NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2023

by | Aug 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2023

A look at players who could reach significant milestones this season, the favorites to win the Selke Trophy following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement, the highest-scoring UFAs still available, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ian Kennedy looked at several NHL players who could reach significant career milestones in 2023-24. Among the notables:

Free agent Phil Kessel (992 points) and Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (975 points) are within reach of 1,000 career regular-season points.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand could achieve 500 career regular-season assists, 1,000 career regular-season PIMs and 1,000 career regular-season games.

Marc-Andre Fleury of the Minnesota Wild needs just 15 more games to become the fourth goaltender in NHL history to play 1,000 career regular-season contests.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin can reach the 500-goal plateau. He currently has 471.

THE SCORE: Kayla Douglas recently sized up the favorites to win the Selke Trophy this season in the wake of Patrice Bergeron’s retirement. Among them are Vegas Golden Knights winger Mark Stone, Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner, Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov and New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier.

DAILY FACEOFF: The pickings are slim for scorers in what’s left of this summer’s unrestricted free-agent class. Nevertheless, a few familiar names remain, including Patrick Kane, Tomas Tatar, Phil Kessel, Zach Parise and Eric Staal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is the biggest name on this list. If he wasn’t rehabbing from a hip resurfacing procedure in early June he would’ve been signed within hours of the free-agent market opening on July 1. The 34-year-old winger is expected to be ready to return to action in December and intends to sign with a team that gives him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Tatar is coming off a respectable 20-goal, 48-point performance with the New Jersey Devils last season. He has been linked to the Penguins in the rumor mill. Parise tallied 21 goals last season at age 38. The New York Islanders are waiting to find out if Parise, who turned 39 on July 28, intends to return or retire.

Kessel said he has no plans for retirement but there’s no word if he’s any closer to landing with a new team. The same goes for the 38-year-old Staal.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Hall of Fame defenseman Slava Fetisov is auctioning some of his memorabilia with the proceeds going directly to a special fund to assist in the care of former Detroit Red Wings teammate Vladimir Konstantinov’s ongoing non-medical care.

Konstantinov’s career was ended by a debilitating brain injury suffered in 1997. The state of Michigan is still covering his health insurance but he and his family need help with his other therapy costs.

Czech hockey greats of the past and present gathered in Litvinov on Saturday for a charity hockey game honoring the memory of Petr Klima, who passed away in May at age 58. Boston’s David Pastrnak and Carolina’s Martin Necas were among the current NHL players who took part along with former stars such as Patrik Elias, Ziggy Palffy, and Robert Reichel.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Former Sharks defenseman Ryan Merkley has signed with KHL club Kunlun Red Star.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2023

by | May 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2023

Coyotes’ arena proposal rejected by Tempe voters, Connor McDavid believes it’s “Cup or bust” for the Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Arizona Coyotes face an uncertain future after Tempe voters rejected a proposal for a privately-funded sports and entertainment district that would’ve featured a 16,000-seat arena.

Arizona Coyotes (NHL.com).

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Coyotes president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez released statements expressing their disappointment over the results of the public vote. Both indicated they will be examining options for the club going forward.

The Coyotes are currently playing at the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena at Arizona State University.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reaction on social media was a mixture of sympathy for Coyotes fans and speculation over the franchise’s future. After over 25 years in Arizona, relocation could be in the cards if no other viable option can be found.

This is also a significant blow for Bettman. He’s been the driving force in keeping the Coyotes in Arizona despite multiple ownership changes and the club’s mounting debt. The commissioner’s next step could be trying to find a new owner in a new city.

A lot of fans (me included) would love to see the Coyotes relocate to Quebec City where they would pack the 18,000-seat Videotron Centre. However, Houston could be the more likely destination.

Houston is the fourth-largest US city in population and can easily support an NHL franchise. It has a suitable arena (Toyota Center) that can hold 17,800 fans for hockey and a possible buyer in Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Moving the Coyotes to Houston ensures the franchise remains in the Western Conference.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Connor McDavid believes it’s “Cup or bust” for his Oilers. Speaking in his exit interview with the media on Tuesday, the Oilers captain said that his club still has time to win the Cup. Despite the Oilers’ second-round elimination, he still feels they’re making progress and were a better team this season compared to 2021-22.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid isn’t wrong about his club’s progress. Their 109 points this season was the fourth-highest in franchise history.

Speaking of the Oilers, TSN 1260’s Jason Gregor reported winger Warren Foegele played since February with a wrist injury. He’s undergone an MRI and will see if surgery is required.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights will be starting Adin Hill in goal with Jonathan Quick as his backup when their Western Conference Finals series with the Dallas Stars begins on Friday. Laurent Brossoit remains sidelined by a lower-body injury suffered during Game 3 of their second-round series with the Oilers.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander and defenseman Timothy Liljegren are reportedly set to join Sweden for the 2023 IIHF World Championship.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper will serve as an in-studio guest analyst for TNT during their coverage of the Eastern Conference Finals.

LA KINGS INSIDER: The Kings have promoted longtime goaltending coach Bill Ranford to Director of Goaltending. This is a new role and a new position within the club’s executive hierarchy as they expand their resources invested in the goalie position.

THE SCORE:The Columbus Blue Jackets have reportedly spoken to former NHL coaches Mike Babcock and Peter Laviolette regarding their vacant head-coaching position. They’ve also reportedly interviewed Pascal Vincent, who spent the past two seasons as an associate coach to former Jackets bench boss Brad Larsen.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL great Jaromir Jagr paid tribute to fellow Czech Petr Klima, who was buried on Tuesday after recently passing away on May 4 at age 58. “In terms of talent, he had the most talent of any of our players,” said Jagr. When asked if that also meant himself, Jagr replied, “I think so.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2023

by | May 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2023

The Panthers take a 2-0 lead in their second-round series with the Leafs, the Stars tie their series with the Kraken and the finalists for the Norris Trophy are revealed. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers overcame an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in Game 2 of their second-round series. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 35 shots while Anton Lundell, Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling tallied three unanswered goals for the Panthers, who hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series as it shifts to Florida for Game 3 on Sunday. Alexander Kerfoot and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs also lost rookie forward Matthews Knies with an undisclosed injury after he was wrestled to the ice by Panthers center Sam Bennett. No penalty was called and it remains to be seen if Bennett will face supplemental discipline.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

The Leafs dominated large stretches of this game but costly defensive breakdowns saw them squander their early lead. Bobrovsky’s solid goaltending and physical shot-blocking by the Panthers stymied the Leafs’ offensive attack.

Some Toronto pundits are already declaring the Leafs’ season to be “on the brink”. The last time I checked, this was a best-of-seven series, not a best-of-five. A win in Game 3 by the Leafs could change the direction of this second-round saga. Of course, if the Leafs lose that game, then the “season on the brink” headlines will be justified.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2 to tie their second-round series at a game apiece. Joe Pavelski scored his fifth goal of this series, Tyler Seguin and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist and Jake Oettinger stopped 25 shots for the Stars. Tye Kartye and Jordan Eberle replied for the Kraken. This series heads to Seattle for Game 3 on Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pavelski continues to show no lingering after-effects from the concussion that sidelined him for all but one game in their first-round series with the Minnesota Wild. He had four games in Game 1 against the Kraken.

The Kraken seemed somewhat sluggish in this game compared to their performance in the opening contest. Meanwhile, the Stars played with more energy and determination to avoid a 2-0 series deficit.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, Erik Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks, and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche are the finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as this season’s top NHL defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise that Karlsson is a nominee as he’s considered the front-runner after becoming the first defenseman in 31 years to reach 100 points in a season. I’m surprised that Winnipeg Jets blueliner Josh Morrissey or Vancouver Canucks rearguard Quinn Hughes didn’t get a nod here.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins winger David Pastrnak revealed he suffered a shoulder injury during his first shift of Game 1 of their first-round series against the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak faced some criticism from Boston fans and pundits over his performance in that series. Despite his injury, he was tied for the team lead in goals with five, including a game-winner.

I’ve noticed some readers calling on the Bruins to trade Pastrnak before his new contract kicks in on July 1 to free up salary cap space in order to improve the club’s overall depth. Management will likely shed some salary this summer but he’s not going anywhere.

Pastrnak is a genuine superstar. With Brad Marchand aging and Patrice Bergeron mulling retirement, he’s now the Bruins’ franchise player. That’s why they signed him to that expensive new deal in the first place. Like it or not, every move they make starting this offseason is to build around Pastrnak. That’s what you do when you have a superstar on your roster.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen will not be playing in the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championships in Finland. He suffered a broken toe during the Avs’ series against the Kraken. His recovery is four-to-six weeks.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy knows that he’ll need to improve his playoff performance. He has just one goal and three points in 12 career postseason games stretching back to last season.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed center Dmitri Voronkov to a two-year entry-level contract. Chosen by the Blue Jackets in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL draft, the 22-year-old has spent five seasons with the KHL’s Ak-Bars Kazan.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The province of Quebec renamed its Highway 50 to Autoroute Guy Lafleur in honor of the late Canadiens legend. The highway passes through his hometown of Thurso, Quebec. Lafleur died last April at age 70 from lung cancer.

NHL.COM: Former NHL forward Petr Klima passed away in his native Czechia at age 58. The cause of death is unknown.

Emigrating from communist Czechoslovakia in 1985, Klima spent 13 seasons in the NHL from 1985-86 to 1998-99 with the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Klima scored 313 goals and 573 points in 786 regular-season games. He also tallied 28 goals and 52 points in 95 playoff games. His most famous goal came in triple overtime in Game 1 of the 1990 Stanley Cup Final for the Oilers, who went on to win the Cup in five games.

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