NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 24, 2025

by | Apr 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 24, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s playoff action, the Rangers sign GM Chris Drury to a contract extension, no front-office shakeup for the Bruins, the fallout from the Islanders firing Lou Lamoriello, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Tyler Seguin lifted the Dallas Stars to a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Valeri Nichushkin opened the scoring for the Avalanche early in the first period but Stars captain Jamie Benn tied it in the third period, setting the stage for Seguin’s game-winner. The Stars hold a 2-1 lead in the series with Game 4 on Saturday, Apr. 26, at 9:30 pm ET.

Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars’ win spoiled the return to action of Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog after nearly three years sidelined by knee surgeries. He saw 13:16 of ice time and led the Avs with six hits.

The Los Angeles Kings got four-point performances from Adrian Kempe (two goals, two assists) and Anze Kopitar (one goal, three assists) to beat the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 in Game 2 of their opening-round series. Oilers forwards Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson narrowed the Kings’ early 3-0 lead to 3-2 before the latter pulled away with three unanswered third-period goals, two of them from Kempe. The Kings hold a 2-0 lead in the series, which shifts to Edmonton with Game 3 on Friday, Apr. 25, starting at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Evander Kane and defenseman John Klingberg returned to action after missing time this season due to injuries. It was Kane’s first game after being sidelined for the entire regular season, while Klingberg played only 11 games.

However, their return couldn’t save the Oilers from being soundly beaten in this contest. Starting goalie Stuart Skinner gave way to backup Calvin Pickard after giving up five goals on 23 shots while the Kings went 3-for-5 on the power play.

Washington Capitals forward Connor McMichael tallied twice in a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 2 of their series. Logan Thompson stopped 25 shots as the Capitals overcame a 1-0 deficit in the second period with two quick goals by McMichael and Dylan Strome. Josh Anderson scored for the Canadiens, who got a 29-save performance from Sam Montembeault. The series moves to Montreal for Game 3 on Friday, starting at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 2 was nearly identical to the opening contest, with the Capitals dominating the first two periods before the Canadiens rallied back in the third. The Habs pushed back hard for the equalizer in the final frame, but Thompson shut the door before McMichael sealed it with an empty-netter with two seconds left.

Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis sent an unsubtle message to underperforming forwards Patrik Laine and Joel Armia. Laine was benched for the third period while Armia saw only one shift in that frame.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers announced that general manager Chris Drury signed a multi-year contract extension. This move comes after the Blueshirts missed the playoffs a year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy as the top regular-season team in 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some Rangers fans didn’t receive this news well, taking to social media to voice their displeasure. Nevertheless, Drury’s extension is ownership’s stamp of approval on his somewhat heavy-handed efforts to retool the roster since last summer.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: It appears Don Sweeney will return as general manager of the Bruins. Despite missing the playoffs this season, CEO and team chairman Charlie Jacobs praised Sweeney’s management of the club, citing their impressive winning percentage under his stewardship, including eight straight postseason appearances before 2024-25.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Islanders nearly fired Lou Lamoriello in December before finally relieving him of his duties as GM and team president earlier this week.

Friedman claimed Lamoriello was clashing with team minority owner and Business Operations Director John Collins. There was also friction between Lamoriello and head coach Patrick Roy, and unhappiness over the historically bad season for their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. A late-season blowout loss to the Rangers appeared to be the final straw.

Meanwhile, the Islanders also parted ways with long-time radio broadcasters Chris King and Greg Picker.

NEW YORK POST: Former Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck announced his retirement on social media yesterday. Clutterbuck spent 17 seasons in the NHL, beginning with the Minnesota Wild from 2007-08 to 2012-13 before being traded to the Isles, where he spent the remainder of his career to 2023-24.

A gritty checking-line forward, Clutterbuck played 1,065 NHL regular-season games, finishing with 143 goals and 150 assists for 293 points. He also had 12 goals and 20 points in 81 playoff contests.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues center Robert Thomas missed practice for maintenance reasons, but he will be ready for Game 3 against the Jets on Thursday.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Jets, sidelined forward Gabriel Vilardi (upper-body injury) traveled with the team to St. Louis. Meanwhile, winger Nikolaj Ehlers (lower body) remained in Winnipeg. The Jets hold a 2-0 lead in their series with the Blues.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers announced they are moving on from assistant coaches Rocky Thompson, Darryl Williams, and assistant/skills coach Angelo Ricci.

TSN: Czechia leaders are condemning apparent threats by former Russian prime minister and president Dmitry Medvedev against Hall-of-Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek for his critical comments about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines & Rumors – September 8, 2024

by | Sep 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines & Rumors – September 8, 2024

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes on his goals for the upcoming season, the Wild attempted to acquire Patrik Laine, an update on Ryan Johansen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes is proud of winning the Norris Trophy in 2023-24 but is putting that behind him to focus on his club’s goals and his personal ones for the upcoming season.

Hughes, 24, finished last season with a career-high 17 goals and 75 assists for 92 points. He believes he can reach 20 goals and doesn’t rule out 100 points this season, explaining that he felt he missed a lot of scoring opportunities last season.

The Canucks captain also believes his club will be better in 2024-25, pointing to the addition of forwards Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Kiefer Sherwood and Daniel Sprong and defenseman Derek Forbort.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hughes doesn’t see his club enduring the inconsistency of the previous years before last season’s improvement, noting that they’re no longer an up-and-coming club as they were back then. He indicated core players like himself, Elias Pettersson, Thatcher Demko, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser are older and more experienced.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes and his teammates will face significant pressure to build on their 109-point performance last season, the third-best record in franchise history. How they handle the heightened expectations could determine the outcome of this season.

SI.COM: Nick Horwat cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claiming the Minnesota Wild attempted to acquire Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets before the 26-year-old winger was traded to the Montreal Canadiens last month.

Friedman believes the Wild were “very interested” in Laine. However, Horwat pointed out the cap-strapped Wild would’ve had to ship out some salary to absorb the winger’s $8.7 million cap hit through 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored last month the Wild could look into acquiring Laine. There was also talk that they were on his 10-team “no-trade” list.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports the Philadelphia Flyers hope to receive further clarification regarding their efforts to void Ryan Johansen’s contract.

According to Kurz, whether Johansen was healthy enough to report to the Flyers’ AHL affiliate following his acquisition from the Colorado Avalanche is at the heart of the disagreement. The Flyers originally thought they’d receive clarification before the start of the season but a team source suggests it’s “going to be a few weeks”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansen has a year remaining on his contract. The average annual value is $8 million, of which $4 million was retained by the Nashville Predators when they traded him last summer to the Avalanche. The Flyers took on that portion of his AAV when they acquired him earlier this year.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne wonders if veteran winger Mike Hoffman has played his final NHL game. A 70-point producer in 2018-19 with the Florida Panthers, the 34-year-old winger has been unable to land a contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoffman’s production has tumbled since then, partly due to two COVID-shortened seasons but also because of three injury-shortened campaigns with rebuilding clubs in Montreal and San Jose.

The knock on Hoffman is he’s a one-dimensional offensive player whose defensive play leaves something to be desired. Age could also be catching up with him.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers winger Corey Perry helped WWE wrestler Kevin Owens in his triple-threat match against Austin Theory during WWE Smackdown in Edmonton on Friday night.

Perry got involved when Owens and Theory battled outside the ring, grabbing Theory and holding back his arms, allowing Owens to deliver a chop across Theory’s chest. Owens high-fived Perry afterward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nice little bit of cross-promotion there.

SPORTSNET: Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder paid tribute to the Gaudreau brothers during a concert in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Vedder noted he and bassist Jeff Ament lost people close to them in tragic accidents. He cited his friend, Hall of Famer Chris Chelios, saying what good men the brothers were. Hearing the Gaudreaus came from Philadelphia and grew up watching games in that city, the band dedicated the song “Given To Fly” to the brothers, their families, loved ones and teammates.

RUMORS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cites Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying he expects a bridge deal between the Devils and Dawson Mercer. The 22-year-old winger completed his entry-level contract last season.

Friedman doesn’t see how a long-term deal is possible given the Devils’ limited cap space. They have just over $4.9 million for 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll probably be a two or three-year contract with an AAV between $3.5 million and $4 million.

Nichols also tweeted on Friday that former New York Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck remains focused on signing an NHL contract. He indicated a handful of teams have inquired about professional tryout offers.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins believes a reunion between the Oilers and Justin Schultz is possible, saying the two sides have talked. He also noted the rumors linking the club to Kevin Shattenkirk but feels it’s more likely they sign a more affordable defense option like Travis Dermott.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schultz, 34, began his NHL career with the Oilers, playing 3 1/2 seasons before getting traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 27, 2016.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 11, 2024

by | Aug 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 11, 2024

Potential candidates for the 2024-25 Calder Trophy, why the Linus Ullmark trade could be worthwhile for the Senators even if he moves on next season, the Canadiens hope their young stars take the next step, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ESPN.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini goes into this season as the favorite to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year. However, he could be challenged by a dynamic field of promising young players making their NHL debuts this season.

Among the notables (in alphabetical order) are Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, Utah Hockey Club winger Josh Doan, Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Minnesota Wild center Marat Khusnutdinov, Colorado Avalanche winger Nikolai Kovalenko, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Sharks forward Will Smith, Stars winger Logan Stankoven, New York Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov, and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf.

San Jose Sharks prospect Macklin Celebrini (NHL.com).

Others worth watching include Edmonton Oilers forward Matthew Savoie, Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright and Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is the favorite based on his status as the first-overall pick in this year’s draft. Gauthier, Hutson and Michkov enter this season with their fair share of hype.

Some players, like Doan, Stankoven, and Wolf, will have an advantage as they saw some NHL action last season but not enough to be considered a rookie for 2023-24.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne believes the Ottawa Senators’ acquisition of Linus Ullmark still makes sense even if the 30-year-old goaltender departs as an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Having a proven starter between the pipes will boost the confidence of their young players. Ullmark could also be a positive influence for goalies Anton Forsberg and Mads Sogaard. If Ullmark plays poorly, it could be a core problem involving the defense rather than a goalie issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie in 2022-23 as a member of the Boston Bruins. Some point out that he won partly because of the strong Bruins defense in front of him.

Warne suggests that if Ullmark plays well for the Senators, it’ll be considered proof that shaky goaltending was the real issue holding them back in recent years. If he struggles, management can focus on bolstering the blueline.

THE SCORE: Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes hopes his promising core takes a big step forward in their development this season.

The focus will be on Juraj Slafkovsky, who made significant strides last season with 20 goals and 50 points after being moved to the top line alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, with 37 of those points coming in 46 games after Jan. 1.

“We don’t need him to score 40 or 50 goals or it’s a failure,” said Hughes. “It’s about continuing to progress as a hockey player and to be the best version of himself, because we’re confident the best version of Juraj is going to give us a good chance to compete and win.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Canadiens aren’t expected to be a playoff contender this season. However, a strong season-long performance by Slafkovsky combined with the ongoing improvement of Suzuki and Caufield, the development of other younger players, and an overall healthier season could make the Habs a much more competitive club.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello isn’t fully closing the door on the return of unrestricted free agent forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin. However, he believes the club will be moving on from those two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello told The Athletic’s Arthur Staple the same thing a week ago. Never say never, but we’ll probably move on from those two. That seems about as close as the Isles GM will come to admitting that Clutterbuck and Martin won’t be back.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – August 5, 2024

by | Aug 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – August 5, 2024

It’s a holiday Monday in Canada so there’s little hockey news to report. Here’s a brief look at the notable remaining unrestricted free agents plus a look at whether Patrik Laine would be a fit with the Bruins.

DAILY FACEOFF: recently listed the top remaining players in this summer’s unrestricted free agent market.

Right wing James van Riemsdyk tops the list, followed by defensemen Tyson Barrie and Tony DeAngelo.

Former Nashville Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barrie was in his hometown of Victoria, BC, on Saturday hosting a charity concert featuring Grammy Award winner Sarah McLaughlan. There’s no word if he’s in discussions with any NHL teams for next season.

As for DeAngelo, SI.com cited Hockey News Hub claiming the blueliner was reportedly signing with SKA St. Petersburg. No official word yet from him or the club.

Right wings Tyler Johnson, Kevin Labanc and Mike Hoffman, defenseman Oliver Kylington, left wings Max Pacioretty and Jakub Vrana, and blueliner Justin Schultz rounded out the top 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These players have occasionally surfaced in free agent rumors over the past month as options for NHL clubs seeking affordable depth. However, no reports suggest any of them are close to signing.

Other notables include defenseman John Klingberg, goaltender Kevin Lankinen, left wing Nick Cousins, goalie Antti Raanta, and wingers Cal Clutterbuck and Filip Zadina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been no updates on Klingberg since he underwent season-ending hip surgery in December. The latest on Cousins is he’ll be having his day with the Stanley Cup on Aug. 20 but nothing on talks with NHL teams.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont pondered the possibility of the Bruins looking into acquiring Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine. With the offseason departure of Jake DeBrusk, he believes the 26-year-old Laine could be a good fit among the Bruins’ top-six forwards.

Laine’s contract, however, is a significant obstacle. He has two years remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $8.7 million. The Bruins currently have $8.6 million in cap space but most of that will be taken up signing goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

To bring Laine to Boston, the Blues Jackets would have to retain some of Laine’s cap hit. Doing so, however, means the Bruins would be forced to ship out equal bucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dupont believes Laine will most likely suit up with a club that has the cap room to acquire him. He suggested the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings as the best bet given their depth of exciting young prospects.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2023

by | Mar 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2023

The Bruins become the fastest team in history to reach 50 wins, Leafs winger Mitch Marner collects four points to beat the Oilers and Lightning captain Steven Stamkos sidelined by an injured leg. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 to become the fastest team in league history to reach 50 wins in a season by doing so in their 64th game. They overcame a 2-0 deficit on goals by Hampus Lindholm, Patrice Bergeron and Garnet Hathaway. With a record of 50-9-5, the Bruins lead the league with 105 points and became the first team this season to clinch a playoff berth. The Red Wings fell to 29-27-9 on the season.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner had a goal and three assists as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Edmonton Oilers 7-4. John Tavares and Noel Acciari each scored two goals while Auston Matthews tallied his 30th of the season for the 40-17-8 Maple Leafs, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 88 points. Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists for the Oilers (36-23-8) as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points.

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks was overshadowed by a leg injury suffered by captain Steven Stamkos during the first period. Brayden Point scored twice for the 39-21-6 Lightning (84 points) as they remain four points back of the Leafs in third place in the Atlantic Division. The Blackhawks dropped to 22-38-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Early indications are the injury may not be as serious as originally feared. He was seen in the dressing room following the game walking normally without a limp.

A 33-save performance from Jonathan Quick carried the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-0 shutout of the Carolina Hurricanes. Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, Paul Cotter and Brett Howden scored for the Golden Knights (40-20-6), who sit atop the Western Conference with 86 points. The Hurricanes (43-13-8) sit second in the overall standings with 94 points.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer collected an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games in a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist for the 43-16-6 Devils as they moved to within two points of the Hurricanes in third overall. The Canadiens (26-34-6) have dropped six straight games.

The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Florida Panthers 5-4 on two goals by Mark Scheifele, including the winner in overtime. Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov each had three points as the Jets improved to 37-26-3, sitting in the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 77 points. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and collected an assist as the Panthers (33-27-7) sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Jets as Josh Morrissey and Adam Lowry left this game with lower-body injuries. They’re doubtful for today’s game against the Lightning.

An overtime goal by Cale Makar gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each collected two points for the 36-22-6 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 78 points. Connor Ingram made 41 saves for the Coyotes as they slipped to 23-32-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar set a franchise record for Avalanche defensemen with five overtime goals.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 35 shots to down the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Mats Zuccarello, Jared Spurgeon, Matt Boldy and Marcus Johansson each had a goal and an assist for the Wild (38-21-7), who sit second in the Central Division with 83 points. Erik Karlsson collected an assist to set a single-season points record for Sharks defensemen with 84 points. The Sharks dropped to 19-36-12.

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan picked up his 400th career NHL win in a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jake Guentzel and Mikael Granlund each had a goal and an assist for the 33-22-10 Penguins as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 76 points. The Flyers fell to 24-31-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins center Nick Bonino underwent a surgical procedure to repair a lacerated kidney suffered during Thursday’s loss to the New York Islanders. He’s listed as week-to-week.

The New York Rangers got an overtime goal from Artemi Panarin to nip the Buffalo Sabres 2-1. Patrick Kane also scored for the Rangers (37-19-9) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points. Jeff Skinner replied for the 32-28-5 Sabres, who sit seven points behind the New York Islanders for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Speaking of the Islanders, they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Washington Capitals. Rasmus Sandin collected three assists for the Capitals (32-28-7), who sit five points back of the Islanders with 71 points. Pierre Engvall scored for the 34-26-8 Islanders, who welcomed back Cal Clutterbuck into the lineup after he missed 20 games with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Capitals announced the signing of Trevor van Riemsdyk to a three-year, $9 million contract extension. The average annual value is $3 million.

A shootout goal by Matt Duchene lifted the Nashville Predators over the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Tommy Novak also scored and Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves for the 32-24-7 Predators, who sit six points behind the Jets for the final Western wild-card berth. The Kings (38-20-9) played without Kevin Fiala, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. They sit second in the Pacific Division with 85 points.

The Dallas Stars got an overtime goal from Miro Heiskanen in a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. Heiskanen and Roope Hintz each finished with two points while Joe Pavelski tallied the tying goal for the 36-17-13 Stars, who hold first place in the Central Division with 85 points. Vince Dunn had two assists for the 37-22-7 Kraken as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 81 points.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou tallied a hat trick to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Sammy Blais had a goal and two assists for the 29-31-5 Blues while Patrik Laine and Boone Jenner replied for the 20-38-7 Blue Jackets.

The Vancouver Canucks got two goals from Andrei Kuzmenko in a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. The Canucks improved to 28-32-5 and have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Tim Stutzle collected two assists for the 33-28-4 Senators as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2023

by | Jan 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2023

The Oilers’ Connor McDavid reaches 40 goals on the season while Canucks fans bid farewell to Bruce Boudreau during Hockey Day in Canada, Canadiens winger Cole Caufield to undergo season-ending surgery, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid tallied his league-leading 40th goal of the season to double up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Zach Hyman had a goal and three assists while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins collected three points for the Oilers (27-18-3), as they vaulted over the Los Angeles Kings into third place in the Pacific Division with 57 points.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid becomes the fastest player to reach 40 goals in a season (48 games) since Jaromir Jagr did it in 46 games in 1995-96.

The Canucks (18-25-3) have lost 10 of their last 12 games. Before the game, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reported they’re expected to announce the hiring of Rick Tocchet as their new head coach on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That news prompted an outpouring of support for embattled head coach Bruce Boudreau on social media and from Canucks fans during this game. Boudreau was touched by the cheers from the fans, bidding them a tearful farewell at the end of the game.

As I said before, the Canucks’ front office handled this situation very badly. They could’ve just fired Boudreau and named one of their assistant coaches to replace him on an interim basis until a full-time bench boss was found. Instead, they left him to twist in the wind as rumors ramped up over his future, forcing him to answer questions from the media day after day over his impending fate. It reflects poorly on the Canucks as a franchise, raising concerns over the direction of the club.

An overtime goal by Rem Pitlick lifted the injury-depleted Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Pitlick finished the night with two points while Sam Montembeault stopped 36 shots as the Canadiens (20-24-3) overcame a 2-0 deficit to win three of their last four games. The 28-11-8 Leafs sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens announced that Cole Caufield will undergo season-ending surgery to repair his injured right shoulder. Caufield’s agent revealed his client had played with the injury over the past two-three months and was willing to continue but team doctors decided he would risk worsening the damage. The 22-year-old winger is the 11th Hab currently sidelined, joining such notables as Carey Price, Brendan Gallagher, Sean Monahan, Paul Byron, Jonathan Drouin, Kaiden Guhle, Jake Allen and Juraj Slafkovsky.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho tallied a hat trick to lead his club over the New York Islanders by a score of 5-2, handing the latter their eighth loss in their last nine games. The Hurricanes (29-9-8) hold a four-point lead over the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points. With 51 points, the Islanders (23-20-5) remain two points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders recalled forward Aatu Raty to replace Cal Clutterbuck, who is sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 33 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to blank the Arizona Coyotes 4-0. Radek Faksa tallied twice for the Stars (28-13-7) as they hold a two-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Western Conference with 63 points. The Coyotes dropped to 14-27-5.

Speaking of the Jets (61 points), they improved to 30-16-1 with a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Captain Blake Wheeler had a goal and two assists to reach his 900th career point while Mark Scheifele scored twice and collected an assist. Josh Norris replied for the Senators as they slipped to 20-23-3.

The Vegas Golden Knights remain one point behind the Jets for third overall in the Western Conference by downing the Washington Capitals 6-2. Paul Cotter tallied twice while Nicolas Roy had a goal and two assists for the 29-16-2 Golden Knights while T.J. Oshie and Marcus Johansson replied for the 25-18-6 Capitals, who remain three points ahead of the Penguins in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

A shootout goal by Nathan MacKinnon lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Alex Newhook scored in regulation for the Avalanche (25-17-3) as they’ve won five straight and vaulted over the Calgary Flames into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 53 points. Ryan Donato replied for the Kraken, who’ve dropped three of their last four contests. At 27-14-5 (59 points), they sit one point behind the first-place Golden Knights in the Pacific Division.

The Flames, meanwhile, defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-3 as Rasmus Andersson had a goal and two assists while Tyler Toffoli and Dillon Dube each had a goal and an assist. Steven Stamkos, Anthony Cirelli and Vladislav Namestnikov scored for the Lightning (29-15-1) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames (22-16-9) have the same number of points as the Avalanche (53), but the latter has three more wins and holds two games in hand.

Third-period goals by Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene and Cole Smith powered the Nashville Predators to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Duchene scored twice while teammate Roman Josi collected three assists for the 22-18-6 Predators, who move within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. The Kings (25-17-6) have lost three straight games and slipped into the first Western wild-card berth with 56 points.

Florida Panthers goaltender Alex Lyon kicked out 29 shots to win his first start of the season by beating the Minnesota Wild 5-3. Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell each had a goal and an assist as the Panthers improved to 23-20-5. With 51 points, they’re two points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Kirill Kaprizov had three assists for the Wild (25-16-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 54 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild played without winger Marcus Foligno as he is sidelined by a non-COVID-related illness.

The Chicago Blackhawks got a 29-save performance from Jaxson Stauber in his NHL debut to upset the St. Louis Blues 5-3. Jason Dickinson had a goal and two assists for the 14-26-4 Blackhawks, who’ve won six of their last seven games. Jordan Kyrou and Ivan Barbashev each had a goal and an assist for the Blues (23-21-3), who sit four points out of a wild-card spot in the West.

Buffalo Sabres forwards Victor Olofsson and Peyton Krebs each tallied two goals in a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Ilya Lyubushkin collected three assists for the 23-19-3 Sabres as they moved to within four points of an Eastern wild-card spot with 49 points. Trevor Zegras scored twice and collected an assist for the 13-29-5 Ducks.

The Philadelphia Flyers got goals from Scott Laughton and Noah Cates to hold off the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. Carter Hart turned aside 30 shots for the Flyers (20-20-7) as they’ve won five of their last seven games. Lucas Raymond replied for the Red Wings as they slipped to 19-18-8 on the season.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Patrik Laine, Gustav Nyquist and Sean Kuraly lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Jackets improved to 14-30-2 while the Sharks fell to 14-24-9.