louis Blues. Connor McMichael also scored two goals, Dylan Strome had three assists and Jakob Chychrun had a goal and an assist as he returned to action after missing the last five games with an upper-body injury. Scott Perunovich scored for the Blues, who gave up five goals in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 10 goals in 14 games and 863 for his career. He needs 32 to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. The Capitals placed forward Sonny Milano on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Carolina Hurricanes 6-4, snapping the latter’s eight-game win streak. Mikko Rantanen tallied twice and picked up an assist as the Avalanche overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits. Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook scored two goals and picked up an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon moved past Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (27 points) into first place in the scoring race with 29 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists as his club cruised to a 7-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Connor Brown scored two goals and Mattias Janmark collected three assists for the Oilers. Canucks forward Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks played without winger Brock Boeser as he remains sidelined with a suspected concussion. There is no timetable for his return.

A shootout goal by Evan Rodrigues gave the Florida Panthers a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Rodrigues also picked up two assists in regulation while netminder Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 34 shots in regulation and overtime as the Panthers picked up their seventh straight victory. Scott Laughton had two assists for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Teammate Samuel Ersson made 28 saves as he returned to action following a two-game absence with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros had a 26-save shutout to blank the Utah Hockey Club 4-0. Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault each tallied two goals as the Predators ended a three-game losing skid. Utah has only three wins in their last 10 games (3-5-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators placed defenseman Dante Fabbro on waivers before this game. He’s been the subject of recent trade speculation. I’ll have more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1, handing the latter their sixth straight defeat (0-5-1). Leafs winger Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to eight games. Brendan Gallagher scored his seventh of the season for the floundering Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs winger Max Pacioretty left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury following a collision with Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson. He’s listed as day-to-day.

The rebuilding Canadiens hoped to improve when this season began but that optimism has now evaporated. Management is reportedly shopping around for a defenseman and a gritty forward but deals are difficult to find at this time of year. Head coach Martin St. Louis is safe from losing his job but he might benefit from a better staff of assistant coaches, particularly those with goaltending and defense expertise.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes scored in overtime as his club rallied from a 3-1 deficit to nip the New York Islanders 4-3. Hughes finished the game with two goals and an assist while teammate Dougie Hamilton had three helpers. Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped 29 shots while Simon Holmstrom had a goal and an assist.

The New York Rangers got 37 saves from goalie Jonathan Quick to shut out the Detroit Red Wings 4-0. Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist while Chris Kreider, Jimmy Vesey and Reilly Smith also found the back of the net. The Red Wings have lost two straight games.

Los Angeles Kings winger Warren Foegele had a goal and an assist as his club beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had two assists for the Kings. Dmitri Voronkov and Ivan Provorov each netted their first goals of the season for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings placed forward Alex Turcotte on injured reserve before this game. He missed their previous two games with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres blew a 2-0 lead but a shootout goal by JJ Peterka gave them a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Tage Thompson tallied his 10th goal of the season and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 24 shots for the Sabres’ third straight win. Matt Coronato and Mikael Backlund replied for the Flames.

An overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark made 14 saves for the win over his former team. Pavel Zacha and Brad Marchand scored for the Bruins.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the NHL will reveal the full rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off on Dec. 4. The tournament will take place from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston and replaces the 2025 All-Star Game.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins recalled goaltender Tristan Jarry from his conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. They also assigned forward Matt Nieto to their affiliate for conditioning.

ROTOWIRE: Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn is expected to remain sidelined for another three weeks as he recovers from an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was inducted into the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame as an influencer on Saturday. Former NHLers Pekka Rinne and Jussi Jokinen were among the inductees in the player category.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2024

by | Nov 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2024

A multipoint milestone for the Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov, Leafs captain Auston Matthews remains sidelined, the Canucks trade Daniel Sprong, Kings forward Tanner Jeannot suspended, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored two goals and collected an assist for his 100th multipoint NHL game as his club downed the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Marco Rossi and Brock Faber each had two points for the Wild, who’ve won five of their last six games and sit second overall in the Western Conference with 22 points (10-2-2). Ducks forward Robby Fabbri tallied his 100th NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov leads all NHL scorers with 27 points. Earlier in the day, the Ducks activated goaltender John Gibson (appendectomy) off injured reserve.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images).

The Toronto Maple Leafs got two goals from John Tavares in a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the Leafs. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs announced before the game that captain Auston Matthews (upper body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 3. The earliest he can return to action is Tuesday, Nov. 12. The Red Wings played without goaltender Alex Lyon, who is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin scored the go-ahead goal and collected an assist to lead his club over the Washington Capitals 4-2. Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson also had a goal and an assist while goalie Joel Blomqvist got the win with a 32-save performance. Rasmus Sandin and Andrew Mangiapane replied for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin saw his five-game points streak end. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh winger Bryan Rust returned to action after missing five games with an undisclosed ailment. The Penguins also placed forward Cody Glass (undisclosed injury) on IR earlier in the day.

An overtime goal by Jared McCann lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 4-3 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Brandon Tanev scored twice for the Kraken as they rallied from an early 2-0 deficit. Golden Knights center Jack Eichel had three assists while teammate Alex Pietrangelo scored the tying goal in the dying minutes of the third period to force the extra frame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas captain Mark Stone was a late scratch with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. The Golden Knights also played without Nic Hague as he was placed on IR before this game with an undisclosed injury.

HEADLINES

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken reacquired Daniel Sprong from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday for future considerations. The 27-year-old winger had a goal and two assists in nine games with the Canucks playing on their fourth line. He spent two seasons with the Kraken from 2021 to 2023, including his career-best 2022-23 performance of 21 goals and 46 points in 66 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sprong signed a one-year, $975K contract with the Canucks during the offseason. The Kraken are bringing him back because of their need for scoring and his familiarity with their organization.

It’s unusual for a club to trade a player to a division rival, even more so when they get nothing in return. The Canucks may have done this to promote promising Jonathan Lekkerimaki into their lineup. The 20-year-old forward was the Canucks first-round pick (15th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft. He’s been tearing it up with their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford with seven points in as many games.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The NHL department of player safety handed down a three-game suspension to Kings forward Tanner Jeannot for an illegal hit to the head of Canucks winger Brock Boeser on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no update on Boeser’s condition as of Friday evening.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders will induct Brent Sutter into their Hall of Fame. He was a two-time champion with the club in 1982 and 1983 and served as captain from 1987 to 1991.

NHL.COM: Mike Gartner said he is honored to be named the next chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He will take over from Lanny McDonald in June 2025.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2024

by | Nov 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2024

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck reaches a career milestone, the Panthers, Hurricanes and Wild each reach the 20-point plateau, the Sabres upset the Rangers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves for his second straight shutout (and the 40th of his NHL career) as his club held on to blank the Colorado Avalanche 1-0. Gabriel Vilardi scored the only goal at 1:06 of the first period for the Jets, who extended their league-leading record to 13-1-0 (26 points). Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev stopped 27 shots.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck became the sixth US-born goaltender to record 40 career shutouts, joining Jonathan Quick (66 shutouts), Ryan Miller (44), Craig Anderson (43), Frankie Brimsek and John Vanbiesbrouck (40 each).

The shutout snapped the 13-game season-opening points streaks of Avalanche stars Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. Cale Makar suffered an injury against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday but played over 25 minutes in this contest, recording two shots on net.

The Florida Panthers picked up their sixth straight win with a 6-2 victory over the Nashville Predators, handing the latter their fifth loss in their last six games. Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals and collected an assist, Aleksander Barkov picked up three assists and Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to five games. Steven Stamkos and Juuso Parssinen replied for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers sit atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-3-1 (21 points). Predators forward Colton Sissons missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes netminder Pyotr Kochetkov turned aside 35 shots to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1. The Hurricanes picked up their eighth straight victory as Jack Roslovic scored twice and picked up an assist and Jalen Chatfield had three assists. Blake Lizotte scored for the Penguins.

The Buffalo Sabres romped to a 6-1 upset of the New York Rangers. Zach Benson had a goal and an assist and Jack Quinn picked up two assists for the Sabres. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin got the hook early in the second period after giving up five goals on 12 shots.

An overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Boston Bruins over the Calgary Flames 4-3. Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist while Joona Korpisalo made 34 saves for the win. The Flames forced the extra frame by overcoming a two-goal deficit on third-period goals by Yegor Sherangovich and Nazem Kadri.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Anthony Mantha missed this game with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

Dallas Stars forwards Logan Stankoven and Sam Steel each had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Tyler Seguin also scored and Jake Oettinger made 25 saves for the Stars. Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stankoven leads all rookie scorers with 12 points.

The Minnesota Wild got three assists from Kirill Kaprizov to drop the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Matt Boldy tallied twice for the Wild, who sit second in the Western Conference with a record of 9-2-2 (20 points). Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini scored both goals for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Jake Walman missed this game with an upper-body injury. He missed their previous contest for non-hockey reasons.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist as his club doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Canucks winger Brock Boeser left this game midway through the first period following a blindside hit to the head by Kings forward Tanner Jeannot. There was no update on his condition following the game. Quinton Byfield and Vladislav Gavrikov scored for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jeannot received a match penalty for his illegal hit on Boeser. The incident will be reviewed by the league but remains to be seen whether he receives supplemental discipline.

A shootout goal by Owen Tippett lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tipett also scored in regulation while Ivan Fedotov made 23 saves for his first NHL victory. Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning, who played without Brayden Point as he remains sidelined by a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch as head coach John Tortorella expressed concerns over Michkov’s play at even strength. The 19-year-old winger is second among NHL rookie scorers with 10 points, seven of which were on the power play. He was held to one assist in his last five games.

The Utah Hockey Club defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2 as Dylan Guenther scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period. Guenther finished the night with two points. Colton Parayko and Jordan Kyrou tallied for the Blues.

New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each collected three points in a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, handing the latter their fifth straight loss (0-4-1). Alex Newhook scored twice for the struggling Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ leading scorers have been shut down lately. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have no points in their last three games while Juraj Slafkovsky was held to an assist in his last four contests. Meanwhile, the Devils reassigned defenseman Simon Nemec to their AHL affiliate in Utica. He’d been a healthy scratch for over two weeks.

The New York Islanders doubled up the Ottawa Senators 4-2. Bo Horvat led the way with a goal and two assists while Semyon Varlamov stopped 28 shots for the win. Nick Jensen and Drake Batherson replied for the Senators, who’ve dropped five of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators forward Tim Stutzle was cut above his right eye after taking a puck to the face in the first period. He left the game but returned at the start of the second period, finishing the game with two assists.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed practice on Thursday as he remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Leafs coach Craig Berube hasn’t ruled out Matthews from their upcoming two games against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday and the Canadiens on Saturday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer is listed as day-to-day after suffering what the club called “an unfortunate accident” at home. He’s expected to return within the next couple of days.

RG.ORG: Former New Jersey Devils forward John Madden remains puzzled as to why former teammate Alexander Mogilny continues to be passed over for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“It was crazy how many key goals he scored for us at the right moments, at the right time, whether it was regular season or playoffs; he just had that knack for burying goals that mattered,” said Madden. He considers Mogilny “one of the best players not to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Madden’s not the only person wondering why the Hall of Fame has continually passed over Mogilny since his first year of eligibility in 2009. A growing number of fans and pundits have openly questioned the Hall’s ongoing snub of one of the most skillful and exciting forwards to play the game.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The NCAA has voted to allow major junior players to maintain college eligibility if they are not signed to a pro contract. This decision allows players in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), which includes the QMJHL, OHL and WHL to transfer to NCAA teams beginning next season.

The move would enable players drafted by NHL teams out of the CHL to play NCAA Division I hockey as their next step in developing their game before signing a professional contract. How it will impact other leagues like the United States Hockey League (USHL) or the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) remains to be seen.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2024

by | Nov 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2024

Alex Ovechkin extends his goal streak, Connor McDavid returns from injury sooner than expected, and the latest on Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, Dylan Holloway, Thatcher Demko and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the winning goal and picked up an assist as his club nipped the Nashville Predators 3-2. Ovechkin extended his goals streak to five games and Dylan Strome collected two assists for the Capitals, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Juuso Parssinen and Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators, who’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 34 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. He has eight goals in 12 games this season.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin scored twice in the third period as his club doubled up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev each finished with three points as their team sits atop the Pacific Division with 19 points in 13 games. Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman replied for the Oilers (6-7-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid returned to action after missing 10 days with an ankle injury. He was originally expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks. He played over 21 minutes but was held scoreless.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist and Cam Talbot stopped 29 shots for the Wings. Nick Foligno scored for the Blackhawks.

HEADLINES

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Cale Makar is ok after suffering a lower-body injury on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken. He traveled with the Avs and could play Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets.

TSN: Bednar also said captain Gabriel Landeskog suffered a setback as he attempts a comeback after knee surgeries sidelined him for the past two seasons. Bednar said it’s part of the on-again, off-again recovery process and remains hopeful Landeskog can return to action this season.

SPORTSNET: St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway suffered no ill effects from taking a puck to the neck in Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He left the game on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital for observation but was released and rejoined his teammates in practice yesterday. Holloway hopes to play against Utah on Thursday.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko participated in some practice drills on Wednesday with some of his teammates. It’s the latest step in his recovery from a nagging knee injury that has sidelined him since Game 1 of the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment is out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

OTTAWA SUN: Center Shane Pinto and defenseman Artem Zub could return to the Senators lineup for Thursday’s contest with the New York Islanders. Zub has missed nine games with a concussion while Pinto was out six games with an undisclosed ailment.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said defenseman Jake Walman was a healthy scratch from Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets for non-hockey reasons. “Jake did not play because of hockey play,” said Warsofsky. “There was nothing to do with that. It was something in between (us) that we’ll keep in-house.”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Walman’s absence raised eyebrows given his role on the Sharks. He logs the second-most minutes and is their best offensive defenseman.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens have loaned forward Oliver Kapanen to Timra IK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils announced they’ve relieved Kevin Dineen of his duties as head coach of their AHL affiliate in Utica. Assistant coach Ryan Parent takes over on an interim basis for the rest of the season. The move comes as Utica is off to one of the worst starts (0-9-1) in franchise history.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan recently examined several key issues potentially at stake in the next round of collective bargaining between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association. The current agreement will expire in September 2026.

The players hope for a bigger slice of the growing revenue pie. Many would like to see escrow eliminated. They’d also like to get a cut of future expansion fees. Some players wonder if the league might implement a luxury tax given the willingness of some teams to spend over the salary cap.

Some players would like to see the preseason shortened and expand the regular season to 84 games if it means starting the season earlier. Others would like to see the playoff schedule return to the 1-8 seeding by conference.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the CBA negotiations are expected to start in the New Year. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly will summarize the main points he’s learned from meeting with individual general managers at the upcoming GMs meeting.

The general managers would like to tweak the salary arbitration process and revise the compensation rates for offer sheets. One GM would like to see them revisit term limits on player contracts.

LeBrun doesn’t feel either side wants to have a big war in this round of CBA negotiations. He believes they want this to go smoothly.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaplan cited one player saying growing league revenue was the priority and doesn’t want to squabble about points. That is the main factor for both sides. Revenue has grown significantly in recent years and neither side wants to do anything that could jeopardize that growth.

There will be some tweaks coming out of the next round of CBA but nothing that will require a work stoppage. There is no rancor between the two sides and no sense of foreboding compared to the lead-up to the three previous lockouts. Some think an agreement could be reached next summer.