NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2025

by | Apr 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2025

The Jets clinch top spot in the Western Conference and Central Division, the Golden Knights secure the Pacific Division title, the Rangers, Islanders and Red Wings are eliminated from the playoff race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets clinched first place in the Western Conference and the Central Division with a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Cole Perfetti tallied the game-winner in the shootout and Josh Morrisey scored twice for the Jets (114 points). Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets hold a five-point lead over the second-place Washington Capitals in the overall standings but they have two games left while the Capitals have three. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers left the game in the second period after accidentally colliding with a linesman. There was no postgame update on his status.

This was also the final game for Blackhawks forward Patrick Maroon and defenseman Alec Martinez as both players retired after this game. They will not be joining the Blackhawks on their season-ending two-game road trip.

The Vegas Golden Knights clinched the Pacific Division title for the fourth time in eight years by defeating the Nashville Predators 5-3. Noah Hanifin broke a 3-3 tie with 1:55 remaining in the third period while Brett Howden and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (107 points). Former Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault scored in his first game in Vegas since joining the Predators last summer.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists in a 7-3 victory over the New York Rangers, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth last week and will face the New Jersey Devils in the opening round. J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist for the Rangers.

A shootout goal by Bobby Brink lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the New York Islanders 4-3 to eliminate the latter from the postseason chase. Tyson Foerster tallied twice for the Flyers while Bo Horvat, Anders Lee and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

The Montreal Canadiens failed to clinch the final Eastern wild-card berth as they dropped a 1-0 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mitch Marner scored in overtime for the Leafs, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. Jakub Dobes stopped 35 shots for the Canadiens (88 points), who picked up a point to move seven ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, eliminating the latter from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs also announced that former general manager Gerry McNamara died on Friday at age 90.

A minor-league goaltender for most of his playing career, McNamara appeared in seven NHL games with the Leafs between 1960-61 and 1969-70. He was a scout for the Leafs in the 1970s and was GM from 1981-82 to 1987-88.

My condolences to McNamara’s family, friends, former teammates and the Leafs organization.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves made 21 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 7-0 drubbing of the Washington Capitals. James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists and Adam Fantilli scored twice as the Blues Jackets kept their playoff hopes alive. They’re five points behind Montreal but have three games left while the Canadiens have two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets face Washington on Sunday in the second game of their back-to-back. They will be eliminated if they lose that game in any fashion.

The Capitals gave captain Alex Ovechkin the day off on Saturday but he could return to the lineup for Sunday’s contest. Teammate Jakob Chychrun was also absent Saturday as he’s battling an illness while Hunter Shepard gave up seven goals on 26 shots. Charlie Lindgren will be their starter on Sunday.

Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello scored in overtime to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Brock Faber and Marcus Foligno scored in the third period as the Wild overcame a 2-0 deficit. Marcus Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks. With 95 points, the Wild sit one point ahead of the St. Louis Blues in the first Western Conference wild-card spot and five points ahead of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks announced center Elias Pettersson is done for the season as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury suffered on March 22 against the New York Rangers. Wild forward Yakov Trenin was ejected after hitting Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort with a late punch while the latter was lying on the ice following a fight between the two players.

The St. Louis Blues fell 4-3 to the Seattle Kraken on a shootout goal by Chandler Stephenson. Nick Leddy had a goal and an assist in regulation play for the Blues, who sit one point behind the Wild in the final wild-card spot, four points ahead of the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild and Blues each have one game left in their schedules while the Flames have three games. The latter still has a chance to clinch a wild-card spot if they win all three games while the Blues lose their final game. Speaking of the Blues, defenseman Colton Parayko returned to action in this game after injuring his right knee on March 5 against the Los Angeles Kings.

Speaking of the Kings, they held off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4. Kevin Fiala scored two goals while Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each had a goal and two assists for the Kings, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 101 points. Colorado center Brock Nelson scored twice, including his 300th NHL regular-season goal. The Avalanche will face the Dallas Stars in the first round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings will meet the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for the fourth straight year. They’ll face an Oilers team lacking a key defenseman as Mattias Ekholm will be sidelined for “quite some time” with an undisclosed injury.

Meanwhile, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog could join his teammates for their series with the Stars. He’s currently on a conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. On Saturday, Landeskog scored a goal in his second game with the Eagles. His last NHL game was Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.

The Stars, meanwhile, dropped a 5-3 decision to the Utah Hockey Club. Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists for Utah. Jason Robertson scored his 35th goal of the season and Wyatt Johnston his 32nd for the Stars, who clinched second place in the Central Division.

A shootout goal by Anton Lundell gave the Florida Panthers a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Rasmus Dahlin and JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 23, 2025

by | Mar 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 23, 2025

Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl and Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins lead their clubs to victory with hat tricks, six teams in wild-card races pick up wins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Tomas Hertl tallied his second hat trick in a seven-game span to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Jack Eichel had a goal and three assists and Mark Stone had a goal and two assists as the Golden Knights sit atop the Pacific Division with 90 points. Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists for the Red Wings (70 points), leaving them five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings have lost eight of their last 10 games. Barring a significant turnaround over their final 13 games, they’ll extend their postseason drought to nine seasons.

A hat trick by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins enabled the injury-depleted Edmonton Oilers to hold off the Seattle Kraken 5-4. Darnell Nurse and Mattias Ekholm each collected two points as the Oilers sit three points behind the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Kaapo Kakko scored twice for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers won with superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl sidelined by injuries. Both players could return in a week, with Draisaitl reportedly closer to returning to action. Meanwhile, Kakko has rejuvenated his career since being traded to the Kraken in December. With 39 points, he’s one away from tying his career-high 40-point season in 2022-23 with the New York Rangers.

The Minnesota Wild got a 20-save performance from goaltender Filip Gustavsson for his third straight win as they downed the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist and Matt Boldy collected two assists as the Wild hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 85 points. JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin picked up an assist after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

St. Louis Blues forwards Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker each had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blues extended their win streak to a season-high five games and hold the final Western wild-card spot with 79 points. Ilya Mikheyev replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost seven in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forward Patrick Maroon played his final game against his former club after announcing he’ll retire at the end of this season. The St. Louis native received a standing ovation by Blues fans and was named the game’s first star. He helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019.

Maroon has spent 14 seasons in the NHL with the Blackhawks, Blues, Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins, collecting 320 points and 1,076 PIMs in 840 regular-season games and 53 points in 163 playoff contests, winning three Stanley Cups, including two with the Lightning.

The Calgary Flames are two points behind the Blues following a 4-3 overtime win over the New York Islanders. Nazem Kadri tallied the game-winner, Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and two assists, Matt Coronato scored twice and Rasmus Andersson collected three assists for Calgary as they’ve won three straight games. Noah Dobson and Maxim Tsyplakov each picked up two assists for the Islanders (73 points), who are two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar missed this game with a lower-body injury while forward Joel Farabee was sidelined by illness. Weegar is expected to return for Tuesday’s game against the Kraken.

New York Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski tallied two goals and J.T. Miller scored an empty-netter against his former club to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 36 shots for the Rangers (74 points), who are one point out of the final Eastern wild card. Canucks forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander left this game with injuries as their club slipped three points behind the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks dominated the Rangers in this game but couldn’t put them away. It’s a costly defeat at a time when the Blues and Flames are surging. The loss overshadowed Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood breaking the league’s single-season record for hits with 384.

The Colorado Avalanche blew a 4-1 lead before defeating the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on a shootout goal by Brock Nelson, who had a goal and an assist in regulation play. Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice for the Canadiens, who cling to the final Eastern wild-card berth with 75 points. The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the loss, the Canadiens earned a valuable point to retain that wild card. They have points in 12 of their last 13 contests (8-1-4).

Ottawa Senators forwards Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson scored second-period goals within 33 seconds of each other to hold off the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Linus Ullmark stopped 25 shots for the win as the Senators hold a four-point lead over the Canadiens in the first Eastern wild-card spot. Luke Hughes collected assists on both goals for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators’ Thomas Chabot became the fourth defenseman in franchise history to reach the 500-game milestone, joining Chris Phillips, Wade Redden and Erik Karlsson.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley opened the scoring and ended the game with a two-goal performance in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Stars hold second place in the Central Division with 92 points. Travis Konecny and Ryan Poehling replied for the Flyers, who’ve lost four straight.

The Los Angeles Kings crushed the Carolina Hurricanes 7-2, winning for the seventh time in their last eight games. Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, Andrei Kuzmenko and Tanner Jeannot each had a goal and an assist and Drew Doughty collected two assists as the Kings sit third in the Pacific Division with 85 points. Dmitry Orlov and Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes as they hold second place in the Metro Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis left the game in the third period with an apparent head injury when he crashed into the end boards after being hauled down by Kings winger Warren Foegele. Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour expressed optimism in his postgame press conference that Jarvis avoided serious injury.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin collected two assists in a 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers, giving them their ninth win in their last 10 contests. Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist as the Capitals opened a two-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings with 102 points. Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 87 points.

The Utah Hockey Club kept their playoff hopes alive by upsetting the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-4. Logan Cooley and Alex Kerfoot led the way with two goals each for Utah (75 points), who sit four points behind the Blues in the Western wild-card race. Brayden Point netted two goals and Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists for the Lightning, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 85 points.

Five unanswered goals powered the Nashville Predators to a 5-2 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Filip Forsberg scored twice and picked up an assist as the Predators snapped a four-game losing skid. John Tavares scored his 30th of the season for the Leafs, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs and Panthers have identical 42-25-3 records, but the latter holds the tiebreaker with 35 regulation wins compared to the Leafs’ 34.

The San Jose Sharks beat the Boston Bruins 3-1. Lucas Carlsson’s tiebreaker was his first goal with the Sharks and his first since 2021-22 with the Panthers. Carlsson and teammate William Eklund each finished with a goal and an assist. Casey Mittelstadt replied for the slumping Bruins, who’ve lost their fifth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins played without forward Mark Kastelic, who returned to Boston for further evaluation of an upper-body injury and will miss the remainder of their five-game road trip.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2025

by | Feb 11, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2025

Check out the latest on Brad Marchand, Brock Nelson, Rickard Rakell, John Gibson, Jake Evans, Ryan Donato and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BRUINS ARE GETTING CALLS ABOUT BRAD MARCHAND

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports an “NHL executive source” said the Boston Bruins are getting calls on captain Brad Marchand. The 36-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, raising speculation about whether he’ll be re-signed or moved by the March 7 trade deadline.

Murphy’s source claimed teams were wondering what the Bruins intended to do with Marchand. For now, they appear to be just listening rather than actively shopping him. He also noted that the Bruins haven’t squashed the rumors as they’ve done in the past. Another source close to the situation indicated they’re not shopping Marchand.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

The sources’ opinions vary on the price the Bruins could offer Marchand. One speculates it could be a first-round pick and a top prospect. Another believes it depends on which team is asking. The sources mentioned the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Minnesota Wild as possible suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand carries a cap hit of $6.125 million and an eight-team no-trade list. Interested clubs could ask the Bruins to retain some salary, which could raise their asking price. The Oilers and Wild are pressed against the $88 million cap, making them the least likely to land him. All five teams lack a first-round pick in this year’s draft.

BROCK NELSON BECOMES THE TOP TARGET IN THE RUMOR MILL

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias has a roundup of speculation from several insiders suggesting Islanders center Brock Nelson is the most coveted player in the trade market. Like Marchand, the 33-year-old is UFA-eligible on July 1. He carries a $6 million cap hit.

Macias cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, The Athletic’s Arthur Staple, and TSN’s Chris Johnston reporting the 33-year-old Nelson is garnering attention around the league. He claimed the Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning are “very interested” in the veteran Isles center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The points I raised about the lack of a 2025 first-rounder for the Avalanche and Wild also apply here. The Wild currently have Kirill Kaprizov and his $9 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve but he’s expected to return from surgery in a few weeks. Like the Wild and Avs, the Leafs and Lightning don’t have first-round picks in this year’s draft.

The Jets have the advantage over those clubs, provided they’re not on his 16-team no-trade list. They’re first overall in the standings and in “win-now” mode, have over $12 million in projected trade-deadline cap space and a first-round pick in this year’s draft, and they can also draw on their prospect pipeline for trade bait.

RICKARD RAKELL COULD BE AVAILABLE BUT EXPENSIVE

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently reported the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t in a hurry to trade Rickard Rakell. The 31-year-old winger is playing well alongside team captain Sidney Crosby. He’s also signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5 million.

Nevertheless, Yohe believes the Penguins would listen if a team made a truly significant package offer containing a first-rounder and a blue-chip prospect close to NHL-ready. He claims GM Kyle Dubas hasn’t told teams that Rakell is untouchable, only that the asking price is high.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rakell’s trade value is very high right now. If a suitable offer isn’t possible at the trade deadline, they might wait for the offseason when the rising cap could entice teams to spend more than they currently would.

COULD JOHN GIBSON BE A FIT WITH THE OILERS?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting he’d heard the Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes are the preferred trade destinations for John Gibson.

The 31-year-old Anaheim Ducks goaltender is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade list. He’s been the subject of trade rumors for some time.

Friedman said he’d heard Gibson wants to go where he’d be “the guy”, as in the starting goaltender. However, he doesn’t know if partnering with Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner will work for him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staples doesn’t think Gibson would be a good fit for the Oilers. Even if the Ducks retained half his cap hit, he believes it would still take a hefty chunk out of their cap space. Meanwhile, Staples colleague Kurt Leavins doesn’t see Gibson as an improvement over Skinner, saying he’s been “very mediocre” over the past five years.

WILL JAKE EVANS STAY IN MONTREAL OR MOVE ON?

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports Canadiens center Jake Evans knows he’s facing a murky future. The 28-year-old is due to become a UFA this summer and could be shopped by the March 7 trade deadline.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Sunday that the Canadiens and the Evans camp exchanged contract numbers. However, the two sides remain far apart, suggesting he’ll be traded by March 7.

TVA SPORTS: Renaud Lavoie claims Evans’s re-signing with the Canadiens is a real possibility despite the reported gaps in their contract negotiations. However, he didn’t go so far as to guarantee his signing.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports it’s “common knowledge” Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is in the market for a third-line center. He believes Evans would fit the bill.

However, the Canadiens’ asking price would be at least a second-rounder and there are plenty of suitors. Nichols noted the Devils have three second-rounders but lack a first-rounder, which would put them out of the bidding if the price goes up.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evans is the Canadiens’ best trade chip and could fetch a first-round pick if enough teams are interested leading up to March 7. They won’t hesitate to trade him if the two sides don’t agree to a new contract by then.

UPDATES ON RYAN DONATO AND PAT MAROON

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers recently reported that it is expected the Chicago Blackhawks could trade pending UFA forward Ryan Donato by March 7. However, it’s not a certainty that he’ll be moved as management hasn’t ruled out re-signing him.

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek reports Blackhawks forward Pat Maroon is drawing some attention in the trade market. Marek suggests the Florida Panthers and Maroon’s former club, the Tampa Bay Lightning, as possible fits.

LATEST ON THE BLUE JACKETS

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports injuries to forwards Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko has GM Don Waddell shopping for a top-six forward. “We had some irons in the fire,” Waddell told Portzline. “But no action yet.”

Waddell is willing to move one of his club’s two first-rounders in this year’s draft but it would only be for a player with term on their contract. He also wouldn’t rule out moving one of his extra mid-round picks for a player on an expiring contract.

The Blue Jackets GM also said talks continue with pending UFAs Ivan Provorov and Mathieu Olivier. He also wants to re-sign defenseman Dante Fabbro.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Portzline noted the Blue Jackets have two second-round picks in the 2027 draft, two third-rounders in 2026 and two in the 2027 draft, and two fourth-rounders in this year’s draft and three in 2026.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2024

by | Dec 31, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games, last week’s three stars are revealed, the 2025 Draft will be held in Los Angeles, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets regained first place in the overall standings (55 points) by blanking the Nashville Predators 3-0. Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his league-leading fifth shutout while Gabriel Vilardi tallied two goals to reach 17 on the season as the Jets picked up their fourth straight victory and their sixth in their last seven games. Predators goaltender Juuse Saros stopped 25 shots.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck has been the league’s top goaltender during the first half of this season. He’s also the leader among starters with 24 wins, a 2.00 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. The Jets goalie is on pace to win his second straight Vezina Trophy and his third since 2019-20, making him the dominant netminder of the decade thus far.

Jets center Mason Appleton missed this game with a lower-body injury. He has been placed on injured reserve.

Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist scored twice in a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers. Sergei Bobrovsky made 33 saves as the Panthers snapped a two-game losing skid to take over first place in the Atlantic Division with 48 points. Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren and Chris Kreider replied for the free-falling Rangers as they’ve dropped four in a row and seven of their last eight, sliding to 14th in the Eastern Conference with 33 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers’ mounting losses ensure they’ll remain the focus of media trade speculation entering the New Year. They’re moving closer to becoming sellers by the March 7 trade deadline.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-2. Jaden Schwartz led the way with a goal and two assists, Kaapo Kakko collected two assists, and Philipp Grubauer turned aside 28 shots. Logan Cooley and Alex Kerfoot scored for Utah, who’ve gone 0-3-1 in their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah remains within striking distance of a Western Conference wild-card berth but their recent inconsistent play could send general manager Bill Armstrong into the trade market for help.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Jets center Mark Scheifele, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, and Columbus Blue Jackets blueliner Zach Werenski are the league’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 29.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski reports the 2025 NHL Draft will be held in Los Angeles from June 27-28, 2025 at the Peacock Theater.

It will also be the NHL’s first decentralized draft. The top prospects and league officials will be in attendance, but teams will make their selections from their home facilities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league is following the same format as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. It makes sense for the teams as they don’t have to travel to a different location each year. However, it might not be as enjoyable for the fans. It could also affect how general managers wheel and deal during the draft as they’ll no longer be able to discuss potential trades face-to-face.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The NHL fined the Stars $100,000 for violating the CBA’s rule against staging a practice during the NHL’s holiday break.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was expected after reports emerged on Saturday that the league was investigating the Stars for holding an optional skate on Dec. 26.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes is sidelined week-to-week with an injured hand while center Elias Pettersson will be out this week with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both players missed Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Losing two of their biggest stars is a major blow for the Canucks.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews participated in practice yesterday but he won’t be in the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the New York Islanders. It’ll be the fifth straight game he’s missed with a nagging upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers wonder if the Leafs might shut Matthews down for the regular season, put him on long-term injury reserve, use the $13.25 million in cap savings to acquire depth for the playoffs, and activate Matthews once the postseason begins when the salary cap is no longer in effect.

That scenario works if Matthews undergoes a procedure that sidelines him until the end of the regular season or receives a certified medical evaluation recommending complete rest and rehab until late April. They’re not even close to that plan yet as he continues to work his way back into the lineup.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler will play his 1,000th NHL regular-season game during Tuesday’s Winter Classic matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field.

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov was fined $2, 473.96 by the department of player safety for high-sticking Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield during Sunday’s game between the two clubs.

Blackhawks forward Pat Maroon was fined $3,385.42 for elbowing Stars forward Mavrik Bourque on Sunday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is expected to be sidelined longer than day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He left Saturday’s game against the New Jersey Devils during the third period and didn’t return.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche winger Jonathan Drouin is expected to rejoin his teammates for Tuesday’s game against the Jets. Injuries have limited Drouin to five games this season.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed winger Jesse Puljujarvi on waivers.

THE SCORE: Former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is contemplating a comeback. The 36-year-old center’s last NHL game was on Apr. 13, 2023. He’s been sidelined by chronic immune response syndrome and symptoms of long COVID.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2024

by | Mar 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2024

The Oilers’ Zach Hyman tallies his fourth hat trick of the season, the Avalanche stage a three-goal comeback against the Canucks, an update on Flyers center Ryan Johansen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman collected his fourth hat trick of the season in a 7-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and three assists while Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to extend his home points streak to 26 games for the 40-21-3 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 83 points. Ivan Miroshnichenko and Connor McMichael replied for the 30-25-9 Capitals (69 points), who remain three points behind the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman (46 goals) became the first Oiler to score four hat tricks in a season since Wayne Gretzky in 1986-87. Meanwhile, McDavid (106 points) moved within one point of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov for second place in the scoring race. Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon leads all scorers this season with 115 points.

Speaking of MacKinnon and the Avalanche, he had a goal and an assist as his club overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Valeri Nichushkin. Mikko Rantanen also had a goal and an assist and Cale Makar collected two assists for the Avalanche (42-20-5), who moved into first place in the Central Division with 89 points. J.T. Miller and Nikita Zadorov each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (42-17-8) as they hold second place in the overall standings with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have the same number of points as the Dallas Stars but they hold first place in the division with two more wins.

The Nashville Predators extended their points streak to 13 games by doubling up the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. Roman Josi and Gustav Nyquist each had two points and Jason Zucker scored his first goal since joining the Predators at the trade deadline. With a record of 38-25-4, the Predators hold the first Western Conference wildcard spot with 80 points. Alex Iafallo and Mason Appleton scored for the Jets (41-19-5) as they slipped to third place in the Central Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets center Mark Scheifele missed this game due to illness.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington kicked out 40 shots in a 3-1 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Alexey Toropchenko, Jake Neighbours and Brandon Saad scored for the Blues (34-29-3). Adrian Kempe had the only goal for the 33-21-11 Kings as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This season has been Binnington’s best since his 2019-20 sophomore campaign. He’s kept his temper in check and is more focused on his game.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports Philadelphia Flyers center Ryan Johansen is undergoing testing to determine the severity of an apparent hip injury. The Flyers were unaware of Johansen’s condition when they acquired him last week from the Colorado Avalanche. The 31-year-old center appeared in all 63 of the Avalanche’s games before he was traded.

There was speculation the Flyers could buy out the final season of Johansen’s contract. He carries an average annual value of $8 million, with half of it retained by the Nashville Predators as part of the condition of trading him to the Avs last summer.

The severity of Johansen’s injury could prevent any potential plan to buy him out this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A player cannot be bought out if he’s receiving treatment during the buyout period in June for an injury that occurred during the season.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Tempers flared between Red Wings teammates Ben Chiarot and Lucas Raymond during practice on Wednesday. Both players got into a scuffle and had to be separated by their teammates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blame the Red Wings’ six-game losing skid that threatens to derail their playoff hopes for this season. Wings forward Patrick Kane believes this might be a positive development that helps get the club back on track.

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler will be out for an extended period. He suffered a concussion when he was elbowed by New York Rangers center Matt Rempe, who received a four-game suspension.

NHL.COM: Pat Maroon remains week-to-week after the Boston Bruins acquired him last week from the Minnesota Wild. He underwent back surgery on Feb. 7 with a recovery timeline of four-to-six weeks.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Bruins, Andrew Peeke will debut with the club after being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets last week. Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (illness) will not be traveling with the team to Montreal for Thursday’s game against the Canadiens.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Sean Kuraly is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed forward Bobby McMann to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $1.35 million.










Notable NHL Trades – March 8, 2024

by | Mar 8, 2024

Notable NHL Trades – March 8, 2024

The San Jose Sharks traded center Tomas Hertl and two third-round picks (2025 and 2027) to the Vegas Golden Knights for Vegas’ 2025 first-rounder and prospect center David Edstrom.

New Jersey Devils trade winger Tyler Toffoli to the Winnipeg Jets (NHL Images).

TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the Winnipeg Jets have acquired winger Tyler Toffoli from the New Jersey Devils. TSN reports the return is a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 second-rounder. 

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the Washington Capitals traded center Evgeny Kuznetsov to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2025 third-round pick. The Capitals also retain 50 percent of Kuznetsov’s $7.8 million annual cap hit through 2024-25. 

Montreal Canadiens traded goaltender Jake Allen to the New Jersey Devils in return for a conditional third-rounder in 2024. The Canadiens also retain half of Allen’s contract.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports the New Jersey Devils traded goaltender Vitek Vanecek to the San Jose Sharks for goalie Kaapo Kahkonen. 

Buffalo Sabres traded winger Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers in exchange for minor-league defenseman Calle Sjalin and a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick. 

Minnesota Wild traded forward Pat Maroon to the Boston Bruins for a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick and minor league winger Luke Toporowski.

New York Rangers acquire Jack Roslovic from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional fourth-round pick. 

Arizona Coyotes traded defenseman Matt Dumba and a 2025 seven-rounder to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2027 fifth-round pick. 

Arizona Coyotes trade winger Jason Zucker to the Nashville Predators for a 2024 sixth-round pick.

Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Erik Johnson to the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2024 fourth-rounder.

Boston Bruins trade defenseman Jakub Zboril to the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenseman Andrew Peeke.