NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2025

by | Jan 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2025

Connor McDavid moves up among the Oilers’ all-time scoring leaders, the Sabres accomplish a unique feat, Leafs center John Tavares is injured during practice, Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry goes on waivers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid moved into second place among his club’s all-time leading scorers as his club defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-3. McDavid scored twice and collected an assist to move past Jari Kurri with 1,044 points while the Oilers picked up their seventh win in their last eight games. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the Wild as they’ve lost three of their last four games.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wayne Gretzky is the franchise leader with 1,669 points.

McDavid angered the Wild by going unpenalized for elbowing Marcus Johansson in the jaw during the second period. Johansson left the game with an upper-body injury.

Oilers winger Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the third straight game. He has 15 points in 40 games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Ryan McLeod collected his first NHL hat trick in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 35 shots and Jason Zucker collected two assists as the Sabres picked up their third win in their last four contests. Jacob Slavin and Martin Necas replied for the Hurricanes

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres accomplished a unique feat by scoring a goal without registering a shot during a full 20-minute period. The goal occurred in the final minute of the third period with the Sabres hanging onto a 3-2 lead.

As per Daily Faceoff, McLeod attempted a shot on the empty Hurricanes net but his stick snapped and didn’t make contact with the puck. Meanwhile, Carolina defenseman Brent Burns’ attempt to get the puck out of the slot caused him to trip McLeod. That resulted in what would’ve been a penalty shot, but with the net empty, became an automatic goal, giving McLeod a hat trick and the Sabres the win.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Wednesday.

The First Team consists of forwards Daniel Briere, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek, defensemen Brian Campbell and Rasmus Dahlin, and goaltender Ryan Miller.

The Second Team is comprised of forwards Chris Drury, Derek Roy and Jack Eichel, defensemen Jay McKee and Tyler Myers, and goaltender Dominik Hasek.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center John Tavares left practice on Wednesday favoring his right leg after getting tangled up with defenseman Chris Tanev. Head coach Craig Berube said Tavares was still being evaluated and he’s hoping he’ll be okay. Meanwhile, defenseman Jake McCabe took part in his first full practice after missing the last four games with an upper-body injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed goaltender Tristan Jarry on waivers and plan on assigning him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. They have called up netminder Joel Blomqvist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unlikely that a rival club will pluck Jarry off waivers. He has a record of 8-8-4 with a 3.31 goals-against average and a save percentage of .886. Jarry also carries an average annual value of $5.375 million through 2027-28.

NESN: Boston Bruins president Cam Neely said his club is looking at two approaches leading up to the March 7 trade deadline. They could be buyers or they could be “retooling a little bit” depending on where they are in the standings by the deadline. They’re holding one of the two wild-card berths in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ll likely be retooling if their play throughout the first half is anything to go by. Their lack of a reliable first-line center is a significant factor in their struggles this season. However, they might have to wait until the offseason to address that need.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings winger Alex Laferriere has been sidelined by an upper-body ailment. A further update on his status is expected later this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 23-year-old Laferriere has had a solid sophomore season with 13 goals and 26 points in 41 games.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic was fined $1,996.53 by the NHL’s department of player safety for cross-checking Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk.

Utah Hockey Club center Jack McBain was fined $4,166.67 for high-sticking Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher.

RG.ORG: The upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off is forcing NHL general managers to move up their timelines to prepare for the March 7 trade deadline. The tournament takes place from Feb. 12-20, with 28 of the 32 NHL teams being off from Feb. 9-22, leaving the general managers less than two weeks to prepare for the trade deadline.

Teams are moving up their pro scouting meetings to narrow down their trade boards.

TSN: The Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks made a minor trade on Wednesday, with the Jets acquiring defenseman Isaak Phillips from the Blackhawks for defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 9, 2025

by | Jan 9, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 9, 2025

Check out the latest on the Flyers, Blackhawks and Jets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: With the March 7 trade deadline two months away, Kevin Kurz, Scott Powers and Murat Ates recently reported the latest speculation about the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets.

Kurz looked at trade options for the Flyers to bolster their goaltending. If they go the trade route he suspects they’d pursue a veteran with past NHL success. Elvis Merzlikins of the Columbus Blue Jackets, James Reimer of the Buffalo Sabres, and Louis Domingue of the New York Rangers are among those who might be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Merzlikins carries an average annual value of $5.4 million through 2026-27. Kurz suggested he might be more enticing if the Blue Jackets retained some salary. However, the Jackets are also thin between the pipes and are jockeying with the Flyers in the race for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (NHL Images).

Kurz considers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen the most likely to be traded, suggesting the Detroit Red Wings as a destination. Center Scott Laughton has popped up on some trade boards but Kurz cites a team source saying management doesn’t have much interest in moving him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen’s performance has improved but his contract remains an obstacle. He has a $5.1 million AAV through 2026-27. The 30-year-old could become a summer trade candidate if the Flyers aren’t willing to retain part of his salary.

Powers believes Taylor Hall is the Blackhawk most likely to move by the trade deadline. He’s producing at the same rate he was with a strong Boston Bruins club two years ago. Powers cites sources suggesting Hall could fetch a third-round pick.

Ryan Donato’s been one of the Blackhawks’ better players but Powers believes he’d be a checking-line forward on a better club. His sources suggest he could fetch a third or fourth-round pick. The Blackhawks could also get some calls about defenseman Alec Martinez.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks don’t have much to offer up for rental players this season. Pat Maroon and Craig Smith are their other pending UFAs.

Ates suggests the Jets should add a big, mobile right-shot defenseman as an upgrade to Dylan DeMelo on their top defense pairing.

The Jets liked Rasmus Ristolainen before he resuscitated his career in Philadelphia. He believes they could revisit that interest.

Other options include Marcus Pettersson of the Pittsburgh Penguins, David Savard of the Montreal Canadiens and Cody Ceci of the San Jose Sharks. Ates acknowledged that most of these options aren’t ideal but they wouldn’t cost a first-round pick to acquire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ceci expressed an interest in re-signing with the Sharks. They’ll have plenty of cap space to keep him but that depends on whether they see him as a long-term fit with their rebuilding roster.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2025

by | Jan 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s action, outdoor games coming in Florida, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois scored twice to lift the Washington Capitals to a 2-1 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks. Logan Thompson made 30 saves as the Capitals (58 points) extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2), opening a two-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Eastern Conference. Conor Garland replied for the Canucks, who’ve dropped eight of their last 10 contests (2-3-5) and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 46 points.

Washington Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks got some good news on Wednesday as Filip Hronek is headed to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford on a two-week conditioning stint. He’s been sidelined by injuries since late November.

The Chicago Blackhawks got a two-point performance by Connor Bedard in a 3-1 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Bedard extended his points streak to a career-high eight games while Petr Mrazek kicked out 35 shots for the win. Juuso Parssinen scored for the Avalanche, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 51 points.

Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist tallied twice and Sam Reinhart netted his 23rd goal to defeat the Utah Hockey Club 4-1. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for the Panthers as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 52 points. Utah HC has one win in their last eight games (1-5-2).

The Calgary Flames-Los Angeles Kings game was postponed because of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league announced two outdoor games will be held in Florida next season. The Panthers will host the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami on Jan. 2, 2026, against the New York Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium in the 2026 Stadium Series on Feb. 1, 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kudos to the league for coming up with a different host for the Winter Classic, though the Bruins would be a better opponent for the Panthers considering the recent rivalry between the two clubs.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan is expected to miss some time with a wrist injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Monahan is among the Jackets’ leading scorers with 41 points in as many games. He was on pace to match his career-high 82-point performance with the Calgary Flames in 2018-19.

CBS SPORTS: The Detroit Red Wings placed defenseman Jeff Petry (undisclosed) on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 2.

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks forward Fabian Zetterlund is day-to-day with a lower-body ailment. He’s fourth among Sharks scorers with 27 points in 43 games.

TSN: The Seattle Kraken placed winger Daniel Sprong on waivers. He was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 8 in exchange for future considerations.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild recalled defenseman David Jiricek.

RG.ORG: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov hopes to sign a long-term contract extension. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and has been logging top-pairing minutes with the Kings.

Gavrikov said there have been no extension talks with the Kings as both sides agree it’s too early for such discussions. He’s not worried about the March 7 trade deadline as he carries a full no-trade clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings won’t be moving Gavrikov given their position in the middle of the Western Conference playoff chase and his value to their defense corps. How things pan out over the rest of the season could determine his future with the Kings.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: looks at what an NHL player pays in taxes depending on their team.

THE ATHLETIC: The Winnipeg Jets have seen a 12 percent increase in attendance this season following several seasons of decline following the pandemic. On Jan. 1, 2024, they were averaging 12,500 fans per game. A year later, it’s up to 14,000 in a building that seats 15,225.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ improved play this season is a contributing factor but they’ve also improved how they sell their product in the community, moving away from veiled reminders about the fate of the original Jets. The club admits they must rebuild a more robust season-ticket base, but they’re heading in the right direction.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 4, 2025

by | Jan 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 4, 2025

Are the Canucks planning to trade Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller? Could the Rangers, Islanders or Blackhawks get involved? What’s the latest on former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST PETTERSSON AND MILLER TRADE SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: During Friday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast” episode, Elliotte Friedman mused over the trade rumors swirling around Vancouver Canucks centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

Friedman pointed out Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin didn’t rule out trading Pettersson during a year-end interview with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre. He wondered if the Canucks are serious about moving the 26-year-old center. He thinks they’ve spoken with other teams about Pettersson and Miller but believes they prefer to keep both players.

Noting the Miller speculation, Friedman believes he’s a player the Chicago Blackhawks should pursue. He also thinks the New York Rangers are interested in bringing back Miller but doesn’t think that will be easy to pull off.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal said the Canucks have spoken with the New York Rangers during his Friday appearance on Sportsnet’s 650’s Halford and Brough Show. He claimed the two sides spoke about “a lot of things, not just Miller.” Dhaliwal said the Canucks have been interested in Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere and defenseman Braden Schneider for some time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller has a full no-movement clause. The 31-year-old center might not waive it to join a rebuilding team. He also doesn’t make sense for Chicago given his age. Miller will be past his prime by the time the Blackhawks are contenders.

Miller began his NHL career with the Rangers. He’d provide a short-term boost to the Blueshirts, especially if they were in Stanley Cup contention. However, their stunning collapse this season indicates they need more than quick fixes.

Over the long haul, Miller’s value to the Rangers would decline. They already carry aging, expensive assets like 33-year-old forwards Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin and 31-year-old Mika Zibanejad. Adding another makes no sense for them right now.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner wondered if there was a way for the Islanders to acquire Pettersson and reunite him with former Canucks captain Bo Horvat. He cited industry sources claiming Isles defenseman Noah Dobson is high on the Canucks list. They would also be interested in Islanders center Brock Nelson if the pending free agent would sign a contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks and Islanders have done business before, swinging a multi-player trade two years ago that sent Horvat to Long Island.

Rosner believes the deal’s framework would be Dobson, prospect Danny Nelson, and a first-round pick. The Islanders must also take on Pettersson’s $11.6 million cap hit.

Pettersson’s no-movement clause begins on July 1. A trade to the Isles would have to happen before then to ensure he doesn’t block it. That’s assuming the Canucks are ready to give up on him, which doesn’t seem likely. Allvin didn’t rule out trading Pettersson but he still believes he can become a dominant center for the Canucks.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston replied to several readers’ questions about the recent rumors regarding Pettersson and Miller. He considers it unlikely that they’ll move either player.

Johnson believes Miller would interest the Rangers but doubts they’ll part with young players like Lafreniere and Schneider to get him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That seems the most sensible take thus far. Anything can happen and we can’t dismiss the possibility of a trade. However, the Canucks would need to get significant value for Miller (provided he’s willing to waive his NMC) or Pettersson.

The biggest issue facing the Canucks isn’t Miller and Pettersson supposedly clashing, it’s their lack of blueline depth which became even shallower with Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek sidelined by injuries.

UPDATE ON JONATHAN TOEWS

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Servalli claims there is no shortage of interest in Jonathan Toews after the former Chicago Blackhawks captain indicated he could stage a comeback. The 36-year-old center last played in 2022-23, when his career was derailed by health issues.

Seravalli believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and Colorado Avalanche are three teams to watch if Toews makes a comeback bid.

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran cites a source saying it’s “too premature” to speculate on Toews, adding that his camp is “far from exploring deals” with teams.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2025

by | Jan 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2025

A big night for Blues winger Brandon Saad, Oilers star Leon Draisaitl extends his points streak, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues winger Brandon Saad tallied a natural hat trick as his club blanked the Ottawa Senators 4-0. Goaltender Jordan Binnington turned in a 20-save shutout for the Blues (42 points), who’ve won four of their last five to move within two points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. The Senators (40 points) have dropped four of their last five but still cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

St. Louis Blues winger Brandon Saad (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl extended his point streak to 13 games by scoring the winning goal with 1:35 remaining in the third period in a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse had a goal and an assist. Brett Leason and Jackson LaCombe replied for the Ducks as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl leads the league with 28 goals. Oilers captain Connor McDavid saw his 12-game points streak end.

The Nashville Predators got a 27-save shutout by Juuse Saros to end a three-game losing skid by downing the Vancouver Canucks 3-0. Steven Stamkos, Gustav Nyquist and Colton Sissons were the goal scorers, with the last two being empty-net goals. Canucks netminder Kevin Lankinen stopped 16 of 17 shots as his club has lost three of their last four (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vancouver starter Thatcher Demko missed this game due to back spasms, forcing them to recall goalie Arturs Silovs on an emergency basis. The Canucks (44 points) hold a one-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card spot.

Shootout goals by Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell lifted the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Gustav Forsling and Matthew Tkachuk scored in regulation while Spencer Knight made 29 saves for the Panthers. Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell replied for the Penguins, who are tied with the Senators with 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with two games in hand and two more victories (19 to 17) than Pittsburgh. Penguins forward Philip Tomasino left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury.

The Chicago Blackhawks snapped a five-game losing skid by doubling up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 38 shots and Nick Foligno tallied two goals for the Blackhawks. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield netted his 20th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens were the dominant team for most of this contest but Soderblom was outstanding and Foligno was clutch for the Blackhawks. Pat Maroon lost a scrap with Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj in the first period but got the last laugh in the third with the game-winning goal.

The Blackhawks called up Colton Dach for this game. It was the first time he and his brother (Canadiens forward Kirby Dach) faced each other in NHL action.

HEADLINES

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers rookie winger Matvei Michkov admits he’s still learning to adapt mentally and physically to the grind of his first NHL season. He said his English is improving and he is learning a lot from head coach John Tortorella despite the language barrier.

Michkov indicated he has a good relationship with his rival, Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard. “He’s a good player and a good guy,” said the Flyers winger. “It’s exciting to watch players like him.”

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton was fined $2,000.00 for embellishment by the department of player safety. The incident occurred during a game against the New York Rangers on Dec. 23.

THE SCORE: The Colorado Avalanche hope goaltender Scott Wedgewood will only be sidelined for a couple of weeks. He suffered a lower-body injury on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Wedgewood is still being evaluated.

SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets center Mason Appleton (lower body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 28.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: The Bruins signed forward Mark Kastelic to a three-year contract extension. The average annual salary is $1.567 million.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed defenseman Phillipe Myers to a two-year deal worth $850K per season.

SPORTS MEDIA WATCH: Tuesday’s NHL Winter Classic between the Blackhawks and Blues at Chicago’s Wrigley Field averaged 920,000 viewers, the smallest TV audience in the annual outdoor game’s history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The game involved two opponents not considered among this season’s elite teams. The Blackhawks are rebuilding while the Blues are battling for a wild-card spot. It was a lopsided affair with the Blues winning 6-2.

The league also staged this game on New Year’s Eve rather than New Year’s Day as it used to and did a poor job publicizing the event.

NHL.COM: Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Hall-of-Fame goaltender Roberto Luongo highlighted the Florida Panthers’ Quarter-Century Team.

Joining Barkov, Tkachuk and Luongo on the First Team are winger Jonathan Huberdeau and defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling.

Hall-of-Fame winger Pavel Bure joined forwards Sam Reinhart and Olli Jokinen, defensemen Jay Bouwmeester and Robert Svehla and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky on the Second Team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2025

by | Jan 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2025

The Blues defeat the Blackhawks in the Winter Classic, both clubs reveal their quarter-century teams, the Rangers get bad news about Igor Shesterkin and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler scored two goals in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game, leading his club to a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field before a sellout crowd of 40, 933 fans.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler celebrates a goal at the 2025 NHL Winter Classic (NHL.com).

Justin Faulk had a goal and two assists for the Blues (40 points), moving within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Blackhawks as their losing skid stretched to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall was among several Blackhawks who apologized to their fans for their poor performance in this game.

No offense to Chicago or the Blackhawks but I hope we don’t see them in any more Winter Classics for a while, or at least until they’re a competitive team again. This was their seventh appearance and the worst thus far.

The Winter Classic has become an afterthought. The league must consider new locations, teams, or formats to reinvigorate their annual New Year’s Eve outdoor game. They should also consider scaling back some of its annual Stadium Series games to focus more on the Winter Classic.

Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid collected two assists and Leon Draisaitl scored in a 4-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. McDavid and Draisaitl extended their points streaks to 12 games while McDavid moved past Mark Messier into third place on the Oilers’ all-time points list with 1,036. Jaxson Stauber stopped 34 shots for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah sent goaltender Connor Ingram to their AHL affiliate in Tucson on a conditioning stint. He’s working his way back from a lower-body injury that has sidelined him for 18 games.

The Washington Capitals remained in first place in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Boston Bruins 3-1. Aliaksei Protas scored two goals and Tom Wilson had two assists for the Capitals (52 points), who sit one point up on the New Jersey Devils. Justin Brazeau scored for the Bruins.

Speaking of the Devils, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Strome tallied the tie-breaker with 3:24 remaining in the third period, finishing the night with two points. Lukas Dostal made 32 saves for the Ducks. Jonas Siegenthaler and Timo Meier were the Devils’ goal scorers as they’ve lost two in a row.

The Montreal Canadiens picked up their third straight victory by upsetting the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Vegas took a 2-0 lead on goals by Zach Whitecloud and Noah Hanifin but the Canadiens stormed back with unanswered goals from Cole Caufield, Emil Heineman and Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights sit second in the Western Conference standings with 53 points. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have won six of their last seven and sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Colorado Avalanche center Casey Mittelstadt scored the winning goal in a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. It was Mittelstadt’s first goal in 19 games. Jonathan Drouin picked up two assists in his return from injury as the Avalanche collected their fifth straight win. Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi scored and Eric Comrie stopped 33 shots for the league-leading Jets (55 points) as their win streak ended at four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Islanders 3-1. Steven Lorentz ended a 23-game scoreless drought with the game-winner while Joseph Woll made 30 saves to give the Leafs the win. Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the Islanders, who are 2-5-0 in their last seven contests. Isles forward Simon Holmstrom missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy surprised everyone by pulling goalie Ilya Sorokin with 42.3 seconds while the faceoff was in his own zone. The Isles failed to clear the zone and John Tavares scored an empty-netter to seal the win for Toronto. Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed his fifth straight game as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi tallied twice and collected an assist while goalie Filip Gustavsson kicked out 43 shots in a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury. Colton Sissons, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predator forward Zachary L’Heureux received a match penalty for slew-footing Wild captain Jared Spurgeon during the second period. Spurgeon crashed heavily into the end boards and left the game with a lower-body injury.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Jason Robertson led the way with a goal and two assists as the Stars are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and sit in the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 45 points. Jason Zucker and Beck Malenstyn replied for the Sabres as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Matt Dumba returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury. They loaned blueliner Lian Bichsel back to their AHL affiliate.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri snapped a 1-1 tie and Jonathan Huberdeau netted the insurance goal to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Brock Boeser tallied his 14th goal for the Canucks, who are winless in five of their last six games (1-2-3). The win vaults the Flames (43 points) over the Canucks into the final Western wild-card berth.

Shootout goals by Kent Johnson and Adam Fantelli lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Kirill Marchenko scored two goals, Sean Monahan had three assists and Elvis Merzlikins made 33 saves for the Blue Jackets as they’ve won three of their last four games. Sebastian Aho collected two assists for the Hurricanes, who are 1-2-1 in their last four contests.

Third-period goals by J.T. Compher and Dylan Larkin gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was their second straight victory under new head coach Todd McLellan, who collected his 600th NHL win. Drew O’Connor netted two goals for the Penguins (39 points), who remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated defenseman Marcus Pettersson (lower body) off injured reserve for this game and placed blueliner Kris Letang (lower body) on IR.

The Philadelphia Flyers blanked the San Jose Sharks 4-0, handing the latter their eighth straight loss. Samuel Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov combined for the shutout when Ersson left the game after the second period with an undisclosed injury. The goal scorers were Nick Seeler, Ryan Poehling, Travis Konecny and Egor Zamula. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 30 shots for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win puts the Flyers two points behind the Senators for that wild-card spot in the East. The Sharks placed forward William Eklund (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Blackhawks and Blues revealed their quarter-century teams on Wednesday.

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith were among the Blackhawks’ First Team selections while Hall-of-Famer Marian Hossa made their Second Team. Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Pronger and former Blues Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo highlight those who made the Blues’ First Team with Hall-of-Fame defenseman Al MacInnis among those on their Second Team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the links provided for the full lists. Many were no-brainers but there were a few interesting selections as well.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers placed goaltender Igor Shesterkin on IR with an upper-body injury. The move ensures they’ll be without their starting goaltender for the next three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be the death blow to the free-falling Rangers’ fading playoff hopes if Shesterkin is sidelined for a lengthy period.