NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2023

by | Sep 7, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2023

New contracts for Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson, Flyers forward Morgan Frost and Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OTTAWA SUN: Entering his sophomore season, Jake Sanderson signed an eight-year, $64.4-million contract extension on Wednesday with the Ottawa Senators. The 21-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $8.05 million.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a big raise for Sanderson, who is in the final season of his three-year entry-level contract with an AAV of $925K. He’ll become the Senators’ highest-paid defenseman starting in 2024-25, earning just slightly more than Thomas Chabot ($8 million AAV). Sanderson will also be the third highest-paid player on the roster, behind Tim Stutzle ($8.35 million) and Brady Tkachuk ($8.205 million).

Sanderson is coming off an impressive rookie performance last season with 32 points in 77 games. A highly skilled rearguard, the 6’3”, 195-pound blueliner has the potential to become an elite player for the Senators. This contract would become quite cost-effective should he reach his full potential.

Speaking of the Senators, incoming owner Michael Andlauer hopes to finalize his purchase of the club by early next week.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers inked Morgan Frost to a two-year, $4.2-million contract. The 24-year-old center’s AAV will be $2.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frost completed a one-year, $800K contract. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2022-23 with 19 goals and 46 points in 81 games.

In 2025, Frost will once again become an RFA with arbitration rights. Frost will be in line for a more lucrative long-term contract if he builds on last season’s performance.

THE ATHLETIC’s Charlie O’Connor reports the Flyers have hired former NHL star Dany Heatley as a professional scout.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev could miss preseason action as he continues to rehab from knee surgery. His agent, Dan Milstein, indicated his client is still likely three to four weeks from returning to action. “He could be ready, but why risk in preseason,” said Milstein. “Maybe play the final two games.”

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes signed general manager Bill Armstrong to a multiyear contract extension. Terms were not disclosed.

Since taking over in 2020, Armstrong has overseen a considerable roster turnover, trading such notables as Jakob Chychrun, Christian Dvorak, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Darcy Kuemper for draft capital. Promising young players such as Barrett Hayton and Matias Maccelli were contributors to last year’s roster while top prospects Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther could join the roster this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes beat writer Craig Morgan reported Armstrong’s new contract runs through 2028-29. The Coyotes have been near the bottom of the standings over the past three seasons. However, they made noticeable improvement last season under head coach Andre Tourigny, who was hired by Armstrong in 2021 and recently received his own contract extension.

Speaking of the Coyotes, suspended club co-owner Andrew Barroway had the charges dropped Monday from his domestic violence case in Colorado.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Coyotes also signed forward Ryan Dzingel and defenseman Peter DiLiberatore to professional tryout offers (PTOs).

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed former San Jose Sharks center Noah Gregor to a professional tryout offer.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Dylan Wells accepted a PTO from the Predators.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Former San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson has been hired by the Penguins as their senior advisor of hockey operations. Wilson was the Sharks GM from 2003 until stepping down in 2022 for health reasons.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau has been hired by the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs as a senior advisor. Boudreau was the bench boss of the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks. He was fired by the Canucks in January.

NHL.COM: Michael Del Zotto has retired after 13 NHL seasons. The 33-year-old defenseman had 262 points in 736 regular-season games with the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators and New York Rangers. He also had 12 points in 32 playoff games. He last played in the NHL in 2021-22 with the Senators.

RDS.CA: Kevin Poulin also announced his retirement. The 33-year-old goaltender spent parts of five seasons with the New York Islanders from 2010-11 to 2014-15. In 50 NHL games, he had a record of 18 wins, 25 losses and three overtime losses with a career goals-against average of 3.07 and a save percentage of .899. Since 2015-16, he played in Europe, ECHL and the AHL, spending the last two seasons with the Laval Rocket.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2023

by | Aug 27, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2023

The league’s executive committee approves the sale of the Senators, Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk praises teammate Jake Sanderson, an update on Max Pacioretty, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the sale of the Ottawa Senators to billionaire Michael Andlauer cleared another hurdle when the NHL’s executive committee approved his purchase of the club from the estate of Eugene Melnick, the club’s former owner. It is said to be on track for completion in the coming days.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Completion of the sale of the Senators to Andlauer is expected to be completed in September. The final step will be approval from the NHL Board of Governors. A two-thirds majority is required but Garrioch writes that it’s expected the sale will receive unanimous approval.

THE SCORE: Speaking of the Senators, team captain Brady Tkachuk praised teammate Jake Sanderson. During a recent appearance on the podcast “Dropping the Gloves”, Tkachuk called the young defenseman “one of the most important players on our team.”

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (NHL Images)

Sanderson, 21, made his NHL debut last season, finishing with 32 points in 77 games. Tkachuk was impressed by the young blueliner’s all-around game and leadership, calling him “the most underrated player” in the NHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong sophomore campaign by Sanderson will be crucial to the Senators’ hope of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: It could be over a month into the 2023-24 season until Max Pacioretty makes his debut with the Capitals. Head coach Spencer Carbery recently indicated that he wasn’t sure of the exact timeline for when the 34-year-winger would join the roster.

Pacioretty’s 2022-23 season was limited to just five games by two torn Achilles tendons. Limited by salary cap constraints, the Capitals signed him to a one-year contract that is incentivized by games played, earning him $4 million if he plays over 20 games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this summer, Pacioretty indicated that he was doing well in his recovery from surgery. He stated that he would miss the start of the season but didn’t expect to be sidelined for too long.

DAILY FACEOFF: Patrick Kane, Tomas Tatar, Paul Stastny and Phil Kessel remain the most notable players still available in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market. Max Comtois, Noah Gregor and Jaroslav Halak are also unsigned.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is rehabbing from a hip resurfacing procedure in June and isn’t expected to entertain offers from teams until December. Tatar was frequently linked to the Pittsburgh Penguins in recent weeks but there’s no indication he’s close to signing with them or another club. No word on the status of the others.

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens are mourning the passing of journalist Yvon Pedneault at the age of 77 following a month-long battle with cancer. Pedneault covered the Canadiens and other Quebec sports clubs and events since 1965. In 1998, the Hockey Hall of Fame honored him with the Elmer Ferguson Lifetime Achievement Award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Pedneault’s family, friends and associates










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2023

by | Feb 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2023

The Golden Knights match a franchise record in a win over the Ducks, the Canadiens upset the Oilers, plus injury updates on Filip Forsberg, Logan Thompson and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights matched a franchise record for most goals in a single period in a 7-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Vegas scored five times in the third period with Jack Eichel, Phil Kessel and Shea Theodore among five Golden Knights to finish with a goal and an assist. With the win, Vegas improved to 32-18-4 to sit atop the Pacific Division with 68 points. The Ducks sank to 17-31-6 on the season. They also played without John Klingberg, who missed this game due to illness.

Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz tallied twice as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 to snap a three-game losing streak. With a record of 30-18-5, the Kraken remain three points behind the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Rasmus Ristolainen collected two assists for the 22-23-10 Flyers (54 points) as they remain seven points out of the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris (NHL Images)

The Montreal Canadiens upset the Edmonton Oilers 6-2, ending a 15-game points streak by Oilers captain Connor McDavid. Jordan Harris scored twice to become the first Canadiens rookie defenseman to have a multi-goal game since P.K. Subban in March 2011. Jake Allen stopped 32 shots for the 22-27-4 Canadiens. Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane replied for the Oilers (30-19-5) as they remain in third place in the Pacific Division with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Canadiens as rugged rookie blueliner Arber Xhekaj left the game with an apparent shoulder injury following a fight with Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais. An update on his condition could be made on Monday.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson collected three points in a 4-1 upset of the Washington Capitals. The Sharks (17-26-11) lost goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen in the second period following incidental contact with Washington center Evgeny Kuznetsov. Aaron Dell finished the game for the Sharks. Kuznetsov scored for the Capitals (28-21-6) as they remain in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word as to the severity of Kahkonen’s injury. The Sharks were playing without goalie James Reimer (illness) but he could return to action on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

HEADLINES

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg is fortunate that it’s only day-to-day. He was left woozy after hitting his head on the ice following a check by Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and had to be helped from the ice.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: On Saturday, the Golden Knights announced that goaltender Logan Thompson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. They recalled Laurent Brossoit from their AHL affiliate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lengthy absence by Thompson could have implications for the Golden Knights’ playoff hopes. They’re in a tight race right now in the Pacific Division. Adin Hill got the win for them on Sunday and will be relied on to carry the bulk of the load in Thompson’s absence.

DAILY FACEOFF: Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg is out indefinitely with left and right knee MCL injuries. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson will be sidelined for at least two weeks with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be the final nail in the coffin for the Senators’ slim playoff hopes.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich is one step closer to making his season debut. Sidelined by a preseason shoulder injury, he’s been sent to the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield on a conditioning assignment.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2023

by | Feb 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2023

Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches a scoring milestone, the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin and the Kings’ Adrian Kempe each tally four goals, the Blues’ Ryan O’Reilly returns from injury with an overtime goal, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. The Oilers (30-18-5) remain unbeaten in regulation in their last 11 games (9-0-2) and move one point behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division with 65 points. The Senators slipped to 24-24-3 on the season and sit 10 points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joined Wayne Gretzky as the second player in NHL history with multiple-point streaks of 15-or-more games in the same season more than once in his career. Meanwhile, Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg was stretchered from the ice in the third period with a leg injury while defenseman Jake Sanderson also left in that period with an undisclosed injury.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin scored four goals (including a natural hat trick) and collected an assist to lead his club over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 6-2. The Rangers (31-14-8) have won five straight and moved to within three points of the second-place New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points. The 34-10-8 Hurricanes remain atop the Metro with 76 points but their seven-game win streak has come to an end along with Sebastian Aho’s six-game goal streak.

The Los Angeles Kings crushed the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-0. Adrian Kempe tallied four goals, Anze Kopitar collected three assists while Pheonix Copley turned in a 25-save shutout as the Kings improved to 29-18-7 and sit third in the Pacific Division with 65 points. The Penguins (26-17-9) slipped to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings got the win on the night they honored former captain Dustin Brown with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena and retiring his No. 23. Brown spent 18 seasons with the Kings, leading them to two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. He’s also the franchise leader in games played with 1,296. Before the game, the Kings activated forwards Arthur Kaliyev and Trevor Moore off injured reserve.

St. Louis Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Pavel Buchnevich collected three assists and Sammy Blais scored his first goal for the 24-25-3 Blues since being reacquired from the New York Rangers. Nick Schmaltz had four points and Clayton Keller had three for the 17-28-8 Coyotes, who held defenseman Jakob Chychrun from this game for trade-related reasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly and Buchnevich returned to action following lengthy absences due to injuries. As for Chychrun, it appears he’s finally going to be traded following months of speculation stretching back to last season. I’ll have more about his situation in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren each scored two goals for the Wings (23-20-8) as they sit seven points out of the final Eastern playoff spot with 54 points. Anthony Beauvillier had a goal and an assist for the 21-28-4 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Beauvillier has two goals and an assist in four games since joining the Canucks from the New York Islanders in the Bo Horvat trade.

Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube had a goal and three assists while rookie Jakob Pelletier scored his first NHL goal in a 7-2 drubbing of the Buffalo Sabres (26-21-4). The Flames improved to 25-18-10 and sit just outside the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 60 points. Sabres center Tage Thompson scored his 35th of the season as his club sits five points behind the Penguins for the final Eastern wild-card berth with 56 points.

The Montreal Canadiens got an overtime goal by Mike Matheson to upset the New York Islanders 4-3 to snap a four-game losing skid. Mike Hoffman had three assists for the 21-27-4 Canadiens. Brock Nelson had two points to extend his points streak to 10 games for the Islanders (27-23-6) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern playoff spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was the Canadiens’ first win in their powder-blue “reverse retro” uniform. Habs coach Martin St. Louis is no fan of the jersey, calling them an affront to the franchise’s history.

An overtime goal by Matt Duchene gave the Nashville Predators a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. It was a costly win for the Predators (25-19-6) as winger Filip Forsberg left the game after falling awkwardly to the ice following a hit by Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. The Preds sit four points out of the final Western playoff berth with 56 points. The Flyers (22-22-10) are seven points out of playoff contention in the East with 54 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was a scary-looking injury for Forsberg, who appeared dazed as he struggled to get up and had to be helped off the ice. There was no update about his condition following the game but it looked like a concussion to me.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli scored twice and chipped in an assist in a 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 28 shots for the win as the 34-16-2 Lightning moved to within two points of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 70 points. Jamie Benn scored his 21st goal of the season for the Stars (30-14-10) as they remain atop the Western Conference standings with 70 points.

The Washington Capitals got goals from Nicklas Backstrom and Garnet Hathaway to hold off the Boston Bruins 2-1, handing the latter their fourth loss in five games. Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves for the 28-20-6 Capitals as they vaulted over the Pittsburgh Penguins into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 62 points. Nick Foligno scored for the Bruins (39-8-5) as they remain atop the overall standings with 83 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and collected an assist in a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers, snapping the latter’s three-game win streak. Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 42 shots for the win as the Avalanche (28-19-4) sit in third place in the Central Division with 60 points. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 45 shots for the 26-23-6 Panthers, who are three points out of an Eastern wild-card spot with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a big win for the Avalanche but they lost defenseman Erik Johnson as he left the game in the first period after blocking a shot. They’re already playing without blueliner Cale Makar following a blindside hit by the Penguins’ Jeff Carter earlier in the week.

The Columbus Blue Jackets upset the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 4-3. Kent Johnson snapped a 3-3 tie in the third period as he, Kirill Marchenko and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist for the 16-33-4 Blue Jackets. Mitch Marner and William Nylander each had two points for the Leafs (32-14-8) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 72 points.

Shootout goals by Mats Zuccarello and Frederick Gaudreau gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils to snap a three-game losing skid. Filip Gustavsson got the win for the Wild (28-20-4) with a 27-save performance as they cling to the final Western wild-card spot with 60 points. Tomas Tatar tallied twice for the Devils (34-13-5) as they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 73 points.

Winnipeg Jets winger Blake Wheeler scored two goals and assisted on another to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Josh Morrissey had a goal and an assist for the 33-19-1 Jets as they sit second overall in the Western Conference with 67 points. Tyler Johnson replied for the Blackhawks as they sank to 16-30-5.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2022

by | Sep 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2022

The favorites to win the Hart Trophy for 2022-23, the league revamps a rule to permit disallowed penalties, and the Senators are enjoying a surge in season-ticket sales. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin has the PointsBet odds for the top favorites and sleeper candidates for the 2022-23 Hart Memorial Trophy.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews sit atop the 10 favorites for the Hart. Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau leads the sleeper candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link provided above for Larkin’s full list. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar could challenge McDavid, Draisaitl and Matthews if he builds upon last season’s stellar performance.

SCOUTING THE REFS: The NHL has revamped its review rule to permit disallowed penalties. Referees will now be able to nullify a major penalty after video review or downgrade it to a minor infraction. The change doesn’t apply to match penalty reviews.

SPORTSNET: The Ottawa Senators are seeing a significant surge in season-ticket sales following a busy offseason that saw them add Claude Giroux, Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot to their roster. It’s also fueled by growing excitement over the development of their young core led by Brady Tkachuk.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators could also see improvement at the gate throughout the coming season if the club becomes a playoff contender.

Speaking of the Senators, The Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno reports rookie defenseman Jake Sanderson has fully recovered from a lingering hand injury. He expects to be 100 percent when training camp opens later this month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fifth-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Sanderson is expected to become a blueline regular this season for the Senators.

TSN: Former NHL forward Brett Connolly signed a one-year contract with Lugano HC of Switzerland’s National League on Monday. The 30-year-old winger played in just nine games last season with the Chicago Blackhawks, who bought out the final season of his contract earlier this summer.

Connolly played 11 seasons in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers and the Blackhawks from 2011-12 to 2021-22. He won a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018 and tallied a career-best 22-goal, 46-point performance in 2018-19.

SIN BIN VEGAS: Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy recently provided an update on Laurent Brossoit. He said the 29-year-old goaltender is healing well from his (hip) surgery and is motivated to play this season.

However, Cassidy was vague over when Brossoit will return to the lineup. “Whether he joins us at the end of the year or two or three weeks in, we’ll see him.”

WINNIPEG SUN: Former Jets defenseman and captain Scott Campbell, 65, passed away on Saturday following a battle with cancer. Drafted first overall in the 1977 WHA draft by the Houston Aeros and ninth overall by the St. Louis Blues in the NHL Draft, Campbell opted for the WHA. His contract was purchased by the Jets after the Aeros folded and he won the Avco Cup with the Jets in 1978-79.

Campbell was part of the Jets after their move to the NHL in 1979. He was named team captain in the 1980-81 season and was traded to the Blues in 1981. His career was ended prematurely the following year by chronic asthma. He had 55 points in 149 WHA games and 25 points in 80 NHL contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Campbell’s family, friends and former teammates.