NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2023

by | Apr 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2023

Sabres rookie Devon Levi backstops his club to a crucial win in his debut game, Stars winger Jason Robertson breaks a single-season franchise scoring record, plus the latest on Jonathan Toews, Ryan O’Reilly and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres goaltender Devon Levi made 31 saves in his NHL debut in a 3-2 overtime win over the New York Rangers. Jeff Skinner scored the game-winning goal as the Sabres improved to 36-31-7 to move within five points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points. Kaapo Kakko and Adam Fox scored for the Rangers (44-21-11) to force the extra frame. With 99 points, the playoff-bound Rangers sit three points back of the second-place New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images)

The Dallas Stars got a four-point performance by Jason Robertson (one goal, three assists) to defeat the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. With 42 goals and 95 points, Robertson broke Mike Modano’s single-season franchise record as the 41-20-14 Stars (96 points) moved within one point of first place in the Central Division. The Coyotes fell to 27-36-13 on the season.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers each had a goal and an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. With the win, the Jets (42-31-3) maintained their two-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 87 points. The Red Wings dropped to 33-33-9.

Speaking of the Flames, they kept pace with the Jets thanks to an overtime goal by Tyler Toffoli to nip the Vancouver Canucks 5-4. Toffoli scored twice in this game to reach a personal best of 33 goals on the season for the 35-26-15 Flames. The Canucks sit at 34-34-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said defenseman Filip Hronek’s season is likely over as he continues to recuperate from a shoulder injury suffered earlier this season. The Canucks want Hronek to spend the next four months regaining his full strength to be ready for 2023-24.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will return to the lineup Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. He’s been sidelined since Jan. 28 dealing with the effects of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews’ motivation for returning this late in the season with the Blackhawks eliminated from playoff contention is the realization that these could be his final games with the club. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in July.

Toews said he’s not near deciding on retirement. Given his health issues, however, he must decide if he can physically withstand the rigors of an NHL season.

TORONTO SUN: Ryan O’Reilly returned to practice with his Maple Leafs teammates on Friday for the first time since suffering a broken finger on March 4. His goal is to be 100 percent before the playoffs open on April 17.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Leafs, winger Noel Acciari remains sidelined by a neck injury while Wayne Simmonds missed practice on Friday due to illness.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Andre Burakovsky suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury that has delayed his return to the lineup. It’s hoped he’ll be ready in time for the playoffs.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks rookie winger William Eklund underwent successful season-ending shoulder surgery on Friday. He’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Derick Brassard and defenseman Travis Hamonic (lower-body injuries) will miss Saturday’s game against the Maple Leafs.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Predators will honor the Covenant School shooting victims and their families on Saturday and for the remainder of this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 30, 2023

by | Mar 30, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 30, 2023

The Panthers rally to nip the Leafs, the Wild widen their lead in the Central Division, the Islanders strengthen their hold in the first Eastern wild-card spot, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers overcame a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on an overtime goal by Brandon Montour. Alex Lyon got the win with a 38-save performance while Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for the 37-31-7 Panthers (81 points), who moved one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Auston Matthews tallied his 37th goal of the season for the 44-20-10 Leafs as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers rallied thanks to head coach Paul Maurice’s mid-game profanity-laced tirade toward his players on the bench. Lyon got the call in goal as Sergei Bobrovsky was sidelined by illness.

Minnesota Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau scored two shorthanded goals to double up the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Filip Gustavsson kicked out 42 shots for the Wild (44-22-9) as they hold a three-point lead over the Dallas Stars for first place in the Central Division with 97 points. Bowen Byram and Lars Eller replied for the 44-26-6 Avalanche, who remain in third place in the Central with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild winger Ryan Reaves was unavailable for this game with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar wasn’t pleased with his club’s performance in this game, claiming there were “some passengers” among his players. In other words, he believes some of them didn’t play up to their expected level of performance.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (NHL Images).

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin picked up his eighth win in 10 starts through March in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals. Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri tallied in the shootout as the Islanders improved to 39-28-9 (87 points) to open a five-point lead over Pittsburgh for the first Eastern wild-card spot. The Capitals (34-32-9) are five points behind the Penguins.

HEADLINES

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery dismissed a TSN report claiming Taylor Hall was close to returning to the lineup. “The only thing I can say is that I know he is not cleared. That’s what I know so that report to me is false,” said Montgomery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report cited sources claiming Hall felt he was ready to return but the Bruins lack the salary-cap space to activate him, speculating they could attempt to stretch it out until the playoffs start when the cap no longer applies.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers yesterday signed Filip Chytil to a four-year, $17.75 million contract beginning in 2023-24. The average annual value is $4.4375 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A reasonable deal for Chytil, who centers the Rangers’ third line between Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko. The 23-year-old was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who is earning $2.3 million on his current deal. He’s enjoying a career-best performance with 22 goals and 42 points in 66 games.

Cap Friendly indicates this signing leaves the Rangers with a projected $12.3 million in cap space for 2023-24 with 14 roster players under contract. Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller are also eligible for RFA status this summer.

THE SCORE: Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot is likely sidelined for a couple of weeks with an upper-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso won’t be out of the rest of the season with a lower-body injury after all. He’s not expected to return this week but could get in some games before the season’s end. Winger Robby Fabbri, however, is confirmed to be out for the season following surgery to address a lower-body injury that will take four to six weeks of recovery.

CTV NEWS OTTAWA: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently said the league will evaluate its Pride Nights after a handful of players refused to wear Pride-themed jerseys during pregame warmups.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports Buffalo Sabres prospect goaltender Devon Levi will make his NHL debut on Friday against the Rangers.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks signed forward Nikolai Knyzhov to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.25 million.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 26, 2023

by | Mar 26, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 26, 2023

What does the future hold for Capitals coach Peter Laviolette and center Evgeny Kuznetsov? Will the Sabres seek a goaltending upgrade in the offseason? What is the latest on the Blackhawks? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

DO LAVIOLETTE AND KUZNETSOV STILL HAVE A FUTURE IN WASHINGTON?

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Tarik El-Bashir was asked if the Washington Capitals would bring back head coach Peter Laviolette next season. Laviolette, 58, is in the final season of a three-year contract.

El-Bashir doesn’t think Capitals management has reached a decision on Laviolette’s future. He wouldn’t be shocked if the club hired a replacement nor would he be surprised if they re-sign Laviolette. He noted that the Capitals play well under Laviolette when healthy but they’ve been a banged-up club this season. He also thinks it’s risky to trust the final three seasons of Alex Ovechkin’s career to a new head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In December, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said the club wasn’t going to undergo a rebuild. It’ll be interesting to see what Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has in store for his club this summer.

I suspect MacLellan’s looking at a quick turnaround following this season’s disappointing outcome. That could mean bringing back Laviolette on perhaps a two-year contract.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (NHL Images).

Another reader asked El-Bashir if the Capitals would revisit trading Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was the subject of rumors a couple of years ago.

El-Bashir said the Capitals’ decision-makers are disappointed in Kuznetsov’s performance this season. They needed him to step up and he didn’t plus he struggled defensively all season.

Kuznetsov has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $7.8 million. El-Bashir wondered if management trusts the 31-year-old center to return to form and play with consistency and urgency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those issues affecting Kuznetsov’s performance this season would also adversely affect his value in the trade market, especially with that hefty cap hit. He also carries a 10-team no-trade clause.

Trading Kuznetsov isn’t impossible but it would be difficult. The Capitals might have to retain some salary to make him enticing in the trade market, especially if the salary cap only rises by $1 million for next season.

WILL THE SABRES UPGRADE THEIR GOALTENDING?

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn listed goaltending as one of the factors that contributed to the Buffalo Sabres’ recent slide in the standings. While the team defense deserves plenty of blame, they also weren’t getting the type of goaltending necessary to stay competitive in some games.

The Sabres knew entering this season that they had to limit the workload of 41-year-old Craig Anderson. As the playoffs came into view, Anderson became their best option to win so they increased his playing time, resulting in his struggling in some recent key games.

Eric Comrie was injured in November and has struggled since his return. Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen has shown a lack of consistency in his first full NHL season. They have promising Devon Levi but they need to start him only when he’s ready to play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fairburn believes the Sabres need to find a more proven short-term starter until Levi is ready to take over. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea to put the full weight of the starter’s job on the youngster’s shoulders next season.

I agree with that assessment. Maybe Levi can rise to the challenge but they must ensure they’ve got a reliable veteran to share the duties and mentor him in the NHL game. As Fairburn noted, starting next season with Comrie and Luukkonen is just asking for a repeat of the same problems.

They could find some decent short-term options via free agency. Jonathan Quick, Semyon Varlamov, Joonas Korpisalo and Frederik Andersen could be available on short-term contracts.

RECENT BLACKHAWKS SPECULATION

CHICAGO DAILY HERALD: John Dietz wondered where Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock will be playing next season. He’s been their best netminder this season going 9-11-1 with a 2.80 goals-against average and .915 save percentage with two shutouts.

Dietz considers it a no-brainer for the Blackhawks to make an offer. However, they’ve already got a glut of goalies for the next two seasons with Petr Mrazek, Arvid Soderblom, Jaxson Stauber and Drew Commesso. He also wondered if teams seeking a goalie might be scared off by Stalock’s injury history.

Ian Mitchell’s future with the Blackhawks could also be something worth watching. He’s gifted offensively but struggles in his own zone. However, he’s just 24 with 77 NHL games under his belt. The Hawks must be careful not to give up on him too soon as they did with Gustav Forsling only to watch him flourish elsewhere.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2023

by | Mar 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2023

Recaps of Friday’s games, more information on the Flyers’ recent management change, the Lightning induct Phil Esposito, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier into its Hall of Fame, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs became the fifth team to reach the 90-point mark by downing the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2. Zach Aston-Reese scored two goals while John Tavares, Morgan Rielly and Calle Jarnkrok each had two points as the Leafs improved to 41-18-9 and sit second in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. The 44-15-8 Hurricanes (96 points) have dropped three of their last four and remain one point up on the New Jersey Devils for the lead in the Metropolitan Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs forward Noel Acciari left the game in the first period after being struck in the jaw after a collision with Hurricanes winger Jesse Puljujarvi.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images)

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 5-2 upset of the Buffalo Sabres. Carter Hart made 36 saves for the 25-32-11 Flyers. Victor Olofsson scored both goals for the Sabres (33-29-6) as they remain six points behind the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are fading down the stretch, losing eight of their last 10 games. With 14 games remaining in their schedule and holding two games in hand over the Islanders, they cannot afford to lose more ground in the standings if they want to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.

The St. Louis Blues got two goals from Sammy Blais to beat the Washington Capitals 5-2. Joel Hofer stopped 32 shots in his first NHL game this season to pick up his second career win for the 30-33-5 Blues. The Capitals dropped to 33-30-7 (73 points) and sit five points back of the Islanders.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Scott Harrington scored two goals in a 7-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Ducks improved to 23-36-10 on the season. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the 21-40-7 Blue Jackets.

HEADLINES

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Marcus Hayes reports sources indicated Flyers CEO Dave Scott did not consult the “Three Wise Men” – Bob Clarke, Paul Holmgren and Bill Barber – when he made the decision to fire Chuck Fletcher as general manager and hire Daniel Briere as interim GM.

Clarke, Holmgren and Barber are former Flyers players who went on to roles in management and coaching with the club for years before becoming senior advisors to the team. One league source said they wouldn’t have approved of Briere’s hiring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Critics of the Flyers’ front office such as Hayes claim the franchise has been hampered in recent years by Clarke, Holmgren and Barber, accusing them of favoring people “who see the game through the same mottled, last-century lenses as they still see it.”

Clarke, Holmgren and Barber played key roles for the Flyers on the ice, behind the bench and in the front office, turning them into Stanley Cup champions in the 1970s and contenders from the 1980s through 2010. They are no longer in management and coaching roles but still wielded considerable influence over who was employed in those roles.

However, the Flyers are poised to miss the playoffs for the seventh time since 2012-13. It’s been apparent for some time that this club is struggling to adjust to a changing game that favors speed and skill.

Hiring Briere without first consulting Clarke, Holmgren and Barber signals what could be other significant changes in the Flyers’ front office. It’ll be interesting to see what transpires in the coming months.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL department of player safety for cross-checking Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell on Thursday.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Canadiens, head coach Martin St. Louis revealed winger Jonathan Drouin missed a team meeting on Friday morning and will not be allowed to play in Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Speaking of St. Louis and the Lightning, the club honored him, Vincent Lecavalier and Phil Esposito as its first inductees into its Hall of Fame. Esposito was the Lightning’s founder in 1992 while St. Louis and Lecavalier became the team’s first stars, leading the Bolts to its first Stanley Cup in 2004.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Esposito, St. Louis and Lecavalier for their well-deserved honors.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings prized defenseman Simon Edvinsson will play his first NHL game today against the Colorado Avalanche.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres signed top goalie prospect Devon Levi to a three-year entry-level contract.