NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2023

by | May 19, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2023

The Panthers require quadruple overtime to beat the Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, the latest on the Coyotes’ arena saga, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Matthew Tkachuk scored in the dying seconds of quadruple overtime as the Florida Panthers nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. Tkachuk’s goal came with 13 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime period.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images)

Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist while Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 63 saves for the win. Seth Jarvis had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes while teammate Frederik Andersen stopped 57 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the sixth-longest game in NHL history. The two clubs won’t have much time to recover from their Game 1 marathon. Game 2 goes Saturday in Carolina starting at 8 pm ET.

The Panthers held a 2-1 lead after two periods but the Hurricanes stormed back to tie it in the third. They dominated the period in shots on goal (14-2), shot attempts (22-5) and 14-0 in scoring chances. If not for Bobrovsky, the outcome of this game might’ve been different and wouldn’t have required overtime to settle it.

It appeared the Panthers had won this game in the first overtime on a goal by Ryan Lomberg. However, it was overturned for goaltender interference following a coach’s challenge by the Hurricanes.

The Panthers extended their road win streak to seven games stretching back to their first-round series with the Boston Bruins. Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen returned to action after being sidelined by an injured hand since Game 2 of their first-round series with the New York Islanders.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Days after the Coyotes’ arena proposal by rejected by Tempe voters, the club reached out to the city of Mesa regarding the site of a former mall. As with their Tempe bid, a proposal would be subject to a public vote of approval.

AZCENTRAL.COM: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes created a stir on Twitter by suggesting Kansas City would be a good destination for the Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes and the NHL will exhaust every possible option to find a suitable location for a new arena to keep the club in Arizona. Whether they’ll be successful remains to be seen. Houston and Salt Lake City have been mentioned as viable relocation destinations if the Coyotes are forced to move.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon could offer no timetable for Robin Lehner’s return from hip surgery. The 31-year-old goaltender missed the entire season rehabbing from the surgeries. He made headlines in December when he declare bankruptcy. Lehner has two more seasons remaining on his contract.

SPORTSNET: The New York Rangers received permission from the Toronto Maple Leafs to interview assistant coach Spencer Carbery. He’s also believed to have spoken with the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Capitals, they’ve extended their ECHL affiliation with the South Carolina Stingrays.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Sidney Crosby recently bought lunch for a family of Penguins fans in the Bahamas. Crosby was dining with his girlfriend and another couple when the family’s 10-year-old daughter approached the Penguins captain to ask for a picture. He not only obliged but came to the family’s table and spent several minutes chatting with them. When they went to pay for their meals, they discovered that Crosby picked up the tab.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slow news day? Sure, but it’s also a nice story worth sharing.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2023

by | May 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2023

The fallout from the Coyotes’ failed arena bid, Eastern Conference Finals starts Thursday, plus the latest on Lindy Ruff, Ken Holland, Mike Sullivan and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE COYOTES?

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes will play in Mullett Arena for 2023-24 amid uncertainty over the club’s future in Arizona after their bid to construct a new arena in Tempe was rejected in a public referendum.

Coyotes president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez released a statement to season-ticket holders indicating the franchise has “started re-engaging with local officials and sites for solidify a new permanent home in Valley.”

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan examined possible “Plan B” options for the Coyotes.

Arizona Coyotes (NHL.com).

One would be partnering with the Phoenix Suns and moving back to their old arena, now called Footprint Center. However, they would be a tenant in someone else’s building leaving them with the same revenue issues that forced them to leave in 2003. He doesn’t see them building a new downtown venue and thinks it’s a stretch that Suns owner Mat Ishbia would purchase the Coyotes.

Mesa is another possibility though that would also require a public vote of approval. Reservation lands is an option but could be complicated given the state’s gaming laws plus they wouldn’t own the land. Morgan does not see the Coyotes returning to Glendale.

Morgan believes it would take a while to facilitate one of those options and time is not on the Coyotes’ side. He pointed out that the NHL Board of Governors isn’t happy with the club’s current arena arrangement and its effect on hockey-related revenue while the NHL Players Association is unhappy over the players competing and training in substandard facilities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes’ time in Arizona appears to be running out. Unless a suitable local arena option can be found quickly they’ll have no choice but to relocate within the next couple of years.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan Kennedy wonders if Salt Lake City might be a destination for the Coyotes. It’s been a minor-league hockey town for decades.

Ryan Smith, the owner of the NBA’s Salt Lake City Jazz, recently said he’d met with Bettman about the possibility of bringing an NHL franchise to his city. The Coyotes could play in Vivint Arena, home of the Jazz.

SPORTSNET: Salt Lake City topped Paul D. Grant’s list of five potential destinations for the Coyotes. Houston, Sacramento, Kansas City and Oklahoma City are also on the list. He considers Quebec City to be a pipe dream.

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary included Milwaukee, Atlanta and Toronto on his list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The best hockey market would be Quebec City with its 18,000-seat state-of-the-art arena and a strong hockey fan base. However, it would also be the NHL’s second-smallest market and that’s not enticing to league commissioner Gary Bettman and the league’s board of governors.

The only reason the NHL returned to Winnipeg (the league’s smallest market) is that there was no local buyer to take on the financially ailing Atlanta Thrashers and no other potential owners in larger markets willing to purchase the club at the time. True North Sports & Entertainment had quietly lobbied for an NHL franchise for several years. They were in the right place at the right time.

That’s not the case now. The success of expansion franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle could draw bids from potential owners in several of the American-based cities listed above if the Coyotes have to relocate.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers starts tonight in Raleigh at 8 pm ET.

TSN: New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald confirmed Lindy Ruff will return as the club’s head coach next season. Ruff is in the final season of his current contract but he’s already in the midst of negotiating a new deal with the Devils.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers general manager Ken Holland said he intends to honor the final season of his contract. “I’m enjoying the challenge, I have a year to go and I have unfinished business,” said Holland, who dismissed conjecture suggesting that he might hand over the GM reins to assistant GM Steve Staios. “I’m not sure where all the speculation comes from,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sometimes it comes from well-connected insiders within the media. Sometimes it comes from pundits musing out loud (“I wonder if…”). And sometimes it comes from questionable sources.

NEW YORK POST: Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed he’s not a candidate for the Rangers’ vacant coaching job. “I am under contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, here for the long haul,” he said in a phone interview with Mollie Walker.

THE SCORE: Speaking of the Penguins, the Calgary Flames rejected their request for permission to speak to former Flames GM Brad Treliving, who stepped down from the role last month. Treliving remains under contract with the Flames until the end of June.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm said that he played with a fractured foot during the playoffs as well as the final few weeks of the regular season. It’s why he declined an invitation to join Sweden in the IIHF World Championships.

DAILY FACEOFF: Andrew Brunette, Spencer Carbery and Mike Velluci are among the candidates for the Anaheim Ducks’ coaching gig.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals are also believed interest in Carbery, an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL defenseman Ron Hainsey has been promoted to NHLPA assistant executive director. Hainsey was part of the search for the group’s appointment of Marty Walsh as their new executive director.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2023

by | May 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2023

Coyotes’ arena proposal rejected by Tempe voters, Connor McDavid believes it’s “Cup or bust” for the Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Arizona Coyotes face an uncertain future after Tempe voters rejected a proposal for a privately-funded sports and entertainment district that would’ve featured a 16,000-seat arena.

Arizona Coyotes (NHL.com).

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Coyotes president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez released statements expressing their disappointment over the results of the public vote. Both indicated they will be examining options for the club going forward.

The Coyotes are currently playing at the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena at Arizona State University.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reaction on social media was a mixture of sympathy for Coyotes fans and speculation over the franchise’s future. After over 25 years in Arizona, relocation could be in the cards if no other viable option can be found.

This is also a significant blow for Bettman. He’s been the driving force in keeping the Coyotes in Arizona despite multiple ownership changes and the club’s mounting debt. The commissioner’s next step could be trying to find a new owner in a new city.

A lot of fans (me included) would love to see the Coyotes relocate to Quebec City where they would pack the 18,000-seat Videotron Centre. However, Houston could be the more likely destination.

Houston is the fourth-largest US city in population and can easily support an NHL franchise. It has a suitable arena (Toyota Center) that can hold 17,800 fans for hockey and a possible buyer in Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Moving the Coyotes to Houston ensures the franchise remains in the Western Conference.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Connor McDavid believes it’s “Cup or bust” for his Oilers. Speaking in his exit interview with the media on Tuesday, the Oilers captain said that his club still has time to win the Cup. Despite the Oilers’ second-round elimination, he still feels they’re making progress and were a better team this season compared to 2021-22.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid isn’t wrong about his club’s progress. Their 109 points this season was the fourth-highest in franchise history.

Speaking of the Oilers, TSN 1260’s Jason Gregor reported winger Warren Foegele played since February with a wrist injury. He’s undergone an MRI and will see if surgery is required.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights will be starting Adin Hill in goal with Jonathan Quick as his backup when their Western Conference Finals series with the Dallas Stars begins on Friday. Laurent Brossoit remains sidelined by a lower-body injury suffered during Game 3 of their second-round series with the Oilers.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander and defenseman Timothy Liljegren are reportedly set to join Sweden for the 2023 IIHF World Championship.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper will serve as an in-studio guest analyst for TNT during their coverage of the Eastern Conference Finals.

LA KINGS INSIDER: The Kings have promoted longtime goaltending coach Bill Ranford to Director of Goaltending. This is a new role and a new position within the club’s executive hierarchy as they expand their resources invested in the goalie position.

THE SCORE:The Columbus Blue Jackets have reportedly spoken to former NHL coaches Mike Babcock and Peter Laviolette regarding their vacant head-coaching position. They’ve also reportedly interviewed Pascal Vincent, who spent the past two seasons as an associate coach to former Jackets bench boss Brad Larsen.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL great Jaromir Jagr paid tribute to fellow Czech Petr Klima, who was buried on Tuesday after recently passing away on May 4 at age 58. “In terms of talent, he had the most talent of any of our players,” said Jagr. When asked if that also meant himself, Jagr replied, “I think so.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2023

by | May 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2023

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Finals, the notable highlights from the Leafs exit interviews with the media, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STARS DEFEAT KRAKEN, ADVANCE TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars move on to the Western Conference Finals after nipping the Seattle Kraken 2-1 in Game 7 of their second-round series. Roope Hintz opened the scoring, Wyatt Johnston tallied the game-winner and Jake Oettinger stopped 22 shots for the Stars. Oliver Bjorkstand scored in the dying seconds of the third period and Philipp Grubauer made 26 saves for the Kraken.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars will face off again the Vegas Golden Knights when the Western Conference Finals begin on Friday, May 19. Another bounce-back performance in goal by Oettinger was crucial to the Stars’ victory in Game 7. Johnston, meanwhile, became the youngest player in NHL history to score a series-clinching goal in Game 7.

The Kraken’s first-ever NHL playoff appearance was a memorable one, upsetting the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games and pushing the Stars to the limit in this series. However, they looked like they were running out of gas in Game 7. If not for Grubauer’s goaltending the Stars’ margin of victory might’ve been higher. Still, this was a great experience for this second-year franchise, providing them with a solid foundation of experience to build on.

As noted above, the Western Conference Finals between the Stars and Golden Knights begins in Las Vegas on Friday, May 19 at 8:30 pm ET. Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers will face off in the Eastern Conference Finals with Game 1 in Raleigh on Thursday, May 18 at 8 pm ET.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LEAFS EXIT INTERVIEWS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Kyle Dubas will either return to the Toronto Maple Leafs as general manager or step away. During his club’s exit interviews with the media on Monday, Dubas indicated that he won’t entertain a front-office position with another club and intends to consult his family before reaching his decision.

Dubas is coming to the end of his five-year contract. He indicated that he will be meeting with team president Brendan Shanahan and the owners of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. However, the final say will be with his family, who endured what Dubas called a taxing year. He spent considerable time away from them as he attended nearly every one of the club’s home and road games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent rumors had linked Dubas to the Pittsburgh Penguins as they’re in the market for a new general manager. Given his remarks, they’ll have to look elsewhere. The Pens have reportedly interviewed 10-12 candidates including former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Peter Chiarelli, the former GM of the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers.

THE SCORE: Dubas indicated that he would take nothing off the table in terms of his coaching staff and roster if he returns as Leafs general manager. “I would consider anything with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup,” he said.

THE ATHLETIC: Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted his fate with the club is out of his control. He has a year remaining on his contract and hopes to return behind the bench. Dubas indicated that there will a full evaluation of everything on the team this season, including Keefe’s performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have been a strong regular-season team with Keefe, including a franchise-record 115-point performance in 2021-22 and 111 points this season. However, they’ve only won one playoff series since he took over as head coach in 2019-20.

THE SCORE: Auston Matthews doesn’t intend on leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility but indicated his intention is to stay put. Matthews said signing an extension with the Leafs before next season is important to him and believes it “will work itself out in due time.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews’ willingness to ink an extension is good news for the Leafs and their fans. How long that deal will be and for how much will become hot topics of speculation in Toronto. There’s already media chatter suggesting that he might seek a four-year deal worth an average annual value of $16 million. A maximum eight-year deal could see him pull in an AAV of $13.5 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Forget about the scenario of John Tavares waiving his no-movement clause. Asked if he would do so as part of any trade, the Leafs captain expressed his love for the club and his teammates. “I made a commitment here for seven years to be a Leaf and I want to be here,” said Tavares, adding that he takes his role of team captain very seriously.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The theory about Tavares waiving his NMC came about because of the Leafs limited cap space due in part to his hefty $11 million cap hit through 2024-25. There was an assumption among some observers that he might do so if management approached him. Based on his reply, that’s not going to happen.

TSN: Michael Bunting said he’s had no contract extension talks with Leafs management this season. The 27-year-old winger is set to become a UFA on July 1. Trade-deadline acquisition Ryan O’Reilly is also due to become a UFA this summer and sounded more inclined to test the market than re-sign with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t be surprised if Bunting and O’Reilly are playing elsewhere next season. The Leafs likely can’t afford to retain them even if they wanted to bring them back.

SPORTSNET: Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov revealed he suffered a neck injury in Game 3 against the Florida Panthers that sidelined him for the remainder of that series. A restricted free agent this summer, Samsonov indicated he hopes to re-sign with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Samsonov is coming off a one-year, $1.8 million contract and has arbitration rights this summer. I expect he’ll be re-signed to a multi-year deal and share the goaltending duties next season with Joseph Woll, who’s signed through 2024-25 at a very affordable $766K.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Calgary Flames have reportedly sought permission from the Leafs to speak with assistant general manager Brandon Pridham. They’re on the hunt for a replacement for Brad Treliving, who stepped down as GM last month.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: The bidding for the Senators is down to four binding offers ranging from $850 million to $1 billion. Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group, Michael Andlauer of ATS Healthcare Group, Toronto real estate magnate Steve Apostolopoulos and Los Angeles producer Neko Sparks entered their bids by Monday’s due date.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s expected one of them will receive preferred bidder status within the next couple of weeks.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen (hand injury) is moving one step closer to returning to the lineup. He shed his non-contact jersey for practice on Monday and is expected to return to action at some point in the Eastern Conference Finals.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko hopes to gain more playing time, including on the power play, under the club’s new coaching staff.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 15, 2023

by | May 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 15, 2023

The Golden Knights advance to the Western Conference Finals, an update on the Blue Jackets’ search for a new head coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights are marching on to the Western Conference Finals after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 6 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Jonathan Marchessault tallied a natural hat trick to erase an Oilers’ 2-1 lead while Adin Hill kicked out 38 shots for the win. The Golden Knights face the winner of tonight’s Game 7 between the Dallas Stars and the Seattle Kraken in Dallas.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have reached the Western Conference Finals four times in their six-year history. They outscored the Oilers (18-9) at even strength, received solid goaltending from Adin Hill after Laurent Brossoit was sidelined by injury in Game 4, and limited Oilers star Leon Draisaitl to just one point in four games after he tallied six times in the first two contests.

Draisaitl wasn’t the only one struggling to score in this series. Injuries appeared to hamper Evander Kane and Zach Hyman as they had just one goal between them against Vegas. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was also limited to one goal.

The Oilers got shaky goaltending from Calder Trophy finalist Stuart Skinner, who got the hook in Game 7 for the third time in this series. It raised questions over why head coach Jay Woodcroft didn’t at least give Jack Campbell a start against Vegas. Campbell relieved Skinner four times in this postseason, finishing with a 1.01 goals-against average and a .961 save percentage.

THE ATHLETIC: Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen hopes to have a new head coach in place before he departs on May 21 for the IIHF World Championships in Europe.

The Jackets have not requested permission from the New York Rangers to speak with Gerard Gallant after those two parted ways on May 6. Gallant still has a year left on his contract with the Rangers. He previously coached the Blue Jackets from 2003-04 to 2006-07.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the World Championships, Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin has made his presence felt playing for Sweden. He leveled Austria’s David Reinbacher with a huge hip check during yesterday’s game between the two countries.

Reinbacher is a prospect in this year’s draft class. He was sidelined for the remainder of the game and will undergo further evaluation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some scouts consider Reinbacher to be among the top 10 in this year’s prospect class. It’ll be interesting to see if this injury affects his value in the draft should he be sidelined for the rest of the tournament.

SPORTSNET: Los Angeles-based producer Neko Sparks has reportedly partnered with First Nations groups in Canada in his bid for the Ottawa Senators. A source said it was not a token involvement but one that would give First Nations Peoples a seat at the table. Rapper Snoop Dog is also among Sparks’ partners in his attempt to purchase the Senators. The deadline for final bids is May 15.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2023

by | May 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2023

The Kraken push their series with the Stars to a seventh game, the Islanders expected to re-sign Lou Lamoriello, Alex Pietrangelo calls out Oilers for premeditated hits, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game between the Seattle Kraken and Dallas Stars as the Kraken rolled to a 6-3 victory in Game 6 of their second-round series. Jordan Eberle and Eeli Tolvanen led the way with three points each for the Kraken to even the series at three games apiece.

Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle (NHL Images).

Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger got the hook early in the second period after giving up four goals on 18 shots. Stars forward Joe Pavelski scored his eighth goal of this series to set a single-series franchise record and tied a postseason record for most goals by a player 38 or older. Mason Marchment also scored for the Stars after missing Game 5 with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 of this series goes Monday in Dallas. It’s fitting that this closely contested series goes the distance. The winner will face either the Edmonton Oilers or Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals starting later this week.

NEWSDAY: Andrew Gross reports the New York Islanders have decided to offer general manager Lou Lamoriello a three-year contract extension. Lamoriello, 80, has been in that role for the past five seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet as to whether Lamoriello has accepted though it’s expected he will. A formal announcement will be made by the club when he does.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said his two-handed slash on Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl late in Game 4 was retaliation for what he considered to be premeditated hits on himself and his teammates by the Oilers. Pietrangelo’s actions earned him a one-game suspension. He returns to the Golden Knights lineup for Game 6 tonight in Edmonton with his club leading the series three games to two.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Carolina Hurricanes are geographically restricting tickets to their upcoming Eastern Conference Finals series with the Florida Panthers. Tickets can only be purchased by those with credit card billing within North Carolina, South Carolina and parts of Virginia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers employed a similar tactic in their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs to limit the number of Leafs fans in their arena.

THE DENVER POST: Medical experts say the long-term effects of Gabriel Landeskog’s knee cartilage transplant are difficult to predict due to the rarity of such procedures among professional athletes. While the surgery will ensure a return to a good quality of life for the average person, it remains to be seen if it can help a pro athlete like Landeskog resume his career and regain his previous level of performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog is expected to miss the entirety of next season recuperating from this procedure. Time will tell if he’ll be able to return to his playing career.

NHL.COM’s Mike Morreale reports New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton revealed that he was dealing with a wrist injury during his club’s second-round series with the Hurricanes.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL defenseman Gerry Hart died Saturday at age 75. The cause of death was not revealed. He spent 15 seasons in the NHL from 1968-69 to 1982-83 with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Quebec Nordiques and St. Louis Blues.

One of the original Islanders, Hart played seven seasons with the franchise from 1972-73 to 1978-79, becoming a fan favorite for his gritty play. He finished with 179 points and 1,240 PIMs in 730 career NHL regular-season games and 15 points in 78 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hart’s family, friends and former teammates.