NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2025

by | Oct 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2025

The Capitals shut out the Rangers, injury updates on the Penguins’ Kris Letang, the Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm, and the Blue Jackets’ Eric Gudbranson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren made 35 saves to blank the New York Rangers 1-0. Anthony Beauvillier scored the only goal as the Capitals have won two of their first three games of the season. Jonathan Quick stopped 20 shots for the Rangers, who’ve won two of their first four contests.

Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Rangers placed defenseman Carson Soucy (upper body) on injured reserve. He suffered the injury during Saturday’s 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Rangers.

NESN: Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower-body injury) is unlikely to play in Monday’s matinee against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s listed as day-to-day but could return later in the week.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson is being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

NHL.COM: Utah Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL department of player safety for a dangerous trip against Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers was fined $2,500.00 for slashing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid on Saturday.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan will make his NHL debut on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cowan, 20, was chosen in the first round (28th overall) by the Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL Draft. He’s considered their top prospect.

TSN: The Florida Panthers signed forward Jonah Gadjovich to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates the 27-year-old Gadjovich will receive an average annual value of $905K.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (upper-body injury) will return to the lineup for Monday’s game against the Predators.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets blueliner Haydn Fleury is day-to-day with a bruised knee.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports San Jose Sharks owner Hasso Plattner recently raised eyebrows with some pointed comments about previous moves made by his club.

Plattner admitted that letting long-time Sharks forward Joe Pavelski depart to the Dallas Stars as a free agent was a mistake. He said acquiring defenseman Erik Karlsson may have been great in theory but not in practice, admitting he’d been a good player but not a team-friendly one.

The Sharks owner also admitted the long-term contracts for Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic put off a necessary rebuild, and that he backed current general manager Mike Grier’s work in building up the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hindsight in 20-20 and those regrets won’t change history. What matters now for the Sharks is that Grier’s rebuilding efforts continue to have Plattner’s support. The Sharks GM completed the teardown two years ago and has done a good job building up the roster with good young players and veteran acquisitions.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2025

by | Oct 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2025

A milestone goal for Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, the debut of Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Jonathan Toews played his first game with the Jets, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist, and Evgeni Malkin collected three assists, and Justin Brazeau broke a 3-3 tie as the Pittsburgh Penguins nipped the New York Islanders 4-3. Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer had an assist for his first NHL point. He was the first-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 626 career regular-season goals, moving past Joe Sakic into fifth place for the most goals with one franchise. Former Penguin Mario Lemieux is fourth with 690. Penguins rookie Harrison Brunicke scored his first goal, becoming the first player from South Africa to score in the NHL.

The Dallas Stars held off the Winnipeg Jets for a 5-4 victory. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists, and Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Kyle Connor had a hat trick as the Jets rallied from a 5-1 deficit, but fell short. Jonathan Toews was held scoreless in his debut with the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Jets placed forward David Gustafsson on waivers.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto scored twice (including the go-ahead goal) and picked up an assist to down the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4. Brady Tkachuk and Artem Zub also collected three points as the Senators overcame a 3-1 deficit. Nikita Kucherov tallied twice, and Brayden Point had a goal and two assists for the Lightning.

The Vegas Golden Knights overcame a 3-2 deficit for a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Jack Eichel scored the tying goal and collected an assist for the Golden Knights. Jeff Skinner scored his first goal with the Sharks after joining them in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid effort by the Sharks was undone as goaltender Alex Nedeljovic allowed Eichel’s weak game-tying goal late in the third period, followed by a costly turnover near his own blueline on Reilly Smith’s overtime goal.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored the go-ahead and insurance goals to beat the New Jersey Devils 6-3. K’Andre Miller tallied twice in his debut with the Hurricanes, while Jesper Bratt and Luke Hughes each had two points for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltender Frederik Andersen got the win as Pyotr Kochetkov was unavailable for this game after getting injured in practice earlier this week. He will be evaluated on Friday.

An overtime goal by Fraser Minten lifted the Boston Bruins over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 4-3. Casey Mittelstadt, Tanner Jeannot, and Elias Lindholm also scored for the Bruins, while Connor Bedard and Andre Burakovsky each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson did not come out for the third period due to an undisclosed injury.

The New York Rangers got a 37-save performance from Igor Shesterkin as he shut out the Buffalo Sabres 4-0. Alexis Lafreniere and J.T. Miller each had a goal and an assist, giving Mike Sullivan his first win as head coach of the Rangers. Alex Lyon stopped 29 shots for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers center Vincent Trocheck left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Sabres forward Josh Norris suffered an upper-body injury in the third period.

Speaking of shutouts, Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild made 26 saves to blank the St. Louis Blues 5-0. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy each had three points, and Ryan Hartman scored two goals. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington gave up five goals on 21 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Wild general manager Bill Guerin defended his club’s signing Kaprizov to an eight-year deal with a league-leading $17 million average annual value (AAV). “Look, everybody’s got a price to where they want to play in their market, and Kirill is worth that to us. He’s that important to us,” Guerin said. “And we couldn’t take the chance of letting him go.”

The Wild announced forward Nico Sturm is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a back injury.

Montreal Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes turned aside 30 shots in a 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, spoiling the latter’s season opener. Zack Bolduc and Oliver Kapanen scored in their second straight games, and Mike Matheson had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens. Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings netminder John Gibson was pulled in the second period after giving up five goals on 13 shots.

A four-goal third period carried the Vancouver Canucks over the Calgary Flames 5-1. Filip Chytil tallied twice for the Canucks, who also got goals from Kiefer Sherwood, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and Brock Boeser. Morgan Frost scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Adam Foote’s first win as head coach of the Canucks. Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game in the third period after being struck in the back of the head by a puck.

The Florida Panthers downed the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on a third-period goal by Brad Marchand. Anton Lundell also scored for the Panthers, while Noah Cates replied for the Flyers, who got a 32-save effort by Dan Vladar.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros kicked out 37 shots, and Ryan O’Reilly scored the winning goal to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1. Michael Bunting also scored for the Predators, and Dmitri Voronkov tallied for the Blue Jackets.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon’s early third-period goal held up as the winner in a 2-1 victory against the Utah Mammoth. Ross Colton also scored for the Avalanche, who got a 32-save performance by netminder Scott Wedgewood. Dylan Guenther tallied for the Mammoth.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 on goals by Vince Dunn, Mason Marchment, and Jared McCann. Ducks rookie Beckett Sennecke tallied his first career NHL goal.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2025

by | Aug 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2025

The latest on Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm and Canadiens forward Kirby Dach, blueliner Tyson Barrie announced his retirement, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm believes his club must find what their culture will be under a new head coach and with the additions to the roster for the coming season.

Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (NHL Images)

Appearing last week on “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Lindholm said he likes the Bruins’ young prospects, and he also believes they still have some really good veterans who know how to win in the NHL.

“We just need to figure out how to build around that,” Lindholm said. “People are going to underestimate us, but I’m very optimistic. I think we’ve got some good things ahead.

Lindholm, 31, missed most of last season with a broken patella. He spent most of his recovery watching the Bruins implode, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. He will be ready when training camp opens next month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins hope to rebound from last season’s disappointing performance with a healthier roster and a bounce-back effort from starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman. How quickly they adjust to new coach Marco Sturm’s system will determine the outcome.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens forward Kirby Dach was on the ice testing his surgically repaired knee at the club’s training facility in Brossard on Monday. The 24-year-old center has missed 129 games since being acquired by the Canadiens in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens hope that Dach might be ready for the start of the season or within the opening weeks of the campaign. However, they won’t rush his return to the lineup.

Dach was acquired to fill the Canadiens’ second-line center position. However, injuries have hampered his development, leaving that position a nagging issue for the rebuilding club.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie announced his retirement on Monday.

The 34-year-old spent eight of his 14 NHL seasons with the Avalanche from 2011-12 to 2018-19. He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Calgary Flames.

During his career, Barrie had 110 goals and 398 assists for 508 points in 822 regular-season games, and 21 points in 47 playoff contests. The puck-moving blueliner had seven seasons with 41 or more points, including four seasons with over 50 points.

RG.ORG: Former Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Sergei Gonchar revealed that family matters were behind his decision to depart the club earlier this year. He was invited to stay on as the Canucks’ defense coach following head coach Rick Tocchet’s departure, but couldn’t commit to a full-time position at the time.

“Right now, my projects are mostly family-related. I’ve spoken with one NHL team, but there’s nothing concrete yet,” Gonchar said. “The main issue is relocation – teams want you around full time, and at the moment that’s not possible.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Jan Rutta has signed a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette HC in Switzerland.

The 35-year-old defenseman spent the past eight seasons in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and San Jose Sharks. He helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.

Rutta has 23 goals and 75 assists for 98 points in 417 NHL regular-season games, and 11 points in 49 postseason games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 16, 2025

by | Aug 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 16, 2025

Here’s a look back at the notable news during my vacation in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ESPN.COM: Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said he remains undecided over whether he’ll undergo surgery for a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia before the 2025-26 season. However, he acknowledged he could miss the first two to three months of the schedule if he goes under the knife.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Based on Tkachuk’s offseason workouts, he’ll know for certain if he needs surgery. We’ll know by mid-September when the Panthers’ training camp begins.

TSN: Keith Tkachuk shot down any trade speculation about his son, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. He said Brady loves it in Ottawa and has cemented himself within the community. Keith believes the Senators are a team on the rise, and Brady wants to be a part of it.

Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keith believes Matthew’s departure from Calgary three years ago has fans wondering if Brady will also do so. However, there was also speculation out of New York last season claiming the Rangers had made the Senators’ captain a trade target, prompting Senators ownership to suggest the Blueshirts were engaged in “soft tampering” regarding Tkachuk.

During his end-of-season press conference, Brady dismissed the rumors as lies. It hasn’t fully put to rest the speculation, given that his father had to recently dispel it. They’ll likely continue to surface whenever the Senators are struggling, and the chatter will likely go into overdrive when he enters the final season of his contract in 2027-28.

RG.ORG: Winger Brad Marchand said the club’s re-signings of center Sam Bennett and defenseman Aaron Ekblad were key reasons behind his decision to ink a six-year contract with Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is in the tail end of his long career and wants to remain with a Stanley Cup contender. Now 37, it’s unlikely he’ll play out the entirety of his contract, but neither he nor the Panthers is concerned about the long term. Winning three Cups in a row and becoming the first true NHL dynasty since the early 1980s New York Islanders is what matters.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson is fully fit a month before training camp and is seeking “revenge” after his abysmal 2024-25 season. The 26-year-old Pettersson said he’s learned from last season and will be a more mature player in 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s disappointing performance last season was a key factor in the Canucks missing the 2025 playoffs. A return to form this season is a must if they’re to be postseason contenders.

RG.ORG: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin isn’t surprised that superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov and promising center Marco Rossi remain unsigned. He said the talks have been “pretty consistent, and I’ve been happy with them”. Guerin also said reports claiming Rossi can’t be signed until Kaprizov is under contract are false.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The dearth of real hockey news through the first half of August has fueled speculation over the status of the Wild’s contract negotiations with Kaprizov and Rossi. Kaprizov is in the final season of his contract and eligible to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next July, while Rossi is a restricted free agent awaiting a new contract.

Guerin has plenty of time to get both players signed before the start of training camp. However, the speculation will persist if the current drought of notable NHL news continues throughout the remainder of this month.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks made the case for J.T. Miller to be named the new captain of the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll know by October whether the Rangers will have a captain for this season, and who it’ll be. Do you agree with Brooks that it should be Miller? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.

NESN.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm has been cleared for training camp in September. He appeared in 17 games last season until sidelined by a fractured kneecap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm’s absence contributed to the Bruins missing the playoffs last season. He’ll be a key factor in their attempt to rebound in 2025-26.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Philadelphia Flyers in a grievance filed by the NHL Players’ Association following the termination of forward Ryan Johansen’s contract in August 2024.

Johansen was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on March 6, 2024, and immediately placed on waivers. He was assigned to the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in LeHigh Valley, but didn’t play for the remainder of the season due to a hip injury.

The Flyers placed Johansen on unconditional waivers last August and terminated his contract, citing a “material breach”. He missed all of last season recovering from hip surgery and remains a UFA.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansen played every game of the 2023-24 season with the Avalanche, but informed the Flyers that he couldn’t report to the AHL or play due to his hip injury. At the time, he had a year remaining on his contract. The Flyers would’ve been on the hook for that final season had the ruling gone against them.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC) reached an agreement in which the club will purchase 11 acres of land for a new arena at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa. It’s believed the Senators will pay over $30 million for the land, which is 10 minutes from downtown Ottawa.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates the Senators still have several hurdles to clear before the deal becomes a reality. Nevertheless, this is a significant step toward realizing the dream of a new arena near the heart of Ottawa.

THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE: The Wild signed defenseman Jack Johnson to a professional tryout contract (PTO).

TSN: The Detroit Red Wings signed UFA defenseman Travis Hamonic to a one-year, $1 million contract.

USHL.COM: Former NHL forward Pat Maroon joined the coaching staff of the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Maroon won three straight Stanley Cups (2019 to 2021) with the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former NHL defenseman Josh Gorges was hired by the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets as an assistant coach. Gorges spent eight of his 13 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens.

TSN: Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford announced his retirement as a player and is joining the club’s front office in a player development role. Clifford spent 13 seasons in the NHL (2010-11 to 2022-23) with the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and the Maple Leafs, winning two Stanley Cups (2012, 2014) with the Kings. In 753 NHL games, Clifford had 66 goals and 78 assists for 144 points, and 16 points in 65 playoff games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel retired after 13 NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers. In 369 regular-season games from 2012-13 to 2024-25, he had 13 goals and 37 assists for 50 points. He also appeared in 25 playoff contests, winning the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2016-17.

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings will go with their “Hockeytown” center ice logo for their 2025-26 centennial season. The logo was introduced in 1996-97. It was removed in 2018 following the move from Joe Louis Arena to Little Caesars Arena.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2025

by | Feb 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2025

A hat trick moves Alex Ovechkin closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, brothers Jason and Nicholas Robertson achieve a rare milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continued pursuing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record with a hat trick in a 7-3 drubbing of the Edmonton Oilers. Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists and Aliaksei Protas collected three assists as the Capitals moved ahead of the Winnipeg Jets into first place in the overall standings with 84 points. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist for the Oilers (72 points), who sit second in the Pacific Division but have lost three straight games.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 882 goals, Ovechkin is 13 away from breaking Gretzky’s record.

The Dallas Stars got a hat trick from Jason Robertson to nip the New York Islanders 4-3. Jake Oettinger made 34 saves while Roope Hintz and Matt Duchene each had two assists as the Stars sit second in the Central Division with 76 points. Pierre Engvall, Kyle Palmieri and Anthony Duclair replied for the Islanders (57 points), who’ve lost four of their last five games and remain five points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders activated defenseman Scott Mayfield and Ryan Pulock off injured reserve for this game. Teammate Max Tsyplakov said he’s had no contract talks yet with Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello. His agent told a Russian news agency that the two sides are already in extension talks but Tsyplakov believes there’s plenty of time for that following the season. He’s eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson tallied twice in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Max Domi, Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe each had two points as the Leafs vaulted over the Florida Panthers into first place in the Atlantic Division with 72 points. Blackhawks forward Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Robertsons became the first pair of brothers to score multiple goals on the same night since Pavel and Valeri Bure did it on March 1, 2000.

Three unanswered second-period goals by Brayden Schenn, Colton Parayko and Dylan Holloway lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Colorado Avalanche 3-1. Jordan Binnington turned aside 28 shots for the Blues, who sit five points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western wild-card spot with 58 points. Devon Toews scored for the Avalanche, who remain in the first Western wild card with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cale Makar assisted on Toews’ goal, becoming the third-fastest defenseman to reach the 400-point plateau (374 games played) behind Hall-of-Famers Bobby Orr (333 games played) and Paul Coffey (359 games played).

New Jersey Devils goaltender Nico Daws kicked out 29 shots for his first NHL shutout in a 5-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. Nico Hischier collected three assists while Jesper Bratt, Dougie Hamilton and Luke Hughes each had two points as the Devils sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bratt reached the 50-assist plateau for the second straight season while Hamilton and Ondrej Palat reached the 500-point milestone.

The New York Rangers got two goals from J.T. Miller to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3. Adam Fox scored the winning goal and Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves as the Rangers (60 points) moved within two points of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Ryan Shea scored two goals for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Chris Kreider was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury after being hit from behind by Rangers forward Matt Rempe.

An overtime goal by Patrick Kane lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Kane finished with two goals and an assist while Lucas Raymond and Marco Kasper for the Red Wings, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 64 points. Cutter Gauthier tallied twice for the Ducks as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen left this game in the second period following a blindside hit to the head from Ducks winger Trevor Zegras. There was no call on the play and it remains to be seen if Zegras will receive supplemental discipline from the league. Meanwhile, the Ducks recalled goalie Oscar Dansk as John Gibson was ruled out for this game with an upper-body injury

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Brandon Hagel had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (68 points), who’ve won five straight and sit third in the Atlantic Division. Shane Wright replied for the Kraken.

Calgary Flames defenseman Joel Hanley snapped a 2-2 tie to lift his club to a 3-2 victory against the San Jose Sharks. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist and rookie goalie Dustin Wolf made 27 saves for his 20th win of the season as the Flames (62 points) moved within one point of the Canucks for the final Western wild card. Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli scored for the Sharks, who’ve dropped 11 of their last 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames forward Connor Zary was held scoreless as he returned to action after being sidelined since Jan. 7 with a knee injury.

Speaking of the Canucks, they fell 2-1 to the Utah Hockey Club. Dylan Guenther snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period as Utah (59 points) moved within four points of the Canucks. Jake DeBrusk scored for Vancouver.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah placed defenseman Juuso Valimaki on waivers Sunday. The Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko on injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 8 and recalled defenseman Victor Mancini.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: NHL alumni, celebrities and first responders participated in the Skate For LA Strong charity game at Crypto.com Arena to support relief efforts for the devastating wildfires in Southern California.

Hockey Hall of Famers Mark Messier, Rob Blake, Jeremy Roenick and Cammi Granato, singer Justin Bieber and actor Steve Carrell were among the notables suiting up for this game. Celebrity coaches included Snoop Dogg and Will Ferrell.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Matthew Tkachuk isn’t expected to travel with the Panthers for Tuesday’s game against the Predators in Nashville. TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reported there is concern that Tkachuk could miss the remainder of the season due to a suspected groin injury, claiming the club is awaiting medical results.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk was injured during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. He missed the Panthers’ 2-1 loss to the Kraken on Saturday.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said there is no timeline for sidelined defenseman Hampus Lindholm to return to the lineup. He’s been out since mid-November following surgery to repair a broken kneecap. It seems unlikely he’ll be back before the end of the regular season.

Sweeney also said there is no timeline for blueliner Charlie McAvoy’s return after he suffered a shoulder injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The absence of their top defensemen puts the Bruins at a disadvantage as they jockey for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. They’re currently one point behind the Senators for that final spot.

TSN: The NHL confirmed it will stage its first decentralized draft at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles from June 27 to 28.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2024

by | Nov 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2024

A natural hat trick for the Avalanches’ Mikko Rantanen, a milestone game for Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the latest on Mika Zibanejad, Erik Karlsson and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: A natural hat trick by Mikko Rantanen propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Rantanen also picked up an assist to finish the night with four points while teammate Nathan MacKinnon chipped in three assists as the Avs picked up their third straight win. Adrian Kempe tallied twice for the Kings.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s natural hat trick was the third in franchise history. He has 12 goals, joining four others atop the league’s goal-scoring leaderboard. Meanwhile, Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper left this game in the third period with an apparent lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3 on an overtime goal by John Tavares. William Nylander and Mitch Marner scored in the third period to send the game into the extra frame. Aliaksei Protas had a goal and an assist for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oliver Ekman-Larsson reached a notable milestone as the Leafs defenseman played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game. Jani Hakanpaa played over 15 minutes in his season debut with the Leafs.

Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery wasn’t pleased with his club’s third-period collapse, calling it “just embarrassing”. Meanwhile, newly-acquired Capital Lars Eller didn’t join the team for this game but is expected to be in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Avalanche.

The Detroit Red Wings blew a 2-0 lead but recovered to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Simon Edvinsson scored in overtime while Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist for the Wings. Bryan Rust and Anthony Beauvillier rallied the Penguins to force the extra period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins honored Evgeni Malkin’s 500th career goal in a pregame ceremony. Malkin reached the milestone against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 16th. He joined Washington’s Alex Ovechkin as the second Russian-born player to reach the 500-goal plateau. Penguins forward Blake Lizotte left this game in the second period after being struck in the face by a puck.

Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka made a career-high 49 saves in a 4-1 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Nick Bjugstad tallied twice and Michael Kesselring had two assists for Utah, who killed off a seven-minute Carolina power-play in the third period. Hurricanes forward Martin Necas scored to extend his points streak to 11 games.

The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Anaheim Ducks for a 3-2 victory. Pavel Dorofeyev scored what proved to be the winning goal and Shea Theodore had two assists for the Golden Knights. Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots for the Ducks.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad is trying not to get buried in negativity as he attempts to play his way out of his early-season slump. He has 11 points in 14 games but has a plus-minus of minus-6 and has only scored twice.

“I will never be able to fully explain what it is when you’re in this situation,” said Zibanejad. “You have the mantras. You have the sayings to yourself. ‘Forget about the mistakes.’ ‘Just next action.’ ‘Next game, next shift.’ It’s harder than it sounds.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad’s position as one of the Rangers’ best players and among their highest-paid comes with intense pressure to perform well. A slump can take a mental toll the longer it goes on, especially when the player starts putting more pressure on themself to overcome the issue.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sweden’s former national team coach Johan Garpenlov doesn’t believe Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson is good enough to play for the country’s 4 Nations Face-Off team in February. He pointed out that Karlsson’s defensive shortcomings could be an issue for Sweden in the tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson’s poor defensive play has been an issue for the Penguins this season. Nevertheless, he was among the first six players chosen for Team Sweden.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm is expected to miss weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during Boston’s 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big setback for Boston’s blueline. They’re already missing Andrew Peeke, who’s out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. His 20:51 of ice time per game is second among Bruins skaters.

TSN: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Forward Tage Thompson (lower body) and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (undisclosed ailment) are day-to-day.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres reclaimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders placed defenseman Mike Reilly (upper body) on injured reserve.

TSN: A trial by jury of five former Canadian World Junior players charged with sexual assault is scheduled for Apr. 22, 2025. It is expected to last eight weeks.

Former NHL players Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged earlier this year in connection with an alleged sexual assault in a London, Ontario hotel room in June 2018.