NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2025

by | Apr 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2025

Alex Ovechkin is within a hat trick of becoming the all-time goals leader while the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes clinch postseason berths. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his 892nd regular-season goal but his club fell 5-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. Ovechkin is only three goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth for the seventh straight season as Jackson Blake scored twice and Seth Jarvis tallied his 30th goal of the season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Washington sits first in the Eastern Conference with 105 points but only one win in their last five games (1-3-1). They remain a point back of the Winnipeg Jets, who sit atop the overall standings. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson left this game with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Hurricanes are on a roll, winning 12 of their last 14 games. They sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got goals from John Tavares, Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies as they held off the Florida Panthers 3-2 to clinch a playoff spot. Anthony Stolarz made 29 saves as the Leafs sit first in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Gustav Forsling and Sam Reinhart replied for the Panthers, who are four points behind the Leafs in third place in the division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto has the longest active postseason streak (nine seasons) but has only one playoff series win thus far. Leafs forward David Kampf left this game with an upper-body injury.

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (upper-body injury) and center Nico Sturm (undisclosed) missed this game and are listed as day-to-day. The Panthers are 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

An overtime goal by Vincent Trocheck lifted the New York Rangers over the Minnesota Wild 5-4. Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists for the Rangers, who are tied with the Montreal Canadiens with 79 points. Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists for the Wild to regain the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand over the Rangers. The Wild are tied in points with the St. Louis Blues but have 33 regulation wins to the Blues’ 30, putting the latter into the final Western wild card.

Shootout goals by Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Martin Necas tied the game for Colorado with 11 seconds remaining in the third period. The Avalanche hold third place in the Central Division with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin left this game after the first period with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord made 24 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 5-0. Jared McCann collected three assists and Andre Burakovsky had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was another blow for the Canucks’ fading playoff hopes, leaving them eight points out of the final Western wild card.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said there’s a chance sidelined forward Tyler Seguin and defenseman Miro Heiskanen could return to the lineup for the start of the postseason, which begins on April 19.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: With Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler sidelined, Luke Hughes has stepped up as the Devils’ No. 1 defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was only a matter of time until Hughes moved into that role. The injuries to Hamilton and Siegenthaler opened that pathway earlier than expected. The 21-year-old blueliner has seized the opportunity with 41 points in 66 games, putting him six shy of last season’s career-best of 47.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Edmonton sportswriter Bruce McCurdy passed away on Wednesday. He wrote for the now-defunct blog “Copper and Blue” and was co-writer of the Journal’s “The Cult of Hockey” and co-host of the eponymous podcast.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to Bruce’s family, friends, and staff of the Journal, especially David Staples, his co-host on “The Cult of Hockey” podcast. I started following Bruce’s work during his “Copper and Blue” days, occasionally interacted with him, and cited his work on this site from time to time. He was a passionate follower of the Oilers and I will miss his insight.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2025

by | Apr 2, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: a look at possible options for the Maple Leafs if they don’t re-sign Mitch Marner and the latest on the Kraken.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle look at the Plan B options for the Toronto Maple Leafs if Mitch Marner departs on July 1st as a free agent.

They believe the likelihood of re-signing John Tavares increases if Marner leaves. The Leafs will be reluctant to part with two core players in the same offseason. There also aren’t many suitable options available to replace him.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Marner’s departure would promote William Nylander to the first-line, leaving the Leafs searching for another top-six winger like Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers or Vancouver’s Brock Boeser if they’re available in this summer’s free-agent market. They could also wait until next summer when better options (Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov, Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor, Edmonton’s Connor McDavid) might be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs will likely re-sign Marner unless his asking price goes ridiculously high. They’re better off with him than without because there’s no one in this summer’s UFA or trade markets to replace him, and as Siegel and Mirtle acknowledged, most of the best players in next summer’s free-agent market will be re-signed by their current clubs.

If Marner proves too expensive or another early playoff exit leads to big roster changes, they’ll definitely search for a reasonable replacement this summer. They could also use the money they intended to pay Marner to add two good, affordable players to boost their roster depth.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kate Shefte looks at what the offseason could hold for the Kraken after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. She cited team CEO Tod Leiweke maintaining that ownership still has faith in general manager Ron Francis. “I don’t think this is a rebuild,” he said.

The Kraken’s goals-per-game average improved over last season’s 2.61 (currently 2.97, sitting 16th overall). However, the goals allowed increased (3.23, sitting as the tenth-highest) while their special teams rank among the league’s bottom third.

Shefte expects the Kraken will have an active summer. They’re set to land a top-five draft pick and they have trade capital to acquire proven scorers – “really do it right this time.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Carter Hutton looked ahead at the Kraken’s possible offseason plans. Hutton points out they lack a superstar, making it difficult to succeed in today’s NHL. He acknowledged the difficulty of finding one via free agency as they tend to be homegrown.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t expect the Kraken to pursue someone like Mitch Marner this summer via free agency. They’ll have to draft and develop a superstar.

Seattle has a projected cap space of $20.8 million next season with 15 active roster players under contract. Notable restricted free agents include Kaapo Kakko, Tye Kartye and Ryker Evans but they should be affordable re-signings. They have no core players eligible for UFA status.

The Kraken have two second-round picks and two fourth-rounders in this year’s draft, two first-rounders, two fourth-rounders and two seventh-round picks in 2026, and two first-round picks and two second-rounders in 2027. They have the cap space and draft capital to draw on for trade bait to add a scorer or an all-around defenseman this summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2025

by | Mar 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2025

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby sets a notable offensive record, Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with a four-point game, the Blues strengthen their hold on the final Western wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby broke Wayne Gretzky’s record of consecutive seasons averaging a point-per-game in a 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Jiri Kulich scored twice for the Sabres while Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram and Peyton Kreb had two points each.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 20 consecutive seasons averaging a point-per-game. That’s an impressive display of offensive consistency, especially at this stage of his career on a team rebuilding its roster.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves to shut out the Utah Hockey Club 8-0. Victor Hedman had a goal and two assists while Jake Guentzel and Oliver Bjorkstrand each scored twice for the Lightning (89 points), who moved within one point of the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning are tied with the Florida Panthers in points but the latter holds a game in hand.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they overcame a 5-3 deficit in regulation to the San Jose Sharks but fell 6-5 on shootout goals by Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini. Tyler Toffoli scored twice and picked up an assist for the Sharks. William Nylander tallied twice and Mitch Marner collected three assists for the Leafs, who sit atop the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

The St. Louis Blues strengthened their hold on the final Western Conference wild-card berth by nipping the Nashville Predators 3-2, picking up their eighth straight win. Dylan Holloway scored two goals, including the game-winner in the third period. Robert Thomas had two assists for the Blues (85 points), opening a five-point lead over the Vancouver Canucks. Fedor Svechkov and Brady Skjei scored for the Predators, who’ve been officially eliminated from the playoff race.

Minnesota Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Filip Gustavsson stopped 28 shots for the Wild, who remain two points ahead of the Blues for the first Western wild card. Matt Roy and Brandon Duhaime replied for the Capitals, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 103 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held off the score sheet and remains six goals from breaking Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. Following the game, Ovechkin led his teammates in a handshake lineup for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who is expected to retire following this season.

The Dallas Stars got a 46-save performance by backup goalie Casey DeSmith to beat the Calgary Flames 5-2. Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Mason Marchment each collected two points for the Stars, who picked up their fourth straight win to sit second in the Central Division with 98 points. Nazem Kadri scored both goals for the Flames (79 points), who sit six points back of the surging Blues in the Western wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames had two goals disallowed, leaving them feeling like the referees robbed them. They also lost forward Connor Zary as he left the game early in the third period favoring his left knee after colliding with Rantanen.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned aside 31 shots as his club held off the Detroit Red Wings for a 4-3 victory. Michael Amadio scored what proved to be the game-winner as the Senators (81 points) opened a six-point cushion over the Montreal Canadiens in the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who remain three points behind the Canadiens with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game featured two teams going in different directions. The Senators have won eight of their last 11 games while the Red Wings have only three wins in their last 14 contests.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens (75 points) blew a golden opportunity to expand their lead in the final Eastern wild-card spot by dropping a 6-4 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers, who had fired head coach John Tortorella earlier in the day. Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov each had two goals and an assist for the Flyers, who got their first win under interim coach Brad Shaw. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson picked up two assists, becoming the first rookie defenseman since 1985-86 to have 50 assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere spoke to the media about the decision to fire Tortorella. He claimed a number of reasons led to the decision, not just Tortorella’s comments on Tuesday expressing frustration over the club’s losing skid in recent weeks. He declined to get into the specifics, saying it wouldn’t be fair to his former coach.

Flyers defenseman Cam York was benched for the entire game against the Canadiens. Shaw claimed it was for disciplinary reasons but didn’t go into detail.

The last rookie defenseman to reach the 50-assist plateau was Gary Suter with the Calgary Flames. He went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy that season.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood had 22 saves to blank the Los Angeles Kings 4-0. Martin Necas scored twice and picked up an assist while Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to extend his home points streak to 23 games. The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 93 points, while the Kings are second in the Pacific Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon (108 points) holds a three-point lead over Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov atop the points race. Kings forwards Alex Turcotte and Tanner Jeannot missed this game as they’re day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.

A five-goal second period carried the Seattle Kraken to a 6-1 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Jaden Schwartz scored twice and Joey Daccord kicked out 36 shots for the Kraken. Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers, who remain third in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Michael Callahan was fined over $2,000.00 by the department of player safety for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks forward Jansen Harkins on Wednesday.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Matt Rempe is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

by | Mar 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

Sidney Crosby passes Wayne Gretzky for most points with a franchise, the Canadiens climb back into a wild-card spot, three Capitals reach personal milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored to reach his 1,670th regular-season point in a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and two assists as the Islanders scored four unanswered third-period goals. With 70 points, the Isles are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby took sole possession of fourth place on the all-time list for most points with a single franchise. Gordie Howe is the all-time leader, netting 1,809 with the Detroit Red Wings. Steve Yzerman is second, tallying 1,755 with the Wings. Mario Lemieux is third with 1,723 with the Penguins.

Crosby, 37, is under contract for two more seasons with the Penguins. He has 74 points in 68 games this season. If he remains close to that pace between now and the end of 2026-27, he could overtake Howe.

Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech returned to the lineup due to an illness, but blueliner Alexander Romanov missed the game with a similar illness.

The Montreal Canadiens regained the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Christian Dvorak had a goal and three assists, Josh Anderson tallied twice, and Brendan Gallagher had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (73 points) as they tallied five goals in the third period for their sixth straight win. Travis Hamonic had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who hold the first Eastern wild card with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens briefly held that wild-card spot on Jan. 21, only to tumble by dropping eight of their next nine games (1-8-1). Since Feb. 22, the Habs have gone 8-1-2.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and forwards Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas reached notable personal single-season milestones in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Thompson stopped 23 shots for his first NHL 30-win season, Wilson scored for his first 30-goal season, and Protas had two assists to set the single-season points record (61) for an NHL player born in Belarus. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals regained first place in the overall standings with 98 points, holding a game in hand over the Winnipeg Jets. The Wings (70 points) continue to flounder, losing eight of their last 10 to sit three points behind the Canadiens.

Speaking of the Jets, they dropped a 6-2 decision to the Vancouver Canucks. Brock Boeser scored two goals and had an assist and Pius Suter tallied twice as the Canucks maintained their grip on the final Western Conference wild card with 75 points. Nikolaj Ehlers and Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets (98 points).

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Dylan Holloway collected three assists as the Blues picked up their third straight win, sitting behind the Canucks with 75 points. Brady Skjei scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks hold that final wild-card spot with a game in hand over the Blues. Predators forward Michael McCarron was ejected after accruing 20 minutes in penalties, including a major penalty for a dangerous hit on Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich, a five-minute major for fighting Jake Neighbours, and a 10-minute game misconduct.

The Calgary Flames kept pace in the Western wild-card race by nipping the New York Rangers 2-1. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist, MacKenzie Weegar collected two assists, and Matt Coronato tallied the winner for the Flames, who sit two points back of the Canucks. Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers, who sit one point behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jonathan Huberdeau was held scoreless in this contract, but RG.Org’s Jim Biringer reports the 31-year-old winger has improved his overall game this season, earning praise from general manager Craig Conroy. With 50 points in 67 games, he’s on pace for his best season since joining the Flames in 2022.

The Rangers announced forward Arthur Kaliyev will miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs with an upper-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 7-1 drubbing of the Utah Hockey Club. Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mattias Ekholm each had a goal and two assists as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 84 points. Sean Durzi scored for Utah (71 points), who sit four points behind the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman missed Sunday’s game with an undisclosed injury while Ekholm (undisclosed) had missed six games.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Mikael Granlund tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, while Thomas Harley had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who hold second place in the Central Division with 89 points. Leo Carlsson scored twice for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars coach Peter DeBoer said sidelined forward Tyler Seguin continues skating regularly and should be ready to return around the end of the season. The news regarding top defenseman Miro Heiskanen (knee surgery) is less positive, as he could remain sidelined through at least the first round of the playoffs.

Shane Wright scored twice as the Seattle Kraken netted six unanswered goals in a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Adam Larsson had a goal and two assists for the Kraken. Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL announced the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will play a pair of games in Stockholm, Sweden next season as part of its annual Global Series on Nov. 14 and 16 at Avicii Arena.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports each of the men’s hockey teams participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics will name its first six roster players in June. It’s the first time the NHL will participate in the Winter Games since 2014. The rest of the rosters will be announced in December.

THE ATHLETIC: New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald made an impassioned plea for cut-resistant equipment during Tuesday’s meeting of NHL general managers in Florida. He cited his son Casey’s close call last December when a skate blade slashed his neck during an AHL game. Casey is the captain of the Hartford Wolfpack. The wound required 25 stitches to close.

DAILY FACEOFF: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of an America-Russia hockey series involving players from the NHL and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The NHL released a statement indicating they were made aware of the conversation between Trump and Putin, however, they were not a party to them and thus considered it inappropriate to comment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Such a tournament would require the NHL’s blessing and that of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which has banned Russia’s participation in international tournaments due to its war with Ukraine.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2025

by | Mar 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2025

Oilers star Leon Draisaitl reaches 100 points, the Jets take sole possession of first overall, the Golden Knights re-sign Adin Hill, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored twice in a 2-1 overtime victory over the New York Islanders. Draisaitl became the second player this season to reach 100 points and is one goal away from becoming the first this season to score 50 goals. Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders, who got a 33-save performance from Ilya Sorokin.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl sits two points behind league leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche in the point races. The Oilers vaulted one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings into second place in the Pacific Division with 80 points. With 66 points, the Islanders are four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of Nathan MacKinnon, he was held scoreless as his Colorado Avalanche doubled up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Parker Kelly tallied twice and Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots for the Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 83 points. Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau replied for the Flames, who cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 71 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames have dropped six of their last eight games. They are tied in points with the Vancouver Canucks but hold that wild card with 24 regulation wins. Flames captain Mikael Backlund missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor scored two goals and Mark Scheifele collected three assists in a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars. The Jets regained sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 96 points. Mason Marchment scored for the Stars, who sit 10 points behind the Jets in second place in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Neal Pionk missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes held off the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 to pick up their sixth straight win. Jack Roslovic had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 24 saves for the Hurricanes, who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 84 points. Alex DeBrincat and Michael Rasmussen scored for the Wings, who’ve lost seven of their last eight games to sit two points out of the final Eastern wild card with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Just like this point last year, the Red Wings are slumping at the wrong time. With five other clubs jockeying for that final wild card, they’re in danger of extending their franchise-record playoff drought to nine years.

Seattle Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen scored two goals and collected an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Kaapo Kakko snapped a 2-2 tie and Philipp Grubauer turned aside 23 shots for the win. Nick Schmaltz and Kevin Stenlund scored for Utah (69 points), who remain two points behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Nashville Predators 2-1. Lukas Dostal got the win with a 28-save performance while Troy Terry and Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks (65 points), who are six points out of the final Western wild card. Jakub Vrana replied for the Predators.

HEADLINES

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed goaltender Adin Hill to a six-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $6.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hill has established himself as the Golden Knights’ starting goalie. He has a record of 24-11-4 with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney met with his team’s veteran core twice during this season, warning them that changes would be coming to the roster if things didn’t change on the ice. Three of those players (Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo) were shipped out by the March 7 trade deadline.

DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is unavailable for personal reasons. They recalled Jet Greaves from their AHL affiliate in Cleveland.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is expected to be in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tkachuk missed the final minutes of the Senators’ 6-3 win over the Bruins on Thursday due to a hip issue.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres forward Josh Norris is dealing with an undisclosed injury unrelated to his surgically-repaired shoulder. Acquired from the Senators last Friday, he has a goal and an assist in three games with the Sabres.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2025

by | Mar 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2025

A milestone performance by the Red Wings’ Patrick Kane, a record-setting game for the Kraken’s Brandon Montour, Mikko Rantanen explains why he chose the Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane scored twice and collected three assists in a 7-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and three assists and Marco Kasper tallied two goals for the Red Wings (68 points), who snapped a six-game losing skid and sit two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Tage Thompson and Zach Benson each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who’ve dropped seven of their last eight games.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: At 36 years and 113 days, Kane became the fourth-oldest player in Red Wings history to record a five-point game, joining Brett Hull (37 years, 170 days), Alex Delvecchio (37 years, 27 days) and Brendan Shanahan (36 years, 324 days).

The Seattle Kraken overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. Brandon Montour scored four seconds into overtime to complete a two-goal, four-point performance. Jordan Eberle had three assists for the Kraken. Juraj Slafkovsky scored two goals for the Canadiens, one point behind the Blues Jackets in the Eastern wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montour set the league record for the fastest overtime goal. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson had two assists to become the first rookie to reach 50 points this season.

A shootout goal by Conor Garland lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Canucks center Elias Pettersson scored the tying goal and team captain Quinn Hughes had an assist in his return from a lower-body injury. Jonathan Huberdeau netted two goals for the Flames. Both teams have 71 points but the Flames hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames captain Mikael Backlund left this game after the first period with an upper-body injury. Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson left the game during the first with an undisclosed injury.

The Utah Hockey Club nipped the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 as Dylan Guenther snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period, finishing the game with two points. Utah sits two points behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race. Alex Killorn and Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks.

HEADLINES

THE SCORE: Mikko Rantanen explained why he felt the Dallas Stars were a better match than the Carolina Hurricanes. He was dealt to Dallas at the trade deadline after informing the Hurricanes that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension. He inked an eight-year extension with the Stars.

Rantanen explained that he felt the Stars’ style of play was the best match for him. “Dallas was a better fit on the ice, a style of play similar to Colorado,” he said. The 28-year-old winger spent nearly 10 seasons with the Avalanche, where he blossomed into a scoring star.

He also felt the Hurricanes would get a better return for him in the trade market if he did a sign-and-trade, making it better for them rather than staying as a rental player and departing as a free agent on July 1. “But I want to make it clear I was open-minded in Carolina and really thought about staying there.”

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said Dougie Hamilton will be sidelined for the rest of the regular season and possibly the playoffs with a lower-body injury. He didn’t rule out the possibility of the 31-year-old defenseman returning in the second round if the Devils get that far, but he wasn’t planning for it.

Hamilton suffered the injury late in the first period against the Stars on March 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second devastating blow the Devils have received within a week. On March 5, superstar center Jack Hughes underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.

TSN: The New York Rangers signed backup goaltender Jonathan Quick to a one-year, $1.55 million contract extension.

AZCENTRAL.COM: Former Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo is suing the Arizona Board of Regents for a $3.5 million security deposit paid to Arizona State University.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meruelo believes it’s not his fault he had to break his three-year lease with Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena. He pocketed nearly $1 billion after selling off the team last year.