NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 28, 2025

by | Feb 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 28, 2025

A five-point game for Utah’s Clayton Keller, the Predators end the Jets’ win streak, the Oilers drop their fifth straight, the Blue Jackets beat the Red Wings ahead of Saturday’s Stadium Series game, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Utah Hockey Club winger Clayton Keller had a career-high five points (one goal, four assists) in a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists for Utah (63 points) as they moved within two points of the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Frederick Gaudreau scored for the Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 72 points.

Utah Hockey Club winger Clayton Keller (NHL Images).

The Nashville Predators ended the Winnipeg Jets’ franchise-record win streak at 11 games with a 2-1 victory. Juuse Saros made 24 saves, while Filip Forsberg and Tommy Novak scored for the Predators. Neal Pionk replied for the Jets, who remain first overall in the standings with 87 points.

Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists to hold off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3, handing the latter their fifth straight loss. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 shots for the Panthers as they vaulted over the Toronto Maple Leafs into first place in the Atlantic Division with 75 points. Leon Drasaitl tallied his league-leading 44th goal and Zach Hyman netted his 20th as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton captain Connor McDavid has been struggling since scoring the tournament-winning goal for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. He admits he hasn’t played up to his usual standard, managing three assists in his club’s last four games. Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, sidelined Oilers winger Evander Kane’s full no-trade clause reverts to a 16-team no-trade list on Feb. 28.

The Columbus Blue Jackets scored four second-period goals en route to a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings ahead of their Stadium Series game on Saturday in Columbus. James van Riemsdyk scored two goals and Boone Jenner collected three assists as the Jackets picked up their third straight win. They hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 66 points and 29 regulation wins. J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (66 points), who hold the first wild-card spot with 30 regulation wins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The two teams will face off on Saturday before an estimated 90,000 fans at Ohio Stadium. Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan wasn’t pleased with the performance of several of his core players, singling out team captain Dylan Larkin among the no-shows.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg scored twice as his club defeated the Washington Capitals 5-2. Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist while teammate Brayden Schenn played in his 1,000th regular-season NHL game as the Blues (62 points) sit three points behind the Canucks in the Western wild-card race. Connor McMichael had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who’ve lost two straight games but remain first overall in the Eastern Conference with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brayden Schenn joined his brother, Predators defenseman Luke Schenn, as the 10th siblings in NHL history to play 1,000 games. Luke played his 1,000th game on Oct. 17th against the Oilers.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Ryan Strome and Troy Terry each had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Tyler Myers had a goal and an assist for the Canucks as they cling to the final Western wild-card berth with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks defenseman Noah Juulsen is set to undergo season-ending hernia surgery. He’s been out since Feb. 2. The Ducks added winger Robby Fabbri (upper body) to their injured reserve list.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a 27-save shutout from Andrei Vasilevskiy to blank the Calgary Flames 3-0. Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman each had two points as the Lightning picked up their seventh straight win (72 points), moving within two points of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. The Flames remain one point behind the Canucks in the Western wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning learned that backup goaltender Jonas Johansson will be ready for action by as early as next Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since Jan. 28 with a knee injury.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Taylor Hall scored his first goal with the Hurricanes since he and Rantanen joined the team on Feb. 24. Carolina sits second in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points. Alex Tuch and JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.

The Vegas Golden Knights scored five first-period goals on their way to a 7-5 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. Ivan Barbashev scored twice and collected two assists, Keegan Kolesar tallied two goals, and Jack Eichel collected an assist to set the Golden Knights’ single-season franchise record with 51 assists. Vegas holds first place in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy had three assists and forward Frank Nazar had two helpers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno left the game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no post-game update on his status.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin kicked out 38 shots to nip the Boston Bruins 2-1. Alexander Romanov and Kyle Palmieri scored for the Isles. Boston winger David Pastrnak scored, extending his points streak to 16 games while reaching the 800-point plateau. However, the loss left the Bruins (62 points) four points behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins announced that forward Trent Frederic is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. They also placed forward Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers.

The Montreal Canadiens kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-3 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks. Cole Caufield tallied the winning goal, while Nick Suzuki scored twice and collected an assist as the Canadiens (61 points) won their third straight game and sit five points back of the Blue Jackets. Will Smith and Alexander Wennberg each had two points for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected his 40th assist in this game, becoming the first rookie defenseman to reach that milestone in less than 60 games since Hall-of-Famer Nicklas Lidstrom in 1991-92.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored the tying and winning goals as his club overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in overtime. Malkin also had two assists on the night, while Erik Karlsson scored two goals and picked up an assist. Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov also had two goals and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins came to life after goalie Alex Nedeljkovic ripped into his teammates and coaches after he was pulled from the game with the Flyers leading 3-0. Penguins forward Michael Bunting missed this game after undergoing appendix surgery and is sidelined indefinitely.

Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway was helped from the ice in the second period after receiving a blindside hit from Penguins forward Bokondji Imama, who was penalized for interference.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2024

by | Nov 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2024

An injury to Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin overshadows his second straight multigoal game, a milestone game for Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice in a 6-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club but left in the third period with an injured left leg following a knee-on-knee collision with Utah forward Jack McBain. Dylan Strome and Brandon Duhaime each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (13-4-1), who moved into first place in the Eastern Conference with 27 points. McBain and Nick Bjugstad scored for Utah.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin tied Jaromir Jagr’s NHL record of most goaltenders scored on as Utah’s Connor Ingram became the 178th goalie to give up a goal to the Capitals captain. The 39-year-old Ovechkin leads all NHL scorers with 15 goals and sits at 868 career goals, putting him 26 goals behind Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

There was no update on Ovechkin’s condition following the game. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said his captain was being evaluated and they’ll know more on Tuesday.

Off the ice, Utah had the highest single-day merchandise sale ever at the Delta Center. It was also the second-best single-game merchandise sale in NHL history.

San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini scored in overtime for his first NHL game-winning goal to nip the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. William Eklund tallied twice for the Sharks as they snapped a three-game winless skid (0-1-2). Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had a goal and an assist as his club has dropped five of their last six contests (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks recalled goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to back up starter Mackenzie Blackwood in this contest. Backup Vitek Vanecek is still recuperating from an injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar sniped two goals as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist as the Avs picked up their fifth win in their last seven games. Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster scored for the Flyers as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Referee Mitch Dunning was stretchered from this game following a violent collision with Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson. He was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons and his neurological functions were normal. Dunning was communicative and had control of his extremities.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 30-save shutout from Sam Montembeault in a 3-0 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Brendan Gallagher, Kaiden Guhle and Jake Evans scored for the Canadiens, who’ve won three of their last four contests. Calvin Pickard turned aside 22 shots for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Oilers announced defenseman Darnell Nurse will be sidelined for five to 10 days after a hit to the head by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves on Saturday. Reaves received a five-game suspension.

The Canadiens honored broadcaster Pierre Houde in a pregame ceremony to commemorate his recent induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Shorthanded goals by Mathieu Olivier and Justin Danforth powered the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-1 upset of the Boston Bruins. Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 28 shots for the Blue Jackets while teammate Sean Monahan collected two assists. Charlie Coyle had the only goal for the Bruins, who were booed off the ice by their unhappy fans. They have just two wins in their last seven contests (2-3-2).

Anaheim Ducks winger Brett Leason had a goal and two assists as his club doubled up the Dallas Stars 4-2. Lukas Dostal stopped 34 shots for the Ducks as they’ve won three of their last four games. Esa Lindell and Matt Duchene scored for the Stars as their three-game win streak is over.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment, and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy were the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 17.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews continues to recuperate from an upper-body injury that has sidelined him since Nov. 3. The earliest he might return to action is Sunday against Utah.

TSN: Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok underwent groin surgery and is considered month-to-month. He has yet to play a game this season.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly will undergo heart surgery due to a preexisting condition that was discovered during treatment of a concussion suffered on Nov. 1 against the Buffalo Sabres. The heart condition is not related to the injury he suffered in Buffalo.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is listed as day-to-day due to illness.

THE SCORE: Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall admitted he was surprised to learn he was a healthy scratch for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. He and head coach Luke Richardson have since spoken about the incident and cleared the air, with Richardson admitting he could’ve handled the situation better.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall has struggled thus far this season with just six points in 17 games. He played only 10 games in 2023-24 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.

STLTODAY: The Blues placed winger Kasperi Kapanen on waivers Monday afternoon. This move could signal one of their sidelined players is ready to rejoin the lineup.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils placed forward Nathan Bastian on long-term injury reserve and moved forward Curtis Lazar to injured reserve.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres have sent goaltender Devon Levi to their AHL affiliate in Rochester and announced winger Jordan Greenway is week-to-week with a middle-body injury.

ROTOWIRE: The Winnipeg Jets removed defenseman Ville Heinola from injured reserve and sent him to their AHL affiliate for a conditioning stint. An ankle injury has sidelined him since training camp.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 3, 2024

by | Oct 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 3, 2024

Recapping Wednesday’s preseason action, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S NHL PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: Four first-period goals powered the Nashville Predators to a 6-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Jonathan Marchessault tallied twice for the Predators while rookie forward Felix Unger Sorum had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes.

Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes raised nearly $300K from ticket revenue, donations, and a silent auction from the sellout crowd which will be used for Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

The Florida Panthers nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on an overtime goal by Sandis Vilmanis. Spencer Knight made 26 saves for the Panthers. Nikita Kucherov scored for the Lightning.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter scored two goals and Gabriel Vilardi collected three assists in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Niederreiter snapped a 2-2 tie with 6:38 remaining in the third period. Dustin Wolf stopped 22 shots for the Flames.

The Seattle Kraken thumped the Edmonton Oilers 6-2. Shane Wright scored twice and Philipp Grubauer made 28 saves for the Kraken. Leon Draisaitl scored and picked up an assist and Darnell Nurse logged 22:17 of ice time in his preseason debut. Nurse has been dealing with an undisclosed injury since the Stanley Cup Final in June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jared McCann was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. Head coach Dan Bylsma listed him as day-to-day.

Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Lukas Dostal kicked out 35 shots for the Ducks. Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 32 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman John Marino will miss the club’s season opener with an upper-body injury. He’s missed all of training camp and preseason dealing with this ailment.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forwards Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and defenseman Thomas Chabot are all okay after leaving Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens with injuries. Meanwhile, Carter Yakemchuk is making the case to start this season with the Senators. The 19-year-old defenseman is their leading scorer in this preseason with five points, including two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators can keep Yakemchuk in their lineup for up to 10 regular-season games without using up the first year of his entry-level contract. He was chosen seventh overall in this year’s NHL draft.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks and their fans are breathing a sigh of relief after Macklin Celebrini was listed as day-to-day after crashing hard into the boards during Tuesday’s game against Utah. The 18-year-old center was chosen first overall in this year’s draft.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE/CBS SPORTS: Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Winger Blake Lizotte is out indefinitely with a concussion after being struck by a puck during last Sunday’s preseason game against Ottawa.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk looks forward to a healthy season after nursing ankle and shoulder injuries that limited him to 60 games in 2023-24.

SPORTSNET/THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward Pius Suter is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. They also lost goaltender Jiri Patera off waivers yesterday to the Boston Bruins.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals could keep promising prospect Andrew Cristall on their roster for the opening games of this season. The 19-year-old had a strong training camp and performed well in preseason action.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings released forward Alex Chiasson from his professional tryout offer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t play in his club’s preseason home game on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Nevertheless, he still found a way to get on the ice, pranking his teammates by disguising himself as an ice crew member and chirping the Wild bench during a TV timeout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Admit it, folks, we’ll miss Fleury when he retires at the end of this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2024

by | Sep 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2024

Recapping Friday’s preseason action, Drew Doughty sidelined for months, plus the latest on Darnell Nurse, Robin Lehner, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL PRESEASON RECAP

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forward and Munich native JJ Peterka scored in his homecoming game in a 5-0 victory over EHC Red Bull Munchen 5-0 in the 2024 NHL Global Series in Germany. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi combined for a 12-save shutout.

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek netted two goals and collected three assists as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 8-5. Kirill Kaprizov also scored twice for the Wild. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck gave up eight goals on 29 shots through two periods.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets announced before this game that defenseman Logan Stanley underwent knee surgery to repair a meniscus issue. He’s expected to be sidelined for four weeks.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Matt Duchene scored two goals and picked up an assist and Tyler Seguin tallied a goal and chipped in two assists.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli collected a hat trick and Mathieu Olivier scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scored one of the Capitals goals.

The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the Florida Panthers 8-2. Seth Jarvis tallied twice and Sean Walker picked up three points for the Hurricanes.

Detroit Red Wings goaltenders Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot combined for a 22-save shutout in a 2-0 blanking of the Chicago Blackhawks. Christian Fischer and Vladimir Tarasenko were the goal scorers.

The New York Islanders defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-1. Semyon Varlamov stopped 16 of 17 shots through two periods for the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils scratched Jack Hughes from the lineup to give him an extra day of rest before their departure to Czechia to face the Buffalo Sabres in the 2024 Global Series. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said Hughes suffered a minor charley horse in his previous game.

Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord turned aside 19 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Brandon Montour scored his first preseason goal for the Kraken.

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Utah Hockey Club 5-2. Jack Eichel led the Golden Knights with a goal and two assists.

The Tampa Bay Lightning postponed Friday’s game against the Nashville Predators at Amelie Arena after Hurricane Helene’s effect on the bay area.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty requires surgery to repair his broken left ankle and will miss most of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doughty’s absence leaves a gaping hole on the Kings’ blueline that will be difficult to fill. They could promote Brendt Clarke or Jordan Spence to replace him but those young rearguards lack the experience and leadership he brings to the defense corps. I’ll have more about this in today’s Rumors.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers hope for a bounce-back performance from Darnell Nurse after he struggled through 2023-24 and the 2024 playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong rebound effort by Nurse would go a long way toward improving the Oilers’ hopes for a Stanley Cup run next spring.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander practiced on Friday and showed no ill effects from their recent upper-body injuries. Meanwhile, John Tavares is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forwards William Eklund (upper body) and Mikael Granlund (lower body) and defenseman Matt Benning (lower body) missed practice on Friday. They’re listed as day-to-day.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Goaltender Alexei Kolosov finally took to the ice at Flyers training camp on Friday. It remains to be seen if he’ll get into any of their four remaining preseason games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kolosov is expected to see action this season with the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley or he could be loaned back to KHL club Dinamo Minsk. I’ll have more about this in today’s Rumors update.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: Golden Knights netminder Robin Lehner had his assets frozen by a federal bankruptcy judge on Friday. Lawyers from one of his creditors allege Lehner engaged in frivolous spending and made improper fund transfers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehner has been sidelined since 2022 following hip and shoulder surgeries. He’s not expected to play this season and will be placed on long-term injury reserve. This season is the last of his five-year contract.

WINNIPEG SUN: Bryan Little will sign a one-day contract to officially retire with the Jets on Oct. 20.

Drafted 12th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, Little spent his entire NHL career with the franchise, moving with them to Winnipeg when the team relocated in 2011. The 36-year-old center’s career was cut short by a perforated eardrum early in the 2019-20 season.

Little scored 217 goals and had 304 assists for 521 points in 843 career regular-season games from 2007-08 to 2019-20. He also had 12 points in 27 playoff contests.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2024

by | Sep 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 12, 2024

Key dates for the upcoming season, the latest injury updates, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

KEY DATES FOR THE NHL’S 2024-25 SEASON

SPORTSNET: The NHL released several key dates for the 2024-25 season.

Oct. 1: NHL Board of Governors meeting (New York)
Oct. 4-5: NHL Global Series in Prague (Sabres vs. Devils)
Oct. 8: Opening night
Oct. 22: NHL Frozen Frenzy: All 32 teams in action
Nov. 1-2: NHL Global Series in Tampere, Finland (Stars vs. Panthers)
Dec. 9-10: NHL Board of Governors meeting
Feb. 10-21: Season paused for 4 Nations Face-Off
March 7: Trade deadline (3 p.m. ET)
April 17: Final day of the regular season
April 19: Stanley Cup Playoffs begin
June 23: Last possible day for Stanley Cup Playoffs

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 4 Nations Face-Off pushes the playoff schedule later into the calendar. Expect the same thing for 2025-26 when the league shuts down for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The league’s annual holiday roster freeze will be Dec. 20 to 27.

The dates for the 2025 Draft Lottery, the NHL Awards, and the NHL Draft will likely be announced at some point next year. The best guess for the Awards is June 26 with the draft being held on June 28-29. Free agency will begin as usual on July 1.

INJURY UPDATES

CBS SPORTS: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse continues to be hampered by an undisclosed injury suffered last season. Nurse, 29, could miss the start of training camp and the Oilers’ first preseason game but is expected to be ready for their season opener next month.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen took part in a recent skate with several teammates. He seems fully recovered from his season-ending triceps injury. He was sidelined on Feb. 10 and underwent surgery on Apr. 18.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Blackhawks rookie Artyom Levshunov injured his right foot and is unavailable for the 2024 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in St. Louis.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (NHL Images).

ALL CITY NETWORK’s Craig Morgan reports Utah HC prospect Tij Iginla is listed as day-to-day after being evaluated for a lower-body injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins prospect Tanner Howe suffered a facial injury and is listed as day-to-day. He’s been scratched from the upcoming Prospects Challenge in Buffalo.

CONTRACT SIGNINGS

TSN: Max Pacioretty signed a professional tryout offer (PTO) with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 35-year-old left winger is expected to sign with the club before the start of the upcoming season.

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs also signed defenseman Jani Hakanpaa. The 32-year-old former Dallas Stars defender agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.47 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hakanpaa originally signed with the Leafs on July 1 but the deal was never formally announced or went on the Leafs’ salary cap amid concerns over a knee injury. This deal is shorter but the amount is reportedly close to the original’s average annual value.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former Seattle Kraken winger Kailer Yamamoto signed a PTO with Utah HC.

The Anaheim Ducks are bringing defensemen Boris Katchouk, Mark Pysyk, and Gustav Lindstrom to training camp on PTO contracts.

Defenseman Madison Bowey is reportedly signing a PTO with the New York Rangers. He spent last season in the KHL.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Pierre-Marc Bellemare is returning to the Avalanche on a PTO. The 39-year-old center played for the Avs from 2019-20 to 2020-21.

IN OTHER NEWS

WINNIPEG SUN: Cole Perfetti remains hopeful of having a new contract in place with the Jets before training camp opens next week.

“Our side is working on a deal with them,” said the 22-year-old center. “We’re obviously positive something’s going to get done. Our groups are working hard together to figure something out. At this point, I want to be there.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been speculation whether another club might sign Perfetti to an offer sheet. His remarks suggest he hasn’t received one and doesn’t seem interested in an offer from another club.

TVA SPORTS: The Montreal Canadiens will honor former captain Shea Weber in a pregame ceremony at the Bell Centre on Nov. 16.

Weber was acquired by the Canadiens from the Nashville Predators in 2016 and was team captain from 2018 to 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries ended Weber’s playing career following the 2021 playoffs. He hasn’t officially retired but remains on permanent long-term injury reserve (LTIR) until his contract expires in 2026. The Canadiens traded his contract to the Arizona Coyotes (now the Utah Hockey Club) on Feb 22, 2023.

RG.ORG: Speaking of the Canadiens, prospect goaltender Jacob Fowler is learning French in anticipation of playing for Montreal one day. A high-profile prospect, the 19-year-old Fowler will return with the NCAA’s Boston College Eagles this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 13, 2024

by | Jun 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 13, 2024

Updates on the Panthers and Oilers on the eve of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, plus the latest on Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, Rangers blueliner Adam Fox, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP NOTEBOOK

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Aleksander Barkov could play in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday.

The Florida Panthers captain left Game 2 in the third period after taking an elbow to the head from Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

Barkov was on the ice with his teammates for their final skate before flying to Edmonton for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday.

“He got through the skate today, felt better,” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice. “We will get him on a plane, get him off a plane, get him on the ice and make a decision tomorrow (Thursday). But he looked good today.

Speaking of that plane, its departure was delayed by over three hours due to inclement weather in Miami. It finally took over at 4:25 pm EDT and arrived in Edmonton around 8 pm local time.

The Panthers lead the best-of-seven series two games to none.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Barkov’s promising progress, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s in the lineup with his teammates for Game 3. If he’s unable to go, Anton Lundell (AKA “Baby Barkov”) will take his place on the roster.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers must find a way to break through on the power play if they hope to rally back against the Panthers and win this series. They’ve gone 0-for-7 in the first two games and were shut out in eight of the Oilers’ last 11 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The power play played a crucial role for the Oilers during the regular season and playoffs. So far, however, they’ve been thwarted by the Panthers’ solid penalty killing and the goaltending of Sergei Bobrovsky.

TSN: Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse and winger Corey Perry are expected to play in Game 3 tonight. Nurse was hampered by an injury in Game 2 that limited him to just over four minutes of ice in that contest. Perry was scratched from the lineup for Game 2.

Winger Evander Kane (sports hernia) remains questionable for Game 3.

THE LATEST ON JACCOB SLAVIN AND ADAM FOX

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Carolina Hurricanes are working on a long-term contract extension for Jaccob Slavin. The 30-year-old defenseman has one season remaining on his seven-year contract with an average annual value of $5.3 million. He’s eligible to sign that extension on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slavvin is the linchpin of the Hurricanes’ defense corps. They’re expected to part ways with Brett Pesce and could also lose Brady Skjei to this summer’s free-agent market. Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov are eligible for UFA status next summer. Retaining Slavvin will be crucial to maintain a level of stability and to give them someone to build around on the blueline.

It’ll be interesting to see how much of a raise Slavvin receives and for how long. He’s among the league’s best all-around defensemen and recently won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the second time. It could be a five or six-year deal worth over $8 million annually.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox suffered a mild MCL strain following a knee-on-knee hit with Washington Capitals blueliner Nick Jensen during their first-round playoff series. The injury affected Fox’s play for the remainder of the Rangers’ postseason run.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fox’s injury contributed to the Rangers’ elimination from the Eastern Conference Final by the Florida Panthers. He struggled to play up to his usual performance level as the postseason went on.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper is expected to be named Team Canada’s bench boss for next year’s 4 Nations Faceoff and the 2026 Winter Olympics.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild shot down a report claiming they were changing their color scheme to the green and yellow of the Minnesota North Stars as part of their 2025-26 rebrand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s too bad, I was looking forward to seeing that. The old North Stars jersey was one of the best.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins named Jay Leach as an assistant coach and promoted Joe Sacco to associate coach. Leach spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Seattle Kraken. Before that, he was head coach of the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence from 2017 to 2021.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche will soon have a new director of amateur scouting. Wade Klippenstein is leaving on July 1 to join Notre Dame Hounds Hockey as their director of hockey development. He’d been with the Avalanche since 2016 and was promoted into his current role in 2021.

DAILY FACEOFF: A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the father of former NHL player Steve Montador will go to trial in March 2025. Paul Montador has been embroiled in a nine-year legal battle with the league. Steve suffered at least 11 documented concussions during his NHL career, including four in 12 weeks in 2012. He passed away in 2015.