NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 21, 2024

Jake Guentzel’s role with the Lightning, new contracts for Utah’s Dylan Guenther and the Devils’ Dawson Mercer, injury updates, and more today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper shuts down the notion that offseason acquisition is replacing former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos.

Nobody is replacing Stammer,” said Cooper. “He has created a legacy here, and I think that is unfair to say. Jake is coming in here to create his own legacy.”

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images).

Stamkos signed a four-year contract with the Nashville Predators on July 1. A day earlier, the Lightning acquired Guentzel’s rights from the Carolina Hurricanes and signed him to a seven-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooper is trying to take pressure off Guentzel and quell any unrealistic expectations among some Lightning followers. Nevertheless, there’s no question he was brought in to fill the offensive void on left wing created by Stamkos’ departure.

The Lightning coach is right that Guentzel isn’t replacing Stamkos’ role as captain and long-time franchise star. He’s there to fill the role of trigger man on their top forward line, especially on the power play.

NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club signed winger Dylan Guenther to an eight-year contract extension. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Puckpedia indicates the average annual value is $7.142 million with a modified no-trade clause starting on July 1, 2030. The 21-year-old Guenther earned this deal by scoring 18 goals and 17 assists for 35 points in 45 games last season, spending time on Utah’s top power-play unit.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils signed forward Dawson Mercer to a three-year contract with a $4 million AAV. The 22-year-old reached the 20-goal plateau last season for the second straight year. He reached 42 points as a rookie in 2021-22 and netted a career-best 27 goals and 56 points as a sophomore.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mercer’s production dropped last season to 33 points but that was because the versatile forward was used in several different roles as injuries depleted the Devils. He remains an invaluable member of their roster.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Seattle Kraken winger Andre Burakovsky looks forward to reuniting with Chandler Stephenson, who joined the Kraken this summer as a free agent. The two were teammates with the Washington Capitals for five seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Burakovsky has been hampered by injuries that limited him to 49 games in each of the last two seasons. A healthier season for him will be crucial to the Kraken’s hope of rebounding from last season’s disappointing performance.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe confirmed he’s in contract extension talks with management. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Yeah, we’ve talked a couple times,” said McCabe. “I love it here, and think they enjoy my game too.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McCabe, 30, is earning an AAV of $4 million on his current contract.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets defenseman Ville Heinola is out indefinitely following an infection in his surgically repaired ankle. He missed all of last season after breaking the ankle in training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Poor Heinola, if it weren’t for bad luck, he’d have no luck at all.

DAILY FACEOFF: Chicago Blackhawks rookie Artyom Levshunov is expected to be sidelined for four more weeks as he recovers from an injury to his right foot suffered in offseason training. The 18-year-old defenseman was chosen second overall by the Blackhawks in this year’s draft.

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets named Rick Nash as director of hockey operations.

Nash, 40, is the Blue Jackets’ franchise leader in goals (289), assists (258) and points (547) and served as team captain from 2008 until traded to the New York Rangers in 2012. He returned to the club as special assistant to the general manager in 2019 and was promoted to the position of director of player development in 2021.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators reached a sale agreement in principle with the National Capital Commission to purchase 10 acres of land at LeBreton Flats, about 10 minutes west of Parliament Hill. The Senators intend to construct a new arena at that location.

It’s hoped that the sale will be completed next year. Senators president Cyril Leeder said there’s no expectation that the city will have to pay for the arena.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no timetable yet for construction, but this is the first real positive step toward the Senators’ dream of a downtown arena.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2024

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon reaches 100 points, the Panthers surge into first overall, the Leafs acquire Ilya Lyubushkin from the Ducks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to reach 100 points as the Colorado Avalanche blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Justus Annunen stopped 24 shots for his first career NHL shutout while Zach Parise scored twice and collected an assist for the 37-19-5 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 79 points. Petr Mrazek made 29 saves for the 15-40-5 Blackhawks.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In his 61st game of the season, MacKinnon became the second-fastest player in Avalanche history to reach 100 points during a season. He sits one game behind Peter Statsny, who did it in 60 games in 1981-82. The Avalanche center sits second in the league scoring race.

The Florida Panthers nipped the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 to move into first place in the overall standings with 84 points. Sam Reinhart tallied twice to reach 41 goals on the season, Aleksander Barkov had three points and Anton Lundell scored the winning goal in a shootout for the 40-16-4 Panthers. Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the 23-28-9 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are tied with the Boston Bruins in points but have five more wins and a game in hand over the Bruins. Reinhart sits second in the goal-scoring race. Suzuki, meanwhile, had a productive February with 11 goals and 17 points in 11 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll made 30 saves in his return from injury in a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 53rd goal of the season while William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (34-17-8), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 76 points. The Coyotes (23-31-5) have lost 14 straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs also swung a trade as they reacquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-way deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes. The Leaf sent the Ducks a third-round pick in 2025 and a 2024 sixth-rounder to the Hurricanes. The Ducks retained half of Lyubushkin’s $2.75 million cap hit with the Hurricanes retaining half of the remainder ($687,500).

Lyubushkin, 29, played 31 games and 7 playoff contests for the Leafs last season. A shutdown defenseman, he brings some much-needed depth to the right side of their blueline.

The Leafs could use another defenseman if Mark Giordano ends up sidelined for a lengthy period. The 40-year-old rearguard left the game in the first period with a head injury after falling hard into the boards. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Meanwhile, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe was fined $25,000.00 by the league for unprofessional conduct directed at on-ice officials during the Leafs’ loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.

The Boston Bruins downed the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4. Morgan Geekie scored his first career NHL hat trick while Mason Lohrei snapped a 4-4 tie for the 35-12-14 Bruins. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (33-20-2) as they’re perched in second place in the Pacific Division with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, it was reported that Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (upper-body injury) is sidelined for the remainder of the regular season and is questionable to return for the playoffs. It’s believed he suffered a lacerated spleen in a 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Feb. 20. I’ll have more about how this could affect the Golden Knights leading up to the trade deadline in today’s Rumors update.

Drew Doughty and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and two assists to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. With 70 points, the Kings (30-19-10) hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Brock Boeser scored the only goal for the 38-17-7 Canucks, who hold first place in the Western Conference with 83 points but slipped into fourth in the overall standings.

Speaking of Western Conference wild-card spots, the Nashville Predators picked up their seventh straight win by beating the Minnesota Wild 6-1. Roman Josi collected three points while Juuse Saros turned aside 33 shots for the 34-25-2 Predators, who also have 70 points but have played two more games than the Kings. Connor Dewar scored for the 28-26-6 Wild, who now sit eight points behind the Predators.

Dallas Stars rookie Logan Stankoven scored his third goal in four NHL games in a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz each had two points for the 36-17-9 Stars as they hold first place in the Central Division with 81 points. Winnipeg (37-16-5) remain two points behind the Stars. Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi missed the third period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars will have to wait a few days until trade acquisition Chris Tanev joins them. He remains in Calgary sorting out his work visa and is expected to make his debut on Tuesday.

An overtime goal by Rasmus Dahlin lifted the Buffalo Sabres over the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Tage Thompson’s game-tying goal set the stage for Dahlin’s OT heroics for the 28-28-4 Sabres. Nikita Kucherov collected an assist as he remains the league’s points leader with 104. The Lightning (32-24-6) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres coach Don Granato was fined $25,000.00 by the NHL for unprofessional conduct toward on-ice officials during Tuesday’s loss to the Panthers. 

The Carolina Hurricanes doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 with Brady Skjei getting a goal and an assist. Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for the Hurricanes (36-18-6) as they hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Alex Nylander had a goal and an assist for the 19-30-10 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blue Jackets announced forward Kent Johnson is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson scored two goals in a 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Mathew Bazal collected two points for the 25-20-4 Islanders as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Olli Maatta tallied twice for the Red Wings (33-21-6) as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 72 points.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ fading playoff hopes suffered another blow as they fell to the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves for the shutout while Oliver Bjorkstrand and Alex Wennberg scored for the 26-22-11 Kraken (63 points) as they sit seven points out of the final Western wild-card berth. Tristan Jarry made 23 saves for the 27-22-8 Penguins, who are eight points behind the Lightning with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Penguins announced that winger Bryan Rust is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Kraken forward Andre Burakovsky is listed as day-to-day with an unspecified injury.

The Anaheim Ducks held off the San Jose Sharks 6-4. Adam Henrique had a goal and two assists for the 21-35-3 Ducks while Anthony Duclair scored twice and collected an assist for the 15-38-5 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris’ season could be over as he’s expected to be sidelined for an extended period with an upper-body injury suffered during their 4-1 loss to the Predators on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Norris is one of the Senators’ core players but he’s been hampered by serious injuries since 2021-22. Shoulder surgery limited him to just eight games last season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 9, 2023

Recaps of Friday’s game, the Islanders acquire Robert Bortuzzo from the Blues, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers overcame 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to tame the Minnesota Wild 4-3. Evan Bouchard scored two goals and set up another to extend his points streak to 10 games, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins collected four assists while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who picked up their sixth straight win and improved their record to 11-12-1. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who suffered their second straight loss and slipped to 9-12-4.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild also lost Jonas Brodin as the defenseman left the game early in the third period after being crunched into the boards by Oilers winger Evander Kane.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves in a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Eetu Luostarinen broke a 1-1 tie in the third period while Anton Lundell picked up two assists for the 16-8-2 Panthers. Tristan Jarry turned aside 30 shots while Reilly Smith scored for the Penguins (11-12-5), who’ve won just three of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins also played without winger Bryan Rust as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets upset the St. Louis Blues 5-2. Jet Greaves kicked out 41 shots for his first career NHL victory while Yegor Chinakov scored twice and collected an assist for the 9-15-3 Blue Jackets. Robert Thomas tallied both goals for the Blues as they dropped to 13-12-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Blue Jackets as center Boone Jenner left this game after taking a puck to the face in the second period.

HEADLINES

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The New York Islanders acquired defenseman Robert Bortuzzo from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

This trade came after the Islanders placed blueliner Ryan Pulock (leg) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 7. He’s the third Isles rearguard to be sidelined over the past two weeks, joining Adam Pelech and Sebastian Aho.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move indicates the Islanders preferred a more experienced NHL depth defenseman to help fill the void on their blueline rather than calling up someone from their AHL affiliate.

Bortuzzo is a 13-year NHL veteran who won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019. However, he was a frequent healthy scratch this season as Scott Perunovich and Tyler Tucker garnered more playing time. Bortuzzo is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Andre Burakovsky is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. It was his first game since suffering a different upper-body injury that sidelined him for six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Burakovsky has been banged up a lot this year. He also suffered a season-ending groin injury in January.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Devils, defenseman Brendan Smith was fined $2,864.58 by the department of player safety for a dangerous trip against Kraken forward Devin Shore.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the second fine for Smith since 2022.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Austin Watson was fined $2,022.57 by the department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during his club’s loss to the Nashville Predators on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As time expired in that game, Watson deliberately shot the puck at Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. It’s the third time since 2017 that he’s been fined by the league.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2023

The Red Wings Alex DeBrincat leads the NHL scoring race, the Bruins remain undefeated and Oilers captain Connor McDavid has been sidelined by an injury. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings got a hat trick performance from Alex DeBrincat to douse the Calgary Flames 6-2. DeBrincat also collected an assist to take over the NHL lead with eight goals and 12 points. Lucas Raymond and Justin Holl each had three assists while James Reimer made 29 saves for the Red Wings, who moved into second place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 5-1-0. Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich replied for the 2-3-1 Flames.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getting traded to the Wings certainly agrees with DeBrincat as he’s off to the best start of his NHL career. He’s provided a welcome boost to their offense which struggled at times to score last season.

Speaking of the Flames, defenseman Rasmus Andersson is appealing his four-game suspension for elbowing Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine in the head on Friday.

The Boston Bruins remain undefeated (5-0-0) as they downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Rookie center Matthew Poitras tallied his first two NHL goals, Brad Marchand netted his fourth goal of the season and Linus Ullmark got the win with a 30-save performance. Mason McTavish scored for the Ducks as they dropped to 1-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins winger Milan Lucic was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

HEADLINES

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid will be sidelined for one to two weeks with an upper-body injury. He suffered the injury during Saturday’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Things just went from bad to worse for the struggling Oilers with McDavid on the sidelines with a suspected oblique strain. It’s not a lengthy absence but he will miss five games, one of them being the Heritage Classic against the Calgary Flames in Edmonton on Oct. 29. This will be a significant test of character for a club that’s trying to right the ship after lurching to a 1-3-1 start to this season.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Andre Burakovsky will be out for six to eight weeks with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second significant absence from the roster for Burakovsky in this calendar year. He suffered a season-ending groin injury in February.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils got some good news over the weekend as captain Nico Hischier is expected to resume practicing with his teammates on Monday. Hischier was injured during Friday’s game with the New York Islanders.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Arizona Coyotes have an emerging superstar in Clayton Keller. Having tied the single-season franchise points record (86) last season, the 25-year-old winger is off to a hot start with three goals and six points in his first five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keller’s been heading into superstar territory since 2021-22 when he had 63 points in 67 games before suffering a season-ending leg injury. He’s become the foundation for the Coyotes’ rebuild and a key reason why I anticipate that they could become a wild-card contender this season.

THE SCORE: Ted Nolan recently released his memoir chronicling his journey as an indigenous player and coach through the ranks into the NHL. He’s also hopeful for the future, pointing out that his sons Brandon and Jordan didn’t experience the overt racism that he encountered during his career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2023

Attainable milestones for the upcoming season plus the latest on Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: has a complete roundup of Sunday’s preseason action.

THE SCORE: Several NHL players are in line to reach league milestones this season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is within one goal of becoming the first player in league history to tally 300 career power-play goals. He’s also just 15 points away from reaching 1,500 career points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby needs 88 points to tie Phil Esposito for 10th on the all-time points list. Esposito has 1,590 points.

Phil Kessel, the league’s reigning Ironman record holder, is just eight points away from reaching 1,000 career points. That’s assuming the 35-year-old unrestricted free agent finds a new contract with an NHL club. Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares is 25 points away from 1,000.

Twenty players, including Nashville’s Ryan O’Reilly, Minnesota’s Marc-Andre Fleury, Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman, Vegas’ Alex Pietrangelo, Boston’s Brad Marchand and Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson, could reach 1,000 career games.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has yet to suit up for training camp as he deals with an undisclosed injury. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said Vasilevskiy is “wrestling with some things right now physically” and is considered day-to-day.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Mika Zibanejad is listed as day-to-day after leaving scrimmage on Sunday with an upper-body injury.

CAP FRIENDLY: The Seattle Kraken have officially removed winger Andre Burakovsky off injured reserved. He’d been on IR since Feb. 9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken managed to adjust to Burakovsky’s absence as they reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Nevertheless, he helped set the stage for that success with 39 points in 49 games before suffering a torn groin.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk will be evaluated today after leaving Sunday’s preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres. He was struck in the right arm by a shot in the third period, left the game and didn’t return.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Alex Nedeljkovic is hoping a fresh start with the Pittsburgh Penguins will help reset his career after two unsatisfying seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. He was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2020-21 with the Carolina Hurricanes but struggled to replicate that success after getting traded to the Red Wings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2023

Check out the latest on William Nylander, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky, Alex Galchenyuk and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby reports Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said his club continues its contract negotiations with William Nylander. “He’s a terrific player and he’s a star,” said Treliving. “You want to keep your good players. We have time.”

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

Hornby also reported the two sides remain $1 million apart. The Leafs prefer signing him for around $9 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander recently said that he prefers to continue playing in Toronto. Whether his camp can overcome that $1 million gulf on his next contract remains to be seen. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said Evgeny Kuznetsov remains an important player for the club despite his struggles last season. “What he’s capable of when he’s on his game is world-class and that’s my challenge to help identify parts of his game, things I can help him with, put him in positions to have success.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals reportedly attempted to trade Kuznetsov, who is believed to have requested a trade late last season despite his public denials. His inconsistent play and his $7.8 million annual cap hit through 2024-25 have likely hurt his value in the trade market.

A better performance by Kuznetsov this season could improve his trade stock. On the other hand, it could also ensure he remains with the Capitals if they’re in the playoff hunt this season.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken hopes that Andre Burakovsky regains his scoring form following his recovery from a groin injury that prematurely ended his 2022-23 campaign. The 28-year-old winger was leading the Kraken with 39 points in 49 games before he was sidelined.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They missed Burakovsky’s offense during their first postseason in their short franchise history. He could help them maintain their place as a playoff club this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Alex Galchenyuk has signed a two-year contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg. The 29-year-old winger had signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Coyotes in July but that deal was terminated following his arrest for a run-in with local police.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could signal the end of Galchenyuk’s NHL career after 654 games and 354 points with the Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs and two stints with the Coyotes. His career was already in decline before the incident in July.

Never say never, though. A strong effort in the KHL could act as a springboard for an NHL contract in two years times.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets announced a new partnership with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals. It’s the first time they’ve had an ECHL affiliate since 2020-21.