NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 24, 2026

by | Sep 24, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 24, 2026

Recapping Wednesday’s preseason games, injury updates, plus the latest on Dylan Larkin, Logan Cooley, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S PRESEASON ACTION

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs swept the Ottawa Senators in split-squad games on Wednesday.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and Jack Roslovic each had a goal and two assists, leading the Maple Leafs to a 6-1 win over the Senators in Toronto. Tim Stutzle replied for the Senators.

Anthony Stolarz stopped 19 shots, and Ryan Tverberg snapped a 2-2 tie as the Leafs doubled up the Senators 4-2 in Ottawa.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Sun’s Callum Fraser reported Senators defenseman Carter Yakemchuk had a “disaster performance” in the 6-1 loss, which didn’t help his efforts to clinch a roster spot this season. Fraser felt the same about Sens goalie Leevi Merilainen, who didn’t get much help from his defense, but still could’ve played better.

Senators defenseman Artem Zub remains sidelined and is expected to miss the start of the regular season. Maple Leafs forward Nick Paul left this game with an undisclosed injury. It’s not expected to be serious, but he will be re-evaluated on Thursday.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg made 24 saves to hold off the Anaheim Ducks 2-1.

Alex Laferriere and Joel Armia scored for the Kings. Ethan Procyszyn replied for the Ducks.

The Dallas Stars blanked the Minnesota Wild 2-0. Remi Poirier made 24 saves for the shutout, and Matthew Seminoff and Esa Lindell scored for the Stars. Jesper Wallstedt turned aside 22 shots for the Wild.

HEADLINES

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Dylan Larkin returned to the ice with his Red Wings teammates on Wednesday. He’d been sidelined for a week with an upper-body injury.

Larkin won’t be playing in Thursday’s preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres in Detroit. He could be in their preseason finale at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico interviewed Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley, who discussed his club’s push to become a true Western Conference contender.

Cooley said that making the playoffs last year, and the realization of how difficult it is to win a postseason series, has raised the intensity level in training camp for the Mammoth. He’s also thrilled with the addition of fellow Pittsburgh native Vincent Trocheck, who was acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth’s improvement last season didn’t result in increased coverage of the team. Despite having established talent like winger Clayton Keller and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, rising stars like Cooley and Dylan Guenther, and a deep prospect pool, they don’t receive the same attention as other up-and-coming clubs in Anaheim and San Jose. People should pay attention to the Mammoth because they could make some noise in the West this season.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers prospect forward Adam Sykora will miss the next four to five months with a lower-body injury suffered during Monday’s preseason game against the New Jersey Devils.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s preseason match against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Blueline Olen Zellweger is in concussion protocol from a hit he received later in that game.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro will likely miss the start of the season with an undisclosed injury that could sideline him for weeks. Meanwhile, blueliner Damon Severson hasn’t been cleared to play yet as he works his way back from the shoulder surgery he had in April. He’s been skating in practice with a “no-contact” jersey.

THE SCORE: Philadelphia Flyers starting goalie Dan Vladar is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s preseason game against the Boston Bruins. Head coach Rick Tocchet said Vladar “dodged a bullet” and is in good spirits.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers fans are exhaling in relief as there was concern that Vladar may have been seriously hurt.

DAILY FACEOFF: Florida Panthers winger Brady Tkachuk is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury but is expected to be in the lineup for their season-opener. It’s uncertain when Tkachuk was hurt.

TSN: Hall of Famer and ESPN hockey analyst Mark Messier said he’s “horrified” and “shocked” by the Edmonton Oilers hiring Mike Babcock as head coach.

Messier believes there must be a separation of powers on the structural level of the team, suggesting the players had too much of a say in the decisions being made at the management level, including the hiring of management and coaches.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Messier makes a good point, but as some on social media noted, he’s not in the best position to level criticism over players influencing coaching hires. After Messier signed with the Vancouver Canucks in 1997, he was reportedly directly responsible for the club hiring Mike Keenan as head coach.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former Canadiens owner George Gillett Jr. died on Tuesday at age 87. He was owner of the club from 2001 until 2009.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gillett purchased the Canadiens and their arena at a time when no potential Canadian owner could be found. That led to concerns that the American owner might have designs on relocating the storied franchise to the United States, but he instead brought stability to the club during a period of uncertainty that included the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

My condolences to Gillett’s family, friends, and the Canadiens organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 23, 2026

by | Sep 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 23, 2026

Recaps of Tuesday’s preseason action, the Wild re-sign GM Bill Guerin, the Ducks have a new captain, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: Matthew Schaefer had a goal and two assists, and Matias Macelli scored twice and collected an assist as the New York Islanders nipped the New York Rangers 4-3. Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov stopped all 10 shots he faced in his first NHL game since a knee injury sidelined him in November 2024. Pavel Dorofeyev scored his first preseason goal with the Rangers, who acquired him from the Vegas Golden Knights in the offseason.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Florida Panthers 3-2 on shootout goals by Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum. Panthers winger Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist but left after the second period for precautionary reasons with a minor injury. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov also had a goal and an assist.

Anders Lee tallied twice in his first game with the Utah Mammoth as he led his new club to a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Lee signed with the Mammoth as a free agent this summer after 14 seasons with the Islanders. Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke had a goal and an assist.

Buffalo Sabres forward Noah Ostlund scored two goals and Owen Power had three assists to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1. However, the Sabres lost defensemen Mattias Samuelsson and Olen Zellweger to injuries. Samuelsson left in the second period after blocking a shot, and Zellweger suffered a concussion after being hit by Blue Jackets defenseman Carson Soucy in the second period. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff will provide updates on both blueliners on Wednesday.

The Boston Bruins downed the Philadelphia Flyers 5-1. Michael Eyssimont scored two goals for the Bruins. Flyers starting goaltender Dan Vladar left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no post-game update on Vladar’s condition.

Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard tallied twice, and prospect defenseman Anton Johansson had four assists in a 7-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. John Gibston stopped 22 shots through two periods. Nick Robertson had a shorthanded goal in his debut with the Penguins.

The Nashville Predators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on an overtime goal by prospect Felix Nilsson. Matthew Wood scored twice in regulation for the Predators. Winger Jeffrey Viel tallied both goals for the Lightning.

San Jose Sharks rookie Ivar Stenberg had an assist in his preseason debut as his club dropped a 2-1 shootout decision to the Vegas Golden Knights. Stenberg also scored in the fourth round of the shootout. Braedon Bowman scored the winning goal, and Carter Hart made 28 saves for the Golden Knights.

Calgary Flames forward Joel Farabee had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Farabee’s teammates Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin each collected two assists.

Edmonton Oilers prospect Viljami Marjala scored in overtime to give his club a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed general manager Bill Guerin to a contract extension. Guerin was named GM of the Year last season after re-signing superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov and acquiring defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. The Wild went on to win its first playoff series in 11 years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guerin is positioning the Wild as a Stanley Cup contender. He still has to sign Hughes to an extension and address his club’s need for an experienced first-line center. If he can address those issues, he could be in the running for GM of the Year again.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks named forward Mikael Granlund as their new captain. He replaced departed defenseman Radko Gudas, who held the role from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell said progress is being made in his contract negotiations with center Adam Fantilli. However, he couldn’t say if they were close to a deal.

Fantilli, 22, is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. He had 24 goals and 59 points last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The sharp increase in player salaries this summer is the reason why Fantilli remains unsigned a week into training camp. He’s rumored to be seeking an average annual value between $13 million and $15 million, while the Blue Jackets are reportedly offering between $12 million and $12.5 million.

The Jackets have $11.7 million in cap space for this season. Once Fantilli is signed, they can exceed the $104 million cap by placing sidelined goaltender Elvis Merzlikins ($5.4 million AAV) on long-term injury reserve to start the regular season. However, they must be cap-compliant when Merzlikins is ready to return, which could force Waddell to make a cost-cutting trade.

THE ATHLETIC: Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer said family reasons were behind Brady Tkachuk’s trade to the Florida Panthers.

“Blood is thicker than water, and let’s just say that his father and brother got in his kitchen,” Andlauer said, referring to soon-to-be Hall of Famer Keith Tkachuk and Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk. “Ultimately, the decision was made to go and play with his brother. It’s a decision that was out of our control to a certain degree. But you have to want to play for Ottawa. And right to the end, our fans were behind Brady – even after Team USA won gold. I have no doubt in my mind.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some fans have accused Tkachuk’s father and brother of tampering. However, discussions among family members aren’t a violation of the league’s anti-tampering rules.

TSN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league’s Board of Governors discussed expansion to Houston or Austin, Texas. However, they are taking a “wait-and-see” attitude to examine the pros and cons.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly met last week with an ownership group led by billionaire Dan Friedkin. Bettman said the league should know by the end of the year which market the group would prefer. “But we still and they still have a lot of work to do.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I predict the NHL will expand to Houston by 2030. It’ll take that long because a new arena must be constructed to house an expansion franchise.

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs is stepping down as chairman of the league’s Board of Governors after 19 seasons. His replacement is Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals forward Andrew Cristall was fined $2,250.86 for cross-checking Flyers defenseman Hunter McDonald during a preseason game on Monday.

CBS SPORTS: Seattle Kraken center Jake O’Brien is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 30, 2025

by | Sep 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 30, 2025

Rangers captain J.T. Miller injured in practice, Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck leaves practice and teammate Dylan Samberg is sidelined for weeks, an update on Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers captain J.T. Miller left practice on Monday after suffering a non-contact injury. He appeared to strain either a groin or a hamstring attempting to shoot a puck out of the zone while falling to his knees.

New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller (NHL Images).

It’s believed Miller’s injury is a minor one, and he could return to practice on Tuesday. If not, he’ll be listed as day-to-day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It appears the injury looked worse than it was. Miller was hunched over in pain when he left the ice. We should learn more about his status later today.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck cut short practice on Monday and left the ice. “He didn’t feel quite right, so he just came off,” said head coach Scott Arniel, who didn’t provide any further update on Hellebuyck’s status.

Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg suffered a broken wrist during Saturday’s preseason game against the Calgary Flames. He’s expected to miss six to eight weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck’s situation doesn’t appear to be serious. However, losing a top-four defenseman like Samberg for almost two months is a significant blow to the Jets’ blueline to start the season.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to return to practice on Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since Sept. 19 for what the club called “player management”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Vasilevskiy was dealing with an ailment or injury that the team didn’t want to disclose because they don’t want opponents to know the details.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury originally disclosed on Friday. Blueliner Bowen Byram is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury suffered during Saturday’s preseason contest with the Detroit Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Samuelsson has been frequently injured since his full-time NHL debut in 2022-23. He appeared in 55 games this season, 41 games in 2023-24, and 62 games last season.

LEAFS NATION: Nick Alberga reports Max Pacioretty could be set to retire despite interest from multiple NHL clubs. The 36-year-old winger is working with the University of Michigan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No official word from the Pacioretty camp regarding his plans. He’d hoped to return with the Maple Leafs after last season, but it appears they are now overstocked at forward.

Pacioretty scored 30-plus goals six times in his 17-season NHL career, but spent the past four seasons battling injuries, including a twice-torn Achilles tendon.

If Pacioretty is retiring, he will finish his NHL career with 335 goals and 346 assists for 681 points in 939 regular-season games with the Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals, and Carolina Hurricanes.

CBS SPORTS: Anaheim Ducks starting goalie Lukas Dostal is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic is also day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: 22 NHL players were placed on waivers on Monday. They include such notables as Minnesota Wild forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Carolina Hurricanes forward Skyler Brind’Amour, and Winnipeg Jets forward Phillip Di Giuseppe.

Meanwhile, former NHL enforcer Donald Brashear is returning to hockey at age 53. He is set to suit up with the Corner Brook Royals of the Central Western Senior Hockey League in Newfoundland.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2024

by | Dec 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2024

Five-point performances by Avalanche stars Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl is the first to reach 20 goals this season, the latest from the Board of Governors meetings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche stars Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon each collected five points in a milestone game for both players, leading their club to a 6-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Rantanen had a hat trick and two assists in his 600th regular-season NHL game while MacKinnon scored a goal and picked up four assists to reach 600 career NHL assists. Cody Glass and Michael Bunting replied for the Penguins.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche picked up their third straight victory as Scott Wedgewood stopped 25 shots. Penguins backup Alex Nedeljkovic briefly left the bench after being struck in the face by an errant puck in the first period but returned early in the second.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl became the first player this season to reach the 20-goal plateau, scoring the game-winner to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1. Draisaitl also collected an assist on Connor McDavid’s 14th goal of the season. Jake Guentzel tallied his club’s only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have put their slow start to this season behind them, winning seven of their last nine games. Lightning center Anthony Cirelli and defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game due to injuries suffered on Dec. 8 against the Vancouver Canucks.

Speaking of the Canucks, they dropped a 4-3 decision to the St. Louis Blues. Dylan Holloway scored the winner in overtime and Robert Thomas had a goal and two assists as the Blues have won six of their last nine contests. Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Conor Garland each had two points for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko made 21 saves in his season debut. He’d been recovering from a knee injury since the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

The Calgary Flames nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3, handing the latter their eighth straight loss (0-5-3). Jonathan Huberdeau and Kevin Rooney each had a goal and an assist as the Flames collected their second win in their last eight contests (2-4-2). Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault tallied two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators also lost captain Roman Josi as he left the game after the first period with a lower-body injury. There was no post-game update on his condition.

An overtime goal by Auston Matthews gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Pontus Holmberg also scored and Anthony Stolarz kicked out 38 shots for the win. Ondrej Palat scored for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs activated Max Domi from injured reserve for this game and assigned Nikita Grebenkin to their AHL affiliate.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a late goal from defenseman Jalen Chatfield to down the San Jose Sharks 3-2. Fellow blueliners Shayne Gostisbehere and Brent Burns also scored for the Hurricanes. Luke Kunin scored both of the Sharks goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina forward Jack Drury left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said Drury’s injury didn’t look good and he could be sidelined for a while. Before the game, the Sharks placed center Will Smith (upper body) on injured reserve and activated forward Barclay Goodrow (upper body) from IR.

A two-goal performance by Travis Konecny carried the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Morgan Frost had a goal and an assist and rookie winger Matvei Michkov collected two helpers. Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson had a goal and an assist as his club lost for the fourth time in five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov leads this season’s rookie scorers with 11 goals and 27 points. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson is second with 19 points, all of those assists. Sharks center (and 2024 first-overall pick) Macklin Celebrini is third with 16 points in 19 games.

The Los Angeles Kings picked up their sixth straight win by holding off the New York Islanders 3-1. Kings forward Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist while teammate Kevin Fiala netted his 10th goal of the season. Islanders captain Anders Lee scored while goalie Ilya Sorokin turned aside 27 shots.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele scored twice and collected an assist in an 8-1 drubbing of the Boston Bruins. Kyle Connor had a goal and two assists as the Jets have won three of their last four contests. David Pastrnak tallied the Bruins’ only goal.

The Minnesota Wild nipped the Utah Hockey Club 5-4 on a shootout goal by Matt Boldy. Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists while teammate Kirill Kaprizov potted his 18th goal of the season as the Wild have won six of their last seven games. Clayton Keller tallied twice and Karel Vejmelka stopped 34 shots for Utah HC.

Shootout goals by Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Barkov also scored in regulation as the Panthers have won three straight. Chandler Stephenson tallied for the Kraken.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Commissioner Gary Bettman said the salary cap for next season is projected to rise by five percent to $92.4 million under the current guidelines of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). However, he also indicated that there will be negotiations with the NHL Players’ Association in the New Year to discuss the possibility of raising the cap by more than five percent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teams with limited cap space for next season or clubs with players due for significant raises in the next couple of years could be stumping for a higher cap ceiling in 2025-26.

It will be based on hockey-related revenue by the end of this regular season. Bettman projected it will be $6.6 billion but it could be close to $7 billion.

TSN: Bettman also said CBA talks with the NHLPA will begin in February. The current agreement expires in September 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman has expressed confidence that an agreement with the PA can be reached well before that expiration date. Having covered the last two lockouts I hope we don’t have to endure another.

THE ATHLETIC: Bettman said the league has no active tampering investigations. Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer raised the issue of “soft tampering” following a recent report in the New York Post claiming the Rangers made Senators captain Brady Tkachuk a trade target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators vehemently denied Tkachuk was available and have assured their captain he’s not on the trade block.

The Florida Panthers could stage an outdoor game at the Miami Marlins ballpark (LoanDepot Park) as soon as next season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras is seeking a second opinion to treat the knee injury he suffered on Dec. 4.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is expected to return to action against the Rangers on Wednesday. He’s missed 12 games with a lower-body injury.

SI.COM: The Los Angeles Kings sent forward Arthur Kaliyev to their AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint. He’s been on injured reserve this season with a fractured collarbone.

TSN: Kevin Shattenkirk announced his retirement on Tuesday. The 35-year-old defenseman played 14 NHL seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks and Boston Bruins.

Shattenkirk had 103 goals and 381 assists for 484 regular-season points and 48 points in 91 playoff contests, winning the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2019-20.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2024

by | Feb 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2024

The league returns to action from its All-Star break on Monday plus the latest on Mark Scheifele, Zach Parise, Ryan Pulock, Mattias Samuelsson, Jesse Puljujarvi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon can regain first place in the race for the Art Ross Trophy as they visit the New York Rangers on Monday evening. MacKinnon (84 points) sits one point behind league-leader Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zach Parise will make his debut with Colorado in this game. The 39-year-old winger signed a one-year, prorated contract with the Avalanche on Jan. 26. He believes joining the Avs gives him a great opportunity to win the Stanley Cup.

Meanwhile, Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is expected to return to action after missing the Blueshirts’ last game before the All-Star break with an upper-body injury.

In Toronto, Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews can build on his lead for the Maurice Richard Trophy when his club faces off against the New York Islanders. With 40 goals, Matthews holds a three-goal lead over Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders also got some good news as defenseman Ryan Pulock was activated off long-term injury reserve. He’d been sidelined since Dec. 7 with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the Leafs placed forward Calle Jarnkrok on injured reserve while forward David Kampf remains out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of returning from injury, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will suit up against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. He missed their last six games with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets went 2-3-1 during their leading scorer’s absence.

WGR 550: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson’s season is over as he faces surgery for an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, his teammate Jack Quinn will be sidelined for six to eight weeks recovering from surgery for a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Two big blows for the Sabres in a season that started with the promise of their long-awaited breakthrough as a playoff contender. Instead, they’re headed for another disappointing finish.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins yesterday signed Jesse Puljujarvi to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $800K. The 25-year-old winger underwent double hip resurfacing last summer. He’d been playing with the Pens’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a professional tryout offer (PTO) last month, collecting nine points in 13 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Puljujarvi worked hard to save his career and return to the NHL. It remains to be seen where things go from here but it’s admirable that he reached this point.

CAP FRIENDLY: indicates the Minnesota Wild placed forward Pat Maroon on injured reserve.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames claimed defenseman Brayden Pachal off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2024

by | Jan 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2024

The Oilers and Kraken maintain their win streaks while the Jets’ and Panthers’ streaks come to an end and the final 12 players are announced for the All-Star Game. Details and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers set a franchise record with their 10th consecutive win by nipping the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on an overtime power-play goal by Evan Bouchard. Leon Draisaitl tied the game in the third period for the Oilers (23-15-1) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points. Sam Montembeault stopped 39 shots and Cole Caufield scored for the 17-18-7 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens called up Joshua Roy from their AHL affiliate in Laval to replace sidelined winger Josh Anderson.

Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann scored twice and added an assist as his club won their franchise-record ninth straight contest by downing the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4, extending their points streak to 13 games. Joey Daccord made 30 saves for his eighth straight win while Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and two assists for the 19-14-9 Kraken, who sit just behind the Oilers with 47 points. Ivan Provorov tallied twice for the 13-21-9 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets made rookie defenseman David Jiricek a healthy scratch from this contest.

The Winnipeg Jets’ eight-game win streak came to an end as they fell 2-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson made 35 saves for the shutout while Cam Atkinson scored twice to snap his goalless streak that stretched back to Nov. 11. With a record of 23-14-6, the Flyers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 52 points. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 34 shots for the 28-10-4 Jets, as they slipped into second place in the overall standings with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played without Jamie Drysdale (illness) and Sean Couturier (“minor injury”) while Jets center Mark Scheifele sat out with a lower-body injury.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko made 26 saves to blank the Buffalo Sabres 1-0. Sam Lafferty netted the only goal for the 29-11-3 Canucks for their fifth straight win as they vaulted over the Jets into first overall with 61 points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 shots for the 18-21-4 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson left the game in the second period after taking an elbow in the face from Canucks blueliner Filip Hronek.

A 36-save performance by Nico Daws carried the New Jersey Devils over the Florida Panthers 4-1, snapping the latter’s nine-game win streak. Jesper Bratt scored what proved to be the game-winner for the 22-15-3 Devils (47 points) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to six games for the Panthers (27-13-2) as they sit second in the Eastern Conference with 56 points.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy gave the Boston Bruins a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. McAvoy and Brad Marchand each had two goals for the 25-8-9 Bruins, who sit first overall in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. Jordan Binnington stopped 31 shots for the 21-18-2 Blues, who are three points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 44 points.

Third-period goals by Nic Dowd and T.J. Oshie lifted the Washington Capitals over the New York Rangers 3-2, leaving the latter winless in their last four games (0-3-1). Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves for the 20-14-6 Capitals (46 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Adam Fox tallied both goals for the Rangers (26-13-2) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 54 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their points streak to eight games by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on an overtime tally by Brett Pesce, who finished the game with two goals. Antti Raanta made 38 saves for the 24-13-5 Hurricanes (53) as they sit one point back of the Rangers in the Metro Division. Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (20-15-6) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored two goals to lead his club to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, extending the latter’s winless skid to eight games (0-4-4). Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist while Alex Lyon stopped 33 shots for the 21-16-5 Red Wings (47 points), who are one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Quinton Byfield scored two goals for the 20-11-8 Kings, who remain third in the Pacific Division with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings head coach Todd McLellan is facing the heat from the club’s fans as they chanted for him to be fired. They could get their wish if the Kings don’t soon reverse their current slide.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos tallied twice to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. Nikita Kucherov collected three assists to remain the league’s scoring leader with 72 points as his club improved to 22-17-5 and sit in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 49 points. Lukas Dostol turned aside 36 shots for the 14-27-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Five unanswered goals rallied the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist for the 28-12-3 Avalanche (59 points) as they sit one point behind the first-place Jets in the Central Division. Martin Jones stopped 28 shots for the 21-11-8 Leafs as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury.

The Dallas Stars netted three unanswered third-period goals in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Goalie Jake Oettinger picked up the win for Dallas after Scott Wedgewood left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. With a record of 25-12-2, the Stars are third in the Central Division with 55 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 27 shots for the 12-29-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with a shoulder injury.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram made 38 saves for his fifth shutout of the season in a 6-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nick Bjugstad had a hat trick as the Coyotes (21-18-2) moved to within three points of a Western wild-card spot with 44 points. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson and winger Kirill Kaprizov returned to action for the 17-20-5 Wild after missing several games with injuries.

The Nashville Predators defeated the New York Islanders 3-1 on late goals by Alexandre Carrier and Juuso Parssinen. Juuse Saros stopped 24 shots for the 24-18-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 49 points. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders (19-13-10) as they cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with 48 points.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves while Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Chandler Stephenson had the only goal for the Golden Knights (24-14-5) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 53 points. The Flames improved to 20-18-5 (45 points) to move within two points of the final Western wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Ottawa Senators ended a five-game losing skid with a 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Vladimir Tarasenko tallied the game-winner with five seconds remaining in the third period while Artem Zub picked up three assists for the 15-23-0 Senators. MacKenzie Blackwood kicked out 36 shots while Mario Ferraro had three assists for the 10-30-3 Sharks, who’ve lost 13 of their last 14 games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly and Vancouver Canucks Elias Pettersson, JT Miller, Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko have been named to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game as voted by the fans. The others included Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.