NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2025

by | Apr 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2025

The Canadiens clinch the final Eastern Conference wild card, the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck wins his second straight Jennings Trophy, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid has his eighth 100-point season, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens doubled up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 to clinch the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 91 points. Kaiden Guhle scored twice, Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, and Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Hall-of-Famer Larry Murphy for the single-season assist record for NHL rookies (60). Taylor Hall and Tyson Jost replied for the Hurricanes, who face the New Jersey Devils in the opening round of the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens defeated a Hurricanes squad that rested seven regulars, including Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Jaccob Slavin and Jordan Staal. Nevertheless, this was a well-deserved victory for a rebuilding club that rose from second-last in the overall standings on Dec. 1 to securing its first postseason berth since 2021.

Montreal will face the Washington Capitals in the first round, with their series expected to begin on Monday. The last time these two clubs met in the playoffs was in 2010, when the Canadiens upset the heavily-favored Capitals in seven games. Time will tell if history repeats itself.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and Mark Scheifele scored in overtime to nip the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in the final game of the regular season for both clubs. Neal Pionk also scored for the league-leading Jets while Troy Terry replied for the Ducks.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck won the William M. Jennings Trophy for the second straight year as the Jets gave up the fewest goals this season (191). He becomes the fifth goalie to win this award in consecutive seasons since it was first presented in 1981-82, joining Martin Brodeur, Roman Turek, Patrick Roy and Brian Hayward.

Hellebuyck also picked up his 47th win of the season, tying Bernie Parent and Roberto Luongo for the second-most among NHL goalies. Braden Holtby and Martin Brodeur are tied with 48 wins.

The Jets also took care of some business before the game, announcing forward Alex Iafallo signed a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.666 million. It’s a slight pay cut from his current AAV of $4 million, but the 31-year-old accepted it to stay in Winnipeg, telling the media that he didn’t want to go anywhere else.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his eighth 100-point season in a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ty Emberson tallied twice and Stuart Skinner had an 18-save shutout for the Oilers, who concluded their season in third place in the Pacific Division with 101 points. The Sharks finished their season winless in their last 11 games (0-8-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Hall-of-Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Marcel Dionne as the only players to reach 100 points eight times. Meanwhile, Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was told by Sharks management that he won’t be signed to a contract extension, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Nashville Predators finished their season on a winning note, defeating the Dallas Stars 5-1. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the Predators while Mason Marchment replied for the Stars, who’ll face the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Tyler Seguin picked up an assist in his first game since Dec. 1. He underwent hip surgery on Dec. 5. Seguin’s teammate Jason Robertson left the game with a lower-body injury in the second period. There was no postgame update on Robertson’s condition, but he was seen after the game with a brace on his right knee.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev broke a 1-1 tie in a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Victor Olofsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, who’ll face the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs. Pius Suter scored for the Canucks.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings. Erik Haula and Dawson Mercer replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton returned to action after missing 18 games with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs opening round begins Saturday with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the St. Louis Blues (6 pm ET start) while the Dallas Stars face off against the Colorado Avalanche starting at 8:30 pm ET.

The full playoff schedule will be released on Thursday.

THE ATHLETIC: Katie Strang reports New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports (which owns the Rangers) paid financial settlements to a former Rangers employee last year after she alleged Panarin sexually assaulted her.

Strang cited sources claiming the alleged assault occurred in December 2023 during a Rangers road trip. Neither Panarin nor his agent replied to a request for comment. An MSG spokesperson and the woman (whose identity has been protected) stated the matter has been resolved.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a small hole in his heart. He returned to the club’s practice facility on Wednesday but did not take part in practice. His teammates were relieved to see him.

Letang, 38, has a long history of injuries and medical problems, including two strokes. A small hole in his heart was discovered in 2014 following his first stroke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Letang had no comment for reporters and isn’t expected to play in their season-closing game against the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

CBS SPORTS: Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann will undergo surgery on Monday for an undisclosed issue he’s dealt with throughout the season. He played in all 82 of his club’s games this season. He faces a six-week post-surgery recovery period.

TSN: Florida Panthers forward Jesse Puljujarvi has a hearing with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee on Tuesday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed center Nic Dowd to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $3 million. Dowd, 34, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The checking-line forward tallied a career-high 27 points this season.

RG.ORG: Prospect winger Porter Martone is hoping to have a positive impact with whatever NHL club selects him in this year’s draft. The 6’3” power forward with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads said he wants to win Stanley Cups and create a winning culture, hoping to eventually take on a leadership role with that team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL Central Scouting has Martone at No. 6 among this year’s top North American prospects. TSN’s Bob McKenzie and Craig Button, The Hockey News’ Nick Ferrari and Ryan Kennedy, and McKeen’s Hockey have him among their top-five prospects.

NHLPA: recently released its annual poll of its membership. A surprising result was that Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers were polled higher than Vezina Trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck in the top goalie category.










Avalanche Trade Alexandar Georgiev To Sharks For Mackenzie Blackwood

by | Dec 9, 2024

Avalanche Trade Alexandar Georgiev To Sharks For Mackenzie Blackwood

The Colorado Avalanche traded goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, forward Nikolai Kovalenko, a 2026 second-round pick, and a fifth-rounder in 2025 to the San Jose Sharks for goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, forward Givani Smith, and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

San Jose Sharks trade goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to the Colorado Avalanche (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche agreed to retain 14 percent of Georgiev’s $3.4 million cap hit. He’s in the final season of a three-year contract.

This is the second trade the Avalanche have made in just over a week involving goaltenders. On Nov. 30, they shipped Justus Annunen to the Nashville Predators for Scott Wedgewood.

Georgiev’s inconsistency prompted this move. His .872 save percentage and 3.38 goals-against average were among the worst for goalies with at least 15 games played this season. The Avalanche are clinging to a wild-card berth in the Western Conference and need a more reliable starter between the pipes. Rumors had linked them to Blackwood since last season.

Blackwood resurrected his career with the rebuilding Sharks after several injury-shortened seasons with the New Jersey Devils. The 28-year-old netminder has a 3.00 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage this season. He’s in the final season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.35 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 18, 2024

by | Nov 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 18, 2024

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin nets a hat trick, Hurricanes forward Martin Necas moves up in the scoring race, Leafs forward Ryan Reaves is suspended, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted a hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson stopped 40 shots against his former team while Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas each had two assists. Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar replied for the Golden Knights.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 39-year-old Ovechkin became one of the oldest players in NHL history to tally a hat trick. He’s tied with Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl and Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart atop the goal-scoring leaderboard with 13 goals. The Capitals captain has 866 career regular-season goals, putting him 29 goals from overtaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

I made a preseason prediction that Ovechkin would have one more 40-goal season left. That prediction doesn’t look so crazy now.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had a hand in each of his team’s goals to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-1. The red-hot Necas scored twice and collected two assists to extend his points streak to 13 games. Teammate Eric Robinson had a goal and two assists. Jake Neighbours tallied for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas has 30 points and sits third among the points leaders. The Hurricanes (13-4-0, 26 points) sit first in the Eastern Conference.

The New York Rangers blanked the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick made 24 saves for his second straight shutout while Alexis Lafreniere and Zac Jones were the goal scorers. Philipp Grubauer stopped 21 shots as the Kraken’s four-game win streak ended.

Nashville Predators winger Steven Stamkos tallied two power-play goals in a 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Rookie forward Zachary L’Heureux opened the scoring for the Predators with his first NHL goal and Juuse Saros made 24 saves for the win. Elias Pettersson scored for the fifth time in seven games for the Canucks, who’ve dropped seven of their last 10 home games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center J.T. Miller was benched for all but two shifts in the third period. Before the game, the Canucks placed defenseman Derek Forbort (lower body) on injured reserve. This win for the Predators was their third in their last 11 games (3-5-3).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The department of player safety handed down a five-game suspension to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves for an illegal hit to the head of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the longest suspension of Reaves’ career after getting three games in 2016, one game in the 2020 playoffs, and two games in the 2021 playoffs.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk received a $5,000.00 fine for clipping Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: The Colorado Avalanche placed goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Anaheim Ducks placed center Mason McTavish (upper body) on IR retroactive to Nov. 8.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell was cleared to return from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program on Sunday. The Wings placed him on waivers because they have no room for him on their NHL roster. When they signed Campbell, they originally intended to have him serve as a mentor for promising Sebastian Cossa with their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates they have no room for Campbell with their AHL affiliate because Ville Husso is now paired with Cossa in Grand Rapids. Campbell is on a one-year contract with a cap hit of $775,000.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 21, 2024

by | Oct 21, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 21, 2024

More suggested goalie options for the Avalanche and more proposed trade destinations for Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak recently examined the Colorado Avalanche’s goalie woes.

Masisak thinks starter Alexandar Georgiev still has enough of a track record to sort out his inconsistent play. Their internal options aren’t great if Georgiev doesn’t improve. Backup Justus Annunen is a wild card and it would be risky to make him the starter for more than a short period. Kaapo Kahkonen has never proven to be a No. 1 goalie for a significant period.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (NHL Images).

Options in this season’s trade market could include pending unrestricted free agents like Washington’s Logan Thompson or Charlie Lindgren, Detroit’s Alex Lyon, Calgary’s Dan Vladar, San Jose’s Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek, and Utah’s Karel Vejmelka. The latter four would require salary retention to fit them within the Avs’ limited cap space.

Masisak also looked ahead toward this summer’s free-agent market where the pickings are slim assuming the New York Rangers re-sign netminder Igor Shesterkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s also been suggested the Avs attempt to acquire John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks assuming the Ducks retain half of his $6.4 million cap hit through 2026-27 and also accept Georgiev in return.

The Avs are in a bind with no immediate solutions given their cap constraints and the lack of suitable options in the trade market this early in the season.

SPORTSNET: David Morassutti proposed several trade destinations for Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren following his season debut against the Los Angeles Kings last week.

Liljegren’s future has been a topic of speculation after sliding down the Leafs’ blueline depth chart. His $3 million annual average value through 2025-26 could also create a salary-cap headache for management.

Morassutti suggested the Utah Hockey Club, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets as potential destinations for Lilejegren.

Utah’s blueline got thin with Sean Durzi and John Marino sidelined by injuries. The Stars’ defense could use more depth on the right side. The Blackhawks and Ducks are rebuilding teams that could benefit from a veteran rearguard in his mid-twenties. The Penguins need to bolster their defense and the struggling Blue Jackets have the cap space to add to their blueline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs reportedly aren’t rushing to move Liljegren partly because of the uncertain health of their own defense corps. That could change as the season advances but it’s difficult to find suitable trade partners for a defenseman carrying a $3 million cap hit if he’s spending most of his time in the press box.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 19, 2024

by | Oct 19, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 19, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, some suggested goalie trade targets for the Avalanche plus the latest on Penguins netminder Tristan Jarry.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Aarif Dean cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating over possible goaltending trade targets for the struggling Avalanche.

Friedman believes the Avalanche have to be looking at other options after seeing starter Alexandar Georgiev struggle between the pipes. It doesn’t mean they will go this route but Friedman thinks they have to be considering it.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (NHL Images).

Mackenzie Blackwood of the San Jose Sharks could be one option. The other could be John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks. Friedman thinks Gibson could help the Avs if he can stay healthy.

Blackwood carries a $2.35 million salary cap hit this season and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Gibson is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.4 million, but Friedman believes his contract could be worked out if the Avs believe he’s good enough to help them.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols also cited Friedman suggesting Blackwood as a trade target for the Avalanche. He pointed out Friedman saying Blackwood was on the Avs’ radar before.

Nichols noted that the Sharks are rebuilding so it would make sense for them to trade Blackwood while his value is high. He also pointed out their offseason acquisition of promising Yaroslav Askarov plus they also carry Vitek Vanecek.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Chris Johnston recently observed the Avalanche’s salary-cap limitations would hamper any efforts to improve their goaltending through a trade.

Blackwood is the more affordable option if he’s available. Some suggest the Avs attempt to send Georgiev to San Jose in the deal but the Sharks will want a sweetener like a quality draft pick or prospect. He also has an injury history.

Gibson’s hefty contract would make this a more complicated deal. He could have more upside performance-wise but it’s been a while since he backstopped a quality roster. Gibson could become an expensive gamble that fails to pay off if his skills have eroded.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe believes the Pittsburgh Penguins must move on from Tristan Jarry as their starting goaltender. He doesn’t see the 29-year-old Jarry improving anytime soon. Yohe noted that backup Alex Nedeljkovic and promising Joel Blomqvist have outplayed Jarry, suggesting he’s a perfect candidate to get a fresh start elsewhere.

Yohe acknowledged Jarry’s contract is likely unmoveable. However, he believes management should send him to their AHL affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton. They’ll get $1.15 million in cap relief doing so, giving them some flexibility while letting Nedeljkovic and Blomqvist handle the goalie duties. Yohe also suggested buying out Jarry at the end of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry is signed through 2027-28 with an AAV of $5.35 million and a 12-team no-trade list.

Some suggest the Penguins offer up Jarry to the Avalanche straight up for Georgiev. The Avs likely won’t go for that even if the Pens retained half of his cap hit because of the three years remaining on his contract.

A buyout in June seems the most likely outcome.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2024

by | Oct 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2024

Should the Avalanche look at acquiring John Gibson from the Ducks? Are the Flames in the market for a forward? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens and Jesse Granger discussed if it would be worthwhile for the Colorado Avalanche to acquire John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks. The 31-year-old goaltender carries an average annual value of $6.4 million through 2026-27.

Gibson’s stats have declined in recent years and he’s currently sidelined following an emergency appendectomy. His stock might improve with a strong start following his return, perhaps making him more attractive to a competitive team as the March 7 trade deadline approaches.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche are struggling early this season partly because of starting goaltender Alexandar Georgiev’s inconsistent performance. Meanwhile, Gibson has frequently surfaced in trade rumors over the past two years.

Granger suggests it might be worth the gamble for the Avalanche. Stephens believes the Ducks would have to retain part of Gibson’s salary to make it happen because of the Avs’ limited cap space. They suggest swapping Gibson for Georgiev, suggesting both goalies might benefit from a change of scenery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m summarizing the main points discussed by Stephens and Granger. If you have a subscription to The Athletic, follow the above link to read the full article.

Stephens and Granger aren’t saying that this is a trade in the works or that they’ve heard speculation about Gibson going to Colorado. They’re merely discussing a hypothetical scenario. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely we’ll see a Gibson-for-Georgiev swap.

The Ducks aren’t considered a playoff contender this season so they can afford to wait until the deadline. However, the Avs see themselves as a Stanley Cup contender. If Georgiev’s struggles persist, it could scuttle their playoff hopes. They need help right now.

It would be easier for the Ducks to do this deal. Stephens and Granger noted they have the cap space to take on Georgiev, who carries a more affordable AAV ($3.4 million) and is due to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Gibson’s contract is difficult to move plus the Ducks could remain reluctant to retain salary through 2027.

TSN: Chris Johnston doesn’t see any immediate help coming for the struggling Avalanche. They have over $36 million in cap space currently on the sidelines. “They’re trying to ride this through until some of the calvary can return from the injured list.

Johnston believes the uncertainty over what some of those players will be like when they return makes this difficult for the Avalanche. Gabriel Landeskog missed the last two seasons recovering from knee surgery. Meanwhile, Valeri Nichushkin remains suspended until mid-November as part of his Phase 3 treatment in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nichushkin should have a more immediate positive effect when he returns because he’s played the past two seasons. Landeskog probably won’t regain the form that made him such an effective power forward before his knee surgeries.

SPORTSNET: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports the Calgary Flames are shopping around for a middle-six center.

Seravalli acknowledged there usually isn’t much trade activity at this time of year. Nevertheless, Flames general manager Craig Conroy is working the phones in search of someone in their roster’s age group who’s a right-handed shot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That age group is reportedly 24 to 28.

Earlier this week, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Conroy wasn’t interested in being a major seller again. Rather than engage in a full rebuild, he’s interested in bolstering his current roster.

Conroy might not find what he’s looking for at this stage of the season but the market could improve in the coming weeks, especially when struggling clubs emerge looking to shake things up.