NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 23, 2025

by | Jul 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 23, 2025

Chris Kreider talks about his move to the Ducks, the top available UFAs, the arbitration schedule is released, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Former Rangers winger Chris Kreider is gradually adjusting to life with the Anaheim Ducks. He was traded to the Ducks last month after 13 seasons as one of the most productive players in Blueshirts history.

Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Kreider said he was intrigued by the Ducks’ recent hiring of Joel Quenneville as their new head coach. He also likes the club’s young core, especially at center.

The 33-year-old winger revealed he underwent surgery following last season to repair his injured left hand, which hampered his performance. He has recovered and is in training for the coming season.

While he hasn’t traveled to Anaheim since the trade, Kreider intends to make the journey soon. He indicated that he’s found a place where he can be close to his new teammates.

ESPN.COM: Forwards Jack Roslovic and Max Pacioretty, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, and goaltenders Ilya Samsonov and Alexandar Georgiev are the notable players among the remaining unrestricted free agents.

Others include forwards Victor Olofsson and Robby Fabbri, defenseman Jan Rutta, and goaltender James Reimer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Roslovic has surfaced frequently in the rumor mill. The 28-year-old winger has been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks, but there’s no indication he’s close to signing with any club yet.

Some of the players available in the UFA market could sign short-term contracts with new teams before training camp opens in September. The rest will consider signing professional tryout offers (PTOs), continuing their playing careers in Europe, or retirement.

PUCKPEDIA: The arbitration hearing schedule was released on Monday for the remaining six restricted free agents who filed on July 5.

Nicolas Robertson, Toronto Maple Leafs: August 3

Dylan Samberg, Winnipeg Jets: July 30

Arvid Soderblom, Chicago Blackhawks: July 28

Jayden Struble, Montreal Canadiens: August 3

Conor Timmins, Buffalo Sabres: August 2

Maxim Tsyplakov, New York Islanders: July 29.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko’s hearing was set for July 25. However, he and the club avoided arbitration by agreeing to a three-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.525 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Arbitration hearing dates are usually treated as a deadline for the player and the team to agree to a new contract. Don’t be surprised if the others end up following Kakko’s lead.

Kakko’s new cap hit is nearly double the $2.4 million of his previous deal. Traded to the Kraken from the New York Rangers last December, he fit in well with his new club. After managing 14 points in 30 games with the Rangers, he had 30 points in 49 games with the Kraken.

TORONTO SUN: New Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua will wear No. 81, which was formerly worn by Phil Kessel.

Like Kessel, Joshua is a survivor of testicular cancer. “I knew his story and looking forward to playing a long time here like Kessel did.”

TRIBLIVE.COM: Anthony Mantha has endured season-ending knee surgery and a lengthy rehab, aiming to be ready for training camp in September. On July 2, the 30-year-old winger signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW’s Sheng Peng reports player agent Mike Curran denied a recent report suggesting his client, Kevin Labanc, could be heading to the KHL. Current said Labanc has fully recovered from season-ending shoulder surgery and is “ready to go”.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2025

by | Jul 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2025

The Ducks avoid arbitration with Lukas Dostal, the Canucks trade Dakota Joshua to the Maple Leafs, Yegor Chinakhov requests a trade from the Blue Jackets, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks avoided salary arbitration with Lukas Dostal, signing the 25-year-old goaltender to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant increase for Dostal, who earned an annual cap hit of $812,500 on his previous deal. It raised some eyebrows on social media, but he earned it by outplaying John Gibson for the starter’s job, resulting in the latter’s recent trade to the Detroit Red Wings.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (NHL Images).

Dostal is a good goalie on a rebuilding team. Eric Stephens of The Athletic pointed out that his analytics are better than his traditional stats, with 14.3 goals saved above expectation. He backstopped the Ducks to their first 80-point season since 2018-19.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek considers Dostal to be a proven No. 1 goaltender. “He is just entering the prime of his career, with his best hockey ahead of him.”

THE PROVINCE/TORONTO SUN: The Vancouver Canucks traded forward Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Joshua was popular among Canucks fans for his physical, energetic style. Diagnosed last summer with testicular cancer, he missed most of his offseason training, training camp, and the first 14 games of the 2024-25 season. He admitted that he spent most of the season playing catch-up.

When healthy, Joshua is a solid checking-line forward with a decent scoring touch, netting a career-best 18 goals and 32 points in 63 games during the 2023-24 season. That earned him a three-year contract with an AAV of $3.25 million.

Joshua won’t replace the offense the Leafs lost when they traded Mitch Marner to Vegas on the eve of free agency, but the hardworking 29-year-old will bring a solid physical presence to their third line.

By clearing Joshua’s cap hit from their books, the Canucks have $3.27 million in cap space with 22 active roster players under contract for this season. It’s expected they will add another player via trade or free agency. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade. In a post on social media by his agent, the 24-year-old winger cited “misunderstandings” with head coach Dean Evason last season.

Chinakhov, 24, was chosen 21st overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2020 NHL Draft. He missed nearly half of last season with a back injury.

TSN: Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell expressed surprise that the Chinakhov camp took the trade request public. He said he had spoken with Chinakhov previously about it, indicating the winger didn’t play well upon his return from injury, leading to him and Evanson falling out of favor.

Waddell indicated that he told Chinakhov’s agent that his client has value in the trade market. “I will talk to teams. I have talked to teams. But I’m not going to trade him because you said to trade him.” He added that the winger couldn’t handle being a healthy scratch near the end of the season.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline cited Waddell saying if the trade market isn’t good for Chinakhov, he’ll remain a Blue Jacket. In that case, he’ll be in training camp because he’s under contract for 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell also indicated that he’s not worried about this situation. He believes it won’t be an issue if Chinakhov shows up with the right attitude in training camp. That will also be the best way for the winger to improve his value in the trade market.

RG.ORG: Dmitry Orlov said his reduced role last season with the Carolina Hurricanes left him feeling isolated and mentally drained. The 33-year-old defenseman admitted the hardest part was knowing he no longer fit into their long-term plans.

A free agent on July 1, Orlov signed a two-year contract with the San Jose Sharks. He’s hoping to find stability in a leadership role with the rebuilding club.

TSN: Former NHL head coach Gerard Gallant is heading to Russia to coach a team in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). An official announcement is expected soon.

Winner of the Jack Adams Trophy in 2017-18 with the Vegas Golden Knights, Gallant’s last NHL coaching gig was with the New York Rangers until 2023. He also previously coached the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl took to the ice in Newmarket, Ontario, on Wednesday as they took part in a beer-league game. The pair stood out with their speed and skill, but made sure not to show up their teammates or opponents.

Their team lost 6-2, which sparked some ribbing toward the two on social media. However, the on-ice officials credited the goaltender’s performance for blanking McDavid and Draisaitl.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid and Draisaitl got to get in some summer on-ice work while having some fun at the same time.

They’re not the only notable players to take part in a beer-league game as part of their offseason training this summer.

Evgeny Kuznetsov made a recent appearance at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia. The former Washington Capitals center hopes to stage an NHL comeback after spending last season in the KHL.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 12, 2025

by | Jul 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 12, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on Erik Karlsson, and what the Oilers, Canucks and Senators have left to do this summer.

THE CHRIS JOHNSTON SHOW: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson is willing to waive his no-movement clause to accept a trade. However, there are only a few teams he’d consider as acceptable destinations.

Johnston thinks Karlsson’s contract is easier to move now because there are only two years left. The 35-year-old defenseman is signed through 2026-27, with the Penguins carrying $10 million of his $11.5 million average annual value.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images)

If the Penguins move Karlsson, Johnston doesn’t think it’ll be strictly to shed salary. They view him as an asset that should fetch a reasonable return, especially if they were to retain part of his salary to facilitate a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston believes Karlsson could be tradeable, but he also thinks that it might not happen this summer. He didn’t say which teams the three-time Norris Trophy winner would agree to, but they could be those that he thinks would give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Karlsson agreed to sign his contract with the Sharks in 2019 because he thought they were Cup contenders after reaching the Western Conference Final that year. He accepted a trade to the Penguins because he felt that joining Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang would give him a shot at hockey’s holy grail.

Of course, Karlsson was wrong on both counts, but as the old saying goes, the third time’s a charm.

SPORTSNET: Mark Spector believes Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman will continue to explore the goaltender market in the hope of finding an upgrade between the pipes.

Spector doubts Bowman will find a suitable solution, but he also doesn’t see “a Jack Campbell-type acquisition by a desperate GM.” He suggests that something could emerge during the season, perhaps by the trade deadline, that could address this situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s little available via free agency or trade right now to improve the Oilers’ goaltending. However, that could change during the regular season as teams that fall out of playoff contention seek to shake up their rosters.

Meanwhile, in Vancouver, Iain MacIntyre believes the Canucks must remain patient and continue looking for depth at center. To create cap space to do so, he suggested winger Dakota Joshua (three years, $3.25 million AAV) and center Teddy Blueger (one year, $1.8 million).

MacIntyre also suggested looking at the market for third-string goaltender Arturs Silovs. The 24-year-old was the MVP of the AHL playoffs by backstopping the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford to the Calder Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a seller’s market for centers right now. The Canucks have little choice but to bide their time and hope that it improves during the season.

In Ottawa, Alex Adams believes the Senators are short of an elite top-six winger who can score. He thinks GM Steve Staios is perusing the league despite the limited options, the club’s lack of salary-cap space and assets at his disposal.

Adams suggested Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish as a possible trade target. He claims there’ve been rumblings out of Anaheim that McTavish and the Ducks aren’t a happy family.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There have also been reports dismissing the speculation about McTavish’s supposed unhappiness in Anaheim. The 22-year-old restricted free agent is coming off his entry-level contract and has little leverage in contract negotiations, but no reports suggest talks have become stalled or contentious.

One rumor this spring speculated the Ducks could move winger Cutter Gauthier off the top line and into the second-line center position, pushing McTavish down to the third line. However, there has been no indication that the Ducks are considering that option.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2025

by | Jan 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews scored two goals and added an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. Mikko Rantanen extended his points streak to 14 games with an empty-net goal as the Avalanche have won seven of their last eight games. Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers (50 points), who remain four points behind the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews (NHL Images).

The Buffalo Sabres snapped a three-game losing skid by nipping the Washington Capitals 4-3 on shootout goals by Alex Tuch and JJ Peterka. Tuch also tallied twice and Peterka collected two assists in regulation. Tom Wilson scored two goals for the Capitals and teammate John Carlsson had two assists to become the seventh US-born defenseman to reach 700 regular-season points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals picked up a point to sit two points ahead of the Leafs for first place in the Eastern Conference with 56 points.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves and Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist to down the Seattle Kraken 3-2, ending a four-game losing skid. Adam Larsson and Shane Wright replied for the Kraken, who are winless in their last three contests (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Twelve members of the Kraken’s roster were named to the club’s Quarter-Century Team. That’s not unusual since this franchise has existed since 2021-22. Jordan Eberle, Adam Larsson and Vince Dunn comprise part of their First Team while Matty Beniers, Brandon Montour and Philipp Grubauer are part of the Second Team.

Meanwhile, Devils forward Erik Haula is expected to miss several weeks with a sprained ankle.

An overtime goal by Nick Suzuki capped a three-point night for the Montreal Canadiens captain as he led his team over the Vancouver Canucks 5-4. Lane Hutson also had a goal and two assists and Cole Caufield tallied his 22nd goal of the season for the Canadiens, who’ve won eight of their last 10 and moved into the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 41 points. Canucks center J.T. Miller scored two goals and two assists and Quinn Hughes collected two assists after missing four games with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are one point behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the first wild-card berth but the Lightning hold three games in hand. The Pittsburgh Penguins also have 41 points but have played one more game and have two fewer wins. The Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets are one point back and the Philadelphia Flyers are two points behind.

Hutson leads all rookies this season with 30 points. The Canucks placed forward Dakota Joshua (leg injury) on injured reserve and recalled Jonathan Lekkerimaki, who scored his second goal of the season in this contest.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry, and Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 5.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild placed defenseman Jared Spurgeon (lower body) on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon is on IR with a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (upper-body injury) was placed on IR. Meanwhile, Leafs forward Max Domi was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL’s department of player safety for elbowing Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway during Sunday’s game between the two clubs.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker was helped off the ice during practice on Monday after suffering an injury to his left leg.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers claimed winger Arthur Kaliyev off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL forward Alex Chiasson announced his retirement. He spent 11 seasons in the league (2012-13 to 2022-23) with the Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings, winning a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2017-18. Chiasson had 120 goals and 113 assists for 233 points in 651 regular-season games and seven points in 37 playoff contests.

ARIZONA INSIDER: Craig Morgan reports that newly elected Maricopa Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom Galvin announced the formation of a committee dedicated to bringing the NHL back to the Phoenix Metro Area. The Arizona Coyotes relocated to Utah last spring after their former owner’s plans for a new arena fell through.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL hasn’t given up on returning to Phoenix. However, it will require stable ownership and a new arena in metro Phoenix.

TSN: Former NHL player, coach and executive Al MacNeil passed away at the age of 89. MacNeil played 11 seasons (1955-56 to 1967-68) as a defenseman with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

MacNeil was head coach of the Canadiens for one season, winning the Stanley Cup in 1970-71. He also spent six seasons with their AHL affiliate in Halifax, NS, winning three Calder Cup championships. He also spent three seasons coaching the Atlanta/Calgary Flames (1979-80 to 1981-82) and served as an interim coach with the Flames in 2002-03.

MacNeil also spent stints as the Flames’ assistant general manager and director of player personnel and scouting.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL forward Dwight Foster passed away at age 67. He spent 10 seasons in the NHL (1977-78 to 1986-87) with the Boston Bruins, Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils, and Detroit Red Wings. In 541 games, Foster scored 111 goals and 163 assists for 274 regular-season points and had 17 points in 35 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to the families, friends, former teammates, and associates of MacNeil and Foster.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2024

by | Nov 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2024

Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches 1,000 points and Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy gets his 300th career win. Get the details on these stories and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid became the fourth-fastest and the fourth-youngest player to reach the 1,000-point plateau as his club during a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. McDavid reached the milestone with a second-period goal and picked up an assist on Darnell Nurse’s overtime tally. Nurse finished the night with two goals and an assist. Michael McCarron and Cole Smith replied for the Predators, who’ve won twice in their last nine games (2-4-3).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Mike Bossy among the fastest to 1,000 points, doing so in 659 regular-season games. Gretzky did it in 424 games, Lemieux in 513 games, and Bossy in 656.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy became the fastest netminder to reach 300 regular-season wins by defeating the league-leading Winnipeg Jets 4-1, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Vasilevskiy turned aside 23 shots and Jake Guentzel scored two goals for the Lightning. Adam Lowry had the Jets’ only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vasilevsky got the win in his 490th NHL regular-season game, breaking the previous record (521) held by Hall-of-Famer Jacques Plante.

The Dallas Stars scored seven goals for the second straight game to crush the Boston Bruins 7-2. Evgenii Dadonov tallied twice while teammates Mason Marchment, Matt Duchene and rookie Oskar Back each had a goal and an assist. Charlie Coyle and David Pastrnak scored for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Back’s goal was his first in the NHL. The Stars’ previous seven-goal game was their 7-1 trouncing of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt tallied a hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers to sweep their back-to-back series. Jack Hughes collected three assists and Stefan Noesen scored twice for the Devils, who’ve won seven of their last nine games. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart netted his league-leading 13th goal.

Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson turned in a 19-save shutout to blank the Montreal Canadiens 3-0. Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi and Kirill Kaprizov were the goalscorers for the Wild, who’ve won six of their last eight contests. Canadiens netminder Sam Montembealt made 25 saves as the Canadiens dropped the seventh of their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov has 30 points in 16 games, breaking his previous franchise record of 30 points in 22 games. Minnesota forwards Mats Zuccarello and Joel Eriksson Ek left this game with lower-body injuries. Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The New York Islanders extended their point streak to five games (3-0-2) with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Islanders center Bo Horvat had two assists against his former club, Anders Lee had a goal and an assist and Semyon Varlamov turned aside 24 shots for the win. Canucks rookie Jonathan Lekkerimaki opened the scoring with his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks forward Dakota Joshua made his season debut after missing the opening 14 games of the season recovering from treatment for testicular cancer.

New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad snapped a nine-game goalless drought as his club nipped the San Jose Sharks 3-2. Vincent Trocheck’s second-period goal was the game-winner and Artemi Panarin picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games. Timothy Liljegren and Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Rangers as center Filip Chytil left the game following a collision with teammate K’Andre Miller in the second period. He’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury but there is concern given his concussion history. Meanwhile, the Sharks could loan rookie center Will Smith to Team USA for the 2025 World Junior Championship that begins next month.

An overtime goal by Rasmus Dahlin lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Alex Tuch and Ryan McLeod each had a goal and an assist as the Sabres picked up their fourth win in their last five games. Brandon Saad scored twice for the Blues, who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

The Philadelphia Flyers overcame a 4-2 deficit to beat the Ottawa Senators 5-4 on an overtime goal by rookie Matvei Michkov. Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim had three points while Bobby Brink, Travis Konecny and Anthony Richard each had a goal and an assist. Josh Norris, Thomas Chabot and Ridly Greig each had two points for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier and goaltender Samuel Ersson missed this game with lower-body injuries and are considered day-to-day.

Seattle Kraken Brandon Tanev extended his goal streak to three games in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Matty Beniers and Jaden Schwartz also scored for the Kraken. Ryan Donato replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schwartz’s goal was the 200th of his NHL career. Kraken captain Jordan Eberle left the game early in the second period with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status. Meanwhile, Blackhawks defenseman Alec Martinez returned to action for the first time since being sidelined on Oct. 15 with a groin injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin is expected to make his season debut on Friday against the Washington Capitals. He served a six-month suspension as part of Phase 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Avalanche, they activated forwards Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wood off injured reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs also placed forward Chris Wagner on waivers.

DAILY FACEOFF: The NHL reports only 55 players are wearing neck guards despite no shortage of close calls. It’s been barely a year since former NHL player Adam Johnston died from a skate cut to his neck while playing in England last year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Players tend to be reluctant to adopt new equipment when it’s done voluntarily. It took decades for NHL players to fully adopt goalie masks, helmets and visors.

TSN: Defenseman Matt Irwin announced his retirement after 11 NHL seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals. He played in 461 regular-season games between 2012-13 and 2022-23, tallying 25 goals and 68 assists for 93 points. Irwin also had four points in 47 playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 19, 2024

by | Oct 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 19, 2024

Three Jets have four-point performances against the Sharks, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Cole Perfetti, Neal Pionk, and Vladislav Namestnikov each collected four points to lead the Winnipeg Jets over the San Jose Sharks 8-3. Perfetti had two goals and two assists while Pionk and Namestnikov each had a goal and three assists. Jets winger Nikolai Ehlers also scored two goals and picked up an assist. Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who are winless in their first five games (0-3-2).

Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets (4-0-0) are among three teams still unbeaten this season, joining the 4-0-0 Calgary Flames and 3-0-0 Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Sharks could also be without sidelined rookie Macklin Celebrini (hip injury) longer than expected. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported Friday that the 18-year-old center could be out for another couple of weeks.

An overtime goal by Nathan MacKinnon lifted the Colorado Avalanche to their first win of the season with a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. MacKinnon’s goal came after Ducks winger Troy Terry tied the game with 13 seconds left in the third period. Mikko Rantanen collected three assists and Ross Colton tallied twice for the Avalanche. Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 45 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Ducks announced forward Isac Lundestrom is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes scored four straight goals, including two on the power play, to down the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1. Frederik Anderson made 25 saves while Martin Necas and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each had two points for the Hurricanes. Joel Blomqvist stopped 35 shots and Drew O’Connor scored for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and center Lars Eller ripped their team’s performance following this game. “They worked harder than us, and they got rewarded for it,” said Letang. “There were so many things that needed to be better,” Eller said. “The attitude, the energy, the execution.”

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (lower-body strain) said he felt better yesterday following practice. However, it remained uncertain if he’ll return to action against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Ullmark’s last game was a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens last Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates Ullmark and the Senators are being careful to avoid aggravating that injury. It’s best to ensure he’s 100 percent given how much they rely on him this season.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defensemen Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle are day-to-day with upper-body injuries, forcing the Habs to recall Logan Mailloux from their AHL affiliate in Laval. Meanwhile, winger Juraj Slafkovsky suffered an apparent shoulder injury during practice on Friday and is questionable for Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders.

THE SCORE: Utah Hockey Club head coach Andre Tourigny said defenseman John Marino will be sidelined for months with an upper-body injury. He was acquired in June from the New Jersey Devils but his injury has prevented him from joining his new teammates.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Kierszenblat believes the absence of Dakota Joshua is a key factor behind the Vancouver Canucks’ slow start. The 28-year-old energy forward is still recovering from offseason surgery for testicular cancer.

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Motte is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

RG.ORG: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly believes the best Russian hockey players still want to play in the NHL.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 the country has been banned from participating in International Ice Hockey Federation tournaments. The NHL also suspended its transfer agreement with the KHL.

That’s led to speculation NHL teams could attempt to cut side deals for unofficial transfers of Russian prospects from the KHL to the NHL. Daly denies this, saying the top Russian talent wants to come to the NHL because it’s the elite league for the world’s best players. That includes players buying their way out of KHL contracts.

There’s also been conjecture suggesting some KHL clubs are limiting the playing time of young NHL prospects like SKA St. Petersburg winger Ivan Demidov, a top prospect of the Montreal Canadiens. His coach disputes the accusation, saying ice time for young players is based on merit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: KHL teams tend to limit the ice time of promising young players until they’re better established. Philadelphia Flyers fans were concerned early last season over the playing time of winger Matvei Michkov before St. Petersburg loaned him to HK Sochi.