NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2023

by | Dec 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2023

The Devils’ Jack Hughes reaches a scoring milestone, the Rangers overtake the Bruins atop the Eastern Conference standings, the Leafs thump the Penguins and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes tallied a hat trick, including his 100th career NHL goal, in a 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jesper Bratt collected three assists for the 16-11-1 Devils (33 points), who’ve won eight of their last 10 games and sit one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Kirill Marchenko netted his 10th goal of the season for the 10-17-5 Blue Jackets.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck scored both goals (including the winner in overtime) to lead his club over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Igor Shesterkin stopped 21 shots for the win as the Rangers (21-7-1) took over first place in the Eastern Conference from the Bruins. Trent Frederic scored for the Bruins (19-5-5) while teammate David Pastrnak was ejected in the second period for boarding Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both teams have 43 points but the Rangers hold the top spot in the East with the most wins. Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller returned to action after missing two games for personal reasons.

The Toronto Maple Leafs crushed the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-0. Martin Jones kicked out 38 shots for the shutout while Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi each picked up three points while Matthew Knies had a Gordie Howe hat trick. The Leafs (16-6-6) extended their points streak to nine games and sit second in the Atlantic Division with 38 points. Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry got the hook after giving up four goals on 14 shots as the Penguins slipped to 13-13-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This humbling wasn’t Jarry’s fault. This was the Penguins’ worst performance as a team this season. Speaking of the Penguins, they put winger Bryan Rust on injured yesterday yesterday. Meanwhile, Leafs center Auston Matthews and defenseman T.J. Brodie missed this game due to illness and activated defenseman Timothy Liljegren off injured reserve.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 35 shots in a 2-1 shootout win over the Vancouver Canucks. Mats Zuccarello had the game-winner as the Wild improved to 12-12-4, going 7-2-0 since John Hynes took over as head coach. Teddy Blueger scored for the 20-9-2 Canucks (42 points), who sit three points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference standings.

The Winnipeg Jets took over first place in the Central Division with 38 points (18-9-2) by dropping the Colorado Avalanche 6-2. Gabriel Vilardi tallied two goals while Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for the wins. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to extend his points streak to 14 games as the Avalanche dropped to 18-10-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets, Avs and Dallas Stars each have 38 points but Winnipeg takes over first place in the Central having won more games than the Stars while holding a game in hand over the Avs. Speaking of the Avalanche, defenseman Cale Makar missed this game with a lower-body injury.

As for the Stars, they dropped a 4-3 decision to the St. Louis Blues on an overtime goal by Colton Parayko. Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists as the Blues (15-14-1) overcame a 2-0 deficit. With 31 points, they sit one back of the Arizona Coyotes, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Mason Marchment potted his 10th goal of the season for the 17-8-4 Stars.

Speaking of the Coyotes, they got a 28-save shutout from Karel Vejmelka to blank the Buffalo Sabres 2-0. Clayton Keller and Liam O’Brien were the goal scorers for the 15-13-2 Coyotes. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 20 shots for the Sabres as they fell to 13-16-3.

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson made 33 saves in a 1-0 shutout of the Detroit Red Wings. Cam York tallied the only goal as the Flyers (17-10-3) moved ahead of the New York Islanders into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 37 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim missed this game due to an illness.

The Islanders, meanwhile, fell to the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 5-3. Josh Anderson scored twice in a four-goal second period for the Canadiens, who improved to 13-13-4. Brock Nelson netted two goals as the 14-8-8 Islanders (36 points) cut the lead to 4-3 before Christian Dvorak put the game away with an empty-netter late in the period.

Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros stopped 21 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Colton Sissons, Philip Tomasino and Yakov Trenin scored for the 18-13-0 Predators, who’ve won four straight and seven of their last 10 to hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 36 points. T.J. Oshie replied for the Capitals as they dropped to 14-9-4.

The Florida Panthers spanked the Edmonton Oilers 5-1. Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and set up another, Sam Bennett had a goal and two assists while Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 38 shots for the Panthers (18-10-2), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 38 points. Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers as they slipped to 13-14-1 while Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers and Leafs have the same number of points but the latter hold two games in hand. Florida played without defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower-body injury) while Anton Lundell and Jonah Gadjovich remain sidelined with an undisclosed illness.

Calgary Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich tied a franchise record by scoring in his fifth straight game during his first season with the club as they doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Dan Vladar picked up the win by stopping 31 shots for the 12-14-5 Flames. Nikita Kucherov collected two assists as he remains atop the NHL scoring race with 52 points while his Lightning dropped to 14-13-5.

A shootout goal by Carl Grundstrom lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Trevor Moore and Anze Kopitar scored for the Kings (17-6-4) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 38 points. Adam Larsson and Oliver Bjorkstrand replied for the Kraken as they dropped to 10-14-8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played without winger Jordan Eberle as he was sidelined by a lower-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes placed goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers Saturday. He’s struggled this season with a 3.61 goals-against average and a .854 save percentage.

TSN: Free-agent winger Phil Kessel is looking into the possibility of playing some games in Switzerland while still hoping for an opportunity to sign with an NHL club this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Kessel plays well overseas it could make him more enticing for NHL clubs seeking an experienced winger before the March 8 trade deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 4, 2023

by | Oct 4, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 4, 2023

Check out the latest on Alexis Lafreniere, the Oilers’ goaltending, Patrick Kane, Marc-Andre Fleury, a couple of Leafs’ trade candidates and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stan Fischler and Stefen Rosner with a roundup of trade and free agent rumors this week. Among the notables:

Alexis Lafreniere’s struggles with the New York Rangers don’t seem to be letting up and it might be best for both sides to part ways soon. The 21-year-old former first-overall pick should still fetch plenty in a trade and he could be a good fit with the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have tried playing Lafreniere on right wing during this preseason (and in previous seasons) but the results have been underwhelming. It’s still too early to hit the panic button as general manager Chris Drury could prefer seeing how he performs in the upcoming regular season.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images).

Nevertheless, Drury’s patience could run out if Lafreniere doesn’t improve as the coming campaign progresses. The Canadiens could be among the interested clubs though they’re going to give 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky as well as Rafael Harvey-Pinard plenty of looks as their middle-six left wingers. Still, Habs president of hockey ops Jeff Gorton could contact Drury if Lafreniere became available. Gorton drafted Lafreniere while serving as Rangers GM in 2020.

There will be clubs willing to bet on Lafreniere benefitting from a change of scenery and an opportunity to earn full-time second-line minutes in his natural position at left wing. However, his trade value for the Rangers will suffer if his play shows no sign of real improvement.

The onus is going to be on Stuart Skinner to backstop the Edmonton Oilers into the Stanley Cup Final. If he struggles this season, however, Oilers GM Ken Holland could be forced into the trade market. Jack Campbell cannot do the job full-time despite his $20 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner played well enough last season to become a finalist for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year but he wilted under the heat of playoff pressure. Meanwhile, Campbell struggled through his first season with the Oilers but played well spelling off Skinner in the postseason.

Campbell has solid stats in previous playoff competitions with a career 2.28 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. If he can wrest back the starter’s job this season, maybe he can carry them to the Final.

For now, the Oilers’ goalie situation remains a question mark. If Campbell and Skinner both struggle this season, Holland could have a difficult time finding a suitable short-term starter by the March trade deadline.

It’s possible Patrick Kane could end up with the Rangers this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wouldn’t rule it out but their limited cap space will make it difficult to outbid other clubs.

Maybe Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois is thinking about Marc-Andre Fleury now that Andrei Vasilevskiy is sidelined.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury isn’t going anywhere. Even if he agreed to waive his no-movement clause, his $3.5 million cap hit is too expensive for the cap-strapped Lightning to absorb. The Wild have no reason to peddle Fleury. He’ll serve as Filip Gustavsson’s backup and mentor for the coming season.

The Athletic reportedly has Calle Jarnkrok or T.J. Brodie getting traded this season by the Toronto Maple Leafs to relieve their cap issues. The Anaheim Ducks are one reported destination.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brodie currently skates alongside Morgan Rielly on their top defense pairing so I doubt he gets shopped. Jarnkrok is their utility forward on their checking lines. He’d be the more likely trade option but the Leafs could consider other cost-cutting choices.

The Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks are supposedly talking.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wonder if Shane Pinto or Mathieu Joseph are the subjects of their conversations. The Senators are believed to be peddling Joseph to free up cap room to sign Pinto.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – July 25, 2023

by | Jul 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – July 25, 2023

The Stars sign GM Jim Nill to a contract extension, the Hurricanes sign Tony DeAngelo plus the latest speculation on the Leafs, Rangers and Coyotes in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors

MORNING COFFEE HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed general manager Jim Nill to a two-year contract extension. He is entering his 11th season with the Stars and became the first general manager in franchise history to win the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nill did a fine job rebuilding the Stars in his early years, weathering some difficult times and bringing in young talent such as Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Jake Oettinger. They reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 and the Western Conference Final last season.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes have brought back Tony DeAngelo, signing the puck-moving defenseman to a one-year, $1.675 million contract.

DeAngelo, 27, played for the Hurricanes in 2021-22 and was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers last summer, who signed him to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $5 million. However, the Flyers bought out the final year of his contract earlier this month, making him an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeAngelo played a better-disciplined game during his first tenure with the Hurricanes which explains why the Hurricanes brought him back. They had a trade in place with the Flyers earlier this month to acquire him with the latter retaining half of his cap hit but the deal was rejected on a CBA technicality.

The Hurricanes were reportedly among the teams interested in acquiring San Jose Sharks blueliner Erik Karlsson. Signing DeAngelo likely takes them out of the Karlsson sweepstakes.

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith reports the Minnesota Wild and goaltender Filip Gustavsson could be headed to arbitration to resolve his contract situation. Gustavsson, 25, is coming off a two-year contract with an AAV of $787,500. He filed for arbitration and his hearing date is Aug. 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gustavsson and the Wild will make their respective contract submissions to the arbitrator 48 hours prior to his scheduled hearing.

CAP FRIENDLY: Speaking of arbitration, Gustavsson is among eight players with hearings scheduled from July 30 (Arizona’s Jack McBain and Boston’s Jeremy Swayman) to Aug. 4 (Gustavsson, Edmonton’s Ryan McLeod, Pittsburgh’s Drew O’Connor and the New York Rangers’ Brandon Scanlin).

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

Others include Boston’s Trent Frederic (Aug. 1) and Anaheim’s Troy Terry.

RUMOR MILL

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes the Maple Leafs cannot afford to pay William Nylander the $9 million to $10 million annual cap hit that he’s seeking on his next contract. It’s still less than what John Tavares, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are currently making.

Simmons doubts the Leafs will get anything close to equal value for Nylander in a trade. He recommends letting the 27-year-old winger play out the final year of his contract and then let him walk via free agency. Simmons argues the Leafs could use the money they would’ve paid Nylander to put toward “all kinds of possibilities for roster movement” between now and next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The latest reports on Nylander’s contract negotiations claim they’re not going well with the two sides far apart.

General manager Brad Treliving went through a similar situation in 2021-22 with winger Johnny Gaudreau while GM of the Calgary Flames. He hoped to re-sign Gaudreau but wound up watching the winger depart for Columbus as a free agent last summer.

That’s sparked speculation that Treliving won’t go through the same thing with Nylander. Others, meanwhile, share Simmons’ belief that they should retain him this season as the Leafs chase the Stanley Cup, let him walk next summer and use the cap room to bolster their depth elsewhere.

It’ll be interesting to see how Treliving addresses this. While he won’t get equal value for Nylander in the trade market, he could get a couple of promising young players in return who could blossom into future stars. However, if the “Shanaplan” remains pursuing the Stanley Cup this season, they’ll likely keep Nylander and watch him depart as a free agent next July.

TSN: Travis Yost considers the contract buyout possibilities for the Maple Leafs in the wake of Ilya Samsonov’s contract award via arbitration on Sunday.

With the Leafs now well over the $83.5 million salary cap, Yost believes a buyout is coming before their second buyout window closes barring a cost-cutting trade. He suggests oft-injured goaltender Matt Murray or defenseman T.J. Brodie as candidates, though buying out the latter could hurt their efforts to be a Cup contender this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yost also points out that the Leafs could place Murray on long-term injury reserve. However, they would have to be salary-cap compliant once he’s ready to return to the lineup. Of course, if injuries have ended his playing career they can place him on LTIR and buy out Brodie or someone else.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks recently noted an unusually large number of free agents remain unsigned. He wondered how many of them would accept one-year contracts or tryout offers and if the Rangers might be able to tap into that low-cost pool to fill out their roster.

Among the notables that Brooks listed were Max Comtois, Jesse Puljujarvi, Zack Kassian, Anders Bjork, Colin White, Danton Heinen, Austin Watson, Cal Foote and Ethan Bear.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Puljujarvi might not be able to play until much later in the coming season. He underwent double hip surgery and faces a long recovery period.

GOPHNX.COM: In his latest mailbag segment, Craig Morgan was asked about why the Arizona Coyotes didn’t trade Nick Schmaltz this summer given how backloaded his contract was. Morgan believes they’re willing to absorb that cost given their shift to improving year over year as well as Schmaltz’s chemistry with high-scoring winger Clayton Keller.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Morgan believes Keller wouldn’t have been very happy if Schmaltz was traded. He tied the franchise single-season points record (86) in 2022-23 with Schmaltz as his linemate.

Morgan was also asked about the trade rumors that swirled about Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka. While they’re always willing to listen to offers, management hasn’t put Vejmelka on the trade block.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2023

by | Jun 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2023

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be announced today, the Canadiens re-sign Sean Monahan, an update on Carey Price, the Flames allow Milan Lucic to speak with other teams, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.com: The Hockey Hall of Fame will vote on its Class of 2023 inductees today. They will be announced at 3 pm ET.

Former New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (NHL.com)

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is expected to be among that group. This is his first year of eligibility.

Other former NHL stars among the candidates include Tom Barrasso, Rod Brind’Amour, Corey Crawford, Patrik Elias, Theo Fleury, Sergei Gonchar, Curtis Joseph, Reggie Leach, Alexander Mogilny, Chris Osgood, Jeremy Roenick, Keith Tkachuk, Pierre Turgeon, Mike Vernon, Justin Williams and Henrik Zetterberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I will continue stumping for Butch Goring until he’s inducted or I shuffle off this mortal coil, whichever comes first.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens yesterday re-signed Sean Monahan to a one-year, $1.985 million contract extension. The 28-year-old center was slated to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After several injury-plagued years in Calgary, Monahan was enjoying a bounce-back performance this season until suffering a season-ending lower-body injury in December. He was a good addition to the rebuilding Canadiens, acting as a mentor to their young players while providing experienced depth at center.

This signing allows Monahan to continue playing a prominent role with the Canadiens and perhaps improve his stock in next summer’s free-agent market. He could also become a valuable asset for the Habs at next year’s trade deadline if he has a healthy and productive season.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the Canadiens, long-time goalie Carey Price and his family have put their Montreal-area home up for sale and are moving to Kelowna, BC. Price, 35, has three years remaining on his contract but is unofficially retired because of a knee injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price carries an average annual value of $10.5 million. It’s expected the Canadiens will place him on long-term injury reserve, providing them with additional cap space to spend on other players this summer. There’s also speculation that Price could take up a player development role with the Habs.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames are allowing Milan Lucic to speak with other clubs about a new contract. The 35-year-old winger is slated to become a UFA on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lucic is no longer the dominating power forward of his youth but he played a significant leadership for Canada during their gold-medal run at the 2023 IIHF World Championships. That could entice playoff contenders seeking veteran leadership and toughness to sign him to an affordable one-year contract.

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan cites a “well-placed source” dismissing rumors of the Maple Leafs buying out defenseman T.J. Brodie. He has one season left on his contract with an AAV of $5 million and a full no-trade clause until July 1 when it becomes a 10-team no-trade clause for 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Someone in the media was likely musing over how the Leafs could garner some cap relief and suggested buying out Brodie. It got shared on social media and twisted around into the Leafs buying him out.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports it will take until September before the sale of the Senators to incoming owner Michael Andlauer is completed. Until then, he cannot make any changes to the club. That means he will have no say over possible offseason roster moves by general manager Pierre Dorion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorion’s biggest potential move is his anticipated trade of Alex DeBrincat. Garrioch reports the Senators would like a first-round pick as part of the return for the 25-year-old winger, who refuses to ink a long-term extension with the club.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres have signed forward Zemgus Girgensons to a one-year contract extension worth $2.5 million. This move was made to preserve the club’s leadership group.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Girgensons is the longest-serving active member on the Sabres roster, having played nine seasons.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes yesterday placed forward Zack Kassian and defenseman Patrik Nemeth on waivers for the purpose of buying out their contracts.

TSN: Player agent Ray Petkau confirmed clients James Reimer of the San Jose Sharks and Thomas Greiss of the St. Louis Blues will be hitting the UFA market on July 1.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman doesn’t anticipate trading his two first-round picks in the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft (June 28-29) in Nashville. The Red Wings hold picks No. 9 and No. 17.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yzerman could change his mind if a rival GM makes a tempting offer but it doesn’t appear as though he’s actively shopping those picks.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders signed restricted free agent defenseman Samuel Bolduc to a two-year, one-way contract worth an AAV of $800K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2023

by | Mar 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2023

Aleksander Barkov makes franchise history as the Panthers overtake the Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, the three stars of the week are announced plus injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov collected an assist to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (614 points) in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists for the Panthers, who improved to 36-27-7 and vaulted over the Pittsburgh Penguins into the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points. Dylan Larkin scored his 26th goal of the season for the 30-30-9 Red Wings.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

The Penguins, meanwhile, slipped to 34-26-10 (78 points) by dropping a 2-1 decision to the Ottawa Senators. Rookie goaltender Dylan Ferguson kicked out 48 shots for his first NHL win in just his second career game since 2017-18. Thomas Chabot and Drake Batherson scored for the 34-31-5 Senators, who sit six points behind the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a tale of two teams going in different directions. The Panthers have been red-hot over the last 10 games (7-2-1) while the Penguins have dropped four straight and are 4-5-1 in their last 10. The Pens’ injury-depleted defense took another hit when Marcus Petterson was placed on long-term injury reserve.

The Senators, meanwhile, kept their playoff hopes alive but their odds of gaining ground on the Panthers are shrinking with the end of the regular season (April 13) just over three weeks away.

Speaking of teams struggling to reach a wild-card spot, the Calgary Flames were thumped 8-2 by the Los Angeles Kings. Adrian Kempe and Carl Gundstrom each tallied twice for the 41-20-10 Kings as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 92 points. Tyler Toffoli and Noah Hanifin replied for the 31-25-15 Flames (77 points) as they remain four points behind the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ sputtering performance in recent weeks is the only reason the Flames remain in striking distance of that final Western wild-card spot. If the Jets can string a few wins together over the next week or two, the flickering Flames’ postseason hopes will be doused.

Turning to the Flames’ Alberta rival, the Edmonton Oilers picked up their fourth straight win by nipping the San Jose Sharks 5-4 on an overtime goal by Darnell Nurse. Mattias Ekholm scored twice, including the game-tying goal late in the third period as the Oilers (40-23-8) sit four points back of the Kings in the Pacific Division with 88 points. Erik Karlsson tallied twice for the 19-37-15 Sharks.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev stopped 27 shots to shut out the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Denis Malgin scored twice and collected an assist as the Avalanche picked up their sixth straight win (41-22-6) to sit second in the Central Division with 88 points, one behind the Dallas Stars. The Blackhawks dropped to 24-40-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Georgiev is now tied for the league lead in shutouts with five. The Avalanche played without Cale Makar as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman are the three stars for the week ending March 19.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman John Carlson could be one step closer to returning to action after joining his teammates yesterday wearing a regular practice jersey, indicating he’s cleared for contact.

Carlson, 33, suffered a fractured skull and severed his temporal artery after being struck by a slapshot during a game against the Winnipeg Jets three months ago.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken could open their four-game road trip in Dallas tonight without starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer as he battles a non-COVID-related illness. The Kraken hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 83 points.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is expected to be in the lineup for Tuesday’s games against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s been sidelined since Feb. 25 by a shoulder injury.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner T.J. Brodie is listed as day-to-day after blocking a shot during Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, 46, will be running next month’s Boston Marathon for charity. It will be the first time Chara has run in a marathon.

USCHO.COM: Carson Briere has been charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct after a video emerged showing him pushing a double amputee’s empty wheelchair down a flight of stairs in a bar on March 11. Briere is the son of Philadelphia Flyers assistant general manager Daniel Briere.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2023

by | Jan 30, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2023

Leafs captain John Tavares and Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns pick up wins in their respective milestone games during a quiet Sunday for NHL action. Check out the details in the Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares collected two assists in his 1,000th career NHL game in a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. The Leafs blew the game open in the second period with four goals.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

Morgan Rielly’s first goal of the season proved to be the game-winner as the Leafs improved to 31-12-8 to sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 70 points. Nicklas Backstrom tallied his first of the season for the Capitals (26-20-6) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman TJ Brodie (rib) was activated off injured reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 9.

Meanwhile, Leafs goaltender Matt Murray missed this game with an ankle injury. He will be sidelined until after the upcoming All-Star break.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns picked up an assist in his 1,300th career NHL game as his club beat the Boston Bruins 4-1, handing the latter their third straight loss. Sebastian Aho tallied his 21st goal of the season as the Hurricanes (32-9-8) sit atop the Metropolitan Division and second in the overall standings with 72 points. The 38-7-5 Bruins hold a nine-point lead in first overall with 81 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins had never lost consecutive games this season prior to the start of this losing skid on Jan. 26 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They did pick up a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

NOTE: With the All-Star Break approaching on Feb. 2-5, we can expect a light schedule of games up to Wednesday. There’s only one game on Monday, Jan. 30 as the St. Louis Blues visit the Winnipeg Jets.

Three games are slated for Tuesday, Jan. 31 as the Los Angeles Kings visit the Carolina Hurricanes, the Ottawa Senators journey to Montreal to face the Canadiens, and the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Washington Capitals.

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the Hurricanes head to Buffalo to meet the Sabres while the Boston Bruins will face off against the Maple Leafs in Toronto.