NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2022

by | Jan 13, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2022

​A five-point night for Joe Pavelski, a new investigation could halt Evander Kane’s efforts to land a new contract, Tuukka Rask set to return today, the mid-season scouting rankings are released, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Joe Pavelski had a had in every one of the Dallas Stars goals in a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken, handing the latter their seventh straight loss. Pavelski scored twice and set up three others while teammate Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists. With 38 points, the Stars sit three back of the San Jose Sharks for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand tallied a hat trick in a 5-1 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Marchand has tallied eight goals in his last four games as the Bruins have won six of their last seven contests. Montreal goaltender Jake Allen left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury. The loss drops the Canadiens into last place in the overall standing while the Bruins (42 points) opened a five-point lead over the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

The Arizona Coyotes moved into second-last in the overall standings by upsetting the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. Ryan Dzingel snapped a 1-1 tie while Coyotes goalie Karel Vejmelka made 45 saves for the win. Leafs center Auston Matthews set a franchise record by scoring in nine consecutive road games.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the NHL has opened an investigation into how Evander Kane crossed the border from the United States into Canada on Dec. 29. Kane had tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 21 and was still under the AHL’s 10-day COVID protocol when he crossed the border. It was one of the factors that prompted the San Jose Sharks to place the 30-year-old winger on unconditional waivers and terminate his contract last Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman said this will likely prevent Kane from landing a new NHL contract as teams await the results of the league’s findings. Some teams are willing to ignore the winger’s apparent disregard for league rules (including a 21-game suspension for using a fake COVID passport last fall) and other well-documented issues because they feel they can get a productive player on an affordable, prorated one-year contract.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid said he wouldn’t be opposed to Kane joining his club. The Oilers are believed among a handful of clubs in the running to sign the troublesome winner.

TSN: Tuukka Rask is expected to make his season debut tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 34-year-old goaltender signed a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins earlier this week.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Adrian Dater reports recurring concussion symptoms are behind Bowen Byram’s departure from the Avalanche for personal reasons. His father said his son told him he can’t continue playing feeling the way he does. The 20-year-old defenseman has already suffered three concussions in his young NHL career. There’s no word when he’ll return to the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Byram can find the treatment he needs to regain his health and hopefully return to the Avalanche. It would be a shame for his promising career to come to a premature end.

SPORTSNET: Dallas Stars winger Alexander Radulov and Edmonton Oilers forward Kyle Turris are among the noteworthy players added to the NHL’s COVID protocol list.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars recalled goaltender Anton Khudobin with Braden Holtby recently being added to COVID protocol.

ESPN.COM: The Buffalo Sabres signed minor-league goaltender Michael Hauser to a one-year, $750K contract and recalled Aaron Dell from the minors to shore up their injury-depleted goaltending. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Michael Subban were recently sidelined while Craig Anderson remains out indefinitely with an upper-body injury while Dustin Tokarski is still recovering from COVID-19.

TSN: The Canadiens yesterday claimed Rem Pitlick off waivers from the Minnesota Wild.

NHL.COM: Kingston Frontenacs center Shane Wright tops Central Scouting’s mid-term ranking of the top North American skaters. Winger Joakim Kemell of JYP in Liiga (Finland’s top professional league) is the leader among International skaters.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright is expected to be the top prospect in the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal with the first round on July 7. The young center had a slow start to this season but his production has picked up with four multi-point games in his last five contests. TSN’s Craig Button has compared his style of play to that of Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron.

SPORTSNET: Two former NHL off-ice officials have filed a lawsuit against the league alleging they were fired for “pretextual reasons” after calling out two former supervisors for racist behavior.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2022

by | Jan 5, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2022

​Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar scores a dazzling highlight-reel game-winner, Ducks winger Troy Terry continues his high-scoring ways, Dougie Hamilton is sidelined by a broken jaw, the latest COVID updates & more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Cale Makar lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 with a brilliant highlight-reel overtime goal. Makar wasn’t the only Avalanche defenseman to hit the score sheet as Erik Johnson also tallied twice. Alex DeBrincat scored two goals for the Blackhawks, who are winless (0-2-3) in their last five games.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry netted his first career NHL hat trick to lead his club over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Terry exceeded the 20-goal plateau for the first time and sits third in the goal-scoring race with 21. John Gibson picked up the win with 28 saves. The Flyers were without Claude Giroux and Ivan Provorov as both were placed on the COVID protocol list.

A three-point effort by Ondrej Palat (two goals, one assist) powered the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-2. Brayden Point also had three points (one goal, two assists) as the Lightning (49 points) regained first place in the overall standings. The depleted Blue Jackets were without Zach Werenski (COVID protocol), Elvis Merzlikins (lower-body injury), Alexandre Texier and Jake Bean (non-COVID illness).

The Florida Panthers got a 47-save performance from Sergei Bobrovsky and two goals from Patric Hornqvist in a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Florida defenseman Brandon Montour collected three assists. The win vaults the Panthers (48 points) into second place in the overall standings. Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau scored to extend his road points streak to 11 games.

Third-period goals by David Pastrnak and Brandon Carlo lifted the Boston Bruins over the New Jersey Devils 5-3. The Bruins (36 points) have won three straight and remain one point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Earlier in the day, the Devils placed defenseman Dougie Hamilton on injured reserve as he will undergo surgery this week to repair a broken jaw. Team captain Nico Hischier also missed this game with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Hamilton could be a crushing blow to the Devils’ hopes of climbing back into the playoff chase. He sits third among their scoring leaders with 20 points in 30 games. With 31 points, the Devils are five points out of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. 

Speaking of the Red Wings, they ended a 100-game shorthanded goal drought by scoring twice on the penalty kill in a 37-second span in a 6-2 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Pius Suter and Tyler Bertuzzi scored those shorthanded tallies as both of them finished the night with two goals.

Filip Forsberg scored twice as the Nashville Predators held off the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2. The win moves the Predators into first place in the Central Division with 44 points. William Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights.

The Winnipeg Jets picked up their third straight victory by beating the Arizona Coyotes 3-1. Mark Scheifele collected two assists and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored what proved to be the game-winning goal. Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka kept the game close with a 46-save effort.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid was among several players to be placed on the COVID protocol list. Others include Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk, Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch and the Philadelphia Flyers Claude Giroux and Ivan Provorov.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs are breathing a sigh of relief as center Auston Matthews tested negative for COVID-19 following a PCR test. While he missed practice yesterday, the Leafs star could be in the lineup for tonight’s game against the Oilers.

NHL.COM: The league has postponed the Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders and Red Wings vs Flyers games originally scheduled for Jan. 18. Three previously postponed Islanders games (vs the Flyers and two against the Leafs) have been rescheduled for Jan. 18, Jan. 22, and Apr. 17.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Tuukka Rask’s agent said his client has not yet signed a contract with the Bruins. Rumors claimed the two sides had an agreement in place on a tentative one-year deal. However, it’s believed they could have a new deal soon. The free-agent goaltender has been rehabbing from offseason hip surgery with the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can find more info on Rask later this morning in the Rumors section.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild placed forward Victor Rask on waivers yesterday.

TSN: The Anaheim Ducks’ search committee for a new general manager includes Ducks Hall-of-Famers Scott Niedermayer and Paul Kariya.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning owner Jeff Vinik sold a minority stake of the franchise to Arctos Sports Partners. The sale was approved by the NHL on Dec. 31.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2022

by | Jan 3, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2022

​It was a day of hat tricks for the Penguins and Rangers, Nathan MacKinnon extends his points streak, the three stars and rookie of the month for December are revealed, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins picked up their eighth straight win by holding off the San Jose Sharks 8-5. Penguins forwards Evan Rodrigues and Bryan Rust led the way with three goals each as the club played its first game in 13 days due to COVID postponements. Rust also collected two assists to finish the game with five points. Sharks forward Timo Meier picked up three assists while James Reimer got the hook after giving up six goals on 17 shots.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust (NHL Images).

Speaking of hat tricks, Mika Zibanejad tallied three times as the New York Rangers blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0. Igor Shesterkin made 38 saves for the shutout while Lightning goalie Andre Vasilevskiy gave up four goals on 21 shots in his first game since returning from COVID protocol.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon extended his points streak to 10 games with three assists in a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Linemate Mikko Rantanen also had three points with a goal and two assists as the Avs played their first game in 16 days. Ducks forward Max Comtois and defenseman Cam Fowler returned to the lineup from recent injuries.

A three-point performance by Johnny Gaudreau (one goal, two assists) powered the Calgary Flames to a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 30 shots for the Flames.

The Boston Bruins scored five straight goals to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Charlie McAvoy and Tomas Nosek each had a goal and an assist as the Bruins (34 points) vaulted over the Wings into the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Kyle Connor’s overtime goal lifted the Winnipeg Jets over the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4. Playing their first game in 13 days, the Jets blew a 4-2 lead as Mattias Janmark scored two unanswered third-period goals to force the extra frame.

The New Jersey Devils blew a 3-1 lead but still managed to upset the Washington Capitals 4-3 on an overtime goal by Nico Hischier. It was Hischier’s second goal of the game as his Devils picked up their third straight victory. The Capitals, however, moved past the Lightning into first place in the Eastern Conference.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf and Rangers winger Artemi Panarin were among the latest players to enter the NHL’s COVID protocol list.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Vegas Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty and Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko were the NHL’s three stars for December 2021. Ducks forward Trevor Zegras was named the rookie of the month.

The NHL department of player safety suspended Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett for three games for an illegal hit to the head of Montreal Canadiens forward Cedric Paquette during Saturday’s game between the two clubs.

TSN: Speaking of the Canadiens, their search for a new general manager is reportedly underway. Pierre LeBrun reports they’ve been reaching out to NHL clubs to seek permission to speak with potential candidates. Roberto Luongo, Mathieu Darche and Daniel Briere are believed among the Habs targets.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2021

by | Dec 15, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2021

Concern as COVID-19 cases rises among the players, Sidney Crosby and Auston Matthews scoring reach milestones and Ben Bishop ends his playing career. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

COVID-19 CASES RISING AMONG NHL PLAYERS

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal (NHL Images).

  NHL.COM: Tuesday’s game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild was postponed as six Hurricanes players and a member of their training staff went into COVID protocol. Jordan Staal, Andrei Svechnikov, Steve Lorentz and Ian Cole entered the protocol one day after Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis did. The NHL will provide a further update on the Hurricanes schedule on Wednesday.

CALGARY SUN: The number of Flames on COVID protocol reached 10 after Milan Lucic, Sean Monahan and Noah Hanifin were placed on the list yesterday.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders center Mathew Barzal is in COVID protocol. This comes three days after Casey Cizikas was the last of eight Isles to come off the list following an outbreak that began last month.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews will miss at least six games after testing positive for COVID-19.

THE PROVINCE: Four members of the Vancouver Canucks (Luke Schenn, Tucker Poolman, Brad Hunt and Juho Lammikko) have tested positive for COVID-19 since Monday. Poolman was pulled from last night’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets five minutes into the first period after the results of his test came through.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forward Ryan McLeod joined the COVID protocol list yesterday. Head coach Dave Tippett was held out of last night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs as a precautionary measure.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers forward Morgan Frost left last night’s game against the New Jersey Devils within the first five minutes of the first period due to COVID protocols.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: 24 NHL players entered the league’s COVID protocol within 36 hours. The good news is their symptoms (and those of players who tested positive earlier this season) were in most cases minor because all but one player is double-vaccinated. Nevertheless, they must self-isolate for between seven-to-10 days depending on the outcome of subsequent testing to prevent or slow the spread of the coronavirus.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the NHL isn’t considering pausing its schedule yet because of the recent outbreaks. Doctors with the league and NHLPA advising both sides had a call on Tuesday evening to discuss the latest events and consider the next steps. That could include a return to enhanced protocols such as more mandated mask-wearing to daily testing of players and staff.

The outbreaks also raised concern over NHL participation in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics based on the three-to-five week quarantine rules for players who test positive while taking part in the Men’s Ice Hockey tournament. The mood among the NHLPA membership is to wait and see, review the information and reach a decision on participation as the Jan. 10 deadline to opt-out approaches.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun also said that to his knowledge no players have yet to decide against skating in the Olympics based on those strict COVID rules. The league has left it in the NHLPA’s hands whether or not they’ll take part. It could depend on the spread of the Omicron variant between now and the Jan. 10 deadline.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby became the 14th player in NHL history to reach 400 multi-point games by collecting two assists in a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Crosby is the only active player to reach that mark. Evan Rodrigues had a goal and two assists as the Penguins pushed their winning streak to five straight. The Canadiens have dropped seven in a row.

Auston Matthews scored two goals to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-1 victory over the slumping Edmonton Oilers. Matthews joined Dave Keon as the only Leaf to reach 20 goals in each of their first six seasons. The Leafs sit atop the overall standings with 42 points. Oilers defenseman Duncan Keith returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is now tied for second place in the goal-scoring race with Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin with 20 goals. Edmonton Leon Draisaitl has 23.

The Vancouver Canucks extended their winning streak to five games by nipping the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. The Canucks overcame a 3-0 deficit as Bo Horvat scored twice and Quinn Hughes collected three assists. They have yet to lose since Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach last week.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty tallied twice to extend his goal streak to seven games in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Mark Stone collected two assists as he and Pacioretty have each collected points in nine straight contests.

The Ottawa Senators upset the Florida Panthers 8-2. Josh Norris scored twice and added an assist, Drake Batherson had a goal and three assists and Connor Brown had three helpers.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Cam Atkinson’s hat trick led his club to a 6-1 drubbing of the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers have won three straight games after dropping their first two games under interim coach Mike Yeo.

An overtime goal by Mathieu Joseph lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. The Lightning has won six of their last seven games. With 40 points, the defending Stanley Cup champions are just two back of the league-leading Maple Leafs.

Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin scored two goals and Nazem Kadri had three assists to beat the New York Rangers 4-2. Nathan MacKinnon also picked up two assists for the Avalanche as they’ve won five straight.

Vladimir Tarasenko scored and chipped in two assists in the St. Louis Blues’ 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Blues goalie Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves as his club is unbeaten (4-0-2) in their last six games. The Stars, meanwhile, have dropped four straight.

The Buffalo Sabres snapped a seven-game skid by doubling up the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. Rasmus Dahlin scored twice (including the game-winner) while rookie goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 34 saves for his first career NHL win.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 34 saves to hold off the New York Islanders 2-1. Dylan Larkin and Michael Rasmussen tallied for the Wings while Anders Lee replied for the Isles.

The Seattle Kraken got a 33-save performance by Chris Driedger to down the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Calle Jarnkrok had a goal and an assist.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin has been officially named as GM of Team USA in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars goaltender Ben Bishop yesterday announced his playing career was over after struggling with a knee injury that has hampered him since the 2019 playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Bishop and his family in their future endeavors. He was one of the NHL elite goaltenders between 2013-14 and 2019-20.

Bishop finishes with a record of 222 wins, 128 losses and 36 overtime losses with a career 2.32 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and 33 shutouts. He was a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist and a two-time Second Team All-Star during his tenures with the Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2021

by | Dec 2, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2021

​Game recaps, players and rookie of the month, the Islanders’ schedule resumes following a COVID outbreak, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews’ hat trick powered the Toronto Maple Leafs to an 8-2 drubbing of the Colorado Avalanche. John Tavares had a goal and two assists while William Nylander and Mitch Marner each collected two points. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had two assists in his return after missing eight games with a lower-body injury. With 35 points, the Leafs have won five straight games and move into first place in the overall standings.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and three assists to power his club past the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Zach Hyman scored twice and Mikko Koskinen made 32 saves for the win. McDavid has reached 40 points and sits one back of league-leader and teammate Leon Draisaitl in the NHL scoring race.

Quinn Hughes collected four assists as his Vancouver Canucks rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, handing the latter their sixth straight loss. J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sitting dead last in the overall standings, it’s increasingly apparent the rebuild isn’t over for the Senators. The defense remains porous and the goaltending atrocious.

Shootout goals by Dylan Larkin and Adam Erne gave the Detroit Red Wings their fourth straight win by nipping the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Lucas Raymond scored his 10th goal for the Red Wings and leads all NHL rookies in goals and points with 22. Fellow Wings rookie Moritz Seider chipped in two assists. Ryan Donato tallied twice for the Kraken. The Wings played without Tyler Bertuzzi, who will miss five games after being placed in COVID protocol.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bertuzzi was the only unvaccinated NHL player.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves to backstop his club over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Rangers as they picked up their eighth win in their last nine games. The Flyers, meanwhile, have dropped seven in a row. They also lost winger Joel Farabee in the first period to an upper-body injury.

Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano each collected three assists as the Anaheim Ducks held off the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5. Jamie Drysdale had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who’ve won three of their last four games. Max Pacioretty had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights.

HEADLINES

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell and Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri are the NHL’s three stars for November 2021.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond was named rookie of the month for November 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raymond’s teammate Moritz Seider was rookie of the month in October. The duo has quickly established themselves among the Wings’ core players and are playing key roles in the rebuilding club’s improvement this season.

The New York Islanders returned to practice yesterday after having two games postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak. They’re scheduled to face the San Jose Sharks tonight. Five players who were in COVID protocol (Anders Lee, Josh Bailey, Ross Johnston, Andy Greene and Adam Pelech) practiced with their teammates yesterday.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Mathieu Darche and Daniel Briere appear to be leading candidates for the general manager role with the Montreal Canadiens. Hall-of-Famer Patrick Roy has openly expressed interest in the job but it doesn’t appear he’s on the Canadiens’ shortlist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With all due respect to Roy, his mercurial temperament could clash with executive VP of hockey operations Jeff Gorton. The last thing the Canadiens need is a media circus with Roy stirring the pot.

Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports the Tampa Bay Lightning will not stand in Darche’s way if he agrees to interview for the Habs job. He’s currently the Lightning’s assistant GM.

TVA SPORTS’ Renaud Lavoie reports Martin Brodeur isn’t looking to leave the New Jersey Devils even if his name is out there as a candidate for the GM job in Montreal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brodeur, Roberto Luongo and Luc Robitaille were all mentioned as possible management material for the Canadiens. I don’t see any of them leaving their current roles with their respective teams for Montreal.

The WHL’s Vancouver Giants announced former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook has joined their club as an interim volunteer assistant coach.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The death of Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks on July 4 has been ruled accidental and no criminal charges will be sought.

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings reclaimed defenseman Christian Wolanin off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres, who had claimed Wolanin from the Kings back in October.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 18, 2021

by | Oct 18, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 18, 2021

​The Senators hold off the Stars, Jimmy Hayes’ family reveals his cause of death, plus the latest on Brady Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, Erik Karlsson and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Chris Tierney scored two power-play goals as the Ottawa Senators held off the Dallas Stars for a 3-2 victory in Sunday’s only game on the NHL schedule. Connor Brown assisted on all three Senators’ goals while Filip Gustavsson made 32 saves for the win. Michael Raffl and Joe Pavelski replied for the Stars.

OTTAWA SUN: Speaking of the Senators, head coach D.J. Smith revealed Brady Tkachuk will make his season debut on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. The 21-year-old left winger missed training camp and the opening game of the season due to contract negotiations. Signed to a new seven-year deal on Thursday, the Senators felt he needed time to get himself prepared.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, they don’t want to rush Tkachuk into the lineup and risk an injury before he’s in game shape.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: The family of Jimmy Hayes revealed Sunday the former NHL forward died on Aug. 23 with fentanyl and cocaine in his system. They hope telling his story will help save lives.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This story indicates Hayes got addicted to painkillers dealing with an injury. His father noticed a problem 16-17 months ago and spoke to his son. Hayes subsequently received help and seemed on the path to recovery.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

The opioid epidemic doesn’t discriminate. Regardless of age or status, it is destroying lives at an alarming rate.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews makes his season debut tonight against the New York Rangers. He underwent wrist surgery two months ago.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Leafs, they’ve recalled goaltender Michael Hutchison on an emergency basis. Salary cap constraints forced them to bring in University of Toronto netminder Alex Bishop on a one-day amateur tryout as Jack Campbell’s backup during Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Senators.

THE DENVER POST: Nathan MacKinnon remains sidelined by COVID protocol and won’t travel with the team to Washington today. Defenseman Jack Johnson will make the trip following a negative COVID test on Saturday.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson still considers himself among the best players in the game as he looks to bounce back from a down year last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries hampered Karlsson in 2018-19 and 2019-20. He missed only four games last season but his production dropped to a career-low 22 points. The Sharks will need a solid effort from a healthy 31-year-old Karlsson if they hope to make the playoffs this season.

THE ATHLETIC: Karlsson’s teammate Nikolai Knyzhov will undergo surgery this week on a lower-body injury. He’s expected to be sidelined eight to 10 weeks.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko suffered an upper-body injury Saturday and was placed on injured reserve yesterday.

CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for roughing Edmonton Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto on Saturday.

TSN: Former Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Mikko Lehtonen signed a four-year contract with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg. He recently refused assignment to the AHL and he and the Jackets agreed to terminate his contract.

THE PROVINCE: The son of Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning was hospitalized following an alleged assault outside a local nightspot early Sunday morning. The 25-year-old and his sister were reportedly attacked by four men outside the nightclub. He declined assistance from paramedics for facial injuries and went to the hospital himself. Jim Benning and the Canucks declined to comment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Benning’s son is ok. No word yet if anyone has been apprehended.