NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2017

by | Dec 7, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2017

Game recaps, injury and waiver updates and more in your NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHL.COM: Alex Ovechkin scored a goal and set up three others to lead the Washington Capitals to a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (one goal, two assists) ended a 21-game goalless drought while teammate Tom Wilson scored twice, handing the Blackhawks their fifth consecutive loss. 

Wayne Simmonds had a goal and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers collected their second straight win by doubling up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Flyers captain Claude Giroux picked up two assists. Meanwhile, Philadelphia defenseman Brandon Manning (right hand, wrist injury) will miss three-to-four weeks while goalie Michal Neuvirth will be sidelined one-two weeks with a lower-body injury. 

Ryan Miller made 29 saves for his 40th career shutout and teammate Adam Henrique scored twice as the Anaheim Ducks blanked the Ottawa Senators 3-0. The Sens have only one victory in their last 10 games.

William Nylander’s shootout goal gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a 2-1 victory over the slumping Calgary Flames. Frederik Andersen made a season-high 47 saves for the Leafs, handing the Flames their third straight defeat. The Flames were playing without Jaromir Jagr (day-to-day) 

SUN-SENTINEL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo will be sidelined for several weeks with a suspected groin injury. He could be out for up to eight weeks. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers need backup James Reimer to be at his best if they harbor any hope of climbing back into the playoff race during Luongo’s absence. 

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks defenseman Paul Martin could return to action tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s been sidelined since Oct. 8. 

THE PROVINCE: Retired Vancouver Canucks forward Derek Dorsett said he was perhaps one hit away from suffering a catastrophic spinal injury. He underwent neck fusion surgery earlier this year and recently brought his playing career to an end after experiencing two neck bulges above and below the fusion. “If they got worse, they could have started pushing into my spinal cord,” he said. “It could have been bad. It could have been catastrophic.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorsett said he has to avoid contact and must continue rehab but he’s looking forward to living a healthy life. If he still wants a career in hockey, I’m sure there are options available in coaching, scouting or management. Here’s hoping he finds something to his liking. 

TSN: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed center Greg McKegg on waivers. 

SPORTSNET: The New York Rangers signed goaltender Marek Mazanec to a one-year, two-way contract after he cleared waivers yesterday and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Hartford. 

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes opened this season hoping to get offense from their defensemen. However, only three blueliners – Noah Hanifin, Justin Faulk and Jaccob Slavin – have goals this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If this trend continues, Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis could be pressured into parting with one of his notable blueliners for a scoring forward. 

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL pest Sean Avery was slapped with a restraining order over a dispute with his mother-in-law. 

 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2017

by | Dec 1, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2017

Game recaps, latest Senators news, injury updates, waiver moves and more in your NHL morning coffee headlines.  

NHL.COM: Daniel Sedin netted his 1,000th career NHL point with the game-tying goal as the Vancouver Canucks downed the Nashville Predators 5-3 to snap their four-game losing skid. Brock Boeser also scored twice for the Canucks, who learned earlier in the day that gritty forward Derek Dorsett was forced to retire due to a back injury. 

Brendan Gallagher scored twice and set up another and Carey Price made 28 saves as the Montreal Canadiens extended their winning streak to four with a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, handing the latter their sixth straight defeat. The Canadiens were playing without sidelined center Jonathan Drouin and defenseman Shea Weber. Earlier in the day, the Habs made a minor trade, shipping forward Peter Holland to the New York Rangers for forward Adam Cracknell.

Marian Gaborik tallied his first two goals of the season and Jonathan Quick made 27 saves to give the Los Angeles Kings a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Evgeny Kuznetsov netted both of the Capitals’ goals.

Eric Staal scored twice as the Minnesota Wild overcame a 2-1 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Earlier in the day, the Wild claimed defenseman Nate Prosser off waivers from the St. Louis Blues after learning blueliner Jared Spurgeon will be out for two weeks with a groin strain. The Knights had activated defenseman Luca Sbisa off injured reserve but placed forwards David Perron and William Carrier on IR. 

Mark Jankowski scored a pair of goals and Mike Smith had a 28-save shutout as the Calgary Flames blanked the Arizona Coyotes 3-0. It was Smith’s first game against his former club since being dealt to Calgary in the offseason. 

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Kris Russell accidentally scored the winning goal into his own net as his club fell 6-4 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to his gaffe, Russell had a goal and an assist. The Leafs William Nylander scored and set up two others. The Oilers were playing without starting goalie Cam Talbot, who’s out at least two weeks with an upper-body injury. 

Mattias Janmark scored twice, including in overtime, to lift the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Erik Karlsson said he won’t accept a hometown discount on his next contract. Karlsson is eligible in 2019 for unrestricted free agency and intends to seek market value. He was responding to comments on Wednesday by Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty suggesting he could touch base with Karlsson for advice during his own contract talks. Like Karlsson, Doughty is eligible for UFA status in 2019. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson is one of the league’s very best defenseman, a two-time winner of the Norris Trophy as the league’s best blueliner. He could command over $11 million annually. 

Speaking of the Senators, team president and CEO Tom Anselmi denied rumors claiming team owner Eugene Melnyk was planning to sell the club. “I have no idea where it’s coming from. There’s nothing to it and I just have no idea where it’s from,” Anselmi said Thursday. 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: Rangers center Mika Zibanejad has been diagnosed with a concussion and is sidelined indefinitely. 

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning forward Cedric Paquette received a one-game suspension for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug. 

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres placed defenseman Matt Tennyson on waivers. 

 











NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2017

by | Nov 22, 2017

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2017

Game recaps plus updates on Evgeni Malkin, Ryan McDonagh, the Bruins’ goaltending & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHL.COM: Vladimir Tarasenko had a Gordie Howe hat trick as the St. Louis Blues crushed the Edmonton Oilers 8-3. Tarasenko scored twice, set up two others and fought with Oilers with Edmonton’s Matt Benning after the latter laid on a leg-on-leg hit on Blues center Brayden Schenn, who escaped uninjured. Schenn also finished the game with two goals and two assists while Jaden Schwartz also had a four-point night for the Blues.

Two second-period goals in less than a minute by Devin Shore and Jason Spezza helped the Dallas Stars defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. The Habs were playing without defenseman Shea Weber, who was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. The Canadiens have dropped four straight games. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My preseason selections of the Oilers as a Stanley Cup contender and the Canadiens as a playoff club look awfully silly right now. Toe Blake was right: predictions are for gypsies. 

Brock Boeser scored twice to give the Vancouver Canucks a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, extending the latter’s losing skid to five games. The Canucks were playing without forward Derek Dorsett, who returned to Vancouver to deal with stiffness in his back and neck. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: At the quarter pole of this season, the Canucks are perched just outside a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Looks like their rebuilding plan is starting to bear fruit. Their top three scorers are 20-year-old Boeser, 25-year-old Flames castoff Sven Baertschi and 22-year-old Bo Horvat. 

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin will miss tonight’s game against the Canucks with an upper-body injury. He’ll be reevaluated on Thursday. 

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh will be sidelined from tonight’s contest against the Carolina Hurricanes with an abdominal strain. More details on his condition could be announced today. 

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks defenseman Paul Martin has suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury and remains sidelined indefinitely. 

BOSTON HERALD: With starting goalie Tuukka Rask struggling and backup Anton Khudobin playing well. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy has yet to decide which one will start in tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils. 

NEWSDAY: New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy has overcome his slow start to this season. “Leddy has 14 points in his last 11 games to vault into the top 10 in the NHL in goals (five) and points (16) for defensemen.”

Former NHL forward Drew Miller has signed with Swedish team Brynas IF.