NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 27, 2023

by | Dec 27, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 27, 2023

The three stars of the week and more as we catch up on the latest news following the league’s holiday break in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, and Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane are the league’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 24.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

The NHL returns to action following its three-day holiday break with fourteen games featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs facing off against the Ottawa Senators, the Tampa Bay Lightning squaring off against the Florida Panthers, the Dallas Stars meeting the St. Louis Blues, the Colorado Avalanche going up against the Arizona Coyotes, and the Winnipeg Jets versus the Chicago Blackhawks.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Blown leads and a recent scoring drought are among four issues the Bruins must address following the holiday break.

ESPN.COM: Anaheim Ducks rookie Leo Carlsson will be sidelined for four-to-six weeks with a sprained right knee ligament. The 19-year-old suffered the injury during Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames when he became entangled with Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlsson was fortunate to escape serious injury as his leg bent at an awkward angle. In 23 games, he’s fourth among rookie scorers with eight goals and 12th in points with 15 as the Ducks carefully managed his playing time and number of games played before his injury. Carlsson’s numbers might have been higher had he played as many games as most of his fellow rookies currently ahead of him in goals and points.

SPORTSNET: Columbus Blues Jackets forward Sean Kuraly is resting at home after undergoing tests for an abdominal injury suffered in the final minute of the first period during Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The tests came back negative but there’s no indication how long he’ll be sidelined.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuraly left the ice on his own but paramedics were called in after he collapsed on his way to the Blue Jackets’ dressing room, resulting in play being briefly suspended. Fortunately, the injury didn’t appear to be serious but was taken to the hospital for tests as a precaution.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes recalled goaltender Antti Raanta on Tuesday from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings placed forward Christian Fischer on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 23 and called up Jonatan Berggren, Austin Czarnik and Simon Edvinsson from their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids under emergency conditions.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are continuing talks with the National Capital Commission for a lease at LeBreton Flats. However, they’re also studying other options in case a lease agreement with the NCC falls through.

ESPN.COM: All eyes will be on Team Canada center Macklin Celebrini during the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship currently underway in Gothenburg, Sweden. He’s projected to become the top prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft class but he will face competition from players such as Team USA’s Cole Eiserman and Finland’s Aron Kiviharju.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A prospect’s performance in the WJC can affect their value in the draft. It’ll be interesting to see how the potential Class of 2024 performs in this tournament.

DAILY FACEOFF: The WJC isn’t the only international tournament currently taking place. Mike Gould lists five former NHL players worth watching at the 2023 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Young Russian NHL prospects could be staying in the KHL for four to five years before being allowed to join their NHL teams. Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov’s current KHL contract expires in 2026 but could end up staying beyond that if the KHL implements new rules that determine how long teenage prospects would have to stay and play in Russia. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was always the risk for NHL clubs drafting Russian players. The KHL currently has rules in place that prevent their best young players from bolting to the NHL soon after being drafted. If those rules change, the Flyers could wait another four or five years before Michkov finally joins their roster.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 23, 2023

by | Dec 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 23, 2023

Recaps of Friday’s action, an update on David Perron’s suspension, Samuel Girard returns to the Avalanche, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: A four-goal third period lifted the Edmonton Oilers over the New York Rangers by a score of 4-3. Warren Foegele and Ryan McLead each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers as they improved to 15-15-1. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider each had two points for the 22-8-1 Rangers, who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 45 points.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi extended his goal streak to five games while Nino Niederreiter scored twice and collected an assist in a 5-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots as the Jets (20-9-3) regained first place in the Central Division with 43 points. Brandon Carlo scored for the 19-6-6 Bruins, who remain in second place in the Eastern Conference with 44 points.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane scored two goals and set up another and scored the winning goal in a shootout to nip the Philadelphia Flyers 7-6. Alex DeBrincat collected three assists for the Red Wings (16-13-4), who sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 36 points. Scott Laughton had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (18-11-4) as they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 40 points.

The Montreal Canadiens overcame a 2-0 deficit in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and David Savard each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (15-13-5), who moved within three points of an Eastern wild-card spot with 35 points. Ryan Donato and Jason Dickinson tallied for the 10-21-1 Blackhawks.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF/TSN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the six-game suspension levied on Red Wings forward David Perron by the league’s department of player safety. The NHL Players Association is expected to appeal to an arbitrator.

SPORTSNET: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard has been cleared to resume practicing as he enters the next phase of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed defenseman Ben Hutton to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $975K. They also placed goaltender Adin Hill (leg) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 17.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Fresh off signing a professional tryout offer with the Carolina Hurricanes, goaltender Aaron Dell will play for Team Canada in the upcoming 2023 Spengler Cup. The invitational tournament begins on Dec. 26 and ends on Dec. 31.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2023

by | Dec 19, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2023

The annual holiday roster freeze goes into effect from Dec. 20 to 27. Check out the latest on the Flames Elias Lindholm, the recent goalie trade speculation and updates on the Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE AVALANCHE PURSUE ELIAS LINDHOLM?

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Evan Rawal cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying during his latest “32 Thoughts” podcast that some people believe the Colorado Avalanche could target Elias Lindholm in the trade market.

Lindholm is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July unless he and the Calgary Flames agree to a contract extension. The 29-year-old center carries a $4.85 million cap hit for this season and lacks a no-trade clause.

Friedman said some people are waiting for the other shoe to drop after the Avalanche shipped Tomas Tatar to the Seattle Kraken last Friday. He thinks they’re looking at Lindholm but is sure they could be also looking at others in the trade market.

The Avalanche have some roster and salary cap issues to sort out. Friedman believes they might have to wait but they’re “lurking out there.”

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs have a glaring hole at the second-line center position. Lindholm would be a good fit there but acquiring him won’t be easy.

They possess $4.825 million in cap space with Gabriel Landeskog, Pavel Francouz and Artturi Lehkonen on long-term injury reserve. However, they can’t accrue any cap space plus Lehkonen is expected to return to action at some point this season.

The Avs might have to send some salary to the Flames or convince them to retain part of Lindholm’s cap hit to make the deal work. They’ll also have to offer up a suitable package to tempt the Flames. Lindholm’s value as a two-way center could prompt a bidding war involving several clubs near the trade deadline.

LATEST GOALTENDER TRADE RUMORS.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said the uncertainty over Frederik Andersen’s status has forced the Carolina Hurricanes to “cast their lines” into the NHL pond in search of a goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following Friedman’s comments it was reported that the Hurricanes signed free-agent Aaron Dell to a professional tryout offer. Over the weekend, they assigned Antti Raanta to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

Friedman also reported he’d heard from a couple of sources suggesting the possibility of the Columbus Blue Jackets and netminder Elvis Merzlikins deciding it’s time for him to try somewhere else.

Merzlikins is signed through through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.4 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. Moving him could be difficult given the high number of clubs with limited cap space this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that Friedman sources aren’t stating for certain that the Blue Jackets are shopping Merzlikins. It’s just speculation right now.

Nevertheless, there could be changes coming for the Jackets before the end of this season. Peddling their starting goalie before the March 8 trade deadline could be among those changes.

The Los Angeles Kings are looking for goalie depth with backup Pheonix Copley lost to injury. However, Friedman doesn’t expect them to make a big move for a netminder until closer to the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings called up David Rittich over the weekend to back up Cam Talbot. Unless one of them gets hurt before Copley returns, they’ll likely wait as Friedman believes until the deadline to bolster their depth between the pipes.

Teams to watch include the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been well-documented that those teams are each carrying three goaltenders, prompting speculation they could move one. The Red Wings have taken a hit with Alex Lyon sidelined and Ville Husso suffering a leg injury last night.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes that John Gibson is available in the trade market. He noted that Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has “re-engaged” with the Anaheim Ducks regarding the 30-year-old goaltender, who carries an AAV of $6.4 million.

Nichols noted the Hurricanes, Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are in the hunt for help between the pipes. He also pointed out that the Canadiens, Sabres, Red Wings and Blue Jackets are carrying three goalies this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Gibson’s hefty salary through 2026-27 plus his 10-team no-trade clause, he’s more likely to be moved during the summer when clubs have more cap room than in a season where teams are pressed for cap space.

UPDATES ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators will make a wide search for a new full-time head coach after replacing D.J. Smith as their bench boss with Jacques Martin on an interim basis.

Sources suggest the front-runner is John Gruden, the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Gruden is a former Senators defenseman who also has ties with Sens owner Michael Andlauer and president of hockey operations Steve Staios.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2023

by | Dec 17, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2023

The annual holiday trade freeze is from Dec. 20-27. Check out the latest goalie speculation plus updates on the Blues and Avalanche in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST GOALIE TRADE SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said the goalie market is starting to heat up. He noted the Carolina Hurricanes placed Antti Raanta on waivers on Saturday so they’re “definitely looking around.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said the same thing yesterday though he claims that “nothing appears imminent at the moment.”

Los Angeles Kings goalie Pheonix Copley underwent an MRI after leaving practice with an injury on Friday. It’s believed he’ll be sidelined for a bit of time so the Kings might be looking for a backup for Cam Talbot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ve recalled David Rittich from their AHL affiliate. They’ll likely see if he can fill the gap until Copley can return.

Friedman noted that call-up Calvin Pickard has been playing really well for the Edmonton Oilers. While they’ve been taking a look at things, he’s not convinced that they’re going to make a trade for a goalie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That seems to be the case following their recent surge up the standings. There was talk of Jack Campbell returning from their AHL affiliate at some point but for now, they appear content to stick with the tandem of Pickard and Stuart Skinner.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen (NHL Images).

Turning to trade candidates, Friedman noted the Montreal Canadiens have an extra goalie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: He didn’t say which one could be traded but it likely comes down to Jake Allen or Cayden Primeau. The Canadiens recently signed Sam Montembeault to a three-year contract extension as he’s taking over the starter’s job in Montreal.

Friedman also mentioned Spencer Martin of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers were reportedly scouting the Blue Jackets’ goalies in late November. Martin’s name surfaced as a trade candidate around then.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Christian Larsen listed the Canadiens’ Jake Allen, the Detroit Red Wings’ James Reimer, the San Jose Sharks’ Kaapo Kahkonen and the Arizona Coyotes’ Karel Vejmelka could help playoff contenders in the new year.

Larsen believes the experienced Allen, who’s signed through 2024-25 on a team-friendly contract, could be a good fit on a better club like the Oilers or Hurricanes. The Kings could be a logical fit for Reimer as they have a few million in cap space.

The rebuilding Sharks are near the bottom of the league and have two prospects in Eetu Makiniemi and Magnus Chrona knocking at the door. That leaves little reason for them to retain Kakhonen, who’s on an expiring contract.

Vejmelka began this season as the Coyotes’ starter but he’s lost playing time to Connor Ingram. The rebuilding club is looking to add draft picks and have the cap space to take on a bad contract like that of the Oilers’ Jack Campbell.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong made those kinds of moves before this past summer. Since then, however, he’d made deals to bring more immediate help to his roster.

The Coyotes’ pipeline is now well-stocked with draft picks and prospects. With his club jockeying for a wild-card berth in the Western Conference, he might not be interested in taking on another bad contract in return for futures.

Speaking of the Coyotes, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes said Vejmelka is drawing interest from several clubs looking to upgrade their goaltending. Perhaps he’ll be the one who gets moved first.

UPDATES ON THE BLUES AND AVALANCHE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the St. Louis Blues were believed to be a team looking to do things in the trade market. He speculates that might calm down a bit since making their coaching change last week but they were definitely looking at what was out there.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong acknowledged this during his press conference explaining his decision to replace Craig Berube as head coach with Drew Bannister.

Following the Colorado Avalanche trading Tomas Tatar last week to the Seattle Kraken, Friedman claims there are teams “paranoid” that the Avs are looking to add to their roster though they have limited salary-cap space to do so right now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman didn’t elaborate as to what the Avalanche are looking to add. My guess is a reliable second-line center but that could be a move that takes place closer to the March 8 trade deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 15, 2023

by | Dec 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 15, 2023

Zach Parise eyes a return this season, more speculation about Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro, plus updates on free-agent Ethan Bear, the Canucks’ Andrei Kuzmenko and the Red Wings Jonatan Berggren in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PARISE AIMING AT RETURNING THIS SEASON

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reports a source claims unrestricted free-agent winger Zach Parise is ramping up his conditioning with an eye on returning to action this season.

Parise, 39, wasn’t willing to face the grind of an 82-game schedule this season. He remained home with his family in Minnesota but has regained his desire to play and has been working on getting into game shape.

Unrestricted free agent winger Zach Parise (NHL.com)

Johnston said there’s no timeline when Parise would return but multiple clubs are aware of his progress and expressed an interest in signing him. Among them are his former club, the New York Islanders. It’s believed Parise wants to pursue the Stanley Cup and some of the teams looking at him are those with legitimate championship ambitions this season.

Parise will have to sign a contract before the March 8 trade deadline to be eligible to play in the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parise will also be an affordable signing. His last contract with the Islanders was a $750K base salary with another $750K in performance bonuses.

COULD THE SHARKS TRADE FERRARO?

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka recently noted the trade rumors swirling about San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro. Unlike other Sharks popping up in the rumor mill, Ferraro is signed beyond this season (through 2025-26) plus he carries an affordable $3.25 million average annual value on his contract.

General manager Mike Grier has said he’s willing to listen to offers on just about anyone on the Sharks roster. Trading Ferraro, however, would say something about how long the Sharks rebuild is expected to last.

Ferraro’s teammates and head coach David Quinn praised the blueliner’s skills, work ethic and positive attitude. Meanwhile, he recently said he wants to remain with the Sharks and be part of a possible resurgence.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The attributes and team-friendly contract that make Ferraro so valuable to the Sharks also make him an enticing target in the trade market. Unlike the Sharks’ pending UFAs, Grier doesn’t have to move him this season. The Sharks GM can afford to be patient and wait for the right offer.

TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman suggests the Washington Capitals could offer free agent Ethan Bear a two-year contract. Other clubs interested in the 26-year-old defenseman were proposing a one-year deal with the possibility of an extension next offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Chris Johnston and others had Bear all but signed with the Capitals to a two-year deal. It hasn’t happened yet but that doesn’t mean it won’t. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Friedman noted that the Canucks still haven’t taken Andrei Kuzmenko off their first power-play unit. “If he was removed from that, I’d be worried about his status in Vancouver,” he writes. He’s not convinced the 27-year-old winger will be traded soon but he believes the Canucks are “going to know the possibilities.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks insist they want to work with Kuzemenko to improve his overall game. He seems to have responded well in his last two games, tallying two goals including one on the power play.

Jonatan Berggren has two goals in his three games since his recent callup with the Detroit Red Wings. Friedman isn’t sure if the 23-year-old winger has gone so far as to request a trade but he wants more of an opportunity.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2023

by | Dec 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2023

The Oilers’ Connor McDavid and the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard face off for the first time, the Leafs Auston Matthews and the Canucks’ Brock Boeser reach the 20-goal plateau, the Blues fire head coach Craig Berube, and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid led his club over the Chicago Blackhawks and Connor Bedard 4-1 as the two stars faced off for the first time. McDavid collected two assists to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Oilers won their eighth straight, improving their record to 13-12-1 (27 points) to sit one point out of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Bedard scored for the Blackhawks (9-18-1) as they slipped to the bottom of the overall standings with 19 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid now sits seventh among the league’s leading scorers with 38 points. He’s nine points behind Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who tops the leaderboard with 47.

Bedard, meanwhile, tops all rookie scorers (and the Blackhawks) with 12 goals and 24 points. Speaking of the Hawks, defenseman Seth Jones missed this game due to an upper-body injury while rookie blueliner Kevin Korchinski was away dealing with a family matter.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored twice and collected two assists to thump the New York Rangers 7-3. Matthews became the first player to crack the 20-goal plateau this season and is tied for first among the league’s leading scorers with 21 goals. Mitch Marner tallied twice and set up another for the 15-6-5 Leafs. Blake Wheeler replied with two goals for the Rangers (19-7-1), who remain in second place in the Eastern Conference with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller missed this game for personal reasons. The Boston Bruins also have 39 points but lead the Blueshirts based on point percentage (.750).

A hat trick by Brock Boeser powered the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Boeser became the second player to reach 20 goals this season and is tied for the lead (21 goals) with the Leafs’ Auston Matthews. Quinn Hughes had three assists for the 19-9-1 Canucks. Brayden Point scored for the Lightning (13-12-5) as they slipped out of a wild-card berth with 31 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes also have 31 points but sit ahead of the Lightning based on games in hand. Bolts defenseman Victor Hedman missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

The St. Louis Blues fired head coach Craig Berube following their 6-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Kevin Hayes tallied two goals for the Blues as they sank to 13-14-1. Lucas Raymond and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (15-9-4) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Berube was signed through 2024-25. He coached the Blues to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history but he’s had to deal with a steadily depleted roster as long-time stars such as Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko departed in recent years.

The Blues are just one point out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference but they’ve struggled with consistency this season. Like many clubs this season, they lack sufficient salary-cap space to improve their roster. General manager Doug Armstrong had little option but to shake things up behind the bench in the hope that it would provide a boost to his struggling club.

Speaking of the Red Wings, the NHL Players Association has officially filed an appeal to reduce the six-game suspension handed down to David Perron for cross-checking Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub on Saturday.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone’s overtime goal lifted his club over the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-4, extending his club’s points streak to nine games. Stone finished the night with two goals and two assists while Jonathan Marchessault had three assists as the league-leading Golden Knights (20-5-5, 45 points) become the first team to reach the 20-win mark this season. Yegor Sharangovich scored twice for the 11-14-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Flames announced that defenseman Chris Tanev is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho scored twice and added an assist as his club snapped a four-game losing skid by downing the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 31 shots for the 15-12-1 Hurricanes (31 points) as they sit behind the Washington Capitals (31 points), who hold three games in hand. Josh Norris replied for the Senators as they dropped to 11-12-0 and remained last in the Eastern Conference with 22 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators still hold several games in hand over their Conference rivals but they’re failing to gain traction in the standings. They must start stringing some wins together if they hope to contend for a playoff berth. Meanwhile, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour indicated before this game that sidelined winger Andrei Svechnikov is expected to be out “for a while” with an upper-body injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins doubled up the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 thanks to two-goal performances from Jeff Carter and Jake Guentzel. Connor Ingram kicked out 40 shots for the Coyotes (13-13-2) as they dropped into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 28 points, one ahead of the surging Oilers. The Penguins improved their record to 12-12-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph returned to action after missing 16 games with an undisclosed ailment.

An overtime goal by Filip Forsberg lifted the Nashville Predators over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. The Predators jumped to a 2-0 lead but the Flyers battled back on goals by Sean Couturier and Travis Sanheim. The Predators (16-13-0) have won five of their last six and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 32 points. The Flyers (15-10-3) had their four-game win streak snapped but hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 33 points.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord made 24 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Florida Panthers. Kailer Yamamoto had a goal and an assist for the 9-14-7 Kraken. Sergei Bobrovsky had 19 saves for the 17-9-2 Panthers, who sit one point ahead of the Leafs in second place in the Atlantic Division with 36 points.

A late goal by William Eklund gave the San Jose Sharks a 2-1 upset win over the Winnipeg Jets, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 36 shots for the Sharks (9-17-3), who’ve won three of the last four games. Brenden Dillon scored for the 16-9-2 Jets, who hold third place in the Central Division with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are also awaiting a second opinion in Winnipeg regarding winger Kyle Connor’s knee injury. However, there’s speculation he could be sidelined for six to eight weeks. An update on his condition is expected today.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Reports indicate the Washington Capitals (as well as the NBA’s Washington Wizards) will be moving across the Potomac River to a new arena in Alexandria, Virginia. It would be located about 20 minutes away from their current home, the Capital One Arena, which has hosted the Capitals since 1997-98. The anticipated move could take place in time for the 2028-29 season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Capitals, Sammi Silber takes a look at the reasons why captain Alex Ovechkin is not scoring at his usual pace this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin leads the Capitals with 16 points in 25 games but he’s fourth in goals thus far with just five. He’s on pace for just 16 this season, which would be the first time he would fail to crack the 20-goal plateau.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen was none too pleased over reports from a Finnish columnist questioning his offseason dedication to training. The comments came from Ismo Lehkonen, father of Rantanen’s teammate Artturi Lehkonen.

Following the Avs win over the Flames on Monday, Rantanen accused the elder Lehkonen of “talking s**t about me”, accusing him of “making things up.” However, he also said everything was fine between himself and his old friend Artturi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something tells me Lehkonen’s dad won’t be on Rantanen’s Christmas card list this year.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Pavel Zacha are expected to miss tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils with upper-body injuries. Both are listed as day-to-day and haven’t been ruled out of Friday’s matchup with the New York Islanders.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: The Islanders placed forward Matt Martin (upper body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 2.