NHL Rumor Mill – April 10, 2025

by | Apr 10, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 10, 2025

Could the Penguins attempt to accelerate their rebuild? Will Dmitry Orlov head to the KHL next summer? Are the Lightning having trouble signing top prospect Isaac Howard? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe wonders if Sidney Crosby’s ongoing excellence at age 37 could alter general manager Kyle Dubas’ rebuilding plans for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Since last season, Dubas has shipped out veterans like Jake Guentzel for promising young players and other untapped assets. However, Crosby’s performance remains unaffected.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas (NHL.com).

Yohe wonders if Dubas will continue his methodical rebuilding knowing that Crosby will be gone once the process is completed, or if he’ll attempt to accelerate things while his captain remains among the league’s elite stars.

The Penguins have $25 million in cap space for next season and double that amount in 2026-27. Dubas could create more space this summer by moving out some bad contracts. Yohe believes being aggressive and spending money is a smart move as long as they also have a system that consistently generates young players like they currently have.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been ongoing speculation that Dubas could attempt to move out Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and perhaps even Kris Letang this summer to free up cap room and create roster space for younger talent. The intent would be to build a playoff contender around Crosby before his new contract expires two years from now.

Dubas has shown a willingness to make bold moves though sometimes they didn’t pan out as expected, like the acquisition of Karlsson two years ago. Nevertheless, he could search for a deal that speeds up his rebuilding plans.

ORLOV NOT GOING TO THE KHL NEXT SEASON

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman reported a rumor making the rounds had Dmitry Orlov heading to the KHL next season. The 33-year-old Carolina Hurricanes defenseman is UFA-eligible on July 1.

Friedman said he was told that there was no truth to that rumor. Orlov intends to stay in the NHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether Orlov returns with Carolina or signs with another NHL team remains to be seen. The Hurricanes have the cap room to re-sign him but he might have to accept a lesser annual average value than his current $7.75 million.

COULD OTHER TEAMS HAVE INTEREST IN THE LIGHTNING’S TOP PROSPECT?

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina cited multiple reports indicating Isaac Howard, the Lightning’s top prospect, is returning to Michigan State for his junior year. The decision comes after two weeks of contract talks between the Lightning and Howard’s representatives.

Howard led the NCAA Division 1 with a 1.41 points per game average and is a finalist for the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award. If he goes unsigned and returns to Michigan State, he could become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Encina suggests this could be posturing by Howard’s camp. If he plays a single NHL game this season, it would burn off the first year of his entry-level contract, enabling him to garner a more lucrative second contract much sooner as a restricted free agent.

The Lightning can continue negotiating with Howard until he becomes a UFA on Aug, 15, 2026. They could also trade his rights if they don’t expect to sign him before then.

Encina noted that the Lightning lacks the cap space to add Howard to their roster for the remainder of the regular season. He cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman cited sources “in NCAA circles” saying the Bolts and the Howard camp “weren’t sympatico on where everything stood at this time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman is interested in how things proceed from here, “especially if other teams are interested” in Howard.

We saw a similar situation last summer with Rutger McGroarty and the Winnipeg Jets resulting in him getting traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. McGroarty wanted to join the Jets right away but they preferred he start the season with their AHL affiliate.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2025

by | Apr 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2025

The Kings, Lightning and Panthers clinch playoff berths, the Blues set a franchise record for consecutive wins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth by blanking the Edmonton Oilers 3-0. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 27-save shutout while Kevin Fiala tallied his 30th goal of the season as the Kings sit second in the Pacific Division with 97 points, reaching the postseason for the fourth straight year. The Oilers remain in third place behind the Kings with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, defenseman Mattias Ekholm and goaltender Stuart Skinner missed this game with injuries. McDavid is expected to return later this week.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored his 40th goal as the Buffalo Sabres upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on shootout goals by Jack Quinn and Alex Tuch. Brayden Point and Gage Goncalves tallied for Tampa Bay, who clinched a playoff berth in second place in the Atlantic Division with 94 points. It’s the eighth straight season the Lightning have qualified for the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres have surged recently, winning seven of their last 10 games. Sitting 11 points out of a wild-card berth with seven games remaining, this hot streak comes too late to save their season.

Ottawa Senators netminder Anton Forsberg kicked out 40 shots to shut out the Florida Panthers 3-0. Jake Sanderson had a goal and an assist for the Senators as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 88 points, four back of the third-place Panthers in the Atlantic Division. Despite the loss, the Panthers clinched a playoff berth for the sixth straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Florida has gone 3-6-1 in their last 10 games while Ottawa is 5-4-1. Both teams have six games left. The Senators could overtake the Panthers in the standings if the latter doesn’t snap out of its funk.

St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas (NHL Images).

The St. Louis Blues set a franchise record with their 12th straight win by holding off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4. Robert Thomas scored the game-winner and collected three assists, Cam Fowler had three helpers and Zack Bolduc tallied twice as the Blues hold a four-point lead over the Minnesota Wild for the first Western Conference wild-card spot. Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 115 points, MacKinnon holds a three-point lead over Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov in the scoring race.

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz turned aside 27 shots in a 5-0 shutout of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nick Robertson and William Nylander each scored two goals for the Leafs, who hold a four-point lead over the Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored his 30th goal, becoming the first American-born NHL player to reach that milestone in nine consecutive seasons. The loss puts the Blue Jackets (77 points) six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern wild card.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they got third-period goals by Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki for a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. The Canadiens have won four straight games and opened a four-point lead over the New York Rangers for the final Eastern wild card with 83 points. Ryan Poehling and Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suzuki is two points away from becoming the first Canadien to reach 85 points in a season since Pierre Turgeon and Vincent Damphousse in 1995-96. Habs winger Josh Anderson missed this game as his wife is due to give birth soon.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves to blank the Rangers 4-0. Timo Meier scored two goals for the Devils, who sit third in the Metro Division with 89 points. With 79 points, the Rangers are four back of the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card chase.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blueshirts are sputtering with a record of 3-6-1. They and the Canadiens have six games remaining with the latter riding a four-game win streak.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a hat trick and two assists in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Morgan Geekie had a goal and four assists for the Bruins, who were officially eliminated from the postseason race. Hurricanes rookie Justin Robidas scored his first NHL goal. His club sits second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak’s been among the few bright spots in a miserable season for the Bruins. He reached the 40-goal plateau for the fifth time, tying him for second with Rick Middleton among the Bruins all-time scoring leaders. Phil Esposito holds the franchise record with seven 40-goal campaigns.

If Robidas’ last name sounds familiar, he’s the son of former NHL defenseman Stephane Robidas.

An overtime goal by Reilly Smith lifted the Vegas Golden Knights past the Calgary Flames 3-2. Smith finished the game with two goals and Shea Theodore collected three assists as the Golden Knights remain atop the Pacific Division with 100 points, three up on the Kings. Joel Hanley and Matt Coronato scored for the Flames (85 points), who collected a point to sit four behind the Wild for the final Western wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a hat trick and collected an assist in a 5-3 upset of the Dallas Stars, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Evgenii Dadonov had a hat trick for the Stars, who remain four points behind the first-place Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby reached the 30-goal mark for the 13th time in his career.

Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 32 shots to beat the Jets 4-1. Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Kevin Stenlund each had a goal and an assist for Utah. Mark Scheifele tallied his 38th goal of the season for the league-leading Jets (108 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

A five-goal first period lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Thatcher Demko made 30 saves while Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes each had two points. Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras scored for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win keeps the Canucks’ fading playoff hopes alive. With 83 points, they’re six behind the Wild in the Western wild-card race.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-1. Jared McCann had two goals and an assist for the Kraken. Rookie Will Smith tallied his 14th goal for the Sharks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2025

by | Mar 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2025

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby sets a notable offensive record, Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with a four-point game, the Blues strengthen their hold on the final Western wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby broke Wayne Gretzky’s record of consecutive seasons averaging a point-per-game in a 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Jiri Kulich scored twice for the Sabres while Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram and Peyton Kreb had two points each.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 20 consecutive seasons averaging a point-per-game. That’s an impressive display of offensive consistency, especially at this stage of his career on a team rebuilding its roster.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves to shut out the Utah Hockey Club 8-0. Victor Hedman had a goal and two assists while Jake Guentzel and Oliver Bjorkstrand each scored twice for the Lightning (89 points), who moved within one point of the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning are tied with the Florida Panthers in points but the latter holds a game in hand.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they overcame a 5-3 deficit in regulation to the San Jose Sharks but fell 6-5 on shootout goals by Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini. Tyler Toffoli scored twice and picked up an assist for the Sharks. William Nylander tallied twice and Mitch Marner collected three assists for the Leafs, who sit atop the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

The St. Louis Blues strengthened their hold on the final Western Conference wild-card berth by nipping the Nashville Predators 3-2, picking up their eighth straight win. Dylan Holloway scored two goals, including the game-winner in the third period. Robert Thomas had two assists for the Blues (85 points), opening a five-point lead over the Vancouver Canucks. Fedor Svechkov and Brady Skjei scored for the Predators, who’ve been officially eliminated from the playoff race.

Minnesota Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Filip Gustavsson stopped 28 shots for the Wild, who remain two points ahead of the Blues for the first Western wild card. Matt Roy and Brandon Duhaime replied for the Capitals, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 103 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held off the score sheet and remains six goals from breaking Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. Following the game, Ovechkin led his teammates in a handshake lineup for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who is expected to retire following this season.

The Dallas Stars got a 46-save performance by backup goalie Casey DeSmith to beat the Calgary Flames 5-2. Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Mason Marchment each collected two points for the Stars, who picked up their fourth straight win to sit second in the Central Division with 98 points. Nazem Kadri scored both goals for the Flames (79 points), who sit six points back of the surging Blues in the Western wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames had two goals disallowed, leaving them feeling like the referees robbed them. They also lost forward Connor Zary as he left the game early in the third period favoring his left knee after colliding with Rantanen.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned aside 31 shots as his club held off the Detroit Red Wings for a 4-3 victory. Michael Amadio scored what proved to be the game-winner as the Senators (81 points) opened a six-point cushion over the Montreal Canadiens in the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who remain three points behind the Canadiens with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game featured two teams going in different directions. The Senators have won eight of their last 11 games while the Red Wings have only three wins in their last 14 contests.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens (75 points) blew a golden opportunity to expand their lead in the final Eastern wild-card spot by dropping a 6-4 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers, who had fired head coach John Tortorella earlier in the day. Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov each had two goals and an assist for the Flyers, who got their first win under interim coach Brad Shaw. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson picked up two assists, becoming the first rookie defenseman since 1985-86 to have 50 assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere spoke to the media about the decision to fire Tortorella. He claimed a number of reasons led to the decision, not just Tortorella’s comments on Tuesday expressing frustration over the club’s losing skid in recent weeks. He declined to get into the specifics, saying it wouldn’t be fair to his former coach.

Flyers defenseman Cam York was benched for the entire game against the Canadiens. Shaw claimed it was for disciplinary reasons but didn’t go into detail.

The last rookie defenseman to reach the 50-assist plateau was Gary Suter with the Calgary Flames. He went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy that season.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood had 22 saves to blank the Los Angeles Kings 4-0. Martin Necas scored twice and picked up an assist while Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to extend his home points streak to 23 games. The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 93 points, while the Kings are second in the Pacific Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon (108 points) holds a three-point lead over Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov atop the points race. Kings forwards Alex Turcotte and Tanner Jeannot missed this game as they’re day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.

A five-goal second period carried the Seattle Kraken to a 6-1 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Jaden Schwartz scored twice and Joey Daccord kicked out 36 shots for the Kraken. Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers, who remain third in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Michael Callahan was fined over $2,000.00 by the department of player safety for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks forward Jansen Harkins on Wednesday.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Matt Rempe is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 24, 2025

by | Mar 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 24, 2025

The Kings set a franchise record and overtook the Oilers in the standings, another milestone for Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings extended their home points streak to a franchise-record 14 games (11-0-3)by thumping the Boston Bruins 7-2. Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist to extend his home goal streak to seven games and his home points streak to nine. Tanner Jeannot, Adrian Kempe, Joel Edmundson and Brandt Clarke each collected two points as the Kings moved ahead of the Edmonton Oilers into second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points. Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie replied for the Bruins, who’ve lost six in a row.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings and Oilers each have 87 points but the former has a game in hand.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists for his 16th season with 20-plus multi-point games in a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. Aleksander Barkov scored in the shootout as Florida overcame a 3-1 deficit. Sam Reinhart scored twice for the Panthers, who took over sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with 89 points. Brian Rust scored two goals and added an assist for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is tied with Hall-of-Famer Marcel Dionne for the second-most seasons with 20 or more multi-point games. Wayne Gretzky is the leader with 18.

The Vegas Golden Knights got a 35-save performance from goaltender Ilya Samsonov to double up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Vegas forward Tomas Hertl scored his 31st of the season before leaving in the third period with an upper-body injury. Nikita Kucherov scored his 30th of the season for the Lightning, who remain third in the Atlantic Division with 85 points. The Golden Knights are first in the Pacific Division with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hertl was hit from behind by Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg into the end boards, injuring his right arm. He will be reevaluated on Monday and an update on his status could follow on Tuesday.

A hat trick by winger Taylor Hall powered the Carolina Hurricanes to a 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen stopped 35 shots for the Hurricanes, who’ve won nine of their last 10 games and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras scored for the Ducks.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou reached the 30-goal plateau for the third straight season in a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators. Robert Thomas had three assists and Jordan Binnington made 31 saves as the Blues (81 points) picked up their sixth straight victory to move four points ahead of the Calgary Flames in the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators.

The Buffalo Sabres upset the Winnipeg Jets 5-3. Ryan McLeod had a goal and three assists and James Reimer turned aside 33 shots for the Sabres. Nino Niederreiter, Colin Miller and Nikolaj Ehlers replied for the Jets (100 points), who remain two points behind the Washington Capitals for first place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets need one point to become the second team to clinch a playoff spot. Sabres winger Jordan Greenway left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Chicago Blackhawks sophomore Connor Bedard reached the 20-goal plateau for the second straight season in a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Ryan Donato scored two power-play goals and Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and two assists for the Blackhawks. Travis Konecny and Jamie Drysdale each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who’ve lost five straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 19-year-old Bedard joined Eddie Olczyk as the second Blackhawks teenager to record multiple 20-goal seasons.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko could return to action for Monday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. Demko has been sidelined for a month with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks need all the help they can get after going 1-2-1 in their last four games, dropping them out of the final Western wild card. They have recalled Aatu Raty on an emergency basis with forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander questionable for Monday’s game after injuries forced them from Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers.

DAILY FACEOFF: The slumping Columbus Blue Jackets will get a boost with center Sean Monahan and defenseman Erik Gudbranson set to return from injuries. Monahan missed 28 games with a wrist injury while Gudbranson’s been out since Oct. 15 with a shoulder injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings coach Todd McLellan is questioning the commitment level of his players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With two wins in their last 11 games, the Wings are mired in a lengthy slump that sent them tumbling in the standings, sitting five points out of the final Eastern wild card.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils coach Sheldon Keefe singled out defenseman Johnathan Kovecevic following his club’s 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. “Kovacevic just needs to play better, that would help,” he told reporters. The 27-year-old defenseman recently signed a five-year, $20 million contract extension.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: US tariffs against Canada could affect the value of the Canadian dollar, which would affect the hockey-related revenue earned by the seven Canadian NHL franchises. That would also impact the league’s salary-cap projections going forward.

Players on Canadian teams are paid in US dollars. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently acknowledged the fluctuating currency exchange brought on by the tariffs could affect the seven Canadian franchises. He said the league is prepared to make adjustments if necessary but they’re hopeful that their current projections will remain on track.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2025

by | Mar 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2025

The Penguins defeat the Blue Jackets, updates on Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and J.T. Miller, a potential expansion option emerges, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby extended his points streak to six games with a goal and an assist to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell each had a goal and an assist while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 44 shots.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Boone Jenner, Justin Danforth and Kent Johnson replied for the Jackets, who are winless in their last six (0-5-1) and remain three points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby tallied his 25th goal of the season, marking the 15th time he’s reached that milestone in his 20-season NHL career. He’s ninth on the all-time list.

Gordie Howe leads the pack (20 seasons), followed by Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (19), the only other active NHL player among the top 10. Jaromir Jagr (18), Mike Gartner (17), Teemu Selanne, Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull, and Marcel Dionne (16) also sit ahead of Crosby.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forwards Connor McDavid (upper-body injury) and Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) will be sidelined for a week. Head coach Kris Knoblach said the club wants both players to be 100 percent healthy going into the playoffs, which begin on Apr. 19.

SPORTSNET: Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner has been cleared to return to action after leaving Thursday’s game to the Winnipeg Jets for concussion protocol following a collision in the crease.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recently-acquired Oilers forward Trent Frederic remains sidelined for another two weeks with a lower-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward J.T. Miller has no hard feelings or ill will toward the Vancouver Canucks despite leaving his former club on a sour note. Miller spent over five seasons with the Canucks but reports of a conflict with teammate Elias Pettersson led to his trade to the Rangers two months ago.

Miller faces his former team on Saturday for the first time since the trade. He praised the Canucks organization, saying they treated him with the utmost respect. Miller also said he and his family loved the city of Vancouver and he appreciated the support he received from Canucks fans during his time there.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette called out some of his veteran players for their poor performance of late, saying he wanted to see more professionalism from them down the stretch. The Predators are poised to miss the playoffs for the second time in three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Last summer’s signings of free agents Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei prompted speculation the Predators would push for a Stanley Cup this season. It’ll be interesting to see what changes they make following this disappointing campaign.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson is likely out for the remainder of the regular season with an undisclosed injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The NHL has met with a group led by billionaire Dan Friedkin to discuss its interest in bringing a franchise to Houston, Texas. ESPN reports the Friedkin group has become a leading candidate for a franchise if the league expands beyond 32 teams.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly said the league isn’t currently in a formal expansion process. However, multiple groups in Atlanta have also expressed an interest in bringing back a franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barring unforeseen economic issues, expansion to Houston and Atlanta will likely occur by the end of this decade.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators’ talks with Ottawa’s National Capital Commission to finalize the purchase of LeBreton Flats are reportedly making progess. The club intends to use the site to construct a new arena and entertainment complex in downtown Ottawa.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: A statue of Hall-of-Famer Wayne Gretzky outside Edmonton’s Rogers Place was recently defaced with feces.

Gretzky has faced considerable criticism in Canada for his friendship with US President Donald Trump amid the latter’s calls for the country to become America’s 51st state. However, it’s unclear if the vandalism was meant as a political statement.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

by | Mar 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

Sidney Crosby passes Wayne Gretzky for most points with a franchise, the Canadiens climb back into a wild-card spot, three Capitals reach personal milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored to reach his 1,670th regular-season point in a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and two assists as the Islanders scored four unanswered third-period goals. With 70 points, the Isles are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby took sole possession of fourth place on the all-time list for most points with a single franchise. Gordie Howe is the all-time leader, netting 1,809 with the Detroit Red Wings. Steve Yzerman is second, tallying 1,755 with the Wings. Mario Lemieux is third with 1,723 with the Penguins.

Crosby, 37, is under contract for two more seasons with the Penguins. He has 74 points in 68 games this season. If he remains close to that pace between now and the end of 2026-27, he could overtake Howe.

Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech returned to the lineup due to an illness, but blueliner Alexander Romanov missed the game with a similar illness.

The Montreal Canadiens regained the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Christian Dvorak had a goal and three assists, Josh Anderson tallied twice, and Brendan Gallagher had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (73 points) as they tallied five goals in the third period for their sixth straight win. Travis Hamonic had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who hold the first Eastern wild card with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens briefly held that wild-card spot on Jan. 21, only to tumble by dropping eight of their next nine games (1-8-1). Since Feb. 22, the Habs have gone 8-1-2.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and forwards Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas reached notable personal single-season milestones in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Thompson stopped 23 shots for his first NHL 30-win season, Wilson scored for his first 30-goal season, and Protas had two assists to set the single-season points record (61) for an NHL player born in Belarus. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals regained first place in the overall standings with 98 points, holding a game in hand over the Winnipeg Jets. The Wings (70 points) continue to flounder, losing eight of their last 10 to sit three points behind the Canadiens.

Speaking of the Jets, they dropped a 6-2 decision to the Vancouver Canucks. Brock Boeser scored two goals and had an assist and Pius Suter tallied twice as the Canucks maintained their grip on the final Western Conference wild card with 75 points. Nikolaj Ehlers and Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets (98 points).

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Dylan Holloway collected three assists as the Blues picked up their third straight win, sitting behind the Canucks with 75 points. Brady Skjei scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks hold that final wild-card spot with a game in hand over the Blues. Predators forward Michael McCarron was ejected after accruing 20 minutes in penalties, including a major penalty for a dangerous hit on Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich, a five-minute major for fighting Jake Neighbours, and a 10-minute game misconduct.

The Calgary Flames kept pace in the Western wild-card race by nipping the New York Rangers 2-1. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist, MacKenzie Weegar collected two assists, and Matt Coronato tallied the winner for the Flames, who sit two points back of the Canucks. Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers, who sit one point behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jonathan Huberdeau was held scoreless in this contract, but RG.Org’s Jim Biringer reports the 31-year-old winger has improved his overall game this season, earning praise from general manager Craig Conroy. With 50 points in 67 games, he’s on pace for his best season since joining the Flames in 2022.

The Rangers announced forward Arthur Kaliyev will miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs with an upper-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 7-1 drubbing of the Utah Hockey Club. Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mattias Ekholm each had a goal and two assists as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 84 points. Sean Durzi scored for Utah (71 points), who sit four points behind the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman missed Sunday’s game with an undisclosed injury while Ekholm (undisclosed) had missed six games.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Mikael Granlund tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, while Thomas Harley had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who hold second place in the Central Division with 89 points. Leo Carlsson scored twice for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars coach Peter DeBoer said sidelined forward Tyler Seguin continues skating regularly and should be ready to return around the end of the season. The news regarding top defenseman Miro Heiskanen (knee surgery) is less positive, as he could remain sidelined through at least the first round of the playoffs.

Shane Wright scored twice as the Seattle Kraken netted six unanswered goals in a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Adam Larsson had a goal and two assists for the Kraken. Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL announced the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will play a pair of games in Stockholm, Sweden next season as part of its annual Global Series on Nov. 14 and 16 at Avicii Arena.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports each of the men’s hockey teams participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics will name its first six roster players in June. It’s the first time the NHL will participate in the Winter Games since 2014. The rest of the rosters will be announced in December.

THE ATHLETIC: New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald made an impassioned plea for cut-resistant equipment during Tuesday’s meeting of NHL general managers in Florida. He cited his son Casey’s close call last December when a skate blade slashed his neck during an AHL game. Casey is the captain of the Hartford Wolfpack. The wound required 25 stitches to close.

DAILY FACEOFF: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of an America-Russia hockey series involving players from the NHL and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The NHL released a statement indicating they were made aware of the conversation between Trump and Putin, however, they were not a party to them and thus considered it inappropriate to comment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Such a tournament would require the NHL’s blessing and that of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which has banned Russia’s participation in international tournaments due to its war with Ukraine.