NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2023

by | Feb 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2023

The Golden Knights match a franchise record in a win over the Ducks, the Canadiens upset the Oilers, plus injury updates on Filip Forsberg, Logan Thompson and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights matched a franchise record for most goals in a single period in a 7-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Vegas scored five times in the third period with Jack Eichel, Phil Kessel and Shea Theodore among five Golden Knights to finish with a goal and an assist. With the win, Vegas improved to 32-18-4 to sit atop the Pacific Division with 68 points. The Ducks sank to 17-31-6 on the season. They also played without John Klingberg, who missed this game due to illness.

Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz tallied twice as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 to snap a three-game losing streak. With a record of 30-18-5, the Kraken remain three points behind the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Rasmus Ristolainen collected two assists for the 22-23-10 Flyers (54 points) as they remain seven points out of the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris (NHL Images)

The Montreal Canadiens upset the Edmonton Oilers 6-2, ending a 15-game points streak by Oilers captain Connor McDavid. Jordan Harris scored twice to become the first Canadiens rookie defenseman to have a multi-goal game since P.K. Subban in March 2011. Jake Allen stopped 32 shots for the 22-27-4 Canadiens. Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane replied for the Oilers (30-19-5) as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Canadiens as rugged rookie blueliner Arber Xhekaj left the game with an apparent shoulder injury following a fight with Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais. An update on his condition could be made on Monday.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson collected three points in a 4-1 upset of the Washington Capitals. The Sharks (17-26-11) lost goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen in the second period following incidental contact with Washington center Evgeny Kuznetsov. Aaron Dell finished the game for the Sharks. Kuznetsov scored for the Capitals (28-21-6) as they remain in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word as to the severity of Kahkonen’s injury. The Sharks were playing without goalie James Reimer (illness) but he could return to action on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

HEADLINES

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg is fortunate that it’s only day-to-day. He was left woozy after hitting his head on the ice following a check by Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and had to be helped from the ice.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: On Saturday, the Golden Knights announced that goaltender Logan Thompson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. They recalled Laurent Brossoit from their AHL affiliate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lengthy absence by Thompson could have implications for the Golden Knights’ playoff hopes. They’re in a tight race right now in the Pacific Division. Adin Hill got the win for them on Sunday and will be relied on to carry the bulk of the load in Thompson’s absence.

DAILY FACEOFF: Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg is out indefinitely with left and right knee MCL injuries. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson will be sidelined for at least two weeks with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be the final nail in the coffin for the Senators’ slim playoff hopes.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich is one step closer to making his season debut. Sidelined by a preseason shoulder injury, he’s been sent to the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield on a conditioning assignment.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2023

by | Feb 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2023

Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches a scoring milestone, the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin and the Kings’ Adrian Kempe each tally four goals, the Blues’ Ryan O’Reilly returns from injury with an overtime goal, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. The Oilers (30-18-5) remain unbeaten in regulation in their last 11 games (9-0-2) and move one point behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division with 65 points. The Senators slipped to 24-24-3 on the season and sit 10 points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joined Wayne Gretzky as the second player in NHL history with multiple-point streaks of 15-or-more games in the same season more than once in his career. Meanwhile, Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg was stretchered from the ice in the third period with a leg injury while defenseman Jake Sanderson also left in that period with an undisclosed injury.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin scored four goals (including a natural hat trick) and collected an assist to lead his club over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 6-2. The Rangers (31-14-8) have won five straight and moved to within three points of the second-place New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points. The 34-10-8 Hurricanes remain atop the Metro with 76 points but their seven-game win streak has come to an end along with Sebastian Aho’s six-game goal streak.

The Los Angeles Kings crushed the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-0. Adrian Kempe tallied four goals, Anze Kopitar collected three assists while Pheonix Copley turned in a 25-save shutout as the Kings improved to 29-18-7 and sit third in the Pacific Division with 65 points. The Penguins (26-17-9) slipped to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings got the win on the night they honored former captain Dustin Brown with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena and retiring his No. 23. Brown spent 18 seasons with the Kings, leading them to two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. He’s also the franchise leader in games played with 1,296. Before the game, the Kings activated forwards Arthur Kaliyev and Trevor Moore off injured reserve.

St. Louis Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Pavel Buchnevich collected three assists and Sammy Blais scored his first goal for the 24-25-3 Blues since being reacquired from the New York Rangers. Nick Schmaltz had four points and Clayton Keller had three for the 17-28-8 Coyotes, who held defenseman Jakob Chychrun from this game for trade-related reasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly and Buchnevich returned to action following lengthy absences due to injuries. As for Chychrun, it appears he’s finally going to be traded following months of speculation stretching back to last season. I’ll have more about his situation in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren each scored two goals for the Wings (23-20-8) as they sit seven points out of the final Eastern playoff spot with 54 points. Anthony Beauvillier had a goal and an assist for the 21-28-4 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Beauvillier has two goals and an assist in four games since joining the Canucks from the New York Islanders in the Bo Horvat trade.

Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube had a goal and three assists while rookie Jakob Pelletier scored his first NHL goal in a 7-2 drubbing of the Buffalo Sabres (26-21-4). The Flames improved to 25-18-10 and sit just outside the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 60 points. Sabres center Tage Thompson scored his 35th of the season as his club sits five points behind the Penguins for the final Eastern wild-card berth with 56 points.

The Montreal Canadiens got an overtime goal by Mike Matheson to upset the New York Islanders 4-3 to snap a four-game losing skid. Mike Hoffman had three assists for the 21-27-4 Canadiens. Brock Nelson had two points to extend his points streak to 10 games for the Islanders (27-23-6) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern playoff spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was the Canadiens’ first win in their powder-blue “reverse retro” uniform. Habs coach Martin St. Louis is no fan of the jersey, calling them an affront to the franchise’s history.

An overtime goal by Matt Duchene gave the Nashville Predators a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. It was a costly win for the Predators (25-19-6) as winger Filip Forsberg left the game after falling awkwardly to the ice following a hit by Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. The Preds sit four points out of the final Western playoff berth with 56 points. The Flyers (22-22-10) are seven points out of playoff contention in the East with 54 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was a scary-looking injury for Forsberg, who appeared dazed as he struggled to get up and had to be helped off the ice. There was no update about his condition following the game but it looked like a concussion to me.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli scored twice and chipped in an assist in a 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 28 shots for the win as the 34-16-2 Lightning moved to within two points of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 70 points. Jamie Benn scored his 21st goal of the season for the Stars (30-14-10) as they remain atop the Western Conference standings with 70 points.

The Washington Capitals got goals from Nicklas Backstrom and Garnet Hathaway to hold off the Boston Bruins 2-1, handing the latter their fourth loss in five games. Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves for the 28-20-6 Capitals as they vaulted over the Pittsburgh Penguins into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 62 points. Nick Foligno scored for the Bruins (39-8-5) as they remain atop the overall standings with 83 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and collected an assist in a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers, snapping the latter’s three-game win streak. Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 42 shots for the win as the Avalanche (28-19-4) sit in third place in the Central Division with 60 points. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 45 shots for the 26-23-6 Panthers, who are three points out of an Eastern wild-card spot with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a big win for the Avalanche but they lost defenseman Erik Johnson as he left the game in the first period after blocking a shot. They’re already playing without blueliner Cale Makar following a blindside hit by the Penguins’ Jeff Carter earlier in the week.

The Columbus Blue Jackets upset the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 4-3. Kent Johnson snapped a 3-3 tie in the third period as he, Kirill Marchenko and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist for the 16-33-4 Blue Jackets. Mitch Marner and William Nylander each had two points for the Leafs (32-14-8) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 72 points.

Shootout goals by Mats Zuccarello and Frederick Gaudreau gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils to snap a three-game losing skid. Filip Gustavsson got the win for the Wild (28-20-4) with a 27-save performance as they cling to the final Western wild-card spot with 60 points. Tomas Tatar tallied twice for the Devils (34-13-5) as they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 73 points.

Winnipeg Jets winger Blake Wheeler scored two goals and assisted on another to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Josh Morrissey had a goal and an assist for the 33-19-1 Jets as they sit second overall in the Western Conference with 67 points. Tyler Johnson replied for the Blackhawks as they sank to 16-30-5.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2023

by | Feb 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2023

Penguins star Evgeni Malkin reaches a points milestone, Vladimir Tarasenko scored in his Rangers debut, the latest on Patrick Kane and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin collected two assists to become the third player in franchise history to reach 1,200 career points in a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Pierre-Olivier Joseph scored twice and collected an assist as the Penguins (26-16-9) vaulted over the Washington Capitals into the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 61 points. Mason McTavish had a goal and an assist for the Ducks as they dropped to 17-30-6.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Ducks placed winger Troy Terry (upper body) on injured reserve.

Vladimir Tarasenko scored in his debut with the New York Rangers as they picked up their fourth straight win by down the Seattle Kraken 6-3. Vincent Trocheck, Kaapo Kakko and Ryan Lindgren each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who improved to 30-14-8 (68 points) and sit four points behind the second-place New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Vince Dunn each had two points for the 29-18-5 Kraken as they dropped their third straight game and slipped to third place in the Pacific Division with 63 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As expected, Tarasenko skated on the Rangers’ top line alongside Mika Zibanejad (who also scored in this contest) and Artemi Panarin (one assist). He indicated that he received no contract offer from the Blues prior to the trade to the Rangers.

Meanwhile, the Kraken and the Edmonton Oilers have identical records. However, the latter moved into second place in the Pacific with 27 regulation wins.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov turned in a 30-save shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. John Tavares scored twice for the 32-13-8 Leafs (72 points) as they widened their lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning for second place in the Atlantic Division by four points. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 38 shots for the Blue Jackets (15-33-4) as they remain mired at the bottom of the overall standings.

An overtime goal by Caleb Jones lifted the Chicago Blackhawks over the Arizona Coyotes by a score of 4-3. Andreas Athanasiou had a goal and two assists for the 16-29-5 Blackhawks. Coyotes forward Clayton Keller also had a goal and two assists as his club dropped to 17-30-6.

HEADLINES

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane wasn’t pleased when he heard that the Rangers acquired Vladimir Tarasenko on Thursday. “It’s not like the happiest I’ve been to hear about a trade,” he said. Kane indicated the Rangers were a team he was interested in if he was going to be traded.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s comments are an indication that he’s leaning toward accepting a trade before the March 3 deadline. He and teammate Jonathan Toews are reportedly supposed to make a decision by mid-February whether they’ll waive their no-movement clauses. It sounds like Kane already has a list of preferred trade destinations with the Rangers probably at the top.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond could miss Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks after suffering a lower-body injury during practice on Friday. Defenseman Jake Walman is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Ian Cole was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for kneeing Colorado Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano during Thursday’s game.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens re-signed defenseman Jordan Harris to a two-year, $2.8 million contract extension. The average annual value is $1.4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some Canadiens followers went on social media suggesting this was more than what Harris deserved. Perhaps they initially confused that $2.8 million as his new annual cap hit. On his current two-year contract (entry-level), the 22-year-old blueliner is earning an AAV of $842,500 (not counting performance bonuses). $1.4 million is a reasonable raise.

LA HOCKEY NOW: The Kings signed goalie Pheonix Copley to a one-year, $1.5 million contract extension.

TSN: The Florida Panthers signed defenseman Josh Mahura to a one-year, one-way contract extension. Cap Friendly indicates his new deal is worth $925K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 10, 2023

by | Feb 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 10, 2023

The Lightning blank the Avalanche in their first game since the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, Dougie Hamilton sets a franchise record for Devils defensemen, Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky reaches a career milestone and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy turned in a 30-save performance to shut out the Colorado Avalanche 5-0 in the first game between the two clubs since the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Brandon Hagel scored twice and collected an assist and Alex Killorn had three assists for the Lightning (33-16-2) as they move within two points of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 68 points. The 27-19-4 Avalanche cling to third place in the Central Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played without defenseman Cale Makar as he’ll be sidelined for the remainder of their road trip with an upper-body injury following a blindside hit by Pittsburgh Penguins center Jeff Carter on Tuesday. Carter wasn’t penalized on the play and received no supplemental discipline. Lighting forward Nick Paul missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils got two power-play goals by Dougie Hamilton in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. MacKenzie Blackwood stopped 33 shots for the 34-13-4 Devils as they move two points ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs into third place in the Eastern Conference standings with 72 points. Adam Larsson replied for the Kraken (29-17-5) as they remain in second place in the Pacific Division with 63 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hamilton (51 points) set a record for Devils defensemen for the fewest games to reach 50 points in a season (51 games). The previous record was 55 games by Bryan Rafalski in 2006-07. The Devils played this game without leading scorer Jack Hughes as he’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky picked up his 350th career win with a 33-save performance to beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1. Sam Reinhart and Eric Staal each tallied twice for the 26-22-6 Panthers as they moved within one point of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 58 points. Alexander Barabanov replied for the 16-26-11 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky sits 25th overall in career wins among NHL goaltenders.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. It was a costly win for the Golden Knights as goaltender Logan Thompson was helped from the ice in the third period with an apparent left-leg injury. Vegas improved their record to 31-18-4 to open a three-point lead over the Kraken in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Kirill Kaprizov replied for the Wild (27-20-4) as they’ve dropped three straight games and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Thompson was moving around and will undergo an MRI on Friday morning. He’s hopeful that the injury isn’t serious.

The Vancouver Canucks overcame a 4-2 deficit to nip the New York Islanders 6-5. Former Islander Anthony Beauvillier tallied the game-winner while former Canucks captain Bo Horvat also scored in this game. Brock Boeser had a four-point night and Elias Pettersson had three points for the Canucks (21-27-3). Mathew Barzal had a three-point game as the Islanders (27-23-5) remained behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders and Penguins each have 59 points but the latter holds five games in hand. Canucks defenseman Luke Schenn missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart kicked out 34 shots to upset the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on a shootout goal by James van Riemsdyk. Kevin Hayes opened the scoring for the Flyers (22-22-9), who sit six points out of the final Eastern playoff spot with 53 points. Evander Kane replied for the 29-18-5 Oilers, who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 63 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his points streak to 14 games.

The Detroit Red Wings kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 upset of the Calgary Flames. Ville Husso stopped 35 shots while Filip Zadina netted the game-winner as the Wings (22-20-8) sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 52 points. Blake Coleman scored for the Flames (24-18-10) as they sit just outside the final Western playoff spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are tied in points with the Wild but the latter holds that final wild-card berth with a game in hand. Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson missed this game after being struck by a vehicle while riding a scooter in Detroit on Wednesday evening. He was taken to a hospital, underwent a battery of tests and was released. Andersson was rattled by the accident but is otherwise ok.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray has returned to the injured reserve list as he remains sidelined by an ankle injury suffered in late January. The Leafs also announced the signing of defenseman Conor Timmins to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.1 million.

THE TENNESSEAN: In a recent interview, Nashville Predators general manager David Poile gave a vote of confidence to head coach John Hynes, saying he’s absolutely not in jeopardy of losing his job. The Predators are currently battling for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of coaches, former Canucks bench boss Bruce Boudreau is returning to NHL Network as a TV analyst. He previously worked with the network from August 2020 until hired by the Canucks in December 2021.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forward Mason Appleton will return to action on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s been sidelined by a broken wrist since mid-November.










Blues Trade Vladimir Tarasenko To The Rangers

by | Feb 9, 2023

Blues Trade Vladimir Tarasenko To The Rangers

The St. Louis Blues traded winger Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola to the New York Rangers in exchange for winger Sammy Blais, minor-league defenseman Hunter Skinner, a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2024.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Blues retained 50 percent of Tarasenko’s $7.5 million cap hit ($3.75 million). The Blues will receive the latter of the Rangers’ 2023 first-round pick and the 2023 first-rounder they acquired from the Dallas Stars. If the Rangers make the playoffs in 2023, the fourth-rounder in 2024 becomes a third-round pick.

St, Louis Blues trade winger Vladimir Tarasenko to the New York Rangers (NHL Images)

We shouldn’t be surprised that the Blues traded Tarasenko rather than re-sign the pending unrestricted free agent. The 30-year-old winger first surfaced in the rumor mill in July 2021 after it was revealed he requested a trade over his unhappiness with the medical treatment that he received from the Blues medical staff for a nagging shoulder injury.

The Blues couldn’t find any suitable trade offers and retained Tarasenko, who played well for them in 2021-22 with a career-best 82-point performance. However, it was rumored last summer that he hadn’t rescinded his trade request. His production is down from last season’s pace (29 points in 38 games) but that’s in part attributable to missing 13 games to illness and an injured hand.

The Rangers were among the recent rumored destinations for Tarasenko. They were lacking an established first-line right wing. A six-time 30-goal scorer, he should mesh well alongside Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin on the Rangers’ top line. He could also be a good fit on the second line with Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck.

Mikkola, 26, is also due to become a UFA this summer. The 26-year-old is a third-pairing defenseman on a one-year, $1.9 million contract. He’ll provide the Rangers with some experienced depth down the stretch and in the playoffs, especially if injuries should strike their blueline.

Blais is returning to the Blues after being shipped to the Rangers in exchange for Buchenich in 2021. He suffered a serious knee injury last season that limited him to just 14 games and saw limited action in 40 games this season with the Blueshirts.

Skinner is a 21-year-old defenseman who was a fourth-round pick of the Rangers in 2019. Since 2020-21, he’s spent time with their AHL affiliate in Hartford and the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlies and Jacksonville Icemen.

The Tarasenko trade could be viewed as a roster teardown by the Blues but I consider it more of a retool.

They still have a decent core with Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Pavel Buchnevich, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Brayden Schenn and Torey Krug. They could re-sign Ryan O’Reilly if he’s willing to accept a pay cut and a shorter-term contract. Meanwhile, the conditional picks from the Rangers can be put toward restocking their prospect pipeline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 9, 2023

by | Feb 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 9, 2023

The Stars tame the Wild, the Rangers down the Canucks and Oilers GM Ken Holland seeks “dollar-in, dollar-out” trades. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: It was a milestone game for Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn as his club tamed the Minnesota Wild by a score of 4-1. Benn opened the scoring with his 20th goal of the season, marking his 10th career 20-goal season. Jake Oettinger made 38 saves and Jason Robertson collected two assists as the Stars (30-13-10) extended their points streak to seven games. Joel Eriksson Ek replied for the Wild as they slipped to 27-19-4 on the season.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars opened a five-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Western Conference with 70 points. The Wild, meanwhile, dropped into the final wild-card berth in the West with 58 points.

The New York Rangers held off the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. K’Andre Miller collected three assists while Filip Chytil scored to extend his goal streak to five games as the Rangers improved to 29-14-8. Quinn Hughes collected two assists while J.T. Miller picked up an assist for his 500th career point as the Canucks fell to 20-27-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points.

HEADLINES

TSN: Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland told the Got Yer Back podcast that he would like to make a move before the March 3 trade deadline to help his roster. However, he indicated it would have to be a “dollar in, dollar out” move.

The Oilers have $1.125 million in cap space with winger Kailer Yamamoto ($3.1 million average annual value) eligible to come off long-term injury reserve on Saturday. Holland explained that will force him to make some difficult decisions regarding his bottom-of-the-roster players. “They can’t all stay,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trade rumors link the Oilers to left-shot defensemen such as the Arizona Coyotes Jakob Chychrun, the Columbus Blue Jackets Vladislav Gavrikov and the Montreal Canadiens Joel Edmundson. A dollar-in, dollar-out deal could involve winger Jesse Puljujarvi ($3.5 million AAV) as the Oilers have been trying to move him for months.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau doesn’t expect much to change for the NHL Players Association now that US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh is expected to become their new executive director.

Proteau doubts Walsh will make the PA more aggressive in its collective bargaining negotiations with the NHL. He points out that the players have taken the money they’re getting under the current CBA and kept the waters calm. The league, meanwhile, isn’t about to change a system that is working well for the owners of the 32 teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Proteau’s take. He noted the PA could decertify, which would allow all the players to become unrestricted free agents able to negotiate any contract with any team. However, they haven’t shown any inclination to go that route and it’s unlikely they’re going to do so in four years’ time when the current CBA is due to expire.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports the Islanders announced they will avoid rainbow jerseys and tape during their Pride Night warmups. They will be making donations to the LGBT Network and the New York Gay Pride Association, as well as carrying out other Pride-based initiatives.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles are following the lead of the New York Rangers, which did the same thing during their recent Pride Night. It’ll be interesting to see if any more teams follow suit.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently said he doesn’t want the issue of rainbow jerseys overshadowing the league’s support of the game community. Sears points out that may be already happening.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov skipped practice yesterday but head coach Paul Maurice doesn’t consider his injury to be serious. Barkov left Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning after being struck in the hand by a shot.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: The Flyers have told their season-ticket holders that if they renew, they’ll refund the price of all their April games and apply the credit toward next season.

TSN: The Nashville Predators re-signed forward Tommy Novak to a one-year, $800K contract extension.