NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2023

A hat-trick performance by Seth Jarvis as Hurricanes honor Cam Ward, the NHLPA name Marty Walsh as its new executive director, plus the latest on Thatcher Demko, Jesse Puljujarvi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Andrei Svechnikov collected three assists as the Hurricanes improved to 36-10-8 to sit second in the overall standings with 80 points. Montreal fell to 23-28-4 on the season. The Canadiens played without Kirby Dach as he was sidelined by a non-COVID-related illness.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes honored former goaltender Cam Ward by making him their first inductee into their Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. He spent 13 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy by backstopping them to the 2006 Stanley Cup. He holds the franchise’s single-season record for wins (39) and is their career leader in games played by a goalie (668), wins (318) and shutouts (27).

The Boston Bruins got a 28-save shutout performance by Jeremy Swayman to blank the Nashville Predators 5-0. Patrice Bergeron, Hampus Lindholm and Nick Foligno each had two points as the league-leading Bruins (41-8-5) opened a seven-point lead over the Hurricanes with 87 points. The Predators slipped to 25-21-6 (56 points) and sit five points behind the Minnesota Wild for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Vegas Golden Knights forward William Carrier scored with 18 seconds remaining in regulation to lift his club to a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Adin Hill made 25 saves for the win as the Golden Knights (33-18-4) won four straight and sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 38 shots for the Sharks as they dropped to 17-28-11.

Two goals and an assist by Yanni Gourde powered the Seattle Kraken over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 6-2. Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz each had two points for the 31-18-6 Kraken as they sit two points back of the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Travis Konency scored twice for the Flyers as they slipped to 22-24-10.

The St. Louis Blues doubled up the New Jersey Devils 4-2 thanks to a 34-save performance by Jordan Binnington. Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn each had a goal and an assist as the Blues improved to 26-25-3 (55 points) to sit six points out of the final Western wild-card spot. The Devils are 35-14-5 to sit five points behind the Hurricanes in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues placed winger Brandon Saad (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jake Neighbours from their AHL affiliate in Springfield.

Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Washington Capitals 6-3. Washington defenseman Erik Gustafsson collected three assists. The Panthers (28-24-6) and Capitals (28-23-6) each have 62 points but the Capitals hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Capitals announced winger Carl Hagelin underwent left hip resurfacing and is sidelined indefinitely.

Three-point performances by Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Dominik Kubalik tallied two goals for the Wings (26-20-8) as they moved two points behind the Capitals for the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Flames slipped to 25-19-11 and fell out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames’ inconsistency this season has raised questions and criticism of the club’s culture under head coach Darryl Sutter. He signed a two-year contract extension last October so he’s unlikely to be going anywhere for the time being.

Before the game, the Red Wings announced defenseman Olli Maatta signed a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3 million.

A 37-save performance by Joonas Korpisalo lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-1 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the 17-34-4 Jackets while the Jets (34-20-1) remain two points behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division with 69 points.

HEADLINES

NHLPA.COM: The NHL Players Association announced yesterday that its Executive Board unanimously appointed Martin (Marty) J. Walsh as its new Executive Director. Walsh is the former U.S. Secretary of Labor and the former mayor of Boston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my thoughts on this hiring here.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko may have suffered a setback in his efforts to return from a lower-body injury suffered in early December. It’s believed he may have tweaked something during practice on Thursday. He’s slated to return to action on Saturday in a backup role.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kailer Yamamoto is expected to return to action on Friday against the New York Rangers. He’d been sidelined by an upper-body injury since Jan. 11. To fit him into the lineup, the Oilers will have to make a move that could involve winger Jesse Puljujarvi, who did not practice on Thursday. He was expected to be placed on waivers but that didn’t happen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Could a much-anticipated trade involving Puljujarvi take place before tonight’s game against the Rangers? We’ll learn more soon enough.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (lower body) has been placed on injured reserve and Andy Andreoff has been recalled from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning founder Phil Esposito will join Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis as the inaugural inductees into the franchise’s Hall of Fame during its Alumni Weekend on March 16-18.

TSN: Former NHL defenseman and assistant coach Paul Jerrard died of cancer on Thursday at age 57. Jerrard played five games for the Minnesota North Stars in 1988-89 and spent the remainder of his 11 professional seasons in the minors. He became an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche in 2002-03 as well as with the Dallas Stars from 2011 to 2013 and the Calgary Flames from 2016 to 2018. Since 2018-19, he’d been an assistant coach with the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Jerrard’s family, friends, teammates and coaching colleagues.