NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2025

by | Feb 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2025

A milestone game for Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is the first player to reach 80 points this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick made 34 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming the first US-born netminder to reach the 400-win milestone. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and two assists and J.T. Miller collected two assists for the Rangers (54 points), who sit five points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jack Eichel scored both goals for the Golden Knights (68 points), who are 1-2-2 in their last five games and remain in second place in the Pacific Division.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller is wasting little time making a positive impact on the Rangers. He has four points in his first two games since the Blueshirts reacquired him from the Canucks on Friday. It may have helped the struggling Zibanejad regain his scoring touch after being shifted to right wing on the Rangers’ top line alongside Miller and Zibanejad.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored to become the first player to reach 80 points this season as his club blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 24 shots for the shutout as the Avalanche picked up their second straight win and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 64 points. The Flyers have dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a three-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisailt in the points race. He also leads all players with 60 assists.

Dallas Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov tallied twice in the third period in a 5-3 win over the Blue Jackets. Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley each collected two assists as the Stars collected their fifth straight win and sit second in the Central Division with 69 points. Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro and forward Kirill Marchenko left the game due to injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets weren’t pleased with the officiating in this game, questioning two of the Stars’ goals and Stars forward Mason Marchment going unpunished for elbowing Fabbro in the face. Marchenko was sidelined after taking a puck to the chin while sitting on the bench. Stars forward Mavrik Bourque also left this game in the third period when he was struck in the face by the puck.

Blue Jackets winger James van Riemsdyk played in this game despite losing four teeth during Friday’s game against Utah when he was crosschecked by Ian Cole. He returned to action after receiving 30 stitches, then underwent surgery following the game when an x-ray revealed one of his missing teeth was lodged in his bottom lip.

The Florida Panthers got a hat trick from Carter Verhaeghe to beat the New York Islanders 6-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov picked up three assists as his club has won three straight and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 67 points. The Islanders sit four points behind the Blue Jackets with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders played without forward Mathew Barzal and defenseman Scott Mayfield. They were sidelined by injuries during Saturday’s win over Tampa Bay.

An overtime goal by Alex DeBrincat lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Vancouver Canucks 3-2, giving the red-hot Wings their sixth straight win. DeBrincat also scored in regulation to finish the night with two goals, vaulting over the Blue Jackets into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 59 points. Filip Chytil scored in his first game with the Canucks since being acquired from the Rangers on Friday. The Canucks (57 points) sit two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings activated Patrick Kane off injured reserve and placed forward J.T. Compher on IR. Wings defenseman Jeff Petry underwent surgery and will be sidelined for six to eight weeks. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 2.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was a late scratch from this game with an undisclosed injury. Teammate Kyle Sherwood returned to action after missing four games due to injury.

Speaking of the Flames, they nipped the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 20th goal of the season while Morgan Frost scored his first goal with the Flames since being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Kaapo Kakko and Brandon Tanev scored for the Kraken, who’ve lost three of their last four games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Thompson left the game in the third period following a blindside hit by Devils forward Stefan Noesen, who was ejected as a result. Paul Cotter scored two goals for the Devils as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff told reporters after the game that Thompson passed each test in the NHL’s concussion protocol. He’ll be held out of Monday’s practice as a precaution.

The Anaheim Ducks overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Alex Killorn snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Ducks picked up their fourth win in their last five games. The Canadiens (53 points) are winless in their last five games (0-4-1) and six points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are plummeting back to earth following a five-week streak where they were among the hottest teams in the league, winning 13 of 17 games from Dec. 17 to Jan. 21.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou snapped a 1-1 tie to give his club a 2-1 win over the Utah Hockey Club. Jordan Binnington stopped 24 shots to snap a four-game losing skid. Utah has lost five straight.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported last week that the skyrocketing salary cap has raised concern that it could create a new era of have-and-have-not teams, in which bigger markets gain a financial advantage to outspend smaller markets unable to spend toward the cap. It could invite renewed discussion of enhanced revenue sharing in the next round of collective bargaining slated to begin this month.

TVA SPORTS: Canadiens winger Patrik Laine confirmed he became addicted to video games as a refuge during a dark period following the sudden death of his father. He found they briefly eased his anxiety before he hit rock bottom, forcing him to seek help from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Laine is doing better in Montreal, regaining his love of hockey and finding solace in religion with his fiancee Jordan Leigh.

He also believes his critical comments about the Columbus Blue Jackets prompted his former teammates to target him during his first game against them in December. He regrets those remarks, and won’t say anything negative about another organization again.

OTTAWA SUN: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will receive an in-person hearing with the league’s department of player safety for his attempt to injure Senators center Tim Stutzle on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Senators, they’ve returned goalie Leevi Merilainen to their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Starter Linus Ullmark is expected to return to action after being sidelined by a back injury since Dec. 22.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2025

by | Feb 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2025

Recaps of Saturday’s games, the three stars and rookie of the month for January are unveiled, the Sharks trade Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Brad Marchand, Matthew Poitras and Pavel Zacha each collected two points for the Bruins (58 points), who sit behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. J.T. Miller scored twice in his first game with the Rangers since they reacquired him from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss leaves the Rangers (52 points) six points behind the Lightning. Blueshirts forward Jimmy Vesey was a healthy scratch for the ninth straight game. He recently lamented that his situation left him feeling he had “no role or purpose” with the team but head coach Peter Laviolette insists he remains an important part of the roster.

Meanwhile, the Lightning dropped a 3-2 decision to the New York Islanders. Tony DeAngelo scored in overtime and Adam Boqvist netted his first goal with the Isles since being claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers. Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning (58 points), who cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with three games in hand over the Bruins. The Islanders (55 points) have won seven straight and are three points back of the Bolts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders are on a tear despite being walloped by injuries. They announced on Saturday that goaltender Semyon Varlamov remains sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. He joined goalie Marcus Hogberg and defensemen Ryan Pulock, Noah Dobson and Mike Reilly on injured reserve.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice collected his 900th NHL win as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1. Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists while Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe each picked up two points for the Panthers (65 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Atlantic Division. Blackhawks forward Logan Slaggert opened the scoring just seven seconds into the game, setting a franchise record for the fastest game-opening goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maurice becomes the fourth coach in league history to reach the 900-win milestone. Meanwhile, Barkov joined Jari Kurri and Teemu Selanne as the third Finnish player to record 200 multi-point games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy returned to action after missing 13 games with a groin injury.

The Winnipeg Jets got an overtime goal from Josh Morrissey to nip the Washington Capitals 5-4, giving the Jets 77 points and a two-point lead over the Capitals for first place in the overall standings. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 877th NHL regular-season goal. Morrisey finished the night with two goals while Cole Perfetti and Dylan Samberg each had a goal and an assist for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 18 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson had a goal and three assists while goalie Leevi Merilainen made 16 saves in a 6-0 shutout of the Minnesota Wild. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson each had a goal and two assists for the Senators, who picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 60 points. The Wild’s three-game win streak ended as they remain third in the Central Division with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Ryan Hartman received a match penalty for intent to injure Stutzle following a face-off draw when he pushed Stutzle’s head into the ice. The Senators center received treatment for cuts above his left eye and finished the game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs scored three first-period goals and Mitch Marner tallied what proved to be the game-winner in the third as they held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Marner and teammate Auston Matthews each had two points while Joseph Woll kicked out 45 shots for the win. Evan Bouchard and Brett Kulak each had two points for the Oilers, who remain in second place in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm missed this game due to illness. Leafs blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson left this contest after the second period with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Leafs rearguard Jani Hakanpaa ended his comeback bid for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off as he continues to deal with a lingering knee injury.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Phillip Danault and Quinton Byfield each picked up two points for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 60 points. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes as their seven-game points streak ended, leaving them second in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes’ Brent Burns collected an assist to become the 13th defenseman in league history to reach the 900-point milestone. He’s the only active blueliner on that list. Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings picked up their fifth straight win by dousing the Calgary Flames 3-1. Cam Talbot turned aside 33 shots while Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson and Andrew Copp tallied for the Red Wings (57 points), leaving them one point out of the final Eastern wild card. Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames, who’ve lost three of their last four contests and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 57 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 25 shots for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. Sidney Crosby extended his goal streak to four games, Philip Tomasino scored against his former club for the first time and Bryan Rust netted his 20th of the season. The Predators have dropped four straight.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski were the league’s three stars for January 2025. Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf was named Rookie of the Month.

The Dallas Stars acquired center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a first-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granlund and Ceci are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Granlund was reportedly interested in signing an extension with the rebuilding Sharks, but general manager Mike Grier opted to move the pair to stockpile draft picks, giving his club two first-rounders this year.

Dallas made this move to bolster their roster for a potential Stanley Cup run this season. Granlund has 45 points in 52 games, putting him on pace to reach 60 points for the second straight year. Ceci is an experienced right-shot defenseman who’ll provide depth on the right side of the Stars blueline.

The Stars put center Tyler Seguin and defenseman Nils Lundkvist on long-term injury reserve to free up cap space to acquire Granlund and Ceci. Seguin underwent hip surgery in December and could return to action during the playoffs, when salary-cap constraints no longer apply. Lundkvist is done for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks GM Patrick Allvin met with the media on Saturday to explain why his club traded J.T. Miller to the Rangers on Friday. He felt he had no choice but to move the 31-year-old center for his own well-being and the sake of the club’s culture, which had been upset by a rift between Miller and Elias Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller got off to a great start in his first game back with the Rangers by scoring two goals. All eyes in Vancouver will be on whether Pettersson regains his scoring touch after struggling through the first half of this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Canucks, they placed winger Philip Di Giuseppe on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2025

by | Jan 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s games, the Flyers and Flames make a multi-player trade, the 4 Nations Face-Off captains are unveiled, the Oilers reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves to shut out the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 in what is likely to be his final game at the Bell Centre. Liam Ohgren, Marco Rossi, Devin Shore and Frederick Gaudreau were the goalscorers as the Wild picked up their third straight win to move ahead of the Dallas Stars into second place in the Central Division with 66 points. Jakub Dobes made 23 saves in his first regulation loss (5-1-1) as the Canadiens(53 points) are 0-3-1 in their last four games and sit four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury, 40, is expected to retire at the end of this season. He received a standing ovation from Montreal fans and the Canadiens lined up following the game to shake his hand. The shutout was his 76th, tying him with Tony Esposito and Ed Belfour for 10th all time. 

The Ottawa Senators got an overtime goal from Thomas Chabot on his birthday to nip the Washington Capitals 5-4. Josh Norris scored on a penalty shot and collected two assists and Claude Giroux reached the 1,100-point milestone as the Senators sit third in the Atlantic Division with 58 points. Washington captain Alex Ovechkin had a goal and two assists to move within 19 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record of 894. The Capitals are in first place in the Eastern Conference with 74 points, one behind the league-leading Winnipeg Jets.

Speaking of the Jets, they tallied four unanswered third-period goals in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Mark Scheifele tallied twice and Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves as Winnipeg picked up their fifth straight win. Brad Marchand and Elias Lindholm replied for the Bruins (56 points), who dropped one point behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy returned to action after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. Jets center Morgan Barron missed this game as he’s week to week due to an upper-body injury.

As for the Blue Jackets, they downed the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 on an overtime goal by Cole Sillinger. Adam Fantilli also scored for the Blue Jackets, who’ve won three of their last four, two of them in overtime. Tomas Hertl scored his 20th goal to extend his points streak to 11 games as the Golden Knights sit second in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon kicked out 45 shots to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin tallied in the shootout rounds as the Wings overcame a 2-0 deficit to pick up their fourth straight win. Leon Draisaitl netted his league-leading 36th goal as the Oilers three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings (55 points) are two points back of the Blue Jackets in the Eastern wild-card race. Meanwhile, Edmonton (68 points) holds first place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand over the Golden Knights. John Klingberg was held scoreless in his season debut with the Oilers.

Mikko Rantanen scored his first goal with the Carolina Hurricanes and Jaccob Slavin tallied the game-winner in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Seth Jarvis got his 20th of the season as the Hurricanes extended their points streak to seven games (6-0-1) and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points. Connor Bedard and Ilya Mikheyev scored for the Blackhawks.

Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned in a 28-save shutout to blank the Los Angeles Kings 3-0. Brandon Hagel scored two goals and collected an assist for the Lightning, who ended a two-game losing skid and hold the first Eastern wild card with 57 points. The Kings have dropped four straight (0-3-1) and have one win in their last seven contests. They hold third place in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning backup Jonas Johansson missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The New York Islanders defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 as goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped 23 saves for his third shutout. Rookie Marc Gatcomb scored his first NHL goal as the red-hot Isles (53 points) won their sixth straight game, sitting four points behind the Blues Jackets in the Eastern wild-card chase. The Flyers have lost four of their last five game, sitting five points back of the Jackets.

Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato scored twice and set up another to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 30 saves for the Flames as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 57 points. Frank Vatrano scored for the Ducks as their three-game win streak is over.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames and Flyers were involved in a multi-player trade last night. Calgary traded Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a second-round pick in the 2025 draft and a 2028 seventh-rounder to Philadelphia for forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee. Read on for further analysis in the Headlines below.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-2. Brandon Montour scored two goals and Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists for the Kraken. Carl Grunstrom and Tyler Toffoli replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans and Sharks forward Alex Wennberg missed this game as they’re day-to-day with upper-body injuries.

HEADLINES

CALGARY SUN: Morgan Frost is considered the focal point of last night’s trade between the Flames and Flyers. Flames general manager Craig Conroy made no secret of his search for a center. Adding the 25-year-old Frost and the 24-year-old Joel Farabee is seen as building for the future while providing an immediate boost to their roster.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Frost and Farabee were former first-round picks who didn’t pan out as hoped with the Flyers. Kuzmenko turns 29 next week and is a pending unrestricted free-agent winger who is struggling to regain his scoring touch. Pelletier, 23, is a pending restricted free-agent winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are retooling for the future but they’re also battling for a wild-card spot. This move addresses both issues and could prove to be a winning move for Conroy if Frost and Farabee flourish in Calgary.

Kuzmenko could be flipped by the March 7 trade deadline by the rebuilding Flyers for another draft pick. Pelletier is a former first-rounder who struggled to crack the Flames lineup. He’ll have a better opportunity in Philadelphia to become a full-time NHLer and reach his full potential with his new club.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The captains for the 4 Nations Face-Off were announced yesterday by the NHL. Canada’s captain will be Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews will lead Team USA, Sweden will be captained by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, and Finland by Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No shocking surprises here.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

Forwards Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, defensemen Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse, and goaltender Dwayne Roloson comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Ryan Smyth, Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky, defensemen Mattias Ekholm and Jason Smith, and goalie Tommy Salo.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen is listed as week-to-week with a knee injury and will not play for Finland in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

DAILY FACEOFF: Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Panthers, they placed defenseman Adam Boqvist on waivers.

THE SCORE: Utah Hockey Club removed one of the finalists for its new team name and resurrected another. They dropped Wasatch in favor of Outlaws, joining Mammoth and their current name among the three candidates being voted on by Utah fans.

TSN: Former goaltender, NHL executive and TSN radio personality Shawn Simpson passed away on Wednesday at age 56. Simpson was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 1986 NHL draft and spent three seasons with their then-AHL affiliate in Baltimore. He went on to work with the Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs as a team executive before joining TSN radio in Ottawa in 2012 until 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Simpson’s family, friends, teammates and co-workers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

by | Jan 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the Sharks unveil their Quarter-Century Team, the mid-season Rookie All-Stars are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond had a goal and three assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-2. Marco Kasper tallied twice and collected an assist as the Wings (53 points) sit two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Kevin Fiala and Quinton Byfield scored for the slumping Kings (58 points), who hold third place in the Pacific Division but have dropped six of their last eight games.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big night for Detroit forward Dominik Shine. The 31-year-old forward made his NHL debut after spending nine seasons with the Red Wings AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. He saw 9:50 minutes of ice time and logged two hits and a blocked shot.

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty hopes he’ll get an opportunity to replace Alex Pietrangelo for Team Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. Doughty’s been sidelined with a fractured ankle since preseason but hopes to return to action in time for the tournament. Pietrangelo withdrew citing an injury.

The Vancouver Canucks got two goals from Conor Garland in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Quinn Hughes picked up two assists while Tyler Myers and Pius Suter had two points each as the Canucks (54 points) moved to within one point of the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington gave up three goals on 18 shots and was replaced by Joel Hofer in the second period. The Blues have lost three straight and sit four points back of the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues traded Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026. The 26-year-old defenseman played sparingly for the Blues as injuries and inconsistent play frequently sidelined him. The Isles hope a change of scenery will improve his performance as they bring him in to replace Ryan Pulock, who is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored in his return from a three-game suspension to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who’ve won seven of their last nine games to sit atop the Pacific Division with 67 points. Eeli Tolvanen and Vince Dunn replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (75 points) collected an assist to move within two points of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in the points race.

The Philadelphia Flyers got a two-point performance from Scott Laughton (one goal, one assist) in a 4-2 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Travis Konecny and Rasmus Ristolainen each had two assists while Samuel Ersson stopped 31 shots as the Flyers (52 points) moved within three points of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier missed this contest due to illness.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini snapped a 1-1 tie to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Mikael Granlund also scored and Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves as the Sharks snapped a six-game losing skid. Sidney Crosby replied for the Penguins, who’ve lost seven of their last nine and are seven points behind the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins placed sidelined center Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jesse Puljujarvi. Meanwhile, Fenway Sports Group is reportedly looking to sell a minority stake while retaining a controlling stake in the team.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Sharks unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Monday.

Forwards Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski highlight the First Team, which includes defensemen Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

The Second Team features forwards Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl and Owen Nolan, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Dan Boyle, and goaltender Martin Jones.

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf are among the players chosen for the NHL’s midseason Rookie All-Star Team. The roster also comprised Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Dallas Stars forward Logan Stankoven, and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nolan Allen.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, and Utah Hockey Club forward Barrett Hayton are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 26.

TSN: Mikko Rantanen said he was blindsided by the blockbuster trade that sent him from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The pending unrestricted free-agent forward said he was willing to accept a significant discount from his market value to stay with the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s discount wasn’t significant enough to keep him in Colorado. Pierre LeBrun reported the two sides discussed a contract extension but the club believed the gap between them couldn’t be breached, leading to the trade.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed goaltender Logan Thompson to a six-year, $35.1 million contract. The average annual value is $5.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s getting a significant raise over the $766,667 he’s earning this season. He’s been outstanding for the Capitals since his acquisition from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer. Management must also decide the fate of backup goalie Charlie Lindgren, who is UFA-eligible and playing well in his contract year.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg received a two-game suspension from the department of player safety for an illegal hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: An immigration issue is delaying Oilers defenseman John Klingberg from joining the team. He’s expected to make his season debut later this week.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers.

TSN: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have informed the International Ice Hockey Federation they intend to move forward on the 2028 World Cup of Hockey without IIHF involvement. They hope to announce the World Cup during the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators created a furor among their fans when team mascot Spartacat donned a jersey that was half-Senators and half-Quebec Nordiques as part of the club’s announcement it would play two preseason games this fall in Quebec City.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The outrage among Sens fans reached the point where team president Cyril Leeder took to social media to apologize for their mascot’s split jersey and allay concerns that the club might be relocating.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

by | Jan 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

The Avalanche and Hurricanes play their first games since the blockbuster trade involving Mikko Rantanen, the Senators reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall were held scoreless in their debuts with the Carolina Hurricanes as they dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to the New York Islanders. Brock Nelson tallied the winning goal as the Isles overcame a 2-0 deficit. Jack Roslovic and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. The Islanders (49 points) have won four straight and sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Rantanan and Hall were traded to the Hurricanes on Friday evening in a three-team deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks. Islanders goaltender Marcus Hogberg left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury while teammate Ryan Pulock (upper body) departed in the first period.

Meanwhile, former Hurricanes Martin Necas and Jack Drury didn’t fare any better in their debuts with the Colorado Avalanche as they fell 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. Morgan Geekie scored two goals while David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Artturi Lekhonen replied for the Avalanche (58 points) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas and Drury were shipped from the Hurricanes to the Avalanche in the Rantanen trade. Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland acknowledged the move was a tough business decision. He wanted to re-sign Rantanen and improve his roster depth but couldn’t do both, so he chose the latter.

Rantanen’s departure saddened Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. “I never thought in a million years he’d leave. So yeah, it just sucks,” he said, calling Rantanen a great friend and teammate. “I’m gonna miss him”.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Stuart Skinner stopped 39 shots as the Oilers took over first place in the Pacific Division with 65 points. Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko scored in overtime to lift his club to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored to extend his home points streak to 19 games as his club holds the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 55 points. Kevin Fiala had two assists and Quinton Byfield scored the tying goal for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan will miss an additional six to eight weeks as he suffered a setback in his recovery from a wrist injury.

The Seattle Kraken got a 28-save performance from goaltender Joey Daccord in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jared McCann and Chandler Stephenson each collected two assists as the Kraken got their third win in their last four contests. Sidney Crosby tallied for the Penguins, who’ve lost three of their last four and sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Matt Nieto left this game with injuries. There was no postgame update on their conditions.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen made 29 saves against his former club. Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 40 shots while Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (53 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Devils (62 points) moved within two points of the second-place Hurricanes in the Metro Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Devils as captain Nico Hischier left the game in the third period after receiving an unpenalized cross-check to the mid-section from Suzuki in the previous period.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. Shane Pinto broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period while Anton Forsberg made 28 saves for the win, moving the Senators (54 points) within one point of the final Eastern wild card position. Bobby McMann scored for the Leafs (62 points), who’ve dropped two in a row but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Leafs placed forward Connor Dewar (upper body) on injured reserve and called up Nikita Grebenkin. They placed sidelined netminder Anthony Stolarz on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to clear cap space for Grebenkin.

Meanwhile, Senators forward Nick Cousins is expected to miss some time after a knee-on-knee collision with Leafs rookie Jacob Quillan in the first period. His teammate, Nick Jensen, missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot made 28 saves for his 33rd career shutout in a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marco Kasper and Michael Rasmussen were the goal scorers as the Red Wings (51 points) are four points out of the final Eastern wild card spot. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots for the Lightning (55 points), who’ve lost three of their last four and dropped into the first Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Blue Jackets are tied in points but the Bolts have more wins (26 to 24) and hold two games in hand over the Jackets.

The Dallas Stars got a 33-save shutout from Casey DeSmith to blank the St. Louis Blues 2-0. Evgenii Dadonov and Esa Lindell scored as the Stars picked up their third win in their last four games and sit second in the Central Division with 63 points. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 17 saves as his club sits five points out of the final Western wild card with 50 points.

Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice and added an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild, handing the latter their fifth defeat in their last six contests. The Flames hold the final Western wild card with 55 points. Marco Rossi had three assists for the Wild as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game after being boarded by Wild forward Jakub Lauko. There was no postgame update on his status.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes scored both goals in his club’s 2-1 win over the league-leading Washington Capitals. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for the Canucks (52 points) for their third win in their last 11 games (3-6-2) as they sit three points behind the Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the Capitals as their 12-game points streak ended (9-0-3).

The Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-2. Mason McTavish scored twice while Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly tallied for the Predators as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist in his return from injury as his club cruised to a 7-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists as the Panthers (61 points) sit one point behind the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs. Cody Ceci and Will Smith tallied for the Sharks, who’ve lost six straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sharks placed forward Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Saturday.

Forwards Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Wade Redden, and goaltender Craig Anderson comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Marian Hossa, Mark Stone and Brady Tkachuk, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Chris Phillips, and goaltender Patrick Lalime.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Will Borgen to a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension. Borgen, 28, was acquired from the Seattle Kraken last month in exchange for winger Kaapo Kakko. The average annual value of his new deal is $4.1 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2025

by | Jan 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 24, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin keeps moving closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the Red Wings unveil their Quarter-Century Team, Wild owner Craig Leipold jumps the gun on commissioner Gary Bettman’s retirement plans, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 875th regular-season goal into an empty net in a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Charlie Lindgren turned in a 22-save shutout while Aliaksei Protas and Ethan Frank tallied unassisted goals for the Capitals, who picked up their sixth straight win and sit first overall in the standings with 71 points. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord stopped 30 shots in his 100th regular-season game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 20 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894. With 34 games remaining in the Capitals’ regular-season schedule, he could break the record by April.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen turned aside 18 shots for his 300th regular-season win as his club downed the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4. Seth Jarvis scored twice and collected two assists and Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points. Kent Johnson and James van Riemsdyk each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (53 points) as they cling to the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen became the second-fastest goalie in NHL history to reach 300 career wins (501 games played). Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightnings holds that record with 490 games played.

Edmonton Oilers forwards Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each collected three points in a 6-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist for the Oilers (63 points) as they snapped a two-game losing skid to sit one point behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek replied for the Canucks (50 points), who’ve dropped four of their last five and sit three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl tallied his league-leading 35th goal and extended his home points streak to 17 games. Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood left this game for undisclosed reasons early in the second period.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights ended a four-game losing skid (0-3-1) by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Mark Stone had a goal and an assist while Tomas Hertl scored in his fourth straight game to extend his points streak to seven games. Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas scored for the Blues (50 points), who also sit three points out of the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights played without center William Karlsson as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg matched a franchise record by scoring in his seventh straight game in a 6-5 win over the San Jose Sharks. Forsberg finished the night with two goals while Fedor Svechkov snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period as the Predators picked up their fifth straight win. Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov gave up six goals on 38 shots against his former club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators forward Cole Smith received a game misconduct for a hit to the head of San Jose forward Ty Dellandrea during the second period. Dellandrea had to be helped from the ice by the Sharks medical staff and was ruled out of the remainder of this game with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Sharks forwards Klim Kostin and Nico Sturm missed this game as both are sidelined week-to-week with injuries.

The New York Rangers extended their points streak to 10 games (7-0-3) by thumping the Philadelphia Flyers 6-1. Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves while Adam Fox, K’Andre Miller, Filip Chytil and Reilly Smith each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Owen Tippett scored for the Flyers as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead after a six-week collapse in the standings, the Rangers (52 points) have climbed back into the Eastern playoff race, sitting one point behind the Blue Jackets for the final wild-card spot. The Flyers (50 points) are three points out.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin got a goal and an assist in his 700th regular-season game in a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Moritz Seider collected two assists as the Wings snapped a three-game losing skid. They sit four points behind the Blue Jackets. Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault kicked out 41 shots in the loss as his club is also one point back of the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Boston Bruins blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0, handing the latter their second straight shutout loss. Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves against his former team while Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak scored the only goals. Anton Forsberg gave up only one goal on 24 shots for the Senators, who are tied with the Rangers and Canadiens with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins starter Jeremy Swayman missed this game with a minor upper-body injury. They called up Michael DiPietro to back up Korpisalo.

Senators winger David Perron returned to action for the first time in two months. They placed goalie Linus Ullmark on long-term injury reserve to accommodate Perron’s return. Meanwhile, it was a lousy day for Sens forward Claude Giroux as he was the victim of car theft for the second time in four months.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Mason McTavish and Alex Killorn each scored two goals to drop the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 and snap a four-game losing skid. John Gibson stopped 31 shots for the Ducks. Michael Bunting replied for the Penguins, who’ve lost nine of their last 12 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins (48 points) are five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Winger Bryan Rust left this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Utah Hockey Club got a 26-save shutout from goalie Karel Vejmelka in a 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Barrett Hayton tallied twice for Utah to extend their winning streak to three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild sit second in the Central Division with 60 points but they’ve lost four of their last five games.

Calgary Flames forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and two assists to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Dustin Wolf made 32 saves for the win as the Flames (53 points) hold a three-point lead over the Canucks in the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, who have lost three of their last four.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Chris Johnston report Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold said the executive committee of the NHL’s Board of Governors has been planning for the retirement of league commissioner Gary Bettman.

The longest-tenured commissioner in North American pro sports, Bettman was hired by the NHL in 1992. Leipold claims the BoG is in the process of finding Bettman’s successor.

Leipold, however, hadn’t realized the 72-year-old Bettman hadn’t formally announced his retirement plans. The commissioner told The Athletic he hasn’t decided when he’ll retire but brought it up for the first time to the executive committee ahead of last month’s BoG meeting in Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leipold put Bettman and the league in an awkward spot by jumping the gun. Nevertheless, Bettman will inevitably retire at some point, perhaps before the end of this decade.

Bettman’s not going anywhere before a new collective bargaining agreement is hammered out with the NHL Players’ Association. The current CBA is set to expire in September 2026 but Bettman has announced the two sides intend to begin discussions next month. He could set his retirement plans in motion after that.

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

The First Team features forwards Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall, and goaltender Chris Osgood.

Forwards Sergei Fedorov, Brendan Shanahan and Dylan Larkin, defensemen Chris Chelios and Bryan Rafalski, and goalie Dominik Hasek comprised the Second Team.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom could be sidelined for weeks with an ankle injury suffered during Wednesday’s game against the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing their starting goalie is a big blow to the Devils. If he’s sidelined for a lengthy period it could affect their plans for the trade deadline.

THE SCORE: New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Fortunately, he won’t require surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have struggled to remain in the playoff chase. Losing their top defenseman is a significant setback that could turn this club into a trade-deadline seller if it hampers their efforts to qualify for the postseason.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche forward Miles Wood is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Boston Bruins. He’s been sidelined since Nov. 27 by a back injury.