NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2023

by | May 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2023

The Kraken push their series with the Stars to a seventh game, the Islanders expected to re-sign Lou Lamoriello, Alex Pietrangelo calls out Oilers for premeditated hits, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game between the Seattle Kraken and Dallas Stars as the Kraken rolled to a 6-3 victory in Game 6 of their second-round series. Jordan Eberle and Eeli Tolvanen led the way with three points each for the Kraken to even the series at three games apiece.

Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle (NHL Images).

Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger got the hook early in the second period after giving up four goals on 18 shots. Stars forward Joe Pavelski scored his eighth goal of this series to set a single-series franchise record and tied a postseason record for most goals by a player 38 or older. Mason Marchment also scored for the Stars after missing Game 5 with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 of this series goes Monday in Dallas. It’s fitting that this closely contested series goes the distance. The winner will face either the Edmonton Oilers or Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals starting later this week.

NEWSDAY: Andrew Gross reports the New York Islanders have decided to offer general manager Lou Lamoriello a three-year contract extension. Lamoriello, 80, has been in that role for the past five seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet as to whether Lamoriello has accepted though it’s expected he will. A formal announcement will be made by the club when he does.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said his two-handed slash on Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl late in Game 4 was retaliation for what he considered to be premeditated hits on himself and his teammates by the Oilers. Pietrangelo’s actions earned him a one-game suspension. He returns to the Golden Knights lineup for Game 6 tonight in Edmonton with his club leading the series three games to two.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Carolina Hurricanes are geographically restricting tickets to their upcoming Eastern Conference Finals series with the Florida Panthers. Tickets can only be purchased by those with credit card billing within North Carolina, South Carolina and parts of Virginia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers employed a similar tactic in their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs to limit the number of Leafs fans in their arena.

THE DENVER POST: Medical experts say the long-term effects of Gabriel Landeskog’s knee cartilage transplant are difficult to predict due to the rarity of such procedures among professional athletes. While the surgery will ensure a return to a good quality of life for the average person, it remains to be seen if it can help a pro athlete like Landeskog resume his career and regain his previous level of performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog is expected to miss the entirety of next season recuperating from this procedure. Time will tell if he’ll be able to return to his playing career.

NHL.COM’s Mike Morreale reports New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton revealed that he was dealing with a wrist injury during his club’s second-round series with the Hurricanes.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL defenseman Gerry Hart died Saturday at age 75. The cause of death was not revealed. He spent 15 seasons in the NHL from 1968-69 to 1982-83 with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Quebec Nordiques and St. Louis Blues.

One of the original Islanders, Hart played seven seasons with the franchise from 1972-73 to 1978-79, becoming a fan favorite for his gritty play. He finished with 179 points and 1,240 PIMs in 730 career NHL regular-season games and 15 points in 78 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hart’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 12, 2023

by | May 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 12, 2023

The Hurricanes advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Stars push the Kraken to the brink of elimination, the Vezina Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 3-2 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils to win their best-of-seven second-round series in five games. Jesper Fast tallied the game-winner, Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns scored in regulation and Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots for the Hurricanes. Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier tallied for the Devils, who got a 36-save performance from Akira Schmid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes await the winner of the Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs series. The Panthers hold a 3-1 lead in that best-of-seven series and could wrap things up with a win tonight in Toronto.

This was the most closely-contested game of the series following four lopsided contests between these two clubs. The Devils dominated the play for long stretches and had several opportunities to break the game open but failed to cash in on their scoring chances.

Steady goaltending from Andersen, a solid defense corps and experience made the difference in this series for Carolina. Depth forwards such as Fast and Jordan Martinook also stepped up offensively for the Hurricanes in this series.

The Devils may be disappointed over the outcome of this series but it doesn’t overshadow their significant improvement this season. They reached the playoffs for the first time since 2018, finishing third overall with a franchise-record 112 points. They also won their first playoff series since 2012 by eliminating the arch-rival New York Rangers in the first round. Led by young stars like Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, the Devils have a bright future ahead.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz scored twice and collected an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken to take a 3-2 lead in their second-round series. Jason Robertson collected three assists while Joe Pavelski tied Chris Drury for the most career game-winning playoff goals (17) by a US-born player. Adam Larsson and Jared McCann replied for the Kraken. Game 6 goes Saturday evening in Seattle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 38-year-old Pavelski also became the oldest player to score at least seven times in a playoff series. Stars winger Mason Marchment missed this game after taking an elbow to the head in Game 4.

This game was much close than the score suggests as the Kraken narrowed Dallas’ 3-0 lead to 3-2 before Hintz put the game out of reach in the third period. The Stars should anticipate a tough battle from the Kraken in Seattle.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders and Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins are this season’s finalists for the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL’s best goaltender.

The department of player safety handed down one-game suspensions to Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Edmonton Oilers blueliner Darnell Nurse.

Pietrangelo’s punishment was for slashing Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl in Game 4 of their second-round series on Wednesday. Nurse’s is for instigating a fight with Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague with less than five minutes remaining in Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nurse was suspended because he instigated a fight within the final five minutes of Game 4. However, Hague reportedly asked the Oilers’ defenseman for the fight. I guess the thinking here is that Nurse could’ve refused but didn’t.

Pietrangelo made a deliberate attempt to injure with his lumberjack slash on Draisaitl. It was uncharacteristic of him and was apparently provoked by his anger over uncalled infractions during the game. Nevertheless, that doesn’t excuse what he did. While Draisaitl wasn’t injured on the play, Pietrangelo’s action should’ve merited more than a one-game suspension.

TSN: Joseph Woll will get the start again for the Toronto Maple Leafs when they face off tonight against the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their second-round series. Ilya Samsonov remains sidelined by an upper-body injury. Matt Murray will serve as Woll’s backup.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: As expected, the Flyers formally announced Keith Jones as their new president of hockey operations. They also confirmed that Daniel Briere is now their full-time general manager after serving in the role on an interim basis since March.

OTTAWA SUN: Actor Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group won’t be submitting their $1 billion bid for the Senators. They reportedly sought exclusive negotiating rights with the National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa to get a deal to build a new arena.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are seven other groups that are anticipated to make bids for the Senators by the anticipated May 15 deadline.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Karl Subban, the father of former NHL defenseman P.K. Subban, has joined the group Ban Ads for Gambling to get ads for sports betting removed from hockey broadcasts. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has also called for a ban on the use of celebrities to sell sports betting.

A former school principal, Subban is concerned about children being exposed to gambling ads involving celebrities and NHL players.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames have reportedly blocked former general manager Brad Treliving from interviewing with other teams before his contract expires at the end of June.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2023

by | May 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2023

The Stars fall to the Kraken despite Joe Pavelski’s record-setting performance, the Panthers draw first blood against the Leafs, the Selke Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Seattle Kraken blew a 4-2 lead to the Dallas Stars but emerged with a 5-4 overtime victory in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Stars winger Joe Pavelski set an NHL record as the oldest player (38) to score four goals in a playoff game. Yanni Gourde tallied the game-winner and Jordan Eberle had a goal and an assist for the Kraken. Game 2 is Thursday in Dallas.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The previous record was held by Maurice “Rocket” Richard, who was 35 when he scored four goals in a playoff game in 1957. It was Pavelski’s first game since being sidelined by a concussion during Game 1 of the Stars’ first-round series against the Minnesota Wild.

Six goals were scored in the first period with the Kraken taking that early two-goal lead. I don’t think we’ll see another period like that as both teams become more familiar with each other as this series rolls along.

Kraken winger Jared McCann did not make the trip with his teammates to Dallas. He’s expected to miss both games there. The Kraken’s leading scorer in the regular season, McCann’s been sidelined by an undisclosed injury after being hit by Cale Makar in Game 4 of the Kraken’s first-round series with the Colorado Avalanche.

Speaking of blown two-goal leads and recovering to win, the Florida Panthers doubled up the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening game of their second-round series. The Leafs overcame a 2-0 deficit with two second-period goals but Carter Verhaeghe tallied what proved to be the winning goal. Matthew Tkachuk collected three assists while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 34 shots. Leafs rookie Matthew Knies netted his first-ever NHL goal. Game 2 is Thursday in Toronto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers had little time to rest and recuperate from their first-round upset of the Boston Bruins. Nevertheless, they showed plenty of jump in this game while the Leafs at times seemed to struggle to get up to speed. I expect we’ll see a better effort from the latter in Game 2.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier and Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner are this year’s finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as this season’s top defensive forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the 12th consecutive season that Bergeron has been a finalist for the Selke. He won it last season for a record-setting fifth time and could be the sentimental favorite given the uncertainty over whether he’ll return for another season. This is the first time Hischier and Marner have been finalists for this award.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point are finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy awarded to the NHL’s most gentlemanly player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kopitar is a three-time finalist who won the award in 2015-16. This is the first time that Hughes and Point are been named as finalists.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy said he dealt with minor injuries and didn’t give himself sufficient recovery time. He believes that affected his play down the stretch and in their first-round series against the Leafs.

TSN.CA: Speaking of the Lightning, Victory Hedman dealt with a hip impingement suffered in Game 1 against the Leafs. Brayden Point suffered a rib cage cartilage fracture in that series. Defenseman Erik Cernak is making progress in his recovery from a concussion suffered in Game 1 as a result of an illegal hit to the head by the Leafs’ Michael Bunting. Winger Tanner Jeannot was in and out of the lineup with a high-ankle sprain.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark played coy over a report suggesting that he suffered from a debilitating injury that affected his movement during his club’s first-round series against the Florida Panthers. Asked several times if he was hurt in that series, he replied, “No. Yes and no.” He said he wasn’t going to clarify his status until he completed his end-of-season physical.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Bruins, Dmitry Orlov expressed interest in returning to the Washington Capitals but isn’t sure if that’s possible given their salary-cap constraints. The 32-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He spent his entire career with the Capitals until acquired by the Bruins before the March 3 trade deadline.

TSN: Darren Dreger reported there’s a chance Joel Quenneville could return to the NHL coaching ranks if he receives clearance from the league this summer.

Quenneville stepped down as head coach of the Florida Panthers in 2021 after specifics were revealed of how the Chicago Blackhawks mishandled allegations that player Kyle Beach was sexually abused by a member of their coaching staff in 2010. Quenn3ville was the head coach of the Blackhawks at that time.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed forward Marcus Johansson to a two-year, $4 million contract. He was eligible for UFA status on July 1.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: The Capitals signed defenseman Alex Alexeyev to a two-year, $1.65 million contract extension. He was due to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers signed defenseman Egor Zamula to a one-year, $775K contract.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson underwent surgery on his left shoulder on Monday. His recovery time is four-to-six months.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former first-round draft pick Henrik Borgstrom has signed with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chosen 23rd overall by the Florida Panthers in 2016, the 25-year-old Borgstrom struggled to earn a regular roster spot in the NHL. He bounced between the big league and the minors with the Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks and the Capitals since 2017-18, netting 13 goals and 26 points in 111 NHL games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2023

by | Apr 27, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2023

The Panthers stay alive against the Bruins, the Kraken push the Avalanche to the brink, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers staved off first-round elimination by upsetting the Boston Bruins 4-3 on an overtime goal by Matthew Tkachuk. Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 44 shots while Carter Verhaeghe had three assists for the Panthers. Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who hold a 3-2 series lead in this best-of-seven matchup as they return to Florida for Game 6 on Friday.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining game as the Panthers would take a lead only to have the Bruins quickly tie the score. Marchand had a chance to win it for the Bruins on a breakaway in the dying seconds of the third period but was stoned by Bobrovsky, who had his best game of this series with an outstanding performance.

Tkachuk’s goal was the result of a blunder by Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark as his clearing attempt from behind his own net wound up on Verhaeghe’s stick. Ullmark blocked Verhaeghe’s shot but Tkachuk buried the rebound.

The Seattle Kraken are on the verge of eliminating the defending Stanley Cup champions as they held off the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round series. Rookie Tye Kartye’s first NHL playoff goal proved to be the winner while Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots. The series heads back to Seattle for Game 6 on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Prior to Kartye’s goal, Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon was hauled down from behind by Kraken defenseman Will Borgen but the infraction went uncalled. He lost the puck and slammed his stick angrily against the glass, yelling at the official. Moments later, the Kraken scored.

MacKinnon was still upset following the game. “I spin, I get five feet on a guy and he takes my feet out,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. It’s not 1975; I feel like that’s a trip” However, he acknowledged that losing his cool put his club at a disadvantage that led to the Kraken’s game-winner.

POSTSEASON HEADLINES

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets won’t have their leading goal scorer Mark Scheifele for Game 5 tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights. He remains hampered by an upper-body injury suffered in the previous game between these two clubs. Winger Nikolaj Ehlers (upper body) is a game-day decision for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights hold a commanding 3-1 series lead and could end it with a win tonight in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Speaking of the Golden Knights, William Carrier (lower body) could be in the lineup for tonight’s game. He hasn’t played since March 3.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Joe Pavelski (upper body) is a game-day decision as his club faces off against the Minnesota Wild in Game 6 of their opening-round series. The Stars hold a 3-2 lead.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers star Artemi Panarin will be seeking his first goal of this postseason as his club faces the New Jersey Devils tonight in Game 5 of their first-round series which is tied at two games apiece.

THE SCORE: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper denied what Red Wing coach (and former Lightning assistant coach) Derek Lalonde said about Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy on national TV.

Appearing on Sportsnet providing in-studio analysis, Lalonde claimed the Lightning restructured its defensive coverage during his tenure in Tampa Bay to compensate for Vasilevskiy’s apparent difficulty in tracking shots from long range.

Cooper suggested Lalonde made up the anecdote. “Sportsnet is paying him well to go give an opinion, so he’s got to make something up about that kind of stuff,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if Lalonde will acknowledge Cooper’s comments when he appears tonight on Sportsnet for the Leafs-Lightning game. One of the hosts’ is bound to bring it up at some point.

TSN: Speaking of Toronto and Tampa Bay, Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting completed his three-game suspension but will be a healthy scratch for tonight’s tilt between the two clubs.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The NHL returns to Europe next season for the 2023 Global Series in Sweden. It will feature a four-day set of round-robin regular-season games involving the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators and the Maple Leafs starting on Nov. 16 and concluding on Nov. 19.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson hoped to play for Sweden in the upcoming IIHF World Championships. However, he was unable to secure an insurance policy that would protect against the loss of future earnings if he suffered a debilitating injury during the tournament.

TRIBLIVE.COM: An undisclosed injury will prevent Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel from playing for the United States in the upcoming World Championships.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: The Capitals confirmed defenseman Rasmus Sandin will play for Sweden in the Worlds.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Ducks hired Matt McIlvane as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate in San Diego. He’s spent most of his coaching career in Europe.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2023

by | Apr 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2023

The Leafs rally to push the Lightning to the brink of elimination, the Golden Knights are in the driver’s seat in their series with the Jets and the Kraken and Devils tie their respective series at two games apiece. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 in Game 4 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Auston Matthews scored twice to start the rally in the third period, Morgan Rielly tallied the tying goal and Alex Kerfoot scored the winning goal in overtime. Alex Killorn scored twice for the Lightning, who are now down 3-1 in the series and on the brink of elimination as the series returns to Toronto for Game 5 on Thursday.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay was in full control of this game entering the third period but seemed to run out of gas against the Leafs’ determined push. The Lightning lacks the depth that carried them to three straight Stanley Cup Finals and two championships and it showed in that period.

Toronto was in this position two years ago but fell in seven games to an underdog Montreal Canadiens team. This year, however, I think it’s going to be a different outcome. This is a deeper, more mature Leafs roster with the presence of a proven playoff performer like Ryan O’Reilly (seven points in four games) making a difference in key situations.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Shea Theodore and Chandler Stephenson each collected two assists for the Golden Knights as they take a 3-1 series lead back to Vegas on Thursday. Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who also lost center Mark Scheifele with an injured hand in the first period. He’ll be re-evaluated on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-depleted Jets are in a deep hole against a healthier, deeper Golden Knights roster. Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey is done for the series with a lower-body injury while winger Nikolaj Ehlers remains sidelined by an upper-body injury. Scheifele’s injury could be the final nail in their playoff coffin.

An overtime goal by Jordan Eberle lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 to tie their series at two games apiece. The Kraken took a 2-0 lead on goals by Will Borgen and Daniel Sprong but Mikko Rantanen scored twice for the Avalanche to tie the game. Seattle forward Jared McCann left the game in the first period after a late hit from Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, who claimed he was unsure whether the puck was still in play when he hit McCann. This series resumed in Denver for Game 5 on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A weak attempt by Makar to explain away this uncharacteristic late hit on his part. The puck was going out of play when the incident occurred. The on-ice officials initially assessed a major penalty but changed it to a two-minute minor in yet another example of the plethora of puzzling calls in every series of this round.

The New Jersey Devils evened their series with the New York Rangers at two games apiece with a 3-1 win in Game 4. Jack Hughes, Jonas Siegenthaler and Ondrej Palat scored while Akira Schmid stopped 22 shots for the win. Vincent Trocheck replied for the Rangers. This series returns to New Jersey for Game 5 on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers seemed headed for a sweep after dominating New Jersey in the first two games. However, the Devils did a fine job shutting down the Blueshirts’ offense by limiting them to just two goals in the next two games. Schmid’s steady goaltending seems to be a calming influence on his teammates.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk $5,000.00 for cross-checking Boston Bruins forward Garnet Hathaway during Game 4 of their first-round series on Sunday.

Speaking of the Bruins, captain Patrice Bergeron could make his series debut in Game 5 on Wednesday. He missed every game thus far with an upper-body injury. Center David Krejci could miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Joe Pavelski resumed skating with several teammates on Monday for the first time since suffering a concussion in Game 1 of their series against the Minnesota Wild. There remains no timetable for his return to action.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Wild, meanwhile, needs more production from scorers Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. Kaprizov has scored only once while Boldy is still seeking his first goal of this series.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Will it be Stuart Skinner or Jack Campbell in goal for the Oilers in Game 5 tonight against the Los Angeles Kings? Skinner got the start in every game of this series but Campbell took over after the first period in Game 4 with his club down 3-0 and backstopped them to a 5-4 series-tying overtime win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Campbell earned the start based on his solid play in Game 4 but they’ll probably return with Skinner for Game 5.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders must do a better job of capitalizing on their scoring chances against the Carolina Hurricanes, especially on rebounds. The Isles are down 3-1 in this series and could be eliminated by the Hurricanes tonight.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed forward Walker Duehr to a two-year contract extension worth $825K.

NHL.COM: Justin Braun announced his retirement after 13 NHL seasons. The 36-year-old defenseman had 34 goals and 199 points in 842 regular-season games between 2010-11 and 2022-23 with the San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers. He also had three goals and 16 points in 119 playoff games and reached the 2016 Stanley Cup Final with the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Braun in his future endeavors.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2023

by | Apr 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2023

The Rangers take a 2-0 series lead over the Devils, the Avalanche, Golden Knights and Leafs bounce back to tie their respective series, plus updates on Joe Pavelski, Patrice Bergeron and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers beat the New Jersey Devils 5-1 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series. Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists, Chris Kreider scored twice and Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots for the Rangers. Erik Haula replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils had a better start to this game compared to Game 1 but once again the experience of the Rangers shone through. The Blueshirts overcame a 1-0 deficit with veteran stars like Kane, Kreider and Vladimir Tarasenko leading the way. This series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 with the Rangers having an opportunity to pull off a sweep on home ice.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

John Tavares collected a hat trick and Morgan Rielly’s four assists tied a franchise playoff game record as the Toronto Maple Leafs thumped the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-2. Mitch Marner scored twice and picked up an assist as the Leafs tied their series 1-1 as it heads to Tampa Bay for Games 3 and 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A convincing bounce-back win for the Leafs as they avenged their humiliating 7-3 loss in Game 1. Tampa Bay played this game without sidelined defensemen Victor Hedman (undisclosed) and Erik Cernak (head injury). Hedman is listed as day-to-day and could return for Game 3 on Saturday. Lightning forward Mike Eyssimont (upper body) also missed this contest but be in the lineup for Game 3.

The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Seattle Kraken 3-2 and tie their series at a game apiece. Artturi Lehkonen, Valeri Nichushkin and Devon Toews scored for the Avalanche. Justin Schultz and Brandon Tanev tallied for the Kraken, who got a 38-save performance from goaltender Philipp Grubauer. The series heads to Seattle for Games 3 and 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A pep talk by sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog in the first intermission helped the Avalanche recover from their shaky first period.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored twice and collected an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets to tie their series 1-1. Jack Eichel scored his first-ever playoff goal while Laurent Brossoit kicked out 31 shots for the Golden Knights. The series moves to Winnipeg for Games 3 and 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers was sidelined for the second straight game. He’s been out of the lineup since April 11 with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Joe Pavelski will not travel with the Stars as they head to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4 of their first-round series. The 38-year-old winger remains sidelined in concussion protocol. Head coach Pete DeBoer remains hopeful that Pavelski can return to the lineup later in the series.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason accused some of the Dallas Stars of embellishment during their first two games of the first-round series. “It’s a fine line because we don’t dive. The Minnesota Wild don’t dive,” he said. Meanwhile, it’s unclear if sidelined Wild centers Joel Eriksson Ek and Ryan Hartman will be ready for Game 3 tonight.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron remains questionable for Game 3 of his club’s series with the Florida Panthers. The 37-year-old remains sidelined by an upper-body injury suffered during the club’s final regular-season game in Montreal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Many fans and pundits wondered why Bergeron played in what was a meaningless game before the playoffs began. It has since emerged that he wanted to play in front of his father in Montreal for what might be the last time as his dad is currently battling cancer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: New York Islanders coach Lane Lambert is struggling with limited options to replace sidelined defenseman Alexander Romanov (upper-body) in his club’s first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes. Lambert said Romanov is getting closer to returning to action but didn’t indicate when he’ll be back.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Kings hope to avoid the slow starts that plagued them during the first two games of their series with the Edmonton Oilers. They overcame a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 and rallied to tie the second game 2-2 before falling by a score of 4-2. Game 3 goes tonight in Los Angeles.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Jan Rutta underwent core muscle surgery and is in a recovery period of eight-to-ten weeks.

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri called his fourth knee surgery “a quick cleanup” and expects to be ready for training camp in September.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Jason King will not be returning next season.