NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2025

by | Feb 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2025

Recaps of Saturday’s games, the three stars and rookie of the month for January are unveiled, the Sharks trade Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Brad Marchand, Matthew Poitras and Pavel Zacha each collected two points for the Bruins (58 points), who sit behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. J.T. Miller scored twice in his first game with the Rangers since they reacquired him from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss leaves the Rangers (52 points) six points behind the Lightning. Blueshirts forward Jimmy Vesey was a healthy scratch for the ninth straight game. He recently lamented that his situation left him feeling he had “no role or purpose” with the team but head coach Peter Laviolette insists he remains an important part of the roster.

Meanwhile, the Lightning dropped a 3-2 decision to the New York Islanders. Tony DeAngelo scored in overtime and Adam Boqvist netted his first goal with the Isles since being claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers. Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning (58 points), who cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with three games in hand over the Bruins. The Islanders (55 points) have won seven straight and are three points back of the Bolts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders are on a tear despite being walloped by injuries. They announced on Saturday that goaltender Semyon Varlamov remains sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. He joined goalie Marcus Hogberg and defensemen Ryan Pulock, Noah Dobson and Mike Reilly on injured reserve.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice collected his 900th NHL win as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1. Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists while Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe each picked up two points for the Panthers (65 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Atlantic Division. Blackhawks forward Logan Slaggert opened the scoring just seven seconds into the game, setting a franchise record for the fastest game-opening goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maurice becomes the fourth coach in league history to reach the 900-win milestone. Meanwhile, Barkov joined Jari Kurri and Teemu Selanne as the third Finnish player to record 200 multi-point games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy returned to action after missing 13 games with a groin injury.

The Winnipeg Jets got an overtime goal from Josh Morrissey to nip the Washington Capitals 5-4, giving the Jets 77 points and a two-point lead over the Capitals for first place in the overall standings. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 877th NHL regular-season goal. Morrisey finished the night with two goals while Cole Perfetti and Dylan Samberg each had a goal and an assist for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 18 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson had a goal and three assists while goalie Leevi Merilainen made 16 saves in a 6-0 shutout of the Minnesota Wild. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson each had a goal and two assists for the Senators, who picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 60 points. The Wild’s three-game win streak ended as they remain third in the Central Division with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Ryan Hartman received a match penalty for intent to injure Stutzle following a face-off draw when he pushed Stutzle’s head into the ice. The Senators center received treatment for cuts above his left eye and finished the game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs scored three first-period goals and Mitch Marner tallied what proved to be the game-winner in the third as they held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Marner and teammate Auston Matthews each had two points while Joseph Woll kicked out 45 shots for the win. Evan Bouchard and Brett Kulak each had two points for the Oilers, who remain in second place in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm missed this game due to illness. Leafs blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson left this contest after the second period with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Leafs rearguard Jani Hakanpaa ended his comeback bid for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off as he continues to deal with a lingering knee injury.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Phillip Danault and Quinton Byfield each picked up two points for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 60 points. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes as their seven-game points streak ended, leaving them second in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes’ Brent Burns collected an assist to become the 13th defenseman in league history to reach the 900-point milestone. He’s the only active blueliner on that list. Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings picked up their fifth straight win by dousing the Calgary Flames 3-1. Cam Talbot turned aside 33 shots while Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson and Andrew Copp tallied for the Red Wings (57 points), leaving them one point out of the final Eastern wild card. Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames, who’ve lost three of their last four contests and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 57 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 25 shots for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. Sidney Crosby extended his goal streak to four games, Philip Tomasino scored against his former club for the first time and Bryan Rust netted his 20th of the season. The Predators have dropped four straight.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski were the league’s three stars for January 2025. Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf was named Rookie of the Month.

The Dallas Stars acquired center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a first-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granlund and Ceci are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Granlund was reportedly interested in signing an extension with the rebuilding Sharks, but general manager Mike Grier opted to move the pair to stockpile draft picks, giving his club two first-rounders this year.

Dallas made this move to bolster their roster for a potential Stanley Cup run this season. Granlund has 45 points in 52 games, putting him on pace to reach 60 points for the second straight year. Ceci is an experienced right-shot defenseman who’ll provide depth on the right side of the Stars blueline.

The Stars put center Tyler Seguin and defenseman Nils Lundkvist on long-term injury reserve to free up cap space to acquire Granlund and Ceci. Seguin underwent hip surgery in December and could return to action during the playoffs, when salary-cap constraints no longer apply. Lundkvist is done for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks GM Patrick Allvin met with the media on Saturday to explain why his club traded J.T. Miller to the Rangers on Friday. He felt he had no choice but to move the 31-year-old center for his own well-being and the sake of the club’s culture, which had been upset by a rift between Miller and Elias Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller got off to a great start in his first game back with the Rangers by scoring two goals. All eyes in Vancouver will be on whether Pettersson regains his scoring touch after struggling through the first half of this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Canucks, they placed winger Philip Di Giuseppe on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2025

by | Jan 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2025

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

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HEADLINES

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

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

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

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

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

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No shocking surprises here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2025

by | Jan 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2025

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

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S NHL ACTION

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

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

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

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HEADLINES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

by | Jan 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner and Victor Hedman reach notable offensive milestones. Read on for the details and much more from a busy Thursday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the only goal in a 1-0 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 25 saves for his second straight shutout victory as the Capitals picked up their third straight win to take over first place in the overall standings with 65 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots for the Senators (48 points) as their three-game win streak ended, leaving them one point behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 874 NHL regular-season goals, leaving him 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Merilainen became the 179th NHL goalie that Ovechkin has scored against, breaking Jaromir Jagr’s record of 178. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot missed this game as he’s day-to-day after taking a puck to the face during Tuesday’s 2-0 win over the New York Islanders.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit with four unanswered goals to nip the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied the game with his 20th goal of the season and Evan Bouchard tallied the game-winner as the Oilers moved into a tie with the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (61 points) in the Pacific Division. Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the sixth player in Oilers history to reach the 20-goal plateau nine times, joining Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier (10 times), Leon Draisaitl and Wayne Gretzky (nine times). The Oilers sit second in the Pacific because the Golden Knights hold a game in hand.

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Auston Matthews tallied twice and Mitch Marner had two assists for the Leafs, who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 58 points. Nico Hischier scored two goals and Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist for the Devils to extend their points streak to four games (1-0-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner became the fastest player to reach 700 points in Leafs history, reaching that milestone in 622 games, breaking Darryl Sittler’s record of 666. Leafs center John Tavares missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jake McCabe had two assists in his return from a four-game absence with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a shootout goal from Jake Guentzel to down the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Guentzel also scored in regulation while netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 34 shots for the Lightning. Troy Terry scored the tying goal in the third period and Lukas Dostal made 32 saves as the Ducks have one win in their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman collected an assist to become the first player in franchise history to reach the 600-assist milestone. Lighting blueliner Erik Cernak left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

Winnipeg Jets blueliner Dylan DeMelo scored with 27 seconds remaining in the third period to beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Mark Scheifele tied the game with his 27th goal of the season as the Jets are tied with the league-leading Capitals with 65 points. Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken, who’ve won twice in their last eight games (2-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeMelo was playing in his 600th NHL regular-season game. The Capitals hold first over the Jets with a game in hand.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected an assist to extend his home points streak to 18 games in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. James van Riemsdyk scored twice as the Blue Jackets (50 points) have won six straight and vaulted over the Boston Bruins in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Tyler Toffoli replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Considering everything the Blue Jackets have endured since last year (management and coaching changes, trading Patrik Laine, the sudden death of Johnny Gaudreau, and injuries to Boone Jenner, Erik Gudbranson and Sean Monahan), their surge into a playoff berth has been impressive. Even general manager Don Waddell is surprised by their performance in recent weeks.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 to extend their points streak to six games (5-0-1). Jakub Dobes made 32 stops to pick up their fourth straight win in as many starts while Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook and Joel Armia scored for the Canadiens (48 points) as they also sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jason Robertson scored for Dallas, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points. The Stars played without Roope Hintz, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars also unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

The First Team comprises forwards Mike Modano, Jamie Benn and Jere Lehtinen, defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Sergei Zubov, and goaltender Marty Turco. The Second Team comprised forwards Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Brenden Morrow, defensemen John Klingberg and Esa Lindell, and goaltender Ed Belfour.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot kicked out 41 shots (including 23 in the third period) in a 5-2 upset of the Florida Panthers. Dylan Larkin tallied twice and collected an assist while Lucas Raymond had two helpers as the Red Wings sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 46 points. Anton Lundell and Evan Rodrigues scored for the Panthers, who pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period after he gave up four goals on 15 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov received a notable honor from his home country of Finland. It was announced that the Finnish Association of Sports Journalists named Barkov its Sportsman of the Year for 2024, making him the first hockey player to receive that award.

The Los Angeles Kings thumped the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Alex Turcotte scored twice and set up another as the Kings took over third place in the Pacific Division with 55 points, ending a two-game losing skid. Filip Hronek scored for the Canucks, who have two wins in their last 10 games (2-5-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet wasn’t pleased with the performance of center J.T. Miller. “He’s struggling. He’s caught in between,” he said in his postgame interview. “You know, it seems like every time he’s on the ice, something bad happens.” Miller’s been the subject of trade rumors amid reports of a rift with center Elias Pettersson.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Reilly Smith, Chris Kreider and Artemin Panarin gave the New York Rangers a 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Panarin finished with two goals as the Rangers extended their points streak to six games (4-0-2) to sit four points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card spot. Matias Maccelli tallied twice for Utah, extending their losing skid to three games.

St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn scored twice and Dylan Holloway picked up two assists to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. The Blues swept the two-game series and are 7-3-0 in their last 10. Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who hold a one-point lead over the Blues and Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Philadelphia Flyers held off the New York Islanders 5-3. Sean Couturier had a goal and an assist while Travis Konecny had three assists for the Flyers, extending their points streak to four games (3-0-1) and sitting within three points of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Islanders captain Anders Lee scored his 20th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Ryan Poehling left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a hard hit from Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored his 300th NHL regular-season goal in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg also extended his goal streak to four games while teammate Steven Stamkos scored the winner in the shootout. Connor Bedard scored and Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists for the Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2025

by | Jan 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck reach new milestones. Get the details plus recaps from a busy Saturday in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored an empty-netter for his 873rd NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ovechkin added an assist to finish with two points while Logan Thompson got the win with a 32-save performance as the Capitals regained first place in the overall standings with 61 points. Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators, who’ve dropped five of their last seven games.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 22 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. He also joined Gordie Howe and Ron Francis as the only players in NHL history to record 20 20-goal seasons. Howe is the all-time leader with 22 seasons. Before this game, the Capitals placed goalie Charlie Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled netminder Hunter Shepard.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his league-leading sixth shutout of the season to blank the Colorado Avalanche 3-0. Nikolaj Ehlers scored two goals and Mark Scheifele collected his team-leading 25th goal. Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for the Avalanche as they dropped into the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck tied his franchise record for most shutouts in a season and tied Craig Anderson for the third-most shutouts by an American goaltender (43) in NHL history. He trailed Jonathan Quick (62) and Ryan Miller (44). The Jets lead the Western Conference with 61 points but sit second in the overall standings as the Capitals have a game in hand.

An overtime goal by David Pastrnak lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Pastrnak finished with 2 goals and an assist while Jeremy Swayman kicked out 40 shots for the Bruins as they snapped a six-game winless skid (0-5-1) and cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 47 points. Sam Reinhart tallied twice for the Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 53 points.

The Seattle Kraken scored six unanswered goals to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. Kaapo Kakko led the way with two goals while Joey Daccord turned aside 33 shots as the Kraken ended a four-game winless streak (0-3-1). Sam Lafferty and Jack Quinn scored for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko had 10 points in 30 games before the New York Rangers traded him last month to Seattle. He has seven points in 10 games with the Kraken.

Ottawa Senators rookie goaltender Leevi Merilainen made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 5-0 rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Claude Giroux collected three assists for the Senators as they ended a four-game winless stretch (0-3-1). Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic gave up five goals on 17 shots and was replaced by Tristan Jarry in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 43 points, the Senators are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, sitting one point back of the Penguins.

The Vancouver Canucks blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0. Kevin Lankinen stopped 20 shots for the shutout while Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood tallied for the Canucks (48 points) as they maintained their grip on the final Western wild-card berth and ended a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). It’s the Leafs second straight defeat following a five-game win streak but they remain first in the Atlantic Division with 56 points.

A shootout goal by Jason Robertson gave the Dallas Stars a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jamie Benn scored in regulation and Jake Oettinger stopped 30 shots to extend their win streak to seven games. Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored his ninth power-play goal of the season as he returned to action after missing four games with flu-like symptoms while Samuel Montembault kicked out 34 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens and Penguins each have 44 points, leaving both clubs two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Montreal’s win streak ended at three games but they have points in their last four contests.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves made 31 saves as his club extended their win streak to a season-high four games with a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets. Colton Parayko replied for the Blues, who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

The New Jersey Devils got an overtime goal by Stefan Noesen to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Ondrej Palat and Jack Hughes scored in regulation for the Devils while Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning.

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson made 22 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 6-0. Travis Konecny had four assists while Jamie Drysdale had a goal and an assist against his former club. Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier was heavily booed and jeered by Flyers fans in his first game in Philadelphia. His refusal to play for the Flyers led to his trade to the Ducks for Drysdale last January.

A third-period goal by Zach Hyman capped a three-goal rally by the Edmonton Oilers in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin each collected two points as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 55 points. Nick Foligno and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the second time in seven games. The 32-year-old has seven goals and 15 points in 40 games, putting him on pace for one of his lowest-scoring seasons.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal scored with 1:25 remaining in the third period to lift his team over the Utah Hockey Club by a score of 2-1. Brock Nelson scored the tying goal earlier in the third period after Nick Schmaltz opened the scoring for Utah in the second period. The Islanders have won three straight while Utah is 1-2-1 in their last four.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders starter Ilya Sorokin missed this game due to illness. Jakub Skarek was called up as an emergency backup for Marcus Hogberg.

The Calgary Flames held off the Los Angeles Kings 2-1, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf turned aside 31 shots while Matt Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau were the goal scorers as the Flames (47 points) remain one point behind the Canucks for the final Western wild-card berth. Jacob Moverare scored for the Kings, who remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames unveiled their Quarter Century Team before this game.

The First Team comprises forwards Jarome Iginla, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, defensemen Mark Giordano and Robyn Regehr, and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

Forwards Sean Monahan, Craig Conroy and Mikael Backlund, blueliners Rasmus Andersson and Dion Phaneuf, and goaltender Jacob Markstrom made up the Second Team.

New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots while Vincent Trocheck and Adam Edstrom scored in a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Mark Stone opened the scoring for Vegas, who’ve lost two straight but remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 59 points. The Rangers are 4-1-1 in their last six contests.

The Minnesota Wild got a 36-save performance by Marc-Andre Fleury to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who’ve won five of their last six games. William Eklund replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped three straight.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2025

by | Jan 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2025

Five-point performances by Leafs forwards Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continues gaining ground on the goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Matthews Knies and Mitch Marner each had five-point performances in a 6-4 victory over the Boston Bruins. Knies scored his first NHL hat trick and added two assists while Marner had a goal and four assists. Leafs captain Auston Matthews had a three-point night after missing six games with an upper-body injury. David Pastrnak tallied twice for the Bruins as they lost their third straight game.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews and Marner comprise part of the Leafs’ Quarter-Century Team, joining teammate Morgan Rielly, former captain Mats Sundin, defenseman Tomas Kaberle, and goaltender Ed Belfour on the First Team.

Current Leafs William Nylander and John Tavares joined goaltender Curtis Joseph, forward Phil Kessel, and blueliners Bryan McCabe and Dion Phaneuf as part of the Second Team.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 872nd NHL regular-season goal and collected an assist as his club defeated the New York Rangers 7-4. Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists as the Capitals (55 points) held a three-point lead over the Leafs for first place in the Eastern Conference. Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored his 13th goal as his club has lost five of its last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin’s been on a tear since returning from a broken left fibula on Dec. 28, collecting four goals and five points in five games. He’s within 23 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

The Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to 14 games with a goal and an assist and Viktor Arvidsson had two helpers as the Oilers have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 contests. Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl leads all NHL scorers with 29 goals this season. He’s poised to reach the 30-goal plateau for the seventh straight year. Kraken defenseman (and former Oiler) Adam Larsson left this game following the second period with an undisclosed injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi collected a career-high four assists in a 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Filip Gustavsson had a 21-save shutout while Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello each had three points as the Wild have won five of their last six contests. The Hurricanes have lost four of their last six (2-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s improved play silenced the trade rumors about the 23-year-old Wild center earlier this season. He’s sitting second among their scorers with 37 points in 40 games.

The Nashville Predators got a hat trick from Ryan O’Reilly to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Filip Forsberg and Fedor Svechkov collected two points each and Justus Annunen turned aside 31 shots for the Predators as they picked up their second straight victory. Mikael Backlund replied for the Flames as they dropped three of their last four games.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored to collect his 600th regular-season point in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist against his former team as the Golden Knights overtook the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings with 57 points. Jason Zucker scored for the Sabres as they go 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

Speaking of the Jets, they were upset by the Detroit Red Wings 4-2. Lucas Raymond had a goal and two assists while Dylan Larkin scored twice for the Wings as they picked up their fourth straight win. Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets as they’re winless in their last three (0-2-1).

The San Jose Sharks upset the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Cody Ceci scored the winning goal with 25 seconds remaining in the third period. Nikolai Kovalenko and Macklin Celebrini also scored for the Sharks as they picked up their second straight win. Nico Hischier and Paul Cotter scored for the Devils as their losing skid reached four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks activated William Eklund off injured reserve for this game and placed defenseman Jake Walman on IR. Meanwhile, the Devils placed defenseman Nick DeSimone on waivers.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe’s third-period goal gave his club a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mikey Anderson also scored and Darcy Kuemper kicked out 34 shots as the Kings extended their winning streak to four games. Victor Hedman had the Lightning’s only goal as they’ve dropped three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings got a boost for this game as forwards Trevor Moore and Trevor Lewis came off injured reserve.

Shootout goals by Cole Caufield and Kirby Dach lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Caufield also scored the tying goal in regulation and rookie goalie Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for his second straight win in as many games. Mikko Rantanen scored for the Avalanche as their six-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal forward Patrik Laine (illness) and defenseman David Savard (upper-body injury) missed their second straight game. The Canadiens (39 points) have won seven of their last 10 games and sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Utah Hockey Club 3-2 on an overtime goal by Thomas Harley. Joel Oettinger made 33 saves while Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston each picked up two assists for their club’s fourth straight victory. Matias Maccelli tallied both goals for Utah as they’d lost six of their last seven games (1-4-2).

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov tallied two goals while Sean Monahan and Ivan Provorov had three assists each in a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. With the win, the Blue Jackets are one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jordan Kyrou scored a goal and two assists for the Blues, who sat two points out of the final Western wild-card position.