NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2024

by | Apr 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2024

Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches a historic assist milestone, the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy, the Islanders clinch a playoff spot, and the Capitals, Red Wings and Penguins remain in the race for the final Eastern wildcard berth. Details and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected his 100th assist of the season in a 9-2 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Adam Henrique, Darnell Nurse and Dylan Holloway each had three assists for the Oilers (49-25-6) as they sit ninth in the overall standings. Fabian Zetterlund scored his 23rd of the season for the Sharks.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the fourth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season. It’s the first time an NHL player has reached that milestone since Gretzky in 1990-91.

Oilers winger Evander Kane missed this game with a minor injury. San Jose forwards Kevin Labanc, Mike Hoffman and Alexander Barabanov remain sidelined for the remainder of the season. They’re slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer and have likely played their final games for the Sharks.

The New York Rangers are this season’s winner of the Presidents’ Trophy for the best NHL record after blanking the Ottawa Senators 4-0. Igor Shesterkin turned in a 26-save shutout and Artemi Panarin netted his 49th goal of the season for the 55-23-4 Rangers, who finished the season with 114 points. Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth time the Rangers have won the Presidents’ Trophy with their previous win coming in 2014-15. Their 55 wins and 114 points are franchise records.

Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1. The Isles (38-27-16) clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points and will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Timo Meier scored his 28th goal of the season for the Devils.

Washington Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren had a 16-save shutout in a 2-0 upset of the Boston Bruins. John Carlson and Nic Dowd were the goal scorers as the Capitals improved to 39-31-11 to hold the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 89 points. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 23 shots for the Bruins, who sit fourth overall with 109 points.

The Detroit Red Wings overcame a 4-1 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on an overtime goal by Lucas Raymond, who also scored the tying goal. J.T. Compher also scored twice for the 40-32-9 Red Wings (89 points) as they sit behind the Capitals in the standings. Brendan Gallagher scored two goals while rookie defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist in his first game with the Canadiens.

Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson each had a goal and an assist to double up the Nashville Predators 4-2. With a record of 38-31-12, the Penguins also have 88 points in the race for the final Eastern wildcard. Predators winger Filip Forsberg netted his 48th goal of the season as his club finished the season with 99 points (47-30-5). They already qualified for the playoffs but missed an opportunity to clinch the first Western Conference wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators can still secure that first wildcard if the Vegas Golden Knights lose one of their final two games. The Golden Knights have also qualified for the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Capitals, Red Wings and Penguins have one game each remaining in their respective schedules. The Capitals face the Philadelphia Flyers while the Red Wings and Canadiens square off again tonight. The Penguins meet the Islanders on Wednesday.

The Buffalo Sabres finished their season with a 4-2 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Dylan Cozens tallied twice for the Sabres. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored both of his club’s goals to reach 40 on the season while teammate Nikita Kucherov picked up his 99th assist. The Lightning have already clinched a playoff berth and hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov will get his chance to become the fifth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season in his club’s season-ending game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. With 142 points, he has a four-point lead over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist to lead his club over the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Blake Lizotte scored for the Kings (43-27-11), who sit third in the Pacific Division with 97 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi, and Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Apr. 14.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed general manager Bill Zito to a multi-year contract on Monday. His current deal will expire at the end of next season. Zito also takes over as the Panthers’ president of hockey operations.

During Zito’s tenure, the Panthers have qualified for the playoffs for four straight years, including this one. They won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2021-22 and reached the Stanley Cup Final last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zito overhauled the Panthers’ roster with only four players (Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sergei Bobrovsky and Eetu Luostarinen) remaining from the lineup that began the 2020-21 season. He’s added Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe and Gustav Forsling.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko returns to action on Apr. 16 to face the Calgary Flames. Demko missed the last 14 games with a knee injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have two games remaining in their schedule, allowing Demko time to return to form before the playoffs begin this weekend.

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann will miss his club’s final two regular-season games with a lower-body injury. Teammate Max Domi will miss Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers and could miss their finale on Apr. 17 against the Lightning.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed prospect forward Gavin Brindley to a three-year entry-level contract. He’ll make his NHL debut on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2024

by | Apr 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2024

Two scoring milestones for Sidney Crosby as his Penguins regain the Eastern wildcard spot, the Kings clinch a postseason berth, the Golden Knights re-sign Noah Hanifin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected his 1,000th career NHL assist as his club nipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 on an overtime goal by Erik Karlsson. Crosby and Bryan Rust each had a goal and an assist for the 37-30-12 Penguins, who regained the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 86 points. Lucas Raymond tallied a hat trick and Alex DeBrincat picked up three assists for the Red Wings (38-32-9) as they sit one point back of the Penguins.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby also took supplanted Phil Esposito for 10th overall with 1,591 points. He’s 50 points behind ninth-place Joe Sakic and 132 behind eighth-place Mario Lemieux. Meanwhile, the Penguins announced defenseman Ryan Graves (concussion) has been moved to injured reserve. He could return to action if the Penguins reach the first round of the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth by defeating the Calgary Flames 4-1. Viktor Arvidsson tallied twice for the Kings, who improved to 42-26-11 and sit third in the Pacific Division with 95 points. Jonathan Huberdeau replied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The final wildcard berth is the only playoff spot available in the West. The Golden Knights (92 points) hold that spot with a three-point lead over the St. Louis Blues.

Returning to the Eastern wildcard race, the Washington Capitals dropped a 4-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres. Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson scored for the Capitals (37-31-11) as they sit one point behind the Penguins. Alex Tuch netted his 22nd goal of the season for the Sabres.

An overtime goal by Kyle Palmieri lifted the New York Islanders over the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. The Islanders (37-27-15) sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points, three points up on the Penguins. Cole Caufield tallied his 25th goal of the season for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. It’s unclear how long he might be sidelined.

The Philadelphia Flyers kept their playoff hopes alive by upsetting the New York Rangers 4-1, snapping an eight-game winless skid. Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist and Samuel Ersson stopped 24 shots for the 37-32-11 Flyers, who sit one point behind the Penguins for that final wildcard berth. Artemi Panarin scored his 47th of the season for the 53-23-4 Rangers, who have lost two straight but remain first in the overall standings with 110 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Third place in the Metro and the final Eastern wildcard are the only playoff spots still up for grabs in the Eastern Conference. Four points separate the Islanders from the Flyers with the Penguins, Capitals and Red Wings between them.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit turned in a 24-save shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Dallas Stars. Nikolaj Ehlers, David Gustafsson and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets (49-24-6), who’ve won five straight games and moved into seventh overall with 104 points. Jake Oettinger turned aside 21 shots for the 50-21-9 Stars as they remain one point behind the league-leading Rangers.

The New Jersey Devils upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5. Jesper Bratt snapped a 5-5 time with 1:14 remaining in the third period for the Devils. Bratt and Timo Meier finished each finished with two goals and an assist. Auston Matthews scored two goals to move with two of the 70-goal plateau for the Leafs (46-24-9), who sit tenth in the overall standings with 101 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews also reached a notable milestone, becoming the first player to score 50 even-strength goals in a season since Teemu Selanne in 1992-93. As for the Devils, their elimination from playoff contention earlier this week means their 2024 second-round pick belongs to the San Jose Sharks. It was the remaining condition of their acquisition of Meier last year.

Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Sam Reinhart scored his 54th goal of the season for the 50-24-6 Panthers, who sit fifth overall with 106 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau and defenseman Zach Werenski intend to suit up for Team USA at the 2024 World Championships in Czechia from May 10-26.

The Ottawa Senators upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on a shootout goal by Brady Tkachuk, who also had a goal and an assist in regulation play. Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his lead in the scoring race to 141 points as the Lightning (44-27-8) hold the first Eastern wildcard with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov holds a four-point lead over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. MacKinnon’s next game is Saturday against the Jets while Kucherov and his Lightning face off against the Capitals.

San Jose Sharks goalie Devin Cooley kicked out 49 shots to down the Seattle Kraken 3-1.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: The Vegas Golden Knights signed Noah Hanifin to an eight-year, $58.8 million contract extension. They acquired the 27-year-old defenseman from the Calgary Flames two days before the March 8 trade deadline. The average annual value is $7.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hanifin is completing a six-year contract with an AAV of $4.95 million. His new deal is similar in term and dollars to what he was reportedly close to signing with the Flames last fall before their negotiations derailed. However, he’ll keep more of that because of the lower taxes in Nevada.

It’s a good move by the Golden Knights. Alex Pietrangelo and Brayden McNabb are in their mid-thirties and Alec Martinez isn’t expected to be re-signed. Hanifin has fit in well since joining them and will take on a greater role on their blueline in the coming years.

The signing also raises questions about Jonathan Marchessault’s future in Vegas. The 33-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. I’ll have more in today’s Rumors update.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny said the news of a possible relocation of his team to Salt Lake City is having a “huge impact” on his players because they love playing in Phoenix.

Tourigny also voiced concern for the club’s 31 staff members without contracts for next season. He noted the effect it could have on their families and personal lives.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the NHL continues to work behind the scenes trying to find a solution for what deputy commissioner Bill Daly called a “difficult and challenging situation.”

In terms of a timeline of a possible sale of the Coyotes and a move to Salt Lake City, LeBrun noted the sale and relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg in 2011 took place in late May. However, he cited a source suggesting it wouldn’t take that long but could require some time to get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some reports suggest it could happen as early as April 18, the end of the regular season schedule. LeBrun doubted that it would take place that quickly. He also cautioned that this isn’t a fait accompli as the deal still might not take place. As he observed, this remains a delicate situation.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg announced his retirement from the NHL at the end of this season. Silfverberg, 33, began his 12-year NHL career with the Ottawa Senators but spent the past 11 seasons with the Ducks. He’s returning to his native Sweden where it’s believed he’ll finish his playing career where it began, with Brynas IF in his hometown of Gavle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Silfverberg currently sits fifth among Ducks players in games played (769) and goals (158), eighth in assists with 196 and seventh in points with 354. He also has 16 goals and 41 points in 57 career playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

by | Apr 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

Alex Ovechkin sets a scoring record, Auston Matthews reaches another goal milestone, hat trick performances by Nathan MacKinnon, Steven Stamkos and Juraj Slafkovsky, and the Predators clinch a playoff berth. The details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin set an NHL scoring record in a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to reach the 30-goal plateau 18 times. The Capitals improved to 37-30-11 and regained the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Patrick Kane scored his 20th of the season for the Red Wings, who slipped to 38-32-8 to sit one point back of the Capitals.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin had a slow start to this season with just nine goals in 44 games before the All-Star Break. He’s had 21 goals in his last 31 games. Red Wings forward Andrew Copp suffered a broken cheekbone after being struck by a high stick by Capitals winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel. No penalty was called on the play.

Auston Matthews is the only active NHL player to score 66 goals in a season as his Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice and collected an assist for the Leafs (46-23-9) as they sit ninth in the overall standings with 101 points. Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (37-37-5) as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is also the first player in the salary-cap era to exceed 65 goals. With four games remaining in the regular season, he has time to become the first player in 31 years to reach 70 goals. Meanwhile, Devils star Jack Hughes missed this game and will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. It’s been that kind of season for the Devils as they struggled through a disappointing follow-up to last season’s promising performance.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied a hat trick to reach the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had three points for the 49-24-6 Avalanche as they sit sixth overall with 104 points. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the 37-32-9 Wild, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 137 points, MacKinnon sits two back of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. With 51 goals, he’s the fourth player to reach 50 this season.

Speaking of hat tricks, Steven Stamkos scored three goals to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Kucherov picked up three assists to lead the scoring race with 139 points for the Lightning (44-27-7), who hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 95 points. Kirill Marchenko scored both goals for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 39 goals, Stamkos is poised to reach the 40-goal plateau for the seventh time. The Lightning extended their points streak to six games and are 11-2-1 in their last 14 contests.

Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky potted his first career NHL hat trick in a 9-3 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak each scored two goals for the Canadiens. Owen Tippett and Erik Johnson collected two points each for the Flyers, who slipped to 36-32-11 (83 points) and sit two points out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canadiens announced defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. He had similar surgery last season on his right shoulder. Meanwhile, the Flyers are winless in their last eight games (0-6-2), leaving head coach John Tortorella somberly observing his club has reached “rock bottom.” They overachieved for most of this season but are running out of gas as the schedule winds down.

The Nashville Predators dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets but picked up a point to clinch a playoff berth. Kyle Connor scored the game-winner and Connor Hellebucyk kicked out 45 shots for the Jets (48-24-6), as they sit in eighth place in the overall standings with 102 points. Predators captain Roman Josi collected assists on goals by Spencer Stastney and Ryan O’Reilly as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force the extra frame. With a record of 45-29-5, the Predators hold the first Western Conference wildcard with 95 points.

A three-goal first period powered the New York Islanders to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson picked up two points each and Semyon Varlamov made 32 saves for the 36-27-15 Islanders, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points. Chris Kreider had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (53-22-4) as they hold first place in the overall standings with 110 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette was furious following the game over a pair of what he deemed “vicious hits” on forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. The hit on Zibanejad appeared to be accidental but the one on Trocheck was deliberately hit from behind by Dobson. Both players escaped injury but Zibanejad was shaken up after the collision with Adam Pelech.

The Dallas Stars moved to within one point of the league-leading Rangers by nipping the Buffalo Sabres 3-2, eliminating the latter from postseason contention. Jake Oettinger made 19 saves for his eighth straight win while Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Joe Pavelski scored for the 50-20-9 Stars. Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch replied for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres set the NHL record for the longest playoff drought. Buffalo is a great hockey town but their fans continue to be disappointed by years of mismanagement and bad coaching.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied a lacrosse-style goal and collected an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guentzel and Seth Jarvis also scored for the 50-22-7 Hurricanes (107 points), who moved ahead of the Bruins into third place in the overall standings. Charlie McAvoy replied for the 46-18-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the third straight season the Hurricanes have reached the 50-win mark.

The Florida Panthers blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0. Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves for the shutout. Anton Lundell and Nick Cousins were the goal scorers as the Panthers improved to 49-24-6 and sit seventh overall with 104 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators will finish the schedule on a high note in terms of attendance. Despite another disappointing season, they enjoyed the fourth-highest change in attendance (5.9 percent). They’ve played to 95 percent capacity, averaging 17,536.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots in a 3-1 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Frank Vatrano, Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras were the goal scorers. Akil Thomas netted the only goal for the 41-26-11 Kings (93 points) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division.

The Seattle Kraken blanked the Arizona Coyotes 5-0. Philipp Grubauer made 39 saves while Matty Beniers and Oliver Bjorkstrand each picked up two assists. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced defenseman Travis Dermott will miss the remainder of the season with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Andrei Kuzmenko gave the Calgary Flames a 3-2 decision over the San Jose Sharks. Kuzmenko and Nazem Kadri each had two points for the Flames. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 37 shots for the Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The club recalled forward Dylan Holloway as McDavid will decide if he’ll play on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. His injury is not the same one that forced him to miss two games earlier this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history to reach that plateau. Nevertheless, the priority for the Oilers is to ensure their captain is healthy for the upcoming playoffs. They have six games left in the regular season.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Justin Faulk could miss the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2024

by | Apr 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2024

The Leafs’ Auston Matthews tallies his 65th goal, Canucks forwards J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser reach personal scoring milestones, the three stars of the week are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his league-leading 65th goal of the season in a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jake McCabe scored in overtime with Matthews picking up the primary assist for the 45-23-9 Leafs as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 99 points. Rickard Rakell and Drew O’Connor replied for the Penguins (36-30-12) as they extended their points streak to nine games. With 84 points, they’re just outside the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is tied with Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin for the most goals in a single season in the salary-cap era. Meanwhile, the Penguins have the same amount of points as the Detroit Red Wings but the latter holds that wildcard berth with a game in hand.

The Vancouver Canucks overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. Conor Garland scored twice, J.T. Miller reached the 100-point plateau and Brock Boeser netted his 40th goal of the season for the Canucks (48-22-8) as they sit fifth in the overall standings with 104 points. Jack Eichel scored twice and Tomas Hertl collected an assist in his first game with the Golden Knights (42-27-8) as they hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller leads the Canucks in points. It’s the first time he’s reached 100 points. He fell one point short of the plateau in 2021-22. Boeser leads the Canucks in goals this season in what’s been a career-best performance for the 27-year-old winger.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending April 7, 2024.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Mayor of Scottsdale, Arizona opposes the Coyotes’ plan to purchase a plot of land in North Phoenix for a new arena and entertainment complex. David Ortega believes the proposed arena would not be feasible on that 95-acre piece of land because of a lack of infrastructure. He also stated that Scottsdale water assets “are absolutely not available.”

The auction date for the land is scheduled for June 27 with a starting price of $68.5 million. Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo issued a statement last week emphasizing the team’s intent to win that auction.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev returned to practice yesterday in a non-contact jersey participating in offensive drills. He’s been sidelined since Feb. 7 after breaking the tibia and fibula in his left leg during a game against the New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no timetable for Sergachev’s return. He’s not expected to be ready for the opening round of the playoffs.

TSN: Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe is currently listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury. However, he is expected to be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Colorado Avalanche forward Brandon Duhaime pranked former teammate Marc-Andre Fleury last week by “TPing” his vehicle. Fleury got his revenge on Duhaime this week by placing flowers and dirt on the bonnet of his vehicle, removing all four tires, and placing a “for sale” sign on the window.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2024

by | Apr 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2024

The Leafs’ Auston Matthews continues his quest for 70 goals, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl reach the 40-goal plateau, and the battle for the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot continues in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tallied his 64th goal of the season in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Matthews also reached the 100-point plateau as his Leafs improved to 44-23-9 and remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 97 points. Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for the 29-35-12 Canadiens.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews holds an 11-goal lead over Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart as this season’s leading goal scorer. He becomes the eighth player to reach 100 points this season. That’s the most in one season for NHL scorers since 1995-96 when 12 players did it. The Canadiens played without defensemen Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj, who are sidelined with upper-body injuries.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored his 40th of the season as his club nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4. Michael Bunting snapped a 4-4 tie in the third period after the Lightning overcame a 4-1 deficit. Bunting, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson each had three points for the Penguins (36-30-11) as they took possession of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Steven Stamkos scored twice and Nikita Kucherov had three assists for the 43-27-7 Lightning, who hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was a scary moment in the third period when referee Steve Kozari was briefly knocked unconscious following an accidental collision with Lightning defenseman Hadyn Fleury. Kozari was stretchered from the game and is expected to make a full recovery. Fleury was shaken up and left the game under his own power. Lightning forwards Anthony Cirelli and Tanner Jeannot missed this game with upper-body injuries.

The Penguins have won four straight and six of their last 10 contests. Crosby has reached 40 goals in the season three times with the last being seven years ago. Meanwhile, Kucherov (136 points) holds a five-point lead over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the lead in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.

The Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Calgary Flames 4-2 in the final segment of this season’s “Battle of Alberta”. Leon Draisaitl scored his 40th goal of the season and Connor McDavid collected two assists to sit one shy of 100 as the Oilers (47-24-5) sit second in the Pacific Division with 99 points. Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time as his club slipped to 34-37-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl also tallied 20 power-play goals for the third consecutive season. McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season and the first to do so since Wayne Gretzky in 1990-91. He remains third in the scoring race with 130 points.

New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov kicked out 41 shots to shut out the Nashville Predators 2-0. Noah Dobson and Kyle Palmieri were the goal scorers for the 35-27-15 Islanders, who picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 85 points, two ahead of the Penguins. Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves for the Predators (44-29-4) as they slipped into the final Western Conference wildcard spot.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got six goals from defensemen in a 6-2 upset of the struggling Philadelphia Flyers. Zach Werenski and Damon Severson each tallied twice with Erik Gudbranson and Nick Blankenburg netting the others for the 26-39-12 Blue Jackets. Olle Lycksell and Adam Ginning scored their first career NHL goals as the 36-31-11 Flyers (83 points) slipped out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those six goals from defensemen matched the NHL record set by the 1992-93 Washington Capitals in a 10-4 win over the New York Rangers on Dec. 4, 1992.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Jesper Bratt collected two assists for the 37-36-4 Devils (78 points) as they sit five points behind the Penguins. Claude Giroux, Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the 33-39-4 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk set an NHL record for most hits in a single game with 16. His teammate Tim Stutzle missed this game (his bobblehead night) with a suspected shoulder injury and is considered day-to-day.

An overtime goal by Jesper Boqvist lifted the Boston Bruins over the Florida Panthers 3-2. The two Charlies (McAvoy and Coyle) scored for the Bruins (46-17-15), who sit second overall with 107 points. Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov replied for the 48-24-6 Panthers, who sit seventh overall with 102 points.

The Los Angeles got two goals from Adrian Kempe in a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Kempe finished with three points and goaltender Cam Talbot stopped 39 shots for the Kings (41-25-11), who picked up their third straight victory and moved into third place in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Brock Boeser netted his 39th goal of the season for the 47-22-8 Canucks, who sit fifth in the overall standings with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Phillip Danault recorded an assist in his return from a four-game absence recovering from an upper-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov had a goal and two assists as his team downed the Minnesota Wild 4-2. With a record of 47-24-6, the Jets sit eighth in the overall standings with 100 points. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 39th goal of the season for 36-31-9 Wild.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Dallas Stars 3-2, snapping the latter’s eight-game win streak. Petr Mrazek stopped 42 shots and Connor Bedard netted his 22nd goal of the season for the 23-48-5 Blackhawks. Roope Hintz scored his 29th and Jamie Benn his 20th for the Stars (48-20-9) as they slipped into third overall with 105 points.

San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund scored his first NHL hat trick, including the winner in overtime in a 3-2 against the St. Louis Blues. Devin Cooley made 34 saves to pick up his first career NHL victory for the 18-50-8 Sharks. Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn scored for the 40-32-5 Blues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2024

by | Apr 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2024

The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby ties a scoring record with Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews sets the Leafs single-season goal record, the Red Wings and Islanders remain in the Eastern Conference wildcard chase, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals and collected an assist to tie Wayne Gretzky with 19 seasons averaging a point-per-game in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. Bryan Rust also tallied twice for the 33-30-11 Penguins (77 points) as they move to within five points of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. The Rangers (50-21-4) remain in first place in the overall standings with 104 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A point-per-game in 19 straight seasons is a phenomenal achievement for the 36-year-old Crosby. He has 82 points this season in 74 games. Crosby also needs just three assists to reach the 1,000-assist milestone. He’s 13 goals from the 600 career goal milestone and 16 points from the 1,600-point plateau. Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry and defenseman John Ludvig were late scratches from this game due to illness.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews broke his franchise single-season goals record with his 61st and 62nd goals as his club downed the Florida Panthers 6-4. Matthews also collected an assist to finish with three points for the Leafs (43-22-9), who won their third straight game and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 95 points. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists and Sam Reinhart tallied his 52nd goal for the 47-23-5 Panthers, who sit seventh in the overall standings with 99 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With eight games remaining in the Leafs schedule, Matthews has a chance to become the first player to score 70 goals in a season since Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny in 1992-93. He holds a 10-goal lead over Reinhart and the Edmonton Oilers’ Zach Hyman in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy. Meanwhile, Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe left this game early in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Panthers coach Paul Maurice considers him day-to-day.

The Detroit Red Wings remain in the Eastern wildcard race with a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. David Perron snapped a 2-2 tie, Lucas Raymond netted his 25th goal of the season and Alex Lyon stopped 34 shots for the 37-30-8 Red Wings, who sit behind the Washington Capitals with 82 points. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected an assist to tie Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the points lead with 127. The Bolts (41-26-7) hold the first Eastern wildcard with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings and Capitals have the same points total but the latter holds that wildcard with two games in hand.

An overtime goal by Brock Nelson lifted the New York Islanders over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. Semyon Varlamov stopped 30 shots for the 32-27-15 Islanders as they sit three points behind the Red Wings and Capitals. Morgan Frost scored in the final 10 seconds to force overtime for the Flyers (36-29-11), who picked up a point to regain third place in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson and teammate Bo Horvat each scored their 30th goal of the season in this game. Meanwhile, Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov made his NHL debut (stopping 19 of 21 shots) as he replaced Samuel Ersson, who gave up two goals on six shots. Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale returned to action after missing 16 games with an upper-body injury. However, team captain Sean Couturier left the game with an apparent upper-body injury.

The Colorado Avalanche failed to gain ground in the overall standings as they fell 4-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alexander Nylander tallied twice and Kirill Marchenkov picked up his 20th goal of the season for the 25-38-12 Blue Jackets. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was held scoreless as his club sits sixth overall with 100 points (47-22-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins missed this game with a lower-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Cole Perfetti scored twice and collected an assist as the Winnipeg Jets nipped the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 to snap their six-game losing skid. Kyle Connor collected three assists for the Jets, who improved to 45-24-6 to sit third in the Central Division with 96 points. Viktor Arvidsson, Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings (38-25-11) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Tyler Toffoli missed this game due to illness. Kings center Phillip Danault did not dress due to an upper-body injury.

St. Louis Blues winger Brandon Saad scored in overtime to give his club a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Brayden Schenn tallied twice for the Blues, who improved to 40-31-4 and sit three points behind the Kings for that final Western wildcard. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the 45-23-5 Oilers as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 95 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his 126th point of the season, sitting one behind Kucherov and MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. He’s also just three assists away from reaching the 100-point mark in a single season. The last player to do that was Wayne Gretzky with 122 in 1990-91.

The Seattle Kraken doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Shane Wright scored what proved to be the winning goal in his first game since being called up from the minors while Oliver Bjorkstrand netted his 20th of the season for the 31-30-13 Kraken. Fabian Zetterlund tallied his 21st of the season for the 17-49-8 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson and New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere were the league’s three stars for the week ending March 31.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman received a three-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct. He hurled his stick toward the on-ice officials following the Wild’s 2-1 loss to the Golden Knights on Saturday.