NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2025

by | Oct 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2025

Jets center Mark Scheifele, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, and Canadiens winger Cole Caufield tie franchise records. Get the details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele scored two goals in a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, tying former teammate Blake Wheeler for the Jets 2.0 franchise points record with 812. Kyle Connor collected two assists for the Jets, who extended their win streak to three games. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov scored his first of the season as his club has dropped three of its first four games (1-2-1).

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Auston Matthews lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the New York Rangers 2-1. Matthews tied Mats Sundin for the most regular-season overtime goals (14) in Leafs history. William Nylander also scored for the Leafs, who’ve won three of their first five games. Juuso Parssinen replied for the Rangers, who dropped their third straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Luke Fox reports Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz believes there should be a rule change when a goalie loses his mask during play.

Under NHL rules, play can continue against a goalie who is not wearing a mask if a scoring chance is imminent. Stolarz’s mask was knocked off by a shot from Rangers forward Matt Rempe, but the Rangers still controlled the play, forcing the Leafs’ goalie to make a save without his mask before a stoppage in play.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored the tying goal with 20 seconds remaining in the third period and the winning goal in the final seconds of overtime for a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Caufield tied Howie Morenz for the most regular-season overtime goals in franchise history with 10. Oliver Kapanen also scored for the Canadiens, who have won four of their last five to sit in first place in the Atlantic Division. Steven Stamkos and Nick Perbix scored for the Predators, who are 2-2-1 to open the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield’s tying goal came after teammate Lane Hutson blocked an attempt at an empty-net goal by Jonathan Marchessault. Hutson quickly fired a long pass to Caufield, and the rest is history.

The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Boston Bruins 6-5, extending their season-opening points streak to five games (3-0-2). William Karlsson scored twice, Mark Stone had three assists, and Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev picked up two points for the Golden Knights. Michael Eyssimont and Sean Kuraly each had two points for the Bruins, who’ve dropped two straight after winning their first three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorofeyev is tied with Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto for the most goals this season with six. Stone leads all skaters with nine assists, and Eichel is the points leader with 11. Golden Knights forward Brett Howden and defenseman Noah Hanifin missed this game due to injuries.

Earlier in the day, the Golden Knights announced the signing of free-agent goaltender Carter Hart to a professional tryout offer.

A hat trick by Bo Horvat powered the New York Islanders to their first win of the season (1-3-0) by doubling up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Mathew Bazal had a goal and an assist, and David Rittich stopped 31 shots for the Islanders. Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a horrible game for Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard. His defensive mistakes led to breakaway goals by Barzal and Horvat.

Shootout goals by Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Pinto also scored in regulation to tie Pavel Dorofeyev with his league-leading sixth goal, while Dylan Cozens tied the game late in regulation. Chandler Stephenson tallied twice for the Kraken, who are 2-0-2 in their first four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Senators announced team captain Brady Tkachuk underwent surgery on his injured hand. He is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

Kraken forward Frederick Gaudreau left the game after the second period with an undisclosed injury.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1, handing the defending Stanley Cup champions their third straight loss after they opened the season with three straight wins. Timo Meier had a goal and an assist while Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier also scored for the Devils, who have won three straight. Evan Rodrigues scored for the Panthers.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and winger Conor Garland each had a goal and an assist as they overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 5-3 upset of the Dallas Stars. Thatcher Demko made 28 saves for the Canucks, who are 2-2-0 to start the season. Jason Robertson had two assists for the Stars, who suffered their first loss after opening the season with three straight wins.

The Colorado Avalanche extended their season-opening points streak to five games (4-0-1) by dropping the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1, leaving them with one win in their first four games. Valeri Nichushkin tallied twice, and Cale Makar had a goal and an assist. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 32 shots for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Cam Atkinson signed a one-day contract with the Blue Jackets and officially announced his retirement. The 36-year-old forward spent 10 of his 13-season NHL career with the Blue Jackets. In 809 regular-season games with Columbus, Philadelphia Flyers, and Tampa Bay Lightning from 2011-12 to 2024-25, Atkinson had 253 goals and 236 assists for 489 points. He also had 26 points in 35 playoff games.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored two goals and set up another in a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Shayne Gostisbehere had three assists, and Frederik Andersen stopped 23 shots for the Hurricanes, who remain undefeated to start the season (4-0-0). Leo Carlsson replied for the Ducks (2-2-0).

The Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Filip Hallander’s first NHL goal was the game-winner, and Erik Karlsson collected two assists for the 3-2-0 Penguins. Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala scored for the Kings, who’ve dropped four of their last five contests (1-3-1).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 18, 2025

by | Aug 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 18, 2025

Mark Scheifele on Jonathan Toews joining the Jets, the Red Wings face a crucial season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele is excited that center Jonathan Toews has chosen his club for his comeback attempt. The 37-year-old former Chicago Blackhawks star hasn’t played since 2022-23 as health issues have sidelined him for the past two seasons.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

Scheifele acknowledged that the Winnipeg-born Toews is a legend in the city and the province of Manitoba. He said he was hoping the Jets would be the front-runners to sign him, and is looking forward to playing with Toews after speaking with him several times during this summer.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen observed that the Red Wings’ current playoff drought is the worst in franchise history, eclipsing that of the “Dead Things” era of the late-1970s and early-1980s.

The Wings have missed the postseason for nine straight seasons. If they fail to qualify this season, they’ll become only the fourth team in NHL history to do so in 10 consecutive seasons, joining the Buffalo Sabres (2012 to present), the Florida Panthers (2001-11), and the Edmonton Oilers (2007 to 2016).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This season could be make or break for Steve Yzerman’s tenure as general manager of the Red Wings. While their postseason drought began three seasons before he became GM, the past six seasons have been under his watch.

During the last two seasons, the Red Wings entered March holding a playoff berth, only to collapse down the stretch. Yzerman must find a way to prevent a third straight late-season stumble, or he could be out of a job by the end of April 2026.

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas recently said he doesn’t require surgery to address a nagging knee injury. The 35-year-old blueliner stated that he was able to address the issue through rehabilitation.

TORONTO SUN: Former NHL center Mark Kirton died at age 67 of ALS. He spent six seasons in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks, netting 57 goals and 56 assists for 113 points in 266 games from 1979-80 to 1984-85. He became a spokesman for expanded treatment for ALS patients and their families.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2025

by | May 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2025

The Panthers eliminate the Maple Leafs and advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Check out the recap and the fallout in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers advanced to the Eastern Conference Final by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of their second-round series.

Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen each had a goal and two assists, Seth Jones and Aleksander Barkov each collected two points, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for the win. Max Domi scored the lone Leafs goal.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Marchand became the first player in NHL history to defeat the same team in five Game 7 appearances. He also has the most points (10 in 13 games) in Game 7s among active players.

Panthers winger Evan Rodrigues returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury. Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies also played after leaving Game 6 in the first period with an injury.

Referee Chris Rooney left the game early in the second period after being accidentally clipped in the face by the stick of Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola. He received a cut above the eye that required stitches and missed the rest of this contest. Standby official Garrett Rank replace him.

The Panthers will appear in their third straight Eastern Conference Final. They face off against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, May 20, in Raleigh at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers reminded everyone in this game why they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions. They weren’t rattled by losing Game 6, came out strong to start this game and were relentless as this contest progressed. They set the tempo early and never let up, squeezing away what little will to win the Leafs had.

Florida coach Paul Maurice tried to downplay his club’s dominance, claiming the puck just went their way. He’s just being kind toward an opponent that has consistently shown since 2018 that they can’t rise to the occasion when it matters most.

Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who appeared to be hampered by an injury in this postseason, felt there were “too many passengers” among his teammates in this game. He believes they came out strong and had a good start, but struggled after falling behind 2-0 and couldn’t get back into the game.

Toronto coach Craig Berube believes the memory of previous failures hurt his club in this series. “For me, it’s all between the ears. It’s a mindset,” he said. Berube wasn’t part of those previous failures, but he has a lot of work ahead to help his mentally fragile team.

As expected, there are plenty of opinions in the Toronto media over what’s next for the Maple Leafs after another disappointing playoff exit. I’ll have the highlights in today’s Rumor Mill.

IN OTHER NEWS…

ROTOWIRE: Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey required further evaluation after suffering a knee injury during Game 6 of his club’s second-round series against the Dallas Stars. Jets coach Scott Arniel said the injury “wasn’t good.” The Jets were eliminated in that game.

SPORTSNET: Hockey fans donated over $46K to the Jets’ charitable foundation to support Mark Scheifele, whose father died suddenly hours before Game 6 against the Stars. Many fans made $55 donations in honor of Scheifele’s jersey number.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The hockey community rallied around Scheifele, with a number of donations from Dallas fans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

by | May 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Final amid a heartbreaking personal loss for Jets center Mark Scheifele, the Panthers and Maple Leafs prepare for Game 7, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final for the third straight year with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 of their second-round series.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (NHL Images)

Thomas Harley scored the game-winner on a power-play goal at 1:33 of overtime. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for the win and Sam Steel tallied the tying goal for the Stars, who will face the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year in the Conference Final.

Harley’s goal came with Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele in the penalty box for tripping late in the third period. Scheifele opened the scoring in this game, opting to play despite his father passing away suddenly the night before.

Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game with a lower-body injury after getting tangled with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen late in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a heartbreaking defeat for Scheifele and his teammates. Following the game, Jets coach Scott Arniel said Scheifele told him he would play because that’s what his father would’ve wanted.

The Stars players and coaches took the time to offer condolences to Scheifele in the postgame handshake lineup, especially Mason Marchment, who lost his father three years ago.

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reported that Marchment said he was trying to help Scheifele with some kind words that helped him back following his own father’s death. He also praised the Jets center for deciding to play despite his loss. “At the end of the day, we’re all just people. And when you treat someone with respect, I think it means a lot,” said Marchment.

The hockey community rallied to support Scheifele, raising more than $30K in $55 donations (honoring Scheifele’s No. 55) to the Jets’ charitable fund, True North Youth Foundation. Many of the donations came from Dallas Stars fans.

NHL.COM: The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are feeling the pressure heading into Game 7 of their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. They’ll try to draw on their experience in these situations (eliminating Boston in their 2023 first-round series, defeating Edmonton in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final) to help them advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

TORONTO SUN: The status of Leafs winger Matthew Knies remains uncertain for Game 7. He suffered an undisclosed injury during the Leafs’ 2-0 victory in Game 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 is in Toronto on Sunday, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

NHL.COM: The Western Conference Final between the Stars and Oilers begins in Dallas on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 pm ET.

The Eastern Conference Final opens on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 PM ET. If the Leafs win, the series starts in Toronto against the Carolina Hurricanes. If the Panthers win, the series begins in Carolina.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin confirmed he will return next season. He’s coming off a historic 20th NHL season where he broke the all-time goal-scoring record while helping the Capitals finish first in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin turns 40 in September and has one year remaining on his contract. It could be last in the NHL, depending on how next season unfolds.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOWS: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged a lack of scoring against the Edmonton Oilers led to his club’s second-round elimination. However, he chalked that up to the Oilers’ strong defensive play during that series.

McCrimmon acknowledged several players (Tanner Pearson, Victor Olofsson, Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad and Ilya Samsonov) are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He praised their performances, suggesting a good case can be made to re-sign them.

The Golden Knights GM indicated “a couple of guys” played through injuries, but none will require offseason surgery.

LAS VEGAS SUN: McCrimmon also hopes to sign Jack Eichel to a contract extension this summer. The 28-year-old first-line center is UFA-eligible next July.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury ahead of the Eastern Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly close to an agreement to remain at the SAP Center until 2050.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2025

by | May 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2025

Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars to a Game 1 victory over the Jets, the Leafs take a 2-0 series lead over the Panthers, the Utah Hockey Club gets a new name, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen tallied his second straight hat trick to lead his club to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Jake Oettinger stopped 29 shots for the Stars. Nino Niederreiter and Mark Scheifele replied for the Jets.

Game 2 is Friday, May 9, in Winnipeg at 9:30 pm ET

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Rantanen’s second hat trick in these playoffs, making him the first player in league history to have multiple three-goal periods in the same postseason. He’s also the fourth player to have two at any point in his NHL career, joining Wayne Gretzky, Maurice Richard (three times) and Tim Kerr (twice). He currently leads all scorers in this postseason with eight goals and 15 points.

Scheifele returned to action after being sidelined since Game 5 of the Jets’ first-round series against the St. Louis Blues. Stars winger Jason Robertson made his debut in this postseason after being sidelined since Apr. 16 by a knee injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Florida Panthers 4-3 to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round series.

Mitch Marner snapped a 3-3 tie while Max Pacioretty and Max Domi each had a goal and an assist. Anton Lundell had a goal and an assist for the Panthers.

The series shifts to Florida for the next two games. Game 3 is Friday, May 9, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs coach Craig Berube wanted his players to avoid seeking retribution against Panthers forward Sam Bennett for his elbow to the head of Anthony Stolarz that took the goaltender out of Game 1, sidelining him from this contest.

They followed Berube’s instructions, focused on beating the Panthers on the score sheet, and put themselves in a position where they can take a more commanding series lead on Friday.

Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad made his series debut after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel. He collected an assist and had a plus/minus of plus-2.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club finally has a new brand name. After a 13-month process, including fan surveys garnering over 850,000 votes, their new name is the Utah Mammoth.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy is shaking up his top-two forward lines for Game 2 of his club’s second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers.

William Karlsson moves from left wing on the first line to centering Reilly Smith and Brett Howden on the third line. Ivan Barbashev fills that vacant spot on the first line alongside Jack Eichel and Mark Stone.

On Tuesday, the Golden Knights dropped a 4-2 decision to the Oilers in Game 1. Game 2 is Thursday in Las Vegas at 9:30 pm ET.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres have hired Eric Staal as special assistant to general manager Kevyn Adams. Staal, 40, retired as a player in 2023 after playing 18 seasons with six teams, including a brief tenure with the Sabres in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move could be a part of what Daily Faceoff reported is a long-overdue effort by the Sabres to expand their front office. This club has missed the playoffs for 14 straight years, partly because they have one of the smallest front-office staffs in the league.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed backup goaltender Jonas Johansson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.25 million.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators owner Michael Andlauer wrote an open letter to the club’s fans to thank them for their support this season. The franchise qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and Andlauer promised the fans that better things are ahead.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2025

by | May 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2025

The Oilers and Hurricanes win the opening games of their second-round series, plus the latest on Sam Bennett, Mark Scheifele, Torey Krug and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ACTION

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Corey Perry, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Connor Brown scored while Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard collected two assists apiece. Mark Stone scored both goals for the Golden Knights.

Game 2 is Thursday, May 8, in Las Vegas at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are the first team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with five straight comeback wins in a single postseason. Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo missed this game with an illness and winger Pavel Dorofeyev was sidelined by an undisclosed injury.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jaccob Slavin lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in the opening game of their second-round series.

The Capitals opened the scoring in the second period as Aliaksei Protas netted his first goal of this postseason. Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven tied it in the third period.

Game 2 is Thursday in Washington at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the close score, the Hurricanes controlled most of the play, outshooting Washington 33-14, out-hitting them 44-31 and winning 55.6 percent of the faceoffs. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson kept his club in this one.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett avoided supplemental discipline for elbowing Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the head during Game 1 of their second-round series. Stolarz left the game and was hospitalized overnight for observation. He was released yesterday and the Leafs aren’t ruling him out for Game 2.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Bennett said he wasn’t attempting to injure Stolarz, claiming he was taking the puck to the net and inadvertently bumped the Leafs netminder. He cited his friendship with Stolarz, who played for the Panthers’ Stanley Cup-winning team last season, adding he reached out to the goalie after learning he’d been hospitalized.

THE ATHLETIC: The Leafs and Panthers are trying to dial down the heat from this incident. Panthers coach Paul Maurice attempted to downplay it while blaming the Toronto media for fanning the flames. Meanwhile, Leafs coach Craig Berube said he wants his players to focus on the game rather than retribution.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett plays a hard, physical two-way style, but he has a history of questionable hits, with the most infamous among Leafs followers being his takedown of Matthew Knies during the second-round series between the two clubs in 2023.

Bennett isn’t the only Panther to draw the ire of opponents. Matthew Tkachuk has a well-deserved reputation as an agitator. Aaron Ekblad concussed Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel during their first-round series with a forearm to the head.

Every team has players who use such tactics to distract their opponents, but the Panthers have taken it to a higher level. It makes them the team you love to hate, but there’s no denying that it’s been successful for them.

Florida has taken a page from the Philadelphia Flyers of the mid-1970s, who combined talent with brawling to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. The mayhem of the “Broad Street Bullies” era has been long eradicated, but it’s been replaced with sneaky hits and chippy play that often goes uncalled in the postseason.

The Panthers are an undeniably talented team. However, their “in-your-face” style has garnered them a reputation around the league as cheap-shot artists, tarnishing their success since 2022-23.

TSN: Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Logan Stanley are all considered day-to-day after skating in non-contract jerseys during the Winnipeg Jets’ optional skate on Monday. They’re considered day-to-day and will be game-time decisions for Game 1 of their second-round series with the Dallas Stars.

The puck drops for that contest at 9:30 pm ET on Wednesday, May 7, in Winnipeg.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said sidelined defenseman Torey Krug’s playing career could be over. The 34-year-old Krug missed all of this season recovering from surgery to address pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle last September.

Krug is in the fifth season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug has not officially spoken about his condition or his future. He’s unlikely to retire if his playing career is over. Instead, he’ll go on long-term injury reserve for the remaining two years of his contract.

Armstrong also revealed that forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Tyler Tucker suffered undisclosed season-ending injuries. Holloway was sidelined on Apr. 3 and underwent surgery, while Tucker appeared to injure a knee in Game 4 of the Blues’ first-round series with the Jets.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche management indicated head coach Jared Bednar would return behind the bench next season. However, assistant coach Ray Bennett was relieved of his duties. Bennett ran their power play for eight seasons.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings president Luc Robitaille expects head coach Jim Hiller to return next season. The Kings tied franchise records for wins (48) and points (105) this season but suffered their fourth-straight first-round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators parted ways with associate GM Ryan Bowness. It’s expected that director of player personnel Rob DiMaio will move into that role.