NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2024

by | Mar 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, and injury updates on Thatcher Demko, Gabriel Landeskog, Aaron Ekblad and Josh Norris. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to blank the Washington Capitals 3-0. Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Kyle Connor were the goalscorers for the 41-18-5 Jets, as they sit in second place in the Central Division with 87 points. Charlie Lindgren made 26 stops for the 30-24-9 Capitals as they remain three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 69 points.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck also reached the 30-win plateau for the fifth time in his NHL career. Capitals forward T.J. Oshie returned to action after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. However, teammate Tom Wilson missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of that final Eastern wild-card spot, the New York Islanders slipped out of it after a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Adrian Kempe, Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore scored for the Kings (33-20-11) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 77 points. Ilya Sorokin turned aside 22 shots for the 29-21-14 Islanders, who sit behind the Detroit Red Wings with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE The Islanders and Red Wings have the same number of points, but the Wings hold the wild-card berth with more wins (33).

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad scored his first even-strength goal in 30 games as his club downed the New Jersey Devils 3-1. Jonathan Quick made 19 saves for the 42-18-4 Rangers (88 points) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division and sit fifth in the overall standings. Simon Nemec scored for the Devils (31-30-4), who remain six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad became the fifth player in Rangers history to score at least 20 goals in seven straight seasons, joining Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert, Vic Hadfield and Andy Bathgate. Meanwhile, Rangers forward Matt Rempe could face supplemental discipline after being ejected during the second period for elbowing Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head.

The St. Louis Blues upset the Boston Bruins 5-1 with Kasperi Kapanen scoring a goal and collecting two assists. Joel Hofer kicked out 36 shots for the 33-29-3 Blues (69 points) as they moved to within six points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. David Pastrnak tallied his 41st goal of the season for the Bruins (38-14-15) as they remain one point behind the first-overall Florida Panthers with 91 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha, and Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending March 10, 2024.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of Demko, he’ll be sidelined for two to three weeks after suffering a knee injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how well the Canucks handle the loss of their starting goaltender over that period. A healthy Demko is a crucial part of their Stanley Cup aspirations.

TSN: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said team captain Gabriel Landeskog could return to action with what he called the “playoff timeframe.” The 31-year-old winger has been sidelined by a knee injury since the end of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Bednar stressed that Landeskog won’t be rushing his timetable to return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That timeframe could be the start of the playoffs next month or the Stanley Cup Final in June if the Avalanche get that far.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris will miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing a third surgery on his left shoulder following an injury on Feb. 27. He’s expected to be recovered in time for training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a significant setback for Norris. Whether the 24-year-old center will be able to continue his playing career or be as effective as he once was remains to be seen.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a knee injury. Head coach Paul Maurice said the blueliner didn’t suffer any long-term damage.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers center Ryan Johansen is believed to be battling an injury or ailment that has prevented him from playing for their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. Johansen also hopes to reconcile with Flyers coach John Tortorella as the two clashed when they were with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

ESPN.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Brendan Lemieux to a one-year, $775K contract extension.

SPORTSNET: The Arizona Land Department’s Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday to discuss a Phoenix site where the Coyotes hope to build a new arena.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2024

by | Mar 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2024

The Coyotes end a 14-game losing skid, the three stars and rookie of the month for February are revealed, the Avalanche and Devils make a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Arizona Coyotes snapped a 14-game losing skid by downing the Ottawa Senators 5-3. Matias Maccelli had a goal and two assists as the Coyotes (24-31-5) snapped a 3-3 tie with two third-period goals for their first win since Jan. 22. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk left the game in the third period after being shaken up following a hit by Coyotes forward Liam O’Brien. The Senators’ record sank to 25-30-3 as they were booed off the ice by their fans at the end of the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Senators placed center Josh Norris on long-term injury reserve with an upper-body injury. It’s not confirmed whether he’s reinjured his surgically repaired shoulder.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (NHL Images).

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal set a franchise record for most saves in a win by a goaltender with 52 as he backstopped his club to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Dostal ensured the win by stopping Devils forward Jack Hughes on a penalty shot with three seconds remaining in the third period. Frank Vatrano tallied twice for the 22-35-3 Ducks. Hughes and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (30-26-4) as they remain six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 64 points.

The Washington Capitals scored five straight goals to keep their playoff hopes alive with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists for the Capitals (28-22-9) as they’re five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Owen Tippett had a goal and an assist for the 31-23-7 Flyers, who remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 69 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin are the three stars for February 2024. Carolina Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov was named Rookie of the Month.

THE DENVER POST/NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Colorado Avalanche traded defenseman Kurtis MacDermid to the New Jersey Devils on Friday in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft (originally acquired from the Nashville Predators) and forward Zakhar Bardakov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a salary dump by the Avalanche to free up salary-cap space leading up to the March 8 trade deadline. MacDermid carried an annual cap hit of $987,500. Clearing that sum from their books gives them over $2.2 million in cap room with 21 players on the roster. Expect them to acquire a player with a trade between now and March 8.

As for the Devils, they add some grit and size to their blueline in MacDermid. He’s unlikely to be much help as they continue to struggle in the Eastern playoff race.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Dallas Stars won’t place Tyler Seguin on long-term injury reserve. He’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury and carries an average annual value of $9.85 million. He is expected to return to the lineup before the playoffs.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Stars, they loaned Logan Stankoven back to their AHL affiliate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: He might not be on the farm for long. The 21-year-old forward is one of their top prospects and had three goals and an assist in his four games with the Stars.

TSN: Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello and Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron were each fined $2,000.00 by the department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Thursday’s game between the two clubs.

SPORTSNET: The day before the Calgary Flames honor Miikka Kiprusoff by raising his jersey to the rafters, he was reintroduced to “Mini-Kipper”, the young kid who used to dress up as the netminder for every Flames home game from 2005-06 to 2008-09.

Brendan Peters, now 27, paints goalie masks for a living. On Friday, he presented Kiprusoff with a custom mask he designed for his hero.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Has it been nearly twenty years since Kiprusoff was in his prime with the Flames and his biggest fan used to emulate his warmup movements in the stands before every home game? Time is passing way too fast!










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2024

by | Mar 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2024

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon reaches 100 points, the Panthers surge into first overall, the Leafs acquire Ilya Lyubushkin from the Ducks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to reach 100 points as the Colorado Avalanche blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Justus Annunen stopped 24 shots for his first career NHL shutout while Zach Parise scored twice and collected an assist for the 37-19-5 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 79 points. Petr Mrazek made 29 saves for the 15-40-5 Blackhawks.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In his 61st game of the season, MacKinnon became the second-fastest player in Avalanche history to reach 100 points during a season. He sits one game behind Peter Statsny, who did it in 60 games in 1981-82. The Avalanche center sits second in the league scoring race.

The Florida Panthers nipped the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 to move into first place in the overall standings with 84 points. Sam Reinhart tallied twice to reach 41 goals on the season, Aleksander Barkov had three points and Anton Lundell scored the winning goal in a shootout for the 40-16-4 Panthers. Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the 23-28-9 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are tied with the Boston Bruins in points but have five more wins and a game in hand over the Bruins. Reinhart sits second in the goal-scoring race. Suzuki, meanwhile, had a productive February with 11 goals and 17 points in 11 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll made 30 saves in his return from injury in a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 53rd goal of the season while William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (34-17-8), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 76 points. The Coyotes (23-31-5) have lost 14 straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs also swung a trade as they reacquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-way deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes. The Leaf sent the Ducks a third-round pick in 2025 and a 2024 sixth-rounder to the Hurricanes. The Ducks retained half of Lyubushkin’s $2.75 million cap hit with the Hurricanes retaining half of the remainder ($687,500).

Lyubushkin, 29, played 31 games and 7 playoff contests for the Leafs last season. A shutdown defenseman, he brings some much-needed depth to the right side of their blueline.

The Leafs could use another defenseman if Mark Giordano ends up sidelined for a lengthy period. The 40-year-old rearguard left the game in the first period with a head injury after falling hard into the boards. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Meanwhile, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe was fined $25,000.00 by the league for unprofessional conduct directed at on-ice officials during the Leafs’ loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.

The Boston Bruins downed the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4. Morgan Geekie scored his first career NHL hat trick while Mason Lohrei snapped a 4-4 tie for the 35-12-14 Bruins. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (33-20-2) as they’re perched in second place in the Pacific Division with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, it was reported that Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (upper-body injury) is sidelined for the remainder of the regular season and is questionable to return for the playoffs. It’s believed he suffered a lacerated spleen in a 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Feb. 20. I’ll have more about how this could affect the Golden Knights leading up to the trade deadline in today’s Rumors update.

Drew Doughty and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and two assists to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. With 70 points, the Kings (30-19-10) hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Brock Boeser scored the only goal for the 38-17-7 Canucks, who hold first place in the Western Conference with 83 points but slipped into fourth in the overall standings.

Speaking of Western Conference wild-card spots, the Nashville Predators picked up their seventh straight win by beating the Minnesota Wild 6-1. Roman Josi collected three points while Juuse Saros turned aside 33 shots for the 34-25-2 Predators, who also have 70 points but have played two more games than the Kings. Connor Dewar scored for the 28-26-6 Wild, who now sit eight points behind the Predators.

Dallas Stars rookie Logan Stankoven scored his third goal in four NHL games in a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz each had two points for the 36-17-9 Stars as they hold first place in the Central Division with 81 points. Winnipeg (37-16-5) remain two points behind the Stars. Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi missed the third period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars will have to wait a few days until trade acquisition Chris Tanev joins them. He remains in Calgary sorting out his work visa and is expected to make his debut on Tuesday.

An overtime goal by Rasmus Dahlin lifted the Buffalo Sabres over the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Tage Thompson’s game-tying goal set the stage for Dahlin’s OT heroics for the 28-28-4 Sabres. Nikita Kucherov collected an assist as he remains the league’s points leader with 104. The Lightning (32-24-6) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres coach Don Granato was fined $25,000.00 by the NHL for unprofessional conduct toward on-ice officials during Tuesday’s loss to the Panthers. 

The Carolina Hurricanes doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 with Brady Skjei getting a goal and an assist. Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for the Hurricanes (36-18-6) as they hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Alex Nylander had a goal and an assist for the 19-30-10 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blue Jackets announced forward Kent Johnson is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson scored two goals in a 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Mathew Bazal collected two points for the 25-20-4 Islanders as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Olli Maatta tallied twice for the Red Wings (33-21-6) as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 72 points.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ fading playoff hopes suffered another blow as they fell to the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves for the shutout while Oliver Bjorkstrand and Alex Wennberg scored for the 26-22-11 Kraken (63 points) as they sit seven points out of the final Western wild-card berth. Tristan Jarry made 23 saves for the 27-22-8 Penguins, who are eight points behind the Lightning with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Penguins announced that winger Bryan Rust is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Kraken forward Andre Burakovsky is listed as day-to-day with an unspecified injury.

The Anaheim Ducks held off the San Jose Sharks 6-4. Adam Henrique had a goal and two assists for the 21-35-3 Ducks while Anthony Duclair scored twice and collected an assist for the 15-38-5 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris’ season could be over as he’s expected to be sidelined for an extended period with an upper-body injury suffered during their 4-1 loss to the Predators on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Norris is one of the Senators’ core players but he’s been hampered by serious injuries since 2021-22. Shoulder surgery limited him to just eight games last season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 28, 2024

by | Feb 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 28, 2024

The Golden Knights set an NHL record, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar sets a franchise record, league commissioner Gary Bettman assures Jets fans their team won’t be moved, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights became the fastest franchise in league history to reach 300 wins (514 games) by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Jonathan Marchessault had two goals and an assist for the 33-19-7 Golden Knights as they ended a three-game losing skid and hold second place in the Pacific Division with 73 points. With 74 points, the Leafs (33-17-8) sit in third place in the Atlantic Division.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar collected an assist to become the highest-scoring blueliner in franchise history (308 points) in a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to extend his season-opening home points streak to 29 games for the Avalanche (36-19-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 77 points. Rookie Logan Stankoven scored his NHL goal for the 35-17-9 Stars as they slipped to second place in the Central with 79 points.

The Florida Panthers held off the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 3-2. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist for the 39-16-4 Panthers (82 points) as they sit first in the Eastern Conference and second in the overall standings. The Sabres slipped to 27-28-4.

An overtime goal by Erik Karlsson lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Sidney Crosby had two assists and reached his 1,000th career even-strength point for the 27-21-8 Penguins as they’ve won three straight games. J.T. Miller netted his 30th goal of the season for the Canucks (38-16-7) as they remain first overall with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Penguins announced that winger Bryan Rust is sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

A five-goal third period carried the Philadelphia Flyers over the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2. Travis Sanheim and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (31-22-7) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 69 points. The 32-24-5 Lightning hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 69 points, four ahead of the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flyers announced defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Rasmus Ristolainen are week-to-week with upper-body injuries. Winger Travis Konecny (upper body) is listed as day-to-day.

Speaking of the Devils, they cruised to a 7-2 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Nico Hischier had a goal and three assists while Jack Hughes had a goal and two assists for the 30-25-4 Devils while San Jose sank to 15-37-5. They also lost goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood as he left the game with an injury in the first period.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected two assists to extend his points streak to nine games as his club trounced the Washington Capitals 8-3. Shayne Gostisbehere tallied twice for the surging Red Wings (33-20-6) as they picked up their sixth straight win and hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 72 points.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 to pick up their fourth straight win. Yegor Sharangovich snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period for the 29-25-5 Flames (63 points) as they sit five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist for the Kings (29-19-10) as they cling to the first Western wild-card spot with 68 points

Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators maintained their hold on that final Western wild-card berth by defeating the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Roman Josi and Gustav Nyquist each had three points for the 33-25-2 Predators (68 points) as they picked up their sixth straight win. The Senators dropped to 25-29-3 while center Josh Norris left the game with an apparent shoulder injury in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to NHL.com, the Senators were outshot 19-0 in the third period.

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist to lead his club to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. The Hurricanes improved to 35-18-6 and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points. The Wild slipped to 28-15-6 and are six points out of the final Western wild-card berth.

The Montreal Canadiens handed the Arizona Coyotes their 13th straight defeat (0-11-2) by a score of 4-2. Sam Montembeault stopped 36 shots while Joel Armia and Jordan Harris had a goal and an assist for the 23-28-8 Canadiens as they ended a five-game losing skid. The Coyotes dropped to 23-30-5.

Winnipeg Jets center Sean Monahan had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers each collected two assists as the Jets (37-15-5) moved into first place in the Central Division with 79 points. With a record of 30-26-2, the Blues (62 points) are six points behind the Predators for that final Western wild-card spot.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Jets, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was in Winnipeg on Tuesday. He dismissed the notion that the club could relocate after team owner Mark Chipman last week expressed concern over their declining season-ticket sales.

The Jets have the second-lowest average attendance this season (13,306), drawing 87.4 percent of Canada Life Centre’s 15, 225 capacity.

At the time, Chipman said the Jets had to get back to a season-ticket base of 13,000 each year after sales dropped to 9,500 for 2023-24. “This place we find ourselves in right now, it’s not going to work over the long haul. It just isn’t,” he said.

Bettman suggested Chipman was referring to the club’s ability to compete and win the Stanley Cup rather than the viability of remaining in Winnipeg. He believes Winnipeg is a strong hockey market and cited the financial commitments that ownership has made to the team, its arena and the downtown area.

“If the team is going to have the resources and the ability to compete at the highest level, and to spend at the cap, as they have, it’s important for the building to be full,” said Bettman. He felt their current difficulties are simply part of the growing pains clubs occasionally endure and is confident that they will adjust.

WINNIPEG SUN: Paul Friesen noted that Chipman walked back his comments from last week that generated so much emotion and concern over the Jets’ future. The Jets owner acknowledged the club screwed up with its rigid policies, admitting it must win back the fans’ trust.

Friesen also included a sampling of the fans’ complaints, most of which centered on the perception that ownership was out of touch with the fans and took them for granted. High prices for parking and concessions, indifferent customer service from the arena staff and sales department, and last spring’s season-ticket ad campaign referencing the original Jets that came across as a veiled threat were among the issues raised.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Before Bettman’s journey to Winnipeg, Mike McIntyre did a detailed examination of how things reached this point for the Jets. He felt there was no reason to panic about the team relocating but pointed out that economics was behind this situation.

McIntyre noted the decline in the Jets season-ticket sales, including a waitlist of reportedly 8,000 that has dried up. He cites many of the same factors as Friesen, as well as the rising cost of living, economic downturn, and the club’s erratic performance in recent years.

He also pointed out the Jets lack corporate support, with just 15 percent accounting for their season-ticket sales. That’s well below the other six Canadian markets, where businesses make up between 45 and 85 percent of the base.

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates examined ways the Jets can win back their fans. He believes they must generate more substantial corporate support and prioritize individuals, families and friends of groups that buy tickets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve noted all this because Chipman’s remarks last week raised concerns about the Jets’ future, not just in Winnipeg but around the league. It also drew plenty of comments last Saturday when I reposted my 2011 Soapbox article expressing concerns for the franchise following its relocation.

While the club isn’t in danger of moving to a new city, there’s no question that the attendance issue garnered attention at NHL headquarters. Hence the commissioner’s attempt to reassure the fans while also meeting with the club’s corporate sponsors to drum up more support.

Bettman’s comments about the requirement for a full arena are no different from those he made in 2011 when the Jets relocated to Winnipeg from Atlanta. For a decade, that wasn’t an issue. It’s become a problem now, one that the team’s owner took public and the league commissioner had to address.

Playing in the NHL’s smallest market and the second-smallest arena, the Jets continue to face more challenges than other Canadian franchises. Over time, it could prove difficult for individual fans or families to keep up with the increasing fan cost index especially if the cost of living continues to rise. Improved corporate support will be crucial going forward.

Jets fans are passionate about their team. If the issues they raised are suitably addressed by the club’s ownership, the season-ticket sales should improve and the Jets should regularly sell out their arena once again.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2024

by | Jan 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the fallout from the Gauthier-for-Drysdale trade, an update on the top vote-getters for the 2024 All-Star Game, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs crushed the San Jose Sharks 7-1. Mitch Marner had two goals and two assists while William Nylander collected three assists for the 21-10-7 Leafs, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 49 points. Henry Thrun scored for the 9-29-3 Sharks as they lost their 12th straight game and sit at the bottom of the overall standings.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk’s natural hat trick in the third period lifted his club to a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Anthony Stolarz stopped 29 shots for the Panthers (26-12-2) as they sit third overall in the Eastern Conference with 54 points. Brayden Schenn scored the lone goal for the 20-18-1 Blues (41 points), who sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

The Winnipeg Jets (27-9-4) maintained their hold on first place in the overall standings with 58 points by blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-0. Connor Hellebuyck had a 29-save shutout while Cole Perfetti scored twice for the Jets, who picked up their seventh straight win and extended their points streak to 13 games. Daniil Tarasov made 18 saves for the 13-20-9 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets center Mark Scheifele left the game after being struck in the face by a deflected shot by teammate Josh Morrissey. He missed the remainder of the game receiving stitches but returned at the end of the game to celebrate his club’s win. It’s unknown if Scheifele will miss any games.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson tallied his 20th goal of the season in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Conor Garland and Filip Hronek each collected two points for the 27-11-3 Canucks as they sit one point behind the Jets in second place in the overall standings. Brock Nelson netted both goals for the Islanders (18-12-10) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders activated defenseman Adam Pelech off long-term injury reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined since Nov. 24 with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in overtime, giving head coach Jon Cooper his 500th career NHL victory. Brandon Hagel scored the tying goal and set up the game-winning goal by Nick Perbix as the Lightning (20-17-5) hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 45 points. Trevor Moore picked up two assists for the 20-10-7 Kings as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hagel was outstanding for the Lightning. His hard work and skill made their comeback possible, especially with his assist on the game-winner.

An overtime goal by Nick Schmaltz lifted the Arizona Coyotes over the Boston Bruins 4-3. Connor Ingram turned aside 30 shots while Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist for the 20-17-2 Coyotes (42 points) as they sit one point behind the Edmonton Oilers for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. David Pastrnak tallied his 25th goal of the season for the Bruins (24-8-8) as they sit in third place in the overall standings with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins also lost goaltender Linus Ullmark in the overtime period as he had to be helped from the ice while attempting to make a glove save. There was no update regarding his condition.

Edmonton Oilers stars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid scored in a narrow 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for the 21-15-1 Oilers, who picked up their seventh straight win to hold the final Western wild-card spot with 43 points. Jason Dickinson scored for the 12-27-3 Blackhawks as they held the Oilers to 15 shots.

The Anaheim Ducks snapped a five-game losing skid as they upset the Nashville Predators 5-3. Troy Terry had a goal and an assist, Alex Killorn collected two assists and Lukas Dostal kicked out 39 shots for the 14-25-1 Ducks. Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots for the 22-18-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 45 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Trevor Zegras left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said the 22-year-old Zegras could be sidelined “for a while.”

Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Joey Daccord made 36 saves for his sixth straight win as the 17-14-9 Kraken (43 points) extended their win streak to seven games and their points streak to 11 games to sit just behind the Oilers. Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the 17-20-4 Sabres.

The Calgary Flames scored four unanswered third-period goals to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman each tallied twice for the 18-18-5 Flames (41 points) as they sit two points back of the Oilers. Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves for the 14-22-0 Senators as they’ve lost four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Josh Norris left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury following an awkward collision with Flames center Elias Lindholm. Before the game, the Senators activated forward Mathieu Joseph off LTIR. He’d been sidelined since Dec. 15 with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports the Philadelphia Flyers still don’t have an answer as to why top prospect Cutter Gauthier refused to sign with them, forcing the club to trade him on Monday to the Anaheim Ducks.

The Flyers held early contract talks with Gauthier last spring following the completion of his freshman year at Boston College and were prepared to sign him last May. However, they couldn’t promise the young winger a roster spot and he’d have to compete for one in training camp like everybody else. If he failed to qualify, he would’ve been sent to their AHL affiliate in LeHigh Valley.

Following the 2023 World Championships, the Gauthier camp informed the Flyers that he didn’t want to play for them and would return to Boston College for his sophomore season. It was assumed that his college coach Greg Brown convinced Gauthier it would be best for his development if he stayed in school for another year.

St. Louis Blues center (and former Flyer) Kevin Hayes was rumored to have influenced Gauthier’s decision as the two are believed to be friends. However, he denied having anything to do with it. Flyer president Keith Jones said Hayes told general manager Daniel Briere the same thing.

TSN: Hayes sounded off against the backlash he was receiving following the rumor that he may have influenced Gauthier’s decision. “It’s 100 percent false,” he said, adding that he didn’t know where it came from. He indicated that death threats were made against himself and his family with some saying they were happy Hayes’ brother had died.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman cited several sources suggesting whatever discussions took place back in March threw an unexpected wrench into the relationship. One theory is the Flyers wanted to sign Gauthier but doing so would’ve resulted in a higher bonus overage against their salary cap for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was also rumored that Gauthier didn’t want to play for Flyers coach John Tortorella. That has been debunked.

Gauthier and his representatives remain silent about his decision not to sign with the Flyers. Based on the reports thus far, it sounds like he was unhappy about not getting a guaranteed spot on their roster. Until he clears the air, the rumors will persist.

The speculation about Hayes was based on the belief that his parting with the Flyers was acrimonious. However, both sides indicated that wasn’t the case. He had no axe to grind and no reason to get involved in Gauthier’s plans. Even if he did, it doesn’t merit death threats or cruel comments about his late brother.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander is leading the fan voting for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. Thirty-two players (one from each club) were already chosen by the league with the remaining 12 roster spots to be determined by fan voting

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is currently second, Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl is third, and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson is fourth thus far. The voting ends at midnight on Thursday.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils center Jack Hughes is expected to be sidelined for “weeks, not months” with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (fractured foot) is week to week.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues signed forward Nathan Walker to a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens placed defenseman Gustav Lindstrom on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 19, 2023

by | Oct 19, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 19, 2023

Josh Norris makes an impressive season debut with the Senators, the Red Wings down the Penguins and Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar recently set a league record. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators center Josh Norris scored twice in his season debut as his club trounced the Washington Capitals 6-1. Tim Stutzle had three assists and Drake Batherson had two helpers. John Carlsson scored Washington’s only goal while Alex Ovechkin has just one assist in his first three games and was held without a shot in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Ottawa Senators center Josh Norris (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Norris had been sidelined since Jan. 21 by a shoulder injury. His return provides a big boost to their offense as well as bolster their depth at center. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Artem Zub left the game in the third period after taking a puck to the side of his face. No word yet as to his condition but for now he could be considered day-to-day. Capitals forward Nic Dowd missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings got two goals each from Alex DeBrincat and Andrew Copp in a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Dylan Larkin had three assists and a fighting major as the Wings have won three straight games. Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for the Penguins.

IN OTHER NEWS…

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar set an NHL record for defensemen during their 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. With an assist on Logan O’Connor’s goal, he became the fastest blueliner to reach 250 career points. He did so in 241 games, beating out Hall-of-Famer Bobby Orr by six games.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets saw a significant drop in attendance in their first two home games of this season. There were roughly 2,000 empty seats for their season opener and over 4,000 for Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

Average attendance at the 15,325-seat Canada Life Centre dropped to 14,025 last season. Their season-ticket base of 13,000 has dropped to less than 10,000.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if that trend continues over the course of this season.

The growing cost of attending NHL games in the league’s smallest market at a time when inflation has driven up the cost of living is one factor. The novelty of the NHL’s return could be finally wearing off for some of their fans. The Jets decline since reaching the 2018 Western Conference Finals could also be turning off some of their followers.

TSN: Speaking of the Jets, winger Gabriel Vilardi will miss the next four to six weeks with a sprained MCL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was speculation that the Jets might pursue a winger such as Vancouver’s Conor Garland if Vilardi’s injury was as serious as that of Montreal’s Kirby Dach, who’s out of the season with a knee injury.

The Jets currently have around $2.4 million in cap space. They have no reason to place Vilardi on long-term injury reserve until they’re acquiring someone with a higher cap hit than his $3.43 million. They could instead opt to make do with a call-up from their farm team until he returns.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild recalled forward Sammy Walker and placed defenseman Alex Goligoski (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The Hurricanes called up goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov. The move comes after Frederik Andersen left Tuesday’s game against San Jose after taking a puck to the mask.