NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2025

by | Oct 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2025

The regular season opens on Tuesday, reaction to the Oilers re-signing Connor McDavid, the Oilers also re-sign Jake Walman, the Bruins will retire Zdeno Chara’s number, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The 2025-26 regular season opens with a triple-header on ESPN on Tuesday.

It begins with the Florida Panthers raising their second straight Stanley Cup championship banner in a pregame ceremony before facing off with the Chicago Blackhawks. New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan faces his former club as his team hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadian hockey fans can watch these games on Sportsnet1 or TVA Sports.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychowski believes Connor McDavid put his money where his mouth is when he signed a two-year contract extension with the Oilers worth an average annual value (AAV) of $12.5 million.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

McDavid’s contract is remarkably low as he maintains the same AAV of his current deal, illustrating his seriousness about winning a Stanley Cup with the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most NHL pundits shared that opinion. With the salary cap set to rise significantly over the next two seasons, McDavid has provided the Oilers with the cap flexibility to maintain a Stanley Cup contender. It’s now up to general manager Stan Bowman to do so.

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun believes some NHL teams will try to use McDavid’s new contract as an argument for why their best players should follow his example. However, it’s unlikely to have much of an effect.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been underpaid for years, partly because of his superstition about the number 87, but that didn’t prevent other superstars from seeking top dollar.

The McDavid contract wasn’t the only extension announced by the Oilers on Monday. They also signed defenseman Jake Walman to a seven-year deal worth an AAV of $7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can already see the positive effect that McDavid’s contract is having on the Oilers’ cap space for 2026-27. Had he taken a more expensive deal, they might have had more difficulty re-signing Walman.

Acquired by the Oilers at the March trade deadline, the 29-year-old Walman quickly established himself as an invaluable member of their blueline.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins will retire Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 in a ceremony before their game against the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 15, 2026.

Chara becomes the 13th player in Bruins history to have their number retired. He spent 14 of his 24-season NHL career with the Bruins, captaining them to the 2011 Stanley Cup and the 2013 and 2019 Stanley Cup Finals. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2008-09 and will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A fitting tribute for one of the greatest defensemen in Bruins history.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and J.T. Miller are good to go for their season opener against the Penguins on Tuesday. Both players were nursing injuries during the preseason.

TSN: The Rangers also signed forward Conor Sheary to a one-year contract on Monday. He joined the team in training camp and preseason on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

CALGARY SUN: Forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Pospisil will miss the Flames’ season opener on Wednesday. Both players are on injured reserve.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer earned a roster spot for the start of the regular season. Schaefer, 18, was chosen first overall by the Islanders in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders can return Schaefer to his OHL’s Erie Otters after nine games without those contests counting against his entry-level contract. However, it’s expected he’ll be a full-time part of the Isles’ lineup this season.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes and forward Sammy Blais from the Montreal Canadiens.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators made promising defenseman Carter Yakemchuk their final roster cut on Monday. He’ll start the season with their AHL affiliate in Belleville, Ontario.

They also placed sidelined forward Drake Batherson (upper body) and defenseman Tyler Kleven (ankle) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Veteran forward Luke Glendening is expected to sign a one-year contract with the Devils after attending their training camp on a PTO contract.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers defenseman Cam York (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety suspended Tampa Bay Lightning forward Scott Sabourin for boarding Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad during their preseason game on Saturday. Lightning defenseman JJ Moser received a two-game suspension for roughing Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist during that game.

The Lightning was fined $100,000, and head coach Jon Cooper was fined $25,000 for their club’s actions during that game.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 31, 2025

by | Jul 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 31, 2025

Oilers GM Stan Bowman begins contract discussions with Connor McDavid’s camp, possible adjustments for the Maple Leafs and Rangers for 2025-26, the Jets avoid arbitration with Dylan Samberg, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said he’s “very encouraged” by the early discussions he’s had with Connor McDavid’s agent about a contract extension.

The 28-year-old Oilers captain is in the final season of his contract and can become an unrestricted free agent next July. Bowman indicated that they haven’t had detailed talks yet, but expects to have further conversations soon.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is in the prime of his NHL career. If he and the Oilers fail to agree to a new contract, he would become the biggest name in next summer’s UFA market. However, most observers believe McDavid will sign an extension with the Oilers, making him the league’s highest-paid player starting in 2026-27.

TSN: Travis Yost recently examined the potential effect of Mitch Marner’s departure on the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially team captain Auston Matthews.

Yost believes the Maple Leafs remain a very good team despite Marner’s absence. Matthews is a superstar who should continue to produce with just about anyone as his linemates.

Matthews will have power forward Matthew Knies at left wing. Finding a suitable fit on right wing could be challenging, but Max Domi and recently acquired Matias Maccelli should get significant opportunities.

The Leafs should continue doing well at even strength. However, their power play suffered a downturn midway through last season and into the playoffs. If it persists, it could become a problem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner’s departure will put the Maple Leafs under a brighter spotlight this season. They could attempt to address any offensive concerns via the trade market, but they have few expendable assets to use as bait.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears looked at the issues the Rangers must address before the start of the regular season.

How well players like Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, and Alexis Lafreniere rebound from their disappointing performances last season is among the crucial factors. Their depth at center could be another, especially if Zibanejad remains on the wing. Fox’s season will depend on how quickly he and recent addition Vladislav Gavrikov can establish chemistry on the top defense pairing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Leafs, the Rangers will be among the more closely scrutinized teams this season. General manager Chris Drury has been retooling his roster since December, and he could end up on the hot seat if his efforts fail to pan out.

THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: The Jets avoided salary arbitration with Dylan Samberg, as the two sides agreed to a three-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $5.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a big raise from the $1.4 million AAV of Samberg’s previous contract. It’s also much closer to the $6 million cap hit he was seeking when he filed for arbitration, and well above the $2.5 million the Jets originally sought.

The Jets, however, had little choice. Samberg emerged last season as a solid top-four defenseman. Had this gone to arbitration, he would’ve become eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July. They want to keep this roster intact as much as possible as they pursue the Stanley Cup.

This agreement leaves Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson as the only restricted free agent still scheduled for arbitration. His hearing will take place on August 3 unless he and the Leafs agree to a contract before that date.

CALGARY SUN: The Calgary Flames signed forward Martin Pospisil to a three-year contract extension beginning in 2026-27. PuckPedia indicates the 26-year-old will earn an AAV of $2.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pospisil is currently in the final season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $1 million. A versatile physical forward who can play center or left wing, his hard-hitting style has made him a fan favorite in Calgary.

RG.ORG: Jimmy Vesey is considering offers from KHL teams. SKA St. Petersburg is viewed as the front-runner for the 32-year-old forward’s services.

Vesey’s future in the NHL is uncertain after the Colorado Avalanche declined to re-sign him. He’s spent nine seasons with the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils, and the Avalanche.

THE ATHLETIC: Carter Yakemchuk is hoping to crack the Ottawa Senators’ roster this season. The Senators need depth among their right-side defensemen, something the 19-year-old Yakemchuk hopes to address. A skilled puck-mover, he’s been working on improving his defensive game since last season.

KARPAT.FI: Former NHL defenseman Markus Nutivaara is staging a comeback with Finnish team Karpat, signing a one-year contract with his hometown club. The 31-year-old retired two years ago due to hip surgeries. His last game was with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2024

by | May 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2024

Conference Finals storylines and Conn Smythe Trophy favorites, the Lightning reacquire Ryan McDonagh from the Predators, the Leafs introduce Craig Berube as their new coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

NHL.COM: Tom Gulitti looks at the top 10 storylines to follow in the 2024 Conference Finals.

They include New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky facing each other in postseason competition for the first time since their departures from the Columbus Blue Jackets as free agents in 2019.

Gulitti also wondered if Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl could take the next step and carry the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

The NHL.com staff listed their favorites thus far for the Conn Smythe Trophy. They include Draisaitl and teammate Evan Bouchard, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin and teammate Vincent Trocheck, and Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen and forward Wyatt Johnston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You could include Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, though he isn’t the same presence as in last year’s postseason. Stars goaltender Joel Oettinger deserves a nod but Heiskanen and Johnston have stood out thus far. Rangers winger Chris Kreider’s hat trick in the series-clinching game against the Carolina Hurricanes earns him some recognition heading into the Conference Final with the Panthers.

HEADLINES

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning reacquired defenseman Ryan McDonagh from the Nashville Predators in exchange for two draft picks. The Predators get a seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft and the Lightning’s second-rounder in 2025. They also sent the Lightning a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft that originally belonged to the Edmonton Oilers.

McDonagh, 34, spent nearly five seasons with the Lightning, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. The Lightning traded him to Nashville in a cost-cutting move in 2022.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said he received a call last week from Predators GM Barry Trotz asking if he’d be interested in reacquiring McDonagh, who requested a trade during his exit interview. BriseBois leaped at the chance to reacquire the veteran blueliner, citing his importance to the Lightning’s defense corps.

McDonagh is signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $6.75 million. The Predators did not retain any part of his cap hit.

The move leaves the Lightning with over $5 million in cap space for 2024-25 with 18 active roster players under contract. BriseBois insists he can still work out a new contract for Lightning captain and pending free agent Steven Stamkos. “We still have some cap space to get done what I think we need to get done this off-season,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: BriseBois must trade to free up sufficient salary-cap space or acquire a player on permanent long-term injury reserve to give him some cap flexibility.

A cost-cutting trade means moving out someone like winger Brandon Hagel ($6.5 million AAV through 2031-32), center Anthony Cirelli ($6.25 million AAV through 2030-31), defenseman Mikhail Sergachev ($8.5 million per season through 2030-31) or blueliner Erik Cernak ($5.2 million annually through 2030-31) for draft picks and/or prospects.

Moving any of those players could create a weakness on their Lightning roster that proves difficult to address.

BriseBois acquired permanently sidelined defenseman Brent Seabrook from the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2021. With Seabrook’s $6.875 million coming off the Lightning’s books, BriseBois could consider making a similar move again. It would keep his current roster of active players intact while providing the necessary wiggle room to re-sign Stamkos, leaving enough to make some affordable additions.

THE TENNESSEAN: Trading McDonagh frees up nearly $7 million from the Predators’ books. They now have over $26 million in cap space. Trotz said he was more concerned with doing right by McDonagh but admitted his club now has salary-cap flexibility to make some moves this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s raised questions over what Trotz will do with his windfall and which players he’ll target. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs officially introduced Craig Berube as their new head coach on Tuesday. “I’m going to bring my own style here in how we played the game,” said Berube. “Competitive. We don’t want to get outworked ever.”

Berube expects the Leafs to be a hard-working club that plays a heavy game, wins puck battles, earns their ice time, and moves their feet. “It’s all about the team for me,” he said. “Everyone is used. Everyone has a role. Playing predictable and north and playing as fast as we can.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Berube is expected to make the Leafs players more accountable. He’ll do his best to fulfill his part of the bargain but management must address the ongoing roster issues (a reliable starting goaltender, improved defensive depth) that have plagued this club during the “Shanaplan.”

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins captain Brad Marchand hopes to sign a contract extension “at some point.” The 36-year-old winger has a year remaining on his deal with an AAV of $6.175 million. He had 29 goals and 38 assists in 82 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand could get a two or three-year contract. It’s unlikely he’ll get a raise over his current AAV but it could be between $5 million and $6 million given his performance this season.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators hired Rob DiMaio as their director of player personnel and head of pro scouting. DiMaio spent the past two seasons as assistant general manager with the Anaheim Ducks and GM of their AHL affiliate in San Diego. Before that, he spent 13 seasons with the St. Louis Blues as director of player personnel from 2015 to 2022 and was named their director of scouting in 2012. His work contributed to the Blues’ Stanley Cup championship in 2019.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a smart hire by GM Steve Staios. DiMaio’s hiring should improve the Senators’ drafting and development of young players.

CALGARY SUN: Flames winger Martin Pospisil suffered a shoulder injury on Tuesday while playing for Slovakia in the ongoing IIHF World Championships. An X-ray revealed no fracture or dislocation. A further update is expected following an MRI.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2024

by | Mar 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2024

The Avalanche’s Cale Makar nets a hat trick, the Leafs’ Auston Matthews gets closer to 60 goals, the latest notable contract signings and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar tallied his first career NHL hat trick as his club crushed the Detroit Red Wings 7-2. Nathan MacKinnon extended his season-opening home points streak to 31 games with a goal and three assists while Mikko Rantanen collected four assists for the 39-20-5 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 83 points. Robby Fabbri and David Perron replied for the Red Wings (33-23-6) as they continue to hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 72 points.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar became the fourth defenseman in Avalanche history to score a hat trick and the first to do so since Sandis Ozolinsh in 1999-2000.

MacKinnon has 109 points on the season, putting him into first place in the NHL scoring race with a four-point lead over Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov. The Avalanche center is just two points away from equally last season’s career-best 111-point performance.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 54th goal of the season as he scored in overtime in a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. William Nylander tallied his 34th goal of the season for the Leafs (36-18-8) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points. Victor Olofsson replied for the 29-29-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews’ goal-scoring pace has slowed a bit with two goals in his last seven games. Nevertheless, he continues to close in on his second 60-goal season. Nylander, meanwhile, continues to lead the Leafs in points with 84.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Ottawa Senators 2-1. Goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots while Ryan Strome and Alex Killorn scored for the 23-36-3 Ducks. Mark Kastelic replied for the 25-32-3 Senators.

HEADLINES

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can see yesterday’s list of notable trades by following this link.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed Nick Seeler to a four-year, $10.8 million contract extension. The 30-year-old defenseman was slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The average annual value of his new contract is $2.7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seeler is in the final season of a two-year, $1.55 million contract. His play this season recently garnered praise from Flyers head coach John Tortorella.

TSN: The Flyers placed forward Ryan Johansen on waivers after acquiring him from the Colorado Avalanche as part of the return in yesterday’s Sean Walker trade. If he clears he’s expected to be sent to the Flyers’ AHL affiliate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansen’s play has declined since reaching 63 points in 2021-22. He has 23 points in 63 games this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed Rasmus Sandin to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4.6 million. He has 20 points in 52 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The aging Capitals are in the process of retooling their roster with younger players. They acquired the 24-year-old Sandin from the Maple Leafs last season and expect him to be a key part of their blueline in the coming years.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Flames forward Martin Pospisil received a three-game suspension from the league’s department of player safety for boarding Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn on Monday.

TSN: Speaking of the Flames, they signed Daniil Miromanov to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.25 million. They acquired the 26-year-old defenseman last night from the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the return in the Noah Hanifin trade.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2024

by | Mar 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s games feature a five-point performance by the Stars’ Wyatt Johnston, the Golden Knights acquire Anthony Mantha, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

**UPDATE**

The Ottawa Senators trade Vladimir Tarasenko to the Florida Panthers for a 2025 third-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder that becomes a third-round pick if the Panthers win the 2024 Stanley Cup. The Senators also retain 50 percent of Tarasenko’s $5 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators reportedly sought a first or second-round pick plus another asset. It appears Tarasenko’s trade value wasn’t as high as rumored. 

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston tallied his first career NHL hat trick and collected two assists in a 7-6 win over the San Jose Sharks. Roope Hintz scored in overtime as the Stars overcame a 6-3 deficit on three unanswered third-period goals with Johnston scoring two of them. Jamie Benn and rookie Logan Stankovan each had four points for the Stars (38-17-5) as they moved ahead of the Winnipeg Jets into first place in the Central Division with 85 points. Anthony Duclair scored twice and had two assists for the 15-39-7 Sharks.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stankovan now has five goals and eight points in six games for the Stars. Meanwhile, Duclair’s improved performance of late could bolster his trade value.

The Jets, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 decision to the Seattle Kraken as Andre Burakovsky broke a 3-3 tie late in the third period. Jared McCann had a goal and two assists while Joey Daccord stopped 30 shots for the 28-23-11 Kraken. Adam Lowry had a goal and an assist for the Jets (39-17-5) as they sit two points back of the Stars in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken held center Alex Wennberg out of the lineup for the second straight game. I’ll have more about Wennberg in today’s Rumors update.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored the tying and winning goals in a 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins. Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists for the Oilers (38-20-2), who’ve won five straight games and sit in second place with 78 points in the Pacific Division. Pavel Zacha replied for the 36-13-15 Bruins, who slipped into third place in the overall standings with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid (99 points) sits six points behind league leaders Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche in the scoring race. Meanwhile, Bruins winger James van Riemsdyk played his 1,000th career NHL game.

The league-leading Florida Panthers (90 points) picked up their sixth straight win (43-16-4) by beating the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Sam Reinhart tallied his 45th goal of the season, Nick Cousins scored twice and Aaron Ekblad collected an assist to become the all-time assist leader (230) among Panthers defensemen. Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist for the 30-28-4 Devils, who were playing their first game under interim head coach Travis Green.

An overtime goal by J.T. Miller lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Elias Pettersson scored the tying goal while Quinn Hughes collected two assists for the 40-17-7 Canucks, who moved into second place in the overall standings with 87 points. Trevor Moore replied for the Kings (31-19-11) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 73 points.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored in overtime to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-3, snapping the latter’s eight-game win streak. Suzuki and linemate Cole Caufield each had two points for the 24-28-10 Canadiens. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the Predators (35-25-3) as they hold the final Western Conference wildcard berth with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens placed forward Colin White (upper body) on injured reserve.

The New York Islanders picked up their fourth straight by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist while Brock Nelson and Adam Pelech each collected two assists for the Islanders (27-20-14) as they sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 68 points. Joel Hofer made 29 saves for the 32-27-3 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders placed defenseman Scott Mayfield (lower body) on long-term injury reserve as he’s expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. Meanwhile, Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello said his club won’t be a seller at the upcoming trade deadline.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Reilly Smith had a goal and two assists in a 5-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist for the 28-24-8 Penguins. Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke each had a goal and an assist for the 21-31-10 Blue Jackets.

The Chicago Blackhawks beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. Seth Jones scored twice as the Blackhawks (16-42-5) ended their 22-game road losing skid. Connor Ingram made 27 saves for the 25-32-5 Coyotes, who held winger Jason Zucker out of this game for trade-related reasons.

HEADLINES

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights acquired winger Anthony Mantha from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder. The Capitals also retained half of Mantha’s $5.7 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mantha reached the 20-goal plateau this season for the first time since 2018-19. He should be a good rental scorer for the Golden Knights. They might not be done adding to their roster as they still carry over $4.4 million in salary cap flexibility.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed defenseman Zach Bogosian to a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension. Bogosian, 33, averages over 17 minutes of ice time per game, blocking 51 shots and sitting second among the Wild with 80 hits.

THE ATHLETIC’s Kevin Kurz reports Philadelphia Flyers blueliner Nick Seeler could miss a bit of time with an undisclosed injury but isn’t expected to be sidelined for long.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames plucked defenseman Joel Hanley off waivers yesterday from the Dallas Stars.

CALGARY SUN: Meanwhile, Flames forward Martin Pospisil faces a disciplinary hearing with the league on Wednesday for a dangerous hit on Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn on Monday.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers placed forward Sam Gagner on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2024

by | Mar 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games feature the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon moving into a tie for the league scoring lead, the Devils fire head coach Lindy Ruff, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and collected two assists in a 5-0 romp over the Chicago Blackhawks. Justus Annunen collected his second straight shutout over the Blackhawks with a 37-save performance for the 38-20-5 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 81 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 32 shots for the 15-42-5 Blackhawks, who are winless in their last seven games (0-5-2).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon extended his season-opening home points streak to 30 games and tied Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov for the scoring lead with 105 points.

The Florida Panthers picked up their fifth straight win by doubling up on the New York Rangers 4-2. Sam Reinhart tallied twice, Aleksander Barkov picked up two assists and Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 26 shots for the Panthers (42-16-4) as they remain atop the overall standings with 88 points. Will Cuylle and Chris Kreider replied for the 40-18-4 Rangers, who lead the Metropolitan Division with 84 points but slipped to fourth in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart took over sole possession of second place in the goal-scoring race with 44 goals.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha scored two goals and David Pastrnak had three assists in a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 32 shots for the Bruins (36-13-14) as they moved into second place in the overall standings with 86 points. John Tavares scored for the 35-18-8 Leafs, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets upset the Vegas Golden Knights 6-3 as Alex Nylander tallied his first career NHL hat trick. Daniil Tarasov made 37 saves for the 21-30-10 Blue Jackets. Vegas center Jack Eichel was held scoreless in his first game since being sidelined on Jan. 11 with a knee injury. The Golden Knights (33-22-7) remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 73 points but have just two wins (2-7-1) in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the Golden Knights activated Eichel off long-term injury reserve they placed captain Mark Stone (upper body) on LTIR. That leaves them with roughly $7.3 million in salary-cap flexibility to put toward adding to their roster by Friday’s trade deadline.

A shootout goal by Pavel Buchnevich lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Jordan Binnington stopped 40 shots for the 32-26-3 Blues (67 points) as they kept their playoff hopes alive by moving within five points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Scott Laughton scored for the Flyers (32-23-8) to remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points.

The Seattle Kraken snapped the Calgary Flames’ five-game win streak with a 4-2 victory. Philipp Grubauer made 35 saves while Jared McCann had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (27-23-11). Andrei Kuzmenko tallied both goals for the 30-26-5 Flames. Both teams have 65 points and sit seven points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames forward Martin Pospisil faces supplemental discipline following his ejection from this game for hitting Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn from behind.

Before this game, the Kraken announced they scratched center Alex Wennberg from this game for trade-related reasons. The Rangers and Avalanche are among the clubs rumored to be interested in Wennberg, who could be on the move before Friday’s trade deadline.

HEADLINES

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils yesterday fired head coach Lindy Ruff. Associate coach Travis Green has taken over on an interim basis.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils management had to do something to shake things up. Their playoff hopes are fading and they’re struggling to land a reliable starting netminder in the trade market.

Ruff had difficulty finding solutions to the Devils’ problems this season but I don’t consider him solely to blame. They probably wouldn’t be in their current predicament if they had better goaltending and a healthier roster. It’ll be interesting to see if Green has better luck finding a solution than his predecessor.

NHL.COM: Defensemen dominate the league’s three stars for the week ending March 3. Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi was the first star, followed by the Florida Panthers’ Brandon Montour and the Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will be sidelined for the next two weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: How well the Wings adjust to Larkin’s absence could determine whether they clinch their first playoff berth since 2016. They hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed forward Tommy Novak to a three-year, $10.5-million contract extension. His annual average value is $3.5 million. The 26-year-old center was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Novak drew some interest in the trade market amid speculation about whether the Predators would re-sign him. This isn’t a sign-and-trade scenario as the Preds want to keep Novak in the fold.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes signed former Anaheim Ducks winger Max Comtois to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level. The 25-year-old has 28 points in 45 games this season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is an affordable depth addition by the Hurricanes as they prepare to bolster their roster for the playoffs. It’s unlikely that this is the only move they’ll have in store before Friday’s trade deadline.