NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2024

by | Mar 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2024

The Bruins’ David Pastrnak nets his 40th goal of the season, a hat trick performance by Vegas’ Jonathan Marchessault, a franchise-record performance by the Lightning’s Darren Raddysh, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied his 40th goal of the season in a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Linus Ullmark kicked out 38 shots and Pavel Zacha scored twice and collected an assist for the Bruins (38-13-15) as they sit third in the overall standings with 91 points. Kris Letang scored for the Penguins as they dropped to 28-26-8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm had two assists in his return to the roster after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

Jonathan Marchessault scored the go-ahead and insurance goals to complete his hat trick as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-3. Jack Eichel collected three assists for the 34-23-7 Golden Knights as they hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot with 75 points. Michael Rasmussen had a goal and an assist for the slumping Red Wings (33-25-6) as they slipped into the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings have lost five straight games. With captain Dylan Larkin sidelined by an injury, general manager Steve Yzerman could regret not making a significant move at the trade deadline to bolster his roster down the stretch…The Golden Knights placed forward William Carrier on long-term injury reserve. He’s been sidelined for 30 games with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Darren Raddysh set a single-game franchise record for defensemen with five assists in a 7-0 drubbing of the Philadelphia Flyers. Andrei Vasilevskiy had a 25-save shutout and Victor Hedman scored twice and picked up an assist. The Lightning (34-25-6) moved into the first Eastern wildcard berth with 74 points. The Flyers (33-24-8) remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers Head coach John Tortorella was ejected midway through the first period for arguing with the on-ice officials…Lightning blueliner Erik Cernak left this game with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status.

Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice and picked up an assist in his first game with the Florida Panthers as they downed the Calgary Flames 5-1. Anthony Stolarz stopped 34 shots for the Panthers (44-17-4) as they sit in first place in the overall standings with 92 points. Yegor Sharangovich scored to match his career-high of 46 points as the Flames dropped to 31-27-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and forward Evan Rodrigues left this game with injuries. Ekblad was hurt following a knee-on-knee collision with Tarasenko and Rodrigues injured his left ankle blocking a shot. Both will be evaluated on Sunday.

The Vancouver Canucks blanked the Winnipeg Jets 5-0. Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith combined for a 22-save shutout after Demko left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander each had a goal and an assist as the Canucks (42-17-7) remain in second place in the overall standings with 91 points. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 32 shots for the 40-18-5 Jets as they sit second in the Central Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said he didn’t think Demko’s injury was serious, but admitted he hadn’t spoken with the team’s medical staff. We could learn more about his condition today.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin had a 26-save shutout in a 4-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox each had two assists for the Rangers (41-18-6), who sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 86 points. Jordan Binnington stopped 35 shots for the 32-29-3 Blues, who have lost three straight games.

The Dallas Stars opened a four-point lead over the Jets for first place in the Central (89 points) as they crowned the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski each had a goal and an assist for the 40-17-9 Stars. Kevin Fiala replied for the Kings (32-20-11) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 75 points.

A shootout goal by Alex Tuch lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 30 saves for the 30-30-5 Sabres while Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid’s points streak ended at 13 games. Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod each had a goal and an assist as the Oilers (38-21-3) are in second place in the Pacific Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres appeared to have the game won in the dying seconds of overtime but Owen Power’s goal was ruled offside following a coach’s challenge. Both teams were in their dressing rooms during the review and were called back onto the ice to finish the game.

The Carolina Hurricanes tallied three third-period goals to double up the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and two assists for the 38-19-6 Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metro with 82 points. Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist for the 31-29-4 Devils.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares snapped a 2-2 tie as this club nipped the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Max Domi had a goal and an assist for the Leafs (37-19-8) as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 82 points. Mike Matheson and Juraj Slakovsky each had two points for the 24-30-10 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs winger Mitch Marner missed this game (day-to-day) with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators forward Luke Evangelista scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Predators (37-25-3) pushed their points streak to 11 games and hold the first Western wildcard berth with 77 points. Daniil Tarasov kicked out 47 shots for 22-32-10 Blue Jackets.

The Washington Capitals kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Sonny Milano scored for the fifth consecutive game and Charlie Lindgren stopped 31 shots for the 30-23-9 Capitals (69 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern wildcard berth. Tyler Johnson replied for the 16-43-5 Blackhawks.

San Jose Sharks forward Thomas Bordeleau scored twice as his club beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1. Tim Stutzle replied for the Senators. The Sharks are 16-40-7 while the Senators are 25-33-4.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2024

by | Mar 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2024

The Penguins trade Jake Guentzel to Carolina on the eve of the trade deadline, another scoring milestone for Connor McDavid, a hat trick for the Predators’ Filip Forsberg and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PENGUINS TRADE GUENTZEL TO THE HURRICANES

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins traded winger Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith to the Carolina Hurricanes for winger Michael Bunting, prospects Vasili Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and Ville Koivunen, a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first-rounder if the Hurricanes win the 2024 Stanley Cup, and a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick if the Hurricanes win the Cup. The Penguins also retained $1.5 million of Guentzel’s $6 million cap hit.

Pittsburgh Penguins trade winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are bucking their recent tradition of avoiding big-ticket rental players at the trade deadline. This is a clear indication that they’re going for it this season. A lack of scoring depth has been an ongoing issue for the Hurricanes. Adding a proven scorer and playoff performer like Guentzel should boost their pursuit of the Cup this season.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas reportedly wanted prospects and younger players over draft picks for Guentzel. Bunting played for Dubas when the two were with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is an energetic two-way winger. Ponomarev, Koivunen and Lucius were considered mid-range prospects in The Athletic’s recent ranking of the Hurricanes’ top-15 prospects.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg tallied a hat trick in a 4-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Gustav Nyquist collected three assists as the Predators pushed their points streak to 10 games (9-0-1) as they hold the first Western Conference wildcard berth with 75 points (36-25-3). Bowen Byram had a goal and an assist in his debut with the 29-30-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres played without center Tage Thompson. He’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his assists and points streak to 13 games in a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He also became the third player this season to reach 100 points. Daniil Tarasov kicked out 29 shots while Dmitri Voronkov scored what proved to be the winning goal for the 22-31-10 Blue Jackets. The Oilers (38-21-2) sit second in the Pacific Division with 78 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the sixth player in NHL history with at least seven seasons of 100-plus points.

New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier netted a hat trick and collected an assist to lead his club over the St. Louis Blues 4-1. The Devils (31-28-4) are six points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 66 points. Brandon Saad scored for the slumping Blues (32-28-3) as they won just three of their last 10 games and sit six points out of the final Western wildcard berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues announced they signed forward Oskar Sundqvist to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.5 million. Meanwhile, Sundqvist was also fined $2,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for embellishment during a Feb. 28 game against the Oilers.

The Vancouver Canucks picked up their third straight win by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Thatcher Demko stopped 27 shots while Phillip Di Guiseppe scored the game-winner for the 41-17-7 Canucks as they sit in second place in the overall standings with 89 points. The Golden Knights (33-23-7) now hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot and are 2-8-1 in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights recently placed defenseman Alec Martinez on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway snapped a 1-1 tie in a 2-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Samuel Ersson made 29 saves for the Flyers (33-23-8) as they hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points. The 43-17-4 Panthers remain on top of the overall standings with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Panthers announced they signed defenseman Gustav Forsling to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.75 million. Forsling is often overshadowed by fellow blueliners Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour but he’s become an invaluable (and underrated) part of their defense corps.

Speaking of the Panthers, forward Nick Cousins was fined $2,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for embellishment during a Feb. 27 game against the Buffalo Sabres.

The Boston Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 28 shots, David Pastrnak netted his 39th goal of the season while Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk each collected two assists for the 37-13-15 Bruins (89 points) as they sit third in the overall standings. Mitch Marner replied for the Leafs (36-19-8) as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies left this game in the first period with a suspected knee injury. There was no update on his condition following the game.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 24 shots in a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. It was Andersen’s first game since being sidelined by a blood-clotting issue on Nov. 2. Brady Skjei tallied two goals for the Hurricanes (37-19-6), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. Sam Montembeault made 35 saves for the 24-29-10 Canadiens.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his 840th career NHL goal in a 6-0 thumping of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Charlie Lindgren turned in a 39-save shutout for the 29-23-9 Capitals (67 points) as they sit five points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. The Penguins dropped to 28-25-8 and are eight points behind Tampa Bay.

Speaking of the Lightning, they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Calgary Flames. Yegor Sharangovich got a career-high four points (two goals, two assists) for the 31-26-5 Flames (67 points) as they sit six points behind the Golden Knights for the final Western wildcard spot. Nick Paul had two assists for the 33-25-6 Lightning (72 points) as they’re 1-4-1 in their last six home games.

The surging New York Islanders picked up their fifth straight win by crushing the San Jose Sharks 7-2. Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists for the 28-20-14 Islanders (70 points) as they’re just two points behind the Lightning. Mike Hoffman netted his 10th goal of the season for the 15-40-7 Sharks.

An overtime goal by Kevin Fiala gave the Los Angeles Kings a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Anze Kopitar collected two assists for the Kings (32-19-11) as they sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 75 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the 25-32-4 Senators.

The Minnesota Wild scored four unanswered third-period goals to drop the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. Mats Zuccarello collected three assists while Kirill Kaprizov tallied his 30th goal for the 30-27-6 Wild. Clayton Keller scored his 23rd goal of the season for the 25-33-5 Coyotes.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 7, 2024

by | Mar 7, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 7, 2024

The trade deadline is March 8. Check out the latest on Jake Guentzel, Tyler Toffoli, Pavel Buchnevich, Jason Zucker, Anthony Duclair and Alexander Barabonov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

JAKE GUENTZEL

SPORTSNET: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli listed the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers as being in the mix for Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel. He thinks the Panthers and Canucks don’t have enough they’re willing to part with to land the 29-year-old Penguins forward.

SPORTSNET 590: Appearing on the Jeff Marek Show, Elliotte Friedman speculated the Carolina Hurricanes could be interested in Guentzel. He noted they usually don’t pursue rental players but could be spurred by yesterday’s trade activity.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy wondered if the Bruins could end up landing Elias Lindholm from the Canucks in a possible three-team deal that would send Guentzel to Vancouver. He cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reporting one scenario he’d heard had the Bruins shipping winger Jake DeBrusk to the Penguins as part of the deal.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston speculated the Canucks could target more affordable options such as the Arizona Coyotes’ Jason Zucker or the Buffalo Sabres’ Jordan Greenway if they fail to land Guentzel, Anaheim’s Frank Vatrano or New Jersey’s Tyler Toffoli.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)

THE ATHLETIC’s Josh Yohe tweeted last night that the Canucks are keen to land Guentzel but the Penguins’ asking price is more than they’re willing to pay.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers probably can’t afford Guentzel after acquiring Alex Wennberg from Seattle yesterday. The Panthers’ acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa takes them out of the Guentzel sweepstakes.

The Canucks might be able to pull it off if the Penguins are willing to bend a bit, in which case that rumored three-team deal with the Bruins could take place. As for the Hurricanes, they could try to sign Guentzel to a contract extension. If that’s not possible, they’ll have to decide if they’ll make an exception from their usual aversion to adding big-ticket rentals.

TYLER TOFFOLI

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio cited reports claiming multiple teams are interested in Tyler Toffoli. New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is having contract extension discussions with the winger’s representatives but he’s been linked to several teams.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Toffoli was in play with the Devils open to a return of multiple draft picks or a pick and a prospect. The Los Angeles Kings are reportedly interested in bringing back Toffoli, who spent nearly eight seasons with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teams are calling but Fitzgerald seems intent on maintaining contract talks with the Toffoli. He indicated he’s willing to continue those discussions beyond the trade deadline. As The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun speculated, this could go down to the wire.

PAVEL BUCHNEVICH

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the St. Louis Blues are willing to “get creative” and retain up to half of Pavel Buchnevich’s $5.8 million cap hit through next season to facilitate a trade. The asking price is said to be a first-round pick and a first-round equivalent while retaining salary could mean adding another premium asset. He speculates the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights could be in on Buchnevich.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buchnevich would be more to the Hurricanes’ liking given that extra year on his contract but he’s not as much of an impact player as Guentzel. Still, he could be the second choice for teams that lose out in the bidding for Guentzel.

JASON ZUCKER

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey cited Sporstnet’s Jeff Marek recently reporting the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights expressed interest in Arizona Coyotes winger Jason Zucker.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zucker’s fate could depend on what happens with Guentzel, Toffoli and Buchnevich.

ANTHONY DUCLAIR AND ALEXANDER BARABANOV

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng reports winger Anthony Duclair hired Paul Theofanous as his agent. There were some contract talks with the Sharks but the 28-year-old winger believes he’ll be traded.

Nikita Sokolov cited reports indicating the Sharks are also actively shopping forward Alexander Barabanov. Like Duclair, he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. However, he’s indicated that he wants to play for a contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was reported there wasn’t much interest in the Sharks’ available assets but that was before yesterday’s frenzy of activity in the trade market. Duclair and Barabanov could become more enticing if the market becomes further depleted before tomorrow’s trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2024

by | Mar 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s games feature a five-point performance by the Stars’ Wyatt Johnston, the Golden Knights acquire Anthony Mantha, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

**UPDATE**

The Ottawa Senators trade Vladimir Tarasenko to the Florida Panthers for a 2025 third-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder that becomes a third-round pick if the Panthers win the 2024 Stanley Cup. The Senators also retain 50 percent of Tarasenko’s $5 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators reportedly sought a first or second-round pick plus another asset. It appears Tarasenko’s trade value wasn’t as high as rumored. 

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston tallied his first career NHL hat trick and collected two assists in a 7-6 win over the San Jose Sharks. Roope Hintz scored in overtime as the Stars overcame a 6-3 deficit on three unanswered third-period goals with Johnston scoring two of them. Jamie Benn and rookie Logan Stankovan each had four points for the Stars (38-17-5) as they moved ahead of the Winnipeg Jets into first place in the Central Division with 85 points. Anthony Duclair scored twice and had two assists for the 15-39-7 Sharks.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stankovan now has five goals and eight points in six games for the Stars. Meanwhile, Duclair’s improved performance of late could bolster his trade value.

The Jets, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 decision to the Seattle Kraken as Andre Burakovsky broke a 3-3 tie late in the third period. Jared McCann had a goal and two assists while Joey Daccord stopped 30 shots for the 28-23-11 Kraken. Adam Lowry had a goal and an assist for the Jets (39-17-5) as they sit two points back of the Stars in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken held center Alex Wennberg out of the lineup for the second straight game. I’ll have more about Wennberg in today’s Rumors update.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored the tying and winning goals in a 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins. Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists for the Oilers (38-20-2), who’ve won five straight games and sit in second place with 78 points in the Pacific Division. Pavel Zacha replied for the 36-13-15 Bruins, who slipped into third place in the overall standings with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid (99 points) sits six points behind league leaders Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche in the scoring race. Meanwhile, Bruins winger James van Riemsdyk played his 1,000th career NHL game.

The league-leading Florida Panthers (90 points) picked up their sixth straight win (43-16-4) by beating the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Sam Reinhart tallied his 45th goal of the season, Nick Cousins scored twice and Aaron Ekblad collected an assist to become the all-time assist leader (230) among Panthers defensemen. Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist for the 30-28-4 Devils, who were playing their first game under interim head coach Travis Green.

An overtime goal by J.T. Miller lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Elias Pettersson scored the tying goal while Quinn Hughes collected two assists for the 40-17-7 Canucks, who moved into second place in the overall standings with 87 points. Trevor Moore replied for the Kings (31-19-11) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 73 points.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored in overtime to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-3, snapping the latter’s eight-game win streak. Suzuki and linemate Cole Caufield each had two points for the 24-28-10 Canadiens. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the Predators (35-25-3) as they hold the final Western Conference wildcard berth with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens placed forward Colin White (upper body) on injured reserve.

The New York Islanders picked up their fourth straight by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist while Brock Nelson and Adam Pelech each collected two assists for the Islanders (27-20-14) as they sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 68 points. Joel Hofer made 29 saves for the 32-27-3 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders placed defenseman Scott Mayfield (lower body) on long-term injury reserve as he’s expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. Meanwhile, Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello said his club won’t be a seller at the upcoming trade deadline.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Reilly Smith had a goal and two assists in a 5-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist for the 28-24-8 Penguins. Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke each had a goal and an assist for the 21-31-10 Blue Jackets.

The Chicago Blackhawks beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. Seth Jones scored twice as the Blackhawks (16-42-5) ended their 22-game road losing skid. Connor Ingram made 27 saves for the 25-32-5 Coyotes, who held winger Jason Zucker out of this game for trade-related reasons.

HEADLINES

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights acquired winger Anthony Mantha from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder. The Capitals also retained half of Mantha’s $5.7 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mantha reached the 20-goal plateau this season for the first time since 2018-19. He should be a good rental scorer for the Golden Knights. They might not be done adding to their roster as they still carry over $4.4 million in salary cap flexibility.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed defenseman Zach Bogosian to a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension. Bogosian, 33, averages over 17 minutes of ice time per game, blocking 51 shots and sitting second among the Wild with 80 hits.

THE ATHLETIC’s Kevin Kurz reports Philadelphia Flyers blueliner Nick Seeler could miss a bit of time with an undisclosed injury but isn’t expected to be sidelined for long.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames plucked defenseman Joel Hanley off waivers yesterday from the Dallas Stars.

CALGARY SUN: Meanwhile, Flames forward Martin Pospisil faces a disciplinary hearing with the league on Wednesday for a dangerous hit on Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn on Monday.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers placed forward Sam Gagner on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2024

by | Mar 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2024

Recaps of Sunday’s games, Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov is sent to their AHL affiliate, the Rangers sign Jonathan Quick to a contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his points streak to 11 games in a 6-1 thrashing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zach Hyman tallied twice and Leon Draisaitl collected three assists for the Oilers (37-20-2) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Evgeni Malkin replied for the 27-24-8 Penguins (62 points). They have lost three straight games and are 10 points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman has 42 goals this season and is on pace to crack the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in his career. He’s also tied with Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart for second place in the goal-scoring race. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews leads the league with 53 goals.

Speaking of McDavid, he now has 97 points and sits four back of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the points race. Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is the league leader with 105 points.

As for the Penguins, they have no choice but to become sellers leading up to Friday’s trade deadline. Their hopes of a bounce-back performance after missing the playoff last season are all but dashed now.

The Vancouver Canucks moved within one point of the league-leading Florida Panthers by nipping the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Conor Garland’s tie-breaker in the second period was the game-winner for the 39-17-7 Canucks, who sit second in the overall standings with 85 points. Alex Killorn scored and Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for the 22-36-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks played without defenseman Tyler Myers. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Josh Morrissey, Morgan Barron, Vladislav Namestnikov and Sean Monahan were the goal scorers as the Jets improved to 39-16-5 and took over first place in the Central Division with 83 points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 30 saves for the 29-29-4 Sabres.

Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault netted a hat trick as his club defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-1. Kevin Fiala had a goal and two assists while Cam Talbot turned aside 30 shots for the Kings (31-19-10) as they hold the first Western Conference wildcard spot with 72 points. Timo Meier scored for the 30-27-4 Devils (64 points), who sit eight points out of the final Eastern wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Eastern clubs with fading playoff hopes, the Devils will need an immediate boost by Friday’s trade deadline or they can forget about qualifying for the 2024 postseason. Some observers suggest replacing Lindy Ruff as head coach but a new bench boss won’t improve their goaltending and blueline depth.

The Minnesota Wild got a hat trick from Kirill Kaprizov in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matt Boldy collected two assists for the 29-27-6 Wild (64 points), who sit eight points out of the final Western wild-card berth. Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 28 shots for the 15-39-6 Sharks.

Arizona Coyotes forward Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists as his club downed the Washington Capitals 5-2. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and an assist for the 25-31-5 Coyotes. Anthony Mantha tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 28-23-9 Capitals, who sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Capitals announced they were sending center Evgeny Kuznetsov to their AHL affiliate in Hershey after he cleared waivers yesterday. Kuznetsov was recently cleared to resume practicing with the Capitals by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. It’s unclear if he’ll report to or play for Hershey.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed goaltender Jonathan Quick to a one-year, $1.275 million contract extension. Quick, 38, has rebounded from an eventful 2022-23 season to become Igor Shesterkin’s backup with a record of 13-5-2 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn left labrum.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL winger Tim Ecclestone, 76, passed away on March 2. He played 11 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames from 1967-68 to 1977-78, scoring 126 goals and 233 assists for 359 points in 692 regular-season games and 17 points in 48 playoff contests. He remained in Atlanta following his playing career and became a restaurateur.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Ecclestone’s family, friends and former teammates.










Vancouver Canucks Sign Elias Pettersson To A Contract Extension

by | Mar 2, 2024

Vancouver Canucks Sign Elias Pettersson To A Contract Extension

The Vancouver Canucks announced they’ve signed Elias Pettersson to an eight-year, $92.8 million contract extension. The average annual value is $11.6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Chris Johnston reports Pettersson will carry the NHL’s fifth-highest cap hit starting next season. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews leads the pack with $13.25 million, followed by the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million), the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid ($12.5 million) and the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin ($11.642 million).

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

It’s also just slightly more than Toronto’s William Nylander. On January 8, he inked an eight-year, $92 million contract ($11.5 million AAV).

Some of you will argue that the Canucks overpaid for Pettersson and that he’s not worth that much. However, the stats say otherwise. Since his Calder Trophy debut in 2018-19, he leads the Canucks in total goals (165) and points (398) while sitting third in assists with 165. He’s regularly finished among their top-two scorers each season (including two first-place finishes) except for his injury-shortened 2020-21 campaign.

Pettersson tallied a career-high 102 points last season, becoming the first Canuck to reach 100 points since Daniel Sedin in 2010-11 and only the fifth in franchise history to do so. With 75 points in 62 games this season, he could reach 100 points again.

The Canucks are enjoying their best season in years, jockeying for first place in the overall standings. They believe their Stanley Cup window is opening. To win hockey’s holy grail, they need a strong core.

Pettersson is key to that core and will remain so through his playing prime. If he maintains his recent offensive output throughout that contract it will be money well spent.