NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2024

by | May 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2024

The Oilers win Game 1 of the Western Conference Final in double overtime, the GM of the Year finalists are announced, the Hurricanes allow GM Don Waddell to speak to other teams, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored in double overtime to lift his club to a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.

The Oilers jumped to a 2-0 lead on goals by Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, but Dallas winger Tyler Seguin scored twice to tie the game and send it into overtime. The Stars had a golden opportunity to win it early in the first overtime when McDavid was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking Matt Duchene but his teammates successfully killed it.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner got the win with 31 saves. Stars netminder Jake Oettinger turned aside 33 shots, including an impressive stick save on McDavid and a strong pad save on a Dylan Holloway breakaway.

McDavid and Draisaitl each finished the game with two points, with Draisaitl extending his playoff points streak to 13 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dallas keeps having difficulty winning the opening game of a postseason series. Their previous one was in 2020 and their last series-opening home win was in 2016.

The Stars were supposed to have the depth advantage over Edmonton but it wasn’t apparent in this game. They couldn’t keep most of the Oilers’ top scorers (McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman and defenseman Evan Bouchard) off the score sheet in Game 1. The Stars managed to contain the Oilers’ lethal power play but struggled against their penalty killers. Edmonton has the best penalty-killing percentage (92.5) in this postseason thus far.

Dallas center Roope Hintz remains sidelined with an upper-body injury. Oilers forward Adam Henrique remains out with a nagging ankle injury.

Game 2 of this series is in Dallas on Saturday, May 25, at 9 pm EDT.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

NEW YORK POST: Adam Fox’s health remains a concern for the Rangers heading into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final on Friday against the Florida Panthers. The former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman has struggled since a knee-on-knee collision with Washington’s Nick Jensen in the first round. Fox has been held pointless in his last five games.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Matthew Tkachuk continues to come up big for the Panthers in postseason play. He scored the winning goal in his club’s 3-0 series-opening win against the Rangers. Tkachuk has scored goals in each Game 1 of his club’s previous two series and is the first player in NHL history with four game-winning goals in his first five conference final games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Patrik Allvin of the Vancouver Canucks, Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars, and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are the finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.

This is the fourth time Nill has been a finalist for the award, winning it last season. It’s Zito’s third time as a finalist and Allvin’s first.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists for their fine work with their respective teams this season.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell’s contract will soon expire. Reports from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicate Waddell has been granted permission to speak to other teams. He was interviewed on Thursday for the open GM position with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Waddell has been in his current position since 2018. He played a big role in turning the Hurricanes into a perennial playoff contender and one of the top teams in the NHL. Waddell was a finalist for the GM of the Year award in 2018-19.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This comes at an awkward time for the Hurricanes. Nine of their players are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, including Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce.

LeBrun reported the Hurricanes are serious about signing Guentzel but Waddell’s interviewing with other clubs could affect those negotiations. His potential departure could leave them scrambling to find a replacement but they could swiftly address that by promoting assistant GM Eric Tulsky.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said he has no plans to retire and hopes to return to action next season. Knee surgeries have sidelined him for the past two years. Landeskog didn’t indicate when he expects to be back. “Mid-September and star of April, I feel pretty good about,” he joked.

THE DENVER POST: Landeskog and Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland expressed their support for Valeri Nichushkin. He is serving a six-month suspension after being forced back into the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for the third time in 13 months. However, they both stated that it’s up to Nichushkin regarding his future with the Avalanche once his treatment is completed.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson revealed he played with a nagging knee injury since January. “The longer it went, the more pain I felt,” he said. Pettersson indicated that it won’t require surgery but needs time to heal. Head coach Rick Tocchet said Pettersson was dealing with “tendonitis”, adding the Canucks brass and medical staff felt “it was fine to keep going…We didn’t feel we had to shut him down.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Pettersson’s play was obvious as the second half of the season unfolded, especially in the playoffs when he managed six points in 13 games.

The Canucks frequently denied Pettersson was playing hurt, with Tocchet suggesting more than once that he had to play harder. It did Pettersson no favors, creating the perception that he wasn’t elevating his game in the playoffs, making him the subject of some unwarranted criticism.

Meanwhile, Canucks winger Brock Boeser was crushed that a blood-clotting issue sidelined him from Game 7 of their second-round series with the Oilers. “I asked if I could play and tried to push them, but the risks were too big. I had to protect my future,” said Boeser.

The non-life-threatening blood clot was the result of a bruised leg suffered in Game 1 of that second-round series. Boeser is on blood thinners and will be able to train during the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks medical staff made the right decision here. Boeser’s desire to return to action is admirable but it could’ve put him at risk of serious medical consequences.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2024

by | Feb 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2024

The Rangers match their franchise record win streak, the Canucks regain first overall, the Leafs’ Tyler Bertuzzi nets a birthday hat trick, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win by downing the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Rookie forward Matt Rempe’s first career NHL goal was the game-winner as he snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves for the Rangers (39-16-3). With 81 points, they lead the Metropolitan Division and sit in second place in the overall standings. Tyson Foerster scored for the 30-21-7 Flyers as they remain in third place in the Metro with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Travis Konecny missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He’s not expected to be sidelined for long.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser tallied two goals, including the winner in overtime, to defeat the Boston Bruins 3-2 and reclaim first place in the overall standings with 82 points. The Bruins (34-12-13) jumped to a 2-0 lead on goals by Jesper Boqvist and Danton Heinen before the Canucks (38-16-6) staged their rally. The Bruins lead the Atlantic Division with 81 points and sit third in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins and Rangers have the same number of points but the latter holds a game in hand plus they’ve got more regulation wins.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Tyler Bertuzzi (NHL Images).

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up their seventh straight win by nipping the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Tyler Bertuzzi celebrated his 29th birthday with a hat trick while William Nylander collected three assists for the 33-16-8 Leafs as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 74 points. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had three assists for the 35-19-5 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 75 points but have won only three of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon sits second in the NHL scoring race with 96 points, two back of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov.

Speaking of Kucherov, he had a goal and two assists for the Lightning in a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Victor Hedman picked up three assists while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves for the Lightning (31-23-5), who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 67 points. Anders Lee and Brock Nelson replied for the 23-20-14 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield missed this contest with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

The Dallas Stars downed the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 on goals by Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston. Joel Oettinger turned aside 20 shots as the Stars improved to 35-16-8 and sit atop the Central Division with 78 points. Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes (34-18-5) as they’re perched in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 73 points.

An overtime goal by Gustav Forsling gave the Florida Panthers a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Aleksander Barkov scored the tying goal late in the third period for the Panthers (38-16-4) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the overall standings with 80 points. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin played his 1,400th career NHL game but saw his 10-game points streak come to an end as his club’s record dropped to 26-21-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk missed this game with an undisclosed injury. Capitals forward Anthony Mantha left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury.

A four-goal first period carried the Detroit Red Wings over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 6-1. Alex DeBrincat led the way with two goals and an assist while Patrick Kane and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the 31-20-6 Red Wings, who sit one point above the Lightning in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 68 points. Blues rookie Zachary Bolduc scored his first career NHL goal as his club dropped to 30-25-2 (62 points) and sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are on a roll of late, winning four straight and seven of their last 10 games. They’re looking like a playoff contender for the first time since 2015-16.

Speaking of the final Western wild-card spot, the Nashville Predators took over that spot with a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Kiefer Sherwood tallied twice while Juuse Saros made 23 stops for the 31-25-2 Predators (64 points) as they picked up their fourth straight victory. Mikael Granlund and Filip Zadina replied for the 15-36-5 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic suffered an upper-body injury during practice on Friday and missed this game as a result.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive by dropping the Edmonton Oilers 6-3 in their ongoing Battle of Alberta. Noah Hanifin scored twice and collected an assist while Jonathan Huberdeau and Connor Zary each had two assists for the 28-25-5 Flames (61 points) as they’ve won three straight and sit three points behind the Predators. Zach Hyman scored two goals for the Oilers (33-20-2) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 68 points but have won just four of their last 10 contests.

A shootout goal by Trevor Moore gave the Los Angeles Kings a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Drew Doughty and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings (29-17-10) as they hold the first Western wild-card spot with 68 points and have won seven of their last 10 games. Goaltender John Gibson kicked out 48 shots for the 20-34-3 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kings placed winger Viktor Arvidsson (lower body) on long-term injury reserve and announced that defenseman Mikey Anderson is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Another team keeping their postseason chances alive is the Minnesota Wild as they defeated the Seattle Kraken by a score of 5-2. Kirill Kaprizov has two goals and an assist while Mats Zuccarello collected four assists for the 28-24-6 Wild (62 points) as they sit two points behind the Predators. Vince Dunn and Jordan Eberle replied for the Kraken (24-22-11), who are five points back of the Predators.

The Ottawa Senators upset the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on a shootout goal by Tim Stutzle. Josh Norris and Thomas Chabot each had a goal and an assist for the 25-27-3 Senators, who are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. Chandler Stephenson scored two goals for the Golden Knights (32-19-7) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 71 points.

New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Tyler Toffoli collected two assists for the 29-24-4 Devils (62 points), who sit five points behind the Lightning for that final Eastern wild-card berth. Nick Suzuki scored twice for the 22-28-8 Canadiens as their losing streak reached a season-high five games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2024

by | Feb 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2024

The Rangers move within one game of tying a franchise-record win streak, the Bruins rise while the Canucks slump and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers extended their win streak to nine games by beating the New Jersey Devils 5-1. Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves while Alexis Lafreniere scored two goals and Artemi Panarin collected three assists for the 38-16-3 Rangers (79 points), who lead the Metropolitan Division and sit one point behind the league-leading Boston Bruins. Jack Hughes scored for the 28-24-4 Devils (60 points) as they sit five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers are within one game of their franchise-record win streak of 10 games held by the 1939-40 Blueshirts and the 1972-73 edition. Rangers forward Matthew Rempe received a match penalty for an illegal hit on Devils forward Nate Bastian.

Speaking of the Bruins, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Calgary Flames on an overtime goal by Nazem Kadri. Jacob Markstrom stopped 32 shots for the 27-25-2 Flames (59 points) as they sit three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Charlie Coyle tallied both goals for the Bruins (34-12-12) as they gained a point and moved into first place in the overall standings with 80 points, holding a game in hand over the slumping Vancouver Canucks.

As for the Canucks, they dropped their fourth straight game by falling to the Seattle Kraken 5-2. Jared McCann led the way with a goal and three assists while Jordan Eberle scored twice and collected an assist as the Kraken improved to 24-21-11 (59 points) and sit three points out of the final Western wild-card berth. J.T. Miller and Sam Lafferty replied for the 37-16-6 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first significant losing skid for the Canucks this season. They’re not in any danger of tumbling out of a playoff berth but two of their four losses came against teams like Seattle and Minnesota that are trying to get into postseason contention. This could be merely a bump in the road in what’s been a successful regular season thus far for the Canucks. Nevertheless, it’s making some of their fans nervous given the club’s inconsistency in recent years.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his league-leading 52nd goal of the season in a 7-3 rout of the Vegas Golden Knights. Max Domi scored two goals and Mitch Marner picked up two assists for the Leafs (32-16-8) as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 72 points. Jonathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore each had two points for the 32-19-6 Golden Knights (70 points), who sit in second place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews has scored 10 goals in the last five games and has widened his league in the goal-scoring race over Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart, who sits in second place with 39 goals…Before this game, the Golden Knights announced captain Mark Stone is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov kicked out 44 shots to shut out the Florida Panthers 1-0. Sebastian Aho scored with 19 seconds remaining in regulation for the Hurricanes as they improved to 34-17-5 and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 73 points. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Panthers (37-16-4) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Gustav Forsling left this game with injuries during the first period. They’re considered day-to-day as they undergo further evaluation.

The St. Louis Blues scored three goals within 32 seconds to blank the New York Islanders 4-0. Pavel Buchnevich tallied a natural hat trick, Robert Thomas had three assists and Jordan Binnington turned in a 38-save shutout performance for the 30-24-2 Blues (62 points) as they hold the final Western wild-card berth. Semyon Varlamov stopped 21 shots as the Islanders dropped to 23-19-14 (60 points) and sit five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Speaking of that wild-card berth, the Washington Capitals (26-21-8) also moved to within five points of it with a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning (30-23-5) as they hold that spot with 65 points. Connor McMichael scored twice and Alex Ovechkin picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected an assist as he sits atop the scoring race with 95 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals forward T.J. Oshie left this game in the third period following a non-contact injury. He will be evaluated on Friday.

An overtime goal by Patrick Kane lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 2-1. Dylan Larkin also scored while Alex Lyon turned aside 30 shots for the 30-20-6 Red Wings as they hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 66 points. Nathan MacKinnon replied for Colorado to move within two points of Kucherov in the scoring race. The 35-18-5 Avs, meanwhile, gained a point (75) and sit one point behind the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars.

The Stars, meanwhile, suffered a 4-1 upset loss to the Ottawa Senators. Josh Norris scored two goals and Drake Batherson collected two assists for the 24-27-3 Senators. Joe Pavelski scored for the 34-18-8 Stars.

Nashville Predators forward Colton Sissons had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Juuse Saros stopped 27 shots for the 30-25-2 Predators, who won their third straight and are tied with the Blues with 60 points. Kevin Fiala scored for the Kings (28-17-10) as their four-game winning streak came to an end. They hold the first Western wild-card spot with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues maintain their hold on that final wild-card spot with a game in hand over the Predators.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Kris Letang tallied twice and Tristan Jarry made 30 saves for the 25-21-8 Penguins. Mike Matheson replied for the 22-27-8 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Canadiens claimed center Colin White off waivers from the Penguins.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 14, 2023

by | Sep 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 14, 2023

Matthew Tkachuk is ready to start the season, Josh Bailey bids farewell to the Islanders and their fans, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk has recovered from the fractured sternum suffered during the 2023 Stanley Cup Final and is looking forward to the start of training camp. “I am feeling great,” said Tkachuk.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s good news for the Panthers, who will be starting the season with top two defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour sidelined by offseason shoulder surgeries. Tkachuk can’t help them defensively but the two-time 100-point winger and 2023 playoff hero will be a key cog in their offensive attack.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Former long-time Islanders winger Josh Bailey bid farewell to the club and its fans in a letter posted on The Players’ Tribune.

“I want to thank not just this great fan base, but the people of Long Island as a whole,” wrote Bailey. He indicated that Long Island will always be home for himself and his family.

A first-round pick (ninth overall) by the Islanders in the 2008 NHL Draft, the 33-year-old Bailey spent 15 seasons with the club. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in June, who bought out the final season of his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The recent decline in Bailey’s production led to his trade and contract buyout. The unrestricted free agent faces an uncertain future as he’s yet to land with another NHL club as training camp approaches.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The paint job on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov’s new mask resembles that of former Leafs netminder Curtis Joseph.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Samsonov can channel prime “CuJo” the Leafs will be in good shape between the pipes this season.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of goaltending, the Devils brought back Keith Kinkaid on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level.

ESPN.COM: The NHL is considering making changes to their digital ad boards following complaints from fans regarding technical glitches and other issues that were found distracting to ongoing play. The league considers the criticism as coming from a “vocal minority”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ads haven’t bothered me but I have noticed some glitches at times. That’s to be expected from this type of technology and will likely be corrected over time. Some critics on social media want the ads to be removed. Judging by the league’s tone, that’s not going to happen.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes majority owner Alex Meruelo is looking to buy out the minority stake in the club from Andrew Barroway, who owns five percent of the club. Barroway took over majority ownership of the club in 2014 until Meruelo acquired the controlling interest in the club in 2019.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 13, 2023

by | Jul 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 13, 2023

The latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Spencer Knight, and Nick Foligno, a roundup of notable contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk is still recuperating from injuries received during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He suffered a fractured sternum and four broken ribs.

The best-case scenery for Tkachuk’s recovery is he could begin some upper-body workouts at the end of July. Nevertheless, he’ll spend his offseason focused on healing and training once he’s medically cleared to do so and hopes to be ready for training camp in September.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the severity of Tkachuk’s injuries and his shortened offseason, Panthers fans should expect that his performance at the start of 2023-24 might not be at the same level that made him a Hart Trophy finalist last season.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Panthers, goaltender Spencer Knight spoke publicly on Wednesday for the first time since leaving the club in February for personal reasons. He received special permission from the NHL to participate in the club’s prospect development camp as he works toward returning to action in 2023-24.

Knight felt it was important for him to get back with the team and resume organized hockey activities. He declined to speak about why he left the club and entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program but indicated he would do so when the time is right. It has been stressed that it was not due to drug or alcohol abuse.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sounds like Knight needed time to deal with mental health issues. Here’s hoping he makes a full recovery and resumes his NHL career.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins forward Nick Foligno was not happy about being a healthy scratch for Game 7 of their first-round series against the Panthers. The 35-year-old winger signed with the Chicago Blackhawks after they acquired his rights from the Bruins last month.

Foligno said he spoke with Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery about it. He indicated that the decision didn’t sit well with him. “It never will,” he said.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed Leo Carlsson to an entry-level contract. The 18-year-old center was the second-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He could play for the Ducks, their AHL affiliate in San Diego or return to Sweden next season.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of 2023 first-rounders signing entry-level deals, the Red Wings inked center Nate Danielson. He was chosen ninth overall by the Wings.

STLTODAY.COM: Oskar Sundqvist is returning to the St. Louis Blues, signing a one-year, $775K contract. The 29-year-old forward spent nearly five seasons with the Blues prior to being traded to Detroit in 2021-22.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed former New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Boqvist to a one-year, $775K contract.

DAILY FACEOFF: Goaltender Thomas Greiss has announced his retirement after 14 NHL seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues. He finishes with a record of 162 wins, 130 losses and 37 overtime losses with a 2.77 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage and 16 shutouts.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Golden Knights hired Dominique Ducharme and Joel Ward as their new assistant coaches. Ducharme is the former head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. Ward, an 11-year NHL veteran, spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Golden Knights AHL affiliate in Henderson, Nevada.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Arizona Coyotes hired Blaine Forsythe as an assistant coach. He spent the past 17 seasons with the Washington Capitals.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Kenny McCudden has resigned as a Blue Jackets assistant coach. He’d been with the club since 2015.

THE PROVINCE: Former NHL player Brendan Leipsic has reportedly applied for Russian citizenship, according to the head coach and owner of KHL club SKA St. Petersburg. Originally from Winnipeg, Leipsic has played in the KHL since 2020 after being released by the Capitals for making misogynistic comments about women and disparaging current and former teammates on a private group chat that was leaked on Instagram.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2023

by | Jun 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 14, 2023

The Vegas Golden Knights are the 2023 Stanley Cup champions, the Senators move closer to having a new owner, the Rangers have a new head coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS ARE THE 2023 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights thumped the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final to become the 2023 champions. The Golden Knights take the series four games to one.

Vegas Golden Knights – 2023 Stanley Cup Champions (NHL.com).

Vegas captain Mark Stone tallied a hat trick, Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore each had three assists and Reilly Smith scored what proved to be the winning goal. Adin Hill stopped 32 shots for the win.

Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He was tied for first among this year’s postseason scorers with 13 goals and was second in points with 25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first Stanley Cup championship in the Golden Knights’ six-year history. This game had a sense of inevitability after they took a 2-0 into the second period. The Panthers cut the lead in half early in the second but that only seemed to spark the Golden Knights. They dominated the rest of that period with four unanswered goals to put the game out of reach.

Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy started five of the six remaining original Golden Knights – Marchessault, Smith, Theodore, William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb – for Game 5. They, along with William Carrier, were the first Golden Knights to hoist the Stanley Cup following the game after Stone received it from league commissioner Gary Bettman.

Stone is just the third player in NHL history to tally a hat trick in a Cup-clinching game, joining Jack Darragh of the 1920 Ottawa Senators and Babe Dye of the 1922 Toronto St. Pats.

The Golden Knights earned this championship after missing the playoffs last season and trading scorer Max Pacioretty to Carolina last summer in a cost-cutting deal.

They began the season with starting goaltender Robin Lehner out for the season recovering from hip surgery. They played with five goalies this season, with Hill taking over midway through their second-round series against Edmonton after Laurent Brossoit was sidelined.

Stone missed part of this season to his second back surgery in less than a year. There were questions about Eichel’s effectiveness after missing most of last season recovering from neck surgery.

For Cassidy, this is sweet redemption after being fired a year ago by the Boston Bruins. The Bruins set records this season for wins (65) and points (135) but were upset by the Panthers in the opening round of the playoffs.

Team owner Bill Foley’s 2016 prediction of his club winning the Stanley Cup in their sixth season came true. “I’m going to relax and think about my next asinine statement,” said Foley with a big smile following the game.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Despite their disappointing finish to the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers had an extraordinary postseason run. They squeaked into the playoffs, upset the record-setting Presidents’ Trophy-winning Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the second-overall Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have a solid core of talent led by Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad to remain a playoff contender next season. However, they couldn’t match the Golden Knights’ roster depth in the Final. Expect management to get to work on addressing that issue this summer.

SPORTSNET: The Panthers paid a heavy physical price in this postseason. Following Game 5, head coach Paul Maurice revealed Tkachuk suffered a fractured sternum in Game 3. Tkachuk played a limited role in Game 4 and couldn’t play in Game 5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One report indicated Tkachuk needed help from his brother Brady to get out of bed following his pregame nap before Game 4. He was their leading scorer in this postseason. Tkachuk’s feisty style at times drew criticism from fans but no one can say he didn’t give his all.

Maurice also revealed Ekblad suffered a broken foot, dislocated his shoulder twice, and tore his oblique during the Panthers’ playoff run. He missed only one game. He said blueliner Radko Gudas played with a high-ankle sprain that should’ve sidelined him for six weeks. He missed one period.

The Panthers coach didn’t reveal any more details on his injured players. However, he admitted that multiple players will require surgeries, with some facing recovery periods of four-to-six months. Most of those injuries occurred during their first-round series with the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We should learn more details in the coming days. Some of those players could end up missing the opening weeks of the 2023-24 season.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators have an agreement in principle with Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer to purchase the club. His bid is believed to be worth $950 million. A part-owner of the Montreal Canadiens, Andlauer must now sell his share of that team.

The agreement will go before NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who will present it to the Board of Governors meeting later this month in New York. It requires a two-thirds majority for approval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will still take several weeks for the sale to close and for Andlauer to take over the Senators. Barring the unforeseen, however, it’s expected he’ll become their new owner.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers have hired Peter Laviolette as their new head coach. He received a three-year contract worth slightly less than $5 million per season.

TSN: Patrick Roy officially stepped down as head coach of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts. When asked if any NHL clubs had reached out to him regarding a coaching position, Roy said “absolutely none”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some fans think it’s more than a coincidence that Roy made this announcement on the same day that the Senators reached an agreement in principle with Andlauer. However, he indicated at the start of this season that he would be stepping down as Remparts coach.

SPORTSNET: Patrick Sharp is returning to where his NHL career began by joining the Philadelphia Flyers as a special advisor to hockey operations.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Derek Ryan to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $900K.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Changes are coming to the Canadiens’ medical staff after the club finished with the most man-games lost to injury for the second straight year. They fired head athletic therapist Graham Rynbend and head physiotherapist Donald Balmforth on Tuesday.