NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

by | Jan 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2025

Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner and Victor Hedman reach notable offensive milestones. Read on for the details and much more from a busy Thursday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the only goal in a 1-0 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 25 saves for his second straight shutout victory as the Capitals picked up their third straight win to take over first place in the overall standings with 65 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots for the Senators (48 points) as their three-game win streak ended, leaving them one point behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has 874 NHL regular-season goals, leaving him 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Merilainen became the 179th NHL goalie that Ovechkin has scored against, breaking Jaromir Jagr’s record of 178. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot missed this game as he’s day-to-day after taking a puck to the face during Tuesday’s 2-0 win over the New York Islanders.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit with four unanswered goals to nip the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied the game with his 20th goal of the season and Evan Bouchard tallied the game-winner as the Oilers moved into a tie with the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (61 points) in the Pacific Division. Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the sixth player in Oilers history to reach the 20-goal plateau nine times, joining Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier (10 times), Leon Draisaitl and Wayne Gretzky (nine times). The Oilers sit second in the Pacific because the Golden Knights hold a game in hand.

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Auston Matthews tallied twice and Mitch Marner had two assists for the Leafs, who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 58 points. Nico Hischier scored two goals and Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist for the Devils to extend their points streak to four games (1-0-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner became the fastest player to reach 700 points in Leafs history, reaching that milestone in 622 games, breaking Darryl Sittler’s record of 666. Leafs center John Tavares missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jake McCabe had two assists in his return from a four-game absence with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a shootout goal from Jake Guentzel to down the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Guentzel also scored in regulation while netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 34 shots for the Lightning. Troy Terry scored the tying goal in the third period and Lukas Dostal made 32 saves as the Ducks have one win in their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman collected an assist to become the first player in franchise history to reach the 600-assist milestone. Lighting blueliner Erik Cernak left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

Winnipeg Jets blueliner Dylan DeMelo scored with 27 seconds remaining in the third period to beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Mark Scheifele tied the game with his 27th goal of the season as the Jets are tied with the league-leading Capitals with 65 points. Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken, who’ve won twice in their last eight games (2-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeMelo was playing in his 600th NHL regular-season game. The Capitals hold first over the Jets with a game in hand.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected an assist to extend his home points streak to 18 games in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. James van Riemsdyk scored twice as the Blue Jackets (50 points) have won six straight and vaulted over the Boston Bruins in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Tyler Toffoli replied for the Sharks, who’ve dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Considering everything the Blue Jackets have endured since last year (management and coaching changes, trading Patrik Laine, the sudden death of Johnny Gaudreau, and injuries to Boone Jenner, Erik Gudbranson and Sean Monahan), their surge into a playoff berth has been impressive. Even general manager Don Waddell is surprised by their performance in recent weeks.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 to extend their points streak to six games (5-0-1). Jakub Dobes made 32 stops to pick up their fourth straight win in as many starts while Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook and Joel Armia scored for the Canadiens (48 points) as they also sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jason Robertson scored for Dallas, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points. The Stars played without Roope Hintz, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars also unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Thursday.

The First Team comprises forwards Mike Modano, Jamie Benn and Jere Lehtinen, defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Sergei Zubov, and goaltender Marty Turco. The Second Team comprised forwards Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Brenden Morrow, defensemen John Klingberg and Esa Lindell, and goaltender Ed Belfour.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot kicked out 41 shots (including 23 in the third period) in a 5-2 upset of the Florida Panthers. Dylan Larkin tallied twice and collected an assist while Lucas Raymond had two helpers as the Red Wings sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 46 points. Anton Lundell and Evan Rodrigues scored for the Panthers, who pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period after he gave up four goals on 15 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov received a notable honor from his home country of Finland. It was announced that the Finnish Association of Sports Journalists named Barkov its Sportsman of the Year for 2024, making him the first hockey player to receive that award.

The Los Angeles Kings thumped the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Alex Turcotte scored twice and set up another as the Kings took over third place in the Pacific Division with 55 points, ending a two-game losing skid. Filip Hronek scored for the Canucks, who have two wins in their last 10 games (2-5-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet wasn’t pleased with the performance of center J.T. Miller. “He’s struggling. He’s caught in between,” he said in his postgame interview. “You know, it seems like every time he’s on the ice, something bad happens.” Miller’s been the subject of trade rumors amid reports of a rift with center Elias Pettersson.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Reilly Smith, Chris Kreider and Artemin Panarin gave the New York Rangers a 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Panarin finished with two goals as the Rangers extended their points streak to six games (4-0-2) to sit four points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card spot. Matias Maccelli tallied twice for Utah, extending their losing skid to three games.

St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn scored twice and Dylan Holloway picked up two assists to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. The Blues swept the two-game series and are 7-3-0 in their last 10. Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who hold a one-point lead over the Blues and Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Philadelphia Flyers held off the New York Islanders 5-3. Sean Couturier had a goal and an assist while Travis Konecny had three assists for the Flyers, extending their points streak to four games (3-0-1) and sitting within three points of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Islanders captain Anders Lee scored his 20th of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Ryan Poehling left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a hard hit from Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored his 300th NHL regular-season goal in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg also extended his goal streak to four games while teammate Steven Stamkos scored the winner in the shootout. Connor Bedard scored and Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists for the Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2025

by | Jan 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, the Jets’ Quarter-Century Team is revealed, Bruins stars Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak push back against a rumor of tension between them, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson also scored for the Canadiens, who outshot the Capitals 30-17 to pick up their ninth win in their last 11 games. Jakob Chychrun and Lars Eller replied for the Capitals, who picked up a point and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 59 points.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (43 points) moved within one point of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth and two points of the Boston Bruins for the first wild-card spot. Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury midway through this game following a collision with Suzuki, who was pushed into Lindgren by Capitals winger Brandon Duhaime.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected three assists to lead his club over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat and Marco Kasper each had a goal and an assist as the Wings picked up their sixth straight victory. Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen tallied twice and Connor Bedard picked up an assist to extend his points streak to nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are one point behind the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference wild-card chase, with the Ottawa Senators (41 points) and New York Rangers (40) close behind.

The Los Angeles Kings collected their fifth straight victory with a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Adrian Kempe extended his goal streak to four games by snapping a 1-1 tie in overtime. Alex Turcotte also scored for the Kings while Mark Scheifele replied for the Jets, who’ve won once in their last five games (1-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights with 59 points but the latter holds first place in the overall standings with a game in hand and one more win. Jets defensemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan Samberg were in the lineup for this game. Morrissey had left Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators while Samberg was sidelined for over a month with a broken foot.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Dustin Tokarski made 14 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 2-0. Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes. The Canucks are winless in their last four (0-2-2) and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot (46 points) one point ahead of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center Elias Pettersson returned to the lineup after missing six games with an undisclosed ailment.

Utah Hockey Club center Barrett Hayton scored with 1:32 remaining in the third period in a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Nick Schmaltz also scored and Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Sharks.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey highlight the Winnipeg Jets’ Quarter Century Team.

The trio comprised part of the First Team with Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien and Ilya Kovalchuk. Forwards Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and Bryan Little, defensemen Jacob Trouba and Toby Enstrom and goaltender Ondrej Pavelec made up the Second Team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE Kovalchuk was the franchise’s biggest star when they were the Atlanta Thrashers, scoring 328 goals and 287 assists for 615 points in 594 games from 2001-02 to 2009-10. That included two 52-goal seasons and two 90-plus point campaigns.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins captain Brad Marchand and teammate David Pastrnak blasted WEEI radio host Rich Keefe for claiming Pastrnak was refusing to play on Marchand’s line.

“I know reporters have a job to do, and that job is to report on the team, and usually you try to be fact-based,” said Marchand. “But when there’s just blatant lies told in the media, that’s where there’s a problem.”

Marchand explained he and Pastrnak haven’t played together much this season because the team is trying their scoring depth through the lineup. He rejected Keefe’s claim that Pastrnak was a problem in the dressing room, calling him one of the most-loved guys in the room.

Pastrnak said he initially thought Keefe was making fun of him. “I know how I feel about Marchy. We love each other. I have a huge amount of respect for him.” He called the report “100 percent false”, saying he and Marchand had a good laugh over it.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane underwent knee surgery requiring four to eight weeks of recovery. This surgery puts his rehab from last fall’s abdominal surgery on hold.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Kane is sidelined for the rest of the regular season, this could also affect the Oilers’ plans for the March 7 trade deadline. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

THE ATHLETIC’s Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan has a sprained right wrist but no fractures. He’s been placed on injured reserve and will be reevaluated once the swelling subsides. Monahan suffered the injury against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 7.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Ivan Barbashev is expected to return to the Golden Knights lineup against the New York Rangers on Saturday. He missed the last 10 games with an upper-body injury.

CALGARY SUN: Flames center Conor Zary won’t require surgery following a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson. However, he will be sidelined indefinitely but is expected to return later this season.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators signed sophomore center Ridly Greig to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.25 million. Greig, 22, is in the final season of his entry-level contract.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs Patrick Marleau and Jake Muzzin joined Leafs star John Tavares in separate appeals of the Canada Revenue Agency’s ruling on their signing bonuses. The trio are contesting the CRA’s 2023 reassessments that claimed their signing bonuses should’ve been taxed at the highest bracket of 50 percent, rather than the 15 percent they’ve paid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Province’s Patrick Johnston cited a former NHL executive who believes the players will lose their appeals. He thinks it’s obvious what the bonuses are: merely an effort to say a certain portion of their wage should be taxed in a particular way compared to the rest.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 9, 2025

by | Jan 9, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 9, 2025

Check out the latest on the Flyers, Blackhawks and Jets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: With the March 7 trade deadline two months away, Kevin Kurz, Scott Powers and Murat Ates recently reported the latest speculation about the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets.

Kurz looked at trade options for the Flyers to bolster their goaltending. If they go the trade route he suspects they’d pursue a veteran with past NHL success. Elvis Merzlikins of the Columbus Blue Jackets, James Reimer of the Buffalo Sabres, and Louis Domingue of the New York Rangers are among those who might be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Merzlikins carries an average annual value of $5.4 million through 2026-27. Kurz suggested he might be more enticing if the Blue Jackets retained some salary. However, the Jackets are also thin between the pipes and are jockeying with the Flyers in the race for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (NHL Images).

Kurz considers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen the most likely to be traded, suggesting the Detroit Red Wings as a destination. Center Scott Laughton has popped up on some trade boards but Kurz cites a team source saying management doesn’t have much interest in moving him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen’s performance has improved but his contract remains an obstacle. He has a $5.1 million AAV through 2026-27. The 30-year-old could become a summer trade candidate if the Flyers aren’t willing to retain part of his salary.

Powers believes Taylor Hall is the Blackhawk most likely to move by the trade deadline. He’s producing at the same rate he was with a strong Boston Bruins club two years ago. Powers cites sources suggesting Hall could fetch a third-round pick.

Ryan Donato’s been one of the Blackhawks’ better players but Powers believes he’d be a checking-line forward on a better club. His sources suggest he could fetch a third or fourth-round pick. The Blackhawks could also get some calls about defenseman Alec Martinez.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks don’t have much to offer up for rental players this season. Pat Maroon and Craig Smith are their other pending UFAs.

Ates suggests the Jets should add a big, mobile right-shot defenseman as an upgrade to Dylan DeMelo on their top defense pairing.

The Jets liked Rasmus Ristolainen before he resuscitated his career in Philadelphia. He believes they could revisit that interest.

Other options include Marcus Pettersson of the Pittsburgh Penguins, David Savard of the Montreal Canadiens and Cody Ceci of the San Jose Sharks. Ates acknowledged that most of these options aren’t ideal but they wouldn’t cost a first-round pick to acquire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ceci expressed an interest in re-signing with the Sharks. They’ll have plenty of cap space to keep him but that depends on whether they see him as a long-term fit with their rebuilding roster.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 8, 2025

by | Jan 8, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 8, 2025

The latest on Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, proposed trade targets for the Leafs, updates on the Rangers, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATES ON PETTERSSON AND MILLER

TSN: Chris Johnston reports sources claim the Vancouver Canucks remain active in trade discussions with rival clubs regarding center Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller. Management is gauging the trade market on both players before determining a course of action.

Johnston believes the Canucks are giving serious consideration toward moving Pettersson. Multiple teams have shown interest in the 26-year-old center. The Canucks and Hurricanes had discussions about Pettersson last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those talks between the Canucks and Hurricanes took place before Pettersson signed his eight-year contract extension.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman also reports the Canucks are gauging the market value of Pettersson and Miller, stressing there is no certain outcome.

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).

Friedman cited The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reporting the Canucks turned down an offer of Zibanejad from the Rangers for Miller, but doesn’t know if Zibanejad was approached about waiving his no-movement clause. Friedman also believes the Canucks were interested in defenseman Braden Schneider but the Rangers don’t want to part with him.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports an NHL executive claims the Boston Bruins are talking to the Canucks about Pettersson and Miller. The source indicated the Bruins want to get younger, which suggested they’re more interested in Pettersson, but it’s not about who they want but which center the Canucks intend to move.

Another source told D’Amico that the Canucks would want a top-six center or a top-four defenseman and a top prospect or a first-round pick in return.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma weighed in on the recent trade speculation about Pettersson and Miller. General manager Patrik Allvin could trade one or the other or both, but either scenario would be a difficult sell to Canucks ownership. Miller would also have to waive his NMC.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talking to other teams is one thing. Finding a suitable return is another. Pettersson’s expensive contract ($11.6 million annually for seven more seasons) and Miller’s no-movement protection could complicate things.

The Leafs and Bruins would love to have Pettersson or Miller. However, they lack the cap space and tradeable assets to pry either guy away from the Canucks. The Hurricanes have players that would entice the Canucks (hello there, Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis) but they’re also hampered by limited cap room this season.

The Zibanejad-for-Miller proposal works cap-wise because the former carries an average annual value of $8.5 million and the latter $8 million. However, their respective no-movement clauses are obstacles that could be too difficult to overcome.

PROPOSED CENTER TRADE TARGETS FOR THE LEAFS

TSN: Darren Dreger doesn’t believe the Toronto Maple Leafs are involved in the Pettersson trade talks. He considers Pettersson, Miller, Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers and Dylan Cozens of the Buffalo Sabres in the “high-rent district”. He also noted a lot of teams are interested in New York Islanders center Brock Nelson.

The Leafs are believed to have identified a more diverse group of centers to target in the trade market. Dreger suggested Ryan Strome of the Anaheim Ducks, Mikael Granlund of the San Jose Sharks, Yanni Gourde of the Seattle Kraken, and Nick Bjugstad of the Utah Hockey Club.

Dreger also wondered about bringing back Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators. He noted Scott Laughton is also out there but the Philadelphia Flyers seek a first-round pick in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Diverse is another way of saying “affordable”. The Leafs must go bargain-hunting to add a center unless they’re looking at a dollar-in, dollar-out scenario. That’s assuming they don’t put Auston Matthews on LTIR before the March 7 trade deadline if he becomes sidelined again by his nagging upper-body injury.

O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but the 33-year-old has two more years left on his contract, with an AAV of $4.5 million. He turns 34 in February, and his best seasons are behind him.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Leafs want a center with term remaining on his contract. “Might not be what ends up happening, but it’s what they prefer,” he writes.

“32 THOUGHTS” RUMOR TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the following in his latest “32 Thoughts” column:

He believes the Detroit Red Wings were (are?) looking at Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Line forms to the left, Red Wings. Lots of teams have looked (or are looking) at Cozens. However, the Sabres are trying to add to their roster instead of subtracting. That doesn’t mean he won’t be traded but they’ll probably want a good player in return instead of draft picks and prospects. That offer has yet to emerge.

The New York Rangers gave unhappy defenseman Zac Jones permission to speak with other teams. There’s interest but teams with a smallish blueline are unlikely destinations.

Vincent Trocheck is the most coveted Ranger in the trade market but they’re not interested in moving him. Friedman believes he could become their next captain.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have indicated they have forwards, defensemen and goaltenders available. They’re willing to use their cap space to retain salary provided they get young players, prospects and draft picks in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reports Penguins GM Kyle Dubas doesn’t feel any extreme desire to trade Rickard Rakell. They love how he and Bryan Rust are playing as they give the Penguins a couple of wingers worthy of playing alongside Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Yohe claims the Canucks and Edmonton Oilers are interested in Marcus Pettersson. The 28-year-old defenseman is UFA-eligible on July 1. Given his expiring contract, Yohe will be surprised if Pettersson isn’t moved by the March 7 trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2025

by | Jan 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2025

Milestone games for Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Leafs captain Auston Matthews, the Wild unveils their Quarter-Century Team and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves for his 300th NHL regular-season win by downing the Nashville Predators 5-2. Kyle Connor’s 23rd goal of the season was the game-winner while Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry collected two assists each as the Jets snapped a three-game losing skid while the Predators’ two-game win streak ended.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck is the third-fastest goaltender to reach the 300-win plateau, accomplishing the feat in 538 games. He trails Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy (490 games) and Hall-of-Famer Jacques Plante (521).

It was a costly game for both clubs. Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game early in the second period with a lower-body injury. They were already missing a blueliner in this contest as Colin Miller is sidelined with a fractured larynx for at least two weeks. Meanwhile, Predators forwards Steven Stamkos (undisclosed) and Luke Evangelista left this game with injuries.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored a goal and collected an assist for his 200th career multipoint game in a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Matthew Knies snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period, Mitch Marner and John Tavares each had two points and Joseph Woll stopped 30 shots for their fifth consecutive win. The Flyers got both goals from winger Travis Konecny as they’ve dropped three straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the fastest US-born player to reach 200 multipoint games, having done so in 589 games. The Leafs are tied with the idle Washington Capitals with 56 points but the latter holds first overall in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand.

The Dallas Stars extended their points streak to seven games (6-0-1) by nipping the New York Rangers 5-4 on an overtime power-play goal by Jamie Benn. Thomas Harley finished the night with three points, including the game-tying goal late in the third period as the Stars overcame 3-0 and 4-3 deficits. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck each tallied twice and Artemi Panarin had three assists for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a hard hit from Rangers forward Sam Carrick. Meanwhile, Stars winger Mason Marchment remains sidelined after undergoing surgery for a facial injury suffered on Dec. 27 and remains week-to-week.

Rangers center Filip Chytil left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Winger Chris Kreider (upper body) missed this contest as he was placed on injured reserve.

An overtime goal by Patrick Kane lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Ottawa Senators 3-2, giving the Wings their fifth straight win. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored to extend his goal streak to four games. Thomas Chabot and Brady Tkachuk replied for the Senators, who’ve dropped five of their last six contests (1-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win gives the Senators 41 points, putting them one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Red Wings are right behind them with 40 points. Wings goaltender Alex Lyon left this contest following the first period with an upper-body injury. Senators defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker missed this game with a high-ankle sprain and is expected to miss some time.

The Edmonton Oilers blanked the Boston Bruins 4-0. Adam Henrique tallied two goals, Connor McDavid scored to end a two-game point drought, and Stuart Skinner made 26 saves as the Oilers picked up their fourth straight win. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 35 shots for the Bruins as their losing skid reached five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner was not awarded the shutout as he briefly left in the first period for concussion protocol following a collision with Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov. He returned to finish the game.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point scored with 52 seconds remaining in the third period to lift his club to a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, snapping a four-game losing skid. Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 30 shots as the Lightning hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 44 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (42 points) hold the final Eastern wild-card spot as they nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored in the shootout and Dmitry Voronkov tallied twice in regulation for the Blue Jackets, who’ve won three of their last four games. Rickard Rakell scored twice and Sidney Crosby picked up two assists as the Penguins sit just behind the Blue Jackets in the standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both clubs have 42 points but the Jackets hold a game in hand and have 18 wins while the Penguins have 17. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin missed this game with an upper-body injury. Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan left in the third period with an upper-body injury.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone had a goal and an assist as his club doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2 for their ninth win in their last 10 games. Tomas Hertl scored against his former club and Shea Theodore had two assists as the Golden Knights lead the league with 59 points. William Eklund and Timothy Liljegren replied for the Sharks as their two-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forward Nico Sturm missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Minnesota Wild overcame a 4-2 deficit for a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues, extending their win streak to four games. Jake Middleton had a goal and an assist in his first game back from an upper-body injury while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 15 shots for the win after Filip Gustavsson gave up four goals on 18 shots. Dylan Holloway and Justin Faulk each had two assists for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild defenseman Brock Faber left this game with an upper-body injury in the first period. There was no postgame update on his condition.

Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau’s overtime goal gave his club a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves for the Flames (45 points), who sit right behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western wild-card berth. Alex Killorn and Mason McTavish scored for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks also have 45 points but hold that wild card with a game in hand. Flames center Conor Zary left the game in the second period following a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson, who received a major penalty and a game misconduct.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild’s Quarter-Century Team was unveiled on Tuesday.

Forwards Kirill Kaprizov, Marian Gaborik and Mikko Koivu, defensemen Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon, and goaltender Nicklas Backstrom comprised the First Team. Forwards Joel Eriksson Ek, Zach Parise, and Andrew Brunette, blueliners Nick Schultz and Ryan Suter, and goalie Devan Dubnyk formed the Second Team.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders placed forward Simon Holmstrom on injured reserve.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Seattle Kraken activated goaltender Joey Daccord off injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2025

by | Jan 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2025

Five-point performances by Leafs forwards Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continues gaining ground on the goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Matthews Knies and Mitch Marner each had five-point performances in a 6-4 victory over the Boston Bruins. Knies scored his first NHL hat trick and added two assists while Marner had a goal and four assists. Leafs captain Auston Matthews had a three-point night after missing six games with an upper-body injury. David Pastrnak tallied twice for the Bruins as they lost their third straight game.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews and Marner comprise part of the Leafs’ Quarter-Century Team, joining teammate Morgan Rielly, former captain Mats Sundin, defenseman Tomas Kaberle, and goaltender Ed Belfour on the First Team.

Current Leafs William Nylander and John Tavares joined goaltender Curtis Joseph, forward Phil Kessel, and blueliners Bryan McCabe and Dion Phaneuf as part of the Second Team.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 872nd NHL regular-season goal and collected an assist as his club defeated the New York Rangers 7-4. Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists as the Capitals (55 points) held a three-point lead over the Leafs for first place in the Eastern Conference. Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored his 13th goal as his club has lost five of its last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin’s been on a tear since returning from a broken left fibula on Dec. 28, collecting four goals and five points in five games. He’s within 23 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

The Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to 14 games with a goal and an assist and Viktor Arvidsson had two helpers as the Oilers have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 contests. Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl leads all NHL scorers with 29 goals this season. He’s poised to reach the 30-goal plateau for the seventh straight year. Kraken defenseman (and former Oiler) Adam Larsson left this game following the second period with an undisclosed injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi collected a career-high four assists in a 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Filip Gustavsson had a 21-save shutout while Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello each had three points as the Wild have won five of their last six contests. The Hurricanes have lost four of their last six (2-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s improved play silenced the trade rumors about the 23-year-old Wild center earlier this season. He’s sitting second among their scorers with 37 points in 40 games.

The Nashville Predators got a hat trick from Ryan O’Reilly to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Filip Forsberg and Fedor Svechkov collected two points each and Justus Annunen turned aside 31 shots for the Predators as they picked up their second straight victory. Mikael Backlund replied for the Flames as they dropped three of their last four games.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored to collect his 600th regular-season point in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist against his former team as the Golden Knights overtook the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings with 57 points. Jason Zucker scored for the Sabres as they go 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

Speaking of the Jets, they were upset by the Detroit Red Wings 4-2. Lucas Raymond had a goal and two assists while Dylan Larkin scored twice for the Wings as they picked up their fourth straight win. Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets as they’re winless in their last three (0-2-1).

The San Jose Sharks upset the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Cody Ceci scored the winning goal with 25 seconds remaining in the third period. Nikolai Kovalenko and Macklin Celebrini also scored for the Sharks as they picked up their second straight win. Nico Hischier and Paul Cotter scored for the Devils as their losing skid reached four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks activated William Eklund off injured reserve for this game and placed defenseman Jake Walman on IR. Meanwhile, the Devils placed defenseman Nick DeSimone on waivers.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe’s third-period goal gave his club a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mikey Anderson also scored and Darcy Kuemper kicked out 34 shots as the Kings extended their winning streak to four games. Victor Hedman had the Lightning’s only goal as they’ve dropped three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings got a boost for this game as forwards Trevor Moore and Trevor Lewis came off injured reserve.

Shootout goals by Cole Caufield and Kirby Dach lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Caufield also scored the tying goal in regulation and rookie goalie Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for his second straight win in as many games. Mikko Rantanen scored for the Avalanche as their six-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal forward Patrik Laine (illness) and defenseman David Savard (upper-body injury) missed their second straight game. The Canadiens (39 points) have won seven of their last 10 games and sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Utah Hockey Club 3-2 on an overtime goal by Thomas Harley. Joel Oettinger made 33 saves while Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston each picked up two assists for their club’s fourth straight victory. Matias Maccelli tallied both goals for Utah as they’d lost six of their last seven games (1-4-2).

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov tallied two goals while Sean Monahan and Ivan Provorov had three assists each in a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. With the win, the Blue Jackets are one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jordan Kyrou scored a goal and two assists for the Blues, who sat two points out of the final Western wild-card position.