NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 22, 2025

by | Oct 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 22, 2025

Milestone games for the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, and Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Panthers winger Brad Marchand returns to Boston, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored to pass Mario Lemieux for the most regular-season and playoff points (1,896) in franchise history in a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Kris Letang collected two assists to reach 600 for his career, and Justin Brazeau had a goal and two assists for the 5-2-0 Penguins. Conor Garland replied for the injury-depleted Canucks, who are 4-3-0 in their first seven games.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks were missing Filip Chytil, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Teddy Blueger, and Derek Forbort. The four remain sidelined by injuries. Winger Brock Boeser also missed this game as he’s on a leave of absence for personal reasons.

New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer scored and collected an assist as his club nipped the San Jose Sharks 4-3, handing the latter their sixth straight loss (0-4-2). Schaefer became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal, and tied the record for the longest points streak to begin a career for a defenseman (six games). The Islanders have won three straight after losing their first three games. Collin Graf had a goal and an assist, and rookie forward Michael Misa picked up an assist for his first NHL point.

Brad Marchand collected two assists to help the Florida Panthers defeat his former club, the Boston Bruins, by a score of 4-3. During the first period, the Bruins honored Marchand with a video tribute, garnering a standing ovation from Boston fans that moved the winger to tears. Carter Verhaeghe scored with 26 seconds left for the Panthers, snapping a four-game losing skid. Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who’ve lost five straight after winning their first three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins held defenseman Hampus Lindholm out of this game as he continues to be hampered by a nagging lower-body injury.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes’ hat trick powered his club to a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jesper Bratt collected three assists for the Devils, who have won five straight games after dropping their season-opener. John Tavares had a goal and an assist, and Matias Maccelli scored his first goal for the Leafs as their record dropped to 3-3-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is off to a hot start, with six goals in his last three games. Meanwhile, Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Jake Walman lifted the Edmonton Oilers (3-3-1) over the Ottawa Senators by a score of 3-2, snapping a three-game losing skid. Oilers captain Connor McDavid and rookie forward Isaac Howard scored their first goals of the season. Dylan Cozens and Thomas Chabot replied for the 2-4-1 Senators, who have one win in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

The Utah Mammoth got an overtime goal from Dylan Guenther to upset the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots and Mikhail Sergachev had a goal and two assists as the Mammoth (5-2-0) extended its win streak to four games. Cale Makar, Jack Drury, and Martin Necas scored for the Avalanche, whose points streak has reached seven games (5-0-2).

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Boone Jenner, Adam Fantilli, and Kent Johnson each had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 upset of the Dallas Stars. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 22 shots for the Blue Jackets, improving their record to 3-3-0. Tyler Seguin replied for the Stars, who have lost three straight after winning their first three games of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Matt Duchene missed this contest as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Aliaksei Protas collected two assists for the Capitals, who have won five of their last six and are 5-2-0 on the season. Jaden Schwartz scored for the Kraken, whose record dropped to 3-2-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played with winger Mason Marchment, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Anaheim Ducks got a goal and two assists from winger Ross Johnston in a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who are 3-2-1 in their first six games. Tyson Jost and Filip Forsberg scored for the 2-3-2 Predators, who have dropped four straight (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault missed this game with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 2-1. Alex Laferriere also scored for the Kings as they ended a four-game winless streak (0-2-2). Justin Faulk replied for the 3-2-1 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kings placed captain Anze Kopitar (foot) on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Corey Perry made his season debut with the Kings after being sidelined by knee surgery before training camp.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will miss his club’s next two games with a lower-body injury.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild placed defenseman Zach Bogosian (lower body) on injured reserve.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres are sending goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to their AHL affiliate for conditioning.

DAILY FACEOFF: Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere will miss his team’s next two games with an undisclosed injury.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they and the Colorado Avalanche will wear Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques jerseys for two matchups this season.

THE SCORE: The NHL has cancelled an Olympic sendoff event scheduled for February at the New York Islanders’ arena (UBS Arena), and will instead hold All-Star Weekend festivities there in 2027.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2025

by | Jun 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2025

Connor McDavid talks about his future with the Oilers, the Stars re-sign Matt Duchene and trade Mason Marchment to the Kraken, the Senators re-sign Fabian Zetterlund, and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

MCDAVID DISCUSSES HIS FUTURE IN EDMONTON

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychowski reports Oilers captain Connor McDavid left just a little doubt over whether he’ll remain in Edmonton after next season. The 28-year-old superstar center has a year left on his contract and will be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.

McDavid talked about the hard work the organization has done to build toward being a Stanley Cup contender. He indicated that he would take some time to regroup, talk to his agent and family, adding there was no rush to sign a contract extension on July 1.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

However, McDavid made a remark that left just enough room for doubt.

“With that being said, ultimately, I still need to do what’s best for me and my family. That’s how you have to take care of, first. But of course there is unfinished business here.”

McDavid was asked what would influence his decision.

“Winning would be at the top of the list, it’s the most important thing. If I feel there is a good window to win here, then signing is no problem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton pundits, including Tychowski and Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, believe the odds favor the Oilers re-signing McDavid. They felt his comments were meant as a direct message to management that he’ll be closely watching their roster decisions over the next two weeks.

Nevertheless, a few observers around the league speculated about the possibility of McDavid becoming available in the trade market or via free agency next summer.

If McDavid becomes a trade candidate, several factors will determine potential destinations.

An interested team needs sufficient trade capital on its roster, which could include its most promising young player and a top-six veteran forward. They must be prepared to part with at least one first-round pick and at least one top prospect. Finally, and most importantly, they need sufficient cap space to sign McDavid to a long-term extension and still be able to ice a contending roster.

It would be cheaper to wait for free agency, but it could still cost up to 20 percent of a team’s cap payroll for 2026-27 to sign McDavid. If the cap reached $104 million as projected, the maximum contract is $20.8 million.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports McDavid and Leon Draisaitl voiced their full support of Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old defenseman faced criticism from Oilers followers regarding his defensive play, but McDavid and Draisaitl defended Bouchard’s play and consider him to be an important part of their roster.

Bouchard is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He said he loves playing for the Oilers and believes they’re close to becoming a champion. Matheson speculates Bouchard could get an average annual value in the $10 million range on his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s critics will be apoplectic if the Oilers re-sign him for that much. However, the puck-moving defenseman’s contract situation is likely one of the factors that McDavid will be watching. Re-signing Bouchard could help to ensure that the Oilers captain remains in Edmonton beyond next season.

McDavid revealed that teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins suffered a broken hand in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final but still played the rest of the series.

TSN: Corey Perry said he’d love to return with the Oilers next season. The 40-year-old winger played a key role in their march to the Stanley Cup Final this season. He’s coming off a one-year, $1.4 million contract.

STARS RE-SIGN DUCHENE, TRADE MARCHMENT TO THE KRAKEN

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed Matt Duchene to a four-year, $18-million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.5 million. He also has a full no-movement clause for the first two years of the deal.

The Stars traded forward Mason Marchment to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A cost-cutting trade was inevitable after signing Duchene. Shipping Marchment to Seattle freed up $4.5 million, giving the Stars just under $5 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 16 active roster players under contract.

Duchene, 34, had a solid regular-season performance in 2024-25 with 30 goals and 82 points, but he managed only six points in 18 playoff games. The cap hit is reasonable, but given his age, this deal seems about a year too long.

The Seattle Times’ Kate Shefte believes the Kraken got Marchment at a bargain. The 30-year-old winger is a big, physical, energetic forward with a decent scoring touch, coming off back-to-back 22-goal seasons.

Kraken GM Jason Botterill cited Marchment’s combination of size, skill, and netfront presence. He should be a welcome addition to the Kraken, but he’s also UFA-eligible next summer. Botterill could attempt to re-sign the big winger this summer or wait to see how this season pans out.

TSN: The Ottawa Senators signed forward Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year, $12.825-million contract extension with an AAV of $4.275 million. He was slated to become an RFA on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators acquired Zetterlund from the San Jose Sharks before the March trade deadline. He had a career-best 24 goals and 44 points with the Sharks in 2023-24, and finished with 19 goals and 40 points in 2024-25. The 25-year-old is slated to play at right wing on the Senators’ second line.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals have granted defenseman Ethan Bear permission to speak with other teams. He appeared in 24 games with the Capitals this season and will become a UFA on July 1.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers are reportedly adding Todd Reirden to their coaching staff. He was an associate coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023-24.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

by | May 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Final amid a heartbreaking personal loss for Jets center Mark Scheifele, the Panthers and Maple Leafs prepare for Game 7, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final for the third straight year with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 of their second-round series.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (NHL Images)

Thomas Harley scored the game-winner on a power-play goal at 1:33 of overtime. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for the win and Sam Steel tallied the tying goal for the Stars, who will face the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year in the Conference Final.

Harley’s goal came with Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele in the penalty box for tripping late in the third period. Scheifele opened the scoring in this game, opting to play despite his father passing away suddenly the night before.

Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game with a lower-body injury after getting tangled with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen late in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a heartbreaking defeat for Scheifele and his teammates. Following the game, Jets coach Scott Arniel said Scheifele told him he would play because that’s what his father would’ve wanted.

The Stars players and coaches took the time to offer condolences to Scheifele in the postgame handshake lineup, especially Mason Marchment, who lost his father three years ago.

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reported that Marchment said he was trying to help Scheifele with some kind words that helped him back following his own father’s death. He also praised the Jets center for deciding to play despite his loss. “At the end of the day, we’re all just people. And when you treat someone with respect, I think it means a lot,” said Marchment.

The hockey community rallied to support Scheifele, raising more than $30K in $55 donations (honoring Scheifele’s No. 55) to the Jets’ charitable fund, True North Youth Foundation. Many of the donations came from Dallas Stars fans.

NHL.COM: The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are feeling the pressure heading into Game 7 of their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. They’ll try to draw on their experience in these situations (eliminating Boston in their 2023 first-round series, defeating Edmonton in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final) to help them advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

TORONTO SUN: The status of Leafs winger Matthew Knies remains uncertain for Game 7. He suffered an undisclosed injury during the Leafs’ 2-0 victory in Game 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 is in Toronto on Sunday, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

NHL.COM: The Western Conference Final between the Stars and Oilers begins in Dallas on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 pm ET.

The Eastern Conference Final opens on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 PM ET. If the Leafs win, the series starts in Toronto against the Carolina Hurricanes. If the Panthers win, the series begins in Carolina.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin confirmed he will return next season. He’s coming off a historic 20th NHL season where he broke the all-time goal-scoring record while helping the Capitals finish first in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin turns 40 in September and has one year remaining on his contract. It could be last in the NHL, depending on how next season unfolds.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOWS: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged a lack of scoring against the Edmonton Oilers led to his club’s second-round elimination. However, he chalked that up to the Oilers’ strong defensive play during that series.

McCrimmon acknowledged several players (Tanner Pearson, Victor Olofsson, Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad and Ilya Samsonov) are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He praised their performances, suggesting a good case can be made to re-sign them.

The Golden Knights GM indicated “a couple of guys” played through injuries, but none will require offseason surgery.

LAS VEGAS SUN: McCrimmon also hopes to sign Jack Eichel to a contract extension this summer. The 28-year-old first-line center is UFA-eligible next July.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury ahead of the Eastern Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly close to an agreement to remain at the SAP Center until 2050.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2024

by | Dec 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2024

Recapping Friday’s eight games and the notable news of the past four days in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen tallied his first career hat trick in a 4-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Nathan MacKinnon collected three assists to become the first player this season to reach 60 points while Mikko Rantanen netted his 20th goal as the Avalanche picked up their fourth straight win. Nick Schmaltz replied for Utah as they’re winless in three straight (0-2-1).

Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also announced on Friday that they signed Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.25 million. That’s a big raise over his current $2.35 million AAV. The 28-year-old goaltender was due to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

The Avalanche acquired Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9. He’s won three of his four appearances for Colorado with a .931 save percentage. Nevertheless, this is a significant commitment by Avs management based on a short sample size of his work, raising skepticism among some observers.

In other Avs news, defenseman Cale Makar was the NHL’s first star for the week ending Dec. 22. Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was the second star and Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine was the third star.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner scored a natural hat trick as his club clipped the Detroit Red Wings 5-2. John Tavares had two assists as the Leafs snapped a two-game losing skid. Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson scored for the Red Wings, losing their fourth straight and the first under new head coach Todd McLellan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde, who was fired as Wings head coach on Dec. 26. Assistant coach Bob Boughner was also relieved of his duties. McLellan has considerable NHL head-coaching experience but he’ll need some time to get the struggling Wings on a winning track.

Meanwhile, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed this game. He remains hampered by a nagging upper-body injury that sidelined him for nine games in November. Matthews isn’t expected to be in the lineup for Saturday’s game against Washington.

The Buffalo Sabres got their second straight win by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. Alex Tuch led the way with a hat trick while Jack Quinn and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and an assist. Tyler Bertuzzi and Seth Jones scored for the Blackhawks, who pulled goaltender Petr Mrazek following the first period after giving up four goals on 11 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres ended a 13-game winless skid on Dec. 23 by crushing the New York Islanders 7-1. Chicago has lost three in a row.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected four assists in a 6-2 upset of the Boston Bruins. Dmitri Voronkov scored two goals and had an assist while Sean Monahan tallied twice for the Blue Jackets, who are 3-0-1 in their last four. Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle were the Bruins’ goal scorers as their five-game points streak (4-0-1) ended.

A four-goal third period powered the Vegas Golden Knights over the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Alex Pietrangelo had three assists while Jack Eichel and Mark Stone were among four players with a goal and an assist each for the Golden Knights, who’ve won nine of their last 10 to take over first place in the overall standings with 51 points. Will Smith and Fabian Zetterlund each had two points for the Sharks, who are winless in their last six (0-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game marked Tomas Hertl’s return to San Jose for the first time since the Sharks shipped him to the Golden Knights at last season’s trade deadline. He was held off the score sheet but received a video tribute from the Sharks before the game. Injuries kept Sharks forward William Eklund and defenseman Jake Walman out of the lineup for this contest.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 29 shots in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Luke Hughes had a goal and an assist as the Devils won for the sixth time in their last seven contests, sitting atop the Eastern Conference with 51 points. Eric Robinson and Brent Burns replied for the Hurricanes as they’ve dropped four of their last five.

The Minnesota Wild overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Dallas Stars 3-2 on an overtime wraparound goal by Brock Faber. Jonas Brodin and Marcus Foligno also scored for the Wild while Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves for the win. Evgenii Dadonov and Wyatt Johnston scored for the Stars as they’ve lost three of their last four (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov missed this game with a lower-body injury. Stars forward Mason Marchment was taken to a Dallas hospital after being struck in the face by a shot in the first period. There was no update regarding his condition.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler had a goal and two assists in a 7-4 victory over the Nashville Predators. Robert Thomas tallied twice while Jordan Kyrou and Dylan Holloway each had two points for the Blues. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault each had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who pulled goalie Juuse Saros after he gave up five goals on 15 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Dec. 23, the Predators placed forward Cole Smith (lower body) on injured reserve. He’s expected to miss four-to-six weeks.

HEADLINES OF THE PAST WEEK

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a brief look at some notable news during my holiday break (Dec. 24-27).

The NHL’s holiday roster freeze ended at 12:01 am on Dec. 28.

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected his 1,030 career NHL assist in a 7-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 23. He’s tied with Mario Lemieux for the most assists in franchise history.

SPORTSNET: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin) skated on his regular line with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas for a portion of Friday’s practice. Sidelined by a fractured fibula since Nov. 18, he could return to the lineup against Toronto on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and center Elias Pettersson missed practice on Friday due to injuries. They could miss Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Senators starting goaltender Linus Ullmark could miss the next five games after experiencing tightness in his back in a Dec. 22 game against the Edmonton Oilers.

THE ATHLETIC: The New York Rangers raised eyebrows by scratching winger Chris Kreider from their Dec. 23 games against the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That led to speculation that Kreider could be traded once the NHL’s holiday roster freeze ended. So far, there’s no indication a deal is afoot.

SPORTSNET: Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Geekie is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens called up goaltender Jakub Dobes and intend to place Cayden Primeau on waivers Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Primeau was expected to share the goaltending duties this season with starter Sam Montembeault. However, his shaky performance led to Montembeault starting the last 10 games. The Canadiens carried three goalies last season because they were concerned a rival club would pluck Primeau off waivers. This move indicates they’ve lost confidence in him as a backup.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2024

by | Nov 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2024

Alex Ovechkin extends his goal streak, Connor McDavid returns from injury sooner than expected, and the latest on Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, Dylan Holloway, Thatcher Demko and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the winning goal and picked up an assist as his club nipped the Nashville Predators 3-2. Ovechkin extended his goals streak to five games and Dylan Strome collected two assists for the Capitals, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Juuso Parssinen and Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators, who’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 34 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. He has eight goals in 12 games this season.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin scored twice in the third period as his club doubled up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev each finished with three points as their team sits atop the Pacific Division with 19 points in 13 games. Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman replied for the Oilers (6-7-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid returned to action after missing 10 days with an ankle injury. He was originally expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks. He played over 21 minutes but was held scoreless.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist and Cam Talbot stopped 29 shots for the Wings. Nick Foligno scored for the Blackhawks.

HEADLINES

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Cale Makar is ok after suffering a lower-body injury on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken. He traveled with the Avs and could play Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets.

TSN: Bednar also said captain Gabriel Landeskog suffered a setback as he attempts a comeback after knee surgeries sidelined him for the past two seasons. Bednar said it’s part of the on-again, off-again recovery process and remains hopeful Landeskog can return to action this season.

SPORTSNET: St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway suffered no ill effects from taking a puck to the neck in Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He left the game on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital for observation but was released and rejoined his teammates in practice yesterday. Holloway hopes to play against Utah on Thursday.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko participated in some practice drills on Wednesday with some of his teammates. It’s the latest step in his recovery from a nagging knee injury that has sidelined him since Game 1 of the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment is out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

OTTAWA SUN: Center Shane Pinto and defenseman Artem Zub could return to the Senators lineup for Thursday’s contest with the New York Islanders. Zub has missed nine games with a concussion while Pinto was out six games with an undisclosed ailment.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said defenseman Jake Walman was a healthy scratch from Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets for non-hockey reasons. “Jake did not play because of hockey play,” said Warsofsky. “There was nothing to do with that. It was something in between (us) that we’ll keep in-house.”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Walman’s absence raised eyebrows given his role on the Sharks. He logs the second-most minutes and is their best offensive defenseman.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens have loaned forward Oliver Kapanen to Timra IK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils announced they’ve relieved Kevin Dineen of his duties as head coach of their AHL affiliate in Utica. Assistant coach Ryan Parent takes over on an interim basis for the rest of the season. The move comes as Utica is off to one of the worst starts (0-9-1) in franchise history.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan recently examined several key issues potentially at stake in the next round of collective bargaining between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association. The current agreement will expire in September 2026.

The players hope for a bigger slice of the growing revenue pie. Many would like to see escrow eliminated. They’d also like to get a cut of future expansion fees. Some players wonder if the league might implement a luxury tax given the willingness of some teams to spend over the salary cap.

Some players would like to see the preseason shortened and expand the regular season to 84 games if it means starting the season earlier. Others would like to see the playoff schedule return to the 1-8 seeding by conference.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the CBA negotiations are expected to start in the New Year. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly will summarize the main points he’s learned from meeting with individual general managers at the upcoming GMs meeting.

The general managers would like to tweak the salary arbitration process and revise the compensation rates for offer sheets. One GM would like to see them revisit term limits on player contracts.

LeBrun doesn’t feel either side wants to have a big war in this round of CBA negotiations. He believes they want this to go smoothly.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaplan cited one player saying growing league revenue was the priority and doesn’t want to squabble about points. That is the main factor for both sides. Revenue has grown significantly in recent years and neither side wants to do anything that could jeopardize that growth.

There will be some tweaks coming out of the next round of CBA but nothing that will require a work stoppage. There is no rancor between the two sides and no sense of foreboding compared to the lead-up to the three previous lockouts. Some think an agreement could be reached next summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 9, 2024

by | Feb 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 9, 2024

The Bruins shut out the Canucks in the battle of the league’s top teams, the Hurricanes’ Martin Necas nets a quick hat trick, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Two shorthanded first-period goals by Brad Marchand and Danton Heinen powered the Boston Bruins to a 4-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in the battle of the league’s top-two teams. Linus Ullmark made 17 saves for the shutout while David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle each had two points for the 32-10-9 Bruins, who sit first in the Eastern Conference and sit second in the overall standings with 73 points. The Canucks (73 points) maintain first overall with two more victories (34-12-5) than the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet summed it up best following this game when he said the Bruins’ best players turned up to play while those on his club did not. Giving up two shorthanded goals in the first period put the Canucks on the back foot for the rest of the game.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).

A natural hat trick by Martin Necas in the opening 16:51 carried the Carolina Hurricanes over the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Teuvo Teravainen collected four assists for the Hurricanes (29-16-5) as they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points. Zach Parise scored his first goal of the season for the 32-16-4 Avalanche as they remain in second place in the Central Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta with a lower-body injury while defenseman Brett Pesce missed this game due to illness. Meanwhile, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was held scoreless and remains in second place in the NHL scoring race with 85 points.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny had a Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist and a fight) in a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets, leaving the latter winless in five games (0-4-1). Samuel Ersson stopped 28 shots while Ryan Poehling had a goal and an assist for the 27-19-6 Flyers, who remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 60 points. Kyle Connor scored for the Jets (30-14-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Less than a month ago, the Jets were jockeying for first place in the overall standings. There’s plenty of time for them to pull out of this current skid but this is reminiscent of last season when the Jets stumbled down the stretch following a strong first half of the season and barely made the playoffs.

The Florida Panthers doubled up the Washington Capitals 4-2 on third-period goals by Ryan Lomberg and Eetu Luostarinen. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists for the Panthers (32-15-4), who sit in second place in the Eastern Conference with 68 points. Alex Ovechkin netted his 11th goal of the season for the 22-20-7 Capitals, who are winless in their last six games (0-5-1).

New York Islanders forwards Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal each had a goal and an assist to thump the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2. Ilya Sorokin turned aside 18 shots for the 22-17-12 Islanders (56 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Nikita Kucherov scored for Tampa Bay (27-20-5) as he holds a two-point lead over Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon in the scoring race with 87 points. The Lightning hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev could be out for the season after undergoing surgery on Thursday to repair a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg suffered during Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers.

A three-goal first period enabled the Vegas Golden Knights to hold off the Arizona Coyotes by a score of 3-2. Jonathan Marchessault and Nicolas Hague scored 58 seconds apart for the Golden Knights (31-15-6), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 68 points. Connor Ingram got the hook after giving up three goals on six shots for the 23-23-9 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes forward Barrett Hayton returned to action after missing nearly three months with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Jacob Markstrom kicked out 37 shots, Connor Zary and Andrew Mangiapane each had a goal and an assist and Andrei Kuzmenko tallied his second goal in as many games with the Flames (24-22-5) as they sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 53 points. Ondrej Palat tallied twice and Jesper Bratt had three assists for the 25-21-3 Devils (53 points) as they sit five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

HEADLINES

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Justin Faulk and Scott Perunovich are listed as week-to-week with lower-body injuries.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars forward Mason Marchment was fined $5,000 by the NHL department of player safety for interference against Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe on Wednesday.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson is expected to miss Saturday’s game against the Maple Leafs with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: San Jose Sharks winger Anthony Duclair recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new outdoor synthetic ice surface on the campus of Boyd H. Anderson High School in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.

USA HOCKEY: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin has been named the GM of Team USA for the NHL’s 2025 4 Nations Face-off tournament and the 2026 Winter Olympics.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL defenseman Janne Niinimaa was recently found guilty by a Helsinki court of tax fraud for failing to report over 300,000 euros in earnings from the United States in 2020. It was determined that he still owes nearly 55,000 euros in income tax in his native Finland. Niinimaa, 48, received a four-month suspended sentence and must pay those back taxes as well as cover the court costs and pay a standard crime victim fee.