NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2025

by | Apr 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2025

The Wild and Blues clinch playoff berths while the Blue Jackets keep their playoff hopes alive, a milestone game for Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild clinched the first Western Conference wild-card berth (97 points) with a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks. Joel Eriksson Ek scored the tying goal with 22 seconds remaining in the third period to ensure the Wild the point they needed to clinch that playoff berth. They started goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in overtime in what could be the swan song to his NHL career, and got the game-winner from Matt Boldy with 18 seconds remaining in the extra frame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In a classy move, Wild starter Filip Gustavsson requested Fleury take over between the pipes at the end of the third period. The future Hall-of-Famer made five saves in overtime and was mobbed by his teammates following Boldy’s goal. They will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues (96 points) clinched the final Western wild-card by downing the Utah Hockey Club 6-1. Jordan Kyrou scored two goals, Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists, and rookie forward Jimmy Snuggerud tallied his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas left the game early in the third period with a lower-body injury for precautionary reasons. Head coach Jim Montgomery believes he’ll be fine. The Blues will square off against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round.

The Calgary Flames (94 points) defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 but were eliminated from the playoff race. Morgan Frost scored the game-winner in a shootout while Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist. Brandon Saad had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough finish for the Flames, but they exceeded expectations by staying in the playoff race for most of this season. It will give them something to build on going forward.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves had a 26-save shutout to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Adam Fantilli scored his 30th goal of the season and Sean Monahan collected two assists for the Blue Jackets (87 points), who sit two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal can clinch on Wednesday if they defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in any fashion or lose in overtime or the shootout. If the Canadiens lose that game in regulation time, the Blue Jackets can clinch if they get a regulation win in their final game on Thursday.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his 400th NHL regular-season goal and Mitch Marner collected his 100th point of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Anthony Stolarz kicked out 35 shots for the shutout. The Leafs clinched the Atlantic Division title for the first time with 106 points and will face the Ottawa Senators in the first round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the sixth-fastest player to reach the 400-goal plateau, doing so in 628 games played. He joins Wayne Gretzky (436 games played), Mike Bossy (506 GP), Mario Lemieux (508), Brett Hull (520), and Jari Kurri (608). He needs 21 goals to break Mats Sundin’s franchise record of 420 goals.

Marner joins Matthews, Darryl Sittler and Doug Gilmour as the fourth player in Leafs history to reach 100 points in a season.

Sabres defenseman Owen Power missed this game with a season-ending injury to his left knee that could require surgery in the offseason.

Speaking of the Senators (95 points), they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Frank Nazar scored in overtime and Connor Bedard tallied twice for Chicago while Dylan Cozens had two assists for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a long time since “The Battle of Ontario” carried over into the playoffs. The last time the Leafs and Senators faced each other in the postseason was 21 years ago in the opening round of the 2004 playoffs.

The Leafs enter that series with defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jake McCabe questionable for Game 1. Sidelined Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is expected to return to action for that game.

The Tampa Bay Lightning secured second place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points by beating the Florida Panthers 5-1. Brayden Point had a goal and two assists while Nikita Kucherov collected two points for a league-leading 121 points. Brad Marchand replied for the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of rivalries, “The Battle of Florida” continues as the Lightning and Panthers face off in postseason play for the fourth time in five years.

Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome’s hat trick powered his team to a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Adam Pelech returned to action in this game after leaving Sunday’s match against the New Jersey Devils following an illegal hit to the head by Devils forward Paul Cotter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was likely the final home game for Islanders forward Matt Martin, who was saluted by the fans and the Capitals following this contest. Meanwhile, the Capitals will face the Canadiens or Blue Jackets in the first round.

The Los Angeles Kings tied their single-season record for most wins (48) by holding off the Seattle Kraken 5-4. Samuel Helenius scored two goals for the Kings (105 points), who will meet the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for the fourth straight year. Matty Beniers netted his 20th goal of the season for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken confirmed Ron Francis will return for his fifth season as general manager.

An overtime goal by Brian Dumoulin gave the New Jersey Devils a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins. Timo Meier had a goal and two assists for the Devils (91 points), who will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist to finish the season with 106 points.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture formally announced yesterday that he’s no longer physically able to continue his playing career.

The 36-year-old center’s final game was in February 2024. He was diagnosed in 2023 with Osteitis pubis, a deep groin injury that sidelined him for almost all of the last two seasons.

Couture hasn’t officially retired as his contract runs through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million. He will remain on their books for the next two years and be placed on long-term injury reserve if they need salary-cap flexibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I noted yesterday, Couture will be remembered as one of the best players in Sharks history. He’s among their top-five players in games-played, goals, assists, and points. Couture didn’t rule out returning to the game in coaching or management. General manager Mike Grier said there’s a job for him anytime with the Sharks.

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier admitted it’s been a tough season for his rebuilding club. However, he believes they have a bright future with the young players in the lineup and their prospect system.

Couturier admitted he didn’t have much of a relationship with former head coach John Tortorella. “We didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, and it was hard,” he said. “I just tried to work with him and do what’s best for the team because that’s my job as the captain.”

THE DENVER POST: Gabriel Landeskog returned to the Avalanche following his recent conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate. He’s resumed practicing with the Avs and could be ready for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series with the Dallas Stars.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers is listed as week-to-week with a right-foot injury just days before their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no indication if Ehlers will return at some point during that series.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The NHL department of player safety handed Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse a one-game suspension for cross-checking Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield in the back of the head during Monday’s game between the two clubs.

Nurse will miss the Oilers’ final regular-season game on Wednesday against the Sharks and will be in the lineup for the first game of their opening-round series against the Kings.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner are among the 32 King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominees. The award recognizes leadership qualities and contributions to the community.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Click the link above for the complete list.










NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 14, 2024

by | Sep 14, 2024

NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 14, 2024

Check out the latest on Ilya Sorokin, Phil Kessel, the latest Flyers speculation, and more in today’s NHL Headlines and Rumors.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said Ilya Sorokin suffered an injury during offseason training. The 29-year-old goaltender is skating and could miss the first couple of days of training camp. Lamoriello doesn’t believe Sorokin’s ailment will keep him out of the lineup for the regular season.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last week that Sorokin was dealing with something. We’ll likely learn more about his status following his training camp medical next week.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Islanders, they’ve invited winger Matt Martin to training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin, 35, spent 13 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Islanders.

SPORTSNET: Phil Kessel isn’t ready to hang up his skates. Elliotte Friedman reports the 36-year-old winger still hopes for another NHL opportunity. The league’s reigning Ironman’s last NHL game was an Apr. 13, 2023 playoff contest with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The report suggests interest in Kessel among NHL clubs is lacking given his age and that he missed all of last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe someone will take a chance on Kessel with a PTO but it’s unlikely that he’ll land a job at this stage.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen won’t be a full participant when training camp opens next week. The 29-year-old had shoulder surgery during the offseason and there’s no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs were already facing the start of the season without Valeri Nichushkin as he’s in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and remains suspended until mid-November. Team captain Gabriel Landeskog hopes to stage a comeback from knee surgeries but his status remains uncertain.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers hired Wayne Simmonds as a community relations ambassador and hockey operations consultant. Simmonds, 36, spent nearly eight seasons with the Flyers, scoring 203 goals and 175 assists for 378 points in 584 games.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Flyers, Kevin Kurz believes forward Joel Farabee will be in the spotlight early on this season. The 24-year-old forward struggled last season and Kurz doesn’t have him pencilled in among their top-six forwards.

Training camp will determine how things shake out. Kurz suggests Farabee and his $5 million average annual value through 2026-27 could hit the trade block if the Flyers try to free up cap space for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Farabee sometimes popped up in last season’s rumor mill due to his inconsistent production. This season could determine if he has a future in Philadelphia beyond this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Rob Couch suggests Flyers prospect goaltender Alexei Kolosov could be a good option for the Nashville Predators to replace the departed Yaroslav Askarov, who was traded last month to the San Jose Sharks.

Kolosov, 22, is not attending Flyers training camp despite being on an entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the Flyers will toll Kolosov’s contract a year if he stays in Europe this season. However, they might be willing to entertain trade offers for him.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs performance coach Greg Harden passed away Thursday from complications due to surgery. He was 75.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Harden’s family, friends and the Leafs organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 11, 2024

by | Aug 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 11, 2024

Potential candidates for the 2024-25 Calder Trophy, why the Linus Ullmark trade could be worthwhile for the Senators even if he moves on next season, the Canadiens hope their young stars take the next step, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ESPN.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini goes into this season as the favorite to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year. However, he could be challenged by a dynamic field of promising young players making their NHL debuts this season.

Among the notables (in alphabetical order) are Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, Utah Hockey Club winger Josh Doan, Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Minnesota Wild center Marat Khusnutdinov, Colorado Avalanche winger Nikolai Kovalenko, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Sharks forward Will Smith, Stars winger Logan Stankoven, New York Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov, and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf.

San Jose Sharks prospect Macklin Celebrini (NHL.com).

Others worth watching include Edmonton Oilers forward Matthew Savoie, Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright and Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is the favorite based on his status as the first-overall pick in this year’s draft. Gauthier, Hutson and Michkov enter this season with their fair share of hype.

Some players, like Doan, Stankoven, and Wolf, will have an advantage as they saw some NHL action last season but not enough to be considered a rookie for 2023-24.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne believes the Ottawa Senators’ acquisition of Linus Ullmark still makes sense even if the 30-year-old goaltender departs as an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Having a proven starter between the pipes will boost the confidence of their young players. Ullmark could also be a positive influence for goalies Anton Forsberg and Mads Sogaard. If Ullmark plays poorly, it could be a core problem involving the defense rather than a goalie issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie in 2022-23 as a member of the Boston Bruins. Some point out that he won partly because of the strong Bruins defense in front of him.

Warne suggests that if Ullmark plays well for the Senators, it’ll be considered proof that shaky goaltending was the real issue holding them back in recent years. If he struggles, management can focus on bolstering the blueline.

THE SCORE: Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes hopes his promising core takes a big step forward in their development this season.

The focus will be on Juraj Slafkovsky, who made significant strides last season with 20 goals and 50 points after being moved to the top line alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, with 37 of those points coming in 46 games after Jan. 1.

“We don’t need him to score 40 or 50 goals or it’s a failure,” said Hughes. “It’s about continuing to progress as a hockey player and to be the best version of himself, because we’re confident the best version of Juraj is going to give us a good chance to compete and win.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Canadiens aren’t expected to be a playoff contender this season. However, a strong season-long performance by Slafkovsky combined with the ongoing improvement of Suzuki and Caufield, the development of other younger players, and an overall healthier season could make the Habs a much more competitive club.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello isn’t fully closing the door on the return of unrestricted free agent forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin. However, he believes the club will be moving on from those two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello told The Athletic’s Arthur Staple the same thing a week ago. Never say never, but we’ll probably move on from those two. That seems about as close as the Isles GM will come to admitting that Clutterbuck and Martin won’t be back.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2024

by | Apr 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2024

The Panthers eliminate the Lightning, the Stars tie their series with the Golden Knights, the Vezina Trophy finalists are announced and the Kraken fire head coach Dave Hakstol. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-1 to win their best-of-seven first-round series in five games. Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov each scored twice and collected an assist for the Panthers, who will play the winner of the Boston Bruins-Toronto Maple Leafs first-round series in the second round.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was critical of two goalie interference calls that went against his club in this game. Those goals might’ve changed the outcome of this game had they counted but would’ve only delayed his club’s inevitable elimination. After years in the Lightning’s shadow, the Panthers emerged this season as the dominant NHL club in Florida.

This is the second straight season that the former Stanley Cup champion Lightning have been eliminated in the first round. The main reason is steady depletion of their roster due to salary cap constraints.

The future of Steven Stamkos is the biggest question facing the Lightning in this offseason. The long-time Tampa Bay captain is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Following this game, Stamkos said he hadn’t thought about it as he was focused on trying to help his team win this season. Cooper believes Stamkos knows he belongs with the Lightning. That will depend on whether he and Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois can agree to a new contract before free agency begins on July 1.

The Dallas Stars scored three unanswered goals as they overcame a 2-1 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 4 of their first-round series. Wyatt Johnston tied the game, Ty Dellandrea scored the winning goal and Jake Oettinger stopped 32 shots as the Stars tied this series at two games apiece. Michael Amadio and Jack Eichel scored for the Golden Knights.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

NHL.COM: Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, and Connor Hellebucyk of the Winnipeg Jets are the finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender in 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. Hellebuyck seems the most likely to win this award, joining Bobrovsky as the only active goalies to win the Vezina at least twice.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken fired head coach Dave Hakstol after three seasons behind their bench. Hakstol guided the club to its first postseason in its second NHL season but they failed to qualify for the playoffs this season. Assistant coach Paul McFarland also won’t be returning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken’s disappointing follow-up to last season’s surprising performance isn’t solely on Hakstol. Matty Benier’s sophomore slump, another injury-shortened season for Andre Burakovsky and the offseason departures of Daniel Sprong and Morgan Geekie were contributing factors. Still, it’s usually the head coach who bears the responsibility when a team struggles.

There’s no shortage of candidates to replace Hakstol. They include former NHL bench bosses like Craig Berube, Todd McLellan, Gerard Gallant, and Dean Evason. The Times’ Geoff Baker suggested keeping an eye on Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour, whose current contract expires at the end of this season.

TORONTO STAR: The Maple Leafs are preparing to play Game 5 against the Bruins without Auston Matthews. The Leafs center missed practice on Monday with an ongoing illness and is questionable for tonight’s game.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark would love to start Game 5 against the Maple Leafs. However, he’s said he won’t be a “salty crybaby” if Jeremy Swayman gets the call. Swayman has played three of the four games thus far, winning all three.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins can advance to the second round with a win over the Leafs in Game 5.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet expects a better effort from his club as they look to eliminate the Nashville Predators in Game 5. He said his players were pleased with their comeback effort in Game 4 but they knew their play in that contest was average. Tocchet indicated they are focused on improvement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series would be tied at two games apiece if not for those frantic final minutes for the Canucks in Game 4. They can’t afford another average performance against a desperate Predators team in Game 5.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov suffered a fractured cheekbone after being struck by a shot by teammate Nate Schmidt during Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. However, he hasn’t been ruled out for Game 5 of the first-round series between the two clubs on Tuesday. The Avalanche hold a 3-1 series lead.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour is shaking up three of his lines for Game 5 against the New York Islanders. Jack Drury will move up to center the second line, winger Teuvo Teravainen drops down to the third line and Jesperi Kotkaniemi moves to the fourth line.

CBS SPORTS: New York Islanders forward Matt Martin will miss Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2023

by | Dec 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2023

The Oilers’ Connor McDavid and the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard face off for the first time, the Leafs Auston Matthews and the Canucks’ Brock Boeser reach the 20-goal plateau, the Blues fire head coach Craig Berube, and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid led his club over the Chicago Blackhawks and Connor Bedard 4-1 as the two stars faced off for the first time. McDavid collected two assists to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Oilers won their eighth straight, improving their record to 13-12-1 (27 points) to sit one point out of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Bedard scored for the Blackhawks (9-18-1) as they slipped to the bottom of the overall standings with 19 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid now sits seventh among the league’s leading scorers with 38 points. He’s nine points behind Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who tops the leaderboard with 47.

Bedard, meanwhile, tops all rookie scorers (and the Blackhawks) with 12 goals and 24 points. Speaking of the Hawks, defenseman Seth Jones missed this game due to an upper-body injury while rookie blueliner Kevin Korchinski was away dealing with a family matter.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored twice and collected two assists to thump the New York Rangers 7-3. Matthews became the first player to crack the 20-goal plateau this season and is tied for first among the league’s leading scorers with 21 goals. Mitch Marner tallied twice and set up another for the 15-6-5 Leafs. Blake Wheeler replied with two goals for the Rangers (19-7-1), who remain in second place in the Eastern Conference with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller missed this game for personal reasons. The Boston Bruins also have 39 points but lead the Blueshirts based on point percentage (.750).

A hat trick by Brock Boeser powered the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Boeser became the second player to reach 20 goals this season and is tied for the lead (21 goals) with the Leafs’ Auston Matthews. Quinn Hughes had three assists for the 19-9-1 Canucks. Brayden Point scored for the Lightning (13-12-5) as they slipped out of a wild-card berth with 31 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes also have 31 points but sit ahead of the Lightning based on games in hand. Bolts defenseman Victor Hedman missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

The St. Louis Blues fired head coach Craig Berube following their 6-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Kevin Hayes tallied two goals for the Blues as they sank to 13-14-1. Lucas Raymond and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (15-9-4) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Berube was signed through 2024-25. He coached the Blues to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history but he’s had to deal with a steadily depleted roster as long-time stars such as Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko departed in recent years.

The Blues are just one point out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference but they’ve struggled with consistency this season. Like many clubs this season, they lack sufficient salary-cap space to improve their roster. General manager Doug Armstrong had little option but to shake things up behind the bench in the hope that it would provide a boost to his struggling club.

Speaking of the Red Wings, the NHL Players Association has officially filed an appeal to reduce the six-game suspension handed down to David Perron for cross-checking Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub on Saturday.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone’s overtime goal lifted his club over the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-4, extending his club’s points streak to nine games. Stone finished the night with two goals and two assists while Jonathan Marchessault had three assists as the league-leading Golden Knights (20-5-5, 45 points) become the first team to reach the 20-win mark this season. Yegor Sharangovich scored twice for the 11-14-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Flames announced that defenseman Chris Tanev is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho scored twice and added an assist as his club snapped a four-game losing skid by downing the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 31 shots for the 15-12-1 Hurricanes (31 points) as they sit behind the Washington Capitals (31 points), who hold three games in hand. Josh Norris replied for the Senators as they dropped to 11-12-0 and remained last in the Eastern Conference with 22 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators still hold several games in hand over their Conference rivals but they’re failing to gain traction in the standings. They must start stringing some wins together if they hope to contend for a playoff berth. Meanwhile, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour indicated before this game that sidelined winger Andrei Svechnikov is expected to be out “for a while” with an upper-body injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins doubled up the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 thanks to two-goal performances from Jeff Carter and Jake Guentzel. Connor Ingram kicked out 40 shots for the Coyotes (13-13-2) as they dropped into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 28 points, one ahead of the surging Oilers. The Penguins improved their record to 12-12-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph returned to action after missing 16 games with an undisclosed ailment.

An overtime goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. The Predators jumped to a 2-0 lead but the Flyers battled back on goals by Sean Couturier and Travis Sanheim. The Predators (16-13-0) have won five of their last six and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 32 points. The Flyers (15-10-3) had their four-game win streak snapped but hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 33 points.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord made 24 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Florida Panthers. Kailer Yamamoto had a goal and an assist for the 9-14-7 Kraken. Sergei Bobrovsky had 19 saves for the 17-9-2 Panthers, who sit one point ahead of the Leafs in second place in the Atlantic Division with 36 points.

A late goal by William Eklund gave the San Jose Sharks a 2-1 upset win over the Winnipeg Jets, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 36 shots for the Sharks (9-17-3), who’ve won three of the last four games. Brenden Dillon scored for the 16-9-2 Jets, who hold third place in the Central Division with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are also awaiting a second opinion in Winnipeg regarding winger Kyle Connor’s knee injury. However, there’s speculation he could be sidelined for six to eight weeks. An update on his condition is expected today.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Reports indicate the Washington Capitals (as well as the NBA’s Washington Wizards) will be moving across the Potomac River to a new arena in Alexandria, Virginia. It would be located about 20 minutes away from their current home, the Capital One Arena, which has hosted the Capitals since 1997-98. The anticipated move could take place in time for the 2028-29 season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Capitals, Sammi Silber takes a look at the reasons why captain Alex Ovechkin is not scoring at his usual pace this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin leads the Capitals with 16 points in 25 games but he’s fourth in goals thus far with just five. He’s on pace for just 16 this season, which would be the first time he would fail to crack the 20-goal plateau.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen was none too pleased over reports from a Finnish columnist questioning his offseason dedication to training. The comments came from Ismo Lehkonen, father of Rantanen’s teammate Artturi Lehkonen.

Following the Avs win over the Flames on Monday, Rantanen accused the elder Lehkonen of “talking s**t about me”, accusing him of “making things up.” However, he also said everything was fine between himself and his old friend Artturi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something tells me Lehkonen’s dad won’t be on Rantanen’s Christmas card list this year.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Pavel Zacha are expected to miss tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils with upper-body injuries. Both are listed as day-to-day and haven’t been ruled out of Friday’s matchup with the New York Islanders.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: The Islanders placed forward Matt Martin (upper body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 2.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2023

by | Nov 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2023

The Senators down the Red Wings in overtime to kick off the 2023 Global Series, the Golden Knights regain first place in the overall standings, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 on a goal by Tim Stutzle in the dying seconds of overtime to kick off the 2023 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. The Senators held a 4-0 lead at one point before the Red Wings stormed back to send the game into OT. Stutzle finished with a goal and two assists while Brady Tkachuk tallied twice for the Senators as they improved to 7-7-0. Shayne Gostisbehere netted the game-tying goal and finished with three points for the 8-5-3 Red Wings.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the NHL’s Alumni Association made Hall-of-Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom the inaugural winner of the Borje Salming Courage Award. It is presented each year to a European NHL Alumni member “who has been a positive influence in their community and best embodies Salming’s lasting legacy of bravery, courage, and dedication on and off the ice.”

Senators Hall-of-Famer Daniel Alfredsson was behind the Senators bench as an assistant coach at the request of Sens head coach D.J. Smith. He’ll return there again for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

Third-period goals by Logan Cooley and Lawson Crouse 28 seconds apart gave the Arizona Coyotes a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor Ingram stopped 39 shots as the Coyotes improved to 8-6-2. Damon Severson tallied twice for the slumping Blue Jackets (4-9-4), who have just one win in their last 10 games (1-7-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something’s got to give for the Blue Jackets. They’re in last place in the Eastern Conference and there’s no indication that they’re anywhere close to reversing their fortunes. Struggling scorers Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau were benched during the final minutes of the third period in this contest.

Coyotes forwards Matias Maccelli and Barrett Hayton left this game with upper-body injuries.

The Vegas Golden Knights (13-3-1) regained first place in the overall standings by downing the Montreal Canadiens 6-5. Shea Theodore had a goal and three assists while Jack Eichel and Mark Stone each had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights (27 points) as they overcame a 3-1 deficit in this contest. Jesse Ylonen scored twice for the Canadiens (7-8-2) as they’ve dropped three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj left this game in the second period favoring his left shoulder following a big hit by Vegas forward Ivan Barbashev. It is not the same shoulder that required season-ending surgery in February.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Jesper Bratt, Alexander Holtz and Tyler Toffoli lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Vitek Vanecek made 21 saves for the 8-6-1 Devils. Bryan Rust netted two goals for the Penguins (8-7-0) while team captain Sidney Crosby collected an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Timo Meier missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He should be considered as day-to-day.

The Tampa Bay Lightning ended a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Brayden Point had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (7-6-4). Corey Perry and Lukas Reichel replied for the Blackhawks as they slipped to 5-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blackhawks placed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev on non-roster for personal reasons and recalled Filip Roos from their AHL affiliate in Rockford. Zaitsev missed practice on Wednesday and there’s no timetable for his return.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist as the Flames moved to 6-8-2 on the season. Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander scored for the 12-4-1 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes collected an assist as he, Pettersson and J.T. Miller remain tied atop the league’s scoring leaders board with 27 points each. The Canucks kept forward Andrei Kuzmenko out of the lineup for this contest as he was undergoing medical assessments after taking a puck to the face during Wednesday’s game against the New York Islanders.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 as Kailer Yamamoto scored the winning goal during the eighth round of the shootout. Yamamoto finished the game with a goal and an assist in regulation for the 6-8-4 Kraken. Mathew Barzal collected two assists for the slumping Islanders as dropped to 5-6-5 with just two wins in their last 10 games (2-4-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders forward Matt Martin missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Kings forwards Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar scored as their club held off the Florida Panthers by a score of 2-1. Fiala finished with two points while Cam Talbot kicked out 30 shots as the Kings improved to 9-3-3. Sam Reinhart replied for the Panthers with his 13th goal of the season as the Panthers dropped to 10-5-1.

The San Jose Sharks got a 44-save performance by goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to upset the St. Louis Blues 5-1. Mike Hoffman tallied two goals for the 3-13-1 Sharks while Pavel Buchenich had the lone goal for the 8-6-1 Blues.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league is hoping to stage one final draft under the current format next year. Under the current format, all 32 teams travel to the draft’s host city. The change will allow the team representatives to stay at home to conduct their draft business.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports indicate the league hopes to hold the 2024 draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

The NHL is also working with the NHL Players’ Association regarding the possible staging of a World Cup of Hockey in 2025 with NHL players participating the following year in the Winter Olympics.

In other league news, Commissioner Gary Bettman said he’s hopeful the Arizona Coyotes could have their new arena plan revealed by midseason…Bettman also acknowledged rumors of expansion to Quebec City, Atlanta, Houston and Salt Lake City but claimed the league currently has no plans to add teams, claiming they’re not in expansion mode…Germany could be on the shortlist to host a future NHL Global Series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL is not in expansion mode unless you can come up with a $1 billion expansion fee…Not you, Quebec City! Sit down! They’re only interested in big US markets.

NEW YORK POST: There is concern for Rangers forward Filip Chytil as he’s been out of the lineup since Nov. 2 by what is believed to be the fourth concussion of his NHL career. The club could end up shopping for a center if Chytil remains sidelined long-term.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated that Chytil has been sidelined 10 different times since 2018-19, not including his two-week absence during training camp with an upper-body injury. It also doesn’t include the facial injury he suffered during the World Championships that bothered him well into the offseason.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen is currently in a neck brace as he recovers from falling headfirst into the boards during last week’s game against the Kraken. There’s no real timeline for his return but it’s believed he could be out for weeks.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Adam Erne was fined $2,018.00 by the league’s department of player safety for elbowing Kraken forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare on Wednesday.

THE SCORE: Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson was named the GM of USA Hockey’s senior men’s national team. He’s their first-ever Black general manager. “It’s a great honor, and I’m excited to get a group of fantastic individuals together and see what happens,” said Peterson.