NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2025

by | Sep 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2025

Sidney Crosby addresses trade and “tanking” talk, the latest Islanders and Canadiens news, Drew Doughty hopes to play for Canada in the 2026 Olympics, remembering Hall of Famer Ed Giacomin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby directly addressed recent speculation suggesting he might welcome a trade out of Pittsburgh.

“This is where I want to be. I love it here,” Crosby said. “I can’t keep having to answer the same questions over again (just) because of these narratives. If people want to write about that or say that, that’s fine. I can’t really control that.”

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Crosby also dismissed the notion that the Penguins should tank the season to improve their chances of winning the 2026 Draft Lottery. “You play to win,” he said. “That’s how I view it, and you’re not going to convince me otherwise. If you’re one of the people that believe that, then you’re entitled to believe that, but that’s not why I signed up to play the game. That’s not the game I know.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trade buzz about Crosby arose from a comment made last week by his agent, Pat Brisson, acknowledging the possibility of his client asking for a trade one day. Some observers took his comments to mean that Crosby wouldn’t want to stick around if the rebuilding Penguins continue to miss the playoffs.

Crosby is in the first season of a two-year contract. He could decide at some point that he wants one last shot at playing for the Stanley Cup and could request a trade to a contender. However, it doesn’t sound like he’s currently considering that possibility.

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: The impending return of former Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for a preseason practice on Sept. 26 and a preseason game on Sept. 27 has led to a surge in ticket prices for both events.

Prices for Penguins preseason games are typically between $20 and $25. For the Fleury game, the prices range from $235.00 to $2,975.00 on Ticketmaster.

Fleury formally retired after last season, but his return for those two events will allow him to retire as a Penguin.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders forward Mathew Barzal said he is good to go entering training camp after missing the end of last season with a kneecap injury. He indicated that it has fully healed, and now it’s a matter of getting back to being the player he was mentally.

CBS SPORTS: Barzal’s teammate, Bo Horvat, will be ready for the upcoming start of training camp. He had suffered an ankle injury playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in May, but has indicated he’s feeling great and is ready for the start of this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair revealed he tore his groin muscle right off the bone five games into last season, which sidelined him until late December, but he admitted he returned too soon.

The injury hampered Duclair’s performance, prompting head coach Patrick Roy to publicly criticize his play as “god awful” following a loss to Tampa Bay in early April, prompting Duclair to take a season-ending leave of absence.

Duclair said Roy personally visited him following the season to apologize for his comments, and they worked things out.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson walked back his father’s comments regarding his son being passed over for Team USA’s Olympic orientation camp.

Rob Hutson raised the possibility of Lane, who has dual citizenship, playing for Canada. However, Lane shot that down, saying he’s a proud American and loves USA Hockey. While he loves playing in Canada, he stated that he’s a USA Hockey Player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson could still be selected for Team USA’s final Olympic roster. Otherwise, he’ll get more opportunities to play for his country in the World Championships, the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, and the 2030 Winter Olympics.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Jeff Gorton, the Executive VP of Hockey Operations for the Canadiens, said Kirby Dach has made good progress in his recovery from a season-ending knee injury.

“He looks great,” Gorton said. “He feels great, he’s healthy. We have a plan in place to have him ready for opening night. So, that’s what we’re going to try to do.” However, he stopped short of guaranteeing that the 24-year-old center will be ready to go by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Back-to-back knee injuries have hampered Dach’s efforts to secure the Canadiens’ second-line center role.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of Gorton, the Canadiens are in contract extension talks with him and general manager Kent Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s not a surprise considering the pace of the Canadiens’ rebuild. The club wants to ensure both men stick around to complete the job.

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty remains determined to secure a place on Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“I expect to be on the team,” Doughty said. “I know it’s going to be hard for me to make it, but personally I expect to be on that team. I do think making the best team in the world at 36 years old is quite an accomplishment. That would be amazing. I’ve honestly been thinking about this way too much and it’s still so far away.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doughty won gold with Canada in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, and he was part of their gold-medal team in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

NEW YORK POST: Hall of Fame goaltender Ed Giacomin passed away on Sunday at age 86.

Giacomin spent most of his 13 NHL seasons with the New York Rangers (1965-66 to 1975-76), becoming one of the league’s top goaltenders. A fan favorite in New York and a skillful puckhandler, he was a First Team All-Star in 1966-67 and 1970-71, and shared the Vezina Trophy with teammate Gilles Villemure in 1970-71. He and Villemure backstopped the Rangers to the 1972 Stanley Cup Final.

Claimed off waivers by the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 31, 1975, Giacomin got the start for the Wings against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden two days later, where the Rangers fans chanted his name throughout the game, moving him to tears.

Giacomin played with the Red Wings from 1975-76 to 1977-78 before retiring. He had a career record of 290 wins, 209 losses, and 96 ties in 690 regular-season games with a 2.82 goals-against average, a .902 save percentage, and 54 shutouts. Giacomin was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Giacomin’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Rangers organization. I remember watching him play during the early-70s and was impressed by his acrobatic style and his ability to handle the puck. He played a big role in turning the Rangers into a Stanley Cup contender during those years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2025

by | Sep 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2025

Marc-Andre Fleury to have a last hurrah with the Penguins, Kings winger Corey Perry injured, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Marc-Andre Fleury is returning to the Penguins on a professional tryout contract.

The 40-year-old goaltender will appear in a training camp practice on Sept. 26 and in a preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sept. 27 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Retired NHL goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

That will be the extent of Fleury’s comeback with his original NHL team. He announced his retirement earlier this year. Fleury confirmed that he will be playing one period against the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A future Hall-of-Famer, Fleury was drafted by the Penguins first overall in the 2003 NHL Draft, spending 13 of his 21 seasons in Pittsburgh, winning three Stanley Cups. This is a last hurrah as he completes his long career where it began.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings winger Corey Perry suffered a possible injury while skating with his teammates on Friday. It’s uncertain if he caught a rut or collided with another player. The 40-year-old Perry was taken off the ice in a wheelchair for further medical evaluation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry signed with the Kings as an unrestricted free agent earlier this summer. An update on his status could come as early as Saturday.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn reports that an injury to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was the reason why the Buffalo Sabres signed free-agent goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to a one-year contract.

Luukkonen reported to the Sabres earlier this week, nursing an injury that was described as a “tweak”. The club is unsure of the severity of the injury and is uncertain how long the 26-year-old netminder will be sidelined.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luukkonen has been the Sabres’ starting goalie for the past two seasons. Losing him for a significant period could be an early setback to their hopes of snapping their league-record 14-year playoff drought.

CBS SPORTS: Calvin de Haan signed a one-year contract with the Swedish Hockey League’s Rogle BK on Friday.

The 34-year-old defenseman spent the past 13 seasons in the NHL, collecting 149 regular-season points in 679 games with the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Rangers signed defenseman Andrej Sustr to a professional tryout offer.

Sustr, 34, spent the past three seasons in Europe. Before that, he spent eight seasons (2012-13 to 2021-22) with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Anaheim Ducks.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 24, 2025

by | Jul 24, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 24, 2025

The latest on the Oilers and updates on Jack Roslovic and Yegor Chinakhov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST OILERS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell wondered if the Edmonton Oilers could pull off a surprise late-summer contract signing.

Mitchell suggested pursuing former Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. There are currently few suitable options to upgrade the Oilers’ goaltending in the trade or free-agent markets.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Fleury has retired, and attempts to change his mind have been fruitless. Nevertheless, Mitchell felt the Oilers should revisit that possibility as training camp approaches in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury agent, Allan Walsh, recently said five teams contacted him on July 1 asking if his client would reconsider retirement. Walsh didn’t say which teams they were, but the Oilers could’ve been among them.

Fleury might get the itch to suit up again as training camp draws near. However, he’s now 40, spent 21 years in the NHL and his best seasons are well behind him. He knows it’s time to move on to the next chapter in his life.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples suggested the Oilers consider signing Max Pacioretty as a replacement for departed veteran winger Corey Perry.

Staples acknowledged the 36-year-old Pacioretty has slowed down and is no longer the reliable scorer he once was. Nevertheless, he could be effective as a power forward in small doses, as he was for the Toronto Maple Leafs during this year’s playoffs, netting eight points in 11 postseason games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs left the door open for Pacioretty’s return, but he could opt to move on in search of better opportunities. He’d be an affordable signing, but the cap-strapped Oilers would have to shed some salary to make room for him.

Staples cited Oilers insider Bob Stauffer predicting the club will re-sign Connor McDavid this offseason. Stauffer also anticipates new contracts for defensemen Jake Walman and Mattias Ekholm.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid’s status is the main concern for Oilers fans. The longer he goes without an extension, the more speculation will suggest that he’ll depart next summer for his hometown Maple Leafs or hit the Wayne Gretzky trail and head to the Los Angeles Kings or New York Rangers.

UPDATES ON ROSLOVIC AND CHINAKHOV

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston cited a report by CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal claiming the Vancouver Canucks are still talking with former Carolina Hurricanes forward Jack Roslovic.

The 28-year-old Roslovic is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after completing a one-year contract with the Hurricanes.

Dhaliwal reported that Roslovic isn’t a lock to join the Canucks. However, the club continues to talk with the winger’s representatives.

Johnston stated that the Canucks seek a second-line center, hence their discussions with the Roslovic camp. They’re also reportedly interested in Anaheim Ducks restricted free agent Mason McTavish. However, the cost of acquiring McTavish in terms of salary and trade return could be more than the Canucks could afford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Roslovic would be much more affordable than McTavish, whom the Ducks have shown no indication of any willingness to trade.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes disgruntled Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov could be a great fit with the Devils.

Chinakhov, 24, requested a trade citing “misunderstandings” with Blue Jackets coach Dean Evanson. He’s under contract for this season with a cap hit of $2.1 million.

Nichols thinks Chinakhov would be a perfect “buy-low” trade candidate to address their ongoing need for a scoring winger to replace Tyler Toffoli.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toffoli was, and still is, a reliable, durable two-way scoring winger. Chinakhov has potential, but also an injury history that has limited him to 175 games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2025

by | May 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2025

The Maple Leafs hold off the Panthers in Game 1 of their second-round series, the Islanders win the draft lottery, the Calder Trophy finalists are announced, Rob Blake steps down as the Kings GM, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: William Nylander scored twice and collected an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs held off the Florida Panthers 5-4. Matthew Knies and Chris Tanev each had a goal and an assist while Max Pacioretty and Jake McCabe picked up two assists. Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe each collected two assists for the Panthers.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs got off to a hot start on Nylander’s two goals. Morgan Rielly put them up 3-1 before the end of the period. Tanev made it 4-1 in the second but the Panthers cut the lead in the third to 4-3 before Knies tallied what proved to be the game-winner.

Panthers forward Sam Bennett could face supplemental discipline for elbowing Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the head midway through the second period. There was no penalty called on the play. Stolarz left the game after vomiting at the Leafs bench during a TV timeout, departing Scotiabank Arena on a stretcher to a local hospital for evaluation. Joseph Woll replaced Stolarz, finishing with 17 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stolarz’s injury overshadowed an entertaining opening game between these two clubs. There was no postgame update on his condition. More information could be released on Tuesday.

For the first time since 2009, the New York Islanders have the first-overall draft pick. They won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, moving up from having the 10th-best chance of winning the lottery.

The San Jose Sharks had the best odds, finishing last in this season’s overall standings. However, the Isles’ win drops the Sharks into second overall and the Chicago Blackhawks (who finished second-last in the standings) into third overall.

The Utah Hockey Club moved up 10 spots into fourth overall after winning the second draw.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the full listing of the top 16 in this year’s draft. The remaining 16 spots will be determined by the end of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The last four selections will belong to the final-four playoff teams regardless of their placement in the regular-season standings. The 32nd pick will go to the Stanley Cup champion with the 31st pick going to the other Cup Finalist.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers have until June 25 to decide if they’ll keep their first-round pick (12th overall) or send it to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

That pick is top-13 protected. It was sent to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the return in the J.T. Miller trade in January. The Canucks flipped that pick to the Penguins as part of the return in the Marcus Pettersson trade.

If the Rangers retain that pick, their unprotected 2026 first-rounder will belong to the Penguins.

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf are the finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson is considered the favorite here. He led this season’s rookies with 60 assists, 66 points (a record for an NHL rookie defenseman). He also led them in ice time (22:44) among rookies with at least 25 games played.

Flyers fans were disappointed that winger Matvei Michkov wasn’t among the finalists. He led all rookies with 26 goals and finished second in points with 63. He’d be a candidate (perhaps even the favorite) in any other season, but was up against three stronger candidates in 2024-25.

Hutson is an obvious finalist as his performance played a key role in the rebuilding Canadiens reaching the playoffs. Celebrini had the same point total as Michkov but did so in 10 fewer games after missing several weeks with an early-season injury. He also played a larger role with the Sharks than Michkov did with the Flyers.

Wolf’s performance kept the Flames in playoff contention until the final days of the regular season. That gave him the edge over Michkov, whose club finished last in the Eastern Conference.

THE ATHLETIC: The Los Angeles Kings announced Rob Blake will not return as general manager. They didn’t announce an immediate replacement for Blake. Team president Luc Robitaille will hold a press conference on Tuesday. The future of head coach Jim Hiller remains undetermined.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This news comes after the Kings suffered their fourth-straight first-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

The Athletic’s Eric Stephens pointed out that Blake has a mixed legacy with the Kings, building up the roster through the draft, free agency and trades, but also making some questionable moves in the trade market. Stephens singled out the acquisition of Pierre-Luc Dubois, shipping out Sean Durzi to the Arizona Coyotes (now the Utah Hockey Club), and including then-prospect Brock Faber to the Minnesota Wild for winger Kevin Fiala.

John Hoven of the Kings’ site Mayor’s Manor listed several potential candidates to replace Blake. They include Kings director of scouting Mark Yannetti, former Kings assistant GM Mike Futa, and Marc Bergevin, the senior advisor to the GM.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz confirmed Andrew Brunette will return as head coach next season.

TSN: Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will play for Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, joining his friend and former teammate Sidney Crosby. It’s the first time Fleury will play in the Worlds.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils defenseman Luke Hughes underwent successful shoulder surgery. Winger Jesper Bratt will also undergo shoulder surgery. Both players are expected to be ready for training camp in September.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators hope to sign Claude Giroux to a contract extension. The versatile 37-year-old forward is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Senators are also expected to retain their 2025 first-round pick, which is 21st overall. The league penalized the Senators a first-round pick in either 2024, 2025 or 2026 because of a botched trade with the Vegas Golden Knights involving Evgenii Dadonov in March 2022.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forward William Eklund underwent successful wrist surgery on Monday. His recovery will take three months, and he’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.

Eklund was playing for Sweden against Czechia in a tune-up game for the upcoming Worlds when his wrist was cut by a skate. He avoided significant tendon and nerve damage.

RG.ORG: Spencer Knight embraces his new role as the Chicago Blackhawks’ starting goaltender. He’s hoping to play 65 games next season.

TSN: The NHL is reportedly planning an international event at UBS Arena next February instead of the previously announced NHL All-Star weekend.

DAILY FACEOFF: David Carle won’t be joining the ranks of NHL coaches, signing a multi-year extension with the University of Denver.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2025

by | May 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2025

The Blues forced a seventh and deciding game with the Jets, Marc-Andre Fleury retires, several major individual award finalists are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game in the first-round series between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.

A four-goal second period lifted the Blues to a 5-2 victory over the Jets in Game 6, tying their series at three games apiece. Alexey Toropchenko and Philip Broberg each had a goal and an assist and Radek Faksa collected two assists. Cole Perfetti and Nino Niederreiter replied for the Jets.

Game 7 will be in Winnipeg on Sunday, May 4, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Every game in this series has been won on home ice. The Jets hope to continue that trend to finish off the pesky Blues, while the latter hopes to ride the shift in momentum to their first road win of this series.

Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was pulled from this game following the second period after giving up five goals on 18 shots. During this series, he’s gotten the hook in every game in St. Louis.

Jets center Mark Scheifele missed this game, remaining in Winnipeg to recover from an undisclosed injury suffered in Game 5. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers returned to action after missing seven games with an injured foot.

NHL ALUMNI: Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has announced his retirement after 21 seasons.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We all knew Fleury intended to hang up his pads following this season. The future Hall-of-Famer had an impressive career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.

Fleury’s best seasons were with the Penguins and Golden Knights. He won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins, backstopped the Golden Knights to the Cup Final in 2018 and won the Vezina Trophy in 2021. He’s second all-time among NHL goaltenders with 575 regular-season wins.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli, and Panthers forward Sam Reinhart for finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy honoring this season’s top defensive forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov won this award in 2020-21 and 2023-24, and will be considered the favorite to win it this season. This is the first time Cirelli and Reinhart have been finalists.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, and Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan are the finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, honoring the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three are worthy finalists but Landeskog should get the nod for resuming his NHL career after spending almost three years recovering from knee surgeries.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point are the finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy honoring the player who best combines sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lady Byng Trophy gets a bad rap because of its name and that it honors the quaint notion of “gentlemanly conduct”, as if the winner is someone who shys away from physical play. That’s not the case at all. These finalists continue to play a disciplined game at a high level of competition. They’re the players you want on the ice when the game’s on the line.

Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets, Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals, and Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens are this year’s finalists for the Jack Adams Award as this season’s NHL Coach of the Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three are deserving finalists for their efforts to improve their respective teams. I’d give the nod to Carbery, who guided a Capitals team that squeaked into the playoffs last season into the top team in the Eastern Conference.

The NHL announced a change to the coverage of the 2025 Draft Lottery. Instead of a countdown from 16 to 1 after the lottery balls have been drawn behind the scenes, fans will watch live as the lottery balls are drawn at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. The drawing will be shown live in-studio for the first time in the lottery’s 30-year history.

The second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs begins Monday, May 5, with the Toronto Maple Leafs facing off against the Florida Panthers. Game 1 of the Washington Capitals-Carolina Hurricanes series will begin on Tuesday, May 6.

TSN: Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson and defenseman Miro Heiskanen will not be in the lineup for their club’s seventh and deciding game of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Heiskanen hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury on Jan. 28, while Robertson’s been sidelined since Apr. 16 with a knee injury. Game 7 is Saturday in Dallas, with the winner facing the St. Louis Blues or Winnipeg Jets in the second round.

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois confirmed head coach Jon Cooper will return next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: BriseBois was dispelling a recent rumor claiming Cooper might depart at the end of this season to join the Utah Hockey Club.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: BriseBois also revealed Lightning captain Victor Hedman fractured his right foot in Game 4 of their first-round series with the Florida Panthers.

Center Yanni Gourde broke a finger in Game 1 and center Anthony Cirelli suffered a sprained knee during that game.

BriseBois also said winger Oliver Bjorkstrand suffered a left-thigh acute compartment syndrome on Apr. 11 that required surgery soon afterward, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Winger Nikita Kucherov suffered a left-hand extensor injury on Feb. 25 but continued playing. Forward Luke Glendening suffered an AC joint separation on Apr. 9, forward Nick Paul dealt with a tear in his left wrist, defenseman Erik Cernak suffered a knee contusion in Game 1, and winger Brandon Hagel suffered a concussion in Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning were eliminated from their first-round series because the Panthers were the better team. Nevertheless, these injuries factored into their demise.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault said he tore his groin in Game 3 of his club’s first-round series against the Washington Capitals. He won’t require surgery this summer. Meanwhile, winger Patrik Laine suffered a broken finger in Game 2 and missed the remaining three games of the series.

Canadiens winger Josh Anderson revealed he suffered upper and lower-body injuries that he wouldn’t have played through had the club not been in a position to make the playoffs.

NEW YORK POST: John Tortorella will not be returning to the Rangers. It was recently reported that he may be part of new head coach Mike Sullivan’s staff.

Speaking of the Rangers, they signed forward Juuso Parssinen to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.25 million.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks co-owner Paolo Aquilini has stepped down from his positions with the team. The club’s ownership also denied rumors suggesting the club could go up for sale.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2025

by | Apr 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2025

The Wild and Blues clinch playoff berths while the Blue Jackets keep their playoff hopes alive, a milestone game for Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild clinched the first Western Conference wild-card berth (97 points) with a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks. Joel Eriksson Ek scored the tying goal with 22 seconds remaining in the third period to ensure the Wild the point they needed to clinch that playoff berth. They started goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in overtime in what could be the swan song to his NHL career, and got the game-winner from Matt Boldy with 18 seconds remaining in the extra frame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In a classy move, Wild starter Filip Gustavsson requested Fleury take over between the pipes at the end of the third period. The future Hall-of-Famer made five saves in overtime and was mobbed by his teammates following Boldy’s goal. They will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues (96 points) clinched the final Western wild-card by downing the Utah Hockey Club 6-1. Jordan Kyrou scored two goals, Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists, and rookie forward Jimmy Snuggerud tallied his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas left the game early in the third period with a lower-body injury for precautionary reasons. Head coach Jim Montgomery believes he’ll be fine. The Blues will square off against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round.

The Calgary Flames (94 points) defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 but were eliminated from the playoff race. Morgan Frost scored the game-winner in a shootout while Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist. Brandon Saad had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough finish for the Flames, but they exceeded expectations by staying in the playoff race for most of this season. It will give them something to build on going forward.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves had a 26-save shutout to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Adam Fantilli scored his 30th goal of the season and Sean Monahan collected two assists for the Blue Jackets (87 points), who sit two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal can clinch on Wednesday if they defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in any fashion or lose in overtime or the shootout. If the Canadiens lose that game in regulation time, the Blue Jackets can clinch if they get a regulation win in their final game on Thursday.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his 400th NHL regular-season goal and Mitch Marner collected his 100th point of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Anthony Stolarz kicked out 35 shots for the shutout. The Leafs clinched the Atlantic Division title for the first time with 106 points and will face the Ottawa Senators in the first round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the sixth-fastest player to reach the 400-goal plateau, doing so in 628 games played. He joins Wayne Gretzky (436 games played), Mike Bossy (506 GP), Mario Lemieux (508), Brett Hull (520), and Jari Kurri (608). He needs 21 goals to break Mats Sundin’s franchise record of 420 goals.

Marner joins Matthews, Darryl Sittler and Doug Gilmour as the fourth player in Leafs history to reach 100 points in a season.

Sabres defenseman Owen Power missed this game with a season-ending injury to his left knee that could require surgery in the offseason.

Speaking of the Senators (95 points), they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Frank Nazar scored in overtime and Connor Bedard tallied twice for Chicago while Dylan Cozens had two assists for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a long time since “The Battle of Ontario” carried over into the playoffs. The last time the Leafs and Senators faced each other in the postseason was 21 years ago in the opening round of the 2004 playoffs.

The Leafs enter that series with defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jake McCabe questionable for Game 1. Sidelined Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is expected to return to action for that game.

The Tampa Bay Lightning secured second place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points by beating the Florida Panthers 5-1. Brayden Point had a goal and two assists while Nikita Kucherov collected two points for a league-leading 121 points. Brad Marchand replied for the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of rivalries, “The Battle of Florida” continues as the Lightning and Panthers face off in postseason play for the fourth time in five years.

Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome’s hat trick powered his team to a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Adam Pelech returned to action in this game after leaving Sunday’s match against the New Jersey Devils following an illegal hit to the head by Devils forward Paul Cotter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was likely the final home game for Islanders forward Matt Martin, who was saluted by the fans and the Capitals following this contest. Meanwhile, the Capitals will face the Canadiens or Blue Jackets in the first round.

The Los Angeles Kings tied their single-season record for most wins (48) by holding off the Seattle Kraken 5-4. Samuel Helenius scored two goals for the Kings (105 points), who will meet the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for the fourth straight year. Matty Beniers netted his 20th goal of the season for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken confirmed Ron Francis will return for his fifth season as general manager.

An overtime goal by Brian Dumoulin gave the New Jersey Devils a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins. Timo Meier had a goal and two assists for the Devils (91 points), who will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist to finish the season with 106 points.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture formally announced yesterday that he’s no longer physically able to continue his playing career.

The 36-year-old center’s final game was in February 2024. He was diagnosed in 2023 with Osteitis pubis, a deep groin injury that sidelined him for almost all of the last two seasons.

Couture hasn’t officially retired as his contract runs through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million. He will remain on their books for the next two years and be placed on long-term injury reserve if they need salary-cap flexibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I noted yesterday, Couture will be remembered as one of the best players in Sharks history. He’s among their top-five players in games-played, goals, assists, and points. Couture didn’t rule out returning to the game in coaching or management. General manager Mike Grier said there’s a job for him anytime with the Sharks.

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier admitted it’s been a tough season for his rebuilding club. However, he believes they have a bright future with the young players in the lineup and their prospect system.

Couturier admitted he didn’t have much of a relationship with former head coach John Tortorella. “We didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, and it was hard,” he said. “I just tried to work with him and do what’s best for the team because that’s my job as the captain.”

THE DENVER POST: Gabriel Landeskog returned to the Avalanche following his recent conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate. He’s resumed practicing with the Avs and could be ready for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series with the Dallas Stars.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers is listed as week-to-week with a right-foot injury just days before their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no indication if Ehlers will return at some point during that series.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The NHL department of player safety handed Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse a one-game suspension for cross-checking Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield in the back of the head during Monday’s game between the two clubs.

Nurse will miss the Oilers’ final regular-season game on Wednesday against the Sharks and will be in the lineup for the first game of their opening-round series against the Kings.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner are among the 32 King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominees. The award recognizes leadership qualities and contributions to the community.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Click the link above for the complete list.