NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2024

by | Mar 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2024

The Oilers’ Zach Hyman and the Panthers’ Sam Reinhart reach the 50-goal plateau, Nathan MacKinnon sets an Avalanche scoring record and the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin reaches another goal-scoring milestone. Get the details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored his 50th goal of the season in a 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Jakob Chychrun scored twice while Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson had a goal and two assists each for the 30-36-4 Senators. Evan Bouchard collected three assists for the Oilers (42-23-4), who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 88 points.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman is the seventh player in Oilers’ history to score 50 goals in a season, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Speaking of 50-goal seasons, Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart scored twice to reach that milestone as his club downed the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Brandon Montour picked up three assists for the Panthers (46-20-5) as they snapped a four-game losing skid to sit third in the overall standings with 97 points. Bobby Brink scored for the 36-27-9 Flyers, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart joins Pavel Bure as the only two players in Panthers history with 50-goal seasons. He and Hyman are eight goals behind Toronto’s Auston Matthews in the race for the Richard Trophy.

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists as his Colorado Avalanche overcame a 4-0 deficit for a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jonathan Drouin scored twice, including the winner in overtime as the Avalanche improved to 46-20-5 to hold first place in the Central Division (97 points) and move into fourth in the overall standings. Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists for the 30-30-10 Penguins, who’ve won just twice in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon moved past Joe Sakic to set the Avalanche single-season points record (122). He needs 18 points to break Peter Stastny’s all-time franchise record of 139 points. The Avalanche center sits one point behind Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. MacKinnon also extended his home points streak to 34 games and his overall points streak to 18 games.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored two goals as his club blanked the Winnipeg Jets 3-0. Charlie Lindgren turned in a 27-save shutout for the Capitals (35-26-9) as they moved one point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings into the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 79 points. The Jets (44-22-5)have lost three straight and remain in third place in the Central Division with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin eclipsed the 25-goal plateau to join Gordie Howe and Jaromir Jagr as the only players in NHL history to accomplish that feat 18 times. Speaking of the Capitals, they honored winger T.J. Oshie in a pregame ceremony for recently reaching the 1,000 career regular-season game plateau.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a 32-save performance from Frederik Andersen in a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sebastian Aho and Brady Skjei scored for the 45-20-7 Hurricanes (97 points) as they sit one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers and one point behind the league-leading Vancouver Canucks. Joseph Woll kicked out 41 shots for the Leafs (40-21-9) as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 89 points.

Dallas Stars forwards Tyler Seguin and Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists each to double up the Arizona Coyotes 4-2. Miro Heiskanen snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period and Joel Oettinger made 26 saves for the Stars (44-19-6) as they hold second place in the Central Division with 97 points and sixth place in the overall standings. Clayton Keller tallied his 30th goal of the season for the 29-37-5 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the second straight season that Keller has reached the 30-goal plateau.

An overtime goal by Anthony Cirelli lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Anthony Duclair and Luke Glendening also scored for the Lightning (39-25-7) as they hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 85 points. Lukas Dostal stopped 24 shots for the 24-43-4 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning were without defenseman Victor Hedman and center Brayden Point as they’re day-to-day with lower-body injuries. Meanwhile, Duclair has fit in well with the Lightning since being acquired from the San Jose Sharks before the trade deadline. He has five goals and nine points in his seven games with the Bolts.

The New Jersey Devils got a 36-save shutout from Kaapo Kahkonen to defeat the New York Islanders 4-0. Timo Meier and Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist each as the Devils improved to 35-33-4 (74 points) to sit five points behind the Capitals for that final Eastern wildcard. Islanders captain Anders Lee was ejected in the second period for a knee-on-knee hit to Devils captain Nico Hischier, who left the game but returned for the third period. The 30-26-15 Isles (75 points) are four points back of the Capitals.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 32 shots for the 34-33-5 Sabres. Jonathan Huberdeau replied for the 33-32-5 Flames.

The Montreal Canadiens erupted for four first-period goals as they cruised to a 5-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, extending the latter’s winless skid to eight games (0-6-2). Alex Newhook scored twice and Kaiden Guhle had a goal and two assists for the 26-32-12 Canadiens. Jordan Eberle scored for the 28-29-13 Kraken.










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 Rumor Mill – March 18, 2024

by | Mar 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 18, 2024

Goaltenders could be in high demand during this offseason. Check it out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger recently examined what could be a busy trade market for goaltenders during the offseason.

The Boston Bruins’ Linus Ullmark, Calgary Flames’ Jacob Markstrom and Nashville Predators’ Juuse Saros were mentioned as potential trade candidates leading up to the March 8 trade deadline. Those three could be pursued by clubs looking to improve their goaltending this summer.

New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald mentioned he’d like to “land one of these big fish” to share the goalie duties next summer with Jake Allen, who was acquired before the deadline from the Montreal Canadiens.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

The Devils attempted to acquire Markstrom in February and could revisit those discussions with the Flames.

In Nashville, the Predators must decide if they’ll sign Saros to a contract extension, trade him or ship out promising netminder Yaroslav Askirov.

The Bruins, meanwhile, could maintain their goalie tandem of Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. However, the return they could receive for a Vezina Trophy winner like Ullmark could be too tempting to pass up.

Granger also mentioned John Gibson has come up in trade rumors over the past two years with the Anaheim Ducks in rebuild mode. He has three more years left on his contract but perhaps retaining part of his $6.4 million cap hit might grease the skids for a trade this summer.

Other suitors for those goalies could include the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher noted a recent report by Granger’s colleague Pierre LeBrun suggesting the Devils might revisit their interest in Saros.

Predators GM Barry Trotz is keeping his offseason options open regarding his goaltending situation. Nevertheless, Gallagher pointed out that it would take “one doozy of a package” to pry Saros away from the Predators.

Trotz indicated he wouldn’t move Saros for “inadequate stuff from other teams, unproven stuff from other teams.” Gallagher believes the Devils offer would have to include a high-end player such as Dawson Mercer, a prospect such as Seamus Casey and a first-round pick to tempt the Predators GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom, Ullmark and Saros will be in high demand. Potential suitors should expect it will be expensive to acquire them.

Markstrom is the oldest (34) and carries a more expensive contract (two more years at $6 million annually) with a full no-movement clause. Ullmark (30) and Saros (28) each have a year remaining on their contracts with the same average annual value ($5 million) but the Bruins goalie has a 16-team no-trade clause that drops to a 15-team no-trade list on July 1.

Saros could be the easiest of the three to acquire because he lacks no-trade protection.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2024

by | Mar 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2024

Big multi-point performances by the Lightning’s Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, the race for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth intensifies, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point had a career-high six points (three goals, three assists) while Nikita Kucherov had a five-point performance (one goal, four assists) in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. The Lightning (35-25-6) tallied four unanswered third-period goals for the win. They hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 76 points. Jack Roslovic had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (43-19-4), who sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov gained some ground (112 points) in the scoring race, sitting three points behind league leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.

Speaking of the Eastern wildcard race, the Washington Capitals (31-25-9) moved to within one point of the New York Islanders for that final berth by nipping the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Connor McMichael snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period for the Capitals, who have 71 points. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored for the 28-25-12 Kraken.

Meanwhile, the Islanders were blanked 4-0 by the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned in a 21-save shutout and Zach Benson scored twice for the Sabres (32-30-5) as they moved to within three points of the Islanders (29-22-14) for that final wildcard spot with 69 points. The Isles cling to that berth with 72 points and have dropped two straight games.

The Detroit Red Wings suffered their seventh straight loss as they fell 4-1 to the Arizona Coyotes Connor Ingram stopped 28 shots while Nick Bjugstad and Clayton Keller each had a goal and an assist for the 27-35-5 Coyotes. Lucas Raymond scored for the Red Wings (33-27-6), who sit just behind the Islanders with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles hold that berth with a game in hand. The Red Wings have been in disarray since team captain Dylan Larkin was sidelined during a 4-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on March 2.

Three unanswered third-period goals by John Ludvig, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins over the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Tristan Jarry made 29 saves for the 29-27-9 Penguins (67 points), as they kept their playoff hopes alive by moving to within five points of the Islanders. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Klim Kostin each had a goal and an assist for the 16-42-7 Sharks.

The New Jersey Devils also stayed alive in the race for that Eastern wildcard berth with a 6-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Jake Allen made 35 saves in his first game with the Devils (32-30-4) since being acquired at last Friday’s trade deadline. With 68 points, they’re four back of the Islanders. Wyatt Johnston and Craig Smith replied for the 40-19-9 Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 89 points.

Turning to the top of the standings, the Carolina Hurricanes downed the league-leading Florida Panthers 4-0. Frederik Andersen made 21 saves for the shutout, Evgeny Kuznetsov tallied his first goal and Jake Guentzel his first assist with the Hurricanes (40-20-6), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 86 points. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 31 shots for the Panthers (45-18-4) as they remain on top of the overall standings with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov was acquired by the Hurricanes before last Friday’s trade deadline. He was named the game’s first star and was moved by the support of the Carolina fans. “I just want to say thanks to the fans. I almost cry a little bit,” he said, acknowledging he’s gone through a difficult stretch on and off the ice in recent years.

Meanwhile, Panthers forwards Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues were held out of this game for precautionary reasons due to their lower-body injuries.

The Boston Bruins (39-14-15) moved to within one point of the Panthers with a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jake DeBrusk scored in overtime and Linus Ullmark made 18 saves for the win. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki tied his career high with his 26th goal of the season as his club dropped to 25-30-11.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 55th goal of the season to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2. Matthews, William Nylander, Tyler Bertuzzi, Pontus Holmberg and Timothy Liljegren each had a goal and an assist for the 38-19-8 Maple Leafs (84 points) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division. Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers (34-25-8) as they remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the first player in Leafs history to reach the 55-goal plateau twice. Meanwhile, his teammate Calle Jarnkrok is expected to miss some time after leaving this game in the second period with an upper-body injury in the second period.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 16 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Zach Bogosian and Kirill Kaprizov were the goal scorers for the 33-27-7 Wild (73 points) as they moved to within four points of the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wildcard spot. Lukas Dostal made 29 saves for the 23-40-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury also reached another career milestone as it was the 75th shutout of his career. He’s 11th on the all-time shutout list, one back of Ed Belfour and Tony Esposito. Meanwhile, his teammate Joel Eriksson Ek missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be sidelined for a few more.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they gave up four goals in the third period in a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. Blake Coleman scored two goals and Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 32-29-5 Flames. Anthony Mantha scored for the Golden Knights (35-24-7) as they hold that final Western wildcard spot with 77 points.

A shootout goal gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anton Forsberg kicked out 35 shots for the 27-33-4 Senators. Boone Jenner scored his 20th goal for the 22-33-11 Blue Jackets.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL and NHLPA reached a settlement regarding Corey Perry’s contract termination earlier this season. Exact details are unknown but this case cannot be used as a precedent in future contract termination discussions.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes’ hopes of building a new arena in Phoenix remain alive. The Arizona State Land Department Board of Appeals approved the $68.5 million appraisal for a portion of land where the Coyotes intend to build. The department can sell the land at auction but must advertise the date within 10 weeks.

TSN: Canada is expected to name St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong as the GM of its Men’s Hockey Team for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: In the “Strange But True” department, a shipment of 18,000 Jaromir Jagr bobblehead dolls was stolen ahead of a planned giveaway by the Penguins to fans who attended Thursday’s game against the Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 13, 2024

by | Mar 13, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 13, 2024

More speculation on the Devils’ offseason plans to pursue a starting goaltender plus a look ahead for Sharks forwards Mikael Granlund and Alexander Barabanov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE DEVILS’ OFFSEASON GOALIE PLAN

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the New Jersey Devils intend to pursue a starting goaltender during the offseason. That includes revisiting their interest in the Calgary Flames’ Jacob Markstrom and the Nashville Predators’ Juuse Saros.

LeBrun mentioned that the Devils would also look at a few other options. He indicated they plan to find a stud goalie to create a 1A-1B setup with Jake Allen, acquired last week from the Montreal Canadiens.

Saros’ situation intrigues LeBrun. The 28-year-old Predators netminder is signed through next season and slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

LeBrun wondered if they’ll sign him to a contract extension and have him share the Predators’ goalie duties with young Yaroslav Askarov or attempt to trade him this summer rather than risk losing him to free agency next year.

THE TENNESSEAN: After the trade deadline passed, Alex Daugherty reported Predators general manager Barry Trotz said all options remain on the table for Saros. Trotz suggested a trade was just as likely as a contract extension. “If something comes along from now until July 1, then maybe that situation gets defined and clear.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fitzgerald has already indicated he’s going “big-game hunting” this summer for a starting goaltender. His interest in Markstrom and Saros is well-documented. He could also investigate whether the Boston Bruins intend to part with Linus Ullmark this summer.

The Devils were also linked to John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks and Elvis Merzlikins of the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, they’re likely further down on Fitzgerald’s goalie wish list.

As for Saros, Trotz could be signaling to teams that the possibility exists for a trade to be done this summer. However, the Predators GM made it clear before the trade deadline that he wasn’t giving Saros away. The asking price for Saros will be expensive.

No general manager was willing to meet Trotz’s price for Saros before the trade deadline. That might change in the offseason when teams have more cap space and a greater willingness to make major moves.

WHAT NEXT FOR SHARKS FORWARDS GRANLUND AND BARABANOV?

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka reported San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier indicated last Friday that there was some interest in forwards Mikael Granlund, Nico Sturm, and Luke Kunin. They all have a year remaining on their contracts and expressed an interest in being part of the club’s rebuilding plan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granlund might’ve moved at the deadline if the Sharks retained part of his $5 million cap hit. However, they used their final salary retention spot to trade Tomas Hertl to the Vegas Golden Knights.

All three of those retention spots are filled for next season. Any team interested in Granlund this summer or next season must take on his full cap hit.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng reports Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov was disappointed that he wasn’t traded to a playoff club before last Friday’s deadline. “That’s life, you can’t control that,” he said.

Barabanov was scratched from last Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders for trade-related reasons. It was believed a deal was in place that would’ve sent him to the New York Rangers. However, it would’ve involved retaining part of his $2.5 million cap hit. The Sharks instead use that retention slot for the Tomas Hertl trade with Vegas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barabanov will likely test this summer’s free-agent market. The Sharks will lose him for nothing but they still got a better return in the Hertl deal than anything they might’ve received from the Rangers for Barabanov.