NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2024

by | Apr 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2024

The Jets clinch a playoff berth, Bruins captain Brad Marchand reaches a scoring milestone, the battle for the final Eastern Conference wildcard continues, and the latest on the Coyotes in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Calgary Flames 5-2 to clinch a playoff berth. Gabriel Vilardi tallied a hat trick and Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves for the Jets (46-24-6), who sit third in the Central Division with 98 points. Dustin Wolf stopped 40 shots for the 34-36-5 Flames (73 points), who were officially eliminated from postseason contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames rookie Connor Zary was a healthy scratch from this game. His teammate Martin Pospisil could face supplemental discipline after being ejected in the second period for elbowing Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey in the face. Morrissey was not injured.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand scored his 400th career NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. David Pastrnak and Danton Heinen each had a goal and an assist and Jeremy Swayman turned aside 28 shots for the 45-17-15 Bruins, who’ve won three straight and sit third in the overall standings with 105 points. Jake Guentzel replied for the Hurricanes (47-22-7) as they sit sixth overall with 101 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward Justin Brazeau missed this game with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s win against the Nashville Predators. He’s listed as week-to-week.

The New York Islanders moved into the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth after doubling up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Noah Dobson broke a 2-2 tie and Kyle Palmieri netted his 25th goal of the season for the Islanders, who’ve won three straight and improved to 34-27-15 (83 points). Kirill Marchenko had a goal and an assist for the 25-39-12.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a collision with teammate David Jiricek. There was no postgame update regarding his condition. Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau missed this game due to illness.

A 30-save performance by Alex Nedeljkovic (including 16 in the first period) backstopped the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Kris Letang and Reilly Smith each collected two assists for the Penguins (35-30-11), who extended their points streak to seven games and sit two points behind the Islanders. Alex Ovechkin scored for the 36-29-10 Capitals as they slipped one point back of the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger T.J. Oshie (undisclosed) missed this game and has been ruled out for Friday’s contest with the Hurricanes.

Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos each collected three assists to beat the Montreal Canadiens 7-4 and eliminate the latter from playoff contention. Stamkos and Nick Paul each tallied twice as the Lightning improved to 43-26-7 (93 points) as they hold the first Eastern wildcard and sit two points behind the third-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. Joel Armia scored two goals and Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and an assist for the 29-34-12 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a hit from behind by Kucherov. No penalty was called on the play and no postgame update was provided about Guhle’s condition. Kucherov sits atop the points race with 133 and reached the 90-assist plateau for the first time. Meanwhile, his teammate Tanner Jeannot missed this contest with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Justus Annunen kicked out 44 shots in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin collected three points each for the Avalanche (48-22-6), who sit fifth overall with 102 points. Filip Gustavsson stopped 31 shots for the 36-30-9 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon (130 points) remains in second place in the points race.

The Florida Panthers got a 30-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to blank the Ottawa Senators 6-0. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists and Sam Reinhart tallied his 53rd goal of the season for the Panthers (48-24-5) as they sit seventh in the overall standings with 101 points. The Senators dropped to 33-38-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers announced before this game that defenseman Aaron Ekblad will likely miss the remainder of the regular season with an undisclosed injury. The club is confident Ekblad will be ready to go for the start of the playoffs.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Juuse Saros made 44 saves for the 44-28-4 Predators, who hold the first Western Conference wildcard spot with 92 points. Brandon Saad, Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou replied for the 40-32-4 Blues.

Rookie Akil Thomas’ first NHL goal was the game-winner as the Los Angeles Kings nipped the San Jose Sharks 2-1. Adrian Kempe scored his 25th of the season for the Kings (40-25-11) as they hold the final Western wildcard with 91 points. Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves for the 17-50-8 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo has reportedly spoken to multiple potential buyers within and outside Arizona to gauge their interest in purchasing the franchise from him.

Meruelo reportedly seeks USD 1 billion for the franchise he purchased in July 2019. He is believed to have recently met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman regarding the Coyotes’ future.

On Thursday, the club told Arizona Sports that Meruelo and the team are “solely focused on the land auction (for a new arena) and winning the bid. And to keep the Coyotes in Arizona.”

Speaking of the land auction, the date is set for June 27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any attempt to sell the team to new owners willing to keep the franchise in Arizona will depend on whether Meruelo and the Coyotes win that land auction. If they fail, relocation is the next step. Whether he’ll get $1 billion for the franchise could depend on the location of the bidders and the size of their fortunes.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers captain Sean Couturier (upper-body injury) will miss the club’s back-to-back games with the Buffalo Sabres on Friday and the Blue Jackets on Saturday.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Flyers, they’re working on a “longer-term contract” for goaltender Ivan Fedotov. The 27-year-old Fedotov can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2024

by | Mar 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2024

Four-assist performances from the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and the Oilers’ Connor McDavid, a hat trick for the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov assisted on each of his club’s goals in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Brayden Point scored twice to reach the 40-goal mark as the Lightning extended their win streak to five games. With a record of 38-25-6, they hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 82 points. William Eklund replied for the 16-46-7 Sharks.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov leads the scoring race with 122 points, opening a five-point gap over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. Lightning winger Anthony Duclair scored against his former team, reaching the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in his career. Since being acquired by the Lightning before the March 8 trade deadline, Duclair has four goals and seven points in five games.

The Edmonton Oilers erupted for five unanswered third-period goals to crush the Buffalo Sabres 8-3. Connor McDavid collected four assists while Zach Hyman and Mattias Ekholm scored two goals each for the 42-21-4 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 88 points. JJ Peterka tallied two goals for the 33-33-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman is just two goals away from reaching the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in his career. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (Hyman’s former teammate) leads the league this season with 57 goals.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected the third hat trick of his NHL career in a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Jonathan Quick made 24 saves as the Rangers (46-20-4) moved within one point of the league-leading Bruins with 96 points. Justin Brazeau had a goal and an assist for the 41-15-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quick picked up his 391st career win to tie Ryan Miller for the most NHL victories by an American-born goaltender.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored twice in his triumphant return to the lineup to beat the New York Islanders 6-3, leaving the latter winless in their last six games (0-5-1). Andrew Copp also had two goals and Christian Fischer had a goal and two assists for the Red Wings (36-28-6) as they opened a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 78 points. Mathew Barzal netted his 21st goal for the 29-25-15 Islanders as they slipped five points behind the Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury. During his absence, the Wings went into a tailspin that threatened to derail their playoff hopes. They’re a different team when their captain is in the lineup.

The Vancouver Canucks gained ground on the Bruins in the overall standings with a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nikita Zadorov scored two goals for the Canucks (44-18-8) as they sit one point behind the league-leading Bruins. Juraj Slafkovsky scored to extend his points streak to six games for the Canadiens (25-32-12), who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slafkovsky remains a bright spot for the Canadiens this season. He had just eight points in his first 31 games but now has 30 points in his last 38 contests. Speaking of the Canadiens, they announced that Joshua Roy will be sidelined for four to six weeks with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of gaining ground in the overall standings, the Carolina Hurricanes moved to within three points of the Bruins by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on an overtime goal by Seth Jarvis. Frederik Andersen stopped 30 shots for the 44-20-6 Hurricanes (94 points) as they’ve won five straight games. Travis Konecny netted his 28th goal of the season for the Flyers (35-26-9), who remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Flyers head coach John Tortorella declined to discuss Couturier during a pregame interview. However, benching his captain has drawn plenty of media attention as rumors grow of a possible rift between the two.

The Nashville Predators continue to tighten their grip on the first Western Conference wildcard berth as they blanked the Florida Panthers 3-0. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 33 shots for the shutout and Filip Forsberg tallied twice for the 41-25-4 Predators (86 points) as they extended their points streak to 16 games with their fourth straight win. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 34 shots for the 45-20-4 Panthers (94 points) as they’ve lost three straight and sit three points behind the Bruins in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers were without team captain Aleksander Barkov as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Western Conference wildcard spots, the Vegas Golden Knights cling to the final berth following a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Keegan Kolesar snapped a 1-1 tie and Chandler Stephenson netted the insurance goal for the 37-25-7 Golden Knights (81 points). Jaden Schwartz replied for the 28-28-12 Kraken.

The New Jersey Devils got two power-play goals from Jack Hughes to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier each had a goal and two assists for the 34-32-4 Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers replied for the Jets (44-20-5) as they remain in first place in the Central Division with 93 points.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists to keep their playoff hopes alive in a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Jake Neighbours scored twice and Joel Hofer made 37 saves for the 37-30-3 Blues (77 points) as they sit four points behind the Golden Knights for that final Western wild-card berth. Mark Kastelic and Dominik Kubalik scored for the 28-36-4 Senators.

The Anaheim Ducks snapped a seven-game losing skid by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for his first NHL shutout while Alex Killorn scored two goals for the 24-43-3 Ducks. Arvid Soderblom made 21 saves for the 19-46-5 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks center Leo Carlsson left this game in the second period following a knee-on-knee collision with the Blackhawks Alex Vlasic. There was no postgame update on his condition.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson was offered an in-person hearing by the NHL department of player safety for high-sticking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor on Thursday. Wilson faces the possibility of a suspension beyond five games.

CALGARY SUN: Flames goaltender Dan Vladar will undergo season-ending hip surgery next week. He’s expected to be ready for the start of next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2024

by | Mar 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2024

Hat trick performances by the Bruins David Pastrnak, the Jets Mark Scheifele and the Avalanche’s Mikko Rantanen highlight Tuesday’s action. Get the details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored one of three hat tricks in the league on Tuesday in a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Rookie Justin Brazeau tallied twice for the Bruins (41-14-15) as they picked up their third straight win and remain atop the overall standings with 97 points. Brady Tkachuk scored his 31st goal of the season for the 28-35-4 Senators.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak has 44 goals on the season and sits fourth among this season’s goalscoring leaders. His 99 points rank fourth among the scoring leaders.

The Winnipeg Jets doubled up the New York Rangers 4-2 thanks to Mark Scheifele’s hat-trick performance. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck kicked out 38 shots and Kyle Connor netted his 30th goal of the season for the 44-19-15 Jets as they remain in first place in the Central Division with 93 points and a game in hand over the Colorado Avalanche. Alexis Lafreniere netted his 20th of the season for the Rangers (45-20-4) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets played without head coach Rick Bowness as he’s on an indefinite leave of absence following a minor medical procedure in Winnipeg. Meanwhile, Lafreniere reached the 20-goal milestone for the first time in his young career.

Speaking of the Avalanche, Mikko Rantanen’s hat trick lifted them over the St. Louis Blues 4-3. Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his points streak to 16 games for the Avalanche (44-20-5) as they remain behind the Jets in second place in the Central with 93 points. Nathan Walker had a goal and an assist for the 36-30-3 Blues (75 points) to remain four points out of the final Western Conference wildcard berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche extended their win streak to seven games.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a two-goal performance from Seth Jarvis in a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders. Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists and Evgeny Kuznetsov collected an assist as the Hurricanes (43-20-6) have won seven of their last eight and sit two points behind the Rangers in second place in the Metro Division. Kyle Palmieri scored for the 29-24-15 Islanders (73 points) as they’ve lost five straight and sit three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings got an overtime goal from Patrick Kane to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Kane also collected two assists while Lucas Raymond tallied twice for the 35-28-6 Red Wings (76 points) as they regained that Eastern wildcard berth from the Washington Capitals. Zach Werenski had a goal and two assists for the 23-34-12 Blue Jackets.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists in a 5-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Brayden Point netted two third-period goals for the Lightning (37-25-6) as they hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 80 points. Jonathan Marchessault tallied his 38th goal of the season for the 36-25-7 Golden Knights as they cling to the final Western wild-card berth with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov regained first place in the scoring race with 118 points, sitting one point up on the Avalanche’s MacKinnon.

The Vancouver Canucks picked up their fifth win in their last seven games by downing the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Elias Pettersson scored twice and set up another for the Canucks (43-18-8) as they hold a one-point lead over the Jets and Avalanche for first place in the Western Conference with 94 points. Rasmus Dahlin scored both goals for the 33-32-5 Sabres (71 points) as they sit five points behind the Red Wings for that final Eastern wildcard berth.

An overtime power-play goal by Leon Draisaitl lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Connor McDavid and Adam Henrique also scored for the 41-21-4 Oilers as they hold second place in the Pacific Division with 86 points. Nick Suzuki scored his career-high 27th goal of the season for the 25-31-12 Canadiens.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 with Anze Kopitar scoring twice and collecting an assist. Adrian Kempe picked up two assists for the Kings (35-22-11), who sit third in the Pacific Division with 81 points. Philipp Kurashev had two assists for the 19-45-5 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks center Connor Bedard collected an assist as he tied Jonathan Toews’ franchise rookie record of 54 points.

Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi and winger Filip Forsberg each had a goal and two assists as their club thumped the San Jose Sharks 8-2. Ryan McDonagh and Kiefer Sherwood each had three assists as the Predators improved to 40-25-4 and hold the first Western wildcard spot with 84 points. Mario Ferraro had a goal and an assist for the 16-45-7 Sharks.

The Philadelphia Flyers held off the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 4-3 victory. Owen Tippett and Morgan Frost each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (35-26-8) as they remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. John Tavares had a goal and two assists for the 38-20-9 Maple Leafs (85 points) as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier was a healthy scratch. This drew criticism from his agent citing a lack of communication between his client and head coach John Tortorella.

The Minnesota Wild got a 27-save shutout from Filip Gustavsson to blank the Anaheim Ducks 4-0. Matt Boldy and Ryan Hartman each had two points and Kirill Kaprizov scored his 36th goal of the season for the 34-27-8 Wild (76 points) as they sit three points back of the Golden Knights for the final Western wildcard berth. John Gibson stopped 28 shots for the 23-43-3 Ducks.

New Jersey Devils forwards Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer scored twice in a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jake Allen stopped 36 shots for the Devils (33-32-4) as they sit five points behind the Red Wings for that final Eastern wildcard berth. Tristan Jarry turned aside 33 shots for the 30-29-9 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forward Jeff Carter missed this game, listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

THE SCORE: Six proposed rule changes have been proposed to the NHL’s competition committee following this week’s meetings of NHL general managers in Florida.

One rule change will go into effect immediately as players will be banned from hanging their legs over the boards when not on the ice. A team will be warned first before receiving a bench minor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That should reduce the increasing number of “too many men on the ice” penalties resulting from line changes.

The proposed changes include goaltenders being called for delay of game for intentionally dislodging the net, coach’s challenge for puck over-the-glass calls, and reviews for high-sticking penalties if it’s believed an offense wasn’t committed by the penalized player.

SPORTSNET: Rick Nash was named the general manager of Team Canada at this year’s IIHF World Championships in May. Nash is currently the director of player development for the Columbus Blue Jackets and was assistant GM for Canada at the 2022 Worlds.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Buffalo Sabres and Bills owner Terry Pegula named Pete Guelli as chief operating officer of both teams on Tuesday.

TSN: Former NHL player Chris Simon died Monday at age 52.

Simon played 15 NHL seasons with the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild from 1992-93 to 2007-08.

One of the league’s most feared enforcers, he collected 1,824 PIMs in 782 games and received eight suspensions totaling 65 games. He also collected 144 goals and 161 assists for 305 regular-season points along with 10 goals and 17 points in 75 playoff games. In 1999-2000, he led the Capitals with 29 goals.

Simon won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1995-96, helped the Washington Capitals reach the 1998 Stanley Cup Final and the Calgary Flames advance to the 2004 Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simon’s family indicated his death was by suicide. His agent indicated his former client struggled with CTE related to his playing career.

Simon’s role as an enforcer overshadowed his abilities as a player. My condolences to his family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2024

by | Feb 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2024

Penguins lose Jake Guentzel in loss to the Panthers, the Flyers name a new captain, plus the latest on Morgan Rielly, Brendan Gallagher, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers picked up their seventh win in their last eight games by downing the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists while Anton Lundell tallied twice for the 34-15-4 Panthers, who sit second in the Eastern Conference standings with 72 points. The Penguins (23-20-7) dropped their third straight game and also lost winger Jake Guentzel in the third period with an upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sitting seven points out of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference, the Penguins’ playoff hopes are fading. That could push general manager Kyle Dubas to become a seller by the March 8 trade deadline. Guentzel has frequently surfaced in the rumor mill as a trade candidate but his value in the trade market could suffer if he’s sidelined long-term. There was no update following the game regarding his status.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped 17 shots to shut out the San Jose Sharks 1-0. Morgan Barron scored the only goal for the Jets (32-14-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 69 points. Kaapo Kahkonen kicked out 38 shots for the 14-33-5 Sharks.

The Minnesota Wild picked up their fourth straight win with a 3-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek each had a goal and an assist for the 25-23-5 Wild (55 points) as they moved to within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Logan Cooley scored for the Coyotes (23-25-4), who also lost goaltender Connor Ingram for seven to 10 days after he left the game following the second period with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes’ promising play over the first three months of this season has disappeared in recent weeks. They’ve been in a nosedive in the standings over the past several weeks, winning just twice in their last 10 games and tumbling out of a wild-card spot in the process.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers named Sean Couturier as their new team captain with Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny as their alternate captains. Couturier is the 20th player in franchise history to become captain and the first since Claude Giroux was traded to Florida in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The timing of this announcement was puzzling as teams tend to name captains before the start of the season. One reader suggested perhaps they were waiting to see if Couturier, who missed all of 2022-23 recovering from back surgery, would be healthy enough to play out this season. Whatever the reason, Couturier was the obvious choice as he’s been their leader throughout this season.

Speaking of the Flyers, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen could be sidelined for two-to-three weeks due to a minor procedure for an upper-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly intends to appeal his five-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig last Saturday.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of suspensions, Brendan Gallagher returns to the Canadiens lineup for tonight’s game against the New York Rangers. He served five games for an illegal hit to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech.

TSN: Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for high-sticking Tampa Bay Lightning forward Michael Eyssimont.

DAILY FACEOFF: Calgary Flames forward Jakob Pelletier is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: A league source confirmed the NHL will stage a Stadium Series game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Ohio Stadium. It will be the Blue Jackets’ first outdoor game in franchise history.

ESPN: A union representing junior hockey players has filed a lawsuit against the NHL as well as the Canadian Hockey League and its affiliated junior hockey leagues and clubs. The suit alleges the development system for professional prospects violates antitrust laws.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2024

by | Jan 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2024

The Oilers and Kraken maintain their win streaks while the Jets’ and Panthers’ streaks come to an end and the final 12 players are announced for the All-Star Game. Details and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers set a franchise record with their 10th consecutive win by nipping the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on an overtime power-play goal by Evan Bouchard. Leon Draisaitl tied the game in the third period for the Oilers (23-15-1) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points. Sam Montembeault stopped 39 shots and Cole Caufield scored for the 17-18-7 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens called up Joshua Roy from their AHL affiliate in Laval to replace sidelined winger Josh Anderson.

Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann scored twice and added an assist as his club won their franchise-record ninth straight contest by downing the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4, extending their points streak to 13 games. Joey Daccord made 30 saves for his eighth straight win while Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and two assists for the 19-14-9 Kraken, who sit just behind the Oilers with 47 points. Ivan Provorov tallied twice for the 13-21-9 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets made rookie defenseman David Jiricek a healthy scratch from this contest.

The Winnipeg Jets’ eight-game win streak came to an end as they fell 2-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson made 35 saves for the shutout while Cam Atkinson scored twice to snap his goalless streak that stretched back to Nov. 11. With a record of 23-14-6, the Flyers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 52 points. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 34 shots for the 28-10-4 Jets, as they slipped into second place in the overall standings with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played without Jamie Drysdale (illness) and Sean Couturier (“minor injury”) while Jets center Mark Scheifele sat out with a lower-body injury.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko made 26 saves to blank the Buffalo Sabres 1-0. Sam Lafferty netted the only goal for the 29-11-3 Canucks for their fifth straight win as they vaulted over the Jets into first overall with 61 points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 shots for the 18-21-4 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson left the game in the second period after taking an elbow in the face from Canucks blueliner Filip Hronek.

A 36-save performance by Nico Daws carried the New Jersey Devils over the Florida Panthers 4-1, snapping the latter’s nine-game win streak. Jesper Bratt scored what proved to be the game-winner for the 22-15-3 Devils (47 points) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to six games for the Panthers (27-13-2) as they sit second in the Eastern Conference with 56 points.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy gave the Boston Bruins a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. McAvoy and Brad Marchand each had two goals for the 25-8-9 Bruins, who sit first overall in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. Jordan Binnington stopped 31 shots for the 21-18-2 Blues, who are three points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 44 points.

Third-period goals by Nic Dowd and T.J. Oshie lifted the Washington Capitals over the New York Rangers 3-2, leaving the latter winless in their last four games (0-3-1). Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves for the 20-14-6 Capitals (46 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Adam Fox tallied both goals for the Rangers (26-13-2) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 54 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their points streak to eight games by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on an overtime tally by Brett Pesce, who finished the game with two goals. Antti Raanta made 38 saves for the 24-13-5 Hurricanes (53) as they sit one point back of the Rangers in the Metro Division. Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (20-15-6) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored two goals to lead his club to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, extending the latter’s winless skid to eight games (0-4-4). Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist while Alex Lyon stopped 33 shots for the 21-16-5 Red Wings (47 points), who are one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Quinton Byfield scored two goals for the 20-11-8 Kings, who remain third in the Pacific Division with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings head coach Todd McLellan is facing the heat from the club’s fans as they chanted for him to be fired. They could get their wish if the Kings don’t soon reverse their current slide.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos tallied twice to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. Nikita Kucherov collected three assists to remain the league’s scoring leader with 72 points as his club improved to 22-17-5 and sit in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 49 points. Lukas Dostol turned aside 36 shots for the 14-27-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Five unanswered goals rallied the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist for the 28-12-3 Avalanche (59 points) as they sit one point behind the first-place Jets in the Central Division. Martin Jones stopped 28 shots for the 21-11-8 Leafs as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury.

The Dallas Stars netted three unanswered third-period goals in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Goalie Jake Oettinger picked up the win for Dallas after Scott Wedgewood left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. With a record of 25-12-2, the Stars are third in the Central Division with 55 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 27 shots for the 12-29-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with a shoulder injury.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram made 38 saves for his fifth shutout of the season in a 6-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nick Bjugstad had a hat trick as the Coyotes (21-18-2) moved to within three points of a Western wild-card spot with 44 points. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson and winger Kirill Kaprizov returned to action for the 17-20-5 Wild after missing several games with injuries.

The Nashville Predators defeated the New York Islanders 3-1 on late goals by Alexandre Carrier and Juuso Parssinen. Juuse Saros stopped 24 shots for the 24-18-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 49 points. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders (19-13-10) as they cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with 48 points.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves while Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Chandler Stephenson had the only goal for the Golden Knights (24-14-5) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 53 points. The Flames improved to 20-18-5 (45 points) to move within two points of the final Western wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Ottawa Senators ended a five-game losing skid with a 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Vladimir Tarasenko tallied the game-winner with five seconds remaining in the third period while Artem Zub picked up three assists for the 15-23-0 Senators. MacKenzie Blackwood kicked out 36 shots while Mario Ferraro had three assists for the 10-30-3 Sharks, who’ve lost 13 of their last 14 games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly and Vancouver Canucks Elias Pettersson, JT Miller, Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko have been named to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game as voted by the fans. The others included Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2023

by | Nov 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2023

The Sharks get their first win of the season, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin extends his points streak, Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau gets benched, the Oilers place Jack Campbell on waivers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks ended their 11-game season-opening winless skid by holding off the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Anthony Duclair and William Eklund scored while Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 38 shots for the 1-10-1 Sharks. Joel Farabee replied for the Flyers as they dropped to 5-7-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackwood was the hero for the Sharks with a stellar performance in this game. It’s just the third game that they managed to score more than once. Meanwhile, Sean Couturier returned to the Flyers lineup after missing the last two games with a lower-body injury while Morgan Frost was a healthy scratch.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to 12 games as his club clipped the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 5-3. Vincent Trocheck scored twice while Chris Kreider and Erik Gustafsson each had two points as the Rangers (9-2-1) lead the Metropolitan Division with 19 points. Michael Rasmussen, Klim Kostin and Andrew Copp scored for the Red Wings as they slipped to 7-5-1.

The Calgary Flames scored four straight goals to double up the Nashville Predators 4-2. Nazem Kadi and Yegor Sherangovich each had two points for the 4-7-1 Flames while Michael McCarron and Kiefer Sherwood tallied for the 5-7-0 Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The surprise of the night was Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau getting benched for the entire third period as his teammates staged their comeback win. Flames coach Ryan Huska said he made the move because he felt Huberdeau had an off-night.

Huberdeau has been struggling since last season to regain the high-scoring form that earned him an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $10.5 million. Whether this move lights a fire under him remains to be seen.

An overtime goal by Martin Necas lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Tony DeAngelo and Brady Skjei also scored for the Hurricanes as they improved to 8-5-0. Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin replied for the 6-6-1 Sabres.

The Colorado Avalanche remain unbeaten at home (4-0-0) after defeating the New Jersey Devils 6-3 to move into first place in the Central Division with 16 points. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had three points and Nathan MacKinnon and Miles Wood both had two points for the 8-3-0 Avalanche. Tyler Toffoli and Dougie Hamilton each had two points for the 7-4-1 Devils.

A four-goal first period powered the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 5-3. Nick Paul tallied two goals while Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman each collected two points for the Lightning (6-3-4). Canadiens goalie Jake Allen was replaced by Sam Montembeault after giving up four goals on nine shots as the Habs sank to 5-5-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough outing for Allen, who was the club’s Molson Cup recipient as their top star in October. Meanwhile, Lightning forward Conor Sheary left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Third-period goals by Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek gave the Minnesota Wild a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 shots as the Wild improved to 5-5-2. Noah Dobson and Oliver Wahlstrom replied for the Islanders as they dropped to 5-3-3.

The Winnipeg Jets got two goals from Kyle Connor to beat the St. Louis Blues 5-2. Connor and Mark Scheifele each finished with three points while Alex Iafallo collected four assists for the 6-4-2 Jets. Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn scored for the Blues as they fell to 5-5-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Part of the return to Winnipeg in the June trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Kings, Iafallo has fit in well with the Jets. He’s third among their scoring leaders with 10 points in 12 games.

A shootout goal by Nick Bjugstad lifted the Arizona Coyotes to a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each had two points in regulation while Connor Ingram made 35 saves for the 6-5-1 Coyotes. Matty Beniers and Eeli Tolvanen each had two points for the Kraken (4-6-3).

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltenders Tristan Jarry and Magnus Hellberg combined for 32 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Radim Zohorna and Sidney Crosby were the goal scorers as the Penguins improved to 5-6-0. John Gibson made 34 saves for the Ducks (7-5-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry left this game in the third period with a head injury as he suffered a cut over his right eye. There was no update on his condition following the game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers yesterday placed goaltender Jack Campbell on waivers to assign him to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. They’re expected to call up Calvin Pickard to back up Stuart Skinner.

Campbell, 31, is in the second season of his five-year, $25-million contract. He’s struggled since last season to establish himself as their starter. The Oilers are dead last in the NHL in save percentage this season with Campbell (.873) having one win in five starts while Skinner (.856) has one win in six starts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No one is claiming Campbell and his contract off waivers. The Oilers will have to hope that this stint in the AHL helps him regain his form and confidence. They will only get $1.15 million in cap relief by sending him to the minors. 

This move has also sparked speculation that more changes could be coming for the struggling Oilers. I’ll have more on this in today’s Rumors update.