NHL Trade Deadline Primer: Pacific Division
NHL Trade Deadline Primer: Pacific Division
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 7, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 7, 2020
Marc-Andre Fleury and Andrei Vasilevskiy reach goaltending milestones, plus updates on Shea Weber, Mark Giordano, Elias Pettersson, Brent Seabrook and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves in a 7-2 drubbing of the Florida Panthers. Fleury picked up his 460th career victory to move past Henrik Lundqvist into fifth place on the all-time wins list. Mark Stone led the way offensively with two goals and three assists for the Golden Knights (63 points), who moved within two points of the first-place Vancouver Canucks in the Pacific Division. Max Pacioretty also tallied twice for Vegas.
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury picked up his 460th career victory in a 7-2 win over the Florida Panthers (Photo via NHL Images).
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 saves backstopping his club over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2. Vasilevskiy set a club record with a 17-game points streak. Victor Hedman collected three assists for the surging Lightning (73 points), who sit five behind the first-overall Boston Bruins. Bolts blueliner Ryan McDonagh left the game after being struck on the right leg by a shot from Penguins center Evgeni Malkin.
Jeff Petry scored in overtime to give the Montreal Canadiens a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Carey Price made 35 saves for the Habs (59 points), who’ve won six of their last eight games and sit five points behind the Panthers and six out of a wild-card spot. Montreal defenseman Shea Weber missed the game with a lower-body injury. He’s on injured reserve and expected to miss a week.
The Detroit Red Wings edged the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on shootout goals by Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou. Larkin also scored twice in regulation. With 54 points, the Sabres’ playoff hopes are fading. They’re 11 points out of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference and 10 behind the third-place Panthers in the Atlantic Division.
New York Islanders rookie Kieffer Bellows scored the first two goals of his NHL career in a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. The Isles overcame a 3-1 deficit with four unanswered goals. They sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.
MacKenzie Blackwood made 46 saves and picked up his first career NHL assist as the New Jersey Devils blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 5-0. Miles Wood tallied twice for the Devils as the Flyers (65 points) slipped out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Colorado Avalanche picked up their fifth win in their last six games by defeating the Ottawa Senators 4-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Cale Makar had a goal and an assist for the Avs.
Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho each scored twice to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 5-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes. With 65 points, the Hurricanes hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Winners of just two of their last 11 contests, the struggling Coyotes (61 points) are clinging to the first Western Conference wild-card spot.
Jusse Saros kicked out 37 shots to give the Nashville Predators a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames, who are clinging to the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 60 points. Nashville captain Roman Josi collected two assists. The Flames were playing without captain Mark Giordano, who’s listed as week-to-week with a hamstring injury. The Predators are now one point behind the Flames.
Andrew Copp tallied the game-winner as the Winnipeg Jets doubled up the St. Louis Blues 4-2, snapping the Blues 11-game home points streak. With 59 points, the Jets are one behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.
The Minnesota Wild kept their playoff hopes alive by downing the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Brad Hunt and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist. The Wild (56 points) are four points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Canucks played without leading scorer Elias Pettersson, who missed the game with a lower-body injury.
Timo Meier scored twice and collected an assist as the San Jose Sharks overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 6-3. The Oilers (62 points) are two points behind the first-place Canucks in the Pacific, but only three points ahead of the ninth-overall Predators.
HEADLINES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook underwent successful right hip surgery on Thursday. He had surgery on his right shoulder in December and on his left hip last month. He’s expected to make a full recovery and be ready for training camp in September.
TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Ceci will be out “for a while” with an ankle injury.
LAS VEGAS SUN: The Golden Knights purchased the American Hockey League team in San Antonio, Texas, and plan to move it to the Las Vegas area next season.
NHL.COM: The NHL and NHLPA will resume negotiations toward an extension of the collective bargaining agreement. The CBA is due to expire in September 2022.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes are seeking funding to stage an outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium in 2021.
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2020
Game recaps, stars and rookie of the month for January, and much more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored twice and Leon Draisaitl picked up four assists as the Edmonton Oilers thumped the Calgary Flames 8-3. Draisaitl (83 points) sits four ahead of McDavid as the league’s points leader. A fight between Flames goalie Cam Talbot and Oilers netminder Mike Smith was the highlight of a line brawl late in the second period.
Edmonton Oilers winger Leon Draisaitl widened his league in the NHL scoring race during an 8-3 win over the Calgary Flames (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Battle of Alberta is always more fun when both clubs are battling for postseason spots. The next game between these two clubs is April 4. Hopefully, that will be a playoff preview.
Torey Krug’s four-point performance (two goals and two assists) led the Boston Bruins to a 6-1 drubbing of the Minnesota Wild. Winger David Pastrnak tallied his league-leading 38th goal of the season as the Bruins (74 points) moved within a point of the league-leading Washington Capitals.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price made 29 saves to shut out the Florida Panthers 4-0. With 47 career shutouts, Price moved past Ken Dryden into third place among the club’s all-time leaders. Jeff Petry assisted on all four goals. It was a costly defeat for the Panthers. They slipped out of a playoff spot (61 points) and center Aleksander Barkov left the game with a lower-body injury. An update on his status is expected on Sunday.
Tampa Bay Lightning backup Curtis McElhinney turned in a 30-save shutout to down the San Jose Sharks 3-0. Steven Stamkos scored and chipped in an assist. Before the game, the Sharks honored Marc-Edouard Vlasic for becoming the second player and first defenseman in franchise history to reach 1,000 career games.
The Vancouver Canucks picked up their fifth straight win by edging the New York Islanders 4-3 in overtime. Quinn Hughes scored twice, including the game-winner. Isles center Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist. The Canucks (64 points) hold a two-point lead over the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division.
New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist picked up his first shutout in two years by blanking the Detroit Red Wings 1-0. Mika Zibanejad tallied the only goal. Rangers winger Chris Kreider left the game in the second period after a collision with Zibanejad, but coach David Quinn said he didn’t suffer a concussion and felt better following the game.
Jack Roslovic scored twice and collected an assist as the Winnipeg Jets ended a five-game losing skid with 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck kicked out 38 shots. Winnipeg (56 points) sit three points out of a Western Conference wild-card spot. Earlier in the day, the Jets learned center Mathieu Perreault will miss at least two weeks with an upper-body injury. Blues forward Alexander Steen played in his 1,000th career game in the city where he was born and raised.
The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on an overtime goal by Mitch Marner. With the win, the Leafs (63 points) climbed back into a playoff berth, sitting third in the Atlantic Division.
Joe Pavelski’s overtime goal gave the Dallas Stars a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. Before the game, the Devils held a ceremony honoring their 2000 Stanley Cup championship team. Petr Sykora, who was injured during the Cup-winning game, finally got his opportunity to skate a lap with the trophy.
Two-goal performances by Kevin Hayes and Joel Farabee powered the Philadelphia Flyers over the Colorado Avalanche 6-3, handing the latter their first defeat in four games. Flyers center Sean Couturier picked up three assists.
Shootout goals by Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane gave the Chicago Blackhawks a 3-2 win over the slumping Arizona Coyotes. Kane extended his points streak to 12 games with assists on two goals by Brandon Saad. With 56 points, the Blackhawks sit three behind the Coyotes for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Vegas Golden Knights netminder Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 19 shots in a 3-0 shutout of the Nashville Predators. With the win, the Golden Knights (61 points) moved into third place in the Pacific Division.
Jack Eichel’s overtime goal lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, snapping the latter’s six-game winning streak. The Sabres sit 10 points out of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.
Ryan Miller made a season-high 46 saves to backstop the Anaheim Ducks over the Los Angeles Kings 3-1.
Washington captain Alex Ovechkin, Edmonton winger Leon Draisaitl, and Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy are the NHL’s three stars for January 2020. Chicago winger Dominik Kubalik was named rookie of the month.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights will end their affiliation with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves at the end of this season.
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2020
Game recaps, the Penguins re-sign Marcus Pettersson, Hall-of-Famer Ed Belfour arrested in Kentucky, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines
NHL.COM: David Perron scored in regulation and the deciding goal in the shootout as the St. Louis Blues edged the Calgary Flames 5-4. Alex Pietrangelo and Zach Sanford each had two points. Blues forward Sammy Blais returned to action for the first time since suffering a wrist injury on Nov. 19, but winger Oskar Sundqvist left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. Sean Monahan scored twice for the Flames.
David Perron’s shootout goal gave the St. Louis Blues a 5-4 win over the Calgary Flames (Photo via NHL Images).
Three goals in the third period lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Tyler Ennis and Mike Reilly each had a goal and an assist. Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark left the game in the third period with an apparent knee injury. Sabres captain Jack Eichel tallied his career-best 29th goal of the season.
TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed defenseman Marcus Pettersson to a five-year contract extension worth an annual average value of $4.025 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in 2018, the 23-year-old Pettersson has established himself among the Penguins’ top-four defensemen. Should he continue to improve, this contract will be a most economical signing by Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford.
Pettersson’s contract means the Penguins have over $62.7 million invested in 12 players for 2020-21. Their notable remaining free agents include goalies Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry, defenseman Justin Schultz, and forwards Alex Galchenyuk, Dominik Kahun and Jared McCann.
TSN: Hall-of-Fame goaltender Ed Belfour was arrested on Tuesday morning in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on mischief and intoxication charges.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is Belfour’s third brush with the law related to alcohol-fueled incidents. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in October 2000 and was charged with disorderly intoxication in April 2007.
WINNIPEG SUN: True North Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Winnipeg Jets and the MTS Centre, announced they’ll be implementing a plan to reduce prices on popular concession items such as beer, soda, bottled water, pizza, and popcorn. Over $9 million in venue improvements have been planned for this summer. Ticket prices will rise by 2.1 percent for 2020-21, the lowest increase in six years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The bloom seems to be off the rose a little for the Jets in Winnipeg. Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press pointed out the club’s eight-year sellout streak ended in October. There have been several games announced as sellouts where there were empty seats.
McIntyre also indicated ticket-sharing partnerships have fallen apart due to rising costs and lack of interest, while the waiting list for tickets has shrunk. He acknowledged part of the problem is the Jets are on pace for their worst home record since the franchise moved to Winnipeg in 2011.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights hired Steve Spott as an assistant coach.
NHL at the Halfway Mark: Pacific Division
NHL at the Halfway Mark: Pacific Division
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 26, 2020
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 26, 2020
The latest on Shayne Gostisbehere, Chris Kreider, Tyler Toffoli, and more in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.
COULD THE FLYERS SHOP GOSTISBEHERE FOR A FORWARD?
PHILLY.COM: Sam Carchidi suggests the Philadelphia Flyers might have to trade Shayne Gostisbehere and/ or a draft pick to land another offensive piece. Flyers coach Alain Vigneault seems to have found the right defensive pairings. Carchidi observes the Flyers have gone 5-2 since Gostisbehere was sidelined by arthroscopic knee surgery. He’s due to return to the lineup by Jan. 31, and Carchidi thinks his name will be tossed around before the Feb. 24 trade deadline.
Will the Philadelphia Flyers try to shop defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere for a scoring forward? (Photo via NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gostisbehere is struggling this season under Vigneault. He’s come up several times throughout this season in the rumor mill. “Ghost Bear was linked last November to the Montreal Canadiens, but that’s died out since they acquired Marco Scandella earlier this month. Gostisbehere lacks no-trade protection and has three years left on his contract with an annual average value of $4.5 million. Given his offensive skills, the 26-year-old rearguard could attract some interest leading up to deadline day, but interested clubs could ask for the Flyers to pick up part of his annual salary.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM GARRIOCH’S LATEST “INSIDER TRADING”.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the word is the New York Rangers are playing both sides of the fence with Chris Kreider and aren’t sure which way they’ll go with the pending free-agent winger. There haven’t been any contract talks between the two sides, but that could be because management hasn’t made a final decision. The Boston Bruins could pursue Kreider if he hits the trade block.
The Bruins, Calgary Flames, Arizona Coyotes, and St. Louis Blues could try to add scoring before the trade deadline. Garrioch suggests Los Angeles Kings winger Tyler Toffoli could be one option. Like Kreider, he’s due to become a UFA this summer.
San Jose’s Brenden Dillon could be an option for clubs seeking a blueliner. Sharks GM Doug Wilson is determined to make deals for draft picks.
New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is looking to move pending UFAs Andy Greene, Sami Vatanen, and Wayne Simmonds. Winger Kyle Palmieri’s name is also out there in the rumor mill. He’s got an eight-team no-trade list.
League executives claim the Anaheim Ducks are engaging in a full rebuild and are open to just about any possibility at the trade deadline. That includes exchanging bad contracts for prospects and picks. GM Bob Murray won’t trade just anybody, but he’s open on several fronts.
The Florida Panthers are in the market for a defenseman and a backup goalie. Speculation suggests he has some interest in Ottawa Senators blueliner Dylan DeMelo.
At least 15 teams could be interested in Jean-Gabriel Pageau if the Ottawa Senators put the center on the trade block.
The New York Islanders and Winnipeg Jets are in the market for a defenseman.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not much here that hasn’t already been reported elsewhere in recent weeks. If Ducks GM Bob Murray is open to trade suggestions, I don’t see him shopping long-time center Ryan Getzlaf unless he wants out. Getzlaf has a full no-movement clause. The modified no-trade clauses of forwards Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg could complicate attempts to move them. I don’t see Murray shopping Rickard Rakell, but maybe he’ll listen to offers for oft-injured Ondrej Kase. Defenseman Josh Manson has also come up in recent trade chatter and could be their best trade chip, but he also has a modified NTC.
I anticipate Panthers GM Dale Tallon will be busy leading up to the trade deadline. He’ll try to bolster his club’s chances of nailing down an Eastern Conference playoff berth.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS STILL NEED A DEFENSEMAN
THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger recently suggested the Vegas Golden Knights require a puck-moving defenseman who can clear the zone and improve their transition game. Options could include a blueliner signed beyond this season like Montreal’s Jeff Petry, a pending restricted free agent like the Rangers’ Tony DeAngelo, or a rental option like Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson or New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens aren’t under pressure to move Petry. Ditto the Rangers with DeAngelo. It could take a substantial offer to land either guy. Gustafsson or Vatanen would be more affordable options.