NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2024

by | Oct 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2024

The North American portion of the 2024-25 regular season begins on Tuesday. Check out the latest injury updates, contract signings, waiver claims, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL NORTH AMERICAN SCHEDULE BEGINS TUESDAY

NHL.COM: The NHL season began last week in Prague, Czechia between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL Global Series. The North American portion of the schedule begins Tuesday with a triple header televised nationally in Canada and the United States.

The schedule opens with the Seattle Kraken hosting the St. Louis Blues at 4:30 ET. It will be a historic game as Seattle assistant coach Jessica Campbell becomes the first woman in NHL history to serve in a behind-the-bench capacity.

The Florida Panthers will raise their 2024 Stanley Cup banner at home before facing off against the Boston Bruins starting at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: South Florida is outside the cone of concern for the approaching Hurricane Milton. For now, this game appears likely to be played as scheduled in Sunrise.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been forced to evacuate. They were expected to depart for Raleigh, North Carolina, on Monday evening with most players bringing along their family and pets. Some made private arrangements to evacuate their families.

The tripleheader concludes with the Utah Hockey Club making its debut by hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

INJURY UPDATES

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks announced forward Dakota Joshua and goaltender Thatcher Demko were placed on the club’s injured non-roster list. Joshua missed training camp recovering from surgery for testicular cancer while Demko’s been dealing with a rare muscle injury in his knee.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s speculation both players could be sidelined three-to-four weeks.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer and winger Jason Robertson returned to the club on Monday. DeBoer underwent an appendectomy two weeks ago and dealt with some minor complications during his recovery. Robertson was sidelined recovering from offseason surgery to remove a cyst from his foot.

CBS SPORTS: The Anaheim Ducks placed goaltender John Gibson (abdomen) on injury reserve. Meanwhile, San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Eduoard Vlasic is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Sharks, rookie center Macklin Celebrini is good to go for their season opener on Oct. 10. He was sidelined last week by a lower-body injury.

TSN: The Calgary Flames placed winger Yegor Sharangovich on injured reserve. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Artemi Panarin returned to practice on Monday for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury during a preseason game last week. Meanwhile, the Rangers placed defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve and winger Jimmy Vesey (lower body) on long-term injury reserve (LTIR).

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed forward Bryan Rust and Blake Lizotte and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic on IR and placed forward Matt Nieto (knee surgery) on LTIR.

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres placed forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel on IR with a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs placed Calle Jarnkrok, Jani Hakanpaa and Dakota Mermis on LTIR and put Conor Dewar and Fraser Minten on IR.

LATEST NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs signed winger Max Pacioretty to a one-year contract worth $873,770 and forward Steven Lorentz to a one-year deal worth $775K. They also signed defenseman Cade Webber to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pacioretty and Lorentz attended Leafs training camp on professional tryout offers (PTOs).

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild signed goaltender Jesper Wallstedt to a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension. The average annual value (AAV) is $2.2 million commencing in 2025-26.

The Washington Capitals signed winger Jakub Vrana to a one-year, $775K contract. He attended Capitals training camp on a PTO.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Winger Austin Watson turned his PTO with the Red Wings into a one-year, two-way contract with the club.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The Anaheim Ducks claimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres.

Forward Zach Aston-Reese was claimed off waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets from the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights claimed forward Raphael Lavoie from the Edmonton Oilers.

The Vancouver Canucks reclaimed goaltender Jiri Patera from the Boston Bruins, who had claimed Patera off waivers from the Canucks last week.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck missed practice on Monday for family reasons. He’s expected to be ready for their season opener against the Oilers on Wednesday.

THE SCORE: Jett Luchanko is set to become the youngest roster player in Philadelphia Flyers history. He was chosen 13th overall in this year’s draft and turned 18 on Aug. 21.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators returned Carter Yakemchuk to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. Chosen seventh overall in this year’s draft, the 18-year-old defenseman had a strong training camp and performed well in preseason action. However, management felt it best for his long-term development that he return to the Hitmen where he’ll get more playing time this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A smart decision by the Senators. Despite his preseason play, Yakemchuk likely would’ve seen limited action in regular-season play. He’ll be in a better position next season for a full-time roster spot among their top-four blueliners.

RDS: Former NHL player Mike Ribeiro pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault in Texas on Monday. The charge was connected to an event that occurred in June 2021 resulting in Ribeiro being acquitted on two counts of sexual assault earlier this year.

The jury was unable to agree on the final charge. The process of selecting a new jury was slated for Monday but the two sides reached an agreement in which Ribeiro admitted under oath that he sexually touched the victim without her consent.

Ribeiro will avoid prison and must pay a $4,000 fine.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2024

by | Sep 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2024

The Stars re-sign Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley, Canucks forward Dakota Joshua reveals testicular cancer diagnosis, plus other notable signings and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed defenseman Esa Lindell to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.25 million. They also signed a two-year contract with blueliner Thomas Harley with a $4 million AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindell and Harley are among the Stars’ top three blueliners along with Miro Heiskanen.

Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (NHL Images).

Lindell, 30, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He’s taking a pay cut on his next deal as his current AAV is $5.8 million. His new deal comes with a full no-trade clause in the first three years and a 20-team no-trade list in the final two years. He also gets signing bonuses during the first three years.

Harley, 23, is coming off his entry-level contract. He’s accepting a bridge deal but his next contract will likely be longer and more lucrative. He enjoyed a breakout performance in 2023-24, tallying 47 points in 79 games.

THE PROVINCE: Canucks forward Dakota Joshua revealed he was diagnosed with testicular cancer during the summer. The tumor was successfully removed and the 28-year-old is expected to make a full recovery. Joshua hopes to resume playing soon but there is no timeline for his return to the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Joshua makes a complete recovery. Testicular cancer is no joke. Thankfully, nearly 100 percent of cases are curable.

Joshua can draw inspiration from Phil Kessel. He was also diagnosed with testicular cancer early in his NHL career. He made a full recovery, going on to become the NHL’s reigning Ironman and a three-time Stanley Cup champion.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Spencer Lazary reports the Los Angeles Kings signed winger Arthur Kaliyev to a one-year contract worth $874, 125.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaliyev, 23, reportedly requested a trade after the Kings were eliminated from the opening round of the 2024 NHL Playoffs. However, he was completing his entry-level contract and had little leverage to force a trade.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres signed restricted free-agent forward Peyton Krebs to a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.45 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krebs was another player coming off his entry-level contract. He was part of the trade that sent Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights in November 2021. The young forward has struggled to establish himself with the Sabres, relegated to fourth-line duty last season.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers general manager Daniel Briere hopes goaltender Alexei Kolosov changes his mind and returns to the club from Belarus. Until then, Briere said the club is moving on.

Kolosov, 22, is under an entry-level contract with the Flyers. They’re unwilling to loan him back to KHL club Dinamo Minsk, who have also moved on and carry three goalies on their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report claims Kolosov wanted assurances of a guaranteed roster spot with the Flyers. That won’t happen with Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov as their tandem for this season. Given his contract status, Kolosov has no choice but to return to the Flyers if he wants to keep playing this season.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs signed goaltender Jon Gillies to a professional tryout offer (PTO). Gillies, 30, last played in 2022-23, splitting time between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers agreed with Broward County on a lease extension for Amerant Bank Arena that could keep the club in Sunrise through 2043.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated this deal should end rumors of the Panthers looking into constructing a new arena closer to Ft. Lauderdale. It also noted that potential new development around their current venue would likely keep them there.

SPORTSNET: Alexander Edler will sign a one-day contract to officially retire from the NHL as a member of the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 11. The 38-year-old defenseman spent 15 of his 17 NHL seasons with the Canucks, becoming a key part of their blueline and helping them reach the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

Edler played in 1,030 career regular-season games with the Canucks and Los Angeles Kings from 2006-07 to 2022-23, finishing with 104 goals and 335 assists for 439 points. He also had 40 points in 93 playoff contests.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL forward Tyler Ennis announced his retirement on Tuesday. Ennis, 34, played 13 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers from 2009-10 to 2021-22. He spent the last two seasons playing in Europe.

Ennis played 700 career regular-season games in the NHL, scoring 144 goals and 202 assists for 346 points. He also collected 12 points in 24 postseason games.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former NHL blueliner Chris Wideman also retired on Tuesday. The 34-year-old spent six seasons in the NHL from 2015-16 to 2022-23, finishing with 20 goals and 78 points in 291 regular-season games along with 4 points in 15 playoff contests.

SPORTSNET: The Edmonton Oilers and assistant GM Brad Holland mutually agreed to part company. He’d been in that role since 2022-23. Holland is the son of former Oilers GM Ken Holland.

TSN: The Washington Capitals will wear their black “screaming eagle” jersey for six games in 2024-25.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 28, 2024

by | Jun 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 28, 2024

The remaining 2024 NHL Awards are handed out, the Predators and Juuse Saros agree to a new contract, the Stars will buy out Ryan Suter, the Flames trade Andrew Mangiapane to the Capitals, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The major remaining NHL Awards were handed out on Thursday.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon took home the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player to his team and the Ted Lindsay Award as MVP as voted by the NHLPA membership. It’s the first time MacKinnon won those awards.

Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender. He previously took home that award in 2018-19.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers are the only active NHL goalies to win the Vezina twice.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. It’s the first time Hughes has won this trophy.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to this year’s winners of the NHL Awards.

MacKinnon, Hellebuyck and Hughes were part of the 2023-24 First All-Star Team along with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid leads the 2023-24 Second All-Star Team. David Pastrnak and Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators are the wingers, Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Adam Fox of the New York Rangers are the defenseman, with Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks filling the goaltender’s spot.

Bedard headed the All-Rookie Team. The Minnesota Wild’s Brock Faber and New Jersey Devils’ Luke Hughes are the defensemen, Logan Cooley of the Arizona Coyotes (now Utah Hockey Club) and Faber’s teammate Marco Rossi are the forwards, with Pyotr Kochetkov as the goaltender. 

TSN: The Nashville Predators have reached an agreement with goaltender Juuse Saros on an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.74 million. He is eligible to sign the extension on July 1, the opening day of free agency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros, 29, is coming off a four-year deal with an AAV of $5 million. He was the frequent subject of trade speculation this season, especially with promising Yaroslav Askarov expected to join their roster in 2024-25. How this affects Askarov’s future with the Predators remains to be seen.

At the very least, this ends the baseless speculation suggesting Saros would be part of a trade offer to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Mitch Marner.

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reported the Dallas Stars will buy out Ryan Suter’s contract. The 39-year-old defenseman had a year remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $4.3 million. The buyout will count as over $783K against the Stars’ cap for 2024-25 and $1.433 million for 2025-26.

Suter is a plus-35 player but is exempt from the 35-plus buyout rules because his contract was not frontloaded and doesn’t contain a signing bonus beyond the first year of the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second time Suter has been bought out of a contract. The Minnesota Wild bought out the remaining four years of his deal with them in 2021.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames traded winger Andrew Mangiapane to the Washington Capitals on Thursday evening for a second-round pick in 2025. Mangiapane, 28, spent the past seven seasons with the Flames. He has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuild continues in Calgary as Mangiapane joins Jacob Markstrom, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Elias Lindholm among the players traded by the Flames in 2024. Meanwhile, the Capitals continue to bolster their scoring depth, acquiring Pierre-Luc Dubois last week from the Los Angeles Kings.

TVA SPORTS: Former Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber shed light on the left foot and ankle injuries that ended his career.

“There were days when I couldn’t get out of bed, when I couldn’t walk. I don’t walk to talk about the amount of medication I took because it was adding up,” said Weber. He knew halfway through the 2020-21 season that it would be his last. Team doctors confirmed it following the end of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

Weber admitted he initially struggled mentally with the premature end of his playing career. He said getting involved in his children’s sports helped him out of his depression.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Weber was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2024 earlier this week.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said winger T.J. Oshie is still weighing his options regarding treatment for his chronic back issues. “He’s still in search of a permanent solution, talking to doctors, training staff,” said MacLellan.

Oshie, 37, was limited to 52 games in 2023-24 by recurring injuries, managing 12 goals and 25 points. Over the past several seasons, he was also plagued by back problems.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Dakota Joshua to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here. Joshua, 28, tallied a career-high 18 goals last season on the Canucks’ third line and provided a physical presence to the lineup. He thrived under head coach Rick Tocchet.

The Canucks also re-signed Tyler Myers to a three-year contract with an AAV of $3 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Entering this season, it was expected the Canucks would let Myers depart this summer as a free agent. Like Joshua, however, Myers performed well under Tocchet and became a valuable part of their defense corps.

It’s also believed the Canucks are considering bringing back Casey DeSmith to back up starter Thatcher Demko. While Arturs Silovs battled hard during the playoffs replacing both sidelined netminders, he still has some weaknesses in his game to sort out.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The San Jose Sharks have moved up in the order of the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. They traded the No. 14 pick (acquired from Pittsburgh last summer in the Erik Karlsson deal) and No. 42 pick to the Buffalo Sabres for the No. 11 pick.

The Sharks also acquired forechecking winger Carl Grundstrom from the Los Angeles Kings for defenseman Kyle Burroughs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks general manager Mike Grier is wasting no time making moves in this offseason. He’s facing another busy summer as he continues rebuilding his roster.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues hired Claude Julien as an assistant coach and promoted Steve Ott to associate head coach.

TSN: Former NHL forward Daniel Winnik announced his retirement. He spent 11 seasons in the NHL from 2007-08 to 2017-18 with the Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild. He had 251 points in 798 games.

Winnik spent the past six seasons playing for Geneve Servette in Switzerland.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 14, 2024

by | Jun 14, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – June 14, 2024

Check out the latest on Patrik Laine, Mitch Marner, Martin Necas and Tanner Jeannot plus updates on the Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE BLUE JACKETS AND PATRIK LAINE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Columbus Blue Jackets had been working on trading Patrik Laine since early last season. He believes there’s interest in the 26-year-old winger as a player but his contract complicates things.

Laine has two years remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $8.7 million. He also carries a 10-team no-trade list.

Friedman believes it comes down to what the Blue Jackets seek in return and if they’re willing to retain part of Laine’s cap hit. He also believes the winger’s injury history makes him riskier.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

Jeff Marek observed that the Utah Hockey Club wants to add veteran players on short-term contracts. He thinks their young player might benefit from having a proven goal scorer in their midst.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets will want to move the entirety of Laine’s contract from their books. They won’t get much in return to do that. The Jackets might have to take back an expensive struggling veteran in the deal.

THE LATEST ON MITCH MARNER

Friedman believes Mitch Marner’s contract will make it difficult for the Toronto Maple Leafs to trade him. He noted that the type of contract Marner would seek once his current deal expires next summer is one factor while another is his no-movement clause. Friedman also pointed out that Marner’s agent prefers to go to free agency.

This saga could carry over into next season unless the Leafs can sell Marner on a trade. “I think people are underestimating just how complicated this whole thing is,” said Friedman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No, Elliotte, Marner’s critics in Leafs Nation are willfully ignoring those complications. They want the scapegoat for their club’s playoff woes traded immediately for a big return and won’t accept no for an answer.

RED WINGS FOLLOWING MARTIN NECAS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sam Stockton cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli claiming the Detroit Red Wings is among seven clubs closely following Martin Necas’ trade status.

Stockton pointed out that Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is determined to add a top-fix forward this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes reportedly seek “star power” in return. If they’re unable to get it, perhaps they’d be interested in what the Red Wings could offer in terms of draft picks and prospects.

COULD THE CANUCKS TRADE HRONEK AND MIKHAYEV?

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston believes Filip Hronek fits the Vancouver Canucks perfectly but that doesn’t mean he’s staying around long-term. They’ve been trying to re-sign the 26-year-old restricted free-agent defenseman but haven’t gained much traction.

Johnston suggests there might be more value in trading Hronek rather than signing him to a deal that is above what Canucks management wants to pay him. He noted that the blueliner played well alongside Quinn Hughes but not in limited minutes away from the Canucks captain.

Meanwhile, Johnston cited sources confirming the Canucks are trying to trade Ilya Mikheyev. The 29-year-old winger has two years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $4.75 million.

Mikheyev has struggled with injuries and consistency in his NHL career. They’d like to move him out to free up cap space for other needs. It could cost them a draft pick to move him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hronek would have more value in the trade market than Mikheyev. However, the blueliner is reportedly seeking a multi-year deal worth $8 million annually, which is more than Hughes is making as the Canucks’ top defenseman. His salary demands and unimpressive numbers away from Hughes could dampen his value in the trade market.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Evan Doerfler cited CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reporting Dakota Joshua is drawing plenty of interest. The 29-year-old Canucks forward is a UFA coming off a two-year deal with an AAV of $825K. Dhaliwal believes the Toronto Maple Leafs could be among the clubs interested in Joshua.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Joshua enjoyed a breakout performance this season with 18 goals and 32 points, bringing a gritty presence to the Canucks’ checking lines. He won’t be lacking for suitors willing to pay him over $3 million annually on a multi-year deal if he tests the free-agent market on July 1.

SHARKS, BLACKHAWKS INTERESTED IN TANNER JEANNOT?

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos believes a young team like the San Jose Sharks or Chicago Blackhawks would be interested in Tanner Jeannot. The 27-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning forward has a year remaining on his contract with an AAV of $2.6 million.

Kypreos thinks Jeannot would make more sense for a young team than a contender with only a fourth-line position.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Jeannot plays well with a young club they can try to re-sign him. They can also flip him to a contender at the trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2024

by | Mar 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2024

The Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard matches two franchise records, the Panthers and Rangers expand their leads in their respective divisions, and former player Anson Carter heads a group that wants to bring a franchise to Atlanta. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks rookie star Connor Bedard had a goal and four assists in a 7-2 rout of the Anaheim Ducks. Bedard matched the single-game franchise records for assists and points (five) by a rookie. Nick Foligno and Philipp Kurashev each had four points for the 18-43-5 Blackhawks. Brett Leason tallied twice for the 23-39-3 Ducks.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard also became the fifth 18-year-old player in league history to have a five-point game, joining Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), Ilya Kovalchuk (2002), Dale Hawerchuk (1982) and Jack Hamilton (1943). The young Blackhawks star has eight points in his last two games and 10 in his last four. He leads this season’s rookie class with 51 points (13 more than Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber) and 20 goals (three more than the Wild’s Marco Rossi).

The league-leading Florida Panthers scored three unanswered third-period goals to nip the Dallas Stars 4-3, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Aleksander Barkov scored twice while Sam Reinhart tallied his 46th goal of the season for the 45-17-4 Panthers (94 points), who opened a three-point lead over the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins atop the overall standings. Joe Pavelski, Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (40-18-9), who sit in first place in the Central Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers played without forward Evan Rodrigues due to a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves for his second straight shutout to blank the Carolina Hurricanes 1-0. Adam Fox scored for the 43-18-4 Rangers (90 points) to open a six-point lead over the second-place Hurricanes atop the Metropolitan Division. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 23 shots for the 39-20-6 Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Rangers rookie center Matt Rempe received a four-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for elbowing New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head on Monday.

The Colorado Avalanche moved closer to the Central-leading Stars with a 6-2 victory over the slumping Calgary Flames. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 13 games while Mikko Rantanen has two goals and two assists for the 41-20-5 Avalanche (87 points) as they’re two points back of the Stars. Dan Vladar made 29 saves for the 31-29-5 Flames, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all scorers with a career-high 113 points. Three key Flames players were absent from this game. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, forward Andrei Kuzmenko was a late scratch with an upper-body injury, and winger Andrew Mangiapane was sidelined with an illness.

Speaking of slumping teams, the Detroit Red Wings suffered a 7-3 upset at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres. Defenseman Bowen Byram scored twice and Zach Benson had a goal and two assists for the 31-30-5 Sabres (67 points), who moved to within five points of the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist for the 33-26-3 Red Wings (72 points), who lost their sixth straight game and slipped out of that wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: When this month started, the Wings held the first Eastern wildcard berth with 72 points with a seven-point lead over the ninth-overall Washington Capitals and the 10th-overall Islanders. The Isles now have the same number of points as the Wings but they hold that wildcard spot with a game in hand.

Jack Eichel’s 200th career goal came in overtime to lift the Vegas Golden Knights over the Seattle Kraken 5-4. Eichel also had two assists while Jonathan Marchessault tallied twice for the Golden Knights (35-23-7), who hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot with 77 points. Philipp Grubauer stopped 29 shots for the 28-24-12 Kraken.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett snapped a 2-2 tie as his club defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-2. Travis Konecny and Morgan Frost each had two points for the Flyers (34-24-8), who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points. Filip Zadina scored both goals for the 16-41-7 Sharks.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau kicked out 41 shots for his second shutout of the season in a 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brendan Gallagher, Juraj Slafkovsky and Joshua Roy were the goalscorers for the 25-30-10 Canadiens. Elvis Merzlikins gave up three goals on four shots and was replaced by Daniil Tarasov as the Blue Jackets sank to 22-33-10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

A two-goal performance by Kirill Kaprizov gave the Minnesota Wild a 4-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Kaprizov also collected an assist for the 32-27-7 Wild. Nick Bjugstad replied for the 26-35-5 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek left the game with an undisclosed injury in the third period. Meanwhile, the Coyotes played without forward Barrett Hayton as he could be out longer than day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators snapped a seven-game skid as they downed the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on an overtime goal by Drake Batherson. Joonas Korpisalo made 34 saves and Jake Sanderson also scored for the 26-33-4 Senators. Michael Bunting replied for the 28-27-9 Penguins.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Former NHL player-turned-broadcaster Anson Carter is heading a group that made a formal request to the league to begin the process of adding an expansion franchise to Atlanta.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Three times the charm after two previous teams (Flames and Thrashers) were relocated from Atlanta. Meanwhile, potential ownership groups in Salt Lake City and Houston have also expressed interest in bringing NHL franchises to their cities.

While the league continues to play coy over the possibility of expanding into new markets, it seems inevitable that it will grow by at least another two teams before the end of this decade. One of those cities could become the next home of the Arizona Coyotes if their current owner’s efforts to build a new arena in the Phoenix area fall through.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. He is expected to return before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin next month.

TSN: The Canucks also placed winger Dakota Joshua (injured hand) on long-term injury reserve.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro is out for two to three weeks with an upper-body injury.

THE SCORE: The Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils will open the 2024-25 season on Oct. 4 and 5 in Prague, Czechia. The following month, the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers will face off in Tampere, Finland on Nov. 1 and 2. These games are part of the NHL’s 2024 Global Series.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2024

by | Feb 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2024

The Leafs’ Auston Matthews set a record as he reached 50 goals, Houston Rocket owner interested in an NHL franchise, and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his 50th and 51st goals of the season in a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Matthews became the fastest American-born player to reach 50 goals in a season (54 games) and the fastest NHL player to do so since Mario Lemieux tallied 50 in 50 games in 1995-96.

William Nylander scored twice while Mitch Marner collected three assists for the 31-16-8 Leafs as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 70 points. Mattias Maccelli, Barrett Hayton and Dylan Guenther replied for the Coyotes (23-29-4), who’ve dropped six in a row and are winless in their last 11 games (0-10-1).

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is well on his way to winning his third Richard Trophy in four years as the NHL’s top goal scorer. His league-leading 51 goals puts him 12 ahead of Florida’s Sam Reinhart, who sits second with 39 goals.

This is the second time Matthews has reached the 50-goal plateau and he’s within range of reaching 60 goals for the second time in three years. At his current pace, he could become the first player to score 70 goals in a season since Alexander Mogilny and Teemu Selanne in 1992-93.

The Boston Bruins blew a 4-1 lead but recovered to nip the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 on an overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy. Mason Lohrei collected three assists while McAvoy, David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk each had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (34-12-11) as they reclaimed first place in the Eastern Conference with 79 points, one behind the league-leading Vancouver Canucks. Warren Foegele scored two goals while Connor McDavid extended his home points streak to 20 games with two assists for the 33-18-2 Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. The Bruins were already down a blueliner as Hampus Lindholm is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missed this contest due to illness.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny scored to extend his points streak to seven games in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Travis Sanheim and Garnet Hathaway also scored for the 30-20-7 Flyers as they continue to hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 67 points. Colin Blackwell replied for the 15-39-3 Blackhawks.

A shorthanded goal by Alex Tuch late in the second period held up as the winner as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2, handing the latter their third straight loss. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 29 shots for the Sabres (25-27-4). Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble replied for the Canadiens (22-26-8) as Nick Suzuki’s 10-game points streak and Juraj Slafkovsky’s seven-game points streak came to an end.

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Boone Jenner each had a goal and two assists in a 7-4 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Zach Werenkski and Sean Kuraly each tallied twice for the 18-27-10 Blue Jackets while Mason McTavish scored two goals for the 20-34-2 Ducks.

HEADLINES

BLOOMBERG: Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is said to be in talks with the NHL about bringing a franchise to the Texas city. He’s been looking into it since 2017 but discussions have recently ramped up. He sees a professional hockey franchise being the next building block for the economy of downtown Houston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ferttita’s increased interest in an NHL team comes weeks after the ownership group of the Utah Jazz requested the league initiate an expansion process to bring a team to Salt Lake City.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently said the league had no formal plans to expand from its current 32 teams but was willing to talk to cities interested in adding NHL clubs. With the expansion fee for a team said to be $2 billion, which is split among the existing NHL team owners and is not considered hockey-related revenue, don’t be surprised if there are two new NHL teams within the next 10 years.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said team captain Mark Stone is expected to be sidelined “for a while” with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, he said that Jack Eichel is doing well with his rehab and should return “in the not-too-distant future.” Eichel (knee) is currently on long-term injury reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Stone is placed on LTIR and is out for the rest of the regular season it will allow the Golden Knights to exceed the salary cap if necessary to add a player or two by the March 8 trade deadline.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and Jimmy Vesey are listed as day-to-day with lower-body injuries as they missed practice yesterday.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Rangers, they signed forward Jonny Brodzinski to a two-year, one-way contract extension worth an average annual value of $785, 500.

ESPN: Kevin Weekes reports Los Angeles Kings forward Viktor Arvidsson could be sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg was fined $2,083.33 by the NHL department of player safety for elbowing Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun during Tuesday’s game between the two clubs.

CBS SPORTS: The Vancouver Canucks placed forward Dakota Joshua (upper body) on injured reserve.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed forward Colin White on waivers.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Gerry James passed away at age 89. James spent five seasons with the Leafs from 1954-55 to 1959-60. At the same time, he had a 13-year career as a running back in the Canadian Football League and holds the distinction of being the only person to appear in a Stanley Cup Final and a Grey Cup Final in the same season (1959-60). He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1981.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to James’ family, friends and former teammates in both sports.