NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2025

by | May 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2025

The Panthers take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final, the Maple Leafs part ways with Brendan Shanahan, the Blackhawks officially hire Jeff Blashill as head coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PANTHERS DOMINATE HURRICANES IN GAME 2 OF EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final by blanking the Carolina Hurricanes 5-0 in Game 2 of their best-of-seven series. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 17-save shutout while Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe each had three points. Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen gave up four goals on 16 shots and was replaced by Pyotr Kochetkov to start the third period.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have won six straight postseason games against Carolina, dating back to the 2023 Eastern Conference Final. The Hurricanes have lost a record 14 games in the Eastern Conference Final since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

It was a costly win for the Panthers. Scoring winger Sam Reinhart left the game in the first period favoring his right leg after being tripped up by Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho. Reinhart will be evaluated on Friday.

TSN: Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi was a healthy scratch, replaced by Mark Jankowski. Kotkaniemi has three assists in 11 games during this postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers controlled this contest from start to finish. They opened the scoring just 1:17 into the game, built it to 3-0 by the end of the first period, and squeezed the life out of the Hurricanes’ offense.

The Hurricanes made it easy for the Panthers. They were dominated so thoroughly that team captain Jordan Staal called it “an ass whooping”. It was an embarrassing effort on their part.

This series shifts to Florida for the next two games, with Game 3 on Saturday at 8 pm ET. The Hurricanes’ season will end soon if they don’t find a way to get back into this series.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs announced they would not re-sign team president Brendan Shanahan to a new contract. He’d been in the role since 2014-15.

Earlier this week, Shanahan was granted permission to speak to the New York Islanders, who seek a new team president after parting ways with Lou Lamoriello last month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It is the end of an era for the Leafs. The next significant change could be on their roster when Mitch Marner can depart as a free agent on July 1. John Tavares is also a UFA this summer, but he could be re-signed to a shorter deal with a considerable pay cut from his current average annual value of $11 million.

Shanahan leaves behind a mixed legacy. During his tenure as Leafs president, the club rebuilt into a perennial playoff club, reaching the postseason in nine straight seasons since 2016-17. They selected William Nylander in the 2014 NHL Draft, Marner in 2015, and Auston Matthews in 2016, who would form their “Core Four” forwards with Tavares. Six of the nine seasons in Leafs history when they reached the 100-point plateau occurred under Shanahan.

However, the Leafs only managed two playoff series victories during Shanahan’s tenure. Signing free agent Tavares to a seven-year, $77-million contract in 2018 hampered their efforts to properly build around the “Core Four”, leaving them with a top-heavy team that had no difficulty reaching the playoffs but lacked the depth necessary to win in the postseason.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: As expected, the Blackhawks formally announced Jeff Blashill will take over as their new head coach.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins are getting closer to finding their new head coach. They are expected to conduct their final in-person interviews with the candidates next week, with a decision coming soon afterward.

They’ve interviewed 15 candidates, including notables like former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft, Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love, former Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson, and Marco Sturm, the head coach of the AHL’s Ontario Reign.

The Bruins are not speaking with coaching candidates on clubs still active in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hopefully, this news mollifies those Bruins fans who’ve taken to the comments section on this site recently to complain about a perceived lack of urgency by their team in finding a new bench boss.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca will not return with the club. A source indicated Peca met with new head coach Mike Sullivan, and the two sides decided it was best he moved on. He’s reportedly going to join Jeff Blashill’s staff in Chicago.

TORONTO SUN: Denmark upset Canada 2-1 in the quarterfinal of the 2025 World Championship. Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets and Nick Olesen scored in the final 2:17 to send the star-studded Canadian squad packing. Denmark will face Switzerland in the semifinal, while the United States will meet Sweden.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A major upset by Denmark over a Canadian squad that may have taken their opponent too lightly. Nevertheless, this is good for international hockey. It shows that other countries continue to improve, which builds up the quality of the competition in these tournaments. This victory should also provide a big boost for Danish hockey, inspiring more of their citizens to take up the sport.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2025

by | May 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2025

The Panthers defeat the Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, the highlights of the Leafs and Jets end-of-season interviews, an update on the CBA talks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PANTHERS TAKE GAME 1 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves to backstop his club to a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist while Aaron Ekblad tallied the winning goal in the first period. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho cut the lead to 2-1, but the Panthers put the game out of reach on goals by A.J. Greer, Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Game 2 is in Raleigh on Thursday, May 22, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers only had a one-day break from eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday before facing the Hurricanes. Nevertheless, they opened the scoring, never relinquished the lead thanks partly to Bobrovsky’s solid goaltending, and made the most of their opportunities while adjusting to their new opponent.

The Hurricanes tried to get under Bobrovsky’s skin with frequent contact, but he shook it off and remained focused. Carolina captain Jordan Staal summed up the game by saying the Panthers capitalized on their scoring chances and the Hurricanes didn’t.

Florida’s Brad Marchand was tossed from the game in the third period for tussling with Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere after the latter appeared to shoot the puck intentionally at Marchand. The Panthers winger got a four-minute roughing minor and a 10-minute misconduct, while Gostisbehere received a minor for roughing.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Final between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers is on Wednesday, May 21, in Dallas at 8 pm ET.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Auston Matthews declined to disclose the specifics of an injury that plagued him throughout this season during the Toronto Maple Leafs’ end-of-season media availability. Matthews said he suffered the injury during training camp and wouldn’t require surgery, saying he believes he’ll be fully healthy next season.

Mitch Marner’s return to the Leafs remains in doubt. The 28-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He said he’ll talk with his wife in the coming weeks about his next steps. Marner tried to put an optimistic spin on what playing in Toronto meant to him, but his voice seemed to be a mix of resignation and disappointment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have the latest Marner speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

John Tavares is also UFA-eligible on July 1. However, the 34-year-old center remains “very optimistic” that he’ll be back next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs head coach Craig Berube said he’d love to have Tavares and Marner return next season. He’ll likely get his wish with Tavares but not with Marner.

Max Pacioretty had a solid postseason with the Leafs, but seems to be considering retirement. Injuries have limited the 36-year-old winger to 37 regular-season and 11 postseason games with the Leafs.

Matthew Knies is slated to become a restricted free agent without arbitration rights on July 1. The 22-year-old winger could receive an offer sheet from a rival club, but he shot down that notion. “I want to be here, I want to play here, that’s all that really matters to me.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There has been recent speculation over which RFA players could get offer sheets this summer. That’s because of the rising salary cap and last summer’s successful signings of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg by the St. Louis Blues.

However, the player has to be receptive to signing an offer sheet. Knies doesn’t sound like he’s open to the idea.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz said he suffered a concussion in Game 1 of the second-round series against the Panthers. He missed Games 2 through 6, returning as a backup for Game 7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stolarz said he suffered the injury after being struck in the head by the forearm of Panthers center Sam Bennett. He didn’t believe there was any ill intent on Bennett’s part.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck believes the adjustments he made to his game may have resulted in a drop in his performance during the postseason.

Hellebuyck made the comments during his club’s end-of-season media availability. He struggled at times, getting pulled three times during their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. Hellebucyk admitted he overthought the game at times.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey suffered a strained knee ligament in Game 6 of their second-round series with the Dallas Stars. He admitted he would’ve been out for the rest of the playoffs had the Jets forced a Game 7. Morrissey indicated that he wouldn’t require surgery.

Jets blueliner Luke Schenn said he suffered a couple of cracked ribs during the second game of their first-round series with the Blues.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league and the NHL Players Association have made good progress in their current collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

According to Daly, the talks began last month and are well underway. He remains optimistic of a successful conclusion well before the September 2026 expiration of the current agreement.

Daly confirmed that future rules regarding the usage of long-term injury reserve have been a central part of the discussions, adding that there has been good progress in those talks. He also insisted the league isn’t looking to expand and hasn’t been soliciting bids, though there have been some conversations with various potential owners.

The deputy commissioner also indicated that there have been no discussions regarding a change to the playoff format.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what changes emerge in the next CBA, but it’s good news for fans (and those of us who cover the league) that a new agreement could be in place soon. We’ve enjoyed over 12 years of labor peace. Nobody wants another lockout.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed general manager Don Sweeney to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t surprising given the Bruins’ overall record under Sweeney. Nevertheless, the reaction seems mixed among the club’s followers, some of whom believe it’s time for a change in the front office.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat suffered a lower-body injury playing for Canada in the World Championships. He’s left the team early and returned to Long Island to meet with the Isles’ team doctors.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Nick Jensen underwent surgery on Monday for a lower-body ailment. There is no timeline for his recovery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2025

by | May 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2025

The Eastern Conference Final begins on Tuesday, the ongoing fallout from the Leafs’ second-round elimination, an update on Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The 2025 NHL Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers begins in Raleigh on Tuesday, May 20, at 8 pm ET.

TSN: The Hurricanes are pushing back against the perception that their style of play is “boring”.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (NHL Images).

“You read it everywhere now and you’re like, ‘OK, we play a high-paced, puck pressure game with a lot of shots,” said Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin. “So if people find that boring, then I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a boring game. I think it’s hard to play against.”

Slavin’s teammate, Seth Jarvis, also weighed in. “I feel if this was Toronto or a different team shutting teams down, they’d be getting praised out of this world.” Sebastian Aho, tied for the lead among Hurricanes scorers, said it came down to the hard work necessary to win hockey games.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Panthers don’t consider the Hurricanes’ style to be dull. “It’s really hard to play against these guys and they know it and we know it,” said Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. “It’s going to be a really fun, hard series. Looking forward to that.”

Barkov’s teammate, Matthew Tkachuk, called the Hurricanes “a great team” and felt the upcoming series would be “another great showdown” between the two clubs, calling them “a tough team to play against and they make it hard every game.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anyone who thinks Carolina plays dull hockey didn’t suffer through the Dead Puck Era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many games from that time remain a great cure for insomnia. I’m not kidding. I dozed off at times while watching the 2003 Stanley Cup Final.

The Hurricanes have had some exciting postseason series, especially against the Capitals in 2019 and the Bruins and Rangers in 2022. The quality of their opponents in this postseason thus far might give some fans the perception that they’re boring. Their upcoming tilt with the Panthers should be entertaining.

TORONTO STAR: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice cautioned the Toronto media not to be too harsh on the Maple Leafs following their second-round elimination to Florida on Sunday. Panthers winger Brad Marchand said the Leafs didn’t deserve to be “crucified” by critics, claiming the pressure from Toronto fans is beaten into the team.

SPORTSNET: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk was sympathetic toward the Leafs players because of the pressure they face in Toronto. “Sometimes you feel bad for them because they have some unbelievable players and a great team,” said Tkachuk. “I was actually saying this the other night to some of the guys. If this team was not in Toronto, dealing with all the crazy circus stuff outside of it, they’d be an unbelievable team and such a hard team to play.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto is a hockey-mad market, and their fan base is desperate for the club’s 58-year Stanley Cup drought to end. However, playing in another market wouldn’t detract from the fact that this version of the Leafs is top-heavy, with too much money invested in a handful of players, leaving little to address the depth issues throughout its roster. It’s doubtful they’d be more successful in another market.

Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin and Frank Seravalli point out that Toronto isn’t the only pressure-cooker market, but stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers rise to the occasion.

Rick Vaive was a high-profile player for the Leafs in the 1980s when the franchise was not very good. He pointed out that there was nowhere to hide from the media back then and the players always had to be accountable. Vaive believes some players, like Mitch Marner, aren’t cut out to handle it and might benefit from a change of scenery.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins benefited from the outcome of the Toronto-Florida series. The conditional second-round pick in 2027 they received from the Panthers in the Brad Marchand trade became a first-rounder because the Panthers won two playoff series and the 37-year-old winger played in at least half of their postseason games.

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited sources saying Rick Tocchet passed on becoming the Bruins’ head coach because of general manager Don Sweeney’s status with the club and Sweeney’s track record with Bruins coaches. Tocchet signed on with the Philadelphia Flyers last week as their new coach.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm skated with his teammates on Monday in his first full practice since suffering a suspected groin pull weeks ago. He could return to the lineup for Game 5 of their upcoming Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Alex Alexeyev was arrested for public intoxication in Clarendon, Virginia, on Saturday. He was booked at Arlington County jail and later released.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2025

by | May 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2025

The Hurricanes advance to the Eastern Conference Final while the Jets stave off elimination by the Stars. Check out the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes are heading to the Eastern Conference Final for the third time in seven years. They eliminated the Washington Capitals with a 3-1 victory in Game 5 of their second-round series.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov (NHL Images).

Andrei Svechnikov tallied the winning goal with 1:59 remaining in the third period. Jordan Staal and Seth Jarvis also scored for the Hurricanes. Anthony Beauvillier replied for the Capitals.

The Hurricanes await the winner of the Toronto Maple Leafs-Florida Panthers series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved series victory by the Hurricanes. They did a terrific job neutralizing the Capitals’ offense, scoring with the man advantage, and killing off penalties.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Capitals after finishing first overall in the Eastern Conference this season. Goaltender Logan Thompson was solid throughout this series, but his efforts couldn’t compensate for his teammates’ inability to score against the Hurricanes.

After the game, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery praised Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin’s performance in this series. “How he’s not in the Norris Trophy conversation every single year, it doesn’t seem right”, said Carbery. “Obviously, the guys that are there are tremendous players in their own right, but he’s one heck of a player.”

This game saw the debut of Hurricanes rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who replaced a sidelined Jalen Chatfield. The 23-year-old saw 10:33 minutes of ice time skating on their third line.

The Winnipeg Jets avoided elimination from their second-round series by blanking the Dallas Stars 4-0 in Game 5.

Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for the shutout, Mark Scheifele scored what proved to be the game-winner, and Nikolaj Ehlers tallied twice for the Jets, who trail Dallas three games to two.

Jake Oettinger stopped 31 shots for the Stars while team captain Jamie Benn received a 10-minute misconduct late in the third period for sucker-punching Scheifele.

The series returns to Dallas for Game 6 on Saturday, May 17, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ previous win in this series was also a 4-0 shutout. They’ll need a similar effort on Saturday if they hope to return to Winnipeg for the seventh and deciding game. The Jets haven’t won a road game in this postseason.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin dismissed speculation suggesting team captain Quinn Hughes had a hand in the promotion of Adam Foote as their new head coach.

Foote has been close with Hughes during his role as assistant GM, but he stated that his relationship with the captain is no different than those he has with the rest of the players.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings general manager Ken Holland said Jim Hiller will return as the club’s head coach next season. His remarks came during his introductory press conference as their new GM, quelling speculation that he might seek a new bench boss.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube isn’t optimistic that sidelined goaltender Anthony Stolarz will return for Game 6 against the Florida Panthers on Friday. Stolarz has been sidelined with a suspected concussion since Game 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Even if Stolarz were good to go, he wouldn’t be enough to save the Leafs if his teammates have another uninspired, disgraceful effort as they did in Game 5.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks announced the addition of their Hall of Fame as part of commemorating their 100th anniversary. They will induct two players each year as voted by the fans.

The nine players with their numbers retired and hanging in the rafters are automatic inductees. They are Glenn Hall, Keith Magnuson, Pierre Pilote, Chris Chelios, Bobby Hull, Denis Savard, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito and Marian Hossa.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Blackhawks, winger Teuvo Teravainen tied the IIHF World Championship record with six assists in one game in Finland’s 9-1 win over Slovenia.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators have opened contract extension talks with Claude Giroux. They also hired former NHL player Sam Gagner as director of player development.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux is UFA-eligible on July 1. The 37-year-old forward is completing a three-year deal with an average annual value of $6.5 million. It’s expected he could get a one-year contract with an AAV between $3 million and $4 million.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Interim coach Brad Shaw reportedly won’t be returning to the Flyers coaching staff.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning have signed a contract with Scripps Sports to broadcast their games locally over the air, meaning any viewer with a TV and an antenna can watch the games for free.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: How very retro. I’m so old, I remember when that was the usual way of watching hockey games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 15, 2025

by | May 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 15, 2025

The Oilers advance to the Western Conference Final, the Panthers push the Maple Leafs to the brink of elimination, the Flyers hire Rick Tocchet as their new coach, the Canucks promote Adam Foote as their new bench boss, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers are heading to the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 1-0 in Game 5 of their second-round series.

Edmonton Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen (NHL Images).

Kasperi Kapanen scored in overtime, and Stuart Skinner turned in 24 saves for his second straight shutout as the Oilers took the series four games to one. Adin Hill made 31 saves for the Golden Knights, who played without sidelined captain Mark Stone for the first time in a postseason game since he joined the team in 2019.

The Oilers await the winner of the Winnipeg Jets-Dallas Stars series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Kapanen’s second game in this postseason, but he scored the biggest goal of his career, becoming the seventh player in Oilers history to score a series-clinching overtime goal.

Kapanen is another example of the Oilers’ depth making the difference in this postseason. The bulk of their offense still comes from Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, but they’re also getting production from Connor Brown, Vasily Podkolzin, and veterans like Adam Henrique, Viktor Arvidsson, Corey Perry and a healthy Evander Kane.

Meanwhile, their defensive game continues to improve as the playoffs continue. They’ll get a boost with sidelined defenseman Mattias Ekholm and backup goalie Calvin Pickard expected to be ready for the Conference Final.

Skinner’s critics are quieter after his back-to-back shutout performance, joining Cam Talbot and Curtis Joseph among Oilers goalies to accomplish that feat in the postseason. He’s also the fifth in franchise history to post a series-clinching shutout, joining Joseph, Bill Ranford, Dwayne Roloson, and Mike Smith.

The Florida Panthers are on the verge of advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the third straight year after crushing the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 5 of their second-round series.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves, Dmitry Kulikov tallied the game-winning goal, and Aaron Ekblad and Jesper Boqvist each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who’ve taken a 3-2 series lead. Nick Robertson scored for the Leafs, who pulled starting goalie Joseph Woll after he gave up five goals on 25 shots.

Florida can wrap this series up on home ice in Game 6 on Friday, May 16, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers deserve full marks for their superb performance in this game, but the Maple Leafs made it easy for them with a lifeless effort that had the Toronto crowd booing them off the ice following the second period. Some of their fans tossed their Leafs jerseys on the ice in disgust during the final period.

Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues missed this game with an undisclosed injury. Boqvist took his place.

This was the Leafs’ third straight loss after taking a 2-0 lead over the Panthers in this series. Another pathetic effort like that in Game 6 on Friday, and the Leafs will be booking tee-times on Saturday.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers will make Rick Tocchet their 25th coach in franchise history. He will reportedly receive a five-year, $25 million contract. Tocchet won the Jack Adams Trophy last season with the Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here, Tocchet was considered the favorite for this job. He should work well with the younger players on the rebuilding Flyers.

Speaking of the young Flyers, Matvei Michkov was involved in a single-car accident while vacationing in Dubai. He rented the car but was not the driver. There were no injuries, and there was no alcohol or drugs involved.

Michkov and his friend had their passports illegally taken away by the car rental company and were reportedly extorted for $100K to avoid having details of the accident leaked to the media.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks promoted assistant coach Adam Foote as their new head coach, taking over from the departed Rick Tocchet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Manny Malhotra appeared to be the favorite because of his success with their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford this season. However, Foote was praised by team captain Quinn Hughes earlier this season, which may have factored into his promotion.

The Canucks also signed prospect defenseman Tom Willander to an entry-level contract. Willander, 20, completed his sophomore season with Boston University. He was selected 11th overall by the Canucks in the 2023 NHL Draft.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars is poised to take the crown of the USA’s top goaltender away from the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck. While the former is poised to win his third Vezina Trophy, the latter has a better playoff record and is on the verge of eliminating Hellebuyck and his teammates from the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck is one of the best regular-season goalies in the league, but he struggles mightily during the playoffs. He’ll need to have the best game of his career if the Jets hope to avoid elimination tonight by the Stars.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Hurricanes’ superior depth has made the difference in their second-round series against the Washington Capitals.

Meanwhile, the Capitals had Connor McMichael replacing Lars Eller centering their third line during practice on Wednesday. Eller is expected to be a healthy scratch from Game 5 on Thursday.

PUCKPEDIA: It doesn’t appear that the Ottawa Senators have forfeited their 2025 first-round pick. They had 24 hours following the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery to forfeit the pick as part of the punishment handed down by the league for their role in a trade being invalidated in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators were given the choice of forfeiting their 2024, 2025 or 2026 pick.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2025

by | May 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2025

The Stars push the Jets to the brink of elimination, the league suspends Panthers minority owner Doug Cifu, and the latest on the Oilers, Leafs, Capitals and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A hat trick by Mikael Granlund gave the Dallas Stars a 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 of their best-of-seven second-round series, pushing the Jets to the brink of elimination.

San Jose Sharks forward Mikael Granlund (NHL Images).

Jake Oettinger made 31 saves for the Stars, who hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets, who got 21 saves from Connor Hellebuyck.

The Stars can wrap up this series in Game 5 in Winnipeg on Thursday, May 15, at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That hat trick was Granlund’s first in the postseason. His last regular-season hat trick was in 2017. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen returned to action after being sidelined by a knee injury since late January. He assisted on Granlund’s second goal, which proved to be the game-winner.

The Jets played their best road game of the postseason, generating 70 shot attempts, but they could only put one goal past Oettinger, who made a big save on Kyle Connor before Granlund’s winning goal. Their special teams were a problem, giving up two power-play goals while failing to generate offense with the man advantage. The Jets have yet to win a road game in this postseason.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The league has suspended Panthers minority owner Doug Cifu indefinitely for “unacceptable and inappropriate” posts on the social media platform “X”, formerly Twitter.

Cifu made the posts in response to a comment from a Leafs fan. He has since deleted his “X” account and apologized. Cifu and will soon have an in-person meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz was on the ice taking shots during an optional skate on Tuesday. He’s been sidelined by a suspected concussion since Game 1 of their second-round series with the Panthers. Stolarz is improving, but he won’t be in the lineup for Game 5 on Wednesday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane has been a solid physical presence for his club in this postseason, netting seven points in nine games thus far. The 33-year-old winger missed the 2024-25 regular season recovering from abdominal, hip, and knee surgeries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane was a shadow of himself during last year’s postseason as he tried to play through his injuries. Now healthy, he’s been a factor for the Oilers, who are poised to reach the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years.

TSN: Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm could be ready to return to action if his club advances to the next series. The 34-year-old has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury since Apr. 11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getting Ekholm back for the Western Conference Final would provide a significant boost to the Oilers’ defense corps, but first, they must eliminate the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery is expected to shake up his roster before Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. The Capitals face elimination, down three games to one to the Hurricanes in their second-round series.

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings will formally announce Ken Holland as their new general manager on Thursday. Holland is the former GM of the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers.

RG.ORG: The San Jose Sharks are close to an agreement on a new contract with Shakir Mukhamadullin. The 23-year-old defenseman is coming off his entry-level contract and appeared in 30 games with the Sharks this season, finishing with nine points.

SPORTSNET: The new compensation rates for NHL offer sheets have been revealed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Click the link above to see the breakdown of those rates.