NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2023

The Penguins’ Tristan Jarry scored the first “goalie goal” of the season, the Flames trade Nikita Zadorov to the Canucks, the latest on Corey Perry and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Tristan Jarry scored the first “goalie goal” of the season with an empty-netter to seal his club’s 4-2 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jarry also finished the night with 39 saves while Jeff Carter broke a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Penguins improved to 11-10-1 on the season. Nikita Kucherov collected two assists as he remains atop the NHL scoring race with 39 points for the 10-9-5 Lightning.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry is the first goaltender in Penguins history to score a goal. 

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel commemorated his 500th career game with a goal and two assists as his club defeated the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 4-1. The Golden Knights (15-5-4) snapped a three-game losing skid to reclaim first place in the overall standings with 34 points. Thatcher Demko stopped 40 shots and Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the 15-8-1 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill left the game following the second period for precautionary reasons due to a lower-body injury. Logan Thompson replaced him for the third period.

Before the game, the Canucks acquired defenseman Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2024 and a third-round pick in 2026.

The Canucks were rumored to be interested in Zadorov for some time. The big rearguard brings size and physical defensive skill to their blueline corps. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July unless he and the Canucks agree to an extension before then. For now, he’s a welcome addition to their defense for the remainder of this season.

It was surprising that Flames general manager Craig Conroy was willing to ship Zadorov to a division rival, especially one that they’ll be facing as soon as Saturday. Nevertheless, he believes it’s a fair deal for both clubs.

Zadorov punched his ticket out of Calgary with a public trade request through his agent on Nov. 10. The Canucks were willing to take on his full $3.75 million cap hit, enabling the Flames to avoid any salary retention in the deal. While they didn’t get a useful roster player, top prospect or high draft pick in return, they added two picks to their draft stockpile.

Trading away Zadorov will likely ramp up trade rumors regarding the Flames’ notable pending UFAs such as Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev. Those three haven’t requested trades (not publicly, at least). With the Flames rising in the standings, Conroy can wait until the March 8 trade deadline to decide if he’ll move any of them.

Speaking of the Flames, an overtime goal by Nazem Kadri gave them a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Jonathan Huberdeau collected two assists while MacKenzie Weegar scored the tying goal late in the third period for the 10-10-3 Flames (22 points), who sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Mason Marchment scored twice for the 13-5-3 Stars.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman had a 26-save shutout in a 3-0 blanking of the San Jose Sharks. Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist while David Pastrnak picked up two assists as the Bruins (15-4-3) snapped a three-game losing skid to sit one point back of the Golden Knights in the overall standings with 33 points. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 34 shots for the Sharks (5-16-2) as they remain winless (0-10-0) on the road this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks center Tomas Hertl returned to the lineup after undergoing kidney stone surgery on Monday. “It was a pretty s***ty situation. It was pretty painful,” said Hertl, who said he felt good for Thursday’s game. Having passed a kidney stone myself years ago, I know exactly what he means.

The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Mitch Marner tallied a hat trick in regulation and netted the game-winner in the shootout as the Leafs rose to 12-6-3. Jared McCann scored twice for the 8-10-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Leafs announced defenseman Mark Giordano is listed as week-to-week with a broken finger. Meanwhile, the Kraken revealed that winger Jaden Schwartz (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson picked up a hat trick as his club held off the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had two assists and now sits with 1,499 career points as his club improved their record to 12-6-2. Brett Leason and rookie Tristan Luneau each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (9-14-0) as they’ve dropped eight straight games.

The Minnesota Wild thumped the Nashville Predators 6-1 with Connor Dewar tallying his first career NHL hat trick. The win was John Hynes’ second behind the bench for the Wild (7-10-4) in as many games. Juuso Parssinen replied for the Predators (11-11-0) as their six-game win streak ended.

New Jersey Devils rookie defenseman Luke Hughes’ overtime goal gave his club a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Akira Schmid kicked out 44 shots while Luke’s brother Jack had a goal and two assists as the Devils (11-9-1) have won three straight games. Travis Konecny collected two assists for the 11-10-2 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Garnet Hathaway received a match penalty for boarding Luke Hughes in the first period. Hughes went to the dressing room but would return and play over 21 minutes in this contest. Meanwhile, Devils defenseman Brendan Smith faces a hearing with the league’s department of player safety for slashing Konecny across the chest late in the third period.

The New York Islanders downed the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 on an overtime goal by Mathew Barzal, who also collected three assists on the night. Noah Dobson set up three goals while Semyon Varlamov stopped 39 shots as the Islanders improved to 9-7-6. Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist while Sebastian Aho sent the game into overtime for the Hurricanes (13-8-1)with just three seconds remaining in regulation time.

Detroit Red Wings forwards J.T. Compher and Robby Fabbri each scored two goals to lead their club over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1. Alex Lyon made 34 saves for the 12-7-3 Red Wings. Lukas Reichel replied for the Blackhawks (7-14-0) with an assist from Connor Bedard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, former Blackhawks winger Corey Perry released a statement for the first time since his contract was terminated by the club. He apologized to the entire organization and his family and friends, expressing shame and embarrassment for his actions that led to his dismissal.

Perry also vehemently denied the sickening and baseless rumors on social media that arose during the investigation into his conduct and apologized directly to those who may have been affected by them. He indicated that he is working with experts in the mental health and substance abuse field to discuss his struggles with alcohol, vowing he’ll take whatever steps are necessary to ensure this never happens again.

A four-goal third period saw the Florida Panthers romp to a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Aleksander Barkov and Evan Rodrigues each had a goal and an assist for the 14-7-2 Panthers. Johnathan Kovacevic scored for the 10-11-2 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens forward Alex Newhook will be re-evaluated on Friday after injuring his left leg during an awkward fall into the net early in the third period.

The St. Louis Blues blew a 3-0 lead but went on to beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-4. Jordan Binnington made 42 saves while Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours each tallied twice for the 12-9-1 Blues. Rasmus Dahlin, Zach Benson and Peyton Krebs each had a goal and an assist for the 10-11-2 Sabres.

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl snapped a 1-1 tie as his club went on to a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Ryan McLeod had a goal and an assist as the Oilers (9-12-1) picked up their fourth straight win. Connor Hellebuyck made 36 saves while Cole Perfetti scored for the 12-8-2 Jets, who’ve now lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey underwent and clear concussion protocol following a second-period hit by Oilers forward Mattias Janmark. Morrissey and Jets coach Rick Bowness felt it was blatant interference and a pick by Janmark.

An overtime goal by Nick Bjugstad gave the Arizona Coyotes a 4-3 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Connor Ingram made 28 saves for the win as the Coyotes (11-9-2) held the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 24 points. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had two points for the Avalanche (15-6-1), who hold first place in the Central Division with 31 points.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2023

Three division leaders suffering upset defeats, the Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky reaches a career milestone and the Wild fire head coach Dean Evason. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch scored two goals as his club upset the league-leading New York Rangers 5-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and two assists and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 25 shots as the Sabres improved to 10-10-2 on the season. Mika Zibanejad replied for the Rangers (15-4-1), who remain in first place in the overall standings with 31 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers also lost winger Kaapo Kakko as he left the game in the second period with what appeared to be an injured left knee. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

The Boston Bruins suffered their third straight defeat as a result of a 5-2 upset at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Yegor Chinakhov had a goal and an assist while Spencer Martin made 31 saves for the Blue Jackets (7-12-4), who’ve won three of their last four games following a nine-game losing skid. Matthew Poitras and John Beecher scored for the Bruins, who also have 31 points but remain behind the Rangers with a record of 14-4-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins’ defensive play was becoming a legitimate concern before this game, in part because they’ve faced tougher opponents in recent games. Those worries won’t be alleviated by falling to the lowly Blue Jackets while giving up five goals for the fourth time in five games.

An overtime goal by MacKenzie Weegar lifted the Calgary Flames to a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. A.J. Greer also scored while Dan Vladar got the win with a 25-save performance as the Flames boosted their record to 9-10-3, sitting in the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 21 points. William Karlsson tallied for the Golden Knights (14-5-3), who remain in first place in the Western Conference with 31 points and third in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames were forced to use an emergency backup goalie named Dusty Nickel after starter Jacob Markstrom was sidelined by an illness. There was a moment early in the first period when it appeared Nickel would have to relieve Vladar after the latter was briefly shaken up but he was able to finish the game.

The Colorado Avalanche got two goals from Ryan Johansen to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1, extending their win streak to four games. Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 37 shots while Cale Makar had a goal and an assist as the Avalanche (15-6-0) sit atop the Central Division with 30 points, one back of the Golden Knights in the conference standings. Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning as they slipped to 10-7-5.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves for his 40th career shutout in a 5-0 blanking of the Ottawa Senators. Sam Reinhart tallied twice while Aleksander Barkov collected three assists for the 13-7-1 Panthers. Joonas Korpisalo made 33 saves for the Senators (8-9-0), who dropped into last place in the Eastern Conference standings with 16 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers and Senators combined for 167 penalty minutes with most of those coming in the third period as a result of a line brawl with 7:22 remaining in the frame. That resulted in every player on the ice receiving 10-minute misconducts.

A third-period goal by Luke Kunin carried the San Jose Sharks over the Washington Capitals 2-1. Fabian Zetterlund also scored while Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 33 shots for the 5-12-2 Sharks, who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 12 points. Evgeny Kuznetsov had the only goal for the 10-6-2 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks got the win without Tomas Hertl as he was sidelined with an injury to his midsection. He is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Capitals placed winger T.J. Oshie (upper body) on injured reserve and activated defenseman Martin Fehervary off IR.

HEADLINES

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild fired Dean Evason as head coach on Monday, replacing him with John Hynes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coming off a 103-point performance last season, the Wild have been in a swoon since October. They are in the midst of a seven-game losing skid which prompted general manager Bill Guerin to make the coaching change.

Guerin had defended Evason earlier this month, stressing that improvement would have to come from within. That’s because the cap-strapped Wild can’t afford to make a significant trade to shake things up in a league where only five teams have at least $5 million in cap space.

Perhaps the Wild can rediscover their winning ways under a proven NHL bench boss like Hynes. If not, a roster retool could be next starting at the trade deadline when clubs will accrue sufficient cap room to make deals with each other.

Speaking of the Wild, Ryan Hartman received a two-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for tripping Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat on Sunday.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros are the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 26.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho (upper body) was placed on IR retroactive to Nov. 24.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins and Panthers will honor Patric Hornqvist during their Dec. 8 game in Florida. Hornqvist played for both clubs during his 15-season NHL career before retiring due to injuries following last season.

NHL.COM: The player draft will be returning to NHL All-Star Weekend this season as part of a new event called NHL All-Star Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The player draft was one of the few ideas that worked to make the All-Star Game a little more interesting than the pond-hockey yawnfest it usually tends to be.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 11, 2023

Possible destinations for Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov following his trade request and some recent Sharks speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHERE COULD THE FLAMES SHIP ZADOROV?

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s the big question following last night’s report that Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov requested a trade through his agent. So, let’s dive in and see…

TSN: Pierre LeBrun confirmed the report by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes that Zadorov requested a trade through his agent Dan Milstein yesterday. His camp is hoping for a quick resolution.

Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov (NHL Images).

Chris Johnston reports the pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman would welcome a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before Weekes’ report of Zadorov’s request broke, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox and The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel included him among three Flames defensemen they felt the Leafs should target in the trade market. The others were Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, who are also slated to become UFAs next summer.

They agree that Hanifin would be the most expensive to acquire. He and Tanev also have modified no-trade clauses with Hanifin having an eight-team no-trade list and Tanev having 10 teams on his.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited a source saying Zadorov would welcome a trade to the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bidding war! Well, that’s what the Flames will hope for given Zadorov’s lack of no-trade protection and his reasonable $3.75 million cap hit for this season. They’ll ship him to the team that will give them the best return.

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie wonders what the Flames’ asking price will be for Zadorov. Given the club’s intent to get younger and their need for speed and skill, McKenzie speculates they could obtain draft picks or a young prospect for Zadorov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils’ deep prospect pool gives them an advantage over the Leafs in that regard. Cap space, however, will be a sticking point for both clubs.

The Flames might have to retain salary or take back a player with a comparable cap hit to make this work for the Leafs or Devils. It’ll be interesting to see if other clubs get into the bidding here.

RECENT SHARKS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek recently observed that the San Jose Sharks had hoped pending UFAs Mike Hoffman, Anthony Duclair and Kevin Labanc would be of interest to playoff contenders as trade-deadline rentals. However, they’re off to terrible starts and would have zero value at the moment.

If the Flames felt their season was salvageable, Duhatschek wondered if they might acquire Duclair and reunite him with Jonathan Huberdeau. The duo developed some offensive chemistry during their time with the Florida Panthers.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller reported Sharks general manager Mike Grier wasn’t worried about the trade value of those on expiring contracts. “I think all those guys have a pretty good track record of who they are and producing and things like that,” he said.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli noted that the Sharks need to figure out where high-price forwards like Tomas Hertl and captain Logan Couture fit into the club’s future.

Seravalli noted there will only be room to move one of them if they need to retain salary to facilitate a trade. They only have one salary-retention spot left after using two of them on Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson. Servalli speculates that Hertl could generate more interest than Couture.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no indication Hertl and/or Couture want out of San Jose. However, Grier said back in September that he would listen if they asked to be moved and explore that option if it made sense for the team.

The most likely trade candidates remain those pending free agents. Of those three, Duclair has the most value given his 31-goal season in 2021-22 and his solid performance during the Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 22, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 22, 2023

Are the Sabres interested in Patrick Kane? Should the Sharks trade Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl? What’s the latest on Jets center Mark Scheifele? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SABRES INTERESTED IN KANE

TSN: Darren Dreger reported the Buffalo Sabres have an interest in Patrick Kane. The 34-year-old winger underwent an offseason hip resurfacing procedure and will require another month to rehab.

Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

The Sabres won’t be the only club that could have an interest in Kane. Dreger believes he could help a lot of teams when he’s healthy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane joining his hometown Sabres and helping them reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011 would make a great story. However, his agent indicated that he would be fielding offers from clubs that he felt would give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. Unless Kane’s changed his mind or if there aren’t any Cup contenders with the cap space or roster room to add him, the Sabres don’t meet his criteria.

The Sabres are a promising club loaded with good young talent. This could be their long-awaited breakthrough season following years of often inconsistent rebuilding by multiple general managers and coaches. If they bust out like the Devils did last season, perhaps they’ll be on Kane’s radar.

However, the Sabres have plenty of offensive forwards on their roster with Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Casey Mittelstadt, JJ Peterka, and Victor Olofsson. Granted, they lack Kane’s championship pedigree and leadership. Still, fitting him in there could prove difficult, especially when Jack Quinn returns from injury or if Matt Savoie or Jiri Kulich crack the roster this season.

A greater need could be between the pipes. They have two promising goalies in Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen but neither of them is a reliable experienced starter. That could become a more urgent issue to address if those two should struggle this season. Kane can’t help them there.

With over $8 million in cap space, the Sabres have the room to add Kane and perhaps bolster their goaltending. Still, there could be other clubs better situated as Cup contenders who could prove more tempting to him.

COULD THE SHARKS EXPLORE TRADING COUTURE AND HERTL?

THE SCORE: Cited Bay Area News’ Curtis Pashelka reporting that San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier would be open to moving forwards Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl if they asked to be traded.

Grier indicated that Couture and Hertl are committed to the Sharks for the time being. However, if they approached him about being moved, the Sharks GM said he would listen and explore it if a trade made sense for his club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Good luck moving either guy if the day comes if they request a trade. Couture, 34, is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million and a three-team list of acceptable trade destinations. The 29-year-old Hertl is in the second season of an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8.13 million and a full no-movement clause until 2025-26 when the no-trade portion reverts to a three-team trade list.

Yes, Grier was able to move Erik Karlsson and his hefty contract but that was because the 33-year-old defenseman was coming off a career-best 101-point performance that won him the Norris Trophy for the third time. Couture and Hertl aren’t in his talent class and that will hurt their trade value.

LATEST ON SCHEIFELE

THE SCORE: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele is open to signing a contract extension. “I’ve told them I’m open to staying,” Scheifele told the media yesterday. The 30-year-old center noted how long he’s been with the club, pointing out he’s starting his 13th training camp with them.

Scheifele has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.125 million. He indicated that there haven’t really been any contract talks with management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has said that he’s going to evaluate the club’s performance this season as well as that of Scheifele and fellow pending UFA Connor Hellebuyck.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2023

The Avalanche clinch a playoff berth as Nathan MacKinnon reaches 100 points, the Panthers vault into the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth, the Hurricanes reach the 50-win plateau, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Nathan MacKinnon gave the Colorado Avalanche a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks and clinched a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. MacKinnon scored twice and added an assist to reach the 100-point plateau in a season for the first time in his career. The Avs (46-24-6) sit atop the Central Division with 98 points with a game in hand over the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild, who each also have 98 points. Kevin Labanc scored twice for the 22-39-16 Sharks.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson collected an assist and has 96 points on the season with five games left in the schedule. He has an opportunity to become the first NHL blueliner to reach 100 points in a season since Brian Leetch in 1991-92. Karlsson’s teammate, Tomas Hertl, left his game following the second period with an undisclosed injury.

The Florida Panthers (40-31-7) nipped the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 to vault over the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins into the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 87 points on the basis of wins. Matthew Tkachuk broke a 1-1 tie in the third period while Alex Lyon made 39 saves for the Panthers. Devon Levi stopped 34 shots for the 37-32-7 Sabres (81 points) as they remain six points behind the Islanders.

Speaking of the Penguins, they were thumped 5-1 by the New Jersey Devils as Dawson Mercer collected his first career NHL hat trick. With a record of 49-21-8, the Devils (106 points) remain three points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguins (38-30-10) slipped one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 86 points.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, blew a 2-0 lead over the Ottawa Senators but won the game 3-2 on an overtime goal by Martin Necas. Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (109 points), who became the second team to reach the 50-win plateau (50-18-9) this season. Claude Giroux and Brady Tkachuk scored for the 37-34-7 Senators (81 points), who remain six points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes reached the 50-win mark for the second straight season and the third time in franchise history.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists to lead his club to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist to sit one point away from a career-high 100-point season as the Oilers (46-23-9) hold second place in the Pacific Division with 101 points. Viktor Arvidsson replied for the 45-23-10 Kings as they sit one point behind the Oilers in third place in the Pacific.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the second straight season the Oilers have reached the 100-point plateau.

The Seattle Kraken widened their lead over the idle Winnipeg Jets for the first Western Conference wild-card berth by dropping the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. The Kraken overcame a 2-0 deficit with Jordan Eberle leading the way with a goal and an assist. With a record of 43-26-8, the Kraken (94 points) sit five points ahead of the Jets. Elias Pettersson and Anthony Beauvillier replied for the 34-36-7 Canucks.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Andreas Athanasiou tallied twice as his club snapped an eight-game losing skid with a 4-3 upset of the Calgary Flames. Petr Mrazek kicked out 33 shots for the 25-46-6 Blackhawks. Noah Hanifin had a goal and an assist for the 36-27-15 Flames (87 points) as they missed a golden opportunity to tie the Jets (89 points) for the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames will get another chance tonight when they face off against the Jets in Winnipeg. However, the Jets will still hold that berth if the Flames win on the basis of a game in hand and total wins.

The Nashville Predators kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the Vegas Golden Knight 3-2 on an overtime goal by Cody Glass. Tommy Novak scored twice for the 39-30-8 Predators as they sit one point back of the Flames and two behind the Jets. Alex Pietrangelo tallied two goals for the Golden Knights (48-22-8) as they hold first overall in the Western Conference with 104 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Aston-Reese tallied twice as his club doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. The Leafs (46-21-10) sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves stopped 46 shots in his NHL debut as his club dropped to 24-45-8 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe indicated goaltender Matt Murray was day-to-day with a head injury. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, announced the signing of forward Yegor Chinakhov to a one-year, $800,000 contract extension.

The Detroit Red Wings blanked the Montreal Canadiens 5-0 as Ville Husso turned in a 24-save shutout. David Perron had two goals and an assist for the 35-33-9 Red Wings while the injury-depleted Canadiens sank to 30-42-6.

St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 32 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jordan Kyrou netted his 37th goal of the season for the 36-35-7 Blues while the Flyers dropped to 29-35-13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Blues coach Craig Berube announced that defenseman Marco Scandella will miss the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2022

Game recaps feature a four-point game for Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, the three stars of the week are revealed, two trades go down before the holiday freeze goes into effect, the Oilers re-sign Stuart Skinner and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins extended their home points streak to 19 games by dumping the Florida Panthers 7-3. Boston captain Patrice Bergeron scored twice and collected two assists while Brad Marchand collected three assists as the Bruins (25-4-2) opened a seven-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the overall standings with 52 points. Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe each had two points for the 15-14-4 Panthers.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins are showing no signs of cooling off from their hot start to this season as they approach the holiday season. They’re widening their lead over the teams chasing them in the overall standings.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 41 saves to hold off Vegas while Tage Thompson tallied his 26th goal of the season as the Sabres improved to 16-14-2. Chandler Stephenson and Reilly Smith replied for the Golden Knights (22-11-1) as they hold a one-point lead over the Dallas Stars for first place in the Western Conference with 45 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin returned to the lineup after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

The Stars (19-8-6), meanwhile, nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 2-1. Jake Oettinger made 27 saves while Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson were the goal scorers. Kent Johnson replied for the Blue Jackets, who have lost four in a row and dropped to 10-19-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov left this game with an upper-body injury. The Jackets also played without captain Boone Jenner as he’s sidelined for four weeks with a broken thumb.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev turned in a 26-save shutout and Evan Rodrigues scored the only goal in a 1-0 shootout victory over the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin stopped 46 shots for the 18-13-2 Islanders. The Avalanche improved to 17-11-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar provided a fine example of sportsmanship by telling the referees not to call a tripping penalty on Isles center Mathew Barzal. The call was reversed after Makar told the official that he wasn’t tripped by Barzal but merely slipped and fell down.

Before the game, Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said goaltender Semyon Varlamov (lower-body), Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri (upper body) are day-to-day. Defenseman Adam Pelech remains sidelined with an upper-body injury but it’s not believed to be long-term. The Isles also terminated the contract of Nikita Soshnikov.

An overtime goal by Alexander Carrier lifted the Nashville Predators over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Juuse Saros kicked out 30 shots for the Predators (13-13-4) as they end a six-game skid. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice and Connor McDavid (two assists) extended his points streak to 13 games. The Oilers sit at 17-14-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Oilers announced they’ve signed goaltender Stuart Skinner to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $2.6 million. Skinner has outplayed Jack Campbell ($5 million AAV) and taken over the starter’s job from the struggling Campbell.

Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov’s overtime goal gave his club a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Nic Dowd scored twice in 11 seconds during the second period for the Capitals as they move to 17-13-4 on the season. Ville Husso made 38 saves for the 13-11-7 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals goalie Darcy Kuemper returned to the lineup after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. He backed up Charlie Lindgren for this contest.

A hat trick by Jordan Kyrou carried the St. Louis Blues over the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Vladimir Tarasenko collected three assists and Jordan Binnington made 33 saves for the Blues as they improved to 16-15-1. Ilya Mikheyev scored for the Canucks as they drop to 13-15-3.

An overtime goal by Mike Hoffman gave the Montreal Canadiens a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Sam Montembeault stopped 37 shots while Cole Caufield netted his 19th goal of the season for the Canadiens (15-15-2). Nick Schmaltz and Matias Macelli replied for the Coyotes as they slide to 10-15-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens announced they’ll honor former Habs defenseman P.K. Subban prior to their Jan. 12 game at the Bell Centre against the Nashville Predators. Subban played for both clubs but he spent seven of his 13 NHL seasons with the Canadiens, winning the Norris Trophy in 2012-13. He retired before the start of this season.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson and Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello are the three stars for the week ending Dec. 18, 2022.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers winger Cam Atkinson’s season is over before it had a chance to begin. He’ll undergo neck surgery on Dec. 21 and is expected to make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, Flyers center Kevin Hayes didn’t believe he deserved to be a healthy scratch for the club’s 6-3 loss to the Islanders on Saturday. “I wasn’t happy but it’s not my decision,” said Hayes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tensions appear to be rising between Hayes and Flyers coach John Tortorella. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety suspended San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl for two games for high-sticking Calgary Flames forward Elias Lindholm during Sunday’s game between the two clubs.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs traded forward Denis Malgin to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Dryden Hunt.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman Michael Del Zotto in a three-team trade involving the Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers. Del Zotto was traded first by the Panthers to the Red Wings for blueliner Giavani Smith. The Wings then flipped him to the Ducks for center Danny O’Regan. All three will be reporting to their new minor-league teams.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks activated Alex Stalock from injured reserve and sent Arvid Soderblom to their AHL affiliate in Rockford. They also placed Jarred Tinordi (facial fracture) on IR retroactively to Dec. 18.

NHL.COM: Former NHL goaltender Andrew Hammond has announced his retirement. He spent six seasons with the Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils from 2013-14 to 2021-22 with a record of 31 wins, 20 losses and 7 overtime losses. He had a career goals-against average of 2.56 and a .916 save percentage with four shutouts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hammond is best remembered for his 20-1-2 run with the Senators to carry the club into the 2015 playoffs. Best wishes to “The Hamburglar” in his future endeavors.