NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2025

by | Jan 23, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2025

Check out the latest on Mikko Rantanen, J.T. Miller, Simon Nemec, Jonathan Toews and much more in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” TRADE & FREE-AGENT RUMOR TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman believes the Colorado Avalanche and Mikko Rantanen need a deadline for a new contract. He wondered if Avalanche management considers the March 7 trade deadline to be that date or if they’ll take their chances if Rantanen remains unsigned by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Contract talks between the two sides have stalled but it was recently reported they’ll revisit those discussions following next month’s 4 Nations Face-Off. It’s also believed the Avs have no intention of peddling Rantanen if he hasn’t signed by then.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Friedman considers the Carolina Hurricanes a team to watch in the trade market. “They are active, ready to pounce.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could be trying to pounce on J.T. Miller. Reports earlier this week linked them to the 31-year-old Vancouver Canucks center.

The Hurricanes and New York Rangers are two of the teams permitted to speak with Miller. Friedman believes the Rangers’ offer was Filip Chytil, a first-rounder and a prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other reports claimed it was Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, a first-rounder and perhaps a couple of minor-leaguers. Either way, the Rangers would’ve made out like bandits in the deal if it hadn’t fallen through.

Friedman isn’t sure about the rumored interest in Miller from the New Jersey Devils and Dallas Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun he sought a center to bring some “extra oomph” to his lineup. Miller would certainly fit the bill but he could be too expensive. The Stars could afford Miller’s $8 million cap hit once they put Tyler Seguin and his $9.8 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve but they could be concerned about the long-term hit to their salary cap.

Devils defenseman Simon Nemec raised some eyebrows recently when he told a Slovak news outlet about his disappointment in playing for their farm team in Utica. They’ve told anyone who’s asked that they have no interest in trading the promising blueliner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nemec isn’t happy in the AHL but he’s not making waves by demanding a trade. Friedman believes his injury during last August’s Olympic qualifier hurt his chances of making the Devils this season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are interested in some of the Buffalo Sabres’ younger, NHL-ready prospects.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some mixed messages lately regarding the Penguins’ intentions. Some believe they want young players already in the NHL. Regardless, it’s clear that GM Kyle Dubas intends to move some of his aging veterans in exchange for younger talent.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have little interest in moving their UFA-eligible players for mid-round draft picks at the trade deadline. Their focus is on making the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell won’t be a seller unless his club collapses in the standings between now and the trade deadline. He’ll keep this roster intact if they’re still in the chase. After everything they’ve endured over the past year, this postseason race brings a measure of hope to the players and the fans.

PENGUINS GM DENIES FIRE SALE RUMORS

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports Penguins GM Kyle Dubas denied recent rumors claiming the club was preparing for a fire sale of several veteran players.

Dubas acknowledged his ongoing goal is to add younger players to his roster and restock his prospect pipeline. However, he said he’s not telling teams that everything must go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent rumors suggest the Penguins have few untouchables, with long-time stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin topping the list. There’s been some speculation about defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson but their ages and contracts make them unlikely trade candidates. Some pundits claim the Penguins could listen to offers for Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell but it would take a lot to pry either player out of Pittsburgh.

UNDER-THE-RADAR TRADE CANDIDATES

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal and Chris Johnston looked at several under-the-radar trade candidates. They include Edmonton Oilers winger Jeff Skinner, New York Rangers defensemen K’Andre Miller and Ryan Lindgren, and Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those players have been recently overshadowed by the trade drama involving Canucks forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson but most of them have frequently surfaced in the media rumor mill. Their struggles this season have prompted suggestions they might benefit from a change of scenery.

JETS INTERESTED IN JONATHAN TOEWS

SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said his club would be interested in Jonathan Toews if the former Chicago Blackhawks captain stages a comeback. The 36-year-old center last played in 2022-23. His career was derailed by the effects of COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome.

Cheveldayoff said he’s had some conversations with Toews and his representatives. “I think he’s going to have to push himself to get his body to respond and see how it responds,” said the Jets GM. “I think there’s a lot of layers yet from that standpoint.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no certainty Toews will make a comeback this season. It could take until training camp in September before he’s ready to attempt to resume his career. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt the Jets to check in and let him know they’re interested in giving him a shot at a comeback.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2025

by | Jan 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2025

Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli nets his first career hat trick against the Leafs, the Devils unveil their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli collected his first NHL hat trick to upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1. Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves and Luca Del Bel Belluz had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 53 points. Toronto captain Auston Matthews scored his 20th of the season, extending his goal streak to five games as his club’s three-game win streak ended. The Leafs hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 62 points.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs also lost winger Matthew Knies to an upper-body injury in the second period. They placed winger Max Pacioretty (upper body) on injured reserve earlier in the day.

An overtime goal by Neal Pionk propelled the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Gabriel Vilardi tallied his 20th of the season, Josh Morrissey collected two assists and Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 25 shots for the Western Conference-leading Jets (67 points), who moved within two points of the league-leading Washington Capitals. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar scored for the Avalanche, who are 1-2-1 in their last four and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL linesman Jonny Murray left the game with an injury following a collision with Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews. Earlier in the day, the Avs announced winger Valeri Nichushkin suffered a setback in his return from a lower-body injury and is listed as week-to-week. Meanwhile, the Jets played without captain Adam Lowry, who is week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Monday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Boston Bruins 5-1. Devils captain Nico Hischier led the way with a goal and two assists and Dawson Mercer scored twice as the Devils snapped a four-game win streak and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 60 points. Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins, who sit outside the final Eastern wild-card spot with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Devils as goaltender Jacob Markstrom left this game in the second period with an injured left leg following a collision with Bruins forward Justin Brazeau. Following the game, Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said Markstrom could miss some time.

Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period as his club nipped the Florida Panthers 2-1. Samuel Helenius also scored and Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves as the Kings sit third in the Pacific Division with 57 points. Evan Rodrigues scored and Spencer Knight stopped 26 shots for the Panthers (59 points), who remain three points behind the Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

HEADLINES

The New Jersey Devils unveiled their Quarter-Century Team.

Forwards Patrik Elias, Jack Hughes and Zach Parise, defensemen Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens, and goaltender Martin Brodeur comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured goaltender Cory Schneider, defensemen Andy Greene and Brian Rafalski, and forwards Scott Gomez, Jamie Langenbrunner and Travis Zajac.

THE SCORE: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov and defenseman Jared Spurgeon are expected to return from injuries on Thursday against the Utah Hockey Club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be the first time since late December that Kaprizov and Spurgeon have been in the lineup together. Kaprizov missed 12 games and Spurgeon nine games with lower-body injuries. The Wild won seven of those 12 games but dropped four of their last six contests.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators winger David Perron will return to action on Thursday against the Bruins. He missed the last 26 games with a back injury. Meanwhile, forward Josh Norris is out for the weekend with an upper-body injury suffered during their 5-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Vancouver Canucks placed defenseman Noah Juulsen on injured reserve.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers’ three-goalie system for this season has ended as Aleksei Kolosov has been sent to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2025

by | Jan 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2025

​In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, the latest on J.T. Miller, Ivan Provorov and Rasmus Ristolainen plus updates on the Penguins, Blackhawks and Oilers.

LATEST ON J.T. MILLER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there’s a sense that J.T. Miller’s situation with the Vancouver Canucks will end with a trade, though no one can predict right now when it will occur. He said the 31-year-old center hasn’t given the Canucks a list of trade destinations but there are general parameters of the kind of team that would make sense.

The New York Rangers have spoken with the Canucks about Miller. So have the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils. Some observers believe the Dallas Stars could be a suitor as they intend to place sidelined center Tyler Seguin on long-term injury reserve.

LeBrun indicates the Canucks originally weren’t interested in a return of futures for Miller but they’ve relented a bit on that. They’re willing to accept futures from contenders like Carolina or New Jersey because those clubs won’t part with any of their core players. Still, the Canucks aren’t going to give Miller away.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rumored trade with the Rangers (Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, a first-round pick and maybe a couple of minor-leaguers) suggested they were about to give him away. That deal reportedly fell through over a disagreement regarding the protection level of the first-rounder.

THE ATHLETIC: Cory Lavalette indicated Hurricanes forwards Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jack Roslovic interested the Canucks in the past. Moving both would clear cap space and declutter the center position filled with third-liners but no one to slot in behind first-line center Sebastian Aho. He believes the Canucks would need to add a sweetener in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A package offer of Kotkaniemi and Roslovic would be a little better than that rumored deal from the Rangers. However, the 24-year-old Kotkaniemi still hasn’t played to expectations while Roslovic is a streaky scorer on his fourth team since 2020-21.

UPDATE ON THE PENGUINS

TSN: Chris Johnston reports there aren’t many untouchables on the Pittsburgh Penguins other than legacy players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They’d like to trade some of their older players for younger ones rather than for draft picks and prospects.

Johnston also indicated they’re not interested in retaining salary on players like Erik Karlsson to facilitate a trade. They have one salary retention spot left and intend to be careful how they use it.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports defenseman Marcus Pettersson remains the name most frequently heard in trade rumors involving the Penguins.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (NHL Images).

Yohe also wondered if Kris Letang might get moved for the right offer. He said he’s never sensed it’s a given that the 37-year-old blueliner would retire as a Penguin. He hasn’t asked for a trade and Yohe isn’t saying he would, but believes teams would be interested in Letang’s services.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Letang turns 38 in April and has a full no-movement clause until 2026-27 when he’ll have a 10-team trade list. The long-time Penguins blueliner has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.1 million.

If the Penguins aren’t willing to retain part of his salary I don’t see any club wanting to acquire an expensive aging asset whose best seasons are behind him. 

Yohe believes Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas would listen to offers for Karlsson but he doubts another club will take on his considerable contract. He also doesn’t see Dubas parting with winger Bryan Rust. The Penguins could move winger Rickard Rakell if they get an offer that floors them but they prefer to retain him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Penguins won’t retain part of Karlsson’s salary it’s unlikely any team will pursue a trade for him. The Penguins carry $10 million of his $11.5 million AAV through 2026-27.

JACKETS COULD RE-SIGN PROVOROV

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports there’s mutual interest in a contract extension between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ivan Provorov. The 28-year-old defenseman is eligible for UFA status on July 1 and is earning an AAV of $6.75 million.

Provorov could seek the maximum eight-year contract but the Blue Jackets might not be comfortable with that given the blueline prospects within their system. If a deal isn’t in place by the March 7 trade deadline, LeBrun believes they could peddle him for a first-round pick.

FLYERS NOT SHOPPING RISTOLAINEN BUT ARE LISTENING TO OFFERS

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall reports Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said he’s not shopping Rasmus Ristolainen. The 30-year-old defenseman has two years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $5.1 million and lacks no-trade protection.

Briere said teams have called about Ristolainen but he’s not in a rush to move him, citing his improved performance and his value to the Flyers blueline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall believes interested clubs should be prepared to make a significant offer if they hope to pry Ristolainen away from the Flyers, especially with them battling for a wild-card berth.

LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS AND OILERS

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus suggests Ryan Donato could become an interesting trade chip for the Chicago Blackhawks. The 28-year-old forward is UFA-eligible this summer with an affordable $2 million cap hit. Donato’s relentless attacking style has him among the Blackhawks leading scorers with 14 goals and 27 points in 45 games, putting him on pace for a career-best performance.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes the Edmonton Oilers aren’t done adding defensemen following their recent signing of John Klingberg. They could seek a shutdown blueliner before the March 7 trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

by | Jan 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner and Victor Hedman reach notable offensive milestones. Read on for the details and much more from a busy Thursday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the only goal in a 1-0 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 25 saves for his second straight shutout victory as the Capitals picked up their third straight win to take over first place in the overall standings with 65 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots for the Senators (48 points) as their three-game win streak ended, leaving them one point behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 874 NHL regular-season goals, leaving him 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Merilainen became the 179th NHL goalie that Ovechkin has scored against, breaking Jaromir Jagr’s record of 178. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot missed this game as he’s day-to-day after taking a puck to the face during Tuesday’s 2-0 win over the New York Islanders.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit with four unanswered goals to nip the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied the game with his 20th goal of the season and Evan Bouchard tallied the game-winner as the Oilers moved into a tie with the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (61 points) in the Pacific Division. Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the sixth player in Oilers history to reach the 20-goal plateau nine times, joining Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier (10 times), Leon Draisaitl and Wayne Gretzky (nine times). The Oilers sit second in the Pacific because the Golden Knights hold a game in hand.

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Auston Matthews tallied twice and Mitch Marner had two assists for the Leafs, who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 58 points. Nico Hischier scored two goals and Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist for the Devils to extend their points streak to four games (1-0-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner became the fastest player to reach 700 points in Leafs history, reaching that milestone in 622 games, breaking Darryl Sittler’s record of 666. Leafs center John Tavares missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jake McCabe had two assists in his return from a four-game absence with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a shootout goal from Jake Guentzel to down the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Guentzel also scored in regulation while netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 34 shots for the Lightning. Troy Terry scored the tying goal in the third period and Lukas Dostal made 32 saves as the Ducks have one win in their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman collected an assist to become the first player in franchise history to reach the 600-assist milestone. Lighting blueliner Erik Cernak left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

Winnipeg Jets blueliner Dylan DeMelo scored with 27 seconds remaining in the third period to beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Mark Scheifele tied the game with his 27th goal of the season as the Jets are tied with the league-leading Capitals with 65 points. Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken, who’ve won twice in their last eight games (2-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeMelo was playing in his 600th NHL regular-season game. The Capitals hold first over the Jets with a game in hand.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected an assist to extend his home points streak to 18 games in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. James van Riemsdyk scored twice as the Blue Jackets (50 points) have won six straight and vaulted over the Boston Bruins in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Tyler Toffoli replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Considering everything the Blue Jackets have endured since last year (management and coaching changes, trading Patrik Laine, the sudden death of Johnny Gaudreau, and injuries to Boone Jenner, Erik Gudbranson and Sean Monahan), their surge into a playoff berth has been impressive. Even general manager Don Waddell is surprised by their performance in recent weeks.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 to extend their points streak to six games (5-0-1). Jakub Dobes made 32 stops to pick up their fourth straight win in as many starts while Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook and Joel Armia scored for the Canadiens (48 points) as they also sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jason Robertson scored for Dallas, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points. The Stars played without Roope Hintz, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars also unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

The First Team comprises forwards Mike Modano, Jamie Benn and Jere Lehtinen, defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Sergei Zubov, and goaltender Marty Turco. The Second Team comprised forwards Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Brenden Morrow, defensemen John Klingberg and Esa Lindell, and goaltender Ed Belfour.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot kicked out 41 shots (including 23 in the third period) in a 5-2 upset of the Florida Panthers. Dylan Larkin tallied twice and collected an assist while Lucas Raymond had two helpers as the Red Wings sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 46 points. Anton Lundell and Evan Rodrigues scored for the Panthers, who pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period after he gave up four goals on 15 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov received a notable honor from his home country of Finland. It was announced that the Finnish Association of Sports Journalists named Barkov its Sportsman of the Year for 2024, making him the first hockey player to receive that award.

The Los Angeles Kings thumped the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Alex Turcotte scored twice and set up another as the Kings took over third place in the Pacific Division with 55 points, ending a two-game losing skid. Filip Hronek scored for the Canucks, who have two wins in their last 10 games (2-5-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet wasn’t pleased with the performance of center J.T. Miller. “He’s struggling. He’s caught in between,” he said in his postgame interview. “You know, it seems like every time he’s on the ice, something bad happens.” Miller’s been the subject of trade rumors amid reports of a rift with center Elias Pettersson.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Reilly Smith, Chris Kreider and Artemin Panarin gave the New York Rangers a 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Panarin finished with two goals as the Rangers extended their points streak to six games (4-0-2) to sit four points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card spot. Matias Maccelli tallied twice for Utah, extending their losing skid to three games.

St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn scored twice and Dylan Holloway picked up two assists to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. The Blues swept the two-game series and are 7-3-0 in their last 10. Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who hold a one-point lead over the Blues and Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Philadelphia Flyers held off the New York Islanders 5-3. Sean Couturier had a goal and an assist while Travis Konecny had three assists for the Flyers, extending their points streak to four games (3-0-1) and sitting within three points of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Islanders captain Anders Lee scored his 20th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Ryan Poehling left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a hard hit from Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored his 300th NHL regular-season goal in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg also extended his goal streak to four games while teammate Steven Stamkos scored the winner in the shootout. Connor Bedard scored and Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists for the Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2025

by | Jan 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2025

The Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski’s home points streak puts him in elite company, Canadiens rookie Lane Hutson extends his lead in the rookie points race, the Bruins reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored twice to extend his home points streak to 17 games in a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored in a shootout as the Blue Jackets won their fifth straight game. Bobby Brinks and Owen Tippett replied for the Flyers as their two-game win streak ended.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski’s streak puts him in elite company among NHL defensemen. He joins Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Ray Bourque and John Van Boxmeer with the longest home points streaks (17-plus games). Orr remains the all-time leader with 25 games. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets (48 points) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected three assists to widen his lead in the rookie scoring race as his club downed the Utah Hockey Club 5-3. Kirby Dach scored twice and Cole Caufield tallied the winning goal for the Canadiens, who’ve won 10 of their last 13 games (10-2-1) and sit two points behind the Blue Jackets. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each collected two assists for Utah as they’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson leads all rookies with 35 points, four points ahead of Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers and Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks.

Canadiens winger Emil Heineman was struck by a car while walking in Salt Lake City and will be sidelined for three to four weeks recovering from his injuries. Meanwhile, Utah HC activated John Marino off injured reserve for this game. The 27-year-old defenseman was making his season debut with Utah after recovering from back surgery. He was acquired from the New Jersey Devils last June.

The Nashville Predators won their 1,000th game with a 5-3 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Steven Stamkos scored twice and collected an assist and Jonathan Marchessault got an assist in his first game against his former team since signing with the Predators last summer. Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev collected his first NHL hat trick as his club has dropped three of its last four games.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson made 19 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 3-0, extending their points streak to eight games (5-0-3). Brandon Duhaime, John Carlson, and Ethen Frank were the goalscorers for the Capitals as they hold first place in the overall standings with 63 points. The Ducks have dropped four of their last five contests (1-3-1).

A natural hat trick by Kyle Connor within a 6:38 span in the first period carried the Winnipeg Jet to a 6-1 romp over the Vancouver Canucks. Connor also collected an assist while Gabriel Vilardi collected three helpers. Nils Hoglander scored for the struggling Canucks as they’ve lost five of their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets also have 63 points but the Capitals hold a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Canucks (48 points) remain one point behind the Calgary Flames, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Speaking of the Flames, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the St. Louis Blues. Radek Faksa broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period and Jordan Binnington stopped 26 shots as the Blues sit three points behind the Flames and two behind the Canucks. Kevin Bahl scored for the Flames.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to reach his league-leading 70th point as his team rallied from a 2-1 deficit to nip the New York Rangers 3-2. Artturi Lehkonen scored with 1:13 remaining in regulation and Devon Toews tallied the winning goal in overtime for the Avalanche. Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom scored for the Rangers, extending their points streak to five games (3-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers activated Chris Kreider (upper body) off injured reserve for this game. Blueshirts center Filip Chytil returned to action after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

The Boston Bruins built an early 4-0 lead on their way to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightnings. David Pastrnak scored his 20th goal of the season and collected two assists and Jeremy Swayman kicked out 43 shots as the Bruins won their second straight game. Connor Geekie and Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning center Brayden Point was scratched from this game for missing a team meeting earlier in the day. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Mark Kastelic on injured reserve, blueliner Hampus Lindholm on long-term injury reserve, and recalled center Matthew Poitras and defenseman Michael Callahan from their AHL affiliate in Providence.

Dallas Stars forwards Matt Duchene and Logan Stankoven each had three points to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Jake Oettinger turned aside 27 shots for the Stars, who’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Auston Matthews scored for the Leafs, who were booed off the ice by their fans following this game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Shootout goals by Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Jesper Boqvist scored in regulation for the Panthers while Nico Hischier tallied his 20th of the season for the Devils.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Marilainen made 24 saves for his second shutout in three games in a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders. Adam Gaudette and Artem Zub scored for the Senators, who’ve won three straight and sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Marcus Hogberg stopped 25 shots for the Islanders as their three-game win streak is over.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left this game in the first period after being struck in the face by a shot from Islanders blueliner Adam Pelech. He was ruled out of the rest of this game for precautionary reasons.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Jamie Oleksiak, Eeli Tovanen and Kaapo Kakko lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2. Philip Tomasino and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins, who have one win in their last eight (1-4-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated Evgeni Malkin from injured reserve after missing four games with an upper-body injury and sent winger Jesse Puljujarvi to their AHL affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton. The Penguins also released a statement indicating Malkin’s home was burglarized on Saturday and his three Stanley Cup rings were stolen.

The San Jose Sharks clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and two assists for the Sharks while Vladimir Tarasenko tallied twice for the Red Wings, who also lost forward Tyler Motte in the second period to an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

Forward Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, and goaltender Tim Thomas comprised the First Team.

Forwards Joe Thornton, David Pastrnak and Milan Lucic, defensemen Torey Krug and Dennis Seidenberg, and goaltender Tuukka Rask made up the Second Team.

The schedule for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the full team rosters were released on Tuesday. The series will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston with teams of NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for slew-footing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid during Monday’s game between the two teams.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL defenseman Tony DeAngelo’s contract with KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg was terminated for family reasons.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 13, 2025

by | Jan 13, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 13, 2025

Could the Avalanche peddle Mikko Rantanen if he remains unsigned by the trade deadline? Are the Blue Jackets interested in Canucks center Elias Pettersson? Should the Maple Leafs target Flyers center Scott Laughton? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE AVALANCHE TRADE RANTANEN?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau cited TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reporting last week that Mikko Rantanen would likely be traded if the Colorado Avalanche fail to re-sign him before the March 7 trade deadline.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Proteau suggests the Avalanche would be better off re-signing Rantanen. The 28-year-old forward is enjoying a banner year offensively, sitting fourth among NHL scorers with 60 points in 44 games. Proteau doubts the Avs would get equal value in return.

Rantanen is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Considering all he’s done for the Avs, his current average annual value of $9.25 million has been a bargain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Limited cap space could hamper the Avs’ attempts to re-sign Rantanen. If the cap rises to $92.5 million, they’ll have around $12.5 million with 17 active roster players under contract.

A new contract for Rantanen could use up that cap space unless they can shed salary. They could continue getting $7 million in cap relief if captain Gabriel Landeskog’s comeback attempt fails. Otherwise, they’ll have to make a cost-cutting move or two.

The Avs could trade Rantanen by March 7 but they’re more likely to retain him as an “own rental” and deal with his contract negotiations in the offseason. They’ll need him if they hope to stage a Stanley Cup run this spring.

BLUE JACKETS LINKED TO PETTERSSON

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports of recent speculation linking the Columbus Blue Jackets to center Elias Pettersson. The Vancouver Canucks are reportedly gauging the trade market for Pettersson and fellow center J.T. Miller. 

“The internet buzz suggested that a Pettersson trade has been discussed with the Blue Jackets, but a team source told The Athletic on Friday that no such trade talks have taken place.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets’ depth at center was an issue but they’ve recently addressed that with the addition of Sean Monahan and the ongoing development of Adam Fantilli.

That doesn’t mean general manager Don Waddell wouldn’t be interested in further upgrades. He was GM of the Hurricanes last season when they reportedly discussed a Pettersson trade with the Canucks before the 26-year-old center signed his contract extension. However, it doesn’t sound like he’s among the suitors now.

If Waddell were interested in Pettersson the Canucks will likely want the promising Fantilli as part of the return. That could be a deal breaker for the Blue Jackets.

SHOULD THE LEAFS PURSUE LAUGHTON?

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle noted that Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers tends to be atop the lists of proposed trade targets for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs want to add more talent down the middle. and Mirtle believes his “versatility, feistiness, and grit” would make him a perfect fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mirtle goes through the pros and cons of pursuing Laughton. However, it doesn’t appear that the Flyers will trade him. Mirtle’s colleague Kevin Kurz reported last week that a team source said they don’t have much interest in moving Laughton.