NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2025

by | Jan 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck reach new milestones. Get the details plus recaps from a busy Saturday in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored an empty-netter for his 873rd NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ovechkin added an assist to finish with two points while Logan Thompson got the win with a 32-save performance as the Capitals regained first place in the overall standings with 61 points. Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators, who’ve dropped five of their last seven games.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 22 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. He also joined Gordie Howe and Ron Francis as the only players in NHL history to record 20 20-goal seasons. Howe is the all-time leader with 22 seasons. Before this game, the Capitals placed goalie Charlie Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled netminder Hunter Shepard.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his league-leading sixth shutout of the season to blank the Colorado Avalanche 3-0. Nikolaj Ehlers scored two goals and Mark Scheifele collected his team-leading 25th goal. Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for the Avalanche as they dropped into the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck tied his franchise record for most shutouts in a season and tied Craig Anderson for the third-most shutouts by an American goaltender (43) in NHL history. He trailed Jonathan Quick (62) and Ryan Miller (44). The Jets lead the Western Conference with 61 points but sit second in the overall standings as the Capitals have a game in hand.

An overtime goal by David Pastrnak lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Pastrnak finished with 2 goals and an assist while Jeremy Swayman kicked out 40 shots for the Bruins as they snapped a six-game winless skid (0-5-1) and cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 47 points. Sam Reinhart tallied twice for the Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 53 points.

The Seattle Kraken scored six unanswered goals to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. Kaapo Kakko led the way with two goals while Joey Daccord turned aside 33 shots as the Kraken ended a four-game winless streak (0-3-1). Sam Lafferty and Jack Quinn scored for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko had 10 points in 30 games before the New York Rangers traded him last month to Seattle. He has seven points in 10 games with the Kraken.

Ottawa Senators rookie goaltender Leevi Merilainen made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 5-0 rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Claude Giroux collected three assists for the Senators as they ended a four-game winless stretch (0-3-1). Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic gave up five goals on 17 shots and was replaced by Tristan Jarry in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 43 points, the Senators are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, sitting one point back of the Penguins.

The Vancouver Canucks blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0. Kevin Lankinen stopped 20 shots for the shutout while Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood tallied for the Canucks (48 points) as they maintained their grip on the final Western wild-card berth and ended a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). It’s the Leafs second straight defeat following a five-game win streak but they remain first in the Atlantic Division with 56 points.

A shootout goal by Jason Robertson gave the Dallas Stars a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jamie Benn scored in regulation and Jake Oettinger stopped 30 shots to extend their win streak to seven games. Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored his ninth power-play goal of the season as he returned to action after missing four games with flu-like symptoms while Samuel Montembault kicked out 34 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens and Penguins each have 44 points, leaving both clubs two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Montreal’s win streak ended at three games but they have points in their last four contests.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves made 31 saves as his club extended their win streak to a season-high four games with a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets. Colton Parayko replied for the Blues, who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

The New Jersey Devils got an overtime goal by Stefan Noesen to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Ondrej Palat and Jack Hughes scored in regulation for the Devils while Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning.

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson made 22 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 6-0. Travis Konecny had four assists while Jamie Drysdale had a goal and an assist against his former club. Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier was heavily booed and jeered by Flyers fans in his first game in Philadelphia. His refusal to play for the Flyers led to his trade to the Ducks for Drysdale last January.

A third-period goal by Zach Hyman capped a three-goal rally by the Edmonton Oilers in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin each collected two points as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 55 points. Nick Foligno and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the second time in seven games. The 32-year-old has seven goals and 15 points in 40 games, putting him on pace for one of his lowest-scoring seasons.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal scored with 1:25 remaining in the third period to lift his team over the Utah Hockey Club by a score of 2-1. Brock Nelson scored the tying goal earlier in the third period after Nick Schmaltz opened the scoring for Utah in the second period. The Islanders have won three straight while Utah is 1-2-1 in their last four.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders starter Ilya Sorokin missed this game due to illness. Jakub Skarek was called up as an emergency backup for Marcus Hogberg.

The Calgary Flames held off the Los Angeles Kings 2-1, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf turned aside 31 shots while Matt Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau were the goal scorers as the Flames (47 points) remain one point behind the Canucks for the final Western wild-card berth. Jacob Moverare scored for the Kings, who remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames unveiled their Quarter Century Team before this game.

The First Team comprises forwards Jarome Iginla, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, defensemen Mark Giordano and Robyn Regehr, and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

Forwards Sean Monahan, Craig Conroy and Mikael Backlund, blueliners Rasmus Andersson and Dion Phaneuf, and goaltender Jacob Markstrom made up the Second Team.

New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots while Vincent Trocheck and Adam Edstrom scored in a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Mark Stone opened the scoring for Vegas, who’ve lost two straight but remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 59 points. The Rangers are 4-1-1 in their last six contests.

The Minnesota Wild got a 36-save performance by Marc-Andre Fleury to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who’ve won five of their last six games. William Eklund replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped three straight.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2024

by | Dec 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Rangers trade Kaapo Kakko to the Kraken, the Predators ship Alexandre Carrier to the Canadiens, Blake Wheeler calls it a career, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Dallas Stars 5-3. Joseph Woll kicked out 36 shots and William Nylander scored twice as the Leafs (20-10-2) have won four of their last five games to sit first in the Atlantic Division with 42 points. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger got the hook after the second period, giving up four goals on 12 shots.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars captain Jamie Benn set a franchise record playing in his 1,143rd NHL regular-season game, surpassing Hall-of-Famer Mike Modano. The Stars placed defenseman Matt Dumba (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled Alexander Petrovic.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk tallied two goals and teammate Aaron Ekblad had a goal and two assists in a 6-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Sergei Bobrovsky got the win with a 26-save performance. Marco Rossi netted the Wild’s only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers (20-11-2) are tied with the Leafs but the latter holds the division lead with a game in hand. Wild defenseman Brock Faber left the game in the final minute after being struck in the face by the puck. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

The Detroit Red Wings beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-4 on a game-winning goal by Patrick Kane, who finished the night with two points. Lucas Raymond and J.T. Compher also had a goal and an assist each for the Red Wings, who’ve won three of their last four. Flyers captain Sean Couturier picked up two assists as his club remains two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 32 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvidsson left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry scored with 26 seconds remaining in the third period to lift his club to a 3-2 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Frank Vatrano tallied twice for the Ducks, including the tying goal midway through the third period. Gabriel Vilardi and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets, who remain in first place in the Western Conference with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers picked up an assist in his return to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Mikhail Sergachev gave the Utah Hockey Club a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Utah HC overcame a 2-0 deficit on goals by Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther. Danton Heinen and Dakota Joshua scored for the Canucks as Thatcher Demko stopped 28 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah (35 points) has won five of their last six games, including their last three contest. They’re one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST/SEATTLE TIMES: The New York Rangers traded Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for defenseman Will Borgen, a third-round pick and a sixth-rounder in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko was the second-overall pick in the 2019 draft. He was projected to become a top-six scoring winger but struggled to meet expectations with the Rangers. That made the 23-year-old winger the frequent subject of trade speculation since last season.

The Kraken made this move to boost their offense. They hope a fresh start away from New York’s harsh spotlight will help Kakko become a reliable scorer.

Borgen, 28, was an original member of the Kraken. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Rangers fans aren’t pleased with the return. However, it reflects how much Kakko’s value declined since his career-best 40-point performance in 2022-23.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW/THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators traded defenseman Alexandre Carrier to the Montreal Canadiens for blueliner Justin Barron.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens had sought an experienced top-four defenseman with a right-hand shot since October. Carrier reached a career-high 30 points in 2021-22 and 20 points last season but his specialty is killing penalties. The 28-year-old is in the first season of a three-year contract with an affordable average annual value of $3.75 million.

Carrier was the subject of trade speculation last season before re-signing with the Predators. However, their struggles this season have forced general manager Barry Trotz to shake things up. This trade is his fourth since Nov. 25, which included shipping Philip Tomasino to Pittsburgh and swapping Scott Wedgewood for Justus Annunen with Colorado.

Barron struggled to crack the Canadiens lineup full-time. The 23-year-old is younger than Carrier and more of a puck-moving defenseman. Barron is also more affordable for the Predators with an AAV of $1.15 million.

TRIBLIVE.COM/STLTODAY.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins reacquired defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Joseph began his NHL career with the Penguins, spending four seasons with them before signing a one-year contract with the Blues as an unrestricted free agent. He became the odd man out with the Blues following their acquisition of Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Penguins needed some short-term blueline depth with Marcus Pettersson sidelined week-to-week and reserve blueliners Sebastian Aho and Jack St. Ivany hobbled by injuries.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek is sidelined for at least two weeks with an upper-body injury after being struck by an errant puck while sitting on the bench during Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. They’ve recalled netminder Yaroslav Askarov from their AHL affiliate.

THE ATHLETIC: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro’s lower-body injury isn’t as serious as feared. He’s expected to miss a few games with what GM Don Waddell called a charley horse.

WINNIPEG SUN: Former Jets captain Blake Wheeler is hanging up his skates. During an appearance this week on the Beyond High Performance podcast, the 38-year-old left winger said he could no longer face the grind of an 82-game NHL season.

“It’s just the emotional, get up 82 times – I don’t want to do that. There’s only so much gas in the tank for that,” said Wheeler. He’s been an unrestricted free agent since July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wheeler played 16 NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers, with 13 of those seasons with the Thrashers/Jets. He was captain of the Jets from 2016-17 to 2021-22.

Wheeler tallied 321 goals and 622 assists for 943 points in 1,172 regular-season games, including back-to-back 91-point performances in 2017-18 and 2018-19. He also had 45 points in 66 playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2024

by | Dec 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2024

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

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S ACTION

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

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IN OTHER NEWS…

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2024

by | Dec 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Sabres and Predators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE SABRES TRADE KAKKO?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes it’s time for the Rangers and Kaapo Kakko to part ways after the 23-year-old winger was a healthy scratch from Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. He suggested offering Kakko to the Buffalo Sabres for rugged winger Jordan Greenway.

New York Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko (NHL Images).

Brooks also confidently states that the Rangers don’t intend to sacrifice promising youngsters like Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann or EJ Emery for a patchwork fix that enables the club to win a playoff round or two. He also dismissed the notion of parting with a first-round pick for a playoff rental like Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports chatter about Kakko is reverberating around the league. He wondered if Rangers general manager Chris Drury expects to receive a return like a second-round pick or a package of a later pick and a pending unrestricted free agent. He doubted that another club would value Kakko enough to make a bigger offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Rangers are entertaining offers for Kakko they’re doing so from a position of weakness. He’s got 14 points in 29 games, which is an improvement over last season’s 19-point output in an injury-shortened season, but that’s not indicative that he’s going to become a reliable top-six forward.

Maybe Kakko finally blossom into a scoring forward one day but it seems unlikely to happen in New York. With his trade value low, Drury could be fortunate to get a serviceable NHL player in return.

THE LATEST ON THE SABRES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports big changes aren’t coming for the struggling Buffalo Sabres following a team meeting with owner Terry Pegula in Montreal. Pegula told the players he remains confident they can find the solution for their current woes from within.

Pegula also told the players he stands by general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff, adding they shouldn’t expect a big trade.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels wondered what the Sabres fallback position is if Pegula’s vote of confidence doesn’t inspire his players to improve.

Engels acknowledged the Sabres have premium pieces at every position, but wondered why so many of them (including Dylan Cozens, Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs and Jack Quinn) are floundering. He also pointed out several notable former Sabres (Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly, Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues and Brandon Montour) who went on to Stanley Cup glory with other clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo is a terrific hockey town. Their fans deserve better than what they’ve seen over the past 13 years.

The Sabres’ problems are longstanding and ingrained within the organization. It starts from the top with Pegula, leading to several management changes, a revolving door of coaches, and players who seem liberated whenever they move on to other clubs. If this version of the Sabres fails to improve, Pegula could make another change in the front office and behind the bench.

UPDATE ON THE PREDATORS

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Nashville Predators are eyeing the trade market to find some help before the upcoming NHL holiday roster freeze. A source told D’Amico that they’ve spoken to the Sabres and one of the players they like is Dylan Cozens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Terry Pegula’s remarks to the Sabres are anything to go by, Cozens isn’t going anywhere, at least for now.

The Predators probably aren’t the only club interested in Cozens, who has recently surfaced in trade rumors. He’s struggled this season but had a career-high 31 goals and 68 points in 2022-23, earning a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.1 million.

D’Amico reports the Predators are seeking depth at center and on the blueline. There’s been some speculation that other clubs might see whether the Preds and Steven Stamkos are having any second thoughts about the four-year contract they agreed to during the summer. However, there is no indication Stamkos is thinking twice about his new team.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 16, 2024

by | Dec 16, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 16, 2024

The NHL holiday trade freeze (Dec. 20-27) is fast approaching. Check out the latest on the Rangers and Predators plus updates on Taylor Hall and Cam Talbot in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE RANGERS

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes the New York Rangers are getting desperate. Their 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday was their 10th in their last 13 games, sending them tumbling out of a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Baugh speculates more moves could be coming for the Rangers this week. Chris Kreider’s name has been floated in trade rumors by general manager Chris Drury. Baugh wondered if head coach Peter Laviolette might be fired or if Drury would try to move at least one of his struggling players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I noted in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines a report in the New York Post about Kaapo Kakko being the subject of trade speculation after he was a healthy scratch from Sunday’s game against the Blues. The report cited a league source saying there was no indication a trade was close.

The Post’s Larry Brooks claimed Sunday that the Rangers front office has no stomach to fire Laviolette after firing Gerard Gallant two years ago and David Quinn before him. However, that could change if there are no suitable trade offers for any of their struggling players.

TAYLOR HALL’S TRADE STOCK COULD RISE

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes Taylor Hall could become a popular trade target if his performance keeps improving. The 33-year-old Chicago Blackhawks winger looked like the Hart Trophy winner he was in 2018 during his club’s upset win over the Rangers last Monday.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall has improved since the Blackhawks coaching change on Dec. 5, netting two goals and four points in his last five games. He will draw plenty of attention if he maintains that pace leading up to the March 7 trade deadline.

COULD CAM TALBOT BECOME A TRADE CANDIDATE?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wonders if Cam Talbot might become a trade-deadline pickup for a Stanley Cup contender.

The 37-year-old goaltender has put up good numbers this season with the Detroit Red Wings. Brooks suggests the Colorado Avalanche or New Jersey Devils might come calling if their current starters aren’t working out as hoped.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like Hall, Talbot will draw attention by the trade deadline if he keeps playing well. That’s assuming the Red Wings are out of playoff contention by that point.

The Avalanche acquired Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks last week. He looked good in his debut with the Avs, making 39 saves in a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators.

The Devils invested heavily in acquiring Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. He’s been solid if unspectacular with a 2.35 GAA and a .908 save percentage, tied for second among NHL goalies with 15 wins on the season.

COULD THE PREDATORS BLOW UP THEIR ROSTER?

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin pondered what moves the Nashville Predators might make if management decides they must blow up their roster and rebuild.

One move would be trading pending free-agent winger Gustav Nyquist. They could also peddle defenseman Alexandre Carrier, who has two seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million.

Plausible options include shopping Luke Schenn, Jeremy Lauzon and/or Colton Sissons.

Long-shot options are trading Ryan O’Reilly and/or Tommy Novak, while a Hail Mary attempt would be to move offseason acquisitions like Jonathan Marchessault or Steven Stamkos if he agreed to waive his no-movement clause. Their untouchables include goalie Juuse Saros and winger Filip Forsberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators GM Barry Trotz hasn’t yet indicated if he will become a seller. Nevertheless, it seems likely that he will be if his team hasn’t improved once the calendar flips to January.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 15, 2024

by | Dec 15, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 15, 2024

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: the latest Rangers speculation, the Blues might not be done dealing, the Kings could be shopping before the upcoming holiday roster freeze, and updates on Bruins forward Trent Frederic and Canucks defenseman Vincent Desharnais.

THE LATEST RANGERS RUMORS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New York Rangers are “open for business.” They’ve already traded Jacob Trouba and let it be known that winger Chris Kreider is available.

Friedman said they have some untouchables like goaltender Igor Shesterkin and some players with no-movement clauses. However, they’re willing to consider all options and to entertain offers.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple wondered who’s next to walk the plank off the Rangers’ sinking ship following their 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, dropping nine of their last 12 games.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

Staple believes head coach Peter Laviolette’s tenure could come to a premature end. General manager Chris Drury has already shaken up the roster by trading Trouba but the club’s reaction is indifference.

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren has been available for some time but no one’s buying high on an underperforming pending unrestricted free agent. There isn’t much interest in the 33-year-old Kreider, who has two years remaining on his contract. Teams are calling about young winger Kaapo Kakko but his play hasn’t been the main issue.

Staple also brought up K’Andre Miller as a trade candidate. However, he’s currently sidelined for an indefinite period which doesn’t help his trade value.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks disagrees that Laviolette could pay the price for the Rangers’ stunning decline in recent weeks. “The hierarchy has no stomach to fire Laviolette after firing Gerard Gallant two years ago and David Quinn four years ago. There is no stomach to afix the blame on yet another coach instead of taking care of the coach-averse core.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers believe the Rangers’ problems began with Drury’s heavy-handed efforts to free up cap space in the offseason, waiving popular forward Barclay Goodrow and attempting to trade Trouba to the Detroit Red Wings before free agency began on July 1.

Changing management might be necessary to help the players regain their spark. They’ve been playing like they don’t give a damn ever since word of Drury’s memo to his fellow GMs listing potential trade candidates was leaked to the press.

Whatever it is, the Rangers must do something quickly to address their issues or risk this season going completely off the rails, leaving questions about the current roster’s future to carry over into next summer.

MORE MOVES COULD BE COMING FOR THE BLUES

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the St. Louis Blues might not be done in the trade market after acquiring defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.

The Blues made Brandon Saad a healthy scratch during Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars. The 32-year-old winger has a year remaining on his contract with a $4.5 million cap hit.

Friedman said the Blues would like to move Saad, who has a no-trade clause. However, he’s willing to consider other options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the Fowler trade, Blues GM Doug Armstrong indicated he wanted to keep his club competitive while he retools the roster. He could try peddling Saad for a promising young NHL-ready player or attempt to clear the winger’s cap hit from his books by accepting draft picks in return.

Saad had been struggling to score this season. He went 13 games without a goal before being scratched from the lineup on Saturday. Nevertheless, he has Stanley Cup experience which could be of interest to contenders before the March trade deadline.

KINGS MIGHT MAKE A MOVE BEFORE THE HOLIDAY ROSTER FREEZE

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli believes the Los Angeles Kings might be active in the trade market before the upcoming holiday roster freeze from Dec. 20-27. He thinks they’ve been talking to some teams as they attempt to gauge the market.

Seravalli wondered if they might attempt to land a good young player, perhaps from a struggling club like the Buffalo Sabres.

THE BRUINS ARE GETTING CALLS ABOUT TRENT FREDERIC

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman indicated that the Boston Bruins are getting a lot of calls about Trent Frederic. The versatile 27-year-old forward is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Teams are wondering if the Bruins intend to sign him or peddle him by the March 7 trade deadline.

THE CANUCKS ARE TRYING TO MOVE VINCENT DESHARNAIS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said the Vancouver Canucks are looking to move Vincent Desharnais. The 28-year-old defenseman signed a two-year contract with the Canucks in the offseason but it hasn’t worked out as hoped. It’s believed they’re willing to consider all options for returns but would prefer draft picks.