NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2023

by | Dec 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2023

A milestone game for the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, the league and NHLPA investigate a breach in treatment protocol for Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki, and the Avalanche trade Tomas Tatar to the Kraken. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored two goals in a 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Jonathan Quick made 29 saves while Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox each picked up two assists for the Rangers (20-7-1) as they sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division and second overall in the Eastern Conference with 41 points. Lukas Dostal made 34 saves for the Ducks (10-19-0) as they’ve lost five straight games and nine of their last ten.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Kreider as he surpassed Adam Graves to move into third place among the Rangers’ all-time goalscoring leaders with 281. He also tied Graves for fourth on their all-time list for power-play goals (100) and surpassed the 500-point mark (501). He’s just seven points away from surpassing Graves for tenth place among the Blueshirts in total points.

The Boston Bruins defeated the New York Islanders 5-4 on a shootout goal by David Pastrnak, who also had a goal and an assist in regulation time. James van Riemsdyk and Morgan Geekie also each scored and collected an assist for the 19-5-4 Bruins, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 42 points. Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists while Mathew Barzal set up two goals for the Islanders (14-7-8), who sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders announced that defenseman Scott Mayfield (upper body) was placed on injured reserve before this game.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-2 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Casey Mittelstadt scored twice and collected an assist while Dylan Cozens had a goal and two assists for the 13-15-3 Sabres. Ivan Barbashev and Jack Eichel replied for the Golden Knights (20-6-5) as they held a three-point lead over the Bruins for first place in the overall standings with 45 points.

An overtime goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators over the Carolina Hurricanes 6-5. Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly each had a goal and two assists for the Predators (17-13-0), who’ve won three straight games and hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 34 points. Martin Necas and Stefan Noesen each had a goal and an assist for the 16-12-2 Hurricanes as they cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 34 points.

The Dallas Stars overcame a 4-2 deficit in a 5-4 win over the Ottawa Senators. Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist while Scott Wedgewood made 25 saves as the Stars improved to 17-8-3 and sit in second place in the Central Division with 37 points. Drake Batherson scored two goals and Jakob Chychrun picked up three assists for the 11-14-0 Senators, who have dropped seven of their last 10 games and remain mired in last place in the Eastern Conference with 11 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars goalie Jake Oettinger started this game but left just eight minutes into the first period with a lower-body injury. He will not be traveling with his team to St. Louis for Saturday’s game against the Blues.

Meanwhile, Senators winger Vladimir Tarasenko missed this game due to a family matter. Teammate Mathieu Joseph suffered a lower-body injury early in the first period and didn’t return.

Arizona Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram made 21 saves to shut out the San Jose Sharks 1-0. Mattias Maccelli scored for the Coyotes (14-13-2) as they regained the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 30 points. Kaapo Kahkonen turned aside 23 shots for the 9-18-3 Sharks.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli cited sources indicating the NHL and NHL Players Association are investigating a gap in treatment protocol as defenseman Juuso Valimaki was left in a Dallas hospital without care for hours last month after suffering a serious facial injury during a game against the Stars on Nov. 14.

According to Seravalli’s sources, Valimaki was dropped off at the emergency room and left to advocate for his own care with his wife Vilma (who was traveling with him during that road game) and a Coyotes employee. After initial observation, the overworked Dallas hospital told Valimaki to find a local hotel and return the next day as they were treating more critical incoming trauma patients.

Valimaki, however, required immediate treatment. With a bloodied face, a hole in his mouth, and internal bleeding, he was unable to function. Doctors later said he might have asphyxiated in his sleep on his blood had he gone to the hotel as instructed. Five hours later after the NHLPA stepped in, Valimaki received 55 stitches in his mouth to close the wound, which included a fractured bone and the loss of three teeth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli’s story indicates it was Valimaki’s wife who called the NHLPA after her husband spent an hour in the emergency room without care. It was two hours later when his face and wound were finally cleaned, another hour before he was admitted to the hospital for surgery to close the wound in his mouth and another 12 hours before he received surgery to repair the fractured bone in his mouth and realign his remaining teeth.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW/THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Avalanche traded winger Tomas Tatar on Friday to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tatar, 33, signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract this summer with the Avalanche. He struggled to mesh with his new club, tallying one goal and nine points in 27 games. The move frees up cap space for the Avalanche if they wish to make another move later in the season.

The Kraken, meanwhile, are struggling to score this season. Pressed for cap space, they hope Tatar (a former six-time 20-plus goal scorer) can regain his form in Seattle.

THE PROVINCE/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Vancouver Canucks traded forward Jack Studnicka to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Nick Cicek and a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In what could be a related move, the Sharks also placed forward Nico Sturm on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Sam Carchidi reports Flyers general manager Daniel Briere doesn’t intend to be a buyer before this season’s NHL trade deadline. While the club is exceeding expectations, Briere doesn’t intend to mortgage the future just to sneak into the playoffs.

Briere would love for the Flyers to reach the postseason. However, he still believes his club should stockpile draft picks rather than trade those assets for rental players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if Briere becomes a seller by the March 8 deadline if the Flyers are still holding a playoff berth by then. He could stand pat rather than shop his own pending unrestricted free agents such as Sean Walker and Nick Seeler.

Both defensemen have reportedly drawn lots of interest in the trade market. Briere could still move one or both by March 8 for the right offer.

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine is expected to miss six weeks as he recovers from a fractured clavicle suffered during Thursday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine has been plagued by injuries over the past three seasons. He’s recently surfaced in media trade conjecture though there’s no indication he wants to be moved or that the Blue Jackets are shopping him. If he was available in the trade market, his injury history would hurt his value.

CBS SPORTS: The Los Angeles Kings placed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (lower body) in injured reserve. He’s listed as week-to-week.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Kings, backup goalie Pheonix Copley left practice on Friday with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have reportedly called up David Rittich.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers to send him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2023

by | Dec 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2023

Lightning stars Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov enjoy milestone performances, the Blue Jackets beat the Leafs after blowing a huge lead, the Canucks honor Roberto Luongo, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos enjoyed his first-ever four-goal game while Nikita Kucherov becomes the first player this season to reach 50 points in a 7-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 53 shots as the Lightning (14-12-5) sit just outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 33 points. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had three points and Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist for the 13-13-1 Oilers as their win streak ended at eight games.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 40 points, McDavid now sits 10 behind Kucherov in the scoring race while his Oilers (27 points) are two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Meanwhile, Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a 5-0 lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs but prevailed 6-5 on an overtime goal by Kent Johnson, who finished the night with two goals and an assist. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 43 shots for the 10-16-5 Blue Jackets as he returned to action after missing three games to an illness. Auston Matthews scored twice and added an assist while Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (15-6-6) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets seemed to be cruising to an easy victory entering the third period but the Leafs made it interesting with a five-goal rally. It was a costly win for the Jackets as winger Patrik Laine left this game favoring his left shoulder. Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves departed with a lower-body injury.

After inducting Hall-of-Famer Roberto Luongo into their Ring of Honour, the Vancouver Canucks blanked the Florida Panthers 4-0. Thatcher Demko turned in a 36-save shutout while Dakota Joshua tallied twice for the Canucks, who became the second team to reach 20 wins (41 points) this season and second overall in the Western Conference. The Panthers (17-10-2) sit third in the Atlantic Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko and his Canucks teammates are starting to look like the squad that Luongo backstopped to five division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies and a run to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final from 2008-09 to 2012-13.

A shootout goal by Bobby Brink gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Owen Tippett scored the game-tying goal late in the third period while Morgan Frost collected two points as the Flyers improved to 16-10-3 to sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 35 points. Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome each had a goal and an assist as the Capitals slipped to 14-8-4 (32 points) to sit one point out of an Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov missed this game due to an illness.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. Jordan Staal netted the game-winning goal in the second period while Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 25 shots for the Hurricanes (16-12-1), who hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 33 points based on wins. Ville Husso made 37 saves for the 15-10-4 Red Wings as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 34 points.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy’s shootout goal gave his club a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Boldy also scored in regulation while Filip Gustavsson turned aside 35 shots for the win as the Wild improved to 11-12-4 (26 points), sitting three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Yegor Sharangovich had a goal and an assist for the Flames (11-14-5) as they sit two points out of a wild-card spot in the West with 27 points.

The St. Louis Blues doubled up the Ottawa Senators 4-2 in their first game under interim head coach Drew Bannister. Robert Thomas scored twice and set up another while Jordan Binnington made 32 saves as the Blues (14-14-1) snapped a four-game losing skid to move into the final Western wild-card spot with 29 points. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 26 shots for the Senators (11-13-0), who remain in last place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Blues forward Jordan Kyrou was asked about the firing of now-former head coach Craig Berube. “I’ve got no comment. He’s not my coach anymore,” said Kyrou.

Those remarks didn’t sit well with Blues fans as they booed Kyrou during this game. He was visibly upset afterward, saying he respected Berube and was only trying to say that he was focusing on his future and helping the team win. Overcome by emotion, Kyrou said, “I love playing here, so it’s tough hearing the fans boo me.”

Speaking of coaching changes, one wonders how much longer the Senators front office will remain patient with bench boss D.J. Smith as the losses mount and another season starts to slip away.

The Seattle Kraken thumped the Chicago Blackhawks 7-1, ending Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard’s 10-game road points streak. Kailer Yamamoto tallied twice while Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and two assists for the 10-14-7 Kraken, who also sit just outside the final Western wild-card spot with 27 points. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, remain mired in last place in the overall standings a record of 9-19-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kraken indicated goaltender Philipp Grubauer is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin was the focus of an investigation following a human resources complaint by a team employee alleging verbal abuse in the workplace.

The alleged incident took place in late November. Two team sources claim the investigation is completed and determined Guerin did not commit a fireable offense.

The Wild aren’t commenting on the matter but released a statement indicating they conducted two separate investigations into alleged violations of their code of conduct and took appropriate steps to address those issues. This news comes a day after the club and assistant general manager Chris O’Hearn “mutually agreed to part ways”. Team sources say it was coincidental that the two investigations were concluded almost simultaneously.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said he and league commissioner Gary Bettman had been briefed about the investigations and were satisfied with the results.

SPORTSNET: Oilers winger Zach Hyman is calling for the eradication of antisemitism. Hyman is Jewish and the grandson of Holocaust survivors. “We live in Canada, in the US, where these things (antisemitism) shouldn’t be happening. And we can’t turn a blind eye to it,” he said. “Being a Jewish person doesn’t feel comfortable right now, and that’s a scary feeling.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No one should be the target of hate because of their religion. Freedom of religion is among the rights guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Jeff Skinner (upper body) on injured reserve.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Pavel Zacha were placed on injured reserve.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (undisclosed injury) will be a game-day decision for Friday’s matchup against the San Jose Sharks. Sean Durzi (lower body) has missed the last two games and is doubtful to face the Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 13, 2023

by | Dec 13, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 13, 2023

An update on the Flames’ Chris Tanev, the latest on the Blue Jackets and Sharks, Ethan Bear could sign with the Capitals, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATE ON CHRIS TANEV

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Calgary Flames have told teams they’re not ready yet to trade Chris Tanev. They’ve told them to be patient as they want to see how the trade market plays out. If Tanev’s value right now is a second-round pick, perhaps that could rise to a first-rounder as interest continues to build for the gritty 33-year-old blueliner.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has Tanev at the top of his list as he seeks help for his injury-depleted blueline. The Vancouver Canucks have also “kicked tires”.

Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tanev is currently listed as day-to-day following an injury suffered on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche. That’s unlikely to hurt his value in the trade market unless he ends up sidelined longer than expected.

Treliving is the former GM of the Flames so he knows how valuable Tanev would be to his defense corps. Whether he can land the rugged rearguard remains to be seen if more clubs start showing interest in him.

LATEST FROM GARRIOCH’S “INSIDER TRADING”

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the talk around NHL circles is there could be changes coming to the Columbus Blue Jackets front office if things don’t improve soon. It’s believed the heat has been turned up on president of hockey operations John Davidson and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen as ownership grows impatient over the club’s poor performance this season.

There’s been talk that Patrik Laine could be traded but the struggling Blue Jackets winger hasn’t asked to be moved. He’s signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $8.7 million. Unless the Jackets agree to retain part of that cap hit he’s not going anywhere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen’s in his 11th season as Jackets general manager. During his tenure, they’ve reached the playoffs five times but things have gone off the rails in recent years. Barring a miraculous turnaround they’re going to miss the postseason for the fourth straight year. As Garrioch observes, it’s only a matter of time until there’s a change in management.

Laine’s contract is difficult to move during a season when most teams have limited cap space. He would draw more interest if he were scoring at the same pace as earlier in his career.

If the Jackets were to shop Laine, it would have to be an offseason trade when clubs have more cap space to work with. Even then, the Jackets could face retaining part of his salary to make it work.

Mike Hoffman could be an attractive option for clubs seeking scorers near the March 8 trade deadline. The San Jose Sharks winger has eight goals and 11 points in 27 games. Other potential Sharks trade bait include forwards Anthony Duclair, Alexander Barabanov and Kevin Labanc.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All four are slated to become unrestricted free agents next July.

The Carolina Hurricanes are among several clubs in the market for a goaltender. It’s also believed the Seattle Kraken, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres, and Toronto Maple Leafs have been calling around for help between the pipes. Garrioch suggests they call the Montreal Canadiens as they’re taking calls on Jake Allen and Cayden Primeau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have been carrying three goalies since the start of the season. They recently re-signed Sam Montembeault so he’s not going anywhere. General manager Kent Hughes has a reputation for being patient in the trade market so it could be a while until he find a suitable offer that prompts him to part with Allen or Primeau.

REPORT: BEAR TO SIGN WITH CAPITALS

TSN: Chris Johnston reported that is appears free-agent defenseman Ethan Bear will sign a two-year contract with the Washington Capitals that could be worth around $2 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston said the final details were still being ironed out. Perhaps we’ll get an announcement as early as today.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 10, 2023

by | Dec 10, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 10, 2023

Questions about the futures of the Ducks’ Trevor Zegras and the Blue Jackets’ Patrik Laine, trade speculation regarding several Flyers defensemen and the Canucks’ Andrei Kuzmenko and growing interest in free-agent blueliner Ethan Bear. Details and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR ZEGRAS AND LAINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek took note of the Anaheim Ducks’ collapse in the standings following their strong start to the season. Among the few bright spots is the solid performance of rookie center Leo Carlsson in limited action.

Should the Ducks end up winning the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery and select prospect center Macklin Celebrini, Duhatschek wondered if they would consider moving Trevor Zegras. The 22-year-old center has been on injured reserve since Nov. 10 with a lower-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

The Ducks already have Carlsson and Mason McTavish who are projected to become first-line centers. If they land Celebrini, where would that leave Zegras?

Turning to the floundering Columbus Blue Jackets, Duhatschek singled out Patrik Laine’s sometimes disinterested play this season. He acknowledged the 25-year-old forward was sidelined for several games by a concussion earlier in this campaign but noted he wasn’t playing well before he got hurt.

Laine appears to be lacking confidence in his game. Duhatschek wondered if landing in Washington as the potential successor to Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin might be the change of venue he needs to regain his scoring touch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duhatschek isn’t saying that Zegras or Laine will be traded but he does raise interesting questions about the two forwards.

Zegras was considered the Ducks’ Golden Boy, a highly-skilled scorer whose dazzling feats made him a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2021-22 while earning him a trip to that season’s All-Star Game. He has two straight 60-plus point seasons under his belt before 2023-24 but his sophomore campaign was still considered a disappointment.

His contract negotiations dragged on through training camp and preseason before reaching an agreement on a three-year bridge deal on Oct. 2. That cost him valuable prep time for this season and likely contributed to his current injury.

If the Ducks land Celebrini in next year’s draft perhaps they would consider moving Zegras but they could simply shift him to the wing or do the same with McTavish or Carlsson. That doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t listen to offers for Zegras, especially with the salary cap projected to jump by $4.2 million next season, making his $5.75 million cap hit through 2025-26 easier to move. Still, I think they’ll stay patient and see how things turn out regardless of what might happen in next year’s draft lottery.

Laine, meanwhile, was expected to provide the Blue Jackets with badly-needed scoring punch following his acquisition from the Winnipeg Jets in 2021. Despite injuries, he had 56 points in as many games in 2021-22 and 52 points last season in 55 contests. This season, however, Laine seems to have lost his competitive fire.

With an average annual value of $8.7 million through 2025-26 and a 10-team no-trade clause, Laine won’t be easy to move during this season. Given the anticipated increase in the cap for next season, that could be a move to consider for next summer when teams will have more cap space to work with and perhaps a willingness to take a chance on Laine.

RUMORS FROM SATURDAY’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: During Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman expressed his belief that at least one team contacted the Philadelphia Flyers asking about the defense pair of Sean Walker and Nick Seeler to see if they’d be interested in dealing them together when the time comes. He indicated the Flyers are playing well right now and aren’t in any rush to make moves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Toronto Maple Leafs recently looked into acquiring Nikita Zadorov and Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames but that fell apart over how much of their salaries the Flames were willing to retain Zadorov was subsequently traded to the Vancouver Canucks. Perhaps Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has shifted his focus toward the City of Brotherly Love.

Walker and Seeler have surfaced in the rumor mill in recent weeks. They’re not the only Flyers defensemen to be mentioned as trade candidates. Philly Hockey Now’s Jonathan Bailey pointed out that TSN had Walker and Seeler at Nos. 6 and 7 on their latest Top-20 Trade Bait list along with Rasmus Ristolainen at No. 15.

Bailey pointed out that Ristolainen is the only one on TSN’s list with three or more years remaining on his contract beyond this season. I don’t doubt that the Flyers would like to move his contract but that could be a deal made in the offseason depending on his performance this season. Walker and Seeler, on the other hand, will be much easier to move before the March 8 trade deadline given their affordable salaries and free-agent status next July.

Friedman also reported there’s an “emerging situation” with Vancouver Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko. He’s been playing under 15 minutes per game in five of his last six games and has been sat twice. Other teams have called the Canucks to inquire about the 27-year-old’s status.

The Canucks are always looking to clear salary-cap room. Kuzmenko carries a $5.5 million average annual value through 2024-25 with a 12-team no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzmenko was a big hit with the Canucks in his first NHL season, scoring 39 goals and 74 points in 2022-23. He currently has just four goals and 15 points in 25 games as he seems to be in head coach Rick Tocchet’s doghouse.

There was talk of the Canucks peddling Brock Boeser or Conor Garland in cost-cutting deals going back to 2022-23 but those rumors have died away this season. Perhaps they’d consider moving Kuzmenko for a more affordable forward or defenseman who would be a better fit within Tocchet’s system.

Friedman reported Ethan Bear could be getting close to picking a team to play for this season. It’s believed the Washington Capitals have made a strong bid for the 25-year-old free-agent defenseman’s services. Friedman had felt the Vancouver Canucks might bring him back but other clubs have a salary cap advantage over them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A couple of days ago, The Province’s Patrick Johnston reported Bear’s agent claimed at least four clubs were interested in his client. The Canucks were among them but Johnston also noted their salary-cap constraints.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2023

by | Dec 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2023

The Kings tie a season-opening win record, the Hughes brothers face off for the first time, plus updates on the 2024 draft, international tournaments and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings tied the league’s season-opening road win streak at 10 games by overcoming a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Drew Doughty scored in overtime while Phillip Danault tallied twice as the Kings improved their record to 15-4-3. Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist as the Blue Jackets sank to 8-14-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine missed this game due to illness.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and Devils center Jack Hughes (NHL.com).

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes and defenseman Luke Hughes came out on top against Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes with a 6-5 victory. Jack had a goal and two assists while Luke scored a goal as Jesper Bratt opened and closed the scoring for the Devils (12-10-1). Quinn collected two assists while J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists and Brock Boeser netted his league-leading 18th goal as the Canucks (16-9-1) overcame a 5-2 deficit to tie the game before Bratt won it in the dying seconds of regulation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first NHL game to feature all three Hughes brothers.

The Ottawa Senators upset the New York Rangers 6-2. Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, Brady Tkachuk scored twice and Drake Batherson had a goal and two assists for the 10-10-0 Senators, who remain in last place in the Eastern Conference with 20 points. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (18-5-1), who sit in first place in the Conference with 37 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Senators learned that defenseman Thomas Chabot has been sidelined by a knee injury. An update on his status is expected on Wednesday. During the game, Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow was struck in the face by a puck in the first period and didn’t return. It appears he lost a couple of teeth.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin netted two goals in a 5-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (14-7-3) as they picked up their third straight win. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for the slumping Sabres (10-14-2) as they’ve dropped four straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo center Tage Thompson collected an assist as he returned to the lineup from an injured left arm a week ahead of schedule. The Sabres also placed forwards Alex Tuch (lower body) and Jordan Greenway (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled goaltender Devon Levi from their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

The San Jose Sharks overcame a three-goal deficit to upset the New York Islanders 5-4 on an overtime goal by William Eklund. Tomas Hertl tallied a hat trick while Eklund finished with three points for the Sharks (7-17-2) as they moved out of the bottom of the Conference standings with 16 points. Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom each had two assists while Mike Reilly had a goal and an assist for the 10-7-7 Islanders.

A shootout goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Ryan O’Reilly netted his 12th of the season as the Predators improved to 13-12-0. Nick Foligno scored twice and collected an assist while Connor Bedard netted his first-ever NHL shootout goal but the Blackhawks dropped to 7-16-1 and sit last in the overall standings with 15 points.

The Minnesota Wild picked up their fourth straight win under new head coach John Hynes by dousing the Calgary Flames 5-2. Matt Boldy scored twice and set up another, Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist while Mats Zuccarello picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games for the 9-10-4 Wild. Mikael Backlund and Connor Zary replied for the 10-12-3 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames played without goaltender Jacob Markstrom as he’s sidelined week-to-week with a fractured finger. The club recalled Dustin Wolf yesterday from the AHL affiliate.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Jonathan Drouin also had two assists as the Avalanche (16-7-2) remain on top of the Central Division with 34 points. Sam Carrick and Leo Carlsson scored for the Ducks as they slid to 10-15-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon also picked up his 500th career assist, joining Joe Sakic, Peter Stastny and Peter Forsberg as the only players in franchise history to reach that plateau. Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a big hit by Ducks forward Max Jones.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expressed concerns about the delays in the construction of an arena for the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics following the league’s two-day Board of Governors meetings in Seattle. He noted that construction had not yet begun on the venue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s December 2023. The venue is reportedly expected to be completed by the end of 2025. It seems like Bettman’s already looking for an excuse not to participate in the 2026 Games.

NHL.COM: The league continues to work on its plans to stage a four-team international tournament involving NHL players in 2025. Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland are expected to be the four countries taking part.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 2016 World Cup of Hockey had a Team Europe (consisting of NHL stars from other European nations) and Team North America made up of the best under-23 NHL stars. Team Europe reached the Gold Medal round against Canada while Team North America became a fan favorite with their fast-paced play.

For whatever reason, the league has opted not to go that route again. That means superstars like Germany’s Leon Draisaitl and Czechia’s David Pastrnak will be prevented from participating in this tournament.

TSN: The 2024 NHL Draft will be held at the Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28-29. It will be the last draft before it is decentralized with teams operating from their own facilities.

The Arizona Coyotes are in the process of trying to finalize the purchase of a plot of land in the Phoenix area for a new arena. TSN’s Darren Dreger said the mood around team owners and league governors is that the Coyotes are getting to the end of the line here. The league is looking ahead at scheduling for next season and needs to know whether the Coyotes will be able to move ahead with this land purchase early in the new year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I noted yesterday a report claiming that some owners and governors were running out of patience with the Coyotes’ situation. However, Bettman’s been the driving force keeping the club in Arizona with majority support from the team owners.

Nevertheless, any delays over the land purchase for a new arena could spark uncertainty over the Coyotes’ future. Dreger mentioned the possibility of relocation but that will require majority approval by the Board of Governors. Ultimately, that will come down to whether Bettman believes there are no more avenues to keep the Coyotes in Arizona.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2023

by | Nov 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2023

The lack of games on Tuesday explained, Blue Jackets star Patrik Laine embarrassed by being a healthy scratch, Milan Lucic enters the Players’ Assistance Program, plus the latest injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: The upcoming American Thanksgiving was the reason why there were no NHL games scheduled on Tuesday.

Only three arenas were available (Calgary, Vancouver and Arizona) and with more American teams requesting home games for Thanksgiving week, that took Calgary and Vancouver out of the equation. Arizona, meanwhile, didn’t wish to play back-to-back games as they face the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.

Also, the four teams that recently participated in the NHL Global Series in Sweden (Minnesota, Detroit, Ottawa and Toronto) were unavailable.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

The schedule resumes on Wednesday with 14 games on the card.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine wasn’t pleased about being a healthy scratch for the first time in his NHL career on Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers. “It’s probably, over my career, the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to me,” said Laine, adding he’s focused on playing.

Head coach Pascal Vincent said embarrassing Laine wasn’t his intention when he scratched him from the lineup and acknowledged his unhappiness over the decision. “There is never a reason behind our decisions to embarrass any of our people. Ever.”

Laine will be back in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine is trying to return to form after missing nine games due to a concussion. Injuries have hampered his performance since joining the Blue Jackets in January 2021.

Laine isn’t the only reason why the Blue Jackets have dropped nine straight games and find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. There’s plenty of blame to go around.

Nevertheless, Laine’s overall play hasn’t been up to expectations as one of the team’s biggest and highest-paid stars. He may be feeling embarrassed about being scratched but how it affects his game is what matters right now assuming that he’s fully recovered from his latest injury. They need him at his best to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.

TSN: Speaking of the Blue Jackets, defenseman Damon Severson will miss six weeks with an oblique injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Boston Bruins winger Milan Lucic will be entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Meanwhile, he entered a plea of not guilty to one count of assault and battery on a family member in Boston Municipal Court on Tuesday and was released on his recognizance. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 19.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Rickard Rakell has been placed on long-term injury reserve with an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has been sidelined on a week-by-week basis with an undisclosed ailment and placed on injured reserve while winger Bryan Rust is being evaluated for an unspecified injury. Defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (lower body) remains on injured reserve.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer is being evaluated for an “undisclosed physical setback.” Chris Driedger could be an emergency backup for Wednesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nashville Predators center Cody Glass was placed on injured reserve and is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris will be sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard will miss six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander was fined $2,864.00 by the department of player safety for slew-footing San Jose Sharks forward Kevin Labanc.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils named Sergei Brylin as the second inductee into their Ring of Honor. A pregame ceremony will be held on Saturday, Jan. 20. Brylin joins Dr. John J. McMullen, the Devils’ first own who brought the team to New Jersey.