NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 29, 2024

by | Feb 29, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 29, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Flames trade Chris Tanev to the Stars, the Canucks are reportedly making progress in contract talks with Elias Pettersson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers become the first team to reach 40 wins this season by defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Artemi Panarin scored twice and collected an assist, Chris Kreider tallied his 30th goal of the season and Igor Shesterkin made 30 saves for the 40-17-3 Rangers as they took over first place in the overall standings with 83 points. Cole Sillinger replied for the 19-29-10 Blue Jackets.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Vancouver Canucks also have 83 points but the Rangers have two more wins plus a game in hand.

An overtime goal by Connor McDavid lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Zach Hyman scored twice (including his 40th of the season) as the Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit. With a record of 35-20-2, the Oilers hold third place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich scored for the 30-26-3 Blues (63 points) as they sit five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman has a six-game goal streak and is within range of the vaunted 50-goal plateau. McDavid has points in nine straight games but his goal was his first in 11 games. Nevertheless, he’s third in the scoring race with 94 points, four behind Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (98 points) and nine back of Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov (103).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames traded defenseman Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday evening in a three-team trade involving the New Jersey Devils.

In return, the Flames received defense prospect Artem Grushnikov, the Stars’ 2024 second-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in 2026. If the Stars don’t advance to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the Flames won’t receive that third-round pick. The Devils, meanwhile, receive Dallas’ fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft.

Tanev carries a salary-cap hit of $4.5 million. The Flames retained 50 percent ($2.25 million) while the Devils received 50 percent of what remained ($1.125 million).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pundits and bloggers believe the Stars are the big winners of this deal as they received the best defensive blueliner in the trade market. Adding Tanev shores up their depth on the right side of their blueline as they hope to stage a run for the Stanley Cup this season.

Reaction was mixed over what Calgary received in this deal. It was rumored Flames general manager Craig Conroy was pushing for a first-round pick. He said he was happy to get the 20-year-old Grushnikov, who plays a similar game as Tanev and could develop into a reliable top-four shutdown rearguard.

The acquisition of Tanev should help the Stars this season. Time will tell if it works out over the long term for the Flames.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sources told Frank Seravalli that the Vancouver Canucks have made “significant progress” in efforts to sign Elias Pettersson to a long-term contract extension. It’s believed to be an eight-year deal that could be finalized in the coming days. It’s expected to exceed an average annual value of $10 million.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports his sources have kept mum on this issue and no other media outlets are verifying that a deal is close for Pettersson. He also noted this runs counter to the 25-year-old center’s previous stance that he preferred to leave the negotiations until the end of the season, something he told Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre before Seravalli’s report.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have more about Pettersson’s contract situation in today’s Rumors update. Interestingly, this story breaks following recent media speculation suggesting the Canucks were receiving calls from other clubs inquiring about Pettersson’s status. Maybe the source is someone from the Pettersson camp, the Canucks’ front office, or one of the teams that called about Pettersson.

SPORTSNET: The Minnesota Wild won’t ask Marc-Andre Fleury to waive his no-movement clause before the March 8 trade deadline. Elliotte Friedman reports the Wild won’t be moving the 39-year-old goaltender and are happy to keep him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury recently told reporters he didn’t want to be traded as he hoped to help the Wild reach the playoffs. This decision indicates the Wild are going for it. They’re six points out of a wild-card berth but have won seven of their last 10 games.

TSN: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture dismissed recent rumors regarding his future with the club. Sidelined by a lower-body injury that has limited him to six games this season, Couture insisted he doesn’t want to play for another team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million and a three-team trade list. Even if he were healthy and productive, moving that contract during the season would be challenging.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Speaking of the Sharks, they placed goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (lower body) on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers placed goaltender Cal Petersen on waives and recalled Felix Sandstrom. The move comes after Petersen gave up seven goals in a 7-6 loss on Sunday to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

THE GLOBE & MAIL: The five former members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior hockey team who have been charged with sexual assault will face trial by jury in a London, Ontario court. It will be several months before a trial date is set.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 20, 2024

by | Feb 20, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – February 20, 2024

Check out the latest on the Hurricanes, Sharks, Sabres and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HURRICANES AREN’T INTERESTED IN RENTAL PLAYERS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes the Carolina Hurricanes will be buyers by the March 8 trade deadline. However, general manager Don Waddell said he’s not interested in adding players on expiring contracts.

“Our first priority, if we’re giving up premium picks or top prospects, we want to make sure that we get a player for more than a few months”, Waddell told LeBrun. He added that they’re aren’t many non-rental players in the market as most trade candidates are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer.

Contrary to popular belief, Waddell said he’s not looking to add a goaltender. He pointed out that sidelined netminder Frederik Andersen will be returning soon while Pyotr Kochetkov’s performance has been solid this season. He’s also comfortable with his blueline depth.

Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell (NHL.com).

Waddell would like to add a top-nine forward or two. LeBrun speculates it might be a forward with term remaining on their contract whose name hasn’t yet surfaced in the rumor mill. He suspects that the Hurricanes GM has inquired about winger Travis Konecny but doesn’t think the Philadelphia Flyers intend to move him, especially after recently naming him an alternate captain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes currently have over $6.6 million in trade deadline cap space so they’ve got the room to add a forward or two. They also have all their picks in this year’s draft along with the Flyers’ second-rounder to draw on for trade bait if necessary.

COULD THE SHARKS ATTEMPT TO TRADE LOGAN COUTURE THIS SUMMER?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller noted there is speculation suggesting if the San Jose Sharks are going to trade Logan Couture, it won’t happen until the offseason. Couture, 34, is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury that has plagued him since last summer, limiting him to just six games.

With the Sharks near the bottom of the NHL standings, they are expected to be sellers by the March 8 trade deadline. Couture is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million and a three-team trade list.

Miller cited The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta claiming Couture could be sidelined for the rest of the season. “If a move happens, it’s more likely to occur in the off-season,” he writes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture would be almost impossible to move in-season under normal circumstances because of his contract. If he’s out for the rest of this season there will be a genuine concern that his condition could end his career. That will make it more difficult to trade Couture during this summer.

LATEST ON THE SABRES

THE BUFFALO NEWS: In a recent mailbag segment, Lance Lysowski was asked if the Sabres can expect any changes before the upcoming trade deadline. He believed contenders would ask about pending free agents such as Erik Johnson, Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons. Lysowski also felt that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams will try to get a head start on finding players for next season like he did last year by acquiring Jordan Greenway from the Minnesota Wild.

If Johnson is traded, Lysowski speculated Adams will try to add another defenseman who could be part of the roster for next season, preferably a top-four blueliner. He also thinks the Sabres GM will open contract extension talks with Casey Mittelstadt’s agent. Lysowski doesn’t see them trading Mittelstadt or forwards Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn, JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson or Alex Tuch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mittelstadt recently surfaced as a trade candidate in the rumor mill. However, Adams was insistent in an interview last week that he wasn’t shopping the 25-year-old center and intends to re-sign him.

COULD THE CANADIENS TRADE DAVID SAVARD?

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu noted that Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes recently said he’s not shopping David Savard. However, Basu believes he’s listening to offers. He believes the market for a shot-blocking, right-shot defenseman like Savard will open up once the Calgary Flames trade Chris Tanev.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Savard, 33, is signed through next season with an AAV of $3.5 million. He also lacks no-trade protection.

I don’t doubt that Hughes will listen to trade offers for Savard. As we’ve seen, however, he sets a high price for his players and usually won’t budge until someone meets it. With Savard under contract for next season, he’s under no pressure to trade him now. If no one meets his price, he’ll wait until the summer or next season.










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.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2024

by | Feb 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games include a milestone game for the Golden Knights’ Alex Pietrangelo, the three stars of the week are revealed, Sharks stars Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl are sidelined, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild upset the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists while Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice for the 24-23-5 Wild (53 points) as they moved to within five points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Alex Pietrangelo collected two assists for the Golden Knights (31-16-6) as they remain in second place in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Golden Knights honored Pietrangelo for playing in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game. He also became the sixth defenseman in league history to collect multiple assists in his 1,000th game, joining Ryan Suter, Sergei Zubov, Kevin Hatcher, Brad Park and Tim Horton.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, goaltender Logan Thompson missed this game due to an illness.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin turned in a 30-save shutout performance in a 2-0 win over the Calgary Flames. Will Cuylle and Jimmy Vesey scored for the Rangers (34-16-3) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points and moved into second place in the Eastern Conference standings. Jacob Markstrom stopped 29 shots for the 25-23-5 Flames (55 points) as they remain three points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have won five games in a row. Meanwhile, Flames forward Jakob Pelletier left this game favoring his left shoulder in the first period following a hit from Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Pelletier missed October, November and December recovering from surgery on that shoulder. There was no postgame update on his status.

The Philadelphia Flyers picked up their fourth straight victory by downing the Arizona Coyotes 5-3, handing the latter their sixth straight loss. Travis Konecny had a goal and two assists while Scott Laughton had a goal and an assist for the 29-19-6 Flyers, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. J.J. Moser had two assists for the 23-24-4 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Tyson Foerster and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen missed this game due to injuries.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Nico Daws turned aside 27 shots for the Devils (26-21-4) as they moved to within four points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 56 points. Joey Daccord made 34 saves for the 21-21-10 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek missed this game due to an illness and a lower-body injury. Kraken defenseman Brian Dumoulin left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom, Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki are the league’s three stars for the week ending Feb. 12, 2024.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks captain Logan Couture is listed as week-to-week as he continues to battle Osteitis pubis, which is a significant groin, abdomen and hip issue. Couture, 34, returned to action three weeks ago after being sidelined since the summer by this condition.

The Sharks also announced center Tomas Hertl will be sidelined for several weeks following surgery to clean out loose cartilage in his left knee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a significant setback for the Sharks as they will be without their top two centers at a time when they are showing some improvement. They’re near the bottom of the Western Conference standings but had won four of their last six games (4-1-1).

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Sidelined Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard (fractured jaw) could return to action sometime next week. The 18-year-old center has been sidelined since Jan. 5 and the Blackhawks’ offense has suffered without their leading scorer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard remains the Blackhawks leading scorer with 33 points in 39 games. Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber’s two assists last night moved him into a tie with Bedard for the rookie scoring lead.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Detroit Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri will miss the start of his club’s four-game road trip as he is away briefly on personal leave.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Jansen Harkins has been diagnosed with a concussion and has been placed on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Ottawa Senators placed forward Zack MacEwen on waivers to free up salary cap space to activate goaltender Anton Forsberg off long-term injury reserve. If MacEwen clears, he’ll be sent to their AHL affiliate in Belleville.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2024

by | Jan 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2024

The Oilers set a win streak record for Canadian teams, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar reach notable milestones, the Islanders replace Lane Lambert as head coach with Patrick Roy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers set an NHL record for the longest win streak by a Canadian team (13) by defeating the Calgary Flames 3-1. Sam Gagner snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Stuart Skinner stopped 26 shots for the 26-15-1 Oilers, who took over third place in the Pacific Division with 53 points. Mackenzie Weegar scored for the Flames (21-20-5) as they sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flames placed forward Martin Pospisil (upper body) on injured reserve, activated defenseman Dennis Gilbert off IR and recalled blueliner Oliver Kylington from his conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate. Gilbert suited up against the Oilers while Kylington could soon be coming off long-term injury reserve.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar had milestone performances in a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. MacKinnon extended his points streak to 11 games with two goals and two assists to take over first place in the NHL scoring race with 77 points, two more than Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov. Makar, meanwhile, collected an assist to become the second-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 300 points as the Avalanche (30-14-3) sit fourth in the overall standings with 63 points. Cam Atkinson had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-6 Flyers, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar achieved this feat in 280 games, one shy of Bobby Orr’s 279 games. His teammate Liam O’Connor also reached a milestone as he tallied his first career NHL hat trick. It was a costly loss for the Flyers as winger Owen Tippett left the game with what appeared to be an injured knee. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Third-period goals by J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander each scored twice while Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks (31-11-4), who remain atop the overall standings with 66 points. William Nylander tallied two goals for the 22-14-8 Maple Leafs, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Past the midway point of the season, I think we can safely assume the Canucks are for real as an emerging powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Leafs have won just once in their last six games (1-4-1). That will raise the heat on general manager Brad Treliving to do something to snap his club out of its funk.

The Boston Bruins scored four unanswered third-period goals to thump the Montreal Canadiens 9-4. Danton Heinen scored his first career NHL hat trick while David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle each had a goal and an assist for the 28-8-9 Bruins (65 points), who picked up their fourth straight win. They hold first place in the Eastern Conference and sit one point back of the Canucks in the overall standings. Cole Caufield scored to extend his goal streak to five games for the Canadiens, who slipped to 19-20-7 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was close through two periods with Boston holding a 5-4 lead before they blew it open in the third. Earlier in the day, the Bruins activated defensemen Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort off injured reserve and assigned John Beecher and Mason Lohrei to their AHL affiliate in Providence.

An overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Mason Appleton also scored for the Jets (30-10-4) as they collected their 10th win in their last 11 games, sitting third overall with 64 points. Parker Kelly replied for the 16-24-1 Senators as they’ve lost seven of their last nine contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Josh Norris collected an assist in his return to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Shane Pinto will make his season debut today against the Flyers after serving a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules.

Rookie Brendan Brisson capped a third-period rally by the Vegas Golden Knights as they nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Jonathan Marchessault scored his 20th goal of the season for the Golden Knights (27-14-5) as they’ve won four of their last five and hold second place in the Pacific Division with 59 points. Jake Guentzel netted his 20th of the season for the 21-16-6 Penguins (48 points) as they sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller scored twice in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Sean Durzi had two assists for the 22-19-3 Coyotes (47 points), who sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Roman Josi scored 167th career goal to surpass Shea Weber as the Predators’ highest-scoring defenseman. With a record of 25-20-1, the Predators (51 points) hold that final wild-card spot in the conference.

The Tampa Bay Lightning extended their win streak to five games by downing the Buffalo Sabres 3-1. Nick Paul had a goal and an assist for the 24-17-5 Lightning (53 points), as they moved past the Maple Leafs into third place in the Atlantic Division. Dylan Cozens replied for the 20-22-4 Sabres.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied two goals as his club cruised to a 6-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Scott Wedgewood stopped 29 shots for the Stars (27-13-5) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 59 points. Jesper Bratt and Tyler Toffoli replied for the 23-18-3 Devils (49 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The St. Louis Blues blanked the Washington Capitals 3-0 with Jordan Binnington making 18 saves for the shutout. Colton Parayko, Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours scored for the 22-20-2 Blues. Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 shots for the Capitals (22-16-6) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 50 points.

Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period as his club held off the New York Rangers 2-1. Kevin Fiala also scored while David Rittich made 22 saves for the Kings (22-13-8) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 52 points. Chris Kreider scored while Jonathan Quick made 24 saves against his former club as the 28-15-2 Rangers (58 points) remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture picked up an assist in his season debut as his club rolled to a 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Tomas Hertl and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist for the 11-31-4 Sharks. Adam Henrique had a goal and an assist for the 15-29-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture revealed he’d been sidelined by osteitis pubis, which is inflammation in the joint between the left and right pubic bones causing pain and swelling in the groin or lower abdomen. Recovery is rest and, when able, strengthening. Meanwhile, the Ducks announced before this game that winger Alex Killorn will be out four to six weeks following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

HEADLINES

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders announced Saturday they had relieved Lane Lambert of his coaching duties and hired Patrick Roy as his replacement. Roy coached the Colorado Avalanche from 2013-2016, winning the Jack Adams Award in 2013-14. The Hall-of-Fame goaltender also coached the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts to the Memorial Cup in 2006 and 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have been struggling this season and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The initial reaction to this news on social media was how long it would take before the hot-tempered Roy started clashing with Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello.

I don’t believe that’s going to happen. Lamoriello never would’ve hired Roy if he felt the latter would question his decisions. Roy, meanwhile, seems to have mellowed after being passed over for NHL coaching opportunities in recent years.

The more important question is how well Roy can coach in a league that has changed in the eight years since he last stood behind an NHL bench. Lamoriello believes he’s the guy who can right the Isles’ sinking ship. It’ll be interesting to see how things go from here.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward J.T. Miller were selected by NHL fans to participate in the skills competition at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward Will Lockwood received a three-game suspension for running Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury on Friday. Fleury left the game with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 10, 2024

by | Jan 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 10, 2024

Could the Ducks trade Trevor Zegras? Will the Senators shop Jakob Chychrun? Could Penguins winger Jake Guentzel hit the trade block? What’s the latest on Sharks forwards Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli updated his NHL Trade Targets list on Tuesday, adding several notable new names.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can see the entire list by following the link. I’m not including everyone as most of the names, such as Calgary’s Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin, have already frequently appeared in the rumor mill this season and will likely continue to do so leading up to the March 8 trade deadline. Today, I’m more interested in the new players on Seravalli’s list.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

In the wake of the Anaheim Ducks shipping Jamie Drysdale to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday for Cutter Gauthier, Seravalli wondered if Trevor Zegras could be next. He noted that Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has put together a solid prospect base with Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov and Lukas Dostal.

Seravalli had Zegras sitting at No. 4 on his list. He cited sources claiming Verbeek mentioned Zegras in trade discussions this season though it’s unclear how far those talks went. He thinks the 22-year-old center doesn’t mesh with the style of play Verbeek envisions for the Ducks, citing their tough contract talks that saw Zegras miss training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger last night indicated Zegras isn’t being shopped but there had been some level of interest in the young forward. He believes the Ducks will continue to work on improving Zegras’ overall game but suggested this situation could come to a head in the offseason.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun sits at No. 10. Less than a year after being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes, Seravalli reports teams have expressed an interest in the 25-year-old defenseman and the Senators haven’t told them that he’s not available. They have a log jam in left-shot defensemen with Chychrun, Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun was acquired by former Senators general manager Pierre Dorion. New GM Steve Staios isn’t beholden to any players acquired by his predecessor. He may not be shopping Chychrun but, understandably, he’s willing to at least listen to offers. Despite the Senators’ struggles this season, however, there’s no indication that he wants out of Ottawa.

St. Louis Blues center Kevin Hayes checks in at No. 15. Seravalli believes his improved play could make him enticing in the trade market if the Blues would retain half of the $3.57 million of his $7.14 million cap hit that they’re carrying. He could fetch a decent return from a playoff contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are still in the chase for a Western Conference wild-card berth. I daresay they’ll hang onto Hayes if they’re in a playoff spot by March 8. He’s still carrying a 12-team no-trade clause which could complicate things.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov is at No. 20. If Joseph Woll regains his early-season form on his return from an ankle injury, the Leafs could move Samsonov to another club that thinks he can reboot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anything’s possible, I suppose, but the fact Samsonov recently cleared waivers says all we need to know about his potential trade value. No NHL club will touch him unless his performance improves or the Leafs add a lot of sweeteners in the deal.

Sitting at No. 25 is Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Seravalli said the 29-year-old pending free-agent left winger isn’t in play yet with the Penguins having clawed their way back into the wild-card race in the Eastern Conference. If they fall out of the chase, however, Guentzel might become available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guentzel’s situation could be worth monitoring if the Penguins stumble. As Seravalli pointed out, he could become the most prized rental player in the trade market by March 8.

LATEST ON HERTL AND COUTURE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports he’s not sure a whole lot will happen with San Jose Sharks forwards Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture by the March 8 trade deadline.

He spoke with Hertl yesterday following the Sharks’ morning skate and he’s focused on helping his team and being a good leader rather than on the trade deadline. Couture, meanwhile, is centered more on returning from an injury than the trade deadline.

LeBrun noted that Hertl has a full no-movement clause. Couture has three more years left on his contract but LeBrun believes he’s the type of leadership player that could have a few teams calling about.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun also addressed Hertl and Couture in his column with The Athletic, suggesting any conversation about their futures is more likely to occur in the summer. They’re both carrying term on expensive contracts with no-trade protection. Moving those types of players rarely takes place leading up to the trade deadline.

UPDATES ON THE FLYERS

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Philadelphia Flyers are hoping to get more interest in defensemen Sean Walker and Nick Seeler. They’re still willing to retain 50 percent of their average annual values.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey believes more moves are coming for the Flyers following their acquisition of Jamie Drysdale from the Anaheim Ducks. They now have eight defensemen on their roster.

Bailey noted that Walker has been the subject of trade speculation for some time. He pointed out that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated Rasmus Ristolainen is a target of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also cited a recent report by Friedman indicating that at least one team attempted to acquire Walker and Seeler.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers GM Daniel Briere remains focused on his rebuilding plans despite his club being in the thick of the playoff chase. Adding Drysdale could make it easier for him to part with Walker or Seeler. Both carry affordable cap hits and if the Flyers are willing to retain half it could make them easier to peddle.

As for Ristolainen, the only way I see him moving is if the Flyers retain half of his $5.1 million AAV through 2027 or they get a player with an equivalent cap hit in return. Otherwise, that’s a move they try to make in the offseason.