NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 10, 2025

by | May 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 10, 2025

The Jets tied their series with the Stars, the Panthers got their first win in their series with the Maple Leafs, seven more skaters are added to the Quarter-Century Team, the latest on a new franchise in Atlanta, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebucyk made 21 saves to shut out the Dallas Stars 4-0, tying their best-of-seven second-round series at a game apiece.

Nikolaj Ehlers had two goals and an assist, Dylan DeMelo collected two assists, and Josh Morrissey picked up an assist as he returned to action after missing Game 1 with an injury. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 21 shots.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

The series shifts to Dallas for the next two games. Game 3 is 4:30 pm ET on Sunday, May 11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a solid bounce-back performance by the Jets after dropping the first game on the strength of Dallas winger Mikko Rantanen’s hat trick. They dominated the Stars, doing an outstanding job neutralizing Rantanen and his teammates in this contest. Hellebuyck struggled with consistency in the first round, but his Game 2 performance should silence his critics for a little while. However, he must build on it if the Jets are to win this series. 

An overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 of their second-round series.

Marchand is the leader among active NHL players with 14 game-winning goals in the playoffs.

Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who narrowed Toronto’s lead in the series to 2-1. John Tavares tallied twice and Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Leafs.

Game 4 will be Sunday, May 10, at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs looked poised to take a commanding 3-0 series lead when they got early goals from Knies and Tavares. Aleksander Barkov made it 2-1 but Tavares restored the two-goal lead early in the second. However, Reinhart and Verhaeghe quickly scored to tie it and Jonah Gadjovich gave the Panthers the lead.

It then became a game of bounces involving Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly. His game-tying goal in the third deflected off Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky’s blocker, striking his defenseman Seth Jones, and bounced into the Panthers’ net. Marchand’s goal deflected into the Leafs’ net as Rielly was jostling with Panthers center Anton Lundell.

The hockey gods giveth, and the hockey gods taketh away.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Seven skaters who debuted in the NHL between 2000 and 2010 were named to the league’s Quarter-Century Team.

The new players are former Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, former Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk, former Chicago Blackhawks and current Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, Pittsburgh Penguins centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Washington Capitals left wing Alexander Ovechkin, and former Tampa Bay Lightning and current Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprises here. They were/are the most impactful players of their era. Datsyuk is already in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Bergeron will soon join him, and the others are all future first-ballot Hall-of-Famers once their playing careers are over.

The league will reveal the six skaters who debuted since 2010 on Saturday.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league’s two failed attempts to house a franchise in Atlanta would prevent the possibility of a third attempt to bring an expansion team to that market.

Bettman’s comments come days after prospective Atlanta owner Paul Krause said his group was getting closer to making a formal expansion pitch. The commissioner said there is interest in a potential expansion to Atlanta, but no formal timetable.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I predict the league will expand to Atlanta and Houston by the end of this decade, expanding to 34 teams.

Like it or not, billionaires are willing to pony up the increasingly rising expansion fee (likely to be $2 billion) to own an NHL expansion franchise in the United States.

Sorry, Quebec City, you have a devoted fan base and a proper NHL-ready arena, but your market is too small compared to those in the United States, and that’s where the money is. Your best bet is to become an emergency relocation destination for a failing American team like Winnipeg was for the Atlanta Thrashers in 2011.

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy was fined $7,812.50 for cross-checking Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic during Game 2 of the teams’ second-round series on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league explained they fined Roy instead of suspending him because he was reckless with his stick rather than intentionally trying to injure Frederic when he cross-checked the Oilers forward in the face. Frederic remained in the game, which explains why Roy escaped harsher discipline.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller underwent surgery for an undisclosed injury suffered toward the end of the regular season. He is expected to be ready for training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether that’s with the Rangers or another team remains to be seen. Miller is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off a difficult season. He could receive an offer sheet from a rival club if negotiations stall with the Rangers. Miller could also be a trade candidate if management decides he no longer fits into their long-term plans.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils have parted ways with assistant coaches Ryan McGill and Chris Taylor.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former WWE star Brock Lesnar’s son was recently drafted by the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. Duke Lesnar, 14, is a 5’11”, 168-pound forward chosen 115th overall by the Tigers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t NHL news, but I’m a pro wrestling fan, so this was interesting to share here.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2025

by | May 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2025

Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars to a Game 1 victory over the Jets, the Leafs take a 2-0 series lead over the Panthers, the Utah Hockey Club gets a new name, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen tallied his second straight hat trick to lead his club to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Jake Oettinger stopped 29 shots for the Stars. Nino Niederreiter and Mark Scheifele replied for the Jets.

Game 2 is Friday, May 9, in Winnipeg at 9:30 pm ET

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Rantanen’s second hat trick in these playoffs, making him the first player in league history to have multiple three-goal periods in the same postseason. He’s also the fourth player to have two at any point in his NHL career, joining Wayne Gretzky, Maurice Richard (three times) and Tim Kerr (twice). He currently leads all scorers in this postseason with eight goals and 15 points.

Scheifele returned to action after being sidelined since Game 5 of the Jets’ first-round series against the St. Louis Blues. Stars winger Jason Robertson made his debut in this postseason after being sidelined since Apr. 16 by a knee injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Florida Panthers 4-3 to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round series.

Mitch Marner snapped a 3-3 tie while Max Pacioretty and Max Domi each had a goal and an assist. Anton Lundell had a goal and an assist for the Panthers.

The series shifts to Florida for the next two games. Game 3 is Friday, May 9, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs coach Craig Berube wanted his players to avoid seeking retribution against Panthers forward Sam Bennett for his elbow to the head of Anthony Stolarz that took the goaltender out of Game 1, sidelining him from this contest.

They followed Berube’s instructions, focused on beating the Panthers on the score sheet, and put themselves in a position where they can take a more commanding series lead on Friday.

Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad made his series debut after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel. He collected an assist and had a plus/minus of plus-2.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Utah Hockey Club finally has a new brand name. After a 13-month process, including fan surveys garnering over 850,000 votes, their new name is the Utah Mammoth.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy is shaking up his top-two forward lines for Game 2 of his club’s second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers.

William Karlsson moves from left wing on the first line to centering Reilly Smith and Brett Howden on the third line. Ivan Barbashev fills that vacant spot on the first line alongside Jack Eichel and Mark Stone.

On Tuesday, the Golden Knights dropped a 4-2 decision to the Oilers in Game 1. Game 2 is Thursday in Las Vegas at 9:30 pm ET.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres have hired Eric Staal as special assistant to general manager Kevyn Adams. Staal, 40, retired as a player in 2023 after playing 18 seasons with six teams, including a brief tenure with the Sabres in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move could be a part of what Daily Faceoff reported is a long-overdue effort by the Sabres to expand their front office. This club has missed the playoffs for 14 straight years, partly because they have one of the smallest front-office staffs in the league.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed backup goaltender Jonas Johansson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.25 million.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators owner Michael Andlauer wrote an open letter to the club’s fans to thank them for their support this season. The franchise qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and Andlauer promised the fans that better things are ahead.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2025

by | May 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2025

The Jets eliminate the Blues, the second-round playoff schedule is released, the draft lottery will be held on Monday evening, and the latest on Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets captain Adam Lowry scored the winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-3, eliminating the latter in seven games.

Winnipeg Jets captain Adam Lowry (NHL Images).

The Blues went into the third period holding a 3-1 lead on goals by Jordan Kyrou, Mathieu Joseph, and Radek Faksa. However, the Jets stormed back late in the period. With goaltender Connor Hellebuyck pulled for an extra attacker, Vladislav Namestnikov scored with 1:56 remaining and Cole Perfetti netted his second of the game with 2.2 seconds left.

Hellebuyck shook off a shaky start to finish with 26 saves, while Blues netminder Jordan Binnington kicked out 43 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was one of the most exciting playoff games I’ve ever seen.

The Blues were on the verge of victory until the Jets’ stunning comeback. What’s more, the Jets were playing with first-line center Mark Scheifele out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury, and top-pairing defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game in the first period with an injury. Neal Pionk logged 46:15 minutes of ice time, collecting three assists.

Winnipeg overcame a poor start, outshooting St. Louis 44-22. Binnington was solid between the pipes for the Blues, but the Jets beat him with three of their four goals coming on deflected or tipped-in shots.

The Jets advance to meet the Dallas Stars in the second round, with Game 1 in Winnipeg on Wednesday, May 7, at 9:30 pm ET. The Stars could have sidelined top-pairing defenseman Miro Heiskanen and first-line winger Jason Robertson back in their lineup at some point in this series. Both players are recovering from knee injuries.

The second round begins on Monday with Game 1 of the Toronto Maple Leafs facing the Florida Panthers in Toronto at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for the full schedule of all four second-round series.

The 2025 NHL Draft Lottery will be held live at NHL Network studios at 7 pm ET.

Matthew Schaefer is considered the favorite to become the first-overall pick. The 18-year-old Erie Otters defenseman said he’s “pumped up” for the lottery. “I would be lucky to be selected by any of the teams,” said Schaefer. “I’m sure everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other notable prospects who could go first overall include center Michael Misa of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, center Anton Frondell of the Swedish Hockey League’s Djurgardens IF, and Boston College center James Hagens.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Hockey Canada announced Sunday that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been added to their roster for the upcoming IIHF World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark from May 9 – 25.

SPORTSNET: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon will reportedly join his long-time friend Crosby on Canada’s roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canada’s roster will receive a considerable lift with the additions of Crosby and MacKinnon. It also allows those two to reacquaint themselves with the larger ice surface in European rinks ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk skipped practice on Sunday, but he is expected to be in the lineup for Game 1 of their second-round series with the Maple Leafs.

THE ATHLETIC: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov believes everything regarding contract extension negotiations with management will work out. The 28-year-old winger has a year remaining on his contract, and the Wild can re-sign him to a league-maximum eight-year deal as early as July 1.

“We’ll see,” said a smiling Kaprizov. “I love everything here. It should be all good.” The superstar has frequently said he loves Minnesota and playing for the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov is poised to become one of the highest-paid players in the league. Wild owner Craig Leipold has said his club is prepared to pay top dollar to keep him in Minnesota.

TSN: Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek played through a core muscle injury and will undergo surgery next week. He anticipates he’ll be recovered in plenty of time for the start of next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2025

by | May 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2025

Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars to a Game 7 victory over the Avalanche, the schedule for three of the four second-round series are revealed, the latest on Mark Scheifele, Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux, Mattias Ekholm, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen tallied a hat trick and collected an assist on Wyatt Johnston’s winning goal to lead the Dallas Stars to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of their first-round series.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Josh Manson and Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche, who held a 2-0 lead in the third period until Rantanen broke the game open for the Stars. Rantanen leads all playoff scorers in the first round with 12 points.

The Stars await the winner of Sunday’s Game 7 matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s efforts in this game will be remembered as one of the greatest single-period performances in NHL playoff history. The Avalanche were on the verge of winning this series until their former teammate took over.

MacKinnon was shocked by how quickly things fell apart for his team, crediting Rantanen as the difference-maker in this game.

Trading away one of their best players (and a proven postseason performer) at midseason only to have him almost single-handedly beat them in Game 7 will haunt the Avalanche for years.

Stars head coach Peter DeBoer holds the North American pro sports record for the most Game 7 wins by a head coach or manager, going a perfect 9-0.

The NHL released the schedule for three of the four upcoming second-round series.

It begins on Monday, May 5, with Game 1 of the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers series, starting in Toronto at 8 pm ET.

On Tuesday, May 6, the Washington Capitals host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 starting at 7 pm ET. The Edmonton Oilers travel to Las Vegas to meet the Golden Knights in Game 1 starting at 9:30 pm ET.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will be a game-time decision for Game 7 on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues in Winnipeg. Scheifele left Game 5 with an undisclosed and missed Game 6 in St. Louis, which the Blues won 5-2 to tie the series at three games apiece.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets missed Scheifele’s presence in the last game. He could provide them a lift if he’s good to go for the seventh and deciding game.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk dismissed speculation that he wants out of Ottawa. Speaking with the media on Saturday, Tkachuk called the rumor an obvious lie, maintaining his commitment to helping the Senators become a winning team.

Tkachuk also said he suffered a hip injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and played through that over the rest of the season after missing a couple of games. He also suffered an upper-body injury on March 30 and took off the final game of the regular season to prepare for the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk is under contract through 2027-28. Before this season, the speculation about his future was based on the Senators’ long postseason drought. Their recent improvement, partly thanks to Tkachuk’s performance and leadership, is testament to his commitment to this club.

Senators forward Claude Giroux hopes to return next season. The 37-year-old forward has no plans to retire. If the Senators don’t re-sign him, he’ll join another club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux prefers to stay with the Senators. He’s completing a three-year contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. His production has declined over that period (79 points in 2022-23, 64 points last season, 50 this season) and he’ll have to take a pay cut, but they have the room to re-sign him to a one or two-year deal.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers will be without defenseman Mattias Ekholm for their second-round series against the Golden Knights. He missed their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings with an undisclosed injury.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Speaking of the Kings, John Hoven cited multiple sources claiming it appears that general manager Rob Blake and head coach John Hiller will return for 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoven is well-connected with the Kings’ organization. He indicated there’s nothing official yet on the status of Blake and Hiller as the club’s powers-that-be are taking the weekend to decompress following another first-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed Matt Coronato to a seven-year contract extension with an AAV of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coronato is completing his entry-level contract, receiving a substantial raise over his current AAV of $925K. The 22-year-old winger earned it with a solid sophomore season, finishing third among Flames scorers with 24 goals and 23 assists for 47 points in 77 games. Flames management anticipates big things to come for this promising forward.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes signed Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract extension. He’ll receive a base salary of $2.75 million and upward of $750K in performance bonuses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen is a steady presence in the Hurricanes’ crease when healthy. They felt it was best to stick with the oft-injured netminder for another season rather than find an affordable replacement among the limited options in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forward William Eklund may have avoided serious injury after being cut on his left wrist by a skate during a World Championship tune-up game.

Playing for Sweden, Eklund was injured playing against Czechia when he was clipped by Filip Hronek’s skate. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he is in stable condition. His agent, Todd Diamond, said it doesn’t appear the skate blade cut any key tendons or nerves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Eklund wasn’t seriously hurt and fully recovers from this incident.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2025

by | May 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2025

The Blues forced a seventh and deciding game with the Jets, Marc-Andre Fleury retires, several major individual award finalists are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game in the first-round series between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.

A four-goal second period lifted the Blues to a 5-2 victory over the Jets in Game 6, tying their series at three games apiece. Alexey Toropchenko and Philip Broberg each had a goal and an assist and Radek Faksa collected two assists. Cole Perfetti and Nino Niederreiter replied for the Jets.

Game 7 will be in Winnipeg on Sunday, May 4, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Every game in this series has been won on home ice. The Jets hope to continue that trend to finish off the pesky Blues, while the latter hopes to ride the shift in momentum to their first road win of this series.

Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was pulled from this game following the second period after giving up five goals on 18 shots. During this series, he’s gotten the hook in every game in St. Louis.

Jets center Mark Scheifele missed this game, remaining in Winnipeg to recover from an undisclosed injury suffered in Game 5. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers returned to action after missing seven games with an injured foot.

NHL ALUMNI: Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has announced his retirement after 21 seasons.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We all knew Fleury intended to hang up his pads following this season. The future Hall-of-Famer had an impressive career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.

Fleury’s best seasons were with the Penguins and Golden Knights. He won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins, backstopped the Golden Knights to the Cup Final in 2018 and won the Vezina Trophy in 2021. He’s second all-time among NHL goaltenders with 575 regular-season wins.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli, and Panthers forward Sam Reinhart for finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy honoring this season’s top defensive forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov won this award in 2020-21 and 2023-24, and will be considered the favorite to win it this season. This is the first time Cirelli and Reinhart have been finalists.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, and Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan are the finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, honoring the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three are worthy finalists but Landeskog should get the nod for resuming his NHL career after spending almost three years recovering from knee surgeries.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point are the finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy honoring the player who best combines sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lady Byng Trophy gets a bad rap because of its name and that it honors the quaint notion of “gentlemanly conduct”, as if the winner is someone who shys away from physical play. That’s not the case at all. These finalists continue to play a disciplined game at a high level of competition. They’re the players you want on the ice when the game’s on the line.

Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets, Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals, and Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens are this year’s finalists for the Jack Adams Award as this season’s NHL Coach of the Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three are deserving finalists for their efforts to improve their respective teams. I’d give the nod to Carbery, who guided a Capitals team that squeaked into the playoffs last season into the top team in the Eastern Conference.

The NHL announced a change to the coverage of the 2025 Draft Lottery. Instead of a countdown from 16 to 1 after the lottery balls have been drawn behind the scenes, fans will watch live as the lottery balls are drawn at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. The drawing will be shown live in-studio for the first time in the lottery’s 30-year history.

The second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs begins Monday, May 5, with the Toronto Maple Leafs facing off against the Florida Panthers. Game 1 of the Washington Capitals-Carolina Hurricanes series will begin on Tuesday, May 6.

TSN: Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson and defenseman Miro Heiskanen will not be in the lineup for their club’s seventh and deciding game of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Heiskanen hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury on Jan. 28, while Robertson’s been sidelined since Apr. 16 with a knee injury. Game 7 is Saturday in Dallas, with the winner facing the St. Louis Blues or Winnipeg Jets in the second round.

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois confirmed head coach Jon Cooper will return next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: BriseBois was dispelling a recent rumor claiming Cooper might depart at the end of this season to join the Utah Hockey Club.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: BriseBois also revealed Lightning captain Victor Hedman fractured his right foot in Game 4 of their first-round series with the Florida Panthers.

Center Yanni Gourde broke a finger in Game 1 and center Anthony Cirelli suffered a sprained knee during that game.

BriseBois also said winger Oliver Bjorkstrand suffered a left-thigh acute compartment syndrome on Apr. 11 that required surgery soon afterward, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Winger Nikita Kucherov suffered a left-hand extensor injury on Feb. 25 but continued playing. Forward Luke Glendening suffered an AC joint separation on Apr. 9, forward Nick Paul dealt with a tear in his left wrist, defenseman Erik Cernak suffered a knee contusion in Game 1, and winger Brandon Hagel suffered a concussion in Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning were eliminated from their first-round series because the Panthers were the better team. Nevertheless, these injuries factored into their demise.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault said he tore his groin in Game 3 of his club’s first-round series against the Washington Capitals. He won’t require surgery this summer. Meanwhile, winger Patrik Laine suffered a broken finger in Game 2 and missed the remaining three games of the series.

Canadiens winger Josh Anderson revealed he suffered upper and lower-body injuries that he wouldn’t have played through had the club not been in a position to make the playoffs.

NEW YORK POST: John Tortorella will not be returning to the Rangers. It was recently reported that he may be part of new head coach Mike Sullivan’s staff.

Speaking of the Rangers, they signed forward Juuso Parssinen to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.25 million.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks co-owner Paolo Aquilini has stepped down from his positions with the team. The club’s ownership also denied rumors suggesting the club could go up for sale.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2025

by | May 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2025

The Leafs, Oilers and Golden Knights advance to the second round, the Avalanche force Game 7 with the Stars, the Rangers hired Mike Sullivan as their new head coach, Hart Trophy Finalists are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs won the latest round in the Battle of Ontario by doubling up the Ottawa Senators 4-2, winning their best-of-seven first-round series in six games.

Max Pacioretty snapped a 2-2 tie for the Leafs in the third period after the Senators erased a 2-0 deficit on goals by Brady Tkachuk and David Perron. William Nylander scored twice for the Leafs, including the empty-netter that put the series away.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty (NHL Images).

The Leafs will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the second round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators showed plenty of character by battling back after falling behind 2-0. They threw a scare into Toronto but Pacioretty’s goal gave the Leafs the lift they needed to win this game and end the series. Like the Montreal Canadiens, the future is bright for the Senators, who ended a long playoff drought and can use this series as a building block moving forward.

The Leafs face a stiff challenge in the Panthers, who steamrolled over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round. They could suffer a similar fate unless they can find a way to match Florida’s physical style while their best players (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares) must overcome the Panthers’ smothering defensive game.

For the fourth straight season, the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Los Angeles Kings from the opening round. Trent Frederic scored what proved to be the winning goal as the Oilers held off the Kings 6-4, taking the series in six games.

Connor Brown had a goal and two assists while Frederic, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers. Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere each had two points for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was as wild as this series, with the Kings taking a 2-1 lead only to have the Oilers rally for a 5-2 lead. The Kings made it interesting by making it 5-4 late in the third before Brown’s empty-netter sealed the deal for the Oilers.

What effect this series could have on the Kings’ offseason plans will be worth monitoring. Blowing a 2-0 series lead to be eliminated by the Oilers for the fourth straight season could raise questions about Rob Blake’s future as general manager.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone tallied what proved to be the series-winning goal in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild, eliminating the latter in six games.

Adin Hill made 29 saves while Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel also scored for the Golden Knights. Ryan Hartman tallied both goals for the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights will face off against the Oilers in the second round. They earned this victory after overcoming a 2-1 deficit to Minnesota in this series. They got the win without winger Pavel Dorofeyev, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

This was the final game for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. The 21-year NHL veteran and future Hall-of-Famer is expected to retire. He received a nice send-off from the Golden Knights following this game. Fleury spent four seasons with Vegas from 2017-18 to 2020-21, backstopping them to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and winning the Vezina Trophy in 2021.

The Colorado Avalanche forced a seventh and deciding game with the Dallas Stars following a 7-4 win in Game 6 of their first-round series. The Avalanche got four unanswered third-period goals from Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, Josh Manson and Cale Makar (the latter two being empty-netters) for the win.

MacKinnon and Makar each had a goal and two assists while Nichushkin tallied twice for the Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz each had four points for the Stars.

Game 7 is in Dallas on Saturday, May 3, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series has lived up to expectations as two of the league’s best teams have given their all in this contest. This would’ve made a great Conference Final.

Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel left this game favoring his shoulder after crashing into the boards following a collision with Avalanche forward Jack Drury. There was no postgame update about his status.

Before this game, the Stars announced that sidelined winger Jason Robertson has gone from week-to-week to day-to-day. He may return to action in Game 7.

HEADLINES

**UPDATE**

The New York Rangers announced they have hired former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan as their new coach. No word yet as to the terms of his contract or who will be on his staff. 

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov are the finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the player deemed most valuable to his team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov won the Hart in 2018-19 and Draisaitl in 2019-20. Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy this season as the points leader while Draisaitl won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the top goal scorer.

This is the first time Hellebuyck has been a finalist for the Hart and is also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. Given his dominant performance for the Jets this season, he could be the front-runner.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will not play in Game 6 of his club’s first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. He suffered an undisclosed injury during Game 5 on Wednesday. Sidelined Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has travelled with the team to St. Louis but it remains to be seen if he’ll play in Game 6 on Friday.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom is open to signing a contract extension. The 35-year-old has a year remaining on his current deal with a cap hit of $6 million. The earliest the Devils can attempt to re-sign him is July 1.

YAHOO! SPORTS: Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovecevic suffered a knee injury that could require surgery to repair. He is not expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.

FULL PRESS HOCKEY: Jim Biringer reports the NHL is looking to build on the momentum it received from the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Steve Meyer, president of NHL Content & Events, said the league is looking at the future of its annual All-Star Game and how to make it as compelling for fans as the 4 Nations tournament.

NHLPA: Former NHL player Kyle Okposo has been named the PA’s new Business Development and Player Engagement Advisor. Okposo retired as a player at the end of last season following a 17-year career.

NEW YORK POST: Hockey TV analyst Joe Micheletti has retired after 19 seasons.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Former Flyers defenseman Ed Van Impe died Tuesday at age 84. He was a member of the Flyers’ Hall of Fame.

One of the original Flyers and their second captain in franchise history, Van Impe spent nine of his 11 NHL seasons in Philadelphia from 1967-68 to 1975-76, winning two Stanley Cups.

He began his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1966-67 and finished with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1976-77. A rugged stay-at-home blueliner, he had 153 points and 1,024 PIMs in 703 games, and 13 points in 66 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Van Impe’s family, friends, former teammates and the Flyers’ organization.