NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2025

by | Jan 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2025

Hat-trick performances by Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka and Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, the Lightning unveiled their Quarter-Century Team, Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov to undergo surgery, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka each scored three goals and collected an assist to thump the Boston Bruins 7-2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 25 saves for the Sabres, who picked up just their third win in their last eight games. Bruins winger David Pastrnak collected an assist to extend his points streak to eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 56 points.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (NHL Images).

Dallas Stars winger Wyatt Johnston scored in overtime to complete a natural hat trick in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Roope Hintz had three assists as the Stars picked up their third straight win, sitting second in the Central Division with 65 points. Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl scored to extend his points streak to 10 games as his club sits second in the Pacific Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen left the game in the third period after Golden Knights captain Mark Stone fell into Heiskanen’s left knee in an awkward collision. The Stars defenseman had to be helped from the ice. There was no postgame update about his condition.

The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Kyle Connor tallied twice and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for the Jets, who sit atop the Western Conference with 73 points. Juraj Slafkovsky replied for the Canadiens (53 points), who are 0-2-1 in their last three contests and remain two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle left this game early in the third period when he injured his right leg following an awkward fall into the boards. He will be reevaluated on Wednesday.

Speaking of the Lightning, they suffered a 4-1 upset at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 34 shots, Seth Jones collected two assists and Connor Bedard scored for the Blackhawks. Brayden Point scored the Lightning’s only goal as they cling to the final Eastern wild card with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning had to use emergency backup goalie Kyle Konin to back up Jonas Johansson as starter Andrei Vasilevskiy was sidelined due to illness.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson turned aside 32 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas scored for the Capitals, who hold first place in the overall standings with 73 points. Blake Coleman tallied for the Flames as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson is 15-1-2 in his last eighteen starts while the Capitals have won seven of their last eight contests.

Carolina Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season to blank the New York Rangers 4-0. Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals and collected an assist for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves as his club remains three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 52 points.

The New York Islanders picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Ilya Sorokin stopped 30 shots while Simon Holmstrom scored two goals and collected an assist for the Isles (51 points). Artturi Lehkonen and Jack Drury scored for the Avalanche, who are 1-3-1 in their last five and sit in the first Western wild card with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders’ hot streak moves them within four points of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish collected two points for the third straight game in a 6-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Ducks have won three straight while the Kraken have dropped three of their last four games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning announced their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

Forwards Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Nikita Kucherov, defensemen Victor Hedman and Dan Boyle, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Brayden Point, Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier, defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Kubina, and goalie Ben Bishop.

TSN: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov requires surgery to address a nagging lower-body issue. He is expected to miss at least four weeks.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Wild placed defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild are also without forward Marcus Johansson as he’s still dealing with post-concussion symptoms. Losing Kaprizov and Brodin could put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues placed veteran winger Brandon Saad on waivers. He’ll be sent to their AHL affiliate in Springfield if he clears.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saad may have played his final game for the Blues. He’s struggled to score this season and it’s rumored he’s been on the trade block for weeks.

Saad’s contract has one year left and an average annual value of $4.5 million. It has a full no-trade clause which reverts to a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. If he clears waivers, the Blues could buy out his final season in June if they don’t find suitable trade options.

THE ATHLETIC: Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton revealed his recent three-game absence was due to the sudden and unexpected death of his father-in-law.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Laughton and his family.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 25, 2025

by | Jan 25, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 25, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on Canucks centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, a look at potential Blackhawks trade candidates, and updates on the Islanders and Canadiens.

LATEST ON PETTERSSON AND MILLER

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston cited TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reporting the Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes were close to a deal. In the end, the Hurricanes opted for Mikko Rantanen, acquiring him on Friday night in a blockbuster three-team trade with the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Based on what the Hurricanes gave up for Rantanen (forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury, two draft picks), Johnston believes the rumored deal with the Canucks had to involve Elias Pettersson. He pointed out the Hurricanes inquired into Pettersson’s availability last season before he signed his eight-year contract extension.

Meanwhile, Johnston reports the offers for Canucks center J.T. Miller are currently weak, despite his 103-point performance last season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Kierszenblat cited CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal indicating the Canucks called the Hurricanes about Martin Necas.

According to Dhaliwal, the trade would’ve involved J.T. Miller. However, the Hurricanes declined and sent Necas to the Avalanche in the Rantanen deal.

Meanwhile, Remy Mastey reports Miller hasn’t made a formal trade request, but there’s a sense that the 31-year-old center’s time with the Canucks is coming to an end.

Mastey cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reporting the Canucks and Miller have reached the point where it’s time to move on from each other.

The New York Rangers have been in discussions with the Canucks about Miller. However, the holdup is the Canucks want to get maximum value in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller and Pettersson have dominated the rumor mill for a month after reports of a rumored rift between the two made the rounds. It’s believed the Canucks prefer to move Miller and retain Pettersson, who is five years younger and has more productive years ahead of him.

It’ll be interesting to see what effect the Rantanen trade will have on the Canucks’ efforts to move Miller. The Rangers, Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and Dallas Stars have been linked to the Canucks veteran but the Rangers are believed the only team to make an offer. The Hurricanes are out while the Devils, Isles and Stars are rumored to be mildly interested.

POTENTIAL BLACKHAWKS TRADE CANDIDATES

THE ATHLETIC: Before the Chicago Blackhawks traded Taylor Hall to the Hurricanes in the Rantanen deal, Scott Powers examined their potential trade candidates.

Powers indicated the Blackhawks received calls about defenseman Seth Jones but nothing out of the ordinary. They’re unlikely to move anyone who isn’t on an expiring contract.

The Blackhawks are unlikely to re-sign UFA-eligible forward Ryan Donato. They don’t expect defenseman Alec Martinez to request a trade as he remains focused on helping them for now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forwards Pat Maroon and Craig Smith are the Blackhawks’ other pending UFAs.

CAPITALS INTERESTED IN BROCK NELSON

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner cites industry sources claiming the Washington Capitals have checked in on Brock Nelson. The 33-year-old New York Islanders center is eligible for UFA status on July 1.

Any potential team acquiring Nelson could prefer signing him to a contract extension. However, Rosner indicates the Capitals are believed to have no issue with him as purely a playoff rental.

Rosner pointed out the Capitals lack the cap space to take on Nelson’s $6 million cap hit. He speculates the Isles might be willing to retain part of his salary if an interested team is willing to pay more in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello insists he’s not focused on the trade deadline, centering instead on his club’s pursuit of a playoff berth. However, Nelson could become available if the Isles fail to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Nelson is a three-time 30-plus goal scorer with postseason experience. The Capitals won’t be the only team pursuing him if Lamoriello makes him available before the March 7 deadline.

SHOULD THE CANADIENS PURSUE SIDNEY CROSBY?

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Jack Todd believes the rebuilding Canadiens should take the advice of Global’s Brian Wilde and look into acquiring Sidney Crosby from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I defer to TSN’s Chris Johnston: “Unless something changes – and at this point I have ZERO reason to believe it will – Sidney Crosby isn’t being traded out of Pittsburgh. He’s an untouchable as far as the Pens are concerned, plus he’s got a no-movement clause and no desire to be dealt.”










NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2025

by | Jan 24, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2025

Check out the latest on J.T. Miller, Brad Marchand, Jonathan Toews, Logan Thompson and Kevin Lankinen in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST J.T. MILLER SPECULATION

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer reports a source claims there’s a belief the Vancouver Canucks could trade J.T. Miller before next month’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes are considered the front-runners for the 31-year-old Canucks center. Some reports linked the Devils to Miller but Biringer claims those discussions haven’t taken place.

If the Devils did pursue and acquire Miller, he could become their third-line center behind Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. He can play on the wing but prefers playing at center.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

The Hurricanes appear to have the inside track. They had previous trade discussions last season with the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those discussions were about Elias Pettersson before he signed his contract extension with the Canucks.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston believes it’s the Rangers or bust for Miller. He cites a source claiming the Hurricanes’ interest is minimal.

Johnston thinks the focus should remain on the Rangers as that deal seems the closest to reality. The holdup appears to be how it’s structured.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most reports indicate the original offer included Filip Chytil and a first-round pick. Depending on the source, the other parts of the package were defenseman Ryan Lindgren and a couple of minor-leaguers.

The Rangers, Hurricanes, Devils, and Dallas Stars have been mentioned as destinations. Some observers suggested the Boston Bruins, Utah Hockey Club, and Columbus Blue Jackets as trade options but there’s no indication they’re seriously pursuing a deal.

The Rangers’ lowball offer suggests they’re the only club in the bidding for Miller. That could explain why they proposed a middle-six center with a concussion history (Chytil), a shutdown defenseman who is UFA-eligible in July (Lindgren), and some minor-leaguers who aren’t among the Rangers’ blue-chip prospects.

This could become comparable to the Chicago Blackhawks trading Patrick Kane to the Rangers two years ago. Most observers thought Kane would fetch the Blackhawks at least a first-round pick, a top prospect, and a good young prospect. They never got anything close to that because the Rangers were Kane’s only trade destination.

COULD THE BRUINS MOVE BRAD MARCHAND BY THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa cited a hockey operations executive suggesting Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand could become a trade candidate by the March 7 trade deadline. “If they think it’ll help the team, all bets are off,” he said.

Marchand is UFA-eligible on July 1 and won’t publicly discuss his contract situation. Shinzawa believes trading the 36-year-old winger would be waving the white flag on this season. On the other hand, he could bring in a return that would help the Bruins’ long-term future.

The Bruins captain has a 10-team no-trade list. However, Shinzawa speculates he might jump at the opportunity to join good friend and fellow Nova Scotian Nathan MacKinnon with the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shinzawa is merely musing out loud about Marchand joining MacKinnon in Colorado. Besides, everyone knows that’s the dream of Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby despite his signing a two-year contract extension last summer. That was merely a ruse to throw us off the scent…

I’m joking about the Crosby thing, and I doubt the Avalanche have the cap space or the tradeable assets to land Marchand.

Nevertheless, we can’t dismiss the possibility of Marchand going to a playoff contender if the offer entices Bruins management to approach him about accepting the trade.

UPDATE ON JONATHAN TOEWS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Winnipeg Jets are among several teams to contact Jonathan Toews’ representatives after the former Chicago Blackhawks captain expressed an interest in returning to the NHL.

Toews career was derailed in 2023 by the effects of COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome. LeBrun said the plan is for the 36-year-old center will try to come back for next season.

LATEST ON LOGAN THOMPSON AND KEVIN LANKINEN

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson is putting himself in line for a substantial raise on his next contract. He’s in the final year of a three-year deal earning just under $800K per season and is eligible for UFA status on July 1

Complicating matters is fellow Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren and defenseman Jakob Chychrun are also slated to become UFAs this summer.

LeBrun noted the Colorado Avalanche recently signed Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year deal worth an AAV of $5.25 million. Joey Daccord signed a five-year deal worth $5 million annually with the Seattle Kraken.

Meanwhile, there’s mutual interest between the Vancouver Canucks and goalie Kevin Lankinen in signing a contract extension. However, there haven’t been any serious talks yet. Given Lankinen’s solid play this season, LeBrun doubts he can be retained for less than $4 million annually.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2025

by | Jan 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin keeps moving closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the Red Wings unveil their Quarter-Century Team, Wild owner Craig Leipold jumps the gun on commissioner Gary Bettman’s retirement plans, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 875th regular-season goal into an empty net in a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Charlie Lindgren turned in a 22-save shutout while Aliaksei Protas and Ethan Frank tallied unassisted goals for the Capitals, who picked up their sixth straight win and sit first overall in the standings with 71 points. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord stopped 30 shots in his 100th regular-season game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 20 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894. With 34 games remaining in the Capitals’ regular-season schedule, he could break the record by April.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen turned aside 18 shots for his 300th regular-season win as his club downed the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4. Seth Jarvis scored twice and collected two assists and Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points. Kent Johnson and James van Riemsdyk each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (53 points) as they cling to the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen became the second-fastest goalie in NHL history to reach 300 career wins (501 games played). Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightnings holds that record with 490 games played.

Edmonton Oilers forwards Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each collected three points in a 6-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist for the Oilers (63 points) as they snapped a two-game losing skid to sit one point behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek replied for the Canucks (50 points), who’ve dropped four of their last five and sit three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl tallied his league-leading 35th goal and extended his home points streak to 17 games. Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood left this game for undisclosed reasons early in the second period.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights ended a four-game losing skid (0-3-1) by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Mark Stone had a goal and an assist while Tomas Hertl scored in his fourth straight game to extend his points streak to seven games. Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas scored for the Blues (50 points), who also sit three points out of the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights played without center William Karlsson as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg matched a franchise record by scoring in his seventh straight game in a 6-5 win over the San Jose Sharks. Forsberg finished the night with two goals while Fedor Svechkov snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period as the Predators picked up their fifth straight win. Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov gave up six goals on 38 shots against his former club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators forward Cole Smith received a game misconduct for a hit to the head of San Jose forward Ty Dellandrea during the second period. Dellandrea had to be helped from the ice by the Sharks medical staff and was ruled out of the remainder of this game with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Sharks forwards Klim Kostin and Nico Sturm missed this game as both are sidelined week-to-week with injuries.

The New York Rangers extended their points streak to 10 games (7-0-3) by thumping the Philadelphia Flyers 6-1. Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves while Adam Fox, K’Andre Miller, Filip Chytil and Reilly Smith each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Owen Tippett scored for the Flyers as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead after a six-week collapse in the standings, the Rangers (52 points) have climbed back into the Eastern playoff race, sitting one point behind the Blue Jackets for the final wild-card spot. The Flyers (50 points) are three points out.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin got a goal and an assist in his 700th regular-season game in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Moritz Seider collected two assists as the Wings snapped a three-game losing skid. They sit four points behind the Blue Jackets. Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault kicked out 41 shots in the loss as his club is also one point back of the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Boston Bruins blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0, handing the latter their second straight shutout loss. Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves against his former team while Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak scored the only goals. Anton Forsberg gave up only one goal on 24 shots for the Senators, who are tied with the Rangers and Canadiens with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins starter Jeremy Swayman missed this game with a minor upper-body injury. They called up Michael DiPietro to back up Korpisalo.

Senators winger David Perron returned to action for the first time in two months. They placed goalie Linus Ullmark on long-term injury reserve to accommodate Perron’s return. Meanwhile, it was a lousy day for Sens forward Claude Giroux as he was the victim of car theft for the second time in four months.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Mason McTavish and Alex Killorn each scored two goals to drop the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 and snap a four-game losing skid. John Gibson stopped 31 shots for the Ducks. Michael Bunting replied for the Penguins, who’ve lost nine of their last 12 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins (48 points) are five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Winger Bryan Rust left this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Utah Hockey Club got a 26-save shutout from goalie Karel Vejmelka in a 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Barrett Hayton tallied twice for Utah to extend their winning streak to three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild sit second in the Central Division with 60 points but they’ve lost four of their last five games.

Calgary Flames forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and two assists to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Dustin Wolf made 32 saves for the win as the Flames (53 points) hold a three-point lead over the Canucks in the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, who have lost three of their last four.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Chris Johnston report Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold said the executive committee of the NHL’s Board of Governors has been planning for the retirement of league commissioner Gary Bettman.

The longest-tenured commissioner in North American pro sports, Bettman was hired by the NHL in 1992. Leipold claims the BoG is in the process of finding Bettman’s successor.

Leipold, however, hadn’t realized the 72-year-old Bettman hadn’t formally announced his retirement plans. The commissioner told The Athletic he hasn’t decided when he’ll retire but brought it up for the first time to the executive committee ahead of last month’s BoG meeting in Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leipold put Bettman and the league in an awkward spot by jumping the gun. Nevertheless, Bettman will inevitably retire at some point, perhaps before the end of this decade.

Bettman’s not going anywhere before a new collective bargaining agreement is hammered out with the NHL Players’ Association. The current CBA is set to expire in September 2026 but Bettman has announced the two sides intend to begin discussions next month. He could set his retirement plans in motion after that.

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

The First Team features forwards Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall, and goaltender Chris Osgood.

Forwards Sergei Fedorov, Brendan Shanahan and Dylan Larkin, defensemen Chris Chelios and Bryan Rafalski, and goalie Dominik Hasek comprised the Second Team.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom could be sidelined for weeks with an ankle injury suffered during Wednesday’s game against the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing their starting goalie is a big blow to the Devils. If he’s sidelined for a lengthy period it could affect their plans for the trade deadline.

THE SCORE: New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Fortunately, he won’t require surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have struggled to remain in the playoff chase. Losing their top defenseman is a significant setback that could turn this club into a trade-deadline seller if it hampers their efforts to qualify for the postseason.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche forward Miles Wood is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Boston Bruins. He’s been sidelined since Nov. 27 by a back injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2025

by | Jan 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2025

The Predators stage the first four-goal comeback win in franchise history, the Canucks reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: The Nashville Predators scored six unanswered goals to overcome a 5-1 deficit and defeat the San Jose Sharks 7-5, marking their first four-goal comeback win in franchise history.

Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

Jonathan Marchessault led the way with a goal and three assists while Filip Forsberg collected three points, extending his goal streak to six games as the Predators picked up their fourth straight victory. Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to surpass Patrick Marleau for the most points by an 18-year-old in franchise history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators removed forward Cole Smith off injured reserve for this game. He’d missed the last 11 contests with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens center Jakes Evans scored with 2:15 remaining in the third period to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Sam Montembeault stopped 33 shots for the win while Patrik Laine collected two assists for the Canadiens (52 points) as they moved into the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, one point behind the Lightning for third place in the Atlantic Division. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov extended his goal streak to 10 games with his 22nd of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Shayne Gostisbehere for the longest assist streak by a rookie defenseman (nine games) in NHL history. The 20-year-old blueliner leads all freshmen this season with 39 points in 47 games.

The Canadiens have the same number of points as the Boston Bruins but the Habs have one more win (24) and a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Lightning have lost seven of their eight road games.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves in a 5-0 shutout of the Ottawa Senators. Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist as the Rangers extended their points streak to nine games (6-0-3). The Rangers (50 points) sit two points behind the Canadiens while the Senators cling to the first Eastern wild-card spot (52 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin also got into the middle of a scrum with Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk following a collision in his crease. Senators center Josh Norris left this game in the first period for precautionary reasons after falling and hitting his chin on the ice. Before this game, the Senators announced forward Zack MacEwen was taking a leave of absence for personal reasons from their minor-league affiliate in Belleville.

The Philadelphia Flyers (50 points) are two points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth following a 2-1 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Rasmus Ristolainen scored the winning goal while Samuel Ersson turned aside 27 shots as the Flyers extended their point streak to six games (5-0-1). Ben Chiarot replied for the Red Wings as they’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

Washington Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist to beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Tom Wilson netted his 20th of the season as the Capitals stretched their points streak to 11 games (8-0-3), opening a four-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings with 69 points. Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 34th goal of the season as the Oilers dropped their second straight game, sitting second in the Pacific Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers played without captain Connor McDavid as he’s serving a three-game suspension. They announced they won’t appeal the decision. The club also stated that it would be at least a week before newly signed defenseman John Klingberg plays his first game.

The Florida Panthers got a goal and an assist from Carter Verhaeghe in a 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, handing the latter their seventh loss in their last eight games. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots as the Panthers picked up their third win in their last four contests, sitting second in the Atlantic Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anaheim forward Trevor Zegras returned to action after missing 22 games with a knee injury. The Ducks announced forward Brock McGinn underwent season-ending knee surgery last week while forward Isac Lundestrom is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi tallied twice to beat the Dallas Stars 2-1, giving his club their third straight win. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 22 shots and Martin Necas collected two assists for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 61 points. Thomas Harley replied for the Stars, who’ve dropped three of their last four games and remain in third place in the Central Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz returned to action after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres got a goal and two assists from Jiri Kulich in a 3-2 comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 31 shots as the Sabres ended a two-game losing skid. Phillip Di Giuseppe and Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (50 points), who have one win in their last four games and remain one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Canucks unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

The First Team comprises forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin and Markus Naslund, defensemen Quinn Hughes and Alexander Edler, and goaltender Roberto Luongo.

The Second Team features forwards J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, and Ryan Kesler, defensemen Kevin Bieksa and Mattias Ohlund, and goaltender Thatcher Demko.

RG.ORG: Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov is settling in Boston and becoming more comfortable in his role as a more defensive-oriented blueliner. He admits he enjoyed his short stint with the Canucks last season, calling it “the coolest six months of my career”, praising the team and its fans.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets are staying mum on the status of captain Adam Lowry. The 31-year-old forward suffered an undisclosed injury during Monday’s loss to the Utah Hockey Club.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights winger Cole Schwindt is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: The Utah Hockey Club reportedly had several trademark applications denied as they continue to search for a permanent name. The name “Utah Yetis” was rejected to avoid confusion with the cooler brand Yeti. The names “Utah Blizzard” and “Utah Venom” were denied for similar reasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2025

by | Jan 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2025

A major comeback win for the Leafs, the Senators rally for a big win over the Bruins, milestone performances by the Avalanche’s Cale Makar and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov, the Capitals reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 7-3, snapping the latter’s six-game points streak. Oliver Ekman-Larsson tallied the winning goal and collected two assists, Mitch Marner had two helpers, and Joseph Woll stopped 32 shots as the Leafs sit atop the Atlantic Division with 60 points. Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine and Josh Anderson scored for the Canadiens (48 points), who sit two points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens dominated the first half of this game but took their foot off the gas in the second half and the Leafs made them pay. Woll made several big saves to prevent the Canadiens from running away with the game, enabling his teammates to stage their comeback.

A shootout goal by Tim Stutzle completed a three-goal comeback for the Ottawa Senators in a 6-5 victory over the Boston Bruins. Nick Jensen and Josh Norris scored late in the third period to set the stage for Stutzle’s winning goal, with Norris finishing the game with two goals. David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who slipped behind the Senators out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators and Bruins each have 50 points but the Sens have two games in hand and one more victory (23 to 22). Bruins coach Joe Sacco made the puzzling decision to bench captain Brad Marchand for overtime and the shootout.

Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen scored two goals and set up two others in a 6-3 win against the Dallas Stars. Cale Makar scored twice while Jonathan Drouin and Casey Mittelstadt each had a goal and two assists for the Avs, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 57 points. Jason Robertson tallied twice and picked up an assist and Wyatt Johnston had three assists for the Stars, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar reached the 100-goal plateau, becoming the sixth-fastest blueliner in NHL history to reach that milestone. George Boucher was the fastest (223 games played), followed by Bobby Orr (299), Paul Coffey (300), Raymond Bourque (329) and Denis Potvin (348).

The Tampa Bay Lightning downed the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and two assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 39 shots for the Lightning, who’ve won three of their last four games and hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 53 points. Lucas Raymond replied for the Red Wings (46 points), who sit four points behind the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov became the second player in Lightning history to reach 600 NHL regular-season assists. Victor Hedman was the first to do so, reaching that milestone on Jan. 16 against the Anaheim Ducks. Following this game, the Red Wings sent goaltender Ville Husso back to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller had a goal and three assists as he led his team to a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists as Utah snapped a three-game losing skid. Tyler Tucker and Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues (48 points), who sit three points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Flames, they got a 38-save performance by Dustin Wolf to upset the Winnipeg Jets 3-1. Blake Coleman had a goal and two assists and Andrei Kuzmenko scored his first goal since Oct. 15. Adam Lowry tallied Winnipeg’s only goal as their three-game win streak ended. With 65 points, the Jets sit second in the overall standings.

The Washington Capitals took over sole possession of first place in the overall standings (67 points) by dropping the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1, extending their points streak to 10 games (7-0-3). Aliaksei Protas and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals. Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Saturday.

Forwards Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, defensemen John Carlson and Mike Green, and goaltender Braden Holtby comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Peter Bondra, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson, blueliners Sergei Gonchar and Dmitry Orlov, and goaltender Olaf Kolzig.

The Capitals also removed goalie Charlie Lindgren from injured reserve after missing the last three games with an upper-body injury.

New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 1-0. Vincent Trocheck scored the only goal in the shootout. Daniil Tarasov stopped 26 shots for his first career shutout, becoming the first netminder in league history to record a shutout and suffer a loss in the same game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Friday, the Blue Jackets announced defenseman Jake Christiansen signed a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $975K.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes tallied twice and J.T. Miller picked up two assists as their club held on for a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. It was the Canucks’ second win in their last eight games, leaving them one point behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race. Leon Draisaitl scored both goals for the Oilers as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers could face supplemental discipline from the league. McDavid cross-checked Canucks forward Conor Garland in the head after the latter pinned him to the ice. In the ensuing scrum, Myers cross-checked Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the face. Both players received match penalties.

Miller was the subject of trade buzz yesterday with some reports suggesting this game may be his last with the Canucks. I’ll have more details in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3, leaving the latter with five losses in their last six games. Tyler Bertuzzi scored two power-play goals and Nick Foligno collected an assist in his 1,200th NHL regular-season game as the Blackhawks snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas and Edmonton are tied with 61 points but the Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific Division with 26 regulation wins.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Bobby Brink snapped a 1-1 tie and Travis Konecny potted the insurance goal into an empty net in a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers are 4-0-1 in their last five (48 points) and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Dougie Hamilton scored for the Devils, who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2) and hold second place in the Metropolitan Division.

Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight turned aside 34 shots to blank the Anaheim Ducks 3-0. Jesper Boqvist, Anton Lundell and Gustav Forsling were the goalscorers for the Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 57 points. John Gibson made 42 stops for the Ducks, who are 1-4-2 in their last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Sam Reinhart received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for kneeing Ducks forward Isac Lundestrom late in the first period. Lundestrom left the game in obvious pain favoring his right leg.

The New York Islanders defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-1, handing the latter their fifth loss in their last six contests. Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders as they ended a two-game losing skid. Barclay Goodrow replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brent Sutter was inducted into the Islanders’ Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. Sutter spent 12 of his 18-season NHL playing career with the Islanders, helping them win two of the franchise’s four Stanley Cups. He had 610 points in 694 games with the Islanders, including a career-high 102 in 1984-85.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored twice and collected two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Juuse Saros made 27 saves for the Predators, who picked up their third straight win. David Jiricek and Matt Boldy scored for the Wild as they are 1-4-0 in their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators placed winger Luke Evangelista (lower body) on injured reserve before this game. He’s not expected to return until early February. Defenseman Adam Wilsby was taken off IR. Meanwhile, the Wild placed blueliner Jonas Brodin (lower body) on IR. They also recalled goalie Dylan Ferguson on an emergency basis as Filip Gustavsson was out of the lineup with an illness.

A hat trick by Jaden Schwartz led the Seattle Kraken to a 4-2 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Kaapo Kakko collected three assists and Joey Daccord made 28 saves for the Kraken. Adrian Kempe and Jordan Spence replied for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 55 points.