NHL Rumor Mill – December 7, 2022

by | Dec 7, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 7, 2022

Could the Oilers pursue Erik Karlsson? What’s the latest on Brock Boeser and Jakob Chychrun? Will the Avalanche make moves to bolster their injury-depleted roster? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE OILERS ATTEMPT TO ACQUIRE ERIK KARLSSON?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports defense remains an area of concern for the Edmonton Oilers. He said there’s some within the organization with an interest in Erik Karlsson though he admits it seems impossible for them to land the San Jose Sharks blueliner.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples considers landing Karlsson a long shot for Edmonton. The Sharks would have to retain half of his $11.5 million cap hit or get a third team involved in the deal to make it work. He guesses the Oilers would have to part with Tyson Barrie, Jesse Puljujarvi, two first-round picks (lottery protected) and Philip Broberg or Dylan Holloway.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s assuming Karlsson would waive his no-movement clause to come to Edmonton. Anything’s possible, I suppose, but I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen. Even if he does, I don’t think the Oilers can afford what will be a hefty asking price by the Sharks, who aren’t in any hurry to move him.

THE LATEST ON BROCK BOESER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports teams are gauging whether they’ll get into the bidding for the Vancouver Canucks’ Brock Boeser. The 25-year-old winger’s contract is an issue as he’s signed through 2024-25 with an annual salary of $6.65 million.

The teams LeBrun have spoken with are interested in Boeser but lack the cap space for this season and next to take him on. One team is very interested if the Canucks are willing to retain salary, something they don’t seem keen on doing.

LeBrun still feels nothing is imminent. He believes it’ll take a lot of work to move Boeser between now and the March 3 trade deadline.

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal examined why Boeser could be seen as a distressed trade asset. He believes teams could consider the winger as an oft-injured, one-dimensional player who doesn’t score consistently at even strength to justify his current contract.

Boeser’s youth, overall production and what could be an affordable asking price by the Canucks could make him intriguing for clubs in need of scoring depth. However, the term of his contract could become an issue.

Dayal wonders if the Canucks would be willing to take back an inefficient but modest contract rather than include a sweetener like a draft pick or prospect to make a Boeser deal more palatable to interested clubs.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane wondered whether the Flames could afford to acquire Boeser with expensive contracts for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar due to kick in next season. They’d have to shed salary to make the dollars fit. MacFarlane doubts the Canucks will want to trade Boeser to a division rival like Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I’ve noted before, there are only three teams (Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres) with the cap space to acquire Boeser’s full salary. The Ducks and Coyotes are rebuilding and Boeser might not fit into their plans. The Sabres have plenty of scoring punch but could use some reliable goaltending depth.

I’m not ruling out the possibility of Boeser getting moved by the March 3 trade deadline, especially if the Canucks are willing to retain some salary or take some salary back in a trade. However, this could be a move that occurs in the offseason when teams have more salary-cap flexibility.

AN UPDATE ON JAKOB CHYCHRUN

TSN: Darren Dreger reports interest in Jakob Chychrun is starting to pick up since the Arizona Coyotes defenseman returned to action two weeks ago. He’s looked good with three goals and three assists in seven games.

Dreger believes there’s still apprehension among interested clubs in paying the Coyotes’ high asking price. However, he thinks there are some teams starting to reach the point where they’re realizing they might have to pay up.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan listed the Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning as potential suitors for Chychrun.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators have had talks with the Coyotes about Chychrun in the past but couldn’t reach a deal. The Senators face limited options in the trade market to shore up their blueline with Artem Zub sidelined again for several weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A Chychrun deal could take place in January or February. The longer he remains healthy and productive, the more likely someone will step up and meet the Coyotes’ asking price.

WILL THE AVALANCHE ATTEMPT TO BOLSTER THEIR BANGED-UP ROSTER?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Colorado Avalanche suffered another blow with Nathan MacKinnon joining fellow Avs forwards Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Evan Rodrigues, and Artturi Lehkonen on the sidelines.

All of those players are expected to return this season so the Avalanche can’t go out and replace them on the salary cap. He thinks they’ll hang in there until closer to the March 3 trade deadline, when they’ll have some flexibility to make some additions.

THE JEFF MAREK SHOW (Stick tap to NHL Watcher): Elliotte Friedman suggested the Avs could in the short term pursue an affordable forward such as the Florida Panthers’ Chris Tierney. At some point, he anticipates “they will take a big swing” at someone like the Canucks’ Bo Horvat or the Chicago Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews.










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 Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2022

by | Nov 30, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2022

Alex Ovechkin sets a goal-scoring record, the Kraken and Kings play the highest-scoring game thus far this season, the Stars re-sign Roope Hintz to a lucrative new contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Alex Ovechkin scored twice to surpass Wayne Gretzky for the most career road goals (403) in a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Darcy Kuemper made 31 saves for the Capitals and Anthony Mantha collected two points for the Capitals (10-11-3). Nil Hoglander replied for the Canucks as they fall to 9-11-3.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gretzky scored 402 road goals during his career. Ovechkin now has 793 total career goals and needs just nine more to move past Gordie Howe (801) in second place on the all-time list. He currently has 13 goals in 24 games this season.

An overtime goal by Andre Burakovsky lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Los Angeles Kings 9-8 in the highest-scoring game of the season thus far. Burakovsky, Jared McCann and Matty Beniers each scored twice while Jordan Eberle collected four assists for the Kraken (14-5-3) as they picked up their sixth straight win. Kevin Fiala had four assists, Drew Doughty collected three helpers and Gabriel Vilardi tallied twice as the Kings drop to 12-9-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a record-setting game for the Kraken, winning their franchise-best sixth consecutive game, scoring the most goals in one game and the most combined goals.

Winnipeg Jets winger Blake Wheeler collected a hat trick and picked up an assist as his club blanked the Colorado Avalanche 5-0. Connor Hellebuyck turned in a 40-save shutout while Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti collected three points each as the Jets improved their record to 14-6-1. Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev gave up five goals on 23 shots as his club fell to 12-7-1.

The Boston Bruins regained first place in the overall standings with a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, extending their league-record season-opening home wins streak to 13 games. Taylor Hall scored two goals while Jeremy Swayman kicked out 27 shots for the win. Steven Stamkos scored to pick up his 999th career point as his Lightning dropped to 13-8-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins (19-3-0) are tied with the New Jersey Devils (38 points) but have a game in hand and have lost one fewer game. Before the game, they activated defenseman Derek Forbort and demoted Anton Swayman to their AHL affiliate.

Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube had a goal and two assists while goalie Dan Vladar stopped 31 shots to defeat the Florida Panthers 6-2 and improve their record to 10-9-3. Sam Reinhart and Nick Cousins replied for the 10-9-4 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Matthew Tkachuk’s first game in Calgary since forcing a trade to the Florida Panthers during the offseason. He was honored by the Flames with a video tribute and a standing ovation by most Calgary fans but was booed every time he touched the puck in this contest.

An overtime goal by Brett Pesce gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Martin Necas and Andrei Svechnikov also scored for the Hurricanes (12-6-5) while Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel replied for the 11-8-4 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins were furious following the game as an uncalled boarding penalty by Carolina winger Seth Jarvis on Bryan Rust led to Pesce’s goal.

The Philadelphia Flyers snapped their 10-game winless skid by downing the New York Islanders 3-1. Kevin Hayes tallied two goals and Carter Hart turned in a 23-save effort for the 8-10-5 Flyers. Noah Dobson replied for the Islanders as they drop to 15-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Scott Laughton returned to the lineup following a four-game absence with an upper-body injury.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi’s scored in overtime as his club nipped the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 2-1. Colton Sissons also tallied for the Predators as they improved to 10-9-2. John Gibson made 39 saves and Troy Terry scored for the Ducks, who hold the league’s worst record at 6-15-2.

The San Jose Sharks blanked the Montreal Canadiens 4-0. Tomas Hertl scored twice and Kaapo Kahkonen made 28 saves for the shutout as the Sharks improve to 8-13-4. The Canadiens went 0-6 on the powerplay and drop to 11-10-1 on the season.

NOTABLE NEWS

DALLAS HOCKEY NOW: The Stars signed center Roope Hintz to an eight-year, $67.6 million contract extension. The average annual value is $8.45 million and goes into effect for the 2023-24 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big increase for Hintz over the $3.15 million AAV of his current contract. The 26-year-old was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights in July and would’ve also been a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.

Hintz earned that big payday centering the Stars’ top line with wingers Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski since 2020-21. He had 43 points in 41 games despite being hampered by injury during that COVID-shortened season. The Finnish center enjoyed a career-best 72-point performance last season and has 24 points in 22 games thus far in this campaign.

The Stars now have young core players like Hintz, Robertson, defenseman Miro Heiskanen and goaltender Jake Oettinger signed for at least the next two seasons.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Tempe City Council voted 7-0 in favor of the Arizona Coyotes’ proposed 16,000 arena proposal. The next (and potentially final) step will be a referendum by Tempe citizens to be held on May 16, 2023.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed the Coyotes are willing to sign a 30-year non-relocation agreement if the arena proposal goes forward. The league will also bring an NHL draft or an all-star game to the new arena.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 26, 2022

by | Nov 26, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – November 26, 2022

What’s the latest on the Sharks’ contract talks with Timo Meier? Should the Islanders pursue him if he hits the trade block? What’s the latest on Jakob Chychrun? Could the Panthers move Patric Hornqvist? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON TIMO MEIER

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng reports Sharks winger Timo Meier said there’s nothing new going on regarding his contract extension negotiations. That’s in line with what his agent, Claude Lemieux, said at the start of the season. Lemieux had indicated he didn’t anticipate receiving any offers until the end of this season.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

The Sharks could decide to trade the 26-year-old Meier, who is slated to become a restricted free agent in July. “It’s in your head sometimes,” Meier admitted, but he said he’s trying not to get too caught up in it.

Peng recently observed that Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli has Meier at No. 6 on his early-season list of NHL trade targets. He currently has a management annual salary-cap hit of $6 million.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Kevin Kurz was asked if he thought the New York Islanders should pursue Meier or Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat if they become available at the March 3 trade deadline.

Kurz believed Meier would be a better fit as he would be a natural to line up alongside first-line center Mathew Barzal. However, he doubted the Isles have the assets to make that deal as bidding for Meier would be fierce. He speculated it could cost them a first-round pick and one of their few high-end prospects, provided Meier would sign a contract extension with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hanging over Meier’s contract situation is the cost of the qualifying offer. As I and other observers have noted, while his annual cap hit is $6 million, he’s being paid $10 million this season in actual salary.

Because Meier signed his current contract before changes to qualifying offer rules were made in 2020, it will cost the Sharks (or whatever team were to acquire him) $10 million just to qualify his rights unless he and the team can agree before then on a new contract with perhaps a lower average annual value.

If Meier does hit the trade block before March 3, teams could consider him to be a rental player instead of one they can retain beyond this season.

MORE CHYCHRUN TO THE BLUE JACKETS SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: In a recent “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek mentioned the Columbus Blue Jackets have once again been linked to Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets reportedly expressed interest in Chychrun leading up to the opening round of this year’s draft but he supposedly spiked the deal despite lacking no-trade protection. Jackets management denied the story but more than a few pundits claim their interest was genuine.

The Jackets are well-stocked with promising players on their roster (Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, Adam Boqvist, Yegor Chinakhov) and in their prospect pipeline (David Jiricek, Denton Mateychuk) that could entice the Coyotes. That’s assuming Chychrun has had a change of heart regarding his rumored unwillingness to go to Columbus.

UPDATE ON THE PANTHERS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman doesn’t expect the Florida Panthers will attempt to move veteran winger Patric Hornqvist to make room for Anthony Duclair when the latter is ready to return to the lineup.

Hornqvist is in the final season of his contract with a cap hit of $5.3 million. There’s a belief that Florida GM Bill Zito promised the winger that he wouldn’t be traded elsewhere in order to get him to agree to accept a trade to the Panthers. Friedman doubted that Zito would renege on his promise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Zito wanted to trade Hornqvist he probably won’t find much of a market for an aging, expensive winger playing fourth-line minutes. Besides, Hornqvist still has an eight-team no-trade list.

Zito’s not in a position of strength here and rival clubs could be more interested in players still in their prime like Duclair, Sam Reinhart or Sam Bennett. It’ll be interesting to see how the Panthers GM handles this situation.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2022

by | Nov 22, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2022

The Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron tallies his 1,000th career point, the Devils tie a franchise wins record, the Avalanches’ Cale Makar reaches a milestone for defensemen, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron collected an assist for his 1,000th career NHL point in a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci each had two-point performances for the Bruins (17-2-0), who picked up their seventh straight win and sit atop the overall standings with 34 points. Nick Paul scored twice for the Lightning, whose record drops to 11-7-1.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bergeron joins Raymond Bourque, John Bucyk and Phil Esposito as the only Bruins to reach the 1,000-point plateau. The 37-year-old Bruins captain is off to a good start to this season with 18 points in 19 games.

The New Jersey Devils tied a franchise record 13-game winning streak as they defeated the Edmonton Oilers 5-2. Nico Hischier collected three assists while Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each collected two points for the 16-3-0 Devils, who sit two points behind the first-place Bruins in the overall standings. Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins replied for the Oilers as they slide to 10-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The red-hot Devils are drawing considerable praise for their strong start to this season. However, not everyone thinks they’re going to make the playoffs. Sportsnet’s Keith Yandle is a doubter, citing their goaltending while suggesting they’ll start cooling off following the upcoming US Thanksgiving weekend. It’ll be interesting to see if the Devils can prove him wrong.

Oilers goalie Jack Campbell left the game in the second period after being clipped by the puck near his eye while sitting on the bench as a backup for Stuart Skinner. He left the bench and didn’t return. Head coach Jay Woodcroft had no update on Campbell’s condition following the game but Skinner told reporters Campbell had a bloody nose but was joking around and was otherwise okay.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar became the fastest blueliner in NHL history to reach the 200-point plateau in a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Makar opened the scoring to achieve the milestone in 195 career games. Meanwhile, Miko Rantanen scored the only goal in the shootout as the Avalanche improved to 11-5-1. Jason Robertson scored both goals for the 11-5-3 Stars.

Three unanswered goals by William Carrier, Reilly Smith and Alex Pietrangelo lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Pietrangelo finished the night with three points while Carrier tallied two goals as the Golden Knights remain atop the Western Conference with a record of 15-4-1. Quinn Hughes and Andrei Kuzmenko each had two points for the struggling Canucks as they drop to 6-10-3.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their seventh straight win by downing the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Noel Acciari scored twice while Justin Faulk netted the winning goal in the third period. The surging Blues are now at 10-8-0 on the season while the Ducks are at 5-13-1. Colton Parayko returned to the Blues lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Anthony Beauvillier lifted the New York Islanders over the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 3-2. Josh Bailey scored the only goal in the third period, setting the stage for Beauvillier’s game-winner for the Islanders (12-8-0). John Tavares and Auston Matthews replied for the 10-5-5 Leafs, who also lost defenseman Morgan Rielly to an apparent knee injury in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs went into this game with defensemen Jake Muzzin and T.J. Brodie sidelined by injuries. No word yet on how long Rielly could be out. He will undergo imaging on the knee today.

The Nashville Predators nipped the Arizona Coyotes 4-3 on a shootout goal by Cody Glass. Roman Josi and Mikael Granlund each had a goal and an assist for the Predators (9-8-2)while Nick Bjugstad scored twice for the Coyotes as they fall to 6-9-3. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced winger Zack Kassian was moved to injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 30.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun made his much-anticipated season debut after being sidelined for weeks by offseason wrist surgery. The subject of considerable trade speculation stretching back to last season, Chychrun was held scoreless and took a minor penalty, finishing with a plus-minus of minus-1. He was credited with four hits, two shots on goal and two blocked shots while logging 23:04 of ice time.

Calgary Flames winger Blake Coleman commemorated his 400th career NHL game with a goal and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jacob Markstrom made 23 saves for the Flames as they improved their record to 9-7-2 while the slumping Flyers drop to 7-8-4.

The Winnipeg Jets blew a 3-0 lead over the Carolina Hurricanes late in the third period before going on to a 4-3 win as Josh Morrissey scored in overtime. Morrissey finished the night with two goals while Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and two assists as the Jets rise to 11-5-1. Jaccob Slavin, Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas scored in the final minutes of the third as the 10-5-4 Hurricanes pulled goalie Pyotr Kochetkov to go with six attackers.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen made 37 saves and Luke Kunin collected three assists in a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Timo Meier tallied what proved to be the game-winner for the Sharks (7-11-3). Tim Stutzle replied for the 6-11-1 Senators.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich and Seattle Kraken goaltender Martin Jones are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 20, 2022.

ESPN.COM: Rookie center Matty Beniers is having a positive effect on the Kraken’s performance in their second NHL season. The 20-year-old’s 11 points have him tied with the Coyotes’ Matias Maccelli for the lead among this season’s rookie scorers. He’s also drawn praise from his teammates for his maturity and sociable personality.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens players are pushing back against some criticisms leveled at the club by former equipment manager Pierre Gervais in his recently-released biography. Gervais claimed former head coach Dominique Ducharme lost the room due to questionable decision-making while former general manager Marc Bergevin’s maturity issues lost him some respect among the players.

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki and alternate captain Brendan Gallagher expressed their admiration for Gervais but disputed his criticisms of Ducharme and Bergevin.