NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2024

by | Apr 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2024

The Capitals clinch the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, the Canucks and Panthers claim the final two division titles, the Sabres fire head coach Don Granato, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals are heading to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. TJ Oshie’s empty-net goal late in the third period was the game-winner for the Capitals (40-31-11) as they clinched the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 91 points. Alex Ovechkin scored his 31st goal of the season for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers pulled their goalie late in the third because they needed a regulation win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Speaking of regulation wins, that was the margin of victory of the Capitals, whose 32 regulation victories punched their ticket to the postseason. They’ll face the New York Rangers in the opening round.

A shootout goal by Patrick Kane lifted the Detroit Red Wings to their second-straight 5-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens but the Capitals win eliminated them from playoff contention. Daniel Sprong had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (41-32-9), who missed the postseason for the eighth straight season. Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and an assist to finish the season with 20 goals and 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings’ struggles through March doomed their playoff chances. The idle Pittsburgh Penguins were also eliminated from postseason contention.

Before this game, Canadiens defenseman Chris Wideman announced his retirement. He’d been sidelined for the season by lumbar disc problems. The 34-year-old blueliner had 20 goals, 58 assists and 78 points in 291 career games with the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and the Canadiens.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

A four-goal second period lifted the Florida Panthers over the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Sam Reinhart scored twice to finish the season with 57 goals as the Panthers (52-24-6) clinched the Atlantic Division title with 110 points. Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was held off the score sheet and remains one goal shy of 70 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers’ first-round opponent will be the Tampa Bay Lightning while the Leafs will meet the Boston Bruins. Matthews will get one more shot at reaching the 70-goal plateau when the Leafs face the Lightning on Wednesday.

The Vancouver Canucks downed the Calgary Flames 4-1 to clinch the Pacific Division title. Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko kicked out 39 shots in his first game back from a knee injury while Tyler Myers had a goal and an assist for the 50-22-9 Canucks (109 points).

A 22-save performance by goalie Logan Thompson gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Michael Amadio scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Golden Knights (45-28-8) as they moved into third place in the Pacific Division with 98 points. Jason Dickinson replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights hold a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings. Both clubs are playoff-bound and each has a game left to decide their final placement in the Western Conference postseason standings. Vegas forwards Chandler Stephenson and Anthony Mantha (day-to-day) missed this game with undisclosed injuries.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor tallied twice in a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Nikolaj Ehlers and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and an assist for the 51-24-6 Jets (108 points) as they secured second place in the Central Division and home-ice advantage in their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Yanni Gourde had a goal and an assist for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Morgan Barron left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators finished their season by beating the Boston Bruins 3-1. Jakob Chychrun tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal for the Senators. The loss cost the Bruins the opportunity to clinch the Atlantic Division title.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Before the game, broadcaster Jack Edwards announced his retirement at the end of the postseason. He’s been the Bruins’ play-by-play man on NESN for 19 seasons.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored twice and collected two assists in a 6-3 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Blue Jackets rookie forward Luca Del Bel Belluz scored in his NHL debut. Teuvo Teravainen scored twice for the Hurricanes, who’ll face the New York Islanders in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast left this game in the second period after being cross-checked in the back by Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson, causing him to tumble awkwardly into the boards. There was no postgame update on his condition.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres fired head coach Don Granato on Tuesday. With a record of 39-37-6, the Sabres finished sixth in the Atlantic Division and missed the playoffs for a league-record 13th straight season. The Sabres will seek their sixth head coach since 2013.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granato signed a two-year contract extension last year that begins next season. I’ll have more about the Sabres’ coaching situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: The NHL announced it set a single-season attendance record of 22, 560, 634 in 2023-24 with 18 games remaining in its schedule. It claimed its arenas have averaged 97 percent capacity. Revenue for this season is projected to reach a record-high of $6.2 billion.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks could receive the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft as part of the return from last summer’s Erik Karlsson trade. The pick is top-10 protected and the Penguins could go into next month’s trade lottery in either the 13th or 14th overall spot. Unless the Pens win the lottery and move up into the top 10, that pick will belong to the Sharks.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 14, 2024

by | Apr 14, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 14, 2024

Check out the latest on the Senators and Sabres in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup

MORE SPECULATION ON THE SENATORS’ OFFSEASON PLANS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch anticipates Senators general manager Steve Staios will ramp up his search for the club’s next head coach following the end of the Sens’ regular season on Tuesday.

The top candidates include Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden, former Los Angeles Kings coach Todd McLellan, former St. Louis Blues bench boss Craig Berube, and former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason. Philadelphia Flyers associate coach Brad Shaw could also be a person of interest for the Senators.

Staios could wait until after the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs to see if anyone else becomes available. The club wants a new coach in place before the NHL Draft on June 28-29.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are several experienced candidates to choose from. Which one do you prefer, Senators fans? Let me know in the comments below.

Garrioch also reported Shane Pinto confirmed his agent is discussing a long-term contract with Staios. The 23-year-old Senators center is completing a one-year, $775K contract after missing half the season serving a suspension for violating the NHL’s sports wagering rules.

The two sides are believed to be working on a five or six-year contract. Pinto hopes to have a deal before he departs next month to play for Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Championships in Czechia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pinto proved his value to the Senators this season despite his lengthy absence, netting 27 points in 39 games.

WILL THE SABRES RETAIN DON GRANATO AS HEAD COACH?

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn believes the Buffalo Sabres will enter this offseason with lots of questions to answer after missing the playoffs for a league-record 13th straight season.

The first will be the status of head coach Don Granato. He’s been behind the Sabres bench for more than three full seasons. Granato signed a two-year contract extension that starts next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Firing Granato means paying him for the next two years not to coach. That decision will need the blessing of team owner Terry Pegula.

Fairburn doesn’t see the same Sabres roster returning next season. Four players (Victor Olofsson, Tyson Jost, Zemgus Girgensons and Eric Robinson) are unrestricted free agents on July 1. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Peyton Krebs and Henri Jokiharju are restricted free agents. The Sabres have a projected salary cap space of more than $20 million for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres have the cap space if general manager Kevyn Adams wants to make an addition or two to his roster. They probably won’t bring back their UFAs. Luukkonen’s strong second half ensures he’ll get a new contract. We’ll see what happens with the other two.

Fairburn indicated the Sabres’ salary-cap payroll has been among the league’s bottom five in each of the last four seasons. They don’t have to go hogwild in spending but it may be time to add a little veteran experience that can finally get them over the playoff hump.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2023

by | Dec 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2023

The Oilers extended their win streak to seven games, Jonathan Quick emerged victorious in his first meeting with the Kings, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers extended their win streak to seven games with a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to nine games while Evan Bouchard extended his streak to 11 games with a goal as the Oilers reached the .500 mark with a record of 12-12-1 (25 points). Jesper Bratt replied for the 14-11-1 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid performance by the Oilers in this contest as they effectively contained the Devils’ offense while exploiting their opponent’s defensive breakdowns. The Devils played without forward Erik Haula as he was sidelined by an upper-body injury.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (NHL Images).

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick stopped 25 shots to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. It was Quick’s first game against the Kings since his trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. Vincent Trocheck collected three assists as the Rangers (19-6-1) took over first overall in the Eastern Conference with 39 points. Phillip Danault scored for the Kings (16-5-4)as they dropped their first road game in regulation time this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Boston Bruins also have 39 points but the Rangers hold first place based on wins. Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov left this game with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Jonathan Marchessault lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-4 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Golden Knights held 3-1 and 4-2 leads but the pesky Sharks battled back to force overtime and the shootout. Marchessault also scored twice in regulation as the Golden Knights (19-5-5) remain perched atop the overall standings with 43 points. Mike Hoffman tallied twice for the 8-17-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic missed this game for personal reasons while teammate William Eklund is dealing with a lower-body injury. The Sharks have won five of their last 10 games with their last four contests all decided by one goal.

The Florida Panthers defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart collected a career-high four assists while Aleksander Barkov had a three-point game to improve their record to 17-8-2 while the Jackets fell to 9-16-5. Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson received 29 minutes in penalties for retaliating against Panthers forward Nick Cousins hitting him from behind into the boards as well as a subsequent fight between the two instigated by Gudbranson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cousins initially received a five-minute major for his hit on Gudbranson but the officials reduced it to two minutes. That infuriated the Blue Jackets defenseman, prompting the altercation with Cousins later in the game.

This is a consequence of the NHL’s ongoing reluctance to crack down on hits from behind. Cousins skates away with a minor penalty for a dangerous hit while Gudbranson, who was fortunate to escape serious injury, faces a hearing and a likely suspension.

A four-goal third period lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. The Jets improved to 16-8-2 but lost winger Kyle Connor in the second period following a knee-on-knee hit by Ducks forward Ryan Strome. The Ducks dropped to 10-17-0 and have lost three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Connor could be sidelined for a while. He couldn’t put any weight on his injured right leg and had to be helped off the ice by his teammates. No word yet as to the severity of Connor’s injury. Strome was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct but it remains to be seen if he receives supplemental discipline.

Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd scored twice to double up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Darcy Kuemper turned aside 34 shots as the Capitals improved their record to 14-8-3. Connor Bedard picked up two assists for the 9-17-1 Blackhawks.

The Nashville Predators got two goals from Colton Sissons and 36 saves from Juuse Saros in a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Predators 15-13-0 have won 10 of their last 13 games and hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 30 points. Jake Evans scored for the 12-13-3 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman David Savard was activated from injured reserve for this contest. It was his first game since suffering a fractured hand on Oct. 23.

Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson turned in a 24-save shutout performance to blank the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi and Joel Eriksson Ek were the goal scorers for the 10-12-4 Wild. Joey Daccord stopped 23 shots for the 8-14-7 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Kraken announced that starting goalie Philipp Grubauer (lower body) had been placed on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: NHL Network analyst Tony Granato announced Sunday he’s stepping away from his duties as he receives treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Granato is also a former NHL player and coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Granato makes a swift and complete recovery.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings offered no update yesterday on the status of captain Dylan Larkin. He was knocked unconscious during Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators and had to be helped from the ice. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported all scans for Larkin were negative but there’s no timeframe for his return.

MLIVE.COM: Red Wings forward David Perron faces an in-person hearing today with the NHL department of player safety for cross-checking Senators defenseman Artem Zub. His actions were the result of a scrum following Larkin’s injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perron appeared to assume that Zub was responsible for Larkin’s injury, prompting his response. It was Senators forward Mathieu Joseph who struck the Red Wings captain in the back of the head, followed by another blow by Sens forward Parker Kelly. Perron could face at least a five-game suspension.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins yesterday signed Jesse Puljujarvi to a professional tryout offer. The 25-year-old winger underwent double hip surgery in the offseason and hopes to resume his NHL career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2022

by | Oct 13, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2022

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Sabres sign head coach Don Granato and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to contract extensions, Andy Greene retires and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid tallied a hat trick as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. McDavid netted the game-winning and insurance goals, Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists while Darnell Nurse had a goal and an assist. J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist for the Canucks.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers dressed just 17 skaters as wingers Kailer Yamamoto and Warren Foegele missed this game with undisclosed injuries. Salary-cap constraints limited them to 11 forwards and six defensemen.

The Colorado Avalanche celebrated their 2021-22 Stanley Cup banner raising with a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and collected an assist, Valeri Nichushkin tallied two goals and Mikko Rantanen had four assists. Jonathan Toews and Max Domi replied for the Blackhawks.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson’s goal with 19 seconds remaining in the third period lifted his club to a 4-3 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cole Caufield scored twice and Nick Suzuki picked up two assists. John Tavares and William Nylander each had two points for the Leafs.

David Krejci had a goal and two assists in his first NHL game since 2020-21 as the Bostons Bruins beat the Washington Capitals 5-2. David Pastrnak led the way with a goal and three assists while Linus Ullmark made 33 saves for the win. It was a costly victory as Jake DeBrusk left the game in the second period with what appeared to be an injured right arm.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krejci looked good in his return to the Bruins after spending last season playing in his native Czechia. However, it was Pastrnak who was the standout in this contest. He was dominant throughout this game and is already making the case for a big raise on his next contract.

The Carolina Hurricanes rolled to a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists while Frederik Andersen made 31 saves for the win. Patrik Laine scored for the Jackets but left the game in the second period with an injured right arm following a collision with Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet on the severity of Laine’s injury. Jackets starting goalie Elvis Merzlikins missed this game due to a non-COVID-related illness.

Anaheim Ducks forward Troy Terry opened and closed the scoring in his club’s 5-4 overtime victory over the Seattle Kraken. Terry and Ryan Strome finished with three points while Trevor Zegras had two points. Kraken rookie center Matty Beniers had a goal and an assist.

HEADLINES

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres announced the signing of head coach Don Granato to a two-year contract extension. They also announced defenseman Mattias Samuelsson agreed to a seven-year, $30 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granato’s extension was no surprise given the improvement of the Sabres thus far under his watch. The length of Samuelsson’s deal raised some eyebrows given his limited body of NHL action with just 54 games over the past two seasons.

Sabres management evidently believes Samuelsson’s going to be a key part of their blueline in the coming years. The 22-year-old’s average annual value starting next season will be over $4.285 million starting in 2023-24. If he develops as projected this contract could turn into a bargain for the Sabres.

TSN: Andy Greene retires as a member of the New Jersey Devils after signing a one-day contract with them. Greene spent 14 seasons with the Devils and was their captain from 2015 to 2020 before getting traded to the New York Islanders. The 39-year-old defenseman finishes with 264 points in 1,057 career games over 16 NHL seasons. He was part of the Devils’ run to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Greene in his future endeavors.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Tampa Bay Lighting defenseman Ian Cole met with NHL security yesterday but there was no formal announcement or resolution in the aftermath. The league and the NHL Players Association declined to comment. Cole was suspended with pay pending an investigation following a social media post accusing him of sexual assault and grooming.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Vitali Kravtsov will miss the club’s current two-game road trip with an upper-body injury. It’s hoped he’ll rejoin his teammates next week but there is no definitive timeline for his return.

TSN: The Colorado Avalanche reclaimed goaltender Jonas Johansson off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed winger Brad Lambert to a three-year entry-level contract. The 30th overall pick in this year’s draft, he will start the season with their AHL affiliate.

CAP FRIENDLY: The New York Islanders loaned forward Richard Panik to Swiss League team Lausanne HC for the season. His contract will still count against the Isles’ salary-cap payroll at the amount for players demoted to the minors.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Former San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson will attend a pregame ceremony in his honor before the club’s game on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Wilson stepped down from his post for medical reasons last year.

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins named Kerry Huffman as their director of professional scouting.

The Tampa Bay Lightning extended their AHL affiliation with the Syracuse Crunch through the 2026-27 season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2021

by | Jun 30, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2021

Connor McDavid wins both MVP awards as the remainder of the major individual player awards are announced, the First and Second Team All-Stars revealed, and much more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award as league MVP as voted by the NHLPA membership. It’s the second time he’s won the Hart and the third time he’s taken home the Lindsay Award.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

McDavid became just the second player in NHL history to receive 100 percent of the first-place votes for the Hart. The last player to do so was Wayne Gretzky in 1981-82.

New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s top blueliner. He’s the first Ranger to do so since Brian Leetch in 1996-97.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury took home his first Vezina Trophy as the league’s top netminder. He’s the first goalie in Golden Knights history to win the Vezina.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. He’s the first player in Wild history to win this award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to all the winners for their well-deserved honors during an unusual season.

The NHL’s First All-Star Team for 2020-21 includes Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, defensemen Adam Fox of the Rangers and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, Oilers center Connor McDavid, Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner and Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand.

The Second All-Star Team features Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Victor Hedman of the Lightning and Dougie Hamilton of the Carolina Hurricanes, Leafs center Auston Matthews, Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen and Florida Panthers left wing Jonathan Huberdeau.

The NHL’s All-Rookie Team for 2020-21 features Hurricanes netminder Alex Nedeljkovic, defensemen K’Andre Miller of the Rangers and Ty Smith of the New Jersey Devils, and forwards Kirill Kaprizov of the Wild, Josh Norris of the Ottawa Senators and Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber was fined $5,000.00 for slashing Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens are asking the Quebec government to allow 50 percent capacity (10,500 fans) for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday.

NHL.COM: Lightning winger Alex Killorn is questionable for Game 2 tonight after leaving Game 1 in the third period with a suspected leg injury.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres have named Don Granato as their head coach, signing him to a three-year contract. Granato took over on an interim basis midway through this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres showed obvious improvement after Granato replaced Ralph Krueger. It’ll be interesting to see how the players respond to his coaching over the course of a full 82-game schedule. This club’s constant changes behind the bench in recent years have contributed to their ongoing mediocrity.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have hired former NHL player Tuomo Ruutu as an assistant coach. Ruutu spent the past two seasons with the New York Rangers and was their assistant director of player development last season.

THE ATHLETIC: The Columbus Blue Jackets will hire Sylvain Lefebvre as an assistant coach. He’s spent the past nine seasons coaching in the AHL.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes have reportedly done extensive vetting of Ottawa 67s head coach Andre Tourigny. They’re seeking a new bench boss after parting ways with Rick Tocchet last month.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed winger Wayne Simmonds to a two-year contract extension with an annual average value of $900K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A two-year deal seems a little long for a player who didn’t have as big an impact as hoped when he joined the Leafs this season. Part of the reason was a broken wrist he suffered in February. If Simmonds doesn’t work out they can bury the full value of his contract in the minors.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche re-signed goaltender Jonas Johansson to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche backup Pavel Francouz is under contract for next season with a $2 million cap hit. He missed the entire season with to a lower-body injury that required surgery in April. Francouz is expected to be healthy for next season but Johansson will be insurance should he become sidelined again.

TORONTO STAR: TSN’s Ray Ferraro and Sportsnet’s Cassie Campbell-Pascall have joined ESPN’s NHL broadcasting team. Both will continue at their current networks while doing their new ESPN gigs.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have officially announced their AHL affiliation deal with Abbotsford, BC. The new deal is for five years with options for renewal that could run as long as 20 years.

PORTLAND PRESS-HERALD: The Maine Mariners are expected to announce today that they will become the ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 15, 2020

by | Sep 15, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 15, 2020

The Dallas Stars are the Western Conference champions, plus updates on the Lightning, Islanders and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: For the first time in 20 years, the Dallas Stars are Western Conference champions and headed to the Stanley Cup Final. Denis Gurianov tallied an overtime power-play goal as the Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.

The Golden Knights held a 2-0 lead until Jamie Benn scored at 9:54 of the third period. Joel Kiviranta scored the tying goal on the power play at 16:13, setting the stage for Gurianov’s series winner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series looked like it was heading to Game 6 when Reilly Smith made it 2-0 early in the third for the Golden Knights. Benn’s goal, however, shifted the game’s momentum. He finished this series with three goals and five points. This was the second straight series where Gurianov scored the series winner. He leads the Stars with nine goals in this postseason.

Penalties proved costly for the Golden Knights as the Stars tallied the tying and winning goals with the man advantage. The second one was a heartbreaker as rookie defenseman Zach Whitecloud was called for delay of game after he inadvertently clearing the puck over the boards.

The Golden Knights head into the offseason with some issues to address. You can read about them in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was on the ice with half of his teammates for yesterday’s optional practice. He’s still not ready to play or participate in full practices but the club still hasn’t ruled out a possible return in the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps Stamkos might return if the Lightning advance to the Stanley Cup Final against Dallas. The Bolts hold a 3-1 series lead over the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Final with Game 5 tonight.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders head coach Barry Trotz could shake up his top line for Game 5 by making Brock Nelson the first-line center and moving Mathew Barzal into the second-line spot. He could also elevate winger Derick Brassard or center Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a top-six role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll find out tonight what changes, if any, Trotz has in store for his roster. He must do something to counter the Lightning’s top line of Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat.

THE SCORE: The NHL has recorded no positive COVID-19 tests for the eighth straight week.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames have made interim coach Geoff Ward their full-time head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise there given the support Flames general manager Brad Treliving gave Ward throughout this season.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports NHL teams have until 5 pm ET on Oct. 7 to submit qualifying offers to their respective restricted free agents. The RFAs can begin signing them at noon ET on Oct. 9. Those offers expire at 5 pm ET on Oct. 18.

US HOCKEY HALL OF FAME: Former NHL star and current University of Wisconsin head coach Tony Granato has been inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. He joins Dean Blais, Jenny Potter and Jerry York among the class of 2020.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to all of this year’s inductees.