The Leafs’ Auston Matthews tallies his 65th goal, Canucks forwards J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser reach personal scoring milestones, the three stars of the week are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his league-leading 65th goal of the season in a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jake McCabe scored in overtime with Matthews picking up the primary assist for the 45-23-9 Leafs as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 99 points. Rickard Rakell and Drew O’Connor replied for the Penguins (36-30-12) as they extended their points streak to nine games. With 84 points, they’re just outside the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is tied with Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin for the most goals in a single season in the salary-cap era. Meanwhile, the Penguins have the same amount of points as the Detroit Red Wings but the latter holds that wildcard berth with a game in hand.
The Vancouver Canucks overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. Conor Garland scored twice, J.T. Miller reached the 100-point plateau and Brock Boeser netted his 40th goal of the season for the Canucks (48-22-8) as they sit fifth in the overall standings with 104 points. Jack Eichel scored twice and Tomas Hertl collected an assist in his first game with the Golden Knights (42-27-8) as they hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller leads the Canucks in points. It’s the first time he’s reached 100 points. He fell one point short of the plateau in 2021-22. Boeser leads the Canucks in goals this season in what’s been a career-best performance for the 27-year-old winger.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending April 7, 2024.
ARIZONA SPORTS: The Mayor of Scottsdale, Arizona opposes the Coyotes’ plan to purchase a plot of land in North Phoenix for a new arena and entertainment complex. David Ortega believes the proposed arena would not be feasible on that 95-acre piece of land because of a lack of infrastructure. He also stated that Scottsdale water assets “are absolutely not available.”
The auction date for the land is scheduled for June 27 with a starting price of $68.5 million. Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo issued a statement last week emphasizing the team’s intent to win that auction.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev returned to practice yesterday in a non-contact jersey participating in offensive drills. He’s been sidelined since Feb. 7 after breaking the tibia and fibula in his left leg during a game against the New York Rangers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no timetable for Sergachev’s return. He’s not expected to be ready for the opening round of the playoffs.
TSN: Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe is currently listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury. However, he is expected to be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Colorado Avalanche forward Brandon Duhaime pranked former teammate Marc-Andre Fleury last week by “TPing” his vehicle. Fleury got his revenge on Duhaime this week by placing flowers and dirt on the bonnet of his vehicle, removing all four tires, and placing a “for sale” sign on the window.
The Panthers and Rangers extend their win streaks as they jockey for first place in the Eastern Conference, the league-leading Canucks drop their third straight game, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers regained sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-2 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators. Anton Lundell netted the winning goal while Brandon Montour had a goal and an assist for the 37-15-5 Panthers (78 points), who’ve won six straight games and sit two points back of the league-leading Vancouver Canucks. Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle replied for the 23-27-3 Senators as they overcame a 2-0 deficit.
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin kicked out 41 shots to backstop his club over the Dallas Stars 3-1, extending their win streak to eight games. Kaapo Kakko scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Rangers (37-16-3) as they sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 77 points, one behind the Panthers. Miro Heiskanen tallied for the 34-15-8 Stars, who sit in first place in the Central Division with 76 points.
The Vancouver Canucks lost their third straight game by falling 3-1 to the Colorado Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his season-opening home points streak to 27 games while Ryan Johansen tallied twice for the 35-18-4 Avalanche (74 points) as they sit second in the Central and two points back of the Stars. J.T. Miller scored for the slumping Canucks (37-15-6).
Winnipeg Jets forwards Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi each had three points in a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Laurent Brossoit stopped 36 shots as the Jets (34-15-5) sit third in the Central with 73 points. Marco Rossi netted two goals for the 26-24-6 Wild (58 points), as they remain two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.
The Nashville Predators defeated the Vegas Golden Knight 5-3. Kevin Lankinen got the win with 23 saves in his first start since Jan. 27 while Roman Josi collected two assists for the 29-25-2 Predators as they moved into a tie with the St. Louis Blues with 60 points. Adin Hill made 35 saves for the Golden Knights (32-18-6) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 70 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left this game with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition. Meanwhile, the Blues still hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with a game in hand.
New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech scored in overtime to lift his club to a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, who overcame a 4-2 deficit to force the extra period. Pelech, Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (23-18-14) as they sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 60 points. Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson picked up an assist for his 800th career NHL point for the 24-21-8 Penguins.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied two goals and added an assist to beat the New Jersey Devils 6-2. Connor McMichael also scored twice while Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists for the Capitals (25-21-8) as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 58 points. Alexander Holtz and Erik Haula replied for the 28-23-4 Devils (60 points), who are four points out of that Eastern wild-card spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Nic Dowd left in the first period with an upper-body injury and didn’t return. Before the game, the Devils placed goaltender Vitek Vanecek (lower body) on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 10 while activating defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler.
The Los Angeles Kings got two goals from Pierre-Luc Dubois as they cruised to a 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Quinton Byfield and Drew Doughty each had two points for the Kings (28-16-10) as they’ve won six of their last seven and hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 66 points. Adam Boqvist replied for the 17-27-10 Blue Jackets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson left in the third period with a lower-body injury.
HEADLINES
TORONTO SUN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the five-game suspension for Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly for high-sticking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig on Feb. 10.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly’s absence hasn’t hurt the Leafs as they’ve won four straight since his suspension.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed forward Michael Rasmussen to a four-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.2 million.
DAILY FACEOFF: The St. Louis Blues placed defensemen Justin Faulk and Scott Perunovich on injured reserve.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer but there’s no talk of the 26-year-old getting traded. After missing 21 months dealing with mental health issues, his comeback has sparked mutual interest in a contract extension.
DAILY FACEOFF: Chicago Blackhawks winger Zach Sanford and San Jose Sharks defenseman Jacob MacDonald were placed on waivers yesterday. Teams have until noon ET to claim them.
TSN: The AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack released former NHL forward Artem Anisimov from his professional tryout agreement in January. He had one goal and three assists in 18 games with the Wolf Pack.
THE MERCURY NEWS: Former San Jose Sharks captain Patrick Marleau is part of the Bay Sports Area Hall of Fame’s class of 2024. He will be inducted on May 6, becoming the second Sharks player to be honored, joining Owen Nolan.
Patrick Roy gets his first win as Islanders coach, Auston Matthews increases his lead in the goal-scoring race, the Oilers reportedly sign Corey Perry, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Patrick Roy picked up a win in his debut as head coach of the New York Islanders as they nipped the Dallas Stars 3-2 on an overtime goal by Bo Horvat, snapping a four-game losing skid. Mathew Barzal and Noah Dobson each collected two assists for the 20-15-11 Islanders (51 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Joe Pavelski had two assists for the Stars (27-13-6) as they sit third in the Central Division with 60 points.
New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unlike his predecessor, Roy is using analytics as one means of improving the Islanders. Before yesterday’s game, he pointed out that the club was at the bottom of the league in breakouts and puck possession in their zone and the offensive zone. Expect Roy to work on improving those aspects of the Isles’ game going forward.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his fifth goal in his last four games in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. With a league-leading 38 goals, Matthews has a five-goal lead over Florida’s Sam Reinhart. Ilya Samsonov made 16 saves for his first win since Dec. 9 as the Leafs (23-14-8) regained third place in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Jordan Eberle scored for the 19-18-9 Kraken (47 points), who’ve lost four straight games and sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.
A hat trick by Kirill Kaprizov powered the Minnesota Wild over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 5-2. Filip Gustavsson kicked out 40 shots while Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and two assists for the 20-21-5 Wild. Martin Necas and Michael Bunting replied for the Hurricanes (25-15-5) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 55 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov missed this game with an upper-body injury.
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon made 27 saves in a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Daniel Sprong’s tie-breaker in the second period held up as the winning goal for the 24-17-5 Red Wings, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 53 points. Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning (24-18-5) as they sit in the final Eastern wild-card berth with 53 points.
The New York Rangers scored four unanswered goals to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Chris Kreider had a goal and two assists for the Rangers (29-15-2) as they sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 60 points. Adam Henrique scored both goals for the 15-30-1 Ducks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin missed this game with an upper-body injury.
Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored two goals in a 5-3 upset of the Philadelphia Flyers. Shane Pinto collected an assist in his season debut with the Senators (17-24-1) following a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules. Egor Zamula scored twice for the 25-16-6 Flyers, who remain in second place in the Metro Division with 56 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Flyers winger Owen Tippett missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
HEADLINES
TSN: The Edmonton Oilers have reportedly reached an agreement with Corey Perry on a one-year, prorated contract that is expected to be officially announced on Monday. The contract also contains performance bonuses.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry’s contract with the Chicago Blackhawks was terminated on Nov. 30 for engaging in what was deemed unacceptable behavior that violated his standard player’s contract and the club’s code of conduct.
Perry recently received permission from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to speak with other clubs following treatment for alcohol abuse. He remains a highly-regarded forward who elevates his game in the postseason. His signing should provide an extra measure of leadership and playoff experience to the surging Oilers.
CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Flames winger Dillon Dube has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the Flames to attend to his mental health. He’s struggled to score this season with his last point coming against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 24.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Flames, defenseman Oliver Kylington is expected to practice with the club on Monday as he progresses toward returning to action for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Kylington has also been dealing with mental health issues.
The Sharks finally win a road game, Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton is sidelined indefinitely, and the three stars and the top rookie for November are announced. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks finally won their first road game of the season by upsetting the New Jersey Devils 6-3. Kaapo Kahkonen kicked out 44 shots, Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists while Anthony Duclair and Jacob MacDonald each tallied twice for 6-16-2 Sharks. Rookie defenseman Simon Nemec collected two assists in his first-ever NHL game while Akira Schmid gave up five goals on 17 shots as the Devils slipped to 11-10-1 on the season.
San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks remain at the bottom of the overall standings because of their horrific start (0-10-1) to this season. However, they’ve improved since general manager Mike Grier read them the riot act in early November, going 6-6-1 since Nov. 7.
Meanwhile, the Devils received some bad news before this game as defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Tomas Nosek will be sidelined indefinitely. Hamilton went under the knife to repair a torn left pectoral muscle while Nosek underwent surgery on his right foot.
Things didn’t get any better for the Devils as defenseman Brendan Smith received a two-game suspension from the league for slashing Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny on Nov. 30. Konecny was fined $5,000.00 for cross-checking Smith.
The Devils did get some good news, however, as winger Timo Meier returned to action against the Sharks after being sidelined for seven games with a lower-body injury. It was his first game against his former club since being traded to New Jersey in February and was held without a point in this contest.
Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merlikins stopped 41 shots as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Ottawa Senator 4-2. Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski each collected two assists while Adam Fantilli broke a 2-2 in the second period for the 8-13-4 Blue Jackets. Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux for the Senators (8-10-0), who sit four points back of the Blue Jackets at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 16 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are a mess, winning just four of their last 10 games and dropping their last three contests. Management has stuck by embattled head coach D.J. Smith but the calls for his firing from unhappy Senators fans are growing.
They’ve played about five fewer games than most of their rivals in the Eastern Conference. Nevertheless, they’re nine points out of the final wild-card berth. If things don’t improve soon, they’ll be too far back to catch up.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes are the league’s three stars for November 2023.
Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is the league’s top rookie for November 2023.
THE SCORE: Speaking of Bedard, he condemned a baseless social media rumor regarding a member of his family and former Blackhawks teammate Corey Perry.
“It’s just a bunch of BS on the internet,” said Bedard. “It’s, of course, been an effect on myself and my family, and that’s not fair. But’s it out of our control. It’s all just fake, made-up stuff.”
Bedard also touched on Perry’s contract termination for what the Blackhawks deemed unacceptable conduct. “Obviously, what happened with Perry was serious. I think the first concern is that he’s okay, and his family are.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard handled those questions very well. He appears to have a maturity beyond his years, certainly more than those who started that disgusting rumor or those who spread it around like manure.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens yesterday signed goaltender Sam Montembeault to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.15 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: An affordable move by the Canadiens to lock down their best goalie. The 27-year-old Montembeault could’ve opted to test the unrestricted free-agent market in July but he wanted to stay in Montreal and play for the Habs.
A short-term deal such as this should provide cost-effective stability between the pipes for the rebuilding Canadiens. While some have suggested this contract could boost Montembeault’s trade value, I think Jake Allen or Cayden Primeau are the more likely trade candidates.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they put Primeau on waivers with the intent of sending him to their AHL affiliate in Laval. While there’s a risk another club could claim him, they cannot continue carrying three goalies for much longer. If they’re not peddling Montembeault or Allen, they must trade Primeau or send him back to the farm.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin yesterday shared the news that he and his wife Kenzie, who were expecting their first child, have lost the baby. Larkin had been out of the lineup for the past two games to be with Kenzie during this time.
The Larkins were married in August. They were expecting a girl in April. Dylan is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to the Larkins.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz could be sidelined for six weeks with an upper-body injury.
DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Alex Carrier is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
CALGARY SUN: Oliver Kylington skated with a handful of his Flames teammates on Friday. He remains on a personal leave of absence from the club since the start of last season dealing with mental health challenges. There is no timetable for his return.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Kylington and here’s hoping he makes a full recovery.
Marc-Andre Fleury ponders his future, sale of the Senators receives league approval, plus the latest on Logan Couture, Robin Lehner, Max Pacioretty and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
STARTRIBUNE.COM: Marc-Andre Fleury is entering his 20th NHL season but hasn’t decided yet if it will be his last. The 38-year-old Minnesota Wild goaltender is in the final season of his contract and said he’ll play out this campaign before evaluating if he’ll continue his playing career.
Fleury has 544 career wins. He needs just eight more victories to pass Patrick Roy for second place on the all-time wins list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s hard to believe sometimes that Fleury’s been in the NHL this long. I told one of my social media followers that it seemed like I was watching him play in the QMJHL with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles yesterday. That was over 20 years ago.
OTTAWA SUN: The sale of the Ottawa Senators to billionaire Michael Andlauer finally received formal approval from the NHL Board of Governors yesterday. At $950 million dollars, it’s the highest price ever paid to purchase an NHL franchise.
Following the purchase, Andlauer released an open letter to Senators fans stating that his goal is to bring the Stanley Cup to Ottawa. He also sought to assure them about the club’s future under his ownership. “My partners and I may be the team owners on paper, but this team truly belongs to Ottawa-Gatineau,” he wrote. “I promise to take care of your team with the utmost respect, integrity and care both on and off the ice.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The late Eugene Melnyk deserves credit for rescuing the Senators nearly 20 years ago (with the help of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman) and keeping them in Ottawa at a time when the franchise was bankrupt and on the verge of relocation. Nevertheless, Melnyk’s mercurial style and front-office meddling generated uncertainty and concern among Senators fans over the quality of the on-ice product and the club’s future in Ottawa.
A new era has begun for the Senators. Andlauer was a minority owner of the Montreal Canadiens before purchasing the Sens. He knows the league, understands the business of hockey, and appears determined to bring stability to this franchise and a winning product on the ice. He still has to navigate toward the construction of a new downtown arena but the odds appear better under his stewardship than they were during the final years of Melnyk’s tenure.
Speaking of the Senators, center Josh Norris downplayed concern regarding a minor shoulder ailment that saw him start training camp with a yellow non-contact jersey. “I think they’re looking out for me and I totally get it,” said Norris, who missed all but eight games last season to shoulder surgery. He said he didn’t want to be in that jersey but acknowledged it was probably the best thing to take precautions and be ready for the start of the season.
SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The rebuilding Sharks got bad news as team captain Logan Couture will miss the start of training camp. He’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury that he suffered during offseason training.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no timeline for Couture’s return. It’s uncertain if he’ll be ready for the club’s season debut on Oct. 12.
DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner remains sidelined indefinitely and will start the season on long-term injured reserve. He missed all of last season recovering from hip surgery.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reports also indicated that some wonder if Lehner will ever play again. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $5 million.
WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of uncertain injury recovery timelines, Capitals winger Max Pacioretty has “no concrete timetable yet” for when he’ll join his new club. The 34-year-old winger played only five games last season with the Carolina Hurricanes as he was twice sidelined by a torn right Achilles tendon. He signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Capitals this summer as a free agent.
THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams continues to work on getting young defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power under contract extensions before the start of this season. The two sides appear to be closing in on deals following a week of intense negotiations.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dahlin and Power are the linchpins of the rebuilding Sabres’ blueline. It’s not surprising that Adams hopes to sign the two defensemen to long-term contracts with average annual values that could become team-friendly over the course of their playing prime.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Sabres, promising forward Matt Savoie is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during a prospects tournament game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks opened training camp missing three of their young core players. Center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale are still without new contracts as negotiations continue with management. Meanwhile, forward Mason MacTavish was dealing with a muscle spasm.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacTavish could rejoin his teammates as early as today. It’s uncertain as to when Zegras and Drysdale will be under contract. Reports from earlier this week claimed there’s a “wide gap” between them and management over what their new deals will look like.
THE DENVER POST: Valeri Nichushkin has rejoined his Colorado Avalanche teammates for the first time since taking a leave of absence from the club during their first-round series against the Seattle Kraken in April. The 28-year-old winger was welcomed back by his teammates “with open arms”.
Nichushkin’s departure was the result of an incident in Seattle in which a team doctor found an intoxicated woman in the winger’s hotel room and called an ambulance, according to a police report. He was not disciplined over the incident by the team or the league and faced no charges over the incident.
“I know you guys want to find something there, but it’s nothing really interesting,” Nichushkin told the media. “I think we should close it. It’s a new season right now. We have to focus on that.” He said that his extended absence from the Avs was due to a “family reason.”
CALGARY SUN: Oliver Kylington missed the start of Flames training camp without indicating when he’ll return to action. The 26-year-old defenseman missed all of last season to focus on his mental health. It was expected that he would rejoin his teammates this season after arriving in Calgary last week.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kylington talked about his mental health during an interview this summer. He said he was looking forward to joining his Flames teammates this season. Here’s hoping he continues to get the help he needs to deal with this issue.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sticking with the Flames, Nikita Zadorov has openly opposed his home country’s invasion of Ukraine. The Russian defenseman is the sole NHLer among his countrymen to speak out against the invasion. He said he’s aware of the consequences he might face but claimed there are “a lot of people who have the same view as me in Russia.”
NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders winger Oliver Wahlstrom skated with the Islanders for the first time since suffering a season-ending lower-body injury last December. Defenseman Alex Romanov also joined his teammates, dispelling concerns that he might miss the start of training camp rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery.
TSN: Vancouver Canucks winger Ilya Mikheyev left training camp for personal reasons. He’s been sidelined since January with a knee injury and underwent surgery the following month.
SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Chris Wideman is sidelined indefinitely with a back injury.
The Flames’ Oliver Kylington opens up about his mental health struggles, Sam Montembeault receives reassurance from Canadiens management, the Hurricanes sign Caleb Jones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington explained to a Swedish news outlet about why he missed the 2022-23 season, saying he had to prioritize his mental health.
Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington (NHL Images).
Kylington, 26, said he went through “a challenging year”, dealing with escalating family issues that took a toll mentally and psychologically. “I needed to face these problems we had as a family and today I am incredibly grateful for this journey I started and then had to finish,” he said.
A skilled mobile defenseman, Kylington is training for the coming 2023-24 season. He said that he’s now feeling “absolutely fantastic” and is looking forward to rejoining the Flames. General manager Craig Conroy said that his return would be “a very big thing for us.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mental well-being is every bit as important as one’s physical health. It sounds like Kylington had plenty of support which will continue as he resumes his NHL career.
TVA SPORTS: The Montreal Canadiens’ acquisition of Casey DeSmith on Sunday raised questions about Sam Montembeault’s role with the club. However, the 26-year-old goaltender said he received assurances through his agent from GM Kent Hughes not to worry. Montembeault was pleased that Hughes took the time to do that.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes has yet to meet with the media regarding his role in the Erik Karlsson three-team trade. The acquisition of DeSmith in that deal sparked speculation that the Canadiens could shop Montembeault or Jake Allen or flip him to another team before training camp opens in September.
TSN: The Carolina Hurricanes signed defenseman Caleb Jones to a one-year, $775K contract. Jones, 26, played 73 games last season with the Chicago Blackhawks.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: IndyCar driver Zach Claman DeMelo took to social media accusing Red Wings forward Daniel Sprong of assaulting him in a nightclub during the week of the Detroit Grand Prix.
DeMelo has not indicated if he’ll file criminal charges. Sprong, 26, signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Red Wings after scoring a career-high 21 goals last season with the Seattle Kraken.
THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres hired former NHL defenseman Zach Redmond as a development coach. He played 133 games over six seasons (2012-13 to 2017-18) with the Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and the Sabres and spent the past three seasons in Germany with Munich EHC.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) formally announced they will ban fighting from their games starting this season. Players who engaged in a fight will be immediately ejected from the game. An instigator will receive an automatic one-game suspension while an aggressor will automatically receive a two-game suspension. An automatic game suspension is imposed with a player’s second fight of the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers believe this will be another step in the path to eradicating fights from the game of hockey. Critics think this will lead to a rise in dirty play like spearing, slashing, slew-footing, blindside hits and butt-ending.
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