NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2023

by | Sep 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2023

Check out the latest on the Bruins’ Brad Marchand, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand is considered among the candidates to replace retired center Patrice Bergeron as the Bruins’ captain. However, the 35-year-old winger believes the club has plenty of leadership regardless of who wears the captaincy.

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

“You know we have always done it collectively as a group, so regardless of who wears it, it’s a collective thing,” said Marchand. “Even guys without letters step up”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is the longest-serving active member of the Bruins, having been with the club since 2009-10. Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Brandon Carlo and Hampus Lindholm have also been mentioned as candidates to succeed Bergeron as Bruins captain.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito provided an update on sidelined defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Both players are recovering from offseason shoulder surgeries.

Zito anticipates Ekblad and Montour will be back before the 2024 All-Star break in early February but he didn’t provide more specific timelines. “I think you are safe to say November to January is the range as long as they continue to progress in September and October.”

Of the two, Zito alluded to Montour returning to action before Ekblad.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will find it challenging to remain a playoff contender this season without their top two defensemen during the opening weeks of the schedule.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers and his family were forced to evacuate their lakefront home in British Columbus last month when embers from the West Kelowna wildfires jump Okanagan Lake.

Myers said the fire jumped close to his house on the east side of Okanagan Lake. He and his family spent a week in Vancouver before they were allowed to return home. “House is all good,” said Myers. “We got back and, you know, a lot of debris and ash everywhere as I’m sure there was around the whole city. But it was scary for sure.”

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, defenseman Tucker Poolman is not expected to attend training camp in Victoria later this month. The 30-year-old blueliner has been suffering from migraines since 2021-22 and played just three games last season. He could be sidelined for the entirety of the upcoming campaign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Poolman is in the third season of a four-year contract with an average annual value of $2.5 million. He will likely be placed on long-term injury reserve if unable to play this season.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed winger Danton Heinen to a professional tryout offer (PTO).

DAILY FACEOFF: Forward Stefan Matteau is attending Columbus Blue Jackets training camp on a PTO.

Goaltender Jean-Francois Berube has signed a PTO with the Los Angeles Kings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 18, 2023

by | Aug 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 18, 2023

Jonathan Toews to take some time away from hockey, updates on Panthers defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, and long-time Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret passes away. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Toews issued a statement yesterday regarding his plans for the future. The former Blackhawks captain indicated that he is not fully retiring but is taking some time away from the game of hockey.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews (NHL Images).

Toews cited the health issues he suffered through long-COVID and chronic immune response syndrome that sidelined him in 2020-21 and hampered his performance over the past two seasons.

The 35-year-old center became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, bringing to an end his 15 NHL seasons with the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As per Toews’ statement, he intends to spend the coming season “to fully heal and enjoy life to the fullest once again”. However, he also seems to be leaving the door open to a possible NHL comeback.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito provided an update on Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Both defensemen are recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

Zito said both players are healing and on schedule with their respective recoveries. “It’ll be a month or two. Is it four (months)? Probably not Is it one (month)? Probably not. That’s as well as I could get, but every time I check in, I’m told (they’re) on schedule.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A month or two would put both players within range of returning during training camp or the start of the regular season.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Long-time Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret passed on Thursday at age 81 from multi-organ failures. The iconic voice of the Sabres began broadcasting their games in 1971 until his retirement at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Jeanneret received the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Foster Hewitt Award in 2012 for broadcasting. He was also a member of the Sabres Hall of Fame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tributes to Jeanneret are widespread on traditional and social media. He was one of hockey’s greatest broadcasters. His call of Brad May’s series-winning overtime goal against the Boston Bruins in the 1993 playoffs (“May Day!”) ranks among the best in sports history. It still gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it.

DAILY FACEOFF: Mathieu Schneider and the NHL Players Association are parting ways after 12 years. He began working with the PA after his playing career ended, going on to become second-in-command to former executive director Donald Fehr. The move comes several months after Marty Walsh took over from Fehr.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Blackhawks top prospect Connor Bedard isn’t the only member of his family to skate for the club. His great-great uncle, James Bedard, played 22 games as a defenseman for the Hawks from 1949 to 1951.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2023

by | Jun 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2023

Updates on the Golden Knights and Panthers following the Stanley Cup Final, Jason Spezza joins the Penguins, the Blue Jackets hire Niklas Backstrom, Henri Richard posthumously diagnosed with CTE and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL WRAPUP

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo celebrated his club’s Stanley Cup victory with his four-year-old daughter Evelyn. He revealed that he was ready to give up his playing career six months ago as Evelyn battled encephalitis in November, stripping her of her motor skills.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (NHL Images).

Pietrangelo took time off from the Golden Knights to be with Evelyn for however long it took for her recovery. Fortunately, she responded well to treatment and he returned to the Golden Knights in Dec. 17 following a nine-game absence.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will take months before Evelyn has fully recuperated but she appears to be well on her way toward a complete recovery.

DAILY FACEOFF: Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault received 13 of 18 first-place votes for the Conn Smythe Trophy from the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). Teammate Jack Eichel received the other five votes.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Golden Knights Stanley Cup parade and rally will take place on Las Vegas Boulevard (aka The Strip) on Saturday, June 17 at 7 pm local time.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are disappointed over the way their playoff run ended but they’re determined to become Stanley Cup champions. “We want to be that group that celebrates,” said Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. “I want to say we’ll be back here and we’ll lift the Cup. We will get back to work with this same group and it’ll be fun again.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salary-cap constraints and the upcoming free-agent market will put a dent into the Panthers roster. The series with Vegas revealed their need to bolster their depth (especially their defense corps) but the roster core remains intact for 2023-24. That will provide a solid group for management to build around but it could take time before they’re back in the Cup Final.

It was also revealed that forward Sam Bennett was playing hurt in the postseason, joining Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour and Radko Gudas among their walking wounded. Forward Eetu Luostarinen missed the Stanley Cup Final with a lower-leg injury.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported Montour played with a torn labrum in his shoulder that required surgery. He could be sidelined for three months.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Montour undergoes surgery in June he could be recovered before the start of the season in October.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins named Jason Spezza as their new assistant general manager. Spezza spent last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a special assistant to then-general manager Kyle Dubas, who is now the Penguins’ president of hockey operations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt anyone’s surprised that Spezza followed Dubas to Pittsburgh. He resigned from his position with the Leafs following Dubas’ firing as general manager.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets officially named former NHL goaltender Niklas Backstrom as their new goaltending coach. His priority will be to help starting goaltender Elvis Merzlikins bounce back from a disastrous performance in 2022-23. He must also help in the development of promising Daniil Tarasov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here. Backstrom was rumored to become the Jackets’ new goalie coach for the past several days.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens star Henri Richard was posthumously diagnosed with advanced CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), a degenerative brain disease associated with concussions and repeated head trauma.

Richard played 20 seasons with the Canadiens and won 11 Stanley Cups. He’s the 16th of 17 deceased players found to have CTE, including Bob Probert, Stan Mikita and Ralph Backstrom.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has maintained that there is no proven link between playing competitive hockey and long-term brain trauma.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t expect Richard’s posthumous CTE diagnosis to change Bettman’s tune. Doing so would open up the league to lawsuits from the families of those deceased players and from living players whose careers were ended by concussion-related injuries.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Hockey Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek traveled to war-torn Ukraine at the country’s request. “I went to support Ukraine and Ukrainian hockey,” said Hasek. “So it can be played this year and next winter so that new halls can be built.” He’s calling on the NHL to help Ukraine rebuild its hockey infrastructure following the end of the current conflict.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The St. Louis Blues hired former NHL defenseman Mike Weber as an assistant coach and Michael Babcock as skills coach. Weber spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Babcock (son of veteran NHL coach Mike Babcock) was a development coach with the Ottawa Senators.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear will undergo shoulder surgery this month. It’s believed his recovery could be four-to-five months. Bear is slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers made qualifying offers to five players, including Noah Cates, Morgan Frost and Cam York.

TSN: The NHL’s first contract buyout window opens on June 15 and runs through June 30 at 5 pm ET.

PUCK PEDIA: The arbitration walk-away number will remain at $4,538,958. Teams can walk away from any arbitration ruling above that rate.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Tickets are on sale for the 2024 NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Jan. 1, 2024.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 13, 2023

by | Jun 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 13, 2023

The latest on the Golden Knights and Panthers on the eve of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, Flames name Ryan Huska as head coach, Rangers to reportedly hire Peter Laviolette as their new bench boss, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL NEWS

FLA HOCKEY NOW: The Florida Panthers return to Las Vegas hoping to bounce back from the 3-2 loss in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Vegas Golden Knights hold a 3-1 lead in the series and can win the Cup tonight in Game 5.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Panthers forwards Matthew Tkachuk, Nick Cousins, and defensemen Brandon Montour and Radko Gudas skipped practice on Monday. Head coach Paul Maurice offered no updates on their conditions heading into Game 5 but said he would provide an update on Tuesday.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those four would have to be seriously injured to miss Game 5 with the Stanley Cup on the line. I wouldn’t be surprised if they play but how effective they’ll be depends on how banged up they are.

All eyes will be on Tkachuk. The Panthers’ leading scorer was clearly hampered in Game 4 by what appeared to be a shoulder injury. Montour’s performance will also be worth monitoring as he’s been their top defenseman in this postseason.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Jack Eichel provided context to his recent meeting with former NBA great and TNT basketball analyst Charles Barkley. In an interview on Hockey Night in Canada during Game 4, Barkley said Eichel didn’t seem to know who he was when he approached the Golden Knights center in a hotel to wish him good luck in the series.

Eichel insisted he knew who Barkley was but was engaged in conversation with someone else when Barkley approached him. He said Barkley was polite and didn’t want to interrupt him but wanted to meet him. “That was the extent of it,” said Eichel, adding he was a big fan of Barkley but felt the encounter was taken a bit out of context.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reports Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo will not face supplemental discipline for leaving the penalty box for joining a scrum at the end of Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: During his 32 Thoughts podcast on Monday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the league looked into the incident and decided against a suspension. Pietrangelo was released from the penalty box at the end of the period and was not the aggressor in the scrum.

THE TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran cited Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean wondering if NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman would break with tradition and award the Stanley Cup to Golden Knights owner Bill Foley instead of team captain Mark Stone if Vegas wins the Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McGran noted that MacLean was merely musing but he hopes that doesn’t come to pass. “Who wants to see an owner be first to hoist the Cup?” writes McGran. “It would be a bit of an emotional letdown”.

I don’t expect Bettman will break the longtime tradition of awarding the Cup to the team captain. If he does, the reaction from fans and pundits will be swift and furious.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: As expected, the Flames formally announced Ryan Huska has become their new head coach. Huska had been an assistant coach with the Flames for the past five years. He replaces Darryl Sutter, who was fired last month.

DAILY FACEOFF: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman tweeting that it appears Peter Laviolette will become the new head coach of the New York Rangers. The former Washington Capitals bench boss would replace Gerard Gallant, who was fired on May 6.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson isn’t considering retirement, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Johnson is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’d like to return with the Avs but if not, he will hit the open market.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong said he guarantees the Chicago Blackhawks will get inquiries about their willingness to part with the first-overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would take one hell of an offer to tempt Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson into trading that pick. The prize is generational center Connor Bedard, who’s been compared to Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby.

Some fans and pundits are dreaming up trade scenarios that would see the Blackhawks part with that pick. Don’t expect any of them to take place. The Hawks will retain that pick and select Bedard as expected.

THE ATHLETIC’s Aaron Portzline cites multiple sources indicating former NHL goaltender Niklas Backstrom will be named as the new goalie coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the sale of the Senators could be days away. He writes that the estate of the club’s late owner Eugene Melnyk is closing in on selling the team to a preferred bidder. Once an agreement in principle is reached, it will require approval from the league.

Three suitors remain in the bidding. Toronto billionaires Michael Andlauer and the Kimel brothers are believed to be the finalists. Los Angeles-based producer Neko Sparks remains in the pictures.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The recent departure of billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos from the bidding might have sped up the evaluation process. He reportedly made the biggest bid ($1 billion USD) but withdrew over the weekend as he was apparently frustrated by the slowness of the process.

**UPDATE** The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch cites sources this morning saying Andlauer is to become the Senators’ new owner**

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Valerie Camillo is leaving her posts as president and CEO of Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Flyers. She was also the club’s alternate governor.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 8, 2023

by | Jun 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 8, 2023

Updates on the Golden Knights and Panthers ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, the finalists for the King Clancy Trophy are announced, the Kings re-sign Vladislav Gavrikov, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

STANLEY CUP FINAL NEWS

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights’ blueline depth is a key reason why they’re just two wins away from becoming Stanley Cup champions. Defensemen such as Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud have played significant roles in their club’s success thus far in this postseason.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights’ discipline has also been a crucial part of their 2-0 series lead over the Panthers. “Our guys are veteran enough that they can keep their cool and composure,” said Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy. “It’s easy to retaliate and get your instant gratification. But to hold it in takes a lot more.”

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leadership and experience made the difference for Vegas in the first two games of this Stanley Cup Final. They have a roster with several stars who’ve been here before and know what it takes. They’re not perfect – Pietrangelo received a one-game suspension in the second round for his lumberjack slash on Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl – but they’ve learned from their mistakes.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour had a busy couple of days between Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Following the first game, he rushed home to Florida to be with his wife as she gave birth to their son. He then returned to Las Vegas to suit up for Game 2.

DAILY FACEOFF: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said Sergei Bobrovsky will be his club’s starting goalie for Game 3 tonight. Defenseman Radko Gudas will be in the lineup despite leaving Game 2 with an undisclosed injury and skipping practice on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As long as Gudas can skate he’s going to play for the Panthers in this series. The question is how effective the rugged blueliner will be. His injury could hamper his performance, making him less of a physical presence.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund, New York Islanders captain Anders Lee, and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse are the finalists for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award honors the player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

LA HOCKEY NOW: The Los Angeles Kings signed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $5.875 million. This signing came less than 24 hours after the Kings traded Cal Petersen and Sean Walker to the Philadelphia Flyers to free up salary-cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gavrikov was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He was a solid addition to the Kings’ defense core after being acquired from Columbus at the March trade deadline. It’s believed the Gavrikov camp wanted the short-term deal in order to capitalize on a much higher salary cap in two years’ time.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks signed Andreas Athanasiou to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $4.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Athanasiou reached 20 goals and 40 points this season for the second time in his career. Like Gavrikov, he was due to become a UFA on July 1.

The 28-year-old forward indicated his desire to stay with the rebuilding Blackhawks during his end-of-season interview. While the Hawks are focused on stocking their roster with promising young talent, they need veterans like Athanasiou in the lineup to mentor those players.

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings hope to re-sign pending UFAs Pius Suter and Alex Chiasson. Their other unrestricted free agents (Adam Erne, Alex Nedeljkovic, Robert Hagg, Jordan Oesterle, Mark Pysyk, Gustav Lindstrom and Magnus Hellberg) are not expected to return.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues hope to have replacements for fired assistant coaches Mike Van Ryn and Craig MacTavish before the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville on June 28-29.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Popular TV color commentator Darren Pang is reportedly heading to Chicago to join the Blackhawks broadcast team after 14 seasons calling Blues games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Panger would say, “Holy jumpin’!” Best of luck to him in his new gig.

DAILY FACEOFF: The AHL announced its inaugural Top Prospects Team for 2022-23. It includes the Iowa Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt in goal, the Utica Comets’ Simon Nemec and the Cleveland Monsters’ David Jiricek, and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ Tyson Foerster, the Rochester Americans’ Jiri Kulich and the Rockford IceHogs’ Lukas Reichel at forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to their promising youngsters. They’re all projected to have bright futures with their respective NHL clubs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2023

by | May 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2023

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

GAME RECAPS

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

Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe (NHL Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HEADLINES

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

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

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

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

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

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