NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2025

by | Mar 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2025

A milestone for Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Golden Knights center Jack Eichel sets a franchise record, the latest on next season’s schedule, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky picked up his 424th NHL regular-season win as he and his teammates nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2. Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots and Sam Bennett scored twice for the Panthers, who’ve won seven of their last eight games and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 84 points. John Tavares and Max Domi replied for the Leafs, who sit four points behind the Panthers in second place in the division.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky holds sole possession of 10th overall among goalies for career wins. He’s 13 wins behind Jacques Plante, who holds ninth place. Martin Brodeur is the all-time leader with 691 victories. Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev returned to action after missing six games with an upper-body injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights blanked the Columbus Blues Jackets 4-0, extending their points streak to seven games. Adin Hill turned in a 27-save shutout performance while Brandon Saad, Tomas Hertl and Nicolas Roy each collected two points for the Golden Knights, who sit first in the Pacific Division with 85 points. The Blue Jackets hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points, but they’ve lost four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel collected an assist to set the single-season franchise points record with 79.

A four-goal first period carried the Ottawa Senators to a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Drake Batherson scored twice and collected an assist while goaltender Linus Ullmark made a highlight-reel glove save as the Senators hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 75 points. David Pastrnak tallied his 34th goal for the Bruins, who sit two points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk sat out the final minutes of the game with a hip injury. Head coach Travis Green said Tkachuk tweaked his hip but expects he’ll be all right.

An overtime goal by Braden Schneider lifted the New York Rangers over the Minnesota Wild 3-2. Igor Shesterkin turned aside 26 shots as the Rangers sit behind the Blue Jackets with 70 points. Wild captain Jared Spurgeon collected two assists as his club holds the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forward Arthur Kaliyev left the Rangers during this road trip to undergo further evaluation and testing for an upper-body injury.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Brett Pesce had a goal and an assist as the Devils sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 47th goal to extend his points streak to 16 games. The Oilers cling to third in the Pacific Division with 78 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have been in a funk of late with just three wins in their last 11 contests.

Meanwhile, Oilers general manager Stan Bowman filed a motion to quash a subpoena for him to be deposed in the case of John Doe vs the Chicago Blackhawks. Bowman and other former Blackhawks employees have been issued subpoenas to sit for depositions from John Doe’s attorneys.

Bowman claims he was not properly served the subpoena because his home is in Edmonton, not Chicago, and the court doesn’t have any personal jurisdiction over him for several reasons, including that he is a resident and citizen of Canada.

The former Blackhawks player is suing the franchise for failing to act when informed of sexual assault allegations against former team video coach Brad Aldrich during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Bowman was general manager at the time.

Los Angeles Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper had a 21-save shutout to defeat the Washington Capitals 3-0. Quinton Byfield scored to extend his goal streak to five games and Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who’ve won four straight and vaulted over the Oilers into second place in the Pacific Division with 79 points. The Capitals slipped into second place in the overall standings with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals are tied with the Winnipeg Jets but the latter holds first overall with 45 wins.

The Philadelphia Flyers snapped a five-game losing skid with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bobby Brink had two goals and an assist in regulation and Owen Tippett netted the winning goal for the Flyers. Jonas Johansson stopped 26 shots for the Lightning, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning recalled Cam Atkinson from their AHL affiliate in Syracuse to replace ailing winger Nikita Kucherov. Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry kicked out 33 shots in a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust each had a goal and an assist as the Penguins collected their third straight win. Blues netminder Jordan Binnington was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots. With 69 points, the Blues sit two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild card.

The San Jose Sharks ended a three-game skid by doubling up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Collin Graf tallied twice and Will Smith had a goal and an assist. Frank Nazar and Ilya Mikheyev replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks center Connor Bedard received a 10-minute misconduct for abuse of officials. No explanation was given by the referee and Bedard looked confused when the call was made. After the game, the Blackhawks star said it was for something he said to the official regarding an uncalled trip by Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the 2025-26 NHL schedule is tentatively slated to open on Oct. 7 with the 2026 Stanley Cup Final end around June 21-22 at the latest. The schedule is to accommodate the Winter Olympic break plus the All-Star Game.

Meanwhile, the 2026-27 season could see an 84-game regular season with a shortened preseason, with the regular season beginning in late September with the playoffs ending in late June. It would better accommodate breaks for the Olympics and World Cup of Hockey while reducing the number of back-to-back games that teams currently face.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Changes to the regular season and playoff formats are expected to be part of the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA expires in September 2026 but a new agreement is expected to be in place well before then, avoiding the possibility of another work stoppage.

Removing the requirement of playing at least one game in every NHL arena doesn’t appear very popular. Some teams don’t want to go two years without seeing a superstar like Connor McDavid or a popular draw like the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens.

Canceling the All-Star Game has also been discussed. It won’t happen next year as the New York Islanders have already been announced as the host team for the 2026 game. However, the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off has prompted talks about changing course. LeBrun wonders if they’ll consider scrapping the ASG during Olympic years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL All-Star Game has been a pathetic joke for four decades. Only the team hosting the event sees any benefit. It’s a ratings dud, and those fans who tune in seem to be “hate-watching” so they can dump on the event in real time on social media.

I’d like to see an Olympics-4 Nations-World Cup-4 Nations format.

CALGARY SUN: Flames center Connor Zary received a two-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for a late, retaliatory hit on Vancouver Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson on Wednesday.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov will miss Friday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings with an undisclosed ailment.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2024

by | Oct 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2024

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky reaches a significant milestone, the Jets remain unbeaten, the Golden Knights re-sign Shea Theodore, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Sergei Bobrovsky became the fastest goaltender to reach 400 career wins (707 games), stopping 24 shots in a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers, handing the latter their first regulation loss of the season. Anton Lundell, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers while Alexis Lafreniere replied for the Rangers.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky is the 14th goaltender to reach the 400-win milestone. He’ll soon move past Chris Osgood (401), Grant Fuhr (403) and Glenn Hall (407) and should overtake Tony Esposito (423) later this season to move into 10th overall as he burnishes his case for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Earlier in the day, the Rangers demoted popular enforcer Matt Rempe to their AHL affiliate in Hartford as he struggled to secure a full-time roster spot. They also placed defenseman Chad Ruhwedel on waivers.

The Winnipeg Jets extended their season-opening win streak to seven games as Nikolaj Ehlers scored in overtime to give his club a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Jets held a 3-1 lead early in the third period but the Kraken battled back to force overtime. Nino Niederreiter scored two goals for the Jets as did Kraken center Matty Beniers, whose second goal tied the game late in the third.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are the only team that hasn’t suffered a loss this season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had his fourth straight multi-point game (2 goals, one assist) as his club doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves for his first win of the season as the Wild extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The sale of the Lightning to a pair of Wall Street investors was made official on Thursday. Former majority owner Jeff Vinik will retain a minority stake in the franchise and will continue to run the team until 2027.

The Detroit Red Wings got third-period goals from Patrick Kane and Michael Rasmussen in a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Cam Talbot kicked out 37 shots for the win. Nico Hischier tallied twice for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s game-winner was the 77th of his career, tying him with Bill Guerin for fourth all-time among American-born skaters and tying him with Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand for fifth among active skaters.

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon (one assist) and Cale Makar (one goal) extended their points streaks to eight games as their club defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and two assists and Ross Colton tallied his seventh of the season. Lawson Crouse had the only goal for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colton left the game in the second period after being slashed on the hand. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Dallas Stars defeated the Boston Bruins 5-2, handing the latter their fourth loss in their last five games (1-3-1). Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who sit third overall in the Western Conference (6-2-0). David Pastrnak and Justin Brazeau replied for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penalties were costly for the Bruins. The Stars blew the game open with three straight power-play goals in the second period.

St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 40 saves in a 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dylan Holloway scored two goals and Jordan Kyrou picked up two assists for the Blues. Oliver Ekman-Larsson had the Leafs’ only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This lopsided loss came after Toronto dropped a 6-2 decision to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their previous contest. This was Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube’s first game against his former club. Leafs winger Max Pacioretty missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a goal and an assist from Martin Necas as they held off the Calgary Flames 4-2, ending the latter’s six-game season-opening points streak. Dan Vladar stopped 39 shots for the Flames.

Los Angeles Kings winger Warren Foegele tallied twice in the first period as his club nipped the San Jose Sharks 3-2, handing the latter their eighth straight loss (0-6-2) as they remain the only winless team in the league. Mikael Granlund scored two goals for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings activated goaltender Darcy Kuemper from injured reserve before this game. He’s expected to return to action against Utah on Saturday.

HEADLINES

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights signed defenseman Shea Theodore to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.425 million. Theodore, 29, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Theodore’s future in Vegas seemed in doubt after they acquired and signed defenseman Noah Hanifin last season. The departure of winger Jonathan Marchessault stoked speculation that Theodore would be next out the door due to salary-cap constraints.

Theodore is an important part of the Golden Knights’ roster core, providing them with a reliable source of offense from the blueline. He is also one of only three original members still with the Golden Knights, along with William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid believes Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby should captain Canada’s team at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

“It’s just how it should be,” said McDavid. “He’s Sidney Crosby and he’s been there so many times and he’s the guy. It’s not like I thought about it a lot, it’s just such a no-brainer.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby’s international record speaks for itself. He’s a member of the elite Triple Gold Club, winning gold in the World Juniors (2005), the World Championships (2015), and the Olympics (2010, 2014). He also captained Canada as they won the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. Crosby was named to the IIHF All-Decade Team for 2010-2020.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins sent goaltender Tristan Jarry back to Pittsburgh to work with one of the club’s goalie coaches on an individual level. Jarry has struggled this season, prompting the Penguins to go with Alex Nedeljkovic and Joel Blomqvist as their current tandem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry’s struggles have made him the subject of trade speculation. However, his performance and contract ($5.375 million AAV through 2027-28) make it unlikely he’ll change teams.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair is expected to miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a relief for the Isles and Duclair. It was feared he would be laid up for months recovering from that injury.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports NHL Players’ Association Executive Director Marty Walsh hopes to discuss expansion fees with the league during the next round of collective bargaining.

Expansion fees have been split among existing NHL owners. Walsh wants to discuss the possibility of the players receiving a cut of future expansion monies.

Walsh has yet to discuss this topic with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. He’s also under no illusions that the 32 club owners could willingly share any of the profits stemming from future expansion. Nevertheless, he’s hoping to have that conversation with the league.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That proposal could receive a hard no from the NHL owners. However, Bettman could also use that subject as leverage to gain something else for the owners.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 24, 2024

by | Jun 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 24, 2024

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers on the eve of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, prospect Matvei Michkov could leave the KHL to join the Flyers, the Leafs hire Marc Savard as an assistant coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins felt “under the weather” and missed practice on Sunday. However, he’s expected to be in the lineup for the seventh and deciding game of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday at 8 pm EDT in Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Hopkins is the longest-serving member of the Oilers roster. The first-overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, he’s spent his entire 13-season career in Edmonton.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Nugent-Hopkins has been through a lot during that time, including part of the “decade of darkness” that befell the franchise from 2006-07 to 2015-16. He’s not missing the most important game of his career.

Oilers winger Corey Perry isn’t giving any thought to retirement. The 39-year-old dismissed the suggestion that Game 7 could be his last as an NHL player. “I’ve got lots more in me: five more years,” he replied.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was evident this season that Perry’s performance is in decline. Still, I wouldn’t bet against someone signing him to a low-cost one-year contract. He’s been in four of the last five Stanley Cup Finals with the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Oilers. That experience could still make him useful to a contender.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and defenseman Aaron Ekblad missed practice on Sunday but are expected to be in the lineup for Game 7. Panthers coach Paul Maurice explained that Bobrovsky’s not skating was part of his normal routine during the regular season and playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky was outstanding during the first three games of this series but struggled over the last three. The extra day of rest could help him reset and regain his form. The Panthers need him at his best in Game 7.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Maurice believes his players must put the last three games behind them and embrace the challenge of Game 7. “I’m not concerned about it at all,” he said, saying his players must feel positive and embrace the challenge of this critical game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pressure of this series has shifted to the Panthers after blowing a 3-0 lead. Nevertheless, it’ll be a significant achievement if they can rise to the occasion and hold off the Oilers in Game 7.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Flyers top prospect Matvei Michkov is leaving KHL club SKA St. Petersburg to join the Flyers. Reports indicate the two clubs are close to an agreement to release the 19-year-old winger from his KHL contract which runs through 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov is a highly-touted scoring winger who could boost the Flyers offense if he makes their roster next season. It’s believed the KHL will release him from his contract for compassionate reasons related to the death of his father last year. He will then sign a three-year entry-level contract with Philadelphia.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs hired Marc Savard as an assistant coach in charge of the power play. He held a similar role with the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed depth defenseman Ian Mitchell to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K.

DAILY FACEOFF: Derick Brassard announced his retirement on Sunday.

The 36-year-old forward spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers.

Brassard last played in the NHL in 2022-23. He finishes his career with 215 goals and 330 assists for 545 points in 1,013 regular-season games, and 68 points in 118 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated Brassard missed this season due to a lower-body injury and is still undergoing physiotherapy. Here’s hoping he makes a full recovery and enjoys a healthy retirement.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2024

by | Jun 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2024

The Panthers are poised to sweep the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, management changes in store for the Blues, the Sharks name their new head coach, the Rangers re-sign Kaapo Kakko, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP NOTEBOOK

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are on the verge of sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final after holding on for a 4-3 victory in Game 3. Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves and Aleksander Barkov tallied the game-winning goal as the Panthers scored three times within a six-minute span in the second period.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

The Oilers made things interesting with third-period goals by Philip Broberg and Ryan McLeod. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent them from falling into a 3-0 series deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton faces the daunting challenge of doing something that hasn’t been done in the Stanley Cup Final since 1942: overcome a 3-0 series deficit to win hockey’s holy grail.

Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner believes his club can do it. So far, however, they’ve shown nothing to indicate they can pull it off.

Skinner’s mishandling of a dump-in by the Panthers led to Vladimir Tarasenko snapping a 1-1 tie in the second period. That opened the floodgates as Sam Bennett and Barkov capitalized on defensive miscues by the Oilers.

The Panthers have done a masterful job of shutting down the Oilers’ big guns in this series. Connor McDavid has three assists and Evan Bouchard has one. Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have yet to dent the score sheet.

Bobrovsky has been solid throughout this series. He’s had help from his teammates as they’ve clogged up the shooting lanes while reducing the amount of traffic around their net.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong signed a five-year contract extension with the St. Louis Blues as president of hockey operations. Alexander Steen was named special assistant to the general manager through 2025-26, after which he’ll take over as GM from Armstrong.

The Blues also promoted Tim Taylor from his previous role as director of player development to assistant general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team chairman Tom Stillman approved Armstrong’s proposed transition. He’ll remain general manager for two more years to prepare Steen for the GM role.

Steen spent 12 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Blues. He retired as a player in 2020 and joined the Blues’ management team last year as a European development consultant. Armstrong was so impressed by Steen’s effort that he felt he would be a worthwhile successor.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks promoted assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky as their new head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NBC Sports Bay Area’s Sheng Peng reported Warsofsky’s ability to build relationships with his players, his record for developing young players, and his communication skills factored into the Sharks management tapping him as their new bench boss.

The Sharks are rebuilding their roster with promising young talent. Warsofsky’s coaching will play a crucial role in their development.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed winger Kaapo Kakko to a one-year, $2.4 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko accepted what would’ve been the Rangers’ qualifying offer, foregoing his arbitration rights this summer. That’s not surprising given his struggles this season.

On the one hand, this is an affordable short-term deal that enables the Rangers to remain patient with the 23-year-old winger’s development. On the other hand, it’s an easily tradeable contract if they decide to trade him.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes signed Jalen Chatfield to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3 million. The 28-year-old defenseman was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chatfield made himself invaluable to the Hurricanes’ blueline depth. He’s getting a significant raise, earning $765K per season on his previous two-year contract.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers captain Sean Couturier said he’s rehabbing from a recent sports hernia injury. “Feeling great now. About to head back home here this week and start the full training,” said Couturier.

NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club officially joined the NHL on Thursday. The team revealed its home and away jerseys for 2025-26. They could have a new name by then as fan voting is open until June 20. Details on the name will be revealed in the coming months.

TSN: Executive Laurence Gilman and the Toronto Maple Leafs mutually agreed to part ways. He worked as assistant GM from 2018-19. His contract was due to expire at the end of this month.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens extended their affiliate agreement with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions for three more seasons.

FORT MYERS NEWS-PRESS: The Florida Panthers have ended their affiliation with the ECHL’s Florida Everglades.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 9, 2024

by | Jun 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 9, 2024

The Panthers shut out the Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, highlights from Gary Bettman’s latest “State of the League” press conference, and updates on Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL – GAME 1 RECAP

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers drew first blood in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final by blanking the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 in Game 1. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 32-save shutout, Carter Verhaeghe opened the scoring with his 10th goal of the postseason, and Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov collected two assists.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky flat-out stole this game for the Panthers, especially in the first period when they were outshot 13-4 and out-chanced 8-3 at five-on-five. The 35-year-old became the oldest goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to record a shutout.

Edmonton controlled the play for most of this game, garnering plenty of quality scoring opportunities. At times, the ice seemed tilted in the Panthers’ zone as the Oilers pressed but couldn’t beat Bobrovsky.

Almost all of Edmonton’s quality scoring chances were to the bottom part of the net but Bobrovsky shut that area down. Hockey Night in Canada noted that most of the goals scored against him in this postseason were high glove or high blocker. The Oilers will have to work on that for the rest of this series.

Florida made the most of their few quality scoring chances but the Oilers would’ve won this game if Bobrovsky hadn’t been on top of his game. Expect a better effort defensively by the Panthers going forward in this series.

This game will likely be the last time in this series that the Oilers pair up defensemen Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci. They had been separated during the Western Conference Final but were reunited for this contest. They were on the ice for the first two Panthers goals.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM GARY BETTMAN’S LATEST “STATE OF THE LEAGUE” ADDRESS

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun highlighted the key points from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s latest “State of the League” press conference before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The league and the NHLPA announced the salary cap for 2024-25 will rise to $88 million, an increase of $4.5 million and the biggest jump in the cap since 2019. The cap had been flattened from 2020-21 to 2023-24 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.

Bettman predicted the cap will continue to rise in the coming years, anticipating robust growth in the salary cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The cap was projected to increase by $4.2 million to $87.7 million. Both sides agreed to round it up to $88 million, which is welcome news for cap-strapped clubs as well as players slated to become free agents on July 1.

More details were revealed regarding the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament in 2025 involving Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

The league and NHLPA announced it will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston instead of the All-Star Game. The four countries will play each other twice in Montreal before moving to Boston for the final game of the round-robin and the championship game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for further details on tournament scheduling.

Bettman said there is nothing new regarding expansion despite rumors of putting clubs in Atlanta and Houston and a possible return to Arizona. He acknowledged that the league continues to deal with expressions of interest, noting at least half a dozen cities are interested in the NHL product.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I believe we’ll see NHL franchises in Atlanta and Houston by the end of this decade at the latest. A return to Arizona depends on whether former Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo can secure funding to build an NHL arena in the Phoenix area.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said he’s received feedback from many (but not all) NHL general managers regarding possible changes to long-term injury reserve rules. Under the current system, the salary cap doesn’t count during the postseason. While there is some appetite for change, Daly said it would have to be negotiated with the PA during the next round of collective bargaining in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL cannot adjust the current LTIR rules without the agreement of the NHLPA. I daresay we’ll see it tweaked in the next CBA.

Bettman and Daly were asked if the league had any advice for teams with players charged in the 2018 Team Canada sexual assault case regarding qualifying offers to retain their rights by June 30. The commissioner said it will be up to the individual clubs to decide if they’ll qualify those players based on the current rules outlined in the CBA.

The players involved are Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, and Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Alex Formenton of the Ottawa Senators was also charged. He’s on the Senators’ reserve list because they qualified his rights in 2022. He spent the past two seasons playing in Switzerland.

Bettman stated that former Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and former head coach Joel Quenneville remain ineligible to apply for jobs in the NHL. This is a result of their failure to react responsibly in connection with the Kyle Beach sexual assault case. He said both have reached out seeking an opportunity to return, but it’s something he has to consider.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas isn’t providing any details or updates regarding contract extension talks with captain Sidney Crosby. “We want to keep that as quiet as possible and go through it,” he said, adding that this was being done out of respect for Crosby and what he means to the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I predict Crosby will re-sign with the Penguins before training camp opens in September.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson recently shot down any possibility of a reunion with Patrick Kane. He indicated that he was happy to see the former Blackhawks winger had a good year with the Detroit Red Wings. However, he doesn’t foresee them bringing him back to Chicago.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2023

by | Nov 28, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2023

Three division leaders suffering upset defeats, the Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky reaches a career milestone and the Wild fire head coach Dean Evason. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch scored two goals as his club upset the league-leading New York Rangers 5-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and two assists and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 25 shots as the Sabres improved to 10-10-2 on the season. Mika Zibanejad replied for the Rangers (15-4-1), who remain in first place in the overall standings with 31 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers also lost winger Kaapo Kakko as he left the game in the second period with what appeared to be an injured left knee. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

The Boston Bruins suffered their third straight defeat as a result of a 5-2 upset at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Yegor Chinakhov had a goal and an assist while Spencer Martin made 31 saves for the Blue Jackets (7-12-4), who’ve won three of their last four games following a nine-game losing skid. Matthew Poitras and John Beecher scored for the Bruins, who also have 31 points but remain behind the Rangers with a record of 14-4-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins’ defensive play was becoming a legitimate concern before this game, in part because they’ve faced tougher opponents in recent games. Those worries won’t be alleviated by falling to the lowly Blue Jackets while giving up five goals for the fourth time in five games.

An overtime goal by MacKenzie Weegar lifted the Calgary Flames to a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. A.J. Greer also scored while Dan Vladar got the win with a 25-save performance as the Flames boosted their record to 9-10-3, sitting in the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 21 points. William Karlsson tallied for the Golden Knights (14-5-3), who remain in first place in the Western Conference with 31 points and third in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames were forced to use an emergency backup goalie named Dusty Nickel after starter Jacob Markstrom was sidelined by an illness. There was a moment early in the first period when it appeared Nickel would have to relieve Vladar after the latter was briefly shaken up but he was able to finish the game.

The Colorado Avalanche got two goals from Ryan Johansen to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1, extending their win streak to four games. Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 37 shots while Cale Makar had a goal and an assist as the Avalanche (15-6-0) sit atop the Central Division with 30 points, one back of the Golden Knights in the conference standings. Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning as they slipped to 10-7-5.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves for his 40th career shutout in a 5-0 blanking of the Ottawa Senators. Sam Reinhart tallied twice while Aleksander Barkov collected three assists for the 13-7-1 Panthers. Joonas Korpisalo made 33 saves for the Senators (8-9-0), who dropped into last place in the Eastern Conference standings with 16 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers and Senators combined for 167 penalty minutes with most of those coming in the third period as a result of a line brawl with 7:22 remaining in the frame. That resulted in every player on the ice receiving 10-minute misconducts.

A third-period goal by Luke Kunin carried the San Jose Sharks over the Washington Capitals 2-1. Fabian Zetterlund also scored while Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 33 shots for the 5-12-2 Sharks, who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 12 points. Evgeny Kuznetsov had the only goal for the 10-6-2 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks got the win without Tomas Hertl as he was sidelined with an injury to his midsection. He is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Capitals placed winger T.J. Oshie (upper body) on injured reserve and activated defenseman Martin Fehervary off IR.

HEADLINES

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild fired Dean Evason as head coach on Monday, replacing him with John Hynes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coming off a 103-point performance last season, the Wild have been in a swoon since October. They are in the midst of a seven-game losing skid which prompted general manager Bill Guerin to make the coaching change.

Guerin had defended Evason earlier this month, stressing that improvement would have to come from within. That’s because the cap-strapped Wild can’t afford to make a significant trade to shake things up in a league where only five teams have at least $5 million in cap space.

Perhaps the Wild can rediscover their winning ways under a proven NHL bench boss like Hynes. If not, a roster retool could be next starting at the trade deadline when clubs will accrue sufficient cap room to make deals with each other.

Speaking of the Wild, Ryan Hartman received a two-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for tripping Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat on Sunday.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros are the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 26.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho (upper body) was placed on IR retroactive to Nov. 24.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins and Panthers will honor Patric Hornqvist during their Dec. 8 game in Florida. Hornqvist played for both clubs during his 15-season NHL career before retiring due to injuries following last season.

NHL.COM: The player draft will be returning to NHL All-Star Weekend this season as part of a new event called NHL All-Star Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The player draft was one of the few ideas that worked to make the All-Star Game a little more interesting than the pond-hockey yawnfest it usually tends to be.