NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 1, 2025

by | Sep 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 1, 2025

The latest on Bruins center Elias Lindholm, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, Canadiens blueliner Mike Matheson, and more in this Labor Day edition of the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Elias Lindholm is determined to have a bounce-back performance following his disappointing 2024-25 performance with the Boston Bruins.

Lindholm signed with the Bruins last summer, but managed only 17 goals and 47 points as they missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. The 30-year-old center blamed his poor start to a nagging back injury, which kept him out of training camp and hampered his performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy season could enable Lindholm to regain his solid two-way game. Improvement on his part could also help the Bruins stay in the hunt for a playoff berth this season.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey recovered from the knee injury that sidelined him from last spring’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, taking his place last week with the other 44 invitees to Canada’s Olympic orientation camp in Calgary.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (NHL Images).

Morrissey, 30, indicated that the injury wasn’t too severe. He’d also dealt with a similar injury to his other knee during the 2023 playoffs, so he already had a template on how to rehab and recover.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Morrissey played a key role in the Jets winning their first Presidents’ Trophy last season. The puck-moving blueliner was also part of Canada’s gold-medal team at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, potentially giving him an inside track to secure a spot on Canada’s Olympic team.

RDS.CA: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson and New York Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin are among five players whose jerseys will be retired by the Lac St-Louis Lions of the Quebec U18 AAA Development League on Sept. 5.

Anaheim Ducks winger Alex Killorn, Islanders forward Anthony Duclair, and former San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic will also have their jerseys retired.

The five have each played at least 600 NHL games. Matheson, Drouin, and Duclair were teammates in 2010-11 with the Lions.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Jimmy Snuggerud is expected to be one of the young building blocks for the Blues.

The 21-year-old winger joined the club late last season, averaging 15:28 of regular-season ice time and finishing with four points in seven games.

In the playoffs, he logged over 17 minutes of ice time per game with two goals and two assists in seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Snuggerud is one of the notable rookies worth watching this season. A strong performance on his part will improve the Blues’ chance of securing a playoff spot. It could also make him a contender for the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski recently listed the best NHL draft pick ever at every slot from No. 1 to 224.

Wyshynski had Pittsburgh Penguins great Mario Lemieux at No. 1, but acknowledged a trio of generational players (Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, Sidney Crosby of the Penguins, and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers) complicates the debate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lemieux remains the greatest first-overall pick of all time, but like Wyshynski, I acknowledge that a case can be made for the other three. Feel free to weigh in on that topic in the comments section below.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2025

by | May 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2025

The Panthers defeat the Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, the highlights of the Leafs and Jets end-of-season interviews, an update on the CBA talks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PANTHERS TAKE GAME 1 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves to backstop his club to a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist while Aaron Ekblad tallied the winning goal in the first period. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho cut the lead to 2-1, but the Panthers put the game out of reach on goals by A.J. Greer, Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Game 2 is in Raleigh on Thursday, May 22, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers only had a one-day break from eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday before facing the Hurricanes. Nevertheless, they opened the scoring, never relinquished the lead thanks partly to Bobrovsky’s solid goaltending, and made the most of their opportunities while adjusting to their new opponent.

The Hurricanes tried to get under Bobrovsky’s skin with frequent contact, but he shook it off and remained focused. Carolina captain Jordan Staal summed up the game by saying the Panthers capitalized on their scoring chances and the Hurricanes didn’t.

Florida’s Brad Marchand was tossed from the game in the third period for tussling with Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere after the latter appeared to shoot the puck intentionally at Marchand. The Panthers winger got a four-minute roughing minor and a 10-minute misconduct, while Gostisbehere received a minor for roughing.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Final between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers is on Wednesday, May 21, in Dallas at 8 pm ET.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Auston Matthews declined to disclose the specifics of an injury that plagued him throughout this season during the Toronto Maple Leafs’ end-of-season media availability. Matthews said he suffered the injury during training camp and wouldn’t require surgery, saying he believes he’ll be fully healthy next season.

Mitch Marner’s return to the Leafs remains in doubt. The 28-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He said he’ll talk with his wife in the coming weeks about his next steps. Marner tried to put an optimistic spin on what playing in Toronto meant to him, but his voice seemed to be a mix of resignation and disappointment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have the latest Marner speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

John Tavares is also UFA-eligible on July 1. However, the 34-year-old center remains “very optimistic” that he’ll be back next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs head coach Craig Berube said he’d love to have Tavares and Marner return next season. He’ll likely get his wish with Tavares but not with Marner.

Max Pacioretty had a solid postseason with the Leafs, but seems to be considering retirement. Injuries have limited the 36-year-old winger to 37 regular-season and 11 postseason games with the Leafs.

Matthew Knies is slated to become a restricted free agent without arbitration rights on July 1. The 22-year-old winger could receive an offer sheet from a rival club, but he shot down that notion. “I want to be here, I want to play here, that’s all that really matters to me.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There has been recent speculation over which RFA players could get offer sheets this summer. That’s because of the rising salary cap and last summer’s successful signings of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg by the St. Louis Blues.

However, the player has to be receptive to signing an offer sheet. Knies doesn’t sound like he’s open to the idea.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz said he suffered a concussion in Game 1 of the second-round series against the Panthers. He missed Games 2 through 6, returning as a backup for Game 7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stolarz said he suffered the injury after being struck in the head by the forearm of Panthers center Sam Bennett. He didn’t believe there was any ill intent on Bennett’s part.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck believes the adjustments he made to his game may have resulted in a drop in his performance during the postseason.

Hellebuyck made the comments during his club’s end-of-season media availability. He struggled at times, getting pulled three times during their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. Hellebucyk admitted he overthought the game at times.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey suffered a strained knee ligament in Game 6 of their second-round series with the Dallas Stars. He admitted he would’ve been out for the rest of the playoffs had the Jets forced a Game 7. Morrissey indicated that he wouldn’t require surgery.

Jets blueliner Luke Schenn said he suffered a couple of cracked ribs during the second game of their first-round series with the Blues.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league and the NHL Players Association have made good progress in their current collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

According to Daly, the talks began last month and are well underway. He remains optimistic of a successful conclusion well before the September 2026 expiration of the current agreement.

Daly confirmed that future rules regarding the usage of long-term injury reserve have been a central part of the discussions, adding that there has been good progress in those talks. He also insisted the league isn’t looking to expand and hasn’t been soliciting bids, though there have been some conversations with various potential owners.

The deputy commissioner also indicated that there have been no discussions regarding a change to the playoff format.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what changes emerge in the next CBA, but it’s good news for fans (and those of us who cover the league) that a new agreement could be in place soon. We’ve enjoyed over 12 years of labor peace. Nobody wants another lockout.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed general manager Don Sweeney to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t surprising given the Bruins’ overall record under Sweeney. Nevertheless, the reaction seems mixed among the club’s followers, some of whom believe it’s time for a change in the front office.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat suffered a lower-body injury playing for Canada in the World Championships. He’s left the team early and returned to Long Island to meet with the Isles’ team doctors.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Nick Jensen underwent surgery on Monday for a lower-body ailment. There is no timeline for his recovery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2025

by | May 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2025

The Panthers eliminate the Maple Leafs and advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Check out the recap and the fallout in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers advanced to the Eastern Conference Final by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of their second-round series.

Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen each had a goal and two assists, Seth Jones and Aleksander Barkov each collected two points, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for the win. Max Domi scored the lone Leafs goal.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Marchand became the first player in NHL history to defeat the same team in five Game 7 appearances. He also has the most points (10 in 13 games) in Game 7s among active players.

Panthers winger Evan Rodrigues returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury. Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies also played after leaving Game 6 in the first period with an injury.

Referee Chris Rooney left the game early in the second period after being accidentally clipped in the face by the stick of Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola. He received a cut above the eye that required stitches and missed the rest of this contest. Standby official Garrett Rank replace him.

The Panthers will appear in their third straight Eastern Conference Final. They face off against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, May 20, in Raleigh at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers reminded everyone in this game why they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions. They weren’t rattled by losing Game 6, came out strong to start this game and were relentless as this contest progressed. They set the tempo early and never let up, squeezing away what little will to win the Leafs had.

Florida coach Paul Maurice tried to downplay his club’s dominance, claiming the puck just went their way. He’s just being kind toward an opponent that has consistently shown since 2018 that they can’t rise to the occasion when it matters most.

Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who appeared to be hampered by an injury in this postseason, felt there were “too many passengers” among his teammates in this game. He believes they came out strong and had a good start, but struggled after falling behind 2-0 and couldn’t get back into the game.

Toronto coach Craig Berube believes the memory of previous failures hurt his club in this series. “For me, it’s all between the ears. It’s a mindset,” he said. Berube wasn’t part of those previous failures, but he has a lot of work ahead to help his mentally fragile team.

As expected, there are plenty of opinions in the Toronto media over what’s next for the Maple Leafs after another disappointing playoff exit. I’ll have the highlights in today’s Rumor Mill.

IN OTHER NEWS…

ROTOWIRE: Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey required further evaluation after suffering a knee injury during Game 6 of his club’s second-round series against the Dallas Stars. Jets coach Scott Arniel said the injury “wasn’t good.” The Jets were eliminated in that game.

SPORTSNET: Hockey fans donated over $46K to the Jets’ charitable foundation to support Mark Scheifele, whose father died suddenly hours before Game 6 against the Stars. Many fans made $55 donations in honor of Scheifele’s jersey number.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The hockey community rallied around Scheifele, with a number of donations from Dallas fans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

by | May 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Final amid a heartbreaking personal loss for Jets center Mark Scheifele, the Panthers and Maple Leafs prepare for Game 7, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final for the third straight year with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 of their second-round series.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (NHL Images)

Thomas Harley scored the game-winner on a power-play goal at 1:33 of overtime. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for the win and Sam Steel tallied the tying goal for the Stars, who will face the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year in the Conference Final.

Harley’s goal came with Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele in the penalty box for tripping late in the third period. Scheifele opened the scoring in this game, opting to play despite his father passing away suddenly the night before.

Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game with a lower-body injury after getting tangled with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen late in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a heartbreaking defeat for Scheifele and his teammates. Following the game, Jets coach Scott Arniel said Scheifele told him he would play because that’s what his father would’ve wanted.

The Stars players and coaches took the time to offer condolences to Scheifele in the postgame handshake lineup, especially Mason Marchment, who lost his father three years ago.

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reported that Marchment said he was trying to help Scheifele with some kind words that helped him back following his own father’s death. He also praised the Jets center for deciding to play despite his loss. “At the end of the day, we’re all just people. And when you treat someone with respect, I think it means a lot,” said Marchment.

The hockey community rallied to support Scheifele, raising more than $30K in $55 donations (honoring Scheifele’s No. 55) to the Jets’ charitable fund, True North Youth Foundation. Many of the donations came from Dallas Stars fans.

NHL.COM: The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are feeling the pressure heading into Game 7 of their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. They’ll try to draw on their experience in these situations (eliminating Boston in their 2023 first-round series, defeating Edmonton in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final) to help them advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

TORONTO SUN: The status of Leafs winger Matthew Knies remains uncertain for Game 7. He suffered an undisclosed injury during the Leafs’ 2-0 victory in Game 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 is in Toronto on Sunday, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

NHL.COM: The Western Conference Final between the Stars and Oilers begins in Dallas on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 pm ET.

The Eastern Conference Final opens on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 PM ET. If the Leafs win, the series starts in Toronto against the Carolina Hurricanes. If the Panthers win, the series begins in Carolina.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin confirmed he will return next season. He’s coming off a historic 20th NHL season where he broke the all-time goal-scoring record while helping the Capitals finish first in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin turns 40 in September and has one year remaining on his contract. It could be last in the NHL, depending on how next season unfolds.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOWS: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged a lack of scoring against the Edmonton Oilers led to his club’s second-round elimination. However, he chalked that up to the Oilers’ strong defensive play during that series.

McCrimmon acknowledged several players (Tanner Pearson, Victor Olofsson, Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad and Ilya Samsonov) are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He praised their performances, suggesting a good case can be made to re-sign them.

The Golden Knights GM indicated “a couple of guys” played through injuries, but none will require offseason surgery.

LAS VEGAS SUN: McCrimmon also hopes to sign Jack Eichel to a contract extension this summer. The 28-year-old first-line center is UFA-eligible next July.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury ahead of the Eastern Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly close to an agreement to remain at the SAP Center until 2050.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2025

by | May 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2025

The Oilers and Hurricanes win the opening games of their second-round series, plus the latest on Sam Bennett, Mark Scheifele, Torey Krug and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ACTION

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Corey Perry, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Connor Brown scored while Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard collected two assists apiece. Mark Stone scored both goals for the Golden Knights.

Game 2 is Thursday, May 8, in Las Vegas at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are the first team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with five straight comeback wins in a single postseason. Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo missed this game with an illness and winger Pavel Dorofeyev was sidelined by an undisclosed injury.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jaccob Slavin lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in the opening game of their second-round series.

The Capitals opened the scoring in the second period as Aliaksei Protas netted his first goal of this postseason. Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven tied it in the third period.

Game 2 is Thursday in Washington at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the close score, the Hurricanes controlled most of the play, outshooting Washington 33-14, out-hitting them 44-31 and winning 55.6 percent of the faceoffs. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson kept his club in this one.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett avoided supplemental discipline for elbowing Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the head during Game 1 of their second-round series. Stolarz left the game and was hospitalized overnight for observation. He was released yesterday and the Leafs aren’t ruling him out for Game 2.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Bennett said he wasn’t attempting to injure Stolarz, claiming he was taking the puck to the net and inadvertently bumped the Leafs netminder. He cited his friendship with Stolarz, who played for the Panthers’ Stanley Cup-winning team last season, adding he reached out to the goalie after learning he’d been hospitalized.

THE ATHLETIC: The Leafs and Panthers are trying to dial down the heat from this incident. Panthers coach Paul Maurice attempted to downplay it while blaming the Toronto media for fanning the flames. Meanwhile, Leafs coach Craig Berube said he wants his players to focus on the game rather than retribution.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett plays a hard, physical two-way style, but he has a history of questionable hits, with the most infamous among Leafs followers being his takedown of Matthew Knies during the second-round series between the two clubs in 2023.

Bennett isn’t the only Panther to draw the ire of opponents. Matthew Tkachuk has a well-deserved reputation as an agitator. Aaron Ekblad concussed Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel during their first-round series with a forearm to the head.

Every team has players who use such tactics to distract their opponents, but the Panthers have taken it to a higher level. It makes them the team you love to hate, but there’s no denying that it’s been successful for them.

Florida has taken a page from the Philadelphia Flyers of the mid-1970s, who combined talent with brawling to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. The mayhem of the “Broad Street Bullies” era has been long eradicated, but it’s been replaced with sneaky hits and chippy play that often goes uncalled in the postseason.

The Panthers are an undeniably talented team. However, their “in-your-face” style has garnered them a reputation around the league as cheap-shot artists, tarnishing their success since 2022-23.

TSN: Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Logan Stanley are all considered day-to-day after skating in non-contract jerseys during the Winnipeg Jets’ optional skate on Monday. They’re considered day-to-day and will be game-time decisions for Game 1 of their second-round series with the Dallas Stars.

The puck drops for that contest at 9:30 pm ET on Wednesday, May 7, in Winnipeg.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said sidelined defenseman Torey Krug’s playing career could be over. The 34-year-old Krug missed all of this season recovering from surgery to address pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle last September.

Krug is in the fifth season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug has not officially spoken about his condition or his future. He’s unlikely to retire if his playing career is over. Instead, he’ll go on long-term injury reserve for the remaining two years of his contract.

Armstrong also revealed that forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Tyler Tucker suffered undisclosed season-ending injuries. Holloway was sidelined on Apr. 3 and underwent surgery, while Tucker appeared to injure a knee in Game 4 of the Blues’ first-round series with the Jets.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche management indicated head coach Jared Bednar would return behind the bench next season. However, assistant coach Ray Bennett was relieved of his duties. Bennett ran their power play for eight seasons.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings president Luc Robitaille expects head coach Jim Hiller to return next season. The Kings tied franchise records for wins (48) and points (105) this season but suffered their fourth-straight first-round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators parted ways with associate GM Ryan Bowness. It’s expected that director of player personnel Rob DiMaio will move into that role.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2025

by | Feb 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2025

The 4 Nations Face-Off championship draws big ratings in North America, top storylines for the remainder of the regular season, the Canucks sign Kevin Lankinen to a contract extension, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

THE SCORE: The 4 Nations Face-Off championship game between Canada and the United States drew 16.1 million viewers across North America

It was the second-most-watched hockey game on the continent in a decade. Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers drew more viewers (16.3 million).

ESPN averaged 9.3 million viewers in the United States, peaking at 10.4 million, making it the network’s largest-ever hockey audience.

Sportsnet averaged 10.7 million Canadians tuning in for the championship game, peaking at 7.3 million viewers and averaging 5.7 million. It was the second-most-watched game for that network, with Game 7 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final reaching 15 million Canadians.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nearly a decade without a best-on-best tournament involving most of the NHL’s top talent whetted the fans’ appetite for the 4 Nations Face-Off. The players bought in and performed at their best. It also helped that the championship game was a closely contested match between the world’s biggest hockey nations as they resumed their ongoing rivalry.

NHL.COM: Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the playoff race, and the March 7 trade deadline are among the top storylines for the remainder of the NHL regular season.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed Kevin Lankinen to a five-year, $22.5 million contract extension. The 29-year-old goaltender is currently on a one-year, $875K deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Starter Thatcher Demko’s knee injury and backup Arturs Silovs’ disappointing performance landed Lankinen his current contract. His efforts kept this struggling team in the Western Conference playoff race, earning him the long-term contract security he’d sought last summer.

Lankinen’s new contract raises questions about Demko’s future as he battles with injuries and inconsistency. The latter is a year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Speaking of the Canucks, center Elias Pettersson is dealing with an undisclosed injury suffered at the 4 Nations Face-Off and is listed as day-to-day. Team captain Quinn Hughes (oblique injury) is doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (lower-body) isn’t expected to play in Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck won’t be playing in Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. Morrissey is dealing with an illness that prevented him from playing for Canada in the 4 Nations championship game.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils captain Nico Hischier could return for Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars. He missed their last six games with an upper-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck suffered a broken finger playing for Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The injury reportedly occurred during Monday’s game against Sweden. A source claims he’s not expected to miss any games.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner (shoulder surgery) will make his season debut on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Forward Kirill Marchenko (fractured jaw) and defenseman Dante Fabbro (concussion) will also return to action against the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This trio’s return couldn’t have come at a better time for the Blue Jackets. They’re one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby will miss the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury. Left winger Zach L’Heureux (upper body) is week-to-week.

Seattle Kraken defensemen Brandon Montour and Ryker Evans are expected to return to action in Saturday’s game against the Panthers. Team captain Jordan Eberle was upgraded to day-to-day. He’s been out since mid-November following pelvic surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken also moved center Yanni Gourde to long-term injury reserve retroactive to Jan. 4. He’ll be sidelined for another two weeks recovering from sports hernia surgery. It’s believed they’re putting him on LTIR to free up cap space for Eberle’s imminent return.

CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Tyson Barrie cleared waivers on Friday and was sent to their AHL affiliate.