NHL Rumor Mill – November 27, 2023

by | Nov 27, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 27, 2023

A look at questions facing the Bruins, Sabres, Avalanche, Oilers, Panthers, Wild, Canadiens, Islanders, Flyers, Sharks and Leafs in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Rory Boylen recently listed one question facing all 32 NHL teams at the quarter-mark of this season. Among them:

Boylen wondered if the solid performances thus far of Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha might shift the Boston Bruins’ trade focus away from adding a center to seeking a scoring winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Or maybe they might consider adding a player or two to bolster their defensive game. Their goalie tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman were able to paper over their leaky defense but they’ve given up at least five goals per game in three of their last four contests.

The Buffalo Sabres have been frequently mentioned as a destination for free-agent winger Patrick Kane but will they get him?

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boylen pointed out that salary-cap space isn’t an issue. Of late, however, the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings have been mentioned more frequently as possible landing spots for Kane. We’ll hopefully find out by this week where he intends to spend this season.

Boylen pointed out the Colorado Avalanche’s need to boost their depth scoring. This could be an area they look to the trade market to address if no one steps up in the coming weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Patrick Kane, The Athletic’s Peter Baugh believes the Avs are “monitoring the situation” but doesn’t see them among the front-runners.

Which goaltender will the Edmonton Oilers add?

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s been the biggest question in the rumor mill throughout November. They don’t appear any closer to acquiring one while recent speculation suggests they could look at recalling Jack Campbell if he regains his form with their AHL affiliate.

Boylen also pondered the possibility that Sam Reinhart could prove too expensive for the Florida Panthers to re-sign. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent but sits among the league’s leading scorers with 13 goals and 25 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He carries a $6.5 million cap hit and could seek between $9 million and $10 million annually on his next contract.

Given the Minnesota Wild’s struggles, Boylen raised the question of whether head coach Dean Evason will make it to the all-star break. The Wild are capped out and have several key players struggling.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild general manager Bill Guerin is sticking by Evason and insisting the answers to his cap-strapped team’s woes must come from within. It remains to be seen how much longer that will last.

Will the Montreal Canadiens get Sam Montembeault signed? He’s earning an average annual value of $1 million and is eligible for UFA status next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montembeault has been linked to the Oilers in the rumor mill but I think the Canadiens will get him signed. As Boylen noted, he’s starting to build on last season’s promising performance.

Boylen wondered how long the New York Islanders could continue with such a meek offense.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been an issue for the past couple of years. They might have to shift their focus on finding a short-term replacement for defenseman Adam Pelech, who injured an arm during weekend play.

Philadelphia Flyers center Morgan Frost has been a frequent healthy scratch this season, prompting questions over his future. He’s signed through next season with an AAV of $2.1 million. So far, he hasn’t asked for a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers reportedly denied rumors that Frost was available in the trade market but his situation could be worth watching. GM Daniel Briere is reportedly willing to move players for returns that will improve his club’s foundation going forward.

Boylen wondered which players the struggling San Jose Sharks will trade this season. Forwards Anthony Duclair and Mike Hoffman are on expiring contracts while Mackenzie Blackwood could interest goalie-needy clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be very surprised if Duclair and Hoffman aren’t moved by the March 8 trade deadline. Blackwood could be available for the right price but they could opt to move pending UFA Kaapo Kahkonen.

Turning to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boylen is curious how they’ll address their blueline corps. With John Klingberg going on LTIR, he wonders what kind of defenseman they’ll go after.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Your guess is as good as GM Brad Treliving’s. He opted for a puck-moving defenseman by signing Klingberg during the offseason while bringing in physical forwards like Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi and Ryan Reaves. Perhaps he’ll look to add more “snot” to his blueline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2023

by | Nov 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2023

The Rangers overtake the Bruins for first place in the overall standings while the Kings gain ground on the first-place Golden Knights in the Western Conference. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored twice and set up another to lead his club to a 7-4 rout of the Boston Bruins. Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists as the Rangers (15-3-1) supplanted the Bruins for first place in the overall standings with 31 points. Charlie Coyle scored twice for the Bruins, who also have 31 points but slipped into second overall with a record of 14-3-3. It’s the first time this season they’ve lost two straight games.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, the NHL department of player safety fined Rangers captain Jacob Trouba $5,000.00 for high-sticking, which was actually a dangerous two-handed stick swing at Trent Frederic that struck the Bruins’ forward on his helmet. Frederic was fortunately not injured but Trouba should’ve received a suspension for his reckless action.

The Bruins, meanwhile, activated defenseman Matt Grzelcyk off long-term injury reserve and assigned rookie blueliner Mason Lohrei to their AHL affiliate in Providence.

The Los Angeles Kings blanked the Montreal Canadiens 4-0. Trevor Moore scored twice while Pheonix Copley turned aside 18 shots for the shutout as the Kings (13-3-3) moved into second place in the Western Conference standings with 29 points. Jake Allen stopped 26 shots for the Canadiens, who slipped to 9-10-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are now one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first overall in the conference. The Vancouver Canucks also have 29 points and won one more game than the Kings but the latter played three fewer games. Speaking of the Canucks and Golden Knights…

Third-period goals by Mikael Granlund and Mike Hoffman enabled the San Jose Sharks to hold off the Canucks by a score of 4-3. Granlund and Hoffman each had two points while Tomas Hertl collected two assists for the Sharks (4-15-2), who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 10 points. Brock Boeser scored twice, J.T. Miller had three assists and Quinn Hughes collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games for the 14-7-1 Canucks.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram turned in a 34-save shutout in a 2-0 win over the Golden Knights. Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse tallied for the Coyotes (9-9-2) to snap a three-game losing skid. Logan Thompson made 16 saves for the 14-5-2 Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore missed this contest with an upper-body injury. His status should be considered day-to-day.

The New Jersey Devils crushed the Buffalo Sabres 7-2. Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist in his first game since being sidelined on Oct. 27 with an upper-body injury. Teammate Tyler Toffoli scored twice as the Devils (9-9-1) ended a three-game losing streak. Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo replied for the 9-10-2 Sabres.

Second-period goals by Noel Acciari and Erik Karlsson lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tristan Jarry made 31 saves as the Penguins improved to 10-10-0. Tyler Bertuzzi and Matthew Knies scored for the Leafs as they fell to 10-6-3.

The Philadelphia Flyers shut out the New York Islanders 1-0 on a shootout goal by Tyson Foerster. Samuel Ersson made 25 saves for the win as the Flyers moved up to 11-9-1. Ilya Sorokin stopped 40 shots for the 8-6-6 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers activated defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (lower body) off LTIR as he made his season debut in this contest. Meanwhile, the Islanders placed blueliner Adam Pelech and forward Matt Martin on LTIR and claimed defenseman Mike Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers.

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche doused the Calgary Flames 3-1. Ivan Prosvetov stopped 29 shots for the Avalanche (14-6-0), who’ve won six of their last seven games and sit in first place in the Central Division with 28 points. Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames as they dropped to 8-10-3.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2023

by | Nov 25, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2023

The Oilers continue to dominate the media trade chatter. From Leon Draisaitl’s future in Edmonton to their reported interest in the Canadiens goalies, check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: In his latest mailbag segment, Eric Duhatschek was asked what he would do if he were the general manager of the Edmonton Oilers and the club missed the playoffs this season. He said his first order of business would be determining where things stand with Leon Draisaitl.

With a year remaining on his contract, Draisaitl is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2025. Duhatschek would want to know if Draisaitl wants to stay in Edmonton with Connor McDavid and try to win the Stanley Cup or if he’s sick and tired of the pressure of playing there and “scuttle off to somewhere warm,” like Matthew Tkachuk did last year with his trade to the Florida Panthers.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Duhatschek feels there are three paths here. One is Draisaitl stays long term, the second sees him depart as a UFA in 2025 and the third is moving on after trading him for the best possible return. If Draisaitl drags his feet over his plans beyond next season, the best option is moving him rather than wasting a year and an asset.

If Draisaitl agrees to stay, the goaltending would be the priority. He suggested going after someone like Nashville’s Juuse Saros while the rising salary cap would make it possible to leave Campbell buried in the minors if his contract proves untradeable.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that Duhatschek is talking about what he’d do in a hypothetical situation. He’s not saying Draisaitl wants out or that the Oilers will acquire Saros.

Nevertheless, I agree that figuring out Draisaitl’s future should be the priority after this season whether the Oilers make the playoffs or not. If he’s willing to stay and the Oilers are willing to pay him top dollar (which he’s earned), then addressing the goaltending becomes the focus if it isn’t suitably dealt with during this season.

If Draisaitl is noncommittal about staying in Edmonton then they must trade him to the highest bidder next summer. That also means letting interested clubs talk to him about a contract extension as that’ll ensure the Oilers get the best possible return. The assets they receive could help them address their immediate and long-term issues.

Trading away Draisaitl might not sit well with team captain and franchise star Connor McDavid. That’s the risk they’ll have to take. And if he’s not happy with the club’s direction, then it could be time to seriously consider trading McDavid and starting a roster rebuild under new management.

If Draisaitl wants to stay, then moving McDavid isn’t something to worry about unless the Oilers keep spinning their wheels. That means landing a true starting goaltender who can carry this team and offset their porous defense, which would be the next issue requiring serious attention.

Saros would be a prime target but he might not be available. Predators general manager Barry Trotz has repeatedly said he intends to open contract extension talks with his starting goalie next summer. Unless Saros wants to test the market in 2025, the Oilers will have to look elsewhere for help between the pipes. Speaking of which…

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico cites TSN’s Pierre LeBrun saying that the Oilers have not had any recent trade talks with the Montreal Canadiens regarding their three goaltenders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That means a trade is imminent. Kidding! I’m kidding, of course.

The Oilers reportedly scouted the Canadiens goalie trio of Sam Montembeault, Jake Allen and Cayden Primeau. However, they’re also scouring the rest of the league to find a suitable upgrade in the crease. Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has likely set a high asking price hoping to take advantage of the Oilers’ desperate situation.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Caleb Kerney noted recent rumors linked the Oilers to Philadelphia Flyers netminder Carter Hart. He thinks the only way the Flyers would agree to move Hart to Edmonton is if the Oilers sent them Stuart Skinner as part of the return. He suggested adding a first-round pick, a second-round pick, one or two top prospects and a roster player along with Skinner in the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holy overpayment, Batman! That’s waaaay too much for Hart, though I don’t doubt Flyers GM Daniel Briere would give that offer serious consideration. Nevertheless, I don’t see the Oilers making that pitch.

TSN’s Darren Dreger said on Thursday that Briere is willing to listen to offers that will bring in a solid foundation to make the Flyers better. He’s reportedly listening on every position but not every player, with Dreger suggesting pending UFA defensemen Sean Walker and Nick Seeler as possible trade candidates. No mention of Hart’s potential availability.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 24, 2023

by | Nov 24, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 24, 2023

The latest Oilers’ speculation, the Flyers are willing to wheel and deal, an update on Patrick Kane and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE OILERS

TSN: Chris Johnston said the Edmonton Oilers are exploring their options to save their season. That includes external discussions with other clubs but it will be difficult to find a club as desperate as they are or to avoid a bad trade by overpaying for help.

Johnston believes the Oilers are looking internally as well and that could include bringing back Jack Campbell from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. He had a shutout earlier this week.

Johnston’s colleague Ryan Rishaug expressed his belief that all assets other than Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and their 2024 first-round pick are in play as the Oilers try to find a fix for their problems.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell (NHL Images).

Rishaug acknowledged finding a true goalie fix or a major upgrade on defense is tough to achieve right now. He instead suggested adding a player like the Minnesota Wild’s Pat Maroon as he would bring championship experience, positive energy and physicality to the lineup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman also noted the Oilers’ concern about making a bad trade as well as the possibility of recalling Campbell if he’s rediscovered his game. He also cited an NHL general manager saying if the Oilers want to include their first-round pick in a trade they had better put top-of-the-draft protection on it.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Caleb Kerney noted there was some speculation linking the Oilers to Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek. It was based on Mrazek having played for Oilers general manager Ken Holland when they were with the Detroit Red Wings.

Kerney doesn’t think Mrazek would be a fit for the Oilers. He pointed out that the 31-year-old goaltender’s best years are behind him plus he’s frequently sidelined by injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are in a bad place right now. They’re not dealing from a position of strength so they’re going to get squeezed by rival clubs as they try to find a suitable goaltender.

It will be difficult to land any kind of upgrade for their roster without giving up that first-round pick as part of the deal. If they are willing to move it but make it top-10 protected, that could be a deal breaker for most clubs.

The harsh truth is recalling Campbell could be their only solution. They could sign free-agent Jaroslav Halak but at this stage of his career, he’s best suited for backup work. Even then, there’s no certainty that he’d be able to help them. The Lightning placed Matt Tomkins on waivers but he didn’t do enough in his few appearances this season to suggest that he’d be an improvement over Campbell and Stuart Skinner.

I don’t think the Blackhawks are looking at moving Mrazek. If they are, the Oilers could be on his 10-team no-trade list.

FLYERS READY TO WHEEL AND DEAL

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Philadelphia Flyers are interested in becoming a wheeler or a dealer as they look to build a strong foundation for the future. They’re willing to listen on every position (but not every player). He believes they could entertain offers on defensemen Sean Walker and Nick Seeler.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman pointed out that Walker has “really impressed in Philadelphia.” He thinks there will be plenty of interest if the Flyers don’t extend him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dreger’s report will further stoke speculation over the future of Flyers goalie Carter Hart. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer and has surfaced of late as a possible trade target for the struggling Oilers. Flyers GM Daniel Briere has previously said he’ll listen on anybody (including Hart) but that doesn’t mean he’s rushing to move him.

UPDATE ON PATRICK KANE

TSN: Darren Dreger speculates that Patrick Kane could reach a decision on where he’ll sign sometime next week. He felt it was a bit of a stretch suggesting that the 35-year-old free-agent winger could decide this week given that he and his family would be celebrating American Thanksgiving.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman ran down the list of potential destinations for Kane. Along with the usual ones (Toronto, Dallas, Florida, Buffalo, Detroit), he also thinks the Colorado Avalanche have made a pitch plus rumors continue to swirl about the Vegas Golden Knights. However, Friedman also suggested that Kane might prefer an Eastern Conference club as he wouldn’t have to travel as much as he would in the Western Conference.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka wondered if there was the possibility of a team with salary-cap space like the Sharks signing Kane to a “somewhat richer contract” (agreed to by Kane and a contending team), and then flipping him to that contender while retaining part of his annual cap hit in exchange for an asset.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said no. Such a series of transactions would constitute salary-cap circumvention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has the right to take his time to reach a decision over where he’ll play this season. Still, more than a few fans will be glad to see this ongoing media guessing game come to an end.

MORE “32 THOUGHTS” TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman observed the Columbus Blue Jackets are going through the same kind of difficulties this season as the Oilers. He noted that Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson expects his veteran players to be much, much better. Friedman thinks the Jackets could ask some of their veterans if they’d prefer playing somewhere else if things don’t turn around soon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those veterans include Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine. Both have been big disappointments thus far. They carry some form of no-trade protection on their contracts but could be willing to waive them for the right destinations. Then again, their hefty contracts would be difficult to move this season.

The Montreal Canadiens continue to discuss a contract extension with goaltender Sam Montembeault. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Friedman doesn’t see the Canadiens waiting until the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montembeault has been linked to the Oilers as a possible trade target. However, he’s putting up decent stats with the rebuilding Canadiens, who must sort out who will tend their net in the coming years. With Jake Allen aging and Cayden Primeau yet to establish himself as an NHL goalie, I think they’ll get Montembeault signed to a new deal.

Friedman said the injury-depleted Avalanche are looking for scoring depth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would explain why he thinks they’ve made a pitch to Patrick Kane.

If the Calgary Flames decide to trade some of their pending UFAs, interested clubs will want to know if they can negotiate with those players beforehand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could affect the type of returns the Flames would get for those players.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2023

by | Nov 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2023

William Nylander extends his points streak as the Leafs win again in Sweden, tough times for the Blue Jackets and Wild, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander extended his season-opening points streak to 17 games with the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild in the NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. Nylander and Auston Matthews each had a goal and an assist while Morgan Rielly had a goal and two assists for the 10-5-2 Maple Leafs. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist for the Wild as they slid to 5-8-4 on the season.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander remains the Leafs’ best player this season, leading them with 27 points and sitting among the league’s scoring leaders.

The Wild, meanwhile, have been struggling this season, prompting general manager Bill Guerin to express his unhappiness over the club’s performance during a team meeting with players and coaches.

Guerin recently attempted to bolster his blueline by shipping Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks and adding Zach Bogosian from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Handcuffed by over $14 million in dead cap space due to buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter two years ago, there’s little the Wild GM can do to help his cap-strapped club.

The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2, handing the latter their ninth straight loss. Ryan Poehling had a goal and two assists for the Flyers (10-7-1) as they extended their win streak to five games. Blues Jackets winger Patrik Laine was a healthy scratch as his club fell to 4-11-4. Jackets defenseman Damon Severson left this game during the second period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets have tied their franchise record for the longest losing streak in a season. The Athletic’s Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline wondered who’ll take the fall for this club’s poor performance. He doesn’t see head coach Pascal Vincent getting the axe less than two months after being hired. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has been criticized by Jackets fans but he still has the support of team president John Davidson.

The Flyers, meanwhile, placed goaltender Felix Sandstrom on waivers after taking him off injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic returned to the lineup with a 38-save performance to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0. Ryan Graves, Noel Acciari and Evgeni Malkin scored as the Penguins improved to 9-8-0. Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill stopped 30 shots as his team remains on top of the Western Conference with a record of 13-4-2 (28 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jeff Carter returned to the Penguins’ lineup as Vinnie Hinostroza is sidelined by a lower-body injury. The Golden Knights activated Nicolas Hague off injured reserve for this game.

The Buffalo Sabres snapped a three-game losing skid by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and two assists for the 8-9-1 Sabres. Philipp Kurashev has a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks as they fell to 5-11-0.

St. Louis Blues netminder Joel Hofer had a 30-save performance in a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, handing the latter their third straight loss. Pavel Buchnevich scored what proved to be the game-winner as the Blues moved to 9-7-1. John Gibson stopped 28 shots and Mason McTavish scored for the 9-9-0 Ducks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Bruins winger Milan Lucic will appear in a Boston court on Monday to face a charge of assault and battery on a family member. Lucic was arrested on Saturday morning following a domestic incident and is on an indefinite leave of absence from the Bruins.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is listed as day-to-day with a knee injury and will miss Monday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2023

by | Nov 19, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2023

Recaps of Saturday’s 13 games include a milestone for the Avalanche’s Cale Makar and the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin extending his season-opening points streak. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators nipped the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on a shootout goal by Josh Norris during the NHL’s Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. Anton Forsberg made 24 saves in regulation and overtime for the win while Erik Brannstrom scored the game-tying goal as the Senators improved to 8-7-0. Marco Rossi scored for the Wild (5-8-3), who’ve won just twice in their last 10 games.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar collected three assists in his club’s 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars, making him the fastest blueliner in NHL history to reach 200 career assists. Mikko Rantanen, Valeri Nichushkin and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who’ve won six straight as they improved their record to 11-5-0. Tyler Seguin tallied twice for the 11-4-1 Stars.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin scored twice to extend his season-opening points streak to 15 games as his club down the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Jimmy Vesey also scored two goals while Vincent Trocheck had three assists for the 12-2-1 Rangers, who sit second overall in the Eastern Conference with 25 points. Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist in his return from a five-game absence due to injury as his Devils dropped to 8-7-1.

The Boston Bruins (13-1-2) maintained their hold on first place in the overall standings (28 points) with a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Trent Frederic tallied twice while David Pastrnak collected three assists to move into fourth in the NHL scoring race with 27 points.

Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (7-9-2) as they’ve dropped four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Bruins announced that winger Milan Lucic was taking an indefinite leave of absence following his arrest early Saturday morning in Boston on an alleged incident of domestic abuse. Lucic’s wife reportedly called the police claiming that he had attacked and choked her. He also appeared to be drunk at the time of his arrest.

An overtime goal by Sean Couturier lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-3 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Couturier and Owen Tippett each had a goal and an assist for the 9-7-1 Flyers, who’ve won four straight games. Jonathan Marchessault scored two goals and collected an assist for the 13-3-2 Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas center Chandler Stephenson received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for a cross-check to the chin of Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway.

The Winnipeg Jets beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. Mark Scheifele led the way with a goal and two assists while Kyle Connor scored his league-leading 14th goal of the season as the Jets raised their record to 10-5-2. Matias Maccelli and Matt Dumba replied for the Coyotes as they dropped to 8-7-2.

Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle had a goal and two assists while Matty Beniers scored the winning goal as their club held off the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller each picked up a point as the Canucks stars remain tied atop the NHL scoring race with 28 points. The Kraken improved to 7-8-4 while the Canucks (12-5-1) have lost two straight games.

The Nashville Predators snapped a four-game losing skid with a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Craig Smith scored two goals while Kevin Lankinen stopped 29 shots for the 6-10-0 Predators while Chicago dropped to 5-10-0. Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (14 points) picked up an assist to hold a two-point lead over Arizona’s Logan Cooley in the rookie scoring race.

A four-goal third period carried the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Edmonton Oilers 6-4. Nikita Kucherov scored twice and added an assist while Luke Glendening netted the game-winner for the Lightning as they moved to 8-6-4 on the season. Derek Ryan scored twice and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two assists for the Oilers (5-10-1) as their three-game win streak came to an end.

Two third-period goals by Seth Jarvis carried the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jarvis finished the night with three points while Sebastian Aho and Brent Burns each had a goal and an assist for the 10-7-0 Hurricanes. Sidney Crosby scored both goals for the Penguins as they slipped to 8-8-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forward Jeff Carter missed this game with a lower-body injury, marking the fourth straight contest he’s been out of the lineup. His teammate Pierre-Olivier Joseph (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

The New York Islanders ended a seven-game losing skid by nipping the Calgary Flames 5-4 on a shootout goal by Oliver Wahlstrom. Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves while Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist for the Islanders as they improved to 6-6-5. Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary each collected two assists for the 6-8-3 Flames.

Washington Capitals rookie forwards Hendrix Lapierre and Aliaksei Protas each had a goal and two assists as their club defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Alex Ovechkin also scored as the Capitals (9-4-2) have won four straight games. Johnny Gaudreau scored one of the Blue Jackets goals as they dropped their eighth straight and slipped to 4-10-4 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Joel Edmundson made his season debut after being sidelined since preseason with an injured hand.

A four-goal first period carried the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist to take over his club’s scoring lead with 18 points while Cam Talbot kicked out 29 shots for the Kings (10-3-3). Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues as they fell to 8-7-1.