NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2023

by | Feb 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2023

Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark scores in his 30th win of the season, the Sharks retire Patrick Marleau’s number, the Jets acquire Nino Niederreiter, the Blues claim Kasperi Kapanen off waivers, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark celebrated his 30th win of the season by scoring an empty-net goal in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Ullmark had 26 saves while Hampus Lindholm and Brad Marchand also scored for the 45-8-5 Bruins, who opened a nine-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the overall standings with 95 points. Brock Boeser scored for Vancouver as they dropped to 23-31-5 on the season. Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Canucks acquired winger Vitali Kravtsov from the New York Rangers in exchange for winger Will Lockwood and a seventh-round pick in 2026. The 23-year-old Kravtsov was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 draft but struggled to establish himself with the Rangers. He becomes an affordable reclamation project for the rebuilding Canucks. The Rangers, meanwhile, shed some cap space ($875K) for perhaps another move at the March 3 trade deadline.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, their five-game winning streak ended after dropping a 3-2 decision to the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson kicked out 51 shots while Trevor Zegras and Ryan Strome each collected two assists for the 19-34-7 Ducks. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jesper Fast replied for the Hurricanes (39-11-8) as they sit second in the overall standings with 86 points.

As for the Rangers, their winless skid stretched for four games (0-3-1) after falling 6-3 to the Washington Capitals. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice and collected two assists while T.J. Oshie also tallied twice for the 29-26-6 Capitals as they sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 64 points. Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad each had two points for 33-17-9 Rangers as they sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren left the game in the first period with an injured left shoulder following a hit into the boards by Oshie. Earlier in the day, they also placed forward Jake Leschyshyn on waivers in what’s expected to be a cost-cutting move for the upcoming trade deadline.

The Pittsburgh Penguins reclaimed that final Eastern wild-card spot with a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on an overtime goal by Bryan Rust to snap their four-game losing skid. Rust, Evgeni Malkin and Marcus Pettersson each had a goal and an assist as the Penguins (65 points) improved to 28-21-9. Jordan Binnington made 45 saves for the Blues as they fell to 26-28-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues claimed winger Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from the Penguins. The 26-year-old winger did not play in this game. The Blues did the Penguins a favor as this move cleared Kapanen’s $3.2 million cap hit through 2023-24 off their books, providing some cap flexibility to perhaps make a move before the trade deadline.

A four-point performance by Connor McDavid couldn’t prevent the Edmonton Oilers from falling 6-5 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. McDavid scored twice and set up two other goals as his Oilers overcame a 4-0 deficit to tie the game but Columbus rallied with two more goals and held on for the win. Jack Roslovic also had two goals and two assists as the Blue Jackets improved to 19-35-5. The Oilers (32-20-8) sit third in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

New Jersey Devils goalie Akira Schmid made 23 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 7-0 drubbing of the Philadelphia Flyers. Jonas Siegenthaler had a goal and two assists while Dawson Mercer scored to extend his goal streak to six games for the Devils (39-15-5) as they sit three points back of the Hurricanes with 83 points. The 23-28-10 Flyers played without winger Travis Konecny (upper body) as he was placed on injured reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk didn’t play in this game. Head coach John Tortorella claimed he was “a little banged-up.” The 33-year-old van Riemsdyk is expected to be moved by the March 3 trade deadline.

The Dallas Stars ended a five-game losing streak by nipping the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on shootout goals by Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, who also tallied the game-tying goal with 38 seconds remaining in regulation. Jake Oettinger stopped 41 shots for the 31-16-12 Stars as they hold a three-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Central Division with 74 points. Jack Eichel netted his 20th goal of the season for the Golden Knights (35-18-6) as they sit atop the Western Conference standings with 76 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy made 45 saves to blank the Detroit Red Wings 3-0. Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn were the goal scorers as the Lightning improved to 37-17-4 and sit two points behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Detroit (28-22-8) sits one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 64 points. Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

The Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 4-1. Mikko Rantanen scored for the fourth straight game while Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves as the Avalanche (33-19-5) moved past the Winnipeg Jets into second place in the Central Division with 71 points. Tyler Toffoli scored his 25th goal of the season as his Flames fell to 27-21-12 and four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also acquired minor-league goaltender Keith Kinkaid from the Bruins in exchange for forward Shane Bowers. Bringing in Kinkaid could be an insurance move as Pavel Francouz remains sidelined with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators swept their season series with the Montreal Canadiens with a 5-2 win. Derick Brassard had a goal and an assist while Mads Sogaard stopped 30 shots as the Senators improved to 28-26-4 to sit five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 60 points. Nick Suzuki tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 25-30-4 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens also announced defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. Center Kirby Dach is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury while forward Joel Armia is day-to-day with an upper respiratory infection.

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek turned aside 45 shots in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on a shootout goal by Philipp Kurashev. The Blackhawks improved to 21-32-5 while San Jose sank to 18-30-12. Before the game, the Sharks retired Patrick Marleau’s No. 12 in a pregame ceremony.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marleau is the Sharks’ all-time leader with 1,607 games played, 522 goals and 1,111 points. He’s also second in assists with 589. Marleau is the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

IN OTHER NEWS…

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets acquired winger Nino Niederreiter from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A nice pickup by the Jets to bolster their scoring depth. The 30-year-old Niederreiter is a big-bodied winger who is on pace (18 goals) to reach the 20-goal plateau for the sixth time in his career. He’s not a rental player as he carries a $4 million annual cap hit through 2023-24. The Jets might not be done making moves as Cap Friendly shows they’ve got over $5.4 million in projected trade deadline cap space.

SPORTSNET: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Alex Tuch on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be a big blow to the Sabres’ playoff hopes. Tuch is second in scoring with 28 goals and 62 points. This could prompt management to shop for a replacement if he’s sidelined for a long period.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs will send a second-round pick in 2025 to the Arizona Coyotes to complete last February’s trade that sent forward Nick Ritchie to the Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Ryan Dzingel.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2022

by | Nov 4, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2022

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin ties an NHL scoring record while the Sharks’ Erik Karlsson sets one for defensemen, the Canucks Elias Pettersson has a five-point night, and much more from a busy night in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tied Gordie Howe for the most goals by one player with a single franchise (786) in a 3-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Andrew Copp snapped a 1-1 in the third period and Dylan Larkin sealed the win for the Red Wings (5-3-2) while the Capitals‘ record drops to 5-5-2.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin can take over sole possession of the single-team goals record on Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes. He is also 16 goals away from overtaking Howe’s 801 career goals for second place on the all-time NHL list. Prior to last night’s game, Ovechkin met with Gordie’s son Mark Howe for the first time. Mark wished the Capitals superstar the best in his pursuit to become the league’s all-time leading scorer.

The San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson became the fastest defenseman in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to reach 10 goals in a season (13 games) but his club fell 4-3 to the Florida Panthers. Karlsson finished the night with three points for the Sharks as they fell to 3-8-2. Sam Reinhart scored the only goal in the shootout, Matthew Tkachuk collected three assists and Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves for the win as the Panthers improved to 6-4-1.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson had a goal and four assists while rookie Andrei Kuzmenko netted his first career NHL hat trick to down the Anaheim Ducks 8-5. Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists as the Canucks improved to 3-6-2. Troy Terry had a goal and two assists for the Ducks as they dropped to 3-7-1.

The league-leading Boston Bruins (10-1-0) defeated the New York Rangers 5-2 for their seventh straight win. David Pastrnak scored to extend his points streak to eight games while Hampus Lindholm, Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno each had two points. Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren left the game with an upper-body injury as his club’s record fell to 6-4-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Bruins announced goaltender Jeremy Swayman and defenseman Derek Forbort are listed as week-to-week with injuries.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson made 42 saves as his club held off the Ottawa Senators 5-4. The Golden Knights improved to 10-2-0 while the Senators (4-6-0) have dropped four straight games. Mark Stone had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights. Senators forwards Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle each scored twice for the Senators while Brady Tkachuk collected three assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Cam Talbot was activated off injured reserve for this game. He wasn’t expected to play in this contest but he played the final 27 minutes as Anton Forsberg got the hook after giving up five goals on 19 shots.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on shootout goals by Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho to improve their record to 7-2-1. Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 52 shots for the Lightning (6-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game wasn’t as close as the score suggests. Vasilevskiy stole a point for his teammates as they were dominated by the Hurricanes.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Miles Wood, Ryan Graves and Jesper Bratt lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. The Devils are 8-3-0 and have won five straight, though this one proved costly as goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood left this contest in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Connor McDavid and Tyson Barrie each had two points as the Oilers drop to 7-4-0.

The Dallas Stars boosted their record to 7-3-1 by thumping the Arizona Coyotes 7-2. Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists while Jason Robertson tallied twice for the Stars. Juuso Valimaki and Lawson Crouse replied for the Coyotes, who fall to 3-6-1.

An overtime goal by Kyle Connor gave the Winnipeg Jets a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Connor and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had a goal and an assist for the Jets (6-3-1). Samuel Montembeault stopped 33 shots for the Canadiens (5-5-1) while Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each had two points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson made his season debut as he returned from a back injury. To make room for Edmundson, they placed winger Evgenii Dadonov on injured reserve. Meanwhile, the Jets announced before this game that forward Morgan Barron would miss four-to-five weeks following wrist surgery.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 32 stops while Anders Lee, Brock Nelson and Noah Dobson each had two points to defeat the St. Louis Blues 5-2. The Islanders (7-4-0) have won five straight games while the slumping Blues (3-6-0) have lost six straight.

The Seattle Kraken got a 22-save shutout from Martin Jones and two goals from Alex Wennberg to tame the Minnesota Wild 4-0. The Kraken’s record is now 6-4-2 while the Wild fall to 5-5-1. Kraken rookie Shane Wright played a season-high 13:45 and saw some power-play time but was held scoreless.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright’s playing time has become the focus of criticism among pundits around the league. However, the 18-year-old center said he’s on board with the Kraken’s plans for his development and remains keen to stick with the club this season.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews tallied in overtime to lift his club past the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. It was Toews’ seventh goal of the season. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 32 shots for his first NHL victory as the Blackhawks improve to 5-4-2. Blake Lizotte scored for the 6-6-1 Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews missed all of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season due to chronic immune response syndrome and netted a career-worst 37 points in 71 games last season. The Blackhawks captain leads his club in goals and sits among the league leaders in that category.

The Nashville Predators (4-6-1) picked up just their second win in the past nine games by dousing the Calgary Flames 4-1. Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene each had two points while Kevin Lankinen got the win by stopping 29 shots. Blake Coleman had the only goal for the Flames (5-4-0), who’ve now lost three straight games.










Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 13, 2022

by | Jul 13, 2022

Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 13, 2022

The following is a list of notable NHL free-agent signings and trades during the opening day of free agency. This list will be updated throughout the day as details become available. I’ll also be doing live grades of today’s biggest signings on Bleacher Report.

Columbus Blue Jackets sign Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year, $66.5 million contract.

Seattle Kraken sign defenseman Justin Schultz to a two-year, $6 million contract.

Vegas Golden Knights trade winger Max Pacioretty and defenseman Dylan Coghlan to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for future considerations.

Ottawa Senators trade winger Connor Brown to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second-round pick in 2024.

San Jose Sharks sign center Nico Sturm to a three-year, $6 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign David Perron to a two-year, $9.5 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign Dominik Kubalik to a two-year, $5 million contract.

Seattle Kraken sign Andre Burakovsky to a five-year, $27.5 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign Ben Chiarot to a four-year, $19 million contract.

Pittsburgh Penguins sign Jan Rutta to a three-year, $8.25 million contract.

Florida Panthers sign Eric and Marc Staal to identical one-year, $750K contracts.

Colorado Avalanche sign winger Artturi Lehkonen to a five-year, $22.5 million contract.

Dallas Stars sign winger Mason Marchment to a four-year, $18 million contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning sign Ian Cole to a one-year, $3 million contract.

Washington Capitals sign Charlie Lindgren to a three-year, $3.3 million contract.

Columbus Blue Jackets sign Erik Gudbranson to a four-year, $16 million contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning sign Mikhail Sergachev to an eight-year, $68 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

The Lightning signed center Anthony Cirelli to an eight-year, $50 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

The Lightning signed defenseman Erik Cernak to an eight-year, $41.6 million contract extension effective 2023-24.

Washington Capitals sign goaltender Darcy Kuemper to a five-year, $26.26 million contract.

San Jose Sharks trade defenseman Brent Burns and center Lane Pederson to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for winger Steven Lorentz, goaltender Eetu Makiniemi and a conditional 2023 third-round pick. The Sharks also retain 33 percent of Burns’ $8 million annual average value through 2024-25.

New York Rangers sign center Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year, $39.38 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign forward Andrew Copp to a five-year, $28.13 million contract.

Vancouver Canucks sign winger Ilya Mikheyev to a four-year, $19 million contract.

Chicago Blackhawks sign forwards Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou to one-year contracts worth $3 million apiece.

St. Louis Blues re-sign defenseman Nick Leddy to a four-year, $16 million contract.

Ottawa Senators sign forward Claude Giroux to a three-year contract with an annual cap hit of $6.5 million.

Edmonton Oilers signed goaltender Jack Campbell to a five-year contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $5 million (as per TSN’s Darren Dreger).

Buffalo Sabres re-sign restricted free agent winger Victor Olofsson to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $4.75 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a one-year, $1.8 million deal (as per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli).

New Jersey Devils trade winger Pavel Zacha to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Erik Haula (as per TSN’s Darren Dreger and Daily Faceoff).

Colorado Avalanche signed defenseman Josh Manson to a four-year contract with an annual average value of $4.5 million (as per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun).

St. Louis Blues sign forward Robert Thomas to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension (as per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 5, 2022

by | Jun 5, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 5, 2022

The Avalanche push the Oilers to the brink of elimination in the Western Conference Finals but lose Nazem Kadri to injury. Check out the game recap and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche are one win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. J.T. Compher snapped a 2-2 tie at 12:42 of the third period and Mikko Rantanen put the insurance goal into an empty net. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice, Devon Toews collected two assists and Pavel Francouz stopped 27 shots for the Avalanche, who hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid opened the scoring just 38 seconds into the game but Nichushkin’s two goals had the Avalanche up 2-1 by the end of the second period. The Oilers rallied to tie it in the third on a goal by Ryan McLeod before Compher potted the game winner. Oilers netminder Mike Smith did all he could to keep his team in this contest, finishing with 39 saves.

It was a costly victory for Colorado as second-line center Nazem Kadri left the game early in the first period after being hit from behind into the boards by Oilers winger Evander Kane, who was assessed a five-minute major penalty. Following the game, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Kadri was out for the remainder of the series and possibly longer. Bednar didn’t disclose the center’s condition but it’s believed he injured his right thumb.

The Avalanche can sweep the series with a win in Game 4 on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was Edmonton’s best effort in this series and yet it still wasn’t enough to garner a much-needed win. Despite the loss of Kadri, the Avs still generated more sustained pressure and scoring opportunities while holding the Oilers’ best scorers to just one goal. Indeed, they might’ve widened their second-period lead if not for Smith’s acrobatics in the Oilers’ crease.

The Avalanche adjusted to Kadri’s absence in this game but it could have long-term consequences for them in this series and beyond if they advance to the Final. In my opinion, he was their MVP in this postseason and it won’t be easy to replace him if he’s done for the playoffs. There’s speculation the NHL department of player safety could review the hit, which could lead to supplemental discipline for Kane.

Edmonton center Leon Draisaitl wound up limping off the ice at one point following a hit near his bench. He returned to action but it’s obvious he’s still hampered by the high-ankle sprain suffered earlier in the postseason.

With Draisaitl playing on one good leg and McDavid mostly contained by the Avs checking, it’s not looking good for the Oilers’ chances in Game 4. Only four teams in NHL history (the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers and 2014 Los Angeles Kings) have overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning center Brayden Point has been ruled out of today’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers. He’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury since Game 7 of their first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Rangers lead the series 2-0.

NEW YORK POST: Ryan Lindgren is the unsung hero of the Rangers’ playoff run this spring. His teammates, however, appreciate his physical defensive play and all-out effort even when he’s physically not at 100 percent.

TORONTO SUN: Former NHL defenseman Larry Hillman passed away on Friday at age 85. He spent 19 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres. In 791 regular-season games, he scored 36 goals and 232 points.

Hillman won six Stanley Cups with the Red Wings (1955), Maple Leafs (1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967) and Canadiens (1969). He also holds the NHL record as the youngest player to have his name engraved on the Cup at 18 years, two months and nine days. That record won’t be broken under current league rules which stipulate a player must be 18 on Sept. 15 to be eligible to play in his rookie year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hillman’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 11, 2021

by | May 11, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 11, 2021

The Canadiens clinch the last postseason spot in the North Division, the opening day of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs is revealed, Jack Eichel talks about his season and the state of the Sabres, and much more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens clinched the final playoff berth in the Scotia North Division in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers. An overtime goal by Connor McDavid gave the Oilers the win after Canadiens winger Artturi Lehkonen forced overtime with the game-tying goal in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are expected to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round. However, they could meet the Oilers if they win their final game of the season and the Winnipeg Jets drop their final two games in regulation. The Jets sit in third place with 59 points, one up on the Canadiens.

Speaking of the Jets, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks. Jonas Hoglander scored twice for Vancouver.

A 36-save performance by Philipp Grubauer carried the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. J.T. Compher snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period. With 78 points, Colorado sits two behind first-place Vegas in the Honda West Division. The Golden Knights (39 wins) have one game left while the Avs have two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whoever tops the West will win the Presidents’ Trophy for this season’s best record.

An overtime goal by Justin Faulk gave the St. Louis Blues a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings The Blues will face the Golden Knights or Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs.

The Carolina Hurricanes chances of winning the Presidents’ Trophy ended in a 5-0 loss to the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne picked up the shutout with 30 saves while Matt Duchene scored two goals. The Hurricanes finish the season in first place in the Discover Central Division with 36 wins and 80 points while the Predators finish in fourth place.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes and Predators will face off against each other in the opening round of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs beginning this weekend.

A 30-save shutout performance by Chris Driedger carried the Florida Panthers over the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0. Keith Yandle had an assist for his 600th career NHL points. Lightning forwards Mathieu Joseph, Gemel Smith and Daniel Walcott played together on what is believed to be the first all-Black forward line in NHL history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Panthers clinched second place in the Central and home-ice advantage over the Lightning in their first-round series starting this weekend.

Boston Bruins winger Taylor Hall (NHL Images)

Taylor Hall’s overtime goal lifted the Boston Bruins past the New York Islanders 3-2. Bruins winger Ondrej Kase left the game with an upper-body injury. The win clinched third place in the MassMutual East Division for the Bruins, who’ll face the second-place Washington Capitals in the opening round of the postseason with Game 1 on Saturday. The Islanders will face the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kase was playing in his first game since suffering a concussion in January. An update on his condition could be made today.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 on an overtime goal by Jason Robertson.

Two goals by Joel Farabee gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the North Division playoffs could begin once all the regular-season games in that division are concluded. Several games earlier in the season involving the Vancouver Canucks were postponed due to COVID-19. Their final regular-season game is May 19.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would allow those Canadian clubs some extra rest while giving some of their banged-up players more time to recover before the playoffs begin.

WGR 550: Jack Eichel expressed his displeasure over the way the Buffalo Sabres handled the herniated disk in his neck during an end-of-season media conference call on Monday. He suffered that season-ending injury in early March. Asked why he hasn’t yet undergone surgery, he said it’s a contractual issue, saying the club decides what he can or cannot do to treat an injury.

The Sabres captain also revealed he suffered a sprained ankle during the season, fractured a rib several weeks before training camp and had a lingering abdominal injury from last season.

Eichel dodged the question of whether he’ll ask for a trade but admitted he has a lot of thinking to do regarding his future. He said he has to do what best for him and the Sabres must do what’s best for the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel’s comments (which you can read in full by following the above link) raised eyebrows around the league. It sounds like he may have played his final game with the Sabres. I’ll have more in the Rumors section.

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said yesterday it’s “self-explanatory” that Patrik Laine remains a key part of the club’s future. The winger is a restricted free agent this summer. However, his rights remain under the Jackets’ contract until 2022-23.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine’s contract status prompted speculation suggesting he could be traded if he and the Blue Jackets failed to reach an agreement on a new deal. The winger yesterday confirmed his wish to remain with the Jackets.

THE SCORE: San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane said filing for bankruptcy was a big weight off his shoulders. He considers it a relief that he didn’t have to hide his financial troubles anymore, calling it the end of that chapter of his life. Kane said the birth of his daughter 10 months ago helped him mature and accept responsibility for his actions.

SPECTOR’ S NOTE: That relief was reflected in Kane’s play this season. He’s the Sharks’ leading scorer with 22 goals and 49 points in 55 games.

NHL.COM: The list of candidates for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was released yesterday. Among the notables is Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba, Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos, and Washington Capitals blueliner Zdeno Chara.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending May 9, 2021.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Ryan Lindgren to a three-year, $9 million contract extension.

ESPN is reportedly adding Ray Ferraro and Brian Boucher as NHL analysts starting next season. The network declined to comment.

NHL.COM: The New York Islanders have renamed AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers as the Bridgeport Islanders.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2021

by | Apr 30, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2021

The Penguins and Capitals clinch playoff berths, Ryan Miller to retire at season’s end, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals both clinched playoff berths as the Penguins edged the Capitals 5-4 on an overtime goal by Jake Guentzel. Kasperi Kapanen scored twice for the Penguins while Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom collected three assists. Both clubs are tied with 69 points but the Capitals hold first place in the MassMutual East Division with a game in hand. Capitals defenseman John Carlson was a late scratch and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images).

A 25-save shutout by Semyon Varlamov gave the New York Islanders a 4-0 win over the New York Rangers. It was the Isles’ fourth win in their last 10 games, leaving them four points behind the Capitals and Penguins. Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren left the game in the third period with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the league fined Islanders center Mathew Barzal $2,000.00 for embellishment during an April 22 game against the Capitals.

Third-period goals by Charlie Coyle, Taylor Hall and Brad Marchand lifted the Boston Bruins to a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. With 64 points, the fourth-place Bruins sit one point back of the Islanders while opening a six-point lead over the Rangers.

Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Jakub Vrana replied for the Red Wings. The Hurricanes sit in first place in the Discover Central Division with 73 points.

An overtime goal by Sam Bennett gave the Florida Panthers a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Florida rookie goalie Spencer Knight picked up his third win in as many games. The Panthers sit two points behind the Hurricanes.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy picked up his 30th win of the season by shutting out the Dallas Stars 3-0. Ondrej Palat, Blake Coleman and Brayden Points were the goal scorers. The Lightning (70 points) sit one point behind the second-place Panthers. The Stars (54 points) remain two behind the fourth-place Nashville Predators.

St. Louis Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly scored twice, including the winner in overtime, as his club nipped the Minnesota Wild 5-4. Kevin Fiala had a three-point game for the Wild as they rallied from a 4-2 deficit to force the extra period. The Blues (52 points) have won four straight games to open a five-point lead over the Arizona Coyotes for fourth place in the Honda West Division. The Wild are in third place with 66 points. Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko missed the game with a lower-body injury.

Auston Matthews tallied his 36th goal of the season as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the Leafs, who sit atop the Scotia North Division with 69 points. The Canucks have dropped four of their last five games. Earlier in the day, the Leafs placed defenseman Zach Bogosian (shoulder) on long-term injury reserve.

The Calgary Flames kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Elias Lindholm scored twice for the Flames (47 points), who’ve won four of their last five contests and sit four points behind the fourth-place Montreal Canadiens. The Oilers are in second place with 60 points.

A two-goal performance by Yegor Sherangovich powered the New Jersey Devils over the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3, eliminating the latter from playoff contention. Earlier in the day, the Flyers announced goaltender Carter Hart will miss the rest of the season with a sprained MCL in his left knee.

IN OTHER NEWS…

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller has announced his retirement at the end of this season. He’s spent 18 seasons in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and the Ducks. Miller spent nearly 11 seasons with the Sabres, winning the Vezina Trophy in 2009-10. He leads all American-born NHL goalies with 390 wins and sits second with 44 shutouts and 794 games played. He’s 14th on the all-time wins list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller was in his prime during his years with the Sabres, backstopping them to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in 2006 and 2007. He was also named MVP of the 2010 Winter Olympics as Team USA won the silver medal in Men’s Hockey. Best wishes to Miller and his family in their future endeavors.

TSN: The NHL is expected to reach a decision between June 1-5 as to where the winner of the Scotia North Division will play its home games. Discussions between the league and the Canadian federal government are ongoing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ongoing closure of the Canada-US border to non-essential travel and traffic could mean whoever comes out of the North Division will have to play all their remaining playoff games in the United States. That means the league will have to find a suitable venue to host the Canadian team.

THE AHL: announced the Calder Cup won’t be awarded this season. Instead, the Pacific Division will hold a tournament to decide its division champion. The first-place teams in the other four divisions will be named division champions.

CALGARY SUN: Original Flames co-owner Byron J. Seaman passed away last weekend at age 97. He was among the ownership group that moved the Flames to Calgary from Atlanta in 1980 and held a stake in the franchise for the next three decades.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Seaman’s family, friends and the Flames organization.