NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2025

by | Mar 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2025

The Avalanche spoil Mikko Rantanen’s homecoming, Oilers star Leon Draisaitl extends his points streak, plus the latest on Auston Matthews, Travis Konecny and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche spoiled Mikko Rantanen’s return with a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Cale Makar scored in overtime and collected two assists while teammates Valeri Nichushkin and Jonathan Drouin each had a goal and an assist. Rantanen collected an assist on Jason Robertson’s game-opening goal while teammates Mavrik Bourque and Matt Duchene scored in the third period to force the extra frame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen received a standing ovation from the Colorado fans during his video tribute. He spent nearly 10 seasons with the Avalanche.

The Avalanche are 8-0-1 in their last nine games, gaining ground on Dallas in the Central Division standings. They sit two points behind the Stars in third place with 85 points. Dallas has dropped three of their last four contests.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl had an assist to extend his points streak to 18 games as his club downed the New York Rangers 3-1. Connor McDavid scored and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins collected three assists as the Oilers (82 points) moved one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings into second place in the Pacific Division. Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers as they cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Zach Hyman missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek made 18 saves to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0. Albert Johansson, Lucas Raymond and Marco Kasper scored for the Wings as they picked up their second win in their last nine games. The victory moves within two points of the Rangers in the wild-card race. The Golden Knights sit first in the Pacific Division with 86 points but have dropped four of their last five games.

The St. Louis Blues cruised to a 7-2 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Jordan Kyrou collected three assists while Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who are tied with the Vancouver Canucks with 73 points. Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish each had two points for the Ducks.

Speaking of the Canucks, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Utah Hockey Club. Logan Cooley snapped a 1-1 tie and Clayton Keller put the game away with an empty-net goal as Utah sits two points behind the Blues and Canucks. Quinn Hughes scored for Vancouver, who hold the final Western wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The race for the final Western wild card is heating up. For a while, it was just the Canucks and the Calgary Flames jockeying for that spot, but the Blues and Utah have surged over the past couple of weeks to make this interesting.

Canucks center Filip Chytil missed this game as he’s in concussion protocol following an unpenalized blindside hit by Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Utah Hockey Club announced that a lower-body injury has sidelined forward Liam O’Brien for the next four weeks.

The New York Islanders kept their playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Marc Gatcomb, Maxim Tsyplakov, Noah Dobson and Simon Holmstrom scored four unanswered third-period goals for the Isles (68 points), putting them four points behind the Rangers. Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov scored for the Panthers, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 85 points but have dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly returned to action after undergoing surgery in November for an abnormality in his heart, skating over 14 minutes and collecting an assist. Teammate Adam Pelech missed this game with a lower-body injury. Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews continues to be hampered by an undisclosed injury that has affected his scoring. Nevertheless, he’s determined to remain in the lineup as the Leafs jockey for playoff positioning with 16 games left in the regular season.

THE ATHLETIC: Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny is mired in a goal-scoring slump with one goal in his last 21 games. He’s also dealing with the departures of friends and former teammates Scott Laughton, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee this season.

ROTOBALLER: Buffalo Sabres forward Jiri Kulich is in concussion protocol following a hit by Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden on Saturday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sunday’s PWHL game between the Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens drew 14, 288 to Detroit’s Little Caesar’s Arena, setting the US attendance record for women’s hockey. The Sirens defeated the Frost 4-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The PWHL has drawn 1 million fans in just two seasons.

RG.ORG: Former NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk officially announced his retirement last week. The first-overall pick by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 NHL Draft, Kovalchuk spent 13 seasons in the league with the Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals. Winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy in 2003-04, he finished with 443 goals and 433 assists for 876 points, and 11 goals and 28 points in 40 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kovalchuk was among the league’s most dazzling goal-scorers in his prime, He exceeded the 40-goal plateau six times between 2003-04 and 2009-10, including two 52-goal seasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2025

by | Jan 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2025

Notable milestones for Connor McDavid, Connor Bedard and Flames rookie Rory Kerins, the Flyers reveal their Quarter-Century team, the three stars of the week are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid celebrated his 28th birthday by scoring the game’s only goal in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Stuart Skinner turned in a 30-save shutout as the Oilers collected their sixth win in their last seven games, sitting in second place in the Pacific Division with 57 points. Darcy Kuemper stopped 29 shots for the Kings, who remain four points behind the Oilers in third place in the division.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid tied Glenn Anderson for the most game-winning goals (72) in franchise history.

Chicago Blackhawks sophomore center Connor Bedard scored to reach his 100th NHL point but his club fell 5-2 to the Calgary Flames. Calgary rookie Rory Kerins collected two assists in the first period, becoming the fifth rookie in Flames history with multiple assists in his NHL debut. Jakob Pelletier scored twice and set up another as the Flames won three straight, vaulting over the Vancouver Canucks into the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 49 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks remain mired at the bottom of the NHL standings. Bedard expressed his frustration again as the losses kept mounting.

“It’s been hard. It’s been a lot of games to lose. It weighs on you,” Bedard said following the game. “Yeah, I mean, just keep trying to find a way, trying to get better every day. But it’s hard.”

Bedard wants to win and help the Blackhawks return to their glory days. The Blackhawks brought in veteran players to take pressure off him and his young teammates as they develop their game. However, management must do more to alleviate that burden. Being in contention to win the draft lottery every year is not the best path forward.

Flames forward Martin Pospisil received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall midway through the second period.

The Philadelphia Flyers got two goals from Noah Cates to upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. Cates snapped a 3-3 tie midway through the third period as the Flyers overcame a 3-1 deficit. Sam Reinhart scored twice for the Panthers to move into second place in the league goalscoring race with 27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Monday.

The First Team comprises forwards Claude Giroux, Simon Gagne, and Mike Richards, defensemen Eric Desjardins and Kimmo Timonen, and goaltender Roman Cechmanek. The Second Team comprises forwards Sean Couturier, Jakub Voracek and Daniel Briere, defensemen Chris Pronger and Ivan Provorov, and goalie Brian Boucher.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes, and right wing Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings are the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 12, 2025.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar denied recent reports claiming team captain Gabriel Landeskog’s comeback attempt was hampered by swelling in his surgically repaired knee. The Avs also reactivated goaltender Scott Wedgewood off injured reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog’s last NHL game was Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. He’s undergone two knee surgeries since then and is working on resuming his NHL career.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators owner Michael Andlauer completed the sale of the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs to Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman and his family. Andlauer is focusing solely on the Senators. It’s believed he received $20 million for the Bulldogs.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek has returned from his AHL conditioning stint. He’s a game-day decision for tonight’s contest against the Winnipeg Jets. The Canucks placed defenseman Erik Brannstrom on waivers.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Zach Aston-Reese to a one-year extension worth $775K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2024

by | Dec 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2024

A hat trick for Patrik Laine, a record-setting milestone for Connor Hellebuyck, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: Patrik Laine tallied three power-play goals for his 11th career hat trick as the Montreal Canadiens thumped the Buffalo Sabres 6-1. Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and an assist while Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson each collected two assists. Dylan Cozens has the Sabres only goal as their winless skid stretched to 11 games (0-8-3).

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pep talk the Sabres received from team owner Terry Pegula on Monday landed on deaf ears. Their defensive play was atrocious, especially on the penalty kill. Laine was left undefended on all three goals from his wheelhouse at the top of the faceoff circle. He has six goals and seven points in his seven games since returning from a sprained knee.

Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets became the fastest American-born goaltender to reach 20 wins in a season as he backstopped his club to a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Hellebuyck made 32 saves as Adam Lowry tallied the game-winner with 1:13 remaining in the third period. Kyle Connor scored twice and Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist for the Jets. Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks backup goalie Vitek Vanecek left the game in the second period when he was struck in the face by an errant puck while sitting on the bench. There was no postgame update on his status. Before this game, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky was fined $25,000.00 by the league for “inappropriate conduct” during Saturday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club.

The Jets also made history when they signed prospect Kevin He to an entry-level contract. Chosen by the Jets in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, He is the first Chinese-born player to sign an NHL contract.

Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros had a 25-save performance to shut out the New York Rangers 2-0. Jonathan Marchessault and Adam Wilsby were the goal scorers, with the latter getting the first of his NHL career. Igor Shesterkin made 30 saves for the Rangers, who’ve lost three straight games and five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch from Sunday’s loss to the St. Louis Blues. He didn’t hide his frustration over the situation. “I know you’ve got to do something as a coach when you’re losing games, but I think it’s just easy to pick a young guy and boot him out. That’s how I feel, to be honest,” he said, adding that he hasn’t been the worst player on the Rangers roster.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 32 shots in a 4-0 shutout of the New York Islanders. Sebastian Aho and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Isles netminder Ilya Sorokin made 19 saves as his club has lost three of their last four.

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3. Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist to extend his goal streak to seven games and Nick Paul had a goal and an assist as the Lightning have won three in a row. Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko collected two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. He has seven points in 17 games since being claimed off waivers by the Jackets on Nov. 10.

An overtime goal by Rickard Rakell lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Rakell and Michael Bunting each had two points while Alex Nedeljkovic turned aside 29 shots for the win. Adrian Kempe and Alex Turcotte replied for the Kings.

New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen scored in his 400th regular-season game as his club beat the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Jake Hughes picked up two assists as the Devils leapfrogged the Washington Capitals into first place in the Eastern Conference with 45 points. Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Curtis Lazar was activated off injured reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined by a lower-body injury since Oct. 27.

Speaking of the Capitals, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev, TJ Brodie and Ryan Donato netted three unanswered third-period goals as the Blackhawks picked up their second straight victory. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Andrew Mangiapane scored for the Capitals as they’ve lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals received approval from the Washington D.C. city council to conduct a major arena renovation to Capital One Arena earlier in the day.

David Pastrnak scored in overtime as the Boston Bruins nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3. The Bruins forced the extra frame with unanswered third-period goals by Morgan Geekie and Marc McLaughlin. Matt Coronato, Nazem Kadri and Ryan Lomberg scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Brayden Pachal to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.187 million.

The Ottawa Senators picked up their fourth straight win by blanking the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Linus Ullmark stopped 30 shots for the shutout while Shane Pinto, Noah Gregor, and Tim Stutzle were the goal scorers. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord made 24 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 34 points, the Senators hold a one-point lead over the Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will be out for four to six weeks as he’ll undergo a procedure to remove a pebble-sized bump from the back of his knee.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Leafs, they’ve sent forward Fraser Minten to their AHL affiliate and activated forward David Kampf off injured reserve.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Zach Hyman missed practice on Tuesday as he had a medical appointment regarding his broken nose. He suffered the injury during Monday’s loss to the Florida Panthers when a shot from teammate Evan Bouchard struck him. Hyman is expected to be in the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Boston Bruins.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. 

DAILY FACEOFF: Colorado Avalanche forward Chris Wagner and New Jersey Devils forward Justin Dowling were placed on waivers yesterday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2024

by | Jun 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2024

The Oilers defeat the Panthers to force Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final, injury updates on Dylan Larkin, Roope Hintz and Chris Tanev, Andrew Cogliano retires, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Florida Panthers 5-1, tying the series at three games apiece.

Zach Hyman scored his 16th goal in this postseason, Warren Foegele had a goal and an assist, Adam Henrique tallied what proved to be the winning goal, and Stuart Skinner made 20 saves for the win. Hyman leads all active NHL players for the most goals in one playoff year. The record is 19 held by Reggie Leach and Jari Kurri.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

Florida captain Aleksander Barkov scored in the second period to cut Edmonton’s lead to 2-1. However, the goal was overturned as offside following a coach’s challenge by Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch, much to the fury of Panthers bench boss Paul Maurice.

“I have no idea (if they got it right),” said Maurice in his postgame press conference. “It may well have been offside. The lines person informed me that it was the last clip that they got where they made the decision that shows it’s offside. I don’t have those.” He went on to explain he was upset based on the video he saw at the bench.

The call was a game-changer. Hyman made it 3-0 later in the period for Edmonton. Barkov got the Panthers on the board early in the third but the Oilers managed to hang on, putting the game away on empty-net goals by Ryan McLeod and Darnell Nurse, with Skinner getting an assist on the final goal.

Game 7 is in Florida on Monday, June 24 at 8 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers made history by becoming the first team since the 1945 Toronto Maple Leafs to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final to tie the series. That occurred just three years after the 1942 Leafs did the same thing and went on to win the Cup.

History didn’t repeat for the ’45 Leafs as they lost Game 7 to the Detroit Red Wings. The Oilers, however, have a golden opportunity to become just the second team since the ’42 Leafs to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win the Cup.

Robert Tychowski of the Edmonton Journal points out the Oilers have gone 11-2 throughout Games 4, 5, 6, and 7 of this postseason. “When the money is on the table, they find an extra gear that nobody has been able to match.”

The Panthers look nothing like the dominant force that rolled through the first three rounds and had the Oilers on the ropes after Game 3 of this series. Edmonton’s defense has neutralized Florida’s offense, especially on the power play. After outscoring Edmonton 11-4 in the first three games, they’ve been outscored 18-5 over the past three contests.

Florida did manage to shut down Connor McDavid for the first time since Game 1. However, the Oilers didn’t need their captain to carry them as he had in the last two games. That’s a bad sign for the Panthers heading into Game 7. Keeping McDavid contained no longer assures victory in this series.

HEADLINES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin recently underwent surgery to repair an upper-body injury. The procedure should not interfere with his readiness for 2024-25.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars general manager Jim Nill confirmed Roope Hintz, Chris Tanev, Tyler Seguin and Jani Hakanpaa battled injuries during their run to the Western Conference Final. Fortunately, none of them will require offseason surgery.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Yegor Chinakhov to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.1 million. The 23-year-old was slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1. He scored 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games this season.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Forward Andrew Cogliano announced his retirement on Friday and is joining the Avalanche’s front office in a player development role. Cogliano, 37, spent 17 seasons in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and the Avalanche, helping the latter win the Stanley Cup in 2021-22. He has 494 points in 1,294 regular-season games and 40 points in 131 postseason contests.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano hopes to continue his playing career for a few more seasons. The 40-year-old blueliner is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The former Norris Trophy winner has 577 points in 1,148 career regular-season games. He’s completing a two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Leafs.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Arizona Coyotes released a statement on Friday indicating they will explore all their legal options after the state canceled a land auction they expected to win for a new arena.

This could be the final blow for Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo’s efforts to bring back an NHL franchise to Arizona. The club was relocated to Utah following its sale to Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith in April.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2024

by | Jun 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2024

The latest on the Panthers and Oilers on the eve of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ESPN.COM: The Florida Panthers hold a 3-0 series lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final and can win hockey’s holy grail with a win in Game 4 on Saturday.

Teams that previously sat in this position in the Cup Final have won 27 out of 28 times. The sole exception was in 1942 when the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame that deficit to upset the Detroit Red Wings in seven games.

Teams that were down 3-0 in the Final have avoided the sweep only eight times. The most recent examples were the Montreal Canadiens winning Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021 and the New York Rangers doing the same against the Los Angeles Kings in 2014.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk indicated he and his teammates aren’t thinking about that as they approach Game 4. “We’ve done such a good job of having that one game, simple mindset. Win your first few shifts. It’s all you’ve got to do tomorrow,” he said on Friday. “It’s really calm, kind of chill and relaxed group today. We’ll use that to our advantage.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers may be outwardly calm approaching Game 4. Carrying a commanding series lead, however, they must be feeling some excitement and anticipation about being a win away from winning hockey’s greatest prize. How they handle those emotions will factor into their performance in Saturday’s crucial contest.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun and Shayna Goldman suggested Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, and defenseman Gustav Forsling as Conn Smythe Trophy candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It seems premature to start debating which Panthers will be named playoff MVP. Still, you can’t blame the pundits given everything we’ve seen in this series thus far.

Barkov, Bobrovsky, and Forsling certainly appear the most likely candidates. I think it’s down to Barkov or Bobrovsky. If I had a vote, I’d cast it for the Panthers’ goalie.

WINNIPEG SUN: Two-and-a-half years after resigning as coach of the Jets, Panthers bench boss Paul Maurice is on the verge of winning the Stanley Cup.

After nine seasons, Maurice stepped down from the Jets believing that the team needed somebody else behind the bench to help them get to the next level. They’re now on their third coach since his departure. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maurice guided the Jets to three of their best seasons, including the franchise-best 114-point performance in 2017-18 and marching to the 2018 Western Conference Final.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards wonders where the Panthers will hold their Stanley Cup parade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers haven’t won Lord Stanley’s Mug yet but you can’t blame Richards or any of the club’s followers if they’re a little giddy with excitement right now. If there was ever an apt opportunity for the phrase “plan the parade” without sarcasm, it’s now.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychkowski reports the Oilers are clinging to hope but things are looking bleak for them approaching Game 4.

Zach Hyman was the latest Oiler to remind everyone that his club had been counted out earlier this season when they were near the bottom of the standings. However, Edmonton’s offense has been stymied thus far by the Panthers.

Hyman, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins don’t have a single point between them. The Oilers’ vaunted power play is 0-for-10 in this series.

Meanwhile, Jim Matheson reports the Oilers are trying to reignite their offense and find ways to score against Bobrovsky. Hyman acknowledged they must find a way to get to the dirty areas and cash in on rebounds and other opportunities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers believe they’re getting their chances but must bear down more and create more opportunities. The problem is they haven’t yet solved the riddle of Bobrovsky. If they can’t crack the code tonight, they’ll be watching the Panthers celebrate their first Stanley Cup championship.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 10, 2024

by | Jun 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 10, 2024

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers on the eve of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Capitals to purchase CapFriendly, the players will get back this season’s escrow payment, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP NOTEBOOK

SPORTSNET: Mark Spector reports Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch could tinker with his lineup before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Defense pairing Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci were reunited in Game 1 but continued to struggle as they were on the ice for two of the Florida Panthers’ three goals. Meanwhile, winger Evander Kane remains hampered by a sports hernia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll find out before Game 2 what Knoblauch has in store for his lineup.

Mark speculates that Knoblauch could sit Ceci if he reactivates Vincent Desharnais. He’s been a healthy scratch since Game 4 of the Western Conference Final. He also suggested Sam Carrick coming in to center the fourth line while replacing Kane on Leon Draisaitl’s line with Ryan McLeod.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers aren’t resting on their laurels following their 3-0 victory over the Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. They know there is more they must do to improve. “I think we can definitely be better,” said winger Carter Verhaeghe after his club was outshot 32-18 in Game 1.

TORONTO STAR: Speaking of Verhaeghe, he and Oilers winger Zach Hyman are former Maple Leafs playing big roles for their current clubs throughout this postseason. Verhaeghe was a Leafs castoff while Hyman (who was drafted by the Panthers) was not offered a new contract by the Leafs three years ago.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other former Leafs in this series include Connor Brown, Cody Ceci, Sam Carrick and Jack Campbell with the Oilers and winger Evan Rodrigues and head coach Paul Maurice with the Panthers.

SPORTSNET: The Calgary Tower will be lit up in Blue and Orange on June 10 to support Action Anxiety Day. Its “X” account assured Calgarians it was not to show support for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The intense NHL rivalry between the two cities burns brightly.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The Washington Capitals agreed to purchase the popular CapFriendly website.

CapFriendly will remain publicly available and independently operated until at least July 5, when the sale is expected to be officially announced. After that, the site will go dark and terminate its arrangements that existed for several years with multiple NHL clubs that bought into its API (Application Programming Interface).

THE ATHLETIC: CapFriendly’s tools and functions will become part of the Capitals’ in-house operations. Several NHL clubs were interested in purchasing the site and a source claimed its owners had held talks with other teams before reaching its agreement with the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: CapFriendly came in after CapGeek was shuttered in 2015 following the death of its owner, Matthew Wuest. It quickly filled the void, becoming popular with fans, pundits, and NHL teams for its accuracy and up-to-date information in tracking player salaries and team payrolls.

Some fans took to social media on Sunday lamenting the sale, with some accusing CapFriendly’s owners of “selling out.” However, this is a business move and I don’t fault the site’s ownership for cashing in on an offer too good to refuse. I’d do the same thing if I were in their shoes.

The NHL doesn’t have a salary cap tracking site. In 2015, league commissioner Gary Bettman said he didn’t see the need to do so because he wasn’t sure fans were as focused on how much players were making as they are about their on-ice performance. He later questioned the accuracy of such sites as CapFriendly.

On both counts, Bettman couldn’t have been more wrong. It subsequently emerged that the league engaged in a “back-and-forth” regarding the creation of a league-operated cap site but some teams were against it.

For those lamenting CapFriendly’s imminent demise, I recommend PuckPedia. I’ve linked to their player and team salary info on my Rumors page for several years. Sportrac is another good option.

DAILY FACEOFF: NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh announced on Saturday that NHL players are on track to have nearly all of this season’s escrow payments returned to them. The players had six percent of their salaries withheld by escrow as per the 2020 CBA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s because hockey-related revenue exceeded projections for this season. Otherwise, that escrow money would’ve been returned to the teams to offset any potential losses.

SPORTSNET: During Sunday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reported some player agents believe the NHL Draft should be shortened to four rounds. Friedman said most players who don’t get contracts are selected in the later rounds. They believe it holds up a player from beginning their NHL careers by having their rights held by a team for two to four years only for them not to receive a contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any changes to the draft will have to be negotiated during the next round of collective bargaining in 2026.

Those agents are arguing that those who would normally be chosen in the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds should instead become free agents able to sign with whomever they choose. While they make a good point, some late-round players went on to great careers with the teams that chose them.

SPORTSNET: The 2024 NHL Draft Combine results have been released. It was held last week in Buffalo.