NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2026

by | Jan 12, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2026

More scoring milestones for Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Predators forward Steven Stamkos, Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl has a career-best performance against his former team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi had a goal and two assists as his club nipped the Washington Capitals 3-2. Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist as the Predators improved to 21-20-4. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 20th goal of the season as his club dropped to 23-17-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has reached the 20-goal plateau in each of his 21 NHL seasons, sitting second all-time for the most in league history. Gordie Howe holds the record with 22 seasons. Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun missed this game with an illness, while teammate Justin Sourdif left early in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Stamkos netted his 601st career regular-season NHL goal, tying Jari Kurri for 21st overall among the all-time goal-scoring leaders. He also tallied his 233rd career regular-season power-play goal, moving into 10th all-time in that category.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).

Former San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl had a career-best five points (two goals, three assists) for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 7-2 victory. Jack Eichel scored twice while Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev each collected three points for the 21-11-12 Golden Knights, who’ve won four straight and hold first place in the Pacific Division with 54 points. Collin Graf and Alexander Wennberg replied for the Sharks (23-19-3) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks center Macklin Celebrini’s 13-game points streak came to a close. Teammate John Klingberg returned to action after missing the last four games with a lower-body injury.

The Winnipeg Jets picked up their second straight win by defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Tanner Pearson snapped a 3-3 tie in the third period while Cole Perfetti and Josh Morrissey each had two assists for the 17-22-5 Jets. Cody Glass had two goals for the Devils (22-21-2) as they lost their fourth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Colin Miller missed this game with a lower-body injury. Devils forward Stefan Noesen will miss significant time as he will undergo surgery this week to address a nagging knee issue. The Devils also announced that forward Zack MacEwen underwent season-ending ACL surgery.

Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made 27 saves to shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0. Viktor Arvidsson tallied the only goal as the Bruins (25-19-2) are 5-0-1 in their last six games. Stuart Skinner stopped 17 shots for the 21-14-9 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins announced the signing of defenseman Jonathan Aspirot to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $887,500.

An overtime goal by Dmitri Voronkov lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-2 win over the Utah Mammoth. Jet Greaves stopped 25 shots, and Kirill Marchenko had two assists for the Blue Jackets, who snapped a four-game losing skid and improved to 19-19-7. Clayton Keller had two assists for the Mammoth (22-20-4) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Mammoth announced that forward Alex Kerfoot is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko (lower body) on injured reserve. Earlier this season, the 30-year-old Demko missed 11 games with a groin injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko’s injury history no longer makes him a reliable starter for the Canucks, which has been a contributing factor to the club’s decline over the past two seasons. Last summer, they signed him to a three-year contract extension with an AAV of $8.5 million.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers winger Travis Konecny left practice on Sunday after taking a puck off his knee. He’s questionable for Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2026

by | Jan 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2026

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane reaches a notable scoring milestone, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon reclaims the lead in the scoring race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Patrick Kane scored twice to become the fifth U.S.-born NHL player to reach 500 career regular-season goals as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks (16-22-5), who are winless in their last five games (0-3-2). The Red Wings improved to 26-15-4.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane joined Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538), Jeremy Roenick (513), and Joe Mullen (502). He’s also the first to reach that milestone since Tkachuk in April 2008.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to reclaim the lead in the NHL scoring race (78 points) as his club thumped the Ottawa Senators 8-2. Brock Nelson and Josh Manson each tallied two goals for the league-leading Avalanche (32-4-7, 71 points) as they snapped a two-game losing skid. Shane Pinto and Brady Tkachuk replied for the 20-18-5 Senators, who have only two wins in their last eight games (2-7-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators signed free-agent James Reimer in an effort to shore up their struggling goaltending. Reimer, 37, could join the club this weekend.

Earlier in the day, the Senators released a statement expressing extreme disappointment with social media posts regarding starting goalie Linus Ullmark. This is in response to what the club called “fabricated and false stories” regarding the reason behind Ullmark’s leave of absence for personal reasons.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his points streak with a goal and an assist to nip the Winnipeg Jets 4-3, leaving the latter winless in their last 11 games (0-7-4). Evan Bouchard snapped a 3-3 tie midway through the third period for the Oilers (22-16-6). Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who dropped to 15-22-5.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Evgeni Malkin scored in his first game since being sidelined by an upper-body injury on Dec. 4, and Sidney Crosby had two assists to push his points streak to eight games for the 21-12-9 Penguins, extending their winning streak to six games. Luke Hughes scored for the Devils (22-20-2), who are 2-6-1 in their last eight contests.

Montreal Canadiens winger Alexandre Texier netted his first NHL hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Oliver Kapanen had a goal and two assists as the Canadiens (25-13-6) picked up their third straight win and sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Sam Bennett tallied both goals for the 22-18-3 Panthers, who have dropped seven straight games to the Canadiens since the 2023-24 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Brad Marchand missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment. Meanwhile, TSN’s Chris Johnston said the chances were pretty high for sidelined Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (knee) to return to action this season, most likely during the playoffs.

Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo stopped 28 shots to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Sean Kuraly had a goal and an assist for the 23-19-2 Bruins, who have three wins in their last four games. Connor Zary scored for the Flames (18-22-4) as their losing skid reached four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Blake Coleman left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Flames announced that rookie defenseman Zayne Perekh is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during the recent World Junior Championship.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their 12th win in their last 13 games by dropping the New York Rangers 5-2. Mattias Samuelsson, Jason Zucker, and Ryan McLeod each had a goal and an assist for the 23-15-4 Sabres. Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck scored for the Rangers (20-19-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain J.T. Miller returned to action after missing the last two weeks with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Easton Cowan lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Scott Laughton scored against his former club, and Dennis Hildeby made 22 saves for the Maple Leafs (21-15-7) as they extended their points streak to eight games (6-0-2). Travis Konecny scored for the 22-12-8 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Konecny left the game at the end of the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes picked up their third straight win by downing the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Jalen Chatfield, Logan Stankoven, and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (27-14-3), who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 57 points. Ryan Poehling and Mikael Granlund replied for the Ducks (21-20-3), who are 0-7-1 in their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks winger Troy Terry missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored to extend his goal streak to six games in a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Stone finished with three points, and Reilly Smith tallied twice for the Golden Knights (19-11-12), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 50 points. Boone Jenner and Sean Monahan each had two points for the Blue Jackets, who dropped to 18-18-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, they placed defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper body) on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Blue Jackets defenseman Brendan Smith will be sidelined for three to four months after undergoing knee surgery on Jan. 6.

The Minnesota Wild got an overtime goal from Mats Zuccarello to defeat the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Kirill Kaprizov had two assists for the 26-11-8 Wild. Adam Larsson and Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken (20-14-8), who extended their points streak to 10 games (8-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros stopped 30 shots, and Filip Forsberg scored in the shootout for a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Ryan O’Reilly scored in regulation for the Predators (20-19-4). Simon Holmstrom tallied for the 24-15-5 Islanders.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Seven NHL players will be part of Slovakia’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s hockey tournament. Forwards include Juraj Slafkovsky of the Montreal Canadiens, Dalibor Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues, Martin Pospisil of the Calgary Flames, and Pavol Regenda of the San Jose Sharks. Defensemen include Erik Cernak of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Martin Fehervary of the St. Louis Blues, and Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils.

THE ATHLETIC: St. Louis Blues head coach Jim Montgomery denied that starting goalie Jordan Binnington refused to be pulled from their 7-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. He also denied that backup Joel Hofer appeared to be hiding in the tunnel behind the Blues’ bench.

Montgomery explained that he attempted to pull Binnington after Chicago scored its seventh goal, and Binnington was waiting for Hofer to replace him before heading to the bench. However, Hofer was not fully dressed because he had to watch the game from the dressing room due to a lack of room on the St. Louis bench. Play had resumed by the time Hofer was ready to go.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks acquired backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit, depth defenseman Nolan Allen, and a 2028 seventh-round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the contract of permanently sidelined defenseman Ryan Ellis, minor-league defenseman Jake Furlong, and a 2028 fourth-round pick.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Jack McGregor, a former Pennsylvania state senator who founded the Pittsburgh Penguins, died on Tuesday at age 91. He was the team’s first president and chief executive officer from 1967 to 1970.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to McGregor’s family, colleagues, and the Penguins’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 2, 2025

by | Sep 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 2, 2025

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes could become a Hart Trophy candidate, three Flyers with the most to gain or lose this season, the latest on Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Andre Leal considered the possibility of Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes becoming the first defenseman in 26 years to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player to his team.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hall-of-Famer Chris Pronger was the last blueliner to win the Hart Trophy (1999-2000). Brent Burns came the closest to winning the award since then, finishing fourth in voting during the 2016-17 season with the San Jose Sharks.

The Canucks failed to make the playoffs last season, but have Hughes to thank for staying in the race until late in the season. Leal believes the 25-year-old blueliner could win the Hart this season if he leads the Canucks to the playoffs while producing at the same rate that he did in 2023-24, when he had a career-high 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong case could be made for Hughes as a Hart contender if the season unfolds like Leal’s scenario. The Canucks’ roster isn’t as deep as it was two years ago, so leading this current group in the postseason while producing over 90 points would be an MVP-worthy performance.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James looks at three Philadelphia Flyers with the most to gain or lose this season.

Sophomore winger Matvei Michkov has the most to gain. The budding scoring star should flourish under new head coach Rick Tocchet this season, seeing more playing time and with better linemates than he had during his rookie campaign.

Veteran winger Travis Konecny has the most to lose. The 28-year-old is entering the first season of his eight-year contract and will face pressure to live up to it.

Trevor Zegras has the biggest opportunity this season. The 24-year-old forward joins the Flyers after struggling during the past two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. He has the chance to play top-six minutes at the center position with Michkov, Konecny, Tyson Foerster, or Owen Tippett as his potential linemates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers are rebuilding, and the performance of those three will determine their potential improvement this season. Michkov’s stock as an offensive star should keep rising, while Konecny should remain a feisty first-line winger and leader. Zegras could face the most pressure as he attempts to get his career back on track.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is rising up a list on the Red Wings that no player wants to sit atop.

Larkin has played 734 regular-season games with the Red Wings, putting him on track to play the most games for the franchise without winning the Stanley Cup. The franchise leader in that category is Norm Ullman (875), followed by Nick Libett (861) and Justin Abdelkader (739).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin’s only playoff appearance was in 2016, when he played five games. The Red Wings captain has endured nine years of a difficult roster rebuild that seems to have stalled over the past two seasons. Unless the Wings make significant improvement, Larkin will set the franchise record for most games without winning the Cup.

RG.ORG: Former NHL head coach Gerard Gallant is embracing the challenge of coaching in the KHL. He was hired this summer as bench boss of the rebranded Shanghai Dragons, now based in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Gallant intends to run a North American “support-and-forecheck” style. The Dragons’ goal is to win now and build a fanbase for a possible return to China.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A good performance by the Dragons this season could be a springboard for Gallant to rejoin the NHL coaching ranks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber looked at where promising rookie winger Ryan Leonard will start in the Washington Capitals’ roster this season.

Leonard, 20, saw nine games of regular-season action and eight postseason contests last season. He could begin the season on the Capitals’ third line, though his potential linemates have yet to be determined.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2025

by | Mar 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2025

The Avalanche spoil Mikko Rantanen’s homecoming, Oilers star Leon Draisaitl extends his points streak, plus the latest on Auston Matthews, Travis Konecny and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche spoiled Mikko Rantanen’s return with a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Cale Makar scored in overtime and collected two assists while teammates Valeri Nichushkin and Jonathan Drouin each had a goal and an assist. Rantanen collected an assist on Jason Robertson’s game-opening goal while teammates Mavrik Bourque and Matt Duchene scored in the third period to force the extra frame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen received a standing ovation from the Colorado fans during his video tribute. He spent nearly 10 seasons with the Avalanche.

The Avalanche are 8-0-1 in their last nine games, gaining ground on Dallas in the Central Division standings. They sit two points behind the Stars in third place with 85 points. Dallas has dropped three of their last four contests.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl had an assist to extend his points streak to 18 games as his club downed the New York Rangers 3-1. Connor McDavid scored and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins collected three assists as the Oilers (82 points) moved one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings into second place in the Pacific Division. Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers as they cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Zach Hyman missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek made 18 saves to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0. Albert Johansson, Lucas Raymond and Marco Kasper scored for the Wings as they picked up their second win in their last nine games. The victory moves within two points of the Rangers in the wild-card race. The Golden Knights sit first in the Pacific Division with 86 points but have dropped four of their last five games.

The St. Louis Blues cruised to a 7-2 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Jordan Kyrou collected three assists while Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who are tied with the Vancouver Canucks with 73 points. Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish each had two points for the Ducks.

Speaking of the Canucks, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Utah Hockey Club. Logan Cooley snapped a 1-1 tie and Clayton Keller put the game away with an empty-net goal as Utah sits two points behind the Blues and Canucks. Quinn Hughes scored for Vancouver, who hold the final Western wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The race for the final Western wild card is heating up. For a while, it was just the Canucks and the Calgary Flames jockeying for that spot, but the Blues and Utah have surged over the past couple of weeks to make this interesting.

Canucks center Filip Chytil missed this game as he’s in concussion protocol following an unpenalized blindside hit by Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Utah Hockey Club announced that a lower-body injury has sidelined forward Liam O’Brien for the next four weeks.

The New York Islanders kept their playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Marc Gatcomb, Maxim Tsyplakov, Noah Dobson and Simon Holmstrom scored four unanswered third-period goals for the Isles (68 points), putting them four points behind the Rangers. Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov scored for the Panthers, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 85 points but have dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly returned to action after undergoing surgery in November for an abnormality in his heart, skating over 14 minutes and collecting an assist. Teammate Adam Pelech missed this game with a lower-body injury. Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews continues to be hampered by an undisclosed injury that has affected his scoring. Nevertheless, he’s determined to remain in the lineup as the Leafs jockey for playoff positioning with 16 games left in the regular season.

THE ATHLETIC: Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny is mired in a goal-scoring slump with one goal in his last 21 games. He’s also dealing with the departures of friends and former teammates Scott Laughton, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee this season.

ROTOBALLER: Buffalo Sabres forward Jiri Kulich is in concussion protocol following a hit by Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden on Saturday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sunday’s PWHL game between the Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens drew 14, 288 to Detroit’s Little Caesar’s Arena, setting the US attendance record for women’s hockey. The Sirens defeated the Frost 4-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The PWHL has drawn 1 million fans in just two seasons.

RG.ORG: Former NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk officially announced his retirement last week. The first-overall pick by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 NHL Draft, Kovalchuk spent 13 seasons in the league with the Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals. Winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy in 2003-04, he finished with 443 goals and 433 assists for 876 points, and 11 goals and 28 points in 40 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kovalchuk was among the league’s most dazzling goal-scorers in his prime, He exceeded the 40-goal plateau six times between 2003-04 and 2009-10, including two 52-goal seasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2024

by | Dec 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2024

A milestone game for Kings captain Anze Kopitar, Paul Maurice becomes the Panthers’ winningest coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings picked up their fifth straight win by taming the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Trevor Moore scored two goals and Adrian Kempe a goal and an assist for the Kings while Yakov Trenin replied for the Wild.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Kings captain Anze Kopitar as he played in his 1,400th regular-season NHL game. The franchise leader in games played, the 37-year-old Kopitar needs 66 points to surpass Marcel Dionne (1,307 points) for most points by a Kings player. He’s their leading scorer this season with 31 points in 27 games.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk tallied two goals to defeat the San Jose Sharks 3-1, making Paul Maurice the winningest coach in franchise history with 111 wins. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov also scored and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots. Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood kicked out 49 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk has been red hot offensively of late, with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in his last six games.

The Washington Capitals overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Tom Wilson scored twice in the third period and Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (19-6-2), who sit in first place in the overall standings with 40 points. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist and sits among the league leaders with 17 goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson was struck on the left cheek by a shot from teammate Jakob Chychrun in the first period but remained in the game, icing his cheek on the bench between shifts. Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle returned to the lineup after missing the previous game due to illness.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele snapped a 2-2 tie in a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Kyle Connor and Mason Appleton each had two points for the Jets as they became the first team to reach 20 wins this season (20-8-0). Alex Vlasic and Alec Martinez replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martinez left the game after being struck in the face by a puck in the third period. Earlier in the game, Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek left the game with a lower-body injury. Interim coach Anders Sorensen said Mrazek will be sidelined “for a little bit.”

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 with Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust each getting a goal and an assist. Tristan Jarry made 25 saves for the Penguins, who’ve won five of their last six contests. Mitch Marner and William Nylander scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite their sub-.500 record (.483), the Penguins (28 points) are jockeying with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Flyers for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Penguins forward Philip Tomasino missed this contest with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Leafs activated Max Pacioretty off injured reserve and placed defenseman Jake McCabe on IR.

An overtime goal by Pavel Zacha lifted the Boston Bruins over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 for their fourth straight victory. Trent Frederic tallied twice and Brad Marchand netted the tying goal. Rookie Matvei Michkov scored twice for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers coach John Tortorella benched winger Travis Konecny in the third period. “He was pulled by the (concussion) spotter, and then I stopped playing him,” said Tortorella, claiming Konecny was “undisciplined.” The move came after the Flyers forward took an interference penalty against Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues, spoiling the return of former Oilers Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to Edmonton. Leon Draisaitl had two assists and Zach Hyman scored as the Oilers picked up their fifth win their last six games. Holloway and Jake Neighbours scored for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holloway and Broberg signed offer sheets with the Blues this summer.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar scored the winning goal as his club nipped the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. Valeri Nichushkin also scored and Alexandar Georgiev turned aside 29 shots for the win. Lucas Raymond scored for the Red Wings, who’ve lost five straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche forward Ross Colton returned to action after missing 17 games with a broken foot. The Avs also placed winger Jonathan Drouin (upper body) on injured reserve.

The Utah Hockey Club scored five straight goals to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2, handing the latter their sixth straight defeat (0-4-2). Michael Kesselring had a goal and an assist and Karel Vejmelka made 23 saves. Sabres rookie Tyson Kozak scored his first NHL goal.

New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. Isles forwards Bo Horvat and Maxim Tsyplakov each had a goal and an assist. Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals for the Hurricanes, who’ve lost four of their last five games.

The Ottawa Senators got a 37-save performance from Linus Ullmark in a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators. Claude Giroux scored what proved to be the winning goal and Tim Stutzle collected two assists. Fedor Svechkov replied for the Predators, who are winless in their last seven (0-4-3).

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers officially finalized Igor Shesterkin’s eight-year, $92-million contract extension on Saturday. The deal begins next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The average annual value is $11.5 million. Shesterkin will earn over $15 million in actual salary in the deal’s first two years. He’ll earn $9.5 million in actual salary over the remaining four years. It also comes with a full no-movement clause for the duration of the contract.

THE SCORE: The Rangers will take time to name a new captain after trading Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Mark Scheifele, Zach Hyman and MacKenzie Weegar are among the potential injury replacement players for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February.

NEW YORK POST: Tony DeAngelo is at peace playing in the KHL knowing that his NHL career is probably over. The 29-year-old defenseman spent eight seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, Rangers, Hurricanes and Flyers but couldn’t find a new NHL club this summer as a free agent. He signed with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 23, 2024

by | Aug 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 23, 2024

The Jets and Penguins swap top prospects McGroarty and Yager plus the latest on Valeri Nichushkin, Travis Konecny, Anthony Duclair and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

WINNIPEG SUN/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Winnipeg Jets traded prospect winger Rutger McGroarty to the Pittsburgh Penguins for prospect center Brayden Yager.

McGroarty, 20, was the Jets’ first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft. He’s spent the past two seasons with the University of Michigan and had hoped to join the Jets this season but that club intended to start him with their AHL affiliate.

Pittsburgh Penguins acquire Rutger McGroarty. (NHL Images).

The disagreement with the Jets over the timeline of McGroarty’s path indicated he’d return to Michigan this season, sparking rumors he’d welcome a trade to a club where he’d have a better opportunity of playing in the NHL. McGroarty signed an entry-level deal with the Penguins following this trade.

Yager was selected 14th overall by the Penguins in the 2023 draft. The 19-year-old center spent the past four seasons with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. He signed an entry-level contract with the Penguins last month. He was touted as a second-line center and was expected to battle for a roster spot in training camp next month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McGroarty’s unhappiness over the Jets’ plans for his development forced them to make this move. The Penguins did this deal because he’s a year ahead of Yager, a little larger physically, and believed to be a year closer to reaching the NHL. He could bring a welcome injection of youthful skill and physicality into the retooling Penguins’ roster.

A Saskatchewan native, Yager said he’s thrilled to join a Canadian team close to his family. He has the speed and ability to one day become a scoring center with the Jets.

In the short term, both teams won because they addressed their respective needs by swapping their top prospects. Time will tell how this deal pans out over the long term.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Evan Rawal cites an interview by Russian national team scout Sergey Fedotov with Sports.ru claiming Valeri Nichushkin will return to the Colorado Avalanche in November.

Nichushkin, 29, is currently in stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and is suspended until November.

Fedotov claims to be close to Nichushkin. He said the winger is training and also working with a psychologist in anticipation of rejoining the Avalanche when his suspension ends in November.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fedotov also claims the Avs owner wanted to get rid of Nichushkin, adding some players and people in management would also prefer if he didn’t return. However, Rawal suggests those comments should be taken with a grain of salt, pointing out that the Avs can’t terminate Nichushkin’s contract, aren’t interested in trading him, and hope to rehabilitate him.

NEW YORK POST/NYI HOCKEY NOW: New Islanders winger Anthony Duclair cut his dreadlocks and shaved his beard to comply with the club’s dress code.

Duclair signed a four-year contract with the Islanders as a free agent last month. Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has a long-standing policy regarding his players’ hair and facial hair designed to promote team discipline and unity, putting no individual above the team.

Lamoriello’s rules have come under criticism by some observers, considering the policy outdated and unnecessary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As a military veteran, part of me doesn’t have a problem with Lamoriello’s dress code as part of the job. On the other hand, I can understand why his critics consider his policy archaic and out of touch with today’s NHL.

I’m more interested in Duclair’s opinion. He knew Lamoriello’s dress code for his players before signing with them and doesn’t seem to have an issue with it.

Lamoriello contacted Duclair’s agent hoping to sign the 28-year-old winger to bolster the Isles’ offense. Being wanted by a team willing to invest in him for four years was perhaps more important to Duclair than the club’s hair policy.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Reports indicate a home believed to be owned by Flyers winger Travis Konecny in New Jersey suffered a devastating fire. Konecny and his family weren’t in the residence at the time of the blaze.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated two firefighters suffered minor burns but didn’t require additional treatment. The cause of the blaze wasn’t disclosed and is under investigation.

TSN: Veteran forward Sammy Blais signed with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and will attend the Vancouver Canucks’ training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO). Blais, 28, had seven points in 53 games with the St. Louis Blues last season.

The Penguins signed defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov to a PTO contract. He appeared in 10 games last season with the San Jose Sharks.