NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 22, 2025

by | Aug 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 22, 2025

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki has high expectations for the coming season, Stars winger Mikko Rantanen could face a fine in his native Finland, the Blackhawks sign Frank Nazar to a lucrative contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki acknowledges his rebuilding club faces higher expectations after reaching the playoffs for the first time in four years last season.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

“We all want the same goal at the end of the day – we want to be challenging for the Stanley Cup. So I think from now on, that’s pretty much going to be our goal,” said Suzuki.

The Canadiens captain said his teammates had higher expectations heading into last season than management, the media, and fans.

As captain, Suzuki has set an example by living in Montreal year-round. He and his wife have become part of the community and are involved in several local charities. It is also a big reason why a growing number of his teammates are spending more of their offseason time in the city.

FULL PRESS MEDIA: Jim Biringer believes Suzuki has silenced any lingering doubt about his ability as an elite NHL player. He has steadily improved during his career, establishing himself as the Canadiens’ first-line center. Suzuki also put the club on his back last season, playing a major role in their surge down the stretch to clinch a playoff berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens fans have known for years what Suzuki was capable of. His consistent improvement was overshadowed by the club’s struggles during the difficult seasons of their rebuild process. He garnered more recognition around the rest of the league when he reached a career-high 89 points last season.

Suzuki has risen to the challenge as captain of the Canadiens. Whatever the result of their rebuild, he will remain their leader and their best all-around forward.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen could face a hefty fine for missing mandatory military service in his native Finland.

While a member of the Colorado Avalanche in 2024, Rantanen was supposed to arrive for military service on Apr. 15. However, the Avalanche’s season hadn’t ended yet. He applied to change the start date for his mandatory service, which was approved two days later, but the Finnish military still considers him guilty of an unauthorized absence.

The penalty is a fine of 10 to 15 days’ salary, which at the time would’ve been 85,000 euros or $ 99,000 in US dollars.

Every Finnish man over the age of 18 is required to serve in the military. Rantanen’s teammate, center Roope Hintz, was exempt from his service due to his professional hockey career and a previous injury that prevented him from serving.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen has denied any wrongdoing. His case will be heard in a Finnish court soon.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks signed forward Frank Nazar to a seven-year, $46.1 million contract extension. His new $6.59 million average annual value will begin in 2026-27 following the completion of his entry-level deal.

Nazar, 21, steadily improved after being called up last December. He also had an impressive performance in the 2025 World Championship, tallying six goals and 12 points to help Team USA win the gold medal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant raise for Nazar, who showed promise during his first full NHL campaign with 12 goals and 26 points in 53 games last season. It’s a bit of a gamble inking him to this lucrative deal before he’s fully developed, but this contract could become a significant bargain if he reaches his full potential.

DNVR AVALANCHE: Logan O’Connor’s recovery from hip surgery has gone well, and the outlook is a positive one. The procedure was not as extensive as expected. He should miss between 10-16 games at the start of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 29-year-old Avalanche winger underwent surgery in June and was projected to be sidelined for five to six months.

TSN: The Crown has decided not to appeal the acquittals of five former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team. Alex Formenton, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote had each been charged with sexual assault in London, Ontario.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The five were NHL players when the charges were laid. The league issued a statement following the verdict that it still found their actions “unacceptable”. Those five remain ineligible to play in the NHL pending a review of the case by the league.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 12, 2025

by | May 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 12, 2025

Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars over the Jets, Sergei Bobrovsky backstops the Panthers over the Leafs, the goaltenders for the Quarter-Century Team are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists to lead his club to a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Alexander Petrovic broke a 2-2 tie in the third period when he attempted to kick the puck up to his stick, but it fluttered toward the Jets’ net and deflected in off goaltender Connor Hellebucyk. After a lengthy review, it was declared a good goal, which seemed to unsettle the Jets, as Rantanen quickly made it 4-2. Wyatt Johnston put the game out of reach later in the period.

Roope Hintz and Thomas Harley each had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Kyle Connor and Nino Niederreiter replied for the Jets.

The Stars lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 in Dallas at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen remains on a torrid scoring pace, leading this postseason with 18 points in 10 games. He’s the first player in league history to have five three-point games through his first 10 contests in a postseason. The Stars winger has to be considered the favorite thus far for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Following the game, Jets coach Scott Arniel expressed his displeasure with the ruling on Petrovic’s goal. “The rule states that if the puck gets kicked, if it hits a body or a stick of anybody else other than the goaltender, it counts as a goal,” said Arniel. “It hit our goaltender’s stick and went in the net. That is no goal. So they said that (Hellebuyck) propelled the puck in. I haven’t seen the word propelled in the rule book.”

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots to shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 in Game 4 of their second-round series.

Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers, who tied the series at two games apiece. Joseph Woll made 35 saves for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers dominated Toronto’s scorers. Their victory might’ve been more lopsided if not for Woll’s goaltending. What few quality scoring chances the Leafs had were turned aside by Bobrovsky, who is dialled in after his shaky performances in the first two games of this series.

The Leafs’ frustration boiled over in the dying seconds when forward Max Domi hit Florida captain Aleksander Barkov from behind, sparking a melee at the buzzer. Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk appeared to threaten William Nylander that he’d come after the Leafs winger in the next game.

Game 5 of this series is in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14 at 7 PM ET.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The final six players named to the league’s Quarter-Century Team were revealed on Sunday, all goaltenders.

The list includes Hall-of-Famers Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Henrik Lundqvist and Roberto Luongo. Marc-Andre Fleury and Carey Price rounded out the list, with both goalies likely to become Hall-of-Famers.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone is listed as day-to-day after suffering an undisclosed injury during Game 3 of their second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers. He’s listed as questionable for Game 4 on Monday in Edmonton. The Oilers hold a 2-1 lead in that series.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury and won’t play in Game 4 against the Golden Knights.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson hopes for a quick turnaround from a poor performance in Game 3 of his club’s second-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes. Carlson was on the ice for all the Hurricanes’ goals in a 4-0 loss.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, forward Jordan Martinook and defenseman Jalen Chatfield left Game 3 with injuries, but they’re expected to be ready for Game 4 on Monday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Catherine Dubois of the Montreal Victoire scored in quadruple overtime to give her club a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Charge in Game 2 of their PWHL semifinal series, tying it at a game apiece.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t an NHL story, but a quadruple overtime in a postseason is worth mentioning. It was the longest game in PWHL history, and the second-longest professional hockey game ever played in Montreal.

The teams combined for 121 shots, with the Charge outshooting the Victoire 65-56, with Montreal goalie Ann-Renee Desbien making a record 63 saves.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2025

by | May 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2025

Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars to a Game 1 victory over the Jets, the Leafs take a 2-0 series lead over the Panthers, the Utah Hockey Club gets a new name, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen tallied his second straight hat trick to lead his club to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Jake Oettinger stopped 29 shots for the Stars. Nino Niederreiter and Mark Scheifele replied for the Jets.

Game 2 is Friday, May 9, in Winnipeg at 9:30 pm ET

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Rantanen’s second hat trick in these playoffs, making him the first player in league history to have multiple three-goal periods in the same postseason. He’s also the fourth player to have two at any point in his NHL career, joining Wayne Gretzky, Maurice Richard (three times) and Tim Kerr (twice). He currently leads all scorers in this postseason with eight goals and 15 points.

Scheifele returned to action after being sidelined since Game 5 of the Jets’ first-round series against the St. Louis Blues. Stars winger Jason Robertson made his debut in this postseason after being sidelined since Apr. 16 by a knee injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Florida Panthers 4-3 to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round series.

Mitch Marner snapped a 3-3 tie while Max Pacioretty and Max Domi each had a goal and an assist. Anton Lundell had a goal and an assist for the Panthers.

The series shifts to Florida for the next two games. Game 3 is Friday, May 9, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs coach Craig Berube wanted his players to avoid seeking retribution against Panthers forward Sam Bennett for his elbow to the head of Anthony Stolarz that took the goaltender out of Game 1, sidelining him from this contest.

They followed Berube’s instructions, focused on beating the Panthers on the score sheet, and put themselves in a position where they can take a more commanding series lead on Friday.

Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad made his series debut after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel. He collected an assist and had a plus/minus of plus-2.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club finally has a new brand name. After a 13-month process, including fan surveys garnering over 850,000 votes, their new name is the Utah Mammoth.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy is shaking up his top-two forward lines for Game 2 of his club’s second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers.

William Karlsson moves from left wing on the first line to centering Reilly Smith and Brett Howden on the third line. Ivan Barbashev fills that vacant spot on the first line alongside Jack Eichel and Mark Stone.

On Tuesday, the Golden Knights dropped a 4-2 decision to the Oilers in Game 1. Game 2 is Thursday in Las Vegas at 9:30 pm ET.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres have hired Eric Staal as special assistant to general manager Kevyn Adams. Staal, 40, retired as a player in 2023 after playing 18 seasons with six teams, including a brief tenure with the Sabres in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move could be a part of what Daily Faceoff reported is a long-overdue effort by the Sabres to expand their front office. This club has missed the playoffs for 14 straight years, partly because they have one of the smallest front-office staffs in the league.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed backup goaltender Jonas Johansson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.25 million.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators owner Michael Andlauer wrote an open letter to the club’s fans to thank them for their support this season. The franchise qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and Andlauer promised the fans that better things are ahead.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2025

by | May 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2025

Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars to a Game 7 victory over the Avalanche, the schedule for three of the four second-round series are revealed, the latest on Mark Scheifele, Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux, Mattias Ekholm, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen tallied a hat trick and collected an assist on Wyatt Johnston’s winning goal to lead the Dallas Stars to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of their first-round series.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Josh Manson and Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche, who held a 2-0 lead in the third period until Rantanen broke the game open for the Stars. Rantanen leads all playoff scorers in the first round with 12 points.

The Stars await the winner of Sunday’s Game 7 matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s efforts in this game will be remembered as one of the greatest single-period performances in NHL playoff history. The Avalanche were on the verge of winning this series until their former teammate took over.

MacKinnon was shocked by how quickly things fell apart for his team, crediting Rantanen as the difference-maker in this game.

Trading away one of their best players (and a proven postseason performer) at midseason only to have him almost single-handedly beat them in Game 7 will haunt the Avalanche for years.

Stars head coach Peter DeBoer holds the North American pro sports record for the most Game 7 wins by a head coach or manager, going a perfect 9-0.

The NHL released the schedule for three of the four upcoming second-round series.

It begins on Monday, May 5, with Game 1 of the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers series, starting in Toronto at 8 pm ET.

On Tuesday, May 6, the Washington Capitals host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 starting at 7 pm ET. The Edmonton Oilers travel to Las Vegas to meet the Golden Knights in Game 1 starting at 9:30 pm ET.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will be a game-time decision for Game 7 on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues in Winnipeg. Scheifele left Game 5 with an undisclosed and missed Game 6 in St. Louis, which the Blues won 5-2 to tie the series at three games apiece.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets missed Scheifele’s presence in the last game. He could provide them a lift if he’s good to go for the seventh and deciding game.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk dismissed speculation that he wants out of Ottawa. Speaking with the media on Saturday, Tkachuk called the rumor an obvious lie, maintaining his commitment to helping the Senators become a winning team.

Tkachuk also said he suffered a hip injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and played through that over the rest of the season after missing a couple of games. He also suffered an upper-body injury on March 30 and took off the final game of the regular season to prepare for the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk is under contract through 2027-28. Before this season, the speculation about his future was based on the Senators’ long postseason drought. Their recent improvement, partly thanks to Tkachuk’s performance and leadership, is testament to his commitment to this club.

Senators forward Claude Giroux hopes to return next season. The 37-year-old forward has no plans to retire. If the Senators don’t re-sign him, he’ll join another club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux prefers to stay with the Senators. He’s completing a three-year contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. His production has declined over that period (79 points in 2022-23, 64 points last season, 50 this season) and he’ll have to take a pay cut, but they have the room to re-sign him to a one or two-year deal.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers will be without defenseman Mattias Ekholm for their second-round series against the Golden Knights. He missed their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings with an undisclosed injury.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Speaking of the Kings, John Hoven cited multiple sources claiming it appears that general manager Rob Blake and head coach John Hiller will return for 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoven is well-connected with the Kings’ organization. He indicated there’s nothing official yet on the status of Blake and Hiller as the club’s powers-that-be are taking the weekend to decompress following another first-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed Matt Coronato to a seven-year contract extension with an AAV of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coronato is completing his entry-level contract, receiving a substantial raise over his current AAV of $925K. The 22-year-old winger earned it with a solid sophomore season, finishing third among Flames scorers with 24 goals and 23 assists for 47 points in 77 games. Flames management anticipates big things to come for this promising forward.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes signed Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract extension. He’ll receive a base salary of $2.75 million and upward of $750K in performance bonuses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen is a steady presence in the Hurricanes’ crease when healthy. They felt it was best to stick with the oft-injured netminder for another season rather than find an affordable replacement among the limited options in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forward William Eklund may have avoided serious injury after being cut on his left wrist by a skate during a World Championship tune-up game.

Playing for Sweden, Eklund was injured playing against Czechia when he was clipped by Filip Hronek’s skate. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he is in stable condition. His agent, Todd Diamond, said it doesn’t appear the skate blade cut any key tendons or nerves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Eklund wasn’t seriously hurt and fully recovers from this incident.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2025

by | Apr 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s playoff action, plus the latest on Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Pierre-Luc Dubois and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: “The Battle Of Ontario” resumed after 21 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs getting a convincing 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists and Anthony Stolarz stopped 31 shots for Toronto, who went 3-for-6 on the power play. Leafs forwards William Nylander and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist and Auston Matthews collected two assists. Drake Batherson and Ridly Greig replied for the Senators. Game 2 of this series is Tuesday, Apr. 22, at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators swept the three-game regular-season series, but the Leafs’ experience in postseason play was evident in this contest. They were tenacious on the forecheck, their “Core Four” of Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Tavares stepped up, and they didn’t shy away from the Senators’ physical style, seizing the opportunity with the man advantage.

The Senators will have to regroup and focus on a more disciplined effort. They’ll also need a better performance from goaltender Linus Ullmark, who continues to struggle in postseason play.

Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist to double up the Minnesota Wild 4-2 in Game 1 of their opening-round series. Brett Howden tallied twice and Adin Hill turned aside 18 shots for the Golden Knights. Matt Boldy scored both of the Wild’s goals and Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves. Game 2 of this series is Wednesday, Apr. 23, at 11 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the most closely contested game of the evening. There weren’t many penalties, but the Golden Knights made the most of their opportunities, going 2-for-2 with the man advantage.

NHL linesman Bryan Pancich left this game in the second period following an accidental collision with Howden. Backup official Frederick L’Ecuyer replaced Pancich for the remainder of the game.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven scored two goals in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Taylor Hall picked up two assists and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves as the Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead in this first-round series. Nico Hischier scored for the Devils. Game 2 goes Tuesday, Apr. 22, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The score flattered New Jersey as Carolina dominated most of this game. It got worse for the Devils as Brenden Dillon and Cody Glass left the game with injuries. Glass was accidentally struck on the knee by teammate Jacob Markstrom as the Devils’ goalie attempted to whack Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov with his stick.

HEADLINES

SI.COM: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told reporters not to read too much in Gabriel Landeskog’s absence from practice on Sunday, saying the team captain remains on his own recovery schedule. However, he didn’t rule out Landeskog replacing injured winger Ross Colton for Game 2 of their series against the Dallas Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog’s last NHL game was Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup. He’s been sidelined since by knee surgeries but recently completed a two-game conditioning stint with the Avs’ AHL affiliate as he attempts a comeback.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars need winger Mikko Rantanen to be a bigger factor in their series against his former team. On Saturday, he was held scoreless in their 5-1 loss to the Avalanche in Game 1.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy said he felt like he played last season on one leg following back surgery in 2023. He claims he’s feeling like he’s back to his old self this season and has a clear mind entering the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The improvement in Vasilevskiy’s performance contributed to the Lightning’s improvement as a team this season, rising from sixth overall in the Eastern Conference in 2023-24 to third overall this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois credits head coach Spencer Carbery with helping him regain his focus and form. The 26-year-old Dubois has become one of the league’s best two-way centers and a beloved leader in the Capitals’ dressing room. Dubois and his teammates face the Montreal Canadiens with Game 1 of their first-round series starting Monday.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers winger Jeff Skinner looks forward to his first playoff game in his 15-season NHL career when he and his teammates meet the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of their first-round series on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner played for the Hurricanes when they struggled throughout most of the previous decade. He also played for the hapless Buffalo Sabres until they bought out his contract last summer. His postseason drought was 1,078 regular-season games.

ROTOWIRE: Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Jeannot remains week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets are prepared for another physical contest with the St. Louis Blues when the two clubs face off for Game 2 of their first-round series on Monday. The Jets won Game 1 5-3 but were outhit 53-33.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2025

by | Apr 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2025

A milestone game for Cale Makar as the Avalanche clinch a playoff berth, the Senators and Canadiens strengthen their wild-card positions, the Blues match a franchise record, the league plans to address LTIR issues with the NHLPA, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar tallied his 30th goal of the season in a 7-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, clinching a playoff berth in the Western Conference. Makar also collected two assists while Nathan MacKinnon, Charlie Coyle and Devon Toews also each had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche as they sit third in the Central Division with 98 points. Sean Monahan, Zach Aston-Reese and Boone Jenner replied for the Blue Jackets, who sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 77 points.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar is the ninth defenseman in NHL history to record a 30-goal season, and the first to do so since Mike Green (31) in 2008-09. He also reached the 60-assist and 90-point plateaus, becoming the first defenseman to achieve consecutive 90-point campaigns since Paul Coffey and Al MacInnis in 1990-91. Makar joins Coffey, Raymond Bourque, Denis Potvin and Bobby Orr as the only blueliners in NHL history to have 30 goals and 60 assists in one season.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, strengthening their grip on the first Eastern wild-card spot while snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots while Shane Pinto and Jake Sanderson scored for the Senators (86 points), giving them a five-point lead over the Montreal Canadiens. Brandon Hagel netted his 34th goal for the Lightning (93 points), who remain three points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators also reached the 40-win plateau for the first time since 2016-17, when they last clinched a playoff berth. They got this win without team captain Brady Tkachuk. He remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Canadiens (81 points), they got a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins to open a two-point lead over the New York Rangers for the final Eastern wild card. Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist and Cole Caufield tallied his 35th goal of the season. Elias Lindholm replied for the Bruins, who’ve dropped 10 straight games and sit last in the Eastern Conference with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 81 points, Suzuki is the first Canadiens player to reach the 80-point plateau since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08. Caufield is the first Hab to score 35 goals in a season since Max Pacioretty in 2016-17. In other Canadiens news, they’ve reportedly signed prospect goaltender Jacob Fowler to an entry-level contract.

The last time the Bruins finished last in the Eastern Conference was in 1996-97. They also finished last overall, selecting Joe Thornton with the first overall pick in the 1997 NHL Draft.

The St. Louis Blues tied their franchise-record win streak of 11 games by squeaking past the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on an overtime goal by Robert Thomas, who also collected an assist in regulation. Jake Neighbours tallied twice while Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who surged past the Minnesota Wild (89 points) into the first Western wild-card berth with 91 points. Penguins rookie Rutger McGroarty collected his first NHL points with a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Dylan Holloway left this game after the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no post-game update regarding his condition. Penguins center Evgeny Malkin missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman scored twice to down the Anaheim Ducks 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves and Yegor Sharangovich picked up two assists for the Flames (84 points), putting them five behind the Wild in the Western wild-card race. Olen Zellweger replied for the Ducks, who were officially eliminated from the postseason chase.

The Edmonton Oilers’ 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks was overshadowed by Leon Draisaitl’s departure in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Draisaitl picked up an assist before he left the game while teammate Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Tyler Toffoli picked up his 28th goal for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl recently returned from an injury. There was no postgame update regarding his current status. The absence of their leading scorer is cause for concern for the Oilers, who are also without team captain Connor McDavid, defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and starting goalie Stuart Skinner. Meanwhile, Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin missed this game with an upper-body injury and is still being re-evaluated.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Eric Comrie kicked out 26 shots to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0. Mark Scheifele netted his 37th goal of the season as the Jets tied their franchise record with their 52nd win, sitting three points ahead of the Washington Capitals atop the overall standings with 108 points. The Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers left this game in the third period with an injured left leg. In his post-game interview, head coach Scott Arniel indicated that he felt Ehlers’ injury wasn’t too serious.

The Dallas Stars picked up their seventh straight win by defeating the Nashville Predators 5-1. Wyatt Johnston extended his goal streak to six games while Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson and Mason Marchment each had two points as the Wild sit second in the Central Division with 104 points. Steven Stamkos replied for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen became the third-fastest Finnish-born NHL player to reach the 700-point plateau, achieving the milestone in 645 games. Jiri Kurri was the fastest (483 games) followed by Teemu Selanne (541). Stars captain Jamie Benn missed this game with a “maintenance issue”, ending his streak of 371 consecutive games played.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Kevin Fiala and Trevor Moore scored 44 seconds apart for a 4-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Darcy Kuemper turned aside 28 shots and Drew Doughty had a goal and an assist for the Kings (95 points), moving within three points of the first-place Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. Lawson Crouse and Jack McBain scored for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah forward Dylan Guenther suffered a broken nose, two black eyes and nine stitches during Tuesday’s game against Calgary, but suited up for this contest wearing a protective bubble cage attached to his helmet. “I mean, your nose is a long way from your legs. It doesn’t really affect you,” he said.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association began this week. The league intends to bring up the ongoing issue of long-term injury reserve where players on LTIR return in time to skate in the playoffs. That’s been a contentious issue because several teams soar over the salary cap during the playoffs because there is no cap in the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether the two sides can find an adequate solution remains to be seen.

One suggestion is the salary cap should be extended to the playoffs, but that issue can be seen as penalizing teams for having injured players. Another suggestion was having sidelined players scheduled to return by the opening round of the playoffs prevented from playing in that round, but that would unfairly punish them for getting injured, which could violate Canadian and American labor laws.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair has been granted a leave of absence from the team after head coach Patrick Roy publicly criticized his play following a recent loss. Roy told reporters that he and Duclair had a good discussion following the incident, and the winger is taking time off to reflect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That raises questions over whether Duclair is done for the season and about his future with the Islanders.

DAILY FACEOFF: Michigan State forward Isaac Howard, University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium, and Boston College forward Ryan Leonard are the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists. Howard is a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, Buium is a prospect of the Minnesota Wild, and Leonard recently joined the Washington Capitals on an entry-level contract.