NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2024

by | Mar 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, and injury updates on Thatcher Demko, Gabriel Landeskog, Aaron Ekblad and Josh Norris. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to blank the Washington Capitals 3-0. Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Kyle Connor were the goalscorers for the 41-18-5 Jets, as they sit in second place in the Central Division with 87 points. Charlie Lindgren made 26 stops for the 30-24-9 Capitals as they remain three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 69 points.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck also reached the 30-win plateau for the fifth time in his NHL career. Capitals forward T.J. Oshie returned to action after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. However, teammate Tom Wilson missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of that final Eastern wild-card spot, the New York Islanders slipped out of it after a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Adrian Kempe, Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore scored for the Kings (33-20-11) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 77 points. Ilya Sorokin turned aside 22 shots for the 29-21-14 Islanders, who sit behind the Detroit Red Wings with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE The Islanders and Red Wings have the same number of points, but the Wings hold the wild-card berth with more wins (33).

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad scored his first even-strength goal in 30 games as his club downed the New Jersey Devils 3-1. Jonathan Quick made 19 saves for the 42-18-4 Rangers (88 points) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division and sit fifth in the overall standings. Simon Nemec scored for the Devils (31-30-4), who remain six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad became the fifth player in Rangers history to score at least 20 goals in seven straight seasons, joining Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert, Vic Hadfield and Andy Bathgate. Meanwhile, Rangers forward Matt Rempe could face supplemental discipline after being ejected during the second period for elbowing Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head.

The St. Louis Blues upset the Boston Bruins 5-1 with Kasperi Kapanen scoring a goal and collecting two assists. Joel Hofer kicked out 36 shots for the 33-29-3 Blues (69 points) as they moved to within six points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. David Pastrnak tallied his 41st goal of the season for the Bruins (38-14-15) as they remain one point behind the first-overall Florida Panthers with 91 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha, and Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending March 10, 2024.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of Demko, he’ll be sidelined for two to three weeks after suffering a knee injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how well the Canucks handle the loss of their starting goaltender over that period. A healthy Demko is a crucial part of their Stanley Cup aspirations.

TSN: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said team captain Gabriel Landeskog could return to action with what he called the “playoff timeframe.” The 31-year-old winger has been sidelined by a knee injury since the end of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Bednar stressed that Landeskog won’t be rushing his timetable to return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That timeframe could be the start of the playoffs next month or the Stanley Cup Final in June if the Avalanche get that far.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris will miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing a third surgery on his left shoulder following an injury on Feb. 27. He’s expected to be recovered in time for training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a significant setback for Norris. Whether the 24-year-old center will be able to continue his playing career or be as effective as he once was remains to be seen.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a knee injury. Head coach Paul Maurice said the blueliner didn’t suffer any long-term damage.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers center Ryan Johansen is believed to be battling an injury or ailment that has prevented him from playing for their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. Johansen also hopes to reconcile with Flyers coach John Tortorella as the two clashed when they were with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

ESPN.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Brendan Lemieux to a one-year, $775K contract extension.

SPORTSNET: The Arizona Land Department’s Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday to discuss a Phoenix site where the Coyotes hope to build a new arena.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2024

by | Jan 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2024

Recaps of Friday’s games, Elvis Merzlikins confirms a trade has been discussed with the Blue Jackets, the Blackhawks re-sign Nick Foligno, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Roman Josi collected three assists while Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist for the 23-18-1 Predators, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 47 points. Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist for the Stars (24-12-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 53 points.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images).

The Philadelphia Flyers overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Minnesota Wild 4-3. Joel Farabee scored twice, including the winner in overtime, while Travis Konecny collected two assists and Owen Tippett had a goal and an assist for the 22-14-6 Flyers, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 50 points. Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist for the 17-19-5 Wild.

HEADLINES

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins confirmed to the media on Friday that a trade has been discussed between his agent and Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.

Merzlikins, 29, had not played since Dec. 29 as the club is evaluating Danill Tarasov’s potential as a starting goaltender. “I just wanted to be treated as the No. 1 (goaltender). I believe I am the No. 1,” he told the press. “It didn’t get to the point where I’m requesting (a trade). It went to the point where both sides agreed.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Merzlikins also said he’s not sure what’s going to happen now. He stressed that he wants to play his best for his teammates. “This is my family, I’m dead serious,” he said. However, he doesn’t want to be put into a lesser role behind Tarasov and backup Spencer Martin.

Merzlikins is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.4 million. He has a record of 7-8-6 this season with a 3.25 goals-against average and a save percentage of .907.

I’ll have more on this situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks signed forward Nick Foligno to a two-year contract extension. The average annual value is $4.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this season, Foligno said he was interested in staying with the Blackhawks and helping them through their roster rebuild. They need veteran experience and leadership from players like Foligno to help guide their promising young players.

DAILY FACEOFF: Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland recently said captain Gabriel Landeskog could return to action in time for the 2024 playoffs. Landeskog, 31, hasn’t played since the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022 as he’s undergone two knee surgeries. He recently resumed skating but there remains no timetable for his possible return.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets center Mark Schiefele is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Reilly Smith could be sidelined longer than expected due to an upper-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is in concussion protocol after leaving Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks following a collision with Ducks forward Isac Lundestrom.

The Tampa Bay Lightning placed forward Tanner Jeannot on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 6 with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as week-to-week.

OTTAWA SUN: Shane Pinto resumed skating with his teammates on Friday as his 41-game suspension for violating the league’s wagering rules nears its end. He is scheduled to suit up when the Senators face off against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 21.

THE ATHLETIC: Anaheim Ducks prospect winger Cutter Gauthier said he received death threats via social media for his decision not to play for the Philadelphia Flyers, who traded him to the Ducks earlier in the week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s one thing to be upset over Gauthier’s decision. Threatening his life behind the anonymity of social media is beyond the pale.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Members of the Maloof family have sold their interests in the Golden Knights to majority owner Bill Foley.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2023

by | Sep 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2023

Quinn Hughes named the Canucks’ new captain, the Avalanche hope Gabriel Landeskog can return for the 2024 playoffs, Zach Parise not returning to the Islanders to start the season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks yesterday named Quinn Hughes as their new captain. He replaces Bo Horvat, who was traded in January to the New York Islanders. The 23-year-old defenseman is entering his sixth season with the Canucks and is the 15th captain in franchise history.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes got the nod over such notable teammates as J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The respect that he has from his teammates appears to have factored into this move by the club. Horvat spoke to Hughes on Sunday before the announcement was made and took to Instagram to praise the new captain.

THE ATHLETIC: Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland is hoping that team captain Gabriel Landeskog can return to the lineup for the 2024 playoffs. The 30-year-old left winger will miss the 2023-24 regular season recovering from the knee injury that sidelined him for the entirety of last season.

“There’s still so much to be gleaned from this,” said MacFarland. “It’s hard to put a timeline on it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog underwent three surgeries on his knee in the previous two years. If he misses this season and the playoffs his playing career could be over.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello yesterday said that Zach Parise will not be returning to the club for the start of the season. The 39-year-old free-agent winger remains with his family in Minnesota. Lamoriello left the door open for a possible return later in the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parise isn’t signing with another club nor is he retiring. He appears to be taking some more time to see if he wants to play one more NHL season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Islanders, Alexander Romanov could miss the start of training camp following offseason shoulder surgery. Lamoriello said the 23-year-old defenseman is progressing well and should return to the lineup soon.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens named Mike Matheson as an alternate captain. He replaces Joel Edmundson, who was traded to the Washington Capitals in July. The 29-year-old defenseman is thrilled by the news. “I grew up in Montreal, idolizing this team,” he said, calling it a “pinch-myself moment.”

DAILY FACEOFF: In other Canadiens news, Christian Dvorak has not been medically clear to start the coming season. The 27-year-old forward underwent season-ending knee surgery in March.

CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The Hurricanes signed forwards Kieffer Bellows and Jayden Halbgewachs to professional tryout offers.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov has been loaned by SKA St. Petersburg to fellow KHL team HK Sochi. The 18-year-old winger played for Sochi last season, collecting 20 points in 27 games. He’d been unable to get playing time with SKA St. Peterburg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov was chosen seventh overall in this year’s draft by the Flyers. His early-season struggles with SKA St. Petersburg created a stir on social media with his critics already calling him a draft bust. However, it’s far too early to write him off.

Michkov’s under a KHL contract through 2025-26. He’s got plenty of time to sort out his game before he’s ready to join the Flyers. We’ll have a better grasp of his abilities by then.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2023

by | May 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2023

The Kraken push their series with the Stars to a seventh game, the Islanders expected to re-sign Lou Lamoriello, Alex Pietrangelo calls out Oilers for premeditated hits, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game between the Seattle Kraken and Dallas Stars as the Kraken rolled to a 6-3 victory in Game 6 of their second-round series. Jordan Eberle and Eeli Tolvanen led the way with three points each for the Kraken to even the series at three games apiece.

Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle (NHL Images).

Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger got the hook early in the second period after giving up four goals on 18 shots. Stars forward Joe Pavelski scored his eighth goal of this series to set a single-series franchise record and tied a postseason record for most goals by a player 38 or older. Mason Marchment also scored for the Stars after missing Game 5 with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 of this series goes Monday in Dallas. It’s fitting that this closely contested series goes the distance. The winner will face either the Edmonton Oilers or Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals starting later this week.

NEWSDAY: Andrew Gross reports the New York Islanders have decided to offer general manager Lou Lamoriello a three-year contract extension. Lamoriello, 80, has been in that role for the past five seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet as to whether Lamoriello has accepted though it’s expected he will. A formal announcement will be made by the club when he does.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said his two-handed slash on Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl late in Game 4 was retaliation for what he considered to be premeditated hits on himself and his teammates by the Oilers. Pietrangelo’s actions earned him a one-game suspension. He returns to the Golden Knights lineup for Game 6 tonight in Edmonton with his club leading the series three games to two.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Carolina Hurricanes are geographically restricting tickets to their upcoming Eastern Conference Finals series with the Florida Panthers. Tickets can only be purchased by those with credit card billing within North Carolina, South Carolina and parts of Virginia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers employed a similar tactic in their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs to limit the number of Leafs fans in their arena.

THE DENVER POST: Medical experts say the long-term effects of Gabriel Landeskog’s knee cartilage transplant are difficult to predict due to the rarity of such procedures among professional athletes. While the surgery will ensure a return to a good quality of life for the average person, it remains to be seen if it can help a pro athlete like Landeskog resume his career and regain his previous level of performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog is expected to miss the entirety of next season recuperating from this procedure. Time will tell if he’ll be able to return to his playing career.

NHL.COM’s Mike Morreale reports New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton revealed that he was dealing with a wrist injury during his club’s second-round series with the Hurricanes.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL defenseman Gerry Hart died Saturday at age 75. The cause of death was not revealed. He spent 15 seasons in the NHL from 1968-69 to 1982-83 with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Quebec Nordiques and St. Louis Blues.

One of the original Islanders, Hart played seven seasons with the franchise from 1972-73 to 1978-79, becoming a fan favorite for his gritty play. He finished with 179 points and 1,240 PIMs in 730 career NHL regular-season games and 15 points in 78 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hart’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2023

by | May 10, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2023

What will the Avs do with Gabriel Landeskog sidelined for 2023-24? Could they find a way to trade Valeri Nichushkin? Should the Canadiens trade their first-round pick for Pierre-Luc Dubois? What’s the latest on the Penguins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE AVALANCHE

THE DENVER POST: Bennett Durando pointed out that the Colorado Avalanche will get $7 million in salary-cap relief if necessary by placing Gabriel Landeskog on long-term injury reserve. The 30-year-old Avs captain is expected to miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season recovering from knee surgery.

Durando observed the Avalanche would have nearly $21 million to work with if the salary cap rises to $83.5 million as projected. Part of that will be used to sign restricted free agents Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook to new contracts.

Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog (NHL Images).

The Avalanche must also fill at least one top-six forward position and possibly more if J.T. Compher departs as an unrestricted free agent and Valeri Nichushkin doesn’t return next season.

Should they go the free-agent route they could look at short-term signings for pending UFAs such as Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, the Rangers’ Patrick Kane, Toronto’s Ryan O’Reilly or Philadelphia’s James van Riemsdyk.

Assuming they want a younger, long-term setup among their top six, they might have to move someone like Devon Toews or Samuel Girard to free up sufficient cap room.

During a weekend mailbag segment, a reader told Durando’s colleague Mark Kiszla that the Avalanche should trade Nischushkin.

Kiszla acknowledged that we may never know why Nichushkin disappeared from the Avs. However, he doubted they’d have a chance of moving him unless they come clean with a potential trade partner over what happened with the winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche will place Landeskog on LTIR and use the savings to re-sign Byram and Newhook while attempting to address their second-line center position. They’ll either re-sign Compher or seek a more experienced option via free agency or a trade.

Free agency might be the better way to go if the Avs don’t want to get entangled in an expensive long-term deal for an aging veteran. It could also help them avoid shopping Toews or Girard this summer.

Moving Nichushkin will be difficult even without knowing what happened to him on that fateful day in Seattle. He’s signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $6.125 million and a full no-movement clause.

SHOULD THE CANADIENS SWAP THEIR FIRST-ROUND PICK FOR DUBOIS?

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Brendan Kelly doesn’t believe Montreal fans will remain patient with the Canadiens for another season if they don’t show signs of real progress with their rebuild.

One way to do that, he argues, is to trade their 2023 first-round pick (fifth overall) to the Winnipeg Jets for Pierre-Luc Dubois. The rumor mill has linked the 24-year-old center to the Canadiens since last summer as speculation persists he wants out of Winnipeg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois could help the Canadiens accelerate their rebuild. He’s a restricted free agent this summer and is a year away from UFA eligibility so there’s a good chance the Jets could shop him this summer if he won’t sign a long-term deal. The Habs could make a pitch for him that includes a first-round pick. 

If they do, it’ll likely be the first-rounder they acquired last year from the Florida Panthers bundled with a couple of promising prospects or a young player. It won’t be the fifth-overall selection.

The Jets won’t be negotiating from a position of strength if Dubois intends to test next summer’s free-agent market. They’ll want to get the best deal possible. Sure, another club could swoop in and outbid the Habs but it would be risky if he’s not interested in a contract extension.

In that case, the Canadiens don’t have to put up their first-rounder but can simply wait until next summer when they can sign him as a UFA. That’s assuming that the Habs want Dubois in the first place. For all we know, they’ve got their eyes on other plans.

UPDATE ON THE PENGUINS SEARCH FOR A NEW GM

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating the Pittsburgh Penguins might have an interest in Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas as their next GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas is in the final season of his contract with the Leafs. There’s rampant media conjecture that they could part ways if the club is eliminated from the second round by the Florida Panthers.

Despite the Leafs’ playoff difficulties under Dubas they have reliably been among the league’s top teams during his tenure. That could help him land with another club following this season if his time in Toronto is coming to an end.

Horwat also cited Freidman saying the Penguins and Calgary Flames are among the teams interested in talking to former Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been less than two years since Bowman lost his job over his role in covering up Kyle Beach’s allegations that he was sexually abused by former Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich. Any club hiring him can expect a considerable backlash from fans and pundits. Horwat also pointed out that he did a terrible job during his final seasons with the Blackhawks as they went from a Stanley Cup dynasty to a bottom-feeder with bloated contracts.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines -May 10, 2023

by | May 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines -May 10, 2023

The Hurricanes take a commanding lead in their series with the Devils, the Stars tie their series with the Kraken and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog to miss next season. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes have a stranglehold on their second-round series with the New Jersey Devils following a 6-1 victory in Game 4 on Tuesday. Martin Necas scored two goals and Jordan Martinook collected three points as the Hurricanes hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Jack Hughes scored for the Devils. The Hurricanes can wrap things up on home ice in Game 5 on Thursday.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils got off to a fast start as Hughes opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game. However, the Hurricanes tied it before the end of the first period and romped to victory with a five-goal second period. The Devils just fell apart in that period and had no pushback in the third as they were completely dominated by the more experienced Hurricanes.

This was Martinook’s franchise-record fourth straight multi-point playoff game. He went scoreless during the Hurricanes’ first-round series with the New York Islanders. With nine points, Martinook moves past Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the most points in the second round of this year’s playoffs.

Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta skated with his teammates in practice yesterday but sat out Game 4 as he’s still recovering from an illness. Meanwhile, Devils defenseman Ryan Graves missed his second-straight game with an upper-body injury.

The Dallas Stars tied their series with the Seattle Kraken at two games apiece with a 6-3 win in Game 4. Max Domi scored twice and collected an assist while Joel Pavelski tallied his sixth goal in this series. Jaden Schwartz tallied two goals for the Kraken while goalie Philipp Grubauer got the hook after giving up five goals on 22 shots. Game 5 goes Thursday night in Dallas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen was in the lineup and show no ill effects from taking a puck to the face in Game 3. Kraken winger Jared McCann returned to action after being sidelined by an upper-body injury in Game 4 of their first-round series with the Colorado Avalanche.

There was some controversy when Domi made it 3-0 in the second as the Kraken believed Grubauer had been interfered with by Jamie Benn. Their coach’s challenge, however, failed to overturn the goal.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock are this season’s finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk, Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson are among the 32 finalists for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is expected to miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season. He undergoes surgery today (May 10) as he’ll undergo a cartilage transplant in his right knee. Landeskog hasn’t played since helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: By the sound of things, there’s no certainty that Landeskog will fully recover to the point where he’ll be able to play hockey again. Here’s hoping the surgery goes well and he makes a full recovery.

THE DENVER POST: Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland remains hopeful that Valeri Nichushkin will remain part of the club’s future. However, he offered no update as the winger’s status.

Nichushkin was sent back to Colorado for “personal reasons” following an incident in Seattle prior to Game 3 of their first-round series with the Kraken. A woman was found in his hotel room so intoxicated that a team doctor called an ambulance to take her to a hospital.

There is no criminal investigation involving the winger and he’s not facing discipline from the Avalanche. However, neither he nor the club are commenting on the situation.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud spoke with ESPN anchor Jon Anderson and accepted the latter’s apology after Anderson joked on air that the blueliner’s last name was a good name for toilet paper. Whitecloud was born in Manitoba and grew up in the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Zach Hyman appears questionable for Game 4 tonight against the Golden Knights. He was not part of the club’s full practice yesterday after taking a shot off his right knee/thigh area in Game 3.

TORONTO STAR: Joseph Woll will get the start for the Maple Leafs in Game 4 tonight against the Florida Panthers. Ilya Samsonov remains sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered during Game 3 on Sunday. Matt Murray will serve as Woll’s backup. The Leafs face elimination tonight down 0-3 to the Panthers.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Season ticket sales are booming for the Blackhawks after they won the 2023 draft lottery. They’re expected to use that pick to select top prospect Connor Bedard during the first round of the draft on June 28. The Hawks sold $5.2 million worth of new season ticket packages within 12 hours of winning the lottery.

CALGARY SUN: Flames forward Tyler Toffoli was named captain of Team Canada in the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Flames, MacKenzie Weegar said Mikael Backlund occasionally clashed with former head coach Darryl Sutter. Backlund is a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility and was non-committal about signing a contract extension with the Flames during his end-of-season interview.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Backlund might have a change of heart after Sutter was fired as head coach last week. It could depend on who takes over as general manager and who they hire as Sutter’s replacement.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers relieved assistant coaches Mike Kelly and Jim Midgley of their duties on Tuesday. The move comes days after head coach Gerard Gallant and the Rangers agreed to part ways.