NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2025

by | Apr 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2025

The Kings clinch home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, Ivan Demidov shines in his debut as Canadiens earn a point in the wild-card race, Sharks captain Logan Couture will announce his retirement, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings clinched home-ice advantage in their upcoming first-round series with the Edmonton Oilers by blanking them 5-0. Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich combined for the shutout while Adrian Kempe had a goal and two assists for the Kings, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 103 points. The Oilers are third with 99 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings pulled Kuemper at 8:13 of the third period after going up 5-0 in favor of Rittich to give him some playing time before his start on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken.

Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Kings forward Quinton Byfield during the second period. Byfield left the ice and missed the rest of the game in concussion protocol. His teammate, Philip Danault, wasn’t pleased with the Oilers’ actions in this game. “They have their B squad in trying to hurt us,” he said.

Before the game, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said defenseman Mattias Ekholm will miss at least the first round of the 2025 playoffs.

Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov (NHL.com).

Montreal Canadiens rookie winger Ivan Demidov scored his first NHL goal and collected his first assist but his club dropped a 4-3 shootout decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Frank Nazar tallied the game-winner and scored a goal and an assist in regulation time. Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky scored to reach 50 points for the second straight season as his club picked up a point in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. They hold the final berth with 89 points, four ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demidov handled the pressure of his first NHL game quite well but Montreal failed to clinch a playoff berth and are 0-1-2 in their last three games. They have one game left while Columbus has two. The Canadiens can clinch if the Blue Jackets lose in any fashion to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.

Speaking of Canadiens rookies, Lane Hutson collected an assist on Slafkovsky’s goal to break the franchise record for the most points by a rookie defenseman with 65. Chris Chelios held the previous record with 64 points.

A four-goal third period lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 6-4 win over the Dallas Stars. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider led the way with a goal and two assists each in the third period. Jamie Benn collected two assists for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 106 points but have gone 0-4-2 in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars general manager Jim Nill said sidelined defenseman Miro Heiskanen will miss the start of their opening-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. He didn’t rule out Heiskanen’s return later in the first round.

The New York Rangers upset the Florida Panthers 5-3 with J.T. Miller, Juuso Parssinen and Matt Rempe each collecting a goal and an assist. Sam Reinhart tallied twice for the Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers center Sam Bennett picked up an assist in his return to action after being sidelined on Apr. 5 with an upper-body injury against the Ottawa Senators.

Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk scored in overtime to nip the San Jose Sharks 2-1. Linus Karlsson scored for the Canucks in regulation while Macklin Celebrini netted his 25th goal of the season for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks captain Quinn Hughes collected an assist on DeBrusk’s goal to tie Alexander Edler’s franchise record for most points by a defenseman (409).

The Utah Hockey Club got a four-point performance by Clayton Keller for a 7-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Keller scored two goals and set up two others while Logan Cooley and Alex Kerfoot each had three points. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for the Predators.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks will hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce captain Logan Couture is unable to continue his playing career due to injury.

Couture, 36, has been sidelined since February 2024 by a groin ailment. He missed all of this season and only appeared in six games in 2023-24. He spent 15 seasons with the Sharks from 2009-10 to 2023-24, sitting fifth among their franchise leaders with 933 games played and 378 assists. He was also third in goals with 323 and fourth in points with 701.

Named captain of the Sharks in 2019-20, Couture was a proven postseason performer with 48 goals and 53 assists for 101 points in 116 playoff games. He led all scorers with 20 assists and 30 points during the Sharks’ run to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An unfortunate, premature end for Couture’s playing career. He will be remembered as one of the great players in Sharks’ history.

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, and Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck are the league’s three stars for the week ending Apr. 13, 2025.

The department of player safety suspended New Jersey Devils forward Paul Cotter for two games for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech on Sunday.

THE ATHLETIC: A post-mortem analysis of the brain of former NHL player Chris Simon revealed he had severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he died by suicide in 2024.

According to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, Simon is one of the 19 of 20 NHL players’ brains to have tested positive for CTE following their deaths. They include Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Ralph Backstrom, Bob Probert and Derek Boogaard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meanwhile, the NHL remains in denial about CTE, claiming more study is required.

MLIVE.COM: The four US-based Original Six franchises (Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers) have all missed the playoffs for the first time in the post-expansion era (1967-68 to the present).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2025

by | Apr 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2025

The Jets clinch top spot in the Western Conference and Central Division, the Golden Knights secure the Pacific Division title, the Rangers, Islanders and Red Wings are eliminated from the playoff race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets clinched first place in the Western Conference and the Central Division with a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Cole Perfetti tallied the game-winner in the shootout and Josh Morrisey scored twice for the Jets (114 points). Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets hold a five-point lead over the second-place Washington Capitals in the overall standings but they have two games left while the Capitals have three. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers left the game in the second period after accidentally colliding with a linesman. There was no postgame update on his status.

This was also the final game for Blackhawks forward Patrick Maroon and defenseman Alec Martinez as both players retired after this game. They will not be joining the Blackhawks on their season-ending two-game road trip.

The Vegas Golden Knights clinched the Pacific Division title for the fourth time in eight years by defeating the Nashville Predators 5-3. Noah Hanifin broke a 3-3 tie with 1:55 remaining in the third period while Brett Howden and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (107 points). Former Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault scored in his first game in Vegas since joining the Predators last summer.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists in a 7-3 victory over the New York Rangers, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth last week and will face the New Jersey Devils in the opening round. J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist for the Rangers.

A shootout goal by Bobby Brink lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the New York Islanders 4-3 to eliminate the latter from the postseason chase. Tyson Foerster tallied twice for the Flyers while Bo Horvat, Anders Lee and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

The Montreal Canadiens failed to clinch the final Eastern wild-card berth as they dropped a 1-0 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mitch Marner scored in overtime for the Leafs, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. Jakub Dobes stopped 35 shots for the Canadiens (88 points), who picked up a point to move seven ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, eliminating the latter from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs also announced that former general manager Gerry McNamara died on Friday at age 90.

A minor-league goaltender for most of his playing career, McNamara appeared in seven NHL games with the Leafs between 1960-61 and 1969-70. He was a scout for the Leafs in the 1970s and was GM from 1981-82 to 1987-88.

My condolences to McNamara’s family, friends, former teammates and the Leafs organization.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves made 21 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 7-0 drubbing of the Washington Capitals. James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists and Adam Fantilli scored twice as the Blues Jackets kept their playoff hopes alive. They’re five points behind Montreal but have three games left while the Canadiens have two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets face Washington on Sunday in the second game of their back-to-back. They will be eliminated if they lose that game in any fashion.

The Capitals gave captain Alex Ovechkin the day off on Saturday but he could return to the lineup for Sunday’s contest. Teammate Jakob Chychrun was also absent Saturday as he’s battling an illness while Hunter Shepard gave up seven goals on 26 shots. Charlie Lindgren will be their starter on Sunday.

Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello scored in overtime to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Brock Faber and Marcus Foligno scored in the third period as the Wild overcame a 2-0 deficit. Marcus Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks. With 95 points, the Wild sit one point ahead of the St. Louis Blues in the first Western Conference wild-card spot and five points ahead of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks announced center Elias Pettersson is done for the season as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury suffered on March 22 against the New York Rangers. Wild forward Yakov Trenin was ejected after hitting Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort with a late punch while the latter was lying on the ice following a fight between the two players.

The St. Louis Blues fell 4-3 to the Seattle Kraken on a shootout goal by Chandler Stephenson. Nick Leddy had a goal and an assist in regulation play for the Blues, who sit one point behind the Wild in the final wild-card spot, four points ahead of the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild and Blues each have one game left in their schedules while the Flames have three games. The latter still has a chance to clinch a wild-card spot if they win all three games while the Blues lose their final game. Speaking of the Blues, defenseman Colton Parayko returned to action in this game after injuring his right knee on March 5 against the Los Angeles Kings.

Speaking of the Kings, they held off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4. Kevin Fiala scored two goals while Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each had a goal and two assists for the Kings, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 101 points. Colorado center Brock Nelson scored twice, including his 300th NHL regular-season goal. The Avalanche will face the Dallas Stars in the first round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings will meet the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for the fourth straight year. They’ll face an Oilers team lacking a key defenseman as Mattias Ekholm will be sidelined for “quite some time” with an undisclosed injury.

Meanwhile, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog could join his teammates for their series with the Stars. He’s currently on a conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. On Saturday, Landeskog scored a goal in his second game with the Eagles. His last NHL game was Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.

The Stars, meanwhile, dropped a 5-3 decision to the Utah Hockey Club. Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists for Utah. Jason Robertson scored his 35th goal of the season and Wyatt Johnston his 32nd for the Stars, who clinched second place in the Central Division.

A shootout goal by Anton Lundell gave the Florida Panthers a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Rasmus Dahlin and JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2025

by | Apr 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2025

Capitals clinch first place in the Eastern Conference, Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Panthers coach Paul Maurice each reach notable career milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals clinched first place in the Eastern Conference and in the Metropolitan Division with a 5-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Pierre-Luc Dubois netted the winning goal in the shootout and also scored in regulation while Tom Wilson tallied his 33rd of the season. Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis scored late in the third period to force overtime and the shootout. The Capitals have 109 points, three behind the first-overall Winnipeg Jets. With 97 points, the Hurricanes have secured second in the Metro.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals also honored team captain Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking 895th regular-season goal with a pregame ceremony. Ovechkin tallied that goal against the New York Islanders on Sunday.

Speaking of the Jets, they secured a stranglehold on the Central Division crown by blanking the Dallas Stars 4-0. Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves for his league-leading eighth shutout of the season and Kyle Connor tallied twice for the Jets (112 points), who sit six points ahead of the Stars in the Central.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck collected his single-season high and franchise-record 45th win of the season. He’s the seventh goaltender in NHL history to reach the 45-win milestone, joining Braden Holtby and Martin Brodeur (48 each), Bernie Parent and Roberto Luongo (47 each), Evgeni Nabokov (46) and Miikka Kiprusoff (45).

Brad Marchand scored his first goal with the Florida Panthers in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Gustav Forsling collected two assists and Florida head coach Paul Maurice picked up his 915th regular-season win to move into third place on the all-time list as the Panthers sit third in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Alex DeBrincat replied for the Red Wings (79 points), who remain eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maurice sits behind Scotty Bowman (1,244 wins) and Joel Quenneville (969 wins). Meanwhile, Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been granted permission by the league and the NHLPA to rejoin the club in all team activities except for games. He’s serving a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Ekblad can return to action during Game 3 of the Panthers’ first-round playoff series.

The New York Rangers kept their thin playoff hopes alive by thumping the New York Islanders 9-2. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 44 shots while Artemi Panarin and Brett Berard each scored two goals for the Rangers, who sit six points behind the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card race. Maxim Tsyplakov and Hudson Fasching scored for the Islanders, who remain eight points behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin missed this game with an upper-body injury. The Rangers and Islanders will be eliminated from the postseason race if the Canadiens pick up one point in their four remaining games.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves stopped 39 shots as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. James van Riemsdyk, Zach Aston-Reese and Boone Jenner scored for the Jackets, who sit six points behind the Canadiens. JJ Peterka and Rasmus Dahlin scored for the Sabres as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues Jackets’ playoff hopes also hang by a thread. They will be eliminated if the Canadiens collect three points in their remaining games.

The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Adin Hill turned aside 24 shots while Ivan Barbashev and William Karlsson scored for the Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 105 points. Kraken winger Jared McCann scored to reach 60 points on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl returned to action following an eight-game absence with a shoulder injury.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala scored two goals in a 6-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Adrian Kempe and Andrei Kuzmenko each had three assists as the Kings remain six points behind the Golden Knights in second place with 99 points. Ducks rookie winger Cutter Gauthier netted his 20th goal of the season.

Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 31 shots to upset the Colorado Avalanche 4-1. Kiefer Sherwood and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Devon Toews replied for the Avalanche, who will finish third in the Central Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon missed this game and could be out for their remaining two games as he deals with a minor injury.

A three-goal third period lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Nick Foligno scored twice for the Blackhawks while David Pastrnak netted his 42nd goal of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins announced that sidelined defenseman Charlie McAvoy and forward Mark Kastelic are done for the season.

Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros made 39 saves to backstop his team for a 4-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Filip Forsberg scored the winner in the shootout while Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators head coach Andrew Brunette rejoined the team after taking time away dealing with a personal matter.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk will miss his sixth straight game with an upper-body injury when his club faces the Canadiens on Friday. However, he’s confident he’ll be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs starting next weekend.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk could return for action for one of their remaining three regular-season games after Friday. However, the club might prefer he sit out the rest of those games rather than risk reinjuring himself in a meaningless regular-season contest.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas was named the GM for Canada’s 2025 World Championship team. The Penguins also announced that sidelined players Rutger McGroarty, Noel Acciari, Blake Lizotte, Matt Nieto and Tommy Novak are finished for the season.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro’s season is over after suffering a lower-body injury during Wednesday’s games against the Minnesota Wild.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2025

by | Apr 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2025

The Jets set a franchise record for wins while ending the Blues’ franchise-record win streak, Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov reaches a significant milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets collected their franchise-record 53rd single-season victory by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1, ending the latter’s franchise-record win streak at 12 games. Morgan Barron, Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (110 points), opening a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for first place in the overall standings. Pavel Buchnevich replied for the Blues, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 93 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists in his club’s 5-1 win over the New York Rangers. Brayden Point scored twice and set up another and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 38 saves as the Lightning (96 points) sit two points behind the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. The Rangers (79 points) remain six points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 115 points, Kucherov is tied for first place in the scoring race with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. He also collected his 80th assist, joining Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey and Bobby Orr as the only players in NHL history to accomplish that feat in at least three consecutive seasons.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the San Jose Sharks 3-2. Dustin Wolf stopped 29 shots while Adam Klapka, Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato scored for the Flames, who sit four points behind the Minnesota Wild for the final Western wild card with 87 points. Sharks rookie Will Smith scored twice and teammate Macklin Celebrini set the rookie franchise record for assists with 36.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: San Jose winger Tyler Toffoli missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The Sharks also announced defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin’s upper-body injury will sideline him for the remainder of the regular season.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 45 shots in a 3-2 upset win over the injury-depleted Edmonton Oilers. Cutter Gauthier tallied twice for the Ducks. Adam Henrique and Jeff Skinner replied for the Oilers (93 points), who remain four points behind the Los Angeles Kings in third place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Trent Frederic’s return from an ankle injury was short-lived. He missed this game after aggravating that injury during Saturday’s loss to the Kings.

Speaking of the Kings, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Seattle Kraken. Matty Beniers and Brandon Montour scored and Joey Daccord turned aside 28 shots for the win. Quinton Byfield tallied his 20th of the season for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was given time off from this game as he rests his surgically repaired ankle. Teammate Adrian Kempe left this game in the third period to attend to a personal matter. Forward Tanner Jeannot missed this contest with an undisclosed injury and is listed as week-to-week.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, and St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas are the league’s three stars for the week ending April 6, 2025.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have a growing list of injured players. Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Niko Sturm, Dmitry Kulikov and Gustav Forsling are sidelined, and the club could rest some of them for several games to ensure they’ll be fully healthy for the coming playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have already clinched a playoff berth so they have the luxury of giving some of these players an extra game or two to rest up over their remaining five games in the schedule.

It’s given rise to a silly conspiracy theory that they’re sandbagging the rest of the season to drop further in the standings, ensuring they draw the Toronto Maple Leafs as their first-round opponent.

If the playoffs started now, the Panthers would face the Lightning in the opening round. The theory suggests they prefer meeting the Leafs because they’re an easier opponent.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of playoff-bound teams with injury-ravaged rosters, the Avalanche hope to have sidelined defenseman Josh Manson and Samuel Girard and forwards Martin Necas and Jonathan Drouin back in the lineup later this week.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club blueliner John Marino is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association continue their collective bargaining agreement negotiations this week in New York City. CBA talks between the two sides began last week. The current agreement expires in September 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: League commissioner Gary Bettman hopes to get a new CBA in place as soon as possible, perhaps by the 2025 NHL Draft in late June. The recent relationship between the NHL and NHLPA lacks the rancor and mistrust that hampered previous CBA negotiations.

THE ATHLETIC: Meredith Gaudreau gave birth to her and late husband Johnny Gaudreau’s third child (a boy named Carter Michael Gaudreau) on April 1. Carter’s middle name is the same as his father’s.

Johnny and his brother Matthew were killed by an alleged drunk driver last August. The alleged driver faces charges including reckless vehicular homicide, aggravated manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My thoughts go out to the Gaudreau family. Here’s hoping Carter has a long and happy life.

TSN: Long-time NHL goaltender and broadcaster Greg Millen died on Monday at age 67. The cause of death was not revealed.

Millen spent 14 seasons as an NHL goaltender from 1978-79 to 1991-92 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. He played in 604 games, making 582 starts with a 3.88 goals-against average and a save percentage of .873.

Following his playing career, Millen went on to a long broadcasting career mostly with CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL on Sportsnet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Millen’s family, friends, teammates and broadcasting colleagues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2025

by | Apr 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2025

The Kings, Lightning and Panthers clinch playoff berths, the Blues set a franchise record for consecutive wins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth by blanking the Edmonton Oilers 3-0. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 27-save shutout while Kevin Fiala tallied his 30th goal of the season as the Kings sit second in the Pacific Division with 97 points, reaching the postseason for the fourth straight year. The Oilers remain in third place behind the Kings with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, defenseman Mattias Ekholm and goaltender Stuart Skinner missed this game with injuries. McDavid is expected to return later this week.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored his 40th goal as the Buffalo Sabres upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on shootout goals by Jack Quinn and Alex Tuch. Brayden Point and Gage Goncalves tallied for Tampa Bay, who clinched a playoff berth in second place in the Atlantic Division with 94 points. It’s the eighth straight season the Lightning have qualified for the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres have surged recently, winning seven of their last 10 games. Sitting 11 points out of a wild-card berth with seven games remaining, this hot streak comes too late to save their season.

Ottawa Senators netminder Anton Forsberg kicked out 40 shots to shut out the Florida Panthers 3-0. Jake Sanderson had a goal and an assist for the Senators as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 88 points, four back of the third-place Panthers in the Atlantic Division. Despite the loss, the Panthers clinched a playoff berth for the sixth straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Florida has gone 3-6-1 in their last 10 games while Ottawa is 5-4-1. Both teams have six games left. The Senators could overtake the Panthers in the standings if the latter doesn’t snap out of its funk.

St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas (NHL Images).

The St. Louis Blues set a franchise record with their 12th straight win by holding off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4. Robert Thomas scored the game-winner and collected three assists, Cam Fowler had three helpers and Zack Bolduc tallied twice as the Blues hold a four-point lead over the Minnesota Wild for the first Western Conference wild-card spot. Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 115 points, MacKinnon holds a three-point lead over Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov in the scoring race.

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz turned aside 27 shots in a 5-0 shutout of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nick Robertson and William Nylander each scored two goals for the Leafs, who hold a four-point lead over the Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored his 30th goal, becoming the first American-born NHL player to reach that milestone in nine consecutive seasons. The loss puts the Blue Jackets (77 points) six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern wild card.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they got third-period goals by Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki for a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. The Canadiens have won four straight games and opened a four-point lead over the New York Rangers for the final Eastern wild card with 83 points. Ryan Poehling and Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suzuki is two points away from becoming the first Canadien to reach 85 points in a season since Pierre Turgeon and Vincent Damphousse in 1995-96. Habs winger Josh Anderson missed this game as his wife is due to give birth soon.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves to blank the Rangers 4-0. Timo Meier scored two goals for the Devils, who sit third in the Metro Division with 89 points. With 79 points, the Rangers are four back of the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card chase.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blueshirts are sputtering with a record of 3-6-1. They and the Canadiens have six games remaining with the latter riding a four-game win streak.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a hat trick and two assists in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Morgan Geekie had a goal and four assists for the Bruins, who were officially eliminated from the postseason race. Hurricanes rookie Justin Robidas scored his first NHL goal. His club sits second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak’s been among the few bright spots in a miserable season for the Bruins. He reached the 40-goal plateau for the fifth time, tying him for second with Rick Middleton among the Bruins all-time scoring leaders. Phil Esposito holds the franchise record with seven 40-goal campaigns.

If Robidas’ last name sounds familiar, he’s the son of former NHL defenseman Stephane Robidas.

An overtime goal by Reilly Smith lifted the Vegas Golden Knights past the Calgary Flames 3-2. Smith finished the game with two goals and Shea Theodore collected three assists as the Golden Knights remain atop the Pacific Division with 100 points, three up on the Kings. Joel Hanley and Matt Coronato scored for the Flames (85 points), who collected a point to sit four behind the Wild for the final Western wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a hat trick and collected an assist in a 5-3 upset of the Dallas Stars, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Evgenii Dadonov had a hat trick for the Stars, who remain four points behind the first-place Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby reached the 30-goal mark for the 13th time in his career.

Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 32 shots to beat the Jets 4-1. Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Kevin Stenlund each had a goal and an assist for Utah. Mark Scheifele tallied his 38th goal of the season for the league-leading Jets (108 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

A five-goal first period lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Thatcher Demko made 30 saves while Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes each had two points. Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras scored for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win keeps the Canucks’ fading playoff hopes alive. With 83 points, they’re six behind the Wild in the Western wild-card race.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-1. Jared McCann had two goals and an assist for the Kraken. Rookie Will Smith tallied his 14th goal for the Sharks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2025

by | Apr 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2025

A milestone game for Cale Makar as the Avalanche clinch a playoff berth, the Senators and Canadiens strengthen their wild-card positions, the Blues match a franchise record, the league plans to address LTIR issues with the NHLPA, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar tallied his 30th goal of the season in a 7-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, clinching a playoff berth in the Western Conference. Makar also collected two assists while Nathan MacKinnon, Charlie Coyle and Devon Toews also each had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche as they sit third in the Central Division with 98 points. Sean Monahan, Zach Aston-Reese and Boone Jenner replied for the Blue Jackets, who sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 77 points.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar is the ninth defenseman in NHL history to record a 30-goal season, and the first to do so since Mike Green (31) in 2008-09. He also reached the 60-assist and 90-point plateaus, becoming the first defenseman to achieve consecutive 90-point campaigns since Paul Coffey and Al MacInnis in 1990-91. Makar joins Coffey, Raymond Bourque, Denis Potvin and Bobby Orr as the only blueliners in NHL history to have 30 goals and 60 assists in one season.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, strengthening their grip on the first Eastern wild-card spot while snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots while Shane Pinto and Jake Sanderson scored for the Senators (86 points), giving them a five-point lead over the Montreal Canadiens. Brandon Hagel netted his 34th goal for the Lightning (93 points), who remain three points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators also reached the 40-win plateau for the first time since 2016-17, when they last clinched a playoff berth. They got this win without team captain Brady Tkachuk. He remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Canadiens (81 points), they got a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins to open a two-point lead over the New York Rangers for the final Eastern wild card. Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist and Cole Caufield tallied his 35th goal of the season. Elias Lindholm replied for the Bruins, who’ve dropped 10 straight games and sit last in the Eastern Conference with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 81 points, Suzuki is the first Canadiens player to reach the 80-point plateau since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08. Caufield is the first Hab to score 35 goals in a season since Max Pacioretty in 2016-17. In other Canadiens news, they’ve reportedly signed prospect goaltender Jacob Fowler to an entry-level contract.

The last time the Bruins finished last in the Eastern Conference was in 1996-97. They also finished last overall, selecting Joe Thornton with the first overall pick in the 1997 NHL Draft.

The St. Louis Blues tied their franchise-record win streak of 11 games by squeaking past the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on an overtime goal by Robert Thomas, who also collected an assist in regulation. Jake Neighbours tallied twice while Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who surged past the Minnesota Wild (89 points) into the first Western wild-card berth with 91 points. Penguins rookie Rutger McGroarty collected his first NHL points with a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Dylan Holloway left this game after the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no post-game update regarding his condition. Penguins center Evgeny Malkin missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman scored twice to down the Anaheim Ducks 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves and Yegor Sharangovich picked up two assists for the Flames (84 points), putting them five behind the Wild in the Western wild-card race. Olen Zellweger replied for the Ducks, who were officially eliminated from the postseason chase.

The Edmonton Oilers’ 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks was overshadowed by Leon Draisaitl’s departure in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Draisaitl picked up an assist before he left the game while teammate Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Tyler Toffoli picked up his 28th goal for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl recently returned from an injury. There was no postgame update regarding his current status. The absence of their leading scorer is cause for concern for the Oilers, who are also without team captain Connor McDavid, defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and starting goalie Stuart Skinner. Meanwhile, Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin missed this game with an upper-body injury and is still being re-evaluated.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Eric Comrie kicked out 26 shots to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0. Mark Scheifele netted his 37th goal of the season as the Jets tied their franchise record with their 52nd win, sitting three points ahead of the Washington Capitals atop the overall standings with 108 points. The Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers left this game in the third period with an injured left leg. In his post-game interview, head coach Scott Arniel indicated that he felt Ehlers’ injury wasn’t too serious.

The Dallas Stars picked up their seventh straight win by defeating the Nashville Predators 5-1. Wyatt Johnston extended his goal streak to six games while Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson and Mason Marchment each had two points as the Wild sit second in the Central Division with 104 points. Steven Stamkos replied for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen became the third-fastest Finnish-born NHL player to reach the 700-point plateau, achieving the milestone in 645 games. Jiri Kurri was the fastest (483 games) followed by Teemu Selanne (541). Stars captain Jamie Benn missed this game with a “maintenance issue”, ending his streak of 371 consecutive games played.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Kevin Fiala and Trevor Moore scored 44 seconds apart for a 4-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Darcy Kuemper turned aside 28 shots and Drew Doughty had a goal and an assist for the Kings (95 points), moving within three points of the first-place Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. Lawson Crouse and Jack McBain scored for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah forward Dylan Guenther suffered a broken nose, two black eyes and nine stitches during Tuesday’s game against Calgary, but suited up for this contest wearing a protective bubble cage attached to his helmet. “I mean, your nose is a long way from your legs. It doesn’t really affect you,” he said.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association began this week. The league intends to bring up the ongoing issue of long-term injury reserve where players on LTIR return in time to skate in the playoffs. That’s been a contentious issue because several teams soar over the salary cap during the playoffs because there is no cap in the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether the two sides can find an adequate solution remains to be seen.

One suggestion is the salary cap should be extended to the playoffs, but that issue can be seen as penalizing teams for having injured players. Another suggestion was having sidelined players scheduled to return by the opening round of the playoffs prevented from playing in that round, but that would unfairly punish them for getting injured, which could violate Canadian and American labor laws.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair has been granted a leave of absence from the team after head coach Patrick Roy publicly criticized his play following a recent loss. Roy told reporters that he and Duclair had a good discussion following the incident, and the winger is taking time off to reflect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That raises questions over whether Duclair is done for the season and about his future with the Islanders.

DAILY FACEOFF: Michigan State forward Isaac Howard, University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium, and Boston College forward Ryan Leonard are the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists. Howard is a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, Buium is a prospect of the Minnesota Wild, and Leonard recently joined the Washington Capitals on an entry-level contract.