NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2024

by | Sep 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2024

Recapping Tuesday’s preseason action, injury updates on several notable stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: A five-goal third period rallied the New York Rangers to a 6-4 victory over the New York Islanders. Chris Kreider and Zac Jones each scored twice and collected an assist. Mathew Barzal tallied two goals, and Anthony Duclair collected two assists in his debut with the Islanders.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (lower-body injury) and defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) left this contest. Head coach Peter Laviolette said they were still being evaluated after the game.

The Boston Bruins doubled up the Washington Capitals 4-2. Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo stopped all seven shots he faced for the Bruins in this game.

Montreal Canadiens forward Michael Pezzetta netted two goals as his club blanked the New Jersey Devils 3-0. Samuel Montembeault and Connor Hughes combined for the 24-save shutout.

The Buffalo Sabres downed the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Sabres winger Tyler Tullio picked up two assists.

A shorthanded goal by Zack Ostapchuk in the third period lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jake Sanderson also scored for the Senators.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on a goal by Aleksi Heimosalmi with 45 seconds remaining in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first time Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour coached his son Skyler in an NHL game. The younger Brind’Amour is attending Hurricanes training camp on a professional tryout offer. He logged over 14 minutes of ice time and went seven-for-10 in the faceoff circle.

The Anaheim Ducks beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3. Carson Meyer and Mark Pysyk each scored a goal and collected an assist for the Ducks.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs stopped 18 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Brock Boeser and Jonathan Lekkerimaki each picked up two assists.

HEADLINES

THE SCORE: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews left practice on Tuesday with a minor upper-body injury. The injury isn’t considered serious.

SPORTSNET: Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane isn’t expected to return to action until February at the earliest as he recovers from surgery for two sports hernias and four abdominal muscle tears. It’s possible he won’t return until the start of the playoffs in late April.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some conspiracy-minded folks believe this is a ploy by the Oilers to garner cap relief by having Kane and his $5.125 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve, using the savings to add players at the trade deadline.

Kane’s recovery timeline was listed as five to six months. That puts his return as sometime in mid-to-late March, shortly following the trade deadline. If they have him on LTIR and exceed the cap to add players at the deadline, they must be cap-compliant if he’s medically cleared to play, meaning they must shed salary, which could be difficult to do after the deadline.

It’s better for the Oilers cap-wise not to place Kane on LTIR as they can accrue cap space throughout the season to put toward any roster additions by the March 7 trade deadline. That could be difficult as they have less than $1 million in cap space to start this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers forward Tomas Nosek is expected to miss weeks with an upper-body injury suffered during Sunday’s preseason game against the Nashville Predators. It was thought he suffered a concussion but that’s not the case.

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks center Thomas Bordeleau is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

THE SCORE: Free-agent forward Phil Kessel is willing to sign a professional tryout offer if the fit is right. Kessel, 36, didn’t play last season after going unsigned. He’s the NHL’s reigning Ironman with 1,064 consecutive games. He’s also eight points away from 1,000 for his career.

TSN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman dismissed recent rumors claiming the league is preparing to expand to 34 clubs.

“Everything that’s been written in the last week is categorically wrong,” said Bettman. “We’re not going through an expansion process.”. The commissioner said he’ll update the league board of governors on Oct. 1 about places that have expressed an interest, but there’s nothing else going on regarding expansion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent media speculation claimed the league is considering returning to Atlanta and expanding to Houston. It can’t be ruled out but isn’t imminent because of the high expansion fees that could reach $2 billion and the lack of a suitable venue in Atlanta.










NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 15, 2024

by | Sep 15, 2024

NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 15, 2024

Several Capitals face pressure this season, Oilers winger Evander Kane to undergo surgery, plus the latest on the Canucks and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Headlines and Rumors.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes Washington Capitals forwards Alex Ovechkin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and defenseman Jakob Chychrun will feel the heat entering this season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. Dubois seeks a bounce-back performance after a lackluster 2023-24 campaign with the Los Angeles Kings led to his trade with the Capitals. Meanwhile, Chychrun hopes to re-establish himself as a top-pairing defenseman in his contract year after being traded by the Arizona Coyotes and Ottawa Senators in successive years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is already well-established as a future Hall of Famer and the greatest player in Capitals history. Few fans and pundits will fault the 39-year-old winger if it takes him a couple of seasons to break Gretzky’s goal record.

Dubois and Chychrun have much more at stake. They must silence the growing criticism about their recent performances and prove they still belong among the league’s best players.

THE SCORE: Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane is scheduled to undergo sports hernia surgery within the next 10 days or so.

Kane, 33, played through the injury last season. It affected his performance, limiting him to 24 goals and 20 assists in 77 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has a $5.125 million annual salary cap hit through 2025-26. He could end up on long-term injury reserve to start the season. The Oilers could use that cap relief to bolster their roster during his absence but must be cap-compliant when he’s ready to return to action.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported Friday that the Vancouver Canucks offered a one-year contract to free-agent goaltender Kevin Lankinen. However, it’s believed worth under $1 million, which is less than the $2 million the 29-year-old netminder earned last season with the Nashville Predators.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports the Canucks also reached out to free-agent goalie Antti Raanta but the 35-year-old is not interested in playing in the NHL anymore.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks seek a veteran insurance policy between the pipes in case starter Thatcher Demko hasn’t recovered from a nagging undisclosed injury when the season opens next month. They’re bumping against the $88 million cap ceiling and don’t want to go into LTIR to address the issue. Perhaps they’ll consider a trade if a dollar-in, dollar-out deal can be found.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH’s Brian Hedger reports Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said he’s down to 10 healthy forwards with Justin Danforth seeing a doctor on Monday for a wrist/hand issue that required offseason surgery.

Waddell indicated he’ll look at pursuing unsigned free-agent veterans to fill the void at forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports Waddell wants to sign players to actual contracts and not professional tryout offers. Portzline listed James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Labanc and Kyle Okposo among the notable UFA forwards still available. He also noted Phil Kessel is looking for an opportunity to play in the NHL after going unsigned last season.

Portzline also noted that Waddell could sign free agents currently on PTO contracts with other clubs.

Waddell also said he’s spoken with the league and the NHL Players’ Association for guidance about how to measure the Blue Jackets’ salary-cap figure for this season following the death of Johnny Gaudreau last month.










NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 14, 2024

by | Sep 14, 2024

NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 14, 2024

Check out the latest on Ilya Sorokin, Phil Kessel, the latest Flyers speculation, and more in today’s NHL Headlines and Rumors.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said Ilya Sorokin suffered an injury during offseason training. The 29-year-old goaltender is skating and could miss the first couple of days of training camp. Lamoriello doesn’t believe Sorokin’s ailment will keep him out of the lineup for the regular season.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last week that Sorokin was dealing with something. We’ll likely learn more about his status following his training camp medical next week.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Islanders, they’ve invited winger Matt Martin to training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin, 35, spent 13 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Islanders.

SPORTSNET: Phil Kessel isn’t ready to hang up his skates. Elliotte Friedman reports the 36-year-old winger still hopes for another NHL opportunity. The league’s reigning Ironman’s last NHL game was an Apr. 13, 2023 playoff contest with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The report suggests interest in Kessel among NHL clubs is lacking given his age and that he missed all of last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe someone will take a chance on Kessel with a PTO but it’s unlikely that he’ll land a job at this stage.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen won’t be a full participant when training camp opens next week. The 29-year-old had shoulder surgery during the offseason and there’s no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs were already facing the start of the season without Valeri Nichushkin as he’s in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and remains suspended until mid-November. Team captain Gabriel Landeskog hopes to stage a comeback from knee surgeries but his status remains uncertain.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers hired Wayne Simmonds as a community relations ambassador and hockey operations consultant. Simmonds, 36, spent nearly eight seasons with the Flyers, scoring 203 goals and 175 assists for 378 points in 584 games.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Flyers, Kevin Kurz believes forward Joel Farabee will be in the spotlight early on this season. The 24-year-old forward struggled last season and Kurz doesn’t have him pencilled in among their top-six forwards.

Training camp will determine how things shake out. Kurz suggests Farabee and his $5 million average annual value through 2026-27 could hit the trade block if the Flyers try to free up cap space for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Farabee sometimes popped up in last season’s rumor mill due to his inconsistent production. This season could determine if he has a future in Philadelphia beyond this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Rob Couch suggests Flyers prospect goaltender Alexei Kolosov could be a good option for the Nashville Predators to replace the departed Yaroslav Askarov, who was traded last month to the San Jose Sharks.

Kolosov, 22, is not attending Flyers training camp despite being on an entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the Flyers will toll Kolosov’s contract a year if he stays in Europe this season. However, they might be willing to entertain trade offers for him.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs performance coach Greg Harden passed away Thursday from complications due to surgery. He was 75.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Harden’s family, friends and the Leafs organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2024

by | Mar 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon builds his lead in the scoring race, Logan Couture laments the end of his season, the Kraken re-sign Jordan Eberle, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Valeri Nichushkin lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to match his career single-season high of 111 points as he opened a five-point lead in the scoring race. The Avalanche improved to 40-20-5 and sit third in the Central Division with 85 points. Brock Faber replied for the 30-27-7 Wild.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Nichushkin’s first game since entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program two months ago. Speaking of MacKinnon, his season-opening home points streak has reached 32 games.

The Winnipeg Jets blanked the Seattle Kraken 3-0 to remain ahead of Colorado in second place in the Central. Laurent Brossoit made 17 saves for the shutout while Mark Scheifele, Adam Lowry and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the 40-17-5 Jets (85 points) as they hold three games in hand over the Avs. Joey Daccord stopped 29 shots for the 28-24-11 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle was the subject of considerable trade speculation leading to Friday’s trade deadline. However, he signed a two-year contract extension before this game worth an average annual value of $4.75 million.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists in a 6-2 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Chris Tanev scored his first goal since being acquired by Dallas while Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (39-17-9), who remain two points ahead of the Jets and Avalanche in first place in the Central. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist for the 23-37-3 Ducks.

The Arizona Coyotes upset the Detroit Red Wings 4-0 as Connor Ingram made 28 saves to tie the league lead in shutouts with six. Nick Bjugstad had a goal and an assist for the 26-33-5 Coyotes. With a record of 33-24-6, the Wings (72 points) cling to the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth but have lost four straight games.

HEADLINES

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks captain Logan Couture announced yesterday that his season is over. He’s still hampered by Osteitis pubis, a groin condition that limited him to just six games this season. Couture, 34, said he’s trying to live a normal life away from hockey. He’s hoping to be ready for next season but indicated his condition cannot be treated with surgery.

Noting his longtime teammate Tomas Hertl was shipped to the Vegas Golden Knights at yesterday’s trade deadline, Couture was realistic about getting moved to another club. “Who’s gonna trade for a guy who’s 35, making $8 million, and plays six games in a season,” he said. “You’re not gonna find any takers out there.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture’s condition could bring his playing career to an end. He’s hopeful of returning to action in 2024-25 but noted that it wasn’t guaranteed.

SPORTSNET: The Vancouver Canucks decided not to sign free-agent winger Phil Kessel. He worked out for the past month with their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said they decided the 36-year-old Kessel wasn’t a fit for their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That probably spells the end of Kessel’s 17-season NHL career. He won three Stanley Cups, has 992 points in 1,286 career regular-season games, and holds the league’s Ironman record of 1,062 consecutive regular-season games.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Thursday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers captain Jacob Trouba will be sidelined for two to three weeks with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predators re-signed defenseman Dante Fabbro and forward Mark Jankowski to contract extensions. Fabbro gets a one-year deal worth $2.5 million while Jankowski inked a one-year, $1.6 million deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe and Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle were each fined $5,000.00 by the league for their actions during the March 7 game between the two clubs. McCabe was fined for his cross-check of Bruins captain Brad Marchand while Coyle’s was for cross-checking the Leafs’ Tyler Bertuzzi.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS’ Stephen Whyno reported the Florida Panthers claimed Tobias Bjornfot off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights, the Anaheim Ducks claimed William Lagesson from the Maple Leafs, and the Ottawa Senators claimed Boris Katchouk from the Chicago Blackhawks.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins placed defenseman Derek Forbort on long-term injury reserve with an undisclosed injury. Bruins GM Don Sweeney said Forbort’s season is “more than likely” over.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Parker Kelly received a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Los Angeles Kings defenseman Andreas Englund on Thursday.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 15, 2024

by | Feb 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – February 15, 2024

Check out the latest on Jacob Markstrom, Noah Hanifin, Jake Guentzel, Adam Henrique and Kevin Labanc plus an update on the Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON MARKSTROM AND HANIFIN

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Calgary Flames management did not ask goaltender Jacob Markstrom to waive his no-movement clause to accept a trade to the New Jersey Devils. He said the two clubs engaged in trade discussions but it never reached the stage where Markstrom’s approval would be required to facilitate the deal.

Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin (NHL Images).

LeBrun indicated the sticking point was salary retention. It’s uncertain if those trade talks between the two clubs are over or not but it’s clear that the Devils still need to upgrade their goaltending.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salary retention is the one thing all insiders seem to agree on regarding what derailed the Markstrom trade talks between the two clubs. He’s signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $6 million.

As I mentioned yesterday, the Flames don’t seem keen to carry dead cap space for the next two seasons. Even with the salary cap projected to significantly increase over that period, they’ll need as much room as possible to re-sign key players and add others to their roster.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports the Devils were also kicking tires on Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Elvis Merzlikins.

Speaking of the Flames, they’re still awaiting a decision from Noah Hanifin on whether he’ll re-sign with them. Darren Dreger indicates there’s plenty of interest in the 27-year-old defenseman if he becomes available. The Flames want to re-sign Hanifin but are willing to move him before the March 8 deadline if he’s not interested in a new deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trade deadline is three weeks away so Hanifin still has plenty of time to decide his future. However, the Flames will want a decision soon to set the wheels in motion for a trade if he’s not willing to stick around.

Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reports Flames general manager Craig Conroy isn’t going to gut his roster so that they tank this season. Conroy pointed out how well young players such as Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil, and others have fit in among the veterans this season, helping to keep the Flames within wild-card contention. Adding Andrei Kuzmenko from Vancouver in the Elias Lindholm deal indicates he’s trying to retool the roster on the fly.

Francis also noted that Conroy is in no hurry to trade Markstrom. However, he’s willing to listen to offers and could pull the trigger for the right return provided the goalie accepts the move.

NO ASKING PRICE SET FOR GUENTZEL

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Pittsburgh Penguins are receiving calls about Jake Guentzel. However, GM Kyle Dubas has not yet set an asking price for the 29-year-old winger. LeBrun claims they’re not at that point yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently speculated Dubas would want a return comparable to what the Philadelphia Flyers received from the Florida Panthers in the Claude Giroux trade two years ago. The Flyers received a first-round pick, a third-rounder and young winger Owen Tippett.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Friedman telling Brenden Escott of Oilers Now that he believes the Oilers will attempt to go big at the upcoming trade deadline. He believes Guentzel is the player they rank the highest on their wish list though he added that he’s not saying that’s going to happen.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggesting Guentzel would be a perfect fit with the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers and Avalanche would need the Penguins to retain half of Guentzel’s $6 million cap hit to make the dollars fit. That would require a significant return to the Penguins.

Speaking of Guentzel, he left last night’s game against the Florida Panthers with an upper-body injury. The severity of that injury could determine whether he gets traded by March 8. Stay tuned.

UPDATE ON ADAM HENRIQUE

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens believes the Anaheim Ducks won’t have any problem retaining half of Adam Henrique’s $5.825 million cap hit for the remainder of this season to facilitate a trade. He also believes Ducks GM Pat Verbeek will want a first-round pick as part of the return.

Verbeek could also look at upgrading his current roster with a proven player on the same timeline as their young core.

As for potential trade partners, Stephens listed the New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins. All three could use additional depth at center.

LABANC REQUEST A TRADE FROM THE SHARKS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller reports agent Mike Curren confirms he’s working with Sharks management to find a new opportunity for client Kevin Labanc. The 28-year-old winger is in the final season of his contract with the Sharks and has recently been a frequent healthy scratch.

Miller indicates there’s no animosity between the two sides. Curren claimed there were clubs interested in Labanc earlier this season but nothing materialized.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Labanc’s production as well as his $4.725 million cap hit for this season makes him difficult to move. The Sharks could retain half of that cap hit for the remainder of the season but they’ve already used up two of their salary-retention slots.

LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston took note of the Vancouver Canucks inviting Phil Kessel to skate with their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford but he might not be the only player they consider adding to their roster for the playoffs.

Johnston believes they could also look at adding a right-shot defenseman. While they’d love to bring back Chris Tanev from Calgary, they’ll likely have to consider more affordable options that can fit within their system. Possibilities include Seattle’s Justin Schultz, Pittsburgh’s Chad Ruhwedel, Anaheim’s Ilya Lyubushkin or Buffalo’s Erik Johnson.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2024

by | Feb 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2024

Oilers captain Connor McDavid has a six-assist performance, Bruins captain Brad Marchand reaches a career milestone, Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is suspended for five games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected a career-high six assists (including his 600th career NHL assist) in an 8-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two goals and an assist while Evan Bouchard had a goal and two assists for the 31-17-1 Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 63 points. Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat and David Perron each had two points for the Red Wings (27-19-6) as they hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 60 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid also extended his home points streak to 19 games. His six-assist performance vaulted him into a tie with Boston’s David Pastrnak for third place in the NHL scoring race with 77 points. Meanwhile, Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. It was his first game back with the Wings since suffering a lower-body injury on Dec. 18.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored a goal for his league-leading 90th point as his club nipped the Boston Bruins 3-2 on a shootout goal by Brayden Point. Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves as his club improved to 29-20-5 and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 63 points. Bruins captain Brad Marchand collected two assists in his 1,000th career NHL game. With a record of 32-11-10 for 74 points, the Bruins sit first in the Eastern Conference and second in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins will honor Marchand’s milestone in a pregame ceremony on Feb. 19. Lightning forward Tanner Jeannot returned to action after missing 12 games with a lower-body injury.

After learning defenseman Morgan Rielly received a five-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Grieg on Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Bobby McMann tallied his first career NHL hat trick for the 27-16-8 Leafs as they sit in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 62 points. Jordan Binnington turned aside 28 shots for the Blues (28-22-2) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs roster for this game was further depleted with John Tavares and Mitch Marner sidelined by an illness while Conor Timmins is out with mononucleosis.

The league-leading Vancouver Canucks doubled up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Dakota Joshua lead the way with a Gordie Howe hat trick (including two assists) while Conor Garland tallied twice for the 36-12-6 Canucks (78 points). Petr Mrazek stopped 34 shots for the 14-36-3 Blackhawks as they sit in last place in the overall standings with 31 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Canucks, they’ve invited free agent forward Phil Kessel to work out for the team this week in Abbotsford, BC.

Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and collected two assists in a 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to move within three points of Nikita Kucherov in the NHL scoring race with 87 points. The Avalanche improved to 33-17-4 and sit in second place in the Central Division with 70 points. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored for the sixth straight game but his Capitals slipped to 23-21-8 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals playoff hopes are fading, winning just twice in their last 10 games.

The Dallas Stars (33-14-6) maintained their two-point lead over the Avalanche in the Central Division by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2. Jason Robertson and Matt Duchene each had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist for the 30-17-5 Hurricanes as they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Stars announced that winger Evgenii Dadonov will be sidelined for several weeks with a lower-body fracture. He suffered the injury during Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk’s hat trick powered his club to a 6-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists for the 22-25-2 Senators, who picked up their fourth straight win. Daniil Tarasov made 24 saves for the Blue Jackets (16-26-10) as they remain in last place in the Eastern Conference with 42 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Blue Jackets, a derogatory remark about Patrik Laine on a Jackets fan podcast is being used to rally support for the winger and raise charitable donations on his behalf for mental health awareness.

Laine is undergoing treatment through the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. One of the podcast hosts said the Blue Jackets winger was away because he was contemplating a “Remington retirement”, which is a slang term for suicide by gunshot. If you’d like to donate to Laine’s charitable fund you can do so at this link.

The Buffalo Sabres thumped the Los Angeles Kings 7-0 as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 33 saves for the shutout. Jordan Greenway scored twice and collected an assist for the 23-25-4 Sabres. With 58 points, the 24-16-10 Kings are clinging to a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Carl Grundstrom left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Sabres announced defenseman Owen Power will be sidelined for the next two weeks with an upper-body injury.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier tallied two third-period goals in a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Nico Daws stopped 30 shots for the Devils (27-21-4) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 58 points. Juuse Saros kicked out 43 shots for the 27-24-2 Predators (56 points) as they remain two points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

A 26-save performance by Philipp Grubauer carried the Seattle Kraken over the New York Islanders by a score of 2-1. Tomas Tatar netted the winning goal in a shootout for the 22-21-10 Kraken (54 points) as they sit four points out of the final Western wild-card berth. Ilya Sorokin turned aside 29 shots for the Islanders (22-18-13) as they sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 57 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Pierre-Edouard Bellemare returned to action after missing 19 games with a fractured bone in his leg.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau made 13 saves for his first NHL shutout to blank the Anaheim Ducks 5-0. Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and two assists for his first NHL three-point game while Nick Suzuki had two goals and an assist to extend his points streak to eight games for the 22-23-8 Canadiens. Lukas Dostal stopped 33 shots for the 18-32-2 Ducks, who welcomed back defenseman Pavel Mintyukov after being sidelined since Jan. 9 with a separated shoulder.