NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2024

by | Jan 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2024

The Oilers win their 15th straight game, Steven Stamkos and Brad Marchand reach notable milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers picked up their 15th consecutive win by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. Calvin Pickard turned in a 27-save shutout while Connor McDavid scored twice and collected an assist for the 28-15-1 Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 57 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 31 shots for the 14-33-2 Blackhawks as they dropped into last place in the overall standings with 30 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist to reach his 1,100th career NHL point in a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Nikita Kucherov regained first place in the scoring race (83 points) with a goal and two assists for the Lightning (26-18-5), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 57 points. Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist for the 23-21-3 Coyotes (49 points) as they sit four points out of the final Western Conference playoff berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the 29th player in NHL history to record 1,100 points with a single team and the sixth active player to do so, joining Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane (Chicago) and Los Angeles’ Anze Kopitar.

The Boston Bruins blew a 2-0 lead but defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on an overtime goal by Brad Marchand. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist while Jeremy Swayman turned aside 35 shots for the 30-9-9 Bruins, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 69 points. Thomas Chabot had a goal and an assist for the 18-24-2 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins are tied with the Vancouver Canucks in points but the latter holds first place in the overall standings with 32 wins.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon made 30 saves to shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Dylan Larkin scored to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Red Wings (25-18-5) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 55 points. Samuel Ersson made 14 saves on 17 shots for the 25-18-6 Flyers as they’ve dropped four straight but remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Wings sent goalie Ville Husso to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint. This is a positive sign that he could soon return to action as he’s missed the past 16 games with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes held off the New Jersey Devils 3-2 for their 10th win in their last 13 games. Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and an assist for the 27-15-5 Hurricanes (59 points) as they hold a three-point lead over the Flyers in second place in the Metro Division. Jesper Bratt scored to collect his team-leading 49th point for the 24-19-3 Devils (51 points) as they sit four points behind the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Ondrej Palat returned to action after missing 10 games with a lower-body injury. They also placed forward Jack Hughes on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 5 and placed defenseman Dougie Hamilton (torn pectoral) on long-term injury reserve. The latter move enables the Devils to exceed the salary cap by over $6.7 million, which will allow them to add a player or two by the March 8 trade deadline. They’re believed to be in the market for a goaltender and perhaps a defenseman.

An overtime goal by Thomas Harley left the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Miro Heiskanen scored for the 29-13-6 Stars in his first game since being sidelined by an injury on Jan. 4. With 64 points, the Stars sit third in the Central Division. John Gibson made 40 saves for the 16-30-2 Ducks.

The Nashville Predators scored three third-period goals to nip the Minnesota Wild by a score of 3-2. Roman Josi had a goal and an assist while Ryan O’Reilly collected two assists for the 26-21-1 Predators, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 53 points. Kirill Kaprizov collected two assists while Joel Eriksson Ek tallied his 21st goal of the season for the 21-22-5 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Wild acquired defenseman Will Butcher from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Maxim Cajkovic. Butcher will report to the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa.

Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan scored twice and collected an assist in a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist while Sam Montembeault kicked out 43 shots for the 20-21-7 Canadiens as they blew a 3-0 lead until Monahan’s game-winning goal. Noah Dobson collected three assists while Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist for the 20-17-11 Islanders (51 points) as they sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher is expected to face supplemental discipline after receiving a match penalty for elbowing Isles defenseman Adam Pelech in the head. Pelech, who has a history of concussions, left the game and didn’t return. After winning their first game under new head coach Patrick Roy, the Isles have dropped two straight games.

The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Calgary Flames 5-2. Adam Fantilli, Yegor Chinakhov and Damon Severson each had a goal and an assist for the 14-23-9 Blue Jackets. Connor Zary and MacKenzie Weegar replied for the 21-22-5 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oliver Kylington returned to action for the Flames for the first time since May 2022 as he dealt with mental health challenges…Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic…Calgary forward A.J. Greer left this game with an injured left leg…Earlier in the day, the Flames lost Adam Ruzicka and Nick DeSimone to waivers. The Arizona Coyotes claimed Ruzicka while the New Jersey Devils picked up DeSimone.

Turning to the Blue Jackets, they activated Zach Werenski off injured reserve and demoted David Jiricek to their AHL affiliate in Cleveland. Werenski collected an assist in this game.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2024

by | Jan 24, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2024

Jakob Chychrun denies that he wants out of Ottawa plus the latest speculation on the Oilers’ Philip Broberg, the Kings’ Arthur Kaliyev and the Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj in the NHL Rumor Mill.

CHYCHRUN SAYS HE DOESN’T WANT TO BE TRADED

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes reports Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun dismissed the recent trade rumors about him as “ridiculous,” saying he doesn’t believe it’s based on anything.

Chychrun was acquired last season from the Arizona Coyotes and there’s talk the Senators could shop him before the March 8 trade deadline. He understands there’s a possibility he could be moved given the club’s position in the standings and management’s need to shake things up.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Nevertheless, he denied speculation that he wanted out of Ottawa. “I’m loving every moment here,” he said, noting the family ties he has to the city and the region. “I feel at home here. I bought a house and it’s five minutes from my sister and 10 minutes from my grandpa.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli speculates Chychrun could be a trade candidate based on the Senators having two left-side defensemen Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson under long-term contracts worth $8 million annually. Chychrun, meanwhile, has one year remaining on his deal.

Seravalli doubts the Senators will invest a total of $24 million on just the left side of their blueline. Management needs to determine which players are part of their core going forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Senators move Chychrun it’ll be because of the reasons listed by Seravalli. If it’s up to the defenseman he’d like to stay on a long-term contract but that’s not going to happen unless they move out Chabot or Sanderson and that’s not happening.

Bear in mind that the Senators aren’t under pressure to move Chychrun before the March trade deadline. Given his current contract, they can wait until the offseason if they don’t find any suitable offers now.

LATEST ON BROBERG AND KALIYEV

TSN: Darren Dreger is keeping an eye on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Philip Broberg and Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev.

Broberg was assigned to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield in early December, where he’s been playing well. Dreger said that teams continue to call Edmonton general manager Ken Holland about the 22-year-old blueliner.

Kaliyev, meanwhile, has been a healthy scratch from several games with the Kings. That’s drawn some attention around the league. Dreger said the Kings aren’t ready to move the 22-year-old winger just yet but something has to change.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers could listen to offers for Broberg but I think they’d prefer to hang onto him. There’s not as much urgency right now for them to address roster issues given their recent signing of Corey Perry as well as their rise up the standings thanks to their 14-game win streak.

Dreger noted the Kings are waiting for Viktor Arvidsson’s return from injury next month to provide a boost to their offense. Maybe that’s what they’re waiting for regarding Kaliyev’s status. Perhaps they also need to sort out the club’s direction under head coach Todd McLellan before making any roster changes.

MORE SPECULATION ABOUT XHEKAJ

TVA SPORTS: Jean-Charles Lajoie noted the return of fan-favorite Arber Xhekaj to the Montreal Canadiens lineup after he spent several weeks with their AHL affiliate in Laval.

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes recently said he has no plans to trade Xhekaj or employ him as a fourth-line winger. However, Lajoie isn’t convinced that the big blueliner remains part of management’s long-term plans for the club.

Lajoie wouldn’t be surprised if Xhekaj was involved in a trade between now and the NHL Draft in June. He pointed out that Hughes moved another popular defenseman at the 2022 draft by shipping out Alexander Romanov in a three-team deal that fetched center Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the Canadiens’ depth in promising young defensemen it’s expected that Hughes could bundle one of them in a trade to bring in some established offensive help. Moving Xhekaj in a package deal would be an unpopular move among the Habs faithful unless the return is a scoring star.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2024

by | Jan 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2024

The Oilers win their 14th straight game, Nikita Kucherov regains the scoring lead, the Devils re-sign general manager Tom Fitzgerald, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

ESPN.COM: The Edmonton Oilers picked up their 14th consecutive win by downing the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Warren Foegele and Evander Kane each had a goal and an assist for the 27-15-1 Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 55 points. Dmitri Voronkov scored for the Blue Jackets (14-23-9) as they dropped to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 37 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers need just three more wins to tie the league record of 17 straight wins currently held by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov regained the league in the NHL scoring race (80 points) with a hat trick and an assist in a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Anthony Cirelli collected two assists for the Lightning (25-18-5) as they moved past the idle Toronto Maple Leafs into third place in the Atlantic Division with 55 points. Cam Atkinson had a goal and an assist for the 25-17-6 Flyers, who have lost three straight but remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov sits three points ahead of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the scoring race…Earlier in the day, the Lightning announced forward Austin Watson is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Meanwhile, the Flyers announced before this game that goaltender Carter Hart was on an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons…They also placed winger Owen Tippett on injured reserve.

The Vegas Golden Knights nipped the New York Islanders 3-2 thanks to a 40-save performance by Adin Hill. Ivan Barbashev and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the 28-14-6 Golden Knights as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 62 points. Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the 20-16-11 Islanders (51 points) as they sit two points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of the Red Wings, they dropped a 5-4 decision to the Dallas Stars. Roope Hintz tallied twice and collected an assist while Wyatt Johnston collected three assists for the Stars (28-13-6) as they sit in third place in the Central Division with 62 points. Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond each had two points for the 24-18-5 Red Wings.

An overtime goal by Tomas Hertl gave the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 upset victory over the New York Rangers. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 29 shots for the 13-31-4 Sharks (30 points). Adam Fox had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (29-15-3), who hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 61 points but have won just three of their last 10 games.

The Minnesota Wild picked up their third straight win by dropping the Washington Capitals 5-3. Marcus Johansson tallied twice while Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves for the 21-21-5 Wild (47 points) as they move within four points of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Anthony Mantha scored two goals for the 22-17-6 Capitals (50 points) as they sit three behind the Red Wings for the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Ethan Bear was a healthy scratch from this game as Rasmus Sandin returned from injury.

St. Louis Blues winger Brandon Saad scored twice, including the winning goal as his club rallied to a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Nick Leddy picked up three assists while Jordan Binnington turned aside 32 shots for the Blues (23-20-2) as they sit three points out of a Western wild-card spot with 48 points. Yegor Sharangovich had a goal and an assist for the 21-21-5 Flames (47 points) as they dropped their third straight contest.

The Anaheim Ducks doubled up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Jakob Silfverberg tallied two goals while John Gibson made 28 saves for the 16-30-0 Ducks. Jordan Greenway had a goal and an assist for the 20-23-4 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks rookie Olen Zellweger collected an assist in his NHL debut. Meanwhile, the Sabres announced before this game that defenseman Erik Johnson would miss this contest and Wednesday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Kings.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Shane Pinto scored his first goal of the season for the 18-24-1 Senators while Johnathan Kovacevic replied for the 19-21-7 Canadiens, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kovacevic returned to the Canadiens lineup after being out of the lineup for the last three games. Winger Tanner Pearson played his first game since being sidelined on Dec. 9 with an upper-body injury while defenseman Arber Xhekaj was recalled from their AHL affiliate in Laval.

HEADLINES

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils yesterday announced they’d reached an agreement with general manager Tom Fitzgerald on a multi-year contract extension. He’s also been promoted to president of hockey operations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fitzgerald has done a good job rebuilding the Devils back to respectability despite their struggles this season. He signed Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt to reasonable long-term contracts, acquired Timo Meier, Dougie Hamilton, Tyler Toffoli and Ondrej Palat and drafted Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. His biggest challenge remains addressing his club’s inconsistent goaltending.

THE SCORE: Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan has called out center Pierre-Luc Dubois. “At the end of the day, whether PL gets four minutes or 24 minutes, he has to be a difference-maker,” said McLellan.

The Kings acquired Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets last summer and signed him to an eight-year contract worth an average annual value of $8.5 million. He’s managed just nine goals and 19 points in 44 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s not the kind of positive impact the Kings envisioned when they traded for Dubois. It’ll be interesting to see whether McLellan’s remarks light a fire under the 25-year-old center.

CBS SPORTS: The Seattle Kraken activated goaltender Philipp Grubauer off long-term injury reserve and sent Chris Driedger to their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs activated winger Ryan Reaves from injured reserve and designated winger Tyler Bertuzzi as a non-active roster player as he and his wife await the birth of their child.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2024

by | Jan 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2024

Patrick Roy gets his first win as Islanders coach, Auston Matthews increases his lead in the goal-scoring race, the Oilers reportedly sign Corey Perry, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Patrick Roy picked up a win in his debut as head coach of the New York Islanders as they nipped the Dallas Stars 3-2 on an overtime goal by Bo Horvat, snapping a four-game losing skid. Mathew Barzal and Noah Dobson each collected two assists for the 20-15-11 Islanders (51 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Joe Pavelski had two assists for the Stars (27-13-6) as they sit third in the Central Division with 60 points.

New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unlike his predecessor, Roy is using analytics as one means of improving the Islanders. Before yesterday’s game, he pointed out that the club was at the bottom of the league in breakouts and puck possession in their zone and the offensive zone. Expect Roy to work on improving those aspects of the Isles’ game going forward.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his fifth goal in his last four games in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. With a league-leading 38 goals, Matthews has a five-goal lead over Florida’s Sam Reinhart. Ilya Samsonov made 16 saves for his first win since Dec. 9 as the Leafs (23-14-8) regained third place in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Jordan Eberle scored for the 19-18-9 Kraken (47 points), who’ve lost four straight games and sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

A hat trick by Kirill Kaprizov powered the Minnesota Wild over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 5-2. Filip Gustavsson kicked out 40 shots while Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and two assists for the 20-21-5 Wild. Martin Necas and Michael Bunting replied for the Hurricanes (25-15-5) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon made 27 saves in a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Daniel Sprong’s tie-breaker in the second period held up as the winning goal for the 24-17-5 Red Wings, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 53 points. Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning (24-18-5) as they sit in the final Eastern wild-card berth with 53 points.

The New York Rangers scored four unanswered goals to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Chris Kreider had a goal and two assists for the Rangers (29-15-2) as they sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 60 points. Adam Henrique scored both goals for the 15-30-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored two goals in a 5-3 upset of the Philadelphia Flyers. Shane Pinto collected an assist in his season debut with the Senators (17-24-1) following a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules. Egor Zamula scored twice for the 25-16-6 Flyers, who remain in second place in the Metro Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Flyers winger Owen Tippett missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers have reportedly reached an agreement with Corey Perry on a one-year, prorated contract that is expected to be officially announced on Monday. The contract also contains performance bonuses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry’s contract with the Chicago Blackhawks was terminated on Nov. 30 for engaging in what was deemed unacceptable behavior that violated his standard player’s contract and the club’s code of conduct.

Perry recently received permission from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to speak with other clubs following treatment for alcohol abuse. He remains a highly-regarded forward who elevates his game in the postseason. His signing should provide an extra measure of leadership and playoff experience to the surging Oilers.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Flames winger Dillon Dube has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the Flames to attend to his mental health. He’s struggled to score this season with his last point coming against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 24.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Flames, defenseman Oliver Kylington is expected to practice with the club on Monday as he progresses toward returning to action for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Kylington has also been dealing with mental health issues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2024

by | Jan 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2024

The Oilers set a win streak record for Canadian teams, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar reach notable milestones, the Islanders replace Lane Lambert as head coach with Patrick Roy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers set an NHL record for the longest win streak by a Canadian team (13) by defeating the Calgary Flames 3-1. Sam Gagner snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Stuart Skinner stopped 26 shots for the 26-15-1 Oilers, who took over third place in the Pacific Division with 53 points. Mackenzie Weegar scored for the Flames (21-20-5) as they sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flames placed forward Martin Pospisil (upper body) on injured reserve, activated defenseman Dennis Gilbert off IR and recalled blueliner Oliver Kylington from his conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate. Gilbert suited up against the Oilers while Kylington could soon be coming off long-term injury reserve.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar had milestone performances in a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. MacKinnon extended his points streak to 11 games with two goals and two assists to take over first place in the NHL scoring race with 77 points, two more than Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov. Makar, meanwhile, collected an assist to become the second-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 300 points as the Avalanche (30-14-3) sit fourth in the overall standings with 63 points. Cam Atkinson had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-6 Flyers, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar achieved this feat in 280 games, one shy of Bobby Orr’s 279 games. His teammate Liam O’Connor also reached a milestone as he tallied his first career NHL hat trick. It was a costly loss for the Flyers as winger Owen Tippett left the game with what appeared to be an injured knee. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Third-period goals by J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander each scored twice while Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks (31-11-4), who remain atop the overall standings with 66 points. William Nylander tallied two goals for the 22-14-8 Maple Leafs, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Past the midway point of the season, I think we can safely assume the Canucks are for real as an emerging powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Leafs have won just once in their last six games (1-4-1). That will raise the heat on general manager Brad Treliving to do something to snap his club out of its funk.

The Boston Bruins scored four unanswered third-period goals to thump the Montreal Canadiens 9-4. Danton Heinen scored his first career NHL hat trick while David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle each had a goal and an assist for the 28-8-9 Bruins (65 points), who picked up their fourth straight win. They hold first place in the Eastern Conference and sit one point back of the Canucks in the overall standings. Cole Caufield scored to extend his goal streak to five games for the Canadiens, who slipped to 19-20-7 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was close through two periods with Boston holding a 5-4 lead before they blew it open in the third. Earlier in the day, the Bruins activated defensemen Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort off injured reserve and assigned John Beecher and Mason Lohrei to their AHL affiliate in Providence.

An overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Mason Appleton also scored for the Jets (30-10-4) as they collected their 10th win in their last 11 games, sitting third overall with 64 points. Parker Kelly replied for the 16-24-1 Senators as they’ve lost seven of their last nine contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Josh Norris collected an assist in his return to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Shane Pinto will make his season debut today against the Flyers after serving a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules.

Rookie Brendan Brisson capped a third-period rally by the Vegas Golden Knights as they nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Jonathan Marchessault scored his 20th goal of the season for the Golden Knights (27-14-5) as they’ve won four of their last five and hold second place in the Pacific Division with 59 points. Jake Guentzel netted his 20th of the season for the 21-16-6 Penguins (48 points) as they sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller scored twice in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Sean Durzi had two assists for the 22-19-3 Coyotes (47 points), who sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Roman Josi scored 167th career goal to surpass Shea Weber as the Predators’ highest-scoring defenseman. With a record of 25-20-1, the Predators (51 points) hold that final wild-card spot in the conference.

The Tampa Bay Lightning extended their win streak to five games by downing the Buffalo Sabres 3-1. Nick Paul had a goal and an assist for the 24-17-5 Lightning (53 points), as they moved past the Maple Leafs into third place in the Atlantic Division. Dylan Cozens replied for the 20-22-4 Sabres.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied two goals as his club cruised to a 6-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Scott Wedgewood stopped 29 shots for the Stars (27-13-5) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 59 points. Jesper Bratt and Tyler Toffoli replied for the 23-18-3 Devils (49 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The St. Louis Blues blanked the Washington Capitals 3-0 with Jordan Binnington making 18 saves for the shutout. Colton Parayko, Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours scored for the 22-20-2 Blues. Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 shots for the Capitals (22-16-6) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 50 points.

Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period as his club held off the New York Rangers 2-1. Kevin Fiala also scored while David Rittich made 22 saves for the Kings (22-13-8) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 52 points. Chris Kreider scored while Jonathan Quick made 24 saves against his former club as the 28-15-2 Rangers (58 points) remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture picked up an assist in his season debut as his club rolled to a 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Tomas Hertl and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist for the 11-31-4 Sharks. Adam Henrique had a goal and an assist for the 15-29-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture revealed he’d been sidelined by osteitis pubis, which is inflammation in the joint between the left and right pubic bones causing pain and swelling in the groin or lower abdomen. Recovery is rest and, when able, strengthening. Meanwhile, the Ducks announced before this game that winger Alex Killorn will be out four to six weeks following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

HEADLINES

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders announced Saturday they had relieved Lane Lambert of his coaching duties and hired Patrick Roy as his replacement. Roy coached the Colorado Avalanche from 2013-2016, winning the Jack Adams Award in 2013-14. The Hall-of-Fame goaltender also coached the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts to the Memorial Cup in 2006 and 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have been struggling this season and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The initial reaction to this news on social media was how long it would take before the hot-tempered Roy started clashing with Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello.

I don’t believe that’s going to happen. Lamoriello never would’ve hired Roy if he felt the latter would question his decisions. Roy, meanwhile, seems to have mellowed after being passed over for NHL coaching opportunities in recent years.

The more important question is how well Roy can coach in a league that has changed in the eight years since he last stood behind an NHL bench. Lamoriello believes he’s the guy who can right the Isles’ sinking ship. It’ll be interesting to see how things go from here.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward J.T. Miller were selected by NHL fans to participate in the skills competition at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward Will Lockwood received a three-game suspension for running Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury on Friday. Fleury left the game with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2024

by | Jan 20, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2024

Could the Canucks pursue Jake Guentzel? Will the Kings attempt to land Jake Allen? Which players could become Blues trade candidates? Find out in the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE CANUCKS PURSUE GUENTZEL?

SPORTSNET: During his latest “32 Thoughts” podcast episode, Elliotte Friedman expressed his belief that the Vancouver Canucks would be interested in acquiring Jake Guentzel if the Pittsburgh Penguins winger becomes available before the March 8 trade deadline.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)

Friedman noted that Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford knows Guentzel from his days as Penguins general manager. However, he also said a lot of other clubs would be interested in the 29-year-old winger, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins GM Kyle Dubas earlier this week dismissed recent trade speculation about Guentzel, saying he hasn’t had discussions about him with other clubs. Dubas also said at some point they’ll evaluate what’s best for Guentzel and the Penguins going forward.

With the Penguins jockeying for a wild-card berth Dubas could hang onto Guentzel as an own rental for the remainder of this season. Perhaps he’s already decided that he’s keeping the winger in the fold and has no plans to move him regardless of where his club sits in the standings.

Rutherford has said he’d like to add a top-six forward before the trade deadline. He’ll probably look into the cost of acquiring Guentzel if he’s available. Whether he’d be willing to pay what could be a steep asking price or can outbid other clubs is another matter.

JAKE ALLEN TO THE KINGS?

TVA SPORTS: cited Friedman also talking about where Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen might end up. He believes the Canadiens’ asking price is a draft pick but that could go higher if an interested club wants the Habs to retain part of his $3.85 million average annual value through 2024-25.

Friedman said at one point earlier in this season he thought the 33-year-old Allen would be headed to the Edmonton Oilers but he’s not convinced of that now. Instead, he suggested the Canadiens goalie could be a trade target for the Los Angeles Kings.

“I think they’re going to acquire a goalie,” said Friedman. “Whether it’s Allen or whoever, I think they will add a goalie.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings were getting good goaltending from aging starter Cam Talbot but he’s had his difficulties in recent games. With Pheonix Copley sidelined for the season by a knee injury, call-up David Rittich has performed well in limited action.

It remains to be seen if Kings management is willing to stick with Rittich as a backup for the rest of the season. They could look for someone with a more reliable record.

WHICH BLUES COULD BECOME TRADE CANDIDATES?

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford recently looked at which players the St. Louis Blues could attempt to move if they become sellers before the March 8 trade deadline.

Sammy Blais, Oskar Sundqvist, Kasperi Kapanen, Jakub Vrana and Marco Scandella are their notable pending unrestricted free agents. Of these, Rutherford expects Sundqvist might the the only one with a chance of re-signing with the Blues.

Other trade candidates could include Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Binnington, Justin Faulk, Brandon Saad, Nick Leddy and Torey Krug. They all have term remaining on their respective contracts, making them more likely to be off-season trade candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug used his no-trade clause to nix a move to Philadelphia last summer. Unless he has a change of mind or a preferable trade destination, I don’t see him going anywhere. The same goes for Binnington, Saad, Faulk and Leddy as they also possess full no-trade protection.

Buchnevich, meanwhile, has a 12-team no-trade clause while Scandella’s is a seven-team NTC. That makes them easier to move than the others but still limits the number of potential trade partners.