NHL Rumor Mill – December 27, 2023

by | Dec 27, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 27, 2023

Four players most likely to be moved before the March trade deadline, the latest on the goalie market and some recent Flyers speculation as we catch up on the NHL Rumor Mill.

FOUR MOST LIKELY TRADE CANDIDATES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau recently listed Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev, Anaheim Ducks forward Adam Henrique, San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen and Chicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson as the four players most likely to be moved by the March 8 NHL trade deadline.

Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev (NHL Images).

All four are eligible to become unrestricted free agents next July unless they agree to contract extensions with their current clubs.

Tanev has been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils. Proteau doesn’t rule out the Colorado Avalanche making a pitch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs’ current priority is a second-line center which is why they’ve been recently tied to Calgary’s Elias Lindholm. Still, we can’t dismiss the possibility of adding Tanev to shore up their defense if they have enough cap room to do so.

Proteau suggests the New York Islanders as a fit for Henrique.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lou Lamoriello, who drafted Henrique in 2008 while general manager of the New Jersey Devils, is now the GM of the Isles. Lamoriello does at times reunite with some of his former players.

With San Jose mired at the bottom of the standings, there’s no compelling reason for them to hang onto Kahkonen. He could fetch a couple of draft picks or a decent prospect for the rebuilding Sharks. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks could peddle Johnson for long-term help.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Johnson, Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL executive claiming the Blackhawks have let it be known that the 33-year-old center will be available in the trade market. Murphy suggested he could be a more affordable option to the Bruins if they’re unable to pry Elias Lindholm away from the Flames.

LATEST ON THE GOALIE MARKET

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Toronto Maple Leafs have dipped its toes into the goaltending market as Ilya Samsonov continues to struggle while Joseph Woll remains sidelined until January. He doesn’t think anything’s imminent and the Leafs are hoping a few days away will help Samsonov as they continue to work with him.

Friedman also said that the teams with a surplus in goalies are hoping to work it to their advantage in the trade market. They’re asking for a lot especially if salary retention is involved.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks doesn’t see any worthwhile goalies on the market who can help the New Jersey Devils between the pipes. He suggested they shore up a blueline that was weakened by the offseason departures of Damon Severson and Ryan Graves and the recent sidelining of Dougie Hamilton for what could be the rest of the regular season.

Brooks thinks Calgary Flames rearguard Noah Hanifin would be a perfect target while Chris Tanev would also be on their list. He wondered if there would be any way for them to acquire Brady Skjei or Brett Pesce from the Carolina Hurricanes or if they’d have any interest in the Nashville Predators’ Tyson Barrie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One of those playoff hopefuls in need of goaltending help could cave and meet the high asking price well before March 8, especially if they’re in danger of missing the postseason. Once that happens it could open the floodgates.

However, some of those clubs could share Brooks’ view about the depth in available goaltending talent and opt instead to bolster their bluelines.

Hanifin and Tanev would draw a lot of attention. So would Skjei or Pesce if the Hurricanes decide to become sellers but I don’t think they’re at that stage yet. As for Barrie, he would help teams seeking offense from the blueline but there might not be much of a market for his style of game right now.

LATEST FLYERS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz suggested the possibility of the Philadelphia Flyers becoming buyers as well as sellers at this season’s trade deadline because of their improved performance thus far this season.

He believes Flyers GM Daniel Briere could pull the trigger on Sean Walker and/or Nick Seeler if a team were to offer a first-round pick and/or a prospect for either defenseman. Morgan Frost and Rasmus Ristolainen are also on the trade board and it wouldn’t be surprising if they were dealt.

Meanwhile, the Flyers also carry some late-round draft picks that could be used as trade bait to fill the gaps in their roster after dealing away some of their more talented trade bait.

Kurz doesn’t see Briere trading away any of their promising young player or first-round picks for playoff rental players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on how the rest of the Flyers’ season unfolds. Briere will be a seller if they stumble through the second half and fall out of playoff contention. However, as Kurz suggests, if they’re still in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race leading up to the trade deadline, Briere could see what he can do to help his club reach the postseason without giving up too much of his future to do so.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 11, 2023

by | Dec 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 11, 2023

Could the Bruins pursue Elias Lindholm or Pat Maroon? Could the Flyers target Mario Ferraro? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill

LATEST BRUINS SPECULATION

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss recently noted that Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm sat No. 1 on TSN’s latest Trade Bait list. He noted the Bruins had been linked to Lindholm during the offseason following the retirements of centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

After watching the play of Pavel Zacha, Charlie Coyle and rookies Matthew Poitras and Johnny Beecher, Goss believes it might not be a good idea for the Bruins to part with assets to acquire Lindholm. Based on the performances of those four thus far, depth at center is not a massive weakness right now.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

If the Bruins are interested in Lindholm, Goss suggests waiting until July if he decides not to re-sign with the Flames and test the free-agent market. They currently have a projected $27 million in cap space for 2024-25, providing them with more cap flexibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve said the same thing about the Bruins’ rumored interest in Lindholm’s teammate Noah Hanifin. Acquiring either guy will cost them draft picks, prospects, and even perhaps a promising youngster such as Poitras or Beecher.

The Bruins are currently jockeying with the New York Rangers for first place in the Eastern Conference. Barring an epic and historic collapse, they’re in no danger of missing the playoffs in what is considered a transition season for this club. Better to make do with what they currently have or make affordable roster tweaks and wait until next summer to pursue the big fish.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy suggests the Bruins consider looking into acquiring forward Pat Maroon from the Minnesota Wild. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery recently pleaded with his players to be more physical and tougher. They could use someone to replace Milan Lucic, who’s been away from the club since being arrested and charged last month in a domestic violence incident.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murphy wrote that there’s no indication Bruins management is targeting Maroon or a comparable player. For now, Maroon probably isn’t going anywhere as the Wild struggle to get back into the Western Conference playoff chase. That could change, however, if they remain out of contention near the March trade deadline.

A source told Murphy that Maroon would probably cost a seventh-round draft pick. That was the price the Wild paid the Lightning to acquire him earlier this season.

UPDATE ON THE FLYERS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Philadelphia Flyers are sitting in a better position in the standings than expected when the season began. Nevertheless, Caleb Kearney points out that they’re still a rebuilding team that could shop some older veterans to acquire more draft picks and prospects to accelerate the process.

Kearney suggested peddling defenseman Marc Staal, center Garnet Hathaway, blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen and rearguard Sean Walker.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Walker appears the most valuable given how often he’s surfaced in recent trade speculation. Hathaway could also be an attractive trade target if he becomes available. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an affordable average annual value of $2.375 million.

Ristolainen has also popped up lately in the rumor mill. However, his $5.1 million cap hit through 2026-27 won’t be easy to move unless the Flyers retain half of it. Staal, meanwhile, hasn’t seen much playing time this season. At 36, his best years are well behind him and he’s not likely to fetch much of a return.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey recently noted that San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro has come up in the rumor mill of late. He believes the 25-year-old blueliner would fit in well with their rebuilding plans.

If the Flyers continue playing well this season and their 2024 first-round pick won’t be that high, Bailey suggested it would be worthwhile to part with it to land a good young defenseman like Ferraro.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not a bad idea. Whether Flyers management feels the same way remains to be seen.

Despite all the rumors swirling about this club of late, general manager Daniel Briere could be content to wait and see how this season unfolds before getting busy in the trade market.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 10, 2023

by | Dec 10, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 10, 2023

Questions about the futures of the Ducks’ Trevor Zegras and the Blue Jackets’ Patrik Laine, trade speculation regarding several Flyers defensemen and the Canucks’ Andrei Kuzmenko and growing interest in free-agent blueliner Ethan Bear. Details and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR ZEGRAS AND LAINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek took note of the Anaheim Ducks’ collapse in the standings following their strong start to the season. Among the few bright spots is the solid performance of rookie center Leo Carlsson in limited action.

Should the Ducks end up winning the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery and select prospect center Macklin Celebrini, Duhatschek wondered if they would consider moving Trevor Zegras. The 22-year-old center has been on injured reserve since Nov. 10 with a lower-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

The Ducks already have Carlsson and Mason McTavish who are projected to become first-line centers. If they land Celebrini, where would that leave Zegras?

Turning to the floundering Columbus Blue Jackets, Duhatschek singled out Patrik Laine’s sometimes disinterested play this season. He acknowledged the 25-year-old forward was sidelined for several games by a concussion earlier in this campaign but noted he wasn’t playing well before he got hurt.

Laine appears to be lacking confidence in his game. Duhatschek wondered if landing in Washington as the potential successor to Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin might be the change of venue he needs to regain his scoring touch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duhatschek isn’t saying that Zegras or Laine will be traded but he does raise interesting questions about the two forwards.

Zegras was considered the Ducks’ Golden Boy, a highly-skilled scorer whose dazzling feats made him a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2021-22 while earning him a trip to that season’s All-Star Game. He has two straight 60-plus point seasons under his belt before 2023-24 but his sophomore campaign was still considered a disappointment.

His contract negotiations dragged on through training camp and preseason before reaching an agreement on a three-year bridge deal on Oct. 2. That cost him valuable prep time for this season and likely contributed to his current injury.

If the Ducks land Celebrini in next year’s draft perhaps they would consider moving Zegras but they could simply shift him to the wing or do the same with McTavish or Carlsson. That doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t listen to offers for Zegras, especially with the salary cap projected to jump by $4.2 million next season, making his $5.75 million cap hit through 2025-26 easier to move. Still, I think they’ll stay patient and see how things turn out regardless of what might happen in next year’s draft lottery.

Laine, meanwhile, was expected to provide the Blue Jackets with badly-needed scoring punch following his acquisition from the Winnipeg Jets in 2021. Despite injuries, he had 56 points in as many games in 2021-22 and 52 points last season in 55 contests. This season, however, Laine seems to have lost his competitive fire.

With an average annual value of $8.7 million through 2025-26 and a 10-team no-trade clause, Laine won’t be easy to move during this season. Given the anticipated increase in the cap for next season, that could be a move to consider for next summer when teams will have more cap space to work with and perhaps a willingness to take a chance on Laine.

RUMORS FROM SATURDAY’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: During Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman expressed his belief that at least one team contacted the Philadelphia Flyers asking about the defense pair of Sean Walker and Nick Seeler to see if they’d be interested in dealing them together when the time comes. He indicated the Flyers are playing well right now and aren’t in any rush to make moves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Toronto Maple Leafs recently looked into acquiring Nikita Zadorov and Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames but that fell apart over how much of their salaries the Flames were willing to retain Zadorov was subsequently traded to the Vancouver Canucks. Perhaps Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has shifted his focus toward the City of Brotherly Love.

Walker and Seeler have surfaced in the rumor mill in recent weeks. They’re not the only Flyers defensemen to be mentioned as trade candidates. Philly Hockey Now’s Jonathan Bailey pointed out that TSN had Walker and Seeler at Nos. 6 and 7 on their latest Top-20 Trade Bait list along with Rasmus Ristolainen at No. 15.

Bailey pointed out that Ristolainen is the only one on TSN’s list with three or more years remaining on his contract beyond this season. I don’t doubt that the Flyers would like to move his contract but that could be a deal made in the offseason depending on his performance this season. Walker and Seeler, on the other hand, will be much easier to move before the March 8 trade deadline given their affordable salaries and free-agent status next July.

Friedman also reported there’s an “emerging situation” with Vancouver Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko. He’s been playing under 15 minutes per game in five of his last six games and has been sat twice. Other teams have called the Canucks to inquire about the 27-year-old’s status.

The Canucks are always looking to clear salary-cap room. Kuzmenko carries a $5.5 million average annual value through 2024-25 with a 12-team no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzmenko was a big hit with the Canucks in his first NHL season, scoring 39 goals and 74 points in 2022-23. He currently has just four goals and 15 points in 25 games as he seems to be in head coach Rick Tocchet’s doghouse.

There was talk of the Canucks peddling Brock Boeser or Conor Garland in cost-cutting deals going back to 2022-23 but those rumors have died away this season. Perhaps they’d consider moving Kuzmenko for a more affordable forward or defenseman who would be a better fit within Tocchet’s system.

Friedman reported Ethan Bear could be getting close to picking a team to play for this season. It’s believed the Washington Capitals have made a strong bid for the 25-year-old free-agent defenseman’s services. Friedman had felt the Vancouver Canucks might bring him back but other clubs have a salary cap advantage over them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A couple of days ago, The Province’s Patrick Johnston reported Bear’s agent claimed at least four clubs were interested in his client. The Canucks were among them but Johnston also noted their salary-cap constraints.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 7, 2023

by | Dec 7, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 7, 2023

The latest on the Leafs’ search for a defenseman, an update on the Oilers’ Philip Broberg, plus speculation on Chris Tanev, Tyson Barrie, Jake Allen and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE LEAFS

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman expressed his belief that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is looking to see what’s on the trade market with defensemen John Klingberg, Timothy Liljegren and Mark Giordano sidelined by injuries.

Treliving said he wants to improve his defense but there aren’t a lot of high-end defensemen available at a low cost. It’s believed the Leafs GM wants to bring in a right-shot blueliner with an edge to their game.

Friedman believes the Leafs took a long look at Philadelphia Flyers rearguard Rasmus Ristolainen, who has three seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.25 million. However, he doesn’t think the Flyers are in a rush to move him when they’re currently playing well. He also wondered about the San Jose Sharks’ Matt Benning, who’s signed through 2025-26 with an AAV of $1.25 million.

Another possibility is unrestricted free agent Ethan Bear. However, the Vancouver Canucks would like to bring him back and there are other clubs also interested.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch also weighed in on the Leafs’ pursuit of a defenseman, citing a source claiming Treliving remains interested in the Flames’ Chris Tanev. He’s in the final season of his contract with an AAV of $4.5 million. Garrioch claims there’s a belief around the league that Flames owner Murray Edwards is in no hurry to help his former general manager.

Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving denied this during an interview with Sportsnet’s Justin Bourne and Nick Kypreos, claiming he has “a great relationship with the people of Calgary.”

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran also cited Tanev as a possible trade target. The Flyers’ Sean Walker and the Columbus Blue Jackets Andrew Peeke could also be available.

McGran noted that help is on the way for the Leafs as Liljegren is close to returning to action. He also pointed out that their defensive numbers have improved since Klingberg was sidelined thanks in part to call-ups Simon Benoit and William Lagesson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving will continue to search for a deal that makes sense in terms of return and cap hit for the Leafs. As long as his club is in the thick of the playoff race he can take his time and wait for the trade market to improve.

Ristolainen didn’t make sense in terms of cap hit unless the Flyers are willing to retain half of his salary. Benning would be affordable but that doesn’t mean he’s available. Treliving could kick tires on Bear but I don’t think he’ll be coming to Toronto.

BROBERG ON THE BLOCK

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman noted that Philip Broberg may not have received official permission from the Edmonton Oilers to seek a trade but “the word is out and teams are interested.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the difficulty Broberg’s faced cracking Edmonton’s defense corps, I doubt the Oilers will get much of a return for him. Interested clubs will look at him as a cheap reclamation project.

THE LATEST FROM GARRIOCH’S WEEKLY “INSIDER TRADING”

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Calgary Flames might not be done attempting to re-sign Noah Hanifin. Talks broke off earlier this season with the 26-year-old defenseman, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. There’s been no shortage of interest in him in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The two sides were reportedly close to a seven-year, $60 million extension back in October. However, it’s believed Hanifin wanted to wait and see how the season unfolded and the Flames withdrew the offer.

Garrioch believes the New Jersey Devils could be a good fit for Tyson Barrie. The Nashville Predators have allowed the 32-year-old defenseman to speak with other clubs about a trade. The Devils will be without puck-moving blueliner Dougie Hamilton for a while as he’s recovering from surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New Jersey Hockey Now’s James Nichols cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes saying the Devils have been impressed by the play of call-up Simon Nemec following Hamilton’s injury. Rather than pursuing another offensive-minded defenseman, Weekes suggested they might have more interest in a stabilizing blueliner such as Calgary’s Chris Tanev. Nichols also mentioned the Anaheim Ducks’ Ilya Lyubushkin or the Philadelphia Flyers’ Sean Walker.

Seattle Kraken GM Ron Francis is in the market for a goaltender. It’s believed he reached out to the Montreal Canadiens, who could be willing to move Jake Allen or possibly Cayden Primeau. The Buffalo Sabres have also sniffed around Allen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allen is earning an AAV of $3.85 million through 2024-25 with a seven-team no-trade clause for this season. The Habs might have to retain part of his cap hit to make a deal work if they’re willing to move him.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are willing to discuss “just about anybody” when it comes to the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets already made a move by shipping depth forward Eric Robinson to Buffalo yesterday. Rookies Adam Fantilli and David Jiricek are out of bounds. They’d probably love to ship out disinterested winger Patrik Laine but his $8.7 million annual cap hit through 2025-26 is a showstopper.

Teams are kicking tires on the Winnipeg Jets’ Logan Stanley. The Jets are shopping the 25-year-old defenseman but teams are looking into seeing what it would take to land him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2023

by | Nov 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2023

The Rangers overtake the Bruins for first place in the overall standings while the Kings gain ground on the first-place Golden Knights in the Western Conference. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored twice and set up another to lead his club to a 7-4 rout of the Boston Bruins. Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists as the Rangers (15-3-1) supplanted the Bruins for first place in the overall standings with 31 points. Charlie Coyle scored twice for the Bruins, who also have 31 points but slipped into second overall with a record of 14-3-3. It’s the first time this season they’ve lost two straight games.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, the NHL department of player safety fined Rangers captain Jacob Trouba $5,000.00 for high-sticking, which was actually a dangerous two-handed stick swing at Trent Frederic that struck the Bruins’ forward on his helmet. Frederic was fortunately not injured but Trouba should’ve received a suspension for his reckless action.

The Bruins, meanwhile, activated defenseman Matt Grzelcyk off long-term injury reserve and assigned rookie blueliner Mason Lohrei to their AHL affiliate in Providence.

The Los Angeles Kings blanked the Montreal Canadiens 4-0. Trevor Moore scored twice while Pheonix Copley turned aside 18 shots for the shutout as the Kings (13-3-3) moved into second place in the Western Conference standings with 29 points. Jake Allen stopped 26 shots for the Canadiens, who slipped to 9-10-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are now one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first overall in the conference. The Vancouver Canucks also have 29 points and won one more game than the Kings but the latter played three fewer games. Speaking of the Canucks and Golden Knights…

Third-period goals by Mikael Granlund and Mike Hoffman enabled the San Jose Sharks to hold off the Canucks by a score of 4-3. Granlund and Hoffman each had two points while Tomas Hertl collected two assists for the Sharks (4-15-2), who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 10 points. Brock Boeser scored twice, J.T. Miller had three assists and Quinn Hughes collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games for the 14-7-1 Canucks.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram turned in a 34-save shutout in a 2-0 win over the Golden Knights. Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse tallied for the Coyotes (9-9-2) to snap a three-game losing skid. Logan Thompson made 16 saves for the 14-5-2 Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore missed this contest with an upper-body injury. His status should be considered day-to-day.

The New Jersey Devils crushed the Buffalo Sabres 7-2. Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist in his first game since being sidelined on Oct. 27 with an upper-body injury. Teammate Tyler Toffoli scored twice as the Devils (9-9-1) ended a three-game losing streak. Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo replied for the 9-10-2 Sabres.

Second-period goals by Noel Acciari and Erik Karlsson lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tristan Jarry made 31 saves as the Penguins improved to 10-10-0. Tyler Bertuzzi and Matthew Knies scored for the Leafs as they fell to 10-6-3.

The Philadelphia Flyers shut out the New York Islanders 1-0 on a shootout goal by Tyson Foerster. Samuel Ersson made 25 saves for the win as the Flyers moved up to 11-9-1. Ilya Sorokin stopped 40 shots for the 8-6-6 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers activated defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (lower body) off LTIR as he made his season debut in this contest. Meanwhile, the Islanders placed blueliner Adam Pelech and forward Matt Martin on LTIR and claimed defenseman Mike Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers.

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche doused the Calgary Flames 3-1. Ivan Prosvetov stopped 29 shots for the Avalanche (14-6-0), who’ve won six of their last seven games and sit in first place in the Central Division with 28 points. Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames as they dropped to 8-10-3.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 5, 2023

by | Nov 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 5, 2023

The Golden Knights extend their season-opening points streak, the Sharks give up 10 goals again, and much more as we recap a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights extended their season-opening points streak to 12 games by blanking the Colorado Avalanche 7-0. Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored two shorthanded goals and collected two assists, Jack Eichel and William Karlsson each tallied twice while Adin Hill kicked out 41 shots for the shutout. Alexandar Georgiev made 27 saves for the 7-3-0 Avalanche while the league-leading Golden Knights sit at 11-0-1.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No sign of any Stanley Cup hangover yet for the Golden Knights thus far. Some of those victories came against lesser opponents like the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks but they’ve also played well against good clubs like the Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, and Winnipeg Jets.

Four-point performances from Jake Guentzel, Reilly Smith and Bryan Rust powered the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 10-2 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson collected two assists against his former club, Evgeni Malkin tallied twice and Sidney Crosby collected an assist in his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game. Tomas Hertl, Anthony Duclair and Jacob MacDonald each had two points for the Sharks as they sank to 0-10-1 on the season while the Penguins are 4-6-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks became the first team since the 1965-66 Boston Bruins to give up 10 goals in consecutive games as they also lost 10-1 to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch scored twice in the third period to lift his club over the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 6-4. The Sabres improved their record to 6-6-0. Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews regained the NHL goal-scoring lead (11) by netting his third hat trick of the season while Mitch Marner had a four-point night. The Leafs sit at 5-4-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is tied with Rick Vaive for the fourth-most hat tricks (10) in Leafs history. He’s netted three this season in 11 games, joining Cy Denneny and Babe Dye (four), Newsy Lalonde (five), Joe Malone (seven) and Odie Cleghorn (10) among the players requiring the fewest games in NHL history to net three hat tricks in a single season.

Earlier in the day, the Leafs placed defenseman Timothy Liljegren (lower body) on long-term injury reserve (LTIR). Meanwhile, Sabres forward Dylan Cozens missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Nashville Predators defeated the Edmonton Oilers 5-2. Predators center Ryan O’Reilly netted a hat trick, Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists and Kevin Lankinen stopped 33 shots for the 5-6-0 Predators. Darnell Nurse and Zach Hyman replied for the Oilers as they dropped to 2-7-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers now have the second-worst record in the NHL. Changes could be coming soon if this club fails to snap out of its tailspin. I’ll have more about that in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup. Predators defenseman Ryan McDonagh missed this contest with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

Winnipeg Jets forward Nino Niederreiter’s hat trick powered his club to a 5-3 comeback victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Brenden Dillon had a goal and two assists for the Jets as they moved to 5-4-2. Lawson Crouse had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes (5-5-1), who held leads of 2-0 and 3-2 during this game but couldn’t close the deal.

The Detroit Red Wings held off the Boston Bruins 5-4 to snap the latter’s 10-game points streak. David Perron had a goal and two assists while Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings as they improved to 7-4-1. David Pastrnak, James van Riemsdyk and rookie Matthew Poitras each tallied a goal and an assist for the 9-1-1 Bruins, who still sit atop the Eastern Conference with 19 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Brayden Point (three goals, one assist) and Nikita Kucherov (one goal, four assists) led the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Ottawa Senators 6-4, boosting their record to 5-3-3. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk scored twice and collected an assist as his club sank to 4-6-0, putting them at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, Tkachuk took issue with Senators fans booing his club’s performance. “It’s frustrating, the negativity from the outside, the constant booing and the bullshit, kind of, from the crowd tonight,” he said. The Ottawa captain added that he understood their frustration but felt that he and his teammates are playing as hard as they can in every game.

The Washington Capitals got a 34-save performance from goaltender Charlie Lindgren to hold off the Columbus Blues Jackets 2-1. Tom Wilson and Sonny Milano scored for the 5-4-1 Capitals while Dmitri Voronkov replied for the Blue Jackets as they fell to 4-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets left wing Johnny Gaudreau was benched during the final 16 minutes of the third period. Head coach Pascal Vincent wasn’t pleased with his performance, claiming he felt that Gaudreau “wasn’t there” during this contest. That’s a pretty obvious shot across the bow by Vincent against his highest-paid player.

Meanwhile, Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk left this game early in the first period with a lower-body injury. There was no update on his status following the game.

Los Angeles Kings goalie Cam Talbot had a 24-save shutout in a 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Quinton Byfield collected three assists while Arthur Kaliyev and Trevor Moore each had a goal and an assist for the Kings as they moved up to 7-2-2. Cal Petersen allowed five goals on 30 shots from his former team as the Flyers fell to 5-6-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flyers shifted defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to LTIR with an undisclosed injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes overcame a 3-0 deficit to nip the New York Islanders 4-3 on an overtime goal by Sebastian Aho. Andrei Svechnikov and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each collected two points for the Hurricanes (7-5-0). Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat each had two points and Ilya Sorokin stopped 43 shots for the 5-2-3 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Conor Bedard scored for the third straight game in a 5-2 upset of the Florida Panthers. Philipp Kurashev had a goal and two assists while Petr Mrazek turned aside 38 shots for the 4-6-0 Blackhawks. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Matthew Tkachuk replied for the Panthers as they sit at 5-4-1.

The St. Louis Blues got a goal and two assists each from Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn to beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. With the win, the Blues improved to 5-4-1. Juraj Slafkovsky, Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki replied for the 5-4-2 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens center Christian Dvorak made his season debut after being sidelined by a knee injury since March 7. He saw 14:53 of ice time and was held scoreless.

A shootout goal by Matt Boldy lifted the Minnesota Wild (4-5-2) to a 5-4 win over the New York Rangers (8-2-1), snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist in regulation as the Wild overcame a 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead before the Rangers’ Chris Kreider tied it in the third period. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist as the Rangers winger extended his season-opening points streak to 11 games.

The Calgary Flames snapped a six-game losing skid by defeating the Seattle Kraken 6-3. Mikael Backlund scored twice and rookie Martin Pospisil scored his first NHL goal on his first shot for the 3-7-1 Flames. Oliver Bjorkstrand, Eeli Tolvanen and Jaden Schwartz replied for the 4-6-2 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane was ejected from this game in the first period for cross-checking Jared McCann in the upper back while the Kraken forward was lying on the ice after blocking a shot.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko made 27 saves in a 2-0 shutout of the Dallas Stars. Pius Suter and Elias Pettersson were the goal scorers as the Canucks now sit at 8-2-1 on the season. Joel Oettinger stopped 26 shots for the 7-2-1 Stars.