NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2025

by | Feb 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby injured, the Canucks re-sign Marcus Pettersson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A shorthanded third-period goal by Chris Kreider lifted the New York Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Mika Zibanejad collected two assists for the Rangers (56 points) as they picked up their second straight win to move within four points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored to collect 25 points over the past 12 games. However, his club remains just outside the Eastern wild card with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins held a 2-1 lead going into the third period but Vincent Trocheck tied it early in the frame, setting the stage for Kreider’s game-winner. Pastrnak’s doing the heavy lifting for the Bruins’ anemic offense. They’re sitting 25th overall with a 2.75 goals-per-game average.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored in overtime to nip the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Leon Draisaitl and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points for the Blackhawks.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl is making a strong case for the Hart Memorial Trophy. He continues to lead all goal scorers (38) and has surged ahead of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the points lead with 81. Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson left this game in the second period with an injured left leg. Head coach Anders Sorensen said Dickinson will be reevaluated on Thursday, adding “It doesn’t look good.”

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. Kevin Fiala tallied twice and Quinton Byfield collected three assists as the Kings sit third in the Pacific Division with 62 points. Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Logan Mailloux replied for the Canadiens, who’ve dropped six of the last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (55 points) remain five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with two games remaining before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

HEADLINES

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Crosby appeared to injure his left arm after colliding with Devils forward Erik Haula and defenseman Luke Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby missed practice yesterday, raising concerns about whether he can participate in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. He’s the captain of Team Canada in that tournament.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed Marcus Pettersson to a six-year contract extension on Wednesday. Acquired on Saturday from the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 28-year-old defenseman’s new deal is worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin knew Pettersson from their days with the Penguins, signing him to his current contract in 2020. They consider the lanky blueliner “a calming presence” on the Canucks blueline.

Pettersson receives a raise of about $1.5 million annually over the $4.083 million on his present deal. He might have received much more had he gone to market on July 1, especially with the salary cap jumping from $88 million to $95.5 million, but he opted for term security. Pettersson also gets a full no-movement clause in the first three years of the deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane set an NHL record during Tuesday’s 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. He scored his 53rd career shootout goal to become the league leader in that category, surpassing former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Jonathan Toews.

TSN: According to Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, center Dylan Cozens missed practice on Wednesday with a “lower-body aggravation”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no indication of how long Cozens will be sidelined, but Ruff didn’t indicate that it was serious. The young center has been the frequent topic of trade rumors this season. You can read the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association is appealing Ryan Hartman’s 10-game suspension. The Minnesota Wild center received that punishment from the NHL’s department of player safety for driving Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle’s head into the ice following a faceoff.

The Wild also claimed forward Vinnie Hinostroza off waivers from the Nashville Predators.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2025

by | Feb 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2025

Alex Ovechkin moves closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the Jets remain in sole possession of first overall, William Nylander’s hat trick lifts the Leafs to victory, and more from a busy Tuesday evening in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin moved closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record with an empty-net goal in the final second of the third period in a 6-3 win over the Florida Panthers. Logan Thompson made 30 saves and Nick Dowd had a goal and two assists for the Capitals, who lead the Eastern Conference with 77 points. Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who sit atop the Atlantic Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 878 regular-season goals, moving within 17 of breaking Gretzky’s record of 894. The Capitals extended their home points streak to 14 games. Meanwhile, Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk looks forward to a potential playoff matchup against the Ottawa Senators and his younger brother Brady.

The Winnipeg Jets picked up their seventh straight win by blanking the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Eric Comrie turned in a 29-save shutout while Nino Niederreiter had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who lead the overall standings with 79 points. The Hurricanes have dropped their second straight game and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander’s hat trick carried his club to a 6-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. Leafs captain Auston Matthews collected three assists as the Leafs moved within one point of the Panthers in the Atlantic Division. Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar each collected two assists for the Flames, who lost four of their last six contests and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs winger Mitch Marner missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 37th goal and Connor Brown tallied the winner in overtime for the Oilers, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 70 points. Jordan Kyrou and Colton Parayko replied for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl has 79 points, one back of league leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Blues defenseman Nick Leddy returned to action after missing 49 games with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Patrick Kane lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Seattle Kraken 5-4 to extend their win streak to seven games. Lucas Raymond scored his 21st goal of the season as the Wings hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 61 points. Shane Wright tallied twice for the Kraken.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped 25 shots to shut out the Colorado Avalanche 3-0. Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser and Drew O’Connor scored for the Canucks, who sit just behind the Flames for that final Western wild card with 59 points. Avalanche netminder Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 28 shots as his club holds the first Western wild-card berth with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks got the win without captain Quinn Hughes. He missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury suspected to be in his abdominal area.

The Tampa Bay Lightning held off the Ottawa Senators 4-3, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Third-period goals by Brandon Hagel and Ryan McDonagh secured the win for the Lightning as they’re clinging to the final Eastern wild card with 60 points. Linus Ullmark made 34 saves in his return to action as the Senators hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Ullmark’s first game since being sidelined by a back injury on Dec. 22. His teammate Shane Pinto left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury while Lightning forward Nick Paul departed in the same period with an undisclosed injury.

Boston Bruins goalies Jeremy Swayman kicked out 35 shots in a 3-0 shutout of the Minnesota Wild. Charlie McAvoy, Trent Frederic and Morgan Geekie tallied for the Bruins, who sit just behind the Lightning with 60 points. Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild activated defenseman Jonas Brodin from long-term injury reserve and forward Marcus Johansson from injured reserve for this game.

The New Jersey Devils got two goals from Jack Hughes to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in a shootout. Timo Meier scored the game-winner and Jesper Bratt collected two assists as the Devils (66 points) sit two points behind the Hurricanes in third place in the Metropolitan Division. Rickard Rakell and Kevin Hayes scored for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler left this game with an injured right leg in the first period. Following the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe said Siegenthaler is expected to miss some time.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson broke a 1-1 tie in the third period as his club defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Bo Horvat also scored and Ilya Sorokin made 34 saves for the Islanders, who sit three points behind the Lightning with 57 points. Brandon Saad scored his first goal for the Golden Knights since joining them as a free agent last week. They sit second in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson stopped 26 shots in a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Cutter Gauthier and Trevor Zegras scored for the Ducks, who’ve won five of their last six contests. Colin Blackwell replied for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson became the first goaltender to play 500 regular-season games for the Ducks. Before this game, the Stars announced that defenseman Miro Heiskanen underwent knee surgery on Tuesday and is listed as month-to-month. They also played without forward Mavrik Bourque as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their fourth straight win by beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Alex Tuch netted two goals and an assist and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres. Kent Johnson and Ivan Provorov scored for the Blue Jackets as they slipped out of a wild-card spot in the East with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-wracked Blue Jackets played without defenseman and scoring leader Zach Werenski, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Sabres were without center Tage Thompson, defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

A shorthanded goal by Joel Armia with 4:04 remaining in the third period gave the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Sam Montembeault made 27 saves while Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook each had two points for the Canadiens (55 points) as they’re five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Sharks forwards Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov set the KHL single-season scoring record for an under-20 player with 43 points. Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov held the former record of 42 points.

The Utah Hockey Club defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Dylan Guenther scored with one second remaining in overtime to finish with two goals and an assist. Mikhail Sergachev had a goal and two assists for Utah to end their five-game losing skid. Samuel Ersson made 39 saves for the Flyers, who’ve lost four straight.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson is day-to-day with an injured finger.

The Nashville Predators placed forward Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Adam Edstrom will miss the next six to 10 weeks with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2025

by | Jan 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s games, the Flyers and Flames make a multi-player trade, the 4 Nations Face-Off captains are unveiled, the Oilers reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves to shut out the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 in what is likely to be his final game at the Bell Centre. Liam Ohgren, Marco Rossi, Devin Shore and Frederick Gaudreau were the goalscorers as the Wild picked up their third straight win to move ahead of the Dallas Stars into second place in the Central Division with 66 points. Jakub Dobes made 23 saves in his first regulation loss (5-1-1) as the Canadiens(53 points) are 0-3-1 in their last four games and sit four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

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

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury, 40, is expected to retire at the end of this season. He received a standing ovation from Montreal fans and the Canadiens lined up following the game to shake his hand. The shutout was his 76th, tying him with Tony Esposito and Ed Belfour for 10th all time. 

The Ottawa Senators got an overtime goal from Thomas Chabot on his birthday to nip the Washington Capitals 5-4. Josh Norris scored on a penalty shot and collected two assists and Claude Giroux reached the 1,100-point milestone as the Senators sit third in the Atlantic Division with 58 points. Washington captain Alex Ovechkin had a goal and two assists to move within 19 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record of 894. The Capitals are in first place in the Eastern Conference with 74 points, one behind the league-leading Winnipeg Jets.

Speaking of the Jets, they tallied four unanswered third-period goals in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Mark Scheifele tallied twice and Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves as Winnipeg picked up their fifth straight win. Brad Marchand and Elias Lindholm replied for the Bruins (56 points), who dropped one point behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy returned to action after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. Jets center Morgan Barron missed this game as he’s week to week due to an upper-body injury.

As for the Blue Jackets, they downed the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 on an overtime goal by Cole Sillinger. Adam Fantilli also scored for the Blue Jackets, who’ve won three of their last four, two of them in overtime. Tomas Hertl scored his 20th goal to extend his points streak to 11 games as the Golden Knights sit second in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon kicked out 45 shots to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin tallied in the shootout rounds as the Wings overcame a 2-0 deficit to pick up their fourth straight win. Leon Draisaitl netted his league-leading 36th goal as the Oilers three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings (55 points) are two points back of the Blue Jackets in the Eastern wild-card race. Meanwhile, Edmonton (68 points) holds first place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand over the Golden Knights. John Klingberg was held scoreless in his season debut with the Oilers.

Mikko Rantanen scored his first goal with the Carolina Hurricanes and Jaccob Slavin tallied the game-winner in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Seth Jarvis got his 20th of the season as the Hurricanes extended their points streak to seven games (6-0-1) and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points. Connor Bedard and Ilya Mikheyev scored for the Blackhawks.

Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned in a 28-save shutout to blank the Los Angeles Kings 3-0. Brandon Hagel scored two goals and collected an assist for the Lightning, who ended a two-game losing skid and hold the first Eastern wild card with 57 points. The Kings have dropped four straight (0-3-1) and have one win in their last seven contests. They hold third place in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning backup Jonas Johansson missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The New York Islanders defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 as goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped 23 saves for his third shutout. Rookie Marc Gatcomb scored his first NHL goal as the red-hot Isles (53 points) won their sixth straight game, sitting four points behind the Blues Jackets in the Eastern wild-card chase. The Flyers have lost four of their last five game, sitting five points back of the Jackets.

Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato scored twice and set up another to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 30 saves for the Flames as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 57 points. Frank Vatrano scored for the Ducks as their three-game win streak is over.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames and Flyers were involved in a multi-player trade last night. Calgary traded Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a second-round pick in the 2025 draft and a 2028 seventh-rounder to Philadelphia for forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee. Read on for further analysis in the Headlines below.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-2. Brandon Montour scored two goals and Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists for the Kraken. Carl Grunstrom and Tyler Toffoli replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans and Sharks forward Alex Wennberg missed this game as they’re day-to-day with upper-body injuries.

HEADLINES

CALGARY SUN: Morgan Frost is considered the focal point of last night’s trade between the Flames and Flyers. Flames general manager Craig Conroy made no secret of his search for a center. Adding the 25-year-old Frost and the 24-year-old Joel Farabee is seen as building for the future while providing an immediate boost to their roster.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Frost and Farabee were former first-round picks who didn’t pan out as hoped with the Flyers. Kuzmenko turns 29 next week and is a pending unrestricted free-agent winger who is struggling to regain his scoring touch. Pelletier, 23, is a pending restricted free-agent winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are retooling for the future but they’re also battling for a wild-card spot. This move addresses both issues and could prove to be a winning move for Conroy if Frost and Farabee flourish in Calgary.

Kuzmenko could be flipped by the March 7 trade deadline by the rebuilding Flyers for another draft pick. Pelletier is a former first-rounder who struggled to crack the Flames lineup. He’ll have a better opportunity in Philadelphia to become a full-time NHLer and reach his full potential with his new club.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The captains for the 4 Nations Face-Off were announced yesterday by the NHL. Canada’s captain will be Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews will lead Team USA, Sweden will be captained by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, and Finland by Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No shocking surprises here.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

Forwards Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, defensemen Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse, and goaltender Dwayne Roloson comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Ryan Smyth, Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky, defensemen Mattias Ekholm and Jason Smith, and goalie Tommy Salo.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen is listed as week-to-week with a knee injury and will not play for Finland in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

DAILY FACEOFF: Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Panthers, they placed defenseman Adam Boqvist on waivers.

THE SCORE: Utah Hockey Club removed one of the finalists for its new team name and resurrected another. They dropped Wasatch in favor of Outlaws, joining Mammoth and their current name among the three candidates being voted on by Utah fans.

TSN: Former goaltender, NHL executive and TSN radio personality Shawn Simpson passed away on Wednesday at age 56. Simpson was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 1986 NHL draft and spent three seasons with their then-AHL affiliate in Baltimore. He went on to work with the Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs as a team executive before joining TSN radio in Ottawa in 2012 until 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Simpson’s family, friends, teammates and co-workers.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 29, 2025

by | Jan 29, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 29, 2025

What’s the latest on Canucks centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller? Could Mikko Rantanen sign with the Oilers this summer? What’s next for the Avalanche and Hurricanes? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON PETTERSSON AND MILLER

TSN: Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford told The Globe & Mail’s Gary Mason that he can see no good solution to the rift between centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.

Rutherford indicated he felt there could be a long-term solution because everyone was working on it, including the two players. However, it would only be resolved for a short period before resurfacing. He said it “certainly appears that there’s not a good solution that would keep this group together.”

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson and Miller denied a rift existed between them last month. Rutherford’s remarks leave no doubt there is an insurmountable issue between the two players adversely affecting the team.

The Canucks are exploring trade options involving Pettersson and Miller. Rutherford admitted the long-term outlook for the club will be affected. “We’ll have to do the best we can in trades,” he said. “Whatever assets you get in return, you may turn them into something else.”

Darren Dreger reports the Canucks aren’t interested in low-ball offers for either player. “It has to be respectable”, he said, pointing out that Pettersson and Miller are the Canucks’ top two forwards.

Miller carries a no-movement clause. Dreger said they’re willing to wait until the offseason if they don’t get suitable offers for him before the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other clubs realize the Canucks are in a bind as the rift between those two affects the team’s performance so they’ll try to exploit that. Miller’s NMC complicates things as it limits potential trade destinations.

The Canucks will remain patient, hoping a rival club gets desperate enough to meet their asking price near the trade deadline. Otherwise, this situation could stretch into the offseason.

COULD RANTANEN SIGN WITH THE OILERS THIS SUMMER?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited NHL insider Andy Strickland predicting Mikko Rantanen will sign with the Oilers as a free agent this summer.

Rantanen, 28, was traded by the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes last Friday. He’s in the final season of a six-year contract with an AAV of $9.25 million.

Strickland dismissed the salary cap difficulties the Oilers would face in signing Rantanen. He claimed there’s some belief that they could do it, and he pointed out that Rantanen and Oilers star Leon Draisaitl have the same agent. He also claimed his prediction was based on “informed speculation.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Strickland can dismiss the salary-cap concerns, but they’re too significant to ignore. If the ceiling reaches $92.4 million, as projected, the Oilers will have over $15 million in cap space, with 15 active roster players under contract.

Puck-moving defenseman Evan Bouchard is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.9 million. He reached a career-high 82 points last season. His production is down this season but he should still exceed 50 points.

Bouchard could seek between $9 million and $10 million annually. Assuming the Oilers convince him to accept a doubling of his current AAV to $7.8 million, it won’t leave enough to sign Rantanen and flesh out the rest of the roster. They must also ensure sufficient cap room to make Connor McDavid the NHL’s highest-paid player starting in 2026-27.

The Oilers could clear cap space by attempting to move players lacking no-trade protection like Viktor Arvidsson, Adam Henrique and Brett Kulak. They could also buy out the final season of Evander Kane’s contract, assuming he’s no longer on LTIR when the June buyout period rolls around. However, those moves will only further deplete their roster depth which will be difficult to replace if they sign Rantanen to an expensive contract.

Rantanen could seek a salary comparable to Draisaitl’s $14 million AAV. It could cost $16 million annually to keep McDavid in the fold. Even with the cap expected to reach $100 million in two years, it’s folly to have three forwards eating up over 40 percent of your annual cap payroll and expect to ice a roster deep enough to win the Stanley Cup.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE AVALANCHE AND HURRICANES?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes the Colorado Avalanche aren’t done making deals after shipping Mikko Rantanen to Carolina on Friday.

The Avs have over $3.9 million in cap space. Proteau speculates they could attempt to improve their depth at center, replenish their stockpile of draft picks or add a third-pairing defenseman.

TSN: Chris Johnston believes the Hurricanes could still make moves by the March 7 trade deadline. He thinks they could attempt to upgrade at center after sending Jack Drury to Colorado in the Rantanen deal. Johnston also thinks they’re fine in goal now that Frederik Andersen has returned from knee surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are in “win-now” mode so they could go shopping for more depth by March 7. The Avalanche could return to the market but their placement in the standings could determine whether they make another significant move or a smaller depth one.

Johnston’s colleague Pierre LeBrun reports the Hurricanes’ acquisition of Rantanen won’t change the trade deadline plans of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. They still intend to make moves but the Rantanen blockbuster won’t influence their decisions.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

by | Jan 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

The Avalanche and Hurricanes play their first games since the blockbuster trade involving Mikko Rantanen, the Senators reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall were held scoreless in their debuts with the Carolina Hurricanes as they dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to the New York Islanders. Brock Nelson tallied the winning goal as the Isles overcame a 2-0 deficit. Jack Roslovic and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. The Islanders (49 points) have won four straight and sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Rantanan and Hall were traded to the Hurricanes on Friday evening in a three-team deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks. Islanders goaltender Marcus Hogberg left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury while teammate Ryan Pulock (upper body) departed in the first period.

Meanwhile, former Hurricanes Martin Necas and Jack Drury didn’t fare any better in their debuts with the Colorado Avalanche as they fell 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. Morgan Geekie scored two goals while David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Artturi Lekhonen replied for the Avalanche (58 points) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas and Drury were shipped from the Hurricanes to the Avalanche in the Rantanen trade. Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland acknowledged the move was a tough business decision. He wanted to re-sign Rantanen and improve his roster depth but couldn’t do both, so he chose the latter.

Rantanen’s departure saddened Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. “I never thought in a million years he’d leave. So yeah, it just sucks,” he said, calling Rantanen a great friend and teammate. “I’m gonna miss him”.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Stuart Skinner stopped 39 shots as the Oilers took over first place in the Pacific Division with 65 points. Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko scored in overtime to lift his club to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored to extend his home points streak to 19 games as his club holds the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 55 points. Kevin Fiala had two assists and Quinton Byfield scored the tying goal for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan will miss an additional six to eight weeks as he suffered a setback in his recovery from a wrist injury.

The Seattle Kraken got a 28-save performance from goaltender Joey Daccord in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jared McCann and Chandler Stephenson each collected two assists as the Kraken got their third win in their last four contests. Sidney Crosby tallied for the Penguins, who’ve lost three of their last four and sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Matt Nieto left this game with injuries. There was no postgame update on their conditions.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen made 29 saves against his former club. Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 40 shots while Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (53 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Devils (62 points) moved within two points of the second-place Hurricanes in the Metro Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Devils as captain Nico Hischier left the game in the third period after receiving an unpenalized cross-check to the mid-section from Suzuki in the previous period.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. Shane Pinto broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period while Anton Forsberg made 28 saves for the win, moving the Senators (54 points) within one point of the final Eastern wild card position. Bobby McMann scored for the Leafs (62 points), who’ve dropped two in a row but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Leafs placed forward Connor Dewar (upper body) on injured reserve and called up Nikita Grebenkin. They placed sidelined netminder Anthony Stolarz on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to clear cap space for Grebenkin.

Meanwhile, Senators forward Nick Cousins is expected to miss some time after a knee-on-knee collision with Leafs rookie Jacob Quillan in the first period. His teammate, Nick Jensen, missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot made 28 saves for his 33rd career shutout in a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marco Kasper and Michael Rasmussen were the goal scorers as the Red Wings (51 points) are four points out of the final Eastern wild card spot. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots for the Lightning (55 points), who’ve lost three of their last four and dropped into the first Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Blue Jackets are tied in points but the Bolts have more wins (26 to 24) and hold two games in hand over the Jackets.

The Dallas Stars got a 33-save shutout from Casey DeSmith to blank the St. Louis Blues 2-0. Evgenii Dadonov and Esa Lindell scored as the Stars picked up their third win in their last four games and sit second in the Central Division with 63 points. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 17 saves as his club sits five points out of the final Western wild card with 50 points.

Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice and added an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild, handing the latter their fifth defeat in their last six contests. The Flames hold the final Western wild card with 55 points. Marco Rossi had three assists for the Wild as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game after being boarded by Wild forward Jakub Lauko. There was no postgame update on his status.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes scored both goals in his club’s 2-1 win over the league-leading Washington Capitals. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for the Canucks (52 points) for their third win in their last 11 games (3-6-2) as they sit three points behind the Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the Capitals as their 12-game points streak ended (9-0-3).

The Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-2. Mason McTavish scored twice while Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly tallied for the Predators as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist in his return from injury as his club cruised to a 7-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists as the Panthers (61 points) sit one point behind the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs. Cody Ceci and Will Smith tallied for the Sharks, who’ve lost six straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sharks placed forward Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Saturday.

Forwards Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Wade Redden, and goaltender Craig Anderson comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Marian Hossa, Mark Stone and Brady Tkachuk, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Chris Phillips, and goaltender Patrick Lalime.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Will Borgen to a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension. Borgen, 28, was acquired from the Seattle Kraken last month in exchange for winger Kaapo Kakko. The average annual value of his new deal is $4.1 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2025

by | Jan 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin keeps moving closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the Red Wings unveil their Quarter-Century Team, Wild owner Craig Leipold jumps the gun on commissioner Gary Bettman’s retirement plans, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 875th regular-season goal into an empty net in a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Charlie Lindgren turned in a 22-save shutout while Aliaksei Protas and Ethan Frank tallied unassisted goals for the Capitals, who picked up their sixth straight win and sit first overall in the standings with 71 points. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord stopped 30 shots in his 100th regular-season game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 20 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894. With 34 games remaining in the Capitals’ regular-season schedule, he could break the record by April.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen turned aside 18 shots for his 300th regular-season win as his club downed the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4. Seth Jarvis scored twice and collected two assists and Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points. Kent Johnson and James van Riemsdyk each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (53 points) as they cling to the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen became the second-fastest goalie in NHL history to reach 300 career wins (501 games played). Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightnings holds that record with 490 games played.

Edmonton Oilers forwards Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each collected three points in a 6-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist for the Oilers (63 points) as they snapped a two-game losing skid to sit one point behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek replied for the Canucks (50 points), who’ve dropped four of their last five and sit three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl tallied his league-leading 35th goal and extended his home points streak to 17 games. Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood left this game for undisclosed reasons early in the second period.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights ended a four-game losing skid (0-3-1) by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Mark Stone had a goal and an assist while Tomas Hertl scored in his fourth straight game to extend his points streak to seven games. Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas scored for the Blues (50 points), who also sit three points out of the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights played without center William Karlsson as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg matched a franchise record by scoring in his seventh straight game in a 6-5 win over the San Jose Sharks. Forsberg finished the night with two goals while Fedor Svechkov snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period as the Predators picked up their fifth straight win. Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov gave up six goals on 38 shots against his former club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators forward Cole Smith received a game misconduct for a hit to the head of San Jose forward Ty Dellandrea during the second period. Dellandrea had to be helped from the ice by the Sharks medical staff and was ruled out of the remainder of this game with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Sharks forwards Klim Kostin and Nico Sturm missed this game as both are sidelined week-to-week with injuries.

The New York Rangers extended their points streak to 10 games (7-0-3) by thumping the Philadelphia Flyers 6-1. Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves while Adam Fox, K’Andre Miller, Filip Chytil and Reilly Smith each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Owen Tippett scored for the Flyers as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead after a six-week collapse in the standings, the Rangers (52 points) have climbed back into the Eastern playoff race, sitting one point behind the Blue Jackets for the final wild-card spot. The Flyers (50 points) are three points out.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin got a goal and an assist in his 700th regular-season game in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Moritz Seider collected two assists as the Wings snapped a three-game losing skid. They sit four points behind the Blue Jackets. Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault kicked out 41 shots in the loss as his club is also one point back of the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Boston Bruins blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0, handing the latter their second straight shutout loss. Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves against his former team while Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak scored the only goals. Anton Forsberg gave up only one goal on 24 shots for the Senators, who are tied with the Rangers and Canadiens with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins starter Jeremy Swayman missed this game with a minor upper-body injury. They called up Michael DiPietro to back up Korpisalo.

Senators winger David Perron returned to action for the first time in two months. They placed goalie Linus Ullmark on long-term injury reserve to accommodate Perron’s return. Meanwhile, it was a lousy day for Sens forward Claude Giroux as he was the victim of car theft for the second time in four months.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Mason McTavish and Alex Killorn each scored two goals to drop the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 and snap a four-game losing skid. John Gibson stopped 31 shots for the Ducks. Michael Bunting replied for the Penguins, who’ve lost nine of their last 12 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins (48 points) are five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Winger Bryan Rust left this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Utah Hockey Club got a 26-save shutout from goalie Karel Vejmelka in a 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Barrett Hayton tallied twice for Utah to extend their winning streak to three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild sit second in the Central Division with 60 points but they’ve lost four of their last five games.

Calgary Flames forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and two assists to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Dustin Wolf made 32 saves for the win as the Flames (53 points) hold a three-point lead over the Canucks in the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, who have lost three of their last four.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Chris Johnston report Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold said the executive committee of the NHL’s Board of Governors has been planning for the retirement of league commissioner Gary Bettman.

The longest-tenured commissioner in North American pro sports, Bettman was hired by the NHL in 1992. Leipold claims the BoG is in the process of finding Bettman’s successor.

Leipold, however, hadn’t realized the 72-year-old Bettman hadn’t formally announced his retirement plans. The commissioner told The Athletic he hasn’t decided when he’ll retire but brought it up for the first time to the executive committee ahead of last month’s BoG meeting in Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leipold put Bettman and the league in an awkward spot by jumping the gun. Nevertheless, Bettman will inevitably retire at some point, perhaps before the end of this decade.

Bettman’s not going anywhere before a new collective bargaining agreement is hammered out with the NHL Players’ Association. The current CBA is set to expire in September 2026 but Bettman has announced the two sides intend to begin discussions next month. He could set his retirement plans in motion after that.

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

The First Team features forwards Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall, and goaltender Chris Osgood.

Forwards Sergei Fedorov, Brendan Shanahan and Dylan Larkin, defensemen Chris Chelios and Bryan Rafalski, and goalie Dominik Hasek comprised the Second Team.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom could be sidelined for weeks with an ankle injury suffered during Wednesday’s game against the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing their starting goalie is a big blow to the Devils. If he’s sidelined for a lengthy period it could affect their plans for the trade deadline.

THE SCORE: New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Fortunately, he won’t require surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have struggled to remain in the playoff chase. Losing their top defenseman is a significant setback that could turn this club into a trade-deadline seller if it hampers their efforts to qualify for the postseason.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche forward Miles Wood is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Boston Bruins. He’s been sidelined since Nov. 27 by a back injury.