NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2025

by | Mar 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2025

Alex Ovechkin reaches a points milestone on his path to breaking the all-time goals record, Zach Werenski breaks a Blue Jackets record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored to become the 11th player in NHL history to reach the 1,600-point milestone in a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Ovechkin’s goal was his 886th, putting him nine away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Connor McMichael had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who have won four straight games to sit first in the overall standings with 92 points. Shane Wright and Jordan Eberle replied for the Kraken.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Carolina Hurricanes newcomers Mark Jankowski (two goals) and Logan Stankoven (one goal) powered their club over the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. It was the pair’s first points since being acquired by Carolina at the trade deadline. The Hurricanes are second in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets as they dropped into second overall with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals hold the lead over the Jets because they hold a game in hand.

The Columbus Blue Jackets thumped the New York Rangers 7-3. Adam Fantilli tallied a hat trick and Zach Werenski picked up two assists for the Blue Jackets, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points. Vincent Trochek had two assists for the Rangers (68 points), who remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski moved past Rick Nash to set the franchise record for the most assists with 260.

Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, Warren Foegele and Brandt Clarke each had a goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings held on for a 6-5 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Tomas Hertl tallied a hat trick for the Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. The Kings sit third in the division with 75 points.

The Dallas Stars got three unanswered goals by Mikael Granlund, Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Matt Duchene and Cody Ceci each collected two assists for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 86 points. Derek Forbort scored for the Canucks (69 points) as they remain one point behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Roope Hintz missed this game as he’s still being evaluated after being struck in the face by a puck during Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. He’s listed as day-to-day.

New Jersey Devils forward Erik Haula had a goal and an assist and trade-deadline acquisition Cody Glass scored as their club beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Jamie Drysdale scored for the Flyers. The Devils sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Overshadowed by the recent trade deadline was the Devils signing defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4 million.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored twice to lead his club to a 3-1 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves for the Wild in what was likely his final game against his former club. The Wild have lost two straight games but hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 76 points.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the New York Islanders 4-1. Sam Colangelo tallied twice to extend his goal streak to four games. Tony DeAngelo replied for the Islanders (65 points), who sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov is likely done for the season. He’s been sidelined since late November with a lower-body injury.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Ingram released a statement indicating he’d been struggling since returning to action following the death of his mother to breast cancer. He’d been away from the team from the end of November until mid-January for family reasons.

It’s the second time Ingram has entered the program dealing with mental health issues. He opened up about his obsessive compulsive disorder and its effect on his mental health. Ingram won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy last season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2025

by | Feb 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2025

The latest 4 Nations Face-Off news, the QMJHL honors Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin prepares for the final stretch of the regular season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

LATEST 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF NEWS

NEW YORK POST: Islanders center Brock Nelson is carrying on his family’s legacy of skating for the United States in international play. Nelson’s great-uncle Gordon Christian played in the 1956 Winter Olympic Games. His grandfather Bill Christian and great-uncle Roger Christian won gold at the 1960 Games, and his uncle Dave Christian won gold in 1980.

Team USA center Brock Nelson (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson won the bronze medal playing for Team USA at the 2011 World Juniors and the 2015 Worlds.

TSN: Jordan Binnington was named the starter for Canada’s opening game at the 4 Nations Face-Off against Sweden on Wednesday in Montreal. Coach Jon Cooper said Binnington was “excited” and “confident” when informed of the decision. He gets the nod over Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington backstopped the St. Louis Blues to the Stanley Cup in 2019. He played for Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championships, finishing with a 6-2 record with a 2.81 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage.

DAILY FACEOFF: Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz and Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros could take on prominent roles for Finland’s injury-battered roster. Defensemen Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Ristolainen and Jani Hakanpaa withdrew from the tournament, putting pressure on the forwards and goaltenders.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm hopes to have a big impact for Team Sweden in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekholm was part of Sweden’s gold-medal team at the 2018 World Championships with a goal and two assists in four games.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) is renaming its Rookie of the Year trophy to the Sidney Crosby Trophy. It was known as the RDS Cup from 1996-97 to 2023-24. Crosby won the award in 2003-04 with the Rimouski Oceanic.

RG.ORG: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will be training with a “mystery partner” in Miami during the 4 Nations Face-Off to maintain his fitness level for the remainder of the regular season. Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record of 894 while the Capitals are jockeying with the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 15 goals to break Gretzky’s record. He was coy about the identity of his training partner, saying that it’s a former player but it isn’t Ilya Kovalchuk.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Utah Hockey Club continues to evaluate goaltender Connor Ingram’s condition. After taking an Ovechkin slapshot off his mask, he left Sunday’s games against the Capitals.

TSN: Minnesota Wild center Ryan Hartman’s appeal of his 10-game suspension will be heard by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday. Hartman was suspended for roughing Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle during a Feb. 1 game between the two clubs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Wild, they placed forward Devin Shore on waivers for the fourth time this season.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken invited two youth hockey referees pushed by a parent to an upcoming game. The incident occurred during a game on Sunday at the Kraken Ice Complex.

The parent came on the ice during a 12-and-under game and pushed each of the referees, 13 and 14, to the ice before quickly leaving. The parent has been charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2025

by | Jan 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2025

Sidney Crosby moves up the all-time points leader list as the Penguins reveal their Quarter-Century Team, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extends his home points streak, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored a goal and picked up two assists to move into ninth on the NHL all-time points list, leading his club over the Edmonton Oilers 5-3. Bryan Rust also had a goal and two assists and Alex Nedeljkovic kicked out 40 shots as the Penguins snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Leon Draisaitl tallied twice and Connor McDavid collected three assists as the Oilers’ win streak ended at four games.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 1,643 career regular-season points, surpassing Hall-of-Famer Joe Sakic (1,641). He’s 80 points behind Penguins legend Mario Lemieux (1,723).

Crosby is also part of the Penguins’ First Team as they revealed their Quarter-Century Team, joining forwards Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel, defensemen Kris Letang and Sergei Gonchar, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

Lemieux was on the Second Team with forwards Phil Kessel and Chris Kunitz, defensemen Brooks Orpik and Brian Dumoulin, and goaltender Matt Murray.

Some might be surprised to see Lemieux on the Second Team. That’s because his greatest seasons were between 1984-85 and 1996-97 before he retired for the first time. He’d be on the First Team of the Penguins’ All-Time Greatest Team.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extended his home points streak to 16 games with a goal and an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Rookies Denton Mateychuk and Luca Del Bel Belluz also had a goal and an assist each as the Blue Jackets hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 44 points. Eeli Tolvanen scored both Kraken goals as they’re winless in four games (0-3-1).

A hat trick by captain Jordan Staal carried the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Jordan Martinook collected three assists and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 30 shots for the Hurricanes. Nick Robertson, William Nylander and Auston Matthews scored for the Leafs.

The Dallas Stars picked up their sixth straight win with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jason Robertson had two assists and Casey DeSmith made 27 saves as the Stars sit third in the Central Division with 53 points. Morgan Frost scored for the Flyers as they’re 0-3-1 in their last four contests.

A 30-save shutout from Ilya Sorokin allowed the New York Islanders to upset the league-leading Vegas Golden Knights 4-0. Brock Nelson scored and added an assist while Isles captain Anders Lee scored in his 800th NHL game. The loss snapped the Golden Knights’ three-game win streak, leaving them one point ahead of the Winnipeg Jets with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sorokin became the third goaltender in Islanders history to reach the 20-shutout plateau, joining Glenn Resch (25) and Billy Smith (22). It shouldn’t take long before he surpasses those two.

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each had a goal and an assist in a 6-1 drubbing of the Minnesota Wild. Logan O’Connor also had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Zach Bogosian tallied the Wild’s only goal as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild were without several key players as Kirill Kaprizov, Jared Spurgeon, Brock Faber and Jonas Brodin are sidelined by injuries.

An overtime goal by Sam Carrick (the first of his NHL career) lifted the New York Rangers over the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Igor Shesterkin made 21 saves as he returned from a four-game absence due to injury while Adam Fox had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils, who’ve dropped five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers also got some positive news about Filip Chytil. The upper-body injury he suffered on Tuesday against the Stars might not be as serious as originally feared. Chytil skipped practice on Wednesday but participated in the club’s optional skate on Thursday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning downed the Boston Bruins 4-1, handing the latter their sixth straight defeat. Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 11 of his 27 saves in the third period. Empty-net goals by Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point clinched the victory for the Lightning. Mason Lohrei scored for the Bruins.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves in a 4-0 blanking of the Ottawa Senators. Jack Quinn scored two goals and Ryan McLeod had a goal and two assists for the Sabres. The Senators have dropped six of their last seven games (1-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators fans booed their team off the ice following this contest. Before their current slump, they held the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with a record of 18-13-2 (38 points). They’re currently three points out of that spot with a record of 19-18-3.

The Senators also lost winger Noah Gregor, who left the game with a lower-body injury.

Four straight first-period goals powered the St. Louis Blues to a 6-2 romp over the Anaheim Ducks, ending a two-game losing skid. Robert Thomas scored twice while Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich each had a goal and an assist for the Blues. Ducks goalie John Gibson replaced Lukas Dostal early in the second period after the latter gave up six goals on 22 shots.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine remains sidelined with flu-like symptoms. His last game was on Dec. 31.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nashville Predators forward Luke Evangelista will be sidelined for four weeks with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club recalled goaltender Connor Ingram from his two-week conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Tucson.

ESPN.COM: As Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin chases Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, Greg Wyshynski profiled Mike Knuble, the only NHL player to be a teammate of both men.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2025

by | Jan 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2025

The Blues defeat the Blackhawks in the Winter Classic, both clubs reveal their quarter-century teams, the Rangers get bad news about Igor Shesterkin and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler scored two goals in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game, leading his club to a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field before a sellout crowd of 40, 933 fans.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler celebrates a goal at the 2025 NHL Winter Classic (NHL.com).

Justin Faulk had a goal and two assists for the Blues (40 points), moving within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Blackhawks as their losing skid stretched to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall was among several Blackhawks who apologized to their fans for their poor performance in this game.

No offense to Chicago or the Blackhawks but I hope we don’t see them in any more Winter Classics for a while, or at least until they’re a competitive team again. This was their seventh appearance and the worst thus far.

The Winter Classic has become an afterthought. The league must consider new locations, teams, or formats to reinvigorate their annual New Year’s Eve outdoor game. They should also consider scaling back some of its annual Stadium Series games to focus more on the Winter Classic.

Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid collected two assists and Leon Draisaitl scored in a 4-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. McDavid and Draisaitl extended their points streaks to 12 games while McDavid moved past Mark Messier into third place on the Oilers’ all-time points list with 1,036. Jaxson Stauber stopped 34 shots for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah sent goaltender Connor Ingram to their AHL affiliate in Tucson on a conditioning stint. He’s working his way back from a lower-body injury that has sidelined him for 18 games.

The Washington Capitals remained in first place in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Boston Bruins 3-1. Aliaksei Protas scored two goals and Tom Wilson had two assists for the Capitals (52 points), who sit one point up on the New Jersey Devils. Justin Brazeau scored for the Bruins.

Speaking of the Devils, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Strome tallied the tie-breaker with 3:24 remaining in the third period, finishing the night with two points. Lukas Dostal made 32 saves for the Ducks. Jonas Siegenthaler and Timo Meier were the Devils’ goal scorers as they’ve lost two in a row.

The Montreal Canadiens picked up their third straight victory by upsetting the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Vegas took a 2-0 lead on goals by Zach Whitecloud and Noah Hanifin but the Canadiens stormed back with unanswered goals from Cole Caufield, Emil Heineman and Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights sit second in the Western Conference standings with 53 points. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have won six of their last seven and sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Colorado Avalanche center Casey Mittelstadt scored the winning goal in a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. It was Mittelstadt’s first goal in 19 games. Jonathan Drouin picked up two assists in his return from injury as the Avalanche collected their fifth straight win. Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi scored and Eric Comrie stopped 33 shots for the league-leading Jets (55 points) as their win streak ended at four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Islanders 3-1. Steven Lorentz ended a 23-game scoreless drought with the game-winner while Joseph Woll made 30 saves to give the Leafs the win. Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the Islanders, who are 2-5-0 in their last seven contests. Isles forward Simon Holmstrom missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy surprised everyone by pulling goalie Ilya Sorokin with 42.3 seconds while the faceoff was in his own zone. The Isles failed to clear the zone and John Tavares scored an empty-netter to seal the win for Toronto. Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed his fifth straight game as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi tallied twice and collected an assist while goalie Filip Gustavsson kicked out 43 shots in a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury. Colton Sissons, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predator forward Zachary L’Heureux received a match penalty for slew-footing Wild captain Jared Spurgeon during the second period. Spurgeon crashed heavily into the end boards and left the game with a lower-body injury.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Jason Robertson led the way with a goal and two assists as the Stars are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and sit in the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 45 points. Jason Zucker and Beck Malenstyn replied for the Sabres as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Matt Dumba returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury. They loaned blueliner Lian Bichsel back to their AHL affiliate.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri snapped a 1-1 tie and Jonathan Huberdeau netted the insurance goal to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Brock Boeser tallied his 14th goal for the Canucks, who are winless in five of their last six games (1-2-3). The win vaults the Flames (43 points) over the Canucks into the final Western wild-card berth.

Shootout goals by Kent Johnson and Adam Fantelli lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Kirill Marchenko scored two goals, Sean Monahan had three assists and Elvis Merzlikins made 33 saves for the Blue Jackets as they’ve won three of their last four games. Sebastian Aho collected two assists for the Hurricanes, who are 1-2-1 in their last four contests.

Third-period goals by J.T. Compher and Dylan Larkin gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was their second straight victory under new head coach Todd McLellan, who collected his 600th NHL win. Drew O’Connor netted two goals for the Penguins (39 points), who remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated defenseman Marcus Pettersson (lower body) off injured reserve for this game and placed blueliner Kris Letang (lower body) on IR.

The Philadelphia Flyers blanked the San Jose Sharks 4-0, handing the latter their eighth straight loss. Samuel Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov combined for the shutout when Ersson left the game after the second period with an undisclosed injury. The goal scorers were Nick Seeler, Ryan Poehling, Travis Konecny and Egor Zamula. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 30 shots for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win puts the Flyers two points behind the Senators for that wild-card spot in the East. The Sharks placed forward William Eklund (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Blackhawks and Blues revealed their quarter-century teams on Wednesday.

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith were among the Blackhawks’ First Team selections while Hall-of-Famer Marian Hossa made their Second Team. Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Pronger and former Blues Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo highlight those who made the Blues’ First Team with Hall-of-Fame defenseman Al MacInnis among those on their Second Team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the links provided for the full lists. Many were no-brainers but there were a few interesting selections as well.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers placed goaltender Igor Shesterkin on IR with an upper-body injury. The move ensures they’ll be without their starting goaltender for the next three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be the death blow to the free-falling Rangers’ fading playoff hopes if Shesterkin is sidelined for a lengthy period.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 21, 2024

by | Nov 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 21, 2024

Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho sets a franchise record, shutout victories for the Leafs, Sabres and Kraken, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho set a franchise record for game-winning goals in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Aho netted his 58th career game-winner, surpassing Ron Francis for the most in team history. He and teammate Jalen Chatfield each finished with two points as the Hurricanes (14-4-0) took over first place in the Eastern Conference with 28 points. Ryan Poehling replied for the Flyers.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll turned in a 31-save performance to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0. Rookie forward Fraser Minten opened the scoring with his first career NHL goal. William Nylander and Pontus Holmberg also scored for the Leafs and Mitch Marner collected two assists. Adin Hill stopped 23 shots for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Leafs as forward Matthew Knies left the game in the second period following a high hit from Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud. There was no postgame update regarding Knies’ condition. Whitecloud was initially assessed a five-minute major but that was rescinded upon review. Instead, he got a two-minute penalty for roughing Leafs defenseman Samuel Benoit in the ensuing scrum.

Speaking of injuries, the Leafs placed forward Max Domi (lower body) on injured reserve.

The Buffalo Sabres blanked the Los Angeles Kings 1-0 as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned in a 24-save shutout. Jason Zucker scored the only goal. Kings netminder David Rittich turned aside 18 shots.

Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord kicked out 24 shots in a 3-0 shutout of the Nashville Predators. Daniel Sprong, Brandon Montour and Yanni Gourde were the goalscorers and Chandler Stephenson collected three assists. Juuse Saros stopped 33 shots for the Predators, who received a bench minor penalty 43 seconds into the game for submitting an incorrect starting lineup to officials.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is just another symptom of a season that’s going horribly wrong for the Predators. Meanwhile, the Kraken completed their six-game homestand with a record of 5-1-0. Speaking of the Kraken, rookie forward Shane Wright was a healthy scratch for the second straight game after netting two points in 18 games.

The Dallas Stars defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Jason Robertson had a goal and two assists while Roope Hintz and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist for the Stars, who’ve won four of their last five games. Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defensemen Ilya Lyubushkin, Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist left the game with injuries. Lyubushkin and Harley returned to action but Lundkvist did not.

HEADLINES

BLEACHER NATION: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones will be sidelined with an injured foot for four weeks.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine skated with his teammate in practice for the first time since being sidelined by a sprained left knee during a preseason game in September. Laine wore a non-contact jersey and left the ice after 15 minutes. He’s expected to make his season debut with the Canadiens sometime in December.

RG.ORG: Speaking of the Canadiens, don’t expect to see promising prospect Ivan Demidov make his NHL debut later this season. His KHL team, SKA St. Petersburg, has no intention of terminating the 18-year-old winger’s contract if their season ends before the Canadiens’. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demidov’s KHL contract won’t expire until May 31. Canadiens fans will have to wait for next season to potentially get their first look at the Russian winger in a Habs jersey.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. They’ve recalled netminder Jaxson Stauber from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners on an emergency basis.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets prospect Cayden Lindstrom underwent minor back surgery to address a herniated lumbar disc. He and the club remain hopeful he’ll return to action with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. The Blue Jackets chose Lindstrom fourth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Blue Jackets, they sent defenseman David Jiricek to their AHL affiliate in Cleveland to make room for center Kent Johnson to be activated from injured reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jiricek’s demotion has made him the subject of trade speculation. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2024

by | Feb 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2024

The Hurricanes defeated the Coyotes, Blake Wheeler is sidelined for the season, Zach Parise confirms this season will be his last, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-1 in the only game on Friday night. Pyotr Kochetkov made 30 saves while Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis each collected two assists for the Hurricanes (31-17-5), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 67 points. Dylan Guenther replied for the 23-26-4 Coyotes, who are winless in their last eight games (0-7-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes were without goaltender Connor Ingram as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Blake Wheeler is out for the remainder of the regular season after being placed on long-term injury reserve with a lower-body injury. A return in the playoffs isn’t ruled out depending on his recovery and how far the Rangers advance in the 2024 postseason. Wheeler injured his right leg during Thursday’s 7-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

New York Rangers winger Blake Wheeler (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Based on the severity of Wheeler’s injury, I guess he might be able to return by the Eastern Conference Final.

NHL.COM: Zach Parise confirms that this season will be his last as an NHL player. The 39-year-old winger recently signed a one-year, prorated contract with the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is Parise’s last chance to win that elusive Stanley Cup. During his playing prime, he reached the Cup Final once, in 2012 with the New Jersey Devils. After 19 seasons, his career is drawing to a close, but he hopes to end it with a championship.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The domestic abuse case against Bruins winger Milan Lucic was dismissed in Boston Municipal Court on Friday after his wife Brittany invoked her marital privilege and declined to testify. However, the Bruins announced that Lucic would remain on his indefinite leave of absence for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Lucic’s season is over and probably his NHL playing career as well.

TORONTO SUN: Paul Giordano, father of Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano, passed away suddenly on Thursday night.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Giordano and his family.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander was fined $2, 864.58 by the department of player safety for high-sticking Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: cited The Fourth Period revealing the New Jersey Devils will face off against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia, to kick off the 2024-25 season in the NHL Global Series.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defensemen Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub are expected to return from injury for Saturday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov will return to action in Saturday’s game against the San Jose Sharks. He missed Tuesday’s game against Ottawa with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The Nashville Predators signed forward Michael McCarron to a two-year, $1.8 million contract extension.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Mason Shaw signed a two-way contract for the remainder of this season with the Minnesota Wild after returning from his fourth knee injury with the Wild’s minor-league team.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins claimed forward Matthew Phillips off waivers from the Washington Capitals.

DAILY FACEOFF: The inaugural “Battle of Bay Street” between PWHL clubs Toronto and Montreal at Scotiabank Arena set a new record for the largest attendance for a professional women’s hockey game with 19, 285 fans turning out for the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t NHL news but I felt it was worth noting. The first season of the PWHL continues to set new attendance records for women’s pro hockey and bodes well for its future.