NHL Rumor Mill – January 31, 2024

by | Jan 31, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 31, 2024

The Rangers could pursue Elias Lindholm while Kaapo Kakko could become trade bait, plus an update on Chris Tanev and the latest on the Canucks and Capitals in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST RANGERS SPECULATION

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports sources tell him the Rangers have Elias Lindholm at the top of their wish list and had done so before Filip Chytil was ruled out for the rest of the season with a suspected concussion.

Lindholm, 29, is a skilled two-way center slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Brooks noted that he’s not a bruising checking-line forward that would make the Rangers a tougher playoff opponent. However, he would improve the Rangers at five-on-five.

While the Flames could still attempt to re-sign him he could become what Brooks calls the “prize deadline rental property.” The asking price could be a first-round pick along with “at least one legitimate prospect and perhaps a young, NHL-ready player.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

It could take Kaapo Kakko and a first-rounder for the Rangers to land Lindholm. “Or maybe the Flames would prefer Will Cuylle or Brennan Othmann”. The Blueshirts have the cap room to absorb Lindholm’s $4.85 million cap hit but it would leave them little room to address other issues. Brooks believes the Flames’ asking price could increase if the Rangers asked them to retain 40 or 50 percent of Lindholm’s cap hit.

TSN: Darren Dreger reported Kakko is an asset that Rangers general manager Chris Drury could use as trade bait. He said multiple sources claim Drury is taking calls about the 22-year-old winger, who was chosen second overall in the 2019 draft. Dreger speculates Kakko could be used to acquire “a significant piece” leading up to the March 8 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers ownership and management consider themselves to be Stanley Cup contenders since reaching the 2022 Eastern Conference Final. They went big in last year’s trade deadline by acquiring Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko but were eliminated from the opening round of the 2023 playoffs by their arch-rival, the New Jersey Devils.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Rangers will swing for the fences again this year. They must address their depth at center and have the cap space to do so with Chytil on long-term injury reserve for the rest of the season.

Dangling Kakko as the centerpiece of an offer for Lindholm could give the Rangers the edge in a bidding war. He’s struggled with injuries and consistency in his five NHL seasons but still has the potential to become a reliable top-six forward, especially after last season’s promising 40-point performance. A change of scenery could be just what he needs to reach his potential.

TEAMS LINING UP FOR CHRIS TANEV

TSN: Darren Dreger reports multiple teams are in the mix for Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev. Among them are the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Senators would see Tanev as a foundational fit as they would be interested in signing him to a contract extension. Dreger also indicated some of the teams looking at Tanev are non-contenders like the Senators.

Dreger believes it comes down to whether Tanev is chasing the Stanley Cup this year. If he is, it will factor significantly into his decision as to where he wants to go.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch cites league sources claiming as many as 10 teams have reached out to the Flames about Tanev, including the Senators, Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks. It’s thought that Leafs general manager (and former Flames GM) Brad Treliving has made acquiring the blueliner a priority.

There aren’t many right-shot defensemen in this year’s trade market which is why Tanev is so coveted this season. Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Brett Pesce is the only other top-end right-shot blueliner available.

It’s believed the Flames asking price for Tanev is at least a first-round pick plus a prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A first-rounder plus a prospect seems like a lot to pay for a 34-year-old pending UFA defenseman. However, it wouldn’t be the first time a team has overpaid for such talent leading up to deadline day.

As for Pesce, his name was out there in the rumor mill earlier this season. With the Hurricanes rising in the Eastern Conference standings, I doubt that he’s available now. Like Tanev, he’s slated to become a UFA in July but the Hurricanes could be willing to hang onto him for the rest of the season and deal with his contract situation once the playoffs are over.

COULD THE CANUCKS TRADE ZADOROV?

CHEK-TV’S Rick Dhaliwal reports agent Dan Milstein doesn’t believe rumors that the Vancouver Canucks could trade client Nikita Zadorov at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The basis of that speculation had the Canucks moving Zadorov as a cost-cutting measure to free up cap room to acquire someone like Calgary’s Elias Lindholm or Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel.

Zadorov has struggled at times since joining the Canucks but he plays with a physical style that could prove invaluable in the heat of playoff competition. A more likely trade candidate would be Andrei Kuzmenko, who carries a $5.5 million AAV through next season. However, his declining performance this season could make him tougher to trade.

UPDATE ON THE CAPITALS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammy Silber cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli including Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd on his list of trade targets. He’s among the league’s best defensive forwards and has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $1.3 million.

Silber expects Dowd will be a trade candidate if the Capitals become sellers at the March 8 trade deadline. So will pending UFA winger Anthony Mantha. Max Pacioretty, Joel Edmundson and Nicolas Aube-Kubel could also draw some interest as could defensemen Nick Jensen and Trevor van Riemsdyk.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2024

by | Jan 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2024

The Oilers’ win streak reaches 16, Auston Matthews reaches 40 goals and Nikita Kucherov regains the lead in the scoring race. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers extended their win streak to 16 games with a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Connor McDavid had a goal and three assists while Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists for the 29-15-1 Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 59 points. Colton Sissons replied for the Predators (26-22-1) as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are now one win away from tying the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins for the longest win streak (17 games) in league history. Corey Perry made his debut with the Oilers, logging 12:44 in ice time with two hits and two shots.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 40th goal as his club doubled up the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly each collected two assists while Ilya Samsonov made 24 saves for the Leafs (25-14-8) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 58 points. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 shots for the 30-12-5 Jets as they slipped to third place in the Central Division with 65 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews set a franchise record as the fastest player to reach 40 goals (46 games) and extended his team record for most 40-goal seasons with five. He also became the eighth player in Leafs history to reach 600 points and the fastest to reach that plateau. Meanwhile, the club announced that Calle Jarnkrok is sidelined week-to-week with a broken knuckle.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to regain the lead in the NHL scoring race with 85 points in a 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel each scored twice as the 27-18-5 Lightning sit one point ahead of the Leafs in third place in the Atlantic Division. Ondrej Palat and Nico Hischier each had two points for the 24-20-3 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hischier wasn’t pleased with his club’s performance. “I’m embarrassed, to be honest,” he said in a postgame interview. With the Devils sitting six points out of a wild-card berth, he called on his teammates to play “pissed off.” They’ve won just three of their last 10 games.

The Vancouver Canucks overcame a three-goal deficit to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 on an overtime goal by Elias Pettersson, who finished the game with two goals and an assist. Brock Boeser tallied a hat trick while Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller each collected three assists for the Canucks (33-11-5) as they hold first place in the overall standings with 71 points. Alexandre Texier had a goal and an assist for the 15-23-10 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blue Jackets announced winger Patrik Laine returned to Columbus after suffering a setback in his recovery from a fractured clavicle. They also placed defenseman Adam Boqvist (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled blueliner Nick Blankenburg from their AHL affiliate in Cleveland.

A four-goal first period powered the Boston Bruins over the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2. David Pastrnak tallied twice and collected an assist while James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists for the 31-9-9 Bruins, who sit second in the overall standings with 71 points. Tyson Foerster scored both goals for the slumping Flyers (25-19-6), who’ve lost five straight games but remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Flyers honored Mark Recchi with induction into their Hall of Fame. Recchi spent 10 seasons with the Flyers, tallying 627 points in 602 games. He also played three seasons with the Bruins, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2011 during his final season.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart scored to extend his points streak to 13 games as his club nipped the New York Islanders 3-2 on an overtime goal by Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist for the 31-14-4 Panthers as they sit in fourth place in the overall standings with 66 points. Semyon Varlamov turned aside 24 shots for the Islanders (20-17-12), who sit five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After beating the Dallas Stars 3-2 in Patrick Roy’s first game as their head coach, the Isles are winless in their last three contests (0-2-1). Before this game, Roy indicated that defenseman Adam Pelech is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He was sidelined by an illegal hit to the head on Thursday by Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher, who received a five-game suspension as a result.

The Dallas Stars moved ahead of the Winnipeg Jets into second place in the Central Division with 66 points by dropping the Washington Capitals 5-4. Thomas Harley scored in overtime after his club blew a 4-2 lead and finished the game with two goals for the 30-13-6 Stars. Alex Ovechkin and Anthony Mantha each had a goal and an assist for the 22-18-7 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger Max Pacioretty left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury unrelated to his surgically repaired Achilles tendon. No word following the game regarding his condition.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin sniped two goals in a 5-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider each had two assists while Alex Lyon stopped 28 shots for the Red Wings (26-18-5) as they hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 57 points. Alec Martinez had two assists for the 29-15-6 Golden Knights (64 points) as they remain in second place in the Pacific Division.

A five-goal second period rallied the New York Rangers over the Ottawa Senators 7-2. Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists while Jonathan Quick made 29 saves for the Rangers (30-16-3) as they remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points. Brady Tkachuk and Jakob Chychrun scored for the 18-25-2 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain Jacob Trouba missed this game as he’s serving a two-game suspension for elbowing Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev on Friday.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 as Dmitry Orlov broke a 1-1 tie with 36 seconds remaining in regulation time. Seth Jarvis collected two assists for the 28-15-5 Hurricanes, who sit two points back of the Rangers in second place in the Metro Division. Logan Cooley tallied for the slumping Coyotes (23-22-3) as they dropped their third straight game and sit four points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 49 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom kicked out 32 shots for a 1-0 shutout of the Chicago Blackhawks. Elias Lindholm scored the only goal as the 22-22-5 Flames (49 points) snapped a four-game losing skid and sit four points out of the final Western wild-card berth. Petr Mrazek made 30 saves for the 14-34-2 Blackhawks, who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 30 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Flames announced that forward A.J. Greer is out for eight weeks with a fractured foot.

An overtime goal by Marcus Pettersson gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Penguins forward Lars Eller scored in his 1,000th career game as his club improved to 22-17-7 (51 points). Jake Allen made 30 saves for the 20-21-8 Canadiens.

Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry scored two goals as his club tamed the Minnesota Wild 3-2. Lukas Dostal stopped 35 shots for the 17-30-2 Ducks. Mats Zuccarello collected two assists for the 21-23-5 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marcus Foligno missed this game due to illness.

The Buffalo Sabres tallied five unanswered goals in a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. JJ Peterka scored twice while Dylan Cozens had a goal and two assists for the Sabres (22-23-4). William Eklund picked up two assists for the 13-32-4 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Sabres as forward Jack Quinn left the game with an injured left leg following a hit by Sharks forward Tomas Hertl. Head coach Don Granato indicated Quinn’s injury should be considered more than day-to-day for recovery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2024

by | Jan 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon regains the scoring lead with a four-goal performance, five members of Canada’s 2018 WJC team face sexual assault charges, Salt Lake City expresses interest in an expansion franchise, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon regained the lead in the NHL scoring race with a four-goal performance in a 6-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. MacKinnon also collected an assist for 82 points, two ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and four assists while Cale Makar had a goal and two assists for the 31-14-3 Avalanche, who sit fourth in the overall standings with 65 points. Dylan Strome scored both goals for the 22-18-6 Capitals (50 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche extended their home point streak to a franchise-record 24 games. Makar netted his 76th career goal to become the franchise’s all-time leading goalscorer among defensemen. Meanwhile, Avs blueliner Jack Johnson missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice took over sole possession of second place for most games by an NHL coach with 1,813 as his club beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-2. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games while Matthew Tkachuk had two goals and an assist for the Panthers (29-14-4), who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 62 points. Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist for the 23-20-3 Coyotes (49 points) as they sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov collected an assist as he returned to action after being sidelined for three games by a lower-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov made 32 saves for his second shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Auston Matthews scored in overtime to collect his league-leading 39th goal of the season as his Maple Leafs (24-14-8) regained third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Laurent Brossoit stopped 29 shots for the 30-11-6 Jets as they sit third in the overall standings with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big win for Samsonov, whose struggles in December saw him briefly demoted to the Leafs’ AHL affiliate. He was touched by Leafs fans chanting his name, admitting he was nearly brought to tears. Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left this game with a leg injury after blocking a shot by Leafs forward Matthew Knies.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their third straight win with a 4-3 overtime upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Brayden Schenn tallied the winning goal after his club blew a 3-1 while Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist for the 24-20-8 Blues (50 points), who sit one point out of the final Western wild-card berth. Pius Suter had a hat trick for the Canucks (32-11-5) as they remain in first place in the overall standings with 69 points.

A late goal by Jordan Martinook lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Boston Bruins by a score of 3-2. Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points for the Hurricanes (26-15-5), who moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points. Brad Marchand scored both goals for the 29-9-9 Bruins as they remain in second place in the overall standings with 67 points.

The Buffalo Sabres overcame a 3-1 deficit for a 5-3 upset victory over the Los Angeles Kings. JJ Peterka scored twice and collected an assist while Jack Quinn had a goal and two assists for the 21-23-4 Sabres. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the Kings (22-14-9) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have won just twice in their last 10 games. Head coach Todd McLellan blasted his players following this match. “The stupidity that went into that loss is beyond explanation,” he said. Asked about his job security, McLellan replied that it was “a very fair question.” Kings general manager Rob Blake recently gave him a vote of confidence but that could change if this club fails to snap out of its funk.

Seattle Kraken winger Tomas Tatar scored two goals as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann each collected two points as the Kraken (20-18-9) sit two points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 49 points. Seth Jones had two assists for the 14-32-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced they’d reached an agreement with goaltender Petr Mrazek on a two-year contract extension. He’ll earn an average annual value of $4.25 million.

HEADLINES

TSN: Five members of Canada’s 2018 World Juniors team have been ordered to report to London, Ontario police to face charges of sexual assault. London police announced they would hold a press conference on Feb. 5 to share further details.

The charges are related to an alleged sexual assault in June 2018 involving the players, who have a set time to report to the police.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote have taken indefinite leaves of absence from the team. The club indicated it has no further comment at this time.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators’ unsigned winger Alex Formenton has taken an indefinite leave of absence from his Swiss team where he’s played since last season. The club declined to comment on the matter.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers GM Daniel Briere made a statement yesterday regarding the indefinite leave of absence by goaltender Carter Hart. He acknowledged the reports regarding the five unnamed players of Canada’s 2018 WJC team but said neither he nor the Flyers would make any comment until the results of the investigation are released.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube is also on an indefinite leave of absence for what the club deemed mental health reasons. Nevertheless, it’s assumed by hockey fans on social media that Dube, Hart, Formenton, McLeod and Foote are the five players sought by London police. We’ll know for certain by Feb. 5.

DAILY FACEOFF: In a release shared with NHL media yesterday, the Smith Entertainment Group formally requested that the league begin the process of bringing an expansion team to Salt Lake City. The ownership group owns the NBA’s Utah Jazz and has talked with the NHL about an expansion club since 2022. The club would play in the Jazz’s current arena until a new venue is constructed at a later date.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salt Lake City has a long hockey history with minor league teams playing there over the years. They also hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics.

SPORTSNET: In an interview with The Athletic, NHL Players Association executive director Marty Walsh said the clock is ticking on the ownership of the Arizona Coyotes as they continue efforts to find a location to build a new arena. At the most recent NHL Board of Governors’ meetings, Commissioner Gary Bettman said the Coyotes ownership had until the end of January to finalize a new plan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Walsh’s comments combined with the news of the Utah Jazz ownership’s interest in an expansion franchise looks like a warning shot to Coyotes ownership. If they don’t soon get their plans for a new arena project sorted out, the league’s patience could finally run out. If so, this franchise could end up sold and moved to Salt Lake City.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames placed center Adam Ruzicka and defenseman Nick DeSimone on waivers.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators re-signed forward Cole Smith to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $775K.

KLTV: Former NHL player Mike Ribeiro is on trial in Franklin County, Texas. He allegedly sexually assaulted two women on June 23, 2021, and attempted to assault another.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2024

by | Jan 22, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2024

Should the Leafs approach John Tavares about waiving his no-movement clause? What’s the latest on the Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov and the Canadiens’ Sean Monahan? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill

SHOULD THE LEAFS ASK TAVARES TO ACCEPT A TRADE?

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons observed the decline in John Tavares’ production this season. If the Maple Leafs can expect this from their 33-year-old captain over the remainder of his contract, perhaps the two sides should consider parting ways.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

Simmons wondered if Tavares, who has one year remaining on his contract with a full no-movement clause, would be willing to “make a most unselfish gesture and waive his no-trade arrangement?” He speculated that question might come before this season ends or in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tavares made it very clear that he intends to play out his contract with the Leafs. I’ll be astonished if Leafs management asks him to waive his movement clause and even more shocked if he agrees to accept a trade.

Assuming that unlikely scenario took place, there is no market for a declining center that turns 34 in September carrying an average annual value of $11 million through 2024-25.

Tavares is earning $7.95 million in actual salary per season on the final two years of his contract Nevertheless, I don’t believe any club will take on that contract unless the Leafs are retaining half of his annual cap hit.

Even then, it would still be too expensive for most clubs to carry. Those who could are rebuilding teams whose playoff hopes for next season will be slim at best.

THE LATEST ON KUZNETSOV

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber noted that Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov was moved to the fourth line during Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. Head coach Spencer Carberry said Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin were “getting crushed” when playing together this season.

The move was made in part to spark Kuznetsov, who hasn’t shown any consistency or momentum this season. Silber doesn’t see the 31-year-old center getting moved by the March 8 trade deadline because of his $7.8 million AAV and declining trade value. However, she speculated he could become a good draft trade asset.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov is signed through 2024-25. His performance has significantly eroded this season with just 14 points in 40 games. For that matter, so has that of the 38-year-old Ovechkin with just eight goals and 28 points in 41 contests. However, the Capitals captain is in no danger of becoming a trade candidate.

The combination of Kuznetsov’s contract and performance makes it unlikely that he’ll be moved by deadline day. I also think it will hurt his value in the offseason trade market unless the Capitals retain half of his AAV for the final season of his contract.

SUGGESTED TRADE DESTINATIONS FOR MONAHAN

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin recently looked at six possible trade destinations for Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan. He’s on a one-year deal with an AAV of $1.985 million and lacks no-trade protection.

Canadiens management reportedly has an agreement with the 29-year-old center that they would try to trade him to a contender if they’re out of playoff contention leading up to the March trade deadline.

Larkin listed (in alphabetical order) the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets as potential landing spots for Monahan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Monahan would make an affordable and worthwhile “Plan B” for teams that fail to land Calgary’s Elias Lindholm if he becomes available leading up to the deadline.

The Oilers might not make any further additions following their reported signing of Corey Perry. As for the Leafs, defense and goaltending are more urgent priorities.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2024

by | Jan 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2024

Patrick Roy gets his first win as Islanders coach, Auston Matthews increases his lead in the goal-scoring race, the Oilers reportedly sign Corey Perry, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Patrick Roy picked up a win in his debut as head coach of the New York Islanders as they nipped the Dallas Stars 3-2 on an overtime goal by Bo Horvat, snapping a four-game losing skid. Mathew Barzal and Noah Dobson each collected two assists for the 20-15-11 Islanders (51 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Joe Pavelski had two assists for the Stars (27-13-6) as they sit third in the Central Division with 60 points.

New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unlike his predecessor, Roy is using analytics as one means of improving the Islanders. Before yesterday’s game, he pointed out that the club was at the bottom of the league in breakouts and puck possession in their zone and the offensive zone. Expect Roy to work on improving those aspects of the Isles’ game going forward.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his fifth goal in his last four games in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. With a league-leading 38 goals, Matthews has a five-goal lead over Florida’s Sam Reinhart. Ilya Samsonov made 16 saves for his first win since Dec. 9 as the Leafs (23-14-8) regained third place in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Jordan Eberle scored for the 19-18-9 Kraken (47 points), who’ve lost four straight games and sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

A hat trick by Kirill Kaprizov powered the Minnesota Wild over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 5-2. Filip Gustavsson kicked out 40 shots while Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and two assists for the 20-21-5 Wild. Martin Necas and Michael Bunting replied for the Hurricanes (25-15-5) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon made 27 saves in a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Daniel Sprong’s tie-breaker in the second period held up as the winning goal for the 24-17-5 Red Wings, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 53 points. Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning (24-18-5) as they sit in the final Eastern wild-card berth with 53 points.

The New York Rangers scored four unanswered goals to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Chris Kreider had a goal and two assists for the Rangers (29-15-2) as they sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 60 points. Adam Henrique scored both goals for the 15-30-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored two goals in a 5-3 upset of the Philadelphia Flyers. Shane Pinto collected an assist in his season debut with the Senators (17-24-1) following a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules. Egor Zamula scored twice for the 25-16-6 Flyers, who remain in second place in the Metro Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Flyers winger Owen Tippett missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers have reportedly reached an agreement with Corey Perry on a one-year, prorated contract that is expected to be officially announced on Monday. The contract also contains performance bonuses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry’s contract with the Chicago Blackhawks was terminated on Nov. 30 for engaging in what was deemed unacceptable behavior that violated his standard player’s contract and the club’s code of conduct.

Perry recently received permission from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to speak with other clubs following treatment for alcohol abuse. He remains a highly-regarded forward who elevates his game in the postseason. His signing should provide an extra measure of leadership and playoff experience to the surging Oilers.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Flames winger Dillon Dube has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the Flames to attend to his mental health. He’s struggled to score this season with his last point coming against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 24.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Flames, defenseman Oliver Kylington is expected to practice with the club on Monday as he progresses toward returning to action for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Kylington has also been dealing with mental health issues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2024

by | Jan 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2024

The Oilers’ win streak continues, Auston Matthews, David Pastrnak and T.J. Oshie enjoy hat-trick performances and Kings coach Todd McLellan gets a vote of confidence from management. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers tied the 1967-68 Montreal Canadiens for the longest win streak by a Canadian team (12 games) with a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Warren Foegele scored two goals while Leon Draisaitl had a goal and three assists for the 25-15-1 Oilers, who overcame a 2-0 deficit to vault over the Los Angeles Kings into third place in the Pacific Division with 51 points. Eeli Tolvanen and Jared McCann scored for the 19-17-9 Kraken (47 points), who dropped their third straight game and sit three points behind the Kings for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have staged a remarkable surge up the standings in the past month. When they suffered their last loss (3-1 to the New York Islanders on Dec. 19), the Oilers had the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference (13-15-1, 27 points), sitting seven points out of a wild-card spot and only six points ahead of the bottom-feeding San Jose Sharks.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tallied a hat trick and collected an assist as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to hold off the Calgary Flames 4-3. William Nylander picked up two assists for the 22-13-8 Leafs, who regained third place in the Atlantic Division with 52 points. Jonathan Huberdeau had two assists for the 21-19-35 Flames (47 points), who sit three points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 37 goals, Matthews expanded his league in the goal-scoring lead by four over Florida’s Sam Reinhart. Meanwhile, Flames center Martin Pospisil left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

The Boston Bruins defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 on a hat trick by winger David Pastrnak, who sits third in the goal-scoring race with 29. Jeremy Swayman made 30 saves for the Bruins (27-8-9), who sit second in the overall standings with 63 points. Nathan MacKinnon scored to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Avalanche (29-14-3) sit second in the Central Division with 61 points.

A hat trick by T.J. Oshie powered the Washington Capitals over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 5-2. Max Pacioretty, John Carlsson and Dylan Strome each had two points for the 22-15-6 Capitals (50 points), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Nathan Walker scored both goals for the 21-20-2 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin collected an assist after returning from a three-game absence dealing with a nagging lower-body injury.

The Nashville Predators got a 33-save performance by Juuse Saros in a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings, who have dropped 10 of their last 11 games. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for the Predators (25-19-1) as they hold the first Western wild-card spot with 51 points. Drew Doughty replied for the 21-13-8 Kings, who hold the final wild card spot with 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Kings general manager Rob Blake gave head coach Todd McLellan a vote of confidence. He expects the solution to his club’s struggles will come internally from his players. However, Blake’s faith in McLellan will be put to the test if the Kings fail to improve over the next few weeks, especially if the club slips out of a playoff berth.

Elias Pettersson and Dakota Joshua scored as the Vancouver Canucks nipped the Arizona Coyotes 2-1, becoming the first team this season to reach the 30-win mark (30-11-4). Thatcher Demko turned aside 20 shots for the Canucks as they sit atop the overall standings with 64 points. Travis Dermott scored for the 21-19-3 Coyotes.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman had a goal and three assists as his club tamed the Minnesota Wild 7-3. Nikita Kucherov collected three assists to become the first player this season to reach 75 points while Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli each had three points for the 23-17-5 Lightning, who hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 51 points. Marco Rossi had a goal and an assist for the 18-21-5 Wild, who announced before the game that team captain Jared Spurgeon will miss the remainder of the season with hip and back injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Spurgeon undergoes hip surgery on Feb. 6 followed by back surgery four weeks later. Speaking of the Lightning, scout and former player Tony Hrkac saved a man from choking on a pretzel during a game between the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. He applied the Heimlich maneuver and saved the man’s life.

The Philadelphia Flyers downed the Dallas Stars 5-1 for their fifth straight victory. Owen Tippett tallied twice while Morgan Frost had two assists for the 25-14-6 Flyers (56 points) as they sit two points behind the first-place New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division. Tyler Seguin netted the only goal for the Stars (26-13-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 57 points.

Speaking of the Rangers, they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Vegas Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev scored two goals, Jonathan Marchessault had a goal and an assist while Logan Thompson stopped 29 shots for the 26-14-5 Golden Knights, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 57 points. Mika Zibanejad scored for the 28-14-2 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights winger Michael Amadio missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-2. Tim Stutzle led the way for the 16-24-0 Senators with a goal and two assists. Cole Caufield netted his 15th goal of the season for the Canadiens as they slipped to 19-19-7 on the season.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 20 saves for his second straight shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Rasmus Dahlin scored his 13th goal of the season for the 20-21-4 Sabres. Arvid Soderblom stopped 28 shots for the 13-30-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres played without forward Dylan Cozens as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.