NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2023

by | Dec 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2023

A milestone game for the Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon, the Sabres rebound from a nine-goal loss with a nine-goal victory, the Canucks move into first place in the overall standings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored four goals )including his 300th career tally) and collected an assist in a 6-4 win over the Ottawa Senators. MacKinnon extended his points streak to 17 games while Mikko Rantanen scored twice for the 20-11-2 Avalanche, who sit second in the Central Division with 42 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the Senators (11-17-0) as they dropped their sixth straight game and their second under interim coach Jacques Martin.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 53 points, MacKinnon sits four behind Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league scoring lead. Meanwhile, the constant losing by the Senators is frustrating team captain Brady Tkachuk. “It’s a pretty s****y feeling, and I don’t think I’ve felt worse in my life. This is not fun right now,” said Tkachuk.

After losing 9-4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their previous game, the Buffalo Sabres bounced back by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 9-3. Jeff Skinner scored two goals and set up another in his return from injury, Kyle Okposo tallied twice, Tage Thompson had a goal and two assists while Alex Tuch collected four helpers for the 14-17-3 Sabres. Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 26th goal of the season for the Leafs (16-8-6) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 38 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews called this loss “the worst game since I’ve been here”, calling his club’s performance “embarrassing.” It was a rough night for the Leafs goaltenders. Ilya Samsonov got the hook in the second period after giving up five goals on 19 shots. Martin Jones fared little better, allowing four goals and 15 shots.

Meanwhile, Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was still fuming over Sabres fans chanting for head coach Don Granato to be fired during their last game. He considered that criticism of Granato unfair, blaming that lopsided loss on himself and his teammates. “We really wanted to back Donnie, that was the main focus today and he got way too much heat the other game, he didn’t deserve it,” said Dahlin.

An overtime goal by Matt Duchene lifted the Dallas Stars over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Duchene and Thomas Harley each finished with a goal and an assist for the Stars (19-8-4) as they vaulted over the Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets to regain first place in the Central. Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (22-9-3), who moved past the Vegas Golden Knights into first place in the overall standings with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have the same amount of points as the Golden Knights but hold first place as they have one more regulation win. Meanwhile, Dallas and Colorado also have the same amount of points (42) but the Stars hold two games in hand.

Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. While his agent recently said his client loves playing in Vancouver and there’s a plan with the club to improve his game, his ongoing absence from the lineup will ensure the trade rumors keep swirling.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they dropped a 5-4 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning as Nick Paul potted the game-winner late in the third period. Paul and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and two assists, Brayden Point scored two goals and set up another while Victor Hedman had three assists for the 16-13-5 Lightning (37 points), who sit one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby’s shootout goal lifted his team past the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Crosby also scored in regulation while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 23 shots for the win as the Penguins improved to 15-13-4. Teuvo Teravainen replied for the 17-12-4 Hurricanes.

An overtime goal by Alex Ovechkin gave the Washington Capitals a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anthony Mantha scored twice for the Capitals (17-9-4) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 38 points. Cole Sillinger and Yegor Chinakhov scored for the 11-17-6 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was Ovechkin’s first goal in 15 games. Emotions boiled over during the overtime period as Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins and Capitals winger Tom Wilson traded blows during a tangle-up in the Jackets net. The Capitals and Hurricanes have the same amount of points but the Capitals hold three games in hand.

The Edmonton Oilers tallied four unanswered goals led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had a goal and an assist while Ryan McLeod tallied twice for the 14-15-1 Oilers. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for the 16-13-2 Devils.

St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals and set up another as his club downed the Florida Panthers 4-1. Robert Thomas collected three assists while Joel Hofer made 37 saves for the 16-15-1 Blues. Eetu Luostarinen scored for the Panthers (18-12-2), who’ve dropped four of their last five games but remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 38 points.

The Nashville Predators doubled up the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on two goals by Philip Tomasino, snapping the Flyers’ nine-game points streak. Juuse Saros turned aside 29 shots for the Predators (19-14-0) as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 38 points. Morgan Frost and Sean Couturier replied for the 18-11-3 Flyers as they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators forward Yakov Trenin was ejected from this game for boarding Frost during the second period. Frost spent several minutes in the Flyers dressing room but returned to finish the game.

An overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov gave the Minnesota Wild a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Kaprizov and Marco Rossi each finished with a goal and two assists for the 14-13-4 Wild while Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky each had a goal and an assist for the 14-13-5 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild played without forward Ryan Hartman as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom kicked out 25 shots to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 3-0. Elias Lindholm had a goal and two assists for the Flames (14-14-5) as they’ve won three straight games. The Ducks dropped to 12-20-0 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks welcomed back Mason McTavish and Jamie Drysdale following their lengthy absences due to injuries. However, they also lost rookie Leo Carlsson to what could be a serious injury to his right leg after he and Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar became entangled during the third period.

The Arizona Coyotes picked up their fourth straight win by downing the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Clayton Keller and Alex Kerfoot each had a goal and two assists for the 17-13-2 Coyotes, who hold the final Western wild-card spot with 36 points. Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves for the Sharks (9-21-3) as they made forward Alexander Barabanov a late scratch due to illness.










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 18, 2023

by | Dec 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2023

Nathan MacKinnon extends his point streaks, Jack Eichel establishes a Golden Knights record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and collected two assists in a 6-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. MacKinnon extended his season-opening home points streak to 16 games and his overall points streak to 15 games as the Avalanche (19-10-2) reclaimed first place in the Central Division with 40 points. Tomas Hertl scored both goals for the 9-19-3 Sharks while Anthony Duclair was a healthy scratch from this contest.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is having an MVP-worthy season thus far. With 47 points, he’s now five behind Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, who leads all scorers with 52 points.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist to lead his club over the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Mark Stone collected three assists for the Golden Knights (21-6-5), who sit atop the overall standings with 47 points. Josh Norris had a goal and an assist for the 11-15-0 Senators, who’ve dropped four straight and remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 22 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel extended his points streak to a franchise-record 10 games. Meanwhile, Vegas goaltender Adin Hill left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. It was his first game since being sidelined for the last seven with a lower-body injury.

A hat trick by Adam Henrique powered the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-1 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Alex Killorn had a goal and two assists for the 11-19-1 Ducks as they snapped a five-game losing skid. Michael McLeod replied for the 16-12-1 Devils (33 points), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

The Vancouver Canucks netted three goals in the second period to hold off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. J.T. Miller picked up two assists as he leads his teammates with 45 points to sit third in the league scoring race. The Canucks (21-9-2) sit second in the Western Conference with 44 points. Nick Foligno tallied twice for the Blackhawks (9-20-1), who sit at the bottom of the overall standings with 19 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks winger Brock Boeser netted his 23rd goal of the season to move into a tie with Toronto’s Auston Matthews for the league lead in goals. Meanwhile, the ranks of injured Blackhawks is growing as winger Joey Anderson left this game with an upper-body injury. He joins Seth Jones (left shoulder), Alex Vlasic (upper body), Andreas Athanasiou (groin), Colin Blackwell (lower body), Jarred Tinordi (concussion) and Taylor Hall (season-ending ACL injury) on the sidelines.

A shootout goal by Evgeny Kuznetsov gave the Washington Capitals a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Darcy Kuemper made 28 saves for the Capitals (15-9-4), who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 34 points and two games in hand over the Detroit Red Wings, who also have 34 points. Sebastian Aho scored for the 16-12-3 Hurricanes, who’ve dropped six of their last eight games and cling to the first Eastern wild-card spot with 35 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger TJ Oshie was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. The Canes got some good news as goalie Frederik Andersen was cleared to resume skating after being sidelined for six weeks with a blood clot issue.

IN GOALIE NEWS…

CALGARY SUN: Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom was activated off injured reserve after missing seven games with a fractured finger. Goalie Dustin Wolf has been assigned to their AHL affiliate.

LA KINGS INSIDER: The Kings placed goaltender Pheonix Copley on long-term injury reserve with an undisclosed injury. They called up David Rittich from their AHL affiliate over the weekend. Copley suffered the injury during practice on Friday.

CBS SPORTS: Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon suffered a lower-body injury during Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. No updates were released regarding his condition.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils recalled netminder Nico Daws from their AHL affiliate as Vitek Vanecek is not feeling “physically well”, though it is not related to any illness.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2023

by | Dec 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2023

More scoring milestones were reached by Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, a big night for Jets winger Gabriel Vilardi, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals and set up another to rally his club to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jansen Harkins netted the winning goal in the 12th round of the shootout as the Penguins improved to 13-12-3 (29 points) to sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Sean Monahan tallied his ninth goal of the season for the 12-13-4 Canadiens, who sit a point back of the Penguins.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is now tied with Hall-of-Famer (and former teammate) Mark Recchi for 13th on the all-time points list with 1,533. He’s just six points behind Joe Thornton, who sits 12th with 1,539.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon extended his points streak to 13 games as his club downed the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. MacKinnon collected two assists, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists while Valeri Nichushkin tallied twice for the 18-9-2 Avalanche, who hold a two-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Central Division with 38 points. Zach Benson scored for the 12-15-3 Sabres, who’ve dropped seven of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon also reached the 800-point milestone, becoming the fifth-fastest active player to do so. Sabres forward Jeff Skinner left this game with an upper-body injury.

Colorado fans gave former Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson a standing ovation in his first game at Ball Arena since signing with the Sabres this summer. He spent nearly 13 seasons with the Avs and helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Speaking of the Jets, they rolled to a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Gabriel Vilardi had a career-high four points (one goal, three assists) against his former club while Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice and collected two assists and Mark Scheifele had two goals and an assist for the 17-9-2 Jets. Anze Kopitar and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings (16-6-4) as they blew a 2-0 lead and sit third in the Pacific Division with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was reported before this game that Jets winger Kyle Connor is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a lower-body (knee) injury.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Dawson Mercer tied the game in the third period for the Devils (15-11-1), who sit behind the Washington Capitals for the final Eastern wild-card spot with 31 points. Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots while Morgan Geekie had the only goal for the Bruins (18-5-4) as they sit atop the Eastern Conference standings with 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Erik Haula picked up an assist on Mercer’s goal as he was activated off injured reserve for this game. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed defenseman Jakub Zboril on waivers.

The New York Islanders nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 on a shorthanded goal by Simon Holmstrom with 1:33 remaining in the third period. Noah Dobson collected two assists for the Islanders (14-7-7) as they sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 35 points. John Gibson made 30 saves for the Ducks (10-18-0) as they’ve lost four in a row and nine of their last 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders activated defenseman Sebastian Aho off injured reserve for this game.

HEADLINES

TSN: The St. Louis Blues hired former all-star center Brad Richards as a consultant to work with the club’s power play under interim coach Drew Bannister. Meanwhile, winger Jakub Vrana cleared waivers and was sent to the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield.

SPORTSNET: The Minnesota Wild and assistant general manager Chris O’Hearn have agreed to “mutually part ways”. No reason was given for this move. The Athletic’s Michael Russo pointed out that O’Hearn was general manager Bill Guerin’s right-hand man as well as the club’s chief contract negotiator.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Wild, they placed defenseman Jonas Brodin (upper body) on long-term injury reserve.

THE ATHLETIC: Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis yesterday announced plans to move his club (and the NBA’s Washington Wizards) from downtown Washington to a new arena in Northern Virginia by 2028, pending legislative approval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As noted yesterday, the new arena would be 20 minutes away from their current location in the Capital One Arena, which has been home to the Capitals and Wizards since 1997-98.

TSN: The NHL recently announced the skills competition for the 2024 All-Star Game will be modified to showcase 12 players competing for points across eight different events, with the winner receiving a $1 million prize.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2023

by | Dec 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2023

The Kings tie a season-opening win record, the Hughes brothers face off for the first time, plus updates on the 2024 draft, international tournaments and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings tied the league’s season-opening road win streak at 10 games by overcoming a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Drew Doughty scored in overtime while Phillip Danault tallied twice as the Kings improved their record to 15-4-3. Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist as the Blue Jackets sank to 8-14-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine missed this game due to illness.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and Devils center Jack Hughes (NHL.com).

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes and defenseman Luke Hughes came out on top against Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes with a 6-5 victory. Jack had a goal and two assists while Luke scored a goal as Jesper Bratt opened and closed the scoring for the Devils (12-10-1). Quinn collected two assists while J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists and Brock Boeser netted his league-leading 18th goal as the Canucks (16-9-1) overcame a 5-2 deficit to tie the game before Bratt won it in the dying seconds of regulation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first NHL game to feature all three Hughes brothers.

The Ottawa Senators upset the New York Rangers 6-2. Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, Brady Tkachuk scored twice and Drake Batherson had a goal and two assists for the 10-10-0 Senators, who remain in last place in the Eastern Conference with 20 points. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (18-5-1), who sit in first place in the Conference with 37 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Senators learned that defenseman Thomas Chabot has been sidelined by a knee injury. An update on his status is expected on Wednesday. During the game, Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow was struck in the face by a puck in the first period and didn’t return. It appears he lost a couple of teeth.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin netted two goals in a 5-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (14-7-3) as they picked up their third straight win. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for the slumping Sabres (10-14-2) as they’ve dropped four straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo center Tage Thompson collected an assist as he returned to the lineup from an injured left arm a week ahead of schedule. The Sabres also placed forwards Alex Tuch (lower body) and Jordan Greenway (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled goaltender Devon Levi from their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

The San Jose Sharks overcame a three-goal deficit to upset the New York Islanders 5-4 on an overtime goal by William Eklund. Tomas Hertl tallied a hat trick while Eklund finished with three points for the Sharks (7-17-2) as they moved out of the bottom of the Conference standings with 16 points. Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom each had two assists while Mike Reilly had a goal and an assist for the 10-7-7 Islanders.

A shootout goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Ryan O’Reilly netted his 12th of the season as the Predators improved to 13-12-0. Nick Foligno scored twice and collected an assist while Connor Bedard netted his first-ever NHL shootout goal but the Blackhawks dropped to 7-16-1 and sit last in the overall standings with 15 points.

The Minnesota Wild picked up their fourth straight win under new head coach John Hynes by dousing the Calgary Flames 5-2. Matt Boldy scored twice and set up another, Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist while Mats Zuccarello picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games for the 9-10-4 Wild. Mikael Backlund and Connor Zary replied for the 10-12-3 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames played without goaltender Jacob Markstrom as he’s sidelined week-to-week with a fractured finger. The club recalled Dustin Wolf yesterday from the AHL affiliate.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Jonathan Drouin also had two assists as the Avalanche (16-7-2) remain on top of the Central Division with 34 points. Sam Carrick and Leo Carlsson scored for the Ducks as they slid to 10-15-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon also picked up his 500th career assist, joining Joe Sakic, Peter Stastny and Peter Forsberg as the only players in franchise history to reach that plateau. Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a big hit by Ducks forward Max Jones.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expressed concerns about the delays in the construction of an arena for the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics following the league’s two-day Board of Governors meetings in Seattle. He noted that construction had not yet begun on the venue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s December 2023. The venue is reportedly expected to be completed by the end of 2025. It seems like Bettman’s already looking for an excuse not to participate in the 2026 Games.

NHL.COM: The league continues to work on its plans to stage a four-team international tournament involving NHL players in 2025. Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland are expected to be the four countries taking part.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 2016 World Cup of Hockey had a Team Europe (consisting of NHL stars from other European nations) and Team North America made up of the best under-23 NHL stars. Team Europe reached the Gold Medal round against Canada while Team North America became a fan favorite with their fast-paced play.

For whatever reason, the league has opted not to go that route again. That means superstars like Germany’s Leon Draisaitl and Czechia’s David Pastrnak will be prevented from participating in this tournament.

TSN: The 2024 NHL Draft will be held at the Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28-29. It will be the last draft before it is decentralized with teams operating from their own facilities.

The Arizona Coyotes are in the process of trying to finalize the purchase of a plot of land in the Phoenix area for a new arena. TSN’s Darren Dreger said the mood around team owners and league governors is that the Coyotes are getting to the end of the line here. The league is looking ahead at scheduling for next season and needs to know whether the Coyotes will be able to move ahead with this land purchase early in the new year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I noted yesterday a report claiming that some owners and governors were running out of patience with the Coyotes’ situation. However, Bettman’s been the driving force keeping the club in Arizona with majority support from the team owners.

Nevertheless, any delays over the land purchase for a new arena could spark uncertainty over the Coyotes’ future. Dreger mentioned the possibility of relocation but that will require majority approval by the Board of Governors. Ultimately, that will come down to whether Bettman believes there are no more avenues to keep the Coyotes in Arizona.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2023

by | Nov 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2023

Cale Makar outduels Quinn Hughes as the league’s top defensemen face off for the first time this season, the Bruins and Golden Knights each reach 30 points, the Oilers continue to flounder, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Cale Makar and his Colorado Avalanche defeated Quinn Hughes and his Vancouver Canucks 5-2 in this season’s first meeting between the NHL’s top-two defensemen. Makar had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to eight games for the Avalanche as they improved to 12-6-0 while Hughes collected an assist for the 13-6-1 Canucks. Mikko Rantanen, Valeri Nichushkin and Jonathan Drouin also each had a goal and an assist for the Avs.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes remains the current league scoring leader with 31 points while Makar is third with 29 points. They each tallied 20 points thus far in November.

Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had x-rays following this game after blocking a shot with his right leg midway through the third period. Teammate Josh Manson received a game misconduct during the second period for cross-checking Canucks winger Brock Boeser. Meanwhile, Canucks defenseman Mark Friedman left the game in the second with an undisclosed injury.

The Boston Bruins were one of two clubs to reach 30 points this season by downing the Florida Panthers 3-1. Linus Ullmark made 27 saves while Charlie Coyle, John Beecher and Jake DeBrusk scored for the 14-1-3 Bruins, who sit atop the overall standings with 31 points. Anton Lundell replied for the 12-6-1 Panthers.

An overtime goal lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Adin Hill stopped 31 shots while Michael Amadio also scored for the Golden Knights (14-4-2), who sit atop the Western Conference and second in the overall standings with 30 points. Roope Hintz tallied for the 12-4-2 Stars (26 points) as they hold a two-point lead over the Avalanche on top of the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez missed this game with a lower-body injury.

A four-goal first period powered the Carolina Hurricanes over the Edmonton Oilers 6-3. Seth Jarvis and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points for the 11-7-0 Hurricanes while Pyotr Kochetkov made 13 saves as he replaced Antti Raanta in the first period when the latter was pulled for precautionary reasons with an undisclosed ailment. Zach Hyman scored twice for the Oilers (5-12-1) while Stuart Skinner was replaced in net by Calvin Pickard. Mattias Janmark returned to the Oilers lineup after missing nearly a month with a shoulder injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Porous goaltending and sloppy defense once again doomed the Oilers, whose brief lift following their recent coaching change has evaporated after three straight losses. The pressure is mounting for Oilers management to do something to acquire a goalie. I’ll have more in today’s Rumors update.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick collected his 60th career NHL shutout in a 1-0 blanking of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Quick kicked out 32 shots while Alexis Lafreniere netted the only goal as the Rangers (13-3-1) sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 27 points. Tristan Jarry stopped 35 shots for the 9-9-0 Penguins.

The Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a nine-game winless skid (0-7-2) with a 7-3 drubbing of the Chicago Blackhawks. Zach Werenski collected four assists while Boone Jenner scored twice for the 5-11-4 Blue Jackets. Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored his 10th goal of the season to lead all NHL rookies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Corey Perry was a healthy scratch from this contest. Teammate Taylor Hall missed this game dealing with an undisclosed injury.

A three-goal first period carried the Detroit Red Wings over the New Jersey Devils 4-0. Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin, Robby Fabbri and Moritz Seider tallied for the Red Wings (9-6-3) while goalie Alex Lyon made 16 saves for the shutout. Vitek Vanecek stopped 24 shots as the struggling Devils slipped to 8-8-1 (17 points) on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After going 7-3-0 in their first 10 games, the Devils have dropped five of their last six and sit 14th in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Winnipeg Jets nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on an overtime goal by Adam Lowry. Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele also scored while Connor Hellebuyck stopped 31 shots as the Jets won their fourth straight and improved to 11-5-2. Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point replied for the Lightning (9-6-5) as they overcame a 2-0 deficit to force the extra frame.

Speaking of overtime wins, the Washington Capitals downed the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Dylan Strome scored the winner and collected an assist while John Carlsson had two helpers for the 10-4-2 Capitals. Sabres rookie Zach Benson netted his first career NHL goal as his club slipped to 8-9-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov missed his second straight game due to illness.

The New York Islanders downed the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 to snap the latter’s five-game win streak. Brock Nelson tallied twice while Ilya Sorokin turned aside 34 shots as the Isles improved to 7-6-5. Cam York and Joel Farabee replied for the 10-8-1 Flyers.

St. Louis Blues center Kevin Hayes snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period to give his club a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Shorthanded goals by Nick Leddy and Alexey Toropchenko in the second period helped the Blues improve their record to 10-7-1. Matias Maccelli, Nick Bjugstad and Michael Carcone each had two points as the Coyotes dropped to 8-9-2.

The Nashville Predators picked up their third straight win by doubling up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Juuse Saros made 24 saves while Ryan McDonagh picked up two assists for the 8-10-0 Predators. Jacob Markstrom kicked out 41 shots for the 7-9-3 Flames.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault made 30 saves and Alex Newhook scored twice to hold off the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Mason McTavish scored two goals and added an assist as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit before Newhook’s winning goal late in the third period. The Canadiens (8-9-2) snapped a four-game losing streak while the Ducks (9-10-0) have dropped four straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montembeault was the hero for the Canadiens in this one as he made several big saves for the win in this contest.

The Seattle Kraken crushed the San Jose Sharks 7-1. Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and three assists while Eeli Tolvanen scored twice and collected an assist as the Kraken improved to 8-8-5. Mike Hoffman scored for the Sharks as they remain at the bottom of the overall standings with a record of 3-15-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks winger Kevin Labanc missed this game with an upper-body injury.