NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 7, 2025

by | Jun 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 7, 2025

The Panthers defeat the Oilers to tie the Stanley Cup Final, the Stars fire head coach Pete DeBoer, a plethora of other coaching moves, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

PANTHERS DEFEAT OILERS IN GAME 2 OF THE STANLEY CUP FINAL

NHL.COM: A double-overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, tying the series at a game apiece.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

The goal was Marchand’s second of the game, making the 37-year-old winger the second-oldest player in Stanley Cup playoff history to score in multiple overtime periods. Hall-of-Famer Igor Larionov was 41 when he tallied for the Detroit Red Wings in triple overtime of Game 3 in the 2002 Stanley Cup Final.

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 42 shots, Seth Jones had a goal and an assist, and Nate Schmidt and Anton Lundell each collected two assists for the Panthers. Stuart Skinner made 37 saves, Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid each had three points, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist for the Oilers.

This contest was a see-saw battle with the Oilers holding a 3-2 lead after the first period, only to see the Panthers dominate the second period to go up 4-3. The Oilers battled back with Corey Perry sending it to overtime with 18 seconds remaining in the third period, but the Panthers maintained their poise and are heading home having earned a split in Edmonton.

Game 3 is Monday in Florida at 8 pm ET.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars fired head coach Pete DeBoer on Friday. The move comes just over a week after they were eliminated from the Western Conference Final for the third straight year, and days after team owner Tom Gagliardi shot down reports from Canada that DeBoer was out. He has a year remaining on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBoer did a fine job coaching the Stars into a Western Conference powerhouse, but failed to guide them past the Conference Finals. He seemed to lose his cool during the final game against the Oilers, creating confusion among his players after pulling goaltender Jake Oettinger early in the game, and blaming his players afterward for the club’s elimination.

Candidates to replace DeBoer are already being floated by pundits, with the usual suspects (John Tortorella, Peter Laviolette, Gerard Gallant, Jay Woodcroft) popping up. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pursue a former NHL bench boss, hire away an assistant coach from another club, promote from within, or bring in a coach from the minor league or junior ranks.

Speaking of coaching moves…

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs hired former Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde as an assistant coach.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Dan Hinote left the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate to join the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant coach. He was the associate coach of the Colorado Eagles this season. He previously spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken fired assistant coach Dave Lowry and goaltending coach Steve Briere.

THE PROVINCE: On Thursday, the Vancouver Canucks announced the hiring of Kevin Dean, Brett McLean and Scott Young as assistant coaches. They also announced assistant coach Yogi Svejkovsky, defensive development coach Sergei Gonchar, and video coach Dylan Crawford won’t be back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Svejkovsky is reuniting with former Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet in Philadelphia as part of the Flyers’ coaching staff.

THE DENVER POST: Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor is expected to be sidelined for the next five to six months after undergoing hip surgery for the second time in two years.

SPORTSNET: Ottawa Senators defenseman Nick Jensen also underwent hip surgery. There is no timetable for his recovery.

The Rochester Americans are mourning the death of former AHL and NHL winger Scott Metcalfe, who passed away on Friday at age 58.

Metcalfe spent most of his 15-year professional career in the minor leagues. A first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1984 NHL Draft, he played 19 games over three seasons (1987-88 to 1989-90) with the Oilers and Buffalo Sabres. Metcalfe spent nine seasons with the Americans, winning the Calder Cup in 1996. He was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2006.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Metcalfe’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Americans’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 1, 2025

by | Jun 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 1, 2025

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers as they await Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, updates on the Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers CEO of Hockey Operations Jeff Jackson spoke about the club’s return to the Stanley Cup Final and Connor McDavid’s next contract.

McDavid, 28, is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. He and the Oilers can agree to a contract extension starting this July 1.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

“Look, Connor knows what he means to this organization and the city of Edmonton,” said Jackson. “And this organization and the city certainly know what Connor means to them. We’re very cognizant of that.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The approaching end to McDavid’s contract has some fans and pundits wondering if he’ll re-sign with the Oilers or test next summer’s UFA market. I believe that he will sign an extension this summer that’ll make him the highest-paid player in the league starting in 2026-27.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers forwards Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell and AJ Greer missed practice on Saturday. Luostarinen and Greer were injured in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Head coach Paul Maurice indicated Luostarinen and Lundell are fine, but Greer is considered day-to-day.

THE SCORE: Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn doesn’t plan on leaving the only NHL team he’s ever played for. The 35-year-old forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but he hopes to work something out with management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Benn is completing an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $9.5 million. He’s been the Stars’ captain for years, but his performance declined noticeably over the past two seasons.

The Stars’ front office has indicated a desire for Benn to finish his career in Dallas. However, they have less than $5 million in cap space this summer. He must accept a significant pay cut to stay in Dallas.

Matt Duchene is also UFA-eligible on July 1 after finishing the second of the one-year contracts he’s had with the Stars. The 34-year-old center wants to stay in Dallas, but indicated he’ll be seeking term on his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duchene is unlikely to get more than a year from the Stars. They must ensure sufficient long-term cap room to re-sign winger Jason Robertson and defenseman Thomas Harley. Both players are restricted free agents next summer with arbitration rights.

SPORTSNET: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer and goaltender Jake Oettinger aren’t concerned about their working relationship going forward.

Eyebrows were raised when DeBoer pulled Oettinger early in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final after the latter gave up two goals on two shots. Following the game, the Stars coach didn’t exactly give a glowing review of his starter’s performance in that series.

Two days later, DeBoer insisted he is a big fan of Oettinger as a player and a person, calling him “the best young goaltender in the league,” suggesting he still has room to grow and improve. He also revealed that Oettinger was battling an upper respiratory illness, leading the coaching staff to debate whether to start backup Casey DeSmith in Game 4.

Meanwhile, Oettinger refused to use the illness as an excuse. He dismissed the idea that DeBoer’s comments following Game 5 had hurt their relationship. “I think for me, just the whole experience, I’m going to learn from it and it’s going to help me grow and be a better person and better goalie.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Stars center Roope Hintz said his foot was fractured by a slash from Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. Hintz missed Game 3 but returned for the final two games of the series. Nurse was initially given a five-minute major penalty but it was reduced on review to two minutes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nurse should’ve received supplemental discipline for his actions, but that’s not how things work in the erratic world of the NHL’s department of “player safety.”

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Dylan Holloway was heartbroken to miss the playoffs due to a lower-body injury that required season-ending surgery. He’s coming off a career-best 26 goals and 37 assists in 77 games this season.

Holloway completed the first season of a two-year contract and is eligible to sign an extension with the Blues on July 1. The 23-year-old could earn an average annual value of $7 million on his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holloway and teammate Philip Broberg were signed away from the Edmonton Oilers last summer via offer sheets. Their additions played a key role in the Blues reaching the playoffs this season, suggesting they could soon become core players for this club.

ESPN.COM: Thousands attended the inaugural Gaudreau Family 5K Walk/Run and Family Day on Saturday at Washington Lake Park in southern New Jersey. Roughly 1,110 people participated in person, along with more than 1,300 virtually in the United States, Canada, and around the world.

The event honored the memory of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, who died last August after being struck by an alleged drunk driver. The goal was to raise money for an accessible playground at Archbishop Damiano School, where their mother, Jane, and her daughter Kristen work.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 30, 2025

by | May 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 30, 2025

The Oilers return to the Stanley Cup Final, the Islanders introduce Mathieu Darche as their new GM, the Kraken hire Lane Lambert as their new coach, plus the latest on Alex Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OILERS RETURN TO THE STANLEY CUP FINAL

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers are going back to the Stanley Cup Final after defeating the Dallas Stars 6-3 in Game 5 of the best-of-seven Western Conference Final.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored what proved to be the winning goal on a breakaway in the third period and collected an assist on Corey Perry’s game-opening goal. Leon Draisaitl and Jake Walman each had two assists, and Jeff Skinner scored his first-ever Stanley Cup playoff goal.

Jake Robertson scored two goals while Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley each had two assists for the Stars. Goaltender Jake Oettinger was pulled early in the first period after giving up two goals on the only two shots he faced. Backup Casey DeSmith finished the game, making 20 saves.

The Oilers will face the Florida Panthers in the first Stanley Cup Final rematch since the 2009 Final between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid picked up his 100th career NHL playoff assist, becoming the second-fastest player to reach that milestone. Wayne Gretzky did it in 70 games while McDavid needed 90 games.

Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm made his debut in this postseason after being sidelined by an undisclosed injury since Apr. 11. He played 15:52 minutes, collecting an assist and blocking two shots.

Stars coach Pete DeBoer’s decision to pull Oettinger bewildered many observers, including the goalie himself. DeBoer explained he was trying to give his club a spark after a slow start, adding that Oettinger had lost six of his last seven playoff games against the Oilers going back to last season.

Some pundits felt DeBoer overreacted or panicked. Meanwhile, Oettinger’s teammates blamed themselves for playing poorly in front of him.

Oettinger didn’t have a good series, but he wasn’t the sole reason why the Stars were eliminated from the Western Conference Final for the third straight year. This was on the entire team. They gave up the first goal in 15 of their 18 postseason games, their penalty-killing was ineffective, and they struggled to produce in five-on-five situations.

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and Oilers is Wednesday, June 4, in Edmonton at 8 pm ET. Game 7 (if necessary) will be Friday, June 20, in Edmonton.

HEADLINES

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders formally introduced Mathieu Darche as their new general manager and executive vice president. Darche confirmed Patrick Roy will return as head coach, but assistant coaches John MacLean and Tommy Albelin were let go.

Darche confirmed that center Bo Horvat recently injured a minor ankle playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship. He’s already rehabbing the injury and will need four to six weeks to recover.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken named Lane Lambert as their third head coach in franchise history. Lambert was an associate coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. He spent two seasons as head coach of the Islanders.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals stated that an alleged e-mail sent to season ticket holders claiming that 2025-26 would be Alex Ovechkin’s last in the NHL is not accurate. The team claimed no decision has been made on Ovechkin’s future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Next season is the last one of Ovechkin’s current contract. It’s rumored he intends to finish his career in Russia, but that doesn’t mean he won’t sign an extension with the Capitals. That could depend on his performance and willingness to continue his NHL career.

TSN: Former Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is committed to returning to the NHL next season. His agent will begin taking calls from interested teams leading up to July 1.

Toews, 37, stepped away from the game in 2023 for health reasons. He indicated in March that he was unhappy with how his career ended and was working his way toward a comeback.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger believes Toews will have a long list of suitors, including the Winnipeg Jets.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving was noncommittal about the club re-signing pending free agent Mitch Marner. He indicated that he spoke with the 28-year-old winger during the club’s recent exit interviews, saying they decided to take a step back briefly.

“We’re going to meet as a staff, I’m going to be in touch with Mitch’s representative,” said Treliving. “We’ll have to see how this all works…And he’s got a say in the process.”

HOCKEY SVERIGE: Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson played with a fracture in one leg during his final games of the regular season and at the recent World Championship. He said his leg is at 80-85 percent but won’t require surgery.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed winger Tyson Foerster to a two-year bridge contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov was named the 2025 KHL Rookie of the Year.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks re-signed defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a one-year, $1 million contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2022

by | Jun 22, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2022

Leafs center Auston Matthews wins the Hart Trophy and Lindsay Award as the NHL hands out the remainder of its annual awards. Check out the list of winners and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

MATTHEWS, SHESTERKIN, MAKAR HONORED AT NHL AWARDS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews is the 2021-22 winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He was also awarded the Ted Lindsay Award as league MVP as voted by the NHL Players Association membership.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews also won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goalscorer for the second straight year, becoming the first player to reach the 60-goal plateau in a decade. He’s the third player in Leafs’ history to win the Hart and the first to do so since Teeder Kennedy in 1955. He is also the first Leaf to win the Lindsay Award.

Matthews garnered praise from Leafs’ greats such as Mats Sundin, Darryl Sittler, Borje Salming, Lanny McDonald and Wendel Clark. He’s now the most decorated player in franchise history, having also won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year in 2016-17.

The New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin was the winner of the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender for 2021-22. He led the league with a 2.07 goals against average and a .935 save percentage and was third in shutouts with five and sixth in wins with 36.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here. Shesterkin was clearly this season’s dominant netminder. He’s the sixth Ranger to win the Vezina and the first to do so since Henrik Lundqvist in 2012.

Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche took home the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar is the first defenseman in Avalanche history to win the Norris. It was a close vote as he narrowly beat out Nashville Predators’ captain Roman Josi.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider won the Calder Trophy. He’s the sixth player in franchise history to take home this honor and the first since Roger Crozier in 1965.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved honor for Seider. He led all rookies with 43 assists, 21 power-play points and 23:02 in time on ice per game. He’s already established himself as a core player with the rebuilding Red Wings and should continue playing a significant role in their future.

Matthews, Makar and Shesterkin were also named to the 2021-22 First All-Star Team along with Josi, Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner and Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, and Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom were named to the Second All-Star Team.

Seider was also named to the 2021-22 NHL All-Rookie team along with Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier, Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras, Detroit Red Wings winger Lucas Raymond and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: Nathan MacKinnon’s inability to score in the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final is raising some concern among Colorado Avalanche followers. However, MacKinnon isn’t troubled by that lack of production, having trust in himself that the goals will come. “No time for doubt,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No one was worried about MacKinnon’s goal-scoring drought when Colorado was riding a 2-0 series lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts are putting more focus on shutting him down because he’s the Avs’ biggest scoring threat. However, that also creates time and space for his teammates to garner more scoring chances.

MacKinnon’s limited offense isn’t an issue as long as the Avalanche are winning. It will become a greater concern if the Lightning rally back to tie the series or take over the lead.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche center Nazem Kadri continues to make progress in his recovery from a thumb injury as he joined his teammates in an optional skate on Tuesday. Meanwhile, winger Andre Burakovsky remains in Denver receiving treatment for a suspected hand injury.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper expects Nikita Kucherov and Corey Perry will be in the lineup for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. Both forwards were banged up during the Lightning’s 6-2 victory in Game 3. Cooper also indicated center Brayden Point (lower body) remains day-to-day and is doubtful for Game 4.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars officially announced Peter DeBoer has taken over as their new head coach.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers officially announced head coach Jay Woodcroft has signed a three-year deal.

TSN: Former NHL coach Dan Bylsma has been named the first-ever bench boss of the Coachella Valley Firebirds. They are the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken and will make their debut in 2022-23.

TORONTO STAR: Denis P. Gorman has a detailed account of former NHL agitator Sean Avery’s recent trial in New York in which he was found guilty last Thursday of one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief.

The charge stemmed from an incident in Greenwich Village in 2019 regarding a collision involving the scooter he was driving and a minivan.

Avery called proceedings a “kangaroo court” and a “complete waste of resources”. However, he praised the judge for making the “right decision” by sentencing him to time served and ordering him to stay away from the minivan’s driver and his family for five years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2022

by | Jun 21, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2022

The Lightning defeated the Avalanche in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, the latest details on the Stars’ reported hiring of Pete DeBoer, the Canucks sign KHL star Andrei Kuzmenko, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning avenged their lopsided Game 2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche with a convincing 6-2 win in Game 3 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (NHL Images).

A four-goal second period blew the game open for the Lightning, chasing Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper after he gave up five goals on 22 shots. The Bolts also got a 37-save performance from Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Nick Paul scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the second period after returning from a first-period injury. Steven Stamkos, Ondrej Palat and Pat Maroon each had a goal and an assist while Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman both collected two assists. Gabriel Landeskog scored both Avalanche goals.

Game 4 is on Wednesday in Tampa Bay with the Avalanche holding a 2-1 series lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As we’ve come to expect, the Lightning once again rose to the occasion in a must-win contest. They didn’t panic when the Avalanche opened the scoring for the third straight game, pouncing on defensive miscues and playing a much more physical style to neutralize their opponent’s speed. Vasilevskiy was outstanding, shrugging off his poor performance in Game 2 and making several big saves to pick up the win.

This game got chippy as it went on. Several roughing penalties were handed out and there was a fight late in the third period between the Lightning’s Ross Colton and the Avalanche’s Logan O’Connor.

It was a potentially costly win for the Lightning as Kucherov left the game in the third period following a cross-check by Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews. No update was given on his condition following the game. They were already playing without Brayden Point, who sat out this contest after returning from a lower-body injury to play in the first two games.

The Avalanche were without forwards Nazem Kadri (thumb injury) and Andre Burakovsky (injured hand) for this game. Both are listed as day-to-day.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Dallas Stars and former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer are working on a four-year contract expected to be worth over $4 million per season. The deal hasn’t been finalized and signed yet but it’s expected to be done soon.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have signed KHL star Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year contract. He’ll earn a base salary of $855K along with bonuses that could take him up to $1.95 million. The contract will be officially filed with the NHL on July 13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzmenko is a 26-year-old left wing who tallied 53 points in 45 games this season with SKA St. Petersburg. He’s considered a smart, gifted playmaker. If he plays up to expectations he’ll provide offensive depth among the Canucks’ top-six scorers.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: The Capitals signed forwards Brett Leason and Beck Malenstyn to two-year contracts. Leason’s is a one-way deal worth $750K in 2022-23 and $800K in 2023-24. Malenstyn’s is a two-way deal next season and a one-way deal worth $775K.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators will play the Montreal Canadiens in two Kraft Hockeyville training-camp games in Gander, NL on Oct. 6 and Bouctouche, NB on Oct. 8.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are reportedly interested in adding Finland’s national coach Jukka Jalonen to their coaching search.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2022

by | Jun 20, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2022

The latest on the Avalanche and Lightning heading into Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Stars have reportedly hired Pete DeBoer as their new head coach, and an update on top prospect Shane Wright in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE DENVER POST: Sidelined winger Andre Burakovsky did not accompany the Colorado Avalanche as they traveled to Tampa Bay on Sunday for Games 3 and 4 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Burakovsky suffered a hand injury during Game 2 and was being evaluated on Sunday. He’s expected to rejoin his teammates on Monday.

Colorado Avalanche winger Andre Burakovsky (NHL Images).

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said sidelined center Nazem Kadri (thumb injury) traveled with the team on Sunday. He’s skating again and practicing puckhandling and shooting but Bednar isn’t sure if he’ll play in the upcoming two games.

NHL.COM: Fourteen years after winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 as a rookie with the Detroit Red Wings, center Darren Helm is relishing this opportunity to win it again with the Avalanche. If he does, he’ll become the fourth player in NHL history to go at least 14 years between championships.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Tampa Bay Lightning are hoping to once again overcome an 0-2 deficit in a playoff series. They have an opportunity to shake things up at home for the next two games. However, they’re facing a much tougher opponent in this Stanley Cup Final than they did against the Dallas Stars in 2020 and the Montreal Canadiens last year.

TORONTO SUN: Michael Traikos wonders if the wear and tear of three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final might be taking its toll on the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fatigue could be an issue for the Lightning. However, the real problem is that the Avalanche are the most formidable opponent they’ve faced since beginning their march as consecutive Cup champions in 2020.

The Avs are faster and possess impressive depth on their forward lines and blueline. They’ve adjusted to the absence of sidelined key players like Kadri and Samuel Girard without missing a beat. They lack a superstar goaltender but their tandem of Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz has been solid throughout this postseason.

It would be foolish to write the Lightning off. They’ve shown a remarkable ability to bounce back from adversity. Nevertheless, they must win Game 3 tonight or risk being swept away by the Avalanche in Game 4.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Matthew DeFranks cited a Sportsnet report claiming the Stars have hired Pete DeBoer as their new head coach. He’s coaching the Florida Panthers (2008-2011), New Jersey Devils (2011-2015), San Jose Sharks (2015-2020) and Vegas Golden Knights (2020-2022).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Neither the Stars nor general manager Jim Nill has confirmed the hiring, though that could come later today. DeFranks anticipates DeBoer would focus on increasing their shots (especially from the point) while still maintaining a solid defense.

SPORTSNET: Projected top prospect Shane Wright believes he can make an immediate impact in the NHL next season. He intends to put in a lot of work this offseason and in training camp to step in right away and make a difference.

The Montreal Canadiens hold the first-overall pick in this year’s draft. Wright recently met with the Canadiens brass and would love to suit up for the historic franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright isn’t considered a generational superstar but has drawn favorable comparisons to Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron and New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad. Even if he doesn’t reach the big league next season, he’s still projected to be a future NHL star.