NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2025

by | Jun 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2025

Check out the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekblad and Zach Werenski, the Kraken trade Andre Burakovsky to the Blackhawks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said he will decide over the next several weeks if he’ll require surgery to repair the injuries that sidelined him for the final 25 games of the regular season.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Following the Stanley Cup Final, Tkachuk admitted he suffered a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia. Surgery could sideline him for the entire training camp period in September and the start of the regular season in October.

“It’s going to take a few weeks to determine if I need it or not,” said Tkachuk. “It’s probably 50-50 right now. I don’t know if I’ll have a normal summer or not. I hope so. I’m not just going to jump into surgery without talking to everybody and going through everything. I have a few weeks here when I can figure it out.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers would miss Tkachuk’s offense and agitating style if he’s sidelined to start next season. They were 13-11-1 during his absence down the stretch in 2024-25.

TSN: Speaking of the Panthers, Aaron Ekblad said contract extension talks with the club have begun. “Conversations have been had,” he said. “Obviously, nothing material yet, but they’ll be working on it. Things seem to come down to the last minute here.”

The 29-year-old defenseman is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1. He has spent his entire 11-season NHL career with the Panthers. “It’s home and I expect it to be home,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad is coming off an eight-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.5 million. His performance has declined over the past couple of seasons.

The Panthers have $19 million in cap space, with Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett, winger Brad Marchand, and blueliner Nate Schmidt also UFA-eligible on July 1. Ekblad might have to accept a pay cut on a shorter-term deal to stay in Florida.

THE ATHLETIC: Coming off a career-best performance, Zach Werenski is hoping to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to bigger and better things.

The 29-year-old joined the league’s elite defensemen this season with an 82-point performance. He was runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy and named to this season’s Second All-Star Team.

Werenski’s efforts helped the Blue Jackets overcome the tragic death of winger Johnny Gaudreau. They exceeded expectations this season, narrowly missing the playoffs. He wants to be part of a winning culture in Columbus and is optimistic about their future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have a core of rising young forwards like Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Dmitry Voronkov, and Kent Johnson. They also have up-and-coming defenseman Denton Mateychuk and a promising goaltender in Jet Greaves. With Werenski now at an elite level, his skills and leadership will be invaluable in helping this club take the next step.

The Jackets also have over $40 million in salary-cap space for 2025-26. Management has the room to make a couple of significant additions that could pay long-term dividends.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW/THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Chicago Blackhawks acquired winger Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for center Joe Veleno.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a salary dump by the Kraken, exchanging Burakovsky’s $5.5 million AAV through 2026-27 for Veleno’s $2.75 million for 2025-26. They have $18.6 million of cap space for 2025-26 with 17 active roster players under contract.

The rebuilding Blackhawks continue to add experienced short-term depth to take pressure off their promising young players.

Injuries hampered Burakovsky during his first two seasons with the Kraken. He played in 79 games this season but managed 39 points, which was a far cry from the career-best 61 points he had with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22, which earned him his current contract.

The Kraken now have sufficient room to re-sign restricted free agents (RFAs) Kaapo Kakko and Tye Kartye. They acquired winger Mason Marchment last week from the Dallas Stars and should still have enough cap space to make another substantial addition to their roster.

This is the second time this season that Veleno’s been traded. The Blackhawks acquired him from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. He could provide the Kraken with short-term depth at center for the coming season.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks placed defenseman TJ Brodie on unconditional waivers to buy out his contract.

They signed the 35-year-old defenseman last summer to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.75 million. However, Brodie’s performance noticeably declined and he was a healthy scratch during the final 22 games of the regular season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks won’t get much cap relief for 2025-26. This buyout counts as $3.233 million against their cap next season, dropping to $258,333 for the 2026-27 season.

THE ATHLETIC’s Michael Russo reports the Minnesota Wild are closing in on hiring former Anaheim Ducks head coach Greg Cronin as the new bench boss of their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

RDS: Jesse Puljujarvi scored the overtime winner for the Charlotte Checkers to defeat the Abbotsford Canucks 4-3 in Game 5 of the AHL’s Calder Cup Final. This was the third game in this series that required overtime. Abbotsford holds a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 18, 2025

by | Jun 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 18, 2025

The Florida Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions as Sam Reinhart ties an NHL playoff scoring record, Sam Bennett wins the Conn Smythe Trophy, Predators captain Roman Josi reveals a medical condition related to a concussion, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PANTHERS WIN STANLEY CUP, BENNETT NAMED PLAYOFF MVP

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 to win the best-of-seven Final in six games.

Sam Reinhart tied a Stanley Cup playoff record by scoring four goals in the Cup-clinching game, becoming the first player to do so since Babe Dye with the Toronto St. Pats in 1922.

2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers (NHL.com).

Matthew Tkachuk also scored, Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves, Carter Verhaeghe had three assists and Aleksander Barkov had two helpers for the Panthers. Vasily Podkolzin scored for the Oilers and Stuart Skinner stopped 20 of 23 shots.

Panthers forward Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, leading all scorers in this postseason with 15 goals.

DAILY FACEOFF: Following the game, Tkachuk shed light on the lower-body injury that sidelined him from the end of the 4 Nations Face Off tournament in February to the end of the regular season. He said he tore an adductor muscle “off the bone”, adding that he’s also dealing with a sports hernia.

Barkov sliced his hand in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final and ripped the sutures out twice before the wound was glued. Reinhart was dealing with a Grade 2 MCL tear that he suffered during the Eastern Conference Final.

This was the first Stanley Cup championship for Panthers defenseman Seth Jones. Acquired in early March, this was the first time in his 12 NHL seasons that he played for a team that advanced beyond the second round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Florida Panthers. This series had the air of inevitability since their lopsided victory in Game 3.

The Oilers tried their best, but the Panthers did an outstanding job of smothering their offense. They also picked apart Edmonton’s defense and received superb goaltending from Bobrovsky.

Bennett’s clutch scoring and agitating style earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy, but the case could’ve also been made for trade-deadline acquisition Brad Marchand. Bennett praised Marchand’s performance, leadership, and work ethic throughout the postseason.

After the game, Oilers captain Connor McDavid gave credit to the Panthers, praising their forecheck and shutting down his club’s momentum. “We kept f**king trying to do the same thing over and over again, just banging our heads against the wall.” He also cited the Panthers’ roster depth as a difference-maker in the series.

McDavid also praised his teammates for overcoming adversity and injuries to return to the Final. “I don’t think people thought we were gonna make it this far,” said McDavid. “We obviously believed. We just came up a bit short again.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have more about the Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

Corey Perry’s stretch of Stanley Cup futility continued. He appeared in five Stanley Cup Finals since 2020 with the Oilers (2024, 2025), Dallas Stars (2020), Montreal Canadiens (2021) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2022).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s quite a stretch of Cup Final disappointment, but he can draw consolation from the Stanley Cup he won with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

PREDATORS CAPTAIN JOSI REVEALS MEDICAL CONDITION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi told a Swiss publication that he’s dealing with Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). It’s a condition that typically causes someone’s heart rate to increase quickly when standing up from sitting or lying down.

The 35-year-old defenseman hasn’t played since suffering a concussion on Feb. 25. He indicated he was scared that he may have suffered brain damage. Josi underwent tests and an MRI that revealed nothing wrong with his brain, but he was subsequently diagnosed with POTS.

Doctors acknowledged that his condition could be related to his past concussion injuries. The condition could also explain the fainting spells he suffered as a child.

Josi is preparing to return to action next season, having undergone intensive therapy over the last eight weeks, which also includes taking beta blockers. He said he’s been feeling much better and believes he’ll be 100 percent fit to rejoin the Predators and to play for Switzerland in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Josi is crucial to the Predators’ hopes of bouncing back quickly from their disappointing 2024-25 performance.

IN OTHER NEWS…

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports Ken Holland expects trade activity will increase around the league leading up to the NHL Draft on June 27-28 in Los Angeles. He was hired as the general manager of the Los Angeles Kings on May 14.

Holland said the success of the Florida Panthers will affect other teams’ offseason decisions. He hasn’t ruled out making trades if they make sense for the Kings. Holland also indicated he’ll begin talking soon with Anze Kopitar’s agent regarding a contract extension. The 37-year-old Kings captain has a year remaining on his current deal.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed forward Joona Koppanen to a one-year, $775K contract.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken announced the hiring of assistant coaches Chris Taylor and Aaron Schneekloth and goaltending coach Colin Zulianello.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets have revealed their 25th anniversary patch.










NHL Late Afternoon Headlines – June 17, 2025

by | Jun 17, 2025

NHL Late Afternoon Headlines – June 17, 2025

Next season will be Evgeni Malkin’s last with the Penguins, the latest on the Panthers and Oilers on the eve of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, Canada and the USA are among the nations to reveal their starting six players for the 2026 Olympics, and more in today’s NHL Afternoon Headlines.

PENGUINS NOT EXPECTED TO OFFER AN EXTENSION TO EVGENI MALKIN

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reported the 2025-26 season will be Evgeni Malkin’s last with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The club is not expected to offer the 38-year-old center a contract extension.

Malkin has one season remaining on his four-year contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He has repeatedly stated that the Penguins are the only NHL team he wants to play for.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

Yohe noted that Malkin remained a productive player this season, with 50 points in 68 games. However, he’s a far cry from the dominant player he was a decade ago.

In his prime, Malkin helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2015 and 2016. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2009 as playoff MVP, the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2012, and the Art Ross Trophy in 2009 and 2012.

Yohe also pointed out that Malkin hasn’t been the same skater since undergoing two reconstructive surgeries to the same knee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was perceived when Malkin signed his current contract that it would be his last in the NHL. Whether he wants to continue his NHL career elsewhere is unknown. He could conclude his playing career in his native Russia or hang up his skates for good.

Malkin’s future could be determined by his performance this season. Another 50-plus point effort could entice him to continue his NHL career. If his production declines again, he could decide his playing days are over.

STANLEY CUP FINAL NOTEBOOK

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers hope their Stanley Cup nerves are behind them when they face off on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Cup Final. Last year, the Panthers held a 3-0 series lead over the Oilers but struggled to contain their nervousness, losing the next three games before winning Game 7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was different last year because the Panthers were poised to win their first-ever Stanley Cup. This time, they’re defending champions and in a better place mentally to deal with the nerves.

SPORTSNET: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said he’s at the best he’s felt since returning from the lower-body injury he suffered in the 4 Nations Face Off tournament in February. He missed the remainder of the regular season, returning to action in the Panthers’ opening game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk admitted he’s had some “ups and downs” during this postseason, but he’s tied with Sam Bennett as the Panthers’ points leader with 22 points. He has the same number of points as he had at the end of last year’s playoffs.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid said he’s not letting the pressure of trying to lead his team to the Stanley Cup get to him. “I don’t think about it that way,” he said. “If you think about it that way, you’d probably be pretty crippled in terms of how you prepare and how you play.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Panthers, the Oilers have been in this position before. Nevertheless, it’s still a hefty burden for McDavid as his team’s captain and being the NHL’s biggest star. They’ll need him at his absolute best if they hope to overcome the 3-2 series deficit.

TSN: Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins wasn’t on the ice for Monday’s practice with his teammates. He’s been battling an injury in this series. Meanwhile, goaltender Stuart Skinner was in what was the starter’s net the last time the Oilers practiced in Florida.

IN OTHER NEWS

IIHF: Canada, the United States, and Germany were among the nations that qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey tournament to reveal their first six players named to their respective rosters.

Canada’s “starting six” includes Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers).

Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs), Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Charlie McAvoy (Boston Bruins) were revealed for the United States.

Germany’s first six players include Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), Tim Stutzle (Ottawa Senators), Moritz Seider (Detroit Red Wings), Philipp Grubauer (Seattle Kraken), Nico Sturm (Florida Panthers) and Lukas Reichel (Chicago Blackhawks).

Nikolaj Ehlers (Winnipeg Jets), Frederik Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes), Lars Eller (Washington Capitals), Oliver Bjorkstand (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Jonas Rondbjerg (Vegas Golden Knights) are among the NHL players named to Denmark’s Olympic squad.

Slovakia’s six players include Juraj Slafkovsky (Montreal Canadiens), Martin Fehervary (Washington Capitals), Erik Cernak (Tampa Bay Lightning), Tomas Tatar and Simon Nemec (New Jersey Devils) and Martin Pospisil (Calgary Flames).

St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier and former NHL player Pierre-Edouard Bellemare are among the first six named to France’s roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “starting six” for Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Switzerland and Latvia was revealed earlier on Monday and duly noted in yesterday’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Winger Andrew Mangiapane won’t be signing a contract extension with the Washington Capitals and will become a UFA on July 1.

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings signed goaltender Pheonix Copley to a one-year, $775K contract.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders hired Ryan Bowness as assistant general manager and director of player personnel.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames named Peter Hanlon as their new assistant GM. He was vice-president of communications for years.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Long-time NHL player agent Steve Reich died of a heart attack on Sunday. He was 64.

Reich’s former clients included Hall of Famers like Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Tom Barrasso, Chris Chelios, Luc Robitaille and Scotty Bowman. He also represented Scott Gomez, Daniel Briere, Kevin Stevens, and Brad Stuart, and was the signing agent on Vincent Trocheck’s current contract with the New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Reich’s family, friends, colleagues and clients.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 6, 2025

by | Jun 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 6, 2025

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers on the eve of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, Sean Monahan wins the Masterton Trophy, the latest coaching hires, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: A healthy Evander Kane has made his presence felt in this postseason, with five goals and 11 points in 16 games.

Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).

Injuries hampered the 33-year-old Oilers winger in the 2024 playoffs, limiting him to just two games in last year’s Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. After missing the 2024-25 regular season recovering from surgeries, he’s been a physical force in the Oilers’ current playoff run.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Several Oilers were playing through significant injuries during last year’s playoffs, but Kane’s performance suffered the most. His current postseason play could make the difference in this rematch against Florida as the Oilers attempt to counter the Panthers’ physical style.

ESPN.COM: Panthers defenseman Seth Jones said his club hopes to improve in the neutral and offensive zones after squandering a 3-1 lead to fall 4-3 to the Oilers in Game 1. Teammate Matthew Tkachuk agreed, saying the Panthers could be more consistent on the forecheck and earn more zone time to thwart the Oilers’ counterattack.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers acknowledged that Edmonton is a different team compared to the one they faced in last year’s Cup Final. As a result, those adjustments they hope to make could be difficult to achieve.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers rallied around forward Tomas Nosek after his delay-of-game penalty in overtime of Game 1 led to Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl’s game-winning power-play goal.

Nosek inadvertently fired the puck over the glass as he attempted to avoid Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin. Panthers coach Paul Maurice called it a “tough break”, alluding that Nosek could stay in the lineup for Game 2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Jake Walman taunted Nosek as he skated to the penalty box. Some observers suggested it was poor sportsmanship that the Panthers could use for motivation in Game 2. Others felt it was the kind of swagger the Oilers needed to counter the Panthers’ “in your face” style.

THE SCORE: Kaspari Kapanen is happy to be playing a pivotal role with the Oilers after his NHL career appeared to be in jeopardy a year ago.

The Oilers claimed Kapanen off waivers in November. He had a modest 13 points in 57 games in Edmonton and was a healthy scratch in the first round of the playoffs. Since then, he scored the series-clinching goal in Round 2, collected two assists in Game 1 of the Final, and is filling in for the sidelined Zach Hyman on their second line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kapanen made the most of his opportunity, with five points in his eight postseason games. He’s part of the improved depth that carried the Oilers back to the Final this season.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan is the 2024-25 winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Monahan dedicated this season to his best friend Johnny Gaudreau following the latter’s tragic death in August. Gaudreau’s widow, Meredith Gaudreau, made a surprise visit to Monahan’s home in Toronto to present him with the trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Monahan had previously overcome career-threatening hip and groin injuries, signing a multi-year contract with the Blues Jackets last summer to reunite with Gaudreau. He finished tied for third among the Jackets with 57 points in 54 games.

YARDBARKER: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper shot down speculation that he was considering leaving the club or was on the verge of getting fired. “Contrary to rumors and whatever’s going on out there, I’m never leaving you guys,” he told the Sports Club of Tampa Bay.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooper’s comments were a response to a recent rumor claiming he could be heading to the Utah Mammoth to take over the operation of the club. It’s been noted that he has a year left on this contract, so we’ll likely hear more talk about Cooper’s future around this time next year.

NEW YORK POST: Former Rangers head coach David Quinn is returning to the club as an assistant coach to new bench boss Mike Sullivan. Joe Sacco and Ty Hennes round out the coaching staff.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers added Yogi Svejkovsky to their coaching staff. He worked with new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet in Vancouver.

RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov reports Igor Larionov hopes to speak with the Montreal Canadiens about bringing back winger Ivan Demidov to KHL club SKA St. Petersburg for one more season.

Larionov was recently named their new head coach, and believes the youngster would benefit from another season in the KHL, followed by returning him to the Canadiens in time for the 2026 playoffs. However, sources say neither the player nor the Canadiens are considering such an option.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nor should they. Demidov made a promising debut with the Canadiens. He joined them for their last two regular-season games and collected two points, followed by two assists in five playoff games. The only way he returns to the KHL is if he fails to stick with the Canadiens next season.

NHL.COM: Center Michael Misa of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and Boston College center James Hagens are confident they can make the jump to the NHL next season. They are among the top prospects in this year’s draft class and could be among the top-five picks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Misa said he’s had dinner or will be dining with the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Utah Mammoth and Nashville Predators. The Isles hold the first-overall pick, with the Sharks second, the Mammoth fourth, and the Predators fifth.

TORONTO STAR: Rogers Communications received all necessary league approvals to buy out Bell’s 37.5 percent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. It will increase Rogers’ stake to 75 percent.

TSN: Former NHL forward Sergei Kostitsyn announced his retirement this week. He played six seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators from 2007-08 to 2012-13, scoring 67 goals and 176 points in 353 regular-season games and 15 points in 40 playoff contests. He spent the remainder of his professional career overseas.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2025

by | Jun 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2025

The latest on the Panthers and Oilers ahead of the Stanley Cup Final, an update on Alex Ovechkin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: The Florida Panthers will tie an NHL record in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. They will be playing their 309th game (regular-season and playoffs) over the past three seasons, tying the record for the most games played over that period. They’ll break the record in Game 2.

The Dallas Stars (1997-98 to 1999-2000) and Detroit Red Wings (2006-07 to 2008-09) hold the current record.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Led by Matthew Tkachuk, the entire Panthers team (including the front office, coaching staff, medical trainers, and equipment managers) took part in the first Gaudreau Family 5K Walk/Run and Family Fun Day virtually from Ft Lauderdale on Saturday.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Several players and staff also brought their families to the event. This was done without fanfare. The media was not informed that the team would be participating in the event after their practice on Saturday.

Tkachuk was a former teammate and close friend of Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed along with his brother Matthew by an alleged drunk driver last August.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid left the ice early during practice on Sunday. Head coach Kris Knoblauch said there was no major issue, and the superstar will be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forward Connor Brown rejoined his teammates for practice on Sunday. He’d been sidelined since Game 3 of the Western Conference Final following a hard hit by Dallas Stars defenseman Alexander Petrovic. Knoblauch is confident Brown will be ready for Game 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The opening game of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is Wednesday, June 4, in Edmonton at 8 pm ET.

RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov reports a source close to Alex Ovechkin said the Washington Capitals captain has not decided to retire from the NHL following the completion of his contract at the end of the 2025-26 season.

On Friday, a Russian media outlet quoted Ovechkin’s wife, Nastasyia, suggesting her husband would return to Russia in 2026. However, the source claims the Capitals superstar intends to complete the final season of his NHL contract, after which he’ll decide whether to remain in Washington. His final decision will be based on his health and performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin set the all-time goal record this season (897) and will surpass the 900-goal plateau next season. He also exceeded the 40-goal plateau (44) for the league-leading 14th time in his 20-season NHL career. The Capitals captain turns 40 in September.

EISHOCKEY NEWS: Contrary to reports last week, the Boston Bruins’ head-coach position remains vacant, though a decision on who fills that role is likely imminent.

Marco Sturm of the AHL’s Ontario Reign was in Boston last week for interviews, but the Bruins have also invited other candidates.

THE PROVINCE: Former Vancouver Canucks forward Vasily Podkolzin is in the Stanley Cup Final with the Edmonton Oilers. Ben Kuzma believes drafting Podkolzin 10th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft was a “big miss” by the Canucks.

Kuzma points out they could’ve had Matt Boldy, who was chosen two picks later by the Minnesota Wild. Boldy has gone on to become a first-line forward with the Wild, netting a career-best 73 points this season.

Podkolzin struggled in his three season with the Canucks, who traded him to the Oilers last summer. The 23-year-old winger had 24 points in 82 games as a depth forward this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reviewing NHL Central Scouting’s final 2019 rankings, Boldy was ninth among North American skaters while Podkolzin was second among International skaters. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman had Boldy eighth overall among his top prospects and Podkolzin 12th. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy had Podkolzin eighth and Boldy 11th, and McKeen’s Hockey and Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino had Podkolzin 11th and Boldy 12th.

Hindsight is 20-20. The NHL Draft is often a crapshoot, with some players meeting or exceeding expectations while most fail to do so.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as MVP of the 2025 Memorial Cup after his London Knights defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1.

Cowan scored a goal in the final games, finishing with a tournament-leading seven points in five games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2025

by | May 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2025

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

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

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

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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