NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2025

by | Jun 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2025

The Florida Panthers are within one game of repeating as Stanley Cup champions. Check out the details in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are on the verge of repeating as Stanley Cup champions. They defeated the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Brad Marchand scored twice and Sam Bennett tallied his playoff-leading 15th goal as the Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the first period and went up 3-0 by 5:12 of the third period.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Oilers captain Connor McDavid cut the lead to 3-1 just over two minutes later, but Sam Reinhart made it 4-1 less than a minute later. Corey Perry would make it 4-2, but it was too little and too late, as Eetu Luostarinen scored an empty-netter for the Panthers.

Marchand and Bennett became the sixth pair of teammates to score at least five goals in the Stanley Cup Final, and the first to do so since Yvan Cournoyer and Frank Mahovlich with the Montreal Canadiens in 1973. Marchand is the sixth player to tally at least five goals in multiple Cup Finals (2011, 2025), and the first since Mario Lemieux with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992.

The Panthers tied a Stanley Cup playoff record with their 10th road victory. Bennett extended his postseason record with his 12th goal on the road.

This series returns to Florida for Game 6 on Tuesday at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand and Bennett must be considered the front-runners for the Conn Smythe Trophy, especially if the Panthers win the Cup. Eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, they have performed as though they have something to prove.

Marchand has silenced critics who believed he was past his prime. He can justify seeking a raise over the $6.13 million average annual value of his previous contract, potentially ending his short (but successful) tenure with the Panthers.

Bennett wants to remain with Florida, and they want to keep him. However, the cost of doing so could rise regardless of the Panthers playing in a no-tax state. He earned an AAV of $4.425 million on his current contract. That could jump to between $7.5 million and $8 million annually. 

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic praised Florida’s defensive masterclass in Game 5, pointing out the transformative influence of head coach Paul Maurice. The commitment of all four forward lines to playing two-way hockey has them poised to repeat as champions.

The Oilers continue to struggle in the first period, giving up at least two goals in the opening frame in each game of this series. Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal pointed out that the Panthers have played just over 200 minutes of this series with the lead, while the Oilers have held it for less than 34 minutes. If that trend persists in Game 6, they’ll be watching the Panthers hoist the Cup for the second straight time.

It’s worth acknowledging that the Oilers have staged comebacks throughout this postseason. Nevertheless, as Leavins’ colleague Robert Tychowski observed, they can’t spot the Panthers two or three goals every game and expect to get away with it.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch put on a brave face in his postgame interview. He admitted his club faces a difficult situation, but remains confident they can overcome it. However, they can’t come out and play tentative hockey as they did in two of their last three games.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 11, 2025

by | Jun 11, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 11, 2025

Check out the latest on Mitch Marner, Brad Marchand and Claude Giroux, plus an update on the Blues in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS OR BLUE JACKETS PURSUE MITCH MARNER?

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes the Vegas Golden Knights will be the landing spot for Mitch Marner if the Toronto Maple Leafs winger goes to free agency on July 1.

Simmons noted that the Golden Knights have been watching Marner closely for years and have a history of making major acquisitions. He acknowledged their lack of salary-cap space, but claimed there are some around the league who think defenseman Alex Pietrangelo could end up on permanent long-term injury reserve. That would free up his $8.8 million annual average value through 2026-27 to put toward signing Marner.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pietrangelo skipped the 4 Nations Face Off in February, reportedly using that time to heal up for the playoffs. That raised questions about his availability for Canada’s 2026 Men’s Olympic Hockey team, but this is the first speculation suggesting Pietrangelo’s playing days could be over.

If Pietrangelo ends up on LTIR for next season, it will provide the Golden Knights with over $18 million in cap room. That’s enough to sign Marner, but it won’t replace Pietrangelo’s absence on the Golden Knights’ blueline.

It’s been suggested the Golden Knights could trade center William Karlsson and his $5.9 million AAV through 2026-27 to free up cap room to pursue Marner. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said what he’s heard around the league is that Karlsson isn’t available.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reported the Columbus Blue Jackets considered signing Marner to an offer sheet in 2019. It’s uncertain how far those discussions with Jackets then-general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and Marner’s agent went before the latter re-signed with the Leafs.

Portzline wondered if current Jackets GM Don Waddell might pursue Marner in this summer’s UFA market. Columbus would provide a less harsh spotlight, proximity to his Toronto family, and the chance to play for a rising young team. They also have the cap space ($40.4 million) to sign him to a lucrative long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be entertaining to see where Marner goes on the open market. My guess is the Carolina Hurricanes, who are an established contender with cap space that had a prior interest in acquiring him.

COULD BRAD MARCHAND SIGN WITH THE MAPLE LEAFS?

YARDBARKER: cited TSN’s Chris Johnston speculating that the Toronto Maple Leafs could be a destination for Brad Marchand if the Florida Panthers winger wants to maximize his earnings on his next contract.

Marchand, 37, is slated to become a UFA on July 1. Johnston acknowledged that endorsement money could factor into where he goes, which could make Toronto part of the Leafs’ sales pitch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This wouldn’t be the first time endorsement money could be used as a selling point by the Leafs. It’s rumored that it was part of their pitch to Steven Stamkos in 2016 before he decided to re-sign with the Lightning. They might have better luck with Marchand if he ends up hitting the open market on July 1.

SENATORS CONTINUE CONTRACT TALKS WITH GIROUX

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators have resumed contract extension talks with Claude Giroux. The versatile 37-year-old forward is UFA-eligible on July 1. He’s completing a three-year contract with an AAV of $6.5 million.

Garrioch believes the Senators want to sign Giroux to a one-year, “plus-35” contract. The veteran forward is willing to accept a pay reduction, but the main issues are how much of a pay cut he’ll take and the structure of the contract.

The two sides had cordial discussions last week, but there remains a gap to bridge to keep him from testing the market.

BLUES COULD PURSUE A CENTER THIS SUMMER

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford reported the St. Louis Blues are looking for a “200-foot offensive player” this summer. He acknowledged big names like Toronto’s Mitch Marner and Florida’s Sam Bennett could be available in the UFA market, but he doubted GM Doug Armstrong would get into the bidding for either one.

Rutherford indicated depth at center is the Blues’ biggest need. If they can land a top-six center via trade or free agency, they could shift team captain Brayden Schenn down to the third line. If they can land a top-nine center, they could move Oskar Sundqvist out of the third-line center role.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Lou Korac believes Bennett could address that issue for the Blues. However, he doesn’t think they should overpay to do so. He recommended a seven-year, $49 million contract ($7 million AAV) with a no-trade clause as a sweetener.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s a growing sense around the league that Bennett will re-sign with the Panthers. If he doesn’t, he could command over $8.5 million annually on a long-term deal.

Schenn frequently surfaced in the rumor mill leading up to the March trade deadline. However, they’re unlikely to part with him if their concern is bolstering their depth at the center position.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 7, 2025

by | Jun 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 7, 2025

The Panthers defeat the Oilers to tie the Stanley Cup Final, the Stars fire head coach Pete DeBoer, a plethora of other coaching moves, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

PANTHERS DEFEAT OILERS IN GAME 2 OF THE STANLEY CUP FINAL

NHL.COM: A double-overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, tying the series at a game apiece.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

The goal was Marchand’s second of the game, making the 37-year-old winger the second-oldest player in Stanley Cup playoff history to score in multiple overtime periods. Hall-of-Famer Igor Larionov was 41 when he tallied for the Detroit Red Wings in triple overtime of Game 3 in the 2002 Stanley Cup Final.

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 42 shots, Seth Jones had a goal and an assist, and Nate Schmidt and Anton Lundell each collected two assists for the Panthers. Stuart Skinner made 37 saves, Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid each had three points, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist for the Oilers.

This contest was a see-saw battle with the Oilers holding a 3-2 lead after the first period, only to see the Panthers dominate the second period to go up 4-3. The Oilers battled back with Corey Perry sending it to overtime with 18 seconds remaining in the third period, but the Panthers maintained their poise and are heading home having earned a split in Edmonton.

Game 3 is Monday in Florida at 8 pm ET.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars fired head coach Pete DeBoer on Friday. The move comes just over a week after they were eliminated from the Western Conference Final for the third straight year, and days after team owner Tom Gagliardi shot down reports from Canada that DeBoer was out. He has a year remaining on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBoer did a fine job coaching the Stars into a Western Conference powerhouse, but failed to guide them past the Conference Finals. He seemed to lose his cool during the final game against the Oilers, creating confusion among his players after pulling goaltender Jake Oettinger early in the game, and blaming his players afterward for the club’s elimination.

Candidates to replace DeBoer are already being floated by pundits, with the usual suspects (John Tortorella, Peter Laviolette, Gerard Gallant, Jay Woodcroft) popping up. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pursue a former NHL bench boss, hire away an assistant coach from another club, promote from within, or bring in a coach from the minor league or junior ranks.

Speaking of coaching moves…

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs hired former Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde as an assistant coach.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Dan Hinote left the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate to join the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant coach. He was the associate coach of the Colorado Eagles this season. He previously spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken fired assistant coach Dave Lowry and goaltending coach Steve Briere.

THE PROVINCE: On Thursday, the Vancouver Canucks announced the hiring of Kevin Dean, Brett McLean and Scott Young as assistant coaches. They also announced assistant coach Yogi Svejkovsky, defensive development coach Sergei Gonchar, and video coach Dylan Crawford won’t be back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Svejkovsky is reuniting with former Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet in Philadelphia as part of the Flyers’ coaching staff.

THE DENVER POST: Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor is expected to be sidelined for the next five to six months after undergoing hip surgery for the second time in two years.

SPORTSNET: Ottawa Senators defenseman Nick Jensen also underwent hip surgery. There is no timetable for his recovery.

The Rochester Americans are mourning the death of former AHL and NHL winger Scott Metcalfe, who passed away on Friday at age 58.

Metcalfe spent most of his 15-year professional career in the minor leagues. A first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1984 NHL Draft, he played 19 games over three seasons (1987-88 to 1989-90) with the Oilers and Buffalo Sabres. Metcalfe spent nine seasons with the Americans, winning the Calder Cup in 1996. He was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2006.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Metcalfe’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Americans’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2025

by | May 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2025

The Eastern Conference Final begins on Tuesday, the ongoing fallout from the Leafs’ second-round elimination, an update on Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The 2025 NHL Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers begins in Raleigh on Tuesday, May 20, at 8 pm ET.

TSN: The Hurricanes are pushing back against the perception that their style of play is “boring”.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (NHL Images).

“You read it everywhere now and you’re like, ‘OK, we play a high-paced, puck pressure game with a lot of shots,” said Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin. “So if people find that boring, then I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a boring game. I think it’s hard to play against.”

Slavin’s teammate, Seth Jarvis, also weighed in. “I feel if this was Toronto or a different team shutting teams down, they’d be getting praised out of this world.” Sebastian Aho, tied for the lead among Hurricanes scorers, said it came down to the hard work necessary to win hockey games.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Panthers don’t consider the Hurricanes’ style to be dull. “It’s really hard to play against these guys and they know it and we know it,” said Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. “It’s going to be a really fun, hard series. Looking forward to that.”

Barkov’s teammate, Matthew Tkachuk, called the Hurricanes “a great team” and felt the upcoming series would be “another great showdown” between the two clubs, calling them “a tough team to play against and they make it hard every game.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anyone who thinks Carolina plays dull hockey didn’t suffer through the Dead Puck Era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many games from that time remain a great cure for insomnia. I’m not kidding. I dozed off at times while watching the 2003 Stanley Cup Final.

The Hurricanes have had some exciting postseason series, especially against the Capitals in 2019 and the Bruins and Rangers in 2022. The quality of their opponents in this postseason thus far might give some fans the perception that they’re boring. Their upcoming tilt with the Panthers should be entertaining.

TORONTO STAR: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice cautioned the Toronto media not to be too harsh on the Maple Leafs following their second-round elimination to Florida on Sunday. Panthers winger Brad Marchand said the Leafs didn’t deserve to be “crucified” by critics, claiming the pressure from Toronto fans is beaten into the team.

SPORTSNET: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk was sympathetic toward the Leafs players because of the pressure they face in Toronto. “Sometimes you feel bad for them because they have some unbelievable players and a great team,” said Tkachuk. “I was actually saying this the other night to some of the guys. If this team was not in Toronto, dealing with all the crazy circus stuff outside of it, they’d be an unbelievable team and such a hard team to play.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto is a hockey-mad market, and their fan base is desperate for the club’s 58-year Stanley Cup drought to end. However, playing in another market wouldn’t detract from the fact that this version of the Leafs is top-heavy, with too much money invested in a handful of players, leaving little to address the depth issues throughout its roster. It’s doubtful they’d be more successful in another market.

Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin and Frank Seravalli point out that Toronto isn’t the only pressure-cooker market, but stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers rise to the occasion.

Rick Vaive was a high-profile player for the Leafs in the 1980s when the franchise was not very good. He pointed out that there was nowhere to hide from the media back then and the players always had to be accountable. Vaive believes some players, like Mitch Marner, aren’t cut out to handle it and might benefit from a change of scenery.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins benefited from the outcome of the Toronto-Florida series. The conditional second-round pick in 2027 they received from the Panthers in the Brad Marchand trade became a first-rounder because the Panthers won two playoff series and the 37-year-old winger played in at least half of their postseason games.

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited sources saying Rick Tocchet passed on becoming the Bruins’ head coach because of general manager Don Sweeney’s status with the club and Sweeney’s track record with Bruins coaches. Tocchet signed on with the Philadelphia Flyers last week as their new coach.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm skated with his teammates on Monday in his first full practice since suffering a suspected groin pull weeks ago. He could return to the lineup for Game 5 of their upcoming Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Alex Alexeyev was arrested for public intoxication in Clarendon, Virginia, on Saturday. He was booked at Arlington County jail and later released.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2025

by | May 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2025

The Panthers eliminate the Maple Leafs and advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Check out the recap and the fallout in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers advanced to the Eastern Conference Final by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of their second-round series.

Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen each had a goal and two assists, Seth Jones and Aleksander Barkov each collected two points, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for the win. Max Domi scored the lone Leafs goal.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Marchand became the first player in NHL history to defeat the same team in five Game 7 appearances. He also has the most points (10 in 13 games) in Game 7s among active players.

Panthers winger Evan Rodrigues returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury. Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies also played after leaving Game 6 in the first period with an injury.

Referee Chris Rooney left the game early in the second period after being accidentally clipped in the face by the stick of Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola. He received a cut above the eye that required stitches and missed the rest of this contest. Standby official Garrett Rank replace him.

The Panthers will appear in their third straight Eastern Conference Final. They face off against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, May 20, in Raleigh at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers reminded everyone in this game why they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions. They weren’t rattled by losing Game 6, came out strong to start this game and were relentless as this contest progressed. They set the tempo early and never let up, squeezing away what little will to win the Leafs had.

Florida coach Paul Maurice tried to downplay his club’s dominance, claiming the puck just went their way. He’s just being kind toward an opponent that has consistently shown since 2018 that they can’t rise to the occasion when it matters most.

Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who appeared to be hampered by an injury in this postseason, felt there were “too many passengers” among his teammates in this game. He believes they came out strong and had a good start, but struggled after falling behind 2-0 and couldn’t get back into the game.

Toronto coach Craig Berube believes the memory of previous failures hurt his club in this series. “For me, it’s all between the ears. It’s a mindset,” he said. Berube wasn’t part of those previous failures, but he has a lot of work ahead to help his mentally fragile team.

As expected, there are plenty of opinions in the Toronto media over what’s next for the Maple Leafs after another disappointing playoff exit. I’ll have the highlights in today’s Rumor Mill.

IN OTHER NEWS…

ROTOWIRE: Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey required further evaluation after suffering a knee injury during Game 6 of his club’s second-round series against the Dallas Stars. Jets coach Scott Arniel said the injury “wasn’t good.” The Jets were eliminated in that game.

SPORTSNET: Hockey fans donated over $46K to the Jets’ charitable foundation to support Mark Scheifele, whose father died suddenly hours before Game 6 against the Stars. Many fans made $55 donations in honor of Scheifele’s jersey number.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The hockey community rallied around Scheifele, with a number of donations from Dallas fans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2025

by | Mar 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Flyers fire head coach John Tortorella, an update on Brad Marchand, Dylan Cozens is thriving since being traded to the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars got a natural hat trick from Jason Robertson as they held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Roope Hintz collected three assists and Jake Oettinger stopped 41 shots for the Stars, who’ve won their third straight game and sit second in the Central Division with 96 points. Corey Perry and Adam Henrique each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who lost goaltender Stuart Skinner following a third-period collision with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen. The loss leaves the Oilers in third place in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner will not be traveling with the Oilers to Seattle after being struck in the head by Rantanen’s knee. His teammates’ tepid response to the incident sparked criticism of the club’s toughness.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood scored twice and picked up an assist in a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Thatcher Demko made 26 saves while Pius Suter and Drew O’Connor had two assists each for the Canucks (80 points), who sit three points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Casey Cizikas had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (74 points), who remain one point back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

The Boston Bruins’ fading playoff hopes took another hit with a 6-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Leo Carlsson tallied twice and Jackson LaCombe had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie replied for the Bruins (69 points), who’ve lost seven straight games and remain six points behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov missed this game to return to Boston to deal with a family matter.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer scored two goals to lead his club over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Luke Hughes collected three assists as the Devils ended a three-game losing skid. They’re third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points. Tyler Bertuzzi and Ilya Mikheyev replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve dropped eight of their last nine games.

HEADLINES

**UPDATE** The Philadelphia Flyers relieved John Tortorella of his coaching duties. 

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand is inching closer to his debut with the Panthers. Head coach Paul Maurice said the plan is for the 36-year-old winger to participate in a full team practice on Thursday and be in the lineup for Friday’s game against Utah.

The Panthers acquired Marchand from the Bruins at the March 7 trade deadline. He’s been sidelined with an upper-body injury since March 1.

SPORTSNET: Dylan Cozens has been thriving with the Ottawa Senators. Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on March 7, he has three goals and five assists for eight points in nine games. The Senators have gone 6-3-0 during that stretch.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn believes the Sabres’ long playoff drought is testing the limits of their fans’ patience. The club is seeing thousands of empty seats in their arena this season, with some season-ticket holders opting not to renew for 2025-26.

Fairburn points out the Sabres are 30th in attendance by average capacity with 84 percent. They’re 27th in average raw attendance with 16, 070. He believes the constant losing hurts the club’s bottom line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres have been floundering for nearly 15 years under team owner Terry Pegula. Sabres fans are long-suffering but their patience could be nearing the breaking point. Buffalo is a hockey town with a rich history, However, if fan support keeps dwindling, whispers of franchise relocation won’t be far behind.

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reported on some details for the Calgary Flames’ new arena. Construction began on the 18,400-seat venue eight months ago and is expected to open midway through 2027.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators CEO Cyril Leeder said the club is expected to remain in its current arena for at least five years. Talks are ongoing between the Senators and Ottawa’s National Capital Commission (NCC) to construct a new arena at LeBreton Flats.