NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2025

by | Mar 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2025

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby sets a notable offensive record, Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with a four-point game, the Blues strengthen their hold on the final Western wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby broke Wayne Gretzky’s record of consecutive seasons averaging a point-per-game in a 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Jiri Kulich scored twice for the Sabres while Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram and Peyton Kreb had two points each.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 20 consecutive seasons averaging a point-per-game. That’s an impressive display of offensive consistency, especially at this stage of his career on a team rebuilding its roster.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves to shut out the Utah Hockey Club 8-0. Victor Hedman had a goal and two assists while Jake Guentzel and Oliver Bjorkstrand each scored twice for the Lightning (89 points), who moved within one point of the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning are tied with the Florida Panthers in points but the latter holds a game in hand.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they overcame a 5-3 deficit in regulation to the San Jose Sharks but fell 6-5 on shootout goals by Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini. Tyler Toffoli scored twice and picked up an assist for the Sharks. William Nylander tallied twice and Mitch Marner collected three assists for the Leafs, who sit atop the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

The St. Louis Blues strengthened their hold on the final Western Conference wild-card berth by nipping the Nashville Predators 3-2, picking up their eighth straight win. Dylan Holloway scored two goals, including the game-winner in the third period. Robert Thomas had two assists for the Blues (85 points), opening a five-point lead over the Vancouver Canucks. Fedor Svechkov and Brady Skjei scored for the Predators, who’ve been officially eliminated from the playoff race.

Minnesota Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Filip Gustavsson stopped 28 shots for the Wild, who remain two points ahead of the Blues for the first Western wild card. Matt Roy and Brandon Duhaime replied for the Capitals, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 103 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held off the score sheet and remains six goals from breaking Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. Following the game, Ovechkin led his teammates in a handshake lineup for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who is expected to retire following this season.

The Dallas Stars got a 46-save performance by backup goalie Casey DeSmith to beat the Calgary Flames 5-2. Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Mason Marchment each collected two points for the Stars, who picked up their fourth straight win to sit second in the Central Division with 98 points. Nazem Kadri scored both goals for the Flames (79 points), who sit six points back of the surging Blues in the Western wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames had two goals disallowed, leaving them feeling like the referees robbed them. They also lost forward Connor Zary as he left the game early in the third period favoring his left knee after colliding with Rantanen.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned aside 31 shots as his club held off the Detroit Red Wings for a 4-3 victory. Michael Amadio scored what proved to be the game-winner as the Senators (81 points) opened a six-point cushion over the Montreal Canadiens in the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who remain three points behind the Canadiens with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game featured two teams going in different directions. The Senators have won eight of their last 11 games while the Red Wings have only three wins in their last 14 contests.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens (75 points) blew a golden opportunity to expand their lead in the final Eastern wild-card spot by dropping a 6-4 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers, who had fired head coach John Tortorella earlier in the day. Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov each had two goals and an assist for the Flyers, who got their first win under interim coach Brad Shaw. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson picked up two assists, becoming the first rookie defenseman since 1985-86 to have 50 assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere spoke to the media about the decision to fire Tortorella. He claimed a number of reasons led to the decision, not just Tortorella’s comments on Tuesday expressing frustration over the club’s losing skid in recent weeks. He declined to get into the specifics, saying it wouldn’t be fair to his former coach.

Flyers defenseman Cam York was benched for the entire game against the Canadiens. Shaw claimed it was for disciplinary reasons but didn’t go into detail.

The last rookie defenseman to reach the 50-assist plateau was Gary Suter with the Calgary Flames. He went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy that season.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood had 22 saves to blank the Los Angeles Kings 4-0. Martin Necas scored twice and picked up an assist while Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to extend his home points streak to 23 games. The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 93 points, while the Kings are second in the Pacific Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon (108 points) holds a three-point lead over Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov atop the points race. Kings forwards Alex Turcotte and Tanner Jeannot missed this game as they’re day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.

A five-goal second period carried the Seattle Kraken to a 6-1 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Jaden Schwartz scored twice and Joey Daccord kicked out 36 shots for the Kraken. Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers, who remain third in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Michael Callahan was fined over $2,000.00 by the department of player safety for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks forward Jansen Harkins on Wednesday.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Matt Rempe is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 23, 2025

by | Mar 23, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 23, 2025

The latest coaching speculation plus updates on the Wild and Sharks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

FOUR COACHES COULD BE ON THE HOT SEAT

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes four current NHL head coaches could be searching for new jobs in the offseason.

Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators could be among the job hunters following his club’s disappointing performance after a summer of notable free-agent additions like Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Barry Trotz deserves some of the blame, as he’s the one who made those big signings last summer. Nevertheless, the coach suffers for management’s mistakes and Brunette could take the fall here.

Lindy Ruff’s return to the Buffalo Sabres failed to reverse their fortunes. The Sabres are poised to extend their league-record playoff drought to 14 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bringing back Ruff was a mistake. His style isn’t suited for the type of team the Sabres have constructed.

Joe Sacco took over as Boston Bruins head coach on an interim basis following the firing of Jim Montgomery last November. The Bruins continued to slide on Sacco’s watch and are five points out of a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe also believes Sacco will be replaced as head coach. He expects he’ll be retained as part of the coaching staff if ownership retains Don Sweeney as general manager and Cam Neely as team president.

Mike Sullivan has been the bench boss of the Pittsburgh Penguins for a decade. However, they could decide to part ways with Mike Sullivan as they continue retooling their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sullivan has done the best he can with the rosters Dubas and his predecessor have given him. However, the Penguins are transitioning toward younger talent and Dubas could decide to shake things up behind the bench.

New York Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette could be added to this list. He guided the Blueshirts to the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24 but has sometimes looked lost seeking solutions for this season’s on-ice woes. It hasn’t helped that management has been shaking up the roster in the trade market since December. Nevertheless, they could decide that a coaching change is in order.

WILL THE WILD BE BIG SPENDERS THIS SUMMER?

NHL.COM: Dan Rosen reports Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin has his eyes on the offseason and what could be available to his club once the buyout charges for Ryan Suter and Zach Parise go down.

The combined cost of buying out Suter and Parise is over $14.7 million against the Wild’s cap. However, that cost drops to $1.66 million annually for the next three seasons, giving them a projected cap space of $21.8 million for 2025-26.

Rosen warns that doesn’t mean the opening of the 2025 free-agent market on July 1 will be like Christmas Day for the Wild. They must keep in mind the significant raise required to re-sign superstar Kirill Kaprizov before his eligibility for unrestricted free-agent status next year. Young center Marco Rossi is a restricted free agent and will seek a significant raise coming off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guerin could make a cost-cutting move to free up extra cap space if he wants to go big-game hunting this summer. If not, he could content himself with affordable depth signings to improve his club’s chances of a deep playoff run next year.

SHARKS MUST ADDRESS GOALIE DEPTH THIS SUMMER

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka observed the San Jose Sharks must improve their goaltending depth and defensive play. They have the league’s worst goals-against per game (3.64 as of March 23) while their .890 save percentage is 30th.

Rookie goaltender Yaroslav Askarov is the only Sharks goalie under contract next season. Veteran Alexandar Georgiev is UFA-eligible this summer and has been inconsistent this season, though he cannot bear sole responsibility for the Sharks’ defensive woes. Rookie Georgi Romanov is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pickings for goalies are slim in this summer’s free-agent market. The notables include New Jersey’s Jake Allen, Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, former Sharks netminder Vitek Vanecek, Calgary’s Dan Vladar, Detroit’s Alex Lyon and Los Angeles’ David Rittich.

Trade options aren’t much better. John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks is the most noteworthy having frequently surfaced in trade rumors over the last two years. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.4 million. Gibson also has a 10-team no-trade list, which could put the Sharks out of the running.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 23, 2025

by | Mar 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 23, 2025

Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl and Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins lead their clubs to victory with hat tricks, six teams in wild-card races pick up wins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Tomas Hertl tallied his second hat trick in a seven-game span to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Jack Eichel had a goal and three assists and Mark Stone had a goal and two assists as the Golden Knights sit atop the Pacific Division with 90 points. Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists for the Red Wings (70 points), leaving them five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings have lost eight of their last 10 games. Barring a significant turnaround over their final 13 games, they’ll extend their postseason drought to nine seasons.

A hat trick by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins enabled the injury-depleted Edmonton Oilers to hold off the Seattle Kraken 5-4. Darnell Nurse and Mattias Ekholm each collected two points as the Oilers sit three points behind the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Kaapo Kakko scored twice for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers won with superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl sidelined by injuries. Both players could return in a week, with Draisaitl reportedly closer to returning to action. Meanwhile, Kakko has rejuvenated his career since being traded to the Kraken in December. With 39 points, he’s one away from tying his career-high 40-point season in 2022-23 with the New York Rangers.

The Minnesota Wild got a 20-save performance from goaltender Filip Gustavsson for his third straight win as they downed the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist and Matt Boldy collected two assists as the Wild hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 85 points. JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin picked up an assist after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

St. Louis Blues forwards Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker each had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blues extended their win streak to a season-high five games and hold the final Western wild-card spot with 79 points. Ilya Mikheyev replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost seven in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forward Patrick Maroon played his final game against his former club after announcing he’ll retire at the end of this season. The St. Louis native received a standing ovation by Blues fans and was named the game’s first star. He helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019.

Maroon has spent 14 seasons in the NHL with the Blackhawks, Blues, Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins, collecting 320 points and 1,076 PIMs in 840 regular-season games and 53 points in 163 playoff contests, winning three Stanley Cups, including two with the Lightning.

The Calgary Flames are two points behind the Blues following a 4-3 overtime win over the New York Islanders. Nazem Kadri tallied the game-winner, Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and two assists, Matt Coronato scored twice and Rasmus Andersson collected three assists for Calgary as they’ve won three straight games. Noah Dobson and Maxim Tsyplakov each picked up two assists for the Islanders (73 points), who are two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar missed this game with a lower-body injury while forward Joel Farabee was sidelined by illness. Weegar is expected to return for Tuesday’s game against the Kraken.

New York Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski tallied two goals and J.T. Miller scored an empty-netter against his former club to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 36 shots for the Rangers (74 points), who are one point out of the final Eastern wild card. Canucks forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander left this game with injuries as their club slipped three points behind the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks dominated the Rangers in this game but couldn’t put them away. It’s a costly defeat at a time when the Blues and Flames are surging. The loss overshadowed Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood breaking the league’s single-season record for hits with 384.

The Colorado Avalanche blew a 4-1 lead before defeating the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on a shootout goal by Brock Nelson, who had a goal and an assist in regulation play. Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice for the Canadiens, who cling to the final Eastern wild-card berth with 75 points. The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the loss, the Canadiens earned a valuable point to retain that wild card. They have points in 12 of their last 13 contests (8-1-4).

Ottawa Senators forwards Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson scored second-period goals within 33 seconds of each other to hold off the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Linus Ullmark stopped 25 shots for the win as the Senators hold a four-point lead over the Canadiens in the first Eastern wild-card spot. Luke Hughes collected assists on both goals for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators’ Thomas Chabot became the fourth defenseman in franchise history to reach the 500-game milestone, joining Chris Phillips, Wade Redden and Erik Karlsson.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley opened the scoring and ended the game with a two-goal performance in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Stars hold second place in the Central Division with 92 points. Travis Konecny and Ryan Poehling replied for the Flyers, who’ve lost four straight.

The Los Angeles Kings crushed the Carolina Hurricanes 7-2, winning for the seventh time in their last eight games. Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, Andrei Kuzmenko and Tanner Jeannot each had a goal and an assist and Drew Doughty collected two assists as the Kings sit third in the Pacific Division with 85 points. Dmitry Orlov and Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes as they hold second place in the Metro Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis left the game in the third period with an apparent head injury when he crashed into the end boards after being hauled down by Kings winger Warren Foegele. Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour expressed optimism in his postgame press conference that Jarvis avoided serious injury.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin collected two assists in a 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers, giving them their ninth win in their last 10 contests. Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist as the Capitals opened a two-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings with 102 points. Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 87 points.

The Utah Hockey Club kept their playoff hopes alive by upsetting the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-4. Logan Cooley and Alex Kerfoot led the way with two goals each for Utah (75 points), who sit four points behind the Blues in the Western wild-card race. Brayden Point netted two goals and Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists for the Lightning, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 85 points.

Five unanswered goals powered the Nashville Predators to a 5-2 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Filip Forsberg scored twice and picked up an assist as the Predators snapped a four-game losing skid. John Tavares scored his 30th of the season for the Leafs, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs and Panthers have identical 42-25-3 records, but the latter holds the tiebreaker with 35 regulation wins compared to the Leafs’ 34.

The San Jose Sharks beat the Boston Bruins 3-1. Lucas Carlsson’s tiebreaker was his first goal with the Sharks and his first since 2021-22 with the Panthers. Carlsson and teammate William Eklund each finished with a goal and an assist. Casey Mittelstadt replied for the slumping Bruins, who’ve lost their fifth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins played without forward Mark Kastelic, who returned to Boston for further evaluation of an upper-body injury and will miss the remainder of their five-game road trip.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2025

by | Mar 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored two goals and collected an assist to lead his team over the Calgary Flames 6-2. William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (83 points) as they moved within two points of the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers. Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl replied for the Flames (71 points), who remain two points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews set an NHL record among American-born players with 36 multi-goal periods, surpassing Hall-of-Famer Jeremy Roenick (35). The Leafs are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning but the latter holds second place in the division with 34 regulation wins. Meanwhile, the Flames have lost seven of their last nine games.

Speaking of the Lightning, they got a 21-save shutout from Andrei Vasilevskiy to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0. Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel scored for the Lightning as they pulled within two points of the division-leading Panthers. The Flyers have dropped eight of their last 10 games.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen kicked out 45 shots in a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt each tallied their 20th goals of the season. Mathieu Olivier scored for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils are third in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. The Blue Jackets (70 points) remain two points behind the New York Rangers for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Third-period goals by Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Johansson gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings (81 points), who remain one point behind the second-place Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division. The Wild hold the first Western wild card with 81 points.

An overtime goal by Alex Tuch lifted the Buffalo Sabres over the Boston Bruins 3-2. Owen Power had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who won two of their last three games. Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (69 points), who’ve lost six of their last eight and remain three points out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forwards JJ Peterka, Josh Norris and Jiri Kulich missed this game due to injuries. Peterka and Norris are expected to return to action later this week.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt, and Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 16, 2025.

The San Jose Sharks have been officially eliminated from the 2025 playoff race. A lack of secondary scoring doomed the rebuilding club’s postseason hopes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks’ postseason drought has reached six seasons. Before 2019-20, their longest stretch without playoff appearances was two years (1991-92 to 1992-93, 1995-96 to 1996-97).

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog joined his teammates for a full practice on Monday, though he’s still not cleared for contact. It marks the first time this season Landeskog has participated in a full practice as he attempts a comeback since undergoing knee surgeries nearly three years ago.

ROTOWIRE: Speaking of the Avalanche, defenseman Josh Manson will likely be sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Calgary Flames.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders will continue to rely heavily on goaltender Ilya Sorokin as they attempt to remain in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.

TSN: Clarification on goaltender interference and other coach’s challenges were the main topics on Monday during the league’s annual spring general managers’ meeting.

NHL.COM: Former NHL defenseman Tomas Kloucek sided Sunday following a skiing accident in Czechia. He was 45 years old.

Kloucek appeared in 141 NHL regular-season games with the New York Rangers, Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers from 2000-01 to 2005-06, tallying two goals and eight assists for 10 points and 250 PIMs. He spent the remainder of his playing career in Europe, retiring in 2017.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Kloucek’s family, friends, former teammates and coaches.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2025

by | Mar 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2025

A milestone for Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Golden Knights center Jack Eichel sets a franchise record, the latest on next season’s schedule, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky picked up his 424th NHL regular-season win as he and his teammates nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2. Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots and Sam Bennett scored twice for the Panthers, who’ve won seven of their last eight games and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 84 points. John Tavares and Max Domi replied for the Leafs, who sit four points behind the Panthers in second place in the division.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky holds sole possession of 10th overall among goalies for career wins. He’s 13 wins behind Jacques Plante, who holds ninth place. Martin Brodeur is the all-time leader with 691 victories. Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev returned to action after missing six games with an upper-body injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights blanked the Columbus Blues Jackets 4-0, extending their points streak to seven games. Adin Hill turned in a 27-save shutout performance while Brandon Saad, Tomas Hertl and Nicolas Roy each collected two points for the Golden Knights, who sit first in the Pacific Division with 85 points. The Blue Jackets hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points, but they’ve lost four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel collected an assist to set the single-season franchise points record with 79.

A four-goal first period carried the Ottawa Senators to a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Drake Batherson scored twice and collected an assist while goaltender Linus Ullmark made a highlight-reel glove save as the Senators hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 75 points. David Pastrnak tallied his 34th goal for the Bruins, who sit two points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk sat out the final minutes of the game with a hip injury. Head coach Travis Green said Tkachuk tweaked his hip but expects he’ll be all right.

An overtime goal by Braden Schneider lifted the New York Rangers over the Minnesota Wild 3-2. Igor Shesterkin turned aside 26 shots as the Rangers sit behind the Blue Jackets with 70 points. Wild captain Jared Spurgeon collected two assists as his club holds the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forward Arthur Kaliyev left the Rangers during this road trip to undergo further evaluation and testing for an upper-body injury.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Brett Pesce had a goal and an assist as the Devils sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 47th goal to extend his points streak to 16 games. The Oilers cling to third in the Pacific Division with 78 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have been in a funk of late with just three wins in their last 11 contests.

Meanwhile, Oilers general manager Stan Bowman filed a motion to quash a subpoena for him to be deposed in the case of John Doe vs the Chicago Blackhawks. Bowman and other former Blackhawks employees have been issued subpoenas to sit for depositions from John Doe’s attorneys.

Bowman claims he was not properly served the subpoena because his home is in Edmonton, not Chicago, and the court doesn’t have any personal jurisdiction over him for several reasons, including that he is a resident and citizen of Canada.

The former Blackhawks player is suing the franchise for failing to act when informed of sexual assault allegations against former team video coach Brad Aldrich during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Bowman was general manager at the time.

Los Angeles Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper had a 21-save shutout to defeat the Washington Capitals 3-0. Quinton Byfield scored to extend his goal streak to five games and Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who’ve won four straight and vaulted over the Oilers into second place in the Pacific Division with 79 points. The Capitals slipped into second place in the overall standings with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals are tied with the Winnipeg Jets but the latter holds first overall with 45 wins.

The Philadelphia Flyers snapped a five-game losing skid with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bobby Brink had two goals and an assist in regulation and Owen Tippett netted the winning goal for the Flyers. Jonas Johansson stopped 26 shots for the Lightning, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning recalled Cam Atkinson from their AHL affiliate in Syracuse to replace ailing winger Nikita Kucherov. Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry kicked out 33 shots in a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust each had a goal and an assist as the Penguins collected their third straight win. Blues netminder Jordan Binnington was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots. With 69 points, the Blues sit two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild card.

The San Jose Sharks ended a three-game skid by doubling up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Collin Graf tallied twice and Will Smith had a goal and an assist. Frank Nazar and Ilya Mikheyev replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks center Connor Bedard received a 10-minute misconduct for abuse of officials. No explanation was given by the referee and Bedard looked confused when the call was made. After the game, the Blackhawks star said it was for something he said to the official regarding an uncalled trip by Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the 2025-26 NHL schedule is tentatively slated to open on Oct. 7 with the 2026 Stanley Cup Final end around June 21-22 at the latest. The schedule is to accommodate the Winter Olympic break plus the All-Star Game.

Meanwhile, the 2026-27 season could see an 84-game regular season with a shortened preseason, with the regular season beginning in late September with the playoffs ending in late June. It would better accommodate breaks for the Olympics and World Cup of Hockey while reducing the number of back-to-back games that teams currently face.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Changes to the regular season and playoff formats are expected to be part of the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA expires in September 2026 but a new agreement is expected to be in place well before then, avoiding the possibility of another work stoppage.

Removing the requirement of playing at least one game in every NHL arena doesn’t appear very popular. Some teams don’t want to go two years without seeing a superstar like Connor McDavid or a popular draw like the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens.

Canceling the All-Star Game has also been discussed. It won’t happen next year as the New York Islanders have already been announced as the host team for the 2026 game. However, the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off has prompted talks about changing course. LeBrun wonders if they’ll consider scrapping the ASG during Olympic years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL All-Star Game has been a pathetic joke for four decades. Only the team hosting the event sees any benefit. It’s a ratings dud, and those fans who tune in seem to be “hate-watching” so they can dump on the event in real time on social media.

I’d like to see an Olympics-4 Nations-World Cup-4 Nations format.

CALGARY SUN: Flames center Connor Zary received a two-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for a late, retaliatory hit on Vancouver Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson on Wednesday.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov will miss Friday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings with an undisclosed ailment.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2025

by | Mar 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, the aftermath of the trade deadline, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets remained in first place in the overall standings with a 6-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists, while Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey each had a goal and an assist. With 92 points, the Jets hold a two-point lead over the Washington Capitals. Dawson Mercer scored for the Devils, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff’s trade deadline moves didn’t earn a positive review from Paul Friesen of The Winnipeg Sun. Cheveldayoff made two depth moves, acquiring veteran defenseman Luke Schenn and energy winger Brandon Tanov.

On Friday, the Devils announced that defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler will miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury. Blueliner Dougie Hamilton is expected to miss “an extended period of time” with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Capitals, they overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2. Aliaksei Protas had two goals and an assist and Tom Wilson netted a goal and an assist. Dylan Larkin and Moritz Seider scored for the Red Wings (66 points), who’ve dropped five straight games and sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

The Vegas Golden Knights blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0. Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves for the shutout while Mark Stone had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 23 shots for the Penguins.

A late goal by Kiefer Sherwood lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Elias Pettersson and Teddy Blueger also scored and Kevin Lankinen kicked out 37 shots for the Canucks, who moved ahead of the Calgary Flames into the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 69 points. Brock Faber replied for the Wild, who hold the first wild-card berth with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild GM Bill Guerin explained that a lack of cap space prevented him from making any significant additions at the trade deadline. He couldn’t place Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek or Jonas Brodin on long-term injury reserve because they’re expected to return before the end of the regular season.

The St. Louis Blues held off the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Brayden Schenn tallied twice while former Duck Cam Fowler collected two assists for the Blues, who sit one point behind the Canucks. Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry each had two points for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn frequently surfaced in the rumor mill as a trade candidate leading up to Friday’s deadline. Blues GM Doug Armstrong declined to comment on whether he’d had trade talks with other teams involving his captain. Schenn has a full no-trade clause this season, which likely explains why he wasn’t moved. That clause becomes a 15-team no-trade list on July 1.

An overtime goal by Connor Bedard lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Spencer Knight picked up his second straight win with the Blackhawks by stopping 36 shots. Clayton Keller and Mikhail Sergachev each had two points for Utah (66 points) as they sit three back of the Canucks.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky said he didn’t regret his acquisition of Mikko Rantanen from Colorado in January, even if it didn’t end the way he would’ve liked.

Unable to sign Rantanen to a contract extension, Tulsky traded him to the Dallas Stars on Friday in exchange for rookie forward Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks and two third-rounders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tulsky bungled this situation. He should’ve sought assurances that he could sign Rantanen to a contract extension before making the trade with the Avs. When Rantanen wouldn’t commit, the Hurricanes GM was forced to trade him for a return that could pay long-term dividends but doesn’t move his club closer to the Stanley Cup this year.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane won’t be ready to return for the rest of the regular season as he recovers from abdominal surgery.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres signed winger Jason Zucker to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4.75 million.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders are negotiating a two-year contract extension with winger Kyle Palmieri. The AAV is expected to be below his current cap hit of $5 million.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier explained his decision to trade top-six forward Fabian Zetterlund to the Ottawa Senators on Friday was to acquire forward Zack Ostapchuk. Grier envisioned the 21-year-old Ostapchuk developing into a third-line center who could grow with their cadre of young forwards like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and William Eklund.