NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2025

by | Feb 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2025

A milestone game for Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is the first player to reach 80 points this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick made 34 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming the first US-born netminder to reach the 400-win milestone. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and two assists and J.T. Miller collected two assists for the Rangers (54 points), who sit five points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jack Eichel scored both goals for the Golden Knights (68 points), who are 1-2-2 in their last five games and remain in second place in the Pacific Division.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller is wasting little time making a positive impact on the Rangers. He has four points in his first two games since the Blueshirts reacquired him from the Canucks on Friday. It may have helped the struggling Zibanejad regain his scoring touch after being shifted to right wing on the Rangers’ top line alongside Miller and Zibanejad.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored to become the first player to reach 80 points this season as his club blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 24 shots for the shutout as the Avalanche picked up their second straight win and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 64 points. The Flyers have dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a three-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisailt in the points race. He also leads all players with 60 assists.

Dallas Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov tallied twice in the third period in a 5-3 win over the Blue Jackets. Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley each collected two assists as the Stars collected their fifth straight win and sit second in the Central Division with 69 points. Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro and forward Kirill Marchenko left the game due to injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets weren’t pleased with the officiating in this game, questioning two of the Stars’ goals and Stars forward Mason Marchment going unpunished for elbowing Fabbro in the face. Marchenko was sidelined after taking a puck to the chin while sitting on the bench. Stars forward Mavrik Bourque also left this game in the third period when he was struck in the face by the puck.

Blue Jackets winger James van Riemsdyk played in this game despite losing four teeth during Friday’s game against Utah when he was crosschecked by Ian Cole. He returned to action after receiving 30 stitches, then underwent surgery following the game when an x-ray revealed one of his missing teeth was lodged in his bottom lip.

The Florida Panthers got a hat trick from Carter Verhaeghe to beat the New York Islanders 6-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov picked up three assists as his club has won three straight and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 67 points. The Islanders sit four points behind the Blue Jackets with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders played without forward Mathew Barzal and defenseman Scott Mayfield. They were sidelined by injuries during Saturday’s win over Tampa Bay.

An overtime goal by Alex DeBrincat lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Vancouver Canucks 3-2, giving the red-hot Wings their sixth straight win. DeBrincat also scored in regulation to finish the night with two goals, vaulting over the Blue Jackets into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 59 points. Filip Chytil scored in his first game with the Canucks since being acquired from the Rangers on Friday. The Canucks (57 points) sit two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings activated Patrick Kane off injured reserve and placed forward J.T. Compher on IR. Wings defenseman Jeff Petry underwent surgery and will be sidelined for six to eight weeks. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 2.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was a late scratch from this game with an undisclosed injury. Teammate Kyle Sherwood returned to action after missing four games due to injury.

Speaking of the Flames, they nipped the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 20th goal of the season while Morgan Frost scored his first goal with the Flames since being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Kaapo Kakko and Brandon Tanev scored for the Kraken, who’ve lost three of their last four games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Thompson left the game in the third period following a blindside hit by Devils forward Stefan Noesen, who was ejected as a result. Paul Cotter scored two goals for the Devils as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff told reporters after the game that Thompson passed each test in the NHL’s concussion protocol. He’ll be held out of Monday’s practice as a precaution.

The Anaheim Ducks overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Alex Killorn snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Ducks picked up their fourth win in their last five games. The Canadiens (53 points) are winless in their last five games (0-4-1) and six points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are plummeting back to earth following a five-week streak where they were among the hottest teams in the league, winning 13 of 17 games from Dec. 17 to Jan. 21.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou snapped a 1-1 tie to give his club a 2-1 win over the Utah Hockey Club. Jordan Binnington stopped 24 shots to snap a four-game losing skid. Utah has lost five straight.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported last week that the skyrocketing salary cap has raised concern that it could create a new era of have-and-have-not teams, in which bigger markets gain a financial advantage to outspend smaller markets unable to spend toward the cap. It could invite renewed discussion of enhanced revenue sharing in the next round of collective bargaining slated to begin this month.

TVA SPORTS: Canadiens winger Patrik Laine confirmed he became addicted to video games as a refuge during a dark period following the sudden death of his father. He found they briefly eased his anxiety before he hit rock bottom, forcing him to seek help from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Laine is doing better in Montreal, regaining his love of hockey and finding solace in religion with his fiancee Jordan Leigh.

He also believes his critical comments about the Columbus Blue Jackets prompted his former teammates to target him during his first game against them in December. He regrets those remarks, and won’t say anything negative about another organization again.

OTTAWA SUN: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will receive an in-person hearing with the league’s department of player safety for his attempt to injure Senators center Tim Stutzle on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Senators, they’ve returned goalie Leevi Merilainen to their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Starter Linus Ullmark is expected to return to action after being sidelined by a back injury since Dec. 22.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 2, 2025

by | Feb 2, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 2, 2025

The latest on Elias Pettersson and the Canucks, the Rangers’ plans after acquiring J.T. Miller, and the latest on the Flames, Blues and Stars in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON ELIAS PETTERSSON AND THE CANUCKS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the speculation around Elias Pettersson can calm down after the Vancouver Canucks traded J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers on Friday. The Canucks are determined to see how things go for the 26-year-old center and hope that he returns to his high-scoring form.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Friedman also noted that the Canucks are eager to sign Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor to contract extensions. The pair were acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday and are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance believes Pettersson is now off the trade block. However, he speculates the Canucks could revisit this in the offseason if Pettersson continues to struggle. His no-movement clause kicks in on July 1.

Drance also reports the Canucks are confident they can re-sign Pettersson and O’Connor and intend to open contract talks as soon as possible.

Following the Canucks moves on Friday, Drance believes their biggest priority is finding another credible first-line or top-six caliber center. He anticipates they’ll be shopping for an upgrade at center leading up to the March 7 trade deadline. Drance also thinks the club’s performance in the coming weeks will determine what they do by the deadline.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington doubts the Sabres will end their pursuit of Pettersson following the Miller trade. He speculates the Canucks could hang onto him as they push for a playoff berth and look to move him around the draft in June.

Trade rumors linked Sabres center Dylan Cozens and defenseman Bowen Byram to the Canucks as a potential return for Pettersson. Harrington thinks Cozens might jump at the chance to play in Vancouver as it would be closer to his family in Whitehorse, Yukon. Trading BC native Bowen Byram would be more troublesome for the Sabres given his chemistry with defense partner Rasmus Dahlin.

Harrington also believes the Columbus Blue Jackets could be interested in Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s performance and that of the Canucks over the remainder of this season will determine if he pops up as an offseason trade candidate.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE RANGERS AFTER ACQUIRING MILLER?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports the Rangers are projected to have $16.5 million of trade deadline cap space following Friday’s acquisition of J.T. Miller.

Brooks believes Rangers GM Chris Drury isn’t done making roster changes. He believes those moves will be “of the short-term variety” and will be dictated by the club’s performance before the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament and leading up to the March 7 trade deadline.

FLAMES NOT SHOPPING ANDERSSON, KADRI AND WEEGAR

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Calgary Flames are jockeying for a playoff spot, meaning they aren’t listening to trade offers for defensemen Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar and center Nazem Kadri.

Kadri and Weegar are on long-term contracts but Andersson has a year left on his deal and will be eligible for UFA status at the end of 2025-26. The Flames are telling teams that they’re confident they can re-sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri has a full no-movement clause until 2026-27 while Weegar has a full no-trade clause until 2027-28. Both maintained that they want to stay in Calgary and help the retooling Flames become a playoff contender.

Andersson has spent his entire NHL career with the Flames, but he has also said he wants to stay in the Stampede City.

UPDATE ON THE BLUES

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford looked at which members of the St. Louis Blues could be on the move after terminating Brandon Saad’s contract last week.

Blueliners Justin Faulk and Ryan Suter appear to be the most likely trade candidates. Rutherford doesn’t see them moving defenseman Cam Fowler and checking-line center Radek Faksa as he believes their current value to the Blues is higher than whatever return they might fetch in the trade market.

STARS COULD ATTEMPT TO RE-SIGN GRANLUND AND CECI

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill intends to speak with forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci about contract extensions. The duo were acquired from the San Jose Sharks on Saturday and are UFA-eligible in July.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2025

by | Feb 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2025

Recaps of Saturday’s games, the three stars and rookie of the month for January are unveiled, the Sharks trade Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Brad Marchand, Matthew Poitras and Pavel Zacha each collected two points for the Bruins (58 points), who sit behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. J.T. Miller scored twice in his first game with the Rangers since they reacquired him from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss leaves the Rangers (52 points) six points behind the Lightning. Blueshirts forward Jimmy Vesey was a healthy scratch for the ninth straight game. He recently lamented that his situation left him feeling he had “no role or purpose” with the team but head coach Peter Laviolette insists he remains an important part of the roster.

Meanwhile, the Lightning dropped a 3-2 decision to the New York Islanders. Tony DeAngelo scored in overtime and Adam Boqvist netted his first goal with the Isles since being claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers. Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning (58 points), who cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with three games in hand over the Bruins. The Islanders (55 points) have won seven straight and are three points back of the Bolts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders are on a tear despite being walloped by injuries. They announced on Saturday that goaltender Semyon Varlamov remains sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. He joined goalie Marcus Hogberg and defensemen Ryan Pulock, Noah Dobson and Mike Reilly on injured reserve.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice collected his 900th NHL win as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1. Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists while Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe each picked up two points for the Panthers (65 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Atlantic Division. Blackhawks forward Logan Slaggert opened the scoring just seven seconds into the game, setting a franchise record for the fastest game-opening goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maurice becomes the fourth coach in league history to reach the 900-win milestone. Meanwhile, Barkov joined Jari Kurri and Teemu Selanne as the third Finnish player to record 200 multi-point games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy returned to action after missing 13 games with a groin injury.

The Winnipeg Jets got an overtime goal from Josh Morrissey to nip the Washington Capitals 5-4, giving the Jets 77 points and a two-point lead over the Capitals for first place in the overall standings. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 877th NHL regular-season goal. Morrisey finished the night with two goals while Cole Perfetti and Dylan Samberg each had a goal and an assist for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 18 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson had a goal and three assists while goalie Leevi Merilainen made 16 saves in a 6-0 shutout of the Minnesota Wild. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson each had a goal and two assists for the Senators, who picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 60 points. The Wild’s three-game win streak ended as they remain third in the Central Division with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Ryan Hartman received a match penalty for intent to injure Stutzle following a face-off draw when he pushed Stutzle’s head into the ice. The Senators center received treatment for cuts above his left eye and finished the game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs scored three first-period goals and Mitch Marner tallied what proved to be the game-winner in the third as they held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Marner and teammate Auston Matthews each had two points while Joseph Woll kicked out 45 shots for the win. Evan Bouchard and Brett Kulak each had two points for the Oilers, who remain in second place in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm missed this game due to illness. Leafs blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson left this contest after the second period with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Leafs rearguard Jani Hakanpaa ended his comeback bid for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off as he continues to deal with a lingering knee injury.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Phillip Danault and Quinton Byfield each picked up two points for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 60 points. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes as their seven-game points streak ended, leaving them second in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes’ Brent Burns collected an assist to become the 13th defenseman in league history to reach the 900-point milestone. He’s the only active blueliner on that list. Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings picked up their fifth straight win by dousing the Calgary Flames 3-1. Cam Talbot turned aside 33 shots while Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson and Andrew Copp tallied for the Red Wings (57 points), leaving them one point out of the final Eastern wild card. Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames, who’ve lost three of their last four contests and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 57 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 25 shots for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. Sidney Crosby extended his goal streak to four games, Philip Tomasino scored against his former club for the first time and Bryan Rust netted his 20th of the season. The Predators have dropped four straight.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski were the league’s three stars for January 2025. Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf was named Rookie of the Month.

The Dallas Stars acquired center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a first-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granlund and Ceci are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Granlund was reportedly interested in signing an extension with the rebuilding Sharks, but general manager Mike Grier opted to move the pair to stockpile draft picks, giving his club two first-rounders this year.

Dallas made this move to bolster their roster for a potential Stanley Cup run this season. Granlund has 45 points in 52 games, putting him on pace to reach 60 points for the second straight year. Ceci is an experienced right-shot defenseman who’ll provide depth on the right side of the Stars blueline.

The Stars put center Tyler Seguin and defenseman Nils Lundkvist on long-term injury reserve to free up cap space to acquire Granlund and Ceci. Seguin underwent hip surgery in December and could return to action during the playoffs, when salary-cap constraints no longer apply. Lundkvist is done for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks GM Patrick Allvin met with the media on Saturday to explain why his club traded J.T. Miller to the Rangers on Friday. He felt he had no choice but to move the 31-year-old center for his own well-being and the sake of the club’s culture, which had been upset by a rift between Miller and Elias Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller got off to a great start in his first game back with the Rangers by scoring two goals. All eyes in Vancouver will be on whether Pettersson regains his scoring touch after struggling through the first half of this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Canucks, they placed winger Philip Di Giuseppe on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 1, 2025

by | Feb 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 1, 2025

Game recaps, the Penguins ship Marcus Pettersson to the Canucks in a multiplayer deal, analysis of J.T. Miller trade, Brandon Saad signs with the Golden Knights, updated salary-cap projections, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Zach Werenski lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson scored as the Blue Jackets overcame a 2-0 deficit, setting the stage for Werenski’s game-winner. The Jackets picked up their third straight win and hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 59 points. Nick Schmaltz and Alexander Kerfoot scored for Utah, who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah sophomore center Logan Cooley missed this game as he’s sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Cooley is also part of Utah’s Quarter Century Team. He’s on the First Team with fellow forwards Dylan Guenther and Clayton Keller, defensemen Michael Kesselring and Mikhail Sergachev and goaltender Karel Vejmelka. The Second Team features forwards Nick Schmaltz, Alex Kerfoot and Jack McBain, defensemen Ian Cole and Olli Maatta, and goalie Connor Ingram.

A four-goal first period lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the St. Louis Blues 5-0. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 19 shots for the shutout, Jonathan Drouin had a goal and an assist, and Nathan MacKinnon collected his league-leading 60th assist as the Avalanche hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 62 points. The Blues (50 points) have lost four straight and sit seven points out of the final Western wild card.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jiri Kulich snapped a 3-3 tie late in the third period to give his club a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators. Kulich finished with two goals and teammate Rasmus Dahlin collected two assists for the Sabres. Predators defenseman Brady Skjei had a goal and an assist in a losing cause as his club has dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres inducted Rob Ray into their Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. Ray spent nearly 14 seasons as an enforcer with the Sabres from 1989-90 to 2002-03, becoming one of the most popular players in franchise history.

Predators goaltender Juuse Saros missed this game due to an illness while teammate Luke Evangelista returned to the lineup following an eight-game absence with a lower-body injury.

The Dallas Stars picked up their fourth straight victory by downing the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson each had two goals and an assist for the Stars (67 points), who sit one point ahead of the Minnesota Wild in second place in the Central Division. Conor Garland, Jake DeBrusk and Carson Soucy replied for the Canucks (56 points), who remain one point behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars placed defenseman Miro Heiskanen (knee) on injured reserve earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was banged up during this game. He told reporters following the game he’ll see how he’s doing over the next 48 hours.

The Canucks made bigger news off the ice on Friday. Read on to find out.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins traded defenseman Marcus Pettersson and winger Drew O’Connor to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, defenseman Vincent Desharnais, prospect forward Melvin Fernstrom and a conditional 2025 first-round pick that originally belonged to the New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move came on the heels of the Canucks trading center J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers. That first-round pick sent to the Penguins was part of the return the Cancusk received in the Miller deal.

Canucks president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin were familiar with Pettersson and O’Connor during their tenure with the Penguins. Both are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 but could end up signed to contract extensions.

Heinen and Desharnais were off-season additions for the Canucks who didn’t pan out. Both have a year remaining on their contracts at a combined cap hit of $4.25 million, making them affordable stopgap additions for the retooling (rebuilding?) Penguins. The prize for the Pens is the conditional first, which is top-13 protected. They now have two first-rounders in this year’s draft.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports the hope for the Canucks in the wake of the Miller trade is Elias Pettersson will regain his scoring touch. A rift between the two players was blamed for the decline in both players’ performances.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes Miller’s return to the Rangers is what the struggling club needs now and for the future. He will make them more formidable and consistent at center, keeping their Stanley Cup window open.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how this deal affects both clubs over the remainder of this season and the foreseeable future.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights signed Brandon Saad to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on Friday. The 32-year-old winger became a UFA on Friday following the termination of his deal with the St. Louis Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are considered a Stanley Cup contender but they’ve been struggling recently. Saad could regain his scoring touch in Vegas, which could improve their offensive punch and his stock in this summer’s free-agent market.

NHL: The league and the NHL Players’ Association announced their projected payroll ranges for the next three seasons.

The upper limit is expected to reach $95.5 million for 2025-26 with a lower limit of $70.6 million. For 2026-27, the upper limit could reach $104 million with the lower limit at $76.9 million. For 2027-28, the upper limit could be $113.5 million with the lower limit at $83.9 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those numbers could be adjusted up or down depending on hockey-related revenue (HRR) fluctuations. Nevertheless, those projected figures indicate a significant rise in the cap after several stagnant years following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Big-market teams will be delighted with those increases as they build and maintain their rosters. However, this will inevitably result in bad contracts, as some teams overpay to retain or add big-name talent.

Meanwhile, some small-market clubs could have difficulty reaching the cap floor. Revenue sharing will help but it’s unlikely to get them to the cap ceiling. That could become an issue in the next round of collective bargaining scheduled to begin later this month.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken center Yanni Gourde underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia. He’s expected to be sidelined for five to seven weeks.

Gourde, 33, is UFA-eligible this summer and was frequently the subject of trade rumors. However, he’ll be out until after the March 7 trade deadline, which could see him finish the season with the Kraken.

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks forward Nikolai Kovalenko is sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers recalled goaltender Aleksei Kolosov on Friday and placed defenseman Egor Zamula (upper body) on injured reserve.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders claimed defenseman Adam Boqvist off waivers from the Florida Panthers.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2025

by | Jan 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2025

Hat-trick performances by Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka and Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, the Lightning unveiled their Quarter-Century Team, Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov to undergo surgery, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka each scored three goals and collected an assist to thump the Boston Bruins 7-2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 25 saves for the Sabres, who picked up just their third win in their last eight games. Bruins winger David Pastrnak collected an assist to extend his points streak to eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 56 points.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (NHL Images).

Dallas Stars winger Wyatt Johnston scored in overtime to complete a natural hat trick in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Roope Hintz had three assists as the Stars picked up their third straight win, sitting second in the Central Division with 65 points. Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl scored to extend his points streak to 10 games as his club sits second in the Pacific Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen left the game in the third period after Golden Knights captain Mark Stone fell into Heiskanen’s left knee in an awkward collision. The Stars defenseman had to be helped from the ice. There was no postgame update about his condition.

The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Kyle Connor tallied twice and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for the Jets, who sit atop the Western Conference with 73 points. Juraj Slafkovsky replied for the Canadiens (53 points), who are 0-2-1 in their last three contests and remain two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle left this game early in the third period when he injured his right leg following an awkward fall into the boards. He will be reevaluated on Wednesday.

Speaking of the Lightning, they suffered a 4-1 upset at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 34 shots, Seth Jones collected two assists and Connor Bedard scored for the Blackhawks. Brayden Point scored the Lightning’s only goal as they cling to the final Eastern wild card with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning had to use emergency backup goalie Kyle Konin to back up Jonas Johansson as starter Andrei Vasilevskiy was sidelined due to illness.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson turned aside 32 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas scored for the Capitals, who hold first place in the overall standings with 73 points. Blake Coleman tallied for the Flames as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson is 15-1-2 in his last eighteen starts while the Capitals have won seven of their last eight contests.

Carolina Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season to blank the New York Rangers 4-0. Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals and collected an assist for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves as his club remains three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 52 points.

The New York Islanders picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Ilya Sorokin stopped 30 shots while Simon Holmstrom scored two goals and collected an assist for the Isles (51 points). Artturi Lehkonen and Jack Drury scored for the Avalanche, who are 1-3-1 in their last five and sit in the first Western wild card with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders’ hot streak moves them within four points of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish collected two points for the third straight game in a 6-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Ducks have won three straight while the Kraken have dropped three of their last four games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning announced their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

Forwards Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Nikita Kucherov, defensemen Victor Hedman and Dan Boyle, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Brayden Point, Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier, defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Kubina, and goalie Ben Bishop.

TSN: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov requires surgery to address a nagging lower-body issue. He is expected to miss at least four weeks.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Wild placed defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild are also without forward Marcus Johansson as he’s still dealing with post-concussion symptoms. Losing Kaprizov and Brodin could put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues placed veteran winger Brandon Saad on waivers. He’ll be sent to their AHL affiliate in Springfield if he clears.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saad may have played his final game for the Blues. He’s struggled to score this season and it’s rumored he’s been on the trade block for weeks.

Saad’s contract has one year left and an average annual value of $4.5 million. It has a full no-trade clause which reverts to a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. If he clears waivers, the Blues could buy out his final season in June if they don’t find suitable trade options.

THE ATHLETIC: Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton revealed his recent three-game absence was due to the sudden and unexpected death of his father-in-law.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Laughton and his family.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

by | Jan 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2025

The Avalanche and Hurricanes play their first games since the blockbuster trade involving Mikko Rantanen, the Senators reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall were held scoreless in their debuts with the Carolina Hurricanes as they dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to the New York Islanders. Brock Nelson tallied the winning goal as the Isles overcame a 2-0 deficit. Jack Roslovic and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. The Islanders (49 points) have won four straight and sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Rantanan and Hall were traded to the Hurricanes on Friday evening in a three-team deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks. Islanders goaltender Marcus Hogberg left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury while teammate Ryan Pulock (upper body) departed in the first period.

Meanwhile, former Hurricanes Martin Necas and Jack Drury didn’t fare any better in their debuts with the Colorado Avalanche as they fell 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. Morgan Geekie scored two goals while David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Artturi Lekhonen replied for the Avalanche (58 points) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas and Drury were shipped from the Hurricanes to the Avalanche in the Rantanen trade. Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland acknowledged the move was a tough business decision. He wanted to re-sign Rantanen and improve his roster depth but couldn’t do both, so he chose the latter.

Rantanen’s departure saddened Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. “I never thought in a million years he’d leave. So yeah, it just sucks,” he said, calling Rantanen a great friend and teammate. “I’m gonna miss him”.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Stuart Skinner stopped 39 shots as the Oilers took over first place in the Pacific Division with 65 points. Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko scored in overtime to lift his club to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored to extend his home points streak to 19 games as his club holds the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 55 points. Kevin Fiala had two assists and Quinton Byfield scored the tying goal for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan will miss an additional six to eight weeks as he suffered a setback in his recovery from a wrist injury.

The Seattle Kraken got a 28-save performance from goaltender Joey Daccord in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jared McCann and Chandler Stephenson each collected two assists as the Kraken got their third win in their last four contests. Sidney Crosby tallied for the Penguins, who’ve lost three of their last four and sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Matt Nieto left this game with injuries. There was no postgame update on their conditions.

An overtime goal by Jack Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen made 29 saves against his former club. Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 40 shots while Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (53 points), who sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Devils (62 points) moved within two points of the second-place Hurricanes in the Metro Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Devils as captain Nico Hischier left the game in the third period after receiving an unpenalized cross-check to the mid-section from Suzuki in the previous period.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. Shane Pinto broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period while Anton Forsberg made 28 saves for the win, moving the Senators (54 points) within one point of the final Eastern wild card position. Bobby McMann scored for the Leafs (62 points), who’ve dropped two in a row but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Leafs placed forward Connor Dewar (upper body) on injured reserve and called up Nikita Grebenkin. They placed sidelined netminder Anthony Stolarz on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to clear cap space for Grebenkin.

Meanwhile, Senators forward Nick Cousins is expected to miss some time after a knee-on-knee collision with Leafs rookie Jacob Quillan in the first period. His teammate, Nick Jensen, missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot made 28 saves for his 33rd career shutout in a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marco Kasper and Michael Rasmussen were the goal scorers as the Red Wings (51 points) are four points out of the final Eastern wild card spot. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots for the Lightning (55 points), who’ve lost three of their last four and dropped into the first Eastern wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Blue Jackets are tied in points but the Bolts have more wins (26 to 24) and hold two games in hand over the Jackets.

The Dallas Stars got a 33-save shutout from Casey DeSmith to blank the St. Louis Blues 2-0. Evgenii Dadonov and Esa Lindell scored as the Stars picked up their third win in their last four games and sit second in the Central Division with 63 points. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 17 saves as his club sits five points out of the final Western wild card with 50 points.

Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice and added an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild, handing the latter their fifth defeat in their last six contests. The Flames hold the final Western wild card with 55 points. Marco Rossi had three assists for the Wild as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game after being boarded by Wild forward Jakub Lauko. There was no postgame update on his status.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes scored both goals in his club’s 2-1 win over the league-leading Washington Capitals. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for the Canucks (52 points) for their third win in their last 11 games (3-6-2) as they sit three points behind the Flames. Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the Capitals as their 12-game points streak ended (9-0-3).

The Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-2. Mason McTavish scored twice while Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly tallied for the Predators as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist in his return from injury as his club cruised to a 7-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists as the Panthers (61 points) sit one point behind the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs. Cody Ceci and Will Smith tallied for the Sharks, who’ve lost six straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sharks placed forward Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Saturday.

Forwards Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Wade Redden, and goaltender Craig Anderson comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Marian Hossa, Mark Stone and Brady Tkachuk, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Chris Phillips, and goaltender Patrick Lalime.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Will Borgen to a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension. Borgen, 28, was acquired from the Seattle Kraken last month in exchange for winger Kaapo Kakko. The average annual value of his new deal is $4.1 million.