NHL Rumor Mill – July 29, 2023

by | Jul 29, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 29, 2023

A look at five centers the Bruins could target to replace Patrice Bergeron, possible cost-cutting trade options for the Senators, and more speculation over whether the Blues will trade a defenseman in today’s NHL Rumor Mill

MORE TRADE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE BRUINS TO REPLACE BERGERON

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman listed five possible trade options for the Boston Bruins to replace recently-retired first-line center Patrice Bergeron.

Topping his list is Elias Lindholm of the Calgary Flames and Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve noted previous suggestions linking the Bruins to Lindholm and Scheifele. Lindholm is younger, more affordable and has better all-around skills than Scheifele. However, both players will be expensive to acquire right now, perhaps too expensive for the Bruins to acquire. Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited a source suggesting the Bruins would have to part with Jake DeBrusk as part of the return to land Lindholm.

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture (NHL Images)

Wegman also suggested San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture. He acknowledged a number of obstacles, such as the 34-year-old Couture’s age, expensive contract and three-team trade clause. Nevertheless, he remains productive and would be worth looking into.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It wouldn’t hurt to check but I don’t see Couture ending up in Boston. His contract is simply too complicated to move.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov is available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Too many red flags around Kuznetsov right now with the biggest being his inconsistent play and $7.8 million average annual value through 2024-25.

Wegman rounds out his list with Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak if the Bruins decide to replace Bergeron by committee along with Charlie Coyole and Pavel Zacha.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll admit anything’s possible and the Bruins could consider that option if there’s nothing more suitable available in the trade market.

However, I expect they’ll likely start the season with Coyle and Zacha and see how things shake out. If they need an upgrade at center, better options could become available near the March trade deadline.

HOW WILL THE SENATORS SHED CAP SPACE AFTER SIGNING TARASENKO

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch pointed out the Senators will have to make a cost-cutting trade after signing Vladimir Tarasenko on Thursday to a one-year, $5 million contract. They have roughly $900K in cap room with restricted free agents Shane Pinto and Egor Sokolov to re-sign.

According to Garrioch, the most likely scenario sees the Senators shopping forward Mathieu Joseph before the regular season opens in October. He carries an AAV of $2.95 million through 2025-26.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne also considers Joseph the most likely cost-cutting candidate, though he believes the Senators might have to include a sweetener in the deal.

Defenseman Erik Brannstrom ($2 million) is another option but the Senators might prefer retaining him given how many injuries they had on their blueline last season. Warne also speculated they could play hardball with Pinto and sign him to a one-year, $1 million contract and then ink him to a long-term in the new year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Better off to move Joseph than to deplete the blueline depth or get into a contract pissing contest with the promising Pinto.

LATEST SPECULATION REGARDING THE BLUES DEFENSE CORPS

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford was recently asked by a reader how the St. Louis Blues intend to address their logjam on the blueline. He noted that general manager Doug Armstrong has said he intends to start the season with eight defensemen on the roster, which means they could send Scott Perunovich to the minors as he’s the only one who’s waiver-exempt.

Rutherford wouldn’t be surprised if Armstrong attempts to pull off a trade before training camp. However, he noted the difficulty the Blues GM had in trying to trade Torey Krug to the Philadelphia Flyers as he invoked his no-trade clause to block that attempt. Armstrong would also likely have to sweeten the pot to move someone like Marco Scandella.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Armstrong is in a mess of his own making with his top-four defensemen (Krug, Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko and Nick Leddy) all carrying full no-trade clauses.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 25, 2023

by | Jun 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 25, 2023

The Predators trade Ryan Johansen to the Avalanche, the Kings ship Sean Durzi to the Coyotes, the Hurricanes re-sign Jordan Staal, a major trade between the Flyers and Blues is in limbo and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW/NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: The Nashville Predators yesterday traded center Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for the rights to forward Alex Galchenyuk.

The Predators retained 50 percent of Johansen’s $8 million average annual value (AAV) through 2024-25. That leaves them with just one retained salary slot remaining on their salary-cap payroll as they’re also retaining $250K annually on Mattias Ekholm’s contract.

Nashville Predators trade Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche (NHL Images).

​SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a bold move by both clubs. The Avalanche envision Johansen as their second-line center for the next two seasons, which could mean the departure of J.T. Compher via the unrestricted free-agent market on July 1. The Predators free up $4 million in cap space for the next two years to put toward other moves.

Colorado Hockey Now’s Evan Rawal believes there is some risk here for the Avalanche. Johansen isn’t renowned for his speed which raises concern over how well he’ll fit within their up-tempo system, especially after coming off a season-ending cut to his ankle.

It’s unclear where the well-traveled Galchenyuk fits into the Predators’ plans. If they sign the 29-year-old forward he’ll likely end up in the minors. They could also use him as a trade chip or simply let him depart as a UFA on Saturday.

The Predators’ goal was to free up cap space and get younger and faster. Galcheyuk won’t help them with the latter but they can find a player who can with their new-found cap space.

LA HOCKEY NOW: The Los Angeles Kings traded defenseman Sean Durzi to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick that originally belonged to the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports indicate Durzi was traded in part to free up salary-cap space (in this case, $1.7 million) and to make room for budding young blueliner Brandt Clarke. This move is also sparking speculation that the Kings are clearing cap room for another move, perhaps the addition of a certain Winnipeg Jets center. I’ll have more in the Rumor Mill.

The Coyotes, meanwhile, bolster their depth on the right side of the blueline. Durzi, 24, is a skilled defenseman who can skate on the right or left side of the blueline. A gritty puck-moving rearguard, he had 38 points in 72 games last season with the Kings. His youth and skills should fit in well with the rebuilding Coyotes.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes have signed captain Jordan Staal to a four-year contract extension with an AAV of $2.9 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staal, 34, indicated at the end of this season that he wanted to finish his career with the Hurricanes. Acquired from Pittsburgh in 2012, he’s their longest-serving active player.

The cap hit is a considerable drop from the $6 million annually of his previous contract though at this stage of his career isn’t a surprise. The length of the deal, however, raises some eyebrows when one remembers that Staal turns 35 in September and his performance will inevitably decline. However, it’s not a plus-35 contract so the Hurricanes won’t be penalized if he retires before it expires.

THE ATHLETIC: Charlie O’Connor and Jeremy Rutherford report the Philadelphia Flyers were close on Saturday to trading Kevin Hayes to the St. Louis Blues in a multiplayer deal but it’s now in limbo after one of the players in the deal refused to waive their no-trade clause.

The trade would’ve sent Hayes and defenseman Travis Sanheim to the Blues with the Flyers retaining “a significant amount” of Haye’s $7.14 million AAV over the next three years, perhaps up to half of it. In return, the Blues would send a defenseman plus one of their three 2023 first-round picks to the Flyers.

Sanheim is about to start an eight-year, $50 million contract with a full no-trade clause. However, that deal doesn’t go into effect until July 1. The Flyers are rebuilding and the 27-year-old’s age and looming new contract would no longer make him an ideal fit.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Lou Korac reports Torey Krug is believed to be the player tying up this deal. The 32-year-old blueliner has three years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $6.5 million and a full no-trade clause (NTC).

Korac indicates multiple sources say Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko and Nick Leddy were not approached by the Blues to waive their NTCs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It remains to be seen if this trade can be salvaged. There’s talk it could end up being just Hayes heading to St. Louis with 50 percent salary retained.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Flyers, they’re reportedly closing in on a trade to send Tony DeAngelo back to the Carolina Hurricanes. The deal could be completed on Sunday.

The Flyers previous management acquired DeAngelo from the Hurricanes last summer for three draft picks and signed him to a two-year contract with an AAV of $5 million. Reports indicate they will ship him to the Hurricanes with 50 percent of salary retained in return for a late-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeAngelo turned out to be a poor fit within head coach John Tortorella’s system. With the Flyers rebuilding under new general manager Daniel Briere, they apparently just want to wash their hands of DeAngelo and get him off their roster.

DAILY FACEOFF: The St. Louis Blues did make one notable move on Saturday by re-signing defenseman Scott Perunovich to a one-year, $775K contract.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes are close to re-signing goaltender Connor Ingram to a three-year contract with an AAV believed to be $1.95 million.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 19, 2023

by | Apr 19, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 19, 2023

What moves should the Blues and Coyotes make this offseason? Is this Matt Dumba’s final season with the Wild? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT SHOULD THE BLUES DO THIS OFFSEASON?

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford recently made some suggestions regarding offseason moves for the St. Louis Blues.

One was trading Torey Krug or Nick Leddy if there’s any interest in them this summer provided they’re willing to waive their no-trade clauses. It would help the cap-strapped Blues and allow younger defensemen more playing time during the club’s roster retooling.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given their ages (32) and contract terms, that could be easier said than done. The oft-injured Krug carries an average annual value of $6.5 million through 2026-27 while Leddy’s is $4 million through 2025-26.

Leddy seems the easiest to move but that depends on whether there’s a market for him and if he’ll agree to be traded.

Colton Parayko popped up in trade rumors this season but nothing materialized. It seems unlikely that the Blues will move him because they’d need to find a suitable replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parayko also has a full no-trade clause. It was rumored that he’d only waive it for the Edmonton Oilers as his hometown is St. Albert, Alberta. If so, forget about moving him anytime soon.

Rutherford also suggested a contract buyout for Marco Scandella if they fail to move Krug or Leddy. He has one season left on his contract worth $3.275 million. A buyout would save them $2 million for 2023-24 and $1 million the following season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could be their best option if they can’t move Krug or Leddy or find a trade partner for Scandella.

WHAT WILL THE COYOTES DO THIS SUMMER?

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan recently looked at several questions facing the Arizona Coyotes this summer.

One of them was what this year’s draft will provide the Coyotes. They have 12 picks in this year’s draft, including two first-rounders, four in the third round, and two in each of rounds five and six. They also have a total of 47 picks over the next four drafts.

Morgan doesn’t expect they’ll trade either of this year’s first-rounders. However, they do have the pieces with their other picks to trade for a young prospect or existing NHL player.

There’s also the possibility of a trade on the draft floor. Morgan noted that Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz drew plenty of interest leading up to the March 3 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes could be a team to monitor as the opening day of the draft (June 28) approaches. General manager Bill Armstrong could look at packaging some of those picks (other than his 2023 first-rounders) for a young player who can help accelerate their rebuild.

Morgan speculated that Schmaltz might fetch them another first-rounder. It’s not a far-fetched suggestion given how often his name surfaced in the rumor mill before the trade deadline.

IS DUMBA’S TENURE WITH THE WILD DRAWING TO A CLOSE?

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Sarah McLellan reports this year’s playoffs could be the final leg of Matt Dumba’s 10 seasons with the Minnesota Wild. The 28-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. With the Wild facing a salary-cap crunch this summer, he’s unlikely to be re-signed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is probably Dumba’s final season with the Wild. His name frequently surfaced in trade rumors in the weeks leading up to the March 3 deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 5, 2023

by | Apr 5, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 5, 2023

Three teams could be willing to move first-round picks in this year’s draft, an update on Timo Meier’s contract situation plus the latest on the Blues and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BLUE JACKETS, BLUES & CANADIENS COULD LISTEN TO OFFERS FOR 2023 FIRST-ROUNDERS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is “100 percent” open to trading the 2023 first-round pick he received from the Los Angeles Kings in the trade that sent Joonas Korpisalo and Vladislav Gavrikov to the Kings. It’s not going to be a high pick given the Kings’ place in the overall standings. LeBrun said Kekalainen would like to get a top-four defenseman as part of the package for a first-round pick.

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen (NHL.com)

The Blue Jackets might not be the only team willing to move a 2023 first-rounder. LeBrun indicated the St. Louis Blues previously expressed a willingness to entertain offers for the first-round picks they received from the New York Rangers for Vladimir Tarasenko and the Toronto Maple Leafs for Ryan O’Reilly.

LeBrun also believes the Montreal Canadiens would be willing to trade the 2023 first-rounder they received last year from the Florida Panthers in the Ben Chiarot deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that the Blue Jackets, Blues and Canadiens aren’t talking about listening to offers for their own first-rounders. Those picks will be in the top 10 and one of them could be first overall following the draft lottery. This year’s draft is considered a deep one so any team holding a top-10 selection won’t part with it unless they get an offer too good to pass up.

Like the Jackets, the Blues and Canadiens could be looking for a promising young NHL player in return (or part of the return) for those picks. That’s what the Canadiens did at last year’s draft, acquiring the New York Islanders pick (13th overall) and flipping it to the Chicago Blackhawks for Kirby Dach.

UPDATE ON TIMO MEIER

LeBrun also reported New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has met with trade-deadline acquisition Timo Meier to talk about a long-term contract for the 26-year-old winger. They see him as a core piece moving forward. However, they won’t open discussions until after the playoffs to allow Meier time to adjust to life on and off the ice with his new team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meier is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer who’s also a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility.

The annual average value of his current contract is $6 million but he’s earning $10 million in actual salary this season. That’s how much it would cost the Devils to qualify his rights unless the two sides can work out an agreement on a deal with a more affordable AAV.

MORE BLUES SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Jeremy Rutherford was asked which one of Blues forward Brayden Schenn and defensemen Torey Krug, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy could be moved this summer.

He doesn’t see Schenn and Faulk going anywhere. Despite having a lot of term left on their respective contracts, they’ve been good players for the Blues.

Rutherford thinks they’d move Krug if they could but he hasn’t heard of much interest in the oft-injured 31-year-old defenseman. He believes they’d move the minute-munching Parayko in the right situation. However, they won’t give him away plus he’s got a full no-trade clause.

They could try to move Leddy and his $4 million AAV. However, the three years remaining on his contract could be too much for most teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues might have to look at other candidates to cut costs if they’re going to go that route this summer unless they’re willing to part with Schenn or Faulk. There was talk before the trade deadline of teams with interest in Parayko but it’s rumored he would only waive his NTC for the Edmonton Oilers.

Krug or Leddy could be bought out of their respective contract but that would eat up a lot of long-term cap space.

UPDATE ON CAM TALBOT’S CONTRACT SITUATION

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch recently reported the Senators met with Cam Talbot’s agent in December to discuss a contract extension. However, the two sides weren’t close so the talks were put on hold.

It’s believed the two sides discussed a two-year deal. However, the Talbot camp sought a considerable raise over the 35-year-old goalie’s $3.5 million AAV.

The Senators wanted to see how Talbot performed down the stretch before deciding about next season but it’s not looking good for his return. He was sidelined by groin and rib injuries over that period.










NHL Rumor Mill (Part 1) – February 23, 2023

by | Feb 23, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill (Part 1) – February 23, 2023

Check out the latest on Patrick Kane, Timo Meier, Jakob Chychrun, Vladislav Gavrikov, Colton Parayko, Torey Krug and more in Part 1 of today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” TRADE RUMORS

SPORTSNET: With the March 3 trade deadline over a week away, Elliotte Friedman checked in on each NHL club. The following is a summary of the first 16 NHL teams that he looked at:

Boston Bruins: Everything points to the Bruins acquiring Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov but they’re attempting to move a player (“Mike Reilly? Craig Smith”) to clear sufficient cap space first. While they’ve also been linked to other players such as San Jose’s Timo Meier but Friedman doubts they can squeeze him into their limited cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I can see the cap-strapped Bruins going after an affordable addition like Gavrikov. Meier and his $6 million AAV are a bridge too far.

Carolina Hurricanes: They could potentially get Timo Meier given their $10 million in projected trade deadline cap space. The Canes have also monitored Chicago’s Patrick Kane. Friedman believes they’ve spoken to the Bruins about Smith as Boston might incentivize Carolina to do it.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NBC Sports Boston’s Nick Goss believes the Bruins could find another club to send Smith to rather than making what could be their prime playoff opponent even stronger.

New Jersey Devils: They could face competition from the St. Louis Blues in the bidding for Meier. The Devils want the Sharks winger with a contract extension or close to it. Friedman also pointed out their need for size and skill on their forward lines and wondered if Nashville Predators winger Nino Niederreiter makes any sense to them. He also dismissed speculation that they might trade defenseman Damon Severson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils still appear to be the front-runners for Meier. GM Tom Fitzgerald has indicated his preference is to add a top-six winger with a contract that can be controlled beyond this season. There’s also been some suggestion the Montreal Canadiens’ Josh Anderson could be a fit if they miss out on Meier but the Habs aren’t actively shopping him.

Toronto Maple Leafs: They might not be done dealing though they don’t have much draft capital to use as trade bait. They could pursue a rental defenseman if the prices soften in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have $4.4 million in projected deadline cap space but that will shrink when Matt Murray returns to action. They were linked to Chicago’s Jake McCabe and Columbus’ Vladislav Gavrikov. However, the acquisition of Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari probably doesn’t leave them enough to get either guy without moving out a salaried player in the deal.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Their limited draft and prospects capital could see them pursue an affordable checking-line forward like Washington’s Garnet Hathaway or Chicago’s Sam Lafferty. They could also pursue a depth defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning GM Julien BriseBois always manages to swing a deal leading up to the trade deadline to bolster his roster for the postseason. He won’t pursue a notable talent this year but should be able to find a way to add a cost-effective player.

New York Rangers: Friedman isn’t sure that Rangers GM Chris Drury is done dealing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Scott Powers and Arthur Staple and the New York Post’s Larry Brooks haven’t ruled out the possibility of the Rangers adding Chicago’s Patrick Kane. It will require a three-team deal in order for the Rangers to take on just $2.625 million of Kane’s $10.5 million cap hit. Brooks writes Drury doesn’t want to part with his 2023 first-rounder but he wondered if the Rangers GM might pitch his 2024 or 2025 first-round pick.

Vegas Golden Knights: They’ve looked into Timo Meier and liked St. Louis forward Ivan Barbashev. Friedman wondered if they might look into acquiring Blues defenseman Torey Krug.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman acknowledged the four years remaining on Krug’s contract plus his no-trade clause complicates things. While I admit that anything’s possible, I don’t expect to see Krug suiting up with the Golden Knights anytime soon.

Dallas Stars: They looked into Patrick Kane and considered Tyler Bertuzzi but he’s unavailable. Friedman wondered if they might consider Ivan Barbashev or Philadelphia’s James van Riemsdyk.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars are struggling a bit of late. GM Jim Nill could make a move for an affordable rental scorer.

Winnipeg Jets: If they could sign Timo Meier they’d be all over him. St. Louis defenseman Colton Parayko has come up and Friedman thinks he’d be a good fit if Parayko would waive his no-trade clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is usually cautious but could make a significant move this season with Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck and Blake Wheeler having only a year left on their contracts and the uncertainty facing restricted free agent Pierre-Luc Dubois.

Seattle Kraken: They’re searching for a center to help them in the faceoff circle. They could also trade Carson Soucy rather than lose the defenseman for nothing to this summer’s free-agent market. However, they’d likely want some sort of replacement for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Kraken GM Ron Francis could retain Soucy as an “own rental” if a replacement for him cannot be found. Trading him for a draft pick or prospect could hurt their blueline depth as they push for a playoff berth.

Los Angeles Kings: They want to add a left-side defenseman. The Kings made a pitch for Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun. Chicago’s Jake McCabe could make sense. Columbus’ Vladislav Gavrikov isn’t a fit for them as they want someone with term on their contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A deal sending Chychrun to the Kings seemed imminent earlier this month but nothing’s come of it so far.

Colorado Avalanche: The Avalanche lack of second and third-rounders for 2023 and 2024 hurts their ability to address their need for a second-line center in the trade market. They won’t move someone like Alex Newhook for a rental player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have been linked to pretty much every available center in this year’s trade market. However, it could prove tricky attempting to address that need without giving up a first-rounder as part of the return.

Edmonton Oilers: The chances of landing San Jose defenseman Erik Karlsson appear “one in a million”. They’ve also looked into Chicago’s Patrick Kane.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers might have to settle for more affordable options to improve their roster before the trade deadline. They’ve been linked to Columbus’ Vladislav Gavrikov for some time now.

Minnesota Wild: Adding someone signed beyond this season is unlikely unless it’s a game-changing player. Matt Dumba and Jordan Greenway are out there in the trade market. Friedman isn’t sure if GM Bill Guerin will go hard after the best offensive player he can find, suggesting instead someone like Washington’s Conor Sheary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith report the agent for Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser is working hard to work out a trade that sends the Minnesota native to the Wild. It won’t be easy given his $6.65 million AAV through 2024-25 but we can’t rule it out if the Canucks agree to retain some salary here.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Missing the playoffs isn’t an option but Friedman also thinks they shouldn’t mortgage their future. He wondered if they should try a cost-cutting move by shopping Brian Dumoulin or Tristan Jarry or Jason Zucker and see if that gives them the flexibility to add.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins GM Ron Hextall has made additions in the last two trade deadlines (Jeff Carter, Rickard Rakell) when it appeared he had little room to do so because of his cap constraints. He could do it again this year.

Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi aren’t being shopped as it appears they’re pushing to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No selling this time by the Wings. Perhaps GM Steve Yzerman will consider a foray into the trade market to bring some help to his roster.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2023

by | Feb 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2023

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl reach point milestones while Ryan O’Reilly and Mitch Marner play big roles in Leafs win over the Sabres. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid reached his 800th career point while teammate Leon Draisaitl netted his 700th in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. McDavid and Draisaitl each collected three points as the Oilers (31-19-8) snapped a four-game winless skid and hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 70 points. The Flyers slipped to 23-26-10 (56 points) and remain eight points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. They played without Travis Konecny as he missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is the league leader in goals with 44 and points with 105. He’s also the fifth-fastest player in NHL history to reach 800 career points, doing so in 545 games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got a hat trick from Ryan O’Reilly and a five-assist performance by Mitch Marner to beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-3. O’Reilly finished with four points while John Tavares had a goal and three assists as the Leafs improved to 35-15-8 to maintain their three-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning for second place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Alex Tuch had two points as the Sabres fall to 28-23-4 (60 points) to remain four points behind the Florida Panthers for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The line of O’Reilly, Marner and Tavares is showing impressive chemistry thus far for the Leafs.

Speaking of the Lightning, they thumped the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 6-1 to remain unbeaten in regular (14-0-1) over their last 15 games. Brayden Point tallied his 200th career goal while Nick Perbix recorded three assists. The Lightning (36-17-3) have 76 points and sit third in the Atlantic Division. The Ducks sank to 17-34-7 on the season and played without John Klingberg as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-1 thanks to three-point performances by Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis. Frederik Andersen stopped 35 shots as the Hurricanes (38-10-8) have won 13 of their last 15 games and sit in second place in the overall standings with 84 points. Justin Faulk scored for the Blues as they dropped to 26-28-3. They also lost defenseman Torey Krug as he left this game with an undisclosed injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman scored twice in a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings to snap the latter’s four-game win streak. Filip Gustavsson made 33 saves as the Wild improved to 31-21-5 (67 points), opening a four-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card berth. Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings (32-19-7) as they remain one point up on the Seattle Kraken for second place in the Pacific Division with 71 points.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 3-1 to extend the latter’s losing skid to five games. Pius Suter tallied two goals and Ville Husso kicked out 26 shots for the 27-21-8 Red Wings (62 points). They moved to within two points of the final Eastern wild-card spot and sit ahead of the Capitals (28-25-6) with three games in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was ejected from this game in the second period for cross-checking Washington forward T.J. Oshie in the face. Capitals forward Anthony Mantha left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a hit by Wings defenseman Moritz Seider.

A shootout goal by Tyler Johnson lifted the Chicago Blackhawks over the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, ending the latter’s five-game win streak. Johnson also scored the tying goal in the third period and finished with two points as the Blackhawks improved to 19-32-5. The Golden Knights (34-18-5) opened a two-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division with 73 points.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault made 38 saves in a 5-2 upset of the New Jersey Devils to end the latter’s six-game home win streak. Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson each had a goal and an assist as the Canadiens improved to 24-29-4. Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer replied for the 37-15-5 Devils as they sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Canadiens forward Joel Armia left this game following the first period with a non-COVID-related illness.

The Nashville Predators defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-4 on a shootout goal by Matt Duchene. The win kept the Predators’ fading playoff hopes alive as they rose to 27-22-6 and sit seven points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 60 points. Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice for the 22-30-5 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators forward Ryan Johansen left this game in the second period after suffering a cut. Following the game, head coach John Hynes said he was uncertain about Johansen’s condition but felt it was possible it might be serious. Meanwhile, the Canucks are sitting defenseman Luke Schenn for trade-related reasons with the March 3 trade deadline on the horizon.

IN OTHER NEWS…

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is in concussion protocol and will miss at least two games. He had missed four games earlier this month with a head injury and reinjured himself on Saturday after initiating contact with Alexei Toropchenko of the St. Louis Blues.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Winnipeg Jets placed forward Cole Perfetti (upper body) on injured reserve. He last played on Feb. 19.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Plans for the Bruins to play a two-game set against the Los Angeles Kings next September in Melbourne, Australia have been put on hold due to travel concerns.