NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2025

by | Jan 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Canadiens unveil their Quarter-Century Team, Connor McDavid faces an in-person hearing for cross-checking Conor Garland, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Patrik Laine lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-4 victory over the New York Rangers. Canadiens rookie goalie Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for his fifth win in as many starts while Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and an assist. Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick made 33 saves while Adam Fox picked up two assists.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal (50 points) sits one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson tied Barry Beck for the second-longest assist streak for rookie defensemen (eight games). The Habs called up forward Owen Beck for this game.

This loss left the Rangers two points behind the Canadiens.

The Ottawa Senators got a 25-save performance (16 in the first period) from Anton Forsberg to nip the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Senators rookie Zack Ostapchuk scored his first goal of the season and Artem Zub tallied the game-winner. Tomas Tatar replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win vaulted the Senators (51 points) over the Blue Jackets into the first Eastern wild-card spot, extending their points streak to six games (5-0-1). The Devils sit second in the Metropolitan Division (58 points) but are winless in their last four contests (0-2-2).

First-period goals by Matej Blumel, Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque gave the Dallas Stars a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Robertson extended his goals streak to five games while Jake Oettinger kicked out 33 shots for the Stars. Marco Kasper scored for the Red Wings (46 points), who sit five points behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars (59 points) snapped a two-game losing skid and sit second in the Central Division. The Red Wings have dropped three of their last four contests.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens unveiled its Quarter-Century Team on Sunday.

The First Team consisted of goaltender Carey Price, defensemen Shea Weber and Andrei Markov, and forwards Saku Koivu, Tomas Plekanec and Alex Kovalev.

The Second Team featured goalie Jose Theodore, defensemen P.K. Subban and Sheldon Souray, and forwards Nick Suzuki, Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher.

THE SCORE: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers face in-person hearings for cross-checking incidents that earned them match penalties on Saturday. The hearings are scheduled for Monday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Oilers, they placed center Derek Ryan on waivers and loaned defenseman Josh Brown to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres called up goaltender Devon Levi to replace sidelined netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. They also placed forward Ryan McLeod on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2024

by | Nov 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2024

An injury to Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin overshadows his second straight multigoal game, a milestone game for Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice in a 6-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club but left in the third period with an injured left leg following a knee-on-knee collision with Utah forward Jack McBain. Dylan Strome and Brandon Duhaime each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (13-4-1), who moved into first place in the Eastern Conference with 27 points. McBain and Nick Bjugstad scored for Utah.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin tied Jaromir Jagr’s NHL record of most goaltenders scored on as Utah’s Connor Ingram became the 178th goalie to give up a goal to the Capitals captain. The 39-year-old Ovechkin leads all NHL scorers with 15 goals and sits at 868 career goals, putting him 26 goals behind Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

There was no update on Ovechkin’s condition following the game. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said his captain was being evaluated and they’ll know more on Tuesday.

Off the ice, Utah had the highest single-day merchandise sale ever at the Delta Center. It was also the second-best single-game merchandise sale in NHL history.

San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini scored in overtime for his first NHL game-winning goal to nip the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. William Eklund tallied twice for the Sharks as they snapped a three-game winless skid (0-1-2). Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had a goal and an assist as his club has dropped five of their last six contests (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks recalled goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to back up starter Mackenzie Blackwood in this contest. Backup Vitek Vanecek is still recuperating from an injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar sniped two goals as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist as the Avs picked up their fifth win in their last seven games. Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster scored for the Flyers as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Referee Mitch Dunning was stretchered from this game following a violent collision with Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson. He was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons and his neurological functions were normal. Dunning was communicative and had control of his extremities.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 30-save shutout from Sam Montembeault in a 3-0 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Brendan Gallagher, Kaiden Guhle and Jake Evans scored for the Canadiens, who’ve won three of their last four contests. Calvin Pickard turned aside 22 shots for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Oilers announced defenseman Darnell Nurse will be sidelined for five to 10 days after a hit to the head by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves on Saturday. Reaves received a five-game suspension.

The Canadiens honored broadcaster Pierre Houde in a pregame ceremony to commemorate his recent induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Shorthanded goals by Mathieu Olivier and Justin Danforth powered the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-1 upset of the Boston Bruins. Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 28 shots for the Blue Jackets while teammate Sean Monahan collected two assists. Charlie Coyle had the only goal for the Bruins, who were booed off the ice by their unhappy fans. They have just two wins in their last seven contests (2-3-2).

Anaheim Ducks winger Brett Leason had a goal and two assists as his club doubled up the Dallas Stars 4-2. Lukas Dostal stopped 34 shots for the Ducks as they’ve won three of their last four games. Esa Lindell and Matt Duchene scored for the Stars as their three-game win streak is over.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment, and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy were the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 17.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews continues to recuperate from an upper-body injury that has sidelined him since Nov. 3. The earliest he might return to action is Sunday against Utah.

TSN: Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok underwent groin surgery and is considered month-to-month. He has yet to play a game this season.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly will undergo heart surgery due to a preexisting condition that was discovered during treatment of a concussion suffered on Nov. 1 against the Buffalo Sabres. The heart condition is not related to the injury he suffered in Buffalo.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is listed as day-to-day due to illness.

THE SCORE: Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall admitted he was surprised to learn he was a healthy scratch for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. He and head coach Luke Richardson have since spoken about the incident and cleared the air, with Richardson admitting he could’ve handled the situation better.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall has struggled thus far this season with just six points in 17 games. He played only 10 games in 2023-24 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.

STLTODAY: The Blues placed winger Kasperi Kapanen on waivers Monday afternoon. This move could signal one of their sidelined players is ready to rejoin the lineup.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils placed forward Nathan Bastian on long-term injury reserve and moved forward Curtis Lazar to injured reserve.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres have sent goaltender Devon Levi to their AHL affiliate in Rochester and announced winger Jordan Greenway is week-to-week with a middle-body injury.

ROTOWIRE: The Winnipeg Jets removed defenseman Ville Heinola from injured reserve and sent him to their AHL affiliate for a conditioning stint. An ankle injury has sidelined him since training camp.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 29, 2023

by | Nov 29, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 29, 2023

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the Blackhawks’ move to terminate Corey Perry’s contract and acquire Anthony Beauvillier from the Canucks, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid continued his torrid scoring pace with a goal and two assists in a 5-4 shootout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins netted the winning goal for the 8-12-1 Oilers as they’ve picked up three straight victories. The Golden Knights (14-5-4) picked up a point to retake first place in the overall standings (32 points) but they’ve managed just three wins in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was McDavid’s third straight multi-point game. It’s not a coincidence that the Oilers have improved of late as a result.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

The Vancouver Canucks got two goals from Brock Boeser and 30 saves from Thatcher Demko to down the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Boeser now leads the league with 17 goals as the Canucks (15-7-1) sit one point back of the Golden Knights in the standings. Ryan Strome replied for the struggling Ducks (9-13-0) as they’ve dropped seven straight games.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger kicked out 27 shots to shut out the Winnipeg Jets 2-0. Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin were the goal scorers as the Stars (28 points) rose to 13-5-2 on the season. Connor Hellebuyck made 19 stops for the 12-7-2 Jets as they sit two points behind the second-place Stars in the Central Division.

The Nashville Predators nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 to pick up their sixth straight win. Michael McCarron scored twice while Filip Forsberg potted the winner in overtime as the Predators improved to 11-10-0 and moved into the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 22 points. Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins as they overcame a 2-0 deficit to force the overtime period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins placed defenseman Will Butcher on waivers and released blueliner Mark Pysyk from his professional tryout offer.

The Minnesota Wild picked up their first win in John Hynes’ first game as their new head coach by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1. Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves for his first victory since Oct. 24 while Frederic Gaudreau’s first goal of the season proved to be the game-winner for the 6-10-4 Wild. Colton Parayko had the only goal for the 11-9-1 Blues.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Curtis Lazar rallied the New Jersey Devils over the New York Islanders 5-4. Hughes finished the night with a goal and two assists for the Devils as they improved their record to 10-9-1. Islanders center Mathew Barzal also had a goal and two assists as his club dropped to 8-7-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton did not play in the third period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update as to his status.

The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Florida Panthers 2-1 on a shootout goal by Noah Gregor, who also scored their only goal in regulation. Joseph Woll made 38 saves for the 11-6-3 Maple Leafs. Kevin Stenlund tallied for the 13-7-2 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers appeared to win this contest on a shootout goal by Evan Rodrigues but a video review determined that he touched the puck after shooting it, which is not allowed in the shootout. It was a costly win for the Leafs as defenseman Mark Giordano left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to miss some time as a result.

Two-point performances by Michael Bunting and Sebastian Aho gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 28 shots for the Hurricanes (13-8-0). Travis Konecny replied for the 11-10-1 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Flyers announced that forward Noah Cates will be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

Arizona Coyotes winger Michael Carcone scored twice and Connor Ingram made 30 saves to upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1. With the win, the Coyotes improved to 10-9-2 (22 points) and sit behind the Predators for the final Western wild-card spot. Brayden Point scored for the 10-8-5 Lightning.

The Chicago Blackhawks got a 33-save performance by Petr Mrazek to hold off the Seattle Kraken 4-3. MacKenzie Entwistle scored what proved to be the winning goal for the Blackhawks (7-13-0) while Matty Beniers had a goal and an assist for the 8-10-5 Kraken, who also lost winger Jaden Schwartz to a lower-body injury in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was overshadowed by the Blackhawks’ announcing earlier in the day that they had placed veteran winger Corey Perry on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. Speaking of which…

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said the decision to release Corey Perry from his contract was a “workplace decision” but he declined to disclose the specifics about the incident.

Davidson did say that the situation didn’t involve any other Blackhawks players or their families, calling any suggestion to the contrary “disgusting.” He said the club first learned of the incident last Wednesday prior to a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The decision was made at that time to pull Perry from the lineup while an internal investigation was conducted. According to Davidson, the results of that investigation indicated he engaged in “conduct that is unacceptable, and in violation of his Standard Player’s Contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies intended to promote professional and safe working environments.”

Perry, 38, was on a one-year, $4 million contract. The NHL Players Association is reviewing the matter and has 60 days from when the contract is terminated to file a grievance.

ESPN.COM: A source told Emily Kaplan that Perry traveled with the Blackhawks to Columbus last Tuesday, a day before the game, and an incident occurred that day involving a team employee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks did the right thing by attempting to address this issue with Perry immediately upon learning of the incident and launching an immediate investigation. However, they could’ve done a better job with their statements regarding his absence leading up to Davidson’s press conference.

The Blackhawks management insisted that Perry’s removal was a “team decision” but offered no other details. That was likely because they didn’t want to risk compromising the investigation. Perry’s agent attempted to address this by saying his client was dealing with a personal matter and asked that his privacy be respected.

Unfortunately, the conflicting messages raised more questions about Perry’s absence. It also resulted in baseless and salacious speculation on social media that may have caused unnecessary emotional distress to those who were the subject of such mean-spirited rumors.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Blackhawks, the Vancouver Canucks traded winger Anthony Beauvillier to Chicago in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquired last January as part of the Bo Horvat trade with the New York Islanders, the 26-year-old Beauvillier struggled in Vancouver. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent and carries a $4.15 million cap hit for this season.

The Canucks didn’t get much of a return for Beauvillier. Nevertheless, this move clears his cap hit from their books, giving them room to add a defenseman or another scoring forward.

Meanwhile, Beauvillier will get an opportunity to improve his game with the rebuilding Blackhawks. They were short two wingers with Perry’s contract termination and Taylor Hall sidelined with a season-ending knee injury.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers yesterday placed Kaapo Kakko (lower body) and Filip Chytil (upper body) on long-term injury reserve.

TSN: The Buffalo Sabres assigned goaltender Devon Levi to their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Levi showed promise in a handful of late-season games in 2022-23. However, he’s really struggled this season to play up to expectations. Meanwhile, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has emerged as the Sabres’ starter this season.

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators forward Zack MacEwen was fined $2,018.23 by the department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Monday’s game against the Florida Panthers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2023

by | Oct 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2023

The Devils down the Islanders, the Blue Jackets douse the Flames, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Jack Hughes capped a two-goal, two-assist performance by the New Jersey Devils star in a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders. Jesper Bratt had three assists, Timo Meier collected two helpers and Jack’s brother Luke netted his first goal of the season as the Devils improved to 2-1-1. Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson each scored two goals for the Islanders, who are 2-0-1 in their first three games of the season.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils captain Nico Hischier left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury. He’ll be re-evaluated on Saturday. His teammates Erik Haula (upper body), Tomas Nosek and Colin Miller (lower body) missed this game due to their injuries.

The Columbus Blue Jackets improved to 2-2-0 by defeating the Calgary Flames 3-1. Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist in his return from injury while Spencer Martin made 36 saves for the win. Elias Lindholm replied for the Flames, who sit 2-2-1 after their first five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson was ejected following a hit to the head of Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine in the dying seconds of this game.

Speaking of the Blue Jackets, they placed forward Liam Foudy on waivers earlier in the day and announced a long-term, multi-year affiliation extension with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Unrestricted free agent Zach Parise has resumed skating after taking time to consider his future. If the 39-year-old winger does return to the NHL this season it’s expected he’ll sign a one-year contract with the New York Islanders at the league minimum. Parise joined the Islanders in 2021 after being bought out by the Minnesota Wild.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri is expected to be sidelined for a month with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks denied a report early Thursday claiming Kevin Labanc would be placed on waivers. The winger and head coach David Quinn each said that waivers had not been discussed, with Quinn adding he had no idea where it came from.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres rookies Devon Levi and Zach Benson are day-to-day with lower-body injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Levi started the Sabres’ first three games in net. This means Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Eric Comrie will get the start tonight against the Islanders.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Artem Zub will miss this afternoon’s tilt with the Detroit Red Wings after being struck by a puck during their 6-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. He’s listed as day-to-day.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators center Cody Glass will miss the next seven to 10 days with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Arizona Coyotes president Xavier Gutierrez said the club hopes to make an announcement regarding its search for a new arena within the next 60 days.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And no, that announcement will not be about relocation to another city. The franchise remains committed to staying in its current area and is looking at multiple sites to build a new venue.

SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames prospect Topi Ronni is taking a leave of absence from Finnish club Tappara Tampere after receiving a court summons regarding a rape allegation. The alleged incident took place when the 19-year-old center was still a minor. Ronni was chosen by the Flames in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 11, 2023

by | Sep 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 11, 2023

Andrew Ladd announces his retirement plus the latest on Alexander Holtz, Devon Levi, Alexander Edler and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Andrew Ladd took to social media on Sunday to officially announce his retirement after 16 NHL seasons. In 1,001 regular-season games from 2005-06 to 2021-22, the versatile forward scored 256 goals and 294 assists for 550 points with the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes. Ladd also had 18 points in 65 playoff games.

Former NHL winger Andrew Ladd (NHL Images).

Among Ladd’s highlights was winning the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2005-06 and the Blackhawks in 2009-10 as well as serving as captain of the Jets from 2010-11 to 2015-16. His best season came in 2014-15 with 24 goals and 38 assists for 62 points in 81 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In his prime, Ladd was a skillful winger who led by example. Knee and lower-body injuries hampered his performance in the final seasons of his career. He bounced between the Islanders and their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport from 2018-19 until traded to the Coyotes in July 2021. He missed all of last season with a knee injury.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald sees young forward Alexander Holtz as a future pillar of his club. The 21-year-old winger spent only 19 games with the Devils last season but Fitzgerald still holds the youngster in high regard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holtz’s disappointing performance last season saw his name surface in trade rumors. He could resurface as a trade candidate if he continues to struggle to crack the Devils’ lineup.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Goaltender Devon Levi is looking forward to his first full NHL season after making a brief but promising debut late in the 2022-23 campaign. He sported a record of 5-2-0 in seven games with a 2.94 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.

“I can’t wait to see the guys again and to go out and compete with them,” said Levi. The 21-year-old netminder is “super excited” about the coming season. “I’m just doing my best to get my game to be the best it can be and keep working on it, keep improving.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Levi’s GAA and SP were inflated when he gave up six goals in a wild 7-6 win over the Detroit Red Wings and four goals in a 6-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. However, he had a save percentage of .929 or better in four other games, giving up just two goals in each of those contests.

THE HOCKEY NEWS’ Jeff Paterson reports Alex Edler still hopes to continue his NHL career. However, the 37-year-old defenseman has yet to receive a contract offer or a professional tryout offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A 17-year NHL veteran, Edler spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. He spent the previous 15 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames recently hired long-time broadcaster Peter Loubardias as a reserve list scout. He’d spent the past 10 seasons as the color analyst for Flames games on Sportsnet 960 The Fan.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2023

by | Apr 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2023

A first-ever 16-game day features a key matchup between the Predators and Jets in the Western wild-card race while the Bruins attempt to tie the single-season wins record. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: For the first time in league history there will be a 16-game day involving all 32 NHL franchises on Saturday kicking off with the Carolina Hurricanes visiting the Buffalo Sabres at 12:30 pm ET.

The Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers and New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference and the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators in the Western Conference are jockeying for the three remaining wild-card berths.

A key matchup pits the Predators against the Jets in Winnipeg. The Jets are tied with the Flames for the final Western wild-card spot with 89 points while the Predators are one point behind them. The Jets and Predators have four games remaining in their schedule while the Flames have three games left.

The Boston Bruins hope to celebrate their 62nd win on Saturday (NHL.com).

Meanwhile, the league-leading Boston Bruins have an opportunity to tie the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning for the most wins (62) in a season as they face the New Jersey Devils. The Bruins are 61-12-5 with 127 points and four games remaining in their schedule.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: It’s a good news-bad news day for the Minnesota Wild. The good news is leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov returns to the lineup after missing a month with a lower-body injury. The bad news is two-way center Joel Eriksson Ek is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury that could sideline him for the start of the playoffs on April 17.

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan highlights the impressive rookie campaign of Arizona Coyotes forward Matias Maccelli. Despite missing 16 games to a lower-body injury, the 22-year-old left wing leads this season’s rookie class with 36 assists and sits second with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like emerging superstar Clayton Keller, Maccelli’s performance has been mostly overshadowed by the Coyotes’ ongoing arena issues, their continuing roster rebuild and their placement near the bottom of the standings. Maccelli probably won’t win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie but he should be among the top finalists.

DAILY FACEOFF: University of Michigan center Adam Fantilli is the 2023 winner of the Hobey Baker Award honoring the top player in men’s NCAA hockey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fantilli is considered the best prospect behind the Regina Pats’ Connor Bedard in this year’s draft. He is expected to be chosen second overall by whichever club ends up with that selection following next month’s NHL Draft Lottery.

WGR 550: Buffalo Sabres goaltender Devon Levi’s US college career recently ended but he was named the winner of the Mike Richter Award as the top college goalie for an unprecedented second consecutive year. He was also named Hockey East Player of the Year for the second straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres got Levi in 2021 as part of the return from the Florida Panthers in the Sam Reinhart trade. That move could go down as one of the biggest in Sabres’ history if Levi turns into the franchise goalie he’s projected to become. He’s won two of his first three games for the Sabres thus far.

DAILY FACEOFF: St. Louis Blues goaltender Thomas Greiss will miss the remaining week of the regular season with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the NHL’s spending gap widened to record levels this season. The Tampa Bay Lightning spent at least $41 million more this season than the Arizona Coyotes in total player wage expenditure. Big-spending teams and bottom feeders have used long-term injury reserve (LTIR), front-loaded contracts and massive signing bonuses to game the salary-cap system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli also points out that this doesn’t always equate to success. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils are among this season’s high-spending playoff clubs. However, they share space with non-contenders like the Montreal Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals among the top-10 teams in salary expenditure.

LTIR has been a bone of contention for critics of the salary cap system for years. Nevertheless, most teams find it a necessary evil to get through seasons when they’re pressed for cap room. They had two opportunities to address it during the 2012-13 lockout and in 2020. The fact it still exists likely means it won’t be changed in the next round of collective bargaining in 2026.

The league previously cracked down on front-loaded contracts in the 2012-13 lockout and could attempt to tweak those rules in 2026. Signing bonuses are capped at 10 percent of a contract’s total salary compensation but I wouldn’t be shocked if that gets lowered too.