NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2024

by | Jun 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2024

Aftermath of the 2024 Draft, Steven Stamkos is heading to free agency, the Sabres will buy out Jeff Skinner, reaction to several notable trades at the draft including Mikhail Sergachev, Kevin Hayes and Chris Tanev, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

**UPDATE** The Carolina Hurricanes trade Jake Guentzel’s signing rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. 

AFTERMATH OF THE 2024 NHL DRAFT

NHL.COM: Saturday saw the completion of the 2024 NHL Draft as the 32 teams made their selections in rounds two through seven.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can see the complete list of picks by following the above link. FloHockey’s Chris Peters breaks down the selections by teams and grades how they did at the draft table.

Among the noteworthy selections on Saturday were those projected to be potential first-overall picks entering this draft who wound up being chosen in the second round.

They included winger Igor Chernyshov of KHL club Moscow Dynamo being chosen 33rd overall by the San Jose Sharks, Brandon Wheat Kings defenseman Charlie Elick selected 36th by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Medicine Hat Tigers winger Andrew Basha picked 41st by the Calgary Flames, Prince Albert Raiders winger Ryder Ritchie going 45th overall with the Minnesota Wild, and winger Nikita Artamonov of KHL club Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod going to the Carolina Hurricanes and 50th overall.

One of the notable stories of the first round on Friday was Jarome Iginla’s son Tij being chosen sixth overall by the Utah Hockey Club. On Saturday, another former NHL team captain’s son took a big step toward the NHL as the Montreal Canadiens selected center Aatos Koivu of TPS Jr in Finland in the third round (70th overall). His father, Saku Koivu, played 13 seasons for the Canadiens and served as their captain from 1999-2000 to 2008-09.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos appears headed to free agency on Monday. Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois and Stamkos’ agent Don Meehan independently confirmed their respective positions hadn’t changed despite two noteworthy cost-cutting trades by the Lightning during the draft.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos’ 16 seasons with the Lightning will end when free agency begins on Monday at noon ET barring a last-minute breakthrough. The 34-year-old winger will attract plenty of interest on the open market. He’s already been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, and New York Rangers.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres announced they’ve begun buying out the final three years of Jeff Skinner’s contract. They will pay two-thirds of the remaining $22 million on his contract, which will count against their salary-cap payroll for the next six years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicates it will give the Sabres $31 million in cap room for 2024-25. They could use some of it in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets.

NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club has shifted from rebuilding to ramping up their roster by acquiring defensemen Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning and John Marino from the New Jersey Devils.

SPORTSNET: The Tampa Bay Lightning freed up over $11 million in salary-cap space by trading Sergachev to Utah and winger Tanner Jeannot to the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning got a solid return for Sergachev, acquiring defenseman JJ Moser, promising young center Conor Geekie and two draft picks. They didn’t fare as well with Jeannot. They got back a 2024 fourth-rounder and a 2025 second-rounder in a move that was a straightforward salary dump. They shipped defenseman Cal Foote, a conditional 2025 first-rounder, a 2024 second-rounder, and three picks in 2023 to the Predators for Jeannot before the 2023 NHL trade deadline.

The Sergachev trade was partly because BriseBois reacquired aging blueliner Ryan McDonagh and his full $6.75 million cap hit from the Predators.

Jeannot was not a good fit with the Lightning last season. The Kings hope he can regain his form and provides some additional grit and scoring to their lineup.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs acquired the signing rights to Chris Tanev. They have until noon ET on Monday to agree to a new contract before the 34-year-old defenseman becomes an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicates the Leafs could be interested in adding another pending UFA defenseman like Nikita Zadorov, Oliver Ekman-Larsson or Matt Roy.

STLTODAY.COM: Trading Kevin Hayes to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday freed up an additional $3.571 million, giving the Blues about $15.5 million in cap space for next season. It also means they’ll have to add another center as they’re a little thin at that position.

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford suggested clearing Hayes from their books could help the Blues sign Pavel Buchnevich to a contract extension. The 29-year-old winger is a year away from UFA eligibility.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski suggests Hayes should improve the Penguins in the faceoff circle. He could skate on the second line with Evgeny Malkin or play a down-line role at center.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Logan Thompson learned an hour before an autograph signing at Sphere in Las Vegas that the Golden Knights had traded him to the Washington Capitals. Thompson said he had reached the stage in his career where he wanted to prove himself as a No. 1 goalie but felt it wouldn’t happen with Adin Hill holding that position with the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson could’ve blown off the autograph session but did it anyway despite the awkward timing of his trade. A classy move on his part.

The Golden Knights acquired another goaltender when they got Akira Schmid (along with forward Alexander Holtz) from the New Jersey Devils. Schmid will likely serve as their third goalie as management considers other options to find a suitable backup for Hill.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS’ Ken Wiebe reports on “X” that Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff indicated Rutger McGroarty won’t attend the club’s prospect development camp next week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A difference in opinion between the Jets and McGroarty over his path to the NHL has the Jets listening to trade offers for the promising young forward.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The NHL won’t change the qualifying offer rules for the five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal. That includes Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If those five players don’t receive qualifying offers by 5 pm ET on June 30, they will become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Utah Hockey Club signed defenseman Juuso Valimaki to a two-year contract extension.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders are parting ways with assistant coach Doug Houda, who ran their defense and power play. His replacement will be named on Monday.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz is returning to the organization in an as-yet undefined role. Francouz hasn’t officially retired as a player but said in April that injuries have ended his playing career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 29, 2024

by | Jun 29, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 29, 2024

Highlights from the first round of the 2024 Draft, and the latest on Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Sam Reinhart, Sidney Crosby, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FIRST ROUND OF THE 2024 NHL DRAFT

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks selected Macklin Celebrini with the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas on Friday evening. You can see the full list of first-round picks by following the link provided.

Macklin Celebrini (right) poses with Joe Thornton after being chosen first overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here. Celebrini was the consensus top player among prospect evaluators. Sharks general manager Mike Grier has recently mentioned the Boston University center among his top prospects. Celebrini and promising Will Smith should give the Sharks a solid one-two punch at center in the coming years.

The Anaheim Ducks selected Oshawa Generals winger Beckett Sennecke third overall. He projects to be a top-six winger alongside one of the Ducks’ promising young centers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This one was a surprise as most evaluators expected Sennecke to be chosen in the middle of this round. However, a strong second half and postseason bolstered his stock. The Ducks are loaded with young centers like Leo Carlsson, Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish. Sennecke could one day line up alongside one of them.

Russian winger Ivan Demidov was chosen fifth overall by the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens fans were angry about their club passing over Matvei Michkov in the first round of last year’s draft but they should be pleased with this choice. Demidov was projected to go second overall by many evaluators. However, the Chicago Blackhawks took defenseman Artyom Levshunov with that pick, the Ducks chose Beckett Sennecke and the Columbus Blue Jackets went with center Cayden Lindstrom.

The 18-year-old Russian winger has been compared to Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov. If he develops as projected, the Canadiens could have a scoring superstar on their hands.

The Utah Hockey Club selected Tij Iginla with the sixth overall pick, the first since the teams relocated from Arizona this spring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Iginla is the son of Hall-of-Famer Jarome Iginla and is a goalscorer like his father. A versatile forward, Iginla can play center or on the wing. He faces heightened expectations because of his famous dad but has the potential to become an NHL star in his own right.

University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium was chosen 12th overall by the Minnesota Wild. They traded up from 13th overall with the Buffalo Sabres to land him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This year’s draft was notable for a crop of high-quality defense prospects including Buium, Levshunov, Carter Yakemchuk (chosen seventh by the Ottawa Senators), Zayne Parekh (ninth overall, Calgary Flames), Anton Silayev (10th, New Jersey Devils), and Sam Dickinson (taken 11th by the Sharks).

I expected Buium to be chosen among the top 10. He helped Denver win the Frozen Four tournament and was part of Team USA’s gold-medal squad at the 2024 World Juniors. This pick could end up becoming a steal for the Wild.

The New York Islanders selected Cole Eiserman of the USNTDP with the 20th overall pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Concerns about Eiserman’s defensive play sent the young scoring winger’s stock tumbling. However, this could work out well for the Islanders as they attempt to restock their depleted prospect pool. Eiserman broke Cole Caufield’s record for most goals in a USNTDP career. This kid has the potential to become an NHL scorer.

History was made in this draft as two Norwegians were chosen in the opening round for the first time. The Detroit Red Wings selected winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with the 15th overall pick while the Ducks chose defenseman Stian Stolberg at No. 23.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I love it when players from smaller hockey nations get chosen in the opening round of the NHL Draft. It shows how much the game is growing internationally.

Several notable prospects projected to go in the first round remain available heading into Day 2 of the draft on Saturday beginning at 11:30 am ET. They include KHL forward Igor Chernyshow, Prince Albert Raiders forward Ryder Ritchie, Medicine Hat Tigers winger Andrew Basha, Swedish defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius, and Brandon Wheat Kings defenseman Charlie Elick.

HEADLINES

TAMPA BAY TIMES: After 16 seasons, Steven Stamkos could be leaving the Lightning. General manager Julien BriseBois said Friday morning he’s uncertain if a deal can be done to keep the 34-year-old winger from heading to the free-agent market on Monday.

The issue is limited salary-cap space. The Lightning have 18 players under contract for 2024-25 with $5.335 million in cap space. That alone isn’t enough to re-sign Stamkos, let alone fill out the rest of the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports Stamkos’ agent said his client is heading to market on July 1. It will be remembered that he appeared to be going to market in 2016 before signing an eight-year extension at the last minute. That doesn’t seem likely this time unless the Bolts free up sufficient cap space to make it happen.

BriseBois seems more optimistic about signing Victor Hedman to a contract extension. The 33-year-old defenseman has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $7.875 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Stamkos departs, it will be interesting to see how that affects the Lightning’s efforts to re-sign Hedman.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Panthers could have a deal in place to re-sign Sam Reinhart. It’s expected to be worth $9 million annually and would have to be announced on June 30 if it’s to be for a maximum of eight years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Negotiations between the Reinhart camp and Panthers management have been ongoing for months. The 28-year-old winger has repeatedly expressed his wish to remain in Florida. It appears he’ll get his wish, taking one of the biggest names off this summer’s free-agent market.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Sidney Crosby indicated preliminary contract extension discussions with Penguins management have begun. The 36-year-old Penguins captain has one year remaining on his contract. He declined to elaborate but said they’ve had some conversations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby’s not going anywhere. He’ll likely get a four-year deal for around his current annual cap hit of $8.7 million and finish his career as a Penguin.

NHL.COM: The initial 24 players for the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face Off were announced on Friday.

Penguins center Sidney Crosby, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand, and Lightning forward Brayden Point make up the first six of Canada’s roster.

Team USA’s first six players include Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, and Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

Sweden’s first six include the Lightning’s Victor Hedman, Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander, Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg, New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson and Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling.

Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen, Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho, Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, and Dallas Stars defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell are Finland’s first six players.

The rest of the rosters will be announced between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2. The tournament will be held in Montreal and Boston from Feb. 12-20, 2025.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers will buy out the final year of Cam Atkinson’s contract. 

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov will head to free agency on July 1.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed backup goaltender Calvin Pickard to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $1 million.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues acquired Alexandre Texier from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2025 fourth-round pick. The Blue signed the 24-year-old forward to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.1 million.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 28, 2024

by | Jun 28, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – June 28, 2024

With the first round of the 2024 Draft fast approaching, the Flyers attempt an aggressive trade to move up on the draft order. Check out the details, updates on Mitch Marner, Jacob Trouba, Aaron Ekblad, Nikolaj Ehlers and Nazem Kadri, the latest UFA speculation, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

FLYERS ATTEMPT TO MOVE UP IN THE FIRST-ROUND ORDER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Philadelphia Flyers attempted to acquire the Columbus Blue Jackets’ first-round pick (fourth overall) in this year’s draft. It was an aggressive pitch, offering their 2024 first-rounder (14th overall), a roster player, and perhaps their 2025 first-round pick.

The Blue Jackets rejected the offers but LeBrun thinks the Flyers could try again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some social media chatter suggested GM Daniel Briere wants to draft Cayden Lindstrom of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers to center Matvei Michkov. It would make sense that Briere would try to land a good young center to pair with his promising winger.

UPDATES ON MARNER, TROUBA, EKBLAD, EHLERS AND KADRI

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the most likely scenario for Mitch Marner will be finishing the final season of his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He thinks the Leafs could consider offering the 27-year-old winger a new contract and see where it goes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner holds all the cards here because of the full no-movement clause in his contract. For all the media speculation about his future in recent weeks, there’s no indication he’ll be traded. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time a trade involving a star like Marner catches everyone by surprise. Still, there’s nothing the Leafs can do about it if Marner doesn’t want to move.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

Friedman also reported New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba’s full no-movement clause turns into a 15-team no-trade list on July 1. The Rangers have asked the 30-year-old defenseman for his list, which is normal procedure. However, Friedman doesn’t rule out the possibility of Trouba getting traded.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trouba has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $8 million. While he struggled through an injury this season, he remains well-respected by his teammates and a physical presence on their blueline. Nevertheless, there’s been recent media conjecture about his future in New York. We likely haven’t heard the last of it.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: David Dwork reports hearing the Florida Panthers are shopping defenseman Aaron Ekblad. He’s entering the final season of his contract with an AAV of $7.5 million. The 28-year-old defenseman’s no-movement clause becomes a 12-team no-trade list on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would be a bold move by the Panthers coming so soon after winning their first Stanley Cup. The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons reported earlier this month that the Panthers would move Ekblad to free up cap space to re-sign Brandon Montour. This will be worth watching in the coming days.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff continues to receive calls about winger Nikolaj Ehlers and top prospect Rutger McGroarty. There’s no rush to move them, though the Jets are interested in moving McGroarty for a first-round pick, maybe a prospect or young player.

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos wondered if Nazem Kadri might consider waiving his no-movement clause. It’s apparent the Calgary Flames are rebuilding after trading Jacob Markstrom last week to New Jersey. The question is where the 33-year-old center sees himself fitting in the short and long term.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri could ask to be traded but his age and contract will make him difficult to move. He carries a $7 million AAV through 2028-29.

LATEST UFA SPECULATION

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes are still pushing hard to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent Jake Guentzel. They’re the only team that can offer him an eight-year contract which is giving the 29-year-old winger something to think about

LeBrun said the list of teams lining up to bid on Guentzel on July 1 is growing. Some would have to move some pieces around but are willing to do so if he becomes a UFA on Monday.

Darren Dreger believes the Vancouver Canucks could be among the suitors. They’re also considering what to do with Elias Lindholm. The 29-year-old center is heading to market and could be a good fit with the Boston Bruins.

Dreger also mentioned teams will be interested in Chris Tanev if the 34-year-old defenseman doesn’t re-sign with the Dallas Stars by Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Toronto Maple leafs could be among the suitors.

Chris Johnston believes pending UFA forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi want to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Negotiations are continuing as the Leafs are also looking at shoring up their blueline. Both players are waiting to see if the Leafs can afford them.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2024

by | May 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2024

The Oilers defeat the Canucks to advance to the Western Conference Final, updates on the Eastern Conference finalists, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers advanced to the Western Conference Final by holding off the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in Game 7 of their second-round series. Second-period goals by Cody Ceci, Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gave the Oilers a 3-0 lead. Conor Garland and Filip Hronek replied for the Canucks in the third. The Oilers will face the Dallas Stars with Game 1 in Dallas on Thursday, May 23 at 8:30 pm EDT.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vancouver made this game interesting in the final minutes of the third period but it wasn’t as close as the score implied. Edmonton outshot the Canucks 13-2 in the first period and 27-12 after the second. The Oilers would’ve run away with this one if not for the heroics of Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs.

NHL PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars and Oilers will face off for the first time since 2003. They met six times between 1997 and 2003 with the Stars winning five of those series. They also went 2-0-1 in their three meetings this season. Oilers captain Connor McDavid is the best player in the world but the Stars have the goaltending edge thanks to Jake Oettinger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As a Canadian, I’d like to see Edmonton defeat Dallas and go on to end my country’s long playoff drought. However, the Stars are the better-balanced team and expect they’ll take this series in six games.

TVA SPORTS: The Oilers eliminating the Canucks also affected the order of the 2024 NHL Draft. The Montreal Canadiens hold the Winnipeg Jets’ first-rounder that is now 26th overall. The 29th and 30th overall picks will belong to the losing clubs in the Conference Finals, with the 32nd overall pick belonging to the Stanley Cup champion.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Filip Chytil is making strides as he hopes to rejoin the lineup for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers. Chytil returned to action in Game 3 of the Rangers’ second-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes after being sidelined since November by a suspected concussion. However, an unspecified illness and “soreness” have since kept him out of the lineup.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Florida Panthers are working on their special teams play as they prepare for the Eastern Conference Final. All their players were on the ice for Monday’s practice, indicating they’re fully healthy for their upcoming series with the Rangers. Game 1 is in New York on Wednesday, May 22 at 8 pm EDT.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks expect their attendance will remain high for 2024-25 after a big increase this season. They ranked fourth overall in attendance, averaging 18, 836 fans with a season-ticket renewal of 96 percent. The popularity of rookie star Connor Bedard and the club’s marketing strategies are responsible for the improvement despite their losing season.

SPORT-EXPRESS: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is expected to sign a multi-year contract with KHL team SKA St. Petersburg. The 32-year-old Zaitsev spent the past eight seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and the Blackhawks, tallying 118 points in 482 games.

EISHOCKEY NEWS: Michael Bauer reports Marco Sturm confirmed his interest in coaching the San Jose Sharks. He is currently the head coach of the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Sturm said his agent will reach out to the Sharks to determine if there’s mutual interest. Due to league rules, no interviews have yet taken place.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sturm indicated his goal and dream is becoming an NHL head coach. He has a deep connection to San Jose, beginning his NHL playing career there. He spent nearly eight seasons with the Sharks before being shipped to Boston in November 2005 in the Joe Thornton trade.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2023

by | Dec 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2023

The Kings tie a season-opening win record, the Hughes brothers face off for the first time, plus updates on the 2024 draft, international tournaments and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings tied the league’s season-opening road win streak at 10 games by overcoming a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Drew Doughty scored in overtime while Phillip Danault tallied twice as the Kings improved their record to 15-4-3. Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist as the Blue Jackets sank to 8-14-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine missed this game due to illness.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and Devils center Jack Hughes (NHL.com).

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes and defenseman Luke Hughes came out on top against Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes with a 6-5 victory. Jack had a goal and two assists while Luke scored a goal as Jesper Bratt opened and closed the scoring for the Devils (12-10-1). Quinn collected two assists while J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists and Brock Boeser netted his league-leading 18th goal as the Canucks (16-9-1) overcame a 5-2 deficit to tie the game before Bratt won it in the dying seconds of regulation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first NHL game to feature all three Hughes brothers.

The Ottawa Senators upset the New York Rangers 6-2. Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, Brady Tkachuk scored twice and Drake Batherson had a goal and two assists for the 10-10-0 Senators, who remain in last place in the Eastern Conference with 20 points. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (18-5-1), who sit in first place in the Conference with 37 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Senators learned that defenseman Thomas Chabot has been sidelined by a knee injury. An update on his status is expected on Wednesday. During the game, Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow was struck in the face by a puck in the first period and didn’t return. It appears he lost a couple of teeth.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin netted two goals in a 5-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (14-7-3) as they picked up their third straight win. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for the slumping Sabres (10-14-2) as they’ve dropped four straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo center Tage Thompson collected an assist as he returned to the lineup from an injured left arm a week ahead of schedule. The Sabres also placed forwards Alex Tuch (lower body) and Jordan Greenway (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled goaltender Devon Levi from their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

The San Jose Sharks overcame a three-goal deficit to upset the New York Islanders 5-4 on an overtime goal by William Eklund. Tomas Hertl tallied a hat trick while Eklund finished with three points for the Sharks (7-17-2) as they moved out of the bottom of the Conference standings with 16 points. Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom each had two assists while Mike Reilly had a goal and an assist for the 10-7-7 Islanders.

A shootout goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Ryan O’Reilly netted his 12th of the season as the Predators improved to 13-12-0. Nick Foligno scored twice and collected an assist while Connor Bedard netted his first-ever NHL shootout goal but the Blackhawks dropped to 7-16-1 and sit last in the overall standings with 15 points.

The Minnesota Wild picked up their fourth straight win under new head coach John Hynes by dousing the Calgary Flames 5-2. Matt Boldy scored twice and set up another, Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist while Mats Zuccarello picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games for the 9-10-4 Wild. Mikael Backlund and Connor Zary replied for the 10-12-3 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames played without goaltender Jacob Markstrom as he’s sidelined week-to-week with a fractured finger. The club recalled Dustin Wolf yesterday from the AHL affiliate.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Jonathan Drouin also had two assists as the Avalanche (16-7-2) remain on top of the Central Division with 34 points. Sam Carrick and Leo Carlsson scored for the Ducks as they slid to 10-15-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon also picked up his 500th career assist, joining Joe Sakic, Peter Stastny and Peter Forsberg as the only players in franchise history to reach that plateau. Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a big hit by Ducks forward Max Jones.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expressed concerns about the delays in the construction of an arena for the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics following the league’s two-day Board of Governors meetings in Seattle. He noted that construction had not yet begun on the venue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s December 2023. The venue is reportedly expected to be completed by the end of 2025. It seems like Bettman’s already looking for an excuse not to participate in the 2026 Games.

NHL.COM: The league continues to work on its plans to stage a four-team international tournament involving NHL players in 2025. Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland are expected to be the four countries taking part.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 2016 World Cup of Hockey had a Team Europe (consisting of NHL stars from other European nations) and Team North America made up of the best under-23 NHL stars. Team Europe reached the Gold Medal round against Canada while Team North America became a fan favorite with their fast-paced play.

For whatever reason, the league has opted not to go that route again. That means superstars like Germany’s Leon Draisaitl and Czechia’s David Pastrnak will be prevented from participating in this tournament.

TSN: The 2024 NHL Draft will be held at the Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28-29. It will be the last draft before it is decentralized with teams operating from their own facilities.

The Arizona Coyotes are in the process of trying to finalize the purchase of a plot of land in the Phoenix area for a new arena. TSN’s Darren Dreger said the mood around team owners and league governors is that the Coyotes are getting to the end of the line here. The league is looking ahead at scheduling for next season and needs to know whether the Coyotes will be able to move ahead with this land purchase early in the new year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I noted yesterday a report claiming that some owners and governors were running out of patience with the Coyotes’ situation. However, Bettman’s been the driving force keeping the club in Arizona with majority support from the team owners.

Nevertheless, any delays over the land purchase for a new arena could spark uncertainty over the Coyotes’ future. Dreger mentioned the possibility of relocation but that will require majority approval by the Board of Governors. Ultimately, that will come down to whether Bettman believes there are no more avenues to keep the Coyotes in Arizona.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2023

by | Nov 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2023

The Senators down the Red Wings in overtime to kick off the 2023 Global Series, the Golden Knights regain first place in the overall standings, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 on a goal by Tim Stutzle in the dying seconds of overtime to kick off the 2023 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. The Senators held a 4-0 lead at one point before the Red Wings stormed back to send the game into OT. Stutzle finished with a goal and two assists while Brady Tkachuk tallied twice for the Senators as they improved to 7-7-0. Shayne Gostisbehere netted the game-tying goal and finished with three points for the 8-5-3 Red Wings.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the NHL’s Alumni Association made Hall-of-Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom the inaugural winner of the Borje Salming Courage Award. It is presented each year to a European NHL Alumni member “who has been a positive influence in their community and best embodies Salming’s lasting legacy of bravery, courage, and dedication on and off the ice.”

Senators Hall-of-Famer Daniel Alfredsson was behind the Senators bench as an assistant coach at the request of Sens head coach D.J. Smith. He’ll return there again for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

Third-period goals by Logan Cooley and Lawson Crouse 28 seconds apart gave the Arizona Coyotes a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor Ingram stopped 39 shots as the Coyotes improved to 8-6-2. Damon Severson tallied twice for the slumping Blue Jackets (4-9-4), who have just one win in their last 10 games (1-7-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something’s got to give for the Blue Jackets. They’re in last place in the Eastern Conference and there’s no indication that they’re anywhere close to reversing their fortunes. Struggling scorers Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau were benched during the final minutes of the third period in this contest.

Coyotes forwards Matias Maccelli and Barrett Hayton left this game with upper-body injuries.

The Vegas Golden Knights (13-3-1) regained first place in the overall standings by downing the Montreal Canadiens 6-5. Shea Theodore had a goal and three assists while Jack Eichel and Mark Stone each had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights (27 points) as they overcame a 3-1 deficit in this contest. Jesse Ylonen scored twice for the Canadiens (7-8-2) as they’ve dropped three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj left this game in the second period favoring his left shoulder following a big hit by Vegas forward Ivan Barbashev. It is not the same shoulder that required season-ending surgery in February.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Jesper Bratt, Alexander Holtz and Tyler Toffoli lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Vitek Vanecek made 21 saves for the 8-6-1 Devils. Bryan Rust netted two goals for the Penguins (8-7-0) while team captain Sidney Crosby collected an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Timo Meier missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He should be considered as day-to-day.

The Tampa Bay Lightning ended a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Brayden Point had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (7-6-4). Corey Perry and Lukas Reichel replied for the Blackhawks as they slipped to 5-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blackhawks placed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev on non-roster for personal reasons and recalled Filip Roos from their AHL affiliate in Rockford. Zaitsev missed practice on Wednesday and there’s no timetable for his return.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist as the Flames moved to 6-8-2 on the season. Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander scored for the 12-4-1 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes collected an assist as he, Pettersson and J.T. Miller remain tied atop the league’s scoring leaders board with 27 points each. The Canucks kept forward Andrei Kuzmenko out of the lineup for this contest as he was undergoing medical assessments after taking a puck to the face during Wednesday’s game against the New York Islanders.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 as Kailer Yamamoto scored the winning goal during the eighth round of the shootout. Yamamoto finished the game with a goal and an assist in regulation for the 6-8-4 Kraken. Mathew Barzal collected two assists for the slumping Islanders as dropped to 5-6-5 with just two wins in their last 10 games (2-4-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders forward Matt Martin missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Kings forwards Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar scored as their club held off the Florida Panthers by a score of 2-1. Fiala finished with two points while Cam Talbot kicked out 30 shots as the Kings improved to 9-3-3. Sam Reinhart replied for the Panthers with his 13th goal of the season as the Panthers dropped to 10-5-1.

The San Jose Sharks got a 44-save performance by goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to upset the St. Louis Blues 5-1. Mike Hoffman tallied two goals for the 3-13-1 Sharks while Pavel Buchenich had the lone goal for the 8-6-1 Blues.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league is hoping to stage one final draft under the current format next year. Under the current format, all 32 teams travel to the draft’s host city. The change will allow the team representatives to stay at home to conduct their draft business.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports indicate the league hopes to hold the 2024 draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

The NHL is also working with the NHL Players’ Association regarding the possible staging of a World Cup of Hockey in 2025 with NHL players participating the following year in the Winter Olympics.

In other league news, Commissioner Gary Bettman said he’s hopeful the Arizona Coyotes could have their new arena plan revealed by midseason…Bettman also acknowledged rumors of expansion to Quebec City, Atlanta, Houston and Salt Lake City but claimed the league currently has no plans to add teams, claiming they’re not in expansion mode…Germany could be on the shortlist to host a future NHL Global Series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL is not in expansion mode unless you can come up with a $1 billion expansion fee…Not you, Quebec City! Sit down! They’re only interested in big US markets.

NEW YORK POST: There is concern for Rangers forward Filip Chytil as he’s been out of the lineup since Nov. 2 by what is believed to be the fourth concussion of his NHL career. The club could end up shopping for a center if Chytil remains sidelined long-term.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated that Chytil has been sidelined 10 different times since 2018-19, not including his two-week absence during training camp with an upper-body injury. It also doesn’t include the facial injury he suffered during the World Championships that bothered him well into the offseason.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen is currently in a neck brace as he recovers from falling headfirst into the boards during last week’s game against the Kraken. There’s no real timeline for his return but it’s believed he could be out for weeks.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Adam Erne was fined $2,018.00 by the league’s department of player safety for elbowing Kraken forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare on Wednesday.

THE SCORE: Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson was named the GM of USA Hockey’s senior men’s national team. He’s their first-ever Black general manager. “It’s a great honor, and I’m excited to get a group of fantastic individuals together and see what happens,” said Peterson.