NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2025
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2025
The Maple Leafs avoided elimination and forced Game 7 with the Panthers, Stars captain Jamie Benn fined, the Oilers could get two sidelined players back for the Western Conference Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs staved off elimination with a 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 6 of their second-round series.
Joseph Woll had a 22-save shutout, Auston Matthews scored the game-winner, and Max Pacioretty netted the insurance goal for the Leafs. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 15 shots for the Panthers.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).
The series returns to Toronto for the seventh and deciding game on Sunday, May 18, at 7:30 pm ET.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead by their fans and pundits following their disastrous 6-1 loss in Game 5, this was a solid bounce-back performance by the Leafs.
Matthews (who appears to be hampered by an undisclosed injury) scored the biggest goal of his career, Woll shook off his horrible Game 5 outing, and Pacioretty continues to enjoy a strong comeback from an injury-hampered regular season.
The Leafs put up their best defensive effort of the postseason in this contest, effectively stifling the Panthers’ offensive attack.
Having avoided elimination in Florida, the Leafs return home facing their seventh Game 7, needing to snap a six-game losing skid in those situations to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
The Leafs could go into that contest without power forward Matthew Knies. The 22-year-old winger suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 6.
This will be one of the most consequential games in franchise history. A loss will mean the end of the “Core Four Era” of the Maple Leafs, ensuring the departures of Mitch Marner and John Tavares via free agency on July 1. It could also start the clock ticking on Matthews’ departure when his four-year contract expires in 2028.
TSN: Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn was fined $5,000.00 for roughing Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele in Game 5 of their second-round series on Thursday. Game 6 of their series is on Saturday in Dallas at 8 pm ET, with the Stars holding a 3-2 series lead.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm and backup goaltender Calvin Pickard will not play in Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Final. However, the two sidelined players are expected to return to action later in that series. The Oilers await the winner of the Jets-Stars series.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: As his contract with the Washington Capitals expires, Nicklas Backstrom will resume his playing career where it began. The 37-year-old center reportedly signed with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League. Backstrom has been sidelined since October 2023 amid chronic hip issues.
DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Capitals, they signed prospect defenseman Ryan Chesley to a three-year entry-level contract. They chose him in the second round (37th) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov has praise for his former head coach John Tortorella. He considered Tortorella the best coach he could’ve had for his first NHL season. Michkov acknowledged they occasionally disagreed, but insisted they had a great relationship, adding he was grateful for what Tortorella taught him.
TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov is a finalist for KHL Rookie of the Year. The 19-year-old winger had 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 65 games with SKA St. Petersburg. He joined the Canadiens late this season, collecting two points in two games, and two assists in five playoff contests.
THE SCORE: The Minnesota Wild signed prospect forward Danila Yurov to a three-year, entry-level contract. He was chosen 24th overall in the 2022 Draft.
TSN: The judge in the trial of five former members of Canada’s 2018 Junior team dismissed the jury after a juror complained that defense lawyers were acting unprofessionally. This came three weeks after a juror’s complaint about one of the defense lawyers led to a mistrial.
The trial will continue before a judge alone.