NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2026

by | Sep 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2026

The Ducks re-signed Cutter Gauthier, the Blackhawks name Connor Bedard captain, the Red Wings make Shawn Horcoff interim GM, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks re-signed Cutter Gauthier to a six-year contract worth an average annual value of $13.5 million, making the 22-year-old winger the second-highest-paid player on the team.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier completed his entry-level contract last season. He’s coming off a breakout performance in which he led the Ducks with 41 goals and 69 points.

After matching Leo Carlsson’s five-year contract offer ($18 million AAV) from the Philadelphia Flyers in July, the Ducks had little choice but to pay Gauthier a substantial raise. However, they had to terminate the final year of veteran winger Chris Kreider’s contract ($6.5 million AAV) to free up the necessary cap space, which could adversely affect their top-six forward depth this season.

The Ducks got Gauthier signed for slightly less than expected. Projections had him receiving between $14 million and $15 million after he reportedly rejected a four-year offer worth $13 million annually.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings named assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff as their interim GM while they continue their search for a permanent one. Horcoff has been handling day-to-day operations since Steve Yzerman was removed as GM in mid-July. He can now make personnel decisions and negotiate contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s puzzling why the Wings didn’t do this earlier, considering that team captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request had to be addressed, and restricted free-agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson had to be re-signed. Those two factors should be Horcoff’s priority with training camp opening on Thursday.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks named Connor Bedard as team captain. He’s the 37th captain in franchise history and the second-youngest behind Jonathan Toews.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Patrick Kane and Tyler Bertuzzi will serve as alternate captains. Bedard is currently recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and will be sidelined until November.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals responded to requests for comment regarding team captain Alex Ovechkin’s appearance in an ad video for Russian president Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party.

In a statement, the team said that Ovechkin is a Russian citizen who lives in Moscow with his family during the offseason and will continue to do so when he retires. They claimed he was asked by his country to appear in the video. The statement cited Ovechkin as the longest-serving pro athlete in Washington and a pillar of the community before concluding that the team is focused on the upcoming season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin was getting roasted on social media for his appearance in the video because of Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, with Hockey Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek among those leading the charge. The Capitals’ “word salad” statement only intensified the criticism.

Speaking of the Capitals, winger Ryan Leonard was signed to an eight-year contract extension with an AAV of $10.5 million. They also signed forward Justin Sourdif to an eight-year extension worth $6.35 million AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yesterday was the final day for teams to re-sign eligible players to eight-year maximum term contracts. As of today, the maximum term for re-signings is seven years and six years for unrestricted free agents.

The Capitals are betting that Leonard and Sourdif will build on the potential they showed last season. Both are coming off promising rookie seasons, with Leonard scoring 20 goals and 45 points while Sourdif had 15 goals and 35 points.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes signed team captain Jordan Staal to a one-year, bonus-laden contract extension. Staal, 38, won the 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy leading the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup. The deal carries a base salary of $900,000, with a $4 million signing bonus and other bonuses that could take him up to $5.1 million.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils signed winger Luke Evangelista to a five-year extension worth an AAV of $7.25 million. Earlier this month, the 25-year-old Evangelista was acquired from the Nashville Predators

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evangelista had a career-best 56-point performance with Nashville last season.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens signed winger Alex Newhook to a four-year contract extension ($5.5 million AAV) and inked defenseman Arber Xhekaj to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Xhekaj was the subject of considerable offseason trade speculation. This signing should silence the conjecture for now, but it’s also a “show-me” contract as the big defenseman must prove he can play a larger role on the Canadiens’ crowded blueline.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild signed head coach John Hynes to a multi-year contract extension. He was set to enter the final season of his current deal.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers invited forward Nathan Bastian to training camp on a professional tryout offer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2026

by | May 19, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2026

The Canadiens advance to the Eastern Conference Final, plus the latest on Sidney Crosby, Filip Gustavsson, Mark Stone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Alex Newhook gave the Montreal Canadiens a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 of their second-round series.

Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook (NHL Images)

The Canadiens took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc. However, the Sabres dominated the next two periods, with Jordan Greenway and Rasmus Dahlin scoring to force overtime.

Jakub Dobes was once again the hero for the Canadiens with a 37-save performance. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 shots for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens will face the well-rested Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final with Game 1 starting on Thursday, May 21, at 8 pm ET.

With an average age of 25.8, the Canadiens are the youngest team to advance to the Conference Finals since the 1992-93 Canadiens, whose average age was also 25.8.

Dobes joined Canadiens Hall of Famer Ken Dryden as the only two rookie goalies in NHL history to win two Game Sevens on the road in the same postseason. Newhook became the second player in playoff history to score the winning goal in multiple Game Sevens in the same playoff year. Nathan Horton was the first to accomplish that feat, doing so with the 2010-11 Boston Bruins.

This was a hard-fought, entertaining series between two rising powers in the Eastern Conference. It may not be the last time they face each other in postseason competition in the next several years.

Dobes was spectacular again in consecutive Game 7 situations, holding the fort as the Sabres came at him in waves. The Canadiens went into a defensive shell after the first period, and it nearly cost them, but Dobes was the difference.

Buffalo was the better team after the first period, so this loss will be tough to take after battling back from a 3-2 series deficit to come up short in overtime. Nevertheless, their fans cheered their performance after this game.

How this series ended won’t define the Sabres. Their rise this season indicates that their years in the wilderness are finally over. They’re a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference, and they will attempt to build on this season’s successful campaign.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sidney Crosby pushed for Macklin Celebrini to remain the team captain when he joined Canada’s roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

Celebrini had been named captain before the Stanley Cup Playoffs began. Team Canada’s management made a courtesy call to Crosby after his Pittsburgh Penguins were eliminated from the opening round, but were surprised when the 38-year-old center agreed to join the club.

“When Sid came, he was adamant that Mack remain the captain,” Canadian GM Brad Treliving said. “At the same time, Mack was adamant that Sid be the captain.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The issue was resolved with Celebrini remaining as captain and Crosby named as an alternate captain.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin said starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson will undergo hip surgery in the coming weeks. He won’t know until after the surgery if the 28-year-old Gustavsson will be ready for the start of the season. The injury is considered to be the cause of normal wear and tear for an NHL goalie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The nagging injury explains the decline in Gustavsson’s performance since the Olympic break.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon are expected to be game-day decisions for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Colorado Avalanche.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers are expected to have a formal interview with former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube. They’re still awaiting permission from the Golden Knights to interview their former bench boss, Bruce Cassidy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored that the Golden Knights had granted permission to the Los Angeles Kings to speak with Cassidy. However, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports they haven’t permitted any club to talk to their former head coach.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they’ve reached out to University of Denver head coach David Carle.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2025

by | Nov 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2025

The Predators beat the Penguins in the first games of their Global Series, Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer makes history with an overtime goal, and the latest injury updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Steven Stamkos lifted the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first game of their two-game Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. The Predators (6-9-4) overcame a 1-0 deficit as Filip Forsberg scored late in the third period to send the game to overtime. Evgeni Malkin scored for the 9-5-4 Penguins.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer became the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal (18 years, 70 days) to nip the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Emil Heineman and Jonathan Drouin also scored for the Islanders (10-6-2), who picked up their fourth straight win. JJ Peterka and Dylan Guenther scored for the 10-7-1 Mammoth, who have dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer sits atop this season’s rookie scoring race with 15 points in 18 games.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Sebastian Aho. Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and collected an assist, and Shayne Gostisbehere picked up three assists as the Hurricanes improved to 12-5-0. Center Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (8-9-2), who are winless in their last three contests (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forwards Seth Jarvis and Jesperi Kotkaniemi left this game with injuries. Jarvis was accidentally clipped in the eye by Svechnikov’s stick in the first period, but he’s not expected to miss much time. Kotkaniemi left after the first period with a lower-body injury.

Earlier in the day, the Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko (lower body) on injured reserve.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras had two goals and an assist in regulation and tallied the only goal in the shootout in a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Blues. Owen Tippett had a goal and three assists, and Christian Dvorak also had two goals and an assist for the 9-5-3 Flyers. Richard Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Jimmy Snuggerud each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who dropped to 6-8-4.

INJURY UPDATES

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Joseph Woll from his AHL conditioning stint, and placed captain Auston Matthews (lower body) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW/CBS SPORTS: Devils center Jack Hughes suffered a hand injury during a team dinner on Thursday when he slipped and cut his hand in a fluke accident. He’s not expected to play against the Washington Capitals on Saturday and will continue to be evaluated.

Meanwhile, the Devils placed forward Connor Brown (upper body) on injured reserve.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Alex Newhook underwent surgery on Friday to repair a fractured ankle. He is expected to be sidelined for four months. The Canadiens also announced that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will be out for 8 to 10 weeks with a partially torn adductor muscle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will test the depth of the young Canadiens roster. Newhook was off to a terrific start before this injury with 12 points in 17 games. Guhle’s been out since Oct. 16.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings goaltender John Gibson returned to practice on Friday after leaving Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks with an upper-body injury. He revealed he’d left due to a headache after being struck by two shots off his facemask.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed defenseman Troy Stecher on waivers and demoted winger Isaac Howard to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. The moves were made to create room for winger Zach Hyman and blueliner Alec Regula, who are both returning from injuries.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2025

by | Nov 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2025

Panthers winger Brad Marchand nets his 1000th point, the Senators re-sign Shane Pinto, Scott Wedgewood signs an extension with the Avalanche, remembering hockey pundit Larry Brooks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand collected two assists, including his 1,000th career NHL regular-season point, in a 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell, and Eetu Luostarinen each had three points, and Danill Tarasov made 37 saves for the 9-7-1 Panthers. Rasmus Sandin had a goal and an assist for the struggling Capitals (8-8-1), who have two wins in their nine games.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is off to a sizzling start to this season. The 37-year-old winger leads the Panthers with 11 goals and 20 points in 16 games.

The Ottawa Senators got two goals and an assist from Tim Stutzle to defeat the Boston Bruins 5-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Claude Giroux and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and an assist for the Senators (9-5-4), who’ve won three of their last four contests. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie each had a goal and an assist for the 11-8-0 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Senators announced Shane Pinto had agreed to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.5 million. The 25-year-old center was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next July. This contract doubles Pinto’s AAV and will enable him to become eligible for unrestricted free agent status at age 29.

Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas scored twice and collected two assists to lead his club over the Buffalo Sabres 6-3. Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games as the Avalanche (12-1-5) holds first place in the overall standings with 29 points. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist as the 5-8-4 Sabres are winless in their last five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche announced that Scott Wedgewood agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $2.5 million. The 33-year-old backup goalie played well as he filled in for sidelined starter Mackenzie Blackwood, leading the league with 10 wins in 14 contests.

Before this game, the Avalanche activated defenseman Samuel Girard off injured reserve. He’d been sidelined for the past 15 games.

The Dallas Stars thumped the Montreal Canadiens 7-0. Jason Robertson scored two goals and picked up an assist, Radek Faksa collected three assists, and Casey DeSmith stopped 24 shots for the shutout as the Stars (11-4-3) picked up their third straight win. Jakub Dobes got the hook after giving up five goals on 13 shots for the 10-5-2 Canadiens, who have one win in their last five games (1-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight lopsided loss for the Canadiens against a bigger, more experienced Western Conference team. They still hold first place in the Atlantic Division over the Senators and Bruins based on games played, but this promising club has more work to do to compete against Stanley Cup contenders such as the Stars. In the meantime, they could be without forward Alex Newhook for a while. He left this game in the second period when he injured his right leg after he was sent crashing into the end boards.

An overtime goal by Quinton Byfield lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Byfield and Drew Doughty each finished with two points for the 9-5-4 Kings, who’ve won three straight games. John Tavares scored two goals and Dennis Hildeby turned aside 33 shots for the Leafs (8-8-2), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs played without captain Auston Matthews and goaltender Anthony Stolarz. Matthews will be sidelined for at least a week with a lower-body injury, while Stolarz is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Leafs placed center David Kampf on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

Kings captain Anze Kopitar was held scoreless in his last regular-season game in Toronto. He has never scored against the Leafs on their home ice.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat had two goals and an assist to beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-3. Patrick Kane collected two assists to reach the 1,350-point milestone as the Red Wings (10-7-0) snapped a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Leo Carlsson’s point streak ended at 11 games as the 11-5-2 Ducks (23 points) have lost two straight games, holding a one-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings goaltender John Gibson left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Ducks activated Ryan Strome from injured reserve for this game. It was his season debut after suffering an upper-body injury during training camp.

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Mathieu Olivier and Charlie Coyle each had three points to nip the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 5-4. Winger Kirill Marchenko picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Blue Jackets picked up their second straight win and improved to 9-7-1. Leon Draisaitl scored two goals and Connor McDavid had two assists for the Oilers, who slipped to 8-7-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner did not play in this game. He’s out with an upper-body injury and could be sidelined for a while. “It’s not short-term,” coach Dean Evason said.

The Seattle Kraken got two goals from Jordan Eberle as they rallied to a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists for the Kraken as they improved to 8-4-5. Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist for the 10-7-0 Jets, who’ve lost four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Jets activated defenseman Dylan Samberg off injured reserve for this game. He made his season debut after being sidelined for six weeks.

A shorthanded overtime goal by Jean-Gabriel Pageau gave the New York Islanders a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer had a goal and an assist as the Islanders (9-6-2) picked up their third straight victory. Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl, and Reilly Smith replied for the 7-4-5 Golden Knights, who are winless in their last four (0-2-2).

The Calgary Flames got a 16-save shutout from goaltender Dustin Wolf to blank the San Jose Sharks 2-0. Blake Coleman and Samuel Honzek were the goal scorers for the 5-12-2 Flames as they ended a three-game losing streak. Yaroslav Askarov gave up one goal on 34 shots for the 8-7-3 Sharks as their four-game win streak ended.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Long-time hockey pundit Larry Brooks passed away on Thursday at age 75 following a brief bout with cancer.

Brooks spent 38 years with the Post, covering the Rangers, Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. In 2018, he received the Elmer Ferguson Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame in recognition of his achievements in covering the game. Brooks also served as president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association from 2001 to 2003.

Brooks’ passing prompted an outpouring of tributes throughout the NHL from past and present players, coaches, general managers, league executives, and pundits. Among them was former Rangers head coach John Tortorella, who had a sometimes testy relationship with Brooks. Tortorella called him an icon, adding he would be missed by the hockey community.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to Brooks’ family, friends, and his colleagues at the Post. I followed his work regularly since 1998, when I started this website. I didn’t always agree with what he wrote, but I respected his work. There was no denying that he was a well-connected, entertaining, old-school hockey scribe whose passion for the game shone through in every article that he wrote. His Sunday “Slap Shots” column was a must-read.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes skipped practice on Thursday, but head coach Adam Foote remains hopeful he’ll be able to suit up on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for boarding Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi on Wednesday.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Devils, they placed forward Zack MacEwen (lower body) on injured reserve.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios is selling his Malibu beachfront mansion. The list price is nearly $60 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 30, 2025

by | Jul 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 30, 2025

The effect of Kyle Connor’s next contract on the Jets, the latest on Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, the wild cards on the Canadiens’ roster, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau observed that the Winnipeg Jets have had little difficulty getting core players like Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, and Josh Morrissey to accept less money to stay in Winnipeg. However, Kyle Connor could become an exception.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).

Connor is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. The 28-year-old winger currently earns an average annual value (AAV) of $7.14 million. Over five of the NHL’s last five full seasons, he’s never had less than 31 goals. Last season, he netted 41 goals and set career highs with 56 assists and 97 points.

If Connor is willing to accept between $9 million and $9.5 million on his next contract, it would be a significant win for the Jets. However, there’s no guarantee he will accept such a deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Connor has been a bargain for the Jets on his current contract. He’ll be seeking a substantial raise that will exceed $10 million, especially if he has another 40-goal campaign.

The salary cap will rise to $104 million for 2025-26, the first season of Connor’s next contract. Winnipeg has a projected $47.8 million in cap space, though that could shrink by around $5 million if they manage to re-sign Dylan Samberg to a contract. Nevertheless, they’ll have enough to re-sign Connor to a substantial raise if they want to.

Winnipeg lost Nikolaj Ehlers to free agency this summer. They’ll do what they can to avoid the same fate with Connor, but that depends on his asking price.

BOSTON HERALD: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is eager to return to action after his 2024-25 campaign was cut short by a shoulder injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

McAvoy said he’s focused his offseason training on getting healthy and regaining his form. He indicated that he has accomplished a lot with his off-ice training and is starting to ramp things up on the ice.

The 27-year-old defenseman anticipates he’ll be ready for training camp in September. It’s expected he’ll be taking on a larger leadership role with the Bruins, along with teammate David Pastrnak.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins hope for a bounce-back performance in 2025-26 after an injury-ravaged season knocked them out of playoff contention last season. A healthy McAvoy will be crucial to their postseason hopes.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Brendan Kelly believes questions surround Canadiens forwards Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and Patrik Laine for 2025-26.

The oft-injured Dach is trying to get his career back on track as he’ll again try to nail down the second-line center position. Newhook must bring more than speed to his game to improve the dynamic of the Canadiens’ forward group. As for Laine, Kelly believes the Habs will be almost guaranteed to become a playoff contender if the big Finnish winger can regain his high-scoring ways.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ core of young talent should be a contender if they continue improving and stay healthy. Nevertheless, getting better performances from Dach, Newhook ,and Laine will also be crucial to nailing down another postseason berth.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes promising Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki would benefit from another season with their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

The 21-year-old right winger had 29 points in 36 AHL regular-season games and seven points in 16 Calder Cup playoff games. At times, however, the 5’11”, 172-pounder struggled and looked tired down the stretch as he adjusted to the North American pace.

Kuzma pointed out the Canucks are currently well-stocked on the right wing this season with Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, and Kiefer Sherwood. He believes it wouldn’t do Lekkerimaki any good to be skating on their fourth line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lekkerimaki could force the issue if he has a strong training camp. Still, it wouldn’t hurt him to spend another season in Abbotsford. He’s waiver-exempt so there’s no fear of losing him to waivers this season.

CALGARY SUN: Flames prospect Zayne Parekh will skip the rest of Team Canada’s mid-summer camp for precautionary reasons related to a lower-body injury.

The 19-year-old defenseman has returned to Calgary to follow up with the Flames’ medical staff. He’s expected to be a full participant at their training camp in September.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Former Sabres head coach Ted Nolan is being recognized for his work in hockey and with Canada’s Indigenous communities. On Oct. 29, Nolan will receive Canada’s Order of Sport Award, marking his induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Nolan coached the Sabres from 1995 to 1997, winning the Jack Adams Award in 1996-97 as NHL Coach of the Year. He coached them again from 2013 to 2015.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 10, 2024

by | Feb 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 10, 2024

Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury defeats the Penguins on the night commemorating his two recent career milestones, the Rangers and Oilers pick up victories in Friday’s action, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: On the night the Minnesota Wild honored Marc-Andre Fleury for recently reaching the 1,000-game and 552nd career win milestones, he backstopped them to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 34-save performance.

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

Kirill Kaprizov broke a 2-2 tie in the third period and also collected an assist while Matt Boldy and Jonas Brodin each had a goal and an assist for the 23-23-1 Wild (51 points) as they moved within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Reilly Smith and Sidney Crosby scored against their former teammate as the 23-18-7 Penguins (53 points) remain five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game could also be Fleury’s last against the Penguins, with whom he played 13 of his 20 NHL seasons. The 39-year-old goalie is in the final year of his contract amid speculation he could retire at the end of this season.

Wild defenseman Brock Faber set franchise records for single-season assists (27) and points (31) by a rookie defenseman. This game also had a bit of controversy as Kaprizov scored after the puck seemed to rebound off the netting above the glass behind the Penguins’ goal. The on-ice officials didn’t see it and a video review following a coach’s challenge proved inconclusive.

Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane tallied a hat trick in a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Connor McDavid collected three assists for the Oilers (30-16-1) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 61 points. Ryan Strome tallied twice and Adam Henrique had two assists for the 18-31-2 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks goaltender John Gibson left this game following the second period with a lower-body injury. The Ducks also played without center Mason McTavish as he missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

The New York Rangers blew a 3-1 lead to the Chicago Blackhawks before winning the game 4-3 on an overtime goal by Mika Zibanejad. Chris Kreider and Adam Fox each had two points while Igor Shesterkin stopped 28 shots in his first start since Jan. 26 for the Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers (33-16-3) as they moved into second place in the Eastern Conference with 69 points. Alex Vlasic, Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson scored for the 14-35-3 Blackhawks.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Alex Newhook will return to the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars after being sidelined since Nov. 30 with a high ankle sprain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Newhook’s return is timely considering the Canadiens traded center Sean Monahan last Friday to Winnipeg. He had seven goals and 13 points in 23 games but had points in four of his previous seven contests at the time of his injury.

CBS SPORTS: St. Louis Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen returns to action on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. He’d missed the last seven games with a lower-body issue.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Calgary Flames placed goaltender Dan Vladar on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and recalled netminder Dustin Wolf from their AHL affiliate.