NHL Rumor Mill – April 27, 2024

by | Apr 27, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 27, 2024

Is there a deal that could work for the Flyers and Ducks? Could the Wild trade Filip Gustavsson and Marco Rossi this summer? Who are the potential candidates to become the next head coach of the Senators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE DUCKS AND FLYERS MAKE ANOTHER BIG TRADE THIS YEAR?

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey noted the recent remarks by Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek indicating he’s in the market for a right-shot top-six forward or a right-shot top-four defenseman.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (NHL Images)

The two clubs made a big move in January when the Ducks sent defenseman Jamie Drysdale to the Flyers in exchange for promising winger Cutter Gauthier. Bailey wondered if the two clubs might swing another move that works for both sides.

Bailey noted the Flyers have plenty of wingers but lack depth at center while it’s the opposite for the Ducks. He suggested Trevor Zegras or Mason McTavish might be available for the Flyers. Meanwhile, Flyers winger Travis Konecny will be due for a big-money extension and is already in his playing prime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bailey is just musing about what each club has that could help the other. Still, the two teams have that recent trade history so we can’t rule out another deal between them this summer.

I doubt the Flyers will part with Konecny unless he prices himself out of their comfort zone in contract talks. If they offered him to the Ducks, they’d likely want McTavish in return. He would adapt better under Flyers coach John Tortorella’s system than the free-wheeling Zegras.

COULD GUSTAVSSON AND ROSSI HIT THE TRADE BLOCK?

THE ATHLETIC: In their recent mailbag segment, Michael Russo and Joe Smith were asked what Filip Gustavsson might fetch for the Minnesota Wild.

The signing of Marc-Andre Fleury to a one-year contract indicated the 25-year-old goaltender could hit the trade block this summer. There’s no guarantee he’ll be moved but the Wild would like to make room for up-and-comer Jesper Wallstedt.

Moving Gustavsson’s $3.75 million cap hit for next season and replacing him with Wallstedt’s $925K would save the cap-strapped Wild $2.825 million. That’s assuming they move him for a high draft pick and/or a prospect.

Gustavsson struggled this season following a fine performance in 2022-23 plus there will be a lot of goaltenders in this summer’s trade market. Still, the volatility of the position around the league suggests a team could bet on unlocking his full potential.

Gustavsson could fetch a second-round pick for the Wild but they could prefer a middle-six winger. They could also use him as a trade chip to move up in the first-round draft order.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gustavsson could be pursued by teams that lose out in the bidding for big-name netminders like Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom or Boston’s Linus Ullmark this summer. He could also be a tempting target for clubs in the market for more affordable goaltending.

Russo and Smith also think there’s a good chance the Wild trade Marco Rossi this summer if they can get the same level of high-end prospect who’s bigger and faster. They were interested in Cutter Gauthier before the Philadelphia Flyers traded him to the Anaheim Ducks in January. That’s the type of player they might consider for Rossi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chosen ninth overall in the 2020 draft, Rossi’s progress was stalled when he contracted COVID-19 in 2020, sidelining him for all but one game with Switzerland’s ZSC Lions the following season. He had one point in 19 games with the Wild in 2022-23 but put up 51 points in 53 games that season with their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

The 22-year-old center finished this season sitting second among NHL rookies with 21 goals and fifth in points with 40. He could draw plenty of interest if the Wild put him on the trade block but they might not get the type of player described by Russo and Smith. Rossi will likely remain with the Wild when next season begins.

LATEST ON THE SENATORS SEARCH FOR A NEW COACH

TSN: recently cited the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reporting Senators GM Steve Staios has already had meetings or plans to meet with three coaching candidates.

They include former Minnesota Wild bench boss Dean Evason and former St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube. It’s also believed (but unconfirmed) that Staios has spoken with former Los Angeles Kings coach Todd McLellan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was speculated that Toronto Marlies coach John Gruden and Philadelphia Flyers assistant coach Brad Shaw would also be candidates. However, it appears Staios seeks someone with plenty of NHL head-coaching experience for this job.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2024

by | Apr 1, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2024

A look at what could be in store for the Blues during the offseason plus speculation of a possible coaching change for the Red Wings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE BLUES DURING THE OFFSEASON?

THE ATHLETIC: With the St. Louis Blues poised to miss the playoffs again, Jeremy Rutherford believes St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong will shake up his roster during the offseason.

The Blues will still be retooling their roster. Rutherford doesn’t see Armstrong making significant, expensive upgrades. Any big moves could involve money going out rather than coming in. He also doesn’t see the Blues GM spending to the salary cap next season.

Rutherford doesn’t expect pending unrestricted free agents Sammy Blais and Kasperi Kapanen will be back. Marco Scandella could also be allowed to walk depending on what plans Armstrong has for his top-four defense and for Scott Perunovich.

He also doesn’t believe the Blues will buy out a high-salaried defenseman’s contract. Armstrong hasn’t gone the buyout route since becoming the general manager in 2010. He could instead attempt to package one of them with a draft pick or prospect in a trade.

St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich (NHL Images)

Rutherford doesn’t see the Blues shying away from signing winger Pavel Buchnevich to a long-term extension. He thinks it could come down to where they see Buchnevich’s arc, how much he wants and if they think they’re going to compete in the next few years.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently examined the Blues’ options if they attempt to move a high-salaried defenseman like Colton Parayko, Torey Krug, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy. All are signed for at least two more seasons after 2023-24 and have no-trade clauses.

Parayko would have the most value but he’s also the defenseman the Blues probably don’t want to move. They tried to trade Krug last summer and a lot of teams view the undersized defenseman differently in the playoffs. There are also some diminishing returns on Faulk.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the goal is to shed salary the Blues have to move one of those four defensemen. They had a deal in place last June to send Krug to the Philadelphia Flyers but he used his no-trade clause to reject the trade as is his right.

Armstrong could approach one of those blueliners and ask them for a list of preferred destinations if he hasn’t already done so. Parayko is probably the only one he could move without having to include sweeteners in the deal. The rest could cost some combination of draft picks, prospects and a good young NHL player to make it happen.

Buchnevich surfaced in the rumor mill leading up to last month’s trade deadline. Some teams reportedly contacted Armstrong asking if he was available. The Blues GM wasn’t shopping the 28-year-old winger but was willing to set a high asking price to see if anyone would meet it.

Armstrong could follow the same plan this summer if teams come calling about Buchnevich. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Blues signed him to a contract extension.

COULD THE RED WINGS HIRE BERUBE AS THEIR NEW HEAD COACH?

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff reported a source told him that Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is mulling the possibility of a coaching change in the offseason.

The source claimed Yzerman could replace Derek Lalonde as head coach if the Wings fail to reach the playoffs this season. Lalonde is currently in the second year of a three-year contract.

Former St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube is said to be at the top of Yzerman’s wish list.

Another source told Duff that Yzerman read the riot act to his coaching staff and players on Friday regarding their recent lackluster performance. They’re 0-2-2 on their current five-game road trip that ends on Monday in Tampa Bay.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings were in freefall throughout March, winning just three of 14 games. They tumbled out of a wildcard berth and sit two points out of a playoff spot with eight games to play.

Duff noted that the Wings’ slow start to games, their puck management and defensive structure have been issues this season. Part of that is how the team is constructed, which is Yzerman’s department. However, the coaching staff also deserves its share of the blame.

It wouldn’t be shocking if Yzerman shook up his coaching staff by hiring a more experienced bench boss with Stanley Cup experience.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 23, 2024

by | Mar 23, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 23, 2024

Check out the latest on the Blackhawks and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

FREE-AGENT TARGETS FOR THE BLACKHAWKS

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers believes the Chicago Blackhawks must bring in some forwards this summer who can provide support for franchise star Connor Bedard.

His suggested options include Jonathan Marchessault of the Vegas Golden Knights, Teuvo Teravainen of the Carolina Hurricanes, Tyler Bertuzzi of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jake DeBrusk of the Boston Bruins or Tyler Toffoli of the Winnipeg Jets.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks attempted to add experienced depth last summer by acquiring Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno and signing Corey Perry. Hall suffered a season-ending knee injury but still has a year left on his contract. Foligno played well enough to earn a two-year extension. Perry’s contract was terminated last November following an off-ice incident.

The Blackhawks have plenty of cap space ($38.2 million) to make one or two additions up front via free agency. Most of those players would come in on short-term contracts as the Hawks continue to promote younger players into their lineup.

Landing any of those players on Powers’ list will depend on the type of contracts they’re seeking and if they want to join a rebuilding team. Playing with a rising star like Bedard could be enticing for some players.

LATEST ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch looked at the Senators’ top-five head coaching candidates for next season.

Toronto Marlies’ head coach John Gruden topped Garrioch’s list. He was also head coach of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs from 2016 to 2018 when they were owned by Michael Andlauer, who bought the Senators last year. Senators general manager Steve Staios was the Bulldogs’ GM at the same time that Gruden was their coach.

Former San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan, former Minnesota Wild bench boss Dean Evason, and former St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube are also on Garrioch’s list, followed by Philadelphia Flyers assistant coach Brad Shaw.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andlauer stuck with who he knew best by having Staios take over as general manager last November. It wouldn’t be shocking if they hired Gruden provided the Toronto Maple Leafs would allow him to speak to the Senators about their head-coaching job.

SPORTSNET: Wayne Scanlan reports Senators assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson said he hasn’t thought about if he’d like to take over the head-coaching role. He’s been busy adjusting to what he called a steep learning curve from the coaching side of things.

The former Senators captain was hired on an interim basis along with head coach Jacques Martin back in December.

Alfredsson admitted he has caught the coaching bug, hinting that this season might not be his last behind the bench. However, he might not be the ideal candidate to take over the reins as the Senators’ head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe the new head coach will keep Alfredsson as an assistant coach.

Garrioch also speculated whether the Senators might attempt to improve their goaltending during the offseason. He doesn’t see them buying out the remaining four years of Joonas Korpisalo’s contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are stuck with Korpisalo. Perhaps they’ll try to ditch backup Anton Forsberg and bring in a more reliable backup.

The defense also needs improvement, especially on the right side where Garrioch believes they need a “rugged top-four blueliner.” He doesn’t see the Senators trading blueliner Thomas Chabot unless they’re willing to retain part of his $8 million average annual value. Rearguard Jakob Chychrun’s future remains murky.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s no secret the Senators are interested in signing Dallas Stars defenseman Chris Tanev if he becomes a free agent on July 1. Chabot’s contract is tough to move. Staios has said he’d like to re-sign Chychrun but I wouldn’t be shocked if he was traded this summer for a player who can provide immediate help to their roster.

Changes also need to be made among the forward lines. Garrioch doesn’t expect Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Shane Pinto, Drake Batherson, Ridly Grieg and Claude Giroux to be moved. However, the checking lines could use more depth.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2023

by | Dec 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2023

The Oilers’ Connor McDavid and the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard face off for the first time, the Leafs Auston Matthews and the Canucks’ Brock Boeser reach the 20-goal plateau, the Blues fire head coach Craig Berube, and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid led his club over the Chicago Blackhawks and Connor Bedard 4-1 as the two stars faced off for the first time. McDavid collected two assists to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Oilers won their eighth straight, improving their record to 13-12-1 (27 points) to sit one point out of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Bedard scored for the Blackhawks (9-18-1) as they slipped to the bottom of the overall standings with 19 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid now sits seventh among the league’s leading scorers with 38 points. He’s nine points behind Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who tops the leaderboard with 47.

Bedard, meanwhile, tops all rookie scorers (and the Blackhawks) with 12 goals and 24 points. Speaking of the Hawks, defenseman Seth Jones missed this game due to an upper-body injury while rookie blueliner Kevin Korchinski was away dealing with a family matter.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored twice and collected two assists to thump the New York Rangers 7-3. Matthews became the first player to crack the 20-goal plateau this season and is tied for first among the league’s leading scorers with 21 goals. Mitch Marner tallied twice and set up another for the 15-6-5 Leafs. Blake Wheeler replied with two goals for the Rangers (19-7-1), who remain in second place in the Eastern Conference with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller missed this game for personal reasons. The Boston Bruins also have 39 points but lead the Blueshirts based on point percentage (.750).

A hat trick by Brock Boeser powered the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Boeser became the second player to reach 20 goals this season and is tied for the lead (21 goals) with the Leafs’ Auston Matthews. Quinn Hughes had three assists for the 19-9-1 Canucks. Brayden Point scored for the Lightning (13-12-5) as they slipped out of a wild-card berth with 31 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes also have 31 points but sit ahead of the Lightning based on games in hand. Bolts defenseman Victor Hedman missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

The St. Louis Blues fired head coach Craig Berube following their 6-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Kevin Hayes tallied two goals for the Blues as they sank to 13-14-1. Lucas Raymond and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (15-9-4) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Berube was signed through 2024-25. He coached the Blues to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history but he’s had to deal with a steadily depleted roster as long-time stars such as Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko departed in recent years.

The Blues are just one point out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference but they’ve struggled with consistency this season. Like many clubs this season, they lack sufficient salary-cap space to improve their roster. General manager Doug Armstrong had little option but to shake things up behind the bench in the hope that it would provide a boost to his struggling club.

Speaking of the Red Wings, the NHL Players Association has officially filed an appeal to reduce the six-game suspension handed down to David Perron for cross-checking Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub on Saturday.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone’s overtime goal lifted his club over the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-4, extending his club’s points streak to nine games. Stone finished the night with two goals and two assists while Jonathan Marchessault had three assists as the league-leading Golden Knights (20-5-5, 45 points) become the first team to reach the 20-win mark this season. Yegor Sharangovich scored twice for the 11-14-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Flames announced that defenseman Chris Tanev is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho scored twice and added an assist as his club snapped a four-game losing skid by downing the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 31 shots for the 15-12-1 Hurricanes (31 points) as they sit behind the Washington Capitals (31 points), who hold three games in hand. Josh Norris replied for the Senators as they dropped to 11-12-0 and remained last in the Eastern Conference with 22 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators still hold several games in hand over their Conference rivals but they’re failing to gain traction in the standings. They must start stringing some wins together if they hope to contend for a playoff berth. Meanwhile, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour indicated before this game that sidelined winger Andrei Svechnikov is expected to be out “for a while” with an upper-body injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins doubled up the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 thanks to two-goal performances from Jeff Carter and Jake Guentzel. Connor Ingram kicked out 40 shots for the Coyotes (13-13-2) as they dropped into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 28 points, one ahead of the surging Oilers. The Penguins improved their record to 12-12-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph returned to action after missing 16 games with an undisclosed ailment.

An overtime goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. The Predators jumped to a 2-0 lead but the Flyers battled back on goals by Sean Couturier and Travis Sanheim. The Predators (16-13-0) have won five of their last six and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 32 points. The Flyers (15-10-3) had their four-game win streak snapped but hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 33 points.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord made 24 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Florida Panthers. Kailer Yamamoto had a goal and an assist for the 9-14-7 Kraken. Sergei Bobrovsky had 19 saves for the 17-9-2 Panthers, who sit one point ahead of the Leafs in second place in the Atlantic Division with 36 points.

A late goal by William Eklund gave the San Jose Sharks a 2-1 upset win over the Winnipeg Jets, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 36 shots for the Sharks (9-17-3), who’ve won three of the last four games. Brenden Dillon scored for the 16-9-2 Jets, who hold third place in the Central Division with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are also awaiting a second opinion in Winnipeg regarding winger Kyle Connor’s knee injury. However, there’s speculation he could be sidelined for six to eight weeks. An update on his condition is expected today.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Reports indicate the Washington Capitals (as well as the NBA’s Washington Wizards) will be moving across the Potomac River to a new arena in Alexandria, Virginia. It would be located about 20 minutes away from their current home, the Capital One Arena, which has hosted the Capitals since 1997-98. The anticipated move could take place in time for the 2028-29 season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Capitals, Sammi Silber takes a look at the reasons why captain Alex Ovechkin is not scoring at his usual pace this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin leads the Capitals with 16 points in 25 games but he’s fourth in goals thus far with just five. He’s on pace for just 16 this season, which would be the first time he would fail to crack the 20-goal plateau.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen was none too pleased over reports from a Finnish columnist questioning his offseason dedication to training. The comments came from Ismo Lehkonen, father of Rantanen’s teammate Artturi Lehkonen.

Following the Avs win over the Flames on Monday, Rantanen accused the elder Lehkonen of “talking s**t about me”, accusing him of “making things up.” However, he also said everything was fine between himself and his old friend Artturi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something tells me Lehkonen’s dad won’t be on Rantanen’s Christmas card list this year.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Pavel Zacha are expected to miss tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils with upper-body injuries. Both are listed as day-to-day and haven’t been ruled out of Friday’s matchup with the New York Islanders.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: The Islanders placed forward Matt Martin (upper body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 2.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2023

by | Sep 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2023

Check out the latest on the Bruins’ Brad Marchand, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand is considered among the candidates to replace retired center Patrice Bergeron as the Bruins’ captain. However, the 35-year-old winger believes the club has plenty of leadership regardless of who wears the captaincy.

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

“You know we have always done it collectively as a group, so regardless of who wears it, it’s a collective thing,” said Marchand. “Even guys without letters step up”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is the longest-serving active member of the Bruins, having been with the club since 2009-10. Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Brandon Carlo and Hampus Lindholm have also been mentioned as candidates to succeed Bergeron as Bruins captain.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito provided an update on sidelined defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Both players are recovering from offseason shoulder surgeries.

Zito anticipates Ekblad and Montour will be back before the 2024 All-Star break in early February but he didn’t provide more specific timelines. “I think you are safe to say November to January is the range as long as they continue to progress in September and October.”

Of the two, Zito alluded to Montour returning to action before Ekblad.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will find it challenging to remain a playoff contender this season without their top two defensemen during the opening weeks of the schedule.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers and his family were forced to evacuate their lakefront home in British Columbus last month when embers from the West Kelowna wildfires jump Okanagan Lake.

Myers said the fire jumped close to his house on the east side of Okanagan Lake. He and his family spent a week in Vancouver before they were allowed to return home. “House is all good,” said Myers. “We got back and, you know, a lot of debris and ash everywhere as I’m sure there was around the whole city. But it was scary for sure.”

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, defenseman Tucker Poolman is not expected to attend training camp in Victoria later this month. The 30-year-old blueliner has been suffering from migraines since 2021-22 and played just three games last season. He could be sidelined for the entirety of the upcoming campaign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Poolman is in the third season of a four-year contract with an average annual value of $2.5 million. He will likely be placed on long-term injury reserve if unable to play this season.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed winger Danton Heinen to a professional tryout offer (PTO).

DAILY FACEOFF: Forward Stefan Matteau is attending Columbus Blue Jackets training camp on a PTO.

Goaltender Jean-Francois Berube has signed a PTO with the Los Angeles Kings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2023

by | Feb 24, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2023

Connor McDavid and the Oilers humiliate the Penguins, the Bruins acquire Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway from the Capitals, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored two goals and collected two assists in a 7-2 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Leon Draisaitl scored to extend his goal streak to six games as the Oilers (32-19-9) vaulted into second place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Kris Letang tallied both Penguins goals as his club dropped its fourth straight game as they fell to 27-21-9 (63 points) to sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid now has a career-high 46 goals to lead the goal-scoring race. Teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist to reach 600 career points. As for the Penguins, this high-profile match-up was a disaster, prompting their hometown crowd to vent their unhappiness with general manager Ron Hextall with chants of “Fire Hextall!”

The Penguins’ loss was good news for the Detroit Red Wings as they leaped into the final Eastern wild-card berth by downing the New York Rangers 4-1. Andrew Copp led the way with a goal and two assists against his former team while Ville Husso made 30 saves for the 28-21-8 Red Wings (64 points). Vincent Trocheck replied for the Rangers (33-16-9) as they remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers sat out Vitali Kravtsov and Jake Leschyshyn from this game, prompting speculation they could be close to acquiring Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane. I’ll have more about that later today in the Rumors section.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk scored the game-winner with 1:38 remaining in the third period for a 6-5 victory over the Seattle Kraken. David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Krejci each had a goal and an assist for the league-leading Bruins (44-8-5), who’ve won five straight and hold a nine-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the overall standings with 93 points. Matty Beniers, Vince Dunn and Jamie Oleksiak each had a goal and an assist for the 32-20-6 Kraken as they dropped into the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 70 points.

The Vegas Golden Knights overcame a 3-1 deficit to burn the Calgary Flames 4-3 on an overtime goal by Alex Pietrangelo. Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist as the Golden Knights improved to 35-18-5 to hold a three-point lead over the Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division with 75 points. Mikael Backlund and Jakob Pelletier each had a goal and an assist for the Flames (27-20-12) as they sit one point behind the Colorado Avalanche for the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Dawson Mercer lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 4-3. Mercer finished the night with two goals and an assist while Nico Hischier sent the game to overtime with 39 seconds remaining in the third period. The Devils improved to 38-15-5 and sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points, three back of the first-place Carolina Hurricanes. Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala and Sean Durzi each had two points for the Kings (32-19-8) as they sit in third place with 72 points in the Pacific Division.

The Buffalo Sabres upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5 on an overtime goal by Ilya Lyubushkin. Tage Thompson had his fourth hat trick of the season for the Sabres as they improved to 29-23-4 (62 points) to sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Brayden Point had a goal and three assists for the Lightning (36-17-4) as they sit two points behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 76 points.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0. Brandon Duhaime and Kirill Kaprizov scored for the Wild (32-21-5) as they sit in third place in the Central Division with 69 points, two back of the second-place Winnipeg Jets. The Blues Jackets sank to 18-35-5 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Wild placed defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower-body) on injured reserve.

The Nashville Predators got two-goal performances from Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter in a 6-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Matt Duchene collected three assists as the Predators improved to 28-22-6 (62 points) to sit five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. The Sharks dropped to 18-30-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators got some bad news before the game as they announced that center Ryan Johansen underwent emergency surgery on his right leg on Wednesday after being cut by a skate blade during Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. He’ll be sidelined for 12 weeks.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson kicked out 41 shots in a 4-2 upset of the Washington Capitals. Troy Terry scored as he came off injured reserved after being sidelined since Feb. 6 as the Ducks (18-34-7) ended a six-game losing skid. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held scoreless as his club dropped its sixth straight game and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with a record of 28-26-6 (62 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks placed center Adam Henrique on injured reserve before this game.

The Vancouver Canucks downed the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on an overtime goal by Elias Pettersson, who finished the game with three points. J.T. Miller scored his 20th goal of the season for the 23-30-5 Canucks. Jordan Binnington made 38 saves for the Blues as they fell to 26-28-4. Pavel Buchnevich and Brandon Saad were activated off injured reserve for this game

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are 0-3-1 in the four games since trading Ryan O’Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Blues head coach Craig Berube criticized his top players following this game, accusing them of not caring about the team.

HEADLINES

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway from the Washington Capitals in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Wild.

The Capitals receive forward Craig Smith, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick. The Capitals also retain 25 percent ($2.5 million) of Orlov’s $5.1 million annual cap hit. The Wild retained 25 percent ($1.2 million) of the remainder of Orlov’s cap hit after the Bruins sent them a 2023 fifth-rounder and prospect Andrei Svetlakov. The Bruins pick up the remaining $1.2 million of Orlov’s cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins general manager Don Sweeney continues his impressive streak of making significant moves before the trade deadline to bolster his roster for the playoffs. Orlov will provide an experienced physical shutdown presence to the left side of the Bruins’ defense corps while Hathaway will bring additional grit and depth to their checking lines.

This move might not seem as significant as Sweeney’s previous acquisitions of Taylor Hall and Hampus Lindholm. Nevertheless, the additions of Orlov and Hathaway make the Bruins a tougher team. That’s crucial for the postseason when the games get more physical. It’s also bad news for whoever faces them in the 2023 playoffs.

Orlov and Hathaway are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Capitals GM Brian MacLellan explained he made this move to “acquire draft capital, infuse youth and restock the system”. It’s also a clear sign that MacLellan doesn’t believe his club can win if they reach the playoffs. This may not be the start of a rebuild for the Capitals but it’s at least the start of a roster retool that could continue during the offseason.

This is the second time in as many weeks that Wild GM Bill Guerin has used his cap space to be a third-party trade broker, having done the same in last week’s Ryan O’Reilly deal. He can only make this type of move once more as teams are only allowed to have three retained salaries on their books.

Cap Friendly indicates the Wild have $11.5 million in projected trade deadline cap space so Guerin might not be done as a third-party broker. He could also make a move that directly benefits his roster for the remainder of this season.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens claimed forward Chris Tierney off waivers yesterday from the Florida Panthers. They also announced that center Kirby Dach’s non-COVID-related illness symptoms were in fact related to a lower-body injury.

OTTAWA SUN: Former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson indicated he’d like to meet with whoever becomes the club’s new owner to discuss a potential front-office job.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Former San Jose Sharks captain Patrick Marleau is in discussions with the club about rejoining the organization in a front-office role.