NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2019

by | May 23, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2019

Updates on the Bruins and Blues, Sedins inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, John Davidson takes over as Rangers president. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues Game 6 victory in the Western Conference Final generated their highest rating ever for a game on cable TV. Nielsen rating service reported 20.8 percent of homes with a television in the St. Louis market were tuned to that game. The Blues eliminated the San Jose Sharks in that contest to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1970.

BOSTON HERALD: The Bruins hope to combat their 11-day layoff between series with an intra-scrimmage game tonight at the TD Garden. The Bruins will face off against the Blues in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday.

Daniel and Henrik Sedin were inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame (Photo via NHL.com).

  VANCOUVER SUN: Former Canucks stars Daniel and Henrik Sedin were inducted Wednesday into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved honor for the two greatest players in Canucks history. This won’t be the only Hall of Fame they’ll be admitted into shortly. They’re certain to be first-ballot inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2021. 

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers yesterday formally introduced John Davidson as their new president.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers wonder how Davidson’s hiring will affect the Rangers’ rebuild. While he’ll have input, I expect he’ll stay out of general manager Jeff Gorton’s way. 

THE DETROIT NEWS:  Team Canada winger Anthony Mantha received a one-game suspension for a hit to the head of Team USA’s Colin White during Tuesday’s game between the two clubs at the IIHF World Championships.

There’s no update on the status of Team USA center Dylan Larkin, who took a shot directly to the groin area during that game. He’s still being evaluated and it’s uncertain if he’ll play in today’s game against Russia. Mantha and Larkin are teammates with the Detroit Red Wings.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Growing speculation out of Edmonton suggests Dave Tippett will become the next head coach of the Edmonton Oilers.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens home games for 2019-20 will start at 7 pm instead of 7:30 pm. Exceptions will be matinee games scheduled for special events.

ABC/FOX MONTANA: Former NHL goaltender Peter Budaj is the new assistant coach of the Montana State Bobcats men’s hockey team.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2019

by | Apr 14, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2019

Capitals take 2-0 series lead over Hurricanes, Predators, Bruins, and Avalanche tie their respective series, Nikita Kucherov receives a one-game suspension, an update on Connor McDavid, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Brooks Orpik’s overtime goal gave the Washington Capitals a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes and a 2-0 lead in their opening-round series. Orpik became the oldest defenseman in NHL history to score an overtime playoff goal. Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and T.J. Oshie each collected two points for the Capitals.

Hurricanes winger Micheal Ferland was ejected during the second period for a hit to the head of Capitals forward Nic Dowd. Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton’s elbow to the head of Kuznetsov will be reviewed by the league’s department of player safety but it’s unclear if it’ll merit a suspension.

Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik is the oldest blueliner in NHL history to score a playoff overtime goal (Photo via NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals haven’t had an easy time of it with the Hurricanes, who overcame an early 2-0 deficit to force the extra period. They lack the Capitals depth in experienced talent but they’re a plucky hardworking bunch with a bright future.

An overtime tally by Craig Smith enabled the Nashville Predators to edge the Dallas Stars 2-1, squaring their series at a game apiece. Rocco Grimaldi also scored for the Predators while Jamie Benn netted the Stars’ only goal. Dallas goaltender Ben Bishop made 40 saves. The Predators skated without center Brian Boyle (illness) and lost winger Wayne Simmonds after he took a shot off his left knee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bishop was outstanding in this game and deserved a better fate. This performance is but one reason why I believe he should win the Vezina Trophy this season. No word yet on Simmonds’ status for Game 3. 

Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist and Tuukka Rask kicked out 30 shots as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 to tie their series 1-1. The physical contest took a toll on both clubs.

Bruins defenseman Torey Krug left the game in the second period following a hit by Leafs blueliner Jake Muzzin. Leafs center Nazem Kadri, meanwhile, will have a hearing today with the department of player safety and faces a suspension following a match penalty for cross-checking the head of Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk.  Bruins winger Marcus Johansson missed the game with the flu.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins ratcheted up the physical play in this one and effectively neutralized the Leafs speed. Kadri was obviously still angry over a knee-on-knee collision with DeBrusk in the second period and allowed his emotions to once again boil over, just like in last year’s series between these two clubs. That time, he got a three-game suspension. He could get more for his latest infraction. 

The Colorado Avalanche evened their series with the Calgary Flames as Nathan MacKinnon’s overtime goal gave them a 3-2 victory in Game 2. Mikko Rantanen collected two assists while Philipp Grubauer made 35 saves for the Avalanche. The Flames’ Sam Bennett also had two assists.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov received a one-game suspension for boarding Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara in Game 2 of their opening-round series.

Speaking of the Lightning, defenseman Anton Stralman (upper-body injury) is uncertain when he’ll return to the lineup.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins center Jared McCann (upper-body injury) expects to be in the lineup for this afternoon’s game against the New York Islanders. The Isles hold a 2-0 lead in that series.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Connor McDavid has a small ligament tear in his left knee and will begin rehab almost immediately. He’s expected to be good to go for training camp in September.

 

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2018

by | Jun 14, 2018

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2018

Updates on the Capitals, Golden Knights and Senators,the latest on Mike Green, the Lightning and Kings make a trade, and more in your NHL morning coffee headlines.

NBC SPORTS: Washington Capitals forwards Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov will not require surgery for injuries suffered during the playoffs. Backstrom had two fractures in his right index finger while Kuznetsov suffered a left-shoulder injury.

Nicklas Backstrom was among four Capitals who played through injuries in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs (Photo via NHL Images).

Andre Burakovsky revealed he broke both thumbs during the season, one of them in the opening round of the playoffs. Defenseman Brooks Orpik needed surgery to reattach the tip of his left pinkie following a slash by Vegas Golden Knights center Erik Haula in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t think anyone’s surprised that Backstrom and Kuznetsov were nursing those respective injuries. Fortunately, they weren’t serious enough to significantly hamper their play in the Stanley Cup Final. 

Meanwhile, the status of head coach Barry Trotz, whose contract expires at the end of this month, remains uncertain. Trotz once again said he’d like to return, while general manager Brian MacLellan said he spoke with the coach yesterday morning and intends to meet with ownership to discuss the matter further.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Vegas Golden Knights held a fan appreciation rally yesterday on Fremont Street. Despite a heat advisory, around 7,500 fans turned out to cheer the team.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Stevenson traces how the Ottawa Senators became “a dysfunctional mess” this season, from allegations of Mike Hoffman’s fiancee harassing team captain Erik Karlsson’s wife, to ” ownership’s comments at the outdoor game, the swirl of rumours around Karlsson’s future with the team, the waffling on LeBreton, Daniel Alfredsson’s plea for new ownership, to the impending court date for assistant GM Randy Lee in Buffalo”.

OTTAWA SUN: Don Brennan also weighs in on the Senators woes, suggesting things began to fall apart during an unusually lengthy stretch of road games last November. He believes the recent bad news will adversely affect efforts to trade Hoffman (or at least to get a reasonable return for him) and re-sign Karlsson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Hoffman’s $5.1-million annual cap hit and now the additional baggage of his fiancee facing harassment allegations, the Senators could find his value is plummeting in the trade market. As for Karlsson, I think he’s a goner now. I know management has stated they intend to offer him a contract extension, but with all that’s transpired since last fall, who could blame him if he rejects it? For that matter, who could fault him if he requests a trade? 

MLIVE.COM: Pending free agent defenseman Mike Green has received contract offers of one and two-years from the Detroit Red Wings, who aren’t comfortable with giving him another three-year deal.  Green could get lengthier offers on the open market but he likes playing in Detroit.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning traded goaltender Peter Budaj to the Los Angeles Kings yesterday in exchange for forward Andy Andreoff.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Former Kings defenseman Slava Voynov has filed a petition asking the Los Angeles Superior Court to dismiss his conviction on a misdemeanor charge of corporal injury to a spouse. He spent nearly two months in jail and received three years of probation. It’s believed this move could be the first step toward his possible return to the NHL.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens won’t be renewing the contracts for three of their amateur scouts. 

SPORTSNET: Former NHL player Nick Boynton recently shared the emotional and physical toll of his 11-year playing career and its effects upon his life since leaving hockey. 

 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2017

by | Dec 31, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2017

Game recaps, Flames ship Eddie Lack to the Devils plus injury updates on Filip Forsberg, Logan Couture and more in your NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals took over first place in the Metropolitan Division by downing the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Alex Ovechkin had three assists and Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson each scored a goal and set up two others.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin, the Capitals’ top scorer with 41 points, moved into 10th spot among the league’s scoring leaders. 

Tuukka Rask made 25 saves to pick up his second shutout of the season as the Boston Bruins blanked the Ottawa Senators 5-0. Ryan Spooner scored twice and David Krejci collected two points in his first game since being sidelined on Dec. 16.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins continue to jostle with the Toronto Maple Leafs for second place in the Atlantic. They’ve won seven of their last 10 games. 

The Nashville Predators moved ahead of the Winnipeg Jets for first in the Central Division by beating the Minnesota Wild 3-0. Juuse Saros kicked out 29 shots for his second shutout this season. The Predators were playing without their leading scorer, as winger Filip Forsberg (upper body) is on injured reserve. 

Drew Doughty scored the game winner in the third period to lift the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Tyler Toffoli also scored and added two assists for the Kings.

Scottie Upshall’s third-period goal stood as the winner as the St. Louis Blues edged the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Alex Pietrangelo had two helpers for the Blues, who squandered a 2-0 lead before Upshall’s winning tally. The Blues also welcomed back defenseman Jay Bouwmeester from injured reserve. 

James Reimer turned in a 38-save shutout performance and Connor Brickley had two points to give the Florida Panthers a 2-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. The punchless Habs dropped their fourth straight, scoring just three goals in that stretch.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames yesterday traded goaltender Eddie Lack to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defensman Dalton Prout, who cleared waivers earlier this week. As per Sportsnet’s John Shannon, the Devils will pick up 50 percent of Lack’s remaining salary while the Carolina Hurricanes (his former club before being dealt to the Flames) absorbs the other 50 percent. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lack’s game really declined during his tenure in Carolina and didn’t improve during his brief stay with the Flames. He and Prout will both report to their new clubs’ minor-league affiliates. 

NBC SPORTS: Good news for the San Jose Sharks, as leading scorer Logan Couture (sidelined since Dec. 14 by a concussion) could be on the verge of returning to action. 

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: The Penguins have called up forward Daniel Sprong in hopes of bolstering their sagging offense. He has 18 goals and 28 points in 29 AHL games this season. 

WINNIPEG SUN: The good news for the Winnipeg Jets is sidelined defenseman Dustin Byfuglien is expected back within the next five days. The bad news is blueliner Brandon Tanev is out two-three weeks. 

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning placed backup goalie Peter Budaj (left leg) on injured reserve and called up Louis Domingue. 

 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2017

by | Jun 20, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2017

The Arizona Coyotes have decided not to re-sign long-time captain Shane Doan.

Coyotes part ways with Doan, Isles reportedly have deal with Vegas Golden Knights. Details & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines. 

ARIZONA SPORTS: After 21 seasons, the Arizona Coyotes are parting ways with captain Shane Doan. The club won’t re-sign the 40-year-old right wing, who’s eligible on July 1 for unrestricted free agency.

They have offered Doan a front-office job but his agent said his client intends to test the upcoming free-agent market. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson will take over as the Coyotes’ new captain. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how much interest Doan attracts as a free agent. He was a hot commodity as a UFA five years ago, but age and the wear and tear of 21 NHL seasons appeared to catch up with him last season, managing only six goals and 27 points.

However, Doan is only a year away from a 28-goal performance. There could be a club seeking leadership and scoring depth willing to take a chance on him for a reasonable, one-year, bonus-laden deal. 

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Vegas Golden Knights reportedly have a deal in place with the New York Islanders “in which the Knights will receive the Islanders’ first-round draft pick (No. 15 overall) in Friday’s NHL Entry draft along with injured forward Mikhail Grabovski. In exchange, the Knights will take veteran forward Nikolai Kulemin in the Expansion Draft on Wednesday.” 

Golden Knights general manager George McPhee also set a deadline of midnight on Monday for rival GMs to talk trade with him. McPhee intends to compile his inaugural roster today and will officially announce his selections on Wednesday during the NHL Awards in Las Vegas. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given how many key players the Isles left exposed in the expansion draft, it’s unsurprising they’re willing to part with their first-round pick in this year’s draft. That seems a steep price, but this year’s draft isn’t a deep one. It’s a worthwhile move that helps them shed the expensive contracts of Grabovski and Kulemin. 

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators were unable to swing a deal with the Golden Knights to steer them away from players such as James Neal in the expansion draft.

SUNSENTINEL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Jonathan Marchessault said he was informed by GM Dale Tallon that he wasn’t able to make a deal with Vegas to prevent them from selecting him in the expansion draft.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators were in talks with Vegas regarding a possible deal to protect defenseman Marc Methot. While as many as eight teams were rumored to have side deals in place with the Golden Knights, the Senators weren’t among them. 

TRIBLIVE.COM: Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to depart for Vegas via the expansion draft on Wednesday. In what is likely his final act as a Penguin, Fleury financed the construction of a playground at the Sto-Ken-Rox Boys & Girls Club in McKees Rocks.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning announced the re-signing of goaltender Peter Budaj to a two-year contract extension worth an annual average salary of $1.02 million. Budaj was eligible for unrestricted free agency in July. 

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson will be inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame. He’ll join former NHL official Kevin Collins, three-time Olympic women’s team coach Ben Smith and former NHL player Scott Young among this year’s inductees. 

 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2017

by | May 19, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2017

Anaheim Ducks winger Corey Perry (10) celebrates his overtime goal against the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of the 2017 Western Conference Final.

Ducks even Western Conference Final at 2 games apiece, plus updates on the Senators, Penguins & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHL.COM: Corey Perry’s overtime goal gave the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, knotting the series at two games apiece and handing the Predators their first home-ice loss in the 2017 postseason.

The Predators overcame a 2-0 deficit on third-period goals by P.K. Subban and Filip Forsberg to force overtime. Predators captain Mike Fisher left the game in the third period with a possible head injury and didn’t return. 

TRIBLIVE.COM/OTTAWA SUN: Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan isn’t tipping his hand on whether he’ll start Marc-Andre Fleury or Matt Murray in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final tonight. The Ottawa Senators, however, aren’t concerned over who they face in the Penguins net. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 4 could prove the crucial one in this series. The Senators hold a 2-1 series lead, holding the usually lethal Penguins offense to just three goals. If the injury-battered Pens can’t find a way to overcome Ottawa’s smothering defensive system tonight, they’ll be returning to Pittsburgh facing elimination in Game 5.

TSN;  Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold expressed buyer’s remorse over his club acquiring center Martin Hanzal from the Arizona Coyotes before the trade deadline. Hanzal’s presence didn’t help the Wild avoid first-round elimination in the 2017 playoffs. 

 YAHOO SPORTS: The agent for Nashville Predators center Mike Ribeiro said his client suffered an alcohol relapse before the Christmas holidays. He’s currently resting at home in Nashville hoping to get better and could make a decision on his hockey future soon. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hopefully Ribeiro finds the help he needs to continue his recovery. The 37-year-old’s NHL career is probably over. His performance significantly declined this season and the Preds couldn’t find any takers when he submitted a trade request. He was placed on waivers in February and finished the season in the AHL. 

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman is interested in bringing back goaltender Peter Budaj next season. Budaj is eligible for unrestricted free agency in July. 

NEWSDAY: The New York Islanders named Luke Richardson as an assistant coach. 

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Arizona Coyotes promoted Steve Sullivan to assistant general manager. 

THE DENVER POST: Lee Hee-beom, head of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics organizing committee, said his group is ready to cooperate with the NHL in hopes the league will allow its players to participate in the Games. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I believe that ship has sailed. The team owners appear adamant against participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics. It’ll take significant concessions from the IOC to change their minds.