NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2025

by | Apr 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2025

Recaps of the final night of this regular season, Nikita Kucherov wins the Art Ross Trophy while Leon Draisaitl takes home the Maurice Richard Trophy, the full schedule for the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust scored twice to reach the 30-goal plateau for the first time in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had two points to reach the 90-point plateau (91) for the third straight season. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin potted his 897th regular-season NHL goal as his club finished in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with 111 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What’s impressive about Crosby reaching 90 points for the third straight season is that he did it at an age (37) when a normal player would be in decline or retired. The same can be said for the 39-year-old Ovechkin, who finished this season with 44 goals.

Ovechkin was honored by the Penguins for breaking the goal-scoring record, receiving a standing ovation from the Pittsburgh crowd. The club also gifted him a Rolex watch, with Crosby and teammate Evgeni Malkin presenting it to him following the game.

The Capitals’ captain also silenced rumors that he might retire at the end of this season. “I’m not retiring yet,” he said. Ovechkin has a year remaining on his contract and intends to honor it.

Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff got the 900th regular-season win of his career as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4. JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, while Flyers rookie winger Matvei Michkov scored twice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff is the fifth coach in NHL history to reach 900 wins, joining Scotty Bowman (1,244 wins), Joel Quenneville (969), Paul Maurice (916) and Barry Trotz (914).

The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on an overtime goal by Scott Laughton. Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies each had two assists for the Leafs, who finished atop the Atlantic Division with 108 points. Alex DeBrincat netted his 39th goal of the season for the Red Wings.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Carolina Hurricanes 7-5. Drake Batherson had two goals and an assist, Adam Gaudette scored twice, while Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and two assists for the Senators. Hurricanes rookie Skyler Brind’Amour (son of head coach Rod Brind’Amour) scored his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury but left in the second period after taking a stick to the face. Tkachuk later said it was for precautionary reasons and he’ll be ready to face the Maple Leafs when their series begins on Sunday evening.

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended their season with their sixth straight win by downing the New York Islanders 6-1. Jet Greaves made 36 saves in his fifth straight start while Adam Fantilli scored his 31st of the season for the Jackets, who finished two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Hudson Fasching scored for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets could’ve gone through the motions after their playoff hopes were dashed the night before. Instead, they were determined to end this season on a high note.

This team persevered through offseason tragedy and could be a playoff club next season if management addresses its roster weaknesses.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin ended his club’s season with a 27-save shutout performance in a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals for the Rangers. The Lightning finished second in the Atlantic Division with 102 points.

The Calgary Flames finished their season with a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Dan Vladar stopped 30 shots, Nazem Kadri scored twice to reach a career-high 35 goals, and Sam Morton and Zayne Parekh each scored in their NHL debuts for the Flames. Taylor Ward also scored in his first NHL game as his Kings finished second in the Pacific Division with 105 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league released the full schedule for the upcoming first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It begins on Saturday with the Winnipeg Jets facing off against the St. Louis and the Dallas Stars meeting the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link provided for the full schedule.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is this season’s winner of the Art Ross Trophy with a league-leading 121 points. It’s the second straight season he’s won the award and the third time since 2018-19. Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers won the Maurice Richard Trophy for the first time as the league’s leading goal-scorer with 52.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl was the only player to crack the 50-goal plateau this season. Seven others finished with over 40 goals.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Connor Bedard addressed rumors he wasn’t happy playing for the rebuilding Blackhawks.

“I’m a pretty mild-mannered guy and if I look a little sad on the bench or something, maybe people can take it out of context,” said Bedard. “I’ve said it so many times, I love being here and the city, the people.”

Bedard acknowledged that the club is rebuilding and it is sometimes frustrating as the losses pile up. However, he also cited the positivity around the team, especially with promising players like Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov joining the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks management will attempt to bolster the roster this summer around Bedard through trades and free agency. Nevertheless, their future lies with their youngsters.

Bedard had 67 points in 82 games despite the sometimes frustrating stretches of the season. Nazar steadily improved throughout this season. Moore, Rinzel and Levshunov showed potential in their brief appearances down the stretch.

BLACK N’ GOLD HOCKEY: cited The Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy reporting Bruins center Elias Lindholm said he suffered a back injury during training camp which contributed to his disappointing performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm played all 82 games for the Bruins but finished with 47 points.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed defenseman Neal Pionk to a six-year, $42 million contract extension. Pionk, 29, was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The average annual value of the contract is $7 million.

TSN: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini has committed to playing for Canada at the IIHF World Championships in May.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Jesse Puljujarvi received a two-game suspension by the department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee.

KSL SPORTS: Utah Hockey Club winger Michael Carcone expects to head to free agency on July 1. After meeting with management and coaching staff, he doesn’t expect to reach an agreement on a new contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2025

by | Apr 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2025

The Jets clinch the Presidents’ Trophy, the Blue Jackets and Flames remain alive in the playoff race, Nikita Kucherov is this season’s scoring champion and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets clinched the Presidents’ Trophy despite a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. It’s the first time in franchise history the Jets have won this award, sitting atop the overall standings with 114 points.

Corey Perry had a goal and an assist and Connor McDavid collected two assists for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 99 points. They will face the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Jets for winning their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. They will attempt to become the first team since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks to finish first overall and go on to win the Stanley Cup when the 2025 playoffs begin on Saturday.

Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg left this game after being struck on the left knee by a shot from McDavid. Jets coach Scott Arniel later said that he thinks Samberg will be okay. Meanwhile, the Jets are awaiting word on the status of winger Nikolaj Ehlers after suffering a foot injury against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

The Jets clinched because the Washington Capitals (109 points) lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Adam Fantilli scored two goals while Jet Greaves made 29 saves in his second straight start in as many days for the Jackets (85 points), who kept their playoff hopes alive by sitting three behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 43rd goal of the season and the 896th of his NHL career as his club will finish the season in first place in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets and Canadiens each have two games left. The latter can clinch that final wild card with a win in regulation, overtime or shootout against the Blackhawks on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames avoided elimination with a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Yegor Sharangovich tallied twice and Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the Flames (92 points), who sit two behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand. Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who are assured the best odds to win the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery with the worst record in the league. The lottery is expected to be on May 5 or 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames, Blues and Minnesota Wild play on Tuesday, with the latter two having played 81 games each. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Wild (95 points) need a point against the Anaheim Ducks to clinch a berth. The Blues (94 points) need a regulation win against the Utah Hockey Club to clinch. Calgary must defeat the Vegas Golden Knights and “get help”.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov will win the Art Ross Trophy as his club defeated the Buffalo Sabres 7-4. Kucherov scored two goals and added an assist, Jake Guentzel tallied twice, and Brandon Hagel had three assists for the Lighting, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Rasmus Dahlin picked up two assists for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 119 points, Kucherov will become the scoring champion for the second straight season and the third time since 2018-19. Nathan MacKinnon (116 points) finished second for the second consecutive year as his club’s regular-season schedule ended on Sunday. Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (106 points) sits third and Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (104) is fourth.

Speaking of the Lightning, they called up Conor Geekie with Oliver Bjorkstrand listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Sabres defenseman Owen Power missed this game with a lower-body injury and he’s not expected to play in their remaining two games.

The Colorado Avalanche scored four unanswered third-period goals to double up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Charlie Coyle had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche, who finished the season third in the Central Division with 102 points. Mason McTavish scored his 22nd goal for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche rested several key players during their final two games. Nathan MacKinnon is dealing with a minor undisclosed ailment while Ryan Lindgren, Jonathan Drouin and Josh Manson are nursing injuries. Cale Makar and Ross Colton also didn’t travel with the Avs on their final road trip of the regular season.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored his 399th NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Morgan Rielly collected three assists as the Leafs hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points. Sebastian Aho replied for the Hurricanes, who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 99 points.

An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. Stutzle finished the game with two goals and an assist for the Senators, who hold the first Easter wild card with 94 points. Garnet Hathaway had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin turned in a 25-save shutout in a 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. Bo Horvat scored for the Islanders. The Devils sit third in the Metro Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Paul Cotter has a hearing scheduled on Monday with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal check on Isles defenseman Adam Pelech.

The Boston Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1. Morgan Geekie scored for the fifth straight game while David Pastrnak collected two assists to extend his multi-point streak to five games. Rickard Rakell scored his 35th goal of the season for Pittsburgh.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Calvin de Haan isn’t happy with how the Rangers managed his playing time. Acquired at the trade deadline, he was a healthy scratch for the past 18 games.

When asked how he’s been treated by the Rangers during an optional practice on Sunday, de Haan didn’t mince words. “It’s f**ked,” he replied.

The Rangers informed the media that de Haan would speak with them at the end of the season. He took to social media to explain the situation, saying his brief remark was based in frustration over his lack of playing time. He also said he would’ve preferred a media scrum setting to chat about how his time with the Rangers has gone.

THE PROVINCE: Derek Forbort suffered a fractured orbital bone following a late punch by Minnesota Wild forward Yakov Trenin to the face of the Vancouver Canucks blueliner when he was lying defenseless on the ice following a fight between the two players on Saturday. Trenin will not face supplemental discipline.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Elmer Soderblom will miss their final three games of this season with an undisclosed injury.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild signed prospect defenseman Zeev Buium to a three-year entry-level contract. He was selected 12th overall by the Wild in last year’s draft.










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 1, 2025

by | Apr 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, and the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Tomas Hertl and more (no foolin’) in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on a shootout goal by Yegor Sharangovich. Cale Makar and Logan O’Connor gave Colorado a 2-0 lead but Calgary got third-period goals from Ryan Lomberg and Adam Klapka to tie the game. With 82 points, the Flames are five points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist for his 80th of the season and 110th point, regaining the lead in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. He also extended his home points streak to 25 games.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Jacob Markstrom stopped 27 shots for New Jersey and Jesper Bratt tallied the winning goal in the shootout. The Devils hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points. Vinnie Hinostroza and Matt Boldy replied for the Wild, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 88 points.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (NHL Images).

The Dallas Stars picked up their sixth straight win by defeating the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Wyatt Johnston scored for the fifth straight game and Casey DeSmith kicked out 35 shots for the Stars, who sit second in the Western Conference with 102 points. Kaapo Kakko scored for the Kraken.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period to give his club a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators. Rookie Matvei Michkov collected two assists as the Flyers got their third straight win under interim coach Brad Shaw. Zachary L’Heureux scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov has been on fire since Shaw took over behind the bench, tallying four goals and three assists for seven points. Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway returned to action after missing 15 games with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz, and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 30, 2025.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk had his first on-ice workout on Monday since being sidelined playing for Team USA in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. He’ll travel with the club on its final regular-season road trip as he continues working out with the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk could be ready to return for the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs on April 19.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Panthers, defenseman Niko Mikkola was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl will be unavailable for his club’s next four games with an upper-body injury. He’s been sidelined since March 23. Meanwhile, backup goaltender Ilya Samsonov is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed top prospect Ryan Leonard to an entry-level contract. He could make his NHL debut on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leonard is among several prospects signing entry-level deals with their NHL teams as the NCAA hockey season winds down. Others include Gabe Perreault signing with the New York Rangers, Matthew Wood joining the Nashville Predators, Jimmy Snuggerud moving on to the St. Louis Blues, and Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel signing with the Chicago Blackhawks.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Emil Bemstrom on waivers.

NHL.COM: On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings will honor long-time play-by-play announcer Nick Nickson with a pregame ceremony. Nickson is retiring after this season following 44 years of calling Kings games on radio and television. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

SPORTRAC: The NHL has agreed with Rogers Communication on a 12-year, USD $7.7 billion contract extension ($11 billion Cdn) beginning in 2026-27. The current 12-year, $5.2 billion deal expires at the end of next season. The league board of governors is expected to vote on the deal this week.

The league and Rogers declined to comment.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 26, 2025

by | Mar 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 26, 2025

The Jets clinch a playoff berth, Alex Ovechkin moves closer to the all-time goals record, Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Sabres coach Lindy Ruff reach notable career milestones, the Capitals re-sign Jakob Chychrun, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets became the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff berth as they defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 on an overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 shots for the Jets (102 points), who sit one point back of the league-leading Capitals. Washington captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 889th regular-season goal, putting him six away from breaking the all-time goal record held by Wayne Gretzky.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals signed defenseman Jakob Chychrun to an eight-year, $72-million contract extension earlier in the day. The average annual value is $9 million and is a considerable raise over his current AAV of 4.6 million.

Chychrun’s been a terrific addition to the Capitals blueline with 18 goals and a career-best 44-point performance (and counting) this season. The 26-year-old’s new contract reflects the cost of signing top-four defensemen with the salary cap projected to rise significantly in the coming years. It will affect comparable blueliners like Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard who are due for new contracts this summer.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists to pass the 100-point milestone in a 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Anthony Cirelli tallied twice for the Lightning as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 87 points. Bryan Rust replied for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov is the 21st player in NHL history to reach the 100-point plateau five times. It’s the most for a Russian-born player, with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin doing it four times and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin three times. Meanwhile, Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

Head coach Lindy Ruff collected his 600th regular-season win with the Buffalo Sabres as his club nipped the Ottawa Senator 3-2. Tage Thompson tallied the tie-breaker early in the third period for the Sabres. Brady Tkachuk and David Perron scored for the Senators, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff is the second coach in league history to have 600 wins with one franchise. Al Arbour holds the record (740) with the New York Islanders.

This was the first game between Buffalo and Ottawa since Dylan Cozens was shipped to the Senators for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker at the March 7 trade deadline. Bernard-Docker scored against his former club while Cozens picked up an assist. Norris has missed the Sabres’ last five games with an undisclosed injury.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel had a hat trick to beat the Minnesota Wild 5-1. Mark Stone and Noah Hanifin each had two assists for the Golden Knights, who have won four straight games and hold first place in the Pacific Division with 94 points. Marcus Johansson scored for the Wild, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore picked up an assist in his first game since Feb. 8. It was the 500th regular-season game of his career.

The St. Louis Blues got their seventh straight win with a 6-1 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Robert Thomas and Philip Broberg each had a goal and three assists as the Blues (83 points) maintained a four-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card berth. Nick Suzuki replied for the Canadiens, who cling to the final Eastern wild card (75 points) but are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are red hot and could overtake Minnesota for the first Western wild-card berth.

An overtime goal by Nazem Kadri gave the Calgary Flames a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. Kadri finished the night with two goals while Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato each had two assists as the Flames (79 points) remain four points behind the Blues.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala tallied two goals to defeat the New York Rangers 3-1, extending their franchise-best home points streak to 15 games. Darcy Kuemper stopped 22 shots for the Kings, who’ve won four straight and sit second in the Pacific Division with 89 points. J.T. Miller scored for the Rangers (74 points), who remain one point behind the Canadiens.

Toronto Maple Leafs forwards William Nylander and John Tavares each scored twice to crush the Philadelphia Flyers 7-2. Nylander reached the 40-goal plateau for the third consecutive season as the Leafs moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with 89 points. Ryan Poehling and Sean Couturier replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Florida Panthers also have 89 points, but the Leafs have the edge with 42 regulation plus overtime wins compared to the Panthers’ 38.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to extend his home points streak to 22 games in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Devon Toews had a goal and two assists to sit third in the Central Division with 91 points. J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist for the faltering Red Wings (72 points), who’ve dropped three of their last four to remain three points out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Petr Mrazek and Cam Talbot sidelined, the Wings recalled goalie Sebastian Cossa on an emergency basis to back up starter Alex Lyon.

The Nashville Predators upset the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1. Luke Evangelista scored twice and Juuse Saros turned aside 34 shots for the Predators. Taylor Hall scored for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty reported Monday that the Predators won’t release any information on sidelined Predators captain Roman Josi until after the season ends. “There is zero chance he plays any games the rest of this season.”

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The 2025 NHL Draft Lottery is expected to be held on May 5 or 6, depending on the playoff schedule.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson will miss the remainder of the regular season with an injured wrist.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2025

by | Jan 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, how the three-team trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes went down, the Islanders unveiled their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: A hat trick by Cole Perfetti powered the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club, snapping the latter’s three-game win streak. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists as the Jets (69 points) moved within three points of the league-leading Washington Capitals. Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton scored for Utah with team captain Clayton Keller picking up two assists.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a milestone game for Ehlers, becoming the first Dane in NHL history to reach the 500-point plateau.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored in overtime and collected two assists in regulation play to down the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel scored two unanswered goals as the Lightning overcame a 3-1 deficit. Frank Nazar and Louis Crevier each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Kucherov’s 100th career multi-point game. The win moved the Lightning into third place in the Atlantic Division with 55 points.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson tallied twice in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Wyatt Johnston, Matt Duchene and Evgenii Dadonov each collected two assists for the Stars, who moved ahead of the Minnesota Wild into second place in the Central Division with 61 points. Jack Eichel scored two goals for the Golden Knights, who’ve lost five of their last six games and cling to first place in the Pacific Division with 64 points.

The New York Islanders picked up their third straight win by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1. Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist while Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for the Islanders (47 points), who sit six points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers (50 points), who remain three points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders announced yesterday the signing of Tony DeAngelo to a one-year contract for the remainder of this season. This move suggests Isles blueliner Noah Dobson will be sidelined for the rest of the season. DeAngelo must first clear waivers before he can join the Islanders.

HEADLINES

The NHL world is still buzzing over Friday night’s blockbuster trade that saw the Colorado Avalanche ship Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal involving the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for trade details and my reaction. The Hurricanes also acquired prospect forward Nils Juntrop from the Blackhawks in the deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reports the Hurricanes may have been the only suitor for Rantanen given the Avalanche’s asking price. He revealed Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky was involved in trade talks with the Vancouver Canucks involving Elias Pettersson earlier this month and J.T. Miller earlier this week before shifting to Rantanen.

According to Johnston, the origins of this trade go back to last June when the Hurricanes were at an impasse in contract talks with Martin Necas. The Avalanche raised the issue at the time but a deal didn’t take place. The discussions resumed two months ago and eventually grew more serious.

League sources told Johnston that there were no advanced discussions with the Rantanen camp about a contract extension before the deal went down. The 28-year-old forward is UFA-eligible on July 1. Johnston claims Rantanen was blindsided by this move by the Avalanche.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Blackhawks brokered this deal between the Avalanche and Hurricanes. If Rantanen hits the open market on July 1, Friedman wouldn’t be surprised if the Blackhawks pursued him.

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak believes the Avalanche replaced Rantanen in the short term with a very good player in Necas. However, he noted that the 26-year-old lacks Rantanen’s track record of success, especially in the postseason.

Masisak also observed the move gave the Avalanche some salary-cap wiggle room for the rest of the regular season and possibly much more in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rantanen deal was the biggest in-season NHL trade in the salary-cap era since the Boston Bruins shipped Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks 20 years ago. It could open the floodgates to more creative moves involving big-name talent before the March 7 trade deadline. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

NHL.COM: The New York Islanders revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Friday.

The First Team comprises forwards Brock Nelson, John Tavares and Josh Bailey, defensemen Nick Leddy and Adam Pelech, and goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

The Second Team features forwards Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal and Frans Nielsen, defensemen Kenny Jonsson and Ryan Pulock, and goalie Semyon Varlamov.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Derek O’Brien cites reports from several Swedish media sources indicating Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson was defrauded by a Swedish real estate broker who is now in prison.

Pettersson lost the deposit on a luxury villa north of Stockholm that was revealed to have many flaws that required repairs. He successfully sued the broker to have the mortgage contract cancelled but it’s unlikely he’ll ever get the deposit back.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carolina Hurricanes winger William Carrier underwent surgery to repair a lower-body injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least two months.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Carrier is out for the season the Hurricanes could place him on long-term injury reserve and use the salary-cap savings to add another player before the trade deadline. He’s in the first season of a six-year contract with an AAV of $2 million.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Avalanche. He missed the Bruins’ 2-0 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday with a minor upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist was fined $2,000.00 for embellishment by the department of player safety.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Matt Murray and returned Dennis Hildeby to their AHL affiliate.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames assigned little-used defenseman Tyson Barrie to their AHL affiliate for conditioning. He’s appeared in nine games this season, the last being on Nov. 12.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres center Ryan McLeod is expected back in the lineup when his club faces the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. He missed the last three games with a nagging injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks signed center Colin White for the remainder of the season on a two-way contract. He began this season on a minor-league deal with their AHL affiliate.