NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2021

by | Dec 3, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2021

Sam Reinhart burns his former club in a comeback victory, the Stars and Wild remain red hot, an update on Jack Eichel, the Coyotes deny a relocation rumor and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers scored six unanswered goals to overcome a 4-1 deficit and defeat the Buffalo Sabres 7-4. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart burned his former club with a goal and three assists, Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and four assists and Aaron Ekblad and Anton Lundell each scored twice. Sabres forward Vinnie Hinostroza tallied two goals for the Sabres. The Panthers rallied when Sergei Bobrovsky was replaced by Spencer Knight after giving up four goals on 12 shots. Earlier in the day, the Sabres placed goalie Dustin Tokarski on the COVID protocol list.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

A two-goal performance by Jason Robertson powered the Dallas Stars to a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joe Pavelski collected two assists as the red-hot Stars overcame a 2-1 deficit to extend their winning streak to six games. Blue Jackets callup goalie Danill Tarasov made 34 saves with regular netminders Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo both sidelined by non-COVID-related illnesses.

Speaking of red-hot clubs, the Minnesota Wild picked up their fifth straight victory by dropping the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Kirill Kapizov scored twice and added an assist while Ryan Hartman had a goal and two assists. The Devils have lost seven of their last nine games.

The Ottawa Senators snapped a six-game losing skid with a 3-2 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Anton Forsberg picked up the win with a career-high 47-save performance while Alex Formenton scored twice for the Senators. The slumping Hurricanes have dropped five of their last six contests.

Calgary Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom kicked out 40 shots in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane scored and had an assist. It was Flames coach Darryl Sutter’s first game in Los Angeles since he was fired as Kings coach over four years ago. The Flames are tied with the Wild (33 points) atop the Western Conference. Earlier in the day, the Flames sent defenseman Juuso Valimaki to their AHL affiliate in Stockton.

Patrick Kane scored the only goal in a shootout as the Chicago Blackhawks nipped the Washington Capitals 4-3. Alex DeBrincat and Seth Jones each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who limited Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin to one assist.

Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman made 42 saves to blank the Nashville Predators 2-0. Jake DeBrusk and Brandon Carlo tallied the only goals. Bruins defenseman Jakub Zboril left the game in the second period after twisting his right knee.

Victor Hedman scored twice and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots as the Tampa Bay Lightning doubled up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. The Blues played without goaltender Jordan Binnington and defenseman Justin Faulk after both were placed on the COVID protocol list.

The New York Islanders remain winless in nine games after dropping a 2-1 decision to the San Jose Sharks. Erik Karlsson tallied the game-winner in overtime.

After getting lit up for eight goals on Wednesday by the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Colorado Avalanche bounced back with a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram missed the game dealing with issues related to a previous concussion while goalie Darcy Kuemper remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The Canadiens played without Brendan Gallagher and Sami Niku (COVID protocol) and lost winger Josh Anderson for the next two to four weeks with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Byram’s ongoing concussion issues threaten to derail his NHL career. He’s already missed 34 games to concussion-related symptoms since last season.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Vegas Golden Knight center Jack Eichel has resumed skating less than a month after undergoing artificial disc replacement in his neck.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel’s timetable to return to action remains in late February.

ARIZONA REPUBLIC: The Coyotes issued a statement yesterday denying a report in Forbes claiming the team is up for sale with the idea of the buyer moving the team to a new arena in Houston. “This is false. Totally false. We’re not selling. We’re not moving. The Coyotes are 100 percent committed to playing in Arizona.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also dismissed the story as “completely false”. The Coyotes have made a bid to build a new arena in Tempe, Arizona. Unless the move to Houston story is some sort of backchannel last resort if the Tempe bid falls through, it makes little sense for the Coyotes ownership to sell the club.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres acquired goaltender Malcolm Subban from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for future considerations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres had to do something to shore up their shaky goaltending. We’ll find out soon enough if Subban can provide some relief.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled their third jerseys for their Stadium Series matchup in Nashville on Feb. 26, 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And they’re horrible…










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2021

by | Dec 2, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2021

​Game recaps, players and rookie of the month, the Islanders’ schedule resumes following a COVID outbreak, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews’ hat trick powered the Toronto Maple Leafs to an 8-2 drubbing of the Colorado Avalanche. John Tavares had a goal and two assists while William Nylander and Mitch Marner each collected two points. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had two assists in his return after missing eight games with a lower-body injury. With 35 points, the Leafs have won five straight games and move into first place in the overall standings.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and three assists to power his club past the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Zach Hyman scored twice and Mikko Koskinen made 32 saves for the win. McDavid has reached 40 points and sits one back of league-leader and teammate Leon Draisaitl in the NHL scoring race.

Quinn Hughes collected four assists as his Vancouver Canucks rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, handing the latter their sixth straight loss. J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sitting dead last in the overall standings, it’s increasingly apparent the rebuild isn’t over for the Senators. The defense remains porous and the goaltending atrocious.

Shootout goals by Dylan Larkin and Adam Erne gave the Detroit Red Wings their fourth straight win by nipping the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Lucas Raymond scored his 10th goal for the Red Wings and leads all NHL rookies in goals and points with 22. Fellow Wings rookie Moritz Seider chipped in two assists. Ryan Donato tallied twice for the Kraken. The Wings played without Tyler Bertuzzi, who will miss five games after being placed in COVID protocol.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bertuzzi was the only unvaccinated NHL player.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves to backstop his club over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Rangers as they picked up their eighth win in their last nine games. The Flyers, meanwhile, have dropped seven in a row. They also lost winger Joel Farabee in the first period to an upper-body injury.

Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano each collected three assists as the Anaheim Ducks held off the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5. Jamie Drysdale had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who’ve won three of their last four games. Max Pacioretty had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights.

HEADLINES

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell and Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri are the NHL’s three stars for November 2021.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond was named rookie of the month for November 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raymond’s teammate Moritz Seider was rookie of the month in October. The duo has quickly established themselves among the Wings’ core players and are playing key roles in the rebuilding club’s improvement this season.

The New York Islanders returned to practice yesterday after having two games postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak. They’re scheduled to face the San Jose Sharks tonight. Five players who were in COVID protocol (Anders Lee, Josh Bailey, Ross Johnston, Andy Greene and Adam Pelech) practiced with their teammates yesterday.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Mathieu Darche and Daniel Briere appear to be leading candidates for the general manager role with the Montreal Canadiens. Hall-of-Famer Patrick Roy has openly expressed interest in the job but it doesn’t appear he’s on the Canadiens’ shortlist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With all due respect to Roy, his mercurial temperament could clash with executive VP of hockey operations Jeff Gorton. The last thing the Canadiens need is a media circus with Roy stirring the pot.

Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports the Tampa Bay Lightning will not stand in Darche’s way if he agrees to interview for the Habs job. He’s currently the Lightning’s assistant GM.

TVA SPORTS’ Renaud Lavoie reports Martin Brodeur isn’t looking to leave the New Jersey Devils even if his name is out there as a candidate for the GM job in Montreal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brodeur, Roberto Luongo and Luc Robitaille were all mentioned as possible management material for the Canadiens. I don’t see any of them leaving their current roles with their respective teams for Montreal.

The WHL’s Vancouver Giants announced former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook has joined their club as an interim volunteer assistant coach.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The death of Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks on July 4 has been ruled accidental and no criminal charges will be sought.

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings reclaimed defenseman Christian Wolanin off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres, who had claimed Wolanin from the Kings back in October.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2021

by | Dec 1, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2021

​Filip Forsberg enjoys a four-goal performance, the Panthers and Blues turn deficits into victories, the Devils re-sign Jack Hughes, Rod Brind’Amour and Brendan Lemieux fined, and much more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Filip Forsberg scored four goals as the Nashville Predators thumped the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-0. Forsberg also reached his 400th career point in this contest. Juuse Saros made 27 saves for the shutout while Mikael Granlund collected four assists.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg now has 10 goals and 15 points in just 13 games. Granlund, meanwhile, has 25 points in just 22 games. He had a combined 57 points over the last two seasons but should exceed that total this season at his current rate of production.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 victory over the Washington Capitals. Sam Reinhart buried the winner with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation. Jonathan Huberdeau and Aaron Ekblad each collected three assists for the Panthers.

Ryan O’Reilly scored the only goal in a shootout as the St. Louis Blues overcame a 3-0 deficit to drop the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. O’Reilly also scored in regulation while Jordan Binnington settled down from a shaky first period to make 30 saves for the win. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos missed the game to attend the birth of his second child while Erik Cernak returned to the Bolts lineup after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz tallied a hat trick as his club downed the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Joe Pavelski also scored for the Stars and collected two assists while Braden Holtby picked up the win with a 39-save performance. Earlier in the day, the NHL fined Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour $25,000.00 for inappropriate conduct during Sunday’s game against the Capitals. Brind’Amour yelled at the referees late in the game over a slashing call against Sebastian Aho that gave the Capitals a 5-on-3 power play.

Shootout goals by Trevor Zegras and Kevin Shattenkirk lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. The Kings rallied back from a 4-1 deficit in the third to tie the game. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering a knee injury on Oct. 22. The Kings also played without winger Brendan Lemieux, who was suspended five games for biting Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In the “Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree Department”, Brendan and his father Claude Lemieux hold the dubious honor of being the first father/son duo in NHL history to be suspended for biting opponents during their respective careers.

The Detroit Red Wings got a 41-save performance from Alex Nedeljkovic as they nipped the Boston Bruins 2-1. Marc Staal broke a 1-1 tie in the third period. The Bruins were playing without Brad Marchand (three-game suspension) and head coach Bruce Cassidy after he was placed in COVID protocol yesterday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of COVID protocols, the NHL sent a memo to its 32 teams yesterday outlining a series of new measures designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Those steps include canceling team Christmas parties, charity events and autograph sessions.

A 5-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes moved the Minnesota Wild into a tie with the Calgary Flames for first place in the Western Conference standings. Jordan Greenway had a goal and two assists while Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist. Clayton Keller scored and set up another for the Coyotes.

Timo Meier scored twice and James Reimer kicked out 32 shots as the San Jose Sharks beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Devils center Jack Hughes returned to the lineup after missing 17 games with a dislocated shoulder. Earlier in the day, the Devils announced Hughes signed an eight-year, $64-million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils are making a major investment in the 20-year-old Hughes after just 120 games and 55 points since 2019-20. He’s shown considerable potential since last season but will face a lot of pressure to meet the expectations that come with this contract. If he does, this could turn into a worthwhile deal for one of their core players.

HEADLINES

THE SCORE: Evander Kane downplayed reports from earlier this summer claiming his San Jose Sharks teammates were frustrated by his behavior and didn’t want him back on the team this season. He said his end-of-season interview with management was positive, singling out how well he worked with the younger players and praising his performance. Kane cleared waivers Monday and reported to the AHL’s San Jose Barracudas, where he took part in his first practice with the team on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meanwhile, there were reports during the offseason claiming the Sharks attempted to trade Kane earlier in the summer. They’re reportedly trying to do so again. Draw your own conclusions, folks.

CBC SPORTS: Quebec Remparts general manager and coach Patrick Roy has expressed interest in the Montreal Canadiens’ vacant general manager position. “Since 1993, this club has been running in circles,” said the Canadiens Hall-of-Famer. “What do they have to lose by giving me a chance, and seeing what I can do with this club?”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The issue would be whether the temperamental Roy could work well with Jeff Gorton, the Canadiens’ new executive VP of hockey operations. That might not be possible given his departure from the Colorado Avalanche in 2016 over a disagreement regarding the direction of that club. The last thing the Habs will want is their next GM butting heads with Gorton and turning their disagreements into a media circus.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed defenseman Cody Ceci in COVID protocol yesterday. The club also canceled Tuesday’s practice and order two rounds of tests.

TSN: Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. They also traded minor leaguer Kole Sherwood to the Nashville Predators for future considerations.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2021

by | Nov 30, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2021

​Game recaps, three stars of the week, the latest on the Canadiens’ search for a new GM and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames downed the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on a shootout goal by Mikael Backlund. Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves as the Flames have won six of their last eight games. Penguins winger Jake Guentzel scored to extend his points streak to 10 games.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka kicked out 46 shots for his first career shutout to blank the Winnipeg Jets 1-0. Antoine Roussel scored the only goal as the Coyotes handed the Jets their sixth loss in their last seven contests.

Conor Garland’s second-period goal proved the game-winner as the Vancouver Canucks snapped a four-game losing skid by nipping the Montreal Canadiens 2-1. Elias Pettersson also scored for the Canucks. Canadiens goalie Jake Allen made 40 saves in a losing cause.

The Seattle Kraken picked up their fourth win in their last five games by thumping the Buffalo Sabres 7-4. Jared McCann and Mason Appleton each scored twice for the Kraken while Jeff Skinner also tallied two goals for the Sabres.

HEADLINES

TSN/MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens president, CEO and co-owner Geoff Molson held a press conference yesterday to talk about his front office shakeup that saw general manager Marc Bergevin and head scout Trevor Timmins relieved of their duties.

Montreal Canadiens president, CEO and co-owner Geoff Molson (NHL.com).

Molson confirmed former New York Rangers GM Jeff Gorton signed a long-term contract to become the club’s executive vice president of hockey operations. He said Gorton will work in tandem with Bergevin’s eventual replacement. The duo will also handle all decisions regarding the coaching staff.

“I strongly believe that this organization needs a fresh start,” said Molson, who said he waited until Bergevin had recovered from a recent bout of COVID-19 to replace him. He added Bergevin understood Molson’s reasons behind the decision.

Molson also explained why the Canadiens want a bilingual general manager and head coach because they’re located in a province and society that mostly speaks French. He pointed out the importance of respecting the two languages and communicating to their fans in their market.

The Canadiens co-owner also said the final hockey decisions will be made by the new general manager but indicated Gorton will help guide the new GM as they grow accustomed to the role. He didn’t rule out the possibility of a rebuild if that’s what Gorton and the new GM believe will be best.

Molson also revealed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was one of the people who recommended hiring Gorton. He said he has “a great relationship” with Bettman so he spoke with the commissioner before hiring the former Blueshirts GM. Molson indicated Bettman knew Gorton because he worked for the NHL and also had experience in the New York market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s safe to say that Gorton will still hold considerable influence over management decisions. The question is finding someone who can work well in tandem with their new executive VP of hockey ops. Whoever gets that role will need assurances that they won’t become Gorton’s “yes man”.

Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports former NHL forward Daniel Briere is very high up on the list of potential candidates. He runs the day-to-day operations of the ECHL’s Maine Mariners. TVA Sports reports former NHL defenseman Philippe Boucher expressed interest in the job. He’s the general manager of the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs.

Former Canadiens star Vincent Damphousse was mentioned by some pundits as a potential candidate. However, he told RDS it’s not something he wants to do for a living.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 28, 2021.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Bruins winger Brad Marchand received a three-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Sunday.

TSN: San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane cleared waivers yesterday and is expected to be assigned to the AHL’s San Jose Barracudas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise there given Kane’s well-documented off-ice issues and his hefty $7 million annual average value. However, there are reports the Sharks are attempting to trade him. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Roundup.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes defensemen Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo joined fellow blueliner Ethan Bear on the COVID protocol list.

THE ATHLETIC’s Jesse Granger reports Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson is now in COVID protocol.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Ryan Murray is sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: St. Louis Blues winger David Perron remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild will retire Mikko Koivu’s No. 9 jersey on March 13 at the Xcel Energy Center. He will be the first player in franchise history to have his number retired. Koivu spent 15 seasons with the Wild, scoring 205 goals and 504 assists for 709 points and was their first permanent captain. He played briefly last season for the Columbus Blue Jackets before retiring.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 29, 2021

by | Nov 29, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 29, 2021

​The Capitals take over the top spot in the overall standings, the Leafs tie their franchise record for consecutive road wins, speculation over the next Canadiens’ general manager, Matt Murray demoted, Evander Kane on waivers, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: John Carlson scored and set up two others as the Washington Capitals doubled up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2, vaulting over the Hurricanes into first place in the overall standings. The Hurricanes overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie the game but Washington defenseman Dmitry Orlov potted the game-winner with a power-play goal late in the third period. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 19th goal of the season. Lars Eller returned to Washington’s lineup after missing six games due to COVID-19.

Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (NHL Images).

The Toronto Maple Leafs tied a franchise record with their seventh straight road victory by downing the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. Jack Campbell made 39 saves, Auston Matthews tallied his 10th goal of the season and John Tavares (22 points) maintained his place as the Leafs’ leading scorer with two assists. Leafs forward Ondrej Kase missed the game with an upper-body injury. Toronto (16-6-1) has won nine of their last 10 games. They’re tied in points with Washington (33) but the latter holds first overall by having a game in hand.

New Jersey Devils forward Andreas Johnson enjoyed a four-point performance (two goals, two assists) in a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, who’ve dropped six straight games. Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton also scored using a custom stick in honor of Thea, a young girl Hamilton grew close with in Calgary who passed away from cancer. He put her name on his stick as part of the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer Night. “It’s great to score for her and her family,” said Hamilton. The Flyers, meanwhile, have lost six straight games.

Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak scored in the third period as the Boston Bruins nipped the Vancouver Canucks 3-2, handing the latter their ninth loss in the last 10 games. Linus Ullmark got the win with 36 saves.

Third-period goals by Ryan Hartman and Marcus Foligno lifted the Minnesota Wild over the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Wild winger Mats Zuccarello missed this contest with an undisclosed injury. Lightning forward Mathieu Joseph left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.

San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0. Timo Meier scored both goals for the Sharks.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens owner and president Geoff Molson will hold a press conference today to address the firings on Sunday of general manager Marc Bergevin and head scout Trevor Timmins, the resignation of assistant GM Scott Mellanby on Saturday, and the hiring yesterday of former New York Rangers GM Jeff Gorton as executive vice-president of hockey operations.

TVA SPORTS: Tampa Bay Lightning director of hockey operations Mathieu Darche and Anaheim Ducks assistant general manager Martin Madden Jr are among two of the rumored candidates to become the next Canadiens general manager.

Others included Quebec Remparts GM Patrick Roy, Florida Panthers advisor Roberto Luongo, former senior VP of NHL player safety Stephane Quintal and ECHL Maine Mariners president Daniel Briere.

RDS.CA: Hockey analyst Vincent Damphousse and San Diego Gulls head coach Joel Bouchard are also among the rumored candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Briere indicated he’d listen carefully to a proposal from the Canadiens but he hasn’t been contacted yet. Neither has Roy, whose name inevitably pops up whenever there’s talk of the Canadiens getting a new GM.

The reason why none of them have been called thus far is that Gorton will be the one who’ll do the hiring. Some pundits believe he will be running the show regardless of who becomes the next general manager.

That doesn’t mean the next GM will be a figurehead or puppet for Gorton. Whoever gets the job will work closely with the new hockey ops VP. However, Gorton will likely have the final say on all significant management decisions while Molson takes a step back from the day-to-day operations.

The next Canadiens general manager must be bilingual, a policy that for years limited the depth of talent the club could draw upon for available experienced management. The current list of available candidates with NHL management experience is rather thin. Having the unilingual Gorton in charge of overall hockey operations is a clever workaround, enabling the Habs to bring in a respected, well-seasoned NHL executive.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: The San Jose Sharks yesterday placed winger Evander Kane on waivers in anticipation of the completion of his 21-games suspension on Nov. 30. If he clears waivers later today, he’s expected to report to their AHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Kane doesn’t report he will be suspended without pay. Sharks assistant GM Joe Will didn’t dismiss the possibility of the troubled winger getting traded. I’ll have more on that in today’s rumor mill.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators goaltender Matt Murray cleared waivers yesterday and has been assigned to their AHL affiliate in Belleville.

Los Angeles Kings winger Brendan Lemieux faces an in-person hearing via Zoom on Tuesday with NHL VP of player safety George Parros for biting Senators captain Brady Tkachuk on the hand on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lemieux could face a suspension of over five games, which would take a bite out of his salary. Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Fenway Sports Group has signed a purchase agreement to assume a controlling stake in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Senior management is expected to remain in place following the sale of the club. Current co-owner Mario Lemieux is also supposed to stay with the club in some capacity.

POST-GAZETTE: Speaking of the Penguins, winger Bryan Rust (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres signed center Mark Jankowski to a one-year, $750K contract.










Canadiens Fire Bergevin, Timmins

by | Nov 28, 2021

Canadiens Fire Bergevin, Timmins

​The Montreal Canadiens fired general manager Marc Bergevin and assistant GM Trevor Timmins. Paul Wilson, senior vice president of public affairs and communication, was also relieved of his duties.

Former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin (NHL.com).

Former New York Rangers GM Jeff Gorton has been hired as executive vice-president of hockey operations. He will play a significant role in selecting a new general manager and head scout.

Bergevin had been Canadiens GM since 2012 and is in the last year of his contract. Timmins spent 17 seasons with the Habs and was promoted to assistant GM in 2017, overseeing their amateur scouting.

Under Bergevin’s management, the Canadiens made six playoff appearances, reaching the 2021 Stanley Cup Final and the 2014 Eastern Conference Final. He made several noteworthy additions via trades and free agents. They include current Habs such as Nick Suzuki, Jeff Petry, Tyler Toffoli, Josh Anderson, Jake Allen, and Christian Dvorak.

Timmins, meanwhile, helped the Canadiens select Carey Price (2005), Max Pacioretty, P.K. Subban and Ryan McDonagh (2007), Brendan Gallagher (2010) and Mikhail Sergachev (2016).

However, the Canadiens have had their difficulties in recent years. They missed the playoffs in 2017-18 and 2018-19. In 2020, they qualified only because of a one-time-only expanded playoff format due to the cancellation of the remainder of the regular season by COVID-19. They qualified last season because of divisional changes in a COVID-shortened schedule.

The Canadiens are off to one of their worst starts in franchise history this season, in part because of the absence of superstar goaltender Carey Price and captain Shea Weber to injuries and Price’s one-month stint in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The lack of leadership in the dressing room and on the ice has been a critical factor in the Habs’ struggles.

Bergevin, however, faced growing criticism from fans and pundits for the club’s poor effort in recent years. He’s also been taken to task for several questionable trades and signings, as well as the development of the club’s promising young players.

Some fans are still smarting over his swap of Subban for Weber, though that move ultimately worked out in the long-term for the Canadiens. Other questionable decisions include shipping Sergachev to Tampa Bay for Jonathan Drouin, signing David Savard and Karl Alzner, and passing on re-signing popular Habs like Alexander Radulov, Andrei Markov and Phillip Danault.

Timmins, meanwhile, had more misses than hits in his draft history. The Canadiens’ most notable first-round draft picks between 2008 and 2015 were depth players Alex Galchenyuk and Nathan Beaulieu.

Sergachev (2016) is now starring with the Lightning. Ryan Poehling (2017) and Cole Caufield (2019) have shown varying degrees of potential but the jury remains out on whether they’ll reach their potential.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi (2018) was signed away by a one-year offer sheet from the Carolina Hurricanes in August. His struggle to meet expectations that dogged him in Montreal seems to have carried over with Carolina.

Canadiens owner and president Geoff Molson was criticized by the Montreal media for his unwillingness to publicly address his club’s poor performance through the first two months of this season. However, reports are emerging that he had been considering front office changes for some time. At one point it appeared assistant GM Scott Mellanby would either replace Bergevin or take over as overseer of hockey operations. Molson, however, decided to go in another direction, sparking Mellanby’s resignation on Saturday.

By hiring Jeff Gorton, Molson is bringing in an experienced and respected hockey executive. He rebuilt the Rangers during his tenure as their general manager from 2015 until fired last May. He signed Artemi Panarin, acquired Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba and drafted Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko.

Before that, Gorton spent eight years as an assistant general manager with the Boston Bruins. During several months as their interim GM in 2006, he acquired goaltender Tuukka Rask, drafted forwards Phil Kessel, Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic, and signed defenseman Zdeno Chara and forward Marc Savard.

Whoever Gorton hires as Bergevin’s replacement must be fully bilingual. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels recently speculated whether Roberto Luongo, Patrick Roy, Martin Madden Jr., Vincent Damphousse or Mathieu Darche will be among the candidates for the job.

It remains to be seen whether any of them get the job or if Gorton goes with a lesser-known option. Nevertheless, change is underway with the Canadiens, which will determine the future of head coach Dominique Ducharme and perhaps lead to some significant changes to the current roster in the coming weeks and months.