NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 22, 2023

by | Oct 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 22, 2023

The Golden Knights set an NHL record, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard reached a milestone, Oilers captain Connor McDavid suffered an injury and Kings captain Anze Kopitar set a franchise record. Details on these and other stories in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights became the first defending Stanley Cup champion to start a season with a 6-0-0 record in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago rookie Connor Bedard opened the scoring with his first NHL goal on home ice but the Golden Knights put the game out of reach with third-period goals by Nicolas Roy, Mark Stone and Paul Cotter. The loss dropped the Blackhawks to 2-4-0.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Mark Scheifele capped a three-goal rally in a 3-2 win by the Winnipeg Jets (2-3-0) over the Edmonton Oilers. However, their win was overshadowed by an injury to Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who missed the final minutes of regulation and the overtime period. McDavid appeared to injure his hip in the first period after getting entangled with Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss dropped the Oilers’ record to 1-3-1. We should get more details about McDavid’s condition on Sunday. With the Oilers stumbling from the gate, losing their best player for any significant period could be a significant blow.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand scored two goals and added an assist to double up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied his fifth goal of the season while Jeremy Swayman got the win with a 32-save performance as the Bruins improved to 4-0-0. Kings captain Anze Kopitar set a franchise record by skating in his 1, 297th game as his club’s record dropped to 2-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk was a healthy scratch from this game as he was late for a team meeting.

The Colorado Avalanche are 5-0-0 after beating the Carolina Hurricanes 6-4. Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and three assists while Logan O’Connor scored a shorthanded goal for the third straight game. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jaccob Slavin each had a goal and an assist for the 3-3-0 Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-depleted Hurricanes lost another player as Brett Pesce missed this game with a lower-body injury. He joins center Sebastian Aho and goaltender Frederik Andersen on the sidelines.

The Detroit Red Wings downed the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Dylan Larkin had a goal and two assists, Joe Veleno tallied twice and Ville Husso made 35 saves as the Wings improved to 4-1-0. Jake Sanderson and Ridly Greig replied for the 3-2-0 Senators, who managed to hold Alex DeBrincat scoreless in his first game in Ottawa since being traded to Detroit in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators fans gave DeBrincat a “warm” welcome by booing him every time he touched the puck. Nevertheless, the Wings’ convincing victory gave him the last laugh.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 32 shots in a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Jason Zucker and Clayton Keller scored for the Coyotes (3-2-0) while Frank Vatrano tallied for the 1-3-0 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zucker left this game with a lower-body injury while teammate Michael Carcone suffered an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott became the first NHL player to defy the league’s ban on using Pride Tape, sporting a few strands of the rainbow-colored tape near the top of his stick.

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the New York Islanders 3-1. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist while Casey Mittelstadt collected two assists as the Sabres moved to 2-3-0. Semyon Varlamov made 40 saves and Noah Dobson scored for the 2-1-1 Islanders.

Third-period goals by Andrei Kuzmenko and Brock Boeser gave the Vancouver Canucks a 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers. Kuzmenko and Elias Pettersson each had a goal and an assist, Ilya Mikheyev collected an assist in his first game since his knee surgery in January, and Casey DeSmith kicked out 34 shots for the 3-2-0 Canucks. Sam Reinhart scored two goals for the 2-3-0 Panthers.

An overtime goal by Cole Caufield lifted the Montreal Canadiens over the Washington Capitals 3-2. The Canadiens (2-1-1) led 2-0 on goals by Sean Monahan and Brendan Gallagher but Capitals forward Dylan Strome netted two goals to force the extra frame. Jake Allen got the win with a 31-save performance while the Capitals sank to 1-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin remains stalled at 822 career goals four games into his season as he’s yet to find the back of the net.

The Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2-0) overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on an overtime goal by John Tavares. Matthew Knies scored twice and collected an assist while Joseph Woll made 29 saves for the win after Ilya Samsonov got the hook when he gave up three goals on four shots. Nikita Kucherov also scored twice and collected an assist while Jonas Johansson stopped 48 shots as the Lightning dropped to 2-2-2.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski scored in overtime to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4. The Flyers overcame a 4-2 deficit to force the extra frame. Stars forward Wyatt Johnston had a goal and two assists as his club improved to 3-0-1. Travis Konecny scored twice for the 3-1-1 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Marc Staal is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury after being placed on injured reserve on Friday. He was sidelined during Thursday’s win over the Edmonton Oilers.

An overtime goal by Jack Roslovic lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild. Blue Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli netted his first career NHL goal while his club improved to 3-2-0. Filip Gustavsson made 49 stops for the 2-2-1 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blue Jackets announced that center Patrik Laine is day-to-day after being elbowed in the head on Friday by Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who received a four-game suspension for the incident. Earlier in the day, the Blue Jackets lost forward Liam Foudy as he was plucked off the waiver wire by the Nashville Predators.

Speaking of the Predators, they got two goals from Tommy Novak to down the San Jose Sharks 5-1. Juuse Saros stopped 31 shots to backstop his club to a 3-3-0 record. Tomas Hertl replied for the 0-4-1 Sharks.

A two-goal performance by Brandon Saad gave the St. Louis Blues a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jordan Binnington got the win with 31 saves as the Blues improved to 2-1-1. Evgeni Malkin scored to extend his goal streak to four games but his Penguins dropped to 2-3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The second period has been death for the Penguins in their last three games as they’ve been outscored 6-0 in that frame.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Filip Chytil collected three assists as the Rangers moved to 3-2-0 on the season. Justin Schultz tallied for the Kraken as they sank to 1-4-1.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2023

by | Oct 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2023

The Devils down the Islanders, the Blue Jackets douse the Flames, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Jack Hughes capped a two-goal, two-assist performance by the New Jersey Devils star in a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders. Jesper Bratt had three assists, Timo Meier collected two helpers and Jack’s brother Luke netted his first goal of the season as the Devils improved to 2-1-1. Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson each scored two goals for the Islanders, who are 2-0-1 in their first three games of the season.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils captain Nico Hischier left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury. He’ll be re-evaluated on Saturday. His teammates Erik Haula (upper body), Tomas Nosek and Colin Miller (lower body) missed this game due to their injuries.

The Columbus Blue Jackets improved to 2-2-0 by defeating the Calgary Flames 3-1. Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist in his return from injury while Spencer Martin made 36 saves for the win. Elias Lindholm replied for the Flames, who sit 2-2-1 after their first five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson was ejected following a hit to the head of Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine in the dying seconds of this game.

Speaking of the Blue Jackets, they placed forward Liam Foudy on waivers earlier in the day and announced a long-term, multi-year affiliation extension with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Unrestricted free agent Zach Parise has resumed skating after taking time to consider his future. If the 39-year-old winger does return to the NHL this season it’s expected he’ll sign a one-year contract with the New York Islanders at the league minimum. Parise joined the Islanders in 2021 after being bought out by the Minnesota Wild.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri is expected to be sidelined for a month with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks denied a report early Thursday claiming Kevin Labanc would be placed on waivers. The winger and head coach David Quinn each said that waivers had not been discussed, with Quinn adding he had no idea where it came from.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres rookies Devon Levi and Zach Benson are day-to-day with lower-body injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Levi started the Sabres’ first three games in net. This means Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Eric Comrie will get the start tonight against the Islanders.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Artem Zub will miss this afternoon’s tilt with the Detroit Red Wings after being struck by a puck during their 6-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. He’s listed as day-to-day.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators center Cody Glass will miss the next seven to 10 days with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Arizona Coyotes president Xavier Gutierrez said the club hopes to make an announcement regarding its search for a new arena within the next 60 days.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And no, that announcement will not be about relocation to another city. The franchise remains committed to staying in its current area and is looking at multiple sites to build a new venue.

SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames prospect Topi Ronni is taking a leave of absence from Finnish club Tappara Tampere after receiving a court summons regarding a rape allegation. The alleged incident took place when the 19-year-old center was still a minor. Ronni was chosen by the Flames in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 15, 2023

by | Oct 15, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 15, 2023

Three teams are reportedly interested in Canucks winger Conor Garland, the Flyers are willing to take on big contracts from cap-strapped clubs plus the latest on Steven Stamkos, Noah Hanifin and Shane Pinto in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THREE CLUBS LINKED TO GARLAND

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators are among the teams believed to be interested in Conor Garland. The Vancouver Canucks recently gave permission to the 27-year-old winger’s agent to speak with other clubs about a trade.

Friedman claims the Canucks want to open up between $1 million and $2 million in cap space. They would prefer to get a defenseman in return for Garland, who carries an average annual value of $4.95 million through 2025-26 and lacks a no-trade clause in his contract.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have a logjam on defense and are reportedly speaking with teams about moving a blueliner. I suggested that Garland might be a fit if the Jackets are willing to move a right-shot rearguard like Adam Boqvist or Andrew Peeke.

The Jets have $2.3 million in cap space but I don’t think they have any right-shot rearguards they can spare. With $7.9 million in cap room, the Predators can easily absorb Garland’s cap hit. Dante Fabbro has come up in trade rumors over the past year or so but they could be reluctant to move him since he’s currently skating on their top defense pair.

FLYERS WILLING TO TAKE ON CONTRACTS FOR A PRICE

TSN: During an appearance on Friday with TSN 1200 in Ottawa, Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere indicated his club might be willing to help cap-strapped teams looking to shed salary.

“I’ve talked to many teams, and I’ve let them know there’s a possibility for us to help them (clear up cap space) if they’re able to help us on the back end with some younger guys,” said Briere.

The Flyers have less than $1 million in cap space but could open up more room by placing players on long-term injury reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers currently have Ryan Ellis and Rasmus Ristolainen on injured reserve.

A back injury has sidelined Ellis since November 2021 and he’s not expected to return to action. The Flyers haven’t had any need yet to place him on long-term injury reserve but could do so at any point this season if pressed for cap space. He carries an average annual value of $6.25 million.

Ristolainen was placed on IR with an undisclosed injury before the start of the season. He carries an AAV of $5.1 million. There’s no indication yet that his condition would warrant placing him on LTIR. If it does, that would create over $11 million in LTIR-generated cap room for the Flyers.

THE LATEST BLURBS ON STAMKOS AND HANIFIN

NEW YORK POST: With Mark Scheifele off next summer’s free-agent market, Larry Brooks wonders if the Boston Bruins might target Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos as a playoff rental target to address their first-line center role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks was referring to Lightning management appearing to play hardball with Stamkos over a contract extension.

The Lightning could put Stamkos on the block near the March 8 trade deadline if they fall out of playoff contention and he agrees to waive his full no-movement clause. That’s unlikely but I don’t rule it out.

Stamkos, however, might not address the Bruins’ need at center. He’s played more as a left wing in recent years. He seems more comfortable in that position as it gives him better scoring opportunities with his one-timer.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Julian McKenzie was asked if Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy would “have the guts” to move Noah Hanifin at the trade deadline if the club was in a playoff spot at that time.

McKenzie doubted that Conroy would do it. He pointed out that the Flames core needs to be successful over the next few seasons. To do that, they need to add rather than subtract. He expects Conroy will be patient with Hanifin depending on how things work out with Elias Lindholm.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hanifin has indicated that he remains open to a contract extension. In other words, he’s also going to be patient in gauging the Flames’ performance this season.

NO CHANGE IN PINTO’S STATUS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports there’s no change in Shane Pinto’s contract talks with the Ottawa Senators. It’s believed that the 22-year-old center has not asked for a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some Senators fans seem to be growing impatient over management’s inability to get Pinto under contract. They chanted, “We want Pinto!” at one point during yesterday’s 5-2 home-opening win over the Philadelphia Flyers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2023

by | Oct 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2023

The Leafs’ Auston Matthews starts the season with consecutive hat tricks, Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner tallies a hat trick in his club’s home-opener, Mackenzie Blackwood turns in a 51-save debut with the Sharks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews collected his second straight hat trick in as many games to lead his club over the Minnesota Wild 7-4. William Nylander scored twice and collected an assist while Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly each had two helpers. Wild rookie Marco Rossi scored his first-ever NHL goal.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matt Boldy also scored for the Wild but he left the game in the third period with an upper-body injury following a hit by Rielly. He will be reevaluated on Sunday.

A natural hat trick by team captain Boone Jenner powered the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Johnny Gaudreau picked up two assists and rookie David Jiricek scored to collect his first-ever NHL point as Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent picked up his first win as an NHL bench boss. Adam Fox and Erik Gustafsson each had two points for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins left the game in the second period due to illness after making 24 saves. He was replaced by Spencer Martin for the remainder of the game. Earlier in the day, the Jackets placed winger Eric Robinson on waivers.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 51 saves to steal a point as his club dropped a 2-1 shootout decision to the Colorado Avalanche. Cale Makar scored the tying goal in the third period, setting the stage for Mikko Rantanen’s shootout winner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackwood’s 51 saves were the most by a goaltender in their debut with a team since 1955-56.

The Vancouver Canucks defeated the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight game with a 4-3 win as Sam Lafferty snapped a 3-3 tie in the third period. Casey DeSmith made 37 saves while Nils Hoglander had a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and two assists while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A better effort by the Oilers in this one compared to the 8-1 shellacking they received from the Canucks in their season opener. They outshot the Canucks 40-17 but costly defensive breakdowns and shaky goaltending from Stuart Skinner proved to be their undoing.

The Ottawa Senators got two goals and an assist from Jakob Chychrun to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Brady Tkachuk also scored twice for the Senators and Claude Giroux picked up two assists. Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In a pregame ceremony, the Senators honored Giroux for reaching his 1,000th career point on Oct. 10 against the Carolina Hurricanes. He netted most of those points during his tenure with the Flyers and was touched that the Senators chose this game against his former club to honor his achievement.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor scored twice and picked up an assist as his club held off the Florida Panthers 6-4. Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey each picked up two points for the Jets while Evan Rodrigues had two goals and two assists for the Panthers.

A two-goal performance by James van Riemsdyk carried the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist while Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots for the Bruins. Colton Sissons scored both times for the Predators.

The Detroit Red Wings upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-4. Alex DeBrincat scored two goals and added an assist while Moritz Seider and J.T. Compher each collected two points for the Wings. Steven Stamkos netted two goals and collected a helper for the Lightning.

Montreal Canadiens forward Sean Monahan scored what proved to be the game-winner as his club held on for a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Monahan finished with a goal and an assist, Tanner Pearson netted his first goal with the Canadiens and Samuel Montembeault turned aside 28 shots for the win. Tyler Johnson tallied both goals for the Blackhawks with rookie Connor Bedard picking up an assist, giving him points in his first three NHL games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens center Kirby Dach left the game in the first period after suffering a lower-body injury following a hit by Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi. He will be reevaluated on Sunday.

A five-goal third period carried the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists, Bryan Rust tallied twice and Alex Nedeljkovic kicked out 34 shots for the Penguins. Matt Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau replied for the Flames.

The New York Islanders nipped the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 3-2. Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist while Ilya Sorokin got the win with a 26-save performance. Casey Mittelstadt and Zach Benson each had two points for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres felt that Casey Cizikas’ game-winner in the third period was knocked in by a high stick. When the video review confirmed the goal they launched a coach’s challenge claiming the Isles were offside but the officials disagreed after reviewing the play.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped 30 shots and Robert Thomas scored in the shootout in a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Jordan Kyrou scored in regulation for the Blues as did Jaden Schwartz for the Kraken, who got a 24-save effort from goalie Joey Daccord.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Blues as winger Pavel Buchnevich left the game late in the first period with an upper-body injury. Blues coach Craig Berube said he didn’t know the extent of Buchnevich’s injury but he didn’t rule out a concussion. He will be reevaluated on Sunday.

Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists as his club rolled to a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights. Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks while John Gibson stopped 34 shots.

A goal by Jordan Martinook in the ninth round of the shootout lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Los Angeles Kings 6-5. Sebastian Aho scored shorthanded and picked up an assist for the Hurricanes while Anze Kopitar had two goals and Kevin Fiala picked up three assists for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Kings general manager Rob Blake told Bally Sports West that Viktor Arvidsson could require back surgery. The 30-year-old winger suffered the injury during practice on Monday and was placed on long-term injury reserve on Thursday.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 14, 2023

by | Oct 14, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 14, 2023

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at the latest on the Canucks’ Conor Garland, the Senators’ Shane Pinto and the Sharks’ Kevin Labanc as well as how the Canadiens could help the Blue Jackets alleviate their blueline logjam.

COULD THE PREDATORS BE A DESTINATION FOR GARLAND?

SPORTSNET (via NHL Watcher): During Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman wondered if the Nashville Predators might be a trade destination for Conor Garland. The 27-year-old winger was recently given permission by the Vancouver Canucks to speak with other clubs about a trade.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland (NHL Images).

Friedman isn’t saying that it’s going to happen. However, he noted that they have the cap space to absorb Garland’s $4.95 million average annual salary. They’re also looking for a player who would fit with general manager Barry Trotz and head coach Andrew Brunette.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators have $7.9 million in projected cap space so they can certainly take on Garland’s cap hit through 2025-26. The question is whether they see Garland as a fit and what sort of return the Canucks would want. He does play an aggressive two-way game that would be favored by Trotz and Brunette.

The Canucks want to shed salary so they probably won’t want a player in return, especially if they didn’t have to retain any portion of Garland’s cap hit. Still, they won’t just give him away as they’ll want something decent in return.

UPDATE ON PINTO

TSN: cited the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reporting Shane Pinto has left Ottawa and returned home to Franklin Square, NY. The unsigned center cited there’s been too much attention on him in Ottawa right now and he wants to focus on his training.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pinto’s decision also suggests there’s no progress in contract talks between his representatives and Senators management. General manager Pierre Dorion is reportedly attempting to clear some cap room for Pinto by shopping forward Mathieu Joseph and defenseman Erik Brannstrom.

THE LATEST ON LABANC

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller noted that the San Jose Sharks scratched Kevin Labanc from their opening-night lineup on Oct. 12. He wondered if this is the beginning of the end of the 27-year-old winger’s tenure with the Sharks.

Since signing his four-year contract in October 2020, Labanc hasn’t produced to the level the Sharks expected of him. He’s been the frequent subject of trade rumors but Miller believes his $4.725 million cap hit is the reason why he hasn’t been moved yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Labanc is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Barring a trade, this is going to be his last season in San Jose.

The Sharks might be able to trade Labanc (who lacks no-trade protection) during this season if they retain part of his cap hit. Otherwise, they might have to wait until the March 8 trade deadline when most of his actual salary will have been paid out.

COULD THE CANADIENS BE A FIT FOR A BLUE JACKETS DEFENSEMAN?

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: That’s what Marco D’Amico suggested earlier this week following a recent report by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli claiming the Columbus Blue Jackets were looking to trade one of their blueliners. They have a logjam on defense and need to make some room on the right side.

Seravalli suggested Jake Bean, Andrew Peeke and Adam Boqvist as potential trade options. D’Amico suggested the Canadiens target Boqvist, noting that they have the cap space to take on his $2.6 million cap hit. He pointed out that the Habs have “waiver-exempt prospects, draft picks and NHL-ready forwards” to dangle as trade bait.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe the Blue Jackets and Canadiens have discussed this possibility. We’ll find out in due course if that’s the case. The Habs might have other options in mind.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 12, 2023

by | Oct 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 12, 2023

Milestone performances for Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Chicago’s Connor Bedard while the Sabres sign Owen Power and the Devils ink Lindy Ruff to contract extensions. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews collected a hat trick, including his 300th career goal, in a 6-5 season-opening win over the Montreal Canadiens. Mitch Marner netted the winner in a shootout after the Leafs overcame a 5-3 deficit in the third period while John Tavares had three assists. Alex Newhook scored twice in his first game with the Canadiens after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the offseason.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was sloppy defense and goaltending by both clubs in this game. However, it proved more costly to the Canadiens as they also blew an early 2-0 lead.

Speaking of the Canadiens, Cap Friendly indicates they demoted winger Joel Armia to their AHL affiliate in Laval and recalled defenseman Arber Xhekaj, who collected an assist and got the better of Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves during their first-period tussle.

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard tallied his first-ever NHL goal but his club fell 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. David Pastrnak scored the tying and winning goals for the Bruins while Linus Ullmark stopped 20 shots for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall suffered an upper-body injury following a hit by Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo. He’s listed as week-to-week.

The Vancouver Canucks crushed the Edmonton Oilers 8-1. Brock Boeser scored four goals while Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller each had a goal and three assists. Leon Draisaitl netted the sole Oilers goal while goalies Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner each gave up four goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are predicted to be a Stanley Cup contender this season but they were outperformed by the Canucks in every aspect of this contest. They’re obviously better than this and should use this game as motivation for a better effort in their next contest. Meanwhile, the Canucks couldn’t have asked for a better season-opening performance, especially Boeser given his struggles last season.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen scored twice and collected two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists while Alexandar Georgiev stopped 34 shots for the win. Carl Grundstrom and Quinton Byfield replied for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I only saw the highlights of this contest but Rantanen and MacKinnon were dominating for the Avalanche. Cale Makar also picked up two points in this game for Colorado. Before this match, the Kings announced that winger Viktor Arvidsson would miss at least two games with a lower-body injury.

The Calgary Flames got a 34-save performance from Jacob Markstrom and two late goals by Elias Lindholm and Andrew Mangiapane to upset the Winnipeg Jets 5-3. Lindholm and Mangiapane each finished with three points for the Flames. Kyle Connor, Alex Iafallo and Mark Scheifele replied for the Jets, who outshot the Flames 37-22.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets deserved a better fate as they were the better team in this game. However, the Flames got outstanding goaltending and clutch scoring to take this one.

Carolina Hurricanes defensemen Brady Skjei and Jaccob Slavin scored in the third period to lift their club to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Skjei and Jordan Staal each had a goal and an assist while Frederik Andersen made 27 saves. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 37 shots for the Senators.

HEADLINES

THE BUFFALO NEWS: On the eve of their season opener, the Sabres signed defenseman Owen Power to a seven-year, $58.45 million contract extension effective next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nobody should be surprised by this move. The Sabres indicated they were working on re-signing Power after getting Rasmus Dahlin under contract on Sept. 22 for an eight-year, $88-million contract.

Power, 20, is in the final season of his entry-level contract. His salary will jump from an average of just over $916K to $8.35 million per season. Chosen first overall in the 2021 NHL draft, he was a finalist for the Calder Trophy last season.

The Sabres now have their two top defensemen under contract covering them through most of their playing prime. The duo will be crucial factors in this club’s hopes to become a Stanley Cup contender over the next seven years.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils yesterday announced they reached an agreement with head coach Lindy Ruff on a multi-year contract extension that begins in 2024-25. Ruff is currently in the final season of a four-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report didn’t indicate for how many years but wouldn’t surprise me if it’s another three-year contract with a one-year extension option.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: More bad news for San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture as he suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury that will keep him out of his club’s opening games of the season. Sharks coach David Quinn said Couture will undergo more tests and evaluation.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers forward Scott Laughton intends to take a stand against the NHL banning the use of Pride Tape during theme celebrations this season. “You’ll probably see me with the Pride Tape on that night,” said Laughton. “It’s not going to affect the way I go about it. If they want to say something, they can, but it’s not going to make a difference in what I do every night for the Pride community.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league should leave it up to the players if they’ll participate in on-ice support by wearing themed jerseys or using special tape on their sticks during warmups on Pride Night. It’ll be interesting to see if other players around the league follow Laughton’s lead.

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden received a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev on Tuesday.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Golden Knights, forward William Carrier could be sidelined with an upper-body injury after leaving Tuesday’s season opener.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Justin Danforth to a one-year, $1.1 million contract extension through 2024-25.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Blue Jackets, they named Josef Boumedienne as assistant coach and signed assistant coaches Jared Boll and Steve McCarthy to one-year contract extensions.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues’ current roster retool hasn’t adversely affected them at the gate. Team owner Tom Stillman said the club remains on par in season ticket sales where they’ve been when the club’s come off a playoff run.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s because they’ve got a solid fan base in St. Louis that has supported this franchise for years.