NHL Rumor Mill – August 1, 2023

by | Aug 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 1, 2023

The top remaining unrestricted free agents, Sharks speculation that has nothing to do with Erik Karlsson, and the latest on the Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TOP REMAINING UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

DAILY FACEOFF: Patrick Kane and Matt Dumba sit first and second on Frank Seravalli’s list of the top remaining NHL unrestricted free agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane won’t be entertaining contract offers until he’s recovered from his recent hip surgery. That’s expected to be sometime in early December. Dumba, meanwhile, is the top defenseman in the market and has been linked to the Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.

Forwards Max Comtois, Tomas Tatar and Jonathan Toews sit in positions three through five on the listing.

Former Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Comtois recently said that he’s received calls from interested clubs but no contract offers yet. He indicated that the Montreal Canadiens have not contacted him. There’s been no rumors of late linking Tatar to any NHL club but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t received any calls.

Toews, meanwhile, has been silent except for releasing a statement in response to the recent death of Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz. The agency that represents him did not have his name on their list of clients who are free agents this summer, fuelling speculation that he’s mulling retirement.

Forward Pius Suter, winger Noah Gregor, goaltender Jaroslav Halak, center Paul Stastny and winger Phil Kessel rounded out the top 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suter said he doesn’t intend on returning to his native Switzerland and hopes to sign an NHL contract. Kessel, 35, has indicated he wants to continue his NHL career. So does the 38-year-old Halak. No word on Stastny or Gregor.

UPDATE ON THE SHARKS

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For those of you who are weary of all the speculation about Erik Karlsson, here’s the latest on the San Jose Sharks that has nothing to do with the 33-year-old defenseman. Enjoy!

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng observed that Sharks general manager Mike Grier has been pursuing devalued assets this summer that still appear to possess real upside. He’s acquired goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and wingers Anthony Duclair and Filip Zadina and made a failed attempt at signing Vladimir Tarasenko.

Peng listed defenseman Matt Dumba, winger Tomas Tatar and winger Max Comtois as three free agents that he believes Grier should target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have over $5 million in projected cap space for 2023-24. They will have more if they somehow manage to trade a certain expensive Norris Trophy-winning defenseman this summer. That will give Grier more room to perhaps add a free agent or two such as those listed by Peng.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller wondered if the Sharks might consider trading Alexander Barabanov. The 29-year-old winger has been a good player, netting 93 points in 147 games. However, he could become the odd man out among their top-six forwards with the additions of Duclair and Zadina and with promising William Eklund expected to crack the lineup this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller suggested that Barabanov, who is slated to become a UFA next July, could be an enticing target for playoff contenders at the March trade deadline. He carries an affordable $2.5 million cap hit but his 10-team no-trade clause could affect the number of possible trade partners for the Sharks.

LATEST ON THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins reported on Sunday that he’d heard the Oilers were closing in on new contracts with defenseman Evan Bouchard and center Ryan McLeod. The latter has an arbitration hearing on Aug. 4.

Leavins believes the goalposts have been slightly moved in terms of what it might cost to sign them. That leads him to conclude that the Oilers might have to go the professional tryout offer (PTO) route to add a center or two rather than signing UFAs. He also doesn’t rule out an in-season trade, suggesting Washington’s Nic Dowd and Montreal’s Jake Evans as possible trade options.

Robert Tychowski, meanwhile, believes the Oilers have dodged a “potential grenade” of an offer sheet for Bouchard. If it was going to happen, he thinks it would’ve by now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed regarding the Bouchard offer sheet. There aren’t many teams with the cap space to pull it off. It also remains a rarely-used tactic that most general managers tend to avoid.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 5, 2023

by | Jul 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 5, 2023

A brief look at the top remaining unrestricted free agents, Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim is off the trade block and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrick Kane and Matt Dumba top Frank Seravalli’s list of this summer’s top remaining unrestricted free agents.

Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko is said to be mulling over half-a-dozen offers and has been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators. He’s reportedly close to reaching a decision that could come before the end of this week.

Kane is rehabbing from a hip resurfacing procedure and is expected to be sidelined for four to six months. It could be weeks before he signs with a new club, perhaps before training camp opens in September.

As for Dumba, the Arizona Coyotes are reportedly pursuing the 28-year-old defenseman. They’ve had a busy couple of weeks stocking up with veterans, signing forwards Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot and Nick Bjugstad and acquiring blueliner Sean Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings.

Jonathan Toews is another notable still available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After 15 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Toews is reportedly taking his time considering his future before deciding whether he’ll return to action or retire. He’s been battling health issues for the past three seasons.

Other noteworthy UFAs include Max Comtois, Tomas Tatar, Oskar Sundqvist, Jaroslav Halak, Paul Stastny and Phil Kessel.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said he’s received calls from clubs expressing interest in Travis Sanheim. However, he doesn’t think he’ll be moving the 27-year-old defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sanheim’s contract is likely the reason why Briere doubts he’ll be moving the blueliner. Signed last October, the eight-year, $50 million deal kicked in on July 1 with a full no-trade clause. Unless Sanheim waives it, he’s not going anywhere.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals signed defenseman Martin Fehervary to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.675 million.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are bringing back Travis Hamonic for two more years. The 32-year-old defenseman’s new contract carries an AAV of $1.1 million.

TSN: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Robert Hagg to a one-year contract worth $775K.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Filip Zadina cleared waivers yesterday and will be staying with the Red Wings. At the 23-year-old winger’s request, GM Steve Yzerman tried moving him to a new club via trade but couldn’t find any takers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 21, 2022

by | Dec 21, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 21, 2022

Game recaps feature the Hurricanes, Leafs and Jets moving upward in the standings, Phil Kessel’s Ironman streak could soon come to an end, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes stretched their points streak to 12 games by topping the New Jersey Devils 4-1, extending the latter’s winless skid to six games (0-5-1). Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 37 shots while Jordan Staal scored what proved to be the game-winning goal as the Hurricanes (20-6-6) moved ahead of the Devils into first place in the Metropolitan Division and second place overall in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. The Devils sit at 21-9-2 with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After riding a 13-game win streak from late October to late November, the Devils are 5-6-2 in their last 13 contest. Their defense has been sloppy and they’re not cashing in on the power play, sitting 25th overall with a PP percentage of 19.2.

Third-period goals by Pierre Engvall and William Nylander gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nylander finished the night with a goal and an assist as the Leafs (20-7-6) snapped the Lightning’s five-game win streak and move into third overall in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. The Lightning dropped to 20-10-1.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes and Leafs have the same number of points but the former has a game in hand. Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin left the game late in the second period with a neck injury. He’ll undergo further evaluation today.

Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor and defenseman Josh Morrissey each extended their points streaks to 10 games with a 5-1 thrashing of the Ottawa Senators. Connor had two goals and an assist while Morrisey scored and collected an assist as the Jets (21-10-1, 43 points) sit one point behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division. The Senators slipped to 14-16-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck missed this game with a non-COVID illness. Earlier in the day, the Jets placed winger Blake Wheeler on injured reserve as he recovers from groin surgery.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored the game-winner as his club held off the New York Rangers by a score of 3-2, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots as the Penguins improved to 19-9-4. Chris Kreider tallied twice for the 18-11-5 Rangers.

The Seattle Kraken improved to 18-10-3 with a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Ryan Donato scored to extend his goal streak to four games while Morgan Geekie and Brandon Tanev each had two points for the Kraken. Pavel Buchnevich and Colton Parayko replied for the Blues (16-16-1) as their four-game winning streak comes to an end.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou missed this game with an upper-body injury suffered during Monday’s win over the Vancouver Canucks.

Calgary Flames forwards Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm and Tyler Toffoli each collected three points in a 7-3 thumping of the San Jose Sharks. Toffoli and Dillon Dube set a franchise record by scoring within the first 30 seconds as the Flames improved to 15-12-6 on the season. The Sharks fell to 10-18-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames activated defenseman Chris Tanev off injured reserve but placed blueliner Dennis Gilbert on IR. Meanwhile, Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro returned to action after missing 10 games with an injured foot. Earlier in the day, the Sharks announced that winger Luke Kunin underwent season-ending knee surgery.

The Los Angeles Kings picked up their third win in a row by downing the Anaheim Ducks 4-1. Adrian Kempe collected two assists while Pheonix Copley kicked out 24 shots for the 18-12-5 Kings. Lukas Dostal made 37 saves for the Ducks as they slide to 9-21-3.

Philadelphia Flyers forwards Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett each scored twice and Carter Hart made 30 saves in a 5-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Flyers improved to 11-15-7 while the injury-depleted Blue Jackets (10-20-5) suffered their fifth straight defeat.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Phil Kessel’s Ironman streak (1,016 games) could be in jeopardy. He’s seeing declining ice time with the Vegas Golden Knights as he’s struggled of late, especially in his defensive play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: At 35, Kessel’s best days are behind him. The veteran winger could become a healthy scratch in the near future if his play doesn’t improve. Nevertheless, his consecutive games record won’t be falling anytime soon. The active player closest to him is 37-year-old Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns at 711 games.

YARDBARKER: Ryan McDonagh will return to the Nashville Predators lineup on Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s missed the last seven games with a facial injury.

NESN: The Boston Bruins assigned winger Craig Smith to their AHL affiliate in Providence on Monday afternoon after he cleared waivers. The move frees up $1.125 million in cap space for the Bruins. It’s unclear if he will actually report to Providence.

CBS SPORTS: Colorado Avalanche winger Andrew Cogliano will miss the next two games with a shoulder injury.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: One of the victims in a condo shooting in Vaughan, Ontario, on Sunday was the maternal grandfather of Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Victor Mete. Five people were killed in the mass shooting.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Mete and his family as well as the families of the other victims.

OTTAWA SUN: NHL sources said it could take until March before we learn who the new owner of the Senators will be due to the league’s stringent vetting process of potential owners.

SB NATION: Former NHL defensemen Alex Biega and Brendan Guhle have announced their retirements.

Biega tallied 42 points in 243 career NHL games from 2014-15 to 2021-22 with the Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. Guhle had 14 points in 65 games with the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks from 2016-17 to 2021-22. He is the older brother of Montreal Canadiens blueliner Kaiden Guhle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to both players in their future endeavors.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 18, 2022

by | Nov 18, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 18, 2022

The Devils and Bruins continue their win streaks, Phil Kessel extends his Ironman record, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Yegor Sherangovich gave the New Jersey Devils their 11th straight win by downing the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2. Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier also scored for the Devils (14-3-0), who sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 28 points. Auston Matthews and William Nylander replied for the 9-5-4 Maple Leafs.

The Boston Bruins extended their home winning streak to 10 games in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. David Krejci scored twice as the Bruins (15-2-0) are on top of the overall standings with 30 points, two points up on the Devils and Vegas Golden Knights. The Flyers dropped to 7-7-3 and lost winger Travis Konecny in the second period with an injured right hand.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they extended their record to 14-4-0 by beating the Arizona Coyotes 4-1. Alex Pietrangelo had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights while teammate Phil Kessel became the first player in NHL history to play in 1,000 consecutive regular-season games. Clayton Keller scored for the Coyotes as they fall to 6-9-1.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor tallied a hat trick to lead his club to a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry replied for the 5-11-1 Ducks while the Jets (10-4-1) have won eight of their last 10 contests. Before the game, the Jets inducted Teemu Selanne and Teppo Numminen into their Hall of Fame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Jets revealed Nikolaj Ehlers’ lower-body injury that has sidelined him since Oct. 18 could be more serious than originally reported. Head coach Rick Bowness suggested the possibility of surgery for Ehlers. Meanwhile, defenseman Dylan DeMelo missed this game with an undisclosed ailment. As for the Ducks, they placed sidelined defenseman Nathan Beaulieu (undisclosed) on injured reserve earlier in the day.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored twice and set up two others to beat the Minnesota Wild 6-4. Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists for the Penguins, who improved to 7-7-3. Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice for the Wild as their record drops to 7-8-3.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi collected four assists as his club held off the New York Islanders 5-4. Juuso Parssinen scored twice and collected an assist as the Predators (8-8-1) have won three straight games. Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Adam Pelech each had a goal and an assist for the 11-7-0 Islanders.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz made 46 saves and Artturi Lehkonen tallied in overtime to down the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 3-2. Martin Necas had a goal and an assist for the 10-5-2 Hurricanes while the Avalanche rose to 9-5-1.

The Dallas Stars (10-5-2) got two goals from Roope Hintz in their 6-4 win over the Florida Panthers. Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Ty Dellandrea each had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Sam Bennett collected three assists for the 9-7-1 Panthers. Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood was stretchered from the game in the second period with an apparent back injury but was reportedly responsive and in good spirits. He will be re-evaluated on Friday in Dallas.

St. Louis Blues netminder Thomas Greiss kicked out 47 shots and Pavel Buchnevich tallied the winning goal in a shootout to nip the Washington Capitals 5-4. Vladimir Tarasenko collected two assists as the Blues improved their record to 8-8-0. Alex Ovechkin had a goal and two assists while John Carlson scored two goals for the 7-9-3 Capitals.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored twice, Steven Stamkos had two points and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 39 saves to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Elias Lindholm scored the only goal for Calgary. With the win, the Lightning move to 10-6-1 while the Flames fall to 7-7-2.

The Seattle Kraken got an overtime goal from Justin Schultz to defeat the New York Rangers 3-2 and improve their record to 9-5-3. Schultz finished the night with two goals while Martin Jones picked up the win by stopping 28 shots. Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck replied for the 8-6-4 Rangers.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Moritz Seider, Pius Suter and Dominik Kubalik lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 7-4 win over the San Jose Sharks. David Perron had a goal and two assists for the Wings (8-5-4) while Erik Karlsson had four points for the 6-10-3 Sharks.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (6-9-1) extended their points streak to four games by dropping the Montreal Canadiens 6-4. Sean Kuraly scored twice and collected an assist for the Jackets while Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist for the 8-8-1 Canadiens.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2022

by | Oct 26, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2022

Recaps of Tuesday’s games including the Golden Knight’s Phil Kessel setting the league’s Ironman record and the Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury reaching a goaltending milestone, plus the latest on the Canadiens’ Carey Price and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Phil Kessel set the NHL’s Ironman record by playing his 990th consecutive game and scored his 400th career goal as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist while Adin Hill made 29 saves for the win as the Golden Knights improved their record to 6-2-0 while the Sharks drop to 2-7-0.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Kessel on setting a league record for consecutive games and reaching the 400-goal milestone.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves to backstop the Minnesota Wild over the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. It was Fleury’s 944th career game, moving him past Curtis Joseph into sixth place on the all-time games-played list for NHL goaltenders. Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice for the Wild as their record improves to 2-3-1 while the Canadiens fall to 3-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Habs winger Cole Caufield tallied his fifth goal in seven games.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt scored twice and collected an assist as his club defeated the Detroit Red Wings 6-2, handing the latter their first regulation loss of the season. Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Ryan Graves each had two points for the Devils (4-3-0) while Dylan Larkin and Dominik Kubalik replied for the Red Wings (3-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Ondrej Palat missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 44 shots against his former club in a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Mikko Rantanen and Evan Rodrigues scored in the shootout as the Avs record moves up to 4-2-1. Adam Fox scored for the Rangers (3-2-2) in the third period to send the game into overtime and the shootout.

The Boston Bruins got goals from David Pastrnak, Taylor Hall and Patrice Bergeron to down the Dallas Stars 3-1. Linus Ullmark made 30 saves as the Bruins improve to 6-1-0 while the Stars fall to 4-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day. Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo returned to action after missing four games with a concussion.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri scored twice and added an assist while Jacob Markstrom stopped 32 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames (5-1-0) while Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (4-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins winger Jake Guentzel missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury while Jason Zucker is with a suspected right-hip injury suffered during their loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 24.

Jonathan Quick made 23 saves while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 to improve their record to 4-4-0. The Lightning (3-4-0) got goals from Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning appear to be feeling the effects of a long 2021-22 season and a shortened offseason after their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Patrick Kane tallied his first goal of the season and added an assist as the Chicago Blackhawks upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. Alex Stalock stopped 29 shots for the 4-2-0 Blackhawks. Matthew Tkachuk was one of the goal scorers for the Panthers (4-2-1).

The Seattle Kraken improved their record to 3-3-2 by downing the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. Daniel Sprong had a goal and two assists while Martin Jones made 15 saves for the win. The Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin saw his record-setting, season-opening goal streak for defenseman end at five games while his club’s record drops to 4-2-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer missed this game as he was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Three-point performances by Shayne Gostibehere (two goals, one assist) and Clayton Keller (three assists) powered the Arizona Coyotes (2-4-0) over the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3, dropping the latter’s record to 3-5-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine was held scoreless as he returned from injured reserve. Earlier in the day, the Jackets announced forward Justin Danforth will be sidelined for six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price revealed his battle with alcoholism pushed him to seek help through the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program last fall.

The 35-year-old said it was the combination of coming so close to his goal of winning the Stanley Cup in 2021, followed by knee surgery and the realization that he’s in the latter stages of his career. “I was not a happy person, I wasn’t being a good father. I was drinking a lot,” he said.

Price also admitted the pressure to perform game in and game out was not easy to handle and became a weight on his mind.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price isn’t ready to retire and continues to explore treatment for his injured knee. What’s most important is his life and health beyond the rink. He recognized he had a problem and sought treatment voluntarily. Best wishes to Price in his ongoing sobriety.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed Jake Muzzin on long-term injury reserve due to a neck injury. It provides the Leafs with an additional $5.625 million of cap relief.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We don’t know how long Muzzin will be sidelined. If he’s out for the season they could use it to bolster their roster. If he’s not, they’ll have to ensure they’re cap compliant when he returns to action.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a fractured finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough break (no pun intended) for van Riemsdyk, who was off to a good start with five points in his first six games of this season.

THE ATHLETIC: The St. Louis Blues placed forward Pavel Buchnevich on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2022

by | Oct 25, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2022

Milestones reached by Alex Ovechkin, Phil Kessel, and Shane Pinto, the Canucks’ winless streak continues, the three stars of the week are revealed, Carey Price talks publicly about his future, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored what proved to be the winning goal in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Ovechkin moves past Gordie Howe into second place on the all-time game-winning goals list with 122. Goaltender Charlie Lindgren got the win with a 38-save performance while Devils netminder Mackenzie Blackwood got the hook after giving up five goals on 18 shots.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jaromir Jagr is the all-time leader in NHL game-winning goals with 135. The Capitals are 4-3-0 while the Devils drop to 3-3-0.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel tied the NHL’s Ironman record by appearing in his 989th consecutive game as his club downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1. Kessel also picked an assist on the Golden Knights’ game-opening goal. Chandler Stephenson and Michael Amadio scored in the third period to give Vegas the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kessel appeared to have scored his 400th career goal in this game but it was overturned as offside by a coach’s challenge. Leafs captain John Tavares briefly left the game after being struck in the leg by a shot but returned and finished the contest. The Golden Knights improved to 5-2-0 while the Leafs are 4-3-0.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto set a franchise rookie record during a 4-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. Pinto scored to extend his goal streak to five games while teammate Brady Tkachuk scored and collected an assist. Stars forward Denis Gurianov was a healthy scratch. The Senators’ record is now 4-2-0 while the Stars are 4-1-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators backup Magnus Hellberg made 29 saves as starter Anton Forsberg sat out this game with an undisclosed injury. Before this game, they learned center Josh Norris could be sidelined for at least two weeks with an injured shoulder.

The Vancouver Canucks’ winless streak extended to 0-5-2 as they fell 3-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes(4-1-1). Third-period goals by Sebastian Aho and Jesper Fast snapped a 1-1 tie while J.T. Miller scored twice for the Canucks and teammate Thatcher Demko made 36 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The score flatter the Canucks as they were dominated by the Hurricanes for most of this game. They managed just 16 shots on goal while Demko was peppered by the Canes. The loss capped a lousy day for the Canucks as they learned defenseman Quinn Hughes is week-to-week with a lower-body injury while winger Brock Boeser is day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment.

Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists to rally the Edmonton Oilers from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3. Evander Kane, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers while Penguins Rickard Rakell and Jason Zucker each had two points. The Oilers improved to 3-3-0 while the Penguins are 4-1-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid left the game after crashing awkwardly into the Penguins’ net but would return to action.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves to shut out the St. Louis Blues 4-0, handing the latter their first loss of the season (3-1-0). Mark Scheifele tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal as his club improved to 3-3-0. Jets head coach Rick Bowness sat out this game as he’s still feeling the after-effects of his bout with COVID-19. 

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk and New Jersey Devils goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 23, 2022.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price said he has no plans to retire despite a career-threatening knee injury that is expected to sideline him for the entirety of this season.

The 35-year-old netminder admitted it’s been an emotional roller coaster to go from the 2021 Stanley Cup Final to where he is today. He acknowledged the possibility of undergoing another surgery but knows it has a 50 percent success rate and could come with risks to his quality of life away from the game. Price is signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $10.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price revealed the possibility of another surgery to The Athletic’s Arpon Basu but this is the first time he’s spoken publicly about it. He hasn’t given up hope of resuming his career but he seems fully aware that it could be a long shot.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the Canadiens, rookie winger Juraj Slafkovsky is considered day-to-day after undergoing tests for an upper-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo is getting close to returning to the lineup after suffering the fifth concussion of his career during an Oct. 15th game against the Arizona Coyotes. He indicated that his vision went black in one of his eyes and he couldn’t follow the play following the hit so he went to the locker room where he was diagnosed with a concussion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlo is aware of the risk of accumulating concussions but insists he still feels very good from a hockey aspect. Nevertheless, he’s reached a worrying level of concern with these injuries that could become career-threatening.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Filip Chytil will miss the next four games with a suspected concussion.

TSN: Tyler Ennis has signed with SC Bern of the Swiss National League. The 33-year-old forward scored 144 goals and 202 assists in 700 games over 13 NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators.