NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2025

by | Jan 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2025

Sidney Crosby moves up the all-time points leader list as the Penguins reveal their Quarter-Century Team, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extends his home points streak, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored a goal and picked up two assists to move into ninth on the NHL all-time points list, leading his club over the Edmonton Oilers 5-3. Bryan Rust also had a goal and two assists and Alex Nedeljkovic kicked out 40 shots as the Penguins snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Leon Draisaitl tallied twice and Connor McDavid collected three assists as the Oilers’ win streak ended at four games.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 1,643 career regular-season points, surpassing Hall-of-Famer Joe Sakic (1,641). He’s 80 points behind Penguins legend Mario Lemieux (1,723).

Crosby is also part of the Penguins’ First Team as they revealed their Quarter-Century Team, joining forwards Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel, defensemen Kris Letang and Sergei Gonchar, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

Lemieux was on the Second Team with forwards Phil Kessel and Chris Kunitz, defensemen Brooks Orpik and Brian Dumoulin, and goaltender Matt Murray.

Some might be surprised to see Lemieux on the Second Team. That’s because his greatest seasons were between 1984-85 and 1996-97 before he retired for the first time. He’d be on the First Team of the Penguins’ All-Time Greatest Team.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extended his home points streak to 16 games with a goal and an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Rookies Denton Mateychuk and Luca Del Bel Belluz also had a goal and an assist each as the Blue Jackets hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 44 points. Eeli Tolvanen scored both Kraken goals as they’re winless in four games (0-3-1).

A hat trick by captain Jordan Staal carried the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Jordan Martinook collected three assists and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 30 shots for the Hurricanes. Nick Robertson, William Nylander and Auston Matthews scored for the Leafs.

The Dallas Stars picked up their sixth straight win with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jason Robertson had two assists and Casey DeSmith made 27 saves as the Stars sit third in the Central Division with 53 points. Morgan Frost scored for the Flyers as they’re 0-3-1 in their last four contests.

A 30-save shutout from Ilya Sorokin allowed the New York Islanders to upset the league-leading Vegas Golden Knights 4-0. Brock Nelson scored and added an assist while Isles captain Anders Lee scored in his 800th NHL game. The loss snapped the Golden Knights’ three-game win streak, leaving them one point ahead of the Winnipeg Jets with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sorokin became the third goaltender in Islanders history to reach the 20-shutout plateau, joining Glenn Resch (25) and Billy Smith (22). It shouldn’t take long before he surpasses those two.

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each had a goal and an assist in a 6-1 drubbing of the Minnesota Wild. Logan O’Connor also had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Zach Bogosian tallied the Wild’s only goal as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild were without several key players as Kirill Kaprizov, Jared Spurgeon, Brock Faber and Jonas Brodin are sidelined by injuries.

An overtime goal by Sam Carrick (the first of his NHL career) lifted the New York Rangers over the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Igor Shesterkin made 21 saves as he returned from a four-game absence due to injury while Adam Fox had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils, who’ve dropped five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers also got some positive news about Filip Chytil. The upper-body injury he suffered on Tuesday against the Stars might not be as serious as originally feared. Chytil skipped practice on Wednesday but participated in the club’s optional skate on Thursday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning downed the Boston Bruins 4-1, handing the latter their sixth straight defeat. Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 11 of his 27 saves in the third period. Empty-net goals by Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point clinched the victory for the Lightning. Mason Lohrei scored for the Bruins.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves in a 4-0 blanking of the Ottawa Senators. Jack Quinn scored two goals and Ryan McLeod had a goal and two assists for the Sabres. The Senators have dropped six of their last seven games (1-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators fans booed their team off the ice following this contest. Before their current slump, they held the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with a record of 18-13-2 (38 points). They’re currently three points out of that spot with a record of 19-18-3.

The Senators also lost winger Noah Gregor, who left the game with a lower-body injury.

Four straight first-period goals powered the St. Louis Blues to a 6-2 romp over the Anaheim Ducks, ending a two-game losing skid. Robert Thomas scored twice while Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich each had a goal and an assist for the Blues. Ducks goalie John Gibson replaced Lukas Dostal early in the second period after the latter gave up six goals on 22 shots.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine remains sidelined with flu-like symptoms. His last game was on Dec. 31.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nashville Predators forward Luke Evangelista will be sidelined for four weeks with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club recalled goaltender Connor Ingram from his two-week conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Tucson.

ESPN.COM: As Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin chases Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, Greg Wyshynski profiled Mike Knuble, the only NHL player to be a teammate of both men.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2024

by | Sep 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2024

Sidney Crosby talks about his new contract with the Penguins, the Red Wings re-sign Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren, plus the latest on Ilya Sorokin, Alex Ovechkin and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Sidney Crosby spoke to the media on Monday after signing a two-year contract extension worth $8.7 million per season with the Penguins.

Crosby claimed the negotiations went smoothly. The 37-year-old center indicated the number of years on the deal was the sticking point on his part given the difficulty in determining how much longer he’ll be playing, adding he wanted it to make sense for himself and the team.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

The Penguins captain also received assurances from general manager Kyle Dubas that the ownership was committed to building a winning franchise.

“You want to try to find every way possible to get back in (to the playoffs) and make sure we compete for the Stanley Cup,” said Crosby. “So I think that was reassuring to hear, and that helped.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby’s comments indicate Penguins management will keep retooling the roster rather than rebuild. The focus this summer was adding more youth to the lineup and restocking their depleted prospect pool.

The Penguins captain made Dubas’ job easier by accepting less than market value, maintaining his usual average annual value of $8.7 million. Speculation out of Pittsburgh earlier this summer suggested Crosby could get a three-year extension with an annual cap hit of $10 million.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed winger Lucas Raymond to an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8.075 million.

Raymond, 22, was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. He led the Wings last season with a career-high 72 points. The young Swede was red-hot down the stretch, scoring seven goals and five assists in the Wings’ final eight games and 14 goals over their final 18 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raymond bounced back from a disappointing 45-point sophomore season in 2022-23 following his promising 57-point debut. His performance last season suggests bigger things ahead for the skillful young winger.

Raymond’s new contract puts him just below captain Dylan Larkin’s team-leading AAV of $8.75 million.

The Wings still have Moritz Seider to re-sign but his new deal should be announced before they hit the ice for training camp on Thursday. He’ll also likely get an eight-year contract while his AAV could be just under Larkin’s.

TSN: The Wings also signed defenseman Jonatan Berggren to a one-year contract worth $875K.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy inadvertently revealed starting goaltender Ilya Sorokin underwent offseason back surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s why Sorokin struggled in 2023-24 following strong performances over the previous three seasons, including being named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2022-23.

Isles GM Lou Lamoriello recently said Sorokin is expected to miss only a few days of training camp. Nevertheless, he’ll now be under increased scrutiny by fans and pundits as the start of the season approaches.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin left Monday’s informal skate with his teammates after several minutes in apparent discomfort and didn’t return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word from the team or Ovechkin regarding his condition. The report indicates he’s scheduled to speak with the media on Thursday. His early departure may have been for precautionary reasons.

Ovechkin turned 39 today.

TSN: Winger Cutter Gauthier is looking forward to his first full season with the Anaheim Ducks and putting behind the drama that led to his midseason trade from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Gauthier, 20, forced the trade after telling the Flyers he wouldn’t play for them. He claimed he and his family received death threats in the weeks and months following the trade.

“At the end of the day, I don’t really care what other people think,” said Gauthier. “It’s what I think and feel as a person and what my family thinks. I can’t let all the outside noise distract me or else I’m going nowhere.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Being upset that a promising young player doesn’t want to play for your team is one thing. Feel free to voice your displeasure by booing him whenever he plays the Flyers in Philadelphia.

Making death threats is beyond the pale.

If you’re that triggered over Gauthier spurning the Flyers, step back, take some deep breaths, and seriously evaluate where you are in your life right now. That rage has no place in our game or society.

And if that friendly advice upsets you, leave this site and don’t come back.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach said he’s fully recovered from the knee injury that ended his 2023-24 campaign just two games in.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Dach will be crucial to the Canadiens’ hope of significant improvement this season. The 23-year-old could be reunited with Juraj Slafkovsky or recently-acquired winger Patrik Laine could be a linemate.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor said he’s good to go after undergoing season-ending hip surgery in March.

THE PROVINCE: The Canucks recently signed journeyman goaltender Dylan Ferguson to a professional tryout offer (PTO). He has three NHL games under his belt (one with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18 and two with the Ottawa Senators in 2022-23. The 25-year-old spent last season with KHL club Dinamo Minsk.










NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 14, 2024

by | Sep 14, 2024

NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 14, 2024

Check out the latest on Ilya Sorokin, Phil Kessel, the latest Flyers speculation, and more in today’s NHL Headlines and Rumors.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said Ilya Sorokin suffered an injury during offseason training. The 29-year-old goaltender is skating and could miss the first couple of days of training camp. Lamoriello doesn’t believe Sorokin’s ailment will keep him out of the lineup for the regular season.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last week that Sorokin was dealing with something. We’ll likely learn more about his status following his training camp medical next week.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Islanders, they’ve invited winger Matt Martin to training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin, 35, spent 13 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Islanders.

SPORTSNET: Phil Kessel isn’t ready to hang up his skates. Elliotte Friedman reports the 36-year-old winger still hopes for another NHL opportunity. The league’s reigning Ironman’s last NHL game was an Apr. 13, 2023 playoff contest with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The report suggests interest in Kessel among NHL clubs is lacking given his age and that he missed all of last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe someone will take a chance on Kessel with a PTO but it’s unlikely that he’ll land a job at this stage.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen won’t be a full participant when training camp opens next week. The 29-year-old had shoulder surgery during the offseason and there’s no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs were already facing the start of the season without Valeri Nichushkin as he’s in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and remains suspended until mid-November. Team captain Gabriel Landeskog hopes to stage a comeback from knee surgeries but his status remains uncertain.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers hired Wayne Simmonds as a community relations ambassador and hockey operations consultant. Simmonds, 36, spent nearly eight seasons with the Flyers, scoring 203 goals and 175 assists for 378 points in 584 games.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Flyers, Kevin Kurz believes forward Joel Farabee will be in the spotlight early on this season. The 24-year-old forward struggled last season and Kurz doesn’t have him pencilled in among their top-six forwards.

Training camp will determine how things shake out. Kurz suggests Farabee and his $5 million average annual value through 2026-27 could hit the trade block if the Flyers try to free up cap space for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Farabee sometimes popped up in last season’s rumor mill due to his inconsistent production. This season could determine if he has a future in Philadelphia beyond this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Rob Couch suggests Flyers prospect goaltender Alexei Kolosov could be a good option for the Nashville Predators to replace the departed Yaroslav Askarov, who was traded last month to the San Jose Sharks.

Kolosov, 22, is not attending Flyers training camp despite being on an entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the Flyers will toll Kolosov’s contract a year if he stays in Europe this season. However, they might be willing to entertain trade offers for him.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs performance coach Greg Harden passed away Thursday from complications due to surgery. He was 75.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Harden’s family, friends and the Leafs organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2024

by | Sep 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 13, 2024

More concern about the league’s “no-tax” states, the Lightning’s Victor Hedman talks about Steven Stamkos’ departure, the latest on Jonathan Marchessault leaving Las Vegas, an update on Luke Hughes, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo reports NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league continues to monitor the issue of teams in “no-tax” states having an advantage over other clubs who must pay more to sign players. However, he indicated there are no easy solutions, pointing out that players make decisions on where to play for a variety of reasons.

Daly said Thursday that it’s still too early to determine if this is an issue to be addressed. He added that he’s spoken to the NHL Players Association about the matter and the mutual feeling is that addressing it would prove complicated.

If the league adjusted the salary cap for no-tax teams, it raises questions about what happens to a player who subsequently gets traded or demoted to the minors. It would also be difficult to determine how much of a “hometown discount” a player took to sign with one of those clubs.

NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh doesn’t see this situation as much of a problem, agreeing with Daly that it would be complicated to address. He also noted that there hasn’t been a similar debate about this issue in other sports leagues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This became an issue because the Florida Panthers, once a league laughingstock, won the Stanley Cup this year.

Last season, folks were complaining about the Vegas Golden Knights using long-term injury reserve to their advantage to win the Stanley Cup, even though every team in the league has the same opportunity to avail themselves of LTIR (and have done so) in similar circumstances. The same complaint was raised about the Lightning in 2021.

By the way, the Lightning and Golden Knights also play in no-tax states. Scarcely a peep was raised about that.

The Panthers, Lightning, Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators have been around for decades. Their supposed advantage was never an issue when they spent years as also-rans or first-round-and-out clubs. Once they become champions or contenders, suddenly, it’s a problem. Heck, no one mentioned it when the Stars won the Cup in 1999 and the Predators reached the 2017 Cup Final.

The Golden Knights have been a perennial playoff club since their inception, in part because they fleeced several teams with savvy trades to land quality players before their expansion draft.

The Seattle Kraken haven’t been as successful in their brief history as their non-tax peers. Nevertheless, it’s only a matter of time until someone starts attributing any of the Kraken’s future achievements to playing in a no-tax state.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (NHL Images).

Good management is the real reason behind the varying degrees of success most of those clubs have enjoyed.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said his team will miss former captain Steven Stamkos, who signed with the Nashville Predators this summer. Hedman also said he’ll miss Stamkos more as a friend.

Hedman praised Stamkos’ legacy with the Lightning, which includes leading the club to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. He also said there will be plenty of focus on how the Bolts handle the departure of their long-time captain.

The 33-year-old defenseman is also considered Stamkos’ likely successor as team captain. “We’ll cross that bridge when it comes to that” he said.

THE SCORE: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon explained his reluctance to sign Jonathan Marchessault to a five-year contract was why the 33-year-old winger departed to Nashville as a free agent.

“We emotionally are attached to the players that have helped us have success, and yet there’s just no supporting data that justify, or in our minds, demonstrate a reason to have wingers that age like that at the end of their career.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This comes within a couple of days of Marchessault saying his departure was over the length of a contract extension, suggesting the Golden Knights lack loyalty to their players in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils defenseman Luke Hughes suffered a left shoulder injury during offseason training. His expected recovery timeline is six to eight weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries were a key reason why the Devils missed the playoffs last season. Hughes was among the few highlights in a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, finishing third among rookie scorers with 47 points. They will feel his absence during the opening weeks of this season.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders claiming Ilya Sorokin’s absence from an informal veterans skate on Thursday has nothing to do with an off-ice issue. Last week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculated was “battling something” but didn’t elaborate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles signed veteran goalie Keith Kinkaid to a professional tryout offer (PTO) yesterday, raising more questions about Sorokin’s status as training camp approaches.

SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar said he’s pain-free following season-ending hip surgery in March. He intends to challenge the promising Dustin Wolf for the vacant starter’s job.

CALGARY SUN: Speaking of the Flames, they signed forward Jakob Pelletier to a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K at the NHL level.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford left a rookie scrimmage yesterday after suffering a head injury when he was knocked head-first into the boards. He was being evaluated but there was no further word about his condition.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: A new naming rights agreement has changed the name of the Carolina Hurricanes’ home venue from PNC Arena to the Lenovo Center.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock has retired and will begin a career in broadcasting with the Sharks Audio Network.

Stalock, 37, played 179 games in the NHL, 63 with the Sharks from 2010-11 to 2015-16 and 2021-22. He also played with the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks. He finished with a record of 70 wins, 65 losses and 20 overtime losses, with a 2.70 goals-against average, a save percentage of .908, and 11 shutouts.

THE PROVINCE: Former NHL winger Stephen Peat passed away on Sep. 12 from injuries suffered when he was struck by a car over two weeks ago in Langley, BC. He was 44 years old.

Peat played 130 NHL games with the Washington Capitals from 2001-02 to 2005-06, amassing 10 points and 234 penalty minutes as an enforcer. He struggled with addiction and homelessness following his playing career.

His friends believe those issues were the result of CTE suffered during his playing career, but that can only be confirmed by posthumous examination of the brain.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2024

by | Sep 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 7, 2024

An update on Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko’s injury, Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin could be nursing an injury, the latest on free-agent defensemen Mark Giordano and Kevin Shattenkirk, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman providing an update on the injury plaguing Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko.

Friedman revealed Demko won’t fully recover from his injury. He said the situation remains shrouded in mystery but the injury isn’t fixable via surgery.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (NHL Images).

“It’s something he’s going to have to learn to play through and he can play through to a high level,” said Friedman. He believes Demko was never fully healthy entering the 2024 playoffs and the club rushed him to return before he was completely healed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks and Demko have not commented yet on Friedman’s report. It’ll be interesting to hear their response. Their silence has reached the point where speculation has become an unnecessary distraction as training camp approaches.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias cited Friedman reporting Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin was “battling something”. He noted that no one within the organization would comment on the 28-year-old goalie’s situation. Sorokin’s agent wouldn’t comment out of respect to Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello.

Macias wondered if Sorokin’s injury could be related to the dropoff in his performance last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any team run by Lamoriello is well-known for its silence regarding its players’ status. We’ll likely have to wait for the Islanders’ response when training camp opens in less than two weeks for the Islanders’ response.

SPORTSNET: Mark Giordano’s agent, Ritch Winter, said the 40-year-old defenseman isn’t ready to retire. Winter indicated he’s spoken with the Edmonton Oilers and two of his client’s former teams, the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Winter said his client’s priority is winning the Stanley Cup. He hopes to join a rebuilding club that could move him at the trade deadline or an established contender. He said Flames GM Craig Conroy wasn’t that interested in bringing Giordano back to Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Giordano’s performance was apparent over the past two seasons as age takes its toll. That will affect his efforts to continue his NHL career.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the agent for Kevin Shattenkirk is engaged in discussions with several teams hoping to find a fit for the 35-year-old free-agent defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman claimed he’d heard that Shattenkirk would love to be part of the Oilers if there’s a spot for him. The Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson reports the blueliner’s agent George Bazos is trying to get a contract for his client rather than a professional tryout offer (PTO).

Darren Dreger reports Cole Perfetti continues to skate and practice with his Winnipeg Jets teammates while contract negotiations between the two sides continue. He also intends to represent the Jets at next week’s NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s promising news given the circumstances. It suggests Perfetti could be under contract when training camp opens in less than two weeks.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks prospect Will Smith will live with former Sharks captain Patrick Marleau while the young center attempts to make the club this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Smith’s fellow Sharks prospect Macklin Celebrini will stay with Joe Thornton this season.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL player Alex Formenton has walked away from his playing career and is pursuing a career in construction. Formenton, 24, is among the five former members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team facing charges of sexual assault related to an incident in London, Ontario, in 2018.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports Montreal Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen could steal a roster spot during the club’s upcoming training camp. Kapanen, 21, is a 2021 draft pick who starred during the 2024 Finnish Liga playoffs and is playing well in preseason action with Swedish Hockey League club Timra IK.

Timra head coach and former NHL all-star Olli Jokinen praised Kapanen’s two-way skills and hockey sense. Jokinen said his club has been planning for the possibility of Kapanen’s absence once he signed his entry-level contract with the Canadiens in July.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2024

by | Apr 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2024

The Kings tie their series with the Oilers, the Bruins regain the lead over the Leafs, and the Golden Knights widen their lead over the Stars. Get the details plus the latest news from around the league in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored his first playoff overtime goal since 2012 in a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, tying their opening-round best-of-seven series at a game apiece. Kopitar also collected two assists and Adrian Kempe tallied twice for the Kings. Oilers forward Dylan Holloway scored his first two NHL playoff goals. The series moves to Los Angeles for the next two games with Game 3 slated for Friday, Apr. 26 at 10:30 pm EDT.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings recovered well from their 7-4 blowout loss in Game 1, reminding everyone that this series could be another slog like the last two between these clubs. The 36-year-old Kopitar set franchise records with his third playoff overtime goal and was the club’s oldest player to score an overtime postseason goal.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand scored the winning and insurance goals to lead his club over the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2, taking a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Trent Frederic and Jake DeBrusk also scored and Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 shots for the Bruins. Matthew Knies and Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Leafs. Game 4 is in Toronto on Saturday, Apr. 27 at 8 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe claimed Marchand was getting favorable calls from the referees. This is the same Brad Marchand who is the most suspended player in NHL history, whose reputation rarely sees him get the benefit of the doubt from on-ice officials.

Keefe is justified to be upset over Marchand getting away with a blatant trip on Tyler Bertuzzi leading to Frederic’s game-tying goal. The officiating was lousy in this game. However, the Leafs have themselves to blame for this loss. They failed to score with five power-play opportunities while the Bruins went two for three with the man advantage. Toronto goaltender Ilya Samsonov was shaky in this game after a solid effort in Game 2.

The Vegas Golden Knights expanded their series lead to 2-0 over the Dallas Stars with a 3-1 victory in Game 2 of their first-round series. Jonathan Marchessault, Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel were the goal scorers and Logan Thompson stopped 20 shots for the Golden Knights. Jason Robertson scored for the Stars. The series moves to Las Vegas for the next two games with Game 3 on Saturday at 10:30 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The good news for the Stars was they scored the opening goal, something that’s been an issue for them throughout this season. The bad news is the Golden Knights rallied back while neutralizing the Stars’ offense.

Stars forwards Mason Marchment and Radek Faksa left the game with injuries in the third period. Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce is expected to miss the remainder of his club’s first-round series with the New York Islanders. He suffered a non-contact lower-body injury in Game 2 on Monday. The Hurricanes hold a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Islanders, Ilya Sorokin will replace Semyon Varlamov in goal for Game 3 on Thursday.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers center Sam Bennett (hand injury) will miss Games 3 and 4 of his club’s series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s expected to be sidelined for a week.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks fired head coach David Quinn on Wednesday. He had a record of 41-98-25 in two seasons with the rebuilding Sharks after 96-87-25 with the New York Rangers from 2018 to 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks went 19-54-9 this season but that’s not on Quinn. The roster was gutted during the offseason and further depleted by injuries to core players Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl, with the latter traded to the Golden Knights at the trade deadline.

Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News included former NHL bench bosses Craig Berube, Dean Evason, Gerard Gallant and Jay Woodcroft among his possible candidates to replace Quinn.

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek indicated his club could name a new captain for next season. The position has been vacant since Ryan Getzlaf’s retirement in 2022.

THE SALT LAKE CITY TRIBUNE: A capacity crowd at the Delta Center welcomed former Arizona Coyotes players, coaches and management as they were welcomed to Salt Lake City for the first time. The Coyotes are moving to Utah and will play in the Delta Center starting next season.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators still hope to make a deal with Ottawa’s National Capital Commission to build a new downtown arena at LeBreton Flats. However, hurdles remain for both sides to get a deal done.

Negotiations are ongoing between the two sides. The Senators are concerned about room for public parking on the site. They also hope to have space for an arena district with bars and restaurants.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Al Shaver, the play-by-play voice of the Minnesota North Stars from the club’s inception in 1967-68 until their relocation to Dallas in 1993, died on Monday at age 96.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Shaver’s family, friends, colleagues, and North Stars fans who enjoyed his coverage of their team.