NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2025

by | Apr 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2025

A four-goal return to action for Joel Eriksson Ek as Marc-Andre Fleury set a new goalie record, the Devils clinch a playoff berth, the hockey world remembers Ray Shero, the Masterton Trophy nominees are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Joel Eriksson Ek scored four goals and Kirill Kaprizov tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, in an 8-7 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matt Boldy had four assists and Mats Zuccarello had three helpers for the Wild, who vaulted over the St. Louis Blues into the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 93 points. Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a hat trick in a five-point performance while teammate Will Smith had a goal and three assists.

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a consequential game for the Wild in more ways than one. Their victory over the Sharks eliminated the Vancouver Canucks and Utah Hockey Club from the postseason race.

Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov returned to action after missing considerable time with injuries. They’ll significantly boost the Wild offense which sputtered during their absence. Meanwhile, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury set the record for most overtime wins (70) in what was likely his final home start for Minnesota.

Celebrini became the first 18-year-old player in Sharks history to tally a hat trick. He holds the single-season franchise record for points by a rookie with 62.

The St. Louis Blues (93 points) dropped into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference following a 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Connor Brown scored twice for Edmonton, including the winning goal with 21 seconds remaining in the third period. Oilers captain Connor McDavid had three assists on his return from an eight-game absence with a lower-body injury. Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and an assist for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers sit third in the Pacific Division with 95 points. Meanwhile, the Blues sit behind the Wild because the latter holds a game in hand.

Before this game, they placed defenseman John Klingberg on long-term injury reserve while blueliner Jake Walman was a late scratch with an illness.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored the tying and winning goals as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit to upset the Calgary Flames 4-3 in overtime. Ville Husso stopped 36 shots for the Ducks. Mikael Backlund had a goal and an assist for the Flames (88 points), who sit five points behind the Wild and Blues with two games in hand over the latter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild have three games remaining in their schedule while the Blues have two. The latter has lost two straight after winning a franchise-record 12 straight games.

The New York Rangers’ playoff hopes suffered a significant setback after an 8-5 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Tyson Foerster collected his first NHL hat trick and Nick Seeler picked up three assists for the Flyers. Artemi Panarin scored his 300th NHL regular-season goal for the Rangers (79 points), who’ve lost three straight and remain eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers are on the brink of elimination from the playoff race. They have the same number of games remaining in the schedule as the Canadiens (four) but the latter needs only three points to punch their ticket to the postseason.

That final wild-card spot is the only playoff berth to be determined in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers’ victory and the Rangers’ loss clinched a playoff spot for the idle New Jersey Devils, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points. They’ll face off against the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies scored in overtime to complete a hat trick and defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Auston Matthews collected three assists and Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (100 points), who opened a three-point lead over the Lightning atop the Atlantic Division. Victor Hedman and Oliver Bjorkstrand each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov picked up an assist to regain first place in the scoring race. He and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon each have 116 points but Kucherov holds the lead with 34 goals to MacKinnon’s 32.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The hockey world mourned Ray Shero, who died on Wednesday at 62.

Son of former NHL coach and Hall-of-Famer Fred Shero, Ray had a long, successful career in management. He began as an assistant general manager with the Ottawa Senators from 1993 to 1998, and as an assistant GM with the Nashville Predators from 1998 to 2006.

Shero was named general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006, building them into a Stanley Cup contender in 2008 and a Cup champion in 2009. He won the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award in 2012-13.

Fired by the Penguins in 2014, he became GM of the New Jersey Devils from 2015 to 2020, drafting current Devils stars Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt.

Shero was in his fourth season as a senior advisor to Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin.

Guerin, Wild head coach John Hynes, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald, former Predators GM David Poile, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman released statements honoring Shero’s memory and legacy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Shero’s family, friends, the Wild organization, and those who knew him from his days with the Senators, Predators, Penguins and Devils.

TSN: Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan, and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin are among the 32 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominees. It is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Other notable nominees include Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, and Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above to see the full list.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of Landeskog, the Avalanche have loaned him to their AHL affiliate for conditioning as he continues his comeback. The 32-year-old left wing hasn’t played since leading the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup in June 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An update will be made regarding Landeskog’s status over the next couple of days. This move is a significant step in his comeback attempt. If it goes well, he could rejoin the Avalanche in the opening round of the playoffs.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are confident that team captain Brady Tkachuk will be good to go when the playoffs begin on Apr. 19. He’s missed the last five games with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators clinched a playoff berth so there’s no reason to rush him back to action. They’ll give him all the time he needs between now and Apr. 19 to heal up for the postseason.

RG.ORG: Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov is expected to arrive in Toronto on Friday. He’ll meet with his new team following their game in Ottawa and could make his NHL debut on Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2024

by | May 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2024

The Maple Leafs force Game 7 with the Bruins in their opening-round series. Get the details plus the latest playoff news and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 in Game 6 of their best-of-seven opening-round series. William Nylander scored both goals and Joseph Woll made 22 saves for the Leafs, who overcame a 3-1 series deficit to force a seventh and deciding game in Boston on Saturday. Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins with one second remaining in the third period and teammate Jeremy Swayman stopped 24 shots. The start time for Game 7 is 8 pm EDT.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead after their listless loss in Game 4, the Leafs have flipped the script in this series. The pressure is now on the Bruins, who return home facing the prospect of blowing a 3-1 series lead and being eliminated from the opening round for the second straight year.

Like their win in Game 5, the Leafs played a solid defensive game to contain the Bruins’ offense. Woll has been solid between the pipes. His teammates are drawing strength and confidence from his steady performance.

Leafs star Auston Matthews remained sidelined by an illness for the second straight game but has returned to skating with his teammate in practice. Nylander, meanwhile, stepped up in this game to fill the void.

After the game, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery called out his club’s leading scorer David Pastrnak. “’Pasta’ needs to step up”, he said. “He needs to be a dominant player like he used to. He’s doing it in flurries, but not consistently.” Pastrnak has two goals and two assists in this series but was held scoreless in the last two games.

Don’t expect a goaltending change for the Bruins in Game 7. Swayman wasn’t to blame for his club’s two losses, giving up only two goals in Game 5 with a .939 save percentage and two in Game 6 (.923). That’s especially true in the first period of both games with the Leafs outshooting the Bruins 11-2 in the fifth game and 12-1 in the sixth.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

NHL.COM: The second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs starts Sunday with Game 1 between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We could learn the start times for other second-round series depending on the outcome of Friday night’s games. The Vancouver Canucks hold a 3-2 series lead as they face the Predators in Nashville while the Dallas Stars are up 3-2 over the Golden Knights as the two clubs face off in Las Vegas.

TSN’s Darren Dreger took to social media on Thursday reporting the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t interested in allowing head coach Rod Brind’Amour to test the open market this summer. He indicated the two sides have recently come together and it “looks encouraging an extension will get done.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brind’Amour’s contract situation drew considerable buzz earlier this week following reports claiming he was uncertain about his future in Carolina after the club pulled their offer from the table.

Brind’Amour responded saying he wanted to stay in Carolina. Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and general manager Don Waddell maintained their confidence that an agreement would be reached soon.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are using the Golden Knights’ physical play against them by making them pay on the power play. Two undisciplined penalties by the Golden Knights in the last two games led to the Stars cashing in with the man advantage.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights need a more disciplined game from top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo if they hope to stave off elimination in Friday’s game against the Stars. He was called out by head coach Bruce Cassidy after his penalty against Dallas winger Tyler Seguin in Game 5 led to the Stars’ game-winning goal.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller brought some levity to his teammates by wearing teammate Arturs Silovs’ flashy pink and paisley dress shirt during practice on Thursday. Silovs took Miller’s prank in strike. “It looks good on him,” he laughed.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn hopes to return to the lineup for Game 6 after an illness sidelined him in Game 5.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox missed practice on Thursday for the second straight day for a maintenance day. That’s raised concern about the condition of his right knee following a collision with the Washington Capitals’ Nick Jensen on Sunday.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Spencer Knight is back with the Panthers after spending the regular season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Knight left the Panthers in February 2023 after being admitted into the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program seeking treatment for OCD.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram, and Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington are this year’s finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists for being recognized for their perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey this season.

TSN: Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis denied a report by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan claiming he received an ultimatum from several players demanding the replacement of Dave Hakstol as head coach. Hakstol was fired on Tuesday after three seasons behind the Kraken bench.

“Zero players issued any ultimatums of any kind regarding the coach – that I can assure you,” said Francis. Kraken winger Jordan Eberle also denied the report.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Hurricanes signed a three-year affiliate agreement with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

THE ATHLETIC: Former NHL player Cody Hodgson has retired for the second time. His original retirement was in 2017 after a condition known as malignant hypothermia ended his six-year NHL career.

The 34-year-old center staged a comeback this season, earning an AHL contract with the Milwaukee Admirals. In 13 games, he had six goals and eight points but soon found the symptoms of his condition had returned.

Hodgson said he was at peace with his decision to retire again. His comeback effort brought him a sense of closure that he could still perform at a professional level. “I answered the question that I could play again. Maybe someone else would look at it objectively and conclude something different, but I thought I could keep up with the kids,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Hodgson in his future endeavours.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2024

by | Apr 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2024

The Oilers, Leafs and Lightning clinch playoff berths and the Masterton Trophy nominees are announced. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers got two goals from Connor McDavid and Evander Kane to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 and clinch a playoff berth. With a record of 46-24-5, the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 97 points. Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton replied for the Avalanche (48-23-6) as they sit sixth in the overall standings with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also lost winger Mikko Rantanen, who left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a heavy, clean hit by Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm. Following the game, Avs head coach Jared Bednar said Rantanen would be under evaluation for a while.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

McDavid and Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon gained some ground on Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league this season with 133 points. MacKinnon collected an assist and sits second with 131 points while McDavid sits third with 128. Speaking of scoring, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl became the fifth player in franchise history with five 100-point seasons.

The Oilers overcame a poor start to this season to secure a postseason spot. They were 10 points out of contention and third-last in the overall standings by the US Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 23.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho snapped a 2-2 tie in a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, leaving the latter winless in their last five games (0-4-1). Jake Guentzel tallied twice and collected an assist as the Hurricanes improved to 48-22-7 to rise into fourth in the overall standings with 103 points. Alex Ovechkin scored both goals for the Capitals (36-30-10), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 851 career goals, leaving him 43 behind all-time leader Wayne Gretzky (894). After scoring eight goals in his first 43 games this season, the Capitals captain has 21 goals in his last 30 games. He’s poised to reach the 30-goal mark for the 18th time, which will set an NHL record.

The Buffalo Sabres kept their playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. Jack Quinn potted two goals and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves for the 37-35-5 Sabres (79 points) as they sit four points behind the Flyers, who dropped to 36-30-11 and slipped into the final Eastern wildcard spot with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The idle Toronto Maple Leafs clinched a playoff berth with the Flyers and Capitals’ losses on Friday.

The Flyers overachieved for most of this season and have held a playoff berth since last fall. However, the wheels are coming off as they’ve won just twice in their last 10 games. The New York Islanders have knocked them out of third place in the Metropolitan Division. They’re now in danger of being overtaken by the Sabres, Capitals, Detroit Red Wings or Pittsburgh Penguins if any of those clubs can string a few wins together.

New York Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow tallied two goals in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Chris Kreider netted his 37th goal of the season and Jonathan Quick turned aside 31 shots for the league-leading Rangers (52-21-4) as they opened a three-point lead (108) over the second-overall Dallas Stars. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored his 30th goal as his club fell to 37-31-8 and are one point behind the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Wings, Flyers and Capitals losing their games, the idle Tampa Bay Lightning secured a playoff spot. Only two berths in the East remain available with six teams having a legitimate shot at clinching them.

Larkin is the first Red Wing to have three straight 30-goal seasons since Henrik Zetterberg from 2005-06 to 2008-09.

The Arizona Coyotes scored six unanswered third-period goals to upset the Vegas Golden Knights 7-4. Michael Carcone tallied the tying and winning goals for the 32-39-5 Coyotes. William Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (42-26-8) as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 92 points.

Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright scored twice and picked up an assist to lead his club to a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Oliver Bjorkstrand had two assists for the 32-31-13 Kraken. Leo Carlsson replied for the 25-48-4 Ducks.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Professional Hockey Writers Association announced the 32 finalists for the 2023-24 Bill Masteron Memorial Trophy, awarded each year “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the complete list. Among the notables are Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene, New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier, and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

My congratulations to all 32 players as they are worthy nominees.

I’m not a member of the PHWA but if I were, my choice would be Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington, who returned to action this season after a year and a half away from the game dealing with mental health issues.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will return to action on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. He’s been sidelined by a high-ankle sprain for 12 games. He will start on the second line with center John Tavares and winger Bobby McMann.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner usually skates alongside Auston Matthews on the first line. Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe wants to keep the line of Matthews, Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi intact for at least this game.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm resumed practicing with his teammates on Friday after being sidelined with a wrist injury since March 23. It’s not known when he’ll return to the lineup but it’s a promising sign that he might be back before the end of the regular season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines -May 10, 2023

by | May 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines -May 10, 2023

The Hurricanes take a commanding lead in their series with the Devils, the Stars tie their series with the Kraken and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog to miss next season. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes have a stranglehold on their second-round series with the New Jersey Devils following a 6-1 victory in Game 4 on Tuesday. Martin Necas scored two goals and Jordan Martinook collected three points as the Hurricanes hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Jack Hughes scored for the Devils. The Hurricanes can wrap things up on home ice in Game 5 on Thursday.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils got off to a fast start as Hughes opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game. However, the Hurricanes tied it before the end of the first period and romped to victory with a five-goal second period. The Devils just fell apart in that period and had no pushback in the third as they were completely dominated by the more experienced Hurricanes.

This was Martinook’s franchise-record fourth straight multi-point playoff game. He went scoreless during the Hurricanes’ first-round series with the New York Islanders. With nine points, Martinook moves past Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the most points in the second round of this year’s playoffs.

Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta skated with his teammates in practice yesterday but sat out Game 4 as he’s still recovering from an illness. Meanwhile, Devils defenseman Ryan Graves missed his second-straight game with an upper-body injury.

The Dallas Stars tied their series with the Seattle Kraken at two games apiece with a 6-3 win in Game 4. Max Domi scored twice and collected an assist while Joel Pavelski tallied his sixth goal in this series. Jaden Schwartz tallied two goals for the Kraken while goalie Philipp Grubauer got the hook after giving up five goals on 22 shots. Game 5 goes Thursday night in Dallas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen was in the lineup and show no ill effects from taking a puck to the face in Game 3. Kraken winger Jared McCann returned to action after being sidelined by an upper-body injury in Game 4 of their first-round series with the Colorado Avalanche.

There was some controversy when Domi made it 3-0 in the second as the Kraken believed Grubauer had been interfered with by Jamie Benn. Their coach’s challenge, however, failed to overturn the goal.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock are this season’s finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk, Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson are among the 32 finalists for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is expected to miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season. He undergoes surgery today (May 10) as he’ll undergo a cartilage transplant in his right knee. Landeskog hasn’t played since helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: By the sound of things, there’s no certainty that Landeskog will fully recover to the point where he’ll be able to play hockey again. Here’s hoping the surgery goes well and he makes a full recovery.

THE DENVER POST: Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland remains hopeful that Valeri Nichushkin will remain part of the club’s future. However, he offered no update as the winger’s status.

Nichushkin was sent back to Colorado for “personal reasons” following an incident in Seattle prior to Game 3 of their first-round series with the Kraken. A woman was found in his hotel room so intoxicated that a team doctor called an ambulance to take her to a hospital.

There is no criminal investigation involving the winger and he’s not facing discipline from the Avalanche. However, neither he nor the club are commenting on the situation.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud spoke with ESPN anchor Jon Anderson and accepted the latter’s apology after Anderson joked on air that the blueliner’s last name was a good name for toilet paper. Whitecloud was born in Manitoba and grew up in the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Zach Hyman appears questionable for Game 4 tonight against the Golden Knights. He was not part of the club’s full practice yesterday after taking a shot off his right knee/thigh area in Game 3.

TORONTO STAR: Joseph Woll will get the start for the Maple Leafs in Game 4 tonight against the Florida Panthers. Ilya Samsonov remains sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered during Game 3 on Sunday. Matt Murray will serve as Woll’s backup. The Leafs face elimination tonight down 0-3 to the Panthers.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Season ticket sales are booming for the Blackhawks after they won the 2023 draft lottery. They’re expected to use that pick to select top prospect Connor Bedard during the first round of the draft on June 28. The Hawks sold $5.2 million worth of new season ticket packages within 12 hours of winning the lottery.

CALGARY SUN: Flames forward Tyler Toffoli was named captain of Team Canada in the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Flames, MacKenzie Weegar said Mikael Backlund occasionally clashed with former head coach Darryl Sutter. Backlund is a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility and was non-committal about signing a contract extension with the Flames during his end-of-season interview.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Backlund might have a change of heart after Sutter was fired as head coach last week. It could depend on who takes over as general manager and who they hire as Sutter’s replacement.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers relieved assistant coaches Mike Kelly and Jim Midgley of their duties on Tuesday. The move comes days after head coach Gerard Gallant and the Rangers agreed to part ways.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2023

by | Apr 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2023

The Sharks’ Erik Karlsson reaches the 100-point milestone, the Flames are eliminated from playoff contention, the Stars’ Joe Pavelski and the Senators’ Claude Giroux reach 1,000 career points, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson became the first defenseman in 31 years to net 100 points in a season in a 6-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Karlsson scored twice to reach the milestone last achieved by Brian Leetch in 1991-92. Meanwhile, Jets blueliner Josh Morrisey had a goal and two assists as his club moved closer to clinching the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 93 points.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 32-year-old Karlsson is only the sixth NHL defenseman to reach the 100-point plateau and the oldest to do so. He’s considered the front-runner to win the Norris Trophy. Meanwhile, the Sharks revealed that Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Alexander Barabanov, Andreas Johnsson and Oskar Lindblom are out with season-ending injuries.

Shootout goals by Cody Glass and Tommy Novak lifted the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames, officially eliminating the latter from playoff contention. Juuse Saros made 44 saves in regulation and overtime for the 41-31-8 Predators, who kept their slim playoff hopes alive with 90 points. Jacob Markstrom stopped 27 shots for the Flames (37-27-17) as they sit one point ahead of the Predators and two back of the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators and Jets have two games remaining while the Flames have only one. The Jets can clinch that wild-card spot with a win tonight over the Minnesota Wild.

The New York Islanders’ chances of securing a wild-card spot got slimmer as they were upset 5-2 by the Washington Capitals. Dylan Strome tallied twice and Darcy Kuemper stopped 38 shots for the Capitals while Hudson Fasching and Casey Cizikas replied for the 41-31-9 Islanders as they held the final Eastern wild-card berth with 91 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders sit one game up on the Pittsburgh Penguins, who hold a game in hand and now control their own fate. Speaking of the Isles, center Bo Horvat said his recent comments praising the fan support his club is receiving weren’t meant as a slight against the Vancouver Canucks or their fans. Horvat was the Canucks’ captain until traded to the Islanders in January.

Meanwhile, the Capitals announced winger T.J. Oshie had been shut down for the remainder of the season with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by John Tavares gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. Auston Matthews netted his 40th goal of the season for the Leafs as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 107 points. Brandon Montour replied for the 42-31-8 Panthers (92 points) as they failed to clinch the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have one game remaining in their schedule. They could still be overtaken by the Islanders or Penguins.

Matthews set two Leafs records with the most consecutive 40-goal seasons (four) and the most in franchise history with five. Things also got interesting for the Leafs in goal as they were forced to bring in an emergency backup on an amateur tryout contract when they were denied a goaltending salary-cap exemption. It’s believed this may have been an emergency of their own making by signing prospect forward Matthew Knies to his three-year entry-level contract over the weekend.

Speaking of the Eastern wild card race, the Buffalo Sabres kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the New York Rangers 3-2 on a shootout goal by Casey Mittelstadt, who also tied the game in the third period. Devon Levi made 26 saves to pick up his fourth win in five games for the 40-32-7 Sabres (87 points) as they sit four points behind the Islanders with three games remaining in their schedule.

Dallas Stars winger Joe Pavelski scored to reach the 1,000-point plateau as his club dropped the Detroit Red Wings 6-1. Jason Robertson had a goal and two assists as the Stars sit in second place in the Central Divison with 104 points. David Perron replied for the Red Wings.

Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux also reached 1,000 career points with two goals and an assist in a 3-2 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Martin Necas collected two assists for the Hurricanes (109 points) as they remain one point ahead of the New Jersey Devils in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

The Los Angeles Kings blanked the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 on a 20-save shutout by Joonas Korpisalo. Arthur Kaliyev, Vladislav Gavrikov and Drew Doughty scored for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 102 points. Collin Delia stopped 25 shots for the Canucks.

Two third-period goals by Marcus Johansson gave the Minnesota Wild a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Filip Gustavsson kicked out 40 shots for the Wild as they’re sitting third in the Central with 102 points. Joey Anderson and Anders Bjork replied for the Blackhawks.

The Seattle Kraken picked up their fifth straight win by beating the Arizona Coyotes 4-1. Jared McCann and Justin Schultz each had a goal and an assist for the Kraken as they reached the 100-point plateau for the first time in franchise history and hold the first Western wild-card spot. Jack McBain scored for the Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Kraken, they signed prospect David Goyette on Monday to a three-year entry-level contract. He’s been assigned to their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley along with center Shane Wright, whose junior season recently ended when his Windsor Spitfires were eliminated from the opening round of the 2023 OHL playoffs.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle, and Florida Panthers goaltender Alex Lyon are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending April 9.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Professional Hockey Writers Association unveiled each team’s nominees for the 2023 Bill Masterton Trophy. They included Dallas Stars winger Jamie Benn, New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton, New York Islanders winger Zach Parise, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Mark Giordano, Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser, Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel and Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlsson are among the notable players nominated for this award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Click the link above for the full list, which will be whittled down to three finalists and will be handed out during the 2023 NHL Awards on June 26 in Nashville.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning winger Tanner Jeannot (injured leg) is expected to miss the early part of his club’s opening-round series against the Maple Leafs next week. However, he could return to action at some point in that series.

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Strome was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during his club’s overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

SEATTLE HOCKEY INSIDER: The Kraken signed prospect David Goyette on Monday to a three-year entry-level contract. He’s been assigned to their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley along with center Shane Wright, whose junior season recently ended when his Windsor Spitfires were eliminated from the opening round of the 2023 OHL playoffs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2022

by | May 17, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2022

Golden Knights fire head coach Pete DeBoer, Patrice Bergeron sheds light on his future, Mitch Marner was the victim of a carjacking, Islanders name Lane Lambert as their new coach & more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights fired head coach Pete DeBoer on Monday after less than three seasons in the role. The decision comes after the club failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Former Vegas Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Critics suggest DeBoer was made the fall guy for the club’s inability to clinch a postseason berth. He had a number of his core players sidelined by injuries this season as well as management’s inability to suitably address that problem because of limited salary-cap space. The club’s messy split with goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury last summer was also a factor, as was the cost of acquiring Jack Eichel and his late addition to the lineup due to his recovery from neck surgery.

Speculation has already started over DeBoer’s potential replacement. Former NHL coaches such as Barry Trotz, Paul Maurice and Joel Quenneville have been mentioned, though the latter would require the approval of league commissioner Gary Bettman due to his role in the Kyle Beach scandal.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron shot down rumors he could sign with the Montreal Canadiens as a free agent in July. He indicated he’ll either re-sign with the Bruins or retire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That rumor was fueled in part by NBC Sports Boston analyst Tony Amonte claiming Bergeron grew up as a Canadiens fan, as well as pointing out his former agent was now the Habs general manager. In fact, Bergeron grew up as a Nordiques fan plus the Canadiens’ limited cap space would’ve made it almost impossible to sign him even if they wanted to.

I believe the Bruins will bring back Bergeron for at least another season. The 36-year-old remains among the NHL’s elite two-way centers and his departure would leave the Bruins quite thin at that position.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner was the victim of a carjacking at gunpoint in Etobicoke on Monday evening. Three suspects armed with two handguns and a knife robbed Marner of his black Range Rover at the Cineplex Theatre on The Queensway.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner and his friend were shaken up but unhurt in the incident and didn’t have guns pointed at them. The suspects apparently didn’t know who he was and were only interested in the vehicle.

TSN: The New York Islanders announced Lane Lambert has been named their new head coach. He served as an associate coach under former bench boss Barry Trotz for the past four seasons.

NHL.COM: New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara, Philadelphia Flyers center Kevin Hayes and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price for this season’s finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

THE ATHLETIC: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point is “highly doubtful” for Game 1 of the second-round series with the Florida Panthers. Point appeared to injure his right leg during Game 7 of their first-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, he could potentially return later in the second round.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow might return at some point during their upcoming second-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes. Goodrow is believed to have fractured his foot or ankle in Game 1 of their first-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPORTSNET: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone will likely undergo back surgery on Wednesday. He’s expected to be available for the start of training camp in September.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba confirmed the upper-body injury that sidelined him for 12 games in April was a punctured lung and a dislocated rib. He returned for their first-round series against the St. Louis Blues but admitted being less than 100 percent in that series. The Wild were eliminated by the Blues in six games.

THE ATHLETIC: Los Angeles Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair a herniated disc. The injury kept him out of the Kings’ series with the Edmonton Oilers. They were eliminated by the Oilers in seven games.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk will undergo surgery for an injured right shoulder that nagged him most of this season.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Brian Boyle underwent surgery on his left knee on Monday.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Tim Stuetzle suffered an injured left leg playing for Germany against France during a World Championships game on Monday. He left the game and there’s no word yet as to the severity of the injury.