NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2025

by | Mar 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2025

Alex Ovechkin moves within 10 goals of breaking the league goals record, injuries sideline Devils stars Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, the Utah Hockey Club re-sign three players, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for analysis of Wednesday’s trades.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 885th regular-season goal as his club nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Ovechkin scored the tying goal that set the stage for Tom Wilson’s overtime winner for the Capitals (88 points). Artemi Panarin and Sam Carrick scored for the Rangers, who sit just outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 67 points.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 10 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals.

Washington is tied with the league-leading Winnipeg Jets but the latter has 42 regulation wins to the Capitals’ 40.

An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Josh Norris had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who moved into the final Eastern Conference wild card with 67 points. Ryan Donato tallied his 23rd goal of the season for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold that wild card spot with a game in hand over the Rangers. Donato is having a career-best performance (46 points in 60 games) in his contract season. He’s expected to be moved by Friday’s trade deadline.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Adin Hill made 29 saves while Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, Noah Hanifin and Tanner Pearson each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 80 points. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner replied for the Leafs, who remain in second place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs and Florida Panthers have the same number of points, but the latter holds first place in the division with 32 regulation wins. Before the game, Matthews told reporters that he hopes management provides a boost to the roster at the trade deadline.

A three-goal second period enabled the Vancouver Canucks to hold off the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Jake DeBrusk, Teddy Blueger, and Carson Soucy scored for the Canucks, who sit just outside the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 67 points. Sam Colangelo and Brian Dumoulin scored for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are tied with the Calgary Flames in points but the latter holds that wild card with 29 regulations wins. Ducks goaltender John Gibson left this game following a collision with Canucks forward Drew O’Connor.

St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas scored the tying goal and the shootout winner in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Thomas extended his points streak to 11 games as the Blues sit one point behind the Flames with 66 points. Quinton Byfield and Trevor Moore replied for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 71 points.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in Vail, Colorado. He’s expected to be recovered in time for training camp in September.

B/R OPEN ICE: cites TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton could be out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe was fined $25,000.00 by the league for unprofessional conduct toward on-ice officials during Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yesterday was a very bad day for the Devils. The loss of Hughes and Hamilton threatens their playoff chances. They’re third in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points but only five points ahead of the Rangers, who are just outside the Eastern wild-card berth.

Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald was expected to be a buyer before Friday’s trade deadline. He’s placed Hughes on long-term injury reserve, giving the Devils $8 million in salary-cap wiggle room to make a significant addition or two. Whether he can pull it off remains to be seen.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: The Utah Hockey Club signed goaltender Karel Vejmelka to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4.75 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah HC also signed defenseman Ian Cole and forward Alex Kerfoot to one-year extensions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah GM Bill Armstrong is signalling that he’s not a seller this year. Vejmelka would’ve drawn plenty of interest from playoff contenders seeking a goaltending upgrade before Friday’s trade deadline. Utah sits four points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

SPORTSNET: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Mathieu Olivier to a six-year extension with an AAV of $3 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are battling for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. GM Don Waddell said he’s under no pressure to move out his pending UFAs like Ivan Provorov, even at the risk of their departure on July 1. If Waddell makes a move or two, it’ll likely be a hockey trade that involves player-for-player swaps that will help the Jackets now and in the future.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres signed winger Jordan Greenway to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Greenway would’ve attracted plenty of suitors if he’d become available in the trade market. The Sabres valued his two-way play more.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 19, 2025

by | Feb 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 19, 2025

The latest 4 Nations Face-Off updates, plus updates on Thatcher Demko, Evgeni Malkin, Jacob Markstrom and more as NHL teams return to practice in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

LATEST 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF NEWS

DAILY FACEOFF: Team USA defenseman Charlie McAvoy is listed as week-to-week following a procedure to address an infection stemming from a minor upper-body injury. He was ruled out of Thursday’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship game between the United States and Canada.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big blow for the Americans and the Boston Bruins. His absence could jeopardize the latter’s efforts to secure a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes was expected to join Team USA following the news about McAvoy’s condition. However, that doesn’t appear to be a certainty after Hughes practiced with his Canucks teammates in a non-contact jersey on Tuesday.

Hughes missed the Canucks’ final four games before the tournament with a lower-body injury. He said he “felt pretty good” during his skate on Tuesday. However, he acknowledged that tournament rules forbid him from joining Team USA unless another American defenseman was injured.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported the situation remained fluid whether Hughes will join Team USA in Boston. Stay tuned.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson replaced McAvoy in the American lineup in Monday’s 2-1 loss to Sweden. If Hughes can’t join the roster, Sanderson will remain in that role for the championship game against the Canadians.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley joined Team Canada for Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Americans because Shea Theodore was injured earlier in the tournament and Cale Makar was sidelined by illness.

Makar returned to action for Canada’s 5-3 win over Finland on Monday, meaning Harley couldn’t play in that game and won’t play in the championship game unless another Canadian defenseman is sidelined by injury or illness.

OTTAWA SUN: The Tkachuk brothers and Auston Matthews are expected to play for Team USA on Thursday. Matthew Tkachuk and Matthews missed Monday’s loss to Sweden with injuries while Brady left that game for precautionary reasons after crashing into the Swedish net.

NHL HEADLINES

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Speaking of the Canucks, they signed Drew O’Connor to a two-year, $5 million contract extension. The average annual value is $2.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks acquired O’Connor and defenseman Marcus Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 1. Five days later, Pettersson signed a six-year, $33 million extension.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust returned to practice with their teammates on Tuesday. Both are on injured reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could be taken off IR before Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin is expected to return to the lineup after missing 19 games with a lower-body injury. The Avs’ next game is Saturday against the Nashville Predators.

ROTOWIRE: New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (knee) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. He’s expected to return to action by early or mid-March.

DAILY FACEOFF: Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler underwent a procedure to address a lower-body ailment. He will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forwards Josh Norris and Shane Pinto remain sidelined by injuries as their teammates returned to practice on Tuesday. Both players skated on their own but it seems doubtful that they’ll be in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres forward Jordan Greenway is set to return after being sidelined since Dec. 20 following surgery for a middle-body injury.

CALGARY SUN: Flames center Connor Zary and defenseman Kevin Bahl practiced with their teammates yesterday. A knee injury sidelined Zary since Jan. 7. Bahl had been out since Jan. 25 with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nashville Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season. He was sidelined since Dec. 31 by a lower-body injury.

TSN: Speaking of the Predators, they acquired minor-league forward Grigori Denisenko from the Vegas Golden Knights for future considerations.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2024

by | Dec 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2024

Recaps of Thursday’s games, Rangers GM Chris Drury meets with his team to clear the air following two recent trades, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust each had four points in a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators. Rust scored twice (including the winner in overtime) and Crosby snapped a 10-game goal drought as the Penguins (35 points) remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Filip Forsberg and Brady Skjei each had two points for the Predators, who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 25 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators placed captain Roman Josi on injured reserve and activated blueliner Jeremy Lauzon for this game. Josi is expected to be sidelined for at least one week.

Meanwhile, the Senators got an overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk to defeat the Calgary Flames 3-2. Goaltender Linus Ullmark turned aside 29 shots for his seventh straight win as the Senators have won five straight games. Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Flames (37 points) as they remain one point behind the Colorado Avalanche for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

The Avalanche netted three unanswered third-period goals to double up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Joel Kiviranta tallied the winning and insurance goals and Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves in his first game against his former club. Luke Kunin had two assists for the Sharks.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 40 shots to backstop his club over the New Jersey Devils 4-2, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Sean Monahan had two goals and an assist for the Jackets as they snapped a five-game losing skid. Luke Hughes and Timo Meier replied for the Devils, who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 45 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Jack Hughes fired a career-high 13 shots on Merzlikins, who robbed him of two sure goals with spectacular saves. That effort earned Hughes the praise of Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe, calling his effort “outstanding”.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala each tallied twice in a 7-3 romp over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Kings (42 points) have won eight of their last 10 games (8-1-1) and sit three points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. Tyson Foerster scored two goals and collected an assist for the slumping Flyers as they’ve dropped three straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers head coach John Tortorella made Cam York a healthy scratch, saying the 23-year-old defenseman has struggled in his last 12 games since returning from an upper-body injury on Nov. 23.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, William Karlsson snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period as they defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Brett Howden had a goal and an assist as Vegas has won six of their last seven contests. Teddy Blueger replied for the Canucks, who’ve won two of their last seven games (2-3-2).

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Boston Bruins 3-2 on an overtime goal by Mattias Ekholm. Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid scored in the third period to set the stage for Ekholm’s heroics in OT as the Oilers have won six of their last seven games and 10 of their last 13. Elias Lindholm and Mark Kastelic tallied for the Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 38 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed forward Tyler Johnson on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. The 34-year-old center signed a one-year contract on Nov. 3 but appeared in nine games, collecting two points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his points streak to nine games in a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 shots and Gage Goncalves tallied his first NHL goal as the Lightning won their fourth straight game. Pavel Buchnevich replied for the Blues as they’ve dropped four of their last five (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning played without defenseman J.J. Moser as he’ll be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks with a lower-body injury. An illness forced Blues rearguard Philip Broberg to be sidelined for this game.

The Chicago Blackhawks picked up their third straight win by downing the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Ilya Mikheyev scored twice and Nolan Allan got his first-ever NHL goal. Ryker Evans replied for the Kraken.

HEADLINES

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL holiday roster freeze is in effect from Dec.20 to 12:01 am on Dec. 28.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury addressed the entire team for the first time before their practice on Thursday. Afterward, the club engaged in a fun, energetic session that concluded with a full-team shootout game.

Following practice, Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck met with the media to deny a report claiming a recent players-only meeting was to criticize Drury. “That could not be further from the truth,” he said. “When we have closed-door meetings in here, it’s about us. It’s about what we can do.”

The Rangers have been the hot topic of speculation among pundits and fans in recent weeks following their slide in the standings and Drury’s league-wide memo last month indicating he was willing to entertain trade offers for certain players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jacob Trouba was on Drury’s list and was shipped to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6. Winger Kaapo Kakko was traded to Seattle on Wednesday but it’s not known if he was also on that list.

The report indicated a lighthearted mood among the players during practice following their meeting with Drury. Whether this marks the moment the Rangers snap out of their funk remains to be seen.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders placed goaltender Semyon Varlamov on long-term injury reserve, potentially clearing the way for sidelined winger Anthony Duclair’s return on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: Buffalo Sabres winger Jordan Greenway will be sidelined long-term following surgery for a middle-body injury. There is no timetable for his return but head coach Lindy Ruff expects he’ll be back later this season.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings sent goaltender Ville Husso to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. The move suggests sidelined netminder Cam Talbot will soon return to action.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild placed forward Yakov Trenin (upper body) on injured reserve.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2024

by | Dec 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Sabres and Predators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE SABRES TRADE KAKKO?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes it’s time for the Rangers and Kaapo Kakko to part ways after the 23-year-old winger was a healthy scratch from Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. He suggested offering Kakko to the Buffalo Sabres for rugged winger Jordan Greenway.

New York Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko (NHL Images).

Brooks also confidently states that the Rangers don’t intend to sacrifice promising youngsters like Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann or EJ Emery for a patchwork fix that enables the club to win a playoff round or two. He also dismissed the notion of parting with a first-round pick for a playoff rental like Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports chatter about Kakko is reverberating around the league. He wondered if Rangers general manager Chris Drury expects to receive a return like a second-round pick or a package of a later pick and a pending unrestricted free agent. He doubted that another club would value Kakko enough to make a bigger offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Rangers are entertaining offers for Kakko they’re doing so from a position of weakness. He’s got 14 points in 29 games, which is an improvement over last season’s 19-point output in an injury-shortened season, but that’s not indicative that he’s going to become a reliable top-six forward.

Maybe Kakko finally blossom into a scoring forward one day but it seems unlikely to happen in New York. With his trade value low, Drury could be fortunate to get a serviceable NHL player in return.

THE LATEST ON THE SABRES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports big changes aren’t coming for the struggling Buffalo Sabres following a team meeting with owner Terry Pegula in Montreal. Pegula told the players he remains confident they can find the solution for their current woes from within.

Pegula also told the players he stands by general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff, adding they shouldn’t expect a big trade.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels wondered what the Sabres fallback position is if Pegula’s vote of confidence doesn’t inspire his players to improve.

Engels acknowledged the Sabres have premium pieces at every position, but wondered why so many of them (including Dylan Cozens, Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs and Jack Quinn) are floundering. He also pointed out several notable former Sabres (Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly, Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues and Brandon Montour) who went on to Stanley Cup glory with other clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo is a terrific hockey town. Their fans deserve better than what they’ve seen over the past 13 years.

The Sabres’ problems are longstanding and ingrained within the organization. It starts from the top with Pegula, leading to several management changes, a revolving door of coaches, and players who seem liberated whenever they move on to other clubs. If this version of the Sabres fails to improve, Pegula could make another change in the front office and behind the bench.

UPDATE ON THE PREDATORS

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Nashville Predators are eyeing the trade market to find some help before the upcoming NHL holiday roster freeze. A source told D’Amico that they’ve spoken to the Sabres and one of the players they like is Dylan Cozens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Terry Pegula’s remarks to the Sabres are anything to go by, Cozens isn’t going anywhere, at least for now.

The Predators probably aren’t the only club interested in Cozens, who has recently surfaced in trade rumors. He’s struggled this season but had a career-high 31 goals and 68 points in 2022-23, earning a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.1 million.

D’Amico reports the Predators are seeking depth at center and on the blueline. There’s been some speculation that other clubs might see whether the Preds and Steven Stamkos are having any second thoughts about the four-year contract they agreed to during the summer. However, there is no indication Stamkos is thinking twice about his new team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2023

by | Dec 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2023

Recaps of Saturday’s action, the Predators allow Tyson Barrie to speak with other clubs, Nikita Zadorov faces the Flames days after they trade him to the Canucks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck had a goal and two assists as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 38 shots while Adam Fox picked up three assists as the Rangers (17-4-1) sit atop the Eastern Conference with 35 points. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for the Predators as they dropped to 11-12-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie was a healthy scratch from this game. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the 32-year-old defenseman has been granted permission to speak with other teams. The Athletic’s Joe Rexrode indicated that Barrie had become somewhat expendable in part because young Spencer Stastney has garnered more playing time of late on the Predators’ blueline. I’ll have more about Barrie in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3 with former Flame Nikita Zadorov burning his former club by assisting on Elias Pettersson’s winning goal. Pettersson, Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty each had a goal and an assist for the 16-8-1 Canucks. Elias Lindholm scored twice as the Flames dropped to 10-11-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadorov was paired with Tyler Myers on the Canucks’ blueline. Before this game, the Flames signed free-agent defenseman Mark Pysyk to a one-year, two-way contract.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists as the Golden Knights (16-5-4) held first place in the overall standings with 36 points. Tom Wilson replied for the 12-7-2 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand’s overtime goal lifted his club over the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3. David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists while Linus Ullmark stopped 37 shots as the Bruins (16-4-3) sit second in the Eastern Conference with 35 points. Auston Matthews had two goals for the 12-6-4 Leafs as they overcame an early 2-0 deficit.

The Anaheim Ducks snapped an eight-game losing skid by upsetting the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in a shootout with rookie Leo Carlsson scoring the game-winner. Carlsson and Alex Killorn each had a goal and an assist in regulation time while John Gibson made 34 saves for the 10-14-0 Ducks. Bowen Byram scored twice for the Avalanche (15-6-2), who sit in first place in the Central Division with 32 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar left the game just before the end of regulation and didn’t take part in the overtime or the shootout. Following the game, Avs head coach Jared Bednar said Makar was “dealing with something” but offered little other information. Makar logged 25:03 of ice time before leaving this contest.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski had a goal and two assists, Jason Robertson scored twice and Jake Oettinger stopped 32 shots in an 8-1 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Pavelski extended his points streak to nine games while the Stars improved their record to 14-5-3. Andrei Vasilevskiy got the hook following the second period after giving up six goals on 25 shots as the Lightning dropped to 10-10-5 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov picked up an assist to become the first player to reach the 40-point plateau this season.

The Winnipeg Jets downed the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Morgan Barron snapped a 1-1 tie while Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti also scored for the 13-8-2 Jets. Blackhawks center Connor Bedard netted his 11th goal to set a franchise record for rookies with an eight-game points streak. The Blackhawks’ record slipped to 7-15-0.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 42 saves to hold off the Florida Panthers by a score of 4-3. Sorokin made 17 stops in the third period, Julien Gauthier scored what proved to be the game-winner while Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson each collected two assists as the Islanders improved their record to 10-7-6. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the 14-8-2 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Isles center Mathew Barzal missed this game with an illness and is listed as day-to-day.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho netted two goals in a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Tuevo Teravainen had a goal and an assist while Brent Burns, Jaccob Slavin, Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas each had two assists for the Hurricanes (14-8-1). Casey Mittelstadt and Tyson Jost replied for the slumping Sabres as their record fell to 10-12-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres winger Jordan Greenway left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status.

An overtime goal by Jake Walman gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens after the latter overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits to force the extra frame. Walman, Alex DeBrincat and Daniel Sprong each had a goal and an assist as the Red Wings rose to 13-7-3 on the season. Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for the 10-11-3 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens announced forward Alex Newhook will be sidelined for 10-12 weeks with a high-ankle sprain.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg turned in a 39-save shutout as his club ended a three-game losing skid by beating the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Mathieu Joseph and Drake Batherson were the goal scorers for the Senators, who sit in last place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 9-10-0. Joey Daccord turned aside 26 shots for the 8-11-6 Kraken.

A shootout goal by Sean Couturier gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Samuel Ersson made 26 saves while Tyson Foerster had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (12-10-2). Jake Guentzel tallied two goals for the 11-10-2 Penguins.

Arizona Coyotes forward Alex Kerfoot had a goal and two assists as his club defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Connor Ingram stopped 31 shots while Lawson Crouse collected two assists as the Coyotes (12-9-2) hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 26 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ingram’s solid goaltending is a key reason why the Coyotes are in this position right now. He’s among the league leaders with 10 wins, a .926 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced forward Travis Boyd will be sidelined for weeks with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2023

by | Nov 30, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2023

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, Patrick Kane could soon make his debut with the Red Wings, plus the latest on Corey Perry and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Unanswered goals by K’Andre Miller and Jimmy Vesey lifted the New York Rangers over the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Artemi Panarin also scored for the Rangers (16-4-1) to extend his season-opening home points streak to nine games while Alexis Lafreniere collected two assists. Moritz Seider and Robby Fabbri replied for the Red Wings as they slipped to 11-7-3 on the season. With 33 points, the Rangers hold first place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox returned to the lineup for the first time since being sidelined by an injury on Nov. 2. Meanwhile, the Red Wings played without captain Dylan Larkin as he remained in Detroit due to an injury.

A 38-save performance by Charlie Lindgren gave the Washington Capitals a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Anthony Mantha and Connor McMichael scored for the Capitals as they improved to 11-6-2. Arthur Kaliyev replied for the Kings as they dropped to 13-4-3.

The Montreal Canadiens got third-period goals from Joel Armia and Gustav Lindstrom to double up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield also scored for the Canadiens while Sam Montembeault stopped 26 shots as the Habs improved to 10-10-2. Patrik Laine and Yegor Chinakhov tallied for the 7-13-4 Blue Jackets.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

HEADLINES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Patrick Kane’s debut with the Red Wings could come as early as next week. Earlier this week, the 35-year-old winger signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Wings.

General manager Steve Yzerman suggested Kane could return to action within the next four to seven days. The winger is discussing a plan of return with the Wings that could see his first game take place on Tuesday against the Sabres in Buffalo.

DAILY FACEOFF: Some details are emerging regarding the off-ice incident involving Corey Perry that resulted in the Chicago Blackhawks terminating his contract.

Frank Seravalli cited sources claiming it was an alcohol-fueled incident involving Perry that was alleged to have occurred during an event with corporate partners and team employees in attendance. However, it’s still not clear what allegedly took place, who witnessed it, and who reported it to the team.

What is known is Perry’s alleged misconduct didn’t involve a criminal investigation, the league was made aware of the Blackhawks’ investigation but it was a “team incident and team decision”, and Perry has not been suspended by the league.

Some observers are wondering whether this incident would’ve risen to the same level had it been any other club. The Blackhawks are still reeling over the results of a 2021 investigation into the cover-up by team executives of an alleged sexual assault of two players by former video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.

Some agents and players around the NHL have expressed concern that Perry’s contract termination could set a precedent for conduct that may be improper but not illegal. Meanwhile, Perry and the NHL Players’ Association have 60 days from the termination of his contract to file a grievance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fallout from this incident will continue to be felt by Perry, the Blackhawks, the NHL, and the NHLPA in the coming months.

Based on the reported information, I believe the Blackhawks handled the incident properly for the most part. I do find fault in their inability to address the salacious rumors that spread on social media due to conflicting messages from the team and Perry’s agent regarding his absence.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore underwent successful surgery for an upper-body injury earlier this week. He’s listed as week-to-week. His last game was on Nov. 22.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights will feel Theodore’s absence on the blueline. He’s been their best defenseman this season and played a key role in their strong start to this season.

OTTAWA SUN: Good news for the Senators as sidelined defenseman Thomas Chabot is expected to return to action on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s been out with a broken hand since Oct. 26.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Look no further than between the pipes for the Kraken’s biggest issue this season. Starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer has been struggling thus far and he’s not getting much help from backup Joey Daccord.

CBS SPORTS: Buffalo Sabres forward Jordan Greenway could return to action in Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. He missed their last three games due to personal reasons.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL goaltender Scott Darling is no fan of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He sought treatment through the program during his career but felt he never got the proper help that he needed.

“I’ve told players – what I went through – if you need help, do it on your own,” said Darling. “Don’t ever go near the PA. And I’ll say that honestly, I hope you guys f**king hear this: they’re monsters. Go somewhere else. They can hold you, like, try and break your contract, stuff like that.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No response thus far from the league or the PA regarding Darling’s accusations.