NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2022

by | Jan 12, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2022

​Big nights for Evgeni Malkin and Nikita Kucherov, rapper Kodak Black creates a stir at the Canucks-Panthers game, the Oilers confirm interest in free-agent Evander Kane, Tuukka Rask returns to the Bruins & much more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Evgeni Malkin scored twice and collected an assist in his season debut as the Pittsburgh Penguins downed the Anaheim Ducks 4-1. Malkin had been sidelined by offseason knee surgery. Jeff Carter also scored twice for the Penguins (47 points), who hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. With 45 points, the Ducks remain three points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

A hat trick by Nikita Kucherov carried the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 6-1 drubbing of the Buffalo Sabres. Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn each finished the night with three points as the Lightning (53 points) sit second in the Eastern Conference.

The Florida Panthers 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks was overshadowed by a viral video that appeared to show rapper Kodak Black having sex in a luxury box during the game. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart tallied two goals and collected an assist as the Panthers (53 points) hold first place in the overall standings with two games in hand over the Lightning. It was the Canucks first regulation loss under head coach Bruce Boudreau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are reports claiming Black’s female companion was merely twerking against him. Regardless, this incident created a stir on Twitter last night.

Nashville Predators forward Matt Duchene scored twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Nashville winger Luke Kunin also netted two goals. It was the fifth straight win for the Predators, who sit atop the Western Conference with 50 points. Cale Makar had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche, who were playing without blueliner Bowen Byram after he left the club for personal reasons. The Av didn’t release any further details about Byram.

William Nylander opened the scoring and tallied the winning goal in a shootout as the Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. The Golden Knights forced overtime and the shootout by overcoming a 3-1 deficit on third-period goals by William Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo. Vegas sits second in the Western Conference with 48 points while the Leafs (49 points) sit third in the Atlantic Division.

An overtime goal by Logan Couture lifted the San Jose Sharks over the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Sharks defenseman Brent Burns collected three assists as his club has moved into the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 41 points. The Wings were without captain Dylan Larkin as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He could return to the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets.

The Chicago Blackhawks got a two-goal performance from Alex DeBrincat to double up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Patrick Kane collected an assist to extend his points streak to five games.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS: Player agent Dan Milstein, who represents Evander Kane, expects his client will sign a new contract with an NHL team by this weekend. The San Jose Sharks terminated its contract with the 30-year-old winger citing breach of contract on Sunday. The NHLPA has filed a grievance on Kane’s behalf.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers general manager Ken Holland confirmed he has an interest in Kane and has contacted Milstein. Holland acknowledged the winger’s well-documented personal baggage but said he has a responsibility as a general manager to investigate every situation.

“I would want to get an understanding with what’s going on in that person’s life. I believe in second chances,” said Holland. He also gave head coach Dave Tippett a vote of confidence as the club attempts to reverse its skid in the standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holland’s interest in Kane has already drawn some criticism in the Edmonton media. However, there’s speculation the Oilers could have the former Shark under contract soon. Stay tuned…

Speaking of the Oilers, goaltender Alex Stalock is trying to make a comeback. He’s missed this season with a heart condition but has received medical clearance by his doctors to attempt to return to action. He will report to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: To no one’s surprise, the Bruins signed Tuukka Rask to a one-year, $1 million contract yesterday. The 34-year-old goaltender had been recovering from offseason hip surgery. The club demoted Jeremy Swayman to their AHL affiliate in Providence to make room for Rask’s new contract.

SPORTSNET: New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz, Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle, St. Louis Blues forward David Perron and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore were among the notables to enter the NHL’s COVID protocol yesterday.

OTTAWA SUN: The ongoing loss of hockey-related revenue due to attendance restrictions on Canadian NHL teams is generating concern over its effect upon the league’s hockey-related revenue for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salary will rise by $1 million next season to $82.5 million as per the CBA extension regardless of this season’s HRR. However, it will affect the players’ repayment of their debt owed to the NHL owners for maintaining the salary cap at its current level despite the decline of HRR over the past two seasons due to COVID-19. It could take longer than originally projected for the players to make the owners whole, which will affect salary cap projections beyond 2023-24.

THE DETROIT NEWS: Red Wings Hall-of-Famer Nicklas Lidstrom has been hired as the club’s new vice president of hockey operations.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins general manager Ron Hextall was taken to task by Philadelphia Flyers legend and senior advisor Bob Clarke. Appearing on the podcast Cam and Strick yesterday, Clarke claimed Hextall alienated everybody during his tenure as Flyers GM. He accused him of ignoring the Flyers’ scouts by choosing Nolan Patrick over Cale Makar in the 2017 draft and trading Brayden Schenn to the St. Louis Blues. Hextall declined to comment about Clarke’s comments.

NHL.COM: The league yesterday announced the Florida Panthers’ Andrew Brunette, the Colorado Avalanche’s Jared Bednar, the Carolina Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour and the Vegas Golden Knights’ Peter DeBoer have been named as the head coaches for the 2022 NHL All-Star weekend (Feb. 4-5) in Las Vegas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL appears determined to press on with the All-Star Game despite a plethora of postponed games requiring rescheduling due to the latest wave of COVID-19. The best players from every NHL team in one place for a meaningless game of glorified pond hockey in the middle of a pandemic. What could go wrong?

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed Jon Merrill to a three-year, $3.6 million contract extension.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: The Capitals re-assigned goaltender Zach Fucale to their AHL affiliate in Hershey now that Vitek Vanecek has recovered from a non-COVID illness.

THE ATHLETIC: Nate Prosser has announced his retirement. The 35-year-old defenseman played 360 NHL games with the Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers from 2009-10 to 2020-21. He spent over nine seasons with the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Prosser in his future endeavors.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 11, 2022

by | Jan 11, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 11, 2022

​A number of teams appear interested in Evander Kane plus the latest on the Flames and Canucks in today’s NHL rumor mill.

TEAMS INTERESTED IN SIGNING EVANDER KANE

TSN: With Evander Kane now an unrestricted free agent following his contract termination with the San Jose Sharks, Pierre LeBrun believes the 30-year-old winger will want to sign a one-year deal for the remainder of the season. It would be for a bargain price as he attempts to prove his worth.

Former San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).

LeBrun also indicated Kane’s agent, Dan Milstein, indicated a number of teams have expressed interest in his client. One of those clubs is the Edmonton Oilers but he doesn’t know if that’ll translate into a contract offer. He said it remains to be seen how many of those clubs come back with legitimate offers. LeBrun believes the Kane camp will take their time to evaluate what makes sense.

Meanwhile, LeBrun’s colleague Gord Miller tweeted he’s heard Kane could have a contract with a new team by the end of this week.

CALGARY HERALD: Michael Traikos reports a source close to Kane said the winger wants to play for a championship contender on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million to $2 million. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights are among the other teams reportedly interested in Kane’s services.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I noted Kane’s contract termination and the NHLPA filing a grievance on his behalf in today’s morning coffee headlines.

Despite Kane’s personal baggage and his reputation as a dressing room cancer, he is a proven performer as a power forward. Hence the interest by so many clubs provided they can get him cheap. There were rumors prior to his contract termination of several teams interested in him if the Sharks could find a way to swing a three-team deal to spread around his $7 million annual cap hit.

Some of these clubs, like the Hurricanes and Lightning, have well-respected head coaches who get the best out of their players. Some, like the Golden Knights and Panthers, have a solid leadership core within their rosters who can rein in a teammate’s selfish tendencies.

As Traikos pointed out, some of these clubs (Toronto, Carolina) have taken chances before on players with reputations for underachievement (Alex Galchenyuk, Joshua Ho-Sang) or courting controversy (Tony DeAngelo). For the right price, they could take a calculated gamble on Kane.

The Oilers’ interest, however, has a whiff of desperation given their free-fall in the standings. Goaltending is their primary concern but they could use another scoring winger. Nevertheless, they seem like they’re flailing about for anything at this point that can save their season.

Others, like the Golden Knights, Leafs, Lightning and Panthers, have limited cap space. They could end up having to make a cost-cutting deal to create sufficient cap space to sign Kane.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES AND CANUCKS

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve Macfarlane paused on the idea of the Flames adding Evander Kane and examined the pros and cons of several possible trade options to bolster their offense and improve their blue-line depth.

San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl topped his list, followed by Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux and Seattle Kraken defenseman (and former Flames captain) Mark Giordano.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hertl won’t be available if the Sharks are in playoff contention by the trade deadline. The Flames will have to win a bidding war for his services if he hits the trade block as he’ll generate considerable interest. His three-team no-trade list will significantly narrow the field of potential trade destinations.

Giroux has a full no-movement clause and there’s no indication thus far he’ll be available. That could change by the deadline but there’s no certainty he’ll waive his clause to come to Calgary as a rental forward.

Giordano, meanwhile, could welcome an opportunity to return to the Flames, who reluctantly made him available in last summer’s expansion draft. His agent didn’t dismiss that possibility in a recent interview with Sportsnet’s Eric Francis.

The others on Macfarlane’s list are Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust, Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk, Arizona Coyotes winger Phil Kessel, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot and Minnesota Wild winger Kevin Fiala.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see Rust or Fiala going anywhere. Rust is a UFA this summer but I believe the Penguins will hang onto him for the playoffs. Fiala was briefly linked to Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller in November but there hasn’t been any other speculation suggesting the Wild are shopping him. Doesn’t mean they won’t but it seems unlikely right now.

DeBrusk made a trade request over a month ago but there doesn’t seem to be much interest in his services. Chiarot is expected to be available but the asking price could be a first-round pick. Kessel still has an eight-team trade list and could be reluctant about returning to a Canadian team.

THE SCORE: Brandon Maron cites the Toronto Star’s Chris Johnston reporting the Vancouver Canucks are open to the idea of trading backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak. He has two performance bonuses in his contract totaling $1.5 million that will count against the Canucks cap payroll for 2022-23 if he reaches them. His current cap hit is $1.5 million.

THE ATHLETIC’S Rick Dhaliwal yesterday tweeted the Vancouver Canucks have shown no interest in trying to sign Evander Kane.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 8, 2022

by | Jan 8, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 8, 2022

​Could the Canadiens move Carey Price by the trade deadline? What’s the latest on John Klingberg and Jakob Chychrun? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.

IS A PRICE DEADLINE DAY DEAL POSSIBLE?

SPORTSNET: In a mailbag segment earlier this week, Eric Engels was asked about the possibility of the Montreal Canadiens moving Carey Price by the March 21 trade deadline. He doesn’t see that happening unless the 34-year-old goaltender returns to action and plays well before deadline day.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (NHL Images).

Even under that scenario, Price isn’t going anywhere unless he agrees to waive his no-movement clause. Engels believes that conversation could take place at some point between the netminder and hockey ops VP Jeff Gorton if it hasn’t happened already. He doesn’t see Price sitting through what could be a five-year rebuild with the Canadiens for another shot at the Stanley Cup.

CALGARY HERALD: Michael Traikos doesn’t expect Price to be moved before the trade deadline. His contract ($10.5 million annually) is too hefty to move in-season plus he hasn’t played since Game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

Nevertheless, Traikos mused over what it might take for the Edmonton Oilers to acquire Price to address their porous goaltending. He suggested a package of Mikko Koskinen, Jesse Puljujarvi, prospect Dylan Holloway and/or the Oilers 2022 first-round pick with the Canadiens picking up half of Price’s cap hit.

Traikos also suggested more sensible options such as Canadiens backup Jake Allen, Seattle’s Chris Driedger or Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo. However, none of those goalies have the potential to backstop the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s possible the Canadiens find a taker for Price before the trade deadline but that’s probably a slim hope at best. Even if he returns before March and regains his form, that contract is just too hefty to move during a season where just 10 teams currently have over $5 million in projected salary-cap space.

LATEST ON KLINGBERG AND CHYCHRUN

YAHOO! SPORTS: Thomas Williams cites The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta indicating sources claim John Klingberg requested a trade from the Dallas Stars. The 29-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Pagnotta said contract talks between the two sides “hit a wall” with Klingberg seeking a long-term deal. Williams sees the Stars attempting to cash in on the offensive blueliner at the trade deadline. However, they’re also still in the thick of the playoff chase and that could complicate things.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word in the Dallas media or from other NHL insiders about Klingberg’s trade request. It appears the request may have come earlier in the season. If so, the Stars don’t seem to be in any hurry to move him.

If they remain in the playoff race by the deadline they could simply retain Klingberg as an “own-rental” for the postseason. That could change, however, if they fall out of contention by March 21. Given Klingberg’s value as a puck-moving defenseman, he could fetch a solid return if he hits the trade block.

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan noted the recent rumors swirling around Jakob Chychrun. He agrees Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong will set a high asking price for the 23-year-old defenseman. However, he also points out the Coyotes aren’t in any rush to trade Chychrun and there’s no guarantee they’ll move him.

Morgan observed the March 21 trade deadline will create pressure for some teams to get something done but so does the need to win. He wonders if the Edmonton Oilers might get back into the mix despite Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s recent report calling the Oilers an unlikely destination.

TORONTO STAR: In his latest mailbag segment, Kevin McGran was asked if Chychrun would be worth the Maple Leafs giving up top prospects, a first-round pick and a solid roster player. McGran isn’t sure they would be in the market for a player like him during the season because of their limited cap space. He thinks they’ll look at low-cost rental players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun is an attractive trade target and I don’t doubt there’s considerable interest in him. However, I agree with Morgan that the Coyotes aren’t in any rush here with the blueliner under contract for three more years. If they don’t find a return to their liking before the trade deadline, they’ll revisit trade options during the offseason, likely around the July draft weekend.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2022

by | Jan 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2022

​The Penguins get their ninth straight win after making a minor trade, the Leafs hand the slumping Oilers another loss, plus the latest COVID updates and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAMES RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins picked up their ninth straight win by overcoming a 3-1 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Blues 5-3. Bryan Rust scored twice and set up another while Sidney Crosby and Evan Rodrigues each had a goal and an assist. Brayden Schenn also had a goal and an assist for the Blues. Earlier in the day, the Penguins made a minor trade by shipping Sam Lafferty to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Alex Nylander.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins were apparently concerned about losing Lafferty via waivers as they attempt to make room for Evgeni Malkin’s return. By trading him to the Blackhawks they get an asset in return who is exempt from waivers this season.

Nylander, 23, is the younger brother of Toronto Maple Leafs winger Wiliam Nylander. A former first-round pick (eighth overall) with the Buffalo Sabres in 2016, he’s struggled to play up to lofty expectations. He missed all of last season with a knee injury and has spent this season in the minors. He’s expected to be sent to the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they doubled up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2, handing the latter their fifth straight loss. Ilya Mikheyev broke a 2-2 tie in the third period and Alex Kerfoot put the game away with an empty-netter. The Oilers played without Connor McDavid, who entered COVID protocol yesterday.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: McDavid, teammate Tyson Barrie and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson were among the latest players to enter COVID protocol.

NHL.COM: The league has postponed three more home games involving Canadian clubs. Those games are the Jan. 15 contest between the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens, the Jan. 17 matchup between the Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Jan. 18 games between the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers.

TSN: The NHL and 20 of its teams are suing five of their insurance providers over rejected COVID-19 claims citing losses of $1 billion. The suit was filed in California last June.

THE SCORE: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen doesn’t appreciate bearing the brunt of the criticism from head coach Dave Tippett and the media for the club’s struggles. “It’s not nice being thrown under the bus,” he told a Finnish media outlet. “I have to be better, but at the same time, we scored seven goals in my last six losses. I can’t score goals.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Koskinen’s shaky goaltending is a factor in the Oilers’ recent swoon but he has a good point about the lack of goal production he’s received of late.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens yesterday announced the hiring of Chantal Machabee as their new vice-president of communications. She’s spent the past 32 years with the Quebec-based sports network RDS covering the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Machabee’s hiring was met with universal acclaim by her peers throughout the NHL media. She was a pioneer for women hoping to break into sports media.

TVA SPORTS: Speaking of the Canadiens, they’re currently meeting with potential candidates for the role of general manager. Among them is Patrick Roy and they’re expected to meet with him at the end of this week.

SPORTSNET: Eric Staal’s agent said his client is interested in playing for Team Canada at the Beijing Winter Olympics next month.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Arizona Coyotes announced a sports betting partnership with SaharaBets.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2022

by | Jan 2, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2022

​The Blues defeat the Wild in the 2022 Winter Classic, Canucks trainer finds Kraken fan who saved him from cancer, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: A four-point performance by Jordan Kyrou (two goals, two assists) powered the St. Louis Blues to a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild in the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Target Field. Kyrou set a record for the most points in an outdoor game. At minus-6 degrees Fahrenheit, it was the coldest outdoor game in league history. With the win, the Blues (43 points) moved into first place in the Central Division.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues put the game away with five goals in the second period. Nearly 40,000 fans braved the extreme cold to watch the game.

The Carolina Hurricanes overcame a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4. Brady Skjei and Steven Lorentz each scored two goals for the Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen replaced Antti Raanta in the Carolina crease after the latter gave up three goals on nine shots. Blue Jackets netminder Elvis Merzlikins allowed four goals on 15 shots after Daniil Tarasov left the game with a lower-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Jack Campbell made 23 saves to shut out the Ottawa Senators 6-0. William Nylander and Ilya Mikheyev each scored twice while T.J. Brodie had a goal and two assists. The game was played in front of just 1,000 fans at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena due to the Ontario government’s limits on attendance at indoor events amid the current wave of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The Los Angeles Kings ended the Philadelphia Flyers’ seven-game points streak with a 6-3 victory. Viktor Arvidsson scored twice and set up two others while linemates Trevor Moore also had a four-point performance and Phillip Danault collected three points.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko kicked out 30 shots in a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken to win his seventh straight game. The Canucks remain unbeaten in regulation (8-0-1) in their last nine games.

The Boston Bruins overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 with Charlie Coyle’s overtime goal completing their comeback. It was the Bruins’ first game in 15 days due to COVID-related postponements.

An overtime goal by Noah Dobson lifted the New York Islanders over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Leon Draisaitl tallied his league-leading 25th goal for the struggling Oilers, who’ve won just twice (2-6-2) in their last 10 games. Oilers goaltender Mike Smith and center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missed this game as they’re listed as day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers still hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 38 points. However, the Kings (37 points), Colorado Avalanche (36), San Jose Sharks and the surging Canucks (35 points) are right behind them. They’re in danger of tumbling further down the standings if they don’t soon reverse their skid.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros made 37 saves, Mattias Ekholm collected three assists and Tanner Jeannot tallied twice in a 6-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeannot’s 10 goals on the season tie him for the rookie goal-scoring lead with Detroit’s Lucas Raymond. It was the Blackhawks first game in 14 days

Jonathan Huberdeau collected three assists and Sam Bennett scored twice to lead the Florida Panthers over the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. The depleted Canadiens dressed just 16 skaters for this contest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens reportedly opted to press on with this game despite having 16 players in COVID protocol. They now have a 10-day break as four of their upcoming home games were postponed. The club has also paused all team activities through Thursday as a preventative measure. That also extends to their AHL affiliate in Laval.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager Brian Hamilton has a sharp-eyed Seattle Kraken fan to thank for spotting what was a cancerous growth on his neck as she sat behind the Canucks bench during a game in October. She informed Hamilton with a note on her phone that she held up to the glass between periods.

Hamilton subsequently had the malignant melanoma removed. He and the Canucks recently put out a call on Twitter to find the fan, who turned out to be an aspiring medical school student named Nadia Popovici.

Hamilton got to meet and thank Popovici before yesterday’s game between the Canucks and Kraken at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena. During the game, the two clubs announced a joint $10,000.00 fund to go toward Popovici’s medical training.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s great to start the New Year off with a positive story like this. Best wishes to Hamilton and to Popovici in her studies.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2021

by | Dec 19, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2021

The NHL implements enhanced COVID guidelines as positive tests keep rising and more games are postponed. Check out the latest plus recaps of Saturday’s games in today’s morning coffee headlines

LATEST NHL COVID-19 UPDATES AND POSTPONEMENTS

NHL.COM: The NHL and NHL Players Association yesterday announced the immediate adoption of enhanced COVID-19 measures given the emergence of the Omicron variant and the rising number of positive tests among players. The measures will be in place until at least Jan. 7, 2022.

The notable changes include daily testing for players except for off days. Additional pre-game testing could be implemented on a case-by-case basis when an outbreak occurs among a team following consultation with the league and the PA.

Players and all members of the training staff are “strongly recommended” to wear masks at teams facilities and in public indoor places and maintain physical distancing during meals. They are also banned from eating or drinking in indoor restaurants and bars open to the general public. They must avoid public transport and reduce interactions with the general public. Club-organized parties and autograph sessions are prohibited.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the NHL has discussed pausing its schedule until Jan. 1. While there are some players who support this idea, Friedman said most players and teams don’t want to do that. They prefer to see where the protocols and testing go before committing to a schedule pause.

If there is a pause, Friedman said there are those wondering if the players will agree not to go to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in February. However, there has to be clarity on this issue.

The league is asking players to get a booster. There’s been a high turnout among the Tampa Bay Lightning and their AHL affiliate in Syracuse for boosters. The hope is other teams will follow the lead of the defending Stanley Cup champions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Regarding a possible schedule pause, TSN’s Darren Dreger suggested it could come down to whether there are enough available players to actually play the games.

The league and the PA seem to be holding out hope that they can reach the upcoming Christmas break (Dec. 24-26). That would allow a bit of time to slow the spread and allow for players who previously tested positive to return to the lineup following their mandatory 10-day quarantine.

That will depend upon whether the pace of positive tests slows in the coming days. It could reach the point where the league will have no choice but to implement a pause until New Year’s Day.

SPORTSNET is also daily tracking the number of positive COVID-19 tests among the NHL teams.

The latest to enter COVID protocols on Saturday include the following:

BOSTON BRUINS: Taylor Hall and Curtis Lazar. The Bruins schedule has also been postponed until after the upcoming Christmas holiday break.

DETROIT RED WINGS: Filip Zadina, Givani Smith, Carter Rowney, Alex Nedeljkovic and coaches Jeff Blashill and Alex Tanguay.

EDMONTON OILERS: Jesse Puljujarvi.

LOS ANGELES KINGS: Cal Petersen.

MONTREAL CANADIENS: Artturi Lehkonen. They also placed forwards Mathieu Perreault and Joel Armia on injured reserve for non-COVID-related reasons.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS had their remaining games leading up to the holiday break postponed by the league.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: P.K. Subban.

NEW YORK RANGERS: Patrik Nemeth.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Max Willman. Goaltender Carter Hart was unavailable for Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators owing to a non-COVID-related illness.

ST. LOUIS BLUES: Oskar Sundqvist.

SEATTLE KRAKEN: Jamie Oleksiak.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: Jack Campbell, T.J. Brodie, Travis Dermott and head coach Sheldon Keefe. The Leafs games for Saturday against Vancouver and Sunday against Seattle have been postponed.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Tyler Myers.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin tallied his first career hat trick to lead his club over the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Tyler Bertuzzi also scored twice for the Wings. The Devils have lost nine of their last 10 games.

Joe Pavelski tallied two goals and set up two others as the Dallas Stars snapped a five-game losing skid by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on an overtime goal by John Klingberg. Stars center Roope Hintz collected three assists.

There was a scary moment in the first period when Stars forward Tanner Kero was stretchered from the ice following a hit by Blackhawks forward Brett Connolly, who was ejected from the game. Kero was later reported to be conscious, alert and responsive but was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

The Carolina Hurricanes (43 points) reclaimed first place in the overall standings with a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jesper Fast each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes.

Leon Draisaitl picked up three assists as the Edmonton Oilers downed the Seattle Kraken 5-3. Warren Foegele scored two goals and Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist.

An overtime goal by Travis Sanheim lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Claude Giroux scored a goal and tied Bill Barber for the second-most points (883) in Flyers history. Alex Formenton had a goal and an assist for the Senators. Earlier in the day, the Senators indicated defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is expected to miss four weeks with a heel injury.