NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2025

by | May 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2025

The Oilers and Panthers prepare for their upcoming Stanley Cup Final rematch, the Senators will begin contract talks with Claude Giroux, the Sabres add Jarmo Kekalainen to their front office, the Islanders make two signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said his club spent seven months preparing for this return to the Stanley Cup Final. While they’re proud of what they’ve accomplished thus far, Knoblauch indicated they’re focused on the ultimate goal of winning hockey’s greatest prize.

“We said last year right after Game 7 that we’d be back,” said winger Corey Perry. “And we’re back.”

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl knows what his club has to deal with facing the defending champion Florida Panthers again. “We know what they’re about, we played them seven times,” he said. “They’re a good team. We’re a really good team, as well. It’s nice to get a shot at getting some revenge, but we’re a long way from that.”

Knoblauch pointed out that his team must play its best hockey to achieve a different result from last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zach Hyman was the first player following Game 7 to guarantee they would return to the Final this season. His prophecy came true, but an injury suffered in the Western Conference Final has sidelined him from the Cup Final.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk praised the Oilers during his appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show, calling them “a hell of a team”. He believes the rematch between his two clubs will make for “an incredible series”, calling the two clubs the best in the NHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We have to wait several days for that series to begin. Game 1 is Wednesday, June 4, in Edmonton. Game 7 (if necessary) will be in Edmonton on Friday, June 20.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators will sit for face-to-face contract discussions next week with Claude Giroux.

The versatile 37-year-old forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Both sides have already found common ground because he wants to stay in Ottawa and the Senators are interested in keeping him.

Garrioch cited insiders suggesting Giroux’s next contract should have a base salary of $3 million with achievable performance bonuses that could take him up to between $4.5 million and $5 million. The biggest decision could be whether he gets a one or two-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be surprised if they don’t get a deal done. Giroux is eager to complete his career in Ottawa, and the Senators appreciate his skills, experience and leadership.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres hired former Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen as a senior advisor to GM Kevyn Adams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen has the most experience of anyone in the Sabres front office. He should be a valuable addition as they attempt to improve their roster and bring an end to their 14-year playoff drought next season.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Mathieu Darche made his first two contract signings as Islanders general manager, inking winger Kyle Palmieri to a two-year extension and defenseman Adam Boqvist to a one-year deal.

Palmieri will earn an average annual value of $4.75 million. He also has a full no-trade clause for 2025-26 and a 16-team no-trade clause for 2026-27. Boqvist will earn $850K next season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis revealed he reaggravated the right labrum/rotator cuff injury he suffered last season. He’s leaning toward another summer of rehabbing the injury rather than undergoing surgery, explaining that the procedure wouldn’t do much for his game. It would also sideline him for an extensive period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarvis played through the injury this season, scoring a team-leading 32 goals.

Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield confirmed he suffered a hip injury midway through the second-round series with the Washington Capitals. He won’t require surgery and will be ready for the start of the season. Blueliner Sean Walker reaggravated a shoulder injury in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final.

SPORTSNET: The Seattle Kraken signed defenseman Josh Mahura to a two-year, one-way contract extension with an AAV of $907,500.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers signed blueliner Helge Grans to a two-year, $1.575 million contract.

TSN: Francois Gagnon will receive the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for excellence in hockey journalism. Daryl Reaugh will receive the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. They will accept their awards at the Hockey Hall of Fame NHL Media Awards Luncheon in Toronto on Nov. 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Gagnon and Reaugh for their well-deserved awards.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2025

by | May 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2025

The Stars rally to defeat the Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, the Islanders get permission to speak with Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, the Blackhawks are poised to hire a former Red Wings coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE STARS TAKE GAME 1 OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars scored five unanswered third-period goals to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 6-3 in Game 1 of the 2025 NHL Western Conference Final.

Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin (NHL Images).

Miro Heiskanen, Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene tallied three straight power-play goals to get the rally going. Tyler Seguin finished the night with two goals and an assist, while Heiskanen and Granlund each had a goal and an assist.

Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard scored for the Oilers. Draisaitl finished with a goal and two assists, Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, and Connor McDavid finished with two helpers.

Game 2 is Friday, May 23, in Dallas at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers were in control of this game heading into the third period, but poor penalty killing was their undoing as the Stars took advantage of their undisciplined play.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reported the New York Islanders were granted permission to speak with Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan about their top hockey job. Shanahan’s contract with the Leafs expires at the end of June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s assumed the Leafs won’t renew Shanahan’s contract. Giving the Isles permission to speak with him lends credence to that speculation.

Don’t expect a change of management for the Leafs. Johnston reported “a positive internal view” of Brad Treliving’s work as general manager over the past two seasons.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Seattle Kraken were permitted to speak with Leafs associate coach Lane Lambert. Before joining the Leafs, Lambert was the Islanders’ head coach from 2022 to 2024.

SI.COM: Former Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill will reportedly become the next head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. Blashill was the Wings’ bench boss from 2015-16 to 2021-22. He went on to become an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blashill might have better luck with the Blackhawks than he did with the rebuilding Red Wings, especially after working with well-respected Lightning coach Jon Cooper for the past three seasons.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff recently met with the agent for pending free-agent Nikolaj Ehlers. He intends to meet with the 28-year-old winger, hoping to make him “a unique Jet-for-life type player.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s completing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million. Most pundits believe he intends to test the market. However, Cheveldayoff has a recent history of re-signing core players, inking Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele to extensions two years ago.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield remains questionable for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers. He’s been sidelined with an undisclosed injury since Game 4 of the Hurricanes’ second-round series with the Washington Capitals.

DAILY FACEOFF: Steven Ellis reports Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini are meshing well as linemates on Team Canada in the 2025 IIHF World Championship. Crosby has 11 points and Celebrini six through the round-robin of the tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could become a preview of a Crosby-Celebrini line at next year’s Winter Olympics.

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov admitted he was disappointed not to be a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy, but the 20-year-old felt he should’ve played better. He praised Lane Hutson’s performance, saying he believed the young Montreal Canadiens defenseman would be a star since he first saw him play in the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson is among the finalists and considered the favorite to win the Calder.

Michkov has a good head on his shoulders, taking responsibility for why he didn’t make the Calder shortlist. He’ll likely use that as motivation to improve his game, which will only benefit the Flyers moving forward.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Former Flyers interim head coach Brad Shaw is reportedly joining the New Jersey Devils’ coaching staff.

97.3 ESPN: Ian Laperriere reportedly won’t be back as head coach of the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. It’s believed he could work in the organization in a different role.

NHL.COM: The 4 Nations Face-Off was named the Sports Event of the Year at the SBJ Sports Business Awards in New York. The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were named Sports Team of the Year.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

by | May 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Final amid a heartbreaking personal loss for Jets center Mark Scheifele, the Panthers and Maple Leafs prepare for Game 7, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final for the third straight year with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 of their second-round series.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (NHL Images)

Thomas Harley scored the game-winner on a power-play goal at 1:33 of overtime. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for the win and Sam Steel tallied the tying goal for the Stars, who will face the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year in the Conference Final.

Harley’s goal came with Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele in the penalty box for tripping late in the third period. Scheifele opened the scoring in this game, opting to play despite his father passing away suddenly the night before.

Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game with a lower-body injury after getting tangled with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen late in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a heartbreaking defeat for Scheifele and his teammates. Following the game, Jets coach Scott Arniel said Scheifele told him he would play because that’s what his father would’ve wanted.

The Stars players and coaches took the time to offer condolences to Scheifele in the postgame handshake lineup, especially Mason Marchment, who lost his father three years ago.

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reported that Marchment said he was trying to help Scheifele with some kind words that helped him back following his own father’s death. He also praised the Jets center for deciding to play despite his loss. “At the end of the day, we’re all just people. And when you treat someone with respect, I think it means a lot,” said Marchment.

The hockey community rallied to support Scheifele, raising more than $30K in $55 donations (honoring Scheifele’s No. 55) to the Jets’ charitable fund, True North Youth Foundation. Many of the donations came from Dallas Stars fans.

NHL.COM: The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are feeling the pressure heading into Game 7 of their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. They’ll try to draw on their experience in these situations (eliminating Boston in their 2023 first-round series, defeating Edmonton in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final) to help them advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

TORONTO SUN: The status of Leafs winger Matthew Knies remains uncertain for Game 7. He suffered an undisclosed injury during the Leafs’ 2-0 victory in Game 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 is in Toronto on Sunday, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

NHL.COM: The Western Conference Final between the Stars and Oilers begins in Dallas on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 pm ET.

The Eastern Conference Final opens on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 PM ET. If the Leafs win, the series starts in Toronto against the Carolina Hurricanes. If the Panthers win, the series begins in Carolina.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin confirmed he will return next season. He’s coming off a historic 20th NHL season where he broke the all-time goal-scoring record while helping the Capitals finish first in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin turns 40 in September and has one year remaining on his contract. It could be last in the NHL, depending on how next season unfolds.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOWS: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged a lack of scoring against the Edmonton Oilers led to his club’s second-round elimination. However, he chalked that up to the Oilers’ strong defensive play during that series.

McCrimmon acknowledged several players (Tanner Pearson, Victor Olofsson, Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad and Ilya Samsonov) are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He praised their performances, suggesting a good case can be made to re-sign them.

The Golden Knights GM indicated “a couple of guys” played through injuries, but none will require offseason surgery.

LAS VEGAS SUN: McCrimmon also hopes to sign Jack Eichel to a contract extension this summer. The 28-year-old first-line center is UFA-eligible next July.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury ahead of the Eastern Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly close to an agreement to remain at the SAP Center until 2050.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2024

by | Jun 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2024

The Panthers are poised to sweep the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, management changes in store for the Blues, the Sharks name their new head coach, the Rangers re-sign Kaapo Kakko, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP NOTEBOOK

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are on the verge of sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final after holding on for a 4-3 victory in Game 3. Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves and Aleksander Barkov tallied the game-winning goal as the Panthers scored three times within a six-minute span in the second period.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

The Oilers made things interesting with third-period goals by Philip Broberg and Ryan McLeod. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent them from falling into a 3-0 series deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton faces the daunting challenge of doing something that hasn’t been done in the Stanley Cup Final since 1942: overcome a 3-0 series deficit to win hockey’s holy grail.

Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner believes his club can do it. So far, however, they’ve shown nothing to indicate they can pull it off.

Skinner’s mishandling of a dump-in by the Panthers led to Vladimir Tarasenko snapping a 1-1 tie in the second period. That opened the floodgates as Sam Bennett and Barkov capitalized on defensive miscues by the Oilers.

The Panthers have done a masterful job of shutting down the Oilers’ big guns in this series. Connor McDavid has three assists and Evan Bouchard has one. Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have yet to dent the score sheet.

Bobrovsky has been solid throughout this series. He’s had help from his teammates as they’ve clogged up the shooting lanes while reducing the amount of traffic around their net.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong signed a five-year contract extension with the St. Louis Blues as president of hockey operations. Alexander Steen was named special assistant to the general manager through 2025-26, after which he’ll take over as GM from Armstrong.

The Blues also promoted Tim Taylor from his previous role as director of player development to assistant general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team chairman Tom Stillman approved Armstrong’s proposed transition. He’ll remain general manager for two more years to prepare Steen for the GM role.

Steen spent 12 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Blues. He retired as a player in 2020 and joined the Blues’ management team last year as a European development consultant. Armstrong was so impressed by Steen’s effort that he felt he would be a worthwhile successor.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks promoted assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky as their new head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NBC Sports Bay Area’s Sheng Peng reported Warsofsky’s ability to build relationships with his players, his record for developing young players, and his communication skills factored into the Sharks management tapping him as their new bench boss.

The Sharks are rebuilding their roster with promising young talent. Warsofsky’s coaching will play a crucial role in their development.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed winger Kaapo Kakko to a one-year, $2.4 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko accepted what would’ve been the Rangers’ qualifying offer, foregoing his arbitration rights this summer. That’s not surprising given his struggles this season.

On the one hand, this is an affordable short-term deal that enables the Rangers to remain patient with the 23-year-old winger’s development. On the other hand, it’s an easily tradeable contract if they decide to trade him.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes signed Jalen Chatfield to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3 million. The 28-year-old defenseman was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chatfield made himself invaluable to the Hurricanes’ blueline depth. He’s getting a significant raise, earning $765K per season on his previous two-year contract.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers captain Sean Couturier said he’s rehabbing from a recent sports hernia injury. “Feeling great now. About to head back home here this week and start the full training,” said Couturier.

NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club officially joined the NHL on Thursday. The team revealed its home and away jerseys for 2025-26. They could have a new name by then as fan voting is open until June 20. Details on the name will be revealed in the coming months.

TSN: Executive Laurence Gilman and the Toronto Maple Leafs mutually agreed to part ways. He worked as assistant GM from 2018-19. His contract was due to expire at the end of this month.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens extended their affiliate agreement with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions for three more seasons.

FORT MYERS NEWS-PRESS: The Florida Panthers have ended their affiliation with the ECHL’s Florida Everglades.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2024

by | Feb 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2024

Three hat-trick performances as the Wild defeat the Canucks, Leafs center Auston Matthews moves closer to the 50-goal plateau, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild overcame 4-1 and 5-2 deficits in a 10-7 upset of the league-leading Vancouver Canucks. Minnesota forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov each scored three goals and three assists with the latter picking up his hat trick during his club’s seven-goal outburst in the third period. Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and three assists as the Wild improved to 26-23-6 and sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 58 points.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

J.T. Miller collected a hat trick and added an assist for the 37-14-6 Canucks (80 points) as they hold a three-point lead over the Boston Bruins in the overall standings. Pius Suter had three assists while Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes each had two points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild also set a franchise record for most goals in a single game. They capitalized on three 5-on-3 man-advantage scenarios to turn the game in their favor. They nearly blew an 8-5 lead when the Canucks scored twice to move within a goal but two empty-netters sealed the deal. Canucks winger Conor Garland left the game in the second period after blocking a shot but returned to action in the third period.

A shootout goal by Charlie McAvoy lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 43 shots while David Pastrnak tied the game with his 35th goal of the season late in the third period for the 33-12-11 Bruins, who regained sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with 77 points. Wyatt Johnson, Ryan Suter and Esa Lindell replied for the Stars (34-14-8) as they hold first place in the Central Division with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins honored captain Brad Marchand for recently reaching the 1,000-game milestone in a pregame ceremony. Meanwhile, the Stars played without center Matt Duchene due to a lower-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 49th goal of the season as his club doubled up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Mitch Marner collected three assists and William Nylander netted a shorthanded goal for the Maple Leafs (30-16-8) as they picked up their fourth straight victory and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 68 points. Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich scored for the 29-24-2 Blues as they cling to the final Western wild-card spot with 60 points.

A four-goal third period gave the Edmonton Oilers to a 6-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes, leaving the latter winless in their last 10 games (0-9-1). Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists, Evander Kane tallied twice and Evan Bouchard picked up three assists for the 33-18-1 Oilers as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 67 points. Nick Bjugstad scored two goals and Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes as they dropped to 23-28-4.

Vegas Golden Knights rookie Mason Morelli had a goal and an assist in his season debut while Logan Thompson made 29 saves to shut out the San Jose Sharks 4-0. Alec Martinez collected three assists for the Golden Knights (32-17-6) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 22 shots for the 15-35-5 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights activated defenseman Shea Theodore off injured reserve but he didn’t play in this game. He’s been sidelined since Nov. 22 with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Sharks activated Henry Thrun on injured reserve and placed captain Logan Couture on IR. The Sharks also made winger Alexander Barabanov a healthy scratch.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Nazem Kadri scored twice and collected an assist while Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrew Mangiapane each had a goal and an assist for the Flames (26-25-5) as they overcame a 3-1 deficit. With 57 points, they’re three back of the Blues for the final Western wild-card berth. Sean Monahan tallied a natural hat trick for the 33-15-5 Jets as they remain in third place in the Central Division with 71 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets coach Rick Bowness was displeased by his club’s performance in this contest after they upset the league-leading Canucks in their previous game. “That’s as soft a five-on-five game as we’ve played all year,” he told reporters in a postgame interview. “That’s not us at all. That didn’t even look like the Winnipeg Jets out there.”

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas each had a goal and an assist to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3. Seth Jarvis picked up two assists as the Hurricanes (33-17-5) sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points. Rookie Connor Bedard had a goal and two assists for the 15-38-3 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is showing no lingering effects from the fractured jaw that recently sidelined him for six weeks. He has six points in three games since returning to action on Feb. 15. Meanwhile, Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield missed this game with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Ben Chiarot gave the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist while Alex Lyon made 38 saves for the 29-20-6 Red Wings, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 64 points. Jared McCann tallied twice for the Kraken (23-21-11) as they sit three points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 57 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected an assist to reach 800 for his career.

The Ottawa Senators upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Mathieu Joseph scored two goals while Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist for the 23-27-2 Senators. Brayden Point and Mitchell Chaffee replied for the Lightning (30-22-5) as they hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 65 points.

Anaheim Ducks winger Frank Vatrano scored twice as his club nipped the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 4-3. Troy Terry had a goal and two assists while John Gibson stopped 34 shots for the 20-33-2 Ducks. Dylan Cozens collected two assists for the 24-27-4 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Sabres announced defenseman Owen Power (hand) was placed on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL COM: Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk are the three stars for the week ending Feb. 18, 2024.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: The Predators’ poor performance since the All-Star break prompted the club to cancel the team’s plans to journey to Las Vegas following Saturday’s game against St. Louis to watch U2 perform at Sphere. General manager Barry Trotz said the team’s recent standards were “below expectations”, especially during home games, pointing to their 9-2 loss to the Dallas Stars last Thursday. They face the Golden Knights tonight in Las Vegas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, play well and be rewarded.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.