NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2023

by | May 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2023

The Panthers down the Hurricanes in overtime for the second straight game, NHL and NHLPA to discuss the salary cap, the Penguins to seek permission to speak with Kyle Dubas, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final with a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Winger Matthew Tkachuk scored in overtime for the second straight game, Aleksander Barkov scored a highlight-reel game-tying goal and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 37 shots for the win. Jalen Chatfield opened the scoring for the Hurricanes while Antti Raanta made 24 saves.

The series shifts to Florida for the next two games with Game 3 on Monday at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour decided to start Raanta to give starter Frederik Andersen some rest following Game 1. Raanta was steady in Game 2 but I expect Brind’Amour will return with Andersen for Game 3.

This game wasn’t the four overtime marathon like Game 1 but it was still an absorbing, fast-paced matchup between these two clubs. The Hurricanes could’ve just as easily won the first two games of this series if they were able to get more than one goal at even strength.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

There can now be no doubt that Tkachuk has established his reputation as a clutch playoff performer. One pundit nicknamed him “Playoff Chucky” and he’s earned it. He has to be considered in the running for the Conn Smythe Trophy if the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

However, my early Smythe Trophy leader is Bobrovsky. The 34-year-old goaltender had just two series victories on his resume entering the 2023 playoffs. He wasn’t even the Panthers’ starter in the first three games of their opening-round series against the heavily-favored Boston Bruins following yet another inconsistent regular season. His rock-steady performance since then has carried the Panthers to this point.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports the NHL and NHL Players Association will meet this week to open discussions on several issues, including raising the salary cap for 2023-24 beyond the projected $1 million to $83.5 million.

The PA is on record as rejecting the notion of raising the escrow rate of six percent per season for the next three seasons as a trade-off for raising the cap ceiling. However, they are said to be willing to accept a shorter training-camp period to increase the regular-season schedule to 84 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks sees that as a bargaining chip if NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is willing to move off his usual “take-it-or-leave-it” stance. Those extra games would bring in additional hockey-related revenue to 2023-24.

If the PA is indeed willing to agree to expanding the schedule it could garner support from the league Board of Governors, especially with 15 clubs carrying less than $10 million in cap space for next season with another seven carrying less than $15 million.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to seek permission from the Toronto Maple Leafs to speak with former general manager Kyle Dubas, who was fired on Friday by Leafs president Brendan Shanahan. The Penguins are in search of a new GM after firing Ron Hextall last month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unknown if Dubas would be interested after stating last Monday that he’d step away from management for a while if he didn’t return with the Leafs. Nevertheless, the Penguins are conducting their due diligence by trying to contact him to find out.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of former general managers, the Calgary Flames are now allowing other clubs to speak with former GM Brad Treliving after reportedly refusing to do so before his contract expires on June 30. Treliving stepped down from his job with the Flames last month.

TSN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander has changed his mind about joining Sweden in the IIHF World Championship currently ongoing in Finland and Latvia. He was reportedly reticent about arriving late to this tournament and taking a roster spot away from someone in the current lineup, especially as it may have belonged to his brother Alex.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think that’s a classy move by Nylander. His brother and the other players have been with that team for a while now.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa is questionable for Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. He was medically unfit for Game 1 and was replaced by Colin Miller.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said his club’s search for a new head coach will stretch into this week. He now doesn’t expect to reach a decision on his new bench boss until after he returns on May 29 from scouting the World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN/CTV NEWS OTTAWA: Canadian Olympic great Donovan Bailey and stand-up comedian Russell Peters are the latest notables to join Los Angeles-based producer Neko Sparks’ bid to purchase the Senators. Rapper Snoop Dogg is also part of Sparks’ group.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers have parted ways with head trainer Jim Ramsay. He’d been in the role since 1994-95.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2023

by | May 19, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2023

The Panthers require quadruple overtime to beat the Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, the latest on the Coyotes’ arena saga, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Matthew Tkachuk scored in the dying seconds of quadruple overtime as the Florida Panthers nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. Tkachuk’s goal came with 13 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime period.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images)

Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist while Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 63 saves for the win. Seth Jarvis had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes while teammate Frederik Andersen stopped 57 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the sixth-longest game in NHL history. The two clubs won’t have much time to recover from their Game 1 marathon. Game 2 goes Saturday in Carolina starting at 8 pm ET.

The Panthers held a 2-1 lead after two periods but the Hurricanes stormed back to tie it in the third. They dominated the period in shots on goal (14-2), shot attempts (22-5) and 14-0 in scoring chances. If not for Bobrovsky, the outcome of this game might’ve been different and wouldn’t have required overtime to settle it.

It appeared the Panthers had won this game in the first overtime on a goal by Ryan Lomberg. However, it was overturned for goaltender interference following a coach’s challenge by the Hurricanes.

The Panthers extended their road win streak to seven games stretching back to their first-round series with the Boston Bruins. Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen returned to action after being sidelined by an injured hand since Game 2 of their first-round series with the New York Islanders.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Days after the Coyotes’ arena proposal by rejected by Tempe voters, the club reached out to the city of Mesa regarding the site of a former mall. As with their Tempe bid, a proposal would be subject to a public vote of approval.

AZCENTRAL.COM: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes created a stir on Twitter by suggesting Kansas City would be a good destination for the Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes and the NHL will exhaust every possible option to find a suitable location for a new arena to keep the club in Arizona. Whether they’ll be successful remains to be seen. Houston and Salt Lake City have been mentioned as viable relocation destinations if the Coyotes are forced to move.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon could offer no timetable for Robin Lehner’s return from hip surgery. The 31-year-old goaltender missed the entire season rehabbing from the surgeries. He made headlines in December when he declare bankruptcy. Lehner has two more seasons remaining on his contract.

SPORTSNET: The New York Rangers received permission from the Toronto Maple Leafs to interview assistant coach Spencer Carbery. He’s also believed to have spoken with the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Capitals, they’ve extended their ECHL affiliation with the South Carolina Stingrays.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Sidney Crosby recently bought lunch for a family of Penguins fans in the Bahamas. Crosby was dining with his girlfriend and another couple when the family’s 10-year-old daughter approached the Penguins captain to ask for a picture. He not only obliged but came to the family’s table and spent several minutes chatting with them. When they went to pay for their meals, they discovered that Crosby picked up the tab.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slow news day? Sure, but it’s also a nice story worth sharing.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2023

by | May 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2023

The Panthers upset the Bruins and the Kraken stun the Avalanche to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers shocked the hockey world by defeating the Boston Bruins 4-3 to win Game 7 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Carter Verhaeghe tallied the winning goal in overtime, Brandon Montour scored twice and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 33 shots as the Panthers advanced to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round with Game 1 starting Tuesday night in Toronto. David Krejci had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who had won the Presidents’ Trophy with a record-setting 65 wins and 135 points in the regular season.

Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to Sportsnet, the 43-point difference between the first-overall Bruins and the Panthers in the regular-season standings marks the biggest upset in Stanley Cup Playoffs history in a best-of-seven format.

The Bruins appeared to have this series locked up after taking a 3-1 lead in games. The Panthers, however, never gave up.

Switching to Bobrovsky following Game 4 helped to change the course of the series. “Bob” doesn’t have the best career playoff record but he was the goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets when they swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019 so he’s had some experience facing a heavily-favored Presidents’ Trophy winner.

This was a team effort by the Panthers but Montour and Matthew Tkachuk stood out for me in this series. Their timely production made the difference in this series as the Bruins struggled to contain them.

Tkachuk called this a legacy win for the Panthers. It’s certainly something to build on after struggling to reach the playoffs following a franchise-best regular season performance in 2021-22.

The Bruins, meanwhile, were in shock over the reversal of fortune in this series. Despite a stacked roster coming off a record-setting season, they failed to close the deal and seemed helpless to halt the change of momentum in the series.

This may have been the final NHL season for centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Bergeron skated with a herniated disc in his back suffered during the end of the regular season which caused him to miss the first four games of this series. He said he’ll take some time before deciding whether he’ll return next season.

Krejci, meanwhile, missed three games in this series with an upper-body injury. He skated last season in Czechia and could return there for good following this season.

Speaking of stunning upsets, there will be a new Stanley Cup champion this year after the Seattle Kraken beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 in Game 7 of their first-round series. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice and Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves as the Kraken picked up their first playoff series win in franchise history. Mikko Rantanen replied for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a major upset as most observers (including myself) gave the Kraken little chance of beating the Avalanche. Their hard work paid off with a well-earned series victory. They pulled it off with a steady defensive system, solid goaltending by Grubauer, and spreading their scoring throughout their lineup.

Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen stepped up and did everything they could to carry their team over the finish line in this series. However, top defenseman Cale Makar appeared hampered by injury while other Avs struggled with consistency and possible injuries of their own.

Like the Panthers, the Kraken will have little time to savor this victory. They face off against the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their second-round series on Tuesday in Dallas.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league released its schedule for Games 1 and 2 of the second round. As previously mentioned, the series between the Leafs and Panthers as well as the Kraken and Stars begin on Tuesday, May 2. The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights will square off starting on Wednesday, May 3 as will the Carolina Hurricanes and the winner of the New Jersey Devils/New York Rangers series.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Devils-Rangers series, New Jersey head coach Lindy Ruff won’t reveal whether it’ll be Akira Schmid or Vitek Vanecek starting in goal for tonight’s series-deciding Game 7. Schmid took over from Vanecek after Game 2 and won three straight but was lit up in a 5-2 loss in Game 6.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed Rick Bowness will return as head coach next season. Bowness’ scathing remarks about his players’ performance following their first-round elimination by the Golden Knights prompted speculation about his future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowness’ status is no longer a topic of conjecture but that won’t allay rumors of potential lineup changes this summer.

LA KINGS INSIDER: Kings captain Anze Kopitar hopes to spend the remainder of his NHL career with Los Angeles. He will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Kings general manager Rob Blake is quite keen to discuss a contract extension for Kopitar.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins recently signed forward Alex Nylander to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $775K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2023

by | Apr 30, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2023

The Maple Leafs win their first playoff series in 19 years, the Oilers eliminate the Kings and the Rangers force Game 7 with the Devils. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: For the first time since 2004, the Toronto Maple Leafs advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. John Tavares’ overtime goal gave the Leafs a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning to win their first-round series four games to two. Toronto center Auston Matthews opened the scoring in the second period but Lightning captain tied it in the third period to force overtime. Ilya Samsonov kicked out 31 shots for the win.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs await the winner of the Boston Bruins-Florida Panthers series. Game 7 of that matchup goes this evening at 6:30 pm ET in Boston.

This was a well-deserved and long-overdue series victory for the Maple Leafs. Samsonov was solid in goal for most of this series while star players like Tavares and Matthews rose to the occasion in nearly every game. The players brought in by management at the trade deadline gave them a deep roster that the Lightning ultimately couldn’t match despite their experienced core.

I’ve seen some fans of other clubs mocking Leafs supporters on social media for their enthusiastic celebration of their team finally winning a playoff round after 19 years. I’m not a Leafs fan but I have relatives and friends who’ve stood by this club for years, even decades, and I’m happy for them. It takes a special kind of devotion to stick by a team that has frustrated them for so long. If I were in their shoes, I’d be in a party-hearty mood too.

As for the Lightning, this could be the end of perhaps the most dominating run of any NHL team in the salary-cap era. As The Tampa Bay Times’ John Romano observed, the Lightning won more games and scored more goals than any other NHL club over the last nine years. They won 50 more postseason games than any other team, went to six Conference Finals and four Stanley Cup Finals, winning two championships.

The cost of maintaining a Cup contender under the salary cap, however, also depleted their roster over the past three seasons. Players departed via free agency or cost-cutting trades as cap dollars went to retain their core players. Even though many of those players accepted hometown discounts, it was still expensive to keep guys like Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brayden Point in the fold.

That core of talent is still solid enough to keep the Lightning competitive as a playoff contender over the next several years. Higher increases in the salary cap after next season could help them replenish their roster. Nevertheless, their championship window appears to have finally slammed shut.

The Edmonton Oilers also advanced to the second round by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 on a tie-breaking goal by Kailer Yamamoto late in the third period to win their series four games to two. Klim Kostin scored twice and collected an assist while Stuart Skinner stopped 40 shots for the Oilers, who go on to face the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round. Kevin Fiala had a goal and two assists for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series didn’t go the full seven games like last year’s between these two teams but it was still closely contested and very exciting. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the Oilers and Kings meeting in the postseason over the next several years.

Not to take anything away from the Oilers’ well-earned series victory but I wonder if the outcome would’ve been the same had Fiala played in every game in this series. Sidelined by injury for the first three games, he had six points for the Kings in their final three games, giving their offense a noticeable boost.

The New York Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-2 to force a seventh and deciding game in their first-round series on Monday night in New Jersey. Chris Kreider led the way with a goal and two assists while Mika Zibanejad and Vladimir Tarasenko each had a goal and an assist and Igor Shesterkin made 34 saves. Curtis Lazar and Dawson Mercer replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s only fitting that these long-time rivals should go to Game 7 in this series. It’s been an interesting back-and-forth between these two clubs with the Rangers dominating the first two games, the Devils bouncing back with three straight wins and the Blueshirts staving off elimination on home ice.

HEADLINES

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano suffered a fractured neck and is sidelined indefinitely. He suffered the injury during Game 6 of the Avalanche-Kraken series when he was hit from behind by Kraken winger Jordan Eberle and driven head-first into the boards. Eberle receive a two-minute minor penalty and received no supplemental discipline for his actions. Game 7 of the Avalanche-Kraken series goes tonight in Colorado.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yet another example of how much of a joke the NHL’s so-called “department of player safety” has become in the eyes of the fans and pundits.

Eberle isn’t a dirty player and has never done anything like this before. Nevertheless, it was a dangerous hit that deserved at least a five-minute major and a match penalty. Even if we give the on-ice officials the benefit of the doubt with their initial call (something that’s becoming increasingly difficult to do in every series of this round), the department of player safety should’ve reviewed this and handed down the proper discipline.

And yet, nothing. Not a peep.

Cogliano’s postseason is probably over even if the Avs reach the Stanley Cup Final. Eberle, meanwhile, gets away with a dangerous hit and continues to play. The league’s officiating loses more respect while the department tasked with protecting the players loses more credibility.

What a farce.

Speaking of the Avalanche, The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando reports Josh Manson and Darren Helm remain sidelined for Game 7.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Matthew Tkachuk has played a major role in the Panthers’ rallying to force Game 7 against the Boston Bruins. He scored the overtime goal in Game 5 and led the way in Game 6 with two goals and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk was Florida’s leading scorer during the regular season with 109 points. He’s also their leader in this series with five goals and 10 points in six games. Love him or hate him, Tkachuk’s aggressive style has paid dividends for the Panthers.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said Saturday that the decision on who starts in goal for them in Game 7 against the Panthers will be made on Sunday morning. There’s speculation Jeremy Swayman could get the call after starter Linus Ullmark struggled in his last two games.

THE ATHLETIC: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said he intends to honor the final season of his contract. The 38-year-old hinted next season might be his last. “I’ve got one more year and that might be it,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Age is catching up with Fleury, who lost the starter’s job to Filip Gustavsson during the Wild’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars.

WINNIPEG SUN: Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor were among several Jets who took issue with head coach Rick Bowness’ scathing public criticism of their performance following their first-round elimination by the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wheeler said he didn’t agree with how Bowness handled himself after that game, preferring the coach directed those comments to them behind close doors. If you asked most Jets fans, however, they probably agreed with Bowness questioning the players’ lack of pride and pushback in their series against Vegas and over the final two months of the regular season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2023

by | Apr 27, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2023

The Panthers stay alive against the Bruins, the Kraken push the Avalanche to the brink, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers staved off first-round elimination by upsetting the Boston Bruins 4-3 on an overtime goal by Matthew Tkachuk. Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 44 shots while Carter Verhaeghe had three assists for the Panthers. Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who hold a 3-2 series lead in this best-of-seven matchup as they return to Florida for Game 6 on Friday.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining game as the Panthers would take a lead only to have the Bruins quickly tie the score. Marchand had a chance to win it for the Bruins on a breakaway in the dying seconds of the third period but was stoned by Bobrovsky, who had his best game of this series with an outstanding performance.

Tkachuk’s goal was the result of a blunder by Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark as his clearing attempt from behind his own net wound up on Verhaeghe’s stick. Ullmark blocked Verhaeghe’s shot but Tkachuk buried the rebound.

The Seattle Kraken are on the verge of eliminating the defending Stanley Cup champions as they held off the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round series. Rookie Tye Kartye’s first NHL playoff goal proved to be the winner while Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots. The series heads back to Seattle for Game 6 on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Prior to Kartye’s goal, Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon was hauled down from behind by Kraken defenseman Will Borgen but the infraction went uncalled. He lost the puck and slammed his stick angrily against the glass, yelling at the official. Moments later, the Kraken scored.

MacKinnon was still upset following the game. “I spin, I get five feet on a guy and he takes my feet out,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. It’s not 1975; I feel like that’s a trip” However, he acknowledged that losing his cool put his club at a disadvantage that led to the Kraken’s game-winner.

POSTSEASON HEADLINES

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets won’t have their leading goal scorer Mark Scheifele for Game 5 tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights. He remains hampered by an upper-body injury suffered in the previous game between these two clubs. Winger Nikolaj Ehlers (upper body) is a game-day decision for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights hold a commanding 3-1 series lead and could end it with a win tonight in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Speaking of the Golden Knights, William Carrier (lower body) could be in the lineup for tonight’s game. He hasn’t played since March 3.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Joe Pavelski (upper body) is a game-day decision as his club faces off against the Minnesota Wild in Game 6 of their opening-round series. The Stars hold a 3-2 lead.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers star Artemi Panarin will be seeking his first goal of this postseason as his club faces the New Jersey Devils tonight in Game 5 of their first-round series which is tied at two games apiece.

THE SCORE: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper denied what Red Wing coach (and former Lightning assistant coach) Derek Lalonde said about Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy on national TV.

Appearing on Sportsnet providing in-studio analysis, Lalonde claimed the Lightning restructured its defensive coverage during his tenure in Tampa Bay to compensate for Vasilevskiy’s apparent difficulty in tracking shots from long range.

Cooper suggested Lalonde made up the anecdote. “Sportsnet is paying him well to go give an opinion, so he’s got to make something up about that kind of stuff,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if Lalonde will acknowledge Cooper’s comments when he appears tonight on Sportsnet for the Leafs-Lightning game. One of the hosts’ is bound to bring it up at some point.

TSN: Speaking of Toronto and Tampa Bay, Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting completed his three-game suspension but will be a healthy scratch for tonight’s tilt between the two clubs.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The NHL returns to Europe next season for the 2023 Global Series in Sweden. It will feature a four-day set of round-robin regular-season games involving the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators and the Maple Leafs starting on Nov. 16 and concluding on Nov. 19.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson hoped to play for Sweden in the upcoming IIHF World Championships. However, he was unable to secure an insurance policy that would protect against the loss of future earnings if he suffered a debilitating injury during the tournament.

TRIBLIVE.COM: An undisclosed injury will prevent Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel from playing for the United States in the upcoming World Championships.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: The Capitals confirmed defenseman Rasmus Sandin will play for Sweden in the Worlds.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Ducks hired Matt McIlvane as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate in San Diego. He’s spent most of his coaching career in Europe.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2023

by | Apr 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2023

The Leafs rally to push the Lightning to the brink of elimination, the Golden Knights are in the driver’s seat in their series with the Jets and the Kraken and Devils tie their respective series at two games apiece. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 in Game 4 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Auston Matthews scored twice to start the rally in the third period, Morgan Rielly tallied the tying goal and Alex Kerfoot scored the winning goal in overtime. Alex Killorn scored twice for the Lightning, who are now down 3-1 in the series and on the brink of elimination as the series returns to Toronto for Game 5 on Thursday.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay was in full control of this game entering the third period but seemed to run out of gas against the Leafs’ determined push. The Lightning lacks the depth that carried them to three straight Stanley Cup Finals and two championships and it showed in that period.

Toronto was in this position two years ago but fell in seven games to an underdog Montreal Canadiens team. This year, however, I think it’s going to be a different outcome. This is a deeper, more mature Leafs roster with the presence of a proven playoff performer like Ryan O’Reilly (seven points in four games) making a difference in key situations.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Shea Theodore and Chandler Stephenson each collected two assists for the Golden Knights as they take a 3-1 series lead back to Vegas on Thursday. Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who also lost center Mark Scheifele with an injured hand in the first period. He’ll be re-evaluated on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-depleted Jets are in a deep hole against a healthier, deeper Golden Knights roster. Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey is done for the series with a lower-body injury while winger Nikolaj Ehlers remains sidelined by an upper-body injury. Scheifele’s injury could be the final nail in their playoff coffin.

An overtime goal by Jordan Eberle lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 to tie their series at two games apiece. The Kraken took a 2-0 lead on goals by Will Borgen and Daniel Sprong but Mikko Rantanen scored twice for the Avalanche to tie the game. Seattle forward Jared McCann left the game in the first period after a late hit from Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, who claimed he was unsure whether the puck was still in play when he hit McCann. This series resumed in Denver for Game 5 on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A weak attempt by Makar to explain away this uncharacteristic late hit on his part. The puck was going out of play when the incident occurred. The on-ice officials initially assessed a major penalty but changed it to a two-minute minor in yet another example of the plethora of puzzling calls in every series of this round.

The New Jersey Devils evened their series with the New York Rangers at two games apiece with a 3-1 win in Game 4. Jack Hughes, Jonas Siegenthaler and Ondrej Palat scored while Akira Schmid stopped 22 shots for the win. Vincent Trocheck replied for the Rangers. This series returns to New Jersey for Game 5 on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers seemed headed for a sweep after dominating New Jersey in the first two games. However, the Devils did a fine job shutting down the Blueshirts’ offense by limiting them to just two goals in the next two games. Schmid’s steady goaltending seems to be a calming influence on his teammates.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk $5,000.00 for cross-checking Boston Bruins forward Garnet Hathaway during Game 4 of their first-round series on Sunday.

Speaking of the Bruins, captain Patrice Bergeron could make his series debut in Game 5 on Wednesday. He missed every game thus far with an upper-body injury. Center David Krejci could miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Joe Pavelski resumed skating with several teammates on Monday for the first time since suffering a concussion in Game 1 of their series against the Minnesota Wild. There remains no timetable for his return to action.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Wild, meanwhile, needs more production from scorers Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. Kaprizov has scored only once while Boldy is still seeking his first goal of this series.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Will it be Stuart Skinner or Jack Campbell in goal for the Oilers in Game 5 tonight against the Los Angeles Kings? Skinner got the start in every game of this series but Campbell took over after the first period in Game 4 with his club down 3-0 and backstopped them to a 5-4 series-tying overtime win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Campbell earned the start based on his solid play in Game 4 but they’ll probably return with Skinner for Game 5.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders must do a better job of capitalizing on their scoring chances against the Carolina Hurricanes, especially on rebounds. The Isles are down 3-1 in this series and could be eliminated by the Hurricanes tonight.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed forward Walker Duehr to a two-year contract extension worth $825K.

NHL.COM: Justin Braun announced his retirement after 13 NHL seasons. The 36-year-old defenseman had 34 goals and 199 points in 842 regular-season games between 2010-11 and 2022-23 with the San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers. He also had three goals and 16 points in 119 playoff games and reached the 2016 Stanley Cup Final with the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Braun in his future endeavors.