NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 27, 2024

by | Jun 27, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 27, 2024

The latest on Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Linus Ullmark, Rangers front office executive Glen Sather retires, the Canucks trade Ilya Mikheyev to the Blackhawks, rule changes for next season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl played through injuries during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Draisaitl injured his hand and ribs, leaving the training staff wondering whether he could play. Knoblauch declined to comment on McDavid’s undisclosed injury, saying he didn’t have much information on the injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl’s performance and production noticeably declined through the final two rounds of the postseason, prompting many observers to suspect he was battling an injury.

It’s speculated McDavid suffered an abdominal injury that might require surgery. We’ll likely learn more about his condition soon, especially if he has to go under the knife.

TSN: Draisaitl talked about a contract extension while speaking with the media on Wednesday. “I’m going to give you the most boring answer here,” he said. “I’m obviously going to sit down with my agents here and talk to the Oilers and see what their plan is, see what our plan is, and go from there.”

Draisaitl has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $8.5 million. He indicated that he wants to take a little time to think about what he wants and what the club wants. “Obviously I love being an Oiler more than anything.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That last line was overlooked by some nervous local observers who remain worried Draisaitl could depart as a free agent next summer. It’s far too early to get into that kind of speculation.

Draisaitl wants to win the Stanley Cup and be paid his true worth on his next contract. He came very close to accomplishing the former and the Oilers will open the vault for the latter. It’ll be surprising if he doesn’t re-sign.

TSN’s Chris Johnston reported last night that the Oilers and Draisaitl appear to be on the same page. The club doesn’t want him to leave and Johnston doesn’t they’ll allow that to happen.

SPORTSNET: A new general manager could handle negotiations for Draisaitl’s next contract. Elliotte Friedman reports multiple sources told him the club won’t renew GM Ken Holland’s contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the end of an era in Edmonton. Holland had his critics but the Oilers never missed the playoffs during his five years as their general manager. That includes two appearances in the Western Conference Final and their recent run to the Stanley Cup Final.

SPORTSNET: Linus Ullmark looks forward to playing with the Ottawa Senators next season. The 30-year-old goaltender was acquired from the Boston Bruins on Monday. He also indicated that the Senators were never on his no-trade list.

Ullmark is entering the final season of his contract with a cap hit of $5 million. He said there’s been no extension talks with the Senators, adding he won’t get involved until his agent tells him there’s something to discuss.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark will be in his contract year so he’ll be motivated to have a strong performance in 2024-25. He could find it challenging as the Senators aren’t as strong defensively as the Bruins. General manager Steve Staios will attempt to rectify that issue during the summer.

TSN: Speaking of Staios, he said he won’t be buying out any of his players. The buyout window expires on June 30 at 5 pm ET.

NEW YORK POST: Long-time Rangers front office executive Glen Sather is retiring. He spent 24 years with the Blueshirts, including 19 years as team president and 14 as general manager. Sather spent the past five years as senior advisor to the team owner and alternate governor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sather, 80, spent nearly a half-century as an executive, starting with his successful run with the Edmonton Oilers from 1979-80 to 1999-2000. Before that, he spent 10 seasons as an NHL forward from 1966-67 to 1975-76.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks traded forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty and a 2027 second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The Canucks will also retain 15 percent of Mikheyev’s $4.75 million annual cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a cost-cutting move by the Canucks. They’re rumored to be interested in signing Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel if he heads to the free-agent market on July 1. They could also be clearing space to re-sign pending UFA defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Meanwhile, the Canucks signed checking-line forward Teddy Blueger to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.8 million.

NHL.COM: The league announced several rule changes starting in 2024-25.

It has expanded the coach’s challenge to allow for a penalty to be taken down if a puck gets knocked out of play.

A defensive team whose goaltender accidentally dislodges the net won’t be allowed a line change on the ensuing play.

The center on offense on a faceoff will receive only one warning for a faceoff violation.

Teams will receive one warning for players sitting on the boards. After that, they will be awarded a bench minor.

TSN: The Utah Hockey Club signed forward Liam O’Brien to a three-year, $3 million contract.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/THE SCORE: The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings unveiled their 1990s throwback jerseys.

TORONTO SUN: Former NHL forward Sergei Berezin died on Wednesday in Florida at age 52. Drafted by the Maple Leafs in 1994, Berezin spent seven seasons with the Leafs, Arizona Coyotes, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals from 1996-97 to 2002-03. He had 160 goals and 286 points in 502 regular-season games and 13 goals and 30 points in 52 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Berezin’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 14, 2023

by | Oct 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 14, 2023

Recaps of Friday’s game, the Avalanche sign Devon Toews to a new contract, plus updates on Zach Werenski, Taylor Hall and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Evgeni Malkin had a goal and three assists and Sidney Crosby tallied twice as the Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Washington Capitals 4-0. Tristan Jarry made 19 saves (one of those on an Alex Ovechkin breakaway) for the shutout while Jake Guentzel picked up two assists. Charlie Lindgren stopped 31 shots for the Capitals as he filled in for Darcy Kuemper, whose wife gave birth to their first child (a boy) on Thursday.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reilly Smith also scored his first goal with the Penguins. He was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in June.

Shootout goals by Nick Bjugstad and Nick Schmaltz lifted the Arizona Coyotes to a 4-3 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Schmaltz had a goal and an assist in regulation time, rookie Logan Cooley collected two assists in his first NHL game, and Karel Vejmelka kicked out 33 shots for the win. Jesper Bratt scored two goals and collected an assist and Jack Hughes had three assists for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I know that it’s very early in the season but keep an eye on the Coyotes this season. They’re a promising club that’s made steady improvement over the past couple of years. The addition of Cooley this season could provide a welcome boost to their offense.

HEADLINES

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche yesterday signed Devon Toews to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.25 million. The 29-year-old defenseman was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews partners with Cale Makar on the Avalanche’s top defense pairing so it’s not surprising that they’ve got him under wraps on a long-term deal. The Avalanche still consider themselves Stanley Cup contenders and need Toews patrolling their blueline to remain in that position.

The length of the deal could be a concern. It kicks in next season when Toews will be 30, heading into a period when he’ll reach an inevitable decline in his performance during the final half of that deal. Nevertheless, the Avalanche feel it’s worth it if his play on the front end of his contract keeps them in Cup contention.

Cap Friendly indicates the Avalanche have just $2.6 million in cap space for 2024-25 with 14 active roster players under contract. They could get $7 million in wiggle room if sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog remains on long-term injury reserve. Otherwise, they’ll have to shed some salary to fill out the rest of the roster.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets placed defenseman Zach Werenski (quadriceps contusion) on injured reserve for one to two weeks. They also recalled blueliner David Jiricek.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The good news for the Jackets is Werenski won’t be sidelined for too long though they will miss his puck-moving abilities while he’s on the sidelines. Still, this will give them an opportunity to get the promising Jiricek into the lineup for a few games.

NHL.COM: Speaking of Werenski, Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway was fined $5,000.00 for kneeing the Blue Jackets defenseman on Thursday resulting in the latter’s injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall has been downgraded from being sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered on Wednesday against the Boston Bruins to day-to-day. The 31-year-old winger was skating on his own following the club’s practice on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall could return to the Blackhawks lineup at some point in the coming week.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks placed center Mikael Granlund on injured reserve after he reaggravated a lower-body injury during Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. He’s expected to be out for at least a week.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Carson Soucey (knee injury) practiced with his teammates on Friday in a non-contact jersey and will travel with the club to face the Oilers in Edmonton on Saturday. Meanwhile, forward Teddy Blueger is out week-to-week with a bruised knee.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers signed forward Adam Erne to a one-year, $775K contract and placed defenseman Markus Niemelainen on waivers for the purpose of sending him to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

TSN: The Ottawa Senators have brought back former captain Daniel Alfredsson in a player development and coaching role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Alfredsson was previously named as a senior advisor of hockey operations for the Senators in 2015 but left the position two years later as the two sides couldn’t agree on a new contract. This new job ensures he’ll have a more hands-on role with the club compared to his previous gig.

TSN: Former Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi hopes to return to NHL action in November. He’s been rehabbing from the double hip surgery he underwent in June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Someone looking for affordable depth on the wing might take a chance on Puljujarvi at some point this season. He’s now an unrestricted free agent as he didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Carolina Hurricanes, who acquired him from the Oilers in February.

ESPN.COM: The NHL has Mexico City in its sights among its short list of locations for future international games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2023

by | Mar 2, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2023

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the three stars and rookie of the month for February are revealed, the Red Wings re-sign Dylan Larkin, the Penguins acquire Mikael Granlund, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored twice and collected an assist to down the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist against his former club as the Oilers improved to 33-21-8 and hold third place in the Pacific Division with 74 points. Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the 37-16-8 Maple Leafs as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 82 points.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid extended his multi-goal streak to five games. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm joined the Oilers for his first game after being acquired from the Nashville Predators the day prior, logging over 20 minutes of ice time and collecting an assist on Hyman’s goals.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer scored for the seventh straight game and collected three assists in a 7-5 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Tomas Tatar had a goal and two assists for the Devils (40-15-5) as they sit one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes with 85 points. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for the 34-20-5 Avalanche (73 points) as they remain one point back of the second-place Minnesota Wild in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Avalanche placed defenseman Cale Makar (concussion) on injured reserve.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Vegas Golden Knights. Jack Eichel scored twice while Reilly Smith snapped a 2-2 tie late in the third period as the Golden Knights improved to 36-19-6 and sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 78 points. Martin Necas and Jordan Staal replied for the Hurricanes (39-12-8) as they’ve dropped two straight games.

An overtime goal by Vladimir Tarasenko lifted the New York Rangers over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 3-2. Tarasenko also collected two assists while Igor Shesterkin kicked out 26 shots for the Rangers (35-17-9) as they sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points. The Flyers have lost eight of their last nine games and dropped to 23-28-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Patrick Kane will make his debut with the Rangers on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers acquired the 34-year-old winger from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.

Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin tallied two goals and collected an assist as his club doubled up the Arizona Coyotes 4-2. The Stars improved to 32-16-13 and hold first place in the Central Division with 77 points. Coyotes forward Clayton Keller scored his 25th goal of the season as his club fell to 21-31-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz left the game in the second period after taking a puck to the left side of his face. Earlier in the day, the Stars placed forward Luke Glendening (undisclosed) on injured reserve.

The Washington Capitals kept their fading playoff hopes alive by nipping the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on an overtime tally by Tom Wilson, who finished the game with two goals. The Capitals (30-27-6) are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 66 points. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the 20-34-8 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defensemen Nick Jensen and Martin Fehervary left this game with injuries. Meanwhile, the Ducks withheld blueliners John Klingberg and Dmitry Kulikov from this game for trade-related reasons.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark are the NHL’s three stars for February 2023. Ottawa Senators goalie Mads Sogaard was named rookie of the month.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings and Dylan Larkin reached an agreement yesterday on an eight-year, $69.6 million contract extension. Larkin’s average annual value starting next season will be $8.7 million. The deal also comes with a full no-trade clause through the first five seasons and becomes a 10-team trade list for the final three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin’s lengthy contract negotiations at times made him the subject of trade speculation. However, it was clear the Wings weren’t going to trade him. Doing so would’ve left them without an established first-line center which would’ve significantly set back their development.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins made two trades yesterday. The first saw them ship forward Teddy Blueger to the Vegas Golden Knights in a cost-cutting move, receiving a 2024 third-round pick and minor-league defenseman Peter Diliberatore in return. They followed up by acquiring forward Mikael Granlund from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a second-round pick in 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granlund is a versatile two-way playmaking forward who can play center or right wing. The 31-year-old carries an AAV of $5 million through 2024-25.

This move isn’t sitting well with some Penguins followers. They argue that adding Granlund does nothing to make the club younger, improve their speed or make them a bigger, tougher club.

The Predators, meanwhile, have accumulated nine picks in the four trades they’ve made since Feb. 25. They picked up a first-round pick in this year’s draft as well as a pick in the third, fourth and fifth rounds, two second-rounders and a fourth in 2024 and a first-rounder in 2025.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning traded forward Vladislav Namestnikov to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Michael Eyssimont. That move frees up $500K in cap space for the Lightning.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 24, 2022

by | Oct 24, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 24, 2022

Recaps of Sunday’s games plus the latest on Gabriel Landeskog, Tyler Seguin, Phil Kessel and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings extended their season-opening points streak to five games (3-0-2) by downing the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. Dominik Kubalik had a goal and two assists while Ville Husso made 32 saves for the win. Trevor Zegras scored the Ducks’ only goal as they finished their road trip 0-4-1.

Detroit Red Wings forward Dominik Kubalik (NHL Images).

Third-period goals by Tyler Johnson and Jason Dickinson lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Johnson scored twice while Patrick Kane and Seth Jones each had two assists for the Blackhawks (3-2-0) as they staged their third straight comeback win. Jared McCann had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (2-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek missed this game with a groin strain and was placed on injured reserve.

A third-period goal by Ryan Lomberg enabled the Florida Panthers to hold off the New York Islanders 3-2. Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen also scored for the Panthers (4-1-1) while Anders Lee tallied twice for the Islanders, who drop to 2-4-0.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov made 30 saves for his first NHL win as he backstopped his club to a 5-1 victory over the New York Rangers. Jakub Voracek, Jack Roslovic and Liam Foudy each collected two assists for the Jackets (3-4-0). Artemi Panarin scored to extend his season-opening points streak to six games as the Rangers are 3-2-1 over the stretch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers center Filip Chytil left the game in the first period about being elbowed in the head by Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger. He’s listed as day-to-day.

San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer turned in a 30-save shutout to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Erik Karlsson scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Sharks (2-6-0) while Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk left the game in the first period with an injured hand after blocking a shot. The Flyers are 4-2-0 under head coach John Tortorella.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tortorella wasn’t pleased with the performance of his leading scorers Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny in this contest. He sent a message by benching them for the entire third period.

HEADLINES

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche will be without team captain Gabriel Landeskog for the next three months as he recovers from knee surgery. They’re turning to leadership by committee to fill the void left by Landeskog’s absence.

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin admitted he thought about retirement in January 2021 as he was recovering from hip surgery. “I looked over at my friend and said, ‘I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to play anymore,’” he told Mike Zeisberger. He added that he didn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel at the time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seguin would return to play three games late in the 2020-21 season and skated in 81 last season. The 30-year-old current has five points in as many games this season and shows no lingering ill effects from his surgery.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel is set to tie the NHL’s Ironman record for consecutive games played (989) held by Keith Yandle when he skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night. The 35-year-old Kessel can break the record on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s fitting that Kessel will tie the record against the Leafs in Toronto, where he played six seasons from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

CBS SPORTS: The Los Angeles Kings placed forward Alex Iafallo (lower-body injury) on long-term injury reserve.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Teddy Blueger (undisclosed injury) was placed on LTIR retroactive to Oct. 11.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki is resting at home and suffered no major injuries after crashing awkwardly into the boards during Saturday’s game against the Flyers. Borowiecki was stretchered from the ice and sent to a hospital for observation.

WGR 550: With defensemen Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju sidelined, the Buffalo Sabres have called up Kale Clague.

Former NHL defenseman Michal Kempny has signed with Czechia club HC Sparta for the next two seasons. His contract with the Seattle Kraken was terminated by mutual agreement after he cleared unconditional waivers last week.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 2, 2022

by | Oct 2, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 2, 2022

Recapping notable news from Saturday’s preseason games, the Canadiens sign Jake Allen to a contract extension, the Jets unveil a statue of Dale Hawerchuk, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PRESEASON HIGHLIGHTS AND NOTABLE HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Alex DeBrincat scored twice, including the winner in overtime, as the Ottawa Senators overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. Those goals were DeBrincat’s first with the Senators since being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in July.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Canadiens, they signed Jake Allen to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates Allen is also getting a pay raise, going from an average annual value of $2.875 million to $3.85 million. He also gets a seven-team no-trade list for 2023-24 and a three-team no-trade for 2024-25.

Allen told reporters he’s happy to stay with the Canadiens and help them with their rebuilding program. He sees himself as a mentor to goalies Cayden Primeau and Sam Montembeault.

And speaking of the Senators, goaltender Cam Talbot missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He’s listed as day-to-day and isn’t expected to be sidelined for long.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets unveiled a statue honoring the late Hall-of-Famer Dale Hawerchuk prior to Saturday’s preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers. Hawerchuk was drafted by the original Jets in 1981 and spent nine seasons with the club, becoming one of the greatest players in franchise history. He died of stomach cancer in 2020.

Two goals by Brent Burns (including the game-winner) enabled the Carolina Hurricanes to nip the Florida Panthers 4-3. Burns was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in July.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Taylor Hall and Fabian Lysell suffered minor injuries during the Boston Bruins’ 4-0 preseason victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. They’re expected to be sidelined for only one or two days.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: As for the Flyers, their injury woes continue as goaltender Felix Sandstrom left the game with a lower-body injury. Starter Carter Hart is currently out with an injury but is expected to be ready for the Flyers’ season-opener on Oct. 13.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Jeff Carter and Teddy Blueger remain listed as day-to-day with injuries suffered scrimmages last week.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes signed Calvin de Haan to a one-year, one-way, $850K contract. The 31-year-old defenseman had been in camp on a professional tryout offer.

Nathan Beaulieu’s PTO with the Anaheim Ducks earned the 29-year-old blueliner a one-year, one-way deal worth $850K.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken unveiled Buoy, a blue scraggly sea-troll as their new mascot.

NHL.COM: Dominik Zrim is among several new hirings by the San Jose Sharks. Zrim founded the website CapFriendly in 2015 and becomes the Sharks’ director of salary cap management/CBA compliance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations, Dominik, and good luck with your new job.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2022

by | Jan 25, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2022

Keith Yandle ties the league’s Ironman record, Chris Kreider takes the lead in the goal-scoring race, the Avalanche takes over first overall in the standings, the Canucks hire their first female assistant GM, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle tied the NHL’s Ironman record of 964 consecutive games but his club also tied a franchise record with its 12th straight defeat in a 3-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist and Jake Oettinger made 27 saves as the Stars won their third straight game to sit tied with the Calgary Flames with 44 points.

Philadelphia Flyers defeneman Keith Yandle (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Yandle, who can break the record tonight against the New York Islanders. It’s the sole bright spot for the Flyers of late, who hold the fourth-worst record (13-21-8, 34 points) in the Eastern Conference.

Speaking of the Flames, they’ve taken over the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference by thumping the St. Louis Blues 7-1. Matthew Tkachuk collected a career-high five assists while Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and three helpers for Calgary, who hold two games in hand over the Stars and five games over the San Jose Sharks, who also have 44 points.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored his league-leading 30th goal of the season as his club beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Adam Fox tallied the winning goal in a shootout while teammate Artemi Panarin picked up two assists for the Rangers, who sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 60 points and are just one back of the Eastern Conference-leading Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Kings, meanwhile, slip to third in the Pacific Division with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers played without Kaapo Kakko as the 20-year-old winger is listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Filip Chytil also missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Colorado Avalanche extended its home winning streak to 16 games and its points streak to 13 by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0. Pavel Francouz turned in a 23-save shutout while Nazem Kadri and Mikko Rantanen were the goal scorers. With 61 points, the Avalanche sits atop the Western Conference and has taken over first place in the overall standings.

Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and an assist and Hampus Lindholm collected three assists as the Anaheim Ducks downed the Boston Bruins 5-3. With the win, the Ducks slipped ahead of the Kings into second place in the Pacific with 49 points. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 50 points. Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask did not look sharp in this game as he struggles to shake off the rust from his lengthy absence recovering from offseason hip surgery. He’s won two of his four starts but gave up five goals in each of his losses and has a 4.29 goals-against average and .844 save percentage after four games.

Robin Lehner made 34 saves and Michael Amadio scored the only goal as the Vegas Golden Knights shut out the Washington Capitals 1-0. It was the seventh straight road victory for Vegas, who remains atop the Pacific Division with 52 points. The Capitals hold the first wild-card berth in the East with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehner had a frightening moment in the second period when a slapshot by Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin broke the cage of his mask, forcing him to use the mask he wore last season as a backup. “It was probably the hardest shot I have ever taken to the head,” said Lehner. It was a little scary, as I felt the cage bend…”

The Minnesota Wild extended their points streak to seven games by crushing the Montreal Canadiens 8-2. Nico Sturm had a goal and two assists while Kirill Kaprizov, Mats Zuccarello, Jared Spurgeon and Kevin Fiala were among eight Wild to finish the night with two points. Canadiens center Christian Dvorak left the game after a high hit by Spurgeon in the first period and didn’t pass the concussion protocol.

HEADLINES

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks made franchise history as Emilie Castonguay become the club’s first female assistant general manager. Castonguay had previously made history by becoming the first female NHLPA-certified player agent in 2016. She played NCAA Division 1 hockey in her youth and holds degrees in law and finance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Castonguay, who was also under consideration for the role of general manager of the Montreal Canadiens before they hired player agent Kent Hughes last week.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider, St. Louis Blues goaltender Ville Husso and San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier were the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan 23, 2022.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Teddy Blueger will be sidelined six-to-eight weeks following surgery to repair a fractured jaw.

DAILY FACEOFF: The International Ice Hockey Federation accidentally leaked Canada’s roster for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics before Hockey Canada’s official reveal today. Former NHLers include Eric Staal, Jason Demers, David Desharnais and Mark Barbeiro. 2021 NHL first-overall pick Owen Power and third-overall pick Mason McTavish are also on the roster.