NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby injured, the Canucks re-sign Marcus Pettersson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A shorthanded third-period goal by Chris Kreider lifted the New York Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Mika Zibanejad collected two assists for the Rangers (56 points) as they picked up their second straight win to move within four points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored to collect 25 points over the past 12 games. However, his club remains just outside the Eastern wild card with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins held a 2-1 lead going into the third period but Vincent Trocheck tied it early in the frame, setting the stage for Kreider’s game-winner. Pastrnak’s doing the heavy lifting for the Bruins’ anemic offense. They’re sitting 25th overall with a 2.75 goals-per-game average.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored in overtime to nip the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Leon Draisaitl and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points for the Blackhawks.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl is making a strong case for the Hart Memorial Trophy. He continues to lead all goal scorers (38) and has surged ahead of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the points lead with 81. Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson left this game in the second period with an injured left leg. Head coach Anders Sorensen said Dickinson will be reevaluated on Thursday, adding “It doesn’t look good.”

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. Kevin Fiala tallied twice and Quinton Byfield collected three assists as the Kings sit third in the Pacific Division with 62 points. Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Logan Mailloux replied for the Canadiens, who’ve dropped six of the last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (55 points) remain five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with two games remaining before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

HEADLINES

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Crosby appeared to injure his left arm after colliding with Devils forward Erik Haula and defenseman Luke Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby missed practice yesterday, raising concerns about whether he can participate in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. He’s the captain of Team Canada in that tournament.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed Marcus Pettersson to a six-year contract extension on Wednesday. Acquired on Saturday from the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 28-year-old defenseman’s new deal is worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin knew Pettersson from their days with the Penguins, signing him to his current contract in 2020. They consider the lanky blueliner “a calming presence” on the Canucks blueline.

Pettersson receives a raise of about $1.5 million annually over the $4.083 million on his present deal. He might have received much more had he gone to market on July 1, especially with the salary cap jumping from $88 million to $95.5 million, but he opted for term security. Pettersson also gets a full no-movement clause in the first three years of the deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane set an NHL record during Tuesday’s 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. He scored his 53rd career shootout goal to become the league leader in that category, surpassing former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Jonathan Toews.

TSN: According to Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, center Dylan Cozens missed practice on Wednesday with a “lower-body aggravation”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no indication of how long Cozens will be sidelined, but Ruff didn’t indicate that it was serious. The young center has been the frequent topic of trade rumors this season. You can read the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association is appealing Ryan Hartman’s 10-game suspension. The Minnesota Wild center received that punishment from the NHL’s department of player safety for driving Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle’s head into the ice following a faceoff.

The Wild also claimed forward Vinnie Hinostroza off waivers from the Nashville Predators.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2025

Alex Ovechkin moves closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the Jets remain in sole possession of first overall, William Nylander’s hat trick lifts the Leafs to victory, and more from a busy Tuesday evening in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin moved closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record with an empty-net goal in the final second of the third period in a 6-3 win over the Florida Panthers. Logan Thompson made 30 saves and Nick Dowd had a goal and two assists for the Capitals, who lead the Eastern Conference with 77 points. Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who sit atop the Atlantic Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 878 regular-season goals, moving within 17 of breaking Gretzky’s record of 894. The Capitals extended their home points streak to 14 games. Meanwhile, Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk looks forward to a potential playoff matchup against the Ottawa Senators and his younger brother Brady.

The Winnipeg Jets picked up their seventh straight win by blanking the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Eric Comrie turned in a 29-save shutout while Nino Niederreiter had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who lead the overall standings with 79 points. The Hurricanes have dropped their second straight game and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander’s hat trick carried his club to a 6-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. Leafs captain Auston Matthews collected three assists as the Leafs moved within one point of the Panthers in the Atlantic Division. Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar each collected two assists for the Flames, who lost four of their last six contests and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs winger Mitch Marner missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 37th goal and Connor Brown tallied the winner in overtime for the Oilers, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 70 points. Jordan Kyrou and Colton Parayko replied for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl has 79 points, one back of league leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Blues defenseman Nick Leddy returned to action after missing 49 games with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Patrick Kane lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Seattle Kraken 5-4 to extend their win streak to seven games. Lucas Raymond scored his 21st goal of the season as the Wings hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 61 points. Shane Wright tallied twice for the Kraken.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped 25 shots to shut out the Colorado Avalanche 3-0. Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser and Drew O’Connor scored for the Canucks, who sit just behind the Flames for that final Western wild card with 59 points. Avalanche netminder Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 28 shots as his club holds the first Western wild-card berth with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks got the win without captain Quinn Hughes. He missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury suspected to be in his abdominal area.

The Tampa Bay Lightning held off the Ottawa Senators 4-3, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Third-period goals by Brandon Hagel and Ryan McDonagh secured the win for the Lightning as they’re clinging to the final Eastern wild card with 60 points. Linus Ullmark made 34 saves in his return to action as the Senators hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Ullmark’s first game since being sidelined by a back injury on Dec. 22. His teammate Shane Pinto left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury while Lightning forward Nick Paul departed in the same period with an undisclosed injury.

Boston Bruins goalies Jeremy Swayman kicked out 35 shots in a 3-0 shutout of the Minnesota Wild. Charlie McAvoy, Trent Frederic and Morgan Geekie tallied for the Bruins, who sit just behind the Lightning with 60 points. Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild activated defenseman Jonas Brodin from long-term injury reserve and forward Marcus Johansson from injured reserve for this game.

The New Jersey Devils got two goals from Jack Hughes to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in a shootout. Timo Meier scored the game-winner and Jesper Bratt collected two assists as the Devils (66 points) sit two points behind the Hurricanes in third place in the Metropolitan Division. Rickard Rakell and Kevin Hayes scored for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler left this game with an injured right leg in the first period. Following the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe said Siegenthaler is expected to miss some time.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson broke a 1-1 tie in the third period as his club defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Bo Horvat also scored and Ilya Sorokin made 34 saves for the Islanders, who sit three points behind the Lightning with 57 points. Brandon Saad scored his first goal for the Golden Knights since joining them as a free agent last week. They sit second in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson stopped 26 shots in a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Cutter Gauthier and Trevor Zegras scored for the Ducks, who’ve won five of their last six contests. Colin Blackwell replied for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson became the first goaltender to play 500 regular-season games for the Ducks. Before this game, the Stars announced that defenseman Miro Heiskanen underwent knee surgery on Tuesday and is listed as month-to-month. They also played without forward Mavrik Bourque as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their fourth straight win by beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Alex Tuch netted two goals and an assist and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres. Kent Johnson and Ivan Provorov scored for the Blue Jackets as they slipped out of a wild-card spot in the East with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-wracked Blue Jackets played without defenseman and scoring leader Zach Werenski, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Sabres were without center Tage Thompson, defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

A shorthanded goal by Joel Armia with 4:04 remaining in the third period gave the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Sam Montembeault made 27 saves while Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook each had two points for the Canadiens (55 points) as they’re five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Sharks forwards Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov set the KHL single-season scoring record for an under-20 player with 43 points. Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov held the former record of 42 points.

The Utah Hockey Club defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Dylan Guenther scored with one second remaining in overtime to finish with two goals and an assist. Mikhail Sergachev had a goal and two assists for Utah to end their five-game losing skid. Samuel Ersson made 39 saves for the Flyers, who’ve lost four straight.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson is day-to-day with an injured finger.

The Nashville Predators placed forward Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Adam Edstrom will miss the next six to 10 weeks with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2023

A milestone game for the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, the league and NHLPA investigate a breach in treatment protocol for Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki, and the Avalanche trade Tomas Tatar to the Kraken. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored two goals in a 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Jonathan Quick made 29 saves while Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox each picked up two assists for the Rangers (20-7-1) as they sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division and second overall in the Eastern Conference with 41 points. Lukas Dostal made 34 saves for the Ducks (10-19-0) as they’ve lost five straight games and nine of their last ten.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Kreider as he surpassed Adam Graves to move into third place among the Rangers’ all-time goalscoring leaders with 281. He also tied Graves for fourth on their all-time list for power-play goals (100) and surpassed the 500-point mark (501). He’s just seven points away from surpassing Graves for tenth place among the Blueshirts in total points.

The Boston Bruins defeated the New York Islanders 5-4 on a shootout goal by David Pastrnak, who also had a goal and an assist in regulation time. James van Riemsdyk and Morgan Geekie also each scored and collected an assist for the 19-5-4 Bruins, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 42 points. Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists while Mathew Barzal set up two goals for the Islanders (14-7-8), who sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders announced that defenseman Scott Mayfield (upper body) was placed on injured reserve before this game.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-2 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Casey Mittelstadt scored twice and collected an assist while Dylan Cozens had a goal and two assists for the 13-15-3 Sabres. Ivan Barbashev and Jack Eichel replied for the Golden Knights (20-6-5) as they held a three-point lead over the Bruins for first place in the overall standings with 45 points.

An overtime goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators over the Carolina Hurricanes 6-5. Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly each had a goal and two assists for the Predators (17-13-0), who’ve won three straight games and hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 34 points. Martin Necas and Stefan Noesen each had a goal and an assist for the 16-12-2 Hurricanes as they cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 34 points.

The Dallas Stars overcame a 4-2 deficit in a 5-4 win over the Ottawa Senators. Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist while Scott Wedgewood made 25 saves as the Stars improved to 17-8-3 and sit in second place in the Central Division with 37 points. Drake Batherson scored two goals and Jakob Chychrun picked up three assists for the 11-14-0 Senators, who have dropped seven of their last 10 games and remain mired in last place in the Eastern Conference with 11 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars goalie Jake Oettinger started this game but left just eight minutes into the first period with a lower-body injury. He will not be traveling with his team to St. Louis for Saturday’s game against the Blues.

Meanwhile, Senators winger Vladimir Tarasenko missed this game due to a family matter. Teammate Mathieu Joseph suffered a lower-body injury early in the first period and didn’t return.

Arizona Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram made 21 saves to shut out the San Jose Sharks 1-0. Mattias Maccelli scored for the Coyotes (14-13-2) as they regained the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 30 points. Kaapo Kahkonen turned aside 23 shots for the 9-18-3 Sharks.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli cited sources indicating the NHL and NHL Players Association are investigating a gap in treatment protocol as defenseman Juuso Valimaki was left in a Dallas hospital without care for hours last month after suffering a serious facial injury during a game against the Stars on Nov. 14.

According to Seravalli’s sources, Valimaki was dropped off at the emergency room and left to advocate for his own care with his wife Vilma (who was traveling with him during that road game) and a Coyotes employee. After initial observation, the overworked Dallas hospital told Valimaki to find a local hotel and return the next day as they were treating more critical incoming trauma patients.

Valimaki, however, required immediate treatment. With a bloodied face, a hole in his mouth, and internal bleeding, he was unable to function. Doctors later said he might have asphyxiated in his sleep on his blood had he gone to the hotel as instructed. Five hours later after the NHLPA stepped in, Valimaki received 55 stitches in his mouth to close the wound, which included a fractured bone and the loss of three teeth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli’s story indicates it was Valimaki’s wife who called the NHLPA after her husband spent an hour in the emergency room without care. It was two hours later when his face and wound were finally cleaned, another hour before he was admitted to the hospital for surgery to close the wound in his mouth and another 12 hours before he received surgery to repair the fractured bone in his mouth and realign his remaining teeth.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW/THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Avalanche traded winger Tomas Tatar on Friday to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tatar, 33, signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract this summer with the Avalanche. He struggled to mesh with his new club, tallying one goal and nine points in 27 games. The move frees up cap space for the Avalanche if they wish to make another move later in the season.

The Kraken, meanwhile, are struggling to score this season. Pressed for cap space, they hope Tatar (a former six-time 20-plus goal scorer) can regain his form in Seattle.

THE PROVINCE/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Vancouver Canucks traded forward Jack Studnicka to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Nick Cicek and a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In what could be a related move, the Sharks also placed forward Nico Sturm on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Sam Carchidi reports Flyers general manager Daniel Briere doesn’t intend to be a buyer before this season’s NHL trade deadline. While the club is exceeding expectations, Briere doesn’t intend to mortgage the future just to sneak into the playoffs.

Briere would love for the Flyers to reach the postseason. However, he still believes his club should stockpile draft picks rather than trade those assets for rental players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if Briere becomes a seller by the March 8 deadline if the Flyers are still holding a playoff berth by then. He could stand pat rather than shop his own pending unrestricted free agents such as Sean Walker and Nick Seeler.

Both defensemen have reportedly drawn lots of interest in the trade market. Briere could still move one or both by March 8 for the right offer.

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine is expected to miss six weeks as he recovers from a fractured clavicle suffered during Thursday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine has been plagued by injuries over the past three seasons. He’s recently surfaced in media trade conjecture though there’s no indication he wants to be moved or that the Blue Jackets are shopping him. If he was available in the trade market, his injury history would hurt his value.

CBS SPORTS: The Los Angeles Kings placed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (lower body) in injured reserve. He’s listed as week-to-week.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Kings, backup goalie Pheonix Copley left practice on Friday with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have reportedly called up David Rittich.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers to send him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2023

Spencer Knight to take part in the Panthers development camp, “Spittin’ Chiclets” hosts criticize Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello, the latest free-agent signings and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Spencer Knight’s road to returning to the Panthers next season will go through the club’s upcoming prospect development camp.

Knight, 22, missed the final months of the Panthers’ 2022-23 season after entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The three-year NHL veteran has been granted a special provision to take part in their prospect development camp to get in some on-ice work.

Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight (NHL Images).

Expected to join the Panthers for training camp in September, Knight will have to compete for the backup goaltender spot with recently-signed Anthony Stolarz. His new three-year contract ($4.5 million average annual value) began on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knight was considered Panthers starter Sergei Bobrovsky’s successor but struggled last season before going into the player assistance program. While his contract suggests he’s got the backup job locked up, he’ll still have to outperform Stolarz in training camp and preseason play.

NEW YORK POST: “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast hosts Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney are not fans of the offseason moves made by New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello.

I think the Islanders are going to be f**king horrible,” said Whitney. Bissonnette, meanwhile, was critical of Lamoriello bringing back Semyon Varlamov, Scott Mayfield and Pierre Engvall on long-term contracts.

He has checked the f**k out,” said Bissonette of Lamoriello. “The Islanders are going to get relegated this season, that’s how bad they’re going to be.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What say you, Islanders fans? Do you agree or disagree with BizNasty and Whitney? Let us know in the comments below.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Seattle Kraken avoided arbitration with Will Borgen by signing the 26-year-old defenseman to a two-year, $5.4 million contract with an average annual value of $2.7 million. They also signed unrestricted free-agent forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare to a one-year, $775K contract.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed UFA forward Andreas Johnsson to a one-year, $800K contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins president of hockey ops Kyle Dubas knows Johnsson well. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for three seasons, two of those during Dubas’ tenure as their general manager.

Speaking of the Penguins, they signed UFA forward Vinnie Hinostroza to a one-year, $775K contract.

SPORTSNET: Adam Vingan looked at four of the best remaining bargain in this summer’s UFA market.

Winger Tomas Tatar topped the list following his 20-goal performance last season with the New Jersey Devils. He’s followed by former Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina, whose contract was terminated earlier this week.

Center Pius Suter and defenseman Caleb Jones round out Vingan’s list.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Stanley Cup has been engraved with 52 names of the Vegas Golden Knights 2022-23 championship roster. Twenty-six are players with the rest being ownership, coaches, trainers and management.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2023

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos tallies his 500th goal, Erik Karlsson leads the Sharks to an upset win over the Stars, the Canadiens hope to re-sign Cole Caufield to a long-term contract, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored his 500th career goal with a hat-trick performance in a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (29-13-1, 59 points), who sit two points behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes each had two points for the Canucks as they slipped to 18-23-3 on the season.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos also reached the 20-goal plateau for the 13th time in his 15-season NHL career. He’s the third active player to score 500 career goals, joining Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (810) and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (538).

The San Jose Sharks overcame a 3-0 deficit to upset the Dallas Stars 5-3. Erik Karlsson led the way for the Sharks (14-23-9) with a goal and three assists while James Reimer made 33 saves. Jason Robertson scored his 30th goal of the season for the Stars (26-13-7) as they remain stuck in second place in the Central Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson also set a Stars record by becoming the fastest Dallas player to reach 30 goals in a season (46 games), breaking Mike Modano’s previous record of 30 in 48 games in 1993-94.

The league-leading Boston Bruins (35-5-4) picked up their third straight victory with a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders. Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist while Linus Ullmark kicked out 25 shots for the Bruins. With 74 points, they hold a 12-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the overall standings. The Islanders dropped to 23-19-4 (50 points) to sit one point back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of the Penguins, they dropped a 5-4 decision to the Ottawa Senators on an overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk, who finished the night with four points. Thomas Chabot collected three assists as the Senators improved to 20-21-3. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had three-point performances for the 22-15-7 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins recently moved defenseman Kris Letang to injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 28. Meanwhile, the Senators placed blueliner Artem Zub (lower body) on IR.

Colorado Avalanche forwards Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen each scored twice to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists for the fourth straight game while Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 34 shots as the Avalanche (23-17-3, 49 points) move to within two points of the Flames (21-16-9, 51 points) for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played this game without defenseman Cale Makar, who is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Avs blueliners Erik Johnson skated in his 900th career NHL game.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said his club hopes to sign Cole Caufield to a long-term contract during his midseason state-of-the-franchise press conference on Wednesday. The 22-year-old sophomore winger leads the Canadiens with 26 goals in 45 games this season. He’s in the final season of his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield is going to get a significant pay raise. It’s just a question of how much his average annual value will be.

The Canadiens could prefer signing Caufield to between $7.5 million and $8 million annually to keep his salary within range of linemate Nick Suzuki’s $7.875 million AAV. Caufield’s agent, however, could seek between $9 million and $10 million annually, especially if the young winger reaches 50 goals this season.

TSN: The Canadiens also announced rookie winger Juraj Slavkovsky has been sidelined for three months with a lower-body injury that won’t require surgery. Forward Jake Evans (lower body) will miss eight to 10 weeks.

Forwards Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia are both out until the All-Star break with upper-body injuries. Meanwhile, goaltender Jake Allen (upper body) will be sidelined for at least a week.

TSN: The Buffalo Sabres placed forward Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers. The Nashville Predators also placed forward Mike McCarron on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres had been trying to trade Hinostroza. McCarron recently received clearance to return to action after completing a stint in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings acquired center Jasper Weatherby from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Kyle Criscuolo. Weatherby, 24, played 50 games with the Sharks last season.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 18, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 18, 2023

The Hurricanes are linked to Bo Horvat and the Bruins to Luke Schenn, more speculation about the Jets’ Pierre-Luc Dubois joining the Canadiens plus the latest on the Blue Jackets, Wild and Sabres in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Vancouver Canucks have been in contact with pretty much every contender regarding their captain Bo Horvat. One of those clubs is the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Canucks are said to be seeking a young center as part of a multi-asset return for Horvat. That’s too steep for Carolina at this point, who won’t part with Martin Necas. LeBrun pointed out that the Hurricanes usually don’t spend high on rental players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes need a reliable second-line center if they hope to win the Stanley Cup this season. They have other options to choose from to address that need if the Canucks’ asking price for Horvat remains high. Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly, and Montreal’s Sean Monahan could also be available.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss cited LeBrun’s recent column in The Athletic reporting the Bruins have called the Canucks to inquire about Luke Schenn. Like Horvat, the 33-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun suggested the Bruins’ interest in Schenn may be exploratory at this point. He carries an affordable $850K cap hit and has considerable playoff experience as a shutdown blueliner, which would make him enticing for a cap-strapped club like the Bruins.

MORE SPECULATION TYING DUBOIS TO THE CANADIENS

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels wondered if Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois’ next game in Montreal following Tuesday’s game will be with the Canadiens. The 25-year-old center is a restricted free agent this summer. Engels suggests the possibility of him suiting up with the Habs remains a possibility as long as he remains noncommittal about a long-term deal with the Jets.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

The Canadiens attempted to acquire Dubois from Columbus before he was shipped to Winnipeg in 2021. Last summer, his agent created waves when he mentioned that Montreal was a city his client might like to play in one day.

On Monday, Dubois told the Montreal media he was relaunching his takeover of Vincent Lecavalier’s charity to help underprivileged children in Rimouski, where the Jets forward grew up. He indicated that playing for the Canadiens one day wasn’t what he was thinking about when he started this philanthropic effort.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois once again downplayed the notion of joining the Canadiens. Meanwhile, Jets coach Rick Bowness sang his praises and said he’d do all he could to convince the center to stay in Winnipeg.

The Jets hoped to sign Dubois last summer to a long-term deal but he preferred a one-year extension. If he opts for a similar deal this summer, they could put him on the trade block as he’ll be a year away from UFA eligibility. Whether the rebuilding Canadiens would meet the expensive asking price to acquire him from the Jets is another matter.

UPDATE ON THE BLUE JACKETS

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger recently reported that Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen could receive plenty of phone calls leading up to the March 3 trade deadline.

The Jackets have three potential rental players to offer up in pending UFAs like Vladislav Gavrikov, winger Gustav Nyquist and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Hedger also speculated that other clubs could target players such as Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic.

TSN: LeBrun reported the Blue Jackets will seek more than a first-round pick for Vladislav Gavrikov. He pointed out that they got a first- and a third-rounder for David Savard at the 2021 trade deadline. LeBrun also indicated the Blue Jackets still hope to re-sign Gavrikov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teams can ask about Laine but I don’t see the Jackets moving him. Roslovic, however, is another story. He’s had a disappointing performance this season and has a year remaining on his contract with a $4 million cap hit. Perhaps they’d consider shipping him elsewhere for the right offer.

WILL THE WILD BECOME BUYERS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith reports the Minnesota Wild’s re-signing Matt Boldy to a seven-year, $49 million contract extension leaves them with just $9 million remaining of their $83 million salary-cap payroll for 2023-24. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson, defenseman Calen Addison and center Sam Steel are among their notable restricted free agents while their noteworthy UFAs include Matt Dumba and Frederick Gaudreau.

According to Smith, Dumba is playing his final season with the Wild. He also suggested winger Jordan Greenway could become a cost-cutting casualty if the club decides to shed some salary to re-sign other players for next season. Smith wondered if Addison might price himself out of Minnesota.

For this season, the Wild have the cap space to make additions at the trade deadline. GM Bill Guerin said how aggressive he’ll be in the trade market will depend on the club’s performance.

Smith claims Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat aren’t on the Wild’s radar. However, he wouldn’t be surprised if Guerin kicked tires on Chicago’s Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports a source informed him that the Penguins have had trade discussions with the Wild. The focus of those talks wasn’t readily available.

Kingerski suggested the Wild could help the Penguins free up some salary-cap room. Given the Pens’ depth in right-side defensemen, he doesn’t see them being interested in Dumba. The Wild could use some help at center plus they need left-side defensemen that can provide mobility and offense.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild have a projected $16.5 million in trade deadline cap space. I expect Guerin will be a buyer if his club is still in the thick of the playoff race.

With that much cap room heading toward March 3, it will be his best opportunity to add one or two rental players to bolster his club’s Stanley Cup hopes. It also wouldn’t surprise me if he tried to move a depth player under contract for next season to provide himself with some much-needed cap room for 2023-24.

SABRES SHOPPING HINOSTROZA

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn reports the Buffalo Sabres have been calling around trying to move winger Vinnie Hinostroza. He’s been scratched in 19 of the last 21 games. The Sabres are hoping to move him and his $1.7 million salary to free up a roster spot.