NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2024

by | Nov 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2024

A 13-goal game between the Blue Jackets and Lightning, Marc-Andre Fleury reaches another career milestone, updates on Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning combined for 13 goals with the Blue Jackets winning in overtime 7-6.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images).

Defenseman Zach Werenski had a five-point night with two goals (including the game-winner) and three assists, Sean Monahan had a goal and three assists and Kent Johnson tallied twice for the Jackets. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected three assists to surpass the 900-point plateau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have won three of their last four games, snapping Tampa Bay’s three-game win streak. Lightning forward Nick Paul missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves in his 1,000th NHL start in a 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Frederic Gaudreau tallied twice and collected an assist for the Wild (13-3-3), holding second overall in the Western Conference with 29 points. Corey Perry had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who’ve dropped three of their last four (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury also passed Patrick Roy for the third-most games played by a goaltender (1,030) in NHL history. He also shrugged off an embarrassing start when he whiffed on a clearing attempt that became the opening goal just 27 seconds into the game.

Oilers forwards Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson missed this game due to undisclosed injuries. Hyman will miss four to seven days while Arvidsson was placed on injured reserve. Defenseman Darnell Nurse also missed this game due to a concussion.

Colorado Avalanche forward Miles Wood broke a 1-1 tie early in the third period as his club held on for a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Washington forward Pierre-Luc Dubois opened the scoring but Mikko Rantanen tied it for Colorado in the second period. Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev stopped 28 shots for the win in his first game since Nov. 13 after being sidelined by an injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals announced before this game that captain Alex Ovechkin suffered a fractured fibula and would be out for four to six weeks. That could jeopardize his attempt to break Wayne Gretzky’s goalscoring record (894) this season. Ovechkin needs 27 goals to reach 895.

The New Jersey Devils doubled up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2. Jesper Bratt scored two goals and picked up an assist while Jack Hughes had three helpers for the Devils. Jack Roslovic and Andrei Svechnikov replied for the Hurricanes. The Devils and Hurricanes each have 28 points but the Hurricanes hold first overall in the Eastern Conference with three games in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Hurricanes announced goaltender Frederik Andersen will undergo knee surgery sidelining him for eight to 12 weeks. Andersen’s last game was an Oct. 26 win over the Seattle Kraken.

St. Louis Blues netminder Jordan Binnington made 22 saves in a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Jake Neighbours netted the winning goal in a shootout. Alexander Wennberg scored both goals for the Sharks while rookie Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves in his debut with the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone victory for Binnington, tying him with Mike Liut for the Blues’ record of 151 wins.

The Boston Bruins got their first win under new head coach Joe Sacco as they nipped the Utah Hockey Club 1-0. Elias Lindholm scored the only goal while Joonas Korpisalo turned in a 21-save shutout. Utah netminder Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots.

A third-period goal by Connor Zary lifted the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. MacKenzie Weegar had three assists while Yegor Sherangovich and Matt Coronato each had a goal and an assist for the Flames. Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin kicked out 46 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau reached a personal milestone with his 500th career NHL assist.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Florida Panthers 3-1. Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek turned aside 32 shots while Nick Foligno had a goal and an assist. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart netted his 15th goal of the season, tying Ovechkin and Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the league lead.

Vegas Golden Knights netminder Ilya Samsonov made 38 saves backstopping his club to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, handing the latter their fourth straight defeat (0-3-1). Ivan Barbashev had two assists for the Golden Knights while Linus Ullmark stopped 29 shots for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

The Senators are once again on the brink of falling into a hole in the standings too deep to climb out of. With 17 points, they’re second-last in the Eastern Conference. The good news is they’re only four points out of a wild-card berth but they must string some wins together soon or risk another lost season.

Third-period goals by Jonatan Berggren and Lucas Raymond lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the New York Islanders 2-1. Alex Lyon made 22 stops for the Red Wings while Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Red Wings announced that Hall-of-Famer Pavel Datsyuk had signed a one-day contract to retire officially as a Wing. He spent his entire 14-season NHL career with Detroit.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL department of player safety released a video clarifying its rule regarding illegal hits to the head after three controversial checks resulted in two suspensions.

Those hits included Los Angeles’ Tanner Jeannot’s hit on Vancouver’s Brock Boeser (three-game suspension), Toronto’s Ryan Reaves on Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse (five-game suspension) and Vegas’s Zach Whitecloud’s hit on Toronto’s Matthew Knies (no suspension).

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs are cautiously optimistic that Knies won’t miss much time after leaving Wednesday’s game against the Golden Knights following that big hit by Whitecloud.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks returned forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. It suggests Brock Boeser may be close to returning to action. Boeser’s been sidelined since that hit by Jeannot on Nov. 7.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 17, 2024

by | Nov 17, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 17, 2024

A big raise could be coming for next season’s salary cap, coaches on the hot seat, and the latest on the Bruins, Blue Jackets, Predators, Canadiens and Senators in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

BIG INCREASE COULD BE COMING FOR THE SALARY CAP

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the NHL and NHLPA will examine the possibility of raising the salary cap by between $7 million and $9 million for 2025-26. He indicated that league revenue has “outpaced the guardrails on the salary cap” that were put in place as part of the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cap can rise by a maximum of five percent as per the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). However, it can increase by a wider margin if the league and the PA agree. If they stick with five percent, the cap will rise to $92.5 million for 2025-26. It is currently at $88 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league is usually cautious in raising the cap. However, they could face pressure from team owners because several notable superstars (such as New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin) seek significant raises on their next contracts. A salary cap between $95 million and $98 million next season would alleviate the cap crunch facing several teams, making it easier to retain key players or bolster their roster depth.

FOUR COACHES POTENTIALLY ON THE HOT SEAT

SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler listed Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins, Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Derek Lalonde of the Detroit Red Wings, and Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators could be feeling the heat as their clubs continue to struggle.

Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff reports no scuttlebutt suggesting Lalonde’s job is in jeopardy. Nevertheless, he thinks GM Steve Yzerman must be concerned over the Wings’ recent disappointing play. Duff believes they need something to change to avoid another season slipping away.

LATEST ON THE BRUINS, PREDATORS, BLUE JACKETS AND CANADIENS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Boston Bruins have been looking to see what they can do to shake things up. He said things are starting to get intense within the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sounds like the Bruins would prefer to make a trade rather than a coaching change.

The Nashville Predators are in the market for a center. Friedman also believes they’re looking at their blueline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators attempted to send defenseman Dante Fabbro to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee last week but the Columbus Blue Jackets claimed him off waivers.

Speaking of the Blue Jackets, Friedman said general manager Don Waddell is trying to sort out the situation with David Jiricek. The young defenseman hasn’t played much this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jiricek has struggled to earn a full-time spot on the Blue Jackets defense corps, appearing in only five games this season. He doesn’t need to pass through waivers to be sent to the AHL affiliate in Cleveland but publicly expressed his displeasure when demoted last season, sparking trade speculation.

The Montreal Canadiens are seeking a forward who plays with an edge. Friedman believes players like that will be highly coveted when the time comes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That time would be when the March 7 trade deadline rolls around. That would be too late to help the Canadiens.

SENATORS SHOULD TARGET A DEFENSEMAN

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie was recently asked by a reader what area the Ottawa Senators should shore up before the New Year. He believes they need a “penalty-killing, middle-pairing defenseman” who can be mainly used on the third pairing but can be bumped up in a pinch.

McKenzie suggested Jordan Harris of the Blue Jackets as a trade target. He was shipped to Columbus by the Canadiens in this summer’s Patrik Laine deal but doesn’t yet seem like a fit with the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe the Senators might look into Jiricek’s availability, though I think the Jackets would prefer hanging onto the promising 20-year-old rearguard.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2024

by | Nov 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2024

Check out the recaps of Saturday’s games in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers got a 27-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to blank the Winnipeg Jets 5-0, handing the latter consecutive losses for the first time this season. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov had a goal and two assists while Sam Reinhart collected three assists. Jets goalie Connor Hellebucyk stopped 26 of 31 shots.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets remain atop the overall standings (15-3-0, 30 points) but must take their game to another level against the defending Stanley Cup champions, who were well-prepared for this contest.

Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots in a 4-0 shutout of the New Jersey Devils. Victor Hedman and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and an assist while Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his points streak to seven games. Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom made 23 stops.

An overtime goal by Mitch Marner lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Marner’s goal was the 200th of his career and he also collected an assist on one of Bobby McMann’s two goals. Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves was ejected in the second period for a blindside hit to the head of Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who left the game and didn’t return. There was no postgame update regarding Nurse’s condition but it was reported he was aware and joking with the trainers.

Reaves apologized to Nurse in the Oilers dressing room during the third period but could face supplemental discipline from the league. During his NHL career, Reaves has received three suspensions totaling six games.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blew a 3-0 lead but defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Evgeni Malkin’s shootout goal. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby tallied his 599th career regular-season NHL goal. Tyler Toffoli sniped two of the Sharks’ three goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins had three rookies in the lineup, including Owen Pickering, who made his NHL debut, collecting an assist for his first point in the big league. Meanwhile, Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status. Defenseman Jake Walman returned to the Sharks lineup after missing the past five games, four due to injury.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment tallied twice to nip the Minnesota Wild 2-1. Ilya Lyubushkin had two assists and Jake Oettinger made 22 saves as the Stars picked up their third straight victory. Kirill Kaprizov replied for the Wild while Filip Gustavsson kicked out 38 shots.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Spencer Martin made 24 saves for his first-ever NHL shutout in a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. Jordan Martinook had a goal and an assist while Martin Necas picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games. Senators netminder Anton Forsberg stopped 24 of 27 shots in a losing cause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes won without one of their top forwards. Winger Seth Jarvis was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury retroactive to Nov. 10.

The St. Louis Blues downed the Boston Bruins 3-2 on an overtime goal by captain Brayden Schenn. Radek Faksa collected a goal and an assist for the Blues as they snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Trent Frederic tallied both goals for the Bruins as they were outshot 31-17 in this contest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins center Mark Kastelic left this game with a lower-body injury. Teammate Tyler Johnson missed this game due to a family matter. The Bruins are 1-1-2 in their last four games.

A two-goal performance by Adrian Kempe powered the Los Angeles Kings over the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. It’s the second straight game Kempe has tallied two goals. Dylan Larkin scored for the Wings, who got a 37-save effort from goalie Cam Talbot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are 5-1-1 in their last seven home games. They activated forward Alex Turcotte off injured reserve for this game. Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson missed this game with a lower-body injury. The Wings have dropped four of their last five contests and sit uncomfortably close to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs turned aside 28 shots in his first game since Oct. 30 to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. J.T. Canucks center J.T. Miller led the way with a goal and an assist. Arvid Soderblom stopped 29 of 31 shots for the Blackhawks as they’ve dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks played without defenseman Seth Jones as he was placed on IR due to an injured right foot suffered during Thursday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson scratched struggling winger Taylor Hall from the lineup, citing his need for more practice after coming off a lengthy absence due to injury last season.

The Seattle Kraken picked up their fourth straight win as they defeated the New York Islanders 3-2 on a late goal by Jamie Oleksiak. Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde each collected two points for the Kraken while Pierre Engvall and Brock Nelson replied for the Islanders, who are 1-1-2 in their last four games.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny scored twice and added an assist in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Rookie winger Matvei Michkov collected two assists as the Flyers have won three straight. Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers rookie defenseman Emil Andrae left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update about his status.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on three unanswered third-period goals by Lucas Condotta, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. Team captain Nick Suzuki scored what proved to be the game-winner while Cole Caufield picked up two assists. Dante Fabbro netted his first for the Blue Jackets after being claimed off waivers last week. The Jackets have only one win in their last eight games (1-6-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens honored former captain Shea Weber in a pregame ceremony inducting him into the club’s Ring of Honour alongside their other Hall of Famers. They also played without defenseman David Savard due to an upper-body injury. His absence could be short-term as he participated in the morning skate and spoke with reporters afterward.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2024

by | Nov 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2024

A natural hat trick for the Avalanches’ Mikko Rantanen, a milestone game for Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the latest on Mika Zibanejad, Erik Karlsson and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: A natural hat trick by Mikko Rantanen propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Rantanen also picked up an assist to finish the night with four points while teammate Nathan MacKinnon chipped in three assists as the Avs picked up their third straight win. Adrian Kempe tallied twice for the Kings.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s natural hat trick was the third in franchise history. He has 12 goals, joining four others atop the league’s goal-scoring leaderboard. Meanwhile, Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper left this game in the third period with an apparent lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3 on an overtime goal by John Tavares. William Nylander and Mitch Marner scored in the third period to send the game into the extra frame. Aliaksei Protas had a goal and an assist for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oliver Ekman-Larsson reached a notable milestone as the Leafs defenseman played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game. Jani Hakanpaa played over 15 minutes in his season debut with the Leafs.

Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery wasn’t pleased with his club’s third-period collapse, calling it “just embarrassing”. Meanwhile, newly-acquired Capital Lars Eller didn’t join the team for this game but is expected to be in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Avalanche.

The Detroit Red Wings blew a 2-0 lead but recovered to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Simon Edvinsson scored in overtime while Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist for the Wings. Bryan Rust and Anthony Beauvillier rallied the Penguins to force the extra period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins honored Evgeni Malkin’s 500th career goal in a pregame ceremony. Malkin reached the milestone against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 16th. He joined Washington’s Alex Ovechkin as the second Russian-born player to reach the 500-goal plateau. Penguins forward Blake Lizotte left this game in the second period after being struck in the face by a puck.

Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka made a career-high 49 saves in a 4-1 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Nick Bjugstad tallied twice and Michael Kesselring had two assists for Utah, who killed off a seven-minute Carolina power-play in the third period. Hurricanes forward Martin Necas scored to extend his points streak to 11 games.

The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Anaheim Ducks for a 3-2 victory. Pavel Dorofeyev scored what proved to be the winning goal and Shea Theodore had two assists for the Golden Knights. Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots for the Ducks.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad is trying not to get buried in negativity as he attempts to play his way out of his early-season slump. He has 11 points in 14 games but has a plus-minus of minus-6 and has only scored twice.

“I will never be able to fully explain what it is when you’re in this situation,” said Zibanejad. “You have the mantras. You have the sayings to yourself. ‘Forget about the mistakes.’ ‘Just next action.’ ‘Next game, next shift.’ It’s harder than it sounds.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad’s position as one of the Rangers’ best players and among their highest-paid comes with intense pressure to perform well. A slump can take a mental toll the longer it goes on, especially when the player starts putting more pressure on themself to overcome the issue.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sweden’s former national team coach Johan Garpenlov doesn’t believe Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson is good enough to play for the country’s 4 Nations Face-Off team in February. He pointed out that Karlsson’s defensive shortcomings could be an issue for Sweden in the tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson’s poor defensive play has been an issue for the Penguins this season. Nevertheless, he was among the first six players chosen for Team Sweden.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm is expected to miss weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during Boston’s 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big setback for Boston’s blueline. They’re already missing Andrew Peeke, who’s out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. His 20:51 of ice time per game is second among Bruins skaters.

TSN: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Forward Tage Thompson (lower body) and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (undisclosed ailment) are day-to-day.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres reclaimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders placed defenseman Mike Reilly (upper body) on injured reserve.

TSN: A trial by jury of five former Canadian World Junior players charged with sexual assault is scheduled for Apr. 22, 2025. It is expected to last eight weeks.

Former NHL players Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged earlier this year in connection with an alleged sexual assault in a London, Ontario hotel room in June 2018.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2024

by | Nov 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2024

Alex Ovechkin extends his goal streak, Connor McDavid returns from injury sooner than expected, and the latest on Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, Dylan Holloway, Thatcher Demko and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored the winning goal and picked up an assist as his club nipped the Nashville Predators 3-2. Ovechkin extended his goals streak to five games and Dylan Strome collected two assists for the Capitals, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Juuso Parssinen and Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators, who’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs 34 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. He has eight goals in 12 games this season.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin scored twice in the third period as his club doubled up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev each finished with three points as their team sits atop the Pacific Division with 19 points in 13 games. Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman replied for the Oilers (6-7-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid returned to action after missing 10 days with an ankle injury. He was originally expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks. He played over 21 minutes but was held scoreless.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist and Cam Talbot stopped 29 shots for the Wings. Nick Foligno scored for the Blackhawks.

HEADLINES

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Cale Makar is ok after suffering a lower-body injury on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken. He traveled with the Avs and could play Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets.

TSN: Bednar also said captain Gabriel Landeskog suffered a setback as he attempts a comeback after knee surgeries sidelined him for the past two seasons. Bednar said it’s part of the on-again, off-again recovery process and remains hopeful Landeskog can return to action this season.

SPORTSNET: St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway suffered no ill effects from taking a puck to the neck in Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He left the game on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital for observation but was released and rejoined his teammates in practice yesterday. Holloway hopes to play against Utah on Thursday.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko participated in some practice drills on Wednesday with some of his teammates. It’s the latest step in his recovery from a nagging knee injury that has sidelined him since Game 1 of the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment is out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

OTTAWA SUN: Center Shane Pinto and defenseman Artem Zub could return to the Senators lineup for Thursday’s contest with the New York Islanders. Zub has missed nine games with a concussion while Pinto was out six games with an undisclosed ailment.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said defenseman Jake Walman was a healthy scratch from Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets for non-hockey reasons. “Jake did not play because of hockey play,” said Warsofsky. “There was nothing to do with that. It was something in between (us) that we’ll keep in-house.”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Walman’s absence raised eyebrows given his role on the Sharks. He logs the second-most minutes and is their best offensive defenseman.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens have loaned forward Oliver Kapanen to Timra IK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils announced they’ve relieved Kevin Dineen of his duties as head coach of their AHL affiliate in Utica. Assistant coach Ryan Parent takes over on an interim basis for the rest of the season. The move comes as Utica is off to one of the worst starts (0-9-1) in franchise history.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan recently examined several key issues potentially at stake in the next round of collective bargaining between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association. The current agreement will expire in September 2026.

The players hope for a bigger slice of the growing revenue pie. Many would like to see escrow eliminated. They’d also like to get a cut of future expansion fees. Some players wonder if the league might implement a luxury tax given the willingness of some teams to spend over the salary cap.

Some players would like to see the preseason shortened and expand the regular season to 84 games if it means starting the season earlier. Others would like to see the playoff schedule return to the 1-8 seeding by conference.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the CBA negotiations are expected to start in the New Year. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly will summarize the main points he’s learned from meeting with individual general managers at the upcoming GMs meeting.

The general managers would like to tweak the salary arbitration process and revise the compensation rates for offer sheets. One GM would like to see them revisit term limits on player contracts.

LeBrun doesn’t feel either side wants to have a big war in this round of CBA negotiations. He believes they want this to go smoothly.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaplan cited one player saying growing league revenue was the priority and doesn’t want to squabble about points. That is the main factor for both sides. Revenue has grown significantly in recent years and neither side wants to do anything that could jeopardize that growth.

There will be some tweaks coming out of the next round of CBA but nothing that will require a work stoppage. There is no rancor between the two sides and no sense of foreboding compared to the lead-up to the three previous lockouts. Some think an agreement could be reached next summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2024

by | Nov 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2024

The Panthers sweep the Stars in the 2024 Global Series, more multipoint performances for Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar keep their point streaks alive, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals by A.J. Greer and Sam Reinhart lifted the Florida Panthers over the Dallas Stars 4-2 to sweep their two-game NHL 2024 Global Series in Tampere, Finland. Reinhart finished with two points and Spencer Knight made 23 saves as the Panthers picked up their fifth straight win. Evgenii Dadonov and Matt Duchene replied for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Tyler Seguin missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had his third straight multipoint game with a goal and two assists in a 7-2 thrashing of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dylan Strome also had a goal and two assists while Connor McMichael tallied twice for the Capitals, who moved into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 16 points (8-2-0). Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc scored for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin now has 859 career regular-season goals and needs 36 to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. The Capitals announced before this game that defenseman Jakob Chychrun (upper body) was placed on injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals for the second straight game to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. Alex Nedeljkovic got the win with 25 saves. Christian Dvorak scored the only goal for the Canadiens, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby needs three more goals to reach the 600-goal plateau. Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky left the game late in the third period after being elbowed in the head by Penguins forward Noel Acciari. There was no immediate update regarding Slafkovsky’s injury.

The Canadiens’ charter flight home was grounded when a tanker truck collided with the wing of the aircraft as it sat on the tarmac. The accident took place during the game and no injuries were reported.

The Nashville Predators got a goal and an assist each from Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi and Gustav Nyquist as they downed the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar also each had a goal and an assist, extending their season-opening point streaks to 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have lost three straight despite the efforts of MacKinnon and Makar. Goaltending remains their Achilles’ heel, giving up a league-leading 4.25 goals-against per game.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko scored two goals and collected an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jordan Binnington kicked out 35 shots for the Blues. Mitch Marner and Steven Lorentz scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was the first for Leafs coach Craig Berube against his former club in St. Louis. The Blues honored him with a video tribute while the fans gave him a standing ovation. Blues defenseman Philip Broberg left the game in the second period after injuring his right leg following a collision with Marner. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made 20 saves to shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Matthew Poitras, Justin Brazeau and Brad Marchand scored for the Bruins. Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. The club didn’t provide a postgame update.

The Ottawa Senators got a 22-save shutout performance from Anton Forsberg in a 3-0 win over the Seattle Kraken. Adam Gaudette, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle tallied for the Senators. Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer turned aside 20 shots.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored both of his club’s goals in a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, snapping a three-game losing skid. Red Wings netminder Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots. Alex Tuch scored for the Sabres as they’ve dropped three straight.

A shootout goal by Ryan Donato lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Blackhawks forward Tyler Bertuzzi scored the tying goal that sent the game into overtime and the shootout rounds while Hawks goalie Petr Mrazek made 37 saves in regulation and OT. Alex Laferriere scored twice for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laferriere is on track for a breakout sophomore campaign. After netting 12 goals and 23 points in 81 games last season, he has eight goals and 11 points in 12 games thus far.

The Vegas Golden Knights nipped the Utah Hockey Club 4-3 on an overtime goal by Brett Howden. Noah Hanifin had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights. Utah’s Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights called up Akira Schmid to back up starter Adin Hill for this game.

Vancouver Canucks forward Pius Suter scored twice, including the game-winner with 26 seconds left in the third period, to give his team a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Jake DeBrusk scored his first of the season for the Canucks. Nico Sturm and Mikael Granlund replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks placed forward Nils Aman on waivers Saturday.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The Islanders got bad news on Saturday as they learned forward Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech will be sidelined for four to six weeks with upper-body injuries. Barzal was placed on long-term injury reserve while Pelech was placed on IR.

The Islanders also announced defensemen Mike Reilly and Alexander Romanov are day-to-day with upper-body injuries. They called up blueliners Grant Hutton and Samuel Bolduc from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey will make his season debut after recovering from a suspected shoulder injury suffered during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final on May 24. The Rangers have returned forward Matt Rempe to their AHL affiliate in Hartford.