NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2025

by | Mar 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2025

The Blue Jackets, Red Wings and Canucks collect crucial points in the wild-card races, the three stars of the week are revealed, a roundup of injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to defeat the New York Islanders 4-3 on a shootout goal by Adam Fantilli. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 30 shots, Fantilli, Boone Jenner and Kirill Marchenko scored in regulation and Sean Monahan had two assists in his first game since being sidelined with a wrist injury on Jan. 7. Pierre Engvall, Kyle Palmieri, and Anders Lee scored for the Islanders.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (NHL Images).

The win snapped a six-game losing skid for the Blue Jackets (73 points), leaving them two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Islanders are one point behind the Canadiens with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Palmieri scored what would’ve been the game-winner with 9 seconds left in regulation. However, the goal was overturned on a controversial goaltender interference call that left the Isles fuming following the game.

Shootout goals by Jake DeBrusk and Jonathan Lekkerimaki gave the Vancouver Canucks a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Conor Garland scored with 36 seconds remaining in the third period to tie the game, Pius Suter had a goal and an assist, and Thatcher Demko made 22 saves after missing a month with a lower-body injury.

Timo Meier scored twice for the Devils, who’ve dropped four of their last five (1-3-1) and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points. The Canucks have 78 points, putting them three behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks played without forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander, who returned to Vancouver for evaluation after being injured in Saturday’s loss to the New York Rangers. They will miss the remainder of the Canucks’ six-game road trip.

The Detroit Red Wings managed only 14 shots against the Utah Hockey Club but scored five unanswered goals for a 5-1 victory. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist while Alex Lyon got the win in relief of Petr Mrazek, who left following a collision with Utah forward Dylan Guenther 90 seconds into the game. Guenther scored for Utah (75 points), who are six points behind the Blues in the Western wild-card race. The Red Wings (72 points) are three points behind the Canadiens in the Eastern race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry logged almost 17 minutes of ice time in his return to action after missing 31 games with an undisclosed injury.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 32 saves to shut out the Minnesota Wild 3-0. Wyatt Johnston, Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment were the goal scorers as the Stars sit second in the Central Division with 94 points. Filip Gustavsson stopped 26 shots for the Wild, who hold the first Western wild-card berth with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Mikko Rantanen briefly left this game after being struck in the face by the puck. He returned sporting protective face gear and finished the game. Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

The Wild should keep an eye on the Blues, who sit four points behind them in the second wild-card spot after winning six straight games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, and St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 23.

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will remain sidelined for the rest of this week. McDavid suffered a lower-body injury on March 20 while Draisaitl sustained an undisclosed injury on March 18.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi is listed as week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl will be sidelined for at least a week as he undergoes evaluation of his injured right wrist. He suffered the injury during Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Meanwhile, defenseman Shea Theodore is traveling with the team and could return to action later this week. Theodore was injured during last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun is questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. He suffered a cut in the “wrist/hand area” during Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers that required stitches. Chychrun finished the game but didn’t participate in Monday’s practice.

DAILY FACEOFF: Colorado Avalanche defensemen Samuel Girard (undisclosed) and Erik Johnston (lower body) are listed as day-to-day.

Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. So is San Jose Sharks rearguard Vincent Desharnais.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle has joined his teammates on their four-game road trip. He missed the last 19 games with a lacerated quadriceps muscle but has been skating on his own for more than two weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No timeline yet for Guhle’s return but the fact he’s traveling with the team suggests he could play at some point later this week.

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues forward Zack Bolduc was fined over $2,200.00 by the department of player safety for cross-checking Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg on Sunday.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Predators have extended their partnership with the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals through 2028-29.










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 Rumor Mill – March 20, 2025

by | Mar 20, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 20, 2025

The latest on the Penguins and some potential offer sheet targets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski is on record suggesting the possibility of Penguins general manager (and former Toronto Maple Leafs GM) Kyle Dubas pursuing Mitch Marner if the latter goes to free agency this summer.

He believes it depends on how far and fast Dubas thinks his team hits rock bottom and bounces back. If the Penguins GM flips some draft picks for younger players and feels good about the direction, pursuing Marner could be on the table.

However, Kingerski doubted that Dubas could sell his picks as quickly or easily as he might hope. The rising salary cap means more teams will have cap space, making it difficult to weaponize the Penguins’ cap room.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anything can happen, but Marner to the Penguins seems like a long shot. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe recently cited team sources claiming Dubas intends to wait until the 2026 offseason to take a swing at landing a big-ticket player.

Kingerski thinks Dubas could use his cap space and depth in draft picks to pursue a restricted free agent with an offer sheet. He considers Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka a prime target.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres have almost as much projected cap space for next season ($24.1 million) as the Penguins ($26.3), with Peterka and Bowen Byram as their notable RFAs. Nevertheless, they’re in a good position to match any offer sheet for Peterka unless it’s ridiculously expensive (over $10 million annually). Dubas will have to target clubs with much less cap room to make an offer sheet worthwhile.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Jason Mackey believes the Penguins should attempt to trade Erik Karlsson and Tristan Jarry this summer to free up as much salary-cap space as possible and recalibrate.

Mackey doesn’t see them trading Kris Letang if next season is the last one for center Evgeni Malkin. Karlsson, however, is a different story.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Letang and Malkin have spent their entire NHL careers with the Penguins and want to finish their careers in Pittsburgh. Some observers aren’t sure Letang wouldn’t accept a trade, but that’s unlikely to happen with Malkin heading into his final season. And with Sidney Crosby signed for two more seasons, Letang could ride things out until his captain hangs up his skates.

Karlsson hasn’t worked out as the Penguins hoped when they acquired him two years ago. However, his puck-moving abilities and solid performance for Sweden during last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament saw him emerge in the rumor mill leading up to the recent trade deadline. Dubas could find a trade partner for the 34-year-old defenseman this summer if the Penguins are willing to retain some of his salary.

POTENTIAL OFFER SHEET TARGETS

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston was asked which players he felt were viable offer-sheet targets this summer.

Johnston believes mid-tier or emerging players to be the most vulnerable because contending teams are most worried about not overpaying those types of players. He cited the St. Louis Blues signing away Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from the Edmonton Oilers last summer as examples.

Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque could be a target. The Stars have already made some significant investments for next season.

Florida Panthers forward Mackie Samoskevich could be another. Johnston’s colleague Peter Baugh suggested Will Cuylle and K’Andre Miller of the New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dallas has $5.33 million in cap space with Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund eligible for unrestricted free-agent status. Florida has $19 million in cap space but must re-sign or replace pending UFAs Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad. That could make Bourque or Samoskevich prime options for offer sheets.

The Rangers have $10.6 million available with Cuylle and Miller as their notable free agents. However, management is expected to attempt to shake up its roster via trades and free agency, which could make one or both players potential free-agent targets.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

by | Mar 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2025

Sidney Crosby passes Wayne Gretzky for most points with a franchise, the Canadiens climb back into a wild-card spot, three Capitals reach personal milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored to reach his 1,670th regular-season point in a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and two assists as the Islanders scored four unanswered third-period goals. With 70 points, the Isles are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby took sole possession of fourth place on the all-time list for most points with a single franchise. Gordie Howe is the all-time leader, netting 1,809 with the Detroit Red Wings. Steve Yzerman is second, tallying 1,755 with the Wings. Mario Lemieux is third with 1,723 with the Penguins.

Crosby, 37, is under contract for two more seasons with the Penguins. He has 74 points in 68 games this season. If he remains close to that pace between now and the end of 2026-27, he could overtake Howe.

Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech returned to the lineup due to an illness, but blueliner Alexander Romanov missed the game with a similar illness.

The Montreal Canadiens regained the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Christian Dvorak had a goal and three assists, Josh Anderson tallied twice, and Brendan Gallagher had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (73 points) as they tallied five goals in the third period for their sixth straight win. Travis Hamonic had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who hold the first Eastern wild card with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens briefly held that wild-card spot on Jan. 21, only to tumble by dropping eight of their next nine games (1-8-1). Since Feb. 22, the Habs have gone 8-1-2.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and forwards Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas reached notable personal single-season milestones in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Thompson stopped 23 shots for his first NHL 30-win season, Wilson scored for his first 30-goal season, and Protas had two assists to set the single-season points record (61) for an NHL player born in Belarus. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals regained first place in the overall standings with 98 points, holding a game in hand over the Winnipeg Jets. The Wings (70 points) continue to flounder, losing eight of their last 10 to sit three points behind the Canadiens.

Speaking of the Jets, they dropped a 6-2 decision to the Vancouver Canucks. Brock Boeser scored two goals and had an assist and Pius Suter tallied twice as the Canucks maintained their grip on the final Western Conference wild card with 75 points. Nikolaj Ehlers and Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets (98 points).

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Dylan Holloway collected three assists as the Blues picked up their third straight win, sitting behind the Canucks with 75 points. Brady Skjei scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks hold that final wild-card spot with a game in hand over the Blues. Predators forward Michael McCarron was ejected after accruing 20 minutes in penalties, including a major penalty for a dangerous hit on Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich, a five-minute major for fighting Jake Neighbours, and a 10-minute game misconduct.

The Calgary Flames kept pace in the Western wild-card race by nipping the New York Rangers 2-1. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist, MacKenzie Weegar collected two assists, and Matt Coronato tallied the winner for the Flames, who sit two points back of the Canucks. Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers, who sit one point behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jonathan Huberdeau was held scoreless in this contract, but RG.Org’s Jim Biringer reports the 31-year-old winger has improved his overall game this season, earning praise from general manager Craig Conroy. With 50 points in 67 games, he’s on pace for his best season since joining the Flames in 2022.

The Rangers announced forward Arthur Kaliyev will miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs with an upper-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 7-1 drubbing of the Utah Hockey Club. Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mattias Ekholm each had a goal and two assists as the Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with 84 points. Sean Durzi scored for Utah (71 points), who sit four points behind the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman missed Sunday’s game with an undisclosed injury while Ekholm (undisclosed) had missed six games.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Mikael Granlund tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, while Thomas Harley had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who hold second place in the Central Division with 89 points. Leo Carlsson scored twice for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars coach Peter DeBoer said sidelined forward Tyler Seguin continues skating regularly and should be ready to return around the end of the season. The news regarding top defenseman Miro Heiskanen (knee surgery) is less positive, as he could remain sidelined through at least the first round of the playoffs.

Shane Wright scored twice as the Seattle Kraken netted six unanswered goals in a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Adam Larsson had a goal and two assists for the Kraken. Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL announced the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will play a pair of games in Stockholm, Sweden next season as part of its annual Global Series on Nov. 14 and 16 at Avicii Arena.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports each of the men’s hockey teams participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics will name its first six roster players in June. It’s the first time the NHL will participate in the Winter Games since 2014. The rest of the rosters will be announced in December.

THE ATHLETIC: New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald made an impassioned plea for cut-resistant equipment during Tuesday’s meeting of NHL general managers in Florida. He cited his son Casey’s close call last December when a skate blade slashed his neck during an AHL game. Casey is the captain of the Hartford Wolfpack. The wound required 25 stitches to close.

DAILY FACEOFF: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of an America-Russia hockey series involving players from the NHL and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The NHL released a statement indicating they were made aware of the conversation between Trump and Putin, however, they were not a party to them and thus considered it inappropriate to comment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Such a tournament would require the NHL’s blessing and that of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which has banned Russia’s participation in international tournaments due to its war with Ukraine.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2025

by | Mar 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2025

Alex Ovechkin reaches a points milestone on his path to breaking the all-time goals record, Zach Werenski breaks a Blue Jackets record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored to become the 11th player in NHL history to reach the 1,600-point milestone in a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Ovechkin’s goal was his 886th, putting him nine away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Connor McMichael had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who have won four straight games to sit first in the overall standings with 92 points. Shane Wright and Jordan Eberle replied for the Kraken.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Carolina Hurricanes newcomers Mark Jankowski (two goals) and Logan Stankoven (one goal) powered their club over the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. It was the pair’s first points since being acquired by Carolina at the trade deadline. The Hurricanes are second in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets as they dropped into second overall with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals hold the lead over the Jets because they hold a game in hand.

The Columbus Blue Jackets thumped the New York Rangers 7-3. Adam Fantilli tallied a hat trick and Zach Werenski picked up two assists for the Blue Jackets, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 70 points. Vincent Trochek had two assists for the Rangers (68 points), who remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski moved past Rick Nash to set the franchise record for the most assists with 260.

Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, Warren Foegele and Brandt Clarke each had a goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings held on for a 6-5 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Tomas Hertl tallied a hat trick for the Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. The Kings sit third in the division with 75 points.

The Dallas Stars got three unanswered goals by Mikael Granlund, Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Matt Duchene and Cody Ceci each collected two assists for the Stars, who sit second in the Central Division with 86 points. Derek Forbort scored for the Canucks (69 points) as they remain one point behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Roope Hintz missed this game as he’s still being evaluated after being struck in the face by a puck during Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. He’s listed as day-to-day.

New Jersey Devils forward Erik Haula had a goal and an assist and trade-deadline acquisition Cody Glass scored as their club beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Jamie Drysdale scored for the Flyers. The Devils sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Overshadowed by the recent trade deadline was the Devils signing defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4 million.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored twice to lead his club to a 3-1 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves for the Wild in what was likely his final game against his former club. The Wild have lost two straight games but hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 76 points.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the New York Islanders 4-1. Sam Colangelo tallied twice to extend his goal streak to four games. Tony DeAngelo replied for the Islanders (65 points), who sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov is likely done for the season. He’s been sidelined since late November with a lower-body injury.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Ingram released a statement indicating he’d been struggling since returning to action following the death of his mother to breast cancer. He’d been away from the team from the end of November until mid-January for family reasons.

It’s the second time Ingram has entered the program dealing with mental health issues. He opened up about his obsessive compulsive disorder and its effect on his mental health. Ingram won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy last season.










Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2025

by | Mar 7, 2025

Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2025

The Boston Bruins traded Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers for a conditional 2027 second-round pick. The Bruins retained half of Marchand’s $6.13 million cap hit.  

Boston Bruins traded Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Fraser Minten and a first-round pick. 

Toronto Maple Leafs trade Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar to the Pittsburgh Penguins. More to follow. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Luke Kunin from the San Jose Sharks for a 2025 fourth-rounder. 

The Ottawa Senators acquired Fabian Zetterlund, Tristen Robins and a fourth-round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Noah Gregor, Zack Ostapchuk and a second-round pick. 

Philadelphia Flyers trade Erik Johnson to the Colorado Avalanche for Givani Smith.

The Buffalo Sabres shipped Henri Jokiharju to the Boston Bruins. Details to follow.  

The Dallas Stars acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks. The Stars sign Rantanen to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $12 million. More details to follow.

New Jersey Devils acquire Cody Glass from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third-round pick.

The Boston Bruins Trade Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt, prospect Will Zellers and a second-round pick.

The Detroit Red Wings Acquire Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Joe Veleno.

The Philadelphia Flyers trade Scott Laughton, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-rounder to the Toronto Maple Leafs for prospect Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick.

The Buffalo Sabres trade Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker.

The Winnipeg Jets acquire Luke Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

The Jets also acquire Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken for a 2027 second-round pick.

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded Anthony Beauvillier to the Washington Capitals for a second-round pick in 2025.

The Philadelphia Flyers traded Andrei Kuzmenko to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick. Flyers retain 50 percent of Kuzmenko’s $5.5 million cap hit.