NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 8, 2023

by | Feb 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 8, 2023

Bo Horvat gets his first goal as an Islander, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid extends his road points streak, the NHLPA is poised to name its next Executive Director and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Bo Horvat scored his first goal in his home debut with the New York Islanders in a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Ilya Sorokin turned in a 31-save shutout while Jean-Gabriel Pageau collected two assists as the Islanders (27-22-5) picked up their fourth straight win to remain tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins with 59 points. The Kraken (29-16-5) remain one point behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division with 63 points.

New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Horvat was given a warm welcome by Islanders fans as they chanted his name following his goal. Kraken winger and leading scorer Andre Burakovsky left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Penguins, they overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on an overtime goal by Kris Letang. Bryan Rust tallied the tying goal in the third period while Casey DeSmith made 41 saves for the Penguins as they improved to 25-16-9, holding the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with four games in hand over the Islanders. Nathan MacKinnon scored for the 27-18-4 Avalanche as they cling to the final Western Conference playoff spot with 58 points, holding two games in hand over the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evgeni Malkin collected two assists for Pittsburgh in this game. The Avalanche, meanwhile, weren’t impressed over an uncalled blindside hit on Cale Makar by Penguins center Jeff Carter in the third period. Makar left the game but returned before the end of regulation play.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his road points streak to 15 games in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Warren Foegele scored two goals and Jack Campbell stopped 30 shots for the 29-18-4 Oilers as they hold the first Western wild-card spot with 62 points. The Red Wings fell to 21-20-8 and sit nine points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

The Vegas Golden Knights scored five straight goals to beat the Nashville Predators 5-1. Phil Kessel, Chandler Stephenson and William Carrier each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (30-18-4) as they remain atop the Pacific Division with 64 points. The Predators (24-19-6) are four points out of the final Western playoff spot with 54 points.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier’s 30th goal of the season was also the overtime winner in a 4-3 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning, snapping the latter’s 12-game home win streak. Meier finished with two goals and an assist while Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for the 16-25-11 Sharks. Brayden Point tallied two goals as the Lightning (32-16-2) sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 66 points.

An overtime goal by Frank Vatrano lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2. The Ducks are 17-29-6 on the season while the Blackhawks dropped to 15-29-5.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli broke the news that US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh will be formally installed in the coming days as the next Executive Director of the NHL Players Association. Walsh, the former mayor of Boston, is also the former head of the Laborers Union in Boston and is a Bruins season ticket holder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli also reports that Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs made multiple donations to Walsh’s campaigns over the years. Jacobs is also the chairman of the NHL Board of Governors, raising questions over Walsh’s ability to grapple with the league during labor negotiations.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres yesterday announced they’ve come to terms with center Dylan Cozens on a seven-year, $49.7 million contract extension. The average annual value is $7.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A first-round pick (seventh overall) by the Sabres in the 2019 NHL Draft, the 21-year-old Cozens is enjoying a breakout performance this season with 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points in 49 games centering Buffalo’s second line.

Cozens is the second rising star that Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has re-signed to a contract that could turn into a cost-effective deal over the long term. He also inked leading scorer Tage Thompson last year to a seven-year agreement worth $7.14 million annually that’s already looking like a bargain given his high-scoring performance this season.

THE PROVINCE: Former Vancouver Canucks winger Jake Virtanen has been dumped by Swiss team EHC Visp on the eve of the playoffs. Despite leading the club in scoring, it’s reported that Virtanen’s selfishness made him unpopular with his teammates.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 5, 2023

by | Feb 5, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 5, 2023

Can the Devils afford to acquire Timo Meier for the long term? Are the Golden Knights buyers or sellers? Who could the Flames pursue in the trade market? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WILL THE DEVILS PURSUE MEIER AS A PLAYOFF RENTAL?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the New Jersey Devils have the assets to acquire Timo Meier if they can find a way to squeeze him within their limited cap space. However, he doubts they can afford to keep him beyond next season when they also have Jesper Bratt to re-sign this summer.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

Brooks wonders if management believes the Devils are close enough to Stanley Cup contention that they can afford a pricey rental player or two that could help them defeat Eastern rivals such as Boston, Carolina, Toronto and Tampa Bay.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said he’d like to add a top-six winger for more than just this season. Like Bratt, Meier is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who is a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility. As Brooks points out, however, signing both players would take a big chunk out of their projected $36.5 million in cap space for 2023-24, especially when they only have nine roster players under contract.

Brooks also suggested the Devils would be forced to choose between re-signing Bratt or Meier if they acquire the latter. Meier could be insurance if they have to part ways with Bratt should his contract negotiations become contentious.

WILL THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS BUY OR SELL?

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger wondered if the Golden Knights might become sellers at the trade deadline for the first time in franchise history. He believes they haven’t looked like Stanley Cup contenders since mid-November and have played abysmally since Mark Stone was sidelined in mid-January.

Granger doubts that adding an aging rental player such as Chicago’s Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews or St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly would put a club that’s been playing .500 hockey since November over the top.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granger makes a sensible case for the Golden Knights to move a talented player to a contender for a promising young asset who’s close to NHL ready. Nevertheless, I anticipate they’ll be buyers once again.

Golden Knights owner Bill Foley wants a Stanley Cup. If Stone is out for the season, they can place his $9.5 million cap hit on LTIR and use that space to go shopping for a suitable replacement.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Looked at potential depth acquisition for the Golden Knights leading up to the March 3 trade deadline. The Edmonton Oilers’ Jesse Puljujarvi, Montreal Canadiens Mike Hoffman, and Chicago Blackhawks’ Andreas Athanasiou were among their potential targets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The site also previously looked at several of the more notable players potentially available if the Golden Knights want to make a bigger splash in the trade pool.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane reports the Flames have been in the market for a scoring winger all season. He suggested targeting the Florida Panthers’ Anthony Duclair, the Chicago Blackhawks’ Max Domi and the Philadelphia Flyers’ Travis Konecny.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames have a better shot at landing Domi than the other two. The Panthers reportedly want to hang onto Duclair and will be looking at ways to make room for the sidelined winger’s eventual return to action.

Konecny, meanwhile, is thriving under head coach John Tortorella with 49 points in 45 games. He’s got two more seasons on his contract. It’ll take a significant offer to pry him away from the Flyers.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 3, 2023

by | Feb 3, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 3, 2023

Could the Canadiens trade Josh Anderson? What’s the latest on the Red Wings and Golden Knights? Could the injured Gustav Nyquist still be a trade candidate? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANADIENS TAKE CALLS ON ANDERSON BUT WILL THEY TRADE HIM?

TSN: During Thursday’s “Insider Trading” segment, Gino Reda noted the Montreal Canadiens are getting calls from other clubs about Josh Anderson. However, Darren Dreger replied Anderson isn’t in play despite the interest that other clubs are expressing in the 28-year-old winger.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson (NHL Images).

Dreger said the Canadiens like his game and he has a good long-term contract. He felt the only way Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes trades him is if he gets an offer too good to refuse. Dreger noted that Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving has previously spoken to Hughes about Anderson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anderson’s come up a lot in the rumor mill this season and there are some Montreal pundits and fans who believe they should shop him for the best possible return. Dreger isn’t ruling out the possibility but he doesn’t sound like he’s expecting it to happen.

It will take a hefty offer to pry Anderson away from the Canadiens. My guess is it would have to be at least an unprotected first-round pick, a high-end prospect and a good young NHL player.

THE LATEST RED WINGS SPECULATION

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will meet with his agent during the NHL All-Star weekend in Florida to discuss his future plans. The 26-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

LeBrun said contract negotiations have gone on for months without a deal though the two sides have made progress and talks are ongoing. Larkin’s agent wants to meet with his client because the March 3 trade deadline is approaching and the Red Wings could get trade offers for their captain.

Larkin has a full no-movement clause but LeBrun wonders how he’d react to a trade offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In an interview with ESPN.com’s Greg Wyshynski, Larkin said he sees himself as a Red Wing. He acknowledged contract negotiations never go smoothly until they’re done but dismissed speculation that he rejected an eight-year, $8 million offer from the Wings.

The Wings could put Larkin on the trade block if the two sides fail to hammer out an agreement before March 3. However, there’s still plenty of time for the two sides to sort this out.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen reports several teams are interested in Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi. Like Larkin, the 27-year-old winger is slated to become a UFA on July 1.

Allen thinks the Wings could shop Bertuzzi if they don’t reach an agreement on a contract extension before March 3. He speculates the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars could come calling.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Bertuzzi’s more likely to be traded than Larkin given the latter has a larger role with the Wings. The Oilers, Lightning and Panthers seem more in the market for defensemen than forwards.

The Leafs and Stars could be possibilities as there’s been talk they’d like to add another top-six forward. I’d include the New Jersey Devils in that list though they’d probably prefer someone with term remaining on their contract.

UPDATES ON THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS

TSN: Darren Dreger said the Vegas Golden Knights are considering every option after learning team captain Mark Stone will undergo back surgery. What’s uncertain is if he’s done for the season or could possibly return toward the end of the season or in the playoffs.

Given the Golden Knights’ history, Dreger expects they’ll do everything they can to fill the void left by Stone’s absence. He knows they’re looking for a forward so this situation should up the ante.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Listed several star players that he believes the Golden Knights could attempt to acquire with Stone on the sidelines. They include the Chicago Blackhawks’ winger Patrick Kane, center Jonathan Toews or forward Max Domi, St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko or center Ryan O’Reilly, Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk, San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier and Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli thinks Patrick Kane would be a good fit alongside Jack Eichel for the Golden Knights as a playoff rental player if they can get the Blackhawks to retain half of Kane’s $10.5 million cap hit.

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger believes the Golden Knights must find a suitable player to complement Jack Eichel’s game. One option could be San Jose’s Timo Meier but he’d be costly to acquire. More affordable ones could include the Red Wings’ Pius Suter, the Blues’ Noel Acciari or the Blackhawks’ Andreas Athanasiou.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I expect the Golden Knights will do something before the trade deadline. How big they go could depend on what they’re willing to part with.

Stone’s future could also be a determining factor. If they know for certain over the next three or four weeks that he’s out for at least the remainder of the regular season they could be more inclined to pursue a big-ticket player rather than a cost-effective one.

LATEST ON NYQUIST

TSN: Chris Johnston reports Gustav Nyquist could remain a trade chip for the Columbus Blue Jackets despite suffering a shoulder injury that could sideline him for the remainder of the regular season.

Johnston suggests that a team already using long-term injury reserve has the ability to acquire Nyquist and stash him on LTIR until the playoffs when he could be activated into the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salary cap doesn’t count in the playoffs. That’s why a team could acquire Nyquist at the trade deadline despite his shoulder injury. If there’s a chance he could return to action for the opening round of the playoffs he could become an affordable gamble for a cap-strapped playoff contender.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2023

by | Feb 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2023

Is there a trade market for Patrick Kane? Will the Golden Knights go shopping for help? What’s the latest on the Canucks and Flames? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS THERE A MARKET FOR PATRICK KANE?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports Patrick Kane might not be a trade deadline fit for the Rangers. He observed the Rangers’ struggles in their last four games in getting to the front of the net and winning puck battles, something he doesn’t think the 34-year-old Chicago Blackhawks winger can resolve.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Brooks observed that Kane is struggling this season with the rebuilding Blackhawks. He also noted that the potentially high cost of acquiring the veteran winger could deplete their tradeable assets and cap space. More enticing options could include the St. Louis Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko, the Detroit Red Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi, Arizona Coyotes center Nick Bjugstad or the Nashville Predators’ Tanner Jeannot.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple included Kane on his recent list of suggested trade targets for the Rangers. However, he claims the entire league knows that the Blackhawks star needs hip surgery and would be damaged goods as a trade candidate. He doesn’t see Kane as the centerpiece of anyone’s deadline plans now.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: La Velle E. Neal III believes the Minnesota Wild face the choice of bolstering their offense or improving their defense before the March 3 trade deadline. He believes the Wild should avoid a big-ticket forward such as Kane. Instead, he advocates that they add size to their blueline by pursuing a more affordable option like Vancouver Canucks blueliner Luke Schenn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Kane’s performance this season combined with his nagging lower-body injury could be dampening interest in the long-time Blackhawks star. The remainder of his $10.5 million cap hit is still difficult for many teams to absorb plus he seems reluctant to waive his no-movement clause. Given those factors, there might not be much of a trade market for Kane.

WILL THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS HIT THE TRADE MARKET?

LAS VEGAS SUN: Danny Webster speculated the Golden Knights could enter the trade market before March 3 with captain Mark Stone sidelined indefinitely following back surgery. They could place his $9.5 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve, giving them sufficient room to make a splash before deadline day.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps reports speculation linking the Golden Knights to Tyler Bertuzzi. The 27-year-old Detroit Red Wings forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He carries a $4.75 million cap hit for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Prior to the news about Stone, Krepps felt they wouldn’t pursue big-ticket trade bait such as Timo Meier, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Ryan O’Reilly or Vladimir Tarasenko if their captain returned to the lineup. That has probably changed with Stone likely done for the season. Team owner Bill Foley wants a Stanley Cup.

ARE MORE MOVES COMING FOR THE CANUCKS?

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun wondered if other moves are coming for the Vancouver Canucks after trading Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders on Monday.

Defenseman Luke Schenn is a pending UFA who will be in demand by the trade deadline given his physical play. LeBrun reported it’s his understanding that the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning are among the contenders reaching out to the Canucks about Schenn.

LeBrun also cited his TSN colleague Darren Dreger reporting there’s interest in winger Brock Boeser depending on how much salary the Canucks are willing to retain. Boeser carries a $6.65 million cap hit with two more seasons remaining on his contract.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY INSIDER: Rob Simpson dismissed recent media speculation suggesting the Canucks could trade Thatcher Demko. Despite the 27-year-old goaltender’s struggles earlier this season and some injury issues, he remains an affordable starter with upside.

Simpson also pointed out the difficulty the Canucks would face finding a suitable replacement for $5 million annually or less. He also noted they lack the depth to replace him from within.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn is the most likely of these three to be moved before the trade deadline. Boeser could be traded before March 3 if the Canucks retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit but previous reports suggest they’d want his entire salary off their books. That means an off-season trade seems more likely.

Unless Demko is demanding a trade or the Canucks have gone into full-fledged tank mode I don’t seem him moving. We’ve had no indication Demko wants out and everyone knows Canucks ownership doesn’t believe in rebuilding his roster.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie reports Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving said he’s in the market for a scoring forward. The club has looked within their system to bolster their production by giving opportunities to Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr but they didn’t make much of an offensive impact.

Treliving acknowledged the difficulty of finding a scorer in the trade market. They also have $7 million in trade deadline salary-cap space. He’s reluctant to go the playoff rental route in the past. Treliving mentioned wanting a scorer with “competitiveness and responsibility.”

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman could be among the teams looking at Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk. The 33-year-old is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 with 21 points in 31 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving might have to go the rental route to bolster his production. Doing so could cost him a first-round pick or a prospect like Pelletier or Duehr depending on who he’s looking at in the trade market. Someone like van Riemsdyk might not cost too much to acquire but it could mean parting with a decent prospect and a second-rounder.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2023

by | Jan 28, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2023

Recaps of Friday’s game, Auston Matthews sidelined for at least three weeks, updates on Gabriel Landeskog and Cole Caufield plus some potentially bad news for hockey-related revenue in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes got a 5-4 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks with Martin Necas scoring the tying and winning goals. Sebastian Aho also scored twice for the Hurricanes (31-9-8), who sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points. Michael Eyssimont had a goal and two assists for the Sharks as they dropped to 14-25-11 on the season.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas became the first player in Hurricanes/Whalers history to score an overtime goal in consecutive games and the fifth player in NHL history to score the tying goal in the final minute of regulation and the game-winner in the first minute of overtime.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored twice (including the winner in overtime) in a 3-2 victory against the Dallas Stars. Goaltender Vitek Vanecek made 33 saves for his ninth straight win as the Devils (32-13-4) sit two points behind the Hurricanes in second place in the Metro Division. Roope Hintz tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 28-13-10 Stars, who hold a three-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first overall in the Western Conference with 66 points.

The Calgary Flames got a 29-save performance from Dan Vlader to beat the Seattle Kraken 5-2. Vladar tied a franchise record for the most games without a regulation loss with 13. Elias Lindholm and Blake Coleman each had a goal and two assists as the 24-17-9 Flames held the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 57 points. Martin Jones made 33 saves for the Kraken (28-15-5) as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Kraken announced rookie center Matty Beniers will be sidelined for two games with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day.

Los Angeles Kings goalie Pheonix Copley kicked out a career-high 45 shots to hold off the Florida Panthers 4-3. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist as the Kings improved to 28-17-6 and moved into sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division with 62 points. Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk each had two points as the Panthers slipped to 23-22-6 and remain five points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff berth with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov was named to the Atlantic Division roster for the upcoming 2023 NHL All-Star Game as a replacement for sidelined Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews. Speaking of the Leafs and Matthews…

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk tallied twice to thump the Maple Leafs by a score of 6-2, snapping the latter’s points streak at five games. Anton Forsberg stopped 33 shots for the 22-23-6 Senators. William Nylander scored his 27th goal of the season for the Leafs (30-12-8), who are tied with the New Jersey Devils for third place in the Eastern Conference but the Devils hold a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reason Barkov is replacing Matthews in the All-Star Game is that the Leafs center is sidelined for at least three weeks with a knee sprain suffered Wednesday against the New York Rangers.

The New York Rangers downed the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 with Jaroslav Halak making 33 saves to win his fifth straight start. Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (27-14-8) as they sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points. Phil Kessel replied for the 29-18-3 Golden Knights, who are tied with the Kraken for second in the Pacific Division but the latter holds two games in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights activated defenseman Shea Theodore and forward William Carrier off injured reserve for this game.

New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin turned in a 23-save shutout to blank the Detroit Red Wings 2-0, ending his club’s six-game winless skid. Anders Lee and Brock Nelson scored as the Islanders improved to 24-22-5, sitting four points out of the final Eastern playoff spot. The Wings fell to 21-19-8 and sit seven points out of that wild-card spot.

The Vancouver Canucks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Elias Pettersson tallied twice and Bo Horvat collected a career-high four assists for the 20-26-3 Canucks. Kirill Marchenko scored both goals for the 15-31-3 Blue Jackets, who sit in last place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, the Canucks announced forward Ilya Mikheyev will undergo season-ending knee surgery next week. Earlier in the day, the Blue Jackets announced winger Gustav Nyquist was sidelined indefinitely with an undisclosed injury.

HEADLINES

THE DENVER POST’s Bennett Durando reports Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog (knee injury) could start skating under team supervision following the upcoming All-Star break. However, there is no definitive start date.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield told reporters yesterday that he injured his shoulder twice before undergoing season-ending surgery. The first time was on Dec. 23 against the Dallas Stars and on Jan. 3 against the Nashville Predators. Both times, he was able to pop it back into place.

Three different doctors subsequently recommended having surgery or risking further damage to the shoulder. The surgery will take place on Feb. 1. Caufield admitted he would’ve continued playing if the Canadiens were in playoff contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ placement near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Caufield could’ve wound up suffering more serious damage that would’ve meant a much longer recovery period that would’ve stretched well into next season.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the injury-plagued Canadiens, they’ve called up prospect Owen Beck on an emergency basis after Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach and Christian Dvorak missed practice on Friday for medical treatment.

Pat Hickey reports the looming bankruptcy of US sports network Bally Sports Regional Networks could have an adverse effect on the NHL’s hockey-related revenue. Los Angeles, Anaheim, Arizona, Dallas, St. Louis, Nashville, Minnesota, Detroit, Carolina, Columbus, Tampa Bay and Florida are the NHL markets directly affected.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hickey pointed out the network owes a number of sports teams billions of dollars in rights fees. While it’s unknown how much money is owed to those NHL teams, Hickey speculated that it could have a negative effect on HRR that drives down the salary cap, ensuring players pay more in escrow to offset the difference.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2023

by | Jan 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2023

The Oilers’ Connor McDavid reaches 40 goals on the season while Canucks fans bid farewell to Bruce Boudreau during Hockey Day in Canada, Canadiens winger Cole Caufield to undergo season-ending surgery, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid tallied his league-leading 40th goal of the season to double up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Zach Hyman had a goal and three assists while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins collected three points for the Oilers (27-18-3), as they vaulted over the Los Angeles Kings into third place in the Pacific Division with 57 points.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid becomes the fastest player to reach 40 goals in a season (48 games) since Jaromir Jagr did it in 46 games in 1995-96.

The Canucks (18-25-3) have lost 10 of their last 12 games. Before the game, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reported they’re expected to announce the hiring of Rick Tocchet as their new head coach on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That news prompted an outpouring of support for embattled head coach Bruce Boudreau on social media and from Canucks fans during this game. Boudreau was touched by the cheers from the fans, bidding them a tearful farewell at the end of the game.

As I said before, the Canucks’ front office handled this situation very badly. They could’ve just fired Boudreau and named one of their assistant coaches to replace him on an interim basis until a full-time bench boss was found. Instead, they left him to twist in the wind as rumors ramped up over his future, forcing him to answer questions from the media day after day over his impending fate. It reflects poorly on the Canucks as a franchise, raising concerns over the direction of the club.

An overtime goal by Rem Pitlick lifted the injury-depleted Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Pitlick finished the night with two points while Sam Montembeault stopped 36 shots as the Canadiens (20-24-3) overcame a 2-0 deficit to win three of their last four games. The 28-11-8 Leafs sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens announced that Cole Caufield will undergo season-ending surgery to repair his injured right shoulder. Caufield’s agent revealed his client had played with the injury over the past two-three months and was willing to continue but team doctors decided he would risk worsening the damage. The 22-year-old winger is the 11th Hab currently sidelined, joining such notables as Carey Price, Brendan Gallagher, Sean Monahan, Paul Byron, Jonathan Drouin, Kaiden Guhle, Jake Allen and Juraj Slafkovsky.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho tallied a hat trick to lead his club over the New York Islanders by a score of 5-2, handing the latter their eighth loss in their last nine games. The Hurricanes (29-9-8) hold a four-point lead over the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points. With 51 points, the Islanders (23-20-5) remain two points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders recalled forward Aatu Raty to replace Cal Clutterbuck, who is sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 33 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to blank the Arizona Coyotes 4-0. Radek Faksa tallied twice for the Stars (28-13-7) as they hold a two-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Western Conference with 63 points. The Coyotes dropped to 14-27-5.

Speaking of the Jets (61 points), they improved to 30-16-1 with a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Captain Blake Wheeler had a goal and two assists to reach his 900th career point while Mark Scheifele scored twice and collected an assist. Josh Norris replied for the Senators as they slipped to 20-23-3.

The Vegas Golden Knights remain one point behind the Jets for third overall in the Western Conference by downing the Washington Capitals 6-2. Paul Cotter tallied twice while Nicolas Roy had a goal and two assists for the 29-16-2 Golden Knights while T.J. Oshie and Marcus Johansson replied for the 25-18-6 Capitals, who remain three points ahead of the Penguins in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

A shootout goal by Nathan MacKinnon lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Alex Newhook scored in regulation for the Avalanche (25-17-3) as they’ve won five straight and vaulted over the Calgary Flames into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 53 points. Ryan Donato replied for the Kraken, who’ve dropped three of their last four contests. At 27-14-5 (59 points), they sit one point behind the first-place Golden Knights in the Pacific Division.

The Flames, meanwhile, defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-3 as Rasmus Andersson had a goal and two assists while Tyler Toffoli and Dillon Dube each had a goal and an assist. Steven Stamkos, Anthony Cirelli and Vladislav Namestnikov scored for the Lightning (29-15-1) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames (22-16-9) have the same number of points as the Avalanche (53), but the latter has three more wins and holds two games in hand.

Third-period goals by Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene and Cole Smith powered the Nashville Predators to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Duchene scored twice while teammate Roman Josi collected three assists for the 22-18-6 Predators, who move within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. The Kings (25-17-6) have lost three straight games and slipped into the first Western wild-card berth with 56 points.

Florida Panthers goaltender Alex Lyon kicked out 29 shots to win his first start of the season by beating the Minnesota Wild 5-3. Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell each had a goal and an assist as the Panthers improved to 23-20-5. With 51 points, they’re two points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Kirill Kaprizov had three assists for the Wild (25-16-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 54 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild played without winger Marcus Foligno as he is sidelined by a non-COVID-related illness.

The Chicago Blackhawks got a 29-save performance from Jaxson Stauber in his NHL debut to upset the St. Louis Blues 5-3. Jason Dickinson had a goal and two assists for the 14-26-4 Blackhawks, who’ve won six of their last seven games. Jordan Kyrou and Ivan Barbashev each had a goal and an assist for the Blues (23-21-3), who sit four points out of a wild-card spot in the West.

Buffalo Sabres forwards Victor Olofsson and Peyton Krebs each tallied two goals in a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Ilya Lyubushkin collected three assists for the 23-19-3 Sabres as they moved to within four points of an Eastern wild-card spot with 49 points. Trevor Zegras scored twice and collected an assist for the 13-29-5 Ducks.

The Philadelphia Flyers got goals from Scott Laughton and Noah Cates to hold off the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. Carter Hart turned aside 30 shots for the Flyers (20-20-7) as they’ve won five of their last seven games. Lucas Raymond replied for the Red Wings as they slipped to 19-18-8 on the season.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Patrik Laine, Gustav Nyquist and Sean Kuraly lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Jackets improved to 14-30-2 while the Sharks fell to 14-24-9.