NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2025

Canada defeats Finland while Sweden upsets an injury-battered Team USA in the final round-robin games in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Check out the recaps of Monday’s games and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

4 NATIONS FACE-OFF RECAPS

NHL.COM: Canada held off Finland 5-3 in 4 Nations Face-Off action on Monday at Boston’s TD Garden, setting up a showdown with the United States in the championship game on Thursday.

Team Canada forward Nathan MacKinnon (NHL.com).

Nathan MacKinnon tallied two goals, Sam Reinhart collected three assists, and Connor McDavid, Brayden Point and Sidney Crosby also scored for Canada.

The Canadians rolled to a 3-0 lead in the first period, expanding it to 4-0 in the second period. Finland made it interesting late in the third period as Esa Lindell got them on the board and Mikael Granlund scored twice to cut Canada’s lead to 4-3. However, Crosby put the game away with an empty-netter after a center-ice collision with Granlund led to a turnover.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canada’s biggest stars – McDavid, MacKinnon and Crosby – stepped up as expected in this elimination game. They had more room to create plays in this game than they did against the United States on Saturday. The Canadians also got a boost on the blueline with defenseman Cale Makar returning to action after missing Saturday’s game.

Jordan Binnington made 23 saves as he got the call again as Canada’s starter. He was solid through most of the game but those three late goals have critics again questioning head coach Jon Cooper’s decision to stick with him.

The Canadian national anthem received tepid booing from the TD Garden crowd.

Granlund should be considered the player of the tournament for Finland. He led his club with three goals and an assist for four points, sitting third among the tournament’s leading scorers. Crosby and Team USA’s Zach Werenski are tied for the lead with five points each.

Sweden overcame an early 1-0 deficit to nip the United States 2-1. Chris Kreider opened the scoring for the Americans 35 seconds into the first period but Gustav Nyquist and Jesper Bratt replied for the Swedes, who were playing for pride after being officially eliminated by Canada’s regulation win earlier in the day. Samuel Ersson stopped 32 shots for Sweden while Jake Oettinger made 21 saves for the Americans.

SPORTSNET: Team USA defenseman Charlie McAvoy missed this game after being hospitalized with an upper-body injury, raising doubt over his availability for Thursday’s championship game with Canada. American winger Brady Tkachuk exited the game for precautionary reasons with an apparent leg injury after crashing into the Swedish net.

Brady’s brother Matthew missed this game with a lower-body injury while team captain Auston Matthews was a late scratch with upper-body soreness.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team USA coach Mike Sullivan said more details about their conditions would be revealed on Tuesday. McAvoy’s injury sounds the more serious while the other three are expected to play against Canada on Thursday.

The Americans clinched their berth in the championship game on Saturday so they did the sensible thing by sitting out Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk. There was no point in potentially aggravating their injuries in a meaningless game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

RG.ORG: Former NHL defenseman Darius Kasparaitis has been working out with Alex Ovechkin in Miami during the 4 Nations Face-Off break. The 39-year-old Washington Capitals captain is preparing for the final stretch of the regular season.

Ovechkin needs 16 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. With his Capitals in first place in the Eastern Conference, he’s also setting his sights on chasing the Stanley Cup this spring.

Kasparaitis said Ovechkin is in a good mood and isn’t concerned about chasing records. “It seems like he does not feel any pressure from the need to break Gretzky’s record, he just plays as he has played his whole life.”

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks return to practice on Tuesday, which could reveal where defenseman Quinn Hughes (oblique injury) and goaltender Thatcher Demko (left knee) stand with their rehab. They need both players healthy to stage a run for a playoff spot down the stretch.

ROTOWIRE: The Seattle Kraken recalled winger Jordan Eberle (pelvis) from his conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. He saw no playing time with them and remains on long-term injury reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2025

Check out the latest news ahead of today’s 4 Nations Face-Off games in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: It’s a must-win scenario for three of the four teams in the 4 Nations Face-Off as Canada faces Finland (1 PM ET) and Sweden tangles with the United States (8 pm ET) at TD Garden in Boston.

If the game between Canada and Finland ends in regulation, the winner faces the United States in the championship game on Thursday. If Canada and Finland go to overtime, Sweden could advance to the championship game if they defeat the United States in regulation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks on social media raised the possibility of the United States throwing their game against the Swedes if Canada defeats the Finns in overtime, eliminating Canada and giving them an easier opponent in the championship game. It would be a devious tactic but I don’t believe the Americans would do that. They prefer going undefeated in the round-robin and beating Canada on home ice on Thursday to drive home the point that (to paraphrase Matthew Tkachuk) this is their time right now.

SPORTSNET: Team Canada defenseman Cale Makar hopes to participate in Monday’s must-win game against Finland. Illness sidelined him from Saturday’s game against Team USA, though he was close to playing in that game.

I’m going to do everything I can to play tomorrow,” said Makar. “I just got to make sure I feel right, body and everything-wise, and go from there.”

Meanwhile, Thomas Harley has been cleared to play for Monday’s game against Finland regardless of Makar’s status. The Dallas Stars defenseman played well filling in for Makar during Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Americans.

Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper was staying mum on his starting goaltender for Monday’s must-win game against Finland. That’s raised speculation he could replace Jordan Binnington with Adin Hill, who served as Binnington’s backup in Canada’s previous two games in this tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decision to pass over Logan Thompson in favor of Binnington, Hill, and Sam Montembeault was questioned by fans and pundits before the tournament began. The Washington Capitals goalie sits second among NHL starters in save percentage (.921) and is fourth in goals-against average (2.23) and wins (24).

Thompson was reportedly snubbed because Team Canada assistant coaches Bruce Cassidy and Peter DeBoer didn’t have a great experience with him during their tenures with the Vegas Golden Knights. Whatever the reason, that decision will generate plenty of second-guessing if Canada comes up short in this tournament.

TSN: Team Canada remains confident despite their 3-1 loss to the Americans, which put them into a must-win situation against Finland.

This is our Game 7,” said head coach Jon Cooper, adding his team has learned a lot during the previous two games.

We don’t have a lot of time to think about it,” said team captain Sidney Crosby. “It’s a big one coming up here.”

Meanwhile, goaltender Kevin Lankinen will get his second straight start for Finland. He backstopped them to a 4-3 overtime victory over Sweden on Saturday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sources say Team USA winger Matthew Tkachuk will likely sit out tonight’s game against Sweden. He suffered a lower-body injury against Canada that sidelined him for most of the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk shouldn’t risk aggravating that injury against the Swedes in a meaningless game. It’s best to let him recuperate and prepare for the big match later this week.

THE ATHLETIC: ESPN reports that Saturday’s game between Canada and the United States drew 4.4 million viewers, peaking at 5.2 million at the 10:45 quarter-hour. It’s the most-watched non-Stanley Cup Final game since a Blue Jackets-Bruins playoff game in 2019 drew 4.5 million viewers. NHL postseason games last season averaged 1.54 million viewers.

It was also the most-watched NHL game in the United States since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and Oilers last June, which drew 7.67 million viewers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL should scrap the old All-Star Game format in favor of annual two-week midseason international tournaments involving their best players in non-Olympic years. They could call it “The World Cup of Hockey” or something like that (insert wink emoji here).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2025

Team USA defeats Canada, Finland upsets Sweden in 4 Nations Face-Off action. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TEAM USA DEFEATS CANADA, SECURES SPOT IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

NHL.COM: The United States got two goals by Jake Guentzel while Dylan Larkin tallied the game-winner to defeat Canada 3-1 before a sellout crowd of 21, 015 fans at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Team USA winger Jake Guentzel (NHL.com).

Guentzel was named Player of the Game while teammate Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 shots for the Americans. They have six points in the tournament, earning a spot in the Championship Game on Feb. 20 in Boston.

Connor McDavid opened the scoring in the first period for Canada, who outshot the Americans 26-23. This was the first game the Canadians have lost to the United States in a tournament featuring NHL players since the round-robin of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

TSN: The game got off to a raucous start with the Bell Centre crowd booing the American anthem, followed by three fights within the first 10 seconds of the game. The first tilt featured USA forward Matthew Tkachuk and Canadian winger Brandon Hagel, followed by Brady Tkachuk tangling with Sam Bennett, and American forward J.T. Miller scrapping with Canadian defenseman Colton Parayko.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Tkachuk brothers later said they and Miller engaged in those fights to “send a message” to the Canadians. It was something they planned during a group chat before the game.

NHL.COM: Matthew Tkachuk suffered a lower-body injury that forced him to sit out the final 12:36 of the third period. He later downplayed the injury but Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan said Tkachuk was still being evaluated by team doctors, leaving his status uncertain for Monday’s game against Sweden.

SPORTSNET: Canadian defenseman Cale Makar missed this game due to illness. He was replaced by Dallas Stars blueliner Thomas Harley.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a well-deserved victory for the Americans. Matthew Tkachuk said postgame that he and his teammates wanted to send the message to the Canadians that “it’s our time right now.” It was received loud and clear.

McDavid’s goal aside, Team USA did a masterful job shutting down Canada’s vaunted offense with their physical defensive play. They took away the middle of the ice and the shooting lanes and cleared traffic in front of Hellebuyck, who was superb between the pipes.

Following the game, McDavid said he and his Canadian teammates are determined for a rematch with the United States. That will depend on the outcome of Monday’s game against the Finns.

Makar could return to action for that game. Canada missed his offensive presence and puck-moving skills against the Americans.

The biggest question for Canada will be whether Binnington, Adin Hill, or Sam Montembault gets the start against the Finns. Binnington looked shaky at times during Canada’s win over Sweden. He didn’t play badly against Team USA but Guentzel’s game-tying goal was a softie that even he knew he should’ve stopped.

The tournament shifts to Boston with Canada facing Finland and the USA taking on Sweden on Monday, Feb. 17. The championship game will be held on Thursday, Feb. 20.

If Canada or Finland wins in regulation on Monday, they’ll face the Americans on Thursday. If either team wins in overtime or a shootout, Sweden can advance to the final with a regulation win over the Americans.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Mikael Granlund lifted Finland to a 4-3 victory over Sweden during their afternoon game.

Anton Lundell, Mikko Rantanen and Aleksandar Barkov scored in regulation, Patrik Laine collected two assists and Kevin Lankinen turned aside 21 shots for Finland. Mika Zibanejad, Rasmus Dahlin and Erik Karlsson replied for Sweden. Filip Gustavsson left the Swedish net after the first period due to an illness, with Linus Ullmark stopping 15 of 17 shots the rest of the way.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canada-USA game overshadowed an entertaining back-and-forth contest between these long-time Nordic rivals.

The Swedes know their chances of reaching the championship game aren’t good. Karlsson praised the Finns’ game while lamenting his team’s inability to reach the standards they’d set for themselves.

Before the game, Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman spoke about the sporting rivalry between the two countries. “I think if you ask them, they say they’re the big brother. If you ask us, we’re the big brother.” Following the game, Laine replied, We’re the big brother now.”

IN OTHER NEWS…

RG.ORG: Hall-of-Fame winger Pavel Bure criticized the Vancouver Canucks’ handling of J.T. Miller during a discussion of his former club’s recent struggles. “If you’ve got a talented player who doesn’t fit into the team, that’s a failure of management,” said Bure. “If it gets to the point where you have to trade him, something has already gone wrong.”

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, season tickets will be rising by 11 percent for next season. Seats in the upper bowl of Rogers Arena will cost $6,900.00 CDN. The team said the increase covers ongoing renovations to the arena and their intention to keep pace with the rising salary cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The article notes the rising cap has little to do with the price increase and more to do with ownership’s belief they’re selling a luxury good, “a thing that their season ticket members value as a symbol, not as much as an experience.”

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Sidelined Canadiens defenseman David Reinbacher is close to returning from a knee injury suffered during preseason. The promising blueliner could start playing with their AHL affiliate in Laval by the end of February.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2025

Canada defeats Sweden in the opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the World Cup of Hockey will return in 2028, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

CANADA BEATS SWEDEN TO OPEN THE 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Mitch Marner lifted Canada to a 4-3 victory over Sweden in the opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Sidney Crosby collected three assists, including the set-up for Marner’s winning goal during the 3-on-3 overtime period before a sellout crowd of 21, 105 fans.

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby (NHL.com).

Canada took a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Nathan MacKinnon and Brad Marchand. Jonas Brodin got Sweden on the board in the second but Mark Stone restored Canada’s two-goal lead.

The Swedes rallied in the third period on goals by Adrian Kempe and Joel Eriksson Ek.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby’s three-point performance earned him “Player of the Game” honors. He joined Mario Lemieux and Bobby Hull as the only players from any country in an NHL international tournament to record a multipoint game at age 37 or older.

SPORTSNET: Canada’s defense corps received a blow as blueliner Shea Theodore suffered an upper-body injury following a clean hit along the boards from Kempe early in the second period. He’s been sidelined for the tournament.

Elliotte Friedman reports Travis Sanheim will replace Theodore for Saturday’s game against the United States. Canada will be allowed to put a defenseman or two “on notice” in case another blueliner suffers an injury. That player would join their lineup when the tournament shifts to Boston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sanheim and center Sam Bennett were healthy scratches against Sweden.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced the World Cup of Hockey will return in February 2028. The last World Cup was held in 2016. Games are expected to be played in North America and Europe with at least eight teams and is expected to include only teams from individual countries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No Team North America of 23-and-young stars or Team Europe made up of stars from small European nations. That’s a shame, those teams helped make the 2016 World Cup more enjoyable.

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer reports New York Islanders center Brock Nelson considers his participation with Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off as a mental break where he can focus on the tournament.

The 33-year-old center is the subject of increasing speculation over his future with the Islanders. Unless he signs a contract extension, he will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, prompting conjecture suggesting he could be traded if he remains unsigned by the March 7 trade deadline.

Nelson is leaving that to his agent and Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello. He believes everything will work itself out, praising Lamoriello while stressing there’s plenty of time to get a deal done. He wants to do what’s best for himself and his family but also understands the Islanders’ legacy and what it would mean to finish his career with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some pundits believe Nelson has been evasive or seems reluctant to sign an extension. Biringer thinks neither Nelson nor the Islanders want his time on Long Island to end just yet. With the trade deadline on the horizon, we won’t have to wait long to find out.

NEW YORK POST: Team USA has a stall for the late Johnny Gaudreau’s uniform. The Columbus Blue Jackets star and his brother Matthew were killed by an alleged drunk driver last August.

Everybody knows Johnny would be here right now,” said Team USA forward Vincent Trocheck. “Everyone loved him. It’s nice to have a piece of him here. We know he’s here with us in spirit. Just trying to honor him as best we can.”

Team USA also invited Gaudreau’s father, Guy, to participate in their Thursday practice session.

DAILY FACEOFF: Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine hopes the 4 Nations Face-Off will provide an opportunity to get his season back on track. The 26-year-old is part of Finland’s lineup. Laine started strong when he returned from injury in December with 12 goals and 18 points in 20 games but was held scoreless in his last eight games.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken captain Jordan Eberle was assigned to their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley on a conditioning stint. The 34-year-old winger has been sidelined since Nov. 14 with a pelvis injury. Eberle recently resumed practicing with the Kraken before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair’s charitable foundation opened what is believed to be the first public synthetic ice rink in Florida on Wednesday. The city of Lauderdale Lakes declared Wednesday as “Anthony Duclair Day”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair started the project during his tenure with the Florida Panthers. He now makes his home at Lauderdale Lakes.

THE ATHLETIC: Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Cayden Lindstrom could miss the remainder of this season. He’s recovering from back surgery in November and skated for the first time last week at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena.

Lindstrom was chosen fourth overall by the Blue Jackets in last year’s draft. Multiple sources confirm several college programs, including Ohio State, have spoken to him about moving from the WHL to college hockey. That would mean less wear and tear for Lindstrom, allowing for more practice and workout time for his recovery.










Remembering the 1972 Summit Series

Remembering the 1972 Summit Series

I’ve been a hockey fan since 1970. Over the past 52 years, I’ve seen many great, memorable Stanley Cup playoff series and international tournaments.

As a Montreal Canadiens fan, I’ve watched my club reach the Stanley Cup Final 10 times and win hockey’s holy grail eight times. I have also enjoyed exciting series’ involving other teams.

Being a Canadian, I’ve been thrilled by our men’s and women’s teams’ success on the international stage.

Of all my wonderful hockey moments as a fan, nothing compares to the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union.

1972 Summit Series (NHL.com).

To this day, the emotions I felt back then as a nine-year-old hockey fan in Nova Scotia still resonate with me 50 years later.

Plenty of ink has been spilled and miles of videotape used to evoke how that series changed the game, how it made the NHL a better league by opening it up to the world, moving it toward today’s fast-paced, highly-skilled product played by its well-trained athletes.

Those changes are very apparent when comparing today’s game with the videos of the Summit Series. The play back then isn’t really all that great, the skills seem at times rudimentary, the pace sometimes plodding. We occasionally see some great passing, skating, scoring and saves.

For fans used to today’s style of play, who have no memory of the Summit Series, it can seem a rather boring affair with occasional bursts of excitement.

To those of us who lived through that series, however, that was hockey as played by the world’s best. It was what we were used to.

What makes the memories of that series so strong for me was the uniqueness of that series and of the time and circumstances under which it occurred.

As has been well-documented, this was the first time Canada’s top professionals were taking on the Soviets’ best. While Canadians laid claim to hockey as “our game,” we hadn’t won at the amateur level in international play for two decades by that point. The Soviets had dominated at the World Championships and the Olympics.

Canadian professionals were barred from participating in those tournaments. So we as a nation of hockey fans dismissed the Soviets’ accomplishments. Sure, they could beat our best amateurs, but they’d never faced our professionals.

We were so certain the NHL stars (who were all Canadian back then) would mop the floor with the Soviets that we were smug about our chances when this series was announced.

I knew about the series thanks to the sports section in our newspapers and the supper hour news. No 24-hour sports channels or internet coverage back then. Being a kid, I only knew a little about the geopolitics of the time. The Soviet Union were the bad guys and we Canadians were the good guys because they didn’t believe in freedom and we did, or at least that was the simplest narrative the adults in my life used to explain it to me.

Because of the Cold War and the so-called “Iron Curtain”, the Soviet players were a mystery to us. We certainly knew every member of Team Canada’s roster.

I was thrilled that my hero, Ken Dryden, was part of the team as well as his fellow Canadiens such as Yvan Cournoyer, Frank and Pete Mahovlich, Serge Savard and Guy Lapointe. I knew very well who Phil and Tony Esposito were, as well as Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert. Paul Henderson and Ron Ellis weren’t big stars but I knew them because they played for my second-favorite team at the time, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

I was disappointed that Bobby Orr’s knee would keep him from this tournament and that Bobby Hull wasn’t selected because he’d jumped to the rival World Hockey Association earlier that year. Nevertheless, we all knew that it wouldn’t matter because the Canadians had enough stars to win this series eight straight.

Of course, it didn’t happen like that at all. The Canadians had a 1-2-1 record after the first four games on home ice. I was as stunned and upset by the outcome as everyone else I knew. We couldn’t believe how our best players were being outclassed by the Soviets. It didn’t look good heading over to Moscow for the final four games.

And yet, somewhere along the way, we didn’t give up on “our boys”. Even when they fell 5-4 in Game 5 and were on the brink of losing the series, me and everyone I knew felt they could pull it off. Win Game 6, and they could tie the series in Game 7. Win that one, and it’s winner-take-all in Game 8.

Given my age, my parents only allowed me to watch the first two periods of the games in Canada. Games 5, 7 and 8 were on school days so I got to see the third period when I came home and then saw the first two periods during the rebroadcast that evening.

The critical Game 6 was on a Sunday and it was the only one I got to see aired in its entirety in real time because it was broadcast in the afternoon in Nova Scotia.

That game, the one broadcaster Foster Hewitt called “do or die” was the most nerve-wracking for me. Dryden, my hero, had not played well in his two games in Canada. I remember my dad complaining before the game that they should’ve started Tony Esposito. If they lost this one, the Soviets would take the series and the final two games would be meaningless.

My entire family watched that game that afternoon. That was unusual because my father was a die-hard baseball and CFL football fan who only had a mild interest in hockey. The only sport my mother enjoys is curling. My sister never had any interest in sports at all. And yet, there we were, riveted to the action beaming on our black and white TV from an arena with a strange name in Moscow.

This series by that point had become something more than hockey. It became more about our national identity. Canadians had a huge inferiority complex back then when it came to comparing ourselves to other countries, which is probably inevitable given our superpower neighbor to the south. However, the one thing we knew for certain was that we were the best at hockey.

And now, it appeared we were on the verge of losing that. Phil Esposito would later describe the series as more than a hockey tournament but something that evolved into a clash of cultures and nations. “It was our society against their society,” he said.

Those who have no memories of the Cold War cannot understand what that felt like. We had been told the Soviets were bent on conquering and enslaving the world with communism. They were the bad guys and our country, along with the other NATO nations, were the good guys.

To lose to the Soviets was unthinkable. It just couldn’t happen. And yet, it seemed like it was going to happen.

That’s what makes the Summit Series so memorable for those of us who lived through that time and watched that series. What was simply supposed to be a friendly tournament between the two best hockey-playing nations in the world became, for Canadians, part of the act of the Cold War playing out on the ice.

Games 6, 7 and 8 stand out for me and I think most Canadians who watched that series. Team Canada battled back to win all three by one-goal margins with Henderson scoring the winning goals in each contest. Dryden was rock-solid in Game 6 and prevailed in Game 8 despite giving up five goals in two periods.

Henderson’s winner in Game 8 remains the greatest goal I’ve ever seen. Not because it was done in a particularly skillful manner. Henderson picked up a rebound in front of the Russian net, took two whacks at it and managed to tuck it under Vladislav Tretiak for the winner.

It was the drama of the thing. The Canadians were down 5-3 entering the third period. Phil Esposito cut the Soviet lead to 5-4. Cournoyer tied it midway through the period.

I missed Esposito’s goal because that was a school day. Unlike other schools in Canada, our principal didn’t allow us to watch the game, though he was kind enough to update the score over the PA system as the game progressed.

It was 5-4 when I got home. My mother had the game on TV in the living room and was listening to it while she was working in the kitchen. She was skipping her soap operas (which she called “my stories”) to keep track of a hockey game.

I was able to see the drama of the remainder of that period. Henderson’s goal was so unexpected, the result of a broken play after he had fallen behind the net, with Hewitt’s practically screaming, “They Score! Hen-der-son! Has Scored For Canada!”

At that moment, I leaped from my chair and howled with delight. My mother ran in from the kitchen to see the replay. We both stood there in our living room watching the rest of the period play out.

The good guys had won. Canada was still the best.

What followed was a tremendous sense of joy, then relief, and underneath it all, the knowledge that hockey was never going to be the same after this.

Over the course of that series, I and millions of Canadian grew to admire and respect the Soviet stars.

Vladislav Tretiak was a terrific goaltender, especially in the first four games in Canada. Valeri Kharlamov was a dazzling, creative forward. Alexander Yakushev played a style similar to the high-scoring Phil Esposito. Boris Mikhailov was a physical, agitating forward who could match up well against any of his opponents.

After that, we knew our country could never take our supposed domination over the game of hockey for granted ever again.

There would be future international tournaments involving Canada’s best professionals with all the focus being on how they measured up against the Soviets. There would be dominating series wins on both sides as well as closely-fought ones. The 1987 Canada Cup best-of-three final was perhaps the best-played of the lot. Many of the best Soviet players from that series – Igor Larionov, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Sergei Makarov, Igor Kravchuk, Valeri Kamensky, Sergei Nemchinov – would go on to NHL careers.

Meanwhile, other countries were improving and challenging Canada and the Soviets. A trickle of European talent to the NHL in the 1970s became a flood in the 1990s with the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. More American players, some inspired by “The Miracle on Ice” in 1980 or the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, joined their ranks.

Canadian players today still make up the majority in the NHL but only just. The top talent consists of players from a number of hockey-playing nations and the game is better because of it.

There will never be another international tournament like the ground-breaking 1972 Summit Series. It has shaped hockey over the past 50 years and its echoes are still being felt today. The experience of watching it unfold during that distant September and feeling all the emotions that came with it will stay with me for the rest of my life.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2022

Canada defeats Finland in overtime to win gold at the 2022 World Junior Championship, Nathan MacKinnon enjoys his day with the Stanley Cup in Halifax, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Columbus Blue Jackets center Kent Johnson lifted Canada over Finland 3-2 in the Gold Medal Game at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton. It’s Canada’s 19th tournament championship and its first since 2020.

Anaheim Ducks center Nathan McTavish (NHL Images).

Canada took a 2-0 lead in the game on goals by Joshua Roy (Montreal Canadiens) and William Dufour (New York Islanders) with Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks) collecting assists on both. McTavish also saved the game for Canada in overtime by blocking a shot at the goal line, setting the stage for Johnson’s game-winner.

Finland rallied to force the extra frame on goals by Aleksi Heimosalmi (Carolina Hurricanes) and Joakim Kemell (Nashville Predators). They take home the silver medal for its 17th top-three finish in tournament history.

In the consolation game earlier in the day, Sweden won the bronze medal with a 3-1 victory over Czechia. Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves while teammates Fabian Lysell (Boston Bruins), Isak Rosen (Buffalo Sabres) and Linus Sjodin (Sabres) scored for Sweden.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish was named the tournament’s most valuable player and the top forward. Wallstedt was named the top goaltender and Finland’s Kasper Puutio was the top defenseman. McTavish also topped The Hockey News‘ ranking of the tournament’s top-20 players.

TSN: Nathan MacKinnon celebrated his day with the Stanley Cup with a parade through downtown Halifax. The 26-year-old Colorado Avalanche superstar is a native of Cole Harbour, part of the Halifax municipality. It’s also the home of Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. MacKinnon spent two seasons with the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads before joining the Avalanche in 2013-14.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As MacKinnon observed in an interview, returning to Halifax with the Stanley Cup brings his playing career full circle. In his final season with the Mooseheads, he helped them win the QMJHL’s Presidents’ Cup and the Memorial Cup.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers rank at the bottom of The Athletic’s fan confidence level survey. The Flyers had the fourth-most entries (1,000) by fans upset over the team’s direction and management’s inability to deliver on its promise earlier this year of an “aggressive retool”. The Flyers received a D-minus ranking in roster building, cap management, drafting and development, trades, free agency and vision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ only significant addition this summer was hiring John Tortorella as head coach.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes extended its affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals through the 2022-23 season.