NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 9, 2025

by | Jul 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 9, 2025

The NHL and NHLPA ratify the new CBA, the Oilers and Lightning swap top prospects, projected 2026 top prospect Gavin McKenna explains why he’s heading to the NCAA, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The league and the NHL Players’ Association ratified a four-year collective bargaining agreement more than a year before the expiration of the current CBA. The agreement begins in 2026-07 and runs through 2029-30.

THE SCORE: An 84-game regular-season schedule with less preseason play and the reduction of maximum-length contracts by one year are among the notable changes in the new CBA. There will also be a playoff salary cap, no mandatory dress code for players, and the creation of a full-time travelling backup goaltender to replace emergency backups (EBUGs).

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger and Rob Rossi spoke with 10 NHL players around the league regarding the new CBA. Early reviews were mostly positive, but there were some dissenting opinions.

All agreed that it was best to avoid another lockout and get a deal done, though some questioned the speed at which the agreement was reached. Older players are pleased with the reduction in preseason play, but some younger players complained it made it harder to earn a roster spot.

Some players felt the reduction in contract lengths was a slight sacrifice, while others expressed concern. All of them were happy with the increase in the playoff fund.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All of the significant changes were previously reported last month. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what is contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that is expected to be released soon.

The playoff salary cap is the most significant as it addresses the contentious long-term injury reserve (LTIR) loophole that enabled teams to bolster their playoff rosters using injury relief cap space.

Reducing contract term (seven years for re-signings and six years for unrestricted free agents) will affect only the league’s top talent. Most players never see a contract longer than the league average of three years.

Changing the current EBUG system was a necessity. It robs us of entertaining scenarios when an amateur goalie occasionally gets an opportunity to play an NHL game, but the system was an embarrassment for a professional league.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning swapped a couple of promising prospects on Tuesday evening. Heading to Edmonton is left wing Isaac Howard, while the Lightning receive center Sam O’Reilly. The Oilers immediately signed the 21-year-old Howard to a three-year entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This trade occurred because Howard was reluctant to sign with the Lightning, preferring to choose which club he’d play with. He evidently felt that he’d have a quicker path to the NHL with the Oilers than with the Lightning, who reportedly preferred that he spend a season with their AHL affiliate in Syracuse.

It’s similar to Rutger McGroarty’s refusal to sign with the Winnipeg Jets last summer, resulting in his trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Brayden Yager.

Howard won the 2025 Hobey Baker Award as the top player in US college hockey. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports he’s expected to be in the Oilers’ opening-night roster in October.

Seravalli stated that some scouts think O’Reilly is the better long-term prospect, but Howard is NHL-ready now. Time will tell how this move pans out for both clubs.

TSN: Gavin McKenna made his long-rumored move to the NCAA official on Tuesday. The 17-year-old winger is leaving the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers to join Penn State University this season.

McKenna is the presumptive top prospect in the 2026 NHL draft class. He explained that his move enables him to play against “older, heavier, stronger guys” in the NCAA, which he believes will help prepare him for the NHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A smart decision by McKenna. Future top prospects in the Canadian Junior A ranks could follow the same path in the coming years.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports the chaos that has dogged the Vancouver Canucks in recent years hurt their ability to attract free agents.

Multiple player agents cited issues like the team’s ownership, facilities, management, and off-ice drama. Travel and cost of living were also mentioned. It could also lead to team captain Quinn Hughes departing at the first opportunity.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before assuming that some of these issues are unique to Canadian teams, Johnston pointed out that the Winnipeg Jets don’t seem to struggle to retain or attract players, despite Vancouver being nicer than Winnipeg.

The Jets did lose Nikolaj Ehlers to free agency this summer, but the winger stressed that it was a personal decision, going on to praise the team and the city of Winnipeg. Indeed, the Jets retained superstar Connor Hellebuyck and top center Mark Scheifele, building a team around them that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season.

While the Jets’ ownership was recently criticized for taking their fans for granted, they’ve provided top-down stability that doesn’t meddle in management’s affairs, resulting in a consistent, competitive on-ice product since 2017-18 and a better record than the Canucks over the same period.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Winger Jesse Puljujarvi has signed a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette in Switzerland’s National League.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This likely signals the end of a disappointing NHL career for the 27-year-old Puljujarvi. Chosen fourth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2016 draft, he struggled to play up to expectations as a scoring forward.

From 2016-17 to 2024-25, Puljujarvi had 58 goals and 128 points in 387 NHL games with the Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Florida Panthers. He underwent double hip surgery in 2023, missing half of the following season.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche hired former Seattle Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol as their new assistant coach.

TSN: Former NHL player Riley Nash has retired after 13 seasons. From 2011-12 to 2023-24, Nash had 63 goals and 176 points in 628 regular-season games with the Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Coyotes and the New York Rangers. He also had eight points in 42 postseason games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2025

by | Jun 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2025

Check out the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekblad and Zach Werenski, the Kraken trade Andre Burakovsky to the Blackhawks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said he will decide over the next several weeks if he’ll require surgery to repair the injuries that sidelined him for the final 25 games of the regular season.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Following the Stanley Cup Final, Tkachuk admitted he suffered a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia. Surgery could sideline him for the entire training camp period in September and the start of the regular season in October.

“It’s going to take a few weeks to determine if I need it or not,” said Tkachuk. “It’s probably 50-50 right now. I don’t know if I’ll have a normal summer or not. I hope so. I’m not just going to jump into surgery without talking to everybody and going through everything. I have a few weeks here when I can figure it out.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers would miss Tkachuk’s offense and agitating style if he’s sidelined to start next season. They were 13-11-1 during his absence down the stretch in 2024-25.

TSN: Speaking of the Panthers, Aaron Ekblad said contract extension talks with the club have begun. “Conversations have been had,” he said. “Obviously, nothing material yet, but they’ll be working on it. Things seem to come down to the last minute here.”

The 29-year-old defenseman is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1. He has spent his entire 11-season NHL career with the Panthers. “It’s home and I expect it to be home,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad is coming off an eight-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.5 million. His performance has declined over the past couple of seasons.

The Panthers have $19 million in cap space, with Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett, winger Brad Marchand, and blueliner Nate Schmidt also UFA-eligible on July 1. Ekblad might have to accept a pay cut on a shorter-term deal to stay in Florida.

THE ATHLETIC: Coming off a career-best performance, Zach Werenski is hoping to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to bigger and better things.

The 29-year-old joined the league’s elite defensemen this season with an 82-point performance. He was runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy and named to this season’s Second All-Star Team.

Werenski’s efforts helped the Blue Jackets overcome the tragic death of winger Johnny Gaudreau. They exceeded expectations this season, narrowly missing the playoffs. He wants to be part of a winning culture in Columbus and is optimistic about their future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have a core of rising young forwards like Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Dmitry Voronkov, and Kent Johnson. They also have up-and-coming defenseman Denton Mateychuk and a promising goaltender in Jet Greaves. With Werenski now at an elite level, his skills and leadership will be invaluable in helping this club take the next step.

The Jackets also have over $40 million in salary-cap space for 2025-26. Management has the room to make a couple of significant additions that could pay long-term dividends.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW/THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Chicago Blackhawks acquired winger Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for center Joe Veleno.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a salary dump by the Kraken, exchanging Burakovsky’s $5.5 million AAV through 2026-27 for Veleno’s $2.75 million for 2025-26. They have $18.6 million of cap space for 2025-26 with 17 active roster players under contract.

The rebuilding Blackhawks continue to add experienced short-term depth to take pressure off their promising young players.

Injuries hampered Burakovsky during his first two seasons with the Kraken. He played in 79 games this season but managed 39 points, which was a far cry from the career-best 61 points he had with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22, which earned him his current contract.

The Kraken now have sufficient room to re-sign restricted free agents (RFAs) Kaapo Kakko and Tye Kartye. They acquired winger Mason Marchment last week from the Dallas Stars and should still have enough cap space to make another substantial addition to their roster.

This is the second time this season that Veleno’s been traded. The Blackhawks acquired him from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. He could provide the Kraken with short-term depth at center for the coming season.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks placed defenseman TJ Brodie on unconditional waivers to buy out his contract.

They signed the 35-year-old defenseman last summer to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.75 million. However, Brodie’s performance noticeably declined and he was a healthy scratch during the final 22 games of the regular season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks won’t get much cap relief for 2025-26. This buyout counts as $3.233 million against their cap next season, dropping to $258,333 for the 2026-27 season.

THE ATHLETIC’s Michael Russo reports the Minnesota Wild are closing in on hiring former Anaheim Ducks head coach Greg Cronin as the new bench boss of their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

RDS: Jesse Puljujarvi scored the overtime winner for the Charlotte Checkers to defeat the Abbotsford Canucks 4-3 in Game 5 of the AHL’s Calder Cup Final. This was the third game in this series that required overtime. Abbotsford holds a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2025

by | Apr 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2025

Recaps of the final night of this regular season, Nikita Kucherov wins the Art Ross Trophy while Leon Draisaitl takes home the Maurice Richard Trophy, the full schedule for the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust scored twice to reach the 30-goal plateau for the first time in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had two points to reach the 90-point plateau (91) for the third straight season. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin potted his 897th regular-season NHL goal as his club finished in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with 111 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What’s impressive about Crosby reaching 90 points for the third straight season is that he did it at an age (37) when a normal player would be in decline or retired. The same can be said for the 39-year-old Ovechkin, who finished this season with 44 goals.

Ovechkin was honored by the Penguins for breaking the goal-scoring record, receiving a standing ovation from the Pittsburgh crowd. The club also gifted him a Rolex watch, with Crosby and teammate Evgeni Malkin presenting it to him following the game.

The Capitals’ captain also silenced rumors that he might retire at the end of this season. “I’m not retiring yet,” he said. Ovechkin has a year remaining on his contract and intends to honor it.

Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff got the 900th regular-season win of his career as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4. JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, while Flyers rookie winger Matvei Michkov scored twice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff is the fifth coach in NHL history to reach 900 wins, joining Scotty Bowman (1,244 wins), Joel Quenneville (969), Paul Maurice (916) and Barry Trotz (914).

The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on an overtime goal by Scott Laughton. Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies each had two assists for the Leafs, who finished atop the Atlantic Division with 108 points. Alex DeBrincat netted his 39th goal of the season for the Red Wings.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Carolina Hurricanes 7-5. Drake Batherson had two goals and an assist, Adam Gaudette scored twice, while Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and two assists for the Senators. Hurricanes rookie Skyler Brind’Amour (son of head coach Rod Brind’Amour) scored his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury but left in the second period after taking a stick to the face. Tkachuk later said it was for precautionary reasons and he’ll be ready to face the Maple Leafs when their series begins on Sunday evening.

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended their season with their sixth straight win by downing the New York Islanders 6-1. Jet Greaves made 36 saves in his fifth straight start while Adam Fantilli scored his 31st of the season for the Jackets, who finished two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Hudson Fasching scored for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets could’ve gone through the motions after their playoff hopes were dashed the night before. Instead, they were determined to end this season on a high note.

This team persevered through offseason tragedy and could be a playoff club next season if management addresses its roster weaknesses.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin ended his club’s season with a 27-save shutout performance in a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals for the Rangers. The Lightning finished second in the Atlantic Division with 102 points.

The Calgary Flames finished their season with a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Dan Vladar stopped 30 shots, Nazem Kadri scored twice to reach a career-high 35 goals, and Sam Morton and Zayne Parekh each scored in their NHL debuts for the Flames. Taylor Ward also scored in his first NHL game as his Kings finished second in the Pacific Division with 105 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league released the full schedule for the upcoming first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It begins on Saturday with the Winnipeg Jets facing off against the St. Louis and the Dallas Stars meeting the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link provided for the full schedule.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is this season’s winner of the Art Ross Trophy with a league-leading 121 points. It’s the second straight season he’s won the award and the third time since 2018-19. Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers won the Maurice Richard Trophy for the first time as the league’s leading goal-scorer with 52.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl was the only player to crack the 50-goal plateau this season. Seven others finished with over 40 goals.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Connor Bedard addressed rumors he wasn’t happy playing for the rebuilding Blackhawks.

“I’m a pretty mild-mannered guy and if I look a little sad on the bench or something, maybe people can take it out of context,” said Bedard. “I’ve said it so many times, I love being here and the city, the people.”

Bedard acknowledged that the club is rebuilding and it is sometimes frustrating as the losses pile up. However, he also cited the positivity around the team, especially with promising players like Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov joining the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks management will attempt to bolster the roster this summer around Bedard through trades and free agency. Nevertheless, their future lies with their youngsters.

Bedard had 67 points in 82 games despite the sometimes frustrating stretches of the season. Nazar steadily improved throughout this season. Moore, Rinzel and Levshunov showed potential in their brief appearances down the stretch.

BLACK N’ GOLD HOCKEY: cited The Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy reporting Bruins center Elias Lindholm said he suffered a back injury during training camp which contributed to his disappointing performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm played all 82 games for the Bruins but finished with 47 points.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed defenseman Neal Pionk to a six-year, $42 million contract extension. Pionk, 29, was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The average annual value of the contract is $7 million.

TSN: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini has committed to playing for Canada at the IIHF World Championships in May.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Jesse Puljujarvi received a two-game suspension by the department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee.

KSL SPORTS: Utah Hockey Club winger Michael Carcone expects to head to free agency on July 1. After meeting with management and coaching staff, he doesn’t expect to reach an agreement on a new contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2025

by | Apr 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2025

The Canadiens clinch the final Eastern Conference wild card, the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck wins his second straight Jennings Trophy, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid has his eighth 100-point season, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens doubled up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 to clinch the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 91 points. Kaiden Guhle scored twice, Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, and Lane Hutson collected an assist to tie Hall-of-Famer Larry Murphy for the single-season assist record for NHL rookies (60). Taylor Hall and Tyson Jost replied for the Hurricanes, who face the New Jersey Devils in the opening round of the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens defeated a Hurricanes squad that rested seven regulars, including Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Jaccob Slavin and Jordan Staal. Nevertheless, this was a well-deserved victory for a rebuilding club that rose from second-last in the overall standings on Dec. 1 to securing its first postseason berth since 2021.

Montreal will face the Washington Capitals in the first round, with their series expected to begin on Monday. The last time these two clubs met in the playoffs was in 2010, when the Canadiens upset the heavily-favored Capitals in seven games. Time will tell if history repeats itself.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and Mark Scheifele scored in overtime to nip the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in the final game of the regular season for both clubs. Neal Pionk also scored for the league-leading Jets while Troy Terry replied for the Ducks.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck won the William M. Jennings Trophy for the second straight year as the Jets gave up the fewest goals this season (191). He becomes the fifth goalie to win this award in consecutive seasons since it was first presented in 1981-82, joining Martin Brodeur, Roman Turek, Patrick Roy and Brian Hayward.

Hellebuyck also picked up his 47th win of the season, tying Bernie Parent and Roberto Luongo for the second-most among NHL goalies. Braden Holtby and Martin Brodeur are tied with 48 wins.

The Jets also took care of some business before the game, announcing forward Alex Iafallo signed a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.666 million. It’s a slight pay cut from his current AAV of $4 million, but the 31-year-old accepted it to stay in Winnipeg, telling the media that he didn’t want to go anywhere else.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his eighth 100-point season in a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ty Emberson tallied twice and Stuart Skinner had an 18-save shutout for the Oilers, who concluded their season in third place in the Pacific Division with 101 points. The Sharks finished their season winless in their last 11 games (0-8-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Hall-of-Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Marcel Dionne as the only players to reach 100 points eight times. Meanwhile, Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was told by Sharks management that he won’t be signed to a contract extension, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Nashville Predators finished their season on a winning note, defeating the Dallas Stars 5-1. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the Predators while Mason Marchment replied for the Stars, who’ll face the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Tyler Seguin picked up an assist in his first game since Dec. 1. He underwent hip surgery on Dec. 5. Seguin’s teammate Jason Robertson left the game with a lower-body injury in the second period. There was no postgame update on Robertson’s condition, but he was seen after the game with a brace on his right knee.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev broke a 1-1 tie in a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Victor Olofsson had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, who’ll face the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs. Pius Suter scored for the Canucks.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings. Erik Haula and Dawson Mercer replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton returned to action after missing 18 games with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs opening round begins Saturday with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the St. Louis Blues (6 pm ET start) while the Dallas Stars face off against the Colorado Avalanche starting at 8:30 pm ET.

The full playoff schedule will be released on Thursday.

THE ATHLETIC: Katie Strang reports New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports (which owns the Rangers) paid financial settlements to a former Rangers employee last year after she alleged Panarin sexually assaulted her.

Strang cited sources claiming the alleged assault occurred in December 2023 during a Rangers road trip. Neither Panarin nor his agent replied to a request for comment. An MSG spokesperson and the woman (whose identity has been protected) stated the matter has been resolved.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a small hole in his heart. He returned to the club’s practice facility on Wednesday but did not take part in practice. His teammates were relieved to see him.

Letang, 38, has a long history of injuries and medical problems, including two strokes. A small hole in his heart was discovered in 2014 following his first stroke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Letang had no comment for reporters and isn’t expected to play in their season-closing game against the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

CBS SPORTS: Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann will undergo surgery on Monday for an undisclosed issue he’s dealt with throughout the season. He played in all 82 of his club’s games this season. He faces a six-week post-surgery recovery period.

TSN: Florida Panthers forward Jesse Puljujarvi has a hearing with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee on Tuesday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed center Nic Dowd to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $3 million. Dowd, 34, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The checking-line forward tallied a career-high 27 points this season.

RG.ORG: Prospect winger Porter Martone is hoping to have a positive impact with whatever NHL club selects him in this year’s draft. The 6’3” power forward with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads said he wants to win Stanley Cups and create a winning culture, hoping to eventually take on a leadership role with that team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL Central Scouting has Martone at No. 6 among this year’s top North American prospects. TSN’s Bob McKenzie and Craig Button, The Hockey News’ Nick Ferrari and Ryan Kennedy, and McKeen’s Hockey have him among their top-five prospects.

NHLPA: recently released its annual poll of its membership. A surprising result was that Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers were polled higher than Vezina Trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck in the top goalie category.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2025

by | Feb 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2025

The three stars of the week, updates on Sidney Crosby and Mikko Rantanen ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko, and Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Feb. 9, 2025.

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby (NHL.com).

  TSN: Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby declared himself good to go for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. The status of the 37-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins center was in question after he suffered an upper-body injury last week. He was skating on a line with Mark Stone and Nathan MacKinnon during Canada’s practice on Monday.

SPORTSNET: Finland forward Mikko Rantanen is joining his compatriots in Montreal for the upcoming tournament. The 28-year-old Carolina Hurricanes winger missed Saturday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was centering a line with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel and New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes during Team USA’s practice on Monday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jesse Puljujarvi signed a tryout agreement with the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Puljujarvi cleared unconditional waivers and agreed with the Penguins to terminate his NHL contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Checkers are the AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers. Whether this tryout leads to him landing a role with the defending Stanley Cup champions remains to be seen.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators claimed Andreas Englund off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings.

SPORTSNET: Loui Eriksson announced his retirement on Monday. The winger spent 16 NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and Arizona Coyotes from 2006-07 to 2021-22, tallying 253 goals and 360 assists for 613 points in 1,050 regular-season games and 14 points in 44 postseason contests. His best performances were with the Stars, exceeding 70 points in three straight seasons from 2009-10 to 2011-12.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former Toronto Maple Leafs PA announcer Paul Morris passed away at age 86. He was with the Leafs from 1961 to 1999, calling 1,585 consecutive games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Morris’ low-key announcing style was an iconic part of the experience at Maple Leaf Gardens – my condolences to his family, friends, and the Leafs organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 9, 2025

by | Feb 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 9, 2025

Multi-point performances from Brandon Hagel, Ryan O’Reilly, Matthew Tkachuk, Matt Duchene, Sebastian Aho, and more highlight Saturday’s games in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A four-goal first period carried the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Brandon Hagel scored two goals and collected two assists while Nikita Kucherov picked up three assists as the Lightning moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 64 points. Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists while Vladimir Tarasenko tallied his 300th NHL regular-season goal.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings remain in the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 61 points.

Nashville Predators forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Jonathan Marchessault each had four points in a 6-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres. O’Reilly collected four assists and Marchessault a goal and three assists. Filip Forsberg and Brady Skjei each scored twice for the Predators. Sabres winger Alex Tuch had a goal and two assists.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and assisted on two others as his club defeated the Ottawa Senators 5-1. Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist as the Panthers erupted for four goals in the second period. Matthew’s brother Brady Tkachuk scored for the Senators, who got a 43-save performance from Linus Ullmark.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 71 points while the Senators have lost three straight games, dropping into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 62 points.

The Dallas Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit to thump the San Jose Sharks 8-3. Matt Duchene scored twice and collected an assist for the second straight game while Jamie Benn, Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley each had a goal and an assist. William Eklund, Fabian Zetterlund and Walker Duehr scored for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars sit second in the Central Division with 72 points. Sharks forward Klim Kostin returned to action after missing 12 games with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis each scored twice in a 7-3 win over the Utah Hockey Club. Aho finished with three points and Jarvis with four while Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 36 shots as the Hurricanes remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points. Clayton Keller scored twice for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a milestone game for Aho, joining Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, Detroit’s Patrick Kane, and Toronto’s John Tavares and Auston Matthews as the only active NHL players to score 20 goals in each of their first nine seasons. Ovechkin leads that group with 20 seasons. Meanwhile, Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen missed this contest with a lower-body injury.

The Philadelphia Flyers held off the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 to end a five-game losing skid. Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist while Samuel Ersson made 31 saves for the Flyers while the Penguins got goals from Erik Karlsson and Anthony Beauvillier. Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen missed this game with an injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. His status for Team Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, the Penguins placed winger Bryan Rust on injured reserve, recalled goaltender Tristan Jarry from the AHL affiliate, and placed winger Jesse Puljujarvi on unconditional waivers as they are granting his request to terminate his contract. Puljujarvi intends to explore other options in Europe.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 43 shots in regulation and overtime to nip the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Trevor Zegras and Leo Carlsson scored in the shootout rounds to give the Ducks their third straight win. Kings forward Adrian Kempe tallied his 25th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the 4 Nations Face-Off, Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was named to Canada’s roster as Alex Pietrangelo’s replacement. The Kings recalled goalie Pheonix Copley on an emergency basis and placed defenseman Mikey Anderson on injured reserve.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy scored twice and picked up an assist as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit for a 6-3 win over the New York Islanders. Filip Gustavsson turned aside 31 shots for the Wild as they sit third in the Central Division with 70 points. Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri each had a goal and an assist as the Islanders (57 points)dropped their second straight game and sit four points out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders also announced that forward Mathew Barzal underwent a procedure on his injured left kneecap on Thursday. He could be sidelined for six weeks.

The New York Rangers got two unanswered third-period goals from Urho Vaakanainen and Will Cuylle for a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jonathan Quick stopped 22 shots as the Rangers (58 points) sit three points out of the final Eastern wild card. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected an assist to extend his home points streak to 21 games as his club remains out of that wild-card spot with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers starting goalie Igor Shesterkin will be sidelined for one-to-two weeks with an upper-body injury. He could be ready to return to action by the end of the upcoming two-week 4 Nations Face-Off.

The New Jersey Devils got a 34-save shutout from Jake Allen to blank the Montreal Canadiens 4-0, handing the latter their seventh loss in their last eight contests. Devils forwards Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had a goal and an assist as their club sits two points back of the Hurricanes in third place in the Metro Division. With 55 points, the Canadiens join the Flyers and Penguins sitting six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was talk a week ago of the Canadiens hanging onto pending UFAs like David Savard, Joel Armia, Jake Evans and Christian Dvorak as “own rentals” for a playoff run. Their recent skid makes it more likely that those four will be peddled by the March 7 trade deadline.

St. Louis Blues forward Radek Faksa scored in the 10th round of the shootout to give his club a 6-5 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Robert Thomas, Philip Broberg and Mathieu Joseph each had a goal and an assist for the Blues while Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and two assists for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues defenseman Ryan Suter became the third American player in league history to play 1,500 regular-season games.

A third-period goal by Tomas Hertl with 1:10 remaining lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the Boston Bruins 4-3. Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Shea Theodore each collected two points for the Golden Knights as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Brad Marchand scored his 20th goal while Nikita Zadorov had a goal and an assist as the Bruins remain one point behind the Red Wings for the final Eastern wild card.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser scored in the third period in a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Filip Hronek also scored while Kevin Lankinen stopped 21 shots for the win following Thatcher Demko’s departure in the first period with an undisclosed injury. Morgan Rielly scored for the Leafs (68 points), who sit three points behind the Panthers in second place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet said Demko’s injury isn’t considered serious and confirmed he didn’t reinjure his knee. The Canucks sit in the final Western wild-card berth with 63 points.

An overtime goal by Matty Beniers completed a three-goal comeback for the Seattle Kraken to defeat the Calgary Flames 3-2. Shane Wright and Andre Burakovsky also scored for the Kraken while Morgan Frost and Nazem Kadri tallied for the Flames, who sit three points behind the Canucks for that final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour left this game following the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update on his status.