NHL Rumor Mill – April 22, 2025

by | Apr 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 22, 2025

Could Quinn Hughes reunite with his brothers in Vancouver or New Jersey this summer? What’s next for the Kraken after making changes behind the bench and in the front office? What’s the latest on the Bruins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE HUGHES BROTHERS REUNITE IN VANCOUVER OR NEW JERSEY?

SPORTSNET: Iain MacIntyre thinks Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford was joking when he spoke about reuniting team captain Quinn Hughes with brothers Jack and Luke, who play for the New Jersey Devils.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Rutherford mentioned that Quinn had spoken of playing with his brothers one day. He said that was partly out of the club’s control, but it would be within the team’s control to bring Jack and Luke to Vancouver.

“We’ve got to be careful with tampering here, so we’ll just leave it at that,” said Rutherford. “I probably crossed the line anyways.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford was speaking about the importance of ensuring sufficient cap space to re-sign Quinn when his contract expires in two years. He suggested money might not be what matters most to him, mentioning the blueliner’s brothers.

Rutherford’s remarks raised eyebrows and will undoubtedly spark speculation about how such a reunion might happen. However, there is no indication Quinn intends to leave the Canucks, while the Devils aren’t parting with Jack and Luke.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes it would be easier for Quinn to head to New Jersey than for Jack and Luke to go to Vancouver.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The path of least resistance is to wait for Quinn to become a UFA in 2027. It will only cost the Devils money to sign him rather than money plus a package of player assets to acquire him through a trade with the Canucks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes the Canucks must come up with a plan to ensure they keep Quinn in the lineup for a long time. One way would be getting aggressive in the trade and free-agent markets over the next two years to make the Canucks the best competitive option.

Another would be acquiring Jack and Luke. However, that would be very difficult to accomplish given their lack of trade assets to make such a blockbuster occur.

The Canucks could also trade Quinn if it appears unlikely that he’ll sign a long-term extension next summer. However, they would get equal value for Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The best way is for the Canucks to convince Quinn that they want to build a winner around him. That means trying to stock up their roster over the next two years through trades and free agency. Their moves this summer will determine if Hughes has a long-term future in Vancouver.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE KRAKEN?

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Matt Calkins recently looked at what the Kraken must do this summer to regain relevance after missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Calkins wrote this column on Apr. 17, before the Kraken fired head coach Dan Bylsma and replaced Ron Francis as general manager with Jason Botterill.

Team CEO Tod Leiweke said last week that Kraken fans should expect this offseason to be one of the most active and busy in the club’s short history.

Calkins believes the Kraken should leverage their draft capital to land one or two true scorers. He pointed out that they have five first-round picks and four second-rounders over the next three drafts. That’s ample ammunition to make some moves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lack of scoring punch has been the Kraken’s weakness. They’ve never had a true scoring star on their roster. Landing one won’t be easy, even with that draft capital. It’ll be interesting to see what approach Botterill takes this summer to address that need.

Calkin’s colleague Kate Schefte listed several possible coaching candidates to replace Dan Bylsma.

Former Rangers coach Peter Laviolette, Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet, and former NHL coaches Bruce Boudreau and John Tortorella were among the notables.

RECENT BRUINS SPECULATION

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss recently looked at what the Bruins might do to fix their roster and bounce back as a playoff contender next season.

Finding a legitimate top-six center is one issue to be addressed. The best potential free-agent option would be Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers. However, he’s not one the Bruins should spend major money on, especially if they want to take a crack at signing Mitch Marner if he parts ways with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent on July 1.

Goss believes the trade market is the best way for the Bruins to find a suitable top-six center. He points out they’ve got four first-round picks and five second-rounders over the next three drafts to draw on for trade bait.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Finding suitable centers in the trade market won’t be easy. The Bruins could target cash-strapped clubs to address that need.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2025

by | Apr 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2025

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines: recapping Monday’s playoff action, the Kraken make coaching and management changes, plus the latest on the Canucks, Rangers, and Red Wings as they head into the offseason.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings blew 4-0 and 5-2 leads before nipping the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series.

Phillip Danault scored twice, including the winning goal with 42 seconds left in the third period. Kings forwards Adrian Kempe and Andrei Kuzmenko each had a goal and two assists. Oilers captain Connor McDavid led his club’s comeback with four points, including the tying goal. Evan Bouchard picked up three assists. Game 2 is Wednesday, Apr. 23, in Los Angeles, with a 10 pm ET start.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A wild game that seemed poised for a blowout win by the Kings until Edmonton made it interesting in the third with McDavid leading the way. It certainly wasn’t a defensive masterpiece, with goalies Darcy Kuemper of the Kings and Stuart Skinner of the Oilers looking shaky at times, whilst both clubs committed costly blunders in their own zones.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored two goals (including his first NHL playoff overtime goal) to down the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game 1 of their opening round series. The Capitals jumped to a 2-0 lead before the Canadiens tied it on goals by Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, with rookie defenseman Lane Hutson collecting two assists. Game 2 is Wednesday, starting at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals dominated the first two periods as their postseason experience was on display during that stretch. Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault was sharp, keeping his team in the game until they gained their footing and rallied back.

The Winnipeg Jets squeezed past the St. Louis Blues 2-1 with Kyle Connor breaking a 1-1 tie early in the third period. Mark Scheifele also scored and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves for the Jets, who take a 2-0 lead in the series. Rookie Jimmy Snuggerud scored his first NHL playoff goal and Jordan Binnington stopped 20 shots for the Blues. The series shifts to St. Louis for Games 3 and 4 with the next match scheduled for Thursday, Apr. 24, at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both games have been closely contested and could’ve gone the Blues’ way with some puck luck. Scheifele (five points) and Connor (four points) have stepped up to lead offensively for the Jets, with the latter tallying both winning goals.

An overtime goal by Colin Blackwell gave the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, tying their series at a game apiece. Jake Oettinger turned aside 34 shots and Tyler Seguin scored his first goal since returning from hip surgery. Mackenzie Blackwood made 35 saves and Logan O’Connor had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Game 3 is Wednesday at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche created a stir before the game by announcing captain Gabriel Landeskog was activated off long-term injury reserve. He was not in the lineup for Game 2, but he appears a step closer to appearing in this series at some point. Due to knee surgeries, Landeskog hasn’t played since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.

HEADLINES

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken announced Monday they fired head coach Dan Bylsma after one season on the job. They have reportedly reassigned general manager Ron Francis to team president, with assistant GM Jason Botterill taking over the management job.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken missed the playoffs for the second straight year under Bylsma, finishing 20 points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Francis had recently come under criticism for the club’s stalled improvement, including last summer’s expensive signings of center Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Brandon Montour.

The Kraken reached the playoffs in their second season, but that set heightened expectations they have struggled to meet. Botterill has management experience, serving three seasons as GM of the Buffalo Sabres from 2017 to 2020. Time will tell if he’ll have better luck in Seattle than he did in his brief tenure in Buffalo.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford raised eyebrows during his end-of-season press conference, saying team captain Quinn Hughes hopes to one day play alongside brothers Jack and Luke, who play for the New Jersey Devils.

Rutherford said a reunion of the Hughes brothers is partly out of the Canucks’ control. He added that bringing Jack and Luke to Vancouver would be within the club’s control, adding that he had to be careful with tampering and left it at that. Rutherford also said his club cannot afford to lose Quinn and would do everything they could to keep him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford wasn’t saying his club was trying to bring Jack and Luke to Vancouver. He also wasn’t saying Quinn wants out of Vancouver.

It’s unlikely that Rutherford gets his fingers slapped for any violation of the league’s tampering rules. Realistically, such a move is highly doubtful. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill.

Quinn Hughes has two years remaining on his contract with the Canucks. Whatever Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin do this offseason could determine whether he remains in Vancouver beyond 2027.

Rutherford also said the Canucks won’t pick up the option year in head coach Rick Tocchet’s contract. If he returns next season, it’ll be on a new long-term deal. Tocchet is at his Las Vegas home, taking a breather and mulling things over. He could make his decision later this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford and Allvin are keen to keep Tocchet behind the Canucks’ bench. They commended him and his coaching staff for their handling of a difficult season, including a major rift between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller that led to the latter’s trade to the New York Rangers in January.

Speaking of Pettersson, the club plans to stick with the struggling center, hoping a stronger off-season training regimen will help him regain his high-scoring form. Allvin is keeping his options open, but insists the team still has faith in Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks options will narrow considerably when Pettersson’s no-movement clause kicks in on July 1.

TSN: The Canucks also intend to let Brock Boeser reach this summer’s free-agent market on July 1. However, they haven’t ruled out bringing him back if he doesn’t find a better deal elsewhere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser could return to the Canucks after July 1 on the latter’s terms. However, there will be teams with plentiful cap space seeking scoring depth who could be willing to meet his asking price.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider underwent surgery on Apr. 17 to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder that’s been nagging him for the past two years. He can resume skating in three months.

Rangers winger Chris Kreider revealed he suffered back spasms in November and vertigo in December. He also injured his left hand in February following the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, which could require surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those issues explain why Kreider’s production dropped significantly this season, making him the subject of trade speculation.

The Rangers don’t intend to approach former NHL coach Joel Quenneville about their vacant head-coaching position. It’s believed there is a mutual recognition that it would not be the best landing spot for his potential return to the NHL coaching ranks.

THE SCORE: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin believes management’s inaction at the trade deadline didn’t help the club gain momentum in the playoff race. Their only move was acquiring goalie Petr Mrazek and forward Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for center Joe Veleno. The Wings wound up missing the postseason for the ninth straight year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin’s frustration over the club’s long playoff drought could raise further questions about general manager Steve Yzerman’s efforts to build this club into a postseason contender.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2025

by | Apr 15, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2025

What will the Flyers, Blue Jackets and Kraken do about their goaltending during the coming offseason? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz recently examined what went wrong with the Philadelphia Flyers’ goaltending this season and how they might attempt to fix it in the offseason.

Kurz noted the Flyers have the worst save percentage (.879 as of Apr. 14) among the 32 NHL clubs. Their goals-against average (3.44) is the fifth-worst. Their three goaltenders (Aleksei Kolosov, Ivan Fedotov and Samuel Ersson) are among the bottom six in save percentage among the league’s 65 goalies.

Ersson is likely to remain as the Flyers’ starting goalie given the number of consistent stretches this season where he looked like a competent goalie. Fedotov could become their No. 3 while Kolosov’s future is uncertain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s rumored Kolosov could return to Belarus at the end of this season.

General manager Daniel Briere will find slim pickings for goaltenders in this summer’s free-agent market. The best options there could include Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils (who could be re-signed by the Devils) and the oft-injured Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes.

The pickings could be better in the trade market. John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks has been a fixture in trade rumors. He’s also battled injuries but put up solid numbers this season on the rebuilding Ducks. Gibson is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.4 million.

Could the Philadelphia Flyers pursue Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko? (NHL Images).

Kurz also wonders about the availability of Vancouver Canucks netminder Thatcher Demko. He’s got a year left on his contract (with a salary-cap hit of $5 million) and the Canucks recently signed Kevin Lankinen to a five-year extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson has a 10-team no-trade list and wants to go to a club where he’ll be the starting goalie. He’d get that opportunity with the Flyers if they’re willing to move Ersson into the backup job. However, Gibson could also prefer going to a playoff contender instead of another rebuilding club.

Demko lacks no-trade protection and also has an injury history. However, the Flyers could be a suitor if he becomes available. When healthy, he’s among the league’s elite goalies, finishing second in voting last season for the Vezina Trophy. They’d also have the trade capital in draft picks, prospects and young players to make a competitive bid to the Canucks.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes the Columbus Blue Jackets will spend major resources overhauling their goaltending.

A buyout of starter Elvis Merzlikins must be considered because his inconsistency makes him almost impossible to trade this summer. He has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $5.4 million.

Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason has lost faith in backup Daniil Tarasov. How management handles him as a restricted free agent this summer will be worth watching.

Portzline expects the Blue Jackets will pursue a goalie through trade or free agency. Jet Greaves is making the case to become a full-time member of the Columbus Blue Jackets roster. It remains to be seen where he fits in next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets will face the same problem as the Flyers and any other team seeking a goalie upgrade this summer. They could sign someone like the Devils’ Jake Allen or the Hurricanes’ Frederik Andersen or pursue the Ducks’ John Gibson or the Canucks’ Thatcher Demko if he’s available.

Greaves was the NHL’s first star of the week with a record of 3-0-0, a 1.00 goals-against average, a .968 save percentage and a shutout. However, that’s just a small sample size. He’s yet to prove he can perform well consistently at the NHL level, which means he’ll likely be penciled in as their backup for next season.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kate Shefte reports this season could be Philipp Grubauer’s last with the Kraken.

Grubaur has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.9 million. However, the 33-year-old goaltender has struggled, losing the starter’s job to Joey Daccord, raising speculation the Kraken could buy out the remainder of his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A buyout for Grubauer would be at two-thirds of the remaining value for twice the remaining tenure of the contract. His deal is structured in such a way that it would count as $1.983 million during the first year of the buyout, $3.083 million in 2026-27, dropping to $1.683 million annually for the final two years.

With Daccord as their starter, the Kraken should find it easier to bring in an affordable backup on a short-term deal. Grubauer could find another NHL home as a free agent but his difficulties in Seattle will hurt his value.










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 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.