NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2025

by | May 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2025

The Oilers defeat the Stars in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final, the GM of the Year finalists are revealed, Alex Ovechkin wins the Messier Leadership Award, the Islanders name Mathieu Darche as GM, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OILERS DEFEAT STARS IN GAME 2 OF WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for his third shutout of this postseason to blank the Dallas Stars 3-0 in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (NHL Images).

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the winning goal and collected an assist while Brett Kulak and Connor Brown also scored for the Oilers, who tied this series at a game apiece. Jake Oettinger turned aside 22 shots for the Stars.

The series shifts to Edmonton for the next two games, with Game 3 on Sunday, May 25, at 3 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a better team effort by the Oilers, holding the lead in this game after blowing a 3-1 lead in the third period of Game 1. Skinner rose to the occasion again, bouncing back from a shaky performance in his previous start to tie Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky for the most shutouts in this postseason.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist, becoming the fourth player in NHL history to record four straight 20-plus point postseasons.

The Stars were furious over a slash by Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse on Dallas center Roope Hintz early in the third period. Hintz left the game and didn’t return but Nurse only received a minor penalty. There was no postgame update on his status.

“We didn’t like it. If that was McDavid walking down the tunnel, I would like to see the result of that,” said Dallas captain Jamie Benn. Head coach Pete DeBoer echoed that sentiment, while Stars winger Mason Marchment said he and his teammates won’t forget Nurse’s actions.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets, Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars, and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award finalists for 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nill won it in 2023 and 2024. This is the second time Cheveldayoff has been a finalist and the third straight season for Zito.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.

The New York Islanders named Mathieu Darche their new general manager. He had been the assistant GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the past three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles also named Darche as their executive vice president, indicating in their statement that he will “manage all aspects of the team’s hockey operations.”

The Islanders were permitted to speak with former Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan before they hired Darche. Their statement suggests they won’t be hiring a team president.

Ethan Sears of the New York Post believes Darche’s first order of business should be addressing their head coach position. Patrick Roy currently holds that role on a multi-year contract. If Darche fires Roy, Sears listed Greg Cronin, Peter Laviolette, Mitch Love, Jay Leach, Jay Woodcroft and Kirk Muller as potential candidates.

TSN: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president Keith Pelley said he wasn’t looking to replace Shanahan as the Leafs’ team president. He indicated he intends to work closely with GM Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Marc Bergevin is staying on as an advisor to Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bergevin was among the finalists for the Isles GM job.

RG.ORG: The New York Rangers could add Russian goaltending coach Rashit Davydov to their coaching staff. He’s closely connected to Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin and has also worked with goalies like Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, and Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The International Ice Hockey Federation has reportedly banned Russian teams from competing in the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will affect NHL stars such as Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Nikita Kucherov, the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin and Artemi Panarin, the Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky, Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

by | May 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Final amid a heartbreaking personal loss for Jets center Mark Scheifele, the Panthers and Maple Leafs prepare for Game 7, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final for the third straight year with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 of their second-round series.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (NHL Images)

Thomas Harley scored the game-winner on a power-play goal at 1:33 of overtime. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for the win and Sam Steel tallied the tying goal for the Stars, who will face the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year in the Conference Final.

Harley’s goal came with Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele in the penalty box for tripping late in the third period. Scheifele opened the scoring in this game, opting to play despite his father passing away suddenly the night before.

Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game with a lower-body injury after getting tangled with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen late in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a heartbreaking defeat for Scheifele and his teammates. Following the game, Jets coach Scott Arniel said Scheifele told him he would play because that’s what his father would’ve wanted.

The Stars players and coaches took the time to offer condolences to Scheifele in the postgame handshake lineup, especially Mason Marchment, who lost his father three years ago.

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reported that Marchment said he was trying to help Scheifele with some kind words that helped him back following his own father’s death. He also praised the Jets center for deciding to play despite his loss. “At the end of the day, we’re all just people. And when you treat someone with respect, I think it means a lot,” said Marchment.

The hockey community rallied to support Scheifele, raising more than $30K in $55 donations (honoring Scheifele’s No. 55) to the Jets’ charitable fund, True North Youth Foundation. Many of the donations came from Dallas Stars fans.

NHL.COM: The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are feeling the pressure heading into Game 7 of their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. They’ll try to draw on their experience in these situations (eliminating Boston in their 2023 first-round series, defeating Edmonton in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final) to help them advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

TORONTO SUN: The status of Leafs winger Matthew Knies remains uncertain for Game 7. He suffered an undisclosed injury during the Leafs’ 2-0 victory in Game 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 is in Toronto on Sunday, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

NHL.COM: The Western Conference Final between the Stars and Oilers begins in Dallas on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 pm ET.

The Eastern Conference Final opens on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 PM ET. If the Leafs win, the series starts in Toronto against the Carolina Hurricanes. If the Panthers win, the series begins in Carolina.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin confirmed he will return next season. He’s coming off a historic 20th NHL season where he broke the all-time goal-scoring record while helping the Capitals finish first in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin turns 40 in September and has one year remaining on his contract. It could be last in the NHL, depending on how next season unfolds.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOWS: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged a lack of scoring against the Edmonton Oilers led to his club’s second-round elimination. However, he chalked that up to the Oilers’ strong defensive play during that series.

McCrimmon acknowledged several players (Tanner Pearson, Victor Olofsson, Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad and Ilya Samsonov) are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He praised their performances, suggesting a good case can be made to re-sign them.

The Golden Knights GM indicated “a couple of guys” played through injuries, but none will require offseason surgery.

LAS VEGAS SUN: McCrimmon also hopes to sign Jack Eichel to a contract extension this summer. The 28-year-old first-line center is UFA-eligible next July.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury ahead of the Eastern Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly close to an agreement to remain at the SAP Center until 2050.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2025

by | Apr 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2025

The Jets set a franchise record for wins while ending the Blues’ franchise-record win streak, Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov reaches a significant milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets collected their franchise-record 53rd single-season victory by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1, ending the latter’s franchise-record win streak at 12 games. Morgan Barron, Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (110 points), opening a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for first place in the overall standings. Pavel Buchnevich replied for the Blues, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 93 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists in his club’s 5-1 win over the New York Rangers. Brayden Point scored twice and set up another and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 38 saves as the Lightning (96 points) sit two points behind the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. The Rangers (79 points) remain six points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 115 points, Kucherov is tied for first place in the scoring race with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. He also collected his 80th assist, joining Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey and Bobby Orr as the only players in NHL history to accomplish that feat in at least three consecutive seasons.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the San Jose Sharks 3-2. Dustin Wolf stopped 29 shots while Adam Klapka, Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato scored for the Flames, who sit four points behind the Minnesota Wild for the final Western wild card with 87 points. Sharks rookie Will Smith scored twice and teammate Macklin Celebrini set the rookie franchise record for assists with 36.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: San Jose winger Tyler Toffoli missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The Sharks also announced defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin’s upper-body injury will sideline him for the remainder of the regular season.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 45 shots in a 3-2 upset win over the injury-depleted Edmonton Oilers. Cutter Gauthier tallied twice for the Ducks. Adam Henrique and Jeff Skinner replied for the Oilers (93 points), who remain four points behind the Los Angeles Kings in third place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Trent Frederic’s return from an ankle injury was short-lived. He missed this game after aggravating that injury during Saturday’s loss to the Kings.

Speaking of the Kings, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Seattle Kraken. Matty Beniers and Brandon Montour scored and Joey Daccord turned aside 28 shots for the win. Quinton Byfield tallied his 20th of the season for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was given time off from this game as he rests his surgically repaired ankle. Teammate Adrian Kempe left this game in the third period to attend to a personal matter. Forward Tanner Jeannot missed this contest with an undisclosed injury and is listed as week-to-week.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, and St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas are the league’s three stars for the week ending April 6, 2025.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have a growing list of injured players. Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Niko Sturm, Dmitry Kulikov and Gustav Forsling are sidelined, and the club could rest some of them for several games to ensure they’ll be fully healthy for the coming playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have already clinched a playoff berth so they have the luxury of giving some of these players an extra game or two to rest up over their remaining five games in the schedule.

It’s given rise to a silly conspiracy theory that they’re sandbagging the rest of the season to drop further in the standings, ensuring they draw the Toronto Maple Leafs as their first-round opponent.

If the playoffs started now, the Panthers would face the Lightning in the opening round. The theory suggests they prefer meeting the Leafs because they’re an easier opponent.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of playoff-bound teams with injury-ravaged rosters, the Avalanche hope to have sidelined defenseman Josh Manson and Samuel Girard and forwards Martin Necas and Jonathan Drouin back in the lineup later this week.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club blueliner John Marino is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association continue their collective bargaining agreement negotiations this week in New York City. CBA talks between the two sides began last week. The current agreement expires in September 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: League commissioner Gary Bettman hopes to get a new CBA in place as soon as possible, perhaps by the 2025 NHL Draft in late June. The recent relationship between the NHL and NHLPA lacks the rancor and mistrust that hampered previous CBA negotiations.

THE ATHLETIC: Meredith Gaudreau gave birth to her and late husband Johnny Gaudreau’s third child (a boy named Carter Michael Gaudreau) on April 1. Carter’s middle name is the same as his father’s.

Johnny and his brother Matthew were killed by an alleged drunk driver last August. The alleged driver faces charges including reckless vehicular homicide, aggravated manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My thoughts go out to the Gaudreau family. Here’s hoping Carter has a long and happy life.

TSN: Long-time NHL goaltender and broadcaster Greg Millen died on Monday at age 67. The cause of death was not revealed.

Millen spent 14 seasons as an NHL goaltender from 1978-79 to 1991-92 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. He played in 604 games, making 582 starts with a 3.88 goals-against average and a save percentage of .873.

Following his playing career, Millen went on to a long broadcasting career mostly with CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL on Sportsnet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Millen’s family, friends, teammates and broadcasting colleagues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2025

by | Apr 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2025

Alex Ovechkin is the all-time goal-scoring leader, the Senators and Canadiens move closer to clinching playoff berths, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OVECHKIN SCORES HIS 895TH GOAL, BREAKING THE ALL-TIME GOAL-SCORING RECORD

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders. Ovechkin tallied his 895th regular-season goal to surpass Wayne Gretzky.

The game was stopped to commemorate his achievement with an on-ice ceremony, including congratulations from Gretzky and league commissioner Gary Bettman, and video tributes that included Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Islanders forward Marc Gatcomb scored twice as the remainder of the game was an afterthought to Ovechkin’s accomplishment. The Isles (78 points) sit seven points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Capitals missed the chance to clinch first place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gretzky’s goal record seemed insurmountable. Breaking it was an incredible achievement by Ovechkin, a testament to his goal-scoring skill and durability.

Ovechkin paid tribute to former teammates Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie, who attended this game to watch him break the record. It was an emotional moment for Backstrom, who played more games with the Capitals superstar (1,058) than anyone else and assisted on more of his goals (279) than any other player.

During his on-ice tribute to Ovechkin, Gretzky said records were made to be broken but he wasn’t sure who could outscore the Capitals superstar. The Toronto Star’s Damien Cox tried to make the case for Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, but The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus believe it’s a high mountain to scale.

The 27-year-old Matthews sits 112th overall with 398 goals. The current active players closest to Ovechkin are Crosby (622) and Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (580) and they’re on the downside of their long careers. So are Malkin (513), Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (491), Edmonton Oilers winger Corey Perry (445), Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (438), Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (422) and Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (399).

Matthews and Oilers winger Leon Draisaitl (399 goals) are the only active players in their prime closest to Ovechkin’s record. Cox believes the Leafs captain could have a chance if he plays 13 more seasons while maintaining his current scoring pace. It’s not impossible but it will be a daunting challenge for Matthews.

Gretzky still has the most assists (1,963) and points (2,857). Those records could be unbreakable. Future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr is second in points with 1,921 and he last played in the NHL seven years ago.

Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas missed this game as he’s week-to-week after suffering a cut to his left foot during Friday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S OTHER GAMES

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators are one win away from clinching a playoff berth after blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned in a 30-save shutout, Adam Gaudette scored what proved to be the winning goal, and Thomas Chabot had two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ottawa holds the first Eastern wild-card berth with 90 points, putting them on the verge of ending their eight-year postseason drought. Meanwhile, the Blues Jackets’ three-game losing skid jeopardizes their playoff hopes, leaving them eight points out of the final wild-card spot.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 36 shots to nip the Nashville Predators 2-1, extending his club’s win streak to five games. Cole Caufield and Patrik Laine scored as the Canadiens (85 points) opened a six-point lead over the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern wild card. Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal is tantalizingly close to clinching that wild-card spot. The Rangers, Red Wings and Islanders have a game in hand on the Canadiens but the latter still controls their destiny, including games against the Red Wings on Tuesday and the Senators on Friday.

Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Chris Chelios for the most points (64) by a Habs rookie blueliner. Canadiens winger Emil Heineman and blueliner David Savard missed this game and are day-to-day with injuries. Winger Josh Anderson returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game for family reasons.

Speaking of the Red Wings, they picked up a vital two points with a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Cam Talbot made 32 saves while Alex DeBrincat and J.T. Compher scored for the Wings. Anton Lundell replied for the slumping Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 92 points. They’re 0-4-1 in the last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are nipping at the Panthers’ heels. They could vault past the defending Stanley Cup champions into third place in the Atlantic Division standings.

An overtime goal by Marco Rossi lifted the Minnesota Wild over the Dallas Stars 3-2. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists as the Wild (91 points) moved within two points of the St. Louis Blues for the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley scored for the Stars (105 points) as they sit three points behind the league-leading Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars captain Jamie Benn returned to action after missing two games with a lower-body injury. Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton missed this contest as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights downed the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on a late goal by Victor Olofsson. With 102 points, the Golden Knights hold a five-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings for first place in the Pacific Division. The Canucks (83 points) are eight points behind the Wild for the final Western wild card.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson tallied a hat trick for a 6-3 victory over the Boston Bruins. The Sabres have won four straight games. David Pastrnak collected assists on all three Bruins goals.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were officially eliminated from the playoff chase following a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev scored two goals and Spencer Knight stopped 28 shots for the Blackhawks. Penguins forward Rickard Rakell netted his 34th of the season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2025

by | Apr 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2025

Alex Ovechkin ties Wayne Gretzky for the most regular-season goals in league history, Patrick Kane sets a scoring record for American-born players, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice to tie Wayne Gretzky for the most regular-season goals in league history (894) in a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. John Carlson collected three assists and Dylan Strome had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (107 points), who moved within one point of the league-leading Winnipeg Jets in the overall standings. Blackhawks rookies Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore and Landon Slaggert each had two points.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a stellar game for Ovechkin, who tied the record with Gretzky in attendance. The Washington captain tallied his 894th goal in his 1,486th regular-season game, one game fewer than when Gretzky concluded his 20-season NHL career in 1999. His next opportunity to break the record is Sunday against the New York Islanders.

Ovechkin also set the record for the most 40-goal seasons (14) and the most career game-winning goals with 136, moving past Jaromir Jagr. The 39-year-old Capitals superstar is the second-oldest player to score 40 goals in a season. Gordie Howe holds that record, doing so at age 40 in 1968-69.

Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson missed this game with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss at least the next two games.

The Detroit Red Wings kept their playoff hopes alive by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3. Patrick Kane scored his 20th goal of the season while Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin each had two points. Jaccob Slavin picked up two assists for the Hurricanes, whose three-game win streak ended. The Wings (77 points) are four points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth while the Hurricanes sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane reached the 20-goal plateau for the 17th time, passing Mike Modano for the most 20-goal seasons by an American-born NHL player. Meanwhile, Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild, snapping a six-game winless skid (0-4-2). Ilya Sorokin stopped 27 shots for the Islanders (76 points), who moved within five points of the Canadiens in the wild-card race. Mats Zuccarello replied for the Wild, who’ve dropped four straight (0-2-2) but remain in the final Western Conference wild card with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild are five points ahead of the Calgary Flames but they’ve been slumping for weeks, causing them to slide in the standings. They’re in danger of being overtaken by the Flames before the end of the regular season (April 17).

HEADLINES

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers star Leon Draisaitl will miss Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to be sidelined short term but there’s no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are also without captain Connor McDavid, defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and starting goaltender Stuart Skinner.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: On Thursday, Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers suffered a lower-body injury against the Vegas Golden Knights. However, he could return to action on Saturday against the Utah Hockey Club.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer listed team captain Jamie Benn (undisclosed) as doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

STLTODAY.COM: St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holloway played a crucial role in the Blues’ recent surge in the standings. He should be ready to return before the playoffs start on April 19.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Kampf and Jake McCabe will miss Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with injuries.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky will be the bench boss for Team USA at the 2025 World Championships.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2025

by | Apr 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2025

Alex Ovechkin is within a hat trick of becoming the all-time goals leader while the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes clinch postseason berths. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his 892nd regular-season goal but his club fell 5-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. Ovechkin is only three goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth for the seventh straight season as Jackson Blake scored twice and Seth Jarvis tallied his 30th goal of the season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Washington sits first in the Eastern Conference with 105 points but only one win in their last five games (1-3-1). They remain a point back of the Winnipeg Jets, who sit atop the overall standings. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson left this game with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Hurricanes are on a roll, winning 12 of their last 14 games. They sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got goals from John Tavares, Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies as they held off the Florida Panthers 3-2 to clinch a playoff spot. Anthony Stolarz made 29 saves as the Leafs sit first in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Gustav Forsling and Sam Reinhart replied for the Panthers, who are four points behind the Leafs in third place in the division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto has the longest active postseason streak (nine seasons) but has only one playoff series win thus far. Leafs forward David Kampf left this game with an upper-body injury.

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (upper-body injury) and center Nico Sturm (undisclosed) missed this game and are listed as day-to-day. The Panthers are 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

An overtime goal by Vincent Trocheck lifted the New York Rangers over the Minnesota Wild 5-4. Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists for the Rangers, who are tied with the Montreal Canadiens with 79 points. Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists for the Wild to regain the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand over the Rangers. The Wild are tied in points with the St. Louis Blues but have 33 regulation wins to the Blues’ 30, putting the latter into the final Western wild card.

Shootout goals by Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Martin Necas tied the game for Colorado with 11 seconds remaining in the third period. The Avalanche hold third place in the Central Division with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin left this game after the first period with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord made 24 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 5-0. Jared McCann collected three assists and Andre Burakovsky had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was another blow for the Canucks’ fading playoff hopes, leaving them eight points out of the final Western wild card.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said there’s a chance sidelined forward Tyler Seguin and defenseman Miro Heiskanen could return to the lineup for the start of the postseason, which begins on April 19.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: With Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler sidelined, Luke Hughes has stepped up as the Devils’ No. 1 defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was only a matter of time until Hughes moved into that role. The injuries to Hamilton and Siegenthaler opened that pathway earlier than expected. The 21-year-old blueliner has seized the opportunity with 41 points in 66 games, putting him six shy of last season’s career-best of 47.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Edmonton sportswriter Bruce McCurdy passed away on Wednesday. He wrote for the now-defunct blog “Copper and Blue” and was co-writer of the Journal’s “The Cult of Hockey” and co-host of the eponymous podcast.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to Bruce’s family, friends, and staff of the Journal, especially David Staples, his co-host on “The Cult of Hockey” podcast. I started following Bruce’s work during his “Copper and Blue” days, occasionally interacted with him, and cited his work on this site from time to time. He was a passionate follower of the Oilers and I will miss his insight.