NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2024

by | May 31, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2024

The Panthers are poised to eliminate the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final, the latest on the Oilers and Stars, the Stanley Cup Final schedule is revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are within a game of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final following their 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. Gustav Forsling, Anton Lundell, and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers after Chris Kreider opened the scoring for the Rangers. Alexis Lafreniere got the Blueshirts to within one goal with 50 seconds remaining in regulation but they couldn’t get the equalizer before time expired.

The series returns to Florida for Game 6 on Saturday, June 1 at 8 pm EDT.

Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Florida dominated New York five-on-five for the third straight game. Kreider’s goal came shorthanded but the Panthers successfully killed off all three of the Rangers’ power-play opportunities.

Lundell’s strong all-around play in this postseason is drawing comparisons to teammate Aleksander Barkov.

Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin was once again his team’s best player, kicking out 34 shots and allowing them to get back into the game. Kreider (one goal, one assist) and Zibanejad (two assists) picked up their first points of this series but Artemi Panarin was held off the score sheet. Those three have just one goal between them in this series.

Filip Chytil returned to the Rangers lineup for this contest while Blake Wheeler was a healthy scratch.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Gerry Moddejonge believes this postseason could be Connor McDavid’s best opportunity to win a Stanley Cup with the Oilers. He and his club are two wins away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final following their convincing 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, tying that series at two games apiece.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moddejonge acknowledges winning this series doesn’t equate to a certain Stanley Cup championship. However, he also points out that losing this series means they’ll have no chance of winning it this year. He believes McDavid’s chances of winning the Cup decrease year by year.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer didn’t have a firm return date for Chris Tanev. “He’ll see the doctor, we’ll take some pictures today, and cross our fingers” said DeBoer on Thursday.

The 34-year-old defenseman was seen wearing a walking boot on his right foot as the club returned to Dallas for Game 5 of the Western Conference Final scheduled for Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That doesn’t sound good, though it could also be a precautionary measure. We’ll find out before game time if Tanev will suit up.

NHL.COM: The 2024 Stanley Cup Final begins on Saturday, June 8, at 8 PM ET. Follow the link provided for the full schedule.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If required, Game 7 will be held on Monday, June 24.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin has won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player “adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” Slavin previously won the award in 2020-21.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lady Byng Trophy is also sneered at by hockey fans who mistakenly equate “gentlemanly conduct” with a lack of physicality. In fact, it honors players who play a disciplined game at a high level. Recent winners include Anze Kopitar, Nathan MacKinnon, Aleksander Barkov, and Ryan O’Reilly.

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings named Newell Brown as an assistant coach on head coach Jim Hillier’s staff. He has a combined 27 years of coaching experience in the NHL, with his latest being a three-year stint as an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks.

TSN: Former Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Mike Yeo was interviewed by Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios for a role with the Senators coaching staff. Yeo spent two years with the Canucks before stepping down earlier this week to pursue other opportunities.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 12, 2024

by | May 12, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 12, 2024

A look at three possible offer-sheet candidates plus the latest on the Kraken’s search for a new head coach in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

COULD PERFETTI, LUNDELL, OR SWAYMAN BECOME OFFER-SHEET TARGETS?

THE SCORE: John Matisz recently looked at three possible offer-sheet targets this summer.

One is Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti. He’s completing his entry-level contract and was a frequent healthy scratch near the end of the regular season and in four playoff games. He might get a clean slate now that Rick Bowness has retired as head coach.

However, the Jets only have $13 million in cap space for next season. A rival general manager could try to make life miserable for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff by pitching a bridge deal with an average annual value of $5.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matisz acknowledged the rarity of offer sheets in the salary cap era. The last one occurred in 2021 when the Carolina Hurricanes successfully signed away Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Montreal Canadiens. Considering how that’s turned out for the Hurricanes, it’s a prime example of why an offer sheet can be a risky move.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

A player has to be willing to sign an offer sheet. Perfetti and the other two on this list could receive offers from rival clubs but they’re meaningless if those players prefer signing with their current teams.

The Jets’ limited cap space could make Perfetti a tempting target but I don’t see anyone making a pitch. While the 22-year-old has potential as a scoring forward, his inconsistent production thus far doesn’t make him an enticing candidate.

Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell is another possibility given his untapped potential. The Panthers have 11 players slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer, including Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour. Matisz suggested a similar pitch for Lundell as he did for Perfetti.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given his solid two-way play and offensive ability, Lundell is a more attractive offer-sheet target than Perfetti. The Panthers would be more vulnerable cap-wise than the Jets. While there’s a greater possibility of Lundell getting an offer sheet, it’s unlikely he’ll get one. I believe he’d prefer to stick with the Panthers.

Matisz mentioned Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, suggesting perhaps he’d entertain a “Godfather offer” like a yearly salary 50 percent greater than his actual market value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matisz admits it’s a wild scenario. He also acknowledged Swayman’s value to the Bruins and he’ll likely be their starter for the next several years. Anything’s possible but it’s the least likely of these three.

LATEST ON THE KRAKEN’S SEARCH FOR A NEW COACH

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Geoff Baker recently reported Kraken GM Ron Francis isn’t wasting time interviewing potential candidates for his club’s vacant head coach position. He met with former Los Angeles Kings bench boss Todd McLellan earlier this month.

Baker speculates Francis could also be waiting until the end of the playoffs when he might have an opportunity to pursue Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour. There’s speculation the Hurricanes could part with him if they fail to advance past the second round. While a recent report claimed management pulled its contract offer from the table, both sides subsequently claimed talks were back on with each believing a deal could be done.

One rumor making the rounds claimed Brind’Amour was resentful of Francis for not promoting him to head coach during the latter’s tenure as Hurricanes GM. That was based on a Feb. 2023 interview with the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast, but Brind’Amour never said anything negative about Francis. Brind’Amour gave Francis a glowing recommendation to Seattle executives in 2019 that likely sealed their decision to hire him as GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Baker noted that Francis is still interviewing coaching candidates. He could be keeping an eye on Brind’Amour but there’s no certainty he’ll be available. If the Hurricanes do let him go, Francis will have plenty of competition trying to hire him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2023

by | Dec 19, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2023

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby continues moving up among the all-time points leaders, the three stars of the week are announced and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby broke a 3-3 tie in a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Crosby also collected an assist to move into 13th place among the NHL’s all-time points leaders with 1,535. Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel also had a goal and an assist for the 14-13-3 Penguins (31 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Ryan Hartman, Jake Middleton and Vinni Lettieri scored for the Wild (12-13-4) as they overcame a 3-0 deficit before Crosby netted the game-winner.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby will soon overtake Joe Thornton, who sits 12th with 1,539 points. He’s also within range of Ray Bourque (1,579) and Phil Esposito (1,590).

An overtime goal by Justin Barron lifted the Montreal Canadiens over the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. Josh Anderson and Christian Dvorak gave the Canadiens a 2-0 lead but Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Perfetti replied for the Jets to force the extra period. The Canadiens improved to 14-13-4 (32 points) to sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Jets fell to 18-9-3 and slipped into third place in the Central Division with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game early in the third period after taking a puck to the face but got stitched up and returned 11 minutes later.

Speaking of the Central Division, the Dallas Stars regained first place (40 points) by nipping the Seattle Kraken 4-3 on an overtime goal by Thomas Harley. Matt Duchene tallied twice and collected an assist as the Stars improved to 18-8-4. Matty Beniers and Tomas Tatar each had a goal and an assist for the 10-14-9 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer indicated that starting goaltender Jake Oettinger is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 33 shots in a 3-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Mikael Backlund broke a 1-1 tie in the third period as the Flames have won three of their last four and improved to 13-14-5 (31 points), sitting one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Sam Reinhart scored for the Panthers (18-11-2) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 38 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Panthers placed forward Anton Lundell on injured reserve.

The Anaheim Ducks held off the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. Adam Henrique and Troy Terry each had a goal and an assist for the 12-19-0 Ducks, who’ve won two straight games. Alex DeBrincat tallied twice and Patrick Kane had two assists for the Red Wings (15-12-4), who have lost three straight and sit just outside the final Eastern wild-card spot with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin returned to action after missing the last four games with a head injury. However, goaltender Ville Husso left this game with an injured right leg.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko and New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 17.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets placed winger Patrik Laine (fractured clavicle) on injured reserve.

TSN: The Boston Bruins have loaned forward Matthew Poitras to Canada for the upcoming 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. Poitras, 19, has 13 points in 27 games with the Bruins this season.

TSN: The Carolina Hurricanes signed free-agent goaltender Aaron Dell to a professional tryout offer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2023

by | Dec 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2023

The Devils’ Jack Hughes reaches a scoring milestone, the Rangers overtake the Bruins atop the Eastern Conference standings, the Leafs thump the Penguins and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes tallied a hat trick, including his 100th career NHL goal, in a 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jesper Bratt collected three assists for the 16-11-1 Devils (33 points), who’ve won eight of their last 10 games and sit one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Kirill Marchenko netted his 10th goal of the season for the 10-17-5 Blue Jackets.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck scored both goals (including the winner in overtime) to lead his club over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Igor Shesterkin stopped 21 shots for the win as the Rangers (21-7-1) took over first place in the Eastern Conference from the Bruins. Trent Frederic scored for the Bruins (19-5-5) while teammate David Pastrnak was ejected in the second period for boarding Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both teams have 43 points but the Rangers hold the top spot in the East with the most wins. Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller returned to action after missing two games for personal reasons.

The Toronto Maple Leafs crushed the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-0. Martin Jones kicked out 38 shots for the shutout while Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi each picked up three points while Matthew Knies had a Gordie Howe hat trick. The Leafs (16-6-6) extended their points streak to nine games and sit second in the Atlantic Division with 38 points. Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry got the hook after giving up four goals on 14 shots as the Penguins slipped to 13-13-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This humbling wasn’t Jarry’s fault. This was the Penguins’ worst performance as a team this season. Speaking of the Penguins, they put winger Bryan Rust on injured yesterday yesterday. Meanwhile, Leafs center Auston Matthews and defenseman T.J. Brodie missed this game due to illness and activated defenseman Timothy Liljegren off injured reserve.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 35 shots in a 2-1 shootout win over the Vancouver Canucks. Mats Zuccarello had the game-winner as the Wild improved to 12-12-4, going 7-2-0 since John Hynes took over as head coach. Teddy Blueger scored for the 20-9-2 Canucks (42 points), who sit three points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference standings.

The Winnipeg Jets took over first place in the Central Division with 38 points (18-9-2) by dropping the Colorado Avalanche 6-2. Gabriel Vilardi tallied two goals while Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for the wins. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to extend his points streak to 14 games as the Avalanche dropped to 18-10-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets, Avs and Dallas Stars each have 38 points but Winnipeg takes over first place in the Central having won more games than the Stars while holding a game in hand over the Avs. Speaking of the Avalanche, defenseman Cale Makar missed this game with a lower-body injury.

As for the Stars, they dropped a 4-3 decision to the St. Louis Blues on an overtime goal by Colton Parayko. Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists as the Blues (15-14-1) overcame a 2-0 deficit. With 31 points, they sit one back of the Arizona Coyotes, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Mason Marchment potted his 10th goal of the season for the 17-8-4 Stars.

Speaking of the Coyotes, they got a 28-save shutout from Karel Vejmelka to blank the Buffalo Sabres 2-0. Clayton Keller and Liam O’Brien were the goal scorers for the 15-13-2 Coyotes. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 20 shots for the Sabres as they fell to 13-16-3.

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson made 33 saves in a 1-0 shutout of the Detroit Red Wings. Cam York tallied the only goal as the Flyers (17-10-3) moved ahead of the New York Islanders into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 37 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim missed this game due to an illness.

The Islanders, meanwhile, fell to the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 5-3. Josh Anderson scored twice in a four-goal second period for the Canadiens, who improved to 13-13-4. Brock Nelson netted two goals as the 14-8-8 Islanders (36 points) cut the lead to 4-3 before Christian Dvorak put the game away with an empty-netter late in the period.

Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros stopped 21 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Colton Sissons, Philip Tomasino and Yakov Trenin scored for the 18-13-0 Predators, who’ve won four straight and seven of their last 10 to hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 36 points. T.J. Oshie replied for the Capitals as they dropped to 14-9-4.

The Florida Panthers spanked the Edmonton Oilers 5-1. Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and set up another, Sam Bennett had a goal and two assists while Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 38 shots for the Panthers (18-10-2), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 38 points. Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers as they slipped to 13-14-1 while Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers and Leafs have the same number of points but the latter hold two games in hand. Florida played without defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower-body injury) while Anton Lundell and Jonah Gadjovich remain sidelined with an undisclosed illness.

Calgary Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich tied a franchise record by scoring in his fifth straight game during his first season with the club as they doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Dan Vladar picked up the win by stopping 31 shots for the 12-14-5 Flames. Nikita Kucherov collected two assists as he remains atop the NHL scoring race with 52 points while his Lightning dropped to 14-13-5.

A shootout goal by Carl Grundstrom lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Trevor Moore and Anze Kopitar scored for the Kings (17-6-4) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 38 points. Adam Larsson and Oliver Bjorkstrand replied for the Kraken as they dropped to 10-14-8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played without winger Jordan Eberle as he was sidelined by a lower-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes placed goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers Saturday. He’s struggled this season with a 3.61 goals-against average and a .854 save percentage.

TSN: Free-agent winger Phil Kessel is looking into the possibility of playing some games in Switzerland while still hoping for an opportunity to sign with an NHL club this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Kessel plays well overseas it could make him more enticing for NHL clubs seeking an experienced winger before the March 8 trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 13, 2023

by | Aug 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 13, 2023

Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov is expected to be ready for the start of the season, Flames center Nazem Kadri expects a different style of game from his club, Blues winger Brandon Saad hopes for a bounce-back performance and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: cited Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell telling the NHL Network that he fully expects winger Andrei Svechnikov to be healthy and ready for the start of this season.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov (NHL Images).

Svechnikov, 23, suffered a season-ending knee injury in March. Waddell indicated that the young winger is skating on his own and is on schedule to complete the remainder of his recovery, which will be when training camp opens next month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Svechnikov’s absence was a big reason why the Hurricanes were swept by the Florida Panthers in the 2023 Eastern Conference Final. They missed his production during the playoffs and it caught up with them against the Panthers.

NHL.COM: Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri believes the club will play a different style this coming season compared to 2022-23. He anticipates that a lot of his teammates will be ready to play to their potential.

“For whatever reason, we got a little restricted last year, so I’m just looking forward to a clean slate and starting the year off strong,” said Kadri, who was among the key Flames whose production declined last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri didn’t throw Darryl Sutter under the bus, but it’s obvious that the Flames chafed last season under their demanding former head coach. The Flames fired Sutter in May and promoted assistant coach Ryan Huska as his replacement.

STLTODAY.COM: Brandon Saad is hoping to put last season’s disappointing performance behind him in 2023-24. The 30-year-old Blues winger netted 19 goals and 37 points in 71 games after tallying 24 goals and 49 points in 78 games in 2021-22.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saad wasn’t the only player on the Blues whose performance suffered in 2022-23. It’ll be interesting to see if he and his teammates can rebound this season and return to playoff contention.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Anton Lundell could be poised for a breakout performance this season. The 21-year-old Florida Panthers center’s production was down last season from his 44-point rookie performance in 2021-22 but he had 10 points in 21 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report suggests Lundell will be centering the Panthers’ third line to start this season. Given his ongoing development and potential, he could blossom into an important forward for this club.

TSN.CA: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson seeks a fresh start in this coming season. He said he’s good to go following surgery to repair a season-ending shoulder injury last December.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2023

by | Apr 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2023

The Islanders set a playoff record against the Hurricanes, the Kings down the Oilers in overtime again and the Bruins and Wild take the lead in their respective series. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The New York Islanders got four goals within a span of 2:18 in the third period to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1. Kyle Palmieri, Matt Martin, Scott Mayfield and Anders Lee were the goal scorers in an exciting finish to what had been a close-checking game up to that point. Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves for the Islanders. The Hurricanes lead the best-of-seven opening-round series 2-1.

New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders set an NHL record for the fastest four goals in a playoff game. This was the first postseason contest ever played at the Isles’ home arena UBS Arena.

Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov returned to action after missing the first two games of this series with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Trevor Moore lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Adrian Kempe scored the game-tying goal on a power play 18 seconds after the Oilers took a 2-1 lead on Connor McDavid’s second goal of the game. Joonas Korpisalo kicked out 38 shots for the Kings for their second overtime win in this series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leon Draisaitl was critical of the officiating after being called for unsportsmanlike conduct for a light slash on Kings defenseman Drew Doughty following McDavid’s second goal.

Draisaitl accepted responsibility for taking a bad penalty but noted the officials ignored Doughty’s earlier knee-on-knee hit on McDavid, who was uninjured on the play. “I just really don’t know what the standard is right now,” he said.

Kings forward Blake Lizotte missed Game 3 with a lower-body injury. Winger Kevin Fiala remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury.

The Boston Bruins doubled up the Florida Panthers 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their opening-round series. Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist, David Pastrnak tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal and Linus Ullmark stopped 29 shots for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins got the win with their two top centers out of the lineup. Patrice Bergeron (upper-body injury) missed his third straight game and will be out for Game 4 but could make his return when this series shifts back to Boston for Game 5. David Krejci, meanwhile, was scratched from Game 3 with an upper-body injury.

Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad missed the third period following a hit from Bruins blueliner Charlie McAvoy, who also leveled Panthers forward Anton Lundell later in the game. Lundell said he was fine after the game. There was no postgame update on Ekblad, who will be evaluated today.

Speaking of the Bruins, they topped the list of 15 NHL teams incurring performance bonus overages this season which will count against their salary cap for next season. The Bruins lead the way with $4.5 million due to the bonus-laden one-year contracts of Bergeron and Krejci.

Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello scored twice and teammate Ryan Hartman had a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Filip Gustavsson returned to the Wild net and made 23 saves as his club took a 2-1 series lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild dominated the Stars with their physical play in this contest. It’ll be interesting to see how they respond in Game 4 on Sunday.

IN OTHER NEWS…

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Head coach Rick Bowness is hopeful he’ll return to the lineup for Game 3.

CALGARY SUN: Flames prospect Dustin Wolf is the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the most valuable player in the American Hockey League.

DAILY FACEOFF: There could be a potential conflict of interest regarding the Philadelphia Flyers’ search for their next president of hockey operations and general manager.

The Flyers are reportedly at least the second team to hire Neil Glasberg of PBI Sports as a consultant to aid in the search. However, he’s also an agent for several team executives and head coaches who could become candidates for open positions.