NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2022

by | Sep 13, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2022

The Canadiens name Nick Suzuki as their new captain, an update on Carey Price, the Avalanche sign Evan Rodrigues, plus the latest on Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens yesterday announced Nick Suzuki had been named as the 31st captain in franchise history. The 23-year-old center succeeds Shea Weber, whose playing days were cut short by injuries. Brendan Gallagher and Joel Edmundson were named alternate captains.

Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Eric Engels pointed out that this is a departure from the old way of doing things when it comes to choosing the Canadiens captain. In the past, the honor was bestowed upon a long-time veteran of the team.

Suzuki is the youngest captain in franchise history with just three seasons under his belt. The move is in line with the club’s efforts to build around promising young talent. His best seasons remain ahead of him and he would be in a better position to lead by example.

The new Canadiens captain is already facing pressure from Quebec politicians to learn French, something he’s been doing during the offseason. Suzuki also has the support of Gallagher and Edmundson, who praised his maturity and pointed out how quickly he garnered respect in the dressing room.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Carey Price isn’t expected to suit up with the Canadiens this season. However, the 35-year-old goaltender intends to spend the season in Montreal and be around the team as he continues receiving treatment for his nagging knee injury.

Price has four years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $10.5 million. He’s been placed on long-term injury reserve for the coming season. The indications are he’d like to play again if he can. That could require more surgery on his knee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Spending time with the Canadiens could also serve as a stepping stone toward scouting, coaching or a management role for Price if he’s unable to continue his playing career.

The Canadiens will also be among seven NHL teams that will take advantage of a new league rule allowing them to carry advertising on their jerseys. They’ll sport a small RBC patch on their right chests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That news generated howls of protests on social media among some Canadiens followers and other fans who are against ad patches on NHL jerseys. I don’t have a problem with it as long as they don’t end up looking like the jerseys of some European leagues where they’re covered in ad patches. The league has limited them to just two small patches per jersey.

We’ll soon see every team in the league sporting those patches because they can earn between $5 million and $10 million annually from jersey ad deals. It’s part of hockey-related revenue, which will help to increase the salary cap, making it a little easier for your favorite team to retain your favorite players.

Besides, it’s silly to get upset over a couple of small ad patches on jerseys. As ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski pointed out, you’ve been watching a game for years in arenas named for corporations where the boards and ice have been covered with ads.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed Evan Rodrigues to a one-year, $2 million contract. The 29-year-old center was an unrestricted free agent who spent last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, enjoying a career-high 43-point performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rodrigues didn’t get much term on this contract but he does get a nice pay raise over the $1 million he received last season. He’s expected to fill the second-line center position with the Avalanche vacated by Nazem Kadri after he signed with the Calgary Flames last month.

A strong effort with the defending Stanley Cup champions should ensure Rodrigues gets a more lucrative contract next summer, either with the Avalanche or another club via free agency.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Good news for the Flyers entering training camp as Sean Couturier and Kevin Hayes both received clean bills of health. Hayes missed 34 games last season due to two abdominal injuries and an infection in his groin area. Couturier, meanwhile, was sidelined for 54 games due to persistent back problems that required season-ending surgery.

CALGARY SUN: Michael Stone has accepted a professional tryout offer with the Flames. The 32-year-old defenseman has spent the past six seasons in Calgary.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS’ Matthew DeFranks reports former Stars goaltender Ben Bishop has been hired as their player development coordinator.

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes recently reported Chris Phillips has returned to the Ottawa Senators as their vice president of business operations. The former Senators defenseman had severed ties with the club last summer by announcing his departure from the Senators Community Foundation. Phillips’ return is seen as another step by the franchise to repair the relationship with the local community.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2022

by | Sep 12, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2022

Sean Couturier could have some good news today, better conditioning contributed to the Flames’ improvement last season, plus the latest on Joe Thornton, Matt Dumba and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers center Sean Couturier will address the media later today regarding his rehab from back surgery. It could be an indication that his rehab went well and he’ll be ready for training camp next week. The Flyers will have their physicals on Sept. 21 and will take to the ice the following day.

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Couturier will be vital to the Flyers’ hopes for improvement. His injury and absence contributed to their poor performance last season.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Improved player conditioning last summer played a key role in the Flames bouncing back from missing the playoffs in 2021 to finishing atop the Pacific Division last season.

Flames head coach Darryl Sutter said the club was among the poorest-trained he’d ever seen after taking over behind the bench midway through the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. He demanded that his players train harder last summer to become faster players. As a result, half a dozen of them went on to career-best performances in 2021-22.

Sutter’s message to the players heading into this summer wasn’t much different. “Train 10 percent harder”, he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pandemic likely had something to do with the Flames’ poor team conditioning in 2020-21. There was considerable uncertainty throughout the autumn of 2020 over when the season would take place, how many games would be played and what the scheduling would look like.

That would’ve created havoc for the players’ offseason training. Creatures of habit, their workout programs were thrown off-kilter by the pandemic, sometimes forcing them to train on their own or in groups smaller than they were used to.

Some teams probably had more difficulty adjusting than others. Last summer brought more of a semblance of normalcy toward their offseason plans and probably made it easier for them to improve their conditioning.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Flames, they’ve signed forward Cody Eakin to a professional tryout offer.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Former Sharks center Joe Thornton has returned to San Jose with his family while he figures out his future. He’s been recently seen skating a few times with some of the Sharks players at the club’s practice facility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thornton’s playing career could come to an end if he doesn’t get a contract with an NHL club for 2022-23. The 43-year-old saw action in just 34 regular-season games and one playoff contest with the Florida Panthers last season.

TSN: Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba was among several black NHL players who took part in the documentary “Black Ice” examining the role of players of color in Canadian hockey. Dumba, 28, is a founding member of the Hockey Diversity Alliance.

TVA SPORTS: Former NHL coach Craig Ramsay believes Juraj Slafkovsky will make his debut with the Montreal Canadiens this season. Ramsay, 71, saw the first-overall draft pick’s potential as part of Slovakia’s coaching staff in the 2022 Winter Olympics, where the 18-year-old winger was the tournament’s leading scorer.

Ramsay, 71, explained why Slafkovsky shone in international play while his stats were unimpressive playing in Finland. The Slovakian team let the young winger play to his strengths as an offensive player whereas he was forced to play a more defensive trapping style in Finland.

Slafkovsky could thrive playing for Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis. Ramsay believes St. Louis will help the young Slovakian winger correct his mistakes while allowing him the freedom to let him bloom.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ramsay said he never yelled at Slafkovksy behind the bench for making mistakes but instead spoke quietly to him about them in a positive way following the game. That’s the same approach St. Louis took with his players last season and they responded well.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals winger Carl Hagelin continues to work his way back from a career-threatening eye injury suffered in practice last March. He took part in scrimmages with teammates last week wearing a regular practice jersey.

GOPHNX.COM: Conor Timmins has fully recovered from a season-ending knee injury and is ready to start his first full season with the Arizona Coyotes. The 23-year-old defenseman played in just six games for the Coyotes last season.

THE ATHLETIC: Andrew Lustgarten will step down as president and CEO of MSG Sports at the end of 2022. MSG Sports is the parent company of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. James Dolan, owner of both clubs, will continue to oversee operations for the Rangers and Knicks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2022

by | Sep 5, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2022

Potential candidates for the Flyers’ captaincy, Logan Couture explains why he’s sticking with the Sharks, five Bruin players with something to prove in 2022-23, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Olivia Reiner recently listed the top contenders (in alphabetical order) to take over the Flyers’ captaincy. Cam Atkinson, Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes, Scott Laughton and Travis Sanheim are her top five to replace Claude Giroux, who held the role for almost nine years until his trade to the Florida Panthers in March.

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couturier would be my choice. He’s their best and most versatile two-way forward. As Reiner pointed out, they struggled to replace him following season-ending back surgery in February. Couturier leads by example and always brings his best effort to every game.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent interview with Corey Masisak, Logan Couture said he didn’t consider the option of getting traded when asked about it by new San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier.

“No, not at this stage of my life and where I’m at outside hockey,” said Couture. “I love this area. I’m getting married in this area next summer. I love being a Shark. So I didn’t think twice about it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture also said he understood when Brent Burns accepted a trade to the Carolina Hurricanes. He indicated he spent a lot of time talking to him, citing that the 37-year-old defenseman wanted to play for a winner while he still could.

Couture said Grier contacted him to discuss his plans for the club. The Sharks captain informed his new GM that he would do whatever he could to help get them back in the right direction.

Assuming Couture wanted a trade, moving him wouldn’t be easy. Cap Friendly indicates the 33-year-old is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million and a three-team trade list.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Goaltenders Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark are among Nick Goss’ list of five Bruins with something to prove in 2022-23. Forwards Trent Frederic, Craig Smith, and defenseman Mike Reilly round out the list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman and Ullmark have the most to prove. The Bruins need both goalies to be at their best to reach the playoffs in a very tough Atlantic Division this season.

WHL.COM: Former NHL defenseman Brent Seabrook will be joining the Vancouver Giants as a player development coach. Seabrook, 37, spent his entire 15-season NHL tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2005-06 to 2019-20, winning three Stanley Cups before injuries ended his playing career.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights reverse retro jersey for the coming season appears to have been leaked.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2022

by | Feb 12, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2022

​The Oilers win their first game under new coach Jay Woodcroft, Brad Marchand to appeal his six-game suspension, Flyers center Sean Couturier undergoes season-ending surgery, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers won their first game under new head coach Jay Woodcroft by downing the New York Islanders 3-1. Connor McDavid collected two assists, Mike Smith made 37 saves and Zach Hyman scored what proved to be the winning goal. With 51 points, the Oilers are four behind the Anaheim Ducks for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jason Robertson lifted the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Robertson reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his young NHL career while teammate Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist. Jets center Mark Scheifele also had a goal and an assist. The Stars sit one point ahead of the Oilers and three behind the Ducks while the Jets (46 points) are nine points out of a wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets have dug themselves a deep hole in the Western Conference standings. They could become sellers if they haven’t gained ground by the time the calendar flips to March.

The Ducks, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 decision to the Seattle Kraken. Jordan Eberle broke a 3-3 tie late in the third period while teammate Ryan Donato scored twice for the Kraken. Ducks forward Isac Lundestrom tallied two goals.

Steven Stamkos scored two goals as the Tampa Bay Lightning held off the Arizona Coyotes 4-3. Teammate Corey Perry netted his 399th career goal. Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes. With 68 points, the Lightning sits one point behind the first-place Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division.

HEADLINES

TSN: The NHL Players Association has filed an appeal on behalf of Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand over the six-game suspension he received by the NHL department of player safety. Marchand was handed the ban for roughing Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry and then high-sticking him on his mask during Wednesday’s game between the two clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand’s suspension history likely contributed to his latest punishment. League commissioner Gary Bettman will review the appeal and determine if it will stand or be reduced.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Flyers center Sean Couturier underwent season-ending back surgery on Friday. A decision whether Ryan Ellis (lower-body) will require surgery could be made in the coming weeks. Center Kevin Hayes could require a third abdominal surgery after having fluid drained from his adductor on Jan. 18.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries to those three key players are significant reasons why the Flyers are on the cusp of missing the playoffs for the second straight year.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said he’d like to bring former client Vincent Lecavalier into the organization in some capacity. “It’s not going to be assistant GM, despite all the rumors,” said Hughes. “But if we can find a way to do it then we’d absolutely like to do it.”

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko will remain sidelined for another both with an unspecified upper-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs yesterday signed Joseph Woll to a three-year contract extension on Friday. He’s currently playing for their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. The first year of the deal is a two-way contract and becomes a one-way deal in the final two years.

The Leafs also got some good news on forward Ondrej Kase, who was shaken up during Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames but could return to the lineup on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2021

by | Dec 31, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2021

Jonathan Huberdeau enjoys a five-point performance for the Panthers, the latest COVID wave’s ongoing effect upon the schedule, and Max Pacioretty sidelined indefinitely in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Jonathan Huberdeau collected five points (one goal, four assists) as the Florida Panthers romped to a 9-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was the fourth five-point performance of Huberdeau’s career. Anthony Duclair scored two goals and Spencer Knight picked up the win with 39 saves. The Panthers (44 points) moved to within two points of the Lightning for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Florida Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau (NHL Images).

The Carolina Hurricanes blanked the depleted Montreal Canadiens 4-0 with Antti Raanta making 26 saves for this first shutout of the season. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho collected two assists for his sixth straight multi-point game while Teuvo Teravainen scored twice. Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period while Jonathan Drouin missed the game with a non-COVID-related illness.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens began this game with just three players with salary-cap hits over $1 million. That dropped to two when Gallagher was sidelined. It’s the latest lowlight in a season of suck for the hapless Habs.

A shootout goal by Gustav Nyquist lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators. Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine scored in his return to action since being sidelined by injury on Nov. 3 and the recent passing of his father. Matt Duchene collected two assists for the Predators.

Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists in his return from COVID protocol as his New York Islanders downed the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Barzal extended his points streak to seven games. Isles goalie Semyon Varlamov kicked out 36 shots.

Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau had two goals as his club downed the Seattle Kraken 6-4. Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk each finished the night with three points. Kraken captain Mark Giordano also collected three points (one goal, two assists) in his first game against his former club.

The Vancouver Canucks suffered their first loss under head coach Bruce Boudreau as they dropped a 2-1 shootout decision to the Los Angeles Kings with Viktor Arvidsson tallying the game-winner. Jaroslav Halak made 34 saves in a losing cause for the Canucks, who remain unbeaten in eight regulation games (7-0-1).

Tomas Hertl’s overtime goal gave the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Hertl now has points in eight straight games. Flyers goalie Felix Sandstrom turned aside 36 shots in his NHL debut. With the win, the Sharks (35 points) moved within a point of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

LATEST NHL COVID HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said he still believes the league will complete a full 82-game schedule despite the recent outbreak of the Omicron version of COVID-19. He indicated the schedule is being revised to use what would’ve been the Olympic break in February to fill replacement dates for recently postponed games.

Daly remains hopeful that by mid-January there should be a normalization of the schedule. Nevertheless, he acknowledged it’s been a daily balancing act in recent weeks given how quickly the latest COVID outbreaks have spread around the league.

Regarding attendance restrictions for Canadian clubs, Daly said the league is trying to be as cooperative and flexible as possible when it comes to making up those games or moving them. They’re exploring all alternatives, including playing those games in empty home arenas or on the road until local restrictions are lifted.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of attendance restrictions for Canadian teams, the Ontario government yesterday announced stadium capacity will be reduced to 1,000 fans. They also announced the reduction of isolation for fully-vaccinated people with COVID symptoms from 10 days to five if those symptoms improve and all public health and safety measures are followed.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment announced there will be no sold tickets for Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors home games for at least the next three weeks.

TSN’s Gord Miller yesterday reported Canadian-based NHL teams are asking the league to shift their home dates to later in the season.

NHL.COM: The number of postponed games reached 81 with the league announcing Sunday’s contest between the Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes will be rescheduled for COVID-related reasons.

SPORTSNET: has the latest updated list of NHL players and coaching staff in COVID protocols.

IN OTHER NEWS…

LAS VEGAS SUN: Vegas Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty is sidelined indefinitely after undergoing wrist surgery. Pacioretty has missed 17 games earlier this season with a broken foot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could have an effect upon the Golden Knights’ possible plans for freeing up cap space for Jack Eichel’s anticipated February return from neck surgery.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers center Sean Couturier (upper body) is listed as week-to-week after being placed on injured reserve.

CBS SPORTS: New York Islanders winger Kyle Palmieri (lower body) was placed on injured reserve backdated to Dec. 16. There’s no timetable for his return.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild announced multi-year contract extensions for head coach Dean Evason and his staff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evason and his staff have done a fine job since last season turning around the Wild. They finished with last season’s ninth-best record and are just two points out of first place entering tomorrow’s Winter Classic at Target Field against the St. Louis Blues.

ESPN.COM: Canadia women’s hockey player Brigette Lacquette has been hired as a scout by the Chicago Blackhawks. She becomes the first Indigenous woman to become an NHL scout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Lacquette, who also made history in 2018 by becoming the first First Nations woman to play for Canada’s Women’s Olympic hockey team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2021

by | Aug 27, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2021

The Philadelphia Flyers sign Sean Couturier to an eight-year extension, the Carolina Hurricanes ink Andrei Svechnikov to an eight-year deal, Canadiens expect Carey Price and Jonathan Drouin to attend training camp, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Philadelphia Flyers signed center Sean Couturier yesterday to an eight-year, $62 million contract extension.

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couturier will earn an annual average value of $7.75 million starting in 2022-23 through 2029-30. He’ll be 29 when that contract begins.

Winner of the Selke Trophy in 2019-20 as the NHL’s top defensive forward, Couturier is considered among the best two-way players in the league. He’s also the Flyers’ best player and one of their team leaders.

This deal could work out well for the Flyers as long as he maintains that Selke form. That shouldn’t be a concern through the first half of this new deal but could become burdensome if his performance declines over the second half.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes signed winger Andrei Svechnikov to an eight-year, $62 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Svechnikov is getting a big pay raise coming off his entry-level contract. Unlike Couturier who is an established star at the peak of his playing career, the 21-year-old Hurricanes winger is a rising star who has displayed considerable potential as a first-line winger.

The Canes are banking on Svechnikov reaching or exceeding expectations. If he does, they’ll have a high-scoring top-line forward under contract during most of his best seasons at a price well below those of his peers.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme said Carey Price is expected to be ready for the start of training camp next month. The 34-year-old goaltender is currently recovering from offseason knee surgery.

Jonathan Drouin is also expected to be at camp. The 26-year-old winger took a leave of absence in April for personal reasons and missed the remainder of the regular season and the Canadiens march to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite last season’s surprising playoff success, the Canadiens could be in a tough fight to clinch a playoff berth in 2021-22 in the competitive Atlantic Division. A healthy Price and Drouin could be crucial to their postseason hopes this season.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Joe Haggerty reports Bruins center Charlie Coyle is recovering well from offseason surgery to repair a fracture in his left kneecap and a small tear in his patellar tendon. He’s expected to be ready for the start of training camp in mid-September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Haggerty indicates those injuries accounted for Coyle’s struggles last season as he managed only 16 points in 51 games. He’s expected to take over the second-line center position left vacant by David Krejci’s decision to return to the Czech Republic.

TSN: The Calgary Flames signed winger Dillon Dube to a three-year, $6.9 million deal.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are expected to name a team captain before the end of training camp. Thomas Chabot and Brady Tkachuk could be the leading candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators haven’t had a captain since trading Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks three years ago.