NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 31, 2023

by | Aug 31, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 31, 2023

The 2023-24 US national TV broadcast schedule is released, the Maple Leafs extend coach Sheldon Keefe’s contract, an update on Capitals winger Max Pacioretty, Carl Hagelin retires and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The US national television for 2023-24 was released yesterday. It begins with an Oct. 10 tripleheader on ESPN featuring the Chicago Blackhawks and 2023 first-overall pick Connor Bedard facing off against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights will host the Seattle Kraken while the Nashville Predators visit the Tampa Bay Lightning.

TNT has a doubleheader on Oct 11 with Bedard and the Blackhawks journeying to Boston to face the Bruins while the Los Angeles Kings and Pierre-Luc Dubois host the Colorado Avalanche.

Other games on note on the schedule see the Golden Knights visiting the Seattle Kraken for the 2024 Winter Classic on New Year’s Day at T-Mobile Stadium, the 2024 All-Star Game in Toronto on Feb. 3 and the two-day Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In that series, the New Jersey Devils take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 17 followed by the New York Rangers and New York Islanders on Feb. 18.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for a complete listing of notable games and the full TV broadcast schedule.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs extended the contract of head coach Sheldon Keefe by two years to 2025. Since taking over the role in November 2019, he has a regular-season record of 166 wins, 71 losses and 30 overtime losses. They’ve qualified for the playoffs in each season but have won just one series, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2023 playoffs in six games.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big vote of confidence in Keefe by Brad Treliving, who replaced Kyle Dubas as general manager on May 31. He said that Keefe was “really transparent and honest and accountable for what’s going on here,” praising his coach’s self-critique.

Keefe’s postseason woes are in part due to the way the Leafs were constructed under Treliving’s predecessor. Nevertheless, he’s faced criticism by some fans and pundits for being out-coached at times during previous postseason series. His extended contract won’t provide much protection from his detractors if the Leafs come up short in the playoffs again.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Pacioretty officially joined the Washington Capitals on Wednesday as he watched from the stands at the club’s practice facility while his children got in some practice. The 34-year-old winger signed a one-year contract with the Capitals in July.

Pacioretty is still rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn Achilles last season. He expects to be ready to play with the Capitals soon after the regular season begins in October. Pacioretty also said he knows why he suffered the same injury twice in one year but he’s not yet comfortable sharing the details.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Capitals, winger Carl Hagelin has announced his retirement citing an eye injury suffered during practice in March 2022 that sidelined him for the entire 2022-23 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hagelin spent 11 seasons in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings and the Capitals. He won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017. In 713 regular-season games, Hagelin scored 110 goals and 186 assists for 296 points. He also tallied 22 goals and 28 assists for 50 points in 141 playoff contests.

CBS SPORTS: NHL defenseman Jason Demers recently informed San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng that he is unlikely to continue his playing career as he pursues a media role with the San Jose Sharks. The 35-year-old defenseman has played 700 regular-season NHL games with the Sharks, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed winger Austin Wagner to a professional tryout offer (PTO) yesterday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of PTO contracts, the Hurricanes are bringing in forward Nick Shore, who last played in the NHL in 2019-20 with the Winnipeg Jets.

THE SCORE: The WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes have hired former Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters as their new bench boss. Peters re-signed as Flames head coach in November 2019 after it was revealed he used racial slurs toward former NHL player Akim Aliu during their time with the AHL’s Rockford Icehogs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Peters apologized to Aliu during his press conference announcing his hiring with the Hurricanes. The club indicated that he had undergone anti-racism counseling and a coaching certification program. However, Aliu said that Peters has never spoken to him personally, adding that his former coach recently tried to get a third coach involved to speak with Aliu on his behalf to facilitate a conversation.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2020

by | Aug 21, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2020

​The Stars and Islanders advance to the second round, Matt Niskanen gets a one-game suspension for a cross-check that fractured Brendan Gallagher’s jaw and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

Dallas Stars forward Denis Gurianov (NHL Images)

  NHL.COM: Denis Gurianov scored four times as the Dallas Stars overcame a 3-0 deficit with seven unanswered goals to crush the Calgary Flames 7-3, winning their opening-round series four games to two. Five of those goals came in the second period. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen had a goal and three assists while teammate Joe Pavelski tallied one goal and set up two others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved victory for the Stars in this game and in this series. They’ll face the Colorado Avalanche in the second round. I was very impressed with Heiskanen’s performance in this series. The 21-year-old NHL sophomore is rapidly blossoming into an elite defenseman. Pavelski, meanwhile, continues to prove at 36 he’s still a reliable postseason performer. As for the Flames, some big changes could be coming after this meltdown.

Anthony Beauvillier scored twice, including the game-winner, as the New York Islanders blanked the Washington Capitals 4-0 to take their first-round series four games to one. Semyon Varlamov made 21 saves for the shutout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A dominant performance by the Islanders, shutting down the league’s second-best offensive team. It was a master class by Isles bench boss Barry Trotz as he outcoached the Capitals’ Todd Reirden in this series. Two years following the Caps’ Stanley Cup championship, some changes could be in store for the roster and behind the bench.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The NHL Department of Player Safety handed a one-game suspension to Flyers defenseman Matt Niskanen for cross-checking Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher in the face during Game 5 of their first-round series.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Niskanen’s cross-check fractured Gallagher’s jaw, sidelining the Canadiens winger for the remainder of this series and possibly longer should the Habs advance to the second round.    

 

CBS SPORTS: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers suffered a slightly separated shoulder. He’ll be sidelined for the remainder of the Canucks’ series with the St. Louis Blues. Canucks winger Tyler Toffoli (lower-body injury) could be in the lineup for Game 6 tonight.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Former NHL coach Bill Peters has tested positive for COVID-19. The head coach of Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, Peters is reportedly asymptomatic.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2020

by | Apr 16, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2020

More speculation on the resumption of the schedule, possible options for the 2020 NHL Draft, the latest on Mikko Koivu and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Commissioner Gary Bettman said his guess is the NHL could return to action this summer, but that will depend on when it will be safe to do so. “When we decide it’s time to play, we’ve got to get everybody back and be comfortable that not only are we not only infecting the population of players but that we’re not bringing the coronavirus from other places into jurisdictions where the players and other personnel are going,” said Bettman. He added health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus are the priority, as well as avoiding the risk of prematurely injuring players as they return.

THE SCORE: Bettman also said the resumption of the season must be done in a way that’s fair and flexible, especially to those teams on the playoff bubble when the schedule was paused. “That’s going to be very important no matter what it is we do and we’re considering all of the alternatives,” he said. “And nothing has been ruled in and nothing has been ruled out.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, suggested sports could resume this summer, provided fans are kept out of arenas and ballparks and players are screened weekly for COVID-19 to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman’s been catching flak from some fans and pundits over his “fantasy” of resuming play this summer. As I’ve said before, there’s no harm in the league exploring all options. However, it sounds like Bettman and the league board of governors understand that resuming play will be decided by the coronavirus. I think they’ll cancel the season if they cannot ensure the safety and health of the players and everyone involved regardless of where the games are played.

SPORTSNET: The NHL is also considering its options on how it’ll stage the 2020 NHL Draft and the lottery. It could be held virtually, or perhaps a scaled-down version like the one in 2005 following a season-killing lockout. If the league cannot complete this season or stage the Stanley Cup playoffs, perhaps a draft lottery could be held similar to the ’05 draft.

Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu faces an uncertain future (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how the league addresses this. You can bet any significant changes to the draft lottery probably won’t sit well with the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators. Given the current standings, they have the best odds of winning the lottery.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu may have played his final game for the Wild if the season cannot be resumed. The 37-year-old center is an unrestricted free agent following this season. He’s uncertain if he’ll continue his playing career or retire. “I don’t think I have a clear answer”, he said. “If (I said) I haven’t thought about all the options, I’d be lying.” Koivu didn’t rule out finishing his career in Finland or remaining in the game in some capacity.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues re-signed forward Sammy Blais to a two-year, $3-million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Blues have over $75.7 million invested in 18 players for 2020-21. That shrinks how much cap room they’ve got to re-sign captain Alex Pietrangelo.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed defenseman Alexandre Carrier to a three-year, two-way contract. He’s appeared in five games with the Predators since 2018-19.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets assistant coach Todd Woodcroft is the new head coach of the University of Vermont men’s hockey program.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks canceled its 2020 fan convention in July because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CALGARY SUN: Former Flames head coach Bill Peters was hired Wednesday as the head coach of KHL team Avtomobilist in Yekaterinburg, Russia.