NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 4, 2024

Team Matthews defeats Team McDavid to win the 2024 All-Star Game. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored two goals to lead his team to a 7-4 victory over Team McDavid to win the 2024 NHL All-Star Game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. His team was awarded a check for $1 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

In the best-of-three format, the captain of Team Matthews finished the three-on-three tournament with four points, becoming the first Leaf in 33 years to be named MVP of the All-Star Game. His team eliminated Team Hughes 6-5 in a shootout while Team McDavid needed a shootout to eliminate Team MacKinnon 4-3.

Matthews is the fifth Leaf to be named MVP, joining Vincent Damphousse (1991), Bruce Gamble (1968), Frank Mahovlich (1963) and Eddie Shack (1962). He also became the 11th player in NHL All-Star Game history to win MVP honors in his home arena.

Five players on Team Matthews finished with at least four points. Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (3 goals, 3 assists) and New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (1 goal, five assists) lead the way with six points each, followed by Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (3 goals, 2 assists, 5 points), and Matthews and Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller (1 goal, 3 assists) with four points apiece.

Team McDavid forward Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers) led his club with five points (1 goal, 4 assists) while teammate David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins) had 2 goals and 2 assists for four points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the usual friendly pond-hockey style affair though the results weren’t as lopsided as we’ve seen in previous All-Star games. The fans in attendance seemed to have a good time, which is what matters here. The NHL All-Star Game is more of a benefit for the host city.

ESPN.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes said he’s close to returning to action. He’s been sidelined for a month with an injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s good news for the Devils as they’re struggling to remain in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. With a record of 24-20-3 (51 points), they’re seven points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern wild-card berth.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Colorado Avalanche placed goaltender Ivan Prosvetov on waivers while the Vegas Golden Knights did the same with defenseman Brayden Pachal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Putting Prosvetov on waivers has raised speculation that the Avalanche will bring in a replacement backup goalie for Alexandar Georgiev via trade or their farm system. Stay tuned…

THE ATHLETIC: recently released the results of an anonymous player poll on a variety of topics.

Of note was Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov being named the league’s most underrated player, Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras chosen as the most overrated, Panthers forward Nick Cousins was considered the player whose face they’d most like to punch, and Wes McAuley was named the best referee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the full results if you have a subscription. I just picked out the ones that interested me. The other topics had predictable results (the current captain of the Edmonton Oilers being named best player and it wasn’t even close).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2024

Connor McDavid wins the All-Stars skills competition, the Kings fire head coach Todd McLellan and the NHL will return to the 2026 and 2030 Olympics—details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid won the 2024 NHL All-Star skills competition at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, taking home a $1 million check for his efforts. McDavid won four of the eight events for 25 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar finished second with 20 points while Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was third with 18 points. Makar’s teammate Alexandar Georgiev was the top goaltender in the event, earning a check of $100,000.

THE SCORE: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov drew boos from the Toronto fans for what appeared to be a lackadaisical effort on his part during the passing and stickhandling events. He finished with 0.5 points through four events before being eliminated.

MAYOR’S MANOR: The Los Angeles Kings fired head coach Todd McLellan on Friday and promoted assistant coach Jim Hiller as his replacement on an interim basis for the remainder of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McLellan is the sixth NHL head coach to lose his job this season. He received a vote of confidence from general manager Rob Blake last month. However, the club’s ongoing slump couldn’t be overlooked any longer as it threatens to derail their season.

Changing the head coach is the easiest go-to for the general manager of a struggling team, especially one that lacks sufficient salary-cap space to make a trade or two to improve the roster.

Nevertheless, Blake isn’t escaping unscathed from this.

The Los Angeles Times’ Helene Elliott and The Athletic’s Eric Stephens believe the Kings GM deserves his share of the blame for constructing a dysfunctional roster.

Elliott and Stephens pointed to the divisions in the dressing room as well as the Kings’ lack of scoring punch and inadequate goaltending. They singled out the indifferent play of Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Kings’ big-ticket acquisition last summer whose performance has been disappointing thus far. Trading away Sean Durzi, Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi last year also hurt their roster depth.

If Hiller reverses the Kings fortunes it’ll buy Blake time to reexamine his roster and make adjustments accordingly. If things remain the same or worsen it’ll cast the Kings GM into a much harsher spotlight, raising questions about his future in Los Angeles.

NHL.COM: League Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the NHL will return to the Winter Olympics in 2026 and 2030. The last time the league participated in the Winter Games was in 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The return to the Olympics was part of the league’s 2020 memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the NHL Players Association extending the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to 2026. Participation in the 2030 games is an olive branch to the PA for the league’s decision not to participate in the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, China, over COVID-19 concerns.

Bettman also announced a four-nation tournament involving NHL players from Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden from Feb. 12-20, 2025. It will be held in two North American cities, one in Canada and one in the United States, with the locations to be announced at a later date.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reason behind this “appetizer” (as Bettman called it) is based on the NHL’s stance against Russia over that country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The NHL could’ve fleshed this out into a six-team tournament by following their template from the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Smaller European countries such as Germany, Czechia and Slovakia formed Team Europe while North American players 23 and younger skated as Team North America. Team Europe reached the 2016 World Cup Final while Team North America became a fan favorite because of their exciting play.

Instead, we get a half-baked warm-up tournament without superstars such as Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak. I’ll cover it because it’s my job but I am not enthusiastic about it. I’m looking forward to the true international best-on-best hockey in the next two Winter Olympics.

NHL.COM: Bettman said he doesn’t believe the four NHL players facing charges over an alleged sexual assault in 2018 as members of Canada’s World Junior team will return to the league this season.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube and New Jersey Devils players Michael McLeod and Cal Foote are on indefinite leave of absence from their respective teams. They each face one charge of sexual assault while McLeod faces an additional charge.

Alex Formenton, whose rights belong to the Ottawa Senators, has also been charged. He’s been playing in Switzerland since last season and is also on a leave of absence from his club.

Bettman confirmed the four players are still being paid by their respective teams. He also said the league conducted its own investigation into the alleged incident but wouldn’t comment on whether it yielded a conclusion of wrongdoing by the players.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league wouldn’t be releasing the results of its findings while charges are pending.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The four players could end up being banned from the NHL and their contracts terminated for violating the league’s and their teams’ respective codes of conduct. However, any such action will likely wait until the completion of their trial and a verdict has been issued.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Bettman and NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh gave conflicting views on the Arizona Coyotes’ efforts to find a new arena site.

Bettman said he was “reasonably confident” that the club’s ownership could announce a new location within the next several weeks. However, Walsh said he was “extremely disappointed” in the Coyotes’ efforts, calling for the franchise to be relocated to a new city if a plan wasn’t in place by the end of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Arizona Republic’s Stacey Barchenger reported yesterday evening that Coyotes ownership confirmed they are applying to buy about 200 acres of state trust land in North Phoenix. However, they stress they’re still considering all options and aren’t yet ready to announce which one they’ll pursue as their primary location. The soap opera continues…

DAILY FACEOFF: Bettman also confirmed that Corey Perry has a grievance pending with the Chicago Blackhawks over his contract termination on Nov. 30 but it has yet to be filed.

The 38-year-old winger’s contract was terminated over an alcohol-fueled incident that included Blackhawks employees and corporate partners. Perry signed a one-year, prorated contract last month with the Edmonton Oilers.

NYI HOCKEY NOW/NEW YORK POST: The Islanders have placed forward Julien Gauthier on waivers. They also hired Benoit Desrosiers as an assistant coach. He worked with Islanders head coach Patrick Roy for six seasons with the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, winning the Memorial Cup in 2023.

KLTV: A Franklin County, Texas jury found former NHL player Mike Ribeiro not guilty of two counts of sexual assault and was deadlocked over a third count of attempted sexual assault. It’s not yet clear if he’ll be retired on the third charge. Ribeiro played for the Dallas Stars from 2006 to 2011.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Former Bruins goaltender Blaine Lacher passed away suddenly in Medicine Hat, Alberta on Jan. 29 at the age of 54. He played two seasons with the Bruins from 1994-95 to 1995-96 with a career record of 22 wins, 16 losses and four overtime losses with a 2.80 goals-against average, a save percentage of .887 and four shutouts.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2024

The four All-Star Game rosters are set, the three stars and rookie of the month for January are revealed, the latest on Sam Reinhart’s contract situation and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The four teams are set for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game following the player draft by team captains Auston Matthews and singer Justin Bieber, Nathan MacKinnon and singer Tate McRae, Jack and Quinn Hughes with singer Michael Buble, and Connor McDavid with actor Will Arnett.

Among the notable picks:

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

The hometown Toronto Maple Leafs all-stars will be playing on Team Matthews as he and assistant captain Morgan Rielly used their first two picks to select William Nylander and Mitch Marner.

Team Hughes used the first overall pick to select Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league in scoring with 85 points.

Team MacKinnon chose Pittsburgh Penguins captain (and MacKinnon’s fellow Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native) Sidney Crosby with their first pick.

Team McDavid selected Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebucyk and Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Seattle Kraken winger Oliver Bjorkstrand was the last pick of the draft as he joined Team MacKinnon. Well, he wasn’t chosen by that team. Each of the final four players – Anaheim Ducks winger Frank Vatrano (Team Hughes), New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (Team Matthews), San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (Team McDavid) and Bjorkstrand – were assigned to their respective teams.

NHL.COM: Speaking of MacKinnon, he’s the league’s first star for January 2024. Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner is the second star with Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson the third star.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber was named the Rookie of the Month for January 2024.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said his contract talks with the club are going well and he has no problem with the process taking more time. “I’ve got no issues with them being ongoing. They certainly don’t either,” said Reinhart, going on to say the main focus of both sides right now is winning the Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Both sides have expressed a willingness to get a deal done stretching back to last fall.

Reinhart has already set a career high this season with 37 goals and with 62 points is on pace to exceed his career-best of 80 points. He’s due for a big raise on his next contract. The 28-year-old is earning an average annual value of $6.5 million and could earn between $9 million and $10 million annually on his next deal.

With over $28 million in projected cap space for 2024-25, the Panthers can afford to re-sign Reinhart. It will put a big dent into their remaining cap space and could complicate efforts to re-sign pending UFA defensemen Brandon Montour and Gustav Forsling as well as restricted free agent Anton Lundell.

THE TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs great Dave Keon believes current Leafs stars Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander will probably reach the top of the list among the club’s all-time scoring leaders. “And unless they win a Cup, that will be their legacy,” he said.

What is the object of this exercise? At the start of the year when you gather in training camp, the object of the exercise is to win the Stanley Cup,” said Keon. “If you have all of these players putting up great numbers and you’ve won one playoff series in eight or nine years, and you haven’t even played for the Stanley Cup, then you have to take a look in the mirror.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keon is speaking some harsh truth here. One of the greatest two-way forwards in NHL history, he won four Stanley Cups in six seasons with the Leafs between 1961-62 and 1966-67 and won the 1967 Conn Smythe Trophy.

Yes, the league and the game have changed since Keon’s heyday 60 years ago. Matthews, Marner and Nylander aren’t to blame for their club’s inability to build up a solid supporting cast around them. Nevertheless, they’re the foundation on which the club’s success depends. So far, they’ve struggled to meet those postseason expectations.

CALGARY SUN: Elias Lindholm posted a heartfelt message on his Instagram account to Flames fans following his trade to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. “Thank you Calgary and thank you C of Red for these five and a half years,” he wrote.

It’s been truly amazing to represent this organization and play in front of you all. You guys have been nothing but incredible to me and my family. We’re so grateful for our time in Calgary and it will always have a special place in our hearts. All the best, it’s been an honor.”

TSN: The sexual assault case involving five players from Canada’s 2018 World Junior team will be before a court in London, Ontario starting on Monday.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube, New Jersey Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote and unsigned Ottawa Senators winger Alex Formenton (who played in Switzerland this season) are each charged with one count of sexual assault. The five are on indefinite leaves of absence from their teams.

McLeod also faces an additional charge of sexual assault for “being a party to the offence.” The alleged incident occurred in London on June 19, 2018, following a Hockey Canada event.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2024

The Canucks and Bruins extend their leads in their respective conference, the Oilers announced the signing of Corey Perry, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The league-leading Vancouver Canucks picked up their eighth win in their last nine games with a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Thatcher Demko made 31 saves for his fifth shutout of the season while Pius Suter and Quinn Hughes were the goal scorers for the Canucks (32-11-4) as they sit atop the Western Conference with 68 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 27 shots for the 14-31-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno returned to action after being sidelined since Jan. 5 by a fractured finger. Chicago head coach Luke Richardson told reporters that there hasn’t been a change in the 6-8 week recovery period for rookie Connor Bedard (fractured jaw), who’s been sidelined since undergoing surgery on Jan. 8. Meanwhile, the Canucks announced defenseman Carson Soucy will be sidelined for five to six weeks with an injured hand.

Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle had a goal and an assist while Jeremy Swayman turned aside 20 shots to down the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. The Bruins extended their win streak to five games and are 6-0-3 in their last nine contests. With a record of 29-8-9, they’re first in the Eastern Conference and one point back of the Canucks in the overall standings. Vladislav Namestnikov scored for the Jets (30-11-4) as they sit second in the Western Conference with 64 points.

New Jersey Devils winger Tyler Toffoli (NHL Images).

New Jersey Devils forward Tyler Toffoli completed a hat trick in overtime to lift his club to a 6-5 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Curtis Lazar tallied twice for the 24-18-3 Devils (51 points), who moved within two points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and collected an assist for the Golden Knights (27-14-6) as they overcame a 3-1 deficit and at one point led 5-3. With 60 points, they’re second in the Pacific Division.

The Florida Panthers snapped a four-game losing skid by defeating the Nashville Predators 4-1. Sam Reinhart tallied his 34th goal of the season while Sam Bennett collected three assists for the Panthers (28-14-4) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 60 points. Juuse Saros stopped 34 shots for the 25-21-1 Predators, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury while defenseman Gustav Forsling missed this match for family reasons.

Arizona Coyotes winger Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Connor Ingram made 25 saves for the 23-19-3 Coyotes (49 points) as they moved to within two points of the Predators. Lars Eller and Sidney Crosby replied for the 21-17-6 Penguins (48 points) as they remain five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Down 3-2 in the third period, the Penguins pulled their goalie for an extra attacker on a delayed penalty. Kris Letang dropped a pass to teammate Evgeni Malkin but the latter inadvertently redirected the puck into his own net. As for the Coyotes, defenseman Matt Dumba left the game with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, they announced that blueliner Troy Stecher will be out for four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Fabian Zetterlund lifted the San Jose Sharks over the Los Angeles Kings 4-3. Zetterlund also scored in regulation while Kaapo Kahkonen kicked out 44 shots for the 12-31-4 Sharks. Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala each had two points for the 22-13-9 Kings (53 points), who hold the first Western wild-card spot but have just two wins in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro left this game in the second period after taking a spill into the boards. There was no update regarding his status following this match.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers yesterday officially announced they signed Corey Perry to a one-year, prorated contract. The deal carries a base salary of $775K with performance bonuses totaling $325K. To make room for Perry, the Oilers placed forward Adam Erne on waivers to send him to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry practiced with the Oilers for the first time yesterday. He’s expected to make his debut in their lineup on Saturday against the Predators.

During his introductory press conference, Perry said he took full responsibility for the incident that led to his contract termination by the Chicago Blackhawks in November. He also said that he received help from counselors regarding mental health and other issues, thanking them along with his family and friends for their support.

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 21.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck and Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor have been added to the 2024 NHL All-Star roster. They replace Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, who are sidelined by injuries.

NEW YORK POST: Sidelined Rangers forward Filip Chytil is returning to New York after spending the last three weeks in his native Czechia recovering from a suspected concussion. There is no timetable for when he’ll return to the lineup or resume practicing with his teammates.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders removed goaltender Semyon Varlamov from injured reserve. He has been sidelined for nearly three weeks with a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins was fined $2,864.58 for cross-checking Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev on Sunday.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens recalled defenseman Arber Xhekaj from their AHL affiliate in Laval, loaned blueliner Justin Barron to Laval and placed center Mitchell Stephens on waivers.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers have sent rookie forward Bobby Brink to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. He’d been a healthy scratch in four of the Flyers’ last six games and saw his ice time reduced in his last five contests.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron shot down another rumor suggesting he was training for a possible comeback in February. “No, it’s not happening,”, he said. “I’m not making a comeback, not trying to make a comeback.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This rumor started because Bergeron has been skating in the Boston area in a weekly gathering of friends and former NHL players. As he said back in August, he’s at peace with his decision to retire and is getting on with his life.

Perhaps one day Bergeron will return to the NHL in management, coaching or scouting. His playing days, however, are over. He’s 38 and has nothing left to prove or gain following a 19-year career as one of the greatest players in Bruins history, retiring while still at the top of his game.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2024

The Oilers set a win streak record for Canadian teams, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar reach notable milestones, the Islanders replace Lane Lambert as head coach with Patrick Roy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers set an NHL record for the longest win streak by a Canadian team (13) by defeating the Calgary Flames 3-1. Sam Gagner snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Stuart Skinner stopped 26 shots for the 26-15-1 Oilers, who took over third place in the Pacific Division with 53 points. Mackenzie Weegar scored for the Flames (21-20-5) as they sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flames placed forward Martin Pospisil (upper body) on injured reserve, activated defenseman Dennis Gilbert off IR and recalled blueliner Oliver Kylington from his conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate. Gilbert suited up against the Oilers while Kylington could soon be coming off long-term injury reserve.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar had milestone performances in a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. MacKinnon extended his points streak to 11 games with two goals and two assists to take over first place in the NHL scoring race with 77 points, two more than Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov. Makar, meanwhile, collected an assist to become the second-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 300 points as the Avalanche (30-14-3) sit fourth in the overall standings with 63 points. Cam Atkinson had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-6 Flyers, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar achieved this feat in 280 games, one shy of Bobby Orr’s 279 games. His teammate Liam O’Connor also reached a milestone as he tallied his first career NHL hat trick. It was a costly loss for the Flyers as winger Owen Tippett left the game with what appeared to be an injured knee. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Third-period goals by J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander each scored twice while Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks (31-11-4), who remain atop the overall standings with 66 points. William Nylander tallied two goals for the 22-14-8 Maple Leafs, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Past the midway point of the season, I think we can safely assume the Canucks are for real as an emerging powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Leafs have won just once in their last six games (1-4-1). That will raise the heat on general manager Brad Treliving to do something to snap his club out of its funk.

The Boston Bruins scored four unanswered third-period goals to thump the Montreal Canadiens 9-4. Danton Heinen scored his first career NHL hat trick while David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle each had a goal and an assist for the 28-8-9 Bruins (65 points), who picked up their fourth straight win. They hold first place in the Eastern Conference and sit one point back of the Canucks in the overall standings. Cole Caufield scored to extend his goal streak to five games for the Canadiens, who slipped to 19-20-7 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was close through two periods with Boston holding a 5-4 lead before they blew it open in the third. Earlier in the day, the Bruins activated defensemen Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort off injured reserve and assigned John Beecher and Mason Lohrei to their AHL affiliate in Providence.

An overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Mason Appleton also scored for the Jets (30-10-4) as they collected their 10th win in their last 11 games, sitting third overall with 64 points. Parker Kelly replied for the 16-24-1 Senators as they’ve lost seven of their last nine contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Josh Norris collected an assist in his return to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Shane Pinto will make his season debut today against the Flyers after serving a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules.

Rookie Brendan Brisson capped a third-period rally by the Vegas Golden Knights as they nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Jonathan Marchessault scored his 20th goal of the season for the Golden Knights (27-14-5) as they’ve won four of their last five and hold second place in the Pacific Division with 59 points. Jake Guentzel netted his 20th of the season for the 21-16-6 Penguins (48 points) as they sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller scored twice in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Sean Durzi had two assists for the 22-19-3 Coyotes (47 points), who sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Roman Josi scored 167th career goal to surpass Shea Weber as the Predators’ highest-scoring defenseman. With a record of 25-20-1, the Predators (51 points) hold that final wild-card spot in the conference.

The Tampa Bay Lightning extended their win streak to five games by downing the Buffalo Sabres 3-1. Nick Paul had a goal and an assist for the 24-17-5 Lightning (53 points), as they moved past the Maple Leafs into third place in the Atlantic Division. Dylan Cozens replied for the 20-22-4 Sabres.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied two goals as his club cruised to a 6-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Scott Wedgewood stopped 29 shots for the Stars (27-13-5) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 59 points. Jesper Bratt and Tyler Toffoli replied for the 23-18-3 Devils (49 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The St. Louis Blues blanked the Washington Capitals 3-0 with Jordan Binnington making 18 saves for the shutout. Colton Parayko, Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours scored for the 22-20-2 Blues. Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 shots for the Capitals (22-16-6) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 50 points.

Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period as his club held off the New York Rangers 2-1. Kevin Fiala also scored while David Rittich made 22 saves for the Kings (22-13-8) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 52 points. Chris Kreider scored while Jonathan Quick made 24 saves against his former club as the 28-15-2 Rangers (58 points) remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture picked up an assist in his season debut as his club rolled to a 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Tomas Hertl and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist for the 11-31-4 Sharks. Adam Henrique had a goal and an assist for the 15-29-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture revealed he’d been sidelined by osteitis pubis, which is inflammation in the joint between the left and right pubic bones causing pain and swelling in the groin or lower abdomen. Recovery is rest and, when able, strengthening. Meanwhile, the Ducks announced before this game that winger Alex Killorn will be out four to six weeks following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

HEADLINES

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders announced Saturday they had relieved Lane Lambert of his coaching duties and hired Patrick Roy as his replacement. Roy coached the Colorado Avalanche from 2013-2016, winning the Jack Adams Award in 2013-14. The Hall-of-Fame goaltender also coached the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts to the Memorial Cup in 2006 and 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have been struggling this season and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The initial reaction to this news on social media was how long it would take before the hot-tempered Roy started clashing with Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello.

I don’t believe that’s going to happen. Lamoriello never would’ve hired Roy if he felt the latter would question his decisions. Roy, meanwhile, seems to have mellowed after being passed over for NHL coaching opportunities in recent years.

The more important question is how well Roy can coach in a league that has changed in the eight years since he last stood behind an NHL bench. Lamoriello believes he’s the guy who can right the Isles’ sinking ship. It’ll be interesting to see how things go from here.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward J.T. Miller were selected by NHL fans to participate in the skills competition at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward Will Lockwood received a three-game suspension for running Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury on Friday. Fleury left the game with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2024

The Rangers defeat the Capitals, the Red Wings rally to beat the Leafs, the head coaches for the 2024 All-Star Game are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers snapped a four-game losing skid by holding off the Washington Capitals 2-1. Igor Shesterkin made 24 saves for the win while Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere scored for the 27-13-2 Rangers as they sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points. T.J. Oshie scored and Charlie Lindgren turned aside 29 shots for the Capitals (20-15-6) as they sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 46 points.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals played without captain Alex Ovechkin, who missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Daniel Sprong, Andrew Copp and Lucas Raymond left the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dylan Larkin had a goal and an assist while James Reimer stopped 29 shots for the 22-16-5 Red Wings, extending their points streak to six games and moving into the first Eastern wild-card spot with 49 points. Mitch Marner scored to collect his 600th career NHL point for the 21-12-8 Maple Leafs, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ilya Samsonov made 23 saves in his first game back with the Leafs since being recalled from their AHL affiliate. He couldn’t be blamed for the sloppy defensive play that contributed to the Leafs’ third-period collapse.

Detroit winger Patrick Kane left this game with a lower-body injury and will receive further evaluation. It’s not believed to involve the hip that he had a resurfacing procedure on last June. The Wings also activated forward Klim Kostin off injured reserve but he didn’t participate in this game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets, Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins, Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers and Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks were named the head coaches for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game on Feb. 3 in Toronto.

The first 10 participants in the All-Star Skills competition were announced by the NHL. They are Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar, Edmonton Oilers centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The final two participants will be chosen by fan voting that concludes on Jan. 18.

THE ATHLETIC’s Jesse Granger reports the Vegas Golden Knights have placed center Jack Eichel on injured reserve.

TSN: Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg will be sidelined by a groin injury until at least after the All-Star Game.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Columbus Blue Jackets activated forward Sean Kuraly off injured reserve. He’s missed the last eight games with an abdominal injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL forward Cody Hodgson is hoping to make a comeback after retiring eight years ago after being diagnosed with malignant hypothermia. The 34-year-old has been skating since the summer after receiving a clean bill of health.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Several NHL clubs have expressed an interest in former San Jose Sharks forward Sasha Chmelevski. He played 24 games with the Sharks in 2020-21 and 2021-22 before heading to KHL club Salavat Yulayev-Ufa. The Sharks still hold his NHL rights and the earliest he can return to the NHL is next season.