A look at the Leafs’ potential plans for John Tavares and the latest on the Red Wings and Blackhawks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
WHAT WILL THE LEAFS DO WITH JOHN TAVARES?
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek examined what the offseason could hold for Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares. The 33-year-old center has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $11 million and a full no-movement clause.
Duhatschek suggests the Leafs attempt to extend Tavares on the cheap. His production is no longer at the level expected of a player with his annual cap hit. He also doesn’t see Tavares waiving his no-movement clause because he wants to help his hometown team win the Stanley Cup.
A buyout this summer isn’t an option. It would be messy and expensive plus he’s still a contributing team player. Doing nothing and letting him walk next summer is an option if he won’t sign an extension.
Toronto Maple Leafs captains John Tavares (NHL Images).
Duhatschek noted that Tavares has made over $120 million in career earnings. He wondered if Tavares might sign a bargain contract to play out his career in Toronto. He pointed out that Jason Spezza, Joe Thornton and Mark Giordano did the same thing.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of the attention in Leafs Nation this summer will be on Mitch Marner’s contract situation. Like Tavares, he’s a year away from UFA eligibility. However, he’s in his playing prime and could seek as much as much as Auston Matthews’ AAV ($13.25 million) to stay in Toronto.
Tavares’ production noticeably declined this season from the point-per-game pace he’s been on for most of his career. With 59 points in 74 games, however, he’s still a productive member of the Leafs. He knows he won’t get anything close to his current AAV on his next contract. How much of a pay cut he’s willing to accept will decide if his future with his hometown club extends beyond next season.
COULD THE RED WINGS SHOP FOR A GOALTENDER THIS SUMMER?
Lyon has a .906 save percentage in 40 games. Husso has been sidelined most of this season and has a .892 SP in 19 games when healthy.
The Wings could return with that tandem again next season and attempt to upgrade the defense in front of them. Another option could be pursuing an upgrade between the pipes like Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom or Boston’s Linus Ullmark. They might have to move Husso’s $4.75 million cap hit to make it work.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Provided Markstrom or Ullmark agree to a trade to Detroit, they could be too expensive for Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman. This summer’s free-agent market is a thin one for goaltenders. Yzerman might find it easier to improve the defense corps to lessen the workload on Husso and Lyon.
LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS
CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Vinnie Parise wondered if the Blackhawks might change their rebuilding plans if they win the draft lottery again this year.
This year’s top pick is Boston University center Macklin Celebrini. Bringing him in to join Connor Bedard could give the Blackhawks two bright young stars to build around.
Parise and colleague Nate Brown examined how that might affect the Blackhawks’ rebuild. They suggest speeding up the rebuild to surround Celebrini and Bedard with quality players.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sitting second-last in the overall standings, the Blackhawks have the second-best odds of winning this season’s draft lottery.
Blackhawks management could already have a plan to bring in some experienced talent to help Bedard this offseason. That could become a bigger priority if they win the lottery again and land Celebrini.
Winning the lottery could also allow them to use that first-overall pick as a trade chip. They already struck paydirt last year with a generational talent like Bedard. Trading this year’s first-overall could fetch them a return of young players who improve the Blackhawks’ roster depth and speed up the rebuild.
The Leafs’ Auston Matthews continues his quest for 70 goals, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl reach the 40-goal plateau, and the battle for the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot continues in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tallied his 64th goal of the season in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Matthews also reached the 100-point plateau as his Leafs improved to 44-23-9 and remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 97 points. Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for the 29-35-12 Canadiens.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews holds an 11-goal lead over Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart as this season’s leading goal scorer. He becomes the eighth player to reach 100 points this season. That’s the most in one season for NHL scorers since 1995-96 when 12 players did it. The Canadiens played without defensemen Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj, who are sidelined with upper-body injuries.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored his 40th of the season as his club nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4. Michael Bunting snapped a 4-4 tie in the third period after the Lightning overcame a 4-1 deficit. Bunting, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson each had three points for the Penguins (36-30-11) as they took possession of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Steven Stamkos scored twice and Nikita Kucherov had three assists for the 43-27-7 Lightning, who hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 93 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was a scary moment in the third period when referee Steve Kozari was briefly knocked unconscious following an accidental collision with Lightning defenseman Hadyn Fleury. Kozari was stretchered from the game and is expected to make a full recovery. Fleury was shaken up and left the game under his own power. Lightning forwards Anthony Cirelli and Tanner Jeannot missed this game with upper-body injuries.
The Penguins have won four straight and six of their last 10 contests. Crosby has reached 40 goals in the season three times with the last being seven years ago. Meanwhile, Kucherov (136 points) holds a five-point lead over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the lead in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.
The Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Calgary Flames 4-2 in the final segment of this season’s “Battle of Alberta”. Leon Draisaitl scored his 40th goal of the season and Connor McDavid collected two assists to sit one shy of 100 as the Oilers (47-24-5) sit second in the Pacific Division with 99 points. Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time as his club slipped to 34-37-5.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl also tallied 20 power-play goals for the third consecutive season. McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season and the first to do so since Wayne Gretzky in 1990-91. He remains third in the scoring race with 130 points.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov kicked out 41 shots to shut out the Nashville Predators 2-0. Noah Dobson and Kyle Palmieri were the goal scorers for the 35-27-15 Islanders, who picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 85 points, two ahead of the Penguins. Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves for the Predators (44-29-4) as they slipped into the final Western Conference wildcard spot.
The Columbus Blue Jackets got six goals from defensemen in a 6-2 upset of the struggling Philadelphia Flyers. Zach Werenski and Damon Severson each tallied twice with Erik Gudbranson and Nick Blankenburg netting the others for the 26-39-12 Blue Jackets. Olle Lycksell and Adam Ginning scored their first career NHL goals as the 36-31-11 Flyers (83 points) slipped out of the final Eastern wildcard.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those six goals from defensemen matched the NHL record set by the 1992-93 Washington Capitals in a 10-4 win over the New York Rangers on Dec. 4, 1992.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Jesper Bratt collected two assists for the 37-36-4 Devils (78 points) as they sit five points behind the Penguins. Claude Giroux, Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the 33-39-4 Senators.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk set an NHL record for most hits in a single game with 16. His teammate Tim Stutzle missed this game (his bobblehead night) with a suspected shoulder injury and is considered day-to-day.
An overtime goal by Jesper Boqvist lifted the Boston Bruins over the Florida Panthers 3-2. The two Charlies (McAvoy and Coyle) scored for the Bruins (46-17-15), who sit second overall with 107 points. Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov replied for the 48-24-6 Panthers, who sit seventh overall with 102 points.
The Los Angeles got two goals from Adrian Kempe in a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Kempe finished with three points and goaltender Cam Talbot stopped 39 shots for the Kings (41-25-11), who picked up their third straight victory and moved into third place in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Brock Boeser netted his 39th goal of the season for the 47-22-8 Canucks, who sit fifth in the overall standings with 102 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Phillip Danault recorded an assist in his return from a four-game absence recovering from an upper-body injury.
Winnipeg Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov had a goal and two assists as his team downed the Minnesota Wild 4-2. With a record of 47-24-6, the Jets sit eighth in the overall standings with 100 points. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 39th goal of the season for 36-31-9 Wild.
The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Dallas Stars 3-2, snapping the latter’s eight-game win streak. Petr Mrazek stopped 42 shots and Connor Bedard netted his 22nd goal of the season for the 23-48-5 Blackhawks. Roope Hintz scored his 29th and Jamie Benn his 20th for the Stars (48-20-9) as they slipped into third overall with 105 points.
San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund scored his first NHL hat trick, including the winner in overtime in a 3-2 against the St. Louis Blues. Devin Cooley made 34 saves to pick up his first career NHL victory for the 18-50-8 Sharks. Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn scored for the 40-32-5 Blues.
The Oilers, Leafs and Lightning clinch playoff berths and the Masterton Trophy nominees are announced. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers got two goals from Connor McDavid and Evander Kane to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 and clinch a playoff berth. With a record of 46-24-5, the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 97 points. Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton replied for the Avalanche (48-23-6) as they sit sixth in the overall standings with 102 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also lost winger Mikko Rantanen, who left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a heavy, clean hit by Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm. Following the game, Avs head coach Jared Bednar said Rantanen would be under evaluation for a while.
McDavid and Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon gained some ground on Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league this season with 133 points. MacKinnon collected an assist and sits second with 131 points while McDavid sits third with 128. Speaking of scoring, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl became the fifth player in franchise history with five 100-point seasons.
The Oilers overcame a poor start to this season to secure a postseason spot. They were 10 points out of contention and third-last in the overall standings by the US Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 23.
Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho snapped a 2-2 tie in a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, leaving the latter winless in their last five games (0-4-1). Jake Guentzel tallied twice and collected an assist as the Hurricanes improved to 48-22-7 to rise into fourth in the overall standings with 103 points. Alex Ovechkin scored both goals for the Capitals (36-30-10), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 82 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 851 career goals, leaving him 43 behind all-time leader Wayne Gretzky (894). After scoring eight goals in his first 43 games this season, the Capitals captain has 21 goals in his last 30 games. He’s poised to reach the 30-goal mark for the 18th time, which will set an NHL record.
The Buffalo Sabres kept their playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. Jack Quinn potted two goals and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves for the 37-35-5 Sabres (79 points) as they sit four points behind the Flyers, who dropped to 36-30-11 and slipped into the final Eastern wildcard spot with 83 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The idle Toronto Maple Leafs clinched a playoff berth with the Flyers and Capitals’ losses on Friday.
The Flyers overachieved for most of this season and have held a playoff berth since last fall. However, the wheels are coming off as they’ve won just twice in their last 10 games. The New York Islanders have knocked them out of third place in the Metropolitan Division. They’re now in danger of being overtaken by the Sabres, Capitals, Detroit Red Wings or Pittsburgh Penguins if any of those clubs can string a few wins together.
New York Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow tallied two goals in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Chris Kreider netted his 37th goal of the season and Jonathan Quick turned aside 31 shots for the league-leading Rangers (52-21-4) as they opened a three-point lead (108) over the second-overall Dallas Stars. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored his 30th goal as his club fell to 37-31-8 and are one point behind the Flyers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Wings, Flyers and Capitals losing their games, the idle Tampa Bay Lightning secured a playoff spot. Only two berths in the East remain available with six teams having a legitimate shot at clinching them.
Larkin is the first Red Wing to have three straight 30-goal seasons since Henrik Zetterberg from 2005-06 to 2008-09.
The Arizona Coyotes scored six unanswered third-period goals to upset the Vegas Golden Knights 7-4. Michael Carcone tallied the tying and winning goals for the 32-39-5 Coyotes. William Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (42-26-8) as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 92 points.
Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright scored twice and picked up an assist to lead his club to a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Oliver Bjorkstrand had two assists for the 32-31-13 Kraken. Leo Carlsson replied for the 25-48-4 Ducks.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: The Professional Hockey Writers Association announced the 32 finalists for the 2023-24 Bill Masteron Memorial Trophy, awarded each year “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the complete list. Among the notables are Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene, New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier, and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.
My congratulations to all 32 players as they are worthy nominees.
I’m not a member of the PHWA but if I were, my choice would be Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington, who returned to action this season after a year and a half away from the game dealing with mental health issues.
SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will return to action on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. He’s been sidelined by a high-ankle sprain for 12 games. He will start on the second line with center John Tavares and winger Bobby McMann.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner usually skates alongside Auston Matthews on the first line. Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe wants to keep the line of Matthews, Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi intact for at least this game.
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm resumed practicing with his teammates on Friday after being sidelined with a wrist injury since March 23. It’s not known when he’ll return to the lineup but it’s a promising sign that he might be back before the end of the regular season.
Should the Maple Leafs trade or re-sign Mitch Marner: Will Brock Faber get a big pay raise from the Wild? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WILL THE LEAFS TRADE OR RE-SIGN MARNER?
NHL.COM: A reader asked Dan Rosen if the Toronto Maple Leafs should part ways with Mitch Marner if they fail to reach the Eastern Conference Final this year.
The 26-year-old winger has a year left on his contract. Teammates Auston Matthews and William Nylander have already signed long-term extensions with the Leafs.
Rosen believes the Leafs must re-sign Marner because he’s too valuable. Along with his point production, he plays big minutes, handles tough matchups, and plays on the power play and the penalty kill. “He’s a Selke Trophy player,” wrote Rosen.
The Leafs won’t win a Marner trade unless they get back an elite No. 1 defenseman in his prime of the same age.
Rosen points out the salary cap will likely be north of $90 million when Marner’s new contract begins in 2025-26. By that point, John Tavares’ contract comes off their books. He believes the Leafs should sign Marner to a long-term contract extension before next season and project their cap out from there, assuming that Marner, Matthews and Nylander could account for $38 million of their payroll for ’25-’26.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of his current contract. Rosen is projecting that the annual average value of Marner’s next deal will be the same as Matthews’ $13.25 million. He might get a tad less than that but it will be a raise over his current $10.9 million.
I’ll be surprised if the Leafs don’t re-sign Marner this summer. They’ll want to avoid his contract status becoming an unnecessary distraction next season. As Rosen observed, he’s their “do-everything” forward. His overall contributions at times go unappreciated by some denizens of Leafs Nation.
The only question is how long that deal might be. He could take a page from Matthews’ book and ink a four-year deal that gives him another shot at free agency in his early 30s when he’ll still be in his playing prime.
What do you think, Leafs fans? Is Marner too valuable to trade away? Is he worth as much as Matthews? Let us know in the comments below.
BROCK FABER COULD GET A BIG RAISE FROM THE WILD
THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Shayna Goldman believe Brock Faber could get the richest contract extension in Minnesota Wild history.
The 21-year-old defenseman is in the second year of his three-year entry-level contract. His performance this season could earn him the Calder Memorial Trophy as this season’s top NHL rookie.
Some observers compare Faber to Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who has an eight-year deal worth an average annual value of $9.5 million. The Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen is earning $8.45 million annually for eight years.
A contract for Faber exceeding $9 million annually might make some wild fans nervous but the NHL is trending toward bigger second contracts for rising young talent.
Russo and Goldman point to the Wild signing Matt Boldy to a seven-year, $49 million deal. They also noted that inking Faber to a bridge deal could mean a more expensive third contract.
When Faber’s next contract kicks in the salary cap could reach $92 million. By then, the Wild’s $14.7 million in dead cap space from buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter will drop to just $1.66 million annually to 2029.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Faber has done a remarkable job filling the role of No.1 defenseman for the Wild during his rookie season. He’s earned a significant raise, especially if he wins the Calder Trophy.
Faber will be a restricted free agent next summer and lacks arbitration rights. Wild general manager Bill Guerin doesn’t have to sign him this summer. He can see how the young blueliner performs during his sophomore campaign before getting down to serious discussions.
Guerin could be reluctant to invest in a big raise for Faber only to risk seeing him struggle to meet expectations. On the other hand, the cost of re-signing Faber will rise if the young blueliner exceeds this season’s performance.
I think Guerin will sign Faber this summer to an eight-year extension worth $9.5 million annually.
Too much? Not enough? Should Guerin sign Faber this summer or wait until next year? Let me know what you think in the comment section.
The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby ties a scoring record with Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews sets the Leafs single-season goal record, the Red Wings and Islanders remain in the Eastern Conference wildcard chase, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals and collected an assist to tie Wayne Gretzky with 19 seasons averaging a point-per-game in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. Bryan Rust also tallied twice for the 33-30-11 Penguins (77 points) as they move to within five points of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. The Rangers (50-21-4) remain in first place in the overall standings with 104 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A point-per-game in 19 straight seasons is a phenomenal achievement for the 36-year-old Crosby. He has 82 points this season in 74 games. Crosby also needs just three assists to reach the 1,000-assist milestone. He’s 13 goals from the 600 career goal milestone and 16 points from the 1,600-point plateau. Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry and defenseman John Ludvig were late scratches from this game due to illness.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews broke his franchise single-season goals record with his 61st and 62nd goals as his club downed the Florida Panthers 6-4. Matthews also collected an assist to finish with three points for the Leafs (43-22-9), who won their third straight game and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 95 points. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists and Sam Reinhart tallied his 52nd goal for the 47-23-5 Panthers, who sit seventh in the overall standings with 99 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With eight games remaining in the Leafs schedule, Matthews has a chance to become the first player to score 70 goals in a season since Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny in 1992-93. He holds a 10-goal lead over Reinhart and the Edmonton Oilers’ Zach Hyman in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy. Meanwhile, Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe left this game early in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Panthers coach Paul Maurice considers him day-to-day.
The Detroit Red Wings remain in the Eastern wildcard race with a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. David Perron snapped a 2-2 tie, Lucas Raymond netted his 25th goal of the season and Alex Lyon stopped 34 shots for the 37-30-8 Red Wings, who sit behind the Washington Capitals with 82 points. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected an assist to tie Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the points lead with 127. The Bolts (41-26-7) hold the first Eastern wildcard with 89 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings and Capitals have the same points total but the latter holds that wildcard with two games in hand.
An overtime goal by Brock Nelson lifted the New York Islanders over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. Semyon Varlamov stopped 30 shots for the 32-27-15 Islanders as they sit three points behind the Red Wings and Capitals. Morgan Frost scored in the final 10 seconds to force overtime for the Flyers (36-29-11), who picked up a point to regain third place in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson and teammate Bo Horvat each scored their 30th goal of the season in this game. Meanwhile, Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov made his NHL debut (stopping 19 of 21 shots) as he replaced Samuel Ersson, who gave up two goals on six shots. Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale returned to action after missing 16 games with an upper-body injury. However, team captain Sean Couturier left the game with an apparent upper-body injury.
The Colorado Avalanche failed to gain ground in the overall standings as they fell 4-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alexander Nylander tallied twice and Kirill Marchenkov picked up his 20th goal of the season for the 25-38-12 Blue Jackets. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was held scoreless as his club sits sixth overall with 100 points (47-22-6).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins missed this game with a lower-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.
Cole Perfetti scored twice and collected an assist as the Winnipeg Jets nipped the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 to snap their six-game losing skid. Kyle Connor collected three assists for the Jets, who improved to 45-24-6 to sit third in the Central Division with 96 points. Viktor Arvidsson, Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings (38-25-11) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 87 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Tyler Toffoli missed this game due to illness. Kings center Phillip Danault did not dress due to an upper-body injury.
St. Louis Blues winger Brandon Saad scored in overtime to give his club a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Brayden Schenn tallied twice for the Blues, who improved to 40-31-4 and sit three points behind the Kings for that final Western wildcard. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the 45-23-5 Oilers as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 95 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his 126th point of the season, sitting one behind Kucherov and MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. He’s also just three assists away from reaching the 100-point mark in a single season. The last player to do that was Wayne Gretzky with 122 in 1990-91.
The Seattle Kraken doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Shane Wright scored what proved to be the winning goal in his first game since being called up from the minors while Oliver Bjorkstrand netted his 20th of the season for the 31-30-13 Kraken. Fabian Zetterlund tallied his 21st of the season for the 17-49-8 Sharks.
IN OTHER NEWS…
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson and New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere were the league’s three stars for the week ending March 31.
STARTRIBUNE.COM: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman received a three-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct. He hurled his stick toward the on-ice officials following the Wild’s 2-1 loss to the Golden Knights on Saturday.
The Avalanche and Canucks clinch playoffs berths, it’s now a three-player race for the Art Ross Trophy, the Leafs’ Auston Matthews hits 60 goals and Jonathan Quick set a record for US-born goaltenders. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and set up two others as the Colorado Avalanche overcame 3-1 and 4-2 deficits to defeat the Nashville Predators 7-4 and clinch a playoff berth. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had three points for the 47-21-6 Avalanche, who sit fifth in the overall standings with 100 points. Gustav Nyquist had two points for the Predators (43-27-4), who hold the first Western Conference wildcard berth with 90 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds first place in the race for the Art Ross Trophy with 127 points…A match penalty to Predators defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the second period for an illegal hit to the head of Avalanche forward Ross Colton was the turning point in the game. McDonagh’s ejection left the Preds with just five blueliners for the rest of the game…Avs defenseman Sean Walker missed the third period with an upper-body injury.
An overtime goal by Jonathan Marchessault into an empty net gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. It was Marchessault’s 40th goal of the season as the Golden Knights (41-25-8) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 90 points. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 37th goal for the 35-28-10 Wild (80 points) as they sit seven points out of the final Western wildcard.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild head coach John Hynes opted to pull his goaltender to go for the win in the hope of keeping their fading playoff hopes alive. He gambled and lost. Because of that tactic, the Wild don’t get a point for reaching the overtime period…Before the game, it was reported that Wild forward Marcus Foligno will undergo season-ending surgery to address his lower-body injury…Golden Knights center Jack Eichel could face supplemental discipline after he was ejected during the second period for spearing Kaprizov.
San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 35 saves to shut out the St. Louis Blues 4-0. Filip Zadina, Mikael Granlund, Luke Kunin and Jan Rutta scored for the 17-48-8 Sharks, who snapped a nine-game winless skid. The loss leaves the Blues (39-31-4) sitting five points out of the final Western wildcard with 82 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The losses by the Blues and Wild clinched a postseason berth for the idle Vancouver Canucks (45-20-8), who sit seventh in the overall standings with 98 points…The Canucks and Avalanche join the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers among the teams that have secured their spots in the 2024 playoffs.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored two goals and collected an assist in a 6-1 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and two assists for the 45-23-4 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 94 points. Alex Killorn scored for the 24-46-4 Ducks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid briefly held the lead in the Art Ross Trophy race with 125 points before MacKinnon and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov overtook him. On Nov. 12, a struggling McDavid sat 112th among NHL scorers. He’s turned this into a three-man race for the scoring title with less than three weeks remaining in the season.
Speaking of Kucherov, he picked up two assists as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Islanders 4-1. Steven Stamkos tallied his 30th goal of the season and Anthony Cirelli scored twice and collected an assist for the Lightning, who improved to 41-25-7 and hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 89 points. Kyle Palmieri scored for the Islanders, who dropped to 31-27-15 (77 points) and sit five points out of the final Eastern wildcard spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov sits second in the Art Ross Trophy race with 126 points. Erik Cernak was a healthy scratch for the Lightning after missing a team meeting.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews reached the 60-goal plateau for the second time in a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Ilya Samsonov turned in a 34-save shutout for the 42-22-9 Leafs, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 93 points. The Sabres slipped to 35-35-5.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews leads the goalscoring race, eight goals ahead of Oilers winger Zach Hyman. Before this game, the Leafs placed winger Mitch Marner (ankle) on long-term injury reserve retroactive to March 7, though he could return to the roster later this week.
The New York Rangers defeated the Arizona Coyotes 8-5. Jonathan Quick made 27 saves to set the record for most wins by an American-born NHL goaltender with 392. Alexis Lafreniere had a hat trick and collected two assists while Chris Kreider scored his 300th career regular-season goal for the Rangers. They’re the first team to reach 50 wins this season (50-20-4) and sit first overall with 104 points. Clayton Keller tallied his 32nd goal of the season for the 31-38-5 Coyotes.
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov scored twice and Sam Reinhart scored in a shootout in a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. The Panthers (47-22-5) sit sixth in the overall standings with 99 points. Dylan Larkin scored to tie the game late in the third period for the 36-30-8 Red Wings, who sit two points out of the final Eastern wildcard.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin had a brief injury scare when he was struck by a shot on his left leg early in the game. He returned to action in the second period and finished the game.
A shootout goal by Kevin Shattenkirk lifted the Boston Bruins over the Washington Capitals 3-2. Jeremy Swayman made 18 saves in regulation and overtime for the Bruins, who improved to 43-17-15 and sit fourth in the overall standings with 101 points. Playing in his 1,000th career regular-season game, John Carlson scored the tying goal for the Capitals (36-27-10), who vaulted over the Philadelphia Flyers into third place in the Metropolitan Division with 82 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin missed this game with a lower-body injury.
Speaking of the Flyers (36-29-10), they lost their fourth straight game as they dropped into the final Eastern wildcard with 82 points following a 5-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Philipp Kurashev, Lukas Reichel and Joey Anderson each had a goal and an assist for the 22-47-5 Blackhawks. Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers head coach John Tortorella hopes this loss to the lowly Blackhawks serves as a wakeup call for his slumping club. “I think we hit the bottom tonight here,” he said. “Maybe that needs to happen for us to get back into it.”
The Dallas Stars set a franchise record with their seventh straight win by blanking the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Jake Oettinger made 17 saves for the shutout while Wyatt Johnston, Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz scored for the Stars (47-19-9), who sit second overall with 103 points. Joey Daccord turned aside 27 shots for the 30-30-13 Stars.
Speaking of 3-0 shutouts, Pyotr Kochetkov kicked out 26 shots to backstop the Carolina Hurricanes over the Montreal Canadiens. Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis were the goalscorers as the Hurricanes improved to 47-21-7 and sit third in the overall standings with 101 points. Sam Montembeault made 27 saves for the 28-33-12 Canadiens.
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk scored late in the third period as his club upset the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 28 shots for the 33-36-4 Senators. Jets goalie Connor Hellebucyk made 24 saves in his 500th career NHL regular-season game in a losing cause as his club sits third in the Central Division with 94 points but slipped to 44-24-6.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ slump continues as they’ve won three of their last 10 games.
The Calgary Flames surprised the Los Angeles Kings with a 4-2 win. Nazem Kadri led the way with a goal and an assist for the 34-34-5 Flames. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings (38-24-11) as they hold the final Western wildcard with 87 points.
A shootout goal by Damon Severson gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist and Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 30 shots for the 24-38-12 Blue Jackets. Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the 32-30-11 Penguins.
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