NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2022

by | Dec 20, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2022

Game recaps feature a four-point game for Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, the three stars of the week are revealed, two trades go down before the holiday freeze goes into effect, the Oilers re-sign Stuart Skinner and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins extended their home points streak to 19 games by dumping the Florida Panthers 7-3. Boston captain Patrice Bergeron scored twice and collected two assists while Brad Marchand collected three assists as the Bruins (25-4-2) opened a seven-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the overall standings with 52 points. Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe each had two points for the 15-14-4 Panthers.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins are showing no signs of cooling off from their hot start to this season as they approach the holiday season. They’re widening their lead over the teams chasing them in the overall standings.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 41 saves to hold off Vegas while Tage Thompson tallied his 26th goal of the season as the Sabres improved to 16-14-2. Chandler Stephenson and Reilly Smith replied for the Golden Knights (22-11-1) as they hold a one-point lead over the Dallas Stars for first place in the Western Conference with 45 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin returned to the lineup after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

The Stars (19-8-6), meanwhile, nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 2-1. Jake Oettinger made 27 saves while Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson were the goal scorers. Kent Johnson replied for the Blue Jackets, who have lost four in a row and dropped to 10-19-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov left this game with an upper-body injury. The Jackets also played without captain Boone Jenner as he’s sidelined for four weeks with a broken thumb.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev turned in a 26-save shutout and Evan Rodrigues scored the only goal in a 1-0 shootout victory over the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin stopped 46 shots for the 18-13-2 Islanders. The Avalanche improved to 17-11-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar provided a fine example of sportsmanship by telling the referees not to call a tripping penalty on Isles center Mathew Barzal. The call was reversed after Makar told the official that he wasn’t tripped by Barzal but merely slipped and fell down.

Before the game, Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said goaltender Semyon Varlamov (lower-body), Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri (upper body) are day-to-day. Defenseman Adam Pelech remains sidelined with an upper-body injury but it’s not believed to be long-term. The Isles also terminated the contract of Nikita Soshnikov.

An overtime goal by Alexander Carrier lifted the Nashville Predators over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Juuse Saros kicked out 30 shots for the Predators (13-13-4) as they end a six-game skid. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice and Connor McDavid (two assists) extended his points streak to 13 games. The Oilers sit at 17-14-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Oilers announced they’ve signed goaltender Stuart Skinner to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $2.6 million. Skinner has outplayed Jack Campbell ($5 million AAV) and taken over the starter’s job from the struggling Campbell.

Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov’s overtime goal gave his club a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Nic Dowd scored twice in 11 seconds during the second period for the Capitals as they move to 17-13-4 on the season. Ville Husso made 38 saves for the 13-11-7 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals goalie Darcy Kuemper returned to the lineup after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. He backed up Charlie Lindgren for this contest.

A hat trick by Jordan Kyrou carried the St. Louis Blues over the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Vladimir Tarasenko collected three assists and Jordan Binnington made 33 saves for the Blues as they improved to 16-15-1. Ilya Mikheyev scored for the Canucks as they drop to 13-15-3.

An overtime goal by Mike Hoffman gave the Montreal Canadiens a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Sam Montembeault stopped 37 shots while Cole Caufield netted his 19th goal of the season for the Canadiens (15-15-2). Nick Schmaltz and Matias Macelli replied for the Coyotes as they slide to 10-15-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens announced they’ll honor former Habs defenseman P.K. Subban prior to their Jan. 12 game at the Bell Centre against the Nashville Predators. Subban played for both clubs but he spent seven of his 13 NHL seasons with the Canadiens, winning the Norris Trophy in 2012-13. He retired before the start of this season.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson and Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello are the three stars for the week ending Dec. 18, 2022.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers winger Cam Atkinson’s season is over before it had a chance to begin. He’ll undergo neck surgery on Dec. 21 and is expected to make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, Flyers center Kevin Hayes didn’t believe he deserved to be a healthy scratch for the club’s 6-3 loss to the Islanders on Saturday. “I wasn’t happy but it’s not my decision,” said Hayes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tensions appear to be rising between Hayes and Flyers coach John Tortorella. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety suspended San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl for two games for high-sticking Calgary Flames forward Elias Lindholm during Sunday’s game between the two clubs.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs traded forward Denis Malgin to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Dryden Hunt.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman Michael Del Zotto in a three-team trade involving the Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers. Del Zotto was traded first by the Panthers to the Red Wings for blueliner Giavani Smith. The Wings then flipped him to the Ducks for center Danny O’Regan. All three will be reporting to their new minor-league teams.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks activated Alex Stalock from injured reserve and sent Arvid Soderblom to their AHL affiliate in Rockford. They also placed Jarred Tinordi (facial fracture) on IR retroactively to Dec. 18.

NHL.COM: Former NHL goaltender Andrew Hammond has announced his retirement. He spent six seasons with the Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils from 2013-14 to 2021-22 with a record of 31 wins, 20 losses and 7 overtime losses. He had a career goals-against average of 2.56 and a .916 save percentage with four shutouts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hammond is best remembered for his 20-1-2 run with the Senators to carry the club into the 2015 playoffs. Best wishes to “The Hamburglar” in his future endeavors.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 18, 2022

by | Dec 18, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 18, 2022

Check out the latest on the Canucks plus recent rumors on Ryan O’Reilly, James van Riemsdyk and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks don’t want to tear down and rebuild their roster but they’re interested in changing their mix and breathing new life into the team.

The Canucks have indicated center Elias Pettersson is their only untouchable. They’re not looking to trade defenseman Quinn Hughes and it would take “a mammoth offer” to pry him away.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images)

As for Bo Horvat, Friedman believes they don’t want to go over the $56 million they signed J.T. Miller to back in September on an eight-year deal. However, Horvat’s performance this season puts him over that.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is all but untouchable. I don’t see them moving him given he’s their best defenseman and it would be very difficult to find a comparable replacement. Unless he wants out, they’re not trading him.

Horvat, meanwhile, is on pace to reach 50 goals this season. If the Canucks aren’t willing to pay him more than the $8 million per season that Miller will start earning in 2023-24, expect him to be suiting up with a new club by no later than March 3.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Canucks would seek a hockey deal rather than a futures-only return if they were to move Horvat before the March 3 trade deadline. They want to upgrade at center and/or their right-shot defense if possible and bring in a player in his twenties.

LeBrun wondered if non-playoff teams with cap space might try to acquire Horvat before the deadline. He considers it a long shot but one of those clubs might consider it worthwhile to acquire him in order to negotiate a new contract with him before his unrestricted free-agent eligibility on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been frequently reported that Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini doesn’t want to rebuild the roster. Management has no other option but to try and retool around the current core. That means shopping players like Horvat and Brock Boeser for comparable roster players (or as close to it as possible) in return.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps doesn’t count out the Golden Knights as a potential suitor for Horvat. He acknowledged the Golden Knights’ lack of salary-cap space and that they play in the same division as the Canucks are two factors that work against it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Let’s just say that Horvat ending up with the Golden Knights this season is a long shot and leave it at that.

OTHER NOTABLE POTENTIAL TRADE BAIT

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek wondered if St. Louis Blues center Ryan O’Reilly might return to the Colorado Avalanche before the March 3 trade deadline. O’Reilly returning to the team where he started his NHL career would be a juicy storyline but a lot would have to happen to make it take place.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche’s limited cap space plus the recent rivalry between the Avs and Blues probably works against this. Still, never say never, I suppose.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Gustav Nyquist could be worth monitoring. He’s been playing five-on-five minutes with Johnny Gaudreau and has a modest 13 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nyquist also had a 53-point performance last season with the Jackets before Gaudreau arrived. Duhatschek points out he’s got a $5.5 million cap hit this season. However, I think the Jackets could retain part of that for the right return.

Duhatschek also suggested Anaheim Ducks forward Derek Ryan and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk could become trade bait. He also included Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jack Johnson and Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad.

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reports the Philadelphia Flyers have made winger James van Riemsdyk available. He’s in the final season of his contract with a $7 million salary-cap hit but he’s earning $5 million in actual salary, of which $1 million was already paid as a bonus. Marek believes the Flyers could be willing to retain part of his salary to make the 33-year-old winger more palatable in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marek pointed out that van Riemsdyk has playoff experience and could be enticing to playoff contenders seeking help on the power play. He’s reached 20-plus goals seven times and 40 or more points eight times in his previous 13 seasons. He was sidelined by a fractured finger earlier in the season but has 11 points in 12 games this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2022

by | Dec 16, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2022

Recaps of Thursday’s games, the league could consider changing its schedule next season to encourage more rivalries and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Boston Bruins 3-2 on a shootout goal by Trevor Moore. Adrian Kempe scored twice in the third period and Pheonix Copley made 33 saves for the Kings, who improved their record to 16-12-5. Taylor Hall and Brad Marchand tallied for the Bruins (23-4-2), who remain first overall with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Kings announced Moore signed a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4.2 million. The 27-year-old winger was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent and is earning $1.875 million on his current deal. He’s turned into a reliable second-line winger for the Kings with 18 points in 33 games this season.

A two-goal performance by Reilly Smith carried the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Logan Thompson made 24 saves for the win as the Golden Knights (22-9-1) moved one point ahead of the New Jersey Devils into second place in the overall standings with 45 points. Blackhawks winger Tyler Johnson reaggravated his left ankle and didn’t play in the third period as his club fell into last overall with a record of 7-17-4 (18 points).

The Devils, meanwhile, dropped a 2-1 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers. Travis Konecny broke a 1-1 tie in the third period while Carter Hart stopped 48 shots as they improved to 10-14-7. Jack Hughes scored for the 21-7-2 Devils. The Flyers played without Tony DeAngelo as he was placed on non-roster status for personal reasons due to the death of his grandmother.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to DeAngelo and his family.

New York Rangers winger Jimmy Vesey scored twice to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1. Vincent Trocheck had two assists while Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots to boost the Rangers’ record to 16-10-5. The Leafs (19-6-6) lost in regulation for the first time in 16 games while Mitch Marner’s points streak ended at 23 games.

The Dallas Stars rode a 45-save performance by Jake Oettinger to a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Jamie Benn and Colin Miller scored in the third period as the Stars improved to 18-8-5 on the season. Connor Sheary tallied for the Capitals (15-13-4) while Alex Ovechkin remains at 800 career goals, one back of Hall-of-Famer Gordie Howe.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel scored two goals while Kris Letang had a goal and an assist to double up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Sidney Crosby collected two assists for the 18-8-4 Penguins. The Panthers (14-13-4) played without Matthew Tkachuk as the winger was sidelined by a non-COVID-related illness.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored but left the game because the puck deflected in off his right knee, leaving him in considerable pain. However, he’s expected to be okay. Following the game, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said the preliminary prognosis is positive.

A shootout goal by Jordan Kyrou lifted the St. Louis Blues to a 4-3 comeback win over the Edmonton Oilers. Kyrou scored and collected two assists in regulation as Robert Thomas and Vladimir Tarasenko scored two unanswered goals in the third period for the 14-15-1 Blues. Connor McDavid scored his league-leading 27th goal and become the first NHL player this season to reach 60 points but his Oilers dropped to 17-13-1.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel scored twice and added an assist in a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nikita Kucherov had three assists for the 19-9-1 Lightning while the Jackets fall to 10-17-2.

An overtime goal by Kyle Connor lifted the Winnipeg Jets over the Nashville Predators 2-1. Dylan DeMelo also scored for the Jets as they improved to 19-9-1. Filip Forsberg replied for the Predators (12-12-4) while teammate Juuse Saros stopped 39 shots. Jets defenseman Nate Schmidt left this game with an upper-body injury.

A 39-save performance by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen gave the Buffalo Sabres a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (14-14-2). Valeri Nichushkin collected two assists for the Avalanche (15-11-2). Colorado winger Evan Rodrigues returned to action for the first time since suffering a leg injury on Nov. 23.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson sits second to McDavid with 24 goals on the season. Meanwhile, Sabres defenseman Owen Power missed this game after suffering a lower-body injury during the pregame warm-up.

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their points streak to nine games as they held off the Seattle Kraken by a score of 3-2. Andrei Svechnikov netted his team-leading 16th goal of the season for the Hurricanes (17-6-6). Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer kicked out 36 shots but his club dropped to 16-10-3.

The Anaheim Ducks blew a 2-0 lead but netted three unanswered third-period goals to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. John Klingberg tallied twice for the Ducks (8-20-3) as they snapped a nine-game road losing streak. Cole Caufield tallied both goals for the 14-14-2 Canadiens.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTICO: The NHL is said to be considering overhauling its schedule for next season to create more games between geographical rivals in the hope of generating more revenue. It could result in those rivals playing as many as eight times in a season.

TSN: Chris Johnston reports he’s told it’s “not accurate” that teams will meet as much as eight games in a season. While some teams would like to face rivals more often, Johnston said there’s only so much that can be done if teams are going to play in all 32 arenas in a season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league has increased games among rivals with mixed results.

While some rivalries are long-standing and popular among their supporters, it comes at the cost of seeing stars from other clubs less often. For example, increasing the number of regular-season meetings between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers would mean fans in other NHL cities would see less of a superstar like Connor McDavid, who can be a good box-office draw for struggling clubs.

Another problem with staging more games against rivals is when one of the teams is among the league’s top clubs while the other is rebuilding. Fans want intense, evenly-matched games in those series. It takes the shine off those match-ups if one of the teams is dominating the other.

The New York Islanders have placed sidelined defenseman Adam Pelech (upper body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 6.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2022

by | Dec 14, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2022

Alex Ovechkin tallies his 800th career goal, Mitch Marner’s point streak continues, notable news from the latest Board of Governors meetings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin joined Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe in the NHL’s 800-goal club in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Ovechkin tallied a hat trick with the third goal reaching the milestone, finishing the night with four points as his Capitals improved to 15-12-4. Tyler Johnson scored for the Blackhawks (7-16-4) after missing 20 games with an ankle injury while teammate Petr Mrazek (23 saves) returned to the lineup after being sidelined for three games with a groin injury.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin was congratulated by Blackhawks stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews following the game. The Capitals superstar needs just two goals to surpass Howe (801) for second place on the all-time list. He’s currently 94 goals behind Gretzky.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner extended his points streak to 23 games by collecting two assists in a 7-0 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Alex Kerfoot scored two goals, Conor Timmins and Pontus Holmberg each collected three assists and Ilya Samsonov had a 28-save shutout for the Leafs (19-5-6) as they’ve gone 12-0-3 over their last 15 games. Ducks goaltender John Gibson left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury as his club fell to 7-20-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Adam Henrique left in the first period after being struck in the face by a Mark Giordano shot but got stitched up and returned to finish the game.

The Edmonton Oilers rose to 17-13-0 on the season by defeating the Nashville Predators 6-3. Leon Draisaitl (five points), Connor McDavid (four points) and Zach Hyman (four points, including a hat trick) combined for 13 points, with McDavid extending his points streak to 10 games. Roman Josi collected two assists for the Predators, who drop to 12-12-3.

Shootout goals by Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak lifted the Boston Bruins over the New York Islanders by a score of 4-3. DeBrusk also scored twice and collected an assist in regulation as the Bruins (23-4-1, 47 points) open a three-point lead over the New Jersey Devils for first place in the overall standings. Noah Dobson and Josh Bailey each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (17-12-1), who’ve dropped five of their last seven games.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson made 40 saves to blank the Los Angeles Kings 6-0. Tage Thompson scored two goals and Dylan Cozens collected three assists for the Sabres (13-14-2) while the Kings drop to 15-12-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anderson joined Hall-of-Famer Johnny Bower as just the second goaltender in NHL history with a 40-save shutout at age 41 or older.

The Dallas Stars improved to 17-8-5 with a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Roope Hintz broke a 1-1 tie while Scott Wedgewood kicked out 35 shots. The Devils (21-6-2) have lost three games.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault scored two straight power-play goals in the third period as his club held off the Winnipeg Jets 6-5. Chandler Stephenson collected four assists for the 21-9-1 Golden Knights as they hold a four-point lead (43 points) over the Stars for first place in the Western Conference. Mark Scheifele picked up a hat trick for the 18-9-1 Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights were without defenseman Shea Theodore and Zach Whitecloud. Theodore is week-to-week with a lower-body injury while Whitecloud (lower body) is month-to-month.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos extended his points streak to 14 games in a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Stamkos scored his 497th career goal, Nikita Kucherov collected three assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots for the Lightning (18-9-1) while the Kraken (16-9-3) have lost four of their last five contests.

The Colorado Avalanche held off the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 3-2. Artturi Lekhonen and J.T. Compher each had a goal and an assist as the Avalanche improved to 15-10-2 while the Flyers (9-14-7) lost four straight games.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov picked up his second straight shutout in a 1-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Kochetkov made 27 stops while Brady Skjei scored in the first period as the Hurricanes rise to 16-6-6 while the Red Wings fall to 13-9-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red wings captain Dylan Larkin injured his right hand blocking a shot and will miss Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

The Florida Panthers downed the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 as Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season. Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists while Matthew Tkachuk scored and collected an assist for the Panthers (14-12-4). The Blue Jackets fell to 10-16-2.

San Jose Sharks forward Nick Bonino scored for the fourth straight game and added an assist in a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots for the 9-14-4 Coyotes while the Sharks improved to 10-16-5.

HEADLINES

TSN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reports the salary cap for 2023-24 is expected to rise by $1 million to $83 million following the second and final day of the league board of governors meetings. He said that figure was based on current revenue projections but didn’t rule out the possibility that revenue could exceed projections and the cap could be higher.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The players are still paying off their share of the debt incurred from shutting down the 2019-20 regular season due to COVID-19 followed by the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign.

Bettman indicated there would have to be a discussion with the NHL Players Association to amend the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding to increase the cap for next season beyond the agreed-upon rate of $1 million. Some observers believe the league is open to that but they’re waiting for the PA to approach them about it.

Bettman also said that there are more than a dozen potential buyers interested in purchasing the Ottawa Senators. He and deputy commissioner Bill Daly have met with actor Ryan Reynolds to discuss his interest in the franchise.

The commissioner said the league’s investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving Canada’s 2018 World Junior team is nearing completion. They are awaiting the results of the London, Ontario police investigation.

Bettman continues to have no interest in a change to the current playoff format that would allow for a four-team “play-in” round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun conducted an informal poll of 12 NHL governors and they were unanimous in supporting a play-in round. However, they didn’t want to go on the record for fear of running afoul of Bettman. The commissioner considers expanding the playoff format as trying to fix a non-existent problem.

IN OTHER NEWS…

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Cole Caufield escaped serious injury from his collision with Calgary Flames forward Trevor Lewis on Monday. He traveled with the team to Ottawa and is expected to be in the lineup for tonight’s game with the Senators.

The Canadiens also revealed center Sean Monahan and defenseman David Savard will be sidelined for another two-three weeks.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry has been placed on the long-term injured reserve list with an undisclosed injury.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets claimed winger Karson Kuhlman off waivers from the Seattle Kraken.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2022

by | Dec 10, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2022

Alex Ovechkin reaches another goal-scoring milestone, the Coyotes beat the Bruins for the first time since 2010, Kevin Bieksa disputes Zdeno Chara’s story about the Canucks in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the 500th even-strength goal of his NHL career in a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Ovechkin is now just four goals away from 800 and six away from surpassing Gordie Howe for second place on the all-time list. The Capitals have won three straight games and improved to 13-12-4 while the Kraken slip to 15-8-3.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak was ejected in the second period for an illegal hit to the head of Capitals blueliner Alexander Alexeyev, who left the game with an upper-body injury.

The Arizona Coyotes defeated the Boston Bruins for the first time since 2010 as Lawson Crouse’s goal with 14 seconds remaining in the third period lifted them to a 4-3 win. Crouse finished the night with two goals while Karel Vejmelka made 44 saves for the Coyotes (8-13-4). David Pastrnak scored his 19th of the season for the Bruins (21-4-1), who maintain their hold on first place in the overall standings with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crouse’s goal was the result of a linesman negating what the Bruins believed should’ve been an icing call. It caught them by surprise, leading to a turnover that resulted in Crouse’s game-winner.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson scored two goals in a 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils. Mathew Barzal and Alexander Romanov each collected two assists as the Islanders move to 17-11-0 on the season. Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton each had two points for the Devils (21-5-1), who missed an opportunity to vault over the Bruins into first place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes finished the game with a shift of 6:02, setting a league record for the longest recorded shift. Islanders winger Anthony Beauvillier left the game in the first period with what’s believed to be a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Jonathan Marchessault gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. William Carrier also scored for the Golden Knights (20-8-1), who remain on top of the Western Conference with 41 points. Scott Laughton replied for the 9-13-6 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo was a healthy scratch from this contest.

The Winnipeg Jets picked up their fourth straight win by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Cole Perfetti, Blake Wheeler and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (18-7-1) as they sit atop the Central Division with 37 points. Taylor Raddysh replied for the Blackhawks as they sink to 7-15-4.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Jeff Carter scored in overtime to beat the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 4-3. Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell each had two points as the Penguins (15-8-4) have won four straight games. Casey Mittelstadt collected three assists for the 12-13-2 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres winger Jeff Skinner faces a hearing on Saturday with the NHL department of player safety for cross-checking Penguins forward Jake Guentzel in the face during the dying seconds of the third period.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored to extend his goal streak to seven games in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had three points while Stuart Skinner made 42 saves as the Oilers improved to 16-12-0. Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov collected an assist to extend his points streak to 14 games while his club dropped to 13-11-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid leads the league with 25 goals and 54 points.

A 41-save performance by Igor Shesterkin carried the New York Rangers to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on shootout goals by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. Braden Schneider scored in regulation for the Rangers as they raise their record to 14-10-5. Mikko Rantanen tallied for the injury-depleted Avalanche (13-10-2) as they’ve gone winless in four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panarin collected an assist on Schneider’s goal to extend his assist streak to five games.

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended a three-game skid by dropping the Calgary Flames 3-1. Patrik Laine, Eric Robinson and Sean Kuraly tallied for the Jackets (9-15-2) but they lost goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to a lower-body injury during the first period. Michael Stone replied for the Flames, who fall to 13-11-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Johnny Gaudreau’s first game again the Flames since signing with the Blue Jackets in July. He was held scoreless in this contest.

San Jose Sharks rookie goaltender Eetu Makiniemi made 23 saves for his first NHL win in a 6-1 thrashing of the Anaheim Ducks. Erik Karlsson, Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl each collected two points for the Sharks as they improved to 9-16-5. Trevor Zegras replied for the 7-18-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks captain Logan Couture left this contest in the third period after blocking a shot. The club had no update on his condition following the game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa claims former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara is lying over a story he told this week about the 2011 Stanley Cup Final between the two teams.

In a recent interview with the “Games With Names” podcast, Chara claimed the Canucks were practicing how to handle the Stanley Cup after winning the first two games of the series in Vancouver. He also said the Canucks were apparently calling the league to find out how many family members they were allowed to have on the ice to help them celebrate after winning the Cup. Chara said he and his teammates used those stories as motivation as they rallied and defeated the Canucks in seven games.

Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek subsequently tweeted that Bieksa denied the story. “Never happened…100 percent didn’t happen”, he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sounds like the bad blood between the players on those teams hasn’t fully faded despite the passage of time. It’ll be interesting to hear if Chara and Bieksa have any further comments about this.

OTTAWA SUN: League sources say NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly are telling prospective bidders for the Senators that they want actor Ryan Reynolds to be a minority partner. The league believes Reynolds production company can tell the story of the Senators’ sale plus their marketing department likes the publicity the actor would generate for the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reynolds has previously expressed interest in buying the Senators if he could get a partner to help him with the purchase.

TSN: Speaking of the Senators, forward Mathieu Joseph is out for two weeks with a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Leafs forward Pierre Engvall received a one-game suspension from the department of player safety for high-sticking Los Angeles Kings defenseman Sean Durzi on Thursday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2022

by | Dec 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2022

The Golden Knights snap the Bruins’ home win streak, the Canucks rally from a 4-goal deficit to down the Canadiens, the three stars of the week are revealed and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins’ 14-game home winning streak came to an end as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated them 4-3 on a shootout goal by Reilly Smith. Vegas had jumped to a 3-0 lead with Paul Cotter scoring twice but the Bruins rallied to tie the game on goals by Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall. Logan Thompson made 40 saves for the Golden Knights (19-7-1) as they lead the Western Conference with 39 points. The Bruins (20-3-1) picked up a point to hold first place in the overall standings (41 points) with a game in hand over the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy picked up the win in his first game against the Bruins since they fired him as head coach in the off-season. He received a standing ovation from Boston fans during a video tribute in the first period.

Jack Eichel missed this game for the Golden Knights as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Teammate Alex Pietrangelo missed his fourth straight game due to personal reasons.

Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson scored in overtime as his club overcame 4-0 and 6-5 deficits to beat the Montreal Canadiens 7-6. Pettersson finished the night with three points while Ilya Mikheyev scored twice as the Canucks improved to 11-12-3. Nick Suzuki and Jordan Harris each had two points for the 12-11-2 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens entered this game with winger Brendan Gallagher sidelined for two weeks with a lower-body injury and defenseman David Savard out with an upper-body injury. Center Sean Monahan left the game in the second period and was spotted after the game wearing a walking boot cast on his right foot. He’s been nursing that injury since the start of this road trip.

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 5-3. Kevin Hayes, Scott Laughton and Travis Sanheim each had two points and Carter Hart made 29 saves for the Flyers (9-12-5). Alex Newhook tallied twice for the Avalanche (13-9-1), who also lost center Nathan MacKinnon in the first period with an apparent wrist injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no update on MacKinnon’s condition following the game. The Avalanche went into this game already shorthanded with Valeri Nichushkin, Gabriel Landeskog, Bo Byram, Evan Rodrigues, Darren Helm and Kurtis MacDermid among their sidelined players.

Three unanswered third-period goals by K’Andre Miller, Alexis Lafreniere and Chris Kreider lifted the New York Rangers to a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck finished the night with two points apiece as the Rangers improved to 12-10-5. Jordan Kyrou had two points for the Blues (11-14-0) as they’ve dropped four straight.

A third-period goal by Nic Dowd snapped a 2-2 tie as the Washington Capitals nipped the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Lars Eller and TJ Oshie also scored for the 11-12-4 Capitals. Stuart Skinner stopped 47 shots for the Oilers (14-12-0) while Connor McDavid scored to extend his points streak to six games. He leads the league with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kailer Yamamoto returned to action after missing 11 games with an undisclosed injury.

The Calgary Flames downed the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on a third-period power-play goal by Nazem Kadri, who finished the night with three points. Jakob Chychrun and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes (7-12-4) while the Flames improved to 12-10-3.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens and Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 4, 2022.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets winger Jakub Voracek acknowledged his playing days might be over due to concussion symptoms. The 33-year-old winger said he has a history of head injuries. He added there’s a slim chance he might be able to resume his playing career but it won’t be happening anytime soon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Voracek has a year remaining on his contract but he’ll likely finish that on long-term injury reserve. He’s had a productive career with 806 points in 1,058 NHL games over 15 seasons but he has to put his health and well-being first.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have placed winger Patric Hornqvist on LTIR after he suffered a concussion during Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. He’ll be sidelined for at least 10 games and 24 days.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move also provides the Panthers with some short-term salary cap relief for Anthony Duclair’s expected return to action later this month.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Artem Zub could be sidelined for a month with a broken jaw. He suffered the injury when he was struck in the face by a puck during Friday’s game against the New York Rangers. Zub missed eight games earlier this season with an upper-body injury.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have recalled Shane Wright from his stint with their AHL affiliate in time for Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nice dramatic touch by Kraken management. The Canadiens passed over Wright during the opening round of the 2022 NHL Draft, using the first-overall pick to select Juraj Slafkovsky, who’ll be in the lineup for this contest.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens and Carey Price have apologized for the goaltender’s recent support of a pro-gun organization on social media just days before the Dec. 6 anniversary of the 1989 Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal. On that date, 14 women were killed and another 10 were wounded by a lone gunman armed with a legally purchased semi-automatic rifle.

Over the weekend, Price posted a message on Instagram expressing his support of the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights’ opposition to a proposed federal gun control bill (C-21). The bill originally targeted handguns but an amendment was tacked on that would focus on a number of rifles used for hunting. The government is still listening to feedback to ensure the bill doesn’t target hunting rifles or shotguns.

Price faced a backlash for his remarks over both the timing of his post and for supporting the CCFR, who recently ran a promo code “POLY” for 10 percent off merchandise purchases. According to a survivor of the Polytechnique shooting, the promo code mocked the massacre.

In their apology, the Canadiens announced they would make a donation to the “Week of the White Rose” campaign. The team also claimed Price was unaware of the Polytechnique anniversary. Meanwhile, Price followed up on social media claiming he meant no disrespect and didn’t agree with the CCFR’s promo code campaign. An avid hunter, he said he stood by his fellow hunters and sport shooters who have legally purchased firearms and use them safely.

Unlike the United States, Canadian citizens do not have a constitutional right to bear arms.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Commenters are asked to limit their replies to this story to Price’s remarks and the Canadiens’ response. I don’t want to see this derail off-topic into a broad debate on your personal views about gun control.