NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2024

by | Dec 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2024

Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk has a five-point game, Oilers forward Zach Hyman scores twice in his return from an injury, and the Blackhawks fire head coach Luke Richardson. Get the details on these stories and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk had a five-point performance (one goal, four assists) as his club recovered from blowing a 3-0 lead for a 7-5 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Sam Reinhart (one goal, two assists) snapped a 5-5 tie with 1:59 remaining in the third period as the Panthers extended their points streak to five games (4-0-1). Flyers forward Owen Tippett tallied twice within 23 seconds in the second period while teammate Matvei Michkov collected three assists.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

The Edmonton Oilers got two goals each from Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid had four assists to move into the top 10 in the points race with 35. Draisaitl had 19 goals, tying Reinhart for the league lead in that category. Cole Sillinger had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman returned to action after missing five games with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, there is no timetable for Victor Arvidsson’s return to the Oilers lineup. He’s missed nine games with an undisclosed injury.

A five-goal first period powered the Tampa Bay Lightning to an 8-1 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Brayden Point picked up four assists, Brandon Hagel scored two goals, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves for the Lightning. Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks as their three-game streak ended.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a four-point performance from Andrei Svechnikov (one goal, three assists) as they defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3, snapping a three-game losing skid. Martin Necas had a goal and an assist to take over the lead in the NHL scoring race with 41 points, one point ahead of Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon. Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin scored twice.

An overtime goal by Adam Lowry lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Connor Hellebucyk turned aside 28 shots while Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Gabriel Vilardi each collected two points as the Jets ended their four-game losing streak. Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens replied for the Sabres, who are winless in their last five contests (0-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres played without team captain Rasmus Dahlin, who remains sidelined with back spasms.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored for the second straight game as his club blanked the Nashville Predators 3-0. Samuel Montembeault turned in a 29-save shutout and Jake Evans had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens. Justus Annunen stopped 27 shots as the Predators have lost six straight games (0-3-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Montembeault, his selection to Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February had one observer suggesting his inclusion was to appease Hockey Quebec officials unhappy over the lack of Francophones on the team. A Hockey Canada official dismissed this theory, pointing out that the Canadiens goalie backstopped Canada to a gold medal in the 2023 IIHF World Championship. “Montembeault deserves to be there,” said the official.

The Predators played without center Ryan O’Reilly, who is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

Ottawa Senators forward Josh Norris tallied twice in a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Norris broke a 1-1 tie with 43 seconds remaining in the third period. Linus Ullmark turned aside 19 shots for the win. Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators honored the “Pizza Line” of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley in a pregame ceremony. They were among the league’s highest-scoring lines from 2005-06 to 2008-09. The trio earned their nickname from a promotion by the Pizza Pizza franchise rewarding those attending Senators home games with a free slice if the club scored five goals. It happened so often that the minimum was raised to six goals.

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane returned to the lineup after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

The St. Louis Blues nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3 on an overtime goal by Colton Parayko. Jordan Binnington kicked out 36 shots and Robert Thomas netted a goal and two assists for the Blues, who are 4-0-1 under head coach Jim Montgomery. Flames blueliner MacKenzie Weegar had a goal and an assist.

Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists to lead his club to a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Fellow blueliner Adam Larsson collected three assists while goalie Joey Daccord stopped 27 shots. Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin got the hook after giving up four goals on 13 shots. The Isles have won only twice in their last 10 games (2-5-3).

HEADLINES

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks fired head coach Luke Richardson on Thursday after the club compiled a record of 8-16-2. Anders Sorensen, who was the head coach of the Blackhawks AHL affiliate in Rockford, takes over from Richardson on an interim basis. Blackhawks assistant general manager Mark Eaton takes over the coaching duties in Rockford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks brought in several veterans during the offseason to bolster their roster but the club only seemed to get worse. Franchise player Connor Bedard struggled to score, raising concerns that he could be growing frustrated with the team’s performance.

Speculation over which former NHL coach might take over as the Blackhawks’ full-time bench boss has already begun. Candidates could include Jay Woodcroft, Todd McLellan, Dave Hakstol and Gerard Gallant.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko could be getting closer to his season debut. He’s been sidelined since the 2024 playoffs with a knee injury. On Thursday, Demko told reporters that he felt ready to go. However, he’s not expected to be between the pipes on Friday when the Canucks face the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks won’t rush their Vezina Trophy finalist into the lineup. They’ll want to be sure he’s 100 percent before green-lighting his return to action. Nevertheless, it sounds like he’s close to rejoining his teammates.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton will play in his 800th career NHL regular-season game on Friday when his club meets the Seattle Kraken.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jani Hakanpaa underwent a “minor procedure” on his knee but is expected to return to the lineup soon. He’s been limited to two games this season and last played on Nov. 16.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 3, 2024

by | Dec 3, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 3, 2024

Check out the latest on the Oilers, Panthers and Hurricanes in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HOW WILL THE OILERS IMPROVE THEIR BLUELINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell cited Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman saying he’d like to add a defenseman later this season during a recent interview with Daniel Nugent-Bowman.

Mitchell suggested Henri Jokiharju of the Buffalo Sabres and J.J. Moser of the Tampa Bay Lightning as trade options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jokiharju might be available if the Sabres are out of playoff contention at the March 7 trade deadline. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Moser isn’t going anywhere. He’s signed through next season with an average annual value of $3.375 million and currently skates alongside Victor Hedman on the Lightning’s top defense pairing.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: A reader asked Jim Matheson if there was anything to the speculation suggesting Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard could land with the Oilers by the trade deadline.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (NHL Images).

Matheson believes the Oilers would prefer Savard’s teammate Mike Matheson, provided the Canadiens retained part of his $4.875 million AAV because he’s a better puckmover.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matheson has surfaced in the rumor mill as the Canadiens are once again among the bottom feeders in the standings. Habs GM Kent Hughes will want a a first-round pick or a top prospect as part of a package deal, especially if the inquiring team wants him to retain part of Matheson’s salary.

DAILY FACEOFF: Jason Gregor noted that Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has frequently popped up in trade rumors. However, he’s torn on the big Finn because of his consistency with his decision-making. Gregor also mentioned Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames, but considers the odds of the Oilers landing him are “pretty much zero.”

UPDATES ON THE PANTHERS AND HURRICANES

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Florida Panthers have had internal discussions about tweaking their blueline between now and the March 7 trade deadline. “They don’t have much cap space, so they’ll have to be creative.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Puckpedia shows the Panthers with $1.69 million in current cap space but could have over $5.4 million by March 7. That should provide sufficient wiggle room for GM Bill Zito to get creative in the trade market.

LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes signing Dustin Tokarski on Monday doesn’t take them out of the goalie market. He believes they could act at any time if a goalie becomes available who slots ahead of Spencer Martin and Tokarski. They’ll also want to see how Frederik Andersen performs when he returns from his recent knee procedure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There aren’t many options currently available which explains the signing of Tokarski. They’re fine with Pyotr Kochetkov as their starter but want to ensure they’ve got sufficient depth in case injuries strike again.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2024

by | Dec 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2024

The Capitals and Wild each get 10 wins in November, Lightning captain Victor Hedman reaches a franchise milestone, the Blue Jackets trade David Jiricek to the Wild, the Avalanche and Predators swap backup goalies, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals within 10 seconds by Taylor Raddysh and Pierre-Luc Dubois enabled the Washington Capitals to hold off the New Jersey Devils 6-5. John Carlsson collected three assists as the Capitals (17-6-1, 35 points) vaulted over the Devils (19-9-2, 34 points) into first place in the Eastern Conference. Devils center Jack Hughes also had three assists.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jared Spurgeon lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Spurgeon and Kirill Kaprizov each had a goal and an assist as the Wild (16-4-4, 36 points) moved into a tie with the Winnipeg Jets (18-6-0, 36 points) atop the overall standings. Fedor Svechkov and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators, who dropped their fourth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals and Wild were the only teams to win 10 games in November. The Jets still hold first overall based on wins. Kaprizov scored his 61st career power-play goal, surpassing Mikko Koivu for the second-most PPGs in franchise history. Zach Parise holds the record with 69.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got two assists from Auston Matthews and a goal and an assist from Matthew Knies to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Lightning captain Victor Hedman collected two assists to pass Martin St. Louis for the most assists (590) in franchise history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews missed nine games with an undisclosed injury while Knies missed two games with an upper-body injury. Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day.

New York Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko scored with 24 seconds remaining in regulation to nip the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist and Adam Fox collected two assists as the Rangers snapped a five-game losing skid. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Missed calls on both teams sparked criticism of the officiating in this game. Meanwhile, the Canadiens placed forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard on waivers.

The Florida Panthers crushed the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 to sweep their home-and-home series. Spencer Knight turned in a 20-save shutout, Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist, Matthew Tkachuk collected two assists and Sam Bennett scored for the third straight game.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and forward Michael Bunting each had a goal and two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Alex Nedeljkovic made 30 saves as the Penguins picked up their third straight win. Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

An overtime goal by rookie winger Matvei Michkov lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Michkov also had an assist while Aleksei Kolosov made 25 saves for the Flyers, who’ve won three straight to hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours each scored for the Blues.

The Los Angeles Kings picked up their third straight win by dropping the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Anze Kopitar, Trevor Moore and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Senators center Tim Stutzle scored to extend his points streak to six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings center Trevor Lewis left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, ending a three-game winless skid (0-2-1). Simon Holmstrom tallied twice and Anders Lee netted his 10th goal of the season.

The Edmonton Oilers beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots and Kasperi Kapanen scored his first goal with the Oilers, who picked up their third straight win. Nikolai Kovalenko replied for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche acquired goalie Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators in exchange for netminder Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick in 2025. Wedgewood backed up Avs starter Alexandar Georgiev in this game.

The Avs hope the experienced Wedgewood will bring more stability to their goaltending, but he struggled with the Predators after signing a two-year contract with them during the summer.

Four first-period goals powered the Utah Hockey Club to a 6-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Jaxon Stauber made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout and Nick Schmaltz scored two goals for Utah, ending the Golden Knights’ five-game points streak.

The San Jose Sharks doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2 to sweep their home-and-home series. Mackenzie Blackwood kicked out 36 shots and Will Smith scored for the third straight game as the Sharks held off a late rally by the Kraken, who got goals from Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn returned to action after missing 19 games with a mid-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: The Columbus Blue Jackets traded defenseman David Jiricek and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for blueliner Daemon Hunt, a 2025 first-round pick (top-five protected), a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 third-round pick and fourth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets were concerned about Jiricek’s skating, which is the key reason they were willing to part with the 21-year-old defenseman, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. However, the Wild consider Jiricek worth the investment, hoping the big defenseman with the booming shot reaches his potential as a top-four NHL blueliner.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The NHL department of player safety fined Penguins center Evgeni Malkin $5,000.00 for slashing and Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov $5,000.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct during an incident between the two players in Friday’s game between their two clubs.

SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Golden Knights. However, he hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Stars.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 30, 2024

by | Nov 30, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 30, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Canucks, Canadiens, Avalanche and Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE RANGERS

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reports executives around the NHL are wondering if the New York Rangers could entice Igor Shesterkin to sign an offer of $12.5 million per season given the club’s current slump, management’s desire to alter the team’s core, and their inability to reduce the numbers of shots and scoring chances against him.

Shesterkin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He might want to see what other teams have to offer if the Rangers intend to retool or make big roster changes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin would be the top goaltender and among the biggest names in next summer’s UFA market. Plenty of clubs will line up to get him, especially if the salary cap rises higher than the $92.4 million projection. His departure would also signal the Rangers are rebuilding, not retooling.

Staple also noted a recent TSN report claiming Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko is back on the trade block. The 23-year-old winger’s been among the few bright spots on their roster this season. Staple doesn’t see them moving Kakko for futures when there’s no one in their system to replace him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no reason to move Kakko during this season unless it’s a player-for-player swap, or if the Rangers are tearing down the roster now.

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

A league source told Staple that Rangers general manager Chris Drury recently contacted the Vancouver Canucks about bringing J.T. Miller back to New York. Drury tried to acquire Miller before the 2022 trade deadline. Miller subsequently signed an eight-year extension with the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks aren’t trading Miller, who carries a full no-movement clause and wants to stay in Vancouver. Even if he were available, the Rangers would have to move one of their high-salaried forwards to make room for his $8 million annual salary-cap hit.

Staple also noted how much things have fallen apart for the Rangers since news broke of Drury’s willingness to shake up his roster core with a trade. He doesn’t see anyone trading for team captain Jacob Trouba due to the decline in his performance. Staple wondered if Trouba is stripped of the captaincy and what could be in store for head coach Peter Laviolette and Drury himself.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staple suggested this goes back to Drury’s shabby treatment of Barclay Goodrow in June when he abruptly placed the popular checking line forward on the waiver wire, where the San Jose Sharks claimed him. Another issue was Drury’s bungled attempt to trade Trouba before July 1.

Drury might’ve been trying to motivate his veterans when he sent that memo around the league indicating his willingness to entertain trade offers for some of them. However, it’s blown up in his face. The Rangers look nothing like the club that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season. They’re clinging to a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets nipping at their heels.

UPDATES ON THE CANUCKS

DAILY HIVE: Noah Strang cited CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reporting Canucks GM Patrik Allvin contacted the Boston Bruins to discuss bringing Nikita Zadorov back to Vancouver. Dhaliwal claimed it was a “short conversation” and wasn’t major.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadorov was traded to the Canucks last November by the Calgary Flames. He signed a six-year contract with the Boston Bruins in July with an average annual value of $5 million. The deal includes a full no-movement clause for this season.

The Canucks had their chance to sign Zadorov last summer but balked because he was asking for more than they were willing to pay. They’re pressed for cap space and can’t afford to take on his contract now.

ESPN: Kevin Weekes took to “X” reporting the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets are among the teams interested in Nils Hoglander. The 24-year-old Canucks forward signed a three-year contract extension with an AAV of $3 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoglander had a career-high 24 goals last season but only two goals and five points in 22 games thus far. He could become a trade chip to bring in a top-four defenseman.

THE LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is “listening to just about anything” regarding his club’s pending UFAs. They include defenseman David Savard and forwards Jake Evans, Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia.

Hughes could also be willing to entertain offers for Mike Matheson. The 30-year-old defenseman has another year left on his contract with an AAV of $4.88 million. Matheson is currently nursing a lower-body injury but when healthy, he could be a valuable trade chip. He has 13 points in 20 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on where the Canadiens are in the standings by the trade deadline. Some of those players could be on the move if the Habs are once again out of playoff contention. Matheson could have more value given he’s still in his prime and has another year left on his contract.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wondering if the Pittsburgh Penguins might inquire about the availability of young Canadiens forward Kirby Dach. Friedman’s cohost Kyle Bukauskas doubted the Habs would give up on Dach this early in his career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Let’s be clear, Friedman isn’t saying the Penguins are calling about Dach, he’s just spitballing here.

I agree with Bukauskas. Dach is struggling after missing all but one game last season with a knee injury. It takes time to come back from something like that. Hughes will be patient with Dach unless someone makes a mindblowing offer for him.

WILL THE AVALANCHE PURSUE A GOALTENDER?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently looked at possible goaltending options for the Colorado Avalanche. He and co-host Tyler Yaremchuk believe there is “no more urgent goaltending situation in the NHL than the Colorado Avalanche,” pointing out they need an upgrade over the current tandem of Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen.

Seravalli doubts they can afford to take on the contract of Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson. His suggested options include Mackenzie Blackwood of the San Jose Sharks and Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Sharks aren’t in a hurry to move Blackwood. Neither are the Flames, who are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.

Sharks GM Mike Grier will likely wait until the March trade deadline to peddle Blackwood to get the best possible return. Vladar probably won’t be moved if the Flames remain in the postseason hunt.

COULD THE OILERS TARGET A TOP-FOUR DEFENSEMAN

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Bob Stauffer of “Oilers Now” suggesting the Oilers have their eye on a top-four defenseman who can play the right side with a left-handed shot who can move the puck.

Stauffer wouldn’t say who the Oilers could target. Staples speculates it could be Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen, Detroit’s Ben Chiarot or Ottawa’s Nick Jensen.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2024

by | Nov 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2024

Recapping the action of Friday’s 14 games in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny scored two goals as his club upset the New York Rangers 3-1. Bobby Brink also scored and Ivan Fedotov stopped 22 shots for the Flyers as they moved into the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 25 points (11-10-3). Vincent Trocheck replied for the Rangers, who’ve lost five in a row and hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 25 points (12-9-1).

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers look nothing like the dominant club that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season. General manager Chris Drury miscalculated if he felt that publicly shopping some of his veterans in the trade market would light a fire under this team. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon scored twice as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves as he remains unbeaten in regulation (5-0-1) this season. Ryan Donato tallied both goals for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit will remain sidelined for another six weeks after undergoing a second procedure on his right knee.

The Vancouver Canucks blew a 3-1 lead but got a 4-3 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Connor Garland had two goals (including the winning goal) and an assist and Kevin Lankinen turned aside 31 shots for the Canucks. Sabres forward Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Sam Lafferty left this game with a lower-body injury.

Power-play goals by Dougie Hamilton, Timo Meier and Jack Hughes carried the New Jersey Devils over the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. Hamilton, Meier and Hughes each finished with two points. Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko also had a goal and an assist while teammate Lucas Raymond scored to extend his goal streak to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Tomas Tatar left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. His status is unclear for Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The Devils sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 34 points.

The Washington Capitals overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 on an overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun. Tom Wilson had two goals, Dylan Strome scored a goal and two assists and Connor McMichael had three helpers for the Capitals. Simon Holmstrom scored twice and Anders Lee had a goal and two assists for the Islanders, who have only two wins in their last 10 games (2-4-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was a last-minute scratch as he’s dealing with a lower-body issue.

Three unanswered third-period goals by A.J. Greer, Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett carried the Florida Panthers over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 6-3. This was Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad’s 700th career NHL regular-season game. Seth Jarvis, Sean Walker and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win moves the Panthers into first place in the Atlantic Division with 29 points, one ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Columbus Blue Jackets extended their points streak to five games (4-0-1) with a 5-2 upset of the Calgary Flames. Adam Fantilli scored two goals, and Kirill Marchenko had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets. Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extended his points streak to seven games with a goal and an assist.

An overtime power-play goal by Brayden Point gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning while Roman Josi netted both goals for the Predators, who’ve dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nashville winger Steven Stamkos wasn’t pleased with his club’s work ethic against his former team. It’s been a difficult season for Stamkos with seven goals and 12 points in 24 games since signing with the Predators this summer.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Erik Portillo turned aside 28 shots in his NHL debut to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Alex Turcotte and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings while Ryan Strome replied for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings placed center Akil Thomas (undisclosed) on injured reserve ahead of this contest. He was injured during Monday’s 7-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose Sharks rookies Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith each had a goal and an assist in an 8-5 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Ethan Cardwell tallied his first NHL goal for the Sharks and Jake Walman tallied twice. Kraken center Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists and teammate Shane Wright potted two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are still rebuilding and aren’t expected to be a playoff club this season. Nevertheless, promising youngsters like Celebrini, Smith and William Eklund and veterans like Mikael Granlund, Tyler Toffoli, Mackenzie Blackwood and Alexander Wennberg have turned this group into an entertaining team. It’s a refreshing change from the moribund bunch that floundered at the bottom of the standings in 2023-24.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got a game-winning goal from recently acquired winger Philip Tomasino to nip the Boston Bruins 2-1. Penguins winger Rickard Rakell also scored and Tristan Jarry got the win with a 31-save performance. Charlie Coyle scored for the Bruins as Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden scored twice, including the game-winner, in a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. It’s the first time Howden has reached 10 goals in a season. Ivan Barbashev also tallied two goals for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 33 points. Cole Perfetti scored twice for the Jets, who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winnipeg remains atop the overall standings with 36 points but they’ve cooled from their red-hot start of 17 wins in their first 20 games. The Jets activated defenseman Logan Stanley off injured reserve for this game.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment scored two goals and collected an assist as his club defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and an assist for the Stars while Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had two points for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz returned to action after missing the club’s previous game with an undisclosed ailment. However, teammate Logan Stankoven missed this game with a minor injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins lifted the Edmonton Oilers over the Utah Hockey Club 4-3. His teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist, Evan Bouchard had two assists and Calvin Pickard kicked out 28 shots for the win. Alexander Kerfoot, Logan Cooley and Lawson Crouse scored for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman Maveric Lamoureux missed this game as he’s sidelined for four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies will return from injuries in Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues activated defenseman Philip Broberg off injured reserve. He could return to action on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 26, 2024

by | Nov 26, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 26, 2024

Are roster shake-ups coming for the Rangers and Senators? What’s the latest Oilers speculation? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE RANGERS TRADE TROUBA OR KREIDER?

SPORTSNET’s Elliotte Friedman took to “X” yesterday reporting the New York Rangers have made it clear they’re interested in “making moves and shaking up their roster.” This decision came following their 6-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

Friedman indicated that team captain Jacob Trouba and veteran winger Chris Kreider are among the names being floated as available, “although other options will be considered.”

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan replied to Friedman’s report, indicating she followed up with calls to people associated with the Rangers. Despite their .658 win percentage, the names being mentioned lead everyone to believe that none of the Rangers should feel complacent right now.

Friedman discussed the situation during an appearance on The FAN Hockey Show on Monday afternoon. He observed that Kreider lacks full no-move protection and suggested he would draw interest in the trade market.

However, Friedman said he and others are trying to determine whether the Rangers are serious about moving Kreider or just trying to shake up the room by threatening to trade the long-time Blueshirt.

Kreider, 33, is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.5 million and a 15-team no-trade list.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reports Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury sent a memo to all 31 of his NHL counterparts announcing his club was open for business, “specifically citing multiple players as available, not merely their longest-tenured player, Chris Kreider, and captain, Jacob Trouba.”

Larry Brooks believes it’s time to blow up this version of the Rangers, dismissing the idea of another coaching change. “This core does not get to fire another coach. They have not earned that right,” he wrote.

Brooks noted that Trouba can be traded, suggesting he be suspended and removed from the Rangers’ salary cap if he refuses to go. The 30-year-old captain is signed through next season with an AAV of $8 million. He has a 15-team no-trade list for this season. During the offseason, Trouba spiked a deal that would’ve sent him to the Detroit Red Wings.

Moving Kreider would be a shockwave through the organization. However, he might yield a bounty in return.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reports Rangers management is pleased with the performance of young players like Alexis Lafreniere, Will Cuylle, Braden Schneider and Zac Jones. He also noted that Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil are playing well this season, though Chytil missed his fifth straight game on Monday with an upper-body injury.

The veteran core (except for goalies Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick and leading scorer Artemi Panarin) aren’t performing to expectations. However, there’s little Drury can do about them because most have long-term deals, no-trade clauses, or no-movement clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving Kreider or Trouba right now could be difficult. Their cap hits are difficult for interested parties to absorb, especially with a lot of teams carrying limited cap room at this point in the season. Their 15-team no-trade lists are an additional complication.

That’s not to say it’s impossible. Perhaps a deal could be worked out involving one or both, or whoever else Rangers management might consider peddling. It just won’t be easy to find suitable trade partners with the cap room and the wealth of tradeable assets.

COULD THE SENATORS SHAKE THINGS UP?

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited a source suggesting the Ottawa Senators could consider a shake-up trade. The club remains mired in mediocrity despite management and coaching changes since last year.

Murphy believes the Senators are running out of options without making a franchise-altering move. Goaltending was assumed to be the issue they believed was rectified by acquiring Linus Ullmark.

Former Senators defenseman turned podcast host Marc Methot hinted at this last week, suggesting a core player could be moved if things don’t improve soon. Murphy claimed there were rumors captain Brady Tkachuk could be a trade candidate but his source said he hadn’t heard specific names, just that anything is in play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reported last week that the Senators had to do something or risk another lost season, citing sources claiming GM Steve Staios was shopping around to find upgrades for his roster.

Garrioch dismissed the notion of Tkachuk or long-time defenseman Thomas Chabot hitting the trade block. It’s unlikely that scoring leader Tim Stutzle or top defenseman Jake Sanderson will be moved. Garrioch cited a source suggesting Josh Norris as a trade candidate.

One move the Senators could make is for a defenseman. Garrioch reported they’re aggressively looking to add to their blueline after Artem Zub broke his foot blocking a shot during Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. Zub is expected to be sidelined for a while.

LATEST OILERS SPECULATION

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins noted Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported last week that Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson could waive his no-trade clause for the Oilers. However, Leavins is skeptical that Gibson would be an improvement over Oilers starter Stuart Skinner and not at his $6.4 million cap hit. Even if the Ducks agreed to retain half, Gibson would still be difficult to fit within the Oilers’ limited cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed.

Leavins also noted recent speculation linking the Oilers to Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek. He noted Jiricek projects as a better, more physical defender than the departed Philip Broberg, possessing a better shot and with plenty of room for development. However, he also pointed out that Jiricek wasn’t as good a skater as Broberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers don’t see Jiricek as a fit with the Oilers because they lack the depth in tradeable assets to tempt the Blue Jackets.