NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2024

by | Apr 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Coyotes could move to Salt Lake City, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The St. Louis Blues kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Jordan Kyrou scored twice as the Blues scored on their first four shots and Robert Thomas picked up a goal and an assist. With a record of 42-32-5 (89 points), the Blues sit three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wildcard berth. Blackhawks rookie Landon Slaggert scored his first NHL goal.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Golden Knights (42-28-8), they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Edmonton Oilers. Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who improved to 48-24-5 and moved into ninth in the overall standings with 101 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers played without captain Connor McDavid as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to return to action at some point during their remaining five games before the end of the regular season.

An overtime goal by Logan Cooley lifted the Arizona Coyotes to a 4-3 upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Dylan Guenther had a goal and three assists for the Coyotes. Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the 48-22-9 as they sit fifth overall with 105 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes deserve credit for playing as well as they did against one of the league’s top teams considering the uncertainty about their futures in Arizona. Speaking of which…

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli was the first to report that Coyotes ownership and the NHL were working on an agreement to sell and relocate the franchise to Salt Lake City.

The league and the Coyotes have reportedly made what Seravalli’s sources called “significant and meaningful progress” on an agreement with Smith Entertainment Group that would have the team playing in Salt Lake City next season.

It’s believed the Coyotes players have been informed a “verbal agreement” is in place. However, nothing is officially in place as the deal is complicated with much work still to be done. Meanwhile, the league is working on two schedules for 2024-25, one with the Coyotes in Arizona and the other with the team in Salt Lake City.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported one Coyotes player said there are rumors of “meeting about the future” before he and his teammates go their separate ways for the offseason.

Friedman indicated the league is working as a broker with Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo and prospective Utah owner Ryan Smith. He claims multiple sources said a real scenario has the league paying Meruelo $1 billion for the Coyotes, then selling the club to Smith for $1.2 billion.

Meruelo would also be offered a five-year exclusive window to bring an expansion team to Arizona.

The Coyotes owner hopes to win a land auction on June 27 for a parcel of land on which he wants to build an arena and sports entertainment complex. The league initially hoped to let the auction play out but there is concern over what would happen if Meruelo lost the auction and the possibility of playing another three seasons at Mullett Arena. According to Friedman, there wasn’t much enthusiasm for the latter.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Kevin Zimmerman lists several factors that could see the Coyotes relocated to Salt Lake City.

He noted that there are “many entities” that don’t want the Coyotes building an arena in the Phoenix area. Among them is Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega, who wrote a letter indicating the biggest problem was the Coyotes’ lack of consultation with Scottsdale regarding infrastructure issues like traffic and water mains.

Zimmerman also believes the NHL and NHL Players’ Association appear to be losing confidence in the Coyotes’ efforts to construct a new arena.

As for why Ryan Smith prefers to bring an existing franchise to Salt Lake City over an expansion club, it’s because it would bring NHL hockey more quickly to Utah. The Coyotes are an “intriguing hockey product” with promising young players such as Clayton Keller and Matias Maccelli and a general manager who is preaching patience with his rebuilding project.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported the NHL sent a status report memo to its Board of Governors on Wednesday in response to the media coverage of this story. The memo stressed that there is still nothing done as there are “moving parts” to this situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having followed the Coyotes ownership saga for nearly two decades, I realize that nothing is set in stone and this situation could take another dramatic twist. Nevertheless, this is the first time that it feels that relocation is imminent. While it’s a complicated scenario that could fall apart in the coming weeks, this seems like a genuine effort by the team’s owner, the league and a prospective buyer in Salt Lake City to make this move happen.

The Coyotes cannot continue as they have in Arizona. It’s not feasible to play in the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena for another three years given the uncertainty over whether a new arena will be built. NHLPA leadership has spoken out in recent months about the Coyotes’ handling of its arena situation because it’s a drag on hockey-related revenue.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has fought for two decades to keep the struggling Coyotes in Arizona because it’s one of the biggest markets in North America. While his patience is long, it’s not endless, and I daresay he’s hearing grumbling from a growing chorus of existing NHL team owners.

I feel sorry for Coyotes fans. They knew this day was coming but it still sucks. Contrary to popular belief, a lot of people supported the Coyotes for decades through the good and mostly bad times. Decades of bumbling by multiple owners and general managers brought this franchise to this point. Coyotes fans deserve better.

THE SCORE: Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is still working on bringing an NHL franchise to his city. “I’m working on it, “ he said. The Rockets play in the 19,000-seat Toyota Center, which would hold 17,800 fans when converted for hockey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Houston becomes a viable alternative if efforts to relocate the Coyotes to Salt Lake City fall through. Otherwise, expect an expansion franchise in Houston (and one in Atlanta) before 2030. It’s going to happen. The league will expand to 34 franchises and perhaps 35 if the NHL attempts to return to Arizona.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports a Philadelphia Flyers management source said John Tortorella will not be losing his job as head coach despite the club’s recent downturn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This comes in response to speculation that Tortorella would be fired or be moved into a management role.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli will miss the remainder of the season. He’s been sidelined by a lacerated calf since Jan. 28. However, Fantilli could skate for Team Canada at next month’s World Championships if he’s fully recovered by then.

NHLPA: The results of the latest players’ poll have been released. Follow the link provided for the results on the players’ views on topics such as the top positional players, the most complete player the toughest arena to play in, the best dressed, and more.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2024

by | Apr 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2024

The Leafs’ Auston Matthews continues his quest for 70 goals, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl reach the 40-goal plateau, and the battle for the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot continues in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tallied his 64th goal of the season in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Matthews also reached the 100-point plateau as his Leafs improved to 44-23-9 and remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 97 points. Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for the 29-35-12 Canadiens.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews holds an 11-goal lead over Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart as this season’s leading goal scorer. He becomes the eighth player to reach 100 points this season. That’s the most in one season for NHL scorers since 1995-96 when 12 players did it. The Canadiens played without defensemen Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj, who are sidelined with upper-body injuries.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored his 40th of the season as his club nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4. Michael Bunting snapped a 4-4 tie in the third period after the Lightning overcame a 4-1 deficit. Bunting, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson each had three points for the Penguins (36-30-11) as they took possession of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Steven Stamkos scored twice and Nikita Kucherov had three assists for the 43-27-7 Lightning, who hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was a scary moment in the third period when referee Steve Kozari was briefly knocked unconscious following an accidental collision with Lightning defenseman Hadyn Fleury. Kozari was stretchered from the game and is expected to make a full recovery. Fleury was shaken up and left the game under his own power. Lightning forwards Anthony Cirelli and Tanner Jeannot missed this game with upper-body injuries.

The Penguins have won four straight and six of their last 10 contests. Crosby has reached 40 goals in the season three times with the last being seven years ago. Meanwhile, Kucherov (136 points) holds a five-point lead over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the lead in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.

The Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Calgary Flames 4-2 in the final segment of this season’s “Battle of Alberta”. Leon Draisaitl scored his 40th goal of the season and Connor McDavid collected two assists to sit one shy of 100 as the Oilers (47-24-5) sit second in the Pacific Division with 99 points. Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time as his club slipped to 34-37-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl also tallied 20 power-play goals for the third consecutive season. McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season and the first to do so since Wayne Gretzky in 1990-91. He remains third in the scoring race with 130 points.

New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov kicked out 41 shots to shut out the Nashville Predators 2-0. Noah Dobson and Kyle Palmieri were the goal scorers for the 35-27-15 Islanders, who picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 85 points, two ahead of the Penguins. Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves for the Predators (44-29-4) as they slipped into the final Western Conference wildcard spot.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got six goals from defensemen in a 6-2 upset of the struggling Philadelphia Flyers. Zach Werenski and Damon Severson each tallied twice with Erik Gudbranson and Nick Blankenburg netting the others for the 26-39-12 Blue Jackets. Olle Lycksell and Adam Ginning scored their first career NHL goals as the 36-31-11 Flyers (83 points) slipped out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those six goals from defensemen matched the NHL record set by the 1992-93 Washington Capitals in a 10-4 win over the New York Rangers on Dec. 4, 1992.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Jesper Bratt collected two assists for the 37-36-4 Devils (78 points) as they sit five points behind the Penguins. Claude Giroux, Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the 33-39-4 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk set an NHL record for most hits in a single game with 16. His teammate Tim Stutzle missed this game (his bobblehead night) with a suspected shoulder injury and is considered day-to-day.

An overtime goal by Jesper Boqvist lifted the Boston Bruins over the Florida Panthers 3-2. The two Charlies (McAvoy and Coyle) scored for the Bruins (46-17-15), who sit second overall with 107 points. Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov replied for the 48-24-6 Panthers, who sit seventh overall with 102 points.

The Los Angeles got two goals from Adrian Kempe in a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Kempe finished with three points and goaltender Cam Talbot stopped 39 shots for the Kings (41-25-11), who picked up their third straight victory and moved into third place in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Brock Boeser netted his 39th goal of the season for the 47-22-8 Canucks, who sit fifth in the overall standings with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Phillip Danault recorded an assist in his return from a four-game absence recovering from an upper-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov had a goal and two assists as his team downed the Minnesota Wild 4-2. With a record of 47-24-6, the Jets sit eighth in the overall standings with 100 points. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 39th goal of the season for 36-31-9 Wild.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Dallas Stars 3-2, snapping the latter’s eight-game win streak. Petr Mrazek stopped 42 shots and Connor Bedard netted his 22nd goal of the season for the 23-48-5 Blackhawks. Roope Hintz scored his 29th and Jamie Benn his 20th for the Stars (48-20-9) as they slipped into third overall with 105 points.

San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund scored his first NHL hat trick, including the winner in overtime in a 3-2 against the St. Louis Blues. Devin Cooley made 34 saves to pick up his first career NHL victory for the 18-50-8 Sharks. Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn scored for the 40-32-5 Blues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2024

by | Apr 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2024

The Oilers, Leafs and Lightning clinch playoff berths and the Masterton Trophy nominees are announced. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers got two goals from Connor McDavid and Evander Kane to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 and clinch a playoff berth. With a record of 46-24-5, the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 97 points. Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton replied for the Avalanche (48-23-6) as they sit sixth in the overall standings with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also lost winger Mikko Rantanen, who left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a heavy, clean hit by Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm. Following the game, Avs head coach Jared Bednar said Rantanen would be under evaluation for a while.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

McDavid and Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon gained some ground on Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league this season with 133 points. MacKinnon collected an assist and sits second with 131 points while McDavid sits third with 128. Speaking of scoring, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl became the fifth player in franchise history with five 100-point seasons.

The Oilers overcame a poor start to this season to secure a postseason spot. They were 10 points out of contention and third-last in the overall standings by the US Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 23.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho snapped a 2-2 tie in a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, leaving the latter winless in their last five games (0-4-1). Jake Guentzel tallied twice and collected an assist as the Hurricanes improved to 48-22-7 to rise into fourth in the overall standings with 103 points. Alex Ovechkin scored both goals for the Capitals (36-30-10), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 851 career goals, leaving him 43 behind all-time leader Wayne Gretzky (894). After scoring eight goals in his first 43 games this season, the Capitals captain has 21 goals in his last 30 games. He’s poised to reach the 30-goal mark for the 18th time, which will set an NHL record.

The Buffalo Sabres kept their playoff hopes alive by doubling up the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. Jack Quinn potted two goals and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves for the 37-35-5 Sabres (79 points) as they sit four points behind the Flyers, who dropped to 36-30-11 and slipped into the final Eastern wildcard spot with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The idle Toronto Maple Leafs clinched a playoff berth with the Flyers and Capitals’ losses on Friday.

The Flyers overachieved for most of this season and have held a playoff berth since last fall. However, the wheels are coming off as they’ve won just twice in their last 10 games. The New York Islanders have knocked them out of third place in the Metropolitan Division. They’re now in danger of being overtaken by the Sabres, Capitals, Detroit Red Wings or Pittsburgh Penguins if any of those clubs can string a few wins together.

New York Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow tallied two goals in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Chris Kreider netted his 37th goal of the season and Jonathan Quick turned aside 31 shots for the league-leading Rangers (52-21-4) as they opened a three-point lead (108) over the second-overall Dallas Stars. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored his 30th goal as his club fell to 37-31-8 and are one point behind the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Wings, Flyers and Capitals losing their games, the idle Tampa Bay Lightning secured a playoff spot. Only two berths in the East remain available with six teams having a legitimate shot at clinching them.

Larkin is the first Red Wing to have three straight 30-goal seasons since Henrik Zetterberg from 2005-06 to 2008-09.

The Arizona Coyotes scored six unanswered third-period goals to upset the Vegas Golden Knights 7-4. Michael Carcone tallied the tying and winning goals for the 32-39-5 Coyotes. William Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (42-26-8) as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 92 points.

Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright scored twice and picked up an assist to lead his club to a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Oliver Bjorkstrand had two assists for the 32-31-13 Kraken. Leo Carlsson replied for the 25-48-4 Ducks.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Professional Hockey Writers Association announced the 32 finalists for the 2023-24 Bill Masteron Memorial Trophy, awarded each year “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the complete list. Among the notables are Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene, New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier, and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

My congratulations to all 32 players as they are worthy nominees.

I’m not a member of the PHWA but if I were, my choice would be Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington, who returned to action this season after a year and a half away from the game dealing with mental health issues.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will return to action on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. He’s been sidelined by a high-ankle sprain for 12 games. He will start on the second line with center John Tavares and winger Bobby McMann.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner usually skates alongside Auston Matthews on the first line. Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe wants to keep the line of Matthews, Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi intact for at least this game.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm resumed practicing with his teammates on Friday after being sidelined with a wrist injury since March 23. It’s not known when he’ll return to the lineup but it’s a promising sign that he might be back before the end of the regular season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 31, 2024

by | Mar 31, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 31, 2024

The Avalanche and Canucks clinch playoffs berths, it’s now a three-player race for the Art Ross Trophy, the Leafs’ Auston Matthews hits 60 goals and Jonathan Quick set a record for US-born goaltenders. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and set up two others as the Colorado Avalanche overcame 3-1 and 4-2 deficits to defeat the Nashville Predators 7-4 and clinch a playoff berth. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had three points for the 47-21-6 Avalanche, who sit fifth in the overall standings with 100 points. Gustav Nyquist had two points for the Predators (43-27-4), who hold the first Western Conference wildcard berth with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds first place in the race for the Art Ross Trophy with 127 points…A match penalty to Predators defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the second period for an illegal hit to the head of Avalanche forward Ross Colton was the turning point in the game. McDonagh’s ejection left the Preds with just five blueliners for the rest of the game…Avs defenseman Sean Walker missed the third period with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Jonathan Marchessault into an empty net gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. It was Marchessault’s 40th goal of the season as the Golden Knights (41-25-8) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 90 points. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 37th goal for the 35-28-10 Wild (80 points) as they sit seven points out of the final Western wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild head coach John Hynes opted to pull his goaltender to go for the win in the hope of keeping their fading playoff hopes alive. He gambled and lost. Because of that tactic, the Wild don’t get a point for reaching the overtime period…Before the game, it was reported that Wild forward Marcus Foligno will undergo season-ending surgery to address his lower-body injury…Golden Knights center Jack Eichel could face supplemental discipline after he was ejected during the second period for spearing Kaprizov.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 35 saves to shut out the St. Louis Blues 4-0. Filip Zadina, Mikael Granlund, Luke Kunin and Jan Rutta scored for the 17-48-8 Sharks, who snapped a nine-game winless skid. The loss leaves the Blues (39-31-4) sitting five points out of the final Western wildcard with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The losses by the Blues and Wild clinched a postseason berth for the idle Vancouver Canucks (45-20-8), who sit seventh in the overall standings with 98 points…The Canucks and Avalanche join the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers among the teams that have secured their spots in the 2024 playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored two goals and collected an assist in a 6-1 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and two assists for the 45-23-4 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 94 points. Alex Killorn scored for the 24-46-4 Ducks.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid briefly held the lead in the Art Ross Trophy race with 125 points before MacKinnon and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov overtook him. On Nov. 12, a struggling McDavid sat 112th among NHL scorers. He’s turned this into a three-man race for the scoring title with less than three weeks remaining in the season.

Speaking of Kucherov, he picked up two assists as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Islanders 4-1. Steven Stamkos tallied his 30th goal of the season and Anthony Cirelli scored twice and collected an assist for the Lightning, who improved to 41-25-7 and hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 89 points. Kyle Palmieri scored for the Islanders, who dropped to 31-27-15 (77 points) and sit five points out of the final Eastern wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov sits second in the Art Ross Trophy race with 126 points. Erik Cernak was a healthy scratch for the Lightning after missing a team meeting.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews reached the 60-goal plateau for the second time in a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Ilya Samsonov turned in a 34-save shutout for the 42-22-9 Leafs, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 93 points. The Sabres slipped to 35-35-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews leads the goalscoring race, eight goals ahead of Oilers winger Zach Hyman. Before this game, the Leafs placed winger Mitch Marner (ankle) on long-term injury reserve retroactive to March 7, though he could return to the roster later this week.

The New York Rangers defeated the Arizona Coyotes 8-5. Jonathan Quick made 27 saves to set the record for most wins by an American-born NHL goaltender with 392. Alexis Lafreniere had a hat trick and collected two assists while Chris Kreider scored his 300th career regular-season goal for the Rangers. They’re the first team to reach 50 wins this season (50-20-4) and sit first overall with 104 points. Clayton Keller tallied his 32nd goal of the season for the 31-38-5 Coyotes.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov scored twice and Sam Reinhart scored in a shootout in a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. The Panthers (47-22-5) sit sixth in the overall standings with 99 points. Dylan Larkin scored to tie the game late in the third period for the 36-30-8 Red Wings, who sit two points out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin had a brief injury scare when he was struck by a shot on his left leg early in the game. He returned to action in the second period and finished the game.

A shootout goal by Kevin Shattenkirk lifted the Boston Bruins over the Washington Capitals 3-2. Jeremy Swayman made 18 saves in regulation and overtime for the Bruins, who improved to 43-17-15 and sit fourth in the overall standings with 101 points. Playing in his 1,000th career regular-season game, John Carlson scored the tying goal for the Capitals (36-27-10), who vaulted over the Philadelphia Flyers into third place in the Metropolitan Division with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Flyers (36-29-10), they lost their fourth straight game as they dropped into the final Eastern wildcard with 82 points following a 5-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Philipp Kurashev, Lukas Reichel and Joey Anderson each had a goal and an assist for the 22-47-5 Blackhawks. Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers head coach John Tortorella hopes this loss to the lowly Blackhawks serves as a wakeup call for his slumping club. “I think we hit the bottom tonight here,” he said. “Maybe that needs to happen for us to get back into it.”

The Dallas Stars set a franchise record with their seventh straight win by blanking the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Jake Oettinger made 17 saves for the shutout while Wyatt Johnston, Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz scored for the Stars (47-19-9), who sit second overall with 103 points. Joey Daccord turned aside 27 shots for the 30-30-13 Stars.

Speaking of 3-0 shutouts, Pyotr Kochetkov kicked out 26 shots to backstop the Carolina Hurricanes over the Montreal Canadiens. Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis were the goalscorers as the Hurricanes improved to 47-21-7 and sit third in the overall standings with 101 points. Sam Montembeault made 27 saves for the 28-33-12 Canadiens.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk scored late in the third period as his club upset the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 28 shots for the 33-36-4 Senators. Jets goalie Connor Hellebucyk made 24 saves in his 500th career NHL regular-season game in a losing cause as his club sits third in the Central Division with 94 points but slipped to 44-24-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ slump continues as they’ve won three of their last 10 games.

The Calgary Flames surprised the Los Angeles Kings with a 4-2 win. Nazem Kadri led the way with a goal and an assist for the 34-34-5 Flames. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings (38-24-11) as they hold the final Western wildcard with 87 points.

A shootout goal by Damon Severson gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist and Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 30 shots for the 24-38-12 Blue Jackets. Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the 32-30-11 Penguins.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 29, 2024

by | Mar 29, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 29, 2024

The relationship between Evander Kane and the Oilers hits a rough patch, re-signing Sam Reinhart is getting expensive for the Panthers, and the latest on the Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HAS EVANDER KANE WORN OUT HIS WELCOME IN EDMONTON?

OILERS NATION: Michael Mazzei believes the relationship between Evander Kane and the Edmonton Oilers has hit a rough patch. The 32-year-old winger started the season strong but has just 15 points in his last 36 games and no goals in his last 18 contests.

Kane voiced displeasure over his reduced ice time and was a healthy scratch in a recent game with the Ottawa Senators. Mazzei cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggesting there’s a disconnect between Kane and the Oilers’ front office over the state of things.

Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).

Seravalli thinks Kane’s act is wearing thin in Edmonton, suggesting it may be something the Oilers end up having to address before his contract is up in two years. He added that there’s nothing imminent in terms of the club trying to move off his contract.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes the Oilers will need Kane to ratchet up his game when the playoffs start next month. If not, he speculates they might approach the winger in the offseason to see if it makes sense to move him elsewhere.

Proteau points out that Kane carries an average annual value of $5.125 million. He also carries a full no-movement clause to the end of next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane could still be feeling the aftereffects of that horrific wrist injury he suffered last season. However, he seemed to return to form during the first half of this season.

Unless Kane’s battling an undisclosed injury, he must step up over the remainder of this season and the playoffs. As Proteau points out, they’re not getting their money’s worth from him lately.

Kane’s history of wearing out his welcome with the Jets, Sabres and Sharks will make it difficult for the Oilers to move his contract this summer if he’s open to another trade.

REINHART GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THE PANTHERS TO RE-SIGN

TSN: In Tuesday’s edition of “Insider Trading”, Darren Dreger speculated Sam Reinhart’s career season could make it difficult for the Florida Panthers to sign him to a new contract.

Reinhart is completing a three-year contract with an AAV of $6.5 million. The 28-year-old winger can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He recently reached the 50-goal plateau (51) this season for the first time and also reached a career-high in points with 85 and counting.

Dreger said negotiations haven’t started yet but there is good dialogue between them. He believes it will be expensive fro the Panthers to re-sign Reinhart, pointing to what William Nylander got from the Toronto Maple Leafs (eight years, $92 million) and Elias Pettersson recently signed with the Vancouver Canucks (eight years. $92.8 million).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dreger believes the Panthers will take a run at signing Reinhart. However, he wondered how many big-number contracts they could comfortably afford.

The Panthers already have Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky with AAVs of $10 million, Matthew Tkachuk at $9.5 million (and doesn’t that look like a steal now) and Aaron Ekblad earning $7.5 million annually through 2024-25.

Reinhart might be willing to leave some money on the table to stay in Florida. However, I now doubt he’ll accept less than Tkachuk’s $9.5 million.

LATEST ON THE DEVILS

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent interview with Pierre LeBrun, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald indicated which areas of his roster he hopes to build up for next season.

Finding a starting goaltender remains his priority. He attempted to acquire Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames and inquired into the availability of Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros.

Asked if Flames GM Craig Conroy should expect to hear from him again this summer, Fitzgerald replied with a chuckle, “Not just Craig.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fitzgerald said following the March 8 trade deadline he’ll be going “big-game hunting” for a goaltender in this summer’s trade market. He acquired Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens but sees Allen sharing the net in a 1A, 1B system.

Besides Markstrom and Saros, Fitzgerald could also target Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins or John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks.

Fitzgerald will also look for a full-time head coach after firing Lindy Ruff on March 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: During Thursday’s “Insider Trading”, LeBrun said interim coach Travis Green is a serious candidate to take over the role full-time. However, he thinks Fitzgerald will probably still consider other candidates.

The Devils GM is happy with the amount of skill on his roster. However, he’d like to add more physicality on the wing.

They lost Miles Wood last summer to free agency. Earlier this year, they lost Michael McLeod after he was among five players charged with sexual assault in London, Ontario stemming from an alleged incident when they were members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2024

by | Mar 29, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2024

Four more teams clinch playoff berths, Oilers captain Connor McDavid narrows the gap in the scoring race, and Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon’s home points streak is over. Get the details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars clinched a playoff berth by defeating the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Jamie Benn snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period and Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists for the Stars (46-19-9), who won their sixth straight game and sit second in the overall standings with 101 points. J.T. Miller replied for the 45-20-8 Canucks as they slipped to fifth overall with 98 points.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen turned in a 24-save shutout to blank the Detroit Red Wings 4-0 as his club also secured a playoff spot. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis each had a goal and two assists for the 46-21-7 Hurricanes as they hold third place in the overall standings with 99 points. James Reimer stopped 29 shots for the Red Wings (36-30-7) as they remain two points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wings forwards Patrick Kane and Austin Czarnik missed this game due to illness.

The Florida Panthers dropped a 3-2 decision to the New York Islanders but still clinched a postseason spot. Semyon Varlamov turned aside 26 shots while Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s tie-breaker in the second period was the game-winner. Vladimir Tarasenko and Aleksander Barkov scored for the 46-22-5 Panthers, who dropped to seventh overall with 97 points. The Islanders (31-26-15) kept their playoff hopes alive as they’re four points out of the final Eastern wildcard with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice expressed displeasure with his team’s performance following this game. They’ve dropped six of their last seven contests. They did have some good news as defenseman Aaron Ekblad returned to action after being sidelined for the last six games.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time in a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Juraj Slafkovsky extended his points streak to nine games for the Canadiens (28-32-12) as they won three straight games for the first time this season. Owen Tippett matched his career high of 27 goals for the 36-28-10 Flyers, who cling to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ win enabled the idle Boston Bruins (42-17-15) to clinch a playoff berth. The Bruins sit fourth in the overall standings with 99 points. Speaking of the Flyers, Ivan Fedotov had his KHL contract terminated, potentially opening the door for the 27-year-old goaltender to come to Philadelphia to begin his NHL career.

Meanwhile, the New York Rangers downed the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on a shootout goal by Vincent Trocheck. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 39 shots for the Rangers (49-20-4) as they lead the league with 102 points. Nathan MacKinnon’s home points streak ended at 35 games as the 46-21-6 Avalanche hold sixth place in the overall standings with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren returned to action after missing four games with a lower-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 4-1. Leon Draisaitl collected three assists as the Oilers improved to 44-23-4 and sit second in the Pacific Division with 92 points. Arthur Kaliyev scored for the Kings (38-23-11) as they tumbled into the final Western wildcard berth with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid reached the 120-point mark for the third straight season, becoming the seventh player in NHL history to achieve this milestone. With 122 points, he’s just two points behind league leader Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning and one behind MacKinnon.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals from Ivan Barbashev and a 39-save effort from Logan Thompson for a 4-1 victory over the slumping Winnipeg Jets. The Golden Knights (40-25-8) vaulted over the Kings into third place in the Pacific with 88 points. Sean Monahan scored for the 44-23-6 Jets, who are winless in their last five games (0-4-1) but still hold third place in the Central Division with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is starting to look like a rerun of last season where the Jets played well through most of the season only to stumble down the stretch. They’re not in danger of missing the playoffs (yet) but their recent struggles are becoming a concern for Jets followers, or at least for those in the Winnipeg media.

A hat trick by Logan Cooley carried the Arizona Coyotes to an 8-4 upset of the Nashville Predators, snapping the latter’s 18-game points streak. Clayton Keller had a goal and three assists and rookie Josh Doan collected two assists for the 31-37-5 Coyotes. Jason Zucker tallied twice for the Predators (43-26-4) as they hold the first Western wildcard with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doan joined Brian Mullen and Dale Hawerchuk as the third player in franchise history with at least four points in their first two games. His father, Shane, had three points.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice to beat the Washington Capitals 5-1. Mark Giordano scored in his return to the Leafs lineup since being sidelined by a concussion on Feb. 29. The Leafs (41-22-9) hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. Nic Dowd scored for the 36-27-9 Capitals (81 points) as they still hold the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, the 40-year-old Giordano dedicated his goal to his father, who passed away on Feb. 15th. He’s also the second-oldest defenseman in Leafs history to score a goal. Speaking of Leafs defenseman, Timothy Liljegren missed this game with an upper-body injury and is expected to be sidelined for several more games.

The St. Louis Blues remain in the Western playoff chase with a 5-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals while Jordan Binnington made 25 saves and picked up two assists for the 39-30-4 Blues (82 points) as they sit five points behind the Kings. Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice for the Flames (33-34-5).

Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek scored his 30th goal of the season and Matt Boldy had two points to defeat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. The win kept the Wild’s fading playoff hopes alive as they improved to 35-28-9 but sit eight points behind the Kings with 79 points. The 16-48-8 Sharks have won just once in their last 10 games. They played without winger Alexander Barabanov, who is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin scored twice and Sidney Crosby had two assists to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. The Penguins (32-30-10) have won two straight. Cole Sillinger had a goal and an assist for the 23-38-12 Blue Jackets.

The Ottawa Senators got a 19-save shutout from Anton Forsberg in a 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Claude Giroux and Parker Kelly were the goalscorers for the 32-36-4 Senators. Petr Mrazek stopped 32 shots for the 21-47-5 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot missed this game with a lower-body injury but he’s not expected to be sidelined for long.

Three straight third-period goals lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Jared McCann picked up three assists for the 30-29-13 Kraken. Jakob Silfverberg had a goal and an assist for the 24-45-4 Ducks.