NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2025

by | Mar 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games plus the latest on Brady Tkachuk, Kirby Dach, Nick Foligno and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Roope Hintz collected a career-best four assists, Jason Robertson had three points, Logan Stankoven tallied twice, and Wyatt Johnston scored to extend his home points streak to 11 games for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 78 points. Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore replied for the Kings as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points.

Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz. (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton scored twice and set up another as his club overcame a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Minnesota Wild 5-2. Oliver Kylington picked up two assists for the Avalanche as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 72 points. Mats Zuccarello and Vinnie Hinostroza scored for the slumping Wild as they dropped their third straight game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up their fourth straight win by nipping the New York Rangers 3-2. Matthew Knies broke a 2-2 tie in the third period, William Nylander netted his 34th goal of the season, and Anthony Stolarz made 33 saves as the Leafs regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 76 points. Mika Zibanejad had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who remain four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Leafs announced they had placed winger Max Pacioretty on injured reserve. 

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is confirmed to return to action when his club faces the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Tkachuk has been sidelined since the 4 Nations Face-Off with a lower-body injury. Sidelined forwards Josh Norris and Shane Pinto took part in practice on Friday and appear poised to return to the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators need a boost to get them out of their five-game losing skid. Like the Rangers, they’re four points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Kirby Dach underwent successful surgery on his right knee in Montreal earlier this week. He will miss the remainder of this season but is expected to be fully recovered for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the same knee Dach had surgically repaired in October 2023. This latest injury raises questions over his once-promising future with the Canadiens.

DAILY FACEOFF: Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly has been cleared for contact as he continues his recovery from last November’s heart surgery.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues signed defenseman Tyler Tucker to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $925K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2024

by | Nov 27, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s games plus the latest on Auston Matthews, Tage Thompson, Timo Meier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks got a 32-save shutout from Kevin Lankinen to blank the Boston Bruins 2-0. Jake DeBrusk tallied the winning goal in his first game against his former club since signing with the Canucks this summer. Connor Garland had a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Jeremy Swayman made 13 saves for the Bruins as they suffered their first loss under interim coach Joe Sacco.

Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have tightened up defensively in their three games under Sacco (2-1-0) but they’ve managed only three goals during that stretch. Meanwhile, Canucks winger Brock Boeser was held scoreless in his return to action after missing seven games with a concussion.

An overtime goal by Mikhail Sergachev lifted the Utah Hockey Club to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain scored in regulation for Utah while Jayden Struble and Alex Newhook tallied for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. The Habs also announced Patrik Laine will accompany them on their upcoming three-game road trip as he works his way back from a sprained knee.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was a full-practice participant on Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since Nov. 3 with an upper-body injury.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Sabres center Tage Thompson is expected to be in the lineup when his club faces off against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. He missed the last five games with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier received a one-game suspension for cross-checking Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux on Monday.

SPORTSNET: The Ottawa Senators placed defenseman Artem Zub (fractured foot) on long-term injury reserve and called up defenseman Donovan Sebrango from their AHL affiliate in Belleville.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move enables the Senators to exceed the $88 million salary cap by over $3.7 million. They could use that space to pursue a replacement for Zub via the trade market, but if he returns to the lineup before the end of this season, they would have to be cap-compliant.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is listed as day-to-day with a concussion. He won’t play in Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers but could return during the weekend.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina netminder Frederik Andersen is sidelined for eight to 12 weeks recovering from knee surgery. There’s speculation the Hurricanes are shopping around for goaltending depth. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger will miss Wednesday’s game against the Canadiens with an upper-body injury.

THE SCORE: The San Jose Sharks assigned goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to their AHL affiliate as veteran netminder Vitek Vanecek returns from an upper-body injury.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed winger Valtteri Puustinen on waivers. He was a healthy scratch in 13 of the Penguins’ 23 games this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 10, 2024

by | Aug 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 10, 2024

Predicting which players will fill six captain vacancies, the club Ryan McDonagh considers a team to beat this season, Oliver Kylington explains why he signed with the Avalanche, a make-or-break season for Ilya Samsonov, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman recently predicted which players he believes will fill the vacant captaincies for the Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Seattle Kraken, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Utah Hockey Club.

Wegman thinks Mason McTavish will become the Ducks’ next captain in 2025-26, filling a role last filled by Ryan Getzlaf from 2010 to 2022. He predicts Rasmus Dahlin will fill the vacant Sabres captaincy after Kyle Okoposo was traded to Florida in March.

Connor Bedard could be the next Blackhawks captain in 2025-26, filling the role previously held by Jonathan Toews from 2008 to 2023. Wegman believes Yanni Gourde should be tapped for the captaincy of the Seattle Kraken, a position last held by Mark Giordano during their inaugural season (2021-22).

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (NHL Images).

Victor Hedman is Webman’s choice as Lightning captain, replacing the departed Steven Stamkos (2014-2024). Clayton Keller is his pick to captain Utah, whose previous one was Oliver Ekman-Larsson from 2018 to 2021 during the franchise’s incarnation in Arizona.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hedman is the obvious choice for Tampa Bay. Time will tell if the others get the job with their respective clubs. Bedard could be named Blackhawks captain if he establishes himself as a leader on and off the ice. Dahlin would be a solid option for the Sabres.

TSN: Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh believes the Nashville Predators could be a force to be reckoned with this season. The 35-year-old defenseman spent the past two seasons with the Predators before being traded back to Tampa Bay in May.

McDonagh cited how the Predators rallied in midseason after being counted out by observers to reach the playoffs. “There’s no question that they’re going to be a team to beat this season,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The additions of Jonathan Marchessault, Brady Skjei and former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos should also bolster the Predators this season.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington explained why he chose to sign with the Colorado Avalanche this summer. He indicated the Flames were in the picture for a long time but the Avalanche made him feel like they really wanted him.

“It was a very compelling factor that they wanted me so much that I felt that all the pieces beyond that felt natural to choose. It felt good considering how hungry they are. I am involved in a new start with a new organization,” he said.

Kylington also remains grateful for the support he received from the Flames and their fans when he took time away to deal with his mental health.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Anthony Larocco wonders which version of Ilya Samsonov the Vegas Golden Knights will be getting as their new backup goaltender this season. The 27-year-old Samsonov is on his third team in five years and this season could be his last chance to prove he belongs in the NHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Consistency has been an issue for Samsonov in his five-season NHL career. He’s on a one-year contract with the Golden Knights and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Another shaky performance could make this season his last in the NHL.

THE ATHLETIC’s Aaron Portzline reported on X.com that the Columbus Blue Jackets are getting closer to a new contract with forward Cole Sillinger. It’s believed to be a two-year deal.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars general manager Jim Nill is still confident he’ll get restricted free agent defenseman Thomas Harley under contract soon. He said that talks continue between the two sides. “We’re going to get him signed,” said Nill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Training camps don’t open for another month – plenty of time for Sillinger, Harley, and other RFAs to be signed to new deals. The time to start worrying is when training camp opens if they aren’t under contract. Until then, enjoy what’s left of the summer.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 31, 2024

by | Jul 31, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 31, 2024

A look at the remaining notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox and Rory Boylen updated their list of the notable remaining restricted free agents following the signings of Carolina Hurricanes winger Martin Necas on Monday and New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren on Tuesday.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman still tops the list. He’s coming off a one-year, $3.45 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nothing new to report on his contract negotiations. Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis cited AFP Analytics projecting the 25-year-old goaltender is in line for a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6.433 million. However, some recent media speculation suggests he could get around $9 million annually depending on the length of the deal.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and winger Lucas Raymond sit second and third on their list. They speculate Seider could get an AAV of $8.6 million on a long-term deal but Raymond could get a mid-term commitment akin to teammate Alex DeBrincat’s four-year contract.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been over a month since Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said he’d get Seider and Raymond signed “in due time.” There’s been nothing new since then but plenty of time remains to get both players under contract before the start of training camp in mid-September. AFP Analytics projects Seider getting a seven-year deal with an AAV of $8.125 million and Raymond seven years at $7.758 million annually.

Seth Jarvis is the focus for Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky now that Martin Necas is under contract. The versatile 22-year-old forward can play center or wing and has risen among the Hurricanes’ core players. He’s coming off an entry-level contract and there’s speculation he could get an eight-year deal worth around $8 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projects a seven-year deal worth $7.75 million annually for Jarvis. Unless Tulsky makes a cost-cutting move, the Jarvis camp will have to accept much less than that because the Hurricanes only have $6.44 million in cap space.

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill could attempt to sign defenseman Thomas Harley to a bridge contract. That’s what he did with Jason Robertson when the winger came off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Harley is projected to get a seven-year deal with an AAV of $6.922 million. However, the Stars have $6.243 million in cap space. The 22-year-old blueliner could end up with a short-term contract worth under $5 million annually.

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers’ sophomore slump compromises his bargaining position coming off his entry-level contract. The betting is the 21-year-old center gets a bridge deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projects a seven-year deal worth $6.66 million annually. The Kraken have the hammer here so it could be much shorter and for around $5 million annually.

Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti seems a classic case for a bridge deal after a healthy but inconsistent 2023-24 performance under former head coach Rick Bowness. However, the Winnipeg Sun’s Scott Billeck recently reported positive communication between the Perfetti camp and new Jets bench boss Scott Arniel. That could sway Perfetti into signing a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The projection has Perfetti in line for a seven-year deal with an AAV of $5.584 million. That could become a real bargain for the Jets if he blossoms into the scorer he was projected to become when the Jets drafted him in 2020.

The New Jersey Devils could go the bridge route with Dawson Mercer. Comparables include Ottawa’s Shane Pinto (two-year, $3.75 million AAV) and Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko (three years, $3.85 million AAV).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projected a six-year deal at $6.52 million annually. However, the Devils only have $4.9 million in cap space. Mercer will likely get a bridge deal unless the Devils shed some salary.

Cole Sillinger enjoyed a bounce-back performance from his 2022-23 sophomore slump with 13 goals and 32 points in 77 games. Like teammate Kirill Marchenko, he could get a three-year deal.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 29, 2022

by | Sep 29, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 29, 2022

A look at some notable news from Wednesday’s preseason games, the Czechia government will allow Russian players on the Sharks and Predators into the country, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: New Calgary Flames Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar each had points in a 4-0 blanking of the Edmonton Oilers in preseason competition.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Anaheim Ducks young star Trevor Zegras suffered an upper-body injury in a 3-1 preseason win over the Arizona Coyotes. The 21-year-old sophomore center was hit by Coyotes forward Jan Jenik during the second period. New Ducks defenseman John Klingberg also left the game but head coach Dallas Eakin said it wasn’t injury-related.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No update on Zegras’ condition following the game. Hopefully, there will be more details today.

Matt Murray turned in a 16-save shutout for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they blanked the Montreal Canadiens 3-0. It was a costly win for the Leafs as defensemen Jordie Benn and Carl Dahlstrom left the game with injuries. In a pre-game ceremony, the Leafs and Canadiens honored members of the 1972 Team Canada squad on the 50th anniversary of its thrilling Summit Series win over the Soviet Union.

Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev gave up six goals on 18 shots as the Colorado Avalanche were thumped by the Vegas Golden Knights 7-1. Georgiev was acquired by the Avs during the offseason.

Washington Capitals forward Dylan Strome scored twice in a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Strome signed with the Capitals as a free agent this summer.

THE ATHLETIC’s Aaron Portzline tweeted that Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger skated yesterday in a no-contact jersey during practice. It’s his first time on the ice since suffering an upper-body injury on the first day of training camp. 

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jack Studnicka faces a now-or-never scenario to become a Bruins’ regular. Chosen by the Bruins in the second round of the 2017 draft, the 23-year-old center has spent the past three seasons bouncing between the big club and their AHL affiliate in Providence.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The government of Czechia will allow the Sharks and Nashville Predators to bring their Russian players to Prague to participate in the two-game NHL Global Series on Oct. 7 and 8. Czechia has banned Russian athletics in a show of solidarity with Ukraine. The players will be allowed to participate on short-term visas.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Before going on to a career in hockey, Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft was a child actor who appeared in the Canadian TV show The Littlest Hobo and had a bit part in the movie Separate Vacations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Woodcroft was also named the NHL’s most handsome coach. Perhaps Hollywood or a career as a male model beckons if this coaching gig doesn’t pan out…