NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2023

by | Apr 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2023

The Avalanche clinch a playoff berth as Nathan MacKinnon reaches 100 points, the Panthers vault into the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth, the Hurricanes reach the 50-win plateau, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Nathan MacKinnon gave the Colorado Avalanche a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks and clinched a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. MacKinnon scored twice and added an assist to reach the 100-point plateau in a season for the first time in his career. The Avs (46-24-6) sit atop the Central Division with 98 points with a game in hand over the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild, who each also have 98 points. Kevin Labanc scored twice for the 22-39-16 Sharks.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson collected an assist and has 96 points on the season with five games left in the schedule. He has an opportunity to become the first NHL blueliner to reach 100 points in a season since Brian Leetch in 1991-92. Karlsson’s teammate, Tomas Hertl, left his game following the second period with an undisclosed injury.

The Florida Panthers (40-31-7) nipped the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 to vault over the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins into the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 87 points on the basis of wins. Matthew Tkachuk broke a 1-1 tie in the third period while Alex Lyon made 39 saves for the Panthers. Devon Levi stopped 34 shots for the 37-32-7 Sabres (81 points) as they remain six points behind the Islanders.

Speaking of the Penguins, they were thumped 5-1 by the New Jersey Devils as Dawson Mercer collected his first career NHL hat trick. With a record of 49-21-8, the Devils (106 points) remain three points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguins (38-30-10) slipped one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 86 points.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, blew a 2-0 lead over the Ottawa Senators but won the game 3-2 on an overtime goal by Martin Necas. Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (109 points), who became the second team to reach the 50-win plateau (50-18-9) this season. Claude Giroux and Brady Tkachuk scored for the 37-34-7 Senators (81 points), who remain six points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes reached the 50-win mark for the second straight season and the third time in franchise history.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists to lead his club to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist to sit one point away from a career-high 100-point season as the Oilers (46-23-9) hold second place in the Pacific Division with 101 points. Viktor Arvidsson replied for the 45-23-10 Kings as they sit one point behind the Oilers in third place in the Pacific.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the second straight season the Oilers have reached the 100-point plateau.

The Seattle Kraken widened their lead over the idle Winnipeg Jets for the first Western Conference wild-card berth by dropping the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. The Kraken overcame a 2-0 deficit with Jordan Eberle leading the way with a goal and an assist. With a record of 43-26-8, the Kraken (94 points) sit five points ahead of the Jets. Elias Pettersson and Anthony Beauvillier replied for the 34-36-7 Canucks.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Andreas Athanasiou tallied twice as his club snapped an eight-game losing skid with a 4-3 upset of the Calgary Flames. Petr Mrazek kicked out 33 shots for the 25-46-6 Blackhawks. Noah Hanifin had a goal and an assist for the 36-27-15 Flames (87 points) as they missed a golden opportunity to tie the Jets (89 points) for the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames will get another chance tonight when they face off against the Jets in Winnipeg. However, the Jets will still hold that berth if the Flames win on the basis of a game in hand and total wins.

The Nashville Predators kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the Vegas Golden Knight 3-2 on an overtime goal by Cody Glass. Tommy Novak scored twice for the 39-30-8 Predators as they sit one point back of the Flames and two behind the Jets. Alex Pietrangelo tallied two goals for the Golden Knights (48-22-8) as they hold first overall in the Western Conference with 104 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Aston-Reese tallied twice as his club doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. The Leafs (46-21-10) sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves stopped 46 shots in his NHL debut as his club dropped to 24-45-8 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe indicated goaltender Matt Murray was day-to-day with a head injury. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, announced the signing of forward Yegor Chinakhov to a one-year, $800,000 contract extension.

The Detroit Red Wings blanked the Montreal Canadiens 5-0 as Ville Husso turned in a 24-save shutout. David Perron had two goals and an assist for the 35-33-9 Red Wings while the injury-depleted Canadiens sank to 30-42-6.

St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 32 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jordan Kyrou netted his 37th goal of the season for the 36-35-7 Blues while the Flyers dropped to 29-35-13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Blues coach Craig Berube announced that defenseman Marco Scandella will miss the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2022

by | Dec 22, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2022

Roman Josi becomes the Predators’ all-time leading scorer, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone makes franchise history, Oilers captain Connor McDavid extends his points streak, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi became his club’s all-time leading scorer in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Josi scored the game-winning goal and collected an assist to reach 567 career points, surpassing David Legwand’s 566 points. Juuse Saros made 37 saves for the win as the Predators improved to 14-13-4. Connor Murphy had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (7-20-4), who remain last overall in the standings.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone made franchise history in his club’s 5-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Stone became the first Golden Knights player to score a power-play goal and a shorthanded goal in the same game as he finished the night with three points. Vegas (23-11-1) sits in first place in the Western Conference and second in the overall standings with 47 points.

The New Jersey Devils snapped a five-game losing skid with three unanswered third-period goals to double up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Jesper Bratt scored twice and Mackenzie Blackwood made 34 saves in his first start since Nov. 3. The Devils (22-9-2) sit in third place in the Eastern Conference with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said winger Patric Hornqvist could remain sidelined long-term as he continues to recover from a concussion suffered on Dec. 3 against the Seattle Kraken.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Warren Foegele, Connor McDavid and Mattias Janmark lifted the Edmonton Oilers over the Dallas Stars 6-3. Janmark scored twice, McDavid extended his points streak to 14 games and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a three-point performance for the Oilers (18-14-2). Mason Marchment had two assists for the 19-9-6 Stars, who hold a one-point lead with points over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars were without winger Denis Gurianov, who’s on an indefinite leave of absence for family reasons.

The Detroit Red Wings scored four goals in the third period in a 7-4 romp over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Michael Rasmussen scored twice and added two assists while Dylan Larkin tallied twice as the Red Wings (14-11-7) snapped a six-game winless skid. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (20-11-1) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 41 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the NHL department of player safety fined Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev $5,000.00 for slashing Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting during Tuesday’s game between the two clubs.

An overtime goal by Mikko Rantanen lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Artturi Lehkonen scored the tying goal for the Avs (18-11-2) as they hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 38 points. Jake Allen made 34 saves for the 15-15-3 Canadiens.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. The Wild (19-11-2) sit in third place in the Central Division with 40 points, three behind the second-place Winnipeg Jets. Lukas Dostal stopped 38 shots for the 9-22-3 Ducks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators signed Artum Zub to a four-year contract extension. The 27-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $4.6 million starting in 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zub is completing a two-year deal with a $2.5 million AAV. He’s become an invaluable part of the Senators’ defense corps. Injuries have limited him to 14 games so far this season but he netted 22 points in 81 games in 2021-22.

The Senators’ blueline is better with a healthy Zub in the lineup. One could quibble over the AAV on his new contract but it’s not extravagant and the term of the contract is reasonable.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov is sidelined by a high ankle sprain. The club announced he will miss approximately six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chinakhov is the 11th Blue Jackets regular currently sidelined by injuries. Among the notables are Zach Werenski, Jakub Voracek, Boone Jenner and Elvis Merzlikins.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders placed forward Cal Clutterbuck on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 16.

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning-Buffalo Sabres game scheduled for Dec. 23 has been postponed due to inclement weather expected for Buffalo on that day. It has been rescheduled to March 4, 2023.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: The Flyers game with the Sabres scheduled for March 4 has been rescheduled to Jan. 9, 2023.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2021

by | May 3, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2021

The Lightning edged the Red Wings, Connor McDavid closes in on 100 points, three former Blue Jackets talk about their time with the club, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning edged the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in Sunday’s only game. Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist while goaltender Christopher Gibson picked up his first NHL win since 2017-18. The Lightning are tied with the Florida Panthers with 73 points but hold second place in the Discover Central Division with a game in hand.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is just 13 points away from reaching 100 points with seven games left in the club’s regular-season schedule. McDavid, however, isn’t concerned about whether he’ll reach that number by season’s end.

“Personally, it’s a number,” said McDavid. “Obviously, it’d be kind of different to be able to do it in a shortened season, but I’m not going to change anything. I’m just going to keep playing my game, and if I get there, I get there. And if not, whatever.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given McDavid’s low-key personality, we shouldn’t be surprised that he’s downplaying this. It’s a milestone for this season that he’d probably like to reach but he’s not going to lose sleep over it if he doesn’t. Nevertheless, it would put a nice exclamation point on this NHL season if he can do it.

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Aaron Portzline interviewed three former members of the Columbus Blue Jackets over their experiences. The city and the club are getting a worrying reputation as a place no one wants to play for after several high-profile players departed via free agency and trades.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An interesting piece about the team and of the city as a hockey town. The players were mostly positive about their time with the Jackets. However, they felt the club’s hardball approach to contract negotiations with restricted free agents contributed to the recent departures of several former teammates.

Speaking of the Jackets, they signed 2020 first-round pick Yegor Chinakhov to a three-year entry-level contract.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars face some questions as their playoff math for this season becomes more difficult. They must decide if it’s worthwhile for Tyler Seguin to return to the lineup after missing the entire season thus far recovering from offseason hip surgery. Meanwhile, Roope Hintz is battling a lower-body injury that could require surgery when this season is over.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl will miss tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens after taking a puck to the mouth during Saturday’s win over the Vancouver Canucks.

NEW YORK POST: It appears the Rangers and Islanders played their final game at Nassau Coliseum. The Isles will be moving to their new arena at Belmont Park next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be the final game unless the Rangers somehow manage to overtake the fourth-place Boston Bruins in the MassMutual East Division. With the Bruins (66 points) sitting eight points ahead with two games in hand, I don’t like the Blueshirts’ chances.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators’ 3-2 loss to the Canadiens on Saturday officially eliminated them from playoff contention.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2021

by | May 1, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2021

​Coyotes end Golden Knights’ 10-game win streak, Canadiens rally to down the Jets, the Seattle Kraken officially join the league, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: A 25-save shutout by Adin Hill gave the Arizona Coyotes a 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights to end the latter’s 10-game win streak. John Hayden, Michael Bunting and Christian Fischer were the goalscorers for the Coyotes (49 points), who sit three points behind the fourth-place St. Louis Blues in the Honda West Division. The Golden Knights remain in first place with 72 points.

Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

The Colorado Avalanche moved within four points of Vegas by blanking the San Jose Sharks 3-0. Philipp Grubauer picked up the shutout with 21 saves in his first game back from the COVID-19 protocol list while Mikko Rantanen collected three points. The Avs (68 points) opened a two-point lead over the third-place Minnesota Wild.

A four-goal rally by the Montreal Canadiens carried them to a 5-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Nick Suzuki led the way with two goals and an assist as the Canadiens (53 points) moved within four points of third-place Winnipeg in the Scotia North Division and opened a six-point lead over the fifth-place Calgary Flames. The Jets have dropped six straight games.

Anze Kopitar scored with 56 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Los Angeles Kings over the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick kicked out 33 shots.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Seattle Kraken officially joined the NHL yesterday following the final payment of its $650 million expansion fee. The Kraken can now make player transactions and participate in league meetings and voting. Their first season will be 2021-22. An expansion draft to fill out its roster takes place on July 21.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Welcome to the NHL, Seattle Kraken. Looking forward to what will hopefully become an entertaining rivalry with the Vancouver Canucks.

CBS SPORTS: New York Rangers center Brett Howden is done for the season after suffering a fractured foot during Thursday’s loss to the New York Islanders.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets prospect Yegor Chinakhov may sign his entry-level NHL contract after helping KHL club Avangard Omsk win the Gagarin Cup earlier this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets selection of Chinakhov in last year’s draft (21st overall) left many pundits scrambling to find out who he was as he wasn’t listed among last year’s top prospects by NHL scouts. The 20-year-old forward reportedly had a solid rookie KHL performance this season.

NBC SPORTS: Former NHL star and future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr isn’t ready to hang up his skates yet. The 49-year-old winger intends to return with hometown club Kladno Knights next season after helping them earn promotion to the Czech Extraliga. It will be his 34th professional season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jagr’s last NHL season was 2017-18 when he played 22 games with the Calgary Flames before heading to Kladno to finish that season. He’s been there ever since.