NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 4, 2020

by | Aug 4, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 4, 2020

​Recaps of Monday’s games, plus updates on Tuukka Rask, Micheal Ferland, Michael Raffl, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid’s first NHL career playoff hat trick led the Edmonton Oilers over the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3, tying their best-of-five qualifying round series at one game apiece. Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins picked up three assists. Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane has a goal and an assist while teammate Alex DeBrincat collected two assists. Chicago rookie Dominik Kubalik was held scoreless after tallying five points in the series opener.

 

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series isn’t what you’d call a defensive struggle. Indeed, it’s been a throwback to the freewheeling style of the 1980s: fast-paced, high-scoring, sloppy, and entertaining. It’s my favorite of the qualifiers thus far.

Andrei Svechnikov tallied his first playoff hat trick and Sebastian Aho collected three assists to lead the Carolina Hurricanes over the New York Rangers 4-1. Artemi Panarin replied for the Rangers. Svechnikov’s hat trick was also the first in franchise history, including its years as the Hartford Whalers. The Hurricanes hold a 2-0 series lead and can wrap things up today in Game 3.  

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a dominant performance by the Hurricanes’ one-two punch of Svechnikov and Aho, and by the team as a whole. Their aggressive forecheck overwhelmed the Rangers, smothering their offense and forcing them to play catch-up throughout the game.

Nikolaj Ehlers’ third-period goal snapped a 2-2 tie as the Winnipeg Jets edged the Calgary Flames 3-2, tying their best-of-five qualifying round series at a game apiece. Jansen Harkins and Adam Lowry gave the Jets an early lead but the Flames tied it on goals by Elias Lindholm and Sam Bennett. It was Ehlers’ first NHL playoff goal. Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A big bounce-back win for the Jets after dropping Game 1 and losing scorers Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine. No word yet as to when those two will return to the lineup, but their teammates did a fine job compensating for their absence.

The Pittsburgh Penguins evened their series with the Montreal Canadiens with a 3-1 victory. Sidney Crosby opened the scoring and Jason Zucker tallied the game-winner late in the third period. Jesperi Kotkaniemi replied for the Habs, who were kept in this game by Carey Price’s stellar goaltending.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins were more dominant in this contest compared to the series opener, generating more quality scoring chances and keeping the underdog Canadiens on their heels. If not for Price’s performance, the Penguins would’ve enjoyed a wider margin of victory.

Four unanswered third-period goals by Mark Stone, Nate Schmidt, William Carrier, and William Karlsson powered the Vegas Golden Knights over the Dallas Stars 5-3 in round-robin play. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen assisted on all of his club’s three goals. Before the game, Stars’ Tyler Seguin and Jason Dickinson and Golden Knights’ Ryan Reaves and Robin Lehner took a knee during the national anthems in support of racial equality.

 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not to take anything away from the Golden Knights’ comeback, but the Stars gave this game away. They were in control entering the third period but sat back on the lead and it cost them.

The Tampa Bay Lightning edged the Washington Capitals 3-2 in round-robin action on shootout goals by Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov. The Capitals played without defenseman John Carlson, who remains sidelined after leaving last week’s exhibition game against the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Still no word on when Carlson will return. He could be back before the end of the week. 

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Tuukka Rask was back in the Bruins’ net during practice yesterday after being “unfit to participate” over the weekend with a cough. He was tested multiple times for COVID-19 before being allowed to return.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers winger Michael Raffl will miss some time after suffering an undisclosed injury during a round-robin game Sunday with the Bruins. Raffl appeared to be favoring a leg as he left the game following a collision with Bruins defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks winger Micheal Ferland received a $5,000.00 fine for spearing Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman during Game 1 of their qualifier.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: The Red Wings have loaned prospect defenseman Moritz Seider to his old German club (Adler Mannheim) with the understanding he’ll return to the Wings for training camp ahead of next season. The NHL’s 2020-21 campaign is tentatively slated to begin Dec. 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Expect more European prospects on the seven non-playoff teams to follow the Red Wings lead. Given the usually long off-season facing those clubs, it’s best to try and get those kids some playing time where possible.

SPORTSNET: The NHL received no positive COVID-19 tests during the first week of Phase 4 of its return-to-play plan. Over 7,000 tests were administered during that time.  










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 3, 2020

by | Aug 3, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 3, 2020

​Recaps of Sunday’s games plus updates on Mark Schiefele, Patrik Laine, Tuukka Rask, Dougie Hamilton, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nazem Kadri scored with a fraction of a second remaining in the game to lift the Colorado Avalanche over the St. Louis Blues 2-1 in round-robin play. Ryan Graves also scored for the Avs while Philipp Grubauer made 31 stops. David Perron tallied the sole Blues’ goal while Jordan Binnington made 36 saves.

Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington was outstanding in a losing cause for the Blues, especially in the first period when the Avs dominated his teammates. Their play improved as the game went on but the Avs still had better scoring chances.

 

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves to shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 in Game 1 of their best-of-five qualifying round series. Cam Atkinson netted the game-winner and Alexander Wennberg got the insurance goal with an empty-netter. Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen turned aside 34 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets’ grinding style sucked the life out of the Leafs’ offense. Not that they didn’t get some quality chances but Korpisalo was superb, robbing Auston Matthews in the second period with a flashy glove save.  

Jared Spurgeon scored twice and set up the winning goal while Alex Stalock had a 28-save effort as the Minnesota Wild blanked the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 to take Game 1 of their qualifier. Kevin Fiala netted the game-winner with a power-play slapper in their first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild’s experience came through in this game. They effectively neutralized the Canucks’ young guns while creating quality scoring chances of their own. Canucks winger Micheal Ferland could get a call by the NHL department of player safety after appearing to spear Ryan Hartman on the Wild bench.

 

A three-goal second period powered the Philadelphia Flyers over the Boston Bruins 4-1 in round-robin play. Flyers goalie Carter Hart made 34 saves for his first-ever NHL postseason win. Michael Raffl had a goal and an assist but left the game in the third period with an apparent leg injury. Jaroslav Halak was in net for the Bruins as starter Tuukka Rask was deemed unfit to play. His status for Wednesday’s round-robin game against the Tampa Bay Lightning is uncertain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played as though this was a playoff game, while the Bruins seemed to treat it as an exhibition contest. Yes, it’s only a round-robin that determines final seeding for the playoffs, but that doesn’t excuse what seemed like a halfhearted effort by the Bruins.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper kicked out 40 shots in a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Christian Dvorak had a goal and an assist while Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel each collected two assists. Filip Forsberg scored twice for the Predators. The Coyotes lead the series 1-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Check out my take on this game here.

HEADLINES

TSN: Sara Orlesky reports a source claims Mark Scheifele’s apparent leg injury isn’t believed to be long-term. The Winnipeg Jets center was hurt during the first period of Game 1 of his club’s qualifier against the Calgary Flames following a collision with Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk. Scheifele left the game in obvious pain and didn’t return. He’s not expected to play in Game 2 tonight.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets coach Paul Maurice doubled down on his accusation that Tkachuk deliberately injured Scheifele. Maurice also provided no update about the condition of winger Patrik Laine, who also left Game 1 with what appeared to be an injured hand. Per league protocols, the Jets can’t reveal the full details of their injuries.

CALGARY SUN: Flames coach Geoff Ward defended Tkachuk, claiming his winger was trying to finish his check but Scheifele’s sudden shift in direction caught the Flames winger off-balance as they collided into the boards.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is similar to the Matt Cooke incident with Erik Karlsson in 2013. Cooke’s skate blade accidentally sliced Karlsson’s Achilles tendon, but he was accused of purposefully injuring the blueliner.

Like Cooke, Tkachuk has a reputation for cheap shots, which could explain why Maurice felt that hit was a deliberate attempt to injure Scheifele. In this instance, however, I agree with Ward that it was an unfortunate accident. 

TSN: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos remains questionable for today’s round-robin game with the Washington Capitals. He’s still dealing with a lower-body injury suffered during Phase 2 training.

THE NEW & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury. He could be a week or so away from returning to the lineup.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Blackhawks forward Drake Caggiula received a one-game suspension for an illegal check on Edmonton Oilers winger Tyler Ennis during Game 1 of their qualifying-round series on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2019

by | Dec 5, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2019

John Carlson leads the Capitals over the Kings, Evander Kane and Ryan Johansen fined, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals defenseman scored twice, including his 100th career NHL goal, in a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Carlson has 42 points in 30 games this season. The Capitals have won five straight games.

Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson tallied his 100th career NHL goal (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Face Off Hockey Show host Scotty Wazz points out Carlson is on pace to become the first defenseman since Ray Bourque (1993-94) to exceed 90 points in a season. He’s currently on track for 115 points.

The Ottawa Senators snapped a five-game losing streak by upsetting the Edmonton Oilers 5-2. Tyler Ennis led the way for the Senators with a goal and two assists. The Senators held Oilers captain Connor McDavid off the score sheet while Leon Draisaitl was limited to an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not easy to contain McDavid and Draisaitl. Any team that can have a chance of beating the Oilers.

Tristan Jarry had a 28-save shutout performance backstopping the injury-depleted Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Pittsburgh defenseman Jack Johnson (illness) joined Sidney Crosby, Patric Hornqvist, Bryan Rust, Nick Bjugstad, Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz on the sidelines. The Penguins are 7-0-2 in their last nine home games.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer kicked out 38 shots to down the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1. Nathan MacKinnon tallied a goal and picked up an assist for the Avs. During the game, Avs center and former Leaf Nazem Kadri was honored with a video tribute by the Leafs and a nice ovation from Toronto fans.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL’s department of player safety for elbowing Washington Capitals defenseman Radko Gudas on Tuesday.

TSN: Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen also received a $5,000.00 fine for elbowing Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point on Tuesday.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon is expected to miss two weeks with an upper-body injury. Captain Mikko Koivu is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alex Edler will be sidelined at least two weeks with an upper-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Philadelphia Flyers winger Michael Raffl (finger) is on injured reserve.

The Winnipeg Jets claimed forward Nick Shore off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

STAR-TRIBUNE.COM: A Minnesota judge ruled former NHL player Mark Pavelich is mentally ill and dangerous, ordering him committed to a secure treatment facility. Another hearing is scheduled in February to determine if he’ll be committed for an indefinite period.

Pavelich, a member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” US Olympic team, faced criminal charges for beating a friend with a metal pole following a fishing trip. His family is convinced he’s suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy related to repeated concussions during his NHL career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2019

by | Oct 25, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2019

Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid rally the Oilers over the Capitals, Vladimir Tarasenko and Matt Duchene sidelined, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl’s overtime goal completed a 3-1 comeback as the Edmonton Oilers upset the Washington Capitals 4-3. Draisaitl and linemate Connor McDavid each collected three points in this contest. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sniped two goals.

Leon Draisaitl’s overtime goal gave the Edmonton Oilers a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals (Photo via NHL Images).

Brayden Schenn’s two-goal effort helped the St. Louis Blues defeat the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 5-2. It was a costly win for the Blues as winger Vladimir Tarasenko left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury. An update on his condition could be made today.

The Nashville Predators blanked the Minnesota Wild 4-0 as Pekka Rinne turned in a 26-save shutout performance. Predators center Matt Duchene left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. An update on his condition has yet to be made. Colton Sissons scored a goal and collected an assist.

Matthew Tkachuk scored twice in regulation and the winner in a shootout as the Calgary Flames nipped the Florida Panthers 6-5. Aleksander Barkov collected four assists for the Panthers, extending their points streak to seven games.

The New York Islanders picked up their fifth straight victory by down the Arizona Coyotes 4-2, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Islanders winger Josh Bailey had a goal and an assist. Earlier in the day, the Islanders activated Casey Cizikas off injured reserved but winger Leo Komarov’s (illness) status remains uncertain.

Evander Kane scored two power-play goals, Tomas Hertl collected three assists, and Aaron Dell kicked out 35 shots as the San Jose Sharks doubled up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2.

Cam Atkinson scored in overtime as the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3, handing the latter their third straight loss. Jackets blueliners Ryan Murray and David Savard each had two-point performance.

The New York Rangers ended a five-game losing skid with a 6-2 drubbing of the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Strome scored twice while Rangers defensemen Brady Skjei and Tony DeAngelo each had two points.

Claude Giroux tallied his first goal of the season as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. James van Riemsdyk scored and collected an assist. Flyers forward Michael Raffl left the game in the third period with an injured leg after blocking a shot.

Two first-period goals by Denis Gurianov gave the Dallas Stars a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. It was Stars winger Corey Perry’s first game against his former club since his contract buyout this summer. Dallas goalie Ben Bishop made 27 saves, handing the Ducks their third straight loss. Ducks defenseman Josh Manson injured his left leg while winger Ondrej Kase left the game with an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NBC SPORTS: Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov returned to the KHL, signing a professional tryout contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Markov had hoped to sign with an NHL club this summer after spending the last two seasons with KHL club Ak-Bars Kazan.

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Luke Glendening is expected to be sidelined with an undisclosed injury.

VANCOUVER SUN: The Canucks assigned forward Adam Gaudette to their AHL affiliate in Utica.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes broadcaster Mike Maniscalco underwent successful surgery this week to remove a large non-cancerous mass from his abdomen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Mansicalco has a speedy recovery.

THE SCORE: Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg has announced his retirement. He spent 15 seasons in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, and New York Islanders. Seidenberg’s longest tenure was with the Bruins (over six seasons), helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2011 and reach the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. In 859 NHL games, he collected 251 points.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2019

by | Feb 12, 2019

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2019

Game recaps, Evgeni Malkin to have a disciplinary hearing, stars of the week, Kings trade Nate Thompson to the Canadiens, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray made 50 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers to snap a four-game losing skid. Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist while Nick Bjugstad tallied his first goal as a Penguin.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin faces supplemental discipline for swinging his stick at Philadelphia Flyers winger Michael Raffl (Photo via NHL Images).

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin faces supplementary discipline for swinging his stick at Flyers winger Michael Raffl after the latter punched him in the back of the head. Malkin was ejected from the game. Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury and didn’t return. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Penguins (65 points) opened a three-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Malkin was fined $5,000.00 last January for spearing LA Kings winger Dustin Brown. Raffl was grazed by Malkin’s stick but wasn’t injured, which could factor into whatever punishment the Penguins winger could face. 

Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice and set up two others, including Alex Ovechkin’s 38th goal of the season, as the Washington Capitals defeated the Los Angeles Kings 6-4. Austin Wagner tallied twice for the Kings. 

San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton picked up his 1,050th career assist to pass Gordie Howe for ninth on the all-time list during his club’s 7-2 drubbing of the Vancouver Canucks. Evander Kane scored twice for the Sharks, who’ve have won 11 of their last 12 contests. The Canucks were playing without goaltender Jacob Markstrom (undisclosed) and center Brandon Sutter (lower body). 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the loss, the Canucks (57 points) remain two points behind the Minnesota Wild for the second Western Conference wild-card spot. 

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, and Chicago Blackhawks center Dylan Strome are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Feb. 10.

The Montreal Canadiens yesterday acquired center Nate Thompson and a fifth-round pick in the 2019 draft (originally belonging to Arizona) from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2019 (originally acquired from Calgary). The Canadiens also called up winger Dale Weise, who was acquired on Saturday from Philadelphia. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens acquired Thompson and Weise to shore up their fourth line, which has been a problem area this season.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks yesterday announced goaltender Collin Delia signed a three-year, $3-million contract extension.

NJ.COM: The New Jersey Devils claimed forward Kenny Agostino off waivers from the Canadiens. 

CBS SPORTS: The Colorado Avalanche recalled winger Tyson Jost. 

TUCKER HOCKEY: Provides a diagram explaining how the NHL became a billion-dollar business. 










NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2018

by | Dec 12, 2018

NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2018

Latest on the Flyers, Wild, and Blackhawks in your NHL rumor mill.

FLYERS GM LOOKING FOR A TRADE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher is trying to be active in the trade market in search of a goaltending upgrade, speaking to half the teams in the league. He’d also like to add a veteran defenseman to his young blueline and a top-nine forward before the Dec. 19th holiday trade freeze. LeBrun said Fletcher won’t force a move if it’s not there, but he’d like to give his roster a shot of adrenaline to remain competitive this year.

Darren Dreger added someone will try to link the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Flyers because of ongoing speculation they need a power forward like Wayne Simmonds or the Carolina Hurricanes’ Micheal Ferland. Leafs management, however, appears more interested in finding a right-shot defenseman.

NBC SPORTS: John Boruk looked at potential free-agent options for Fletcher to target if the Flyers fail to sign Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky this summer. He suggests targets such as Ottawa Senators forwards Mark Stone and Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov, and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman.

Boruk also suggests winger Michael Raffl could become a trade chip if Fletcher decides he doesn’t have a future with the Flyers beyond this season. Raffl is due to become an unrestricted free agent next July and could interest a club seeking bottom-six depth. He also has an affordable $2.35-million cap hit for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers aren’t the only club believed seeking trades before the upcoming holiday freeze. The Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues are also said to be shopping around. 

Pending UFAs such as Simmonds and Raffl could become trade candidates, though at this stage they will be considered playoff rental players.  Maybe Fletcher will consider swapping one of them for another pending UFA with the thought of re-signing the new addition if he helps improve the Flyers’ performance this season. 

Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle continues to pop up in recent trade speculation (Photo via NHL Images)

WILD STILL SHOPPING COYLE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun noted a recent report from The Athletic’s Michael Russo claiming Minnesota Wild GM Paul Fenton is shopping the likes of forward Charlie Coyle. LeBrun believes Fenton is making more calls to see what’s available in the trade market. He believes the Boston Bruins have “kicked tires” on Coyle. While he doesn’t know if anything’s imminent, LeBrun thinks Fenton might be finally ready to act.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Since being hired back in May, Fenton has yet to swing a significant trade as he preferred to take some time to evaluate his roster before making a move. He’s now had over two months and could be ready to pull the trigger. 

Russo also said the Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens were monitoring Coyle and noted Fenton would also consider moving winger Nino Niederreiter. Coyle or Niederreiter could attract interest from clubs like the Bruins, Senators, and Canadiens that are believed looking around for depth on their forward lines.

COULD THE BLACKHAWKS TRY TO MOVE A CORE PLAYER?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun doesn’t believe any of the Chicago Blackhawks core players are in play, in part because they all have no-move contracts. He doubts legacy players like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are going anywhere.

LeBrun believes defenseman Duncan Keith would still attract plenty of interest around the league if he became available in the trade market. So far, there’s no evidence to suggest he will be. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun suggested that’s an offseason conversation. If Keith, or any of the Blackhawks carrying full no-movement clauses, doesn’t want to be traded there’s nothing Hawks management can do about it. They can’t bury those players in the minors and won’t banish them to the press box or cut their playing time.