NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2023

by | Dec 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2023

John Tavares and Jamie Benn reach personal milestones, the three stars of the week are named, while suspensions are handed down to David Perron and Erik Gudbranson. Details on these stories and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares had a goal and an assist to reach his 1,000th career NHL point in a 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders. Tavares collected his assist in the game-tying goal against his former club as the Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit but Bo Horvat’s overtime goal gave the Islanders the victory. The Leafs (14-6-5) sit third in the Atlantic Division with 33 points while the Islanders (13-7-7) picked up their third straight victory and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 33 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs captains John Tavares (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders fans lustily booed Tavares’ accomplishment. They still haven’t forgiven their club’s former captain for signing with the Leafs in 2018.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn collected his 500th career NHL assist as his club clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-3. Miro Heiskanen scored two goals and set up another for the 16-8-3 Stars (35 points), who sit one point back of the first-place Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division. Shayne Gostisbehere picked up two assists for the 14-9-4 Red Wings, who dropped their third straight game and hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings were without winger David Perron following his six-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for a dangerous cross-check against Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings placed captain Dylan Larkin, J.T. Compher and Klim Kostin on injured reserve and recalled Zach Aston-Reese, Jonatan Berggren and Austin Czarnik. Larkin was knocked unconscious following hits from Senators forward Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly, sparking the melee that led to Perron’s cross-check on Zub.

The Colorado Avalanche tallied three unanswered third-period goals to overcome a 5-3 deficit in a 6-5 win over the Calgary Flames. Nathan MacKinnon scored the game-winner to push his points streak to 12 games while teammate Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists for the 17-9-2 Avalanche. Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman each had a goal and an assist for the 11-14-3 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames also lost defenseman Chris Tanev early in the first period after being hit from behind into the boards by Avalanche forward Ross Colton, who was not penalized on the play. There was no postgame update on Tanev’s condition.

Buffalo Sabres forwards Kyle Okposo and Eric Robinson each had a goal and two assists to beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. Michael Carcone netted his team-leading 14th goal of the season for the Coyotes (13-12-2) as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 28 points. The Sabres sit at 12-14-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Sabres forward Alex Tuch (hamstring) participated in his club’s morning skate but didn’t play in this game. He’s expected to be in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Avalanche.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl, and Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart are the league’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 10, 2023.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson received a one-game suspension from the department of player safety for his retaliation on Florida Panthers forward Nick Cousins on Sunday. Gudbranson was hit from behind into the boards by Cousins, who initially received a five-minute major penalty that was reduced to a two-minute minor on review. Later in the game, Gudbranson grabbed Cousins, slammed him to the ice and rained six punches on the Panthers forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: None of this would’ve happened had the on-ice officials properly handled this situation from the outset. It’s part of what The Athletic’s Ian Mendes calls “a consistency problem” for NHL officials regarding hits from behind. Mendes fears it could lead to another Steve Moore-Todd Bertuzzi incident.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Strome will not face supplemental discipline for a knee-on-knee hit on Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor on Sunday. It was determined that Strome had planted his foot and did not intentionally attempt to injure Connor, who underwent an MRI on his knee on Monday. No word yet from the Jets regarding Connor’s status. Strome received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Bryan Rust is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas continues to support head coach Mike Sullivan as his club struggles through its lengthy slump.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas may be sincere in his support of Sullivan but he’ll face growing calls to do something to snap the Penguins out of their current funk. If a trade isn’t possible because of salary cap constraints, a coaching change could be his only recourse.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Tanner Pearson will miss four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury.

St. Louis Blues winger Jakub Vrana was not placed on waivers despite an earlier report indicating he was about to hit the waiver wire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have more about Vrana in today’s Rumors update.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Chicago Blackhawks placed defenseman Jarred Tinordi (concussion protocol) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 5.










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 Rumor Mill – October 27, 2023

by | Oct 27, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 27, 2023

What happens next for the Senators and Shane Pinto following his 41-game suspension? Could the Panthers and Blue Jackets become trade partners? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Pinto won’t sign his contract until January once his suspension is served. This will also give the Senators more time to swing a trade to free up cap space to sign him. LeBrun also stated that the investigation had nothing to do with why Pinto hadn’t been signed yet by the Senators.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto (NHL Images).

Darren Dreger indicated that the NHL Players Association negotiated the 41-game suspension. They recognized that league commissioner Gary Bettman could hit Pinto with a much harsher punishment.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports that it’s believed the Senators were close on a two-year contract for Shane Pinto prior to his 41-game suspension on Thursday for activities that violated the NHL’s wagering rules. The deal would’ve paid the 22-year-old center an average annual value of $2 million.

When informed of the investigation, the Senators were told to rescind any contract offers to Pinto’s agent. Garrioch expects that Pinto will sign his one-year qualifying offer to get the contract out of the way while he’s serving his suspension.

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes believes the trade winds that were circulating around Senators forwards Mathieu Joseph and Dominik Kubalik will ease in the wake of Pinto’s suspension.

The earliest the young center can return to action is Jan. 21, which buys general manager Pierre Dorion time to determine a proper cost-cutting trade candidate.

This situation could also work to Dorion’s advantage in his negotiations with the Pinto camp. Mendes wondered if the latter would still attempt to get a little bit of security in his contract or accept a one-year deal at a lesser rate and try again next summer. He’s not assuming that Pinto and his agent will accept the one-year qualifying offer of $874, 125.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This situation could also prompt speculation of the Senators attempting to trade Pinto once he’s served his suspension given all that’s transpired. Reports out of Ottawa in recent weeks claimed that they don’t want to move him and the club issued a statement following his suspension that they’ll welcome him back with open arms.

Still, we can’t dismiss the possibility of Doirion peddling Pinto starting in January, though I daresay this suspension could hurt his value in the trade market. 

COULD THE PANTHERS AND BLUE JACKETS SWING A TRADE?

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy noted that the Columbus Blue Jackets have been attempting to trade a defenseman for weeks now. It’s believed right-shot blueliners Erik Gudbranson, Adam Boqvist and Andrew Peeke are available.

Murphy indicated that the Florida Panthers are interested in upgrading their blueline though they’ll be squeezed for salary-cap space once defenseman Aaron Ekblad comes off long-term injury reserve. A source told Murphy that the Panthers and Dallas Stars have an interest in Boqvist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have only used just over $1 million of their LTIR cap space. They have room to add Boqvist’s $2.6 million cap hit but they’ll have to shed salary to make room for Ekblad when he returns in January.

They could prefer instead waiting until close to the March 8 trade deadline to boost their defense corps. There could be more affordable options available by that time plus they’ll have accrued some cap space by then.










Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 13, 2022

by | Jul 13, 2022

Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 13, 2022

The following is a list of notable NHL free-agent signings and trades during the opening day of free agency. This list will be updated throughout the day as details become available. I’ll also be doing live grades of today’s biggest signings on Bleacher Report.

Columbus Blue Jackets sign Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year, $66.5 million contract.

Seattle Kraken sign defenseman Justin Schultz to a two-year, $6 million contract.

Vegas Golden Knights trade winger Max Pacioretty and defenseman Dylan Coghlan to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for future considerations.

Ottawa Senators trade winger Connor Brown to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second-round pick in 2024.

San Jose Sharks sign center Nico Sturm to a three-year, $6 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign David Perron to a two-year, $9.5 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign Dominik Kubalik to a two-year, $5 million contract.

Seattle Kraken sign Andre Burakovsky to a five-year, $27.5 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign Ben Chiarot to a four-year, $19 million contract.

Pittsburgh Penguins sign Jan Rutta to a three-year, $8.25 million contract.

Florida Panthers sign Eric and Marc Staal to identical one-year, $750K contracts.

Colorado Avalanche sign winger Artturi Lehkonen to a five-year, $22.5 million contract.

Dallas Stars sign winger Mason Marchment to a four-year, $18 million contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning sign Ian Cole to a one-year, $3 million contract.

Washington Capitals sign Charlie Lindgren to a three-year, $3.3 million contract.

Columbus Blue Jackets sign Erik Gudbranson to a four-year, $16 million contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning sign Mikhail Sergachev to an eight-year, $68 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

The Lightning signed center Anthony Cirelli to an eight-year, $50 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

The Lightning signed defenseman Erik Cernak to an eight-year, $41.6 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

Washington Capitals sign goaltender Darcy Kuemper to a five-year, $26.26 million contract.

San Jose Sharks trade defenseman Brent Burns and center Lane Pederson to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for winger Steven Lorentz, goaltender Eetu Makiniemi and a conditional 2023 third-round pick. The Sharks also retain 33 percent of Burns’ $8 million annual average value through 2024-25.

New York Rangers sign center Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year, $39.38 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign forward Andrew Copp to a five-year, $28.13 million contract.

Vancouver Canucks sign winger Ilya Mikheyev to a four-year, $19 million contract.

Chicago Blackhawks sign forwards Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou to one-year contracts worth $3 million apiece.

St. Louis Blues re-sign defenseman Nick Leddy to a four-year, $16 million contract.

Ottawa Senators sign forward Claude Giroux to a three-year contract with an annual cap hit of $6.5 million.

Edmonton Oilers signed goaltender Jack Campbell to a five-year contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $5 million (as per TSN’s Darren Dreger).

Buffalo Sabres re-sign restricted free agent winger Victor Olofsson to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $4.75 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a one-year, $1.8 million deal (as per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli).

New Jersey Devils trade winger Pavel Zacha to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Erik Haula (as per TSN’s Darren Dreger and Daily Faceoff).

Colorado Avalanche signed defenseman Josh Manson to a four-year contract with an annual average value of $4.5 million (as per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun).

St. Louis Blues sign forward Robert Thomas to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension (as per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 11, 2021

by | Sep 11, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 11, 2021

The hockey world remembers 9/11 victims Ace Bailey and Mark Bavis, Zach Parise signs with the Islanders and the Flames ink Erik Gudbranson and Michael Stone. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Twenty years after the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, the hockey world remembers Los Angeles Kings scouts Garnet “Ace” Bailey and Mark Bavis, who perished aboard highjacked United Airlines Flight 175 when it was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Garnet “Ace” Bailey and Mark Bavis (NHL.com).

Wayne Gretzky shared his memories of Bailey, who mentored The Great One early in his pro career and became his close friend. Mike Bavis recalled identical twin brother Mark’s path to becoming a scout.

Former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau talked about how would’ve been on the same flight with Bailey and Bavis if he hadn’t flown to Los Angeles a day earlier to attend a dinner of all the coaches in the Kings’ organization. At the time, Boudreau was the head coach of the Manchester Monarchs, an AHL affiliate of the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Please spare a thought for the families and friends of Bailey, Bavis, and the other innocent people who perished during the attacks on that terrible day and for the survivors, many of whom still bear the physical and mental scars.

NEWSDAY: The worst-kept secret of the offseason was officially confirmed yesterday as the New York Islanders announced Zach Parise had signed a one-year contract. Financial terms for the former Minnesota Wild winger were not disclosed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parise recently confirmed he’d signed with the Isles earlier in the season and would soon be on his way to Long Island for training camp.

TSN: The Calgary Flames signed free-agent defenseman Erik Gudbranson to a one-year, $1.95 million contract yesterday. They also brought back blueliner Michael Stone on a one-year deal worth $750K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gudbranson’s critics believe his style of play no longer fits into today’s fast-paced game. Nevertheless, he keeps finding teams willing to pay for his leadership and physical shutdown game. The Flames are the well-traveled blueliner’s seventh NHL team.

THE SCORE: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins revealed a new mask honoring his late friend and teammate Matiss Kivlenieks, who perished in a fireworks accident on July 4.

THE ATHLETIC’s Michael Russo tweeted former Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu will be joining the club’s prospect camp and training camp. It’s believed he’ll eventually have a position within the organization. Koivu announced his retirement in February after 16 NHL seasons.

USA HOCKEY: announced Ryan Kesler will be a volunteer assistant coach for the organization’s National Team Development Program.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows Kesler under contract with the Anaheim Ducks this season. However, he’s all but retired after being sidelined by a hip injury. This announcement indicates Kesler is taking the first step toward what could be a coaching career in the pro ranks.

SPORTSNET: The Ottawa Senators announced a proof of vaccination and mask-wearing will be required for fans attending their home games this season.










NHL Trades – Monday, April 12, 2021

by | Apr 12, 2021

NHL Trades – Monday, April 12, 2021

​Check out the details of all the significant trades that took place on deadline day:

Buffalo Sabres trade forwards Taylor Hall and Curtis Lazar to the Boston Bruins for winger Anders Bjork and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft. The Sabres retain half of Hall’s $8 million cap hit.

Los Angeles Kings trade forward Jeff Carter to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional 2022 third-round pick and a conditional fourth in 2023. The Kings retain half of Carter’s $5.273 million cap hit.

Washington Capitals trade Jakub Vrana, Richard Panik, a 2021 first-round pick and a 2022 second-rounder to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for winger Anthony Mantha.

Calgary Flames trade Sam Bennett to the Florida Panthers for a 2022 second-round pick and prospect winger Emil Heineman. 

Philadelphia Flyers trade forward Michael Raffl to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fifth-round pick. 

Ottawa Senators trade defenseman Erik Gudbranson to the Nashville Predators for a seventh-rounder in 2023. 

Montreal Canadiens acquire defenseman Erik Gustafsson from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2022. 

Colorado Avalanche re-acquire center Carl Soderberg from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for minor-league center Josh Dickinson and prospect winger Ryder Rolston. 

Toronto Maple Leafs acquire defenseman Ben Hutton from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2022. 

Chicago Blackhawks trade Mattias Janmark and a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a second-round pick in 2021 and a third-round pick in 2022. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the San Jose Sharks will receive a fifth-round pick from the Golden Knights for brokering the deal. The Blackhawks and Sharks retain 50 percent of Janmark’s salary. 

Edmonton Oilers acquire defenseman Dmitry Kulikov from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft. The pick becomes a third-rounder if the Oilers win a playoff round (as per TSN’s Gord Miller and Bob McKenzie)

Vancouver Canucks trade defenseman Jordie Benn to the Winnipeg Jets for a sixth-round pick. 

Chicago Blackhawks acquire forward Adam Gaudette from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for center Matthew Highmore.

Carolina Hurricanes trade defenseman Haydn Fleury to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Jani Hakanpaa.