NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2025

by | Apr 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2025

The Senators clinch their first playoff berth since 2017, the Capitals clinch the Metropolitan Division, the Canucks stage a history-making comeback, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators clinched their first playoff berth since 2016-17 despite a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fabian Zetterlund and Thomas Chabot scored for the Senators, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 90 points. Kent Johnson, Justin Danforth and Mathieu Olivier each had two points for the Blues Jackets (79 points), who sit eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Senators for ending their long playoff drought. The past several years have seen them go through an ownership change and a painful, at times fitful rebuilding process.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they moved a step closer to clinching the final Easter wild-card spot by defeating the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Sam Montembault made 35 saves (including 22 in the first period) while Nick Suzuki, Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist as the Canadiens (87 points) picked up their sixth straight win to sit eight points above the Red Wings, Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and New York Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal’s win assured the Senators of a playoff berth. It was the Canadiens’ sixth game in nine days, making their current win streak more impressive. The Wings, Jackets, Rangers and Isles all have a game in hand but the Habs need three points in their remaining four games to punch their ticket to the postseason.

Earlier in the day, the Canadiens signed highly-touted prospect Ivan Demidov to a three-year entry-level contract hours after he was released from his KHL deal. Demidov could be in the Canadiens’ lineup as early as Friday when they face the Senators. The way Demidov’s contract is structured, the first year will be used up regardless of the number of games played. He can also return to his KHL team next season if he fails to secure a roster spot with the Canadiens.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender James Reimer made 33 saves to shut out the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0, handing the latter their third straight loss. Tage Thompson scored his 44th goal for the Sabres, who were officially eliminated from the playoffs for the 14th straight season. The Hurricanes remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points. Their loss to the Sabres ensured the idle Washington Capitals clinched the division crown.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be out for at least a week.

The Vancouver Canucks staged a history-making comeback against the Dallas Stars with three goals within the final minute of the third period before winning the game 6-5 on an overtime goal by Kiefer Sherwood. Pius Suter scored two of those last-minute goals and Conor Garland collected three assists for the Canucks (85 points), who staved off elimination from the Western Conference wild-card race. Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 106 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are the first team in NHL history to erase a three-goal deficit in the final minute of regulation. They are six points behind the Minnesota Wild in the Western wild-card race.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists in a 7-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Pastrnak reached the 100-point plateau for the third straight season with 16 points in his last seven games. The Devils hold third place in the Metro Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a history-making performance for Pastrnak, joining Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito as the only Bruins to record three straight 100-point seasons. He’s also the first Czech-born NHL player to do so. Jaromir Jagr had five 100-plus point campaigns but never did it in three consecutive seasons.

Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton has been sidelined since March 4 with a lower-body injury. He’s skating on his own and could return to the lineup for the first round of the playoffs.

Third-period goals by Eetu Luostarinen and Carter Verhaeghe lifted the Florida Panthers over the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1. John Tavares scored his 37th goal of the season for the Leafs, who remain first in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. The Panthers sit four points behind the Leafs in third place.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: So much for the silly conspiracy theory that the Panthers were sandbagging the rest of their schedule to finish lower in the standings to ensure they face the Leafs in the first round. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Gustav Forsling returned to the injury-ravaged Panthers lineup for this game.

The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Third-period goals by Valeri Nichushkin and Jimmy Vesey set the stage for Charlie Coyle’s game-winner in the shootout. With 100 points, the Avalanche sit third in the Central Division. William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb scored for the Golden Knights, who sit first in the Pacific Division with 103 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nathan MacKinnon picked up an assist for his 116th point, moving one ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov into first place in the scoring race. He also has 1,015 points in 870 regular-season games, tying him with Joe Sakic for the Denver-based Avalanche scoring record. Sakick also reached that milestone in 870 games.

Golden Knights center Jack Eichel missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson scored his 200th goal as his club blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Tristan Jarry turned in a 26-save shutout and Kevin Hayes collected two goals for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pittsburgh rookie Rutger McGroarty left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot by Blackhawks center Connor Bedard. Penguins forward Blake Lizotte missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Nashville Predators nipped the New York Islanders 7-6 on an overtime goal by Fedor Svechkov. Steven Stamkos and Michael Bunting scored late in the third period to set the stage for Svechkov’s game-winner. Simon Holmstrom scored twice and set up two others for the Islanders, who sit eight points behind the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card chase.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders starting goalie Ilya Sorokin missed the third period for precautionary reasons with an upper-body injury. Head coach Patrick Roy said Sorokin should be ok but they didn’t want to take any chances.

The Utah Hockey Club defeated the Seattle Kraken 7-1, setting a franchise record for the most goals in one game since moving to Utah. Dylan Guenther and Mikhail Sergachev each had three points as Utah (84 points) sit seven points behind the Wild in the Western wild-card race.

IN OTHER NEWS:

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets prospect Chaz Lucius announced his retirement after being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a group of inherited disorders that affects the skin, joints and blood vessel walls.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lucius’ dream of becoming an NHL player reached a sad, sudden end. Here’s hoping he finds success elsewhere in the game or in whatever non-hockey endeavor he chooses.

CALGARY SUN: Flames top prospect Zayne Parekh signed his entry-level contract on Tuesday. With the Flames chasing a playoff berth, the young defenseman might not get a chance to see any playing time during the club’s final five regular-season games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL player Brendan Lemieux was suspended four games in Switzerland’s National League playoffs after punching a linesman in a scrum during a postseason game against ZSC Lions.

TSN: Alex Faulkner, the first Newfoundland-born player to compete in the NHL, passed away in Bishop Falls at age 88. Faulkner made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1961-62 season. He went on to play 100 games with the Detroit Red Wings from 1962-63 to 1963-64.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Faulkner’s family, friends and former teammates. He blazed the trail for 30 other Newfoundland-born players to reach the NHL, including Michael Ryder, Daniel Cleary, Ryane Clowe, Teddy Purcell, Alex Newhook and Dawson Mercer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2025

by | Apr 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2025

The Kings, Lightning and Panthers clinch playoff berths, the Blues set a franchise record for consecutive wins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth by blanking the Edmonton Oilers 3-0. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 27-save shutout while Kevin Fiala tallied his 30th goal of the season as the Kings sit second in the Pacific Division with 97 points, reaching the postseason for the fourth straight year. The Oilers remain in third place behind the Kings with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, defenseman Mattias Ekholm and goaltender Stuart Skinner missed this game with injuries. McDavid is expected to return later this week.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored his 40th goal as the Buffalo Sabres upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on shootout goals by Jack Quinn and Alex Tuch. Brayden Point and Gage Goncalves tallied for Tampa Bay, who clinched a playoff berth in second place in the Atlantic Division with 94 points. It’s the eighth straight season the Lightning have qualified for the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres have surged recently, winning seven of their last 10 games. Sitting 11 points out of a wild-card berth with seven games remaining, this hot streak comes too late to save their season.

Ottawa Senators netminder Anton Forsberg kicked out 40 shots to shut out the Florida Panthers 3-0. Jake Sanderson had a goal and an assist for the Senators as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 88 points, four back of the third-place Panthers in the Atlantic Division. Despite the loss, the Panthers clinched a playoff berth for the sixth straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Florida has gone 3-6-1 in their last 10 games while Ottawa is 5-4-1. Both teams have six games left. The Senators could overtake the Panthers in the standings if the latter doesn’t snap out of its funk.

St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas (NHL Images).

The St. Louis Blues set a franchise record with their 12th straight win by holding off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4. Robert Thomas scored the game-winner and collected three assists, Cam Fowler had three helpers and Zack Bolduc tallied twice as the Blues hold a four-point lead over the Minnesota Wild for the first Western Conference wild-card spot. Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 115 points, MacKinnon holds a three-point lead over Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov in the scoring race.

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz turned aside 27 shots in a 5-0 shutout of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nick Robertson and William Nylander each scored two goals for the Leafs, who hold a four-point lead over the Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored his 30th goal, becoming the first American-born NHL player to reach that milestone in nine consecutive seasons. The loss puts the Blue Jackets (77 points) six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern wild card.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they got third-period goals by Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki for a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. The Canadiens have won four straight games and opened a four-point lead over the New York Rangers for the final Eastern wild card with 83 points. Ryan Poehling and Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suzuki is two points away from becoming the first Canadien to reach 85 points in a season since Pierre Turgeon and Vincent Damphousse in 1995-96. Habs winger Josh Anderson missed this game as his wife is due to give birth soon.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves to blank the Rangers 4-0. Timo Meier scored two goals for the Devils, who sit third in the Metro Division with 89 points. With 79 points, the Rangers are four back of the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card chase.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blueshirts are sputtering with a record of 3-6-1. They and the Canadiens have six games remaining with the latter riding a four-game win streak.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a hat trick and two assists in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Morgan Geekie had a goal and four assists for the Bruins, who were officially eliminated from the postseason race. Hurricanes rookie Justin Robidas scored his first NHL goal. His club sits second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak’s been among the few bright spots in a miserable season for the Bruins. He reached the 40-goal plateau for the fifth time, tying him for second with Rick Middleton among the Bruins all-time scoring leaders. Phil Esposito holds the franchise record with seven 40-goal campaigns.

If Robidas’ last name sounds familiar, he’s the son of former NHL defenseman Stephane Robidas.

An overtime goal by Reilly Smith lifted the Vegas Golden Knights past the Calgary Flames 3-2. Smith finished the game with two goals and Shea Theodore collected three assists as the Golden Knights remain atop the Pacific Division with 100 points, three up on the Kings. Joel Hanley and Matt Coronato scored for the Flames (85 points), who collected a point to sit four behind the Wild for the final Western wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a hat trick and collected an assist in a 5-3 upset of the Dallas Stars, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Evgenii Dadonov had a hat trick for the Stars, who remain four points behind the first-place Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby reached the 30-goal mark for the 13th time in his career.

Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 32 shots to beat the Jets 4-1. Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Kevin Stenlund each had a goal and an assist for Utah. Mark Scheifele tallied his 38th goal of the season for the league-leading Jets (108 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

A five-goal first period lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Thatcher Demko made 30 saves while Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes each had two points. Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras scored for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win keeps the Canucks’ fading playoff hopes alive. With 83 points, they’re six behind the Wild in the Western wild-card race.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-1. Jared McCann had two goals and an assist for the Kraken. Rookie Will Smith tallied his 14th goal for the Sharks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2025

by | Feb 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby injured, the Canucks re-sign Marcus Pettersson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A shorthanded third-period goal by Chris Kreider lifted the New York Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Mika Zibanejad collected two assists for the Rangers (56 points) as they picked up their second straight win to move within four points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored to collect 25 points over the past 12 games. However, his club remains just outside the Eastern wild card with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins held a 2-1 lead going into the third period but Vincent Trocheck tied it early in the frame, setting the stage for Kreider’s game-winner. Pastrnak’s doing the heavy lifting for the Bruins’ anemic offense. They’re sitting 25th overall with a 2.75 goals-per-game average.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored in overtime to nip the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Leon Draisaitl and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points for the Blackhawks.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl is making a strong case for the Hart Memorial Trophy. He continues to lead all goal scorers (38) and has surged ahead of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the points lead with 81. Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson left this game in the second period with an injured left leg. Head coach Anders Sorensen said Dickinson will be reevaluated on Thursday, adding “It doesn’t look good.”

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. Kevin Fiala tallied twice and Quinton Byfield collected three assists as the Kings sit third in the Pacific Division with 62 points. Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Logan Mailloux replied for the Canadiens, who’ve dropped six of the last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (55 points) remain five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with two games remaining before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

HEADLINES

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Crosby appeared to injure his left arm after colliding with Devils forward Erik Haula and defenseman Luke Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby missed practice yesterday, raising concerns about whether he can participate in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. He’s the captain of Team Canada in that tournament.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed Marcus Pettersson to a six-year contract extension on Wednesday. Acquired on Saturday from the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 28-year-old defenseman’s new deal is worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin knew Pettersson from their days with the Penguins, signing him to his current contract in 2020. They consider the lanky blueliner “a calming presence” on the Canucks blueline.

Pettersson receives a raise of about $1.5 million annually over the $4.083 million on his present deal. He might have received much more had he gone to market on July 1, especially with the salary cap jumping from $88 million to $95.5 million, but he opted for term security. Pettersson also gets a full no-movement clause in the first three years of the deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane set an NHL record during Tuesday’s 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. He scored his 53rd career shootout goal to become the league leader in that category, surpassing former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Jonathan Toews.

TSN: According to Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, center Dylan Cozens missed practice on Wednesday with a “lower-body aggravation”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no indication of how long Cozens will be sidelined, but Ruff didn’t indicate that it was serious. The young center has been the frequent topic of trade rumors this season. You can read the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association is appealing Ryan Hartman’s 10-game suspension. The Minnesota Wild center received that punishment from the NHL’s department of player safety for driving Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle’s head into the ice following a faceoff.

The Wild also claimed forward Vinnie Hinostroza off waivers from the Nashville Predators.










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 28, 2025

by | Jan 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the Sharks unveil their Quarter-Century Team, the mid-season Rookie All-Stars are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond had a goal and three assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-2. Marco Kasper tallied twice and collected an assist as the Wings (53 points) sit two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Kevin Fiala and Quinton Byfield scored for the slumping Kings (58 points), who hold third place in the Pacific Division but have dropped six of their last eight games.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big night for Detroit forward Dominik Shine. The 31-year-old forward made his NHL debut after spending nine seasons with the Red Wings AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. He saw 9:50 minutes of ice time and logged two hits and a blocked shot.

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty hopes he’ll get an opportunity to replace Alex Pietrangelo for Team Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. Doughty’s been sidelined with a fractured ankle since preseason but hopes to return to action in time for the tournament. Pietrangelo withdrew citing an injury.

The Vancouver Canucks got two goals from Conor Garland in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Quinn Hughes picked up two assists while Tyler Myers and Pius Suter had two points each as the Canucks (54 points) moved to within one point of the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington gave up three goals on 18 shots and was replaced by Joel Hofer in the second period. The Blues have lost three straight and sit four points back of the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues traded Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026. The 26-year-old defenseman played sparingly for the Blues as injuries and inconsistent play frequently sidelined him. The Isles hope a change of scenery will improve his performance as they bring him in to replace Ryan Pulock, who is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored in his return from a three-game suspension to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who’ve won seven of their last nine games to sit atop the Pacific Division with 67 points. Eeli Tolvanen and Vince Dunn replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (75 points) collected an assist to move within two points of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in the points race.

The Philadelphia Flyers got a two-point performance from Scott Laughton (one goal, one assist) in a 4-2 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Travis Konecny and Rasmus Ristolainen each had two assists while Samuel Ersson stopped 31 shots as the Flyers (52 points) moved within three points of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier missed this contest due to illness.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini snapped a 1-1 tie to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Mikael Granlund also scored and Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves as the Sharks snapped a six-game losing skid. Sidney Crosby replied for the Penguins, who’ve lost seven of their last nine and are seven points behind the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins placed sidelined center Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jesse Puljujarvi. Meanwhile, Fenway Sports Group is reportedly looking to sell a minority stake while retaining a controlling stake in the team.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Sharks unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Monday.

Forwards Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski highlight the First Team, which includes defensemen Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

The Second Team features forwards Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl and Owen Nolan, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Dan Boyle, and goaltender Martin Jones.

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf are among the players chosen for the NHL’s midseason Rookie All-Star Team. The roster also comprised Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Dallas Stars forward Logan Stankoven, and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nolan Allen.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, and Utah Hockey Club forward Barrett Hayton are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 26.

TSN: Mikko Rantanen said he was blindsided by the blockbuster trade that sent him from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The pending unrestricted free-agent forward said he was willing to accept a significant discount from his market value to stay with the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s discount wasn’t significant enough to keep him in Colorado. Pierre LeBrun reported the two sides discussed a contract extension but the club believed the gap between them couldn’t be breached, leading to the trade.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed goaltender Logan Thompson to a six-year, $35.1 million contract. The average annual value is $5.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s getting a significant raise over the $766,667 he’s earning this season. He’s been outstanding for the Capitals since his acquisition from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer. Management must also decide the fate of backup goalie Charlie Lindgren, who is UFA-eligible and playing well in his contract year.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg received a two-game suspension from the department of player safety for an illegal hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: An immigration issue is delaying Oilers defenseman John Klingberg from joining the team. He’s expected to make his season debut later this week.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers.

TSN: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have informed the International Ice Hockey Federation they intend to move forward on the 2028 World Cup of Hockey without IIHF involvement. They hope to announce the World Cup during the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators created a furor among their fans when team mascot Spartacat donned a jersey that was half-Senators and half-Quebec Nordiques as part of the club’s announcement it would play two preseason games this fall in Quebec City.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The outrage among Sens fans reached the point where team president Cyril Leeder took to social media to apologize for their mascot’s split jersey and allay concerns that the club might be relocating.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2025

by | Jan 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, the Jets’ Quarter-Century Team is revealed, Bruins stars Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak push back against a rumor of tension between them, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson also scored for the Canadiens, who outshot the Capitals 30-17 to pick up their ninth win in their last 11 games. Jakob Chychrun and Lars Eller replied for the Capitals, who picked up a point and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 59 points.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (43 points) moved within one point of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth and two points of the Boston Bruins for the first wild-card spot. Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury midway through this game following a collision with Suzuki, who was pushed into Lindgren by Capitals winger Brandon Duhaime.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected three assists to lead his club over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat and Marco Kasper each had a goal and an assist as the Wings picked up their sixth straight victory. Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen tallied twice and Connor Bedard picked up an assist to extend his points streak to nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are one point behind the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference wild-card chase, with the Ottawa Senators (41 points) and New York Rangers (40) close behind.

The Los Angeles Kings collected their fifth straight victory with a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Adrian Kempe extended his goal streak to four games by snapping a 1-1 tie in overtime. Alex Turcotte also scored for the Kings while Mark Scheifele replied for the Jets, who’ve won once in their last five games (1-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights with 59 points but the latter holds first place in the overall standings with a game in hand and one more win. Jets defensemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan Samberg were in the lineup for this game. Morrissey had left Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators while Samberg was sidelined for over a month with a broken foot.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Dustin Tokarski made 14 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 2-0. Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes. The Canucks are winless in their last four (0-2-2) and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot (46 points) one point ahead of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center Elias Pettersson returned to the lineup after missing six games with an undisclosed ailment.

Utah Hockey Club center Barrett Hayton scored with 1:32 remaining in the third period in a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Nick Schmaltz also scored and Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Sharks.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey highlight the Winnipeg Jets’ Quarter Century Team.

The trio comprised part of the First Team with Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien and Ilya Kovalchuk. Forwards Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and Bryan Little, defensemen Jacob Trouba and Toby Enstrom and goaltender Ondrej Pavelec made up the Second Team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE Kovalchuk was the franchise’s biggest star when they were the Atlanta Thrashers, scoring 328 goals and 287 assists for 615 points in 594 games from 2001-02 to 2009-10. That included two 52-goal seasons and two 90-plus point campaigns.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins captain Brad Marchand and teammate David Pastrnak blasted WEEI radio host Rich Keefe for claiming Pastrnak was refusing to play on Marchand’s line.

“I know reporters have a job to do, and that job is to report on the team, and usually you try to be fact-based,” said Marchand. “But when there’s just blatant lies told in the media, that’s where there’s a problem.”

Marchand explained he and Pastrnak haven’t played together much this season because the team is trying their scoring depth through the lineup. He rejected Keefe’s claim that Pastrnak was a problem in the dressing room, calling him one of the most-loved guys in the room.

Pastrnak said he initially thought Keefe was making fun of him. “I know how I feel about Marchy. We love each other. I have a huge amount of respect for him.” He called the report “100 percent false”, saying he and Marchand had a good laugh over it.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane underwent knee surgery requiring four to eight weeks of recovery. This surgery puts his rehab from last fall’s abdominal surgery on hold.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Kane is sidelined for the rest of the regular season, this could also affect the Oilers’ plans for the March 7 trade deadline. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

THE ATHLETIC’s Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan has a sprained right wrist but no fractures. He’s been placed on injured reserve and will be reevaluated once the swelling subsides. Monahan suffered the injury against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 7.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Ivan Barbashev is expected to return to the Golden Knights lineup against the New York Rangers on Saturday. He missed the last 10 games with an upper-body injury.

CALGARY SUN: Flames center Conor Zary won’t require surgery following a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson. However, he will be sidelined indefinitely but is expected to return later this season.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators signed sophomore center Ridly Greig to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.25 million. Greig, 22, is in the final season of his entry-level contract.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs Patrick Marleau and Jake Muzzin joined Leafs star John Tavares in separate appeals of the Canada Revenue Agency’s ruling on their signing bonuses. The trio are contesting the CRA’s 2023 reassessments that claimed their signing bonuses should’ve been taxed at the highest bracket of 50 percent, rather than the 15 percent they’ve paid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Province’s Patrick Johnston cited a former NHL executive who believes the players will lose their appeals. He thinks it’s obvious what the bonuses are: merely an effort to say a certain portion of their wage should be taxed in a particular way compared to the rest.