NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2025

by | Nov 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2025

The Oilers stage a comeback win, the Rangers finally win at home, Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, and Duncan Keith highlight the 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame inductions, the 3 stars of the week are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored twice, Jake Walman netted the tying goal, and Jack Roslovic scored in overtime as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4. Walman finished with three points (including two goals) for the Oilers, who snapped a three-game winless skid (0-2-1) and improved to 7-6-4. Adam Fantilli and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist for the 7-7-1 Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last four (0-3-1).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Oilers placed center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (undisclosed) on injured reserve, moved winger Kasperi Kapanen (undisclosed) on long-term injury reserve, and activated forward Mattias Janmark off injured reserve.

The New York Rangers picked up their first home win of the season by beating the Nashville Predators by a score of 6-3. Artemi Panarin tallied twice, and Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and two assists for the Rangers (8-7-2). Rookie forward Matthew Wood scored all three goals for the Predators, who are winless in five games (0-3-2) and dropped to 5-9-4 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers center Vincent Trocheck collected two assists as he returned to action after missing 14 games with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Wood is among the few bright spots for the struggling Predators. The 20-year-old rookie winger sits third among their scorers and fifth among NHL freshmen with 10 points in 11 games.

An overtime goal by Mathew Barzal lifted the New York Islanders over the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves as the Islanders, who improved their record to 8-6-2. Timo Meier had a goal and an assist for the Devils (11-4-1), who collected a point and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 23 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Zack MacEwen returned to the lineup after missing 13 games with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand extended his goal streak to five games in a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Jesper Boqvist and Sam Reinhart also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots for the 8-7-1 Panthers. Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev replied for the Golden Knights (7-4-4), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Former NHL stars Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, Duncan Keith, and Alexander Mogilny were among those officially inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Monday.

Former women’s stars Jennifer Botterill and Brianna Decker were also inducted into the Players’ category. Jack Parker and Daniele Sauvageau were inducted into the Builders’ category.

Chara thanked fellow Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom for inspiring him as a player. He also thanked several of his Boston Bruins teammates, including Patrice Bergeron, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2011.

Keith thanked his mother for taking him to practices when he was a child. He also thanked Trent Yawney, his first coach with the Blackhawks, his long-time defense partner Brent Seabrook, and his son, Colton Keith.

Thornton thanked several Hall of Famers for inspiring him as a child and during his NHL career, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Pat LaFontaine, Cam Neely, Eric Lindros, and Steve Yzerman. He got emotional as he thanked his wife and children.

Mogilny didn’t attend the ceremony, but sent a video message thanking the teams he played for and their fans. He also joked that he had a shot of Russian vodka to celebrate, as he was unable to return to sleep after getting the call from the Hall at three in the morning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the HhoF Class of 2025. You can watch the full induction speeches by following the link above.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, and Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson were the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 9.

TSN: Buffalo Sabres forward Jiri Kulich will miss a significant period of time this season due to a blood clot issue that is described as serious. Head coach Lindy Ruff expects Kulich to return later this season, depending on how things go over the next several weeks.

NESN: Boston Bruins center Casey Mittelstadt is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks defenseman Nick Leddy has been activated off injured reserve. He’s been sidelined since late October with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin has been named GM of Canada’s 2025 Spengler Cup team. Bergevin is currently an advisor with the Los Angeles Kings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 25, 2025

by | Jun 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 25, 2025

Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny and Joe Thornton will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, updates on Connor McDavid and Jonathan Marchessault, the Islanders won’t part with the 2025 first-overall draft pick, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Hockey Hall of Fame will induct former NHL stars Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny and Joe Thornton in a ceremony in November.

Former Canadian women’s national team forward Jennifer Botterill and former United States women’s national team forward Brianna Decker will also be inducted into the players’ category.

Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, Duncan Keith & Alexander Mogilny are part of the HHoF Class of 2025.(NHL.com)

Former Boston University coach Jack Parker and former Canadian women’s hockey coach, general manager and consultant Daniele Sauvageau will be inducted into the builders’ category.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the inductees for this well-deserved honor.

Regarding the NHLers, Chara was one of the dominant defensemen of his era. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2008-09 and was a six-time finalist. Chara captained the Boston Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup. He is seventh all-time in games played (1,608) with the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals.

Keith was one of the greatest players in Chicago Blackhawks history, helping them win three Stanley Cups between 2009-10 and 2014-15. He was a two-time Norris Trophy winner (2009-10, 2013-14), took home the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2015, and won Olympic gold playing for Canada in 2010 and 2014.

Mogilny was finally inducted after 16 years of eligibility. Defecting from the Soviet Union in 1989 to play in the NHL, he had 1,032 points in 990 regular-season games (including a career-high 76 goals in 1992-93) with the Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs. He won the Stanley Cup with the Devils in 1999-2000 and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2002-03.

Thornton was among the greatest playmakers in NHL history, sitting seventh overall with 1,109 assists and 14th with 1,539 points. He’s also sixth in games-played (1,714) with the Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Maple Leafs, and Florida Panthers. Thornton won the Art Ross Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2005-06.

TSN: Former Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron and former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price are among those who could be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame next year. It will be Bergeron’s first year of eligibility and Price’s second.

It will also be the first year of eligibility for forwards Phil Kessel and Eric Staal. Patrick Marleau, Henrik Zetterberg and Ryan Getzlaf join Price among the recently eligible. Other potential candidates include Rod Brind’Amour, Sergei Gonchar, Jason Spezza, Curtis Joseph, Keith Tkachuk and Ryan Miller.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some Canadiens fans were surprised that Price wasn’t inducted into this year’s class. In my opinion, Chara, Keith, and Thornton were more deserving candidates, and Mogilny had been passed over for far too long.

Price stands a good chance of induction in 2026. Given the longstanding rivalry between the Bruins and Canadiens, it would be fitting if he and Bergeron joined the Hall in the same year.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman and CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson travelled to Ontario to meet with Connor McDavid’s agent, Jeff Moldaver, on Tuesday. The meeting was intended to discuss the broader directions of the organization rather than focusing on contract numbers.

McDavid has a year left on his contract with a salary-cap hit of $12.5 million and will become eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have understandably made signing McDavid to an extension their top issue this summer. They’re also giving their captain some time to decide when he wants to start those discussions.

McDavid made it clear following the 2025 Stanley Cup Final that winning the Cup is his priority. He’ll want to know how the Oilers intend to remain a Cup contender before agreeing to an extension. The fact that management is already meeting with his agent is a positive step.

NASHVILLE POST: Predators GM Barry Trotz said there is no substance to recent rumors suggesting he’s trying to trade Jonathan Marchessault. He confirmed that all was good with the winger’s camp, saying the veteran winger will return with the Predators next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchessault was one of three major free-agent signings by Trotz last summer. His production dropped with the struggling Predators this season, prompting speculation that he might welcome a trade.

THE TENNESSEAN: Speaking of the Predators, they hired former Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson as an assistant coach. He replaces Todd Richards, who won’t be returning with the organization.

THE SCORE: New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche said he has no intention of trading the first-overall pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the OHL’s Erie Otters is considered the top prospect in this year’s draft, but Darche declined to tip his hand on who he’ll select.

NEW YORK POST: Darche admitted that trading for a second first-rounder in this draft is a possibility. The dream scenario for Islanders fans is their club selects Schaefer and somehow acquires another high first-round pick to use toward drafting center (and Long Island native) James Hagens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would be quite the coup if Darche can pull that off.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Islanders, long-time forward Matt Martin hung up his skates and moved into the front office as a special assistant to Darche. He played in 987 regular-season games over 15 seasons with the Islanders and the Maple Leafs, 13 of those with the Isles, finishing with 178 points.

NEW YORK POST: The New York Rangers will send their 2025 first-round pick (12th overall) to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They had included that pick (top-13 protected) as part of the return to the Vancouver Canucks in the J.T. Miller trade. The Canucks subsequenty flipped it to the Penguins as part of the return for defenseman Marcus Pettersson.

Mollie Walker reports that next year’s draft class is considered to have a much deeper pool of talent. It would also have more value in the 2026 trade deadline if the Rangers attempt to upgrade for next year’s playoffs.

THE PROVINCE: The Dallas Stars could be eyeing Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra to fill their vacant head-coaching position. Malhotra guided the Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate to the 2025 Calder Cup.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Inspired by their previous Winter Classic jerseys, the Blues unveiled their new uniforms and primary logo.

THE ATHLETIC: Nationwide Arena owners are planning $400 million in upgrades to the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 25-year-old home.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2024

by | Nov 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2024

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Blue Jackets claim Dante Fabbro off waivers, an injury update from the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks got a 44-save shutout performance from goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to blank the New Jersey Devils 1-0. Nico Sturm got the only goal when his backhand pass from behind the net deflected off the skate of former Shark Timo Meier. Devils netminder Jake Allen stopped 26 shots.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Jake Walman missed his second-straight game with an upper-body injury. The Sharks also made Will Smith a healthy scratch for the fourth time this season. The 19-year-old rookie center has two goals and an assist in 12 games.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson kicked out 38 shots in his season debut as his team doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Leo Carlsson scored the game-winner in the third period as the Ducks snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Yegor Chinakhov and Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets as their winless streak reached five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An emergency appendectomy forced Gibson from the lineup at the start of the season.

An overtime goal by Philipp Kurashev lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-1 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Jason Dickinson opened the scoring for the Blackhawks but the Wild tied it on a goal by Matt Boldy. Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek made 32 saves for the win.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE TENNESSEAN/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets claimed defenseman Dante Fabbro off waivers from the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Fabbro, 26, was a first-round pick of the Predators in 2016. He has 72 points in 315 games.

Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell released a statement explaining the move. “Dante Fabbro is a puck-moving defenseman who can play in all situations, and adds mobility and depth to our backend.”

Fabbro carries a salary-cap hit of $2.5 million and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fabbro will join the Blue Jackets in Seattle for their game against the Kraken on Tuesday. He struggled to establish himself as a top-four defenseman in Nashville but will get plenty of playing time with the rebuilding Blue Jackets. A solid performance in Columbus could also make him a valuable rental asset by the March 7 trade deadline.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins announced forward Cody Glass has been diagnosed with a concussion. There is no timeline for his return.

They also announced forward Kevin Hayes will be sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks called up top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki. The 20-year-old winger was chosen 15th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ recent trade of winger Daniel Sprong to the Kraken was seen as setting the table for Lekkerimaki’s call-up.

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer cites an NHL executive who said goaltender interference will be among the topics of discussion during an upcoming one-day meeting of NHL general managers.

The GMs seek a better understanding of the current standard and clarification of how goalie interference is ruled. “Guys usually ask; we just want to know the rule to tell our video coaches what to expect,” said the executive. “Everyone’s human. There are mistakes. We would just like clarification on the rule.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been plenty of questions and criticism regarding goalie interference this season. The most notable came from Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Last week, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner publicly expressed frustration over the lack of clarity and consistency. As a member of the NHL competition committee, Hellebuyck had sought clarification of the rule but now feels he may have to pass that role on to a young netminder.

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Tim Graham examines why former NHL star Alexander Mogilny has yet to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Graham believes Mogilny should be in the Hall but seeks clues for his exclusion from the media coverage the winger received during his career. He also examined remarks about Mogilny in the autobiographies of former teammates Martin Brodeur and Mats Sundin regarding his eccentricities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I recommend reading Graham’s piece if you have a subscription. I agree that Mogilny belongs in the Hall but Graham provides compelling reasons why the gifted winger has been passed over.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2024

by | Nov 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2024

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck reaches a career milestone, the Panthers, Hurricanes and Wild each reach the 20-point plateau, the Sabres upset the Rangers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves for his second straight shutout (and the 40th of his NHL career) as his club held on to blank the Colorado Avalanche 1-0. Gabriel Vilardi scored the only goal at 1:06 of the first period for the Jets, who extended their league-leading record to 13-1-0 (26 points). Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev stopped 27 shots.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck became the sixth US-born goaltender to record 40 career shutouts, joining Jonathan Quick (66 shutouts), Ryan Miller (44), Craig Anderson (43), Frankie Brimsek and John Vanbiesbrouck (40 each).

The shutout snapped the 13-game season-opening points streaks of Avalanche stars Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. Cale Makar suffered an injury against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday but played over 25 minutes in this contest, recording two shots on net.

The Florida Panthers picked up their sixth straight win with a 6-2 victory over the Nashville Predators, handing the latter their fifth loss in their last six games. Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals and collected an assist, Aleksander Barkov picked up three assists and Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to five games. Steven Stamkos and Juuso Parssinen replied for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers sit atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-3-1 (21 points). Predators forward Colton Sissons missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes netminder Pyotr Kochetkov turned aside 35 shots to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1. The Hurricanes picked up their eighth straight victory as Jack Roslovic scored twice and picked up an assist and Jalen Chatfield had three assists. Blake Lizotte scored for the Penguins.

The Buffalo Sabres romped to a 6-1 upset of the New York Rangers. Zach Benson had a goal and an assist and Jack Quinn picked up two assists for the Sabres. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin got the hook early in the second period after giving up five goals on 12 shots.

An overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Boston Bruins over the Calgary Flames 4-3. Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist while Joona Korpisalo made 34 saves for the win. The Flames forced the extra frame by overcoming a two-goal deficit on third-period goals by Yegor Sherangovich and Nazem Kadri.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Anthony Mantha missed this game with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

Dallas Stars forwards Logan Stankoven and Sam Steel each had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Tyler Seguin also scored and Jake Oettinger made 25 saves for the Stars. Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stankoven leads all rookie scorers with 12 points.

The Minnesota Wild got three assists from Kirill Kaprizov to drop the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Matt Boldy tallied twice for the Wild, who sit second in the Western Conference with a record of 9-2-2 (20 points). Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini scored both goals for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Jake Walman missed this game with an upper-body injury. He missed their previous contest for non-hockey reasons.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist as his club doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Canucks winger Brock Boeser left this game midway through the first period following a blindside hit to the head by Kings forward Tanner Jeannot. There was no update on his condition following the game. Quinton Byfield and Vladislav Gavrikov scored for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jeannot received a match penalty for his illegal hit on Boeser. The incident will be reviewed by the league but remains to be seen whether he receives supplemental discipline.

A shootout goal by Owen Tippett lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tipett also scored in regulation while Ivan Fedotov made 23 saves for his first NHL victory. Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning, who played without Brayden Point as he remains sidelined by a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch as head coach John Tortorella expressed concerns over Michkov’s play at even strength. The 19-year-old winger is second among NHL rookie scorers with 10 points, seven of which were on the power play. He was held to one assist in his last five games.

The Utah Hockey Club defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2 as Dylan Guenther scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period. Guenther finished the night with two points. Colton Parayko and Jordan Kyrou tallied for the Blues.

New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each collected three points in a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, handing the latter their fifth straight loss (0-4-1). Alex Newhook scored twice for the struggling Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ leading scorers have been shut down lately. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have no points in their last three games while Juraj Slafkovsky was held to an assist in his last four contests. Meanwhile, the Devils reassigned defenseman Simon Nemec to their AHL affiliate in Utica. He’d been a healthy scratch for over two weeks.

The New York Islanders doubled up the Ottawa Senators 4-2. Bo Horvat led the way with a goal and two assists while Semyon Varlamov stopped 28 shots for the win. Nick Jensen and Drake Batherson replied for the Senators, who’ve dropped five of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators forward Tim Stutzle was cut above his right eye after taking a puck to the face in the first period. He left the game but returned at the start of the second period, finishing the game with two assists.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed practice on Thursday as he remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Leafs coach Craig Berube hasn’t ruled out Matthews from their upcoming two games against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday and the Canadiens on Saturday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer is listed as day-to-day after suffering what the club called “an unfortunate accident” at home. He’s expected to return within the next couple of days.

RG.ORG: Former New Jersey Devils forward John Madden remains puzzled as to why former teammate Alexander Mogilny continues to be passed over for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“It was crazy how many key goals he scored for us at the right moments, at the right time, whether it was regular season or playoffs; he just had that knack for burying goals that mattered,” said Madden. He considers Mogilny “one of the best players not to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Madden’s not the only person wondering why the Hall of Fame has continually passed over Mogilny since his first year of eligibility in 2009. A growing number of fans and pundits have openly questioned the Hall’s ongoing snub of one of the most skillful and exciting forwards to play the game.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The NCAA has voted to allow major junior players to maintain college eligibility if they are not signed to a pro contract. This decision allows players in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), which includes the QMJHL, OHL and WHL to transfer to NCAA teams beginning next season.

The move would enable players drafted by NHL teams out of the CHL to play NCAA Division I hockey as their next step in developing their game before signing a professional contract. How it will impact other leagues like the United States Hockey League (USHL) or the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) remains to be seen.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2024

by | Oct 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2024

Alex Ovechkin continues his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, Penguins fans salute Marc-Andre Fleury in his last game in Pittsburgh, the Red Wings ship Olli Maatta to Utah, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continued to pursue Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, tallying twice in a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Aliaksei Protas has a goal and two assists for the Capitals, who improved their record to 6-2-0. Igor Shesterkin made 41 saves for the Rangers, who were outshot 46-19 by the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery mentioned a little concern in his postgame press conference but didn’t know the extent of the injury.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves as his club beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 in what is likely his final game in Pittsburgh. Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and collected an assist and Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists for the Wild. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had three assists and teammate Rickard Rakell scored two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury began his NHL career in Pittsburgh, playing 13 seasons for the Penguins and helping them win three Stanley Cups. He intends to retire at the end of this season. The fans chanted Fleury’s name following the game as he saluted the crowd to a standing ovation.

Pittsburgh has lost six straight (0-5-1) and sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. They also announced winger Bryan Rust is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks.

The Seattle Kraken thumped the Montreal Canadiens 8-2. Brandon Montour led the way with his first career hat trick and added an assist while Chandler Stephenson had two helpers for the Kraken. Montreal goaltender Sam Montembeault got the hook after giving up five goals on 10 shots. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sniped his ninth goal, tying New Jersey’s Nico Hischier for the league goal-scoring lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montour and Stephenson came to Seattle as free agents this summer. Their performance against the Canadiens puts them among the Kraken’s leading scorers.

Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle scored two goals and collected two assists as his club crushed the St. Louis Blues 8-1. Brady Tkachuk and Adam Gaudette each scored twice and Linus Ullmark turned aside 26 shots. Blue goalie Joel Hofer was pulled after giving up five goals on 21 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The start of this game was briefly delayed by a power outage at Canadian Tire Centre due to electrical storms in the area. Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen left this game with an upper-body injury in the second period. There was no postgame word regarding his condition. Before the game, the Blues announced forward Alexey Toropchenko agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $1.7 million. 

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson made 23 saves to shut out the Boston Bruins 2-0. Tyler Foerster and Joel Farabee were the goal scorers. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 17 shots for the Bruins (4-5-1) as they slipped into last place in the Atlantic Division.

The San Jose Sharks doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 to pick up their second straight win after starting the season 0-7-2. Jake Walman had a goal and two assists and Vitek Vanecek made 26 saves for Los Tiburones. Akil Thomas and Alex Laferriere replied for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Kevin Fiala was a healthy scratch for missing a team meeting. Meanwhile, the Sharks placed Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve. 

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 40 shots, including 17 in the first period, in a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish each had two points for the Ducks. Mathew Barzal scored for the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

HEADLINES

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings traded defenseman Olli Maatta to the Utah Hockey Club in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah needed to add some experienced depth to their injury-battered blueline with Sean Durzi and John Marino out for months recovering from surgeries. The 30-year-old Maatta has averaged over 18 minutes of ice time per game in his 11 NHL seasons and won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers called up forwards Noah Philp and Drake Caggiula from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield as they await word on the severity of Connor McDavid’s leg injury. The Oilers captain was sidelined on Monday after falling awkwardly into the boards during the opening shift against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPORTSNET: The NHL’s department of player safety fined Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin $5,000 for high-sticking Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell.

CALGARY SUN: Flames captain Mikael Backlund is scheduled to play in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game when his club faces Utah HC on Wednesday.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Fraser Minten to their AHL affiliate.

RG.ORG: Hockey Hall-of-Famer Sergei Zubov believes Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov and Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov represent the future of Russian Hockey. Zubov praised Michkov’s focus on goal scoring and Demidov’s growth playing alongside veterans like former NHL center Evgeny Kuznetsov.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons ponders the mystery of Alexander Mogilny’s exclusion from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmons isn’t the only person wondering why the HHoF continues to snub Mogilny. The Sun scribe says he’s asked several Hall of Fame voters about it but they’re sworn to secrecy about the selection process.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 26, 2024

by | Jun 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 26, 2024

Pavel Datsyuk, Shea Weber, and Jeremy Roenick are among seven new Hockey Hall of Fame inductees, the Avalanche sign Casey Mittelstadt, the Jets re-up Dylan DeMelo, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Pavel Datsyuk, Shea Weber and Jeremy Roenick were the former NHL stars elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Pavel Datsyuk and Shea Weber have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (NHL.com)

Former United States women’s national team forwards Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl were also inducted in the player category.

Former Nashville Predators general manager David Poile and current NHL senior executive vice-president Colin Campbell were elected into the builder category.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the inductees for this well-deserved honor.

Meanwhile, Alexander Mogilny’s ongoing snub by the Hall of Fame is getting ridiculous.

Many of Mogilny’s former Vancouver Canucks teammates have called for his inclusion. He was a five-time All-Star, earning an appearance on all four NHL teams he played for in his career (Buffalo, Vancouver, New Jersey, Toronto). He’s among a handful of players to score over 70 goals in a season.

For whatever reason, Mogilny continues to be passed over. Maybe he’ll get his due next year.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed center Casey Mittlestadt to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.75 million. Mittestadt, 25, was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres before the March trade deadline. He was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mittestadt was coming off back-to-back 50-plus point seasons. He quickly fit well within the Avs’ lineup. The young center was coming off a three-year deal with an AAV of $2.5 million.

This is a win for both sides here. Mittelstadt gets a significant raise and an opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent at age 28 when he’ll still be in his playing prime. The Avalanche, meanwhile, look up their second-line center at a reasonable rate. They also buy some time to grow more cap room to attempt to re-sign him down the road.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed Dylan DeMelo to a four-year contract extension with an AAV of $4.9 million. The 31-year-old defenseman was completing a four-year, $12 million contract and was due to become a UFA on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeMelo was a key part of the Jets blueline corps pairing with the puck-moving Josh Morrissey.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: On Tuesday, the Flyers officially announced that top prospect Matvei Michkov had officially terminated his contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg. The 19-year-old winger will join the Flyers for the 2024-25 season.

TSN: The Detroit Red Wings traded defenseman Jake Walman and a 2024 second-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for future considerations. Walman, 28, has two seasons remaining on his contract with an AAV of $3.4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Can you say, “salary dump”, kids? I knew you could!

SPORTSNET: Hockey Canada officially named Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper as head coach of Canada’s team at the NHL’s 4Nations Face-Off next February and of its Men’s Olympic team in 2026.

SPORTICO: Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo has told his remaining executives he is dissolving what’s left of the franchise. He will no longer pursue the construction of a new NHL-worthy arena in the Phoenix area. The franchise should be disbanded within a month.

The hockey operations and players were sold to Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith in April and moved to Utah, where they will play the 2024-25 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And with that, the Coyotes saga comes to a close. Some observers still believe the NHL will one day return to Arizona. That won’t occur until a suitable arena is constructed and that’s not happening in the foreseeable future.