NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

by | Jan 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the Sharks unveil their Quarter-Century Team, the mid-season Rookie All-Stars are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond had a goal and three assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-2. Marco Kasper tallied twice and collected an assist as the Wings (53 points) sit two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Kevin Fiala and Quinton Byfield scored for the slumping Kings (58 points), who hold third place in the Pacific Division but have dropped six of their last eight games.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big night for Detroit forward Dominik Shine. The 31-year-old forward made his NHL debut after spending nine seasons with the Red Wings AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. He saw 9:50 minutes of ice time and logged two hits and a blocked shot.

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty hopes he’ll get an opportunity to replace Alex Pietrangelo for Team Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. Doughty’s been sidelined with a fractured ankle since preseason but hopes to return to action in time for the tournament. Pietrangelo withdrew citing an injury.

The Vancouver Canucks got two goals from Conor Garland in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Quinn Hughes picked up two assists while Tyler Myers and Pius Suter had two points each as the Canucks (54 points) moved to within one point of the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington gave up three goals on 18 shots and was replaced by Joel Hofer in the second period. The Blues have lost three straight and sit four points back of the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues traded Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026. The 26-year-old defenseman played sparingly for the Blues as injuries and inconsistent play frequently sidelined him. The Isles hope a change of scenery will improve his performance as they bring him in to replace Ryan Pulock, who is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored in his return from a three-game suspension to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who’ve won seven of their last nine games to sit atop the Pacific Division with 67 points. Eeli Tolvanen and Vince Dunn replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (75 points) collected an assist to move within two points of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in the points race.

The Philadelphia Flyers got a two-point performance from Scott Laughton (one goal, one assist) in a 4-2 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Travis Konecny and Rasmus Ristolainen each had two assists while Samuel Ersson stopped 31 shots as the Flyers (52 points) moved within three points of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier missed this contest due to illness.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini snapped a 1-1 tie to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Mikael Granlund also scored and Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves as the Sharks snapped a six-game losing skid. Sidney Crosby replied for the Penguins, who’ve lost seven of their last nine and are seven points behind the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins placed sidelined center Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jesse Puljujarvi. Meanwhile, Fenway Sports Group is reportedly looking to sell a minority stake while retaining a controlling stake in the team.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Sharks unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Monday.

Forwards Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski highlight the First Team, which includes defensemen Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

The Second Team features forwards Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl and Owen Nolan, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Dan Boyle, and goaltender Martin Jones.

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf are among the players chosen for the NHL’s midseason Rookie All-Star Team. The roster also comprised Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Dallas Stars forward Logan Stankoven, and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nolan Allen.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, and Utah Hockey Club forward Barrett Hayton are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 26.

TSN: Mikko Rantanen said he was blindsided by the blockbuster trade that sent him from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The pending unrestricted free-agent forward said he was willing to accept a significant discount from his market value to stay with the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s discount wasn’t significant enough to keep him in Colorado. Pierre LeBrun reported the two sides discussed a contract extension but the club believed the gap between them couldn’t be breached, leading to the trade.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed goaltender Logan Thompson to a six-year, $35.1 million contract. The average annual value is $5.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s getting a significant raise over the $766,667 he’s earning this season. He’s been outstanding for the Capitals since his acquisition from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer. Management must also decide the fate of backup goalie Charlie Lindgren, who is UFA-eligible and playing well in his contract year.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg received a two-game suspension from the department of player safety for an illegal hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: An immigration issue is delaying Oilers defenseman John Klingberg from joining the team. He’s expected to make his season debut later this week.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers.

TSN: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have informed the International Ice Hockey Federation they intend to move forward on the 2028 World Cup of Hockey without IIHF involvement. They hope to announce the World Cup during the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators created a furor among their fans when team mascot Spartacat donned a jersey that was half-Senators and half-Quebec Nordiques as part of the club’s announcement it would play two preseason games this fall in Quebec City.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The outrage among Sens fans reached the point where team president Cyril Leeder took to social media to apologize for their mascot’s split jersey and allay concerns that the club might be relocating.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2025

by | Jan 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2025

Recapping Sunday’s action, the Rangers and Golden Knights unveil their Quarter-Century Teams, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen scored with 15 seconds remaining in the third period to nip the New York Rangers 5-4, ending the latter’s 10-game points streak. Cale Makar had two goals and an assist and Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists for the Avalanche, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 60 points. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (52 points), who sit three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin Necas had two assists and Jack Drury scored his first goal with the Avalanche. The pair were acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday in the Mikko Rantanen trade.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Utah Hockey Club 3-1, vaulting into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 34 shots, Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle each collected two points, and Brady Tkachuk scored to end a 10-game scoring drought. Clayton Keller scored for Utah, who’ve lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ottawa forward Josh Norris returned to the lineup after missing the last two games for precautionary reasons. The Senators’ victory dropped the Boston Bruins into the top wild-card Eastern spot (55 points) and the Lightning into the final wild-card berth.

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and collected two assists in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Kyle Connor had a goal and two assists for the Jets (71 points), who’ve won three straight and moved into a tie with the first-overall Washington Capitals. MacKenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames, who hold the final Western wild card with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals hold first overall with two games in hand. Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 4-1. Tomas Hertl scored to extend his points streak to nine games, Nicolas Roy collected three assists while Adin Hill turned aside 32 shots as the Golden Knights sit first in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Anton Lundell scored for the Panthers, who remain second in the Atlantic Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is withdrawing from the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February. He is tending to an ailment and preparing for the remainder of the Golden Knights’ season.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy had three assists and Marcus Foligno had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 62 points. Seth Jones and Frank Nazar replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild scratched forward Yakov Trenin and defenseman Declan Chisholm from this game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Sunday.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, defensemen Adam Fox and Ryan McDonagh, and forwards Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Jaromir Jagr, Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan, defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

The Vegas Golden Knights also revealed their Quarter-Century Team.

Forwards Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and William Karlsson, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, and goaltender Adin Hill made up the First Team.

The Second Team is comprised of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Alec Martinez and Brayden McNabb, and forwards Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith and Chandler Stephenson.

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during their 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman Jan Rutta on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg will have a hearing with the department of player safety for a hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki is being evaluated after crossing head-first into the boards during an AHL game on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

by | Jan 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

The Avalanche and Hurricanes play their first games since the blockbuster trade involving Mikko Rantanen, the Senators reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall were held scoreless in their debuts with the Carolina Hurricanes as they dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to the New York Islanders. Brock Nelson tallied the winning goal as the Isles overcame a 2-0 deficit. Jack Roslovic and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. The Islanders (49 points) have won four straight and sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Rantanan and Hall were traded to the Hurricanes on Friday evening in a three-team deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks. Islanders goaltender Marcus Hogberg left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury while teammate Ryan Pulock (upper body) departed in the first period.

Meanwhile, former Hurricanes Martin Necas and Jack Drury didn’t fare any better in their debuts with the Colorado Avalanche as they fell 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. Morgan Geekie scored two goals while David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Artturi Lekhonen replied for the Avalanche (58 points) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas and Drury were shipped from the Hurricanes to the Avalanche in the Rantanen trade. Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland acknowledged the move was a tough business decision. He wanted to re-sign Rantanen and improve his roster depth but couldn’t do both, so he chose the latter.

Rantanen’s departure saddened Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. “I never thought in a million years he’d leave. So yeah, it just sucks,” he said, calling Rantanen a great friend and teammate. “I’m gonna miss him”.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Stuart Skinner stopped 39 shots as the Oilers took over first place in the Pacific Division with 65 points. Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko scored in overtime to lift his club to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored to extend his home points streak to 19 games as his club holds the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 55 points. Kevin Fiala had two assists and Quinton Byfield scored the tying goal for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan will miss an additional six to eight weeks as he suffered a setback in his recovery from a wrist injury.

The Seattle Kraken got a 28-save performance from goaltender Joey Daccord in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jared McCann and Chandler Stephenson each collected two assists as the Kraken got their third win in their last four contests. Sidney Crosby tallied for the Penguins, who’ve lost three of their last four and sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Matt Nieto left this game with injuries. There was no postgame update on their conditions.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen made 29 saves against his former club. Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 40 shots while Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (53 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Devils (62 points) moved within two points of the second-place Hurricanes in the Metro Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Devils as captain Nico Hischier left the game in the third period after receiving an unpenalized cross-check to the mid-section from Suzuki in the previous period.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. Shane Pinto broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period while Anton Forsberg made 28 saves for the win, moving the Senators (54 points) within one point of the final Eastern wild card position. Bobby McMann scored for the Leafs (62 points), who’ve dropped two in a row but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Leafs placed forward Connor Dewar (upper body) on injured reserve and called up Nikita Grebenkin. They placed sidelined netminder Anthony Stolarz on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to clear cap space for Grebenkin.

Meanwhile, Senators forward Nick Cousins is expected to miss some time after a knee-on-knee collision with Leafs rookie Jacob Quillan in the first period. His teammate, Nick Jensen, missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot made 28 saves for his 33rd career shutout in a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marco Kasper and Michael Rasmussen were the goal scorers as the Red Wings (51 points) are four points out of the final Eastern wild card spot. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots for the Lightning (55 points), who’ve lost three of their last four and dropped into the first Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Blue Jackets are tied in points but the Bolts have more wins (26 to 24) and hold two games in hand over the Jackets.

The Dallas Stars got a 33-save shutout from Casey DeSmith to blank the St. Louis Blues 2-0. Evgenii Dadonov and Esa Lindell scored as the Stars picked up their third win in their last four games and sit second in the Central Division with 63 points. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 17 saves as his club sits five points out of the final Western wild card with 50 points.

Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice and added an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild, handing the latter their fifth defeat in their last six contests. The Flames hold the final Western wild card with 55 points. Marco Rossi had three assists for the Wild as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game after being boarded by Wild forward Jakub Lauko. There was no postgame update on his status.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes scored both goals in his club’s 2-1 win over the league-leading Washington Capitals. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for the Canucks (52 points) for their third win in their last 11 games (3-6-2) as they sit three points behind the Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the Capitals as their 12-game points streak ended (9-0-3).

The Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-2. Mason McTavish scored twice while Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly tallied for the Predators as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist in his return from injury as his club cruised to a 7-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists as the Panthers (61 points) sit one point behind the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs. Cody Ceci and Will Smith tallied for the Sharks, who’ve lost six straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sharks placed forward Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Saturday.

Forwards Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Wade Redden, and goaltender Craig Anderson comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Marian Hossa, Mark Stone and Brady Tkachuk, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Chris Phillips, and goaltender Patrick Lalime.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Will Borgen to a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension. Borgen, 28, was acquired from the Seattle Kraken last month in exchange for winger Kaapo Kakko. The average annual value of his new deal is $4.1 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2025

by | Jan 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Canadiens unveil their Quarter-Century Team, Connor McDavid faces an in-person hearing for cross-checking Conor Garland, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Patrik Laine lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-4 victory over the New York Rangers. Canadiens rookie goalie Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for his fifth win in as many starts while Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and an assist. Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick made 33 saves while Adam Fox picked up two assists.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal (50 points) sits one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson tied Barry Beck for the second-longest assist streak for rookie defensemen (eight games). The Habs called up forward Owen Beck for this game.

This loss left the Rangers two points behind the Canadiens.

The Ottawa Senators got a 25-save performance (16 in the first period) from Anton Forsberg to nip the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Senators rookie Zack Ostapchuk scored his first goal of the season and Artem Zub tallied the game-winner. Tomas Tatar replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win vaulted the Senators (51 points) over the Blue Jackets into the first Eastern wild-card spot, extending their points streak to six games (5-0-1). The Devils sit second in the Metropolitan Division (58 points) but are winless in their last four contests (0-2-2).

First-period goals by Matej Blumel, Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque gave the Dallas Stars a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Robertson extended his goals streak to five games while Jake Oettinger kicked out 33 shots for the Stars. Marco Kasper scored for the Red Wings (46 points), who sit five points behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars (59 points) snapped a two-game losing skid and sit second in the Central Division. The Red Wings have dropped three of their last four contests.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens unveiled its Quarter-Century Team on Sunday.

The First Team consisted of goaltender Carey Price, defensemen Shea Weber and Andrei Markov, and forwards Saku Koivu, Tomas Plekanec and Alex Kovalev.

The Second Team featured goalie Jose Theodore, defensemen P.K. Subban and Sheldon Souray, and forwards Nick Suzuki, Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher.

THE SCORE: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers face in-person hearings for cross-checking incidents that earned them match penalties on Saturday. The hearings are scheduled for Monday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Oilers, they placed center Derek Ryan on waivers and loaned defenseman Josh Brown to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres called up goaltender Devon Levi to replace sidelined netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. They also placed forward Ryan McLeod on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2025

by | Jan 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2025

A major comeback win for the Leafs, the Senators rally for a big win over the Bruins, milestone performances by the Avalanche’s Cale Makar and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov, the Capitals reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 7-3, snapping the latter’s six-game points streak. Oliver Ekman-Larsson tallied the winning goal and collected two assists, Mitch Marner had two helpers, and Joseph Woll stopped 32 shots as the Leafs sit atop the Atlantic Division with 60 points. Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine and Josh Anderson scored for the Canadiens (48 points), who sit two points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens dominated the first half of this game but took their foot off the gas in the second half and the Leafs made them pay. Woll made several big saves to prevent the Canadiens from running away with the game, enabling his teammates to stage their comeback.

A shootout goal by Tim Stutzle completed a three-goal comeback for the Ottawa Senators in a 6-5 victory over the Boston Bruins. Nick Jensen and Josh Norris scored late in the third period to set the stage for Stutzle’s winning goal, with Norris finishing the game with two goals. David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who slipped behind the Senators out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators and Bruins each have 50 points but the Sens have two games in hand and one more victory (23 to 22). Bruins coach Joe Sacco made the puzzling decision to bench captain Brad Marchand for overtime and the shootout.

Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen scored two goals and set up two others in a 6-3 win against the Dallas Stars. Cale Makar scored twice while Jonathan Drouin and Casey Mittelstadt each had a goal and two assists for the Avs, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 57 points. Jason Robertson tallied twice and picked up an assist and Wyatt Johnston had three assists for the Stars, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar reached the 100-goal plateau, becoming the sixth-fastest blueliner in NHL history to reach that milestone. George Boucher was the fastest (223 games played), followed by Bobby Orr (299), Paul Coffey (300), Raymond Bourque (329) and Denis Potvin (348).

The Tampa Bay Lightning downed the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and two assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 39 shots for the Lightning, who’ve won three of their last four games and hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 53 points. Lucas Raymond replied for the Red Wings (46 points), who sit four points behind the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov became the second player in Lightning history to reach 600 NHL regular-season assists. Victor Hedman was the first to do so, reaching that milestone on Jan. 16 against the Anaheim Ducks. Following this game, the Red Wings sent goaltender Ville Husso back to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller had a goal and three assists as he led his team to a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists as Utah snapped a three-game losing skid. Tyler Tucker and Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues (48 points), who sit three points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Flames, they got a 38-save performance by Dustin Wolf to upset the Winnipeg Jets 3-1. Blake Coleman had a goal and two assists and Andrei Kuzmenko scored his first goal since Oct. 15. Adam Lowry tallied Winnipeg’s only goal as their three-game win streak ended. With 65 points, the Jets sit second in the overall standings.

The Washington Capitals took over sole possession of first place in the overall standings (67 points) by dropping the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1, extending their points streak to 10 games (7-0-3). Aliaksei Protas and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals. Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Saturday.

Forwards Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, defensemen John Carlson and Mike Green, and goaltender Braden Holtby comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Peter Bondra, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson, blueliners Sergei Gonchar and Dmitry Orlov, and goaltender Olaf Kolzig.

The Capitals also removed goalie Charlie Lindgren from injured reserve after missing the last three games with an upper-body injury.

New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 1-0. Vincent Trocheck scored the only goal in the shootout. Daniil Tarasov stopped 26 shots for his first career shutout, becoming the first netminder in league history to record a shutout and suffer a loss in the same game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Friday, the Blue Jackets announced defenseman Jake Christiansen signed a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $975K.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes tallied twice and J.T. Miller picked up two assists as their club held on for a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. It was the Canucks’ second win in their last eight games, leaving them one point behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race. Leon Draisaitl scored both goals for the Oilers as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers could face supplemental discipline from the league. McDavid cross-checked Canucks forward Conor Garland in the head after the latter pinned him to the ice. In the ensuing scrum, Myers cross-checked Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the face. Both players received match penalties.

Miller was the subject of trade buzz yesterday with some reports suggesting this game may be his last with the Canucks. I’ll have more details in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3, leaving the latter with five losses in their last six games. Tyler Bertuzzi scored two power-play goals and Nick Foligno collected an assist in his 1,200th NHL regular-season game as the Blackhawks snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas and Edmonton are tied with 61 points but the Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific Division with 26 regulation wins.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Bobby Brink snapped a 1-1 tie and Travis Konecny potted the insurance goal into an empty net in a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers are 4-0-1 in their last five (48 points) and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Dougie Hamilton scored for the Devils, who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2) and hold second place in the Metropolitan Division.

Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight turned aside 34 shots to blank the Anaheim Ducks 3-0. Jesper Boqvist, Anton Lundell and Gustav Forsling were the goalscorers for the Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 57 points. John Gibson made 42 stops for the Ducks, who are 1-4-2 in their last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Sam Reinhart received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for kneeing Ducks forward Isac Lundestrom late in the first period. Lundestrom left the game in obvious pain favoring his right leg.

The New York Islanders defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-1, handing the latter their fifth loss in their last six contests. Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders as they ended a two-game losing skid. Barclay Goodrow replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brent Sutter was inducted into the Islanders’ Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. Sutter spent 12 of his 18-season NHL playing career with the Islanders, helping them win two of the franchise’s four Stanley Cups. He had 610 points in 694 games with the Islanders, including a career-high 102 in 1984-85.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored twice and collected two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Juuse Saros made 27 saves for the Predators, who picked up their third straight win. David Jiricek and Matt Boldy scored for the Wild as they are 1-4-0 in their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators placed winger Luke Evangelista (lower body) on injured reserve before this game. He’s not expected to return until early February. Defenseman Adam Wilsby was taken off IR. Meanwhile, the Wild placed blueliner Jonas Brodin (lower body) on IR. They also recalled goalie Dylan Ferguson on an emergency basis as Filip Gustavsson was out of the lineup with an illness.

A hat trick by Jaden Schwartz led the Seattle Kraken to a 4-2 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Kaapo Kakko collected three assists and Joey Daccord made 28 saves for the Kraken. Adrian Kempe and Jordan Spence replied for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 55 points.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2025

by | Jan 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2025

The Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski’s home points streak puts him in elite company, Canadiens rookie Lane Hutson extends his lead in the rookie points race, the Bruins reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored twice to extend his home points streak to 17 games in a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored in a shootout as the Blue Jackets won their fifth straight game. Bobby Brinks and Owen Tippett replied for the Flyers as their two-game win streak ended.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski’s streak puts him in elite company among NHL defensemen. He joins Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Ray Bourque and John Van Boxmeer with the longest home points streaks (17-plus games). Orr remains the all-time leader with 25 games. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets (48 points) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected three assists to widen his lead in the rookie scoring race as his club downed the Utah Hockey Club 5-3. Kirby Dach scored twice and Cole Caufield tallied the winning goal for the Canadiens, who’ve won 10 of their last 13 games (10-2-1) and sit two points behind the Blue Jackets. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each collected two assists for Utah as they’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson leads all rookies with 35 points, four points ahead of Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers and Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks.

Canadiens winger Emil Heineman was struck by a car while walking in Salt Lake City and will be sidelined for three to four weeks recovering from his injuries. Meanwhile, Utah HC activated John Marino off injured reserve for this game. The 27-year-old defenseman was making his season debut with Utah after recovering from back surgery. He was acquired from the New Jersey Devils last June.

The Nashville Predators won their 1,000th game with a 5-3 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Steven Stamkos scored twice and collected an assist and Jonathan Marchessault got an assist in his first game against his former team since signing with the Predators last summer. Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev collected his first NHL hat trick as his club has dropped three of its last four games.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson made 19 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 3-0, extending their points streak to eight games (5-0-3). Brandon Duhaime, John Carlson, and Ethen Frank were the goalscorers for the Capitals as they hold first place in the overall standings with 63 points. The Ducks have dropped four of their last five contests (1-3-1).

A natural hat trick by Kyle Connor within a 6:38 span in the first period carried the Winnipeg Jet to a 6-1 romp over the Vancouver Canucks. Connor also collected an assist while Gabriel Vilardi collected three helpers. Nils Hoglander scored for the struggling Canucks as they’ve lost five of their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets also have 63 points but the Capitals hold a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Canucks (48 points) remain one point behind the Calgary Flames, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Speaking of the Flames, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the St. Louis Blues. Radek Faksa broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period and Jordan Binnington stopped 26 shots as the Blues sit three points behind the Flames and two behind the Canucks. Kevin Bahl scored for the Flames.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to reach his league-leading 70th point as his team rallied from a 2-1 deficit to nip the New York Rangers 3-2. Artturi Lehkonen scored with 1:13 remaining in regulation and Devon Toews tallied the winning goal in overtime for the Avalanche. Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom scored for the Rangers, extending their points streak to five games (3-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers activated Chris Kreider (upper body) off injured reserve for this game. Blueshirts center Filip Chytil returned to action after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

The Boston Bruins built an early 4-0 lead on their way to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightnings. David Pastrnak scored his 20th goal of the season and collected two assists and Jeremy Swayman kicked out 43 shots as the Bruins won their second straight game. Connor Geekie and Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning center Brayden Point was scratched from this game for missing a team meeting earlier in the day. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Mark Kastelic on injured reserve, blueliner Hampus Lindholm on long-term injury reserve, and recalled center Matthew Poitras and defenseman Michael Callahan from their AHL affiliate in Providence.

Dallas Stars forwards Matt Duchene and Logan Stankoven each had three points to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Jake Oettinger turned aside 27 shots for the Stars, who’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Auston Matthews scored for the Leafs, who were booed off the ice by their fans following this game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Shootout goals by Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Jesper Boqvist scored in regulation for the Panthers while Nico Hischier tallied his 20th of the season for the Devils.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Marilainen made 24 saves for his second shutout in three games in a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders. Adam Gaudette and Artem Zub scored for the Senators, who’ve won three straight and sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Marcus Hogberg stopped 25 shots for the Islanders as their three-game win streak is over.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left this game in the first period after being struck in the face by a shot from Islanders blueliner Adam Pelech. He was ruled out of the rest of this game for precautionary reasons.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Jamie Oleksiak, Eeli Tovanen and Kaapo Kakko lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2. Philip Tomasino and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins, who have one win in their last eight (1-4-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated Evgeni Malkin from injured reserve after missing four games with an upper-body injury and sent winger Jesse Puljujarvi to their AHL affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton. The Penguins also released a statement indicating Malkin’s home was burglarized on Saturday and his three Stanley Cup rings were stolen.

The San Jose Sharks clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and two assists for the Sharks while Vladimir Tarasenko tallied twice for the Red Wings, who also lost forward Tyler Motte in the second period to an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

Forward Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, and goaltender Tim Thomas comprised the First Team.

Forwards Joe Thornton, David Pastrnak and Milan Lucic, defensemen Torey Krug and Dennis Seidenberg, and goaltender Tuukka Rask made up the Second Team.

The schedule for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the full team rosters were released on Tuesday. The series will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston with teams of NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for slew-footing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid during Monday’s game between the two teams.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL defenseman Tony DeAngelo’s contract with KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg was terminated for family reasons.