NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2023

by | Mar 7, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2023

Connor McDavid enjoys another multipoint game, the three stars of the week are announced, the Leafs place Ryan O’Reilly on LTIR and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid enjoyed another multipoint game by opening and closing the scoring with a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, extending his points streak to 11 games. Stuart Skinner made 37 saves for the Oilers (35-22-8), who hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 78 points. Jeff Skinner and Dylan Cozens scored for the 32-26-4 Sabres (68 points), who’ve dropped three of their last four games and sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 54 goals, McDavid sits 10 goals ahead of second-place David Pastrnak while his 124 points are 28 ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl for the lead in the scoring race. With 17 games remaining in the season, he has a shot at becoming the first player since Alex Ovechkin in 2007-08 to reach 65 goals in a season and the first to reach 140 points since Jaromir Jagr (149) in 1995-96.

The Calgary Flames nipped the Dallas Stars 5-4 on a goal by Tyler Toffoli with 6.2 seconds remaining in the third period to snap a five-game losing skid. Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar each collected two assists as the Flames improved to 28-23-13 and sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 69 points. Jamie Benn scored a goal and an assist for the Stars (34-17-13) as they sit second overall in the Western Conference with 81 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was a big win for the flickering Flames to keep their playoff hopes alive. They’ll need to string together some more victories if they hope to climb back into the race.

The Los Angeles Kings picked up their fourth straight win by doubling up the Washington Capitals by a score of 4-2. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist while Pheonix Copley made 20 saves to earn his first-ever 20-win NHL campaign as the Kings (37-20-8) sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. Alex Ovechkin scored his 36th goal of the season as the Capitals dropped to 31-28-6 (68 points) to sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

An overtime goal by Logan Couture lifted the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Tomas Hertl scored the tying goal for the 19-33-12 Sharks with 11 seconds remaining in the third period. Nino Niederreiter and Nate Schmidt replied for the Jets (36-25-3) as they sit third in the Central Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets have nosedived over the last 10 games winning just twice over that stretch.

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock kicked out 35 shots to shut out the Ottawa Senators 5-0. Seth Jones scored twice for the 22-36-5 Blackhawks while Ottawa slipped to 32-27-4 and remain three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Senators goalie Cam Talbot was a late scratch with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All due respect to Stalock for his stellar play but this is a game the Senators should’ve won. They can’t afford duds like this game against one of the worst teams in the league when they’re battling for a wild-card spot.

A shootout goal by Elias Pettersson gave the Vancouver Canucks a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Pettersson also tallied his 30th goal of the season in regulation for the 26-32-6 Canucks. Luke Evangelista tallied twice for the Predators (31-23-7) to tie the game as they sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 69 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Dmitry Orlov, Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, and Minnesota Wild netminder Filip Gustavsson are the three stars for the week ending March 5.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed center Ryan O’Reilly (broken finger) on long-term injury reserve. He saw a specialist on Monday and is expected to return in time for the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly was the Leafs’ biggest acquisition leading up to the recent trade deadline. His absence won’t hurt their chances of reaching the playoffs but it could raise questions about his effectiveness for the postseason.

OTTAWA SUN: The first round of bids for the purchase of the Senators officially started on Monday. The sale of the club could eclipse $1 billion.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2023

by | Mar 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2023

Lightning stars benched in loss to Sabres, the league-leading Bruins pick up their 10th straight win by downing the Rangers, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Eric Comrie made 33 saves as the Sabres (32-25-4) sit within three points of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 68 points. Alex Killorn scored two goals for the Lightning (37-20-5) as they dropped their fourth straight game and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper wasn’t pleased with his club’s performance. He benched his top line of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point for the entire third period. “It just felt, in the third period, that they weren’t giving us the best chance to win,” said Cooper. Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee (NHL Images).

The New York Islanders got two goals from captain Anders Lee to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1, handing the latter their fifth straight loss. The Islanders improved to 32-25-8 and vaulted over the Penguins into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 72 points. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings as they fell to 28-25-9 (65 points).

Speaking of the Penguins, their four-game win streak came to an end as they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 31 shots while Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the 31-27-6 Panthers (68 points) as they sit three points back of the 31-22-9 Penguins (71 points). Kris Letang scored Pittsburgh’s only goal while Casey DeSmith made 38 saves.

The league-leading Boston Bruins picked up their 10th straight victory by doubling up the New York Rangers 4-2. Tyler Bertuzzi collected an assist in his Bruins debut while Charlie Coyle had a goal and an assist as their club improved to 49-8-5 and sit atop the overall standings with 103 points. Alexis Lafreniere scored both goals for the Rangers (35-19-9), who’ve dropped six of their last eight and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The much-anticipated reunion of Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin has yet to pan out for the Rangers. In fairness, it’s only been two games and Kane is still adjusting to his new teammates after 16 seasons in Chicago. The Rangers were also short two defensemen with K’Andre Miller serving a suspension and Ryan Lindgren sidelined by an injury.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice and collected an assist as his club snowed under the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 7-3. Roope Hintz collected two assists as the Stars (34-16-13) hold a one-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Western Conference with 81 points. The Avalanche dropped to 34-21-5 and hold the final Western wild-card spot with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cale Makar returned to the Avalanche lineup after being activated off concussion protocol. Meanwhile, Avs defenseman Josh Manson remains sidelined by a lower-body injury.

The Washington Capitals kept their playoff hopes alive with an 8-3 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Alex Ovechkin scored two goals and picked up an assist, Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists and Craig Smith tallied twice for the 31-27-6 Capitals, who sit three points back of the Penguins with 68 points. Erik Karlsson collected two assists for the 18-33-12 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks head coach David Quinn was ejected from this game after voicing his displeasure after winger Kevin Labanc was penalized for clipping. Quinn was apologetic following the game, admitting he was embarrassed by his actions.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey tallied twice and collected an assist as his club held off the Edmonton Oilers 7-5. Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist as the Jets snapped a five-game losing skid (36-25-2) and move back into third place in the Central Division with 74 points. Leon Draisaitl collected a hat trick for the Oilers (34-22-8) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 76 points.

Two shorthanded goals by Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller 44 seconds apart carried the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thatcher Demko kicked out 36 shots for the 25-32-5 Canucks. John Tavares scored for the 38-17-8 Leafs as they hold second place in the Atlantic Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs center Ryan O’Reilly left this game in the second period after being struck in the hand by a shot by teammate Auston Matthews. An update on his condition isn’t expected until Monday.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist and Gabriel Vilardi scored the game-winner for the 36-20-8 Kings as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 80 points. Robert Thomas and Kasperi Kapanen scored for the Blues as they dropped to 27-30-5.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson kicked out 31 shots to shut out the Calgary Flames 3-0. Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy each had a goal and an assist as the Wild improved to 36-21-6 and hold second place in the Central Division with 78 points. The Flames (27-23-13) have dropped five straight and six points behind the Avalanche for the final Western wild-card spot with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames were booed off the ice by the Saddledome crowd following the game. Their window of opportunity to secure a playoff berth is just about shut unless they can somehow reverse their fortunes soon.

The Ottawa Senators remain in the Eastern Conference playoff race following a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jakob Chychrun collected his first points with the Senators with a goal and an assist while Tim Stutzle scored two goals, including his 30th of the season. The Sens improved to 32-26-4 and are three points back of the Penguins with 68 points. Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic scored for the 20-37-6 Blue Jackets.

The Nashville Predators kept their playoff hopes alive by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Tyson Barrie’s first goal with the Predators was the game-winner as they improved to 31-23-6 and sit five points back of the Avalanche with 68 points. Seth Jones replied for the 21-36-5 Blackhawks.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 3, 2023

by | Mar 3, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – March 3, 2023

The Trade Deadline is 3 pm ET today. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE FLYERS

THE ATHLETIC: Charlie O’Connor explains why the Philadelphia Flyers haven’t been active leading up to deadline day. It’s because the Flyers lack the kind of assets that other teams believe should be prioritized. They’re either fall-back rentals (James van Riemsdyk) or veterans with expensive contracts (Kevin Hayes) that can be difficult to move by the deadline.

Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk (NHL Images).

TSN: Chris Johnston believes van Riemsdyk remains on the Vegas Golden Knights’ radar. The Winnipeg Jets could also be interested. The Flyers could retain half of his $7 million cap hit to facilitate a trade.

TEAMS INTERESTED IN JOEL EDMUNDSON

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports a couple of teams are interested in Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson. One of them could be the Calgary Flames.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels also cited a couple of sources claiming at least two playoff-bound clubs are interested in the 29-year-old Canadiens defenseman. Edmundson has a year remaining on his contract with a $3.5 million cap hit.

FLAMES GETTING CALLS ABOUT MIKAEL BACKLUND

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane reports there’s some late-breaking trade buzz around Flames forward Mikael Backlund as the club could be trending toward selling at the deadline. MacFarlane cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that the Carolina Hurricanes are among the clubs calling the Flames to see whether they’re buying or selling.

CANUCKS STILL WORKING THE PHONES

CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reports the Vancouver Canucks are still working the phones. They’ve had talks with the Florida Panthers but he’s hearing it’s nothing major. Dhaliwal also shot down speculation linking J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

LOGAN STANLEY REQUESTS TRADE FROM THE JETS

WINNIPEG SUN: Scott Billeck cited a report from Bally Sports’ Andy Strickland claiming defenseman Logan Stanley has asked the Jets for a trade.

LEAFS NOT DONE DEALING?

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos believes the Maple Leafs could be in the market for some goaltending depth behind Ilya Samsonov.

WHICH SHARKS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE TRADED?

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng listed Nick Bonino, James Reimer and Alexander Barabanov among his list of 10 Sharks who could be trade candidates. He also speculated recently acquired forward Vladislav Namestnikov could be flipped to a playoff contender.

ISLANDERS EYEING A DEFENSEMAN

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Stefen Rosner reported league sources claimed the Islanders have been in discussions with the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues. Isles GM Lou Lamoriello could be looking at acquiring a defenseman. Rosner mentioned a source believes Lamoriello should be looking at Predators blueliner Dante Fabbro.

MORE SPECULATION FROM TSN’S INSIDER TRADING

TSN: Chris Johnston reports the Ottawa Senators are still working the phones. They could be seeking another center.

Darren Dreger believes the Winnipeg Jets aren’t done dealing after acquiring winger Nino Niederreiter on Feb. 25. He thinks they’re still seeking a forward. He also thinks the Vegas Golden Knights could still be active.

Pierre LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes are still trying to add to their roster. However, they have no appetite to part with their first-round pick for a rental player.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 3, 2023

by | Mar 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 3, 2023

On the eve of the March 3 trade deadline, the Bruins become the fastest team in league history to reach 100 points, Senators forward Derick Brassard scores twice in his 1,000th career game, the Blackhawks trade Max Domi to the Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins became the fastest team to reach 100 points in league history (61 games) by thumping the Buffalo Sabres 7-1. Jakub Lauko scored twice and Dmitry Orlov had a goal and two assists for the Bruins (48-8-5) as they sit atop the overall standings with 101 points. The Sabres slipped to 31-25-4 (66 points) and are four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins winger Brad Marchand left the game in the second period after being hit by Sabres defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin. Acquired early yesterday from the Red Wings, Tyler Bertuzzi did not appear in this contest.

Before the game, the Bruins placed winger Taylor Hall on long-term injury reserve and forward Nick Foligno on injured reserve. The Sabres placed defenseman Rasmus Dahlin on IR.

An overtime goal by Jason Zucker lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to their fourth straight win with a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was Zucker’s second goal of the game while Jeff Petry also scored twice for the 31-21-9 Penguins as they vaulted over the idle New York Islanders into the first Eastern wild-card spot with 71 points. Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point each had two points for the Lightning (37-19-5), who have dropped three straight and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

Ottawa Senators forward Derick Brassard (NHL Images)

Ottawa Senators forward Derick Brassard scored twice in his 1,000th career NHL game to upset the New York Rangers 5-3. Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists for the Senators (31-26-4) as they sit four points behind the Islanders for the final Eastern playoff spot with 66 points. Mika Zibanejad collected two assists for the 35-18-9 Rangers, who sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Patrick Kane was held scoreless in his debut with the Rangers as was Jakob Chychrun in his first game with the Senators following their respective trades. Senators forward Austin Watson received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for charging Rangers forward Tyler Motte, who left the game with an upper-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Calgary Flames 2-1. Calle Jarnkrok broke a 1-1 tie early in the third period for the 38-16-8 Leafs as they hold second place in the Atlantic Division with 84 points. Jacob Markstrom made 32 saves for the flickering Flames as they slipped to 27-22-13 (67 points) and sit five points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied a hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The Stars (33-16-13) sit in first place in the Central Division with 79 points, three up on the second-place Minnesota Wild. The Blackhawks dropped to 21-35-5 on the season.

Speaking of the Wild, Kirill Kaprizov scored twice as they downed the Vancouver Canucks 2-1. With a record of 35-21-6, the Wild (76 points) are three points ahead of the third-place Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division. Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks as they fell to 24-32-5.

Seattle Kraken winger Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Jared McCann also scored two goals for the Kraken (34-21-6) as they moved into third place in the Pacific Division with 74 points. The Red Wings (28-24-9) dropped their fourth straight game and are five points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 65 points.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored the game-winner as his club held off the Montreal Canadiens for a 3-2 win. Gabe Vilardi scored his 20th of the season for the 35-20-8 Kings as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 78 points. Denis Gurianov scored his first goal with the Canadiens (26-31-4) since being acquired in a trade earlier this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

The Nashville Predators kept their playoff hopes alive by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1. Matt Duchene and John Leonard scored for the Predators while Kevin Lankinen stopped 30 shots for the 30-23-6 Predators, who are six points out of the final Western wild-card berth with 66 points. Brandon Montour replied for the Panthers (30-27-6) as they are four points out of the Eastern wild-card spot with 66 points.

A four-goal second period lifted the St. Louis Blues to a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Pavel Buchnevich collected four assists for the 27-29-5 Blues while Alexander Barabanov had a goal and an assist for the 18-32-12 Sharks.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Following last night’s game, the Stars acquired forward Max Domi and goaltender Dylan Wells from the Blackhawks in exchange for goalie Anton Khudobin and a 2025 second-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Domi was the Blackhawks’ leading scorer this season with 49 points in 60 games. A versatile forward who can play center or wing, he’ll provide a boost to the Stars’ middle-six down the stretch and into the postseason.

Khudobin was moved solely to make the dollars work for the cap-strapped Stars. He’s spent this season in the minors. Both players are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers acquired center Nick Bjugstad and minor-league defenseman Cam Dineen from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for minor-league defenseman Michael Kesselring and a 2023 third-round pick.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres traded forward Ander Bjork to the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues signed winger Sammy Blais to a one-year contract extension worth $1 million.










Notable NHL Trades – March 1, 2023

by | Mar 1, 2023

Notable NHL Trades – March 1, 2023

The NHL Trade Deadline is March 3 at 3 pm ET but several NHL clubs aren’t waiting until Friday to make significant moves. Here’s a roundup of today’s notable deals.

The Ottawa Senators trade a conditional first-round pick in 2023, a conditional second-round pick in 2024 and a 2026 second-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A fixture in the NHL rumor mill stretching back to last season, Chychrun is finally on the move. The Senators were frequently linked to the 24-year-old blueliner but recent reports out of Ottawa claimed they were put off by the Coyotes’ rumored high asking price of two first-round picks and a high-end prospect.

Arizona Coyotes trade defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the Ottawa Senators (NHL Images).

Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong appears to have been a little more flexible with his asking price. As per Cap Friendly, the 2023 first-rounder is top-five protected. If the condition is met, it becomes a 2024 unprotected first-round pick.

The second-rounder in 2024 is the one the Senators received from the Washington Capitals last July in the Connor Brown trade. It becomes a first-round selection (top-10 protected) if the Senators reach the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. If the pick is in the top 10, the Coyotes will receive the Senators’ 2025 first-round pick (unprotected).

A skilled puck-moving blueliner who can play big minutes, Chychrun is signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $4.6 million. He will provide a significant boost to the Senators’ defense corps. Chychrun usually plays left defense but Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson skate in those roles among their top four. He will likely start on the right side on their top pairing.

The Coyotes weren’t done trading defensemen, shipping Shayne Gostisbehere to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gostisbehere will provide an additional measure of experienced offensive depth on the blueline for the Hurricanes. He tallied 51 points in 82 games last season with the offensively anemic Coyotes and has 31 points in 52 games this season.

Another defenseman changing teams is Filip Hronek as he’s shipped by the Detroit Red Wings along with a 2023 fourth-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and a second-round pick in 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has become a seller after his club’s current three-game losing skid stalled their efforts to move into a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. The conditional first is the pick the Canucks received from the New York Islanders in the Bo Horvat trade. If that pick ends up in the top-12 it becomes an unprotected 2024 first-rounder.

The Canucks paid a lot for Hronek but they’ve been in dire need of a top-four right-side defenseman for some time. The 25-year-old Czech rearguard is enjoying his best season to date, having already matched last season’s career-high points total. Hronek’s offensive abilities will help to take some pressure off Quinn Hughes on Vancouver’s blueline.

The Washington Capitals made their fourth trade in less than a week by dealing center Lars Eller to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025. The Capitals also retained $1.085 million of Eller’s $3.5 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eller, 33, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. With the Capitals retooling their roster for next season, he no longer had a future in Washington.

The Avalanche were in the market for a second-line center this season. However, they appear comfortable with J.T. Compher in that role. Eller will instead slot into the third or fourth-line center position for the Avs. His two-way skills and Stanley Cup experience should make him a worthwhile addition as the Avalanche prepare to defend their Cup title.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2023

by | Mar 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2023

Anze Kopitar has a four-goal performance as the Kings reportedly ship Jonathan Quick to the Blue Jackets, the Wild acquire Gustav Nyquist, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored four goals as his club overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 6-5. Adrian Kempe scored the winning goal in the shootout as the Kings improved to 34-20-8 to sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Josh Morrissey scored two goals and collected two assists and Kevin Stenlund also tallied twice as the Jets (35-24-2) hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 72 points.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

The Boston Bruins picked up their eighth straight win by nipping the Calgary Flames 4-3 on an overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy. Linus Ullmark kicked out 54 shots while Dmitry Orlov scored twice and collected an assist for the 47-8-5 Bruins as they opened a 13-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the overall standings with 99 points. The Flames sank to 27-21-13 with 67 points to sit five back of the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward Nick Foligno left the game with a leg injury in the second period following a questionable hit by Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Third-period goals by Sidney Crosby, Jason Zucker and Bryan Rust carried the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-1 victory over the Nashville Predators for their third straight win. The Penguins (30-21-9) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 69 points while the Predators dropped to 29-23-6 and sit seven points back of the Jets in the Western Conference.

A 39-save performance by Filip Gustavsson gave the Minnesota Wild a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders with Frederick Gaudreau tallying the winner in the shootout. Ryan Reaves scored in regulation for the Wild as they improved to 34-21-6 to move into second place in the Central Division with 74 points. Josh Bailey tallied for the Islanders (31-25-8) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points.

The Seattle Kraken snapped a three-game losing skid by dropping the St. Louis Blues by a score of 5-3. Morgan Geekie scored twice and Martin Jones made 22 saves for his first win since Jan. 25 as the Kraken (33-21-6) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich each had a goal and an assist as the Blues fell to 26-29-5.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots in a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Eric Staal had a goal and an assist as the Panthers (30-26-6) sit three points behind the Penguins in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Brayden Point replied for the 37-19-4 Lightning as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points.

The Ottawa Senators kept their playoff hopes alive by thumping the Detroit Red Wings 6-1. Austin Watson scored two goals and Tim Stutzle had a goal and two assists as the Senators improved to 30-26-4 (64 points) to sit five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Dominik Kubalik scored for the Red Wings as they fell to 28-24-8 (64 points). Wings defenseman Filip Hronek left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Eric Robinson netted his first career NHL hat trick in a 5-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 38 shots for the 20-35-6 Blue Jackets, who sat out goalie Joonas Korpisalo from this game for “trade-related reasons”. Jack Quinn had a goal and an assist for the 31-24-4 Sabres as they sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Their home record has dropped to 12-16-2 on the season.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 38-save performance from Jake Allen to defeat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Christian Dvorak had a goal and an assist for the 26-30-4 Canadiens while the Sharks sank to 18-31-12.

Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz scored for the fourth straight game in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Schmaltz and Clayton Keller each finished with two points for the 21-30-9 Coyotes. Andreas Athanasiou tallied for the 21-34-5 Blackhawks. The Coyotes held center Nick Bjugstad from this game for “trade-related reasons”.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings have reportedly traded goaltender Jonathan Quick and a 2023 first-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for goalie Joonas Korpisalo and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.

**UPDATE:  TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the Blue Jackets will receive a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and a third-round pick in 2024 as part of the return along with Quick. The condition on the first-rounder is based on the unlikely possibility of the Kings missing the playoffs this season.**

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report suggests there could be more pieces involved in this trade but the centerpiece of this deal is the Kings moving on from Quick while bringing in Korpisalo and Gavrikov.

Quick was the Kings’ long-time starter who backstopped them to the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. However, the pending free agent struggled this season which prompted this move to shore up their goaltending depth. Korpisalo has put solid numbers since December behind a porous Blue Jackets defense.

The Kings were in the market for a left-side defenseman and reportedly had an interest in the Arizona Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun. The two clubs were said to have discussed a trade but those talks evidently fell through, forcing them to turn to Gavrikov. He lacks Chychrun’s offensive skills but plays a responsible defensive game.

As for the Blue Jackets, they get a first-round pick in this year’s draft and likely more assets to put toward rebuilding their roster. Quick, who was said to be unhappy about moving to one of the worst teams in the league, faces an uncertain future given his free-agent status on July 1 and the decline in his performance this season.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Gustav Nyquist from the Blue Jackets in exchange for a 2023 fifth-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nyquist remains sidelined by a shoulder injury but is expected to return to action before the playoffs. He’s an experience two-way forward with 53 points last season. His production declined this season but the Wild are gambling that he’ll regain his form in Minnesota.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: The San Jose Sharks acquired the rights of prospect defenseman Henry Thrun from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick. The Sharks have until Aug. 15 to sign Thrun to an entry-level contract or he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed defenseman Jake Walman to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.4 million. He was slated to become a UFA on July 1.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals signed defenseman Nick Jensen to a three-year deal worth an AAV of $4.05 million.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller receive a three-game suspension for spitting on Kings defenseman Drew Doughty on Sunday.

TSN: Dallas Stars defenseman Colin Miller was fined $5,000.00 for elbowing Vancouver Canucks center Nils Aman. Canucks defenseman Christian Wolanin was fined over $2,000.00 for slashing Stars forward Ty Dellandrea.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Anaheim Ducks claimed defenseman Scott Harrington off waivers from the New Jersey Devils. Harrington was acquired by the Devils along with Timo Meier on Sunday.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed forward Brock McGinn and defenseman Mark Friedman on waivers.

TSN: The NHL sent a memo to teams yesterday indicating they will be closely scrutinizing trades involving injured players who are acquired with the intent of keeping them on long-term injury reserve until the playoffs. The league isn’t banning such moves outright but wishes to ensure such moves don’t circumvent the salary cap.