NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2025

by | Feb 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, uncertainty over future 4 Nations tournaments, updates on Matthew Tkachuk, Trevor Zegras suspended, the Ducks and Red Wings make a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

JETS DOWN THE SHARKS, KINGS RALLY OVER THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Mark Scheifele lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Josh Morrissey tied the game for the Jets in the third period after Sharks forward William Eklund opened the scoring in the first period. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 17 shots for the Jets, while Vitek Vanecek kicked out 33 for the Sharks.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele scored his franchise-record 329th regular-season goal, surpassing Ilya Kovalchuk. The Jets picked up their 10th straight win to regain first place in the overall standings with 85 points.

Meanwhile, San Jose is 0-4-1 in their last six games, with only one victory in 13 contests. Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield collected a career-high four assists as his club defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2. Trevor Moore tallied twice as the Kings scored four third-period goals. Brayden McNabb and Mark Stone replied for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights remain atop the Pacific Division with 74 points, while the Kings are third with 69 points.

HEADLINES

YAHOO! SPORTS: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told Rich Eisen that the league must consider where any future 4 Nations Face-Off tournament would fit into a busy schedule of international tournaments.

The league is riding high following the success of the 4 Nations tournament, which garnered millions of viewers. Bettman admitted the event’s success was “so quick and overwhelming”, saying they have a lot to consider and sort out, including what the All-Star Game will look like going forward.

Bettman said the 4 Nations was meant as a “quick appetizer” for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, followed by the return of the World Cup of Hockey in 2028 and every four years thereafter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be difficult for the NHL to return to its previous All-Star Game format. Fans want to see more meaningful best-on-best international play rather than a gloried no-contact game where the players are just going through the motions.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice insisted that sidelined winger Matthew Tkachuk will play again this season, though he admitted he didn’t have a timeline for his return. Tkachuk suffered a lower-body injury playing for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off. TVA Sports Renaud Lavoie claimed the Panthers were concerned that Tkachuk’s season could be over as they awaited his medical results.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk appeared on The Tonight Show on Monday to discuss how much it meant to represent his country alongside his brother Brady.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Panthers, forward Eetu Luostarinen will miss Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators as he and his wife are expecting a child.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety handed down a three-game suspension to Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras for interference on Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen on Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras leveled Rasmussen with a blindside hit to the head. The latter left the game and is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings made a trade on Monday, shipping goaltender Ville Husso to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. The 30-year-old Husso is in the final season of a three-year contract with an average annual value of $4.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report suggested that the future considerations could be the Red Wings eating part of Husso’s cap hit, but PuckPedia shows no indication of salary retention on their part. This trade frees up cap room for the Wings to add a player or two by the March 7 trade deadline.

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports this move doesn’t mean the Ducks are planning to trade goalie John Gibson. He says it provides experienced depth to their AHL affiliate in San Diego as that club pushes for a playoff spot.

NHL.COM: League commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the suspension levied on Minnesota Wild center Ryan Hartman for roughing Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle on Feb. 1. However, he reduced the suspension from 10 games to eight, making Hartman eligible to return to action on March 4.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos is mired in the worst slump of his NHL career. He’s gone nine consecutive games without a point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos’ production this season is well below his usual standards. He has 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points in 56 games, well below last season’s 40-goal, 81-point performance.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens center Kirby Dach will miss Tuesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Legendary New York Rangers broadcaster Al Trautwig has died at the age of 68. He’d reportedly undergone recent treatments for an undisclosed form of cancer.

Trautwig hosted USA Network’s NHL coverage in the 1980s and on Versus Network for several seasons. He covered the Rangers on MSG Network from 1989 to 2021. He also covered MLB’s New York Yankees and the NBA’s New York Knicks. Trautwig won numerous broadcasting awards, including national Emmys and a New York Sportscaster of the Year Award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Trautwig’s family, friends, broadcast partners and the Rangers organization.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2025

by | Jan 6, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2025

Could the Senators shop for a goaltender or claim Kings winger Arthur Kaliyev off waivers? Should the Leafs trade prospect Easton Cowan? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST SENATORS SPECULATION

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Bruce Garrioch believes the Senators should be scouring the trade market for a goaltender with starter Linus Ullmark sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

Ullmark departed during the Senators’ 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 22. There is no timetable for his return. The Senators are currently using backup Anton Forsberg and call-up Leevi Merilainen.

Garrioch cited sources claiming the market for goaltenders isn’t great. Those who could be available include John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks, Cayden Primeau of the Montreal Canadiens, and James Reimer of the Buffalo Sabres.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade list. If the Ducks were willing to retain part of his salary he might not accept a trade to Ottawa. It’s rumored the seven Canadian teams are on his no-trade list.

Primeau passed unclaimed through waivers last week. The Sabres claimed Reimer off waivers from the Ducks in November and will likely hang onto him for insurance.

A source told Garrioch the Detroit Red Wings would be willing to move Ville Husso. However, he carries a $4.75 million cap hit and the Wings aren’t willing to retain salary.

Garrioch also wondered if the Senators might claim Arthur Kaliyev off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. He pointed out that general manager Steve Staios has a long history with the 23-year-old winger as they won the 2018 OHL championship with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll find out after the noon ET deadline on Monday. Kaliyev had a promising rookie season with the Kings in 2021-22 but struggled afterward to maintain a regular roster spot. He fractured his clavicle on Oct. 6 and only recently came off injured reserve.

SHOULD THE MAPLE LEAFS TRADE EASTON COWAN?

YARDBARKER: Nick Matthews of Maple Leafs Daily cited former Sportsnet personality Sid Seixeiro suggesting the Leafs should trade top prospect Easton Cowan following his disappointing performance for Canada at the 2025 World Juniors.

“Contrary to what a lot of folks are saying, (Cowan) still has a lot of value. But Toronto might have to cash that chip sooner rather than later.”

Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman doesn’t believe the Leafs should give up on Cowan because of a couple of bad weeks at the WJC.

“I see people saying, oh, they should trade him. Number one, his value will never be lower than it is now. “Number two, I think it’s bananas to give up on someone you really think highly of based on two bad weeks.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Friedman. The Leafs are already near the bottom third with their prospect pipeline. Cowan is among the few prospects they have with the skills to become an NHL player. They’re in win-now mode but must maintain an eye on the future.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2024

by | Dec 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2024

Recaps of Thursday’s games, Rangers GM Chris Drury meets with his team to clear the air following two recent trades, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust each had four points in a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators. Rust scored twice (including the winner in overtime) and Crosby snapped a 10-game goal drought as the Penguins (35 points) remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Filip Forsberg and Brady Skjei each had two points for the Predators, who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 25 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators placed captain Roman Josi on injured reserve and activated blueliner Jeremy Lauzon for this game. Josi is expected to be sidelined for at least one week.

Meanwhile, the Senators got an overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk to defeat the Calgary Flames 3-2. Goaltender Linus Ullmark turned aside 29 shots for his seventh straight win as the Senators have won five straight games. Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Flames (37 points) as they remain one point behind the Colorado Avalanche for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

The Avalanche netted three unanswered third-period goals to double up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Joel Kiviranta tallied the winning and insurance goals and Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves in his first game against his former club. Luke Kunin had two assists for the Sharks.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 40 shots to backstop his club over the New Jersey Devils 4-2, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Sean Monahan had two goals and an assist for the Jackets as they snapped a five-game losing skid. Luke Hughes and Timo Meier replied for the Devils, who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 45 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Jack Hughes fired a career-high 13 shots on Merzlikins, who robbed him of two sure goals with spectacular saves. That effort earned Hughes the praise of Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe, calling his effort “outstanding”.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala each tallied twice in a 7-3 romp over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Kings (42 points) have won eight of their last 10 games (8-1-1) and sit three points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. Tyson Foerster scored two goals and collected an assist for the slumping Flyers as they’ve dropped three straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers head coach John Tortorella made Cam York a healthy scratch, saying the 23-year-old defenseman has struggled in his last 12 games since returning from an upper-body injury on Nov. 23.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, William Karlsson snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period as they defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Brett Howden had a goal and an assist as Vegas has won six of their last seven contests. Teddy Blueger replied for the Canucks, who’ve won two of their last seven games (2-3-2).

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Boston Bruins 3-2 on an overtime goal by Mattias Ekholm. Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid scored in the third period to set the stage for Ekholm’s heroics in OT as the Oilers have won six of their last seven games and 10 of their last 13. Elias Lindholm and Mark Kastelic tallied for the Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 38 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed forward Tyler Johnson on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. The 34-year-old center signed a one-year contract on Nov. 3 but appeared in nine games, collecting two points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his points streak to nine games in a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 shots and Gage Goncalves tallied his first NHL goal as the Lightning won their fourth straight game. Pavel Buchnevich replied for the Blues as they’ve dropped four of their last five (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning played without defenseman J.J. Moser as he’ll be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks with a lower-body injury. An illness forced Blues rearguard Philip Broberg to be sidelined for this game.

The Chicago Blackhawks picked up their third straight win by downing the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Ilya Mikheyev scored twice and Nolan Allan got his first-ever NHL goal. Ryker Evans replied for the Kraken.

HEADLINES

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL holiday roster freeze is in effect from Dec.20 to 12:01 am on Dec. 28.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury addressed the entire team for the first time before their practice on Thursday. Afterward, the club engaged in a fun, energetic session that concluded with a full-team shootout game.

Following practice, Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck met with the media to deny a report claiming a recent players-only meeting was to criticize Drury. “That could not be further from the truth,” he said. “When we have closed-door meetings in here, it’s about us. It’s about what we can do.”

The Rangers have been the hot topic of speculation among pundits and fans in recent weeks following their slide in the standings and Drury’s league-wide memo last month indicating he was willing to entertain trade offers for certain players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jacob Trouba was on Drury’s list and was shipped to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6. Winger Kaapo Kakko was traded to Seattle on Wednesday but it’s not known if he was also on that list.

The report indicated a lighthearted mood among the players during practice following their meeting with Drury. Whether this marks the moment the Rangers snap out of their funk remains to be seen.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders placed goaltender Semyon Varlamov on long-term injury reserve, potentially clearing the way for sidelined winger Anthony Duclair’s return on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: Buffalo Sabres winger Jordan Greenway will be sidelined long-term following surgery for a middle-body injury. There is no timetable for his return but head coach Lindy Ruff expects he’ll be back later this season.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings sent goaltender Ville Husso to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. The move suggests sidelined netminder Cam Talbot will soon return to action.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild placed forward Yakov Trenin (upper body) on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 14, 2024

by | Oct 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 14, 2024

The Jets, Stars, Flames and Golden Knights pick up their third straight wins to open the season. Check out the details and the latest injury updates, waiver news and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Kyle Connor lifted the Winnipeg Jets past the Minnesota Wild 2-1. Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist and Connor Hellebucyk made 26 saves for the win. Jake Middleton scored for the Wild while Filip Gustavsson stopped 33 shots.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are 3-0-0 partly because of Scheifele’s red-hot offensive play. He’s second in goals with four and points with six among all NHL skaters.

The Wild played without center Joel Eriksson Ek (broken nose) and defenseman Jared Spurgeon (lower-body injury). They also face a logjam in goal with Gustavsson, Marc-Andre Fleury and Jesper Wallstedt. That could result in Wallstedt bouncing between the Wild and their AHL affiliate for salary-cap reasons because he’s waiver-exempt this season.

The Dallas Stars picked up their third straight win by blanking the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Casey DeSmith turned in a 25-save shutout in his debut with the Stars while Sam Steel and Wyatt Johnston were the goal scorers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Matt Dumba missed this game with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Dan Vladar turned aside 25 shots while Anthony Mantha now has four points in his first three games with a goal in this contest. Jeff Skinner scored his first with the Oilers, who are still seeking their first win of the season. They had back-to-back goals called back for goaltender interference and offside.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers remain out of sorts to start the season. They’re struggling partly due to the offseason departures of depth players Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, Vincent Desharnais and Cody Ceci, who all played crucial roles in their march to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

One would expect the Flames to struggle this season after trading away key veterans like Jacob Markstrom, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Elias Lindholm, Andrew Mangipane and Nikita Zadorov throughout 2023-24. During training camp, center Nazem Kadri boldly stated his team would surprise folks this season. They’re doing just that thus far with a 3-0-0 start.

The Vegas Golden Knights are 3-0-0 after downing the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Tomas Hertl snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves in his debut with the Golden Knights. Troy Terry replied for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel collected an assist to sit atop the league’s scoring leaders with seven points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

STLTODAY.COM: Jordan Binnington holds the Blues franchise record for goalies with four season-opening wins. He’s also closing in on some other Blues goaltending milestones.

Binnington is tied with Curtis Joseph for third in games played and for second in starts with 275. With 146 wins, he’s two behind Jake Allen for second place and five away from career leader Mike Liut. He also needs 455 more saves to pass Joseph for second all-time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hockey-Reference shows Binnington now in sole possession of third place for games played by a Blues goalie with 282.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Detroit Red Wings placed goaltender Ville Husso on waivers. The Montreal Canadiens did the same with forward Alex Barre-Boulet.

CBS SPORTS: Red Wings forward Christian Fischer will miss Monday’s game against the New York Rangers with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres announced that the 2024-25 inductee into their Hall of Fame is former player and broadcaster Rob Ray. He spent 14 seasons and 889 regular-season games with the Sabres. He’s been part of their broadcast team since 2003-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Ray on receiving this honor. During his 16 NHL seasons with the Sabres and Ottawa Senators, he was a popular enforcer, amassing 3,207 PIMs in 900 total NHL regular-season games.

YARDBARKER: Former NHL forward Riley Sheahan announced his retirement at age 32. Sheahan spent 12 seasons in the NHL with the Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, Oilers, Sabres and Kraken, amassing 74 goals and 120 assists for 194 points in 637 regular-season games and seven points in 33 playoff contests.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 3, 2024

by | Jul 3, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 3, 2024

The top remaining UFAs plus the latest on the Oilers, Islanders, Predators, and Red Wings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TOP REMAINING UFAS

DAILY FACEOFF: Forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and James van Riemsdyk lead the list of the top players still available in the unrestricted free-agent market. The other notables are Ryan Suter, Tyson Barrie, Tyler Johnson and Max Pacioretty.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I indicated yesterday, most notable UFA players are past their prime.

Winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

A handful will likely sign cheap, one-year contracts in the coming days. Many will be forced to earn new contracts on professional tryout offers during training camp in September.

Some will face the reality that their NHL careers are over, though they will probably continue their playing days in Europe.

OILERS FACING COST-CUTTING MOVES

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Nugent-Bowman believes the Edmonton Oilers must find a way to shed salary. They’re sitting $2.5 million over the $88 million salary cap with restricted free agents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to re-sign. Teams can exceed the salary cap during the offseason but must be cap-compliant when the regular season begins.

Nugent-Bowman suggested winger Evander Kane ($5.125 million average annual value), defenseman Cody Ceci ($3.25 million), blueliner Brett Kulak ($2.75 million) and forward Ryan McLeod ($2.1 million) as trade candidates. Kane, however, carries a full no-movement clause until March 1, when it becomes a partial no-trade clause.

THE EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited TSN’s Darren Dreger also indicating that the Oilers must cut costs, suggesting Ceci, McLeod or Kane as trade candidates.

TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported on July 1 that Kane had not been asked to waive his NMC at any point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s not going anywhere. As Nugent-Bowman pointed out, he holds all the cards with his NMC. That means Ceci, Kulak or McLeod could be traded before the Oilers’ season opener in October.

ARE MORE MOVES COMING FOR THE ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears noted the Islanders’ recent foray into the free-agent market by signing winger Anthony Declair. With limited salary-cap space, any additional efforts to bolster their offense must come in a trade market with few suitable options.

Sears noted the trade rumors still swirling about Winnipeg Jets wingers Nikolaj Ehlers and Rutger McGroarty, suggesting they would fill the Islanders’ needs. However, the Jets are in no rush to move either player. Ehlers is signed through next season and the Jets still control McGroarty’s rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers carries an average annual value of $6 million for 2024-25. It’ll have to be dollar-in, dollar-out to pull that off. McGroarty must sign an entry-level contract if the Isles acquire him. The Jets will want at least a first-round pick for their top prospect.

PREDATORS ARE NOT DONE MAKING ROSTER CHANGES

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reports Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz isn’t done making moves after adding Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei to his roster via free agency.

Trotz told the media on Monday that he’s looking at moving at least one player. They’re sitting over the $88 million cap by $179K and must be cap-compliant when their season opens in October.

Daugherty suggests Cody Glass as a trade candidate. The 25-year-old forward carries a $2.5 million cap hit and is now the club’s 13th forward. He was a healthy scratch during their playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks.

Defenseman Dante Fabbro, 26, could be another. He also carries a $2.5 million cap hit and was a healthy scratch in three of their six games against the Canucks.

Moving both players would create sufficient space to operate during the season while leaving room for roster call-ups as required.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz has the entire offseason and training camp to make these moves. Glass and Fabbro could be skating with other clubs by October.

COULD THE RED WINGS TRADE A GOALIE?

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen wonders if the Red Wings intend to shop a goaltender after signing Cam Talbot and Jack Campbell on Monday. The move leaves them with four netminders as Talbot and Campbel join Alex Lyon and Ville Husso.

Allen wondered if they could attempt to move Husso. He thinks that’s unlikely unless they retain part of his $4.75 million cap hit.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2024

by | Apr 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2024

The Golden Knights clinch the final Western Conference playoff berth, Filip Forsberg sets the Predators’ single-season goals record, the Coyotes players are told the team is moving to Utah, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights (43-28-8) clinched the final playoff spot in the Western Conference by defeating the Minnesota Wild 7-2. Tomas Hertl scored his first goal with the Golden Knights, Jack Eichel tallied his 30th goal of the season and Chandler Stephenson collected four assists. With 94 points, the Golden Knights hold the final Western wildcard berth. Wild forward Ryan Hartman netted his 20th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jonathan Marchessault scored his 42nd of the season, putting him within one goal of William Karlsson’s franchise single-season record of 43. Meanwhile, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone joined his teammates in practice earlier in the day wearing a non-contact jersey. He’s been sidelined since Feb. 20 with a lacerated spleen. There remains no official word as to when he’ll return to action.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg tallied a hat trick in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg now holds the single-season goal record (46) for the Predators (46-29-5), who sit three points ahead of the Golden Knights in the first Western wildcard. Philipp Kurashev replied for the Blackhawks.

An overtime goal by Matias Maccelli lifted the Arizona Coyotes over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Logan Cooley scored his 20th of the season while Josh Doan scored his fourth goal and has eight in his first nine games for the Coyotes. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid missed this game with a lower-body injury and is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers (48-24-6) sit ninth overall with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong reportedly told his players and staff that the franchise is moving to Utah for next season. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated there will be attempts to help those affected visit Salt Lake City.

According to GOPHNX’s Craig Morgan, the move could be officially announced following the Coyotes’ final game of the season on Apr. 17. However, Friedman’s sources believe that might not be possible because there is still lots of work to be done.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported his sources claim major issues still have to be resolved and the situation remains fluid.

The Carolina Hurricanes picked up their fourth straight win with a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues, eliminating the latter from postseason contention. Jake Guentzel scored twice for the 51-22-7 Hurricanes as they moved into second place in the overall standings with 109 points, one point behind the league-leading New York Rangers.

Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko scored a hat trick to beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-3. It was the final home game for Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg, who announced his NHL retirement at the end of this season. The Ducks honored Silfverberg following the game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Boston University forward Macklin Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award on Friday as the NCAA’s top male hockey player. Celebrini, 17, is the youngest player to win the award. He is expected to be the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft in June.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Top Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson signed his three-year entry-level NHL contract on Friday. In his two seasons with the NCAA’s Boston University Terriers, the 20-year-old defenseman averaged 1.26 points per game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson could make his Canadiens debut in one of the club’s final two games on Monday or Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

ESPN.COM: New York Rangers center Filip Chytil has returned to practice with his teammates and could be an option for the playoffs. He’s been sidelined since January dealing with a head injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chytil is believed to be dealing with post-concussion symptoms.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Ville Husso’s attempt to return to action from a lower-body injury with the Red Wings’ AHL farm team in Grand Rapids suffered a setback. He left warmups before Friday’s game and didn’t return after conversing with the training staff.