NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2023

by | Jan 4, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2023

Hat-trick performances by the Sabres’ Tage Thompson and the Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk while Auston Matthews sets a Leafs franchise record. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson tallied in overtime for his third hat trick of the season in a 5-4 win over the Washington Capitals. Thompson finished the night with four points while Alex Tuch had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who improve to 19-15-2. Alex Ovechkin tallied twice for the 21-13-6 Capitals.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson has 30 goals on the season and sits three back of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid for the goal-scoring lead. The Sabres, meanwhile, have won seven of their last 10 games. With 40 points, they’re six back of the New York Islanders for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Before the game, the Sabres entered Capital One Center in Washington wearing t-shirts that read, “Love for 3” to honor Buffalo Bill safety Damar Hamlin, who remains hospitalized in critical condition after collapsing during Monday’s NFL game against the Bengals. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams released a statement in support of Hamlin and the Bills’ organization.

Matthew Tkachuk tallied his first hat trick with the Florida Panthers as they downed the Arizona Coyotes 5-3. Eric Staal also scored twice for the Panthers (17-18-4) while Clayton Keller had two points for the 13-18-5 Coyotes, who’ve lost 10 straight road games.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews collected two points to become the fastest player in franchise history to reach 500 points (445 games) but his club fell 6-5 to the St. Louis Blues. Brayden Schenn tallied the winner in the shootout while Brandon Saad scored two goals for the Blues, who improved to 18-17-3. Michael Bunting scored twice and William Nylander had a three-point performance for the 23-8-7 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Bunting, the Leafs have reportedly opened preliminary talks about a contract extension for the winger, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

The Tampa Bay Lightning picked up their fourth straight victory by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Former Blackhawk Brandon Hagel had a goal and an assist in the third period against his former club as the Lightning rose to 24-11-1 on the season. Seth Jones replied for the Blackhawks, who dropped to 8-25-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury. An update on his condition is expected on Wednesday.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Artemi Panarin, K’Andre Miller and Filip Chytil gave the New York Rangers a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, snapping the latter’s 11-game win streak. Paul Stastny collected two assists for Carolina (25-7-6) while the Rangers improved to 21-12-6. With 56 points, the Hurricanes remain six back of the league-leading Boston Bruins.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley stopped 28 shots to backstop his club over the Dallas Stars by a score of 3-2. Adrian Kempe snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Kings (22-13-6) reach the 50-point plateau, sitting four points behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Roope Hintz collected two assists for the 23-10-6 Stars as their four-game win streak came to an end. With 52 points, they’re two back of the Golden Knights for first overall in the Western Conference.

The Winnipeg Jets got a 33-save performance from Connor Hellebuyck in a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Sam Gagner tallied the tie-breaker in the third period as the Jets improved to 24-13-1 and sit three points behind the first-place Stars in the Central Division. The Flames’ record fell to 18-14-7 on the season.

Four straight second-period goals carried the Seattle Kraken over the Edmonton Oilers 5-2. Jaden Schwartz had a goal and two assists for the Kraken (20-12-4) as they sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 44 points, one up on the Flames and two ahead of the Oilers. Connor McDavid netted his league-leading 33rd goal of the season for the Oilers (20-17-2) as they dropped their fifth straight home game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leon Draisaitl returned to the Oilers lineup after being sidelined for two games with what was believed to be a core muscle strain.

A three-point night by Mathew Barzal carried the New York Islanders to a 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored twice for the Isles, who improved to 22-15-2 and hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. Bo Horvat scored twice for the Canucks as they dropped to 16-18-3.

Ottawa Senators goalie Anton Forsberg turned in a 22-save shutout to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux each had two points for the Senators (18-17-3) while the Blue Jackets slide to 11-23-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Senators, a source told the Ottawa Sun that it could take until March to determine who the club’s new owner will be. Even then, the paperwork to complete the sale might not be done until June.

The Nashville Predators downed the Montreal Canadiens 6-3, handing the latter their fifth straight loss and leaving them with just one win in their last 10 games. Nino Niederreiter had three assists for the 16-14-6 Predators. Cole Caufield netted his 22nd goal of the season for the 15-20-3 Canadiens.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings placed winger Jakub Vrana on waivers yesterday. The move comes as the club attempts to create roster space for sidelined players such as Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Zadina slated to return soon to their lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vrana missed most of this season in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and is currently with the Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint.

A rival club interested in bolstering their scoring could pluck Vrana off waivers today by the noon ET deadline. He’s under contract through next season but also carries a $5.25 million annual average value. Given the high number of teams that Cap Friendly indicates have less than that in cap space, it’ll be interesting to see if he gets plucked off the waiver wire later today.

The Red Wings are carrying three goaltenders. However, they decided against putting Alex Nedeljkovic or the well-traveled Magnus Hellberg on waivers for the purpose of sending one of them to the minors for the time being.

LAS VEGAS SUN’s Danny Webster took to Twitter yesterday to report the Golden Knights have taken center Jack Eichel off injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers activated promising winger Bobby Brink off injured reserve and have sent him to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins have recalled goalie Dustin Tokarski from the AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. They’ve also placed defenseman Kris Letang on their non-roster list as he’s joined his family in Montreal following the recent death of his father.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 2, 2023

by | Jan 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 2, 2023

Will the Senators re-sign or trade Alex DeBrincat? Are they still trying to move Nikita Zaitsev? What’s the latest on the Coyotes? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST SENATORS SPECULATION

OTTAWA SUN: Ken Warren recently wondered about Alex DeBrincat’s long-term future with the Senators. The 25-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer who’s also a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility.

Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

DeBrincat carries an average annual value of $6.4 million on his current contract. However, he’s earning $9 million in actual salary, which is what it’ll cost the Senators to qualify his rights this summer.

Warren speculates DeBrincat is in the running for a long-term contract worth between $8 million and $9 million. However, he wondered if the Senators’ existing managing board would approve such a deal, especially with the team up for sale and new ownership looming in 2023.

The Senators also have Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris on long-term deals each worth around $8 million annually. Given the state of their blueline, Warren mused over whether the money that would go to DeBrincat would be better spent improving the defense corps. If they remain out of playoff contention, perhaps they’ll contemplate shopping DeBrincat before the March 3 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators gave up a lot to acquire DeBrincat from the Blackhawks knowing full well what his contract situation was going to be. Unless the DeBrincat camp seeks over $10 million annually, I believe the Sens will re-sign him to a long-term deal worth close to $9 million annually.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported Sunday the Senators are actively trying to trade defenseman Nikita Zaitsev. “They’ve granted permission to his representatives to speak with clubs,” writes Weekes, adding they’re willing to include a high draft pick or a prospect to accommodate a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zaitsev carries an average annual value of $4.5 million through 2023-24. That’s why they’re trying to trade him and have been doing so since November. He’s currently on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

The inability to find any suitors thus far for Zaitsev is the reason behind the Senators’ willingness to package a high pick or a prospect in the deal. They seem desperate to get that contract off their books. It remains to be seen if they can pull it off.

UPDATE ON THE COYOTES

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan looked at several Arizona Coyotes players who could draw interest from playoff contenders at the March 3 trade deadline.

Everyone knows defenseman Jakob Chychrun wants to be traded. He has 17 points in 19 games since returning from offseason wrist surgery in November. The Coyotes’ likely asking price is two first-round picks and either a second-round pick or a prospect. Chychrun earns an AAV of $4.6 million for the next two seasons but his actual salary rises to $5.4 million next season and $7 million in 2024-25.

Blueliner Shayne Gostisbehere is a pending unrestricted free agent rearguard on pace for 61 points this season. His AAV is $4.5 million but his actual salary this season is $1 million as his $2.5 million signing bonus was paid out at the start of the season. Morgan believes it makes little sense to move Gostisbehere for less than a second-round pick.

A dark horse trade candidate is goaltender Karel Vejmelka. Morgan wondered if clubs might have faith in Vejmelka’s body of work to offer up something meaningful. If not, does it make any sense to move him? Morgan suggests doing so could hurt the Coyotes’ morale.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Chychrun’s a goner by deadline day if he remains healthy and productive. Gostisbehere will also likely be skating with a contender by March 3.

As for Vejmelka, he’s signed through 2024-25 with a very affordable $2.7 million AAV and hasn’t asked to be traded. The 26-year-old goalie should have a place as part of their long-term plans. Unless the Coyotes get an irresistible offer, I don’t see them moving Vejmelka.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2023

by | Jan 2, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2023

The Hurricanes extended their win streak, Erik Karlsson sets a Sharks record and the Stars re-sign Joe Pavelski. Details and much more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes picked up their 11th straight win by defeating the New Jersey Devils 5-4 on a shootout goal by Andrei Svechnikov. Derek Stepan tallied twice in regulation for the Hurricanes (25-6-6) as they also extended their points streak to 17 games. Jesper Bratt scored twice and collected an assist for the Devils as they dropped to 23-11-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 56 points, the red-hot Hurricanes sit four points behind the first-overall Boston Bruins. The Devils activated defenseman Ryan Graves off injured reserve for this contest. He’d missed the last three games with a lower-body injury.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson collected two assists in a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, extending his points streak to a franchise-record 13 games. Blueliner Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored in what was his 1,200th career game all spent with the Sharks. Patrick Kane and Sam Lafferty scored for the Blackhawks (8-24-4) as they’ve lost 12 of their last 13 contests. The Sharks improved to 12-20-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson remains the leading scorer among NHL defensemen by a wide margin. With 53 points, he’s 11 ahead of the Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey and sits fifth among all NHL skaters this season.

The New York Rangers got two goals from Mika Zibanejad to defeat the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-3. Jaroslav Halak turned aside 32 shots as the Rangers improved to 20-12-6. Eric Staal had two points for the Panthers (16-18-4), who’ve lost five of their last six games.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Martin Jones made 18 saves in a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Yanni Gourde and Vince Dunn each collected two points as the Kraken improved to 19-12-4. Ilya Sorokin stopped 31 shots while Mathew Barzal tallied his 100th career goal for the 21-15-2 Islanders.

The Ottawa Senators beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-1, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Anton Forsberg picked up the win with a 33-save performance, Tim Stutzle scored twice and Jacob Lucchini’s first NHL goal turned out to be the game-winner for the Senators (17-17-3) while the Sabres dropped to 18-15-2.

HEADLINES

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars and Joe Pavelski agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million contract extension for 2023-24. Pavelski, 38, will earn a base salary of $3.5 million with an additional $2 million in performance bonuses. The deal also includes a no-movement clause

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pavelski’s new contract is similar to his current deal. The only difference is how the dollars are divided up. It’s a reasonable contract for both sides given his age. Pavelski is currently second among the Stars in assists with 25 and third in points with 37 in 38 games.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson are the league’s three stars for December 2022. Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is the rookie of the month.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang could miss Monday’s Winter Classic against the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park. He didn’t practice yesterday and remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Edmonton Oilers will host the Calgary Flames in the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium on Oct. 29. It will mark the 20th anniversary of the first NHL outdoor regular-season game in which the Oilers fell to the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in front of over 56,000 fans in the first Heritage Classic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since the first Heritage Classic. That game laid the foundation for the annual Winter Classic and a host of outdoor regular-season games.

BOSTON HERALD’s Steve Conroy took to Twitter yesterday debunking a radio report out of Boston on New Year’s Eve claiming the Bruins had re-signed winger David Pastrnak. He cited Pastrnak’s agent J.P. Barry calling the report “rubbish”, adding that negotiations are ongoing but it’s difficult to say whether progress has been made or not.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report claimed the Bruins and Pastrnak were finalizing an eight-year deal worth $88 million. That’s an average annual value of $11 million, which is pretty much what the 27-year-old pending free-agent winger is expected to receive from the Bruins or on the open market by July 1. 

CBS SPORTS: The Vegas Golden Knights placed defenseman Alec Martinez on injured reserve. He’s been sidelined for the past two games with an undisclosed injury.

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks activated goaltender Anthony Stolarz off injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2022

by | Dec 30, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2022

Thursday’s games saw Aleksander Barkov, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Okposo enjoy hat-trick performances while Erik Karlsson becomes the first defenseman to reach 50 points this season. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov had a five-point performance (including a first-period hat trick) in a 7-2 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Barkov had missed three games with a lower-body injury. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice for the Panthers as they improved to 16-16-4. The Canadiens (15-18-3) have dropped four straight games.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens welcomed back Brendan Gallagher after he was sidelined for 13 games by a lower-body injury. Habs defenseman Kaiden Guhle left this contest late in the third period with an apparent leg injury. There was no post-game update regarding his condition.

A hat trick by Mark Scheifele carried the Winnipeg Jets (22-13-1)over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 4-2. Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois scored on a penalty shot while teammate Sam Gagner skated in his 1,000th career NHL game. Collin Delia made 35 saves for the Canucks, who drop to 16-16-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Jets as defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game in the third period following a hit by Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers. Head coach Rick Bowness claimed Morrissey had a “little bit of a lower-body injury” but anticipates he’ll be able to play on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers.

Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo also had a hat trick while Casey Mittlestadt tallied twice in a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The Sabres (17-14-2) have won five straight games. Dominik Kubalik scored two goals for the Red Wings as they dropped to 15-12-7.

The San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson became the first defenseman to reach 50 points this season but his club fell 4-3 to the Philadelphia Flyers (12-17-7) on an overtime goal by Tony DeAngelo. Karlsson collected two assists to extend his points streak to 11 games while teammate Tomas Hertl scored twice for the 11-19-7 Sharks. Travis Konecny tallied twice for the Flyers as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to force overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson is having what could become a career-best performance. With 50 points in just 37 games, he’s on pace to exceed his previous high of 82 points and could become the first blueliner to reach 100 points since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.

The Dallas Stars (22-9-6) moved into first place in the Western Conference by beating the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Tyler Seguin scored two goals and Jake Oettinger kicked out 23 shots as the Stars are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights with 50 points but hold first place with a game in hand. Kirill Kaprizov tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 20-13-2 Wild.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point scored his 20th goal of the season as his club downed the New York Rangers 2-1 on a shootout goal by Alex Killorn. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 45 saves through regulation and the shootout as the Lightning rose to 22-11-1. Mika Zibanejad scored for the Rangers (19-12-6) in regulation while Igor Shesterkin made 39 stops.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Point became the fifth player in Lightning history to reach the 20-goal plateau in at least six straight seasons. Meanwhile, there were some raised eyebrows when the Rangers announced former first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere was a healthy scratch for this game.

The Arizona Coyotes scored four unanswered goals (two by Jack McBain) to upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. Barrett Hayton had a three-point performance for the 13-16-5 Coyotes while Conor Timmins collected two assists for the 22-8-6 Maple Leafs.

A shootout goal by Viktor Arvidsson lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Arvidsson also collected two assists in regulation as the Kings (21-12-6) extended their points streak to seven games (6-0-1). With 48 points, they’re now two behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights.

Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat scored the game-tying and winning goals to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3. Claude Giroux picked up two assists as the Senators improved to 16-16-3. Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored for the 20-13-5 Capitals.

The New York Islanders topped the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on goals by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mathew Barzal. The Islanders improved to 21-14-2 with their third straight victory while the Blue Jackets (10-22-4) suffered their seventh straight defeat.

Goals by Calle Rosen and Brandon Saad gave the St. Louis Blues (17-16-3) a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks to snap a three-game losing skid. Patrick Kane scored for the Blackhawks (8-22-4), who have lost 18 of their last 20 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko sat out this game with a non-COVID-related illness.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby received an appointment for the Order of Canada for “being one of the greatest hockey players of all time and for supporting community service initiatives for youth.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Crosby on receiving one of Canada’s highest honors.

Speaking of the Penguins, defenseman Kris Letang missed practice on Thursday with a lower-body injury. His status for Friday’s game again the New Jersey Devils remains uncertain.

TSN: Speaking of the Devils, winger Andreas Johnsson cleared waivers yesterday and was assigned to their AHL affiliate in Utica.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL winger Barry Cullen passed away on Dec. 16 at the age of 87. He spent five seasons in the league between 1955-56 and 1959-60 with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Red Wings, finishing with 32 goals and 84 points in 219 games. Cullen’s brothers, Brian and Raymond, also played in the NHL. In his post-playing career, he owned a successful car dealership in Guelph, Ontario.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cullen’s son, John, spent 10 seasons in the NHL from 1988-89 to 1998-99. My condolences to the Cullen family as well as Barry’s friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2022

by | Dec 28, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2022

The schedule resumes with the Hurricanes extending their win streak to nine games, Connor McDavid stretching his points streak to 16 games and Jamie Benn reaching a Stars milestone. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to nine games by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. Antti Raanta stopped 24 shots for the shutout while Martin Necas, Jesper Fast and Jordan Martinook were the goal scorers as the Hurricanes (23-6-6, 52 points) hold a six-point lead over the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Petr Mrazek made 46 saves for the Blackhawks (8-21-4) sitting in last place in the overall standings with 20 points.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid stretched his points streak to 16 games by scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. McDavid leads the league with 31 goals while Stuart Skinner kicked out 46 shots for the win as the Oilers improved to 19-15-2. Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames as they dropped to 16-13-7.

The Vancouver Canucks are over .500 for the first time this season (16-15-3) as they downed the San Jose Sharks 6-2. Bo Horvat and Ilya Mikheyev each had four points for the Canucks. Timo Meier scored twice and Erik Karlsson collected two assists to extend his points streak to a career-high 10 games for the 11-19-6 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau said he’s hoping sidelined starting goaltender Thatcher Demko can return in mid-January but remains uncertain if he’ll be back before February. Demko’s been out with a lower-body injury since Dec. 1.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn scored his 343rd career goal and Roope Hintz tallied twice in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Benn moved past Brian Bellows into second place on the Stars’ all-time goals list. With 48 points (21-9-6), Dallas moves to within one point of the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Juuse Saros made 30 saves for the Predators as they slipped to 14-14-5. Predators forward Matt Duchene missed this game as his wife was giving birth to the couple’s baby daughter.

The Ottawa Senators (15-16-3) got a 49-save performance from Cam Talbot to upset the Boston Bruins 3-2 on a shootout goal by Alex DeBrincat, who also scored in regulation. Jake DeBrusk tallied his 14th goal of the season for the Bruins (27-4-3), who remain atop the overall standings with 57 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. There was no update as to his condition following the game.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs past the St. Louis Blues 5-4 after the Blues (16-16-3) overcame 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to force the extra frame. Calle Jarnkrok had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (22-7-6) while Ryan O’Reilly and Jordan Kyrou were among the Blues scorers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues played without defenseman Torey Krug as he was placed on long-term injury reserve with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to be re-evaluated in six weeks. The Leafs, meanwhile, placed forward Nick Robertson and defenseman Victor Mete on LTIR.

The Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 with Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson each collecting a goal and two assists. The Kings (20-12-6, 46 points) move within three points of the Golden Knights (24-12-1), who sit atop the Western Conference with 49 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Trevor Moore missed this game for undisclosed reasons. The Kings also placed Arthur Kaliyev (lower body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 20. Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez departed in the second period with an injured leg after blocking a shot by Kings forward Alex Iafallo.

Washington Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 32 saves to blank the New York Rangers 4-0. Marcus Johansson, Erik Gustafsson, Lars Eller and Conor Sheary were the goal scorers as the Capitals (20-13-4) picked up their fifth straight win and their 10th in their last 11 contests. Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 shots for the 19-12-5 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen left the game in the final minutes after being struck in the face by the puck. Earlier in the day, they placed blueliner John Carlson (facial injury) on injured reserve.

New York Islanders forwards Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal each tallied twice in a 5-1 romp over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders improved to 20-14-2 but lost winger Oliver Wahlstrom to injury after he was cross-checked in the first period by Pittsburgh defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The Penguins slide to 19-10-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins recalled defenseman Mark Friedman from their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Minnesota Wild (20-12-2) picked up their seventh victory in their last eight games by dropping the Winnipeg Jets 4-1, handing the latter their third straight defeat. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist while Filip Gustavsson made 36 saves for the Wild. Pierre-Luc Dubois tallied for the Jets (21-13-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets played without rookie forward Cole Perfetti as he’s out for at least a week with an injured shoulder. Wild defenseman Jake Middleton missed this game with a non-COVID illness.

Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and an assist for the 12-16-5 Coyotes. Cale Makar had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche as they dropped to 19-12-2.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers got some good news as goaltender Carter Hart skated with his teammates in practice on Tuesday. He suffered what appeared to be an upper-body injury during Friday’s loss to the Carolina Hurricanes following a collision with Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis.

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings assigned forward Jakub Vrana to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint. Vrana hasn’t played since Oct. 15 before entering the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens recalled defenseman Justin Barron from their AHL affiliate in Laval.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 22, 2022

by | Dec 22, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 22, 2022

Should the Oilers or Jets attempt to acquire Jakob Chychrun? Are the Senators interested in the Blackhawks’ Seth Jones? What’s the latest on James van Riemsdyk, Jordan Staal and Vladislav Gavrikov? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE OILERS OR JETS PURSUE CHYCHRUN?

THE ATHLETIC: Ryan Nugent-Bowman noted that the Edmonton Oilers have been linked to the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Vladislav Gavrikov, the Montreal Canadiens’ Joel Edmundson, the Nashville Predators’ Mattias Ekholm and the Anaheim Ducks’ John Klingberg in the rumor mill.

However, Nugent-Bowman thinks they should attempt to acquire Jakob Chychrun. He believes the Arizona Coyotes defenseman would bolster the Oilers’ blueline and alleviate pressure from Darnell Nurse.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Nugent-Bowman acknowledged the Coyotes’ high asking price for Chychrun as well as the blueliner’s injury history. However, he pointed to his solid performance when healthy as well as his affordable $4.6 million cap hit through 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Bowman doesn’t believe Oilers management shares his opinion on Chychrun. General manager Ken Holland could surprise us but I think there’s a better chance of seeing Edmundson, Gavrikov or Klingberg suiting up for the Oilers by the March 3 trade deadline.

I don’t think the Predators intend to part with Ekholm. GM David Poile is stubbornly sticking with his veterans.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jacob Stoller suggests Chychrun could be the missing piece to put the Winnipeg Jets over the top.

Along with Josh Morrissey, Chychrun would give their blueline two top-pairing caliber players. He thinks this could be this version of the Jets’ best opportunity to make a run at the Stanley Cup with Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler slated to become unrestricted free agents in 2024.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun would certainly provide a big boost of talented skill to the Jets’ defense corps. However, I’ll be surprised if Kevin Cheveldayoff, their usually cautious general manager, pays the Coyotes’ asking price to get him.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Ottawa Senators’ re-signing of Artem Zub doesn’t mean they’re still not seeking a right-side defenseman. Friedman mentioned the Chicago Blackhawks’ Seth Jones but said it appears that was as much due diligence as anything else.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones’ hefty $9.5 million average annual value through 2029-30 aside, any trade involving the 28-year-old defenseman depends on his willingness to waive his no-movement clause. Things are rough for the rebuilding Blackhawks right now but there’s no indication Jones wants out. He could become their next captain if Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane don’t return next season.

Friedman believes the Edmonton Oilers are eyeing Vladislav Gavrikov. He believes the Columbus Blue Jackets would set a high asking price for the 27-year-old defenseman, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Mark Spector elaborated that it would likely be a first-round pick plus a third or fourth-rounder.

The New Jersey Devils have a very nice right-side defense with Dougie Hamilton, John Marino and Damon Severson. The latter is eligible for UFA status next summer and his situation could be worth watching but the Devils are trying to win now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Severson’s drop to the third pairing and his free-agent eligibility has made him the occasional topic of media trade speculation. I think the Devils will hang onto him for the playoffs unless their season goes off the rails before the March 3 trade deadline.

Friedman thought Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk might make sense for the Calgary Flames. However, he no longer thinks that’s a fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: van Riemsdyk is a UFA in July and is reportedly available in the trade market. The Flames, however, are pressed against the salary cap. Even if the Flyers retained half of JvR’s $7 million cap hit, the Flames would have to move out a player to make the dollars fit.

No one is expecting Jordan Staal to leave the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staal is a UFA next summer coming off a 10-year, $60-million contract. The 34-year-old center isn’t going to get $6 million annually again but perhaps he’ll accept something between $4.5 million and $5 million on a two or three-year deal to stay in Carolina.

Friedman considers the chances of the Vancouver Canucks trading defenseman Quinn Hughes to be low. He also thinks Ethan Bear will get a contract extension while a decision has to be made regarding Jack Rathbone.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless Quinn asks for a trade he’s not going anywhere.