NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2025

by | Dec 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2025

Nathan MacKinnon ties the Avalanche goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, including the winner in overtime, as the Colorado Avalanche nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Martin Necas collected three assists as the league-leading Avalanche (46 points) became the first team to reach the 20-win plateau (20-2-6). Igor Shesterkin kicked out 39 shots while Conor Sheary and Artemi Panarin replied for the 15-13-3 Rangers.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 24 goals and 48 points. He also reached 391 career NHL regular-season goals, tying Joe Sakic for the most goals in Avalanche history. Sakic remains the overall franchise leader (Avalanche and Quebec Nordiques) with 625.

The Florida Panthers overcame 4-1 and 6-4 deficits to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-6 on an overtime goal by Sam Bennett, who also collected three assists. Brad Marchand also had a goal and three assists, and Carter Verhaeghe tallied twice and picked up an assist for the Panthers, who snapped a four-game losing skid and improved to 13-12-2. Dmitri Voronkov, Miles Wood, Cole Sillinger, and Isac Lundestrom each had a goal and an assist for the 13-9-6 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen returned to action after being sidelined since Nov. 15 from burns to his lower body suffered when his propane grill malfunctioned and exploded while he was cooking.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin turned in a 32-save shutout to blank the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0. Calum Ritchie and Casey Cizikas were the goal scorers for the 16-10-3 Islanders. Jonas Johansson stopped 17 of 18 shots for the Lightning (16-10-2), who have lost three straight but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Victor Hedman returned to action after missing the last 12 games with an undisclosed injury. Starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and winger Nikita Kucherov missed this game and are day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.

A shootout goal by Alexandre Texier lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cole Caufield scored to extend his points streak to 10 games for the Canadiens (15-9-3). Dennis Hildeby made 33 saves, and Scott Laughton scored for the 13-11-4 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Maple Leafs placed starting goalie Joseph Woll (lower body) on injured reserve.

St. Louis Blues netminder Joel Hofer turned aside 41 shots, and Jake Neighbours scored twice to beat the Ottawa Senators by a score of 2-1. Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Senators (13-11-4), who have dropped four of their last five games. The Blues now sit at 10-12-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the Senators played without center Shane Pinto, who suffered a lower-body injury during Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers. Pinto will be sidelined for at least two weeks.

Vancouver Canucks center Aatu Raty had his first multipoint NHL game with two goals and an assist in a 4-2 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Rookie defenseman Tom Wallinder scored his first NHL goal, and goalie Nikita Tolopilo stopped 28 shots for the Canucks (11-15-3) as they ended a four-game losing skid. Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and an assist, and goalie Jesper Wallstedt suffered his first regulation loss of the season for the Wild (15-9-5), who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center Elias Pettersson left the warmup for this game with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames blanked the Utah Mammoth 2-0. Dustin Wolf made 27 saves for the shutout while Yegor Sharangovich and Connor Zary scored for the 11-15-4 Flames, who are 6-2-1 in their last nine games. Vitek Vanecek stopped 21 of 22 shots for the 14-13-3 Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth center Logan Cooley was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Jackson Blake and Nikolaj Ehlers each had three points in a 6-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Goalie Brandon Bussi made 19 saves for his sixth straight win for the 17-8-2 Hurricanes. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who dropped to 10-14-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie scored for the 10th time in nine games in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 29 shots as the Bruins improved to 17-13-0. Timo Meier replied for the Devils (16-12-1), who have lost five straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie sits second among NHL skaters this season with 22 goals.

A four-goal first period carried the Edmonton Oilers over the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 6-2. Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Connor McDavid each had two points for the 13-11-5 Oilers. Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Koepke replied for the Jets (14-13-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has been rising in the points race lately, sitting second to the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon with 42 points.

A late goal by Patrick Kane gave the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. John Gibson made 24 saves for the win as the Red Wings improved to 15-11-3. Adam Larsson had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-6 Kraken, who have lost five straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is closing in on the 500-goal milestone with 497.

The Los Angeles Kings thumped the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 23-save shutout, and Brandt Clarke scored two goals for the 13-8-7 Kings. Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight made 26 saves as his club dropped to 12-10-6.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars placed forward Tyler Seguin (ACL) on long-term injury reserve and put defenseman Lian Bichsel on injured reserve following surgery on his left leg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For now, the Stars will get just over $3.8 million in cap relief by placing Seguin on LTIR. If it’s determined that he’ll miss the rest of the season (including the playoffs), he’ll be moved to season-ending LTIR, enabling them to exceed the salary cap by the remainder of his $9.8 million cap hit.

Meanwhile, Bichsel is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

ESPN.COM: Former Stars owner Tom Hicks died on Saturday at age 79. He owned the club from 1995 to 2011, during which they won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2000.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hicks’ family and the Stars organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2025

by | May 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2025

The Leafs, Oilers and Golden Knights advance to the second round, the Avalanche force Game 7 with the Stars, the Rangers hired Mike Sullivan as their new head coach, Hart Trophy Finalists are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs won the latest round in the Battle of Ontario by doubling up the Ottawa Senators 4-2, winning their best-of-seven first-round series in six games.

Max Pacioretty snapped a 2-2 tie for the Leafs in the third period after the Senators erased a 2-0 deficit on goals by Brady Tkachuk and David Perron. William Nylander scored twice for the Leafs, including the empty-netter that put the series away.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty (NHL Images).

The Leafs will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the second round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators showed plenty of character by battling back after falling behind 2-0. They threw a scare into Toronto but Pacioretty’s goal gave the Leafs the lift they needed to win this game and end the series. Like the Montreal Canadiens, the future is bright for the Senators, who ended a long playoff drought and can use this series as a building block moving forward.

The Leafs face a stiff challenge in the Panthers, who steamrolled over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round. They could suffer a similar fate unless they can find a way to match Florida’s physical style while their best players (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares) must overcome the Panthers’ smothering defensive game.

For the fourth straight season, the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Los Angeles Kings from the opening round. Trent Frederic scored what proved to be the winning goal as the Oilers held off the Kings 6-4, taking the series in six games.

Connor Brown had a goal and two assists while Frederic, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers. Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere each had two points for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was as wild as this series, with the Kings taking a 2-1 lead only to have the Oilers rally for a 5-2 lead. The Kings made it interesting by making it 5-4 late in the third before Brown’s empty-netter sealed the deal for the Oilers.

What effect this series could have on the Kings’ offseason plans will be worth monitoring. Blowing a 2-0 series lead to be eliminated by the Oilers for the fourth straight season could raise questions about Rob Blake’s future as general manager.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone tallied what proved to be the series-winning goal in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild, eliminating the latter in six games.

Adin Hill made 29 saves while Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel also scored for the Golden Knights. Ryan Hartman tallied both goals for the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights will face off against the Oilers in the second round. They earned this victory after overcoming a 2-1 deficit to Minnesota in this series. They got the win without winger Pavel Dorofeyev, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

This was the final game for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. The 21-year NHL veteran and future Hall-of-Famer is expected to retire. He received a nice send-off from the Golden Knights following this game. Fleury spent four seasons with Vegas from 2017-18 to 2020-21, backstopping them to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and winning the Vezina Trophy in 2021.

The Colorado Avalanche forced a seventh and deciding game with the Dallas Stars following a 7-4 win in Game 6 of their first-round series. The Avalanche got four unanswered third-period goals from Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, Josh Manson and Cale Makar (the latter two being empty-netters) for the win.

MacKinnon and Makar each had a goal and two assists while Nichushkin tallied twice for the Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz each had four points for the Stars.

Game 7 is in Dallas on Saturday, May 3, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series has lived up to expectations as two of the league’s best teams have given their all in this contest. This would’ve made a great Conference Final.

Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel left this game favoring his shoulder after crashing into the boards following a collision with Avalanche forward Jack Drury. There was no postgame update about his status.

Before this game, the Stars announced that sidelined winger Jason Robertson has gone from week-to-week to day-to-day. He may return to action in Game 7.

HEADLINES

**UPDATE**

The New York Rangers announced they have hired former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan as their new coach. No word yet as to the terms of his contract or who will be on his staff. 

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov are the finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the player deemed most valuable to his team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov won the Hart in 2018-19 and Draisaitl in 2019-20. Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy this season as the points leader while Draisaitl won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the top goal scorer.

This is the first time Hellebuyck has been a finalist for the Hart and is also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. Given his dominant performance for the Jets this season, he could be the front-runner.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will not play in Game 6 of his club’s first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. He suffered an undisclosed injury during Game 5 on Wednesday. Sidelined Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has travelled with the team to St. Louis but it remains to be seen if he’ll play in Game 6 on Friday.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom is open to signing a contract extension. The 35-year-old has a year remaining on his current deal with a cap hit of $6 million. The earliest the Devils can attempt to re-sign him is July 1.

YAHOO! SPORTS: Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovecevic suffered a knee injury that could require surgery to repair. He is not expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.

FULL PRESS HOCKEY: Jim Biringer reports the NHL is looking to build on the momentum it received from the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Steve Meyer, president of NHL Content & Events, said the league is looking at the future of its annual All-Star Game and how to make it as compelling for fans as the 4 Nations tournament.

NHLPA: Former NHL player Kyle Okposo has been named the PA’s new Business Development and Player Engagement Advisor. Okposo retired as a player at the end of last season following a 17-year career.

NEW YORK POST: Hockey TV analyst Joe Micheletti has retired after 19 seasons.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Former Flyers defenseman Ed Van Impe died Tuesday at age 84. He was a member of the Flyers’ Hall of Fame.

One of the original Flyers and their second captain in franchise history, Van Impe spent nine of his 11 NHL seasons in Philadelphia from 1967-68 to 1975-76, winning two Stanley Cups.

He began his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1966-67 and finished with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1976-77. A rugged stay-at-home blueliner, he had 153 points and 1,024 PIMs in 703 games, and 13 points in 66 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Van Impe’s family, friends, former teammates and the Flyers’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2025

by | Feb 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2025

Check out the game recaps from a busy Tuesday night in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame 3-0 and 4-3 deficits for a 5-4 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins. Mitch Marner scored twice, including the game-winner, and Morgan Rielly had a goal and three assists to surpass the 500-point plateau (502). Bruins winger David Pastrnak had two goals and an assist, extending his points streak to 15 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have won three straight and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 74 points. However, they lost forward William Nylander and defenseman Chris Tanev to injuries. The Bruins (62 points) are 0-2-2 in their last four games and sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Florida Panthers forwards Sam Bennett and Aleksander Barkov had two points each to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-1. Bennett had a goal and an assist and Barkov two assists as the Panthers remain one point behind the Leafs in the Atlantic Division. Michael McCarron replied for the Predators, who lost team captain Roman Josi to an upper-body injury following a heavy hit from Bennett in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators general manager Barry Trotz said he’s talked to his players about his plans for the team over the next several years. If anyone isn’t interested in buying in, he said he’d try to move them. It’s something to keep an eye on as the March 7 trade deadline approaches.

The Tampa Bay Lightning pushed their win streak to six games with a 4-1 win over the slumping Edmonton Oilers. Brandon Hagel netted the game-winning goal, Nikita Kucherov picked up two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 23 shots as the Lightning sit three points back of the Panthers in third place in the Atlantic Division. Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 43rd goal for the Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division but have lost four straight games.

Calgary Flames forwards Martin Pospisil, Matt Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau scored to beat the Washington Capitals 3-1. Alex Ovechkin scored his 883rd regular-season goal for the Capitals (84 points), who remain one point behind the first-overall Winnipeg Jets. The Flames (64 points) vaulted over the Vancouver Canucks into the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 12 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. He joins Gordie Howe, Johnny Bucyk and Teemu Selanne as the only NHL players to score 30 goals in a season at age 39 or older. Ovechkin is the only player with nineteen 30-goal seasons. Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl returned to action after missing nine games due to illness and an upper-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings got two goals from defenseman Simon Edvinsson to tame the Minnesota Wild 3-2. Marco Rossi and Jakub Lauko opened the scoring for the Wild before Vladimir Tarasenko scored, setting the stage for Edvinsson’s two goals. The Wings hold the first Eastern wild card with 66 points, while the Wild are third in the Central Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings announced before this game that forward Andrew Copp is out for the season following surgery on his left pectoral tendon. His recovery period is four to six months. Meanwhile, Minnesota center Joel Eriksson Ek is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The Wild also placed defenseman Travis Dermott on waivers.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko scored two goals and set up another in a 6-4 victory over the Dallas Stars. Adam Fantilli, Ivan Provorov and Dmitri Voronkov each collected two points as the Blues Jackets hold the final Eastern wild card with 64 points. Jason Robertson and Mikael Granlund each had two points for the Stars, who sit second in the Central with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel missed this game as he remains in concussion protocol after being hit in the head by New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas on Sunday. He’s expected to be sidelined for at least a week.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 20-save shutout from Sam Montembeault in a 4-0 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Nick Suzuki and Patrik Laine each had a goal and two assists as the Canadiens (59 points) remain five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Hurricanes are in second place in the Metropolitan Division (70 points) but have lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens winger Josh Anderson left the game with an upper-body injury after slamming into the boards in the third period. There was no post-game update on his status.

New York Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski scored two goals and collected an assist in a 5-1 win over the New York Islanders. Defenseman Urho Vaakanainen had a goal and two assists, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin kicked out 36 shots as the Rangers (62 points) are two points behind the Blue Jackets. Alexander Romanov replied for the slumping Islanders as they dropped their fourth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sitting seven points behind the Blue Jackets, the Islanders’ playoff hopes are fading and could push GM Lou Lamoriello into sell mode. Isles forward Matt Martin (lower body) missed the game as he was placed on injured reserve.

Meanwhile, Rangers winger Chris Kreider missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Defensemen Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller left the game with injuries late in the third period. Both were being evaluated following the game.

Utah Hockey Club forward Lawson Crouse scored the game-winner to nip the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1. Seth Jones opened the scoring in the first period for Chicago but Clayton Keller tied it for Utah in the second period. The win moves Utah (61 points) within three points of the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones vented his frustration after the game over the Blackhawks’ performance, saying they haven’t improved since the start of the season. The 30-year-old defenseman went public last week about his desire to play for a contender, but his hefty contract and full no-movement clause remain significant obstacles in the path to a trade.

The St. Louis Blues crushed the Seattle Kraken 7-2. Robert Thomas extended his points streak to seven games with a goal and an assist, Zack Bolduc tallied twice, and Cam Fowler and Oskar Sundqvist each had a goal and two assists for the Blues, who moved within four points of the Western wild-card spot with 60 points. Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz replied for the Kraken.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Bobby Brink had a goal and three assists in a 6-1 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster each collected three points as the Flyers (59 points) got their third straight win to move within five points of the Blue Jackets. Philip Tomasino had the Penguins’ only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forward Bryan Rust was activated off injured reserve before this game.

Three unanswered third-period goals by JJ Peterka, Alex Tuch and Henri Jokiharju lifted the Buffalo Sabres over the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Sabres center Dylan Cozens collected three assists. Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson tallied for the Ducks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2023

by | May 7, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2023

The Oilers down the Golden Knights to tie their second-round series, Gerard Gallant is out as Rangers’ head coach and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers thumped the Vegas Golden Knights 5-1 in Game 2 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each scored twice, Zach Hyman collected three assists and Stuart Skinner kicked out 30 shots for the win. The series is tied at a game apiece as it shifts to Edmonton for Game 3 on Monday.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers dominated the Golden Knights from the opening drop, rolling to a 4-0 lead in the first period and never looking back.

Once again, their power play was lethal, scoring three goals with the man advantage. The Oilers’ power-play success rate is a phenomenal 56.0 percent in these playoffs thus far.

They were also dangerous on the penalty kill with one of McDavid’s goals scored while shorthanded.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers announced Saturday that they and head coach Gerard Gallant have mutually agreed to part ways. This comes less than a week after the Rangers were eliminated from the opening round of the playoffs by the New Jersey Devils.

Gallant was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award last season after coaching the Rangers to a 110-point performance. They also reached the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals. They finished this season with 107 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have now gone through three head coaches since 2018. Gallant’s status was the subject of media speculation for most of last week. He fact criticism over his strict adherence to his coaching system and supposed inability to adjust to in-game situations.

Speculation has already started regarding Gallant’s replacement. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano acknowledged his recent play “hasn’t been good enough.” The 39-year-old blueliner is playing in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in his career. He’s been on the ice for 11 even-strength goals against during this postseason.

TSN: Rookie defenseman Luke Hughes will be in the lineup for the New Jersey Devils in Game 3 Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Hughes replaces Ryan Graves, who suffered an upper-body injury in Game 2.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope wondered who will take over as Blackhawks captain when Jonathan Toews departs via free agency on July 1. Seth Jones or Connor Murphy would be suitable candidates but Pope also wondered if the club might not bother naming a captain for next season.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of team captains, Steve MacFarlane wondered if offering the Flames’ captaincy to Mikael Backlund might convince the 34-year-old center to sign a contract extension. He’s slated next summer to become an unrestricted free agent.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed defense prospect Lian Bichsel to a three-year entry-level contract. The 2022 first-round pick is currently recovering from a broken ankle.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have signed 2022 first-round pick Jonathan Lekkerimaki to a three-year entry-level deal.

OTTAWA SUN: Another celebrity has joined another group bidding for the Ottawa Senators. Canadian music star Abel Tesfaye (also known as The Weeknd) has agreed to partner with Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group to purchase the club.

Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds and superstar rapper Snoop Dogg are also part of two other groups bidding for ownership of the Senators. The deadline for final binding bids is reportedly May 15.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2023

by | May 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2023

The Hurricanes take a 2-0 series lead over the Devils while the Jack Adams Award finalists are announced. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the New Jersey Devils 6-1 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven second-round series. Jesperi Kotkaniemi tallied twice as the Hurricanes took a 4-0 lead in the first period while Frederik Andersen picked up the win with a 28-save performance. The series shifts to New Jersey for Game 3 on Sunday.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are dominating this series, outscoring New Jersey 11-2 in the first two games and outperforming them in every aspect. Following Game 2, Devils captain Nico Hischier said he and his teammates should be “pissed off” over how poorly they’ve played. That sentiment won’t mean much if they don’t find a way to get back into this series.

Devils winger Timo Meier returned to action in this contest after missing Game 1 due to an upper-body injury suffered during Game 7 of his club’s first-round series with the New Jersey Devils.

Dave Hakstol of the Seattle Kraken, Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins, and Lindy Ruff of the Devils are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2022-23.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward Sam Bennett was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL player safety department for a cross-check to the neck of Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting on Thursday.

TORONTO SUN: Bennett went unpunished for a hit that concussed Leafs rookie forward Matthew Knies in the same game. Knies will miss Games 3 and 4 and could be sidelined for the remainder of the series if it goes beyond Game 4. The Panthers lead two games to none.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett gets a fine for a dangerous hit to an opponent’s neck and nothing for injuring another by slamming him to the ice. And the league wonders why fans and pundits have so much disdain for its so-called “player safety” department.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl left practice early yesterday after being nicked by a puck. Head coach Jay Woodcroft said it was “a little bit of playoff makeup, I think he probably had one or two sutures. He’ll be just fine.”

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed forward Mikey Eyssimont to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $800K.

YARDBARKER: Dallas Stars prospect Lian Bichsel underwent surgery to repair a broken ankle. His recovery time is six-to-eight weeks. He was training in preparation to play for Switzerland in the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman believes it would be a plus for the Senators to have a Hollywood celebrity as part of its potential new ownership group. However, he believes the bids must stand on their own merit. Actor Ryan Reynolds and rapper Snoop Dogg are part of two competing groups bidding for ownership of the Senators. The deadline for binding bids is May 15.