NHL Rumor Mill – March 9, 2024

by | Mar 9, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 9, 2024

The 2024 trade deadline has passed but questions remain about the trade candidates who didn’t move. Check out the latest on Jacob Markstrom, Linus Ullmark, Pavel Buchnevich and Jakob Chychrun, plus an update on the Devils in the NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR MARKSTROM AND THE FLAMES?

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson wonders what happens next for the Flames and Jacob Markstrom. After weeks of trade speculation, the 34-year-old goaltender remains with the Flames, but there are questions about his future in Calgary.

Gilbertson wondered if the two sides could patch up their relationship if they hadn’t already. Markstrom has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6 million. However, does he want to stick around through a retooling process?

Markstrom was linked to the New Jersey Devils with a rumored deal in mid-February having fallen through. The Devils opted instead to acquire Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens and shipped Vitek Vanecek to the San Jose Sharks for Kaapo Kahkonen.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames general manager Craig Conroy yesterday claimed there weren’t any issues in his relationship with Markstrom. Nevertheless, the former Vezina Trophy finalist’s future in Calgary will remain the subject of speculation in the offseason, even if a deal with the Devils is no longer possible.

BIG OFFSEASON MOVES COULD BE COMING FOR THE DEVILS

THE ATHLETIC: Despite the Devils’ acquisitions of Allen and Kahkonen, Peter Baugh reports Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is expecting to go “big-game hunting” for a goaltender in the offseason.

The acquisition of Kahkonen was more about removing Vanecek’s $3.4 million AAV through next season from the Devils’ books. With Allen signed through next season and the Canadiens retaining half of his $3.85 million cap hit, Fitzgerald had the cap flexibility to bring in a bigger-name starter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fitzgerald elaborated on why he couldn’t land someone like Markstrom before the deadline, claiming that the asking prices were too high. That market might change during the offseason. Whether he’ll revisit efforts to land Markstrom remains to be seen.

Allen will return with the Devils next season as their backup. Kahkonen won’t be re-signed, but a solid performance in New Jersey should help him land with another NHL club this summer as a free agent.

Fitzgerald also said he remains interested in signing Tyler Toffoli when he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He traded the 31-year-old winger to the Winnipeg Jets after efforts to re-sign him before the trade deadline failed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t doubt Fitzgerald’s sincerity. Toffoli played very well during his short tenure with the Devils. However, he’ll likely be among this summer’s top free agents and could prove too expensive to bring back to New Jersey.

DID ULLMARK REJECT A TRADE TO A WESTERN TEAM?

THE SCORE: Kayla Douglas cited reports from Boston that the Bruins didn’t aggressively shop goaltender Linus Ullmark leading up to the trade deadline. GM Don Sweeney said he was happy he stood pat with his goaltenders, adding he was pleased with the tandem of Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman.

Douglas noted that ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported the Bruins had a trade in place to move Ullmark to an unnamed team, but Ullmark invoked his no-trade clause “based on geography”. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Servalli claimed the deal was with the Los Angeles Kings.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited a source indicating that the deal was not with the Kings. He cited another NHL source claiming 14 of the teams on Ullmark’s 16-team no-trade list are all in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If that’s the case, moving Ullmark in the offseason could get complicated if that’s the Bruins’ intent following this season.

BLUES RETAIN PAVEL BUCHNEVICH

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Lou Korac reports St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong declined to say if there was any interest in Pavel Buchnevich leading up to the trade deadline. However, he said he was very pleased with the 28-year-old winger’s performance and hoped to sign him to a contract extension this summer. Buchnevich is signed through 2024-25 with an AAV of $5.8 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t know how many teams called about Buchnevich. The media rumor mill had him high on the list of top trade candidates leading up to the deadline. Armstrong probably got a lot of calls about him, but it’s believed his high asking price discouraged potential suitors.

SENATORS HANG ONTO JAKOB CHYCHRUN

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators GM Steve Staios insisted for the last two months that his club wasn’t trying to trade Jakob Chychrun. Nevertheless, the 25-year-old defenseman was the subject of rumors leading up to Friday’s trade deadline.

The assumption was the market for Chychrun would pick up once the Vegas Golden Knights acquired blueliner Noah Hanifin earlier this week. The Tampa Bay Lightning were said to be among the suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun has a year remaining on his contract. Staios has said he’d like to sign him to a contract extension this summer. Perhaps he’ll gauge Chychrun’s value in the trade market if the two sides fail to agree to a new deal.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2024

by | Mar 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2024

The Penguins trade Jake Guentzel to Carolina on the eve of the trade deadline, another scoring milestone for Connor McDavid, a hat trick for the Predators’ Filip Forsberg and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PENGUINS TRADE GUENTZEL TO THE HURRICANES

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins traded winger Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith to the Carolina Hurricanes for winger Michael Bunting, prospects Vasili Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and Ville Koivunen, a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first-rounder if the Hurricanes win the 2024 Stanley Cup, and a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick if the Hurricanes win the Cup. The Penguins also retained $1.5 million of Guentzel’s $6 million cap hit.

Pittsburgh Penguins trade winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are bucking their recent tradition of avoiding big-ticket rental players at the trade deadline. This is a clear indication that they’re going for it this season. A lack of scoring depth has been an ongoing issue for the Hurricanes. Adding a proven scorer and playoff performer like Guentzel should boost their pursuit of the Cup this season.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas reportedly wanted prospects and younger players over draft picks for Guentzel. Bunting played for Dubas when the two were with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is an energetic two-way winger. Ponomarev, Koivunen and Lucius were considered mid-range prospects in The Athletic’s recent ranking of the Hurricanes’ top-15 prospects.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg tallied a hat trick in a 4-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Gustav Nyquist collected three assists as the Predators pushed their points streak to 10 games (9-0-1) as they hold the first Western Conference wildcard berth with 75 points (36-25-3). Bowen Byram had a goal and an assist in his debut with the 29-30-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres played without center Tage Thompson. He’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his assists and points streak to 13 games in a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He also became the third player this season to reach 100 points. Daniil Tarasov kicked out 29 shots while Dmitri Voronkov scored what proved to be the winning goal for the 22-31-10 Blue Jackets. The Oilers (38-21-2) sit second in the Pacific Division with 78 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the sixth player in NHL history with at least seven seasons of 100-plus points.

New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier netted a hat trick and collected an assist to lead his club over the St. Louis Blues 4-1. The Devils (31-28-4) are six points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 66 points. Brandon Saad scored for the slumping Blues (32-28-3) as they won just three of their last 10 games and sit six points out of the final Western wildcard berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues announced they signed forward Oskar Sundqvist to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.5 million. Meanwhile, Sundqvist was also fined $2,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for embellishment during a Feb. 28 game against the Oilers.

The Vancouver Canucks picked up their third straight win by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Thatcher Demko stopped 27 shots while Phillip Di Guiseppe scored the game-winner for the 41-17-7 Canucks as they sit in second place in the overall standings with 89 points. The Golden Knights (33-23-7) now hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot and are 2-8-1 in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights recently placed defenseman Alec Martinez on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway snapped a 1-1 tie in a 2-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Samuel Ersson made 29 saves for the Flyers (33-23-8) as they hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points. The 43-17-4 Panthers remain on top of the overall standings with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Panthers announced they signed defenseman Gustav Forsling to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.75 million. Forsling is often overshadowed by fellow blueliners Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour but he’s become an invaluable (and underrated) part of their defense corps.

Speaking of the Panthers, forward Nick Cousins was fined $2,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for embellishment during a Feb. 27 game against the Buffalo Sabres.

The Boston Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 28 shots, David Pastrnak netted his 39th goal of the season while Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk each collected two assists for the 37-13-15 Bruins (89 points) as they sit third in the overall standings. Mitch Marner replied for the Leafs (36-19-8) as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies left this game in the first period with a suspected knee injury. There was no update on his condition following the game.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 24 shots in a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. It was Andersen’s first game since being sidelined by a blood-clotting issue on Nov. 2. Brady Skjei tallied two goals for the Hurricanes (37-19-6), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. Sam Montembeault made 35 saves for the 24-29-10 Canadiens.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his 840th career NHL goal in a 6-0 thumping of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Charlie Lindgren turned in a 39-save shutout for the 29-23-9 Capitals (67 points) as they sit five points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. The Penguins dropped to 28-25-8 and are eight points behind Tampa Bay.

Speaking of the Lightning, they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Calgary Flames. Yegor Sharangovich got a career-high four points (two goals, two assists) for the 31-26-5 Flames (67 points) as they sit six points behind the Golden Knights for the final Western wildcard spot. Nick Paul had two assists for the 33-25-6 Lightning (72 points) as they’re 1-4-1 in their last six home games.

The surging New York Islanders picked up their fifth straight win by crushing the San Jose Sharks 7-2. Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists for the 28-20-14 Islanders (70 points) as they’re just two points behind the Lightning. Mike Hoffman netted his 10th goal of the season for the 15-40-7 Sharks.

An overtime goal by Kevin Fiala gave the Los Angeles Kings a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Anze Kopitar collected two assists for the Kings (32-19-11) as they sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 75 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the 25-32-4 Senators.

The Minnesota Wild scored four unanswered third-period goals to drop the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. Mats Zuccarello collected three assists while Kirill Kaprizov tallied his 30th goal for the 30-27-6 Wild. Clayton Keller scored his 23rd goal of the season for the 25-33-5 Coyotes.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 7, 2024

by | Mar 7, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 7, 2024

The trade deadline is March 8. Check out the latest on Jake Guentzel, Tyler Toffoli, Pavel Buchnevich, Jason Zucker, Anthony Duclair and Alexander Barabonov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

JAKE GUENTZEL

SPORTSNET: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli listed the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers as being in the mix for Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel. He thinks the Panthers and Canucks don’t have enough they’re willing to part with to land the 29-year-old Penguins forward.

SPORTSNET 590: Appearing on the Jeff Marek Show, Elliotte Friedman speculated the Carolina Hurricanes could be interested in Guentzel. He noted they usually don’t pursue rental players but could be spurred by yesterday’s trade activity.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy wondered if the Bruins could end up landing Elias Lindholm from the Canucks in a possible three-team deal that would send Guentzel to Vancouver. He cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reporting one scenario he’d heard had the Bruins shipping winger Jake DeBrusk to the Penguins as part of the deal.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston speculated the Canucks could target more affordable options such as the Arizona Coyotes’ Jason Zucker or the Buffalo Sabres’ Jordan Greenway if they fail to land Guentzel, Anaheim’s Frank Vatrano or New Jersey’s Tyler Toffoli.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)

THE ATHLETIC’s Josh Yohe tweeted last night that the Canucks are keen to land Guentzel but the Penguins’ asking price is more than they’re willing to pay.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers probably can’t afford Guentzel after acquiring Alex Wennberg from Seattle yesterday. The Panthers’ acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa takes them out of the Guentzel sweepstakes.

The Canucks might be able to pull it off if the Penguins are willing to bend a bit, in which case that rumored three-team deal with the Bruins could take place. As for the Hurricanes, they could try to sign Guentzel to a contract extension. If that’s not possible, they’ll have to decide if they’ll make an exception from their usual aversion to adding big-ticket rentals.

TYLER TOFFOLI

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio cited reports claiming multiple teams are interested in Tyler Toffoli. New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is having contract extension discussions with the winger’s representatives but he’s been linked to several teams.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Toffoli was in play with the Devils open to a return of multiple draft picks or a pick and a prospect. The Los Angeles Kings are reportedly interested in bringing back Toffoli, who spent nearly eight seasons with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teams are calling but Fitzgerald seems intent on maintaining contract talks with the Toffoli. He indicated he’s willing to continue those discussions beyond the trade deadline. As The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun speculated, this could go down to the wire.

PAVEL BUCHNEVICH

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the St. Louis Blues are willing to “get creative” and retain up to half of Pavel Buchnevich’s $5.8 million cap hit through next season to facilitate a trade. The asking price is said to be a first-round pick and a first-round equivalent while retaining salary could mean adding another premium asset. He speculates the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights could be in on Buchnevich.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buchnevich would be more to the Hurricanes’ liking given that extra year on his contract but he’s not as much of an impact player as Guentzel. Still, he could be the second choice for teams that lose out in the bidding for Guentzel.

JASON ZUCKER

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey cited Sporstnet’s Jeff Marek recently reporting the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights expressed interest in Arizona Coyotes winger Jason Zucker.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zucker’s fate could depend on what happens with Guentzel, Toffoli and Buchnevich.

ANTHONY DUCLAIR AND ALEXANDER BARABANOV

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng reports winger Anthony Duclair hired Paul Theofanous as his agent. There were some contract talks with the Sharks but the 28-year-old winger believes he’ll be traded.

Nikita Sokolov cited reports indicating the Sharks are also actively shopping forward Alexander Barabanov. Like Duclair, he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. However, he’s indicated that he wants to play for a contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was reported there wasn’t much interest in the Sharks’ available assets but that was before yesterday’s frenzy of activity in the trade market. Duclair and Barabanov could become more enticing if the market becomes further depleted before tomorrow’s trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2024

by | Mar 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2024

Recaps of Sunday’s games, Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov is sent to their AHL affiliate, the Rangers sign Jonathan Quick to a contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his points streak to 11 games in a 6-1 thrashing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zach Hyman tallied twice and Leon Draisaitl collected three assists for the Oilers (37-20-2) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Evgeni Malkin replied for the 27-24-8 Penguins (62 points). They have lost three straight games and are 10 points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman has 42 goals this season and is on pace to crack the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in his career. He’s also tied with Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart for second place in the goal-scoring race. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews leads the league with 53 goals.

Speaking of McDavid, he now has 97 points and sits four back of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the points race. Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is the league leader with 105 points.

As for the Penguins, they have no choice but to become sellers leading up to Friday’s trade deadline. Their hopes of a bounce-back performance after missing the playoff last season are all but dashed now.

The Vancouver Canucks moved within one point of the league-leading Florida Panthers by nipping the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Conor Garland’s tie-breaker in the second period was the game-winner for the 39-17-7 Canucks, who sit second in the overall standings with 85 points. Alex Killorn scored and Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for the 22-36-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks played without defenseman Tyler Myers. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Josh Morrissey, Morgan Barron, Vladislav Namestnikov and Sean Monahan were the goal scorers as the Jets improved to 39-16-5 and took over first place in the Central Division with 83 points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 30 saves for the 29-29-4 Sabres.

Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault netted a hat trick as his club defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-1. Kevin Fiala had a goal and two assists while Cam Talbot turned aside 30 shots for the Kings (31-19-10) as they hold the first Western Conference wildcard spot with 72 points. Timo Meier scored for the 30-27-4 Devils (64 points), who sit eight points out of the final Eastern wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Eastern clubs with fading playoff hopes, the Devils will need an immediate boost by Friday’s trade deadline or they can forget about qualifying for the 2024 postseason. Some observers suggest replacing Lindy Ruff as head coach but a new bench boss won’t improve their goaltending and blueline depth.

The Minnesota Wild got a hat trick from Kirill Kaprizov in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matt Boldy collected two assists for the 29-27-6 Wild (64 points), who sit eight points out of the final Western wild-card berth. Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 28 shots for the 15-39-6 Sharks.

Arizona Coyotes forward Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists as his club downed the Washington Capitals 5-2. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and an assist for the 25-31-5 Coyotes. Anthony Mantha tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 28-23-9 Capitals, who sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Capitals announced they were sending center Evgeny Kuznetsov to their AHL affiliate in Hershey after he cleared waivers yesterday. Kuznetsov was recently cleared to resume practicing with the Capitals by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. It’s unclear if he’ll report to or play for Hershey.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed goaltender Jonathan Quick to a one-year, $1.275 million contract extension. Quick, 38, has rebounded from an eventful 2022-23 season to become Igor Shesterkin’s backup with a record of 13-5-2 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn left labrum.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL winger Tim Ecclestone, 76, passed away on March 2. He played 11 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames from 1967-68 to 1977-78, scoring 126 goals and 233 assists for 359 points in 692 regular-season games and 17 points in 48 playoff contests. He remained in Atlanta following his playing career and became a restaurateur.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Ecclestone’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2024

by | Mar 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2024

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon reaches 100 points, the Panthers surge into first overall, the Leafs acquire Ilya Lyubushkin from the Ducks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to reach 100 points as the Colorado Avalanche blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Justus Annunen stopped 24 shots for his first career NHL shutout while Zach Parise scored twice and collected an assist for the 37-19-5 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 79 points. Petr Mrazek made 29 saves for the 15-40-5 Blackhawks.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In his 61st game of the season, MacKinnon became the second-fastest player in Avalanche history to reach 100 points during a season. He sits one game behind Peter Statsny, who did it in 60 games in 1981-82. The Avalanche center sits second in the league scoring race.

The Florida Panthers nipped the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 to move into first place in the overall standings with 84 points. Sam Reinhart tallied twice to reach 41 goals on the season, Aleksander Barkov had three points and Anton Lundell scored the winning goal in a shootout for the 40-16-4 Panthers. Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the 23-28-9 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are tied with the Boston Bruins in points but have five more wins and a game in hand over the Bruins. Reinhart sits second in the goal-scoring race. Suzuki, meanwhile, had a productive February with 11 goals and 17 points in 11 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll made 30 saves in his return from injury in a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 53rd goal of the season while William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (34-17-8), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 76 points. The Coyotes (23-31-5) have lost 14 straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs also swung a trade as they reacquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-way deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes. The Leaf sent the Ducks a third-round pick in 2025 and a 2024 sixth-rounder to the Hurricanes. The Ducks retained half of Lyubushkin’s $2.75 million cap hit with the Hurricanes retaining half of the remainder ($687,500).

Lyubushkin, 29, played 31 games and 7 playoff contests for the Leafs last season. A shutdown defenseman, he brings some much-needed depth to the right side of their blueline.

The Leafs could use another defenseman if Mark Giordano ends up sidelined for a lengthy period. The 40-year-old rearguard left the game in the first period with a head injury after falling hard into the boards. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Meanwhile, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe was fined $25,000.00 by the league for unprofessional conduct directed at on-ice officials during the Leafs’ loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.

The Boston Bruins downed the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4. Morgan Geekie scored his first career NHL hat trick while Mason Lohrei snapped a 4-4 tie for the 35-12-14 Bruins. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (33-20-2) as they’re perched in second place in the Pacific Division with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, it was reported that Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (upper-body injury) is sidelined for the remainder of the regular season and is questionable to return for the playoffs. It’s believed he suffered a lacerated spleen in a 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Feb. 20. I’ll have more about how this could affect the Golden Knights leading up to the trade deadline in today’s Rumors update.

Drew Doughty and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and two assists to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. With 70 points, the Kings (30-19-10) hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Brock Boeser scored the only goal for the 38-17-7 Canucks, who hold first place in the Western Conference with 83 points but slipped into fourth in the overall standings.

Speaking of Western Conference wild-card spots, the Nashville Predators picked up their seventh straight win by beating the Minnesota Wild 6-1. Roman Josi collected three points while Juuse Saros turned aside 33 shots for the 34-25-2 Predators, who also have 70 points but have played two more games than the Kings. Connor Dewar scored for the 28-26-6 Wild, who now sit eight points behind the Predators.

Dallas Stars rookie Logan Stankoven scored his third goal in four NHL games in a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz each had two points for the 36-17-9 Stars as they hold first place in the Central Division with 81 points. Winnipeg (37-16-5) remain two points behind the Stars. Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi missed the third period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars will have to wait a few days until trade acquisition Chris Tanev joins them. He remains in Calgary sorting out his work visa and is expected to make his debut on Tuesday.

An overtime goal by Rasmus Dahlin lifted the Buffalo Sabres over the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Tage Thompson’s game-tying goal set the stage for Dahlin’s OT heroics for the 28-28-4 Sabres. Nikita Kucherov collected an assist as he remains the league’s points leader with 104. The Lightning (32-24-6) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres coach Don Granato was fined $25,000.00 by the NHL for unprofessional conduct toward on-ice officials during Tuesday’s loss to the Panthers. 

The Carolina Hurricanes doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 with Brady Skjei getting a goal and an assist. Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for the Hurricanes (36-18-6) as they hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Alex Nylander had a goal and an assist for the 19-30-10 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blue Jackets announced forward Kent Johnson is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson scored two goals in a 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Mathew Bazal collected two points for the 25-20-4 Islanders as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Olli Maatta tallied twice for the Red Wings (33-21-6) as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 72 points.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ fading playoff hopes suffered another blow as they fell to the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves for the shutout while Oliver Bjorkstrand and Alex Wennberg scored for the 26-22-11 Kraken (63 points) as they sit seven points out of the final Western wild-card berth. Tristan Jarry made 23 saves for the 27-22-8 Penguins, who are eight points behind the Lightning with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Penguins announced that winger Bryan Rust is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Kraken forward Andre Burakovsky is listed as day-to-day with an unspecified injury.

The Anaheim Ducks held off the San Jose Sharks 6-4. Adam Henrique had a goal and two assists for the 21-35-3 Ducks while Anthony Duclair scored twice and collected an assist for the 15-38-5 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris’ season could be over as he’s expected to be sidelined for an extended period with an upper-body injury suffered during their 4-1 loss to the Predators on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Norris is one of the Senators’ core players but he’s been hampered by serious injuries since 2021-22. Shoulder surgery limited him to just eight games last season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2024

by | Feb 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2024

The Rangers match their franchise record win streak, the Canucks regain first overall, the Leafs’ Tyler Bertuzzi nets a birthday hat trick, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win by downing the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Rookie forward Matt Rempe’s first career NHL goal was the game-winner as he snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves for the Rangers (39-16-3). With 81 points, they lead the Metropolitan Division and sit in second place in the overall standings. Tyson Foerster scored for the 30-21-7 Flyers as they remain in third place in the Metro with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Travis Konecny missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He’s not expected to be sidelined for long.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser tallied two goals, including the winner in overtime, to defeat the Boston Bruins 3-2 and reclaim first place in the overall standings with 82 points. The Bruins (34-12-13) jumped to a 2-0 lead on goals by Jesper Boqvist and Danton Heinen before the Canucks (38-16-6) staged their rally. The Bruins lead the Atlantic Division with 81 points and sit third in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins and Rangers have the same number of points but the latter holds a game in hand plus they’ve got more regulation wins.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Tyler Bertuzzi (NHL Images).

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up their seventh straight win by nipping the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Tyler Bertuzzi celebrated his 29th birthday with a hat trick while William Nylander collected three assists for the 33-16-8 Leafs as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 74 points. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had three assists for the 35-19-5 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 75 points but have won only three of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon sits second in the NHL scoring race with 96 points, two back of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov.

Speaking of Kucherov, he had a goal and two assists for the Lightning in a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Victor Hedman picked up three assists while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves for the Lightning (31-23-5), who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 67 points. Anders Lee and Brock Nelson replied for the 23-20-14 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield missed this contest with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

The Dallas Stars downed the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 on goals by Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston. Joel Oettinger turned aside 20 shots as the Stars improved to 35-16-8 and sit atop the Central Division with 78 points. Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes (34-18-5) as they’re perched in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 73 points.

An overtime goal by Gustav Forsling gave the Florida Panthers a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Aleksander Barkov scored the tying goal late in the third period for the Panthers (38-16-4) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the overall standings with 80 points. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin played his 1,400th career NHL game but saw his 10-game points streak come to an end as his club’s record dropped to 26-21-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk missed this game with an undisclosed injury. Capitals forward Anthony Mantha left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury.

A four-goal first period carried the Detroit Red Wings over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 6-1. Alex DeBrincat led the way with two goals and an assist while Patrick Kane and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the 31-20-6 Red Wings, who sit one point above the Lightning in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 68 points. Blues rookie Zachary Bolduc scored his first career NHL goal as his club dropped to 30-25-2 (62 points) and sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are on a roll of late, winning four straight and seven of their last 10 games. They’re looking like a playoff contender for the first time since 2015-16.

Speaking of the final Western wild-card spot, the Nashville Predators took over that spot with a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Kiefer Sherwood tallied twice while Juuse Saros made 23 stops for the 31-25-2 Predators (64 points) as they picked up their fourth straight victory. Mikael Granlund and Filip Zadina replied for the 15-36-5 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic suffered an upper-body injury during practice on Friday and missed this game as a result.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive by dropping the Edmonton Oilers 6-3 in their ongoing Battle of Alberta. Noah Hanifin scored twice and collected an assist while Jonathan Huberdeau and Connor Zary each had two assists for the 28-25-5 Flames (61 points) as they’ve won three straight and sit three points behind the Predators. Zach Hyman scored two goals for the Oilers (33-20-2) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 68 points but have won just four of their last 10 contests.

A shootout goal by Trevor Moore gave the Los Angeles Kings a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Drew Doughty and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings (29-17-10) as they hold the first Western wild-card spot with 68 points and have won seven of their last 10 games. Goaltender John Gibson kicked out 48 shots for the 20-34-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kings placed winger Viktor Arvidsson (lower body) on long-term injury reserve and announced that defenseman Mikey Anderson is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Another team keeping their postseason chances alive is the Minnesota Wild as they defeated the Seattle Kraken by a score of 5-2. Kirill Kaprizov has two goals and an assist while Mats Zuccarello collected four assists for the 28-24-6 Wild (62 points) as they sit two points behind the Predators. Vince Dunn and Jordan Eberle replied for the Kraken (24-22-11), who are five points back of the Predators.

The Ottawa Senators upset the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on a shootout goal by Tim Stutzle. Josh Norris and Thomas Chabot each had a goal and an assist for the 25-27-3 Senators, who are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. Chandler Stephenson scored two goals for the Golden Knights (32-19-7) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 71 points.

New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Tyler Toffoli collected two assists for the 29-24-4 Devils (62 points), who sit five points behind the Lightning for that final Eastern wild-card berth. Nick Suzuki scored twice for the 22-28-8 Canadiens as their losing streak reached a season-high five games.