NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 10, 2025

The Jets tied their series with the Stars, the Panthers got their first win in their series with the Maple Leafs, seven more skaters are added to the Quarter-Century Team, the latest on a new franchise in Atlanta, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebucyk made 21 saves to shut out the Dallas Stars 4-0, tying their best-of-seven second-round series at a game apiece.

Nikolaj Ehlers had two goals and an assist, Dylan DeMelo collected two assists, and Josh Morrissey picked up an assist as he returned to action after missing Game 1 with an injury. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 21 shots.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

The series shifts to Dallas for the next two games. Game 3 is 4:30 pm ET on Sunday, May 11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a solid bounce-back performance by the Jets after dropping the first game on the strength of Dallas winger Mikko Rantanen’s hat trick. They dominated the Stars, doing an outstanding job neutralizing Rantanen and his teammates in this contest. Hellebuyck struggled with consistency in the first round, but his Game 2 performance should silence his critics for a little while. However, he must build on it if the Jets are to win this series. 

An overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 of their second-round series.

Marchand is the leader among active NHL players with 14 game-winning goals in the playoffs.

Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who narrowed Toronto’s lead in the series to 2-1. John Tavares tallied twice and Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Leafs.

Game 4 will be Sunday, May 10, at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs looked poised to take a commanding 3-0 series lead when they got early goals from Knies and Tavares. Aleksander Barkov made it 2-1 but Tavares restored the two-goal lead early in the second. However, Reinhart and Verhaeghe quickly scored to tie it and Jonah Gadjovich gave the Panthers the lead.

It then became a game of bounces involving Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly. His game-tying goal in the third deflected off Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky’s blocker, striking his defenseman Seth Jones, and bounced into the Panthers’ net. Marchand’s goal deflected into the Leafs’ net as Rielly was jostling with Panthers center Anton Lundell.

The hockey gods giveth, and the hockey gods taketh away.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Seven skaters who debuted in the NHL between 2000 and 2010 were named to the league’s Quarter-Century Team.

The new players are former Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, former Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk, former Chicago Blackhawks and current Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, Pittsburgh Penguins centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Washington Capitals left wing Alexander Ovechkin, and former Tampa Bay Lightning and current Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprises here. They were/are the most impactful players of their era. Datsyuk is already in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Bergeron will soon join him, and the others are all future first-ballot Hall-of-Famers once their playing careers are over.

The league will reveal the six skaters who debuted since 2010 on Saturday.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league’s two failed attempts to house a franchise in Atlanta would prevent the possibility of a third attempt to bring an expansion team to that market.

Bettman’s comments come days after prospective Atlanta owner Paul Krause said his group was getting closer to making a formal expansion pitch. The commissioner said there is interest in a potential expansion to Atlanta, but no formal timetable.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I predict the league will expand to Atlanta and Houston by the end of this decade, expanding to 34 teams.

Like it or not, billionaires are willing to pony up the increasingly rising expansion fee (likely to be $2 billion) to own an NHL expansion franchise in the United States.

Sorry, Quebec City, you have a devoted fan base and a proper NHL-ready arena, but your market is too small compared to those in the United States, and that’s where the money is. Your best bet is to become an emergency relocation destination for a failing American team like Winnipeg was for the Atlanta Thrashers in 2011.

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy was fined $7,812.50 for cross-checking Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic during Game 2 of the teams’ second-round series on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league explained they fined Roy instead of suspending him because he was reckless with his stick rather than intentionally trying to injure Frederic when he cross-checked the Oilers forward in the face. Frederic remained in the game, which explains why Roy escaped harsher discipline.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller underwent surgery for an undisclosed injury suffered toward the end of the regular season. He is expected to be ready for training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether that’s with the Rangers or another team remains to be seen. Miller is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off a difficult season. He could receive an offer sheet from a rival club if negotiations stall with the Rangers. Miller could also be a trade candidate if management decides he no longer fits into their long-term plans.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils have parted ways with assistant coaches Ryan McGill and Chris Taylor.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former WWE star Brock Lesnar’s son was recently drafted by the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. Duke Lesnar, 14, is a 5’11”, 168-pound forward chosen 115th overall by the Tigers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t NHL news, but I’m a pro wrestling fan, so this was interesting to share here.