Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 4, 2022

by | Dec 4, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 4, 2022

The Canucks give Brock Boeser’s representatives permission to speak with other teams, how the Avalanche could bolster their roster, and the latest on the Senators scouting the Canadiens in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

CANUCKS GIVE BOESER PERMISSION TO SPEAK WITH OTHER CLUBS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the Vancouver Canucks have given Brock Boeser and his representatives permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade. The 25-year-old winger has been struggling to score this season.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Friedman speculates the situation is reaching a point where it’s time to explore a possible move. He doesn’t know, however, where this is going to go. He also said the Canucks and the Boeser camp “have not confirmed” and aren’t commenting.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance reported Boeser was slated to be a healthy scratch for Saturday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes but go into the lineup owing to an injury to Dakota Joshua. He scored the game-tying goal in their 3-2 overtime win.

The initial decision to scratch Boeser from this game seemed heartless. It was on Hockey Fights Cancer night. Boeser’s father died of cancer earlier this year.

Drance indicated that the Boeser camp being given permission to talk to other clubs isn’t tied to what occurred on Saturday. Instead, it’s being done to enable the Canucks to free up some cap space and because this situation isn’t working out for either side. He questions the club’s decision to attempt to scratch Boeser from the lineup on Saturday when they’re trying to trade him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser has struggled with consistency due in part to frequent injuries taking him out of the lineup for lengthy periods. Nevertheless, he might benefit from moving on to another club with steadier management where he can get a fresh start.

Boeser’s skills as a scoring winger will draw interest around the league. He’s signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $6.65 million, which could prove difficult to move during this season with so many clubs carrying limited cap space. Still, a deal remains possible before the March 3 trade deadline.

The hiring last season of Jim Rutherford as president of hockey operations and Patrik Allvin as general manager was expected to bring stability to a franchise in need of it after the chaotic stewardship of the previous management.

Instead, there were months of uncertainty over J.T. Miller’s contract negotiations before he was finally re-signed in September. A similar situation is taking place with captain Bo Horvat’s contract talks. Head coach Bruce Boudreau’s been called out publicly by Rutherford twice, making his future in Vancouver an unnecessary distraction.

And now there’s the Boeser saga. Canucks followers are increasingly frustrated over the club’s ongoing lack of direction, which doesn’t seem likely to end anytime soon.

WHAT CAN THE AVALANCHE DO TO IMPROVE THEIR ROSTER?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek recently observed the Colorado Avalanche’s need to improve their forward depth. He acknowledged part of the problem is the injuries that sidelined five forwards, including wingers Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin.

The Avalanche still haven’t fully addressed filling the second-line center role following Nazem Kadri’s departure this summer via free agency. Duhatschek suggested Bo Horvat as a playoff rental if the Vancouver Canucks captain becomes available before the trade deadline.

THE DENVER POST: In a recent mailbag segment, Bennett Durando was asked if the Avalanche might seek a gritty, hard-nosed top-six forward. He believes the grit will be addressed once Landeskog and Nichushkin return from injury. Like Duhatschek, he believes they need a top-six forward comfortable playing center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Everyone anticipates the defending Stanley Cup champions will be buyers again at the trade deadline. The second-line center position is their biggest weakness. Maybe they’ll pursue Horvat if he becomes available or opt for a more affordable choice in terms of return like Montreal’s Sean Monahan.

THE SENATORS STILL SCOUTING THE CANADIENS

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont reports the Ottawa Senators have been scouting the Canadiens for some time. With the holiday roster freeze just over two weeks away (Dec. 20-27), he observed the Senators sent five scouts to the Canadiens home game on Nov. 29. Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion was also at a recent Habs game.

Dumont speculates Josh Anderson could be trade bait. The 28-year-old winger has struggled to adjust to Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis’ system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators’ biggest need is blueline depth, which is why they’ve been frequently linked to Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun. The Canadiens have a bit of a log jam on their blueline, resulting in promising Jordan Harris becoming the odd man out in recent games.

Perhaps the Senators are scouting Joel Edmundson, who has also been the subject of some trade conjecture. Then again, maybe they’re scouting the Canadiens in preparation for the upcoming game between the two clubs on Dec. 14.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2022

by | Dec 4, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2022

Mitch Marner sets a Leafs record, the Devils set a franchise road record, the Bruins continue their winning ways, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner scored twice to set a franchise record for the longest points streak (19) but his club fell 4-3 in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Alex Killorn scored the game-winner while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves for the Lightning (15-8-1). William Nylander also scored for the 15-5-6 Maple Leafs.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils held off the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 3-2 to set a franchise record with their 11th straight road victory. Jack Hughes scored what proved to be the winning goal while Akira Schmid kicked out 31 shots for the 20-4-1 Devils as they sit atop the overall standings with 41 points. Travis Konecny and Lukas Sedlak tallied for the Flyers as their record falls to 8-12-5.

Boston Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Trent Frederic each scored two goals in a 5-1 rout of the Colorado Avalanche. The Bruins (20-3-0) extended their home-record win streak to 14 games and sit one point behind the Devils in the overall standings. Andrew Cogliano scored the only goal for the Avalanche (13-8-1), who lost winger Artturi Lehkonen in the first period to an upper-body injury after being slammed to the ice by Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Avalanche placed defenseman Josh Manson (lower body) on injured reserve.

The Vegas Golden Knights improved to 18-7-1 by dropping the Detroit Red Wing 4-1. Phil Kessel led the way for the Golden Knights with a goal and an assist while Adin Hill stopped 24 shots. Vegas sits atop the Western Conference with 37 points. Oskar Sundqvist replied for the 11-7-5 Red Wings, who’ve dropped three straight games.

Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each collected four points in a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Nick Suzuki tallied his 13th goal of the season for the Canadiens as they fall to 12-11-1 while the Oilers improved to 14-11-0. Draisaitl became the second player to reach 20 goals this season. Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson was ejected in the second period for cross-checking Oilers winger Zach Hyman in the head.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane collected three points to become the second player in franchise history to reach 1,200 career points in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. Max Domi also had three points for the Blackhawks as they improved to 7-12-4 and end an eight-game winless skid. Artemi Panarin and Mike Zibanejad each had two points for the 11-10-5 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek left this game in the second period with a groin injury. No word as to the severity or how long he might be sidelined. The Rangers, meanwhile, played without Filip Chytil as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

A hat trick by Kasperi Kapanen powered the Pittsburgh Penguins over the St. Louis Blues 6-2. Bryan Rust had a four-point game while Evgeni Malkin and Jason Zucker collected three points each as the Penguins improved to 13-8-4. Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington got the hook in the second period after giving up four goals on 17 shots and received a 10-minute misconduct for inciting after he yelled some choice words at the Penguins bench. The Blues fell to 11-13-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t the first time Binnington’s lost his temper this season. Blues coach Craig Berube seems to be losing patience with his goaltender’s antics. “It’s got to stop,” he said in a post-game interview. “It doesn’t help anything. Just play goal. Just stop the puck.”

The Minnesota Wild got shootout goals by Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Kaprizov also scored the game-tying goal to extend his points streak to 11 games as the Wild improved to 12-9-2. John Gibson made 46 saves while Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry and Mason McTavish each had two points for the 6-16-3 Ducks as they sit last in the overall standings with 15 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Ducks announced that center Isac Lundestrom will be sidelined for six weeks with a broken finger.

Ottawa Senators winger Claude Giroux scored twice and collected an assist in a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Anton Forsberg stopped 32 shots for the Senators (10-13-1) as they’ve won four of their last five games. Tomas Hertl scored both goals for the 8-15-4 Sharks.

The Calgary Flames (11-10-3) defeated the Washington Capitals (10-12-4) by a score of 5-2. Adam Ruzicka had a goal and two assists, Michael Backlund collected three assists and Andrew Mangiapane tallied twice for the Flames. Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper and defenseman Michael Fehervary both left the game with upper-body injuries in the second period.

Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and Sam Bennett had three assists in a 5-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Spencer Knight made 35 saves as the Panthers improved to 12-9-4 while the Kraken (15-6-3) sits in second place in the Western Conference with 33 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas and winger Patric Hornqvist left this game with injuries. Earlier in the day, the Panthers revealed that Anton Lundell would miss this contest with an undisclosed injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

The Carolina Hurricanes (14-6-5) picked up their fourth straight win by doubling up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Martin Necas and Brent Burns each had two points while Pyotr Kochetkov made 31 saves for the Hurricanes. Arthur Kaliyev and Samuel Fagemo replied for the 13-10-4 Kings.

An overtime goal by Bo Horvat lifted the Vancouver Canucks over the Arizona Coyotes 3-2. It was Horvat’s second goal of the game and his 19th on the season. Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks (10-12-3). Christian Fischer and Jakob Chychrun replied for the 7-11-4 Coyotes.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2022

by | Dec 3, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2022

Recaps of Friday’s games featured a big night for Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, the latest on Joe Thornton plus updates on the injury statuses of Thatcher Demko, Jakub Voracek, Tyler Bertuzzi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk had a “Gordie Howe hat trick” to a 3-2 overtime victory over the New York Rangers. Tkachuk scored the tying and winning goals, collected an assist on Tim Stutzle’s goal, and fought Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Tkachuk’s game-tying tally was also his 100th career goal as the Senators improved their record to 9-13-1. Vitali Kravtsov and Mika Zibanejad replied for the 11-9-5 Rangers.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was a scary moment prior to Kravtsov’s goal when he fired a shot that struck Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic in the throat. Hamonic left the game but returned in the second period and played the remainder of the contest.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrick Laine scored twice to lead his club over the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 4-1. Laine had missed the previous seven games with an ankle injury. Johnny Gaudreau collected three assists and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the Blue Jackets (8-12-2). Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the 14-7-1 Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blue Jackets announced that winger Jakub Voracek is out indefinitely with a concussion. Defenseman Zach Werenski underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum and will be sidelined for six months while blueliner Jake Bean (shoulder surgery) is out for four-to-six months.

The Nashville Predators picked up their third straight win by downing the New York Islanders 4-1. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 48 shots for the win and Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists as the Predators improved to 12-9-2. Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders as they sit at 15-10-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators captain Roman Josi had a goal and an assist in this game. With 562 career points, he’s just four points away from David Legwand’s franchise record of 566 points.

HEADLINES

THE MERCURY NEWS: Joe Thornton has been seen attending San Jose Sharks practices and home games with members of the team’s front office in recent weeks. Thornton, 43, hasn’t announced his retirement as an NHL player but is said to be carefully considering his next move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My guess is Thornton will officially bring his playing career to a close once he decides what his off-ice career will be. One of the greatest playmakers in NHL history, he’s a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is expected to miss at least six weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fate of the Canucks’ playoff hopes could rest upon the performance of backup Spencer Martin and call-up Collin Delia.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Oft-injured Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi will spend six more weeks on injured reserve. He underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair damage to his left hand after being struck by a shot from teammate Ben Chiarot during Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

CBS SPORTS: The Carolina Hurricanes removed Teuvo Teravainen (upper body) from injured reserve on Friday. His availability for Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings remains to be determined.

TSN: The Tampa Bay Lightning placed defenseman Philippe Myers on waivers. He was acquired last summer from the Nashville Predators and signed to a two-year contract by the Lightning. Myers has appeared in 11 games this season.

The New Jersey Devils have recalled winger Andreas Johnsson.

 










NHL Rumor Mill – December 2, 2022

by | Dec 2, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 2, 2022

Could the Canadiens re-sign Sean Monahan or attempt to move him before the March 3 trade deadline? Which Sharks are the most likely to be traded this season? What’s next for unsigned Senators Alex Formenton? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE CANADIENS SIGN OR TRADE MONAHAN?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens are considering whether to trade Sean Monahan before the March 3 trade deadline or re-sign him. Having acquired the 28-year-old center last summer along with a first-round pick, it seems a foregone conclusion they’d flip him for another asset before the deadline.

Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan (NHL Images).

Monahan, however, has impressed Canadiens management with how well he’s fit in on and off the ice. There’s now talk within the organization over whether they should re-sign the pending unrestricted free agent. LeBrun believes Monahan is likely to be moved but considers the fact they’re talking about keeping him as an interesting development.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal Hockey Now recently reported that Monahan is considered among the most popular targets in this season’s trade market. The Ottawa Senators have been scouting the Canadiens regularly of late, though they’re believed to be interested in Christian Dvorak and Josh Anderson. Then again, the Sens could be simply scouting the Habs for their upcoming game on Dec. 14. 

Monahan’s enjoying a strong bounce-back performance this season after hip injuries hampered his final seasons with the Calgary Flames. He’s fourth among the Canadiens’ scorers with a respectable 16 points in 23 games. Those are solid numbers on a rebuilding club.

How long Monahan stays in Montreal could depend on what type of contract he’s seeking. What type of offers he draws in the trade market will also be a determining factor. If a Cup contender comes calling with a first-round pick and/or a top prospect, that could be an offer that general manager Kent Hughes can’t refuse.

TOP FIVE SHARKS TRADE CANDIDATES

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Timo Meier and James Reimer top Sheng Peng’s list of the five most tradeable San Jose Sharks.

If Meier gets shopped he could command the highest return of any forward likely to be moved by the 2023 trade deadline. A restricted free agent next summer, the 26-year-old is a bona fide first-line winger in the prime of his playing career. It will cost $10 million to qualify his rights, however, which could make him a rental player unless he can be signed to a long-term extension with a lower annual cap hit.

Reimer would be invaluable for contenders looking for insurance between the pipes. He carries an affordable $2.25 million cap hit and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Middle-six wingers Alexander Barabanov, Matt Nieto and Nico Sturm round out Peng’s list. Nieto is also a pending UFA while Barabanov has a year left on his deal with a $2.25 million cap hit and Sturm has two more seasons at $2 million per.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Peng doesn’t consider Meier getting traded as a certainty. That’s because the Sharks don’t have to peddle him at the trade deadline but could wait until the offseason if unable to get him signed to an extension. I can see them peddling Reimer and Nieto but they could hang onto Barabanov and Sturm unless they get some solid offers for those two.

WHAT NEXT FOR FORMENTON?

TSN: Darren Dreger looked at what could be next for restricted free-agent winger Alex Formenton. He and the Ottawa Senators failed to reach an agreement on a new contract by the Dec. 1 deadline and he’s now ineligible to play in the NHL for the rest of this season.

Dreger said there was some trade interest in Formenton and Senators GM Pierre Dorion worked on that until well past the deadline. The 23-year-old winger could play with a European club for the remainder of this season. The Senators could trade his rights or he could sign an offer sheet with another NHL club. In those two instances, however, he’d remain ineligible to play in the NHL this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dreger also said Formenton’s situation is “complicated.” He could be alluding to the winger being a member of Canada’s 2018 World Junior club currently under investigation on allegations of sexual assault.

That investigation is reportedly close to completion. Formenton has maintained his silence about this situation, which has been interpreted as guilt by some observers. Thus far, however, there’s nothing formally tying him to those allegations. We will learn more once the findings of the investigation are completed.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 29, 2022

by | Nov 29, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – November 29, 2022

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: more speculation linking the Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun to the Sabres, pondering the possibility of the Hurricanes pursuing a defenseman, the latest on Senators’ winger Alex Formenton plus the Bruins could be working on a trade.

COULD CHYCHRUN BE HEADED TO THE SABRES?

POST MEDIA: Michael Traikos believes the Buffalo Sabres are the favorite to acquire Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Traikos argues the Sabres have the cap space to get a deal done. They also possess plenty of prospects, having made five first-round picks in the last two years.

With the Sabres stuck once again near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, Traikos believes they have the biggest need.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are reportedly among the clubs interested in Chychrun, but is he interested in going from one perpetually rebuilding team to another? He lacks no-trade protection but reportedly spiked a deal that would’ve sent him to the Columbus Blue Jackets before the 2022 NHL Draft.

Some of you asked me how Chychrun could reject a trade if he lacks no-trade protection. In the Blue Jackets’ case, his apparent unwillingness to go to Columbus was said to have made them reconsider their options. After what happened with Pierre-Luc Dubois in 2020-21, I daresay they don’t want history repeating itself.

The Sabres have had their own recent history of unhappy players (hello there, Jack Eichel) becoming an unnecessary distraction. They’ll have to ensure Chychrun would have no issues coming to Buffalo before pulling the trigger.

There’s no denying the Sabres have the cap room and the depth in promising young talent to tempt the Coyotes. Those five first-rounders Traikos was referring to are Owen Power and Isak Rosen in 2021 and Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich from last season’s draft class. Power, of course, isn’t going anywhere but perhaps the Sabres would part with one or two of those other prospects.

COULD THE HURRICANES TARGET A DEFENSEMAN?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek recently took note of the Carolina Hurricanes’ woeful power-play percentage this season, pointing out it was much better last season with Tony DeAngelo on their blueline.

Duhatschek wondered if the Hurricanes might bring in another puck-moving rearguard to improve their power-play production. He wondered if they might add someone such as the Coyotes’ Shayne Gostisbehere or the Anaheim Ducks’ John Klingberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The addition of Brent Burns last summer was supposed to be an overall upgrade over DeAngelo. Having scoring wingers like Teuvo Teravainen and Max Pacioretty sidelined by injuries hasn’t helped. Neither has the departure of center Vincent Trocheck via free agency in July or the offensive struggles of sophomore forward Seth Jarvis. Their overall production should improve once Teravainen and Pacioretty return to the lineup, which could also boost Jarvis’ offense.

LATEST SENATORS AND BRUINS RUMORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators forward Alex Formenton is this season’s last remaining unsigned restricted free agent. He has until 5 pm ET on Thursday, Dec. 1 to sign a new contract or be ineligible to play the remainder of this season.

Formenton faces three options. One is signing a new deal with the Senators if an agreement can be reached before Thursday’s deadline. The second is the Senators trade his rights to another club for something in return if he signs with his new team. The third is Formenton ends up playing in Europe for the remainder of this season with the Senators still holding his RFA rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch reports neither side is commenting on the contract talks. Some fans speculate Formenton’s contract status is linked to his being part of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team that’s under investigation over allegations of sexual assault. There’s been no indication thus far that this is the case.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports the Bruins might do more than just demote defenseman Anton Stralman if he clears waivers later today to free up more cap space. Removing Stralman from their books would clear just enough cap room to accommodate Derek Forbort coming off long-term injured reserve.

Murphy cited an NHL executive recently saying Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was working the phones seeking a cost-cutting trade. This occurred prior to Stralman being placed on waivers. Mike Reilly ($3 million average annual value) and Craig Smith ($3.1 million) are considered trade candidates. Murphy wondered if Brandon Carlo might become a trade option.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reilly and Smith have frequently surfaced in recent Bruins’ trade chatter but nothing’s come of it thus far. Carlo’s also surfaced as a trade candidate but his injury history could hurt his value.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2022

by | Nov 28, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2022

The Kraken keep rising in the standings, the Canucks are clawing their way back into playoff contention, plus the latest on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Daniel Sprong lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Matty Beniers had a goal and two assists for the Kraken (13-5-3) as they pick up their fifth straight win. Mason McTavish and Adam Henrique scored in the third period for Anaheim to force overtime as their record falls to 6-15-1). Ducks forward Trevor Zegras collected three assists.

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Kraken moves one point ahead of the Dallas Stars for second place in the Western Conference standings with 29 points. Beniers leads all NHL rookies this season with 18 points. Meanwhile, Ducks goaltender John Gibson left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury.

Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko scored in overtime to nip the San Jose Sharks 4-3. Kuzmenko, Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller each collected two points as the Canucks (9-10-3) have won five of their last six games. Luke Kunin scored twice and Erik Karlsson picked up two assists for the 7-13-4 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have overcome a poor start to this season. With 21 points, they’re one point out of a wildcard berth in the Western Conference. Kuzmenko’s been a key part of that improvement. After netting just two points in his first seven NHL games, he now has 19 points in his last 14 contests, including two game-winning goals.

The Winnipeg Jets thumped the Chicago Blackhawks 7-2. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Saku Maenalanen each scored twice while Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey each had three-point performances as the Jets improved to 13-6-1. Taylor Raddysh and Jujhar Khaira replied for the Blackhawks (6-11-4) as their winless skid reached seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Since their 4-2-0 start, the Blackhawks have won only twice in their last 15 games. Jets forward Morgan Barron collected an assist as he returned to action for the first time since being sidelined by an injury on Oct. 30. With 27 points, the Jets are fourth in the Western Conference.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Arizona Coyotes by a score of 4-3. Joel Eriksson Ek collected two assists for the Wild (10-9-2) while Matias Macelli also picked up two assists as the Coyotes slid to 7-10-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Macelli sits second among this season’s rookie scorers with 13 points but he’s their leader in assists with 12.

The Ottawa Senators downed the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on an overtime by Claude Giroux. Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Thomas Chabot each had two points as the Senators boosted their record to 8-12-1. Arthur Kaliyev scored both goals for the Kings (12-9-3) as they’ve dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big win for the struggling Senators as they salvage four points from this four-game western road trip.

HEADLINES

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will be sidelined for the next two games with a non-COVID-related illness.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan McLeod on injured reserve.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres placed forward Riley Sheahan on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract after he declined to report to their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former Canucks coaching staff member Rachel Doerrie filed a complaint with the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal last week. She alleges she was discriminated against by the team and assistant general manager Emilie Castonguay for her mental and physical disabilities.

Doerrie, who has PTSD and a heart condition, was hired by the Canucks in January as an analyst and promoted to the coaching staff on Aug. 1. She indicated she had revealed her medical conditions to Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford during the hiring process. She was terminated from her position in September.

The Canucks issued two statements saying they “strongly disagreed” with Doerrie’s allegations.